Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-12-13
CHAPTER III.
John Fcrrier Talks With the
Prophet.

Prophet.
Three weeks had passed since Jeffer-
| son Hope ans: his comrades departed
from Salt Lake City. John Terriers
heart was sore within him when he
thought of the young mans return.
and of the. impending loss of his
adopted child Yet her bright and
happy face reconciled him to the ar
ran2ement more than any argument
could have 1one He had always de-
ternined deep down in his resolute
heart. that nothing would ever induce
him to allow his daughter to wed a
Mormon. Such marriage he regard
ed as no marriage at all. but as Il
shame and disgrace. Whatever he
might think of the Mormon doctrines.
upon that one point he was inf1exible.
he had to seal his mouth on the sub
tect. however. for to express an un-
orthodox opinion was dangerous
matter in those days m the Land Of
the Saints
Yes. dangerous natter-So danger
GUS that even the most sanity dared
only whisper their religious opinions
with bated breath. lest something
which fell from their lips might be
misconstrued. and bring down a swift
retribution upon than. The victims of
persecution had now turned persecut-
ors on their own account. and persecut-
ors Of the most terrible description.
Not the inquisition of Seville, nor the
German Vehmgericht nor the secret
societies Of Italy, were ever able to
put more formidable machinery in
motion than that which cast cloud
over the Territory of Utah
Its invisibility, and the mystery
which was attached to it, made this or
ganization doubly terrible. 1t appeared
to be omniscent and omnipotent. and
yet was neither seen nor heard. The
man who held out against the church
vanished away. and none knew with
or he had gone or what had befallen
him. His wife and his children await
ed him at home. but no father ever re-
turned to tell them how he had Jared
at the hands of his secret judges. A
rash word or hasty act was followed
by arnibilatiCn. and vet none knew
what the nature might be of this terri
BILE power which was suspended over
them. No wonder that men went
about in fear and trembling, and that
even in the heart of the wilderness
they dared not whisper the doubts
which oppressed them.
At first this vague and terrible DOW
err as exercised only upon the recall
citrants. who. having embraced the
Mormon faith. wished afterwards to
pervert or abandon it. Soon, how
ever. it took wilder range. The sup
ply Of adult women was running short.
and polygamy, without a female pop
ulation on which to draw was barren
doctrine indeed. Strange rumors began
to be banded abOut-rumors of MUIR
dercd immigrants and rified camps in
regions where Indians had never been
seen. Fresh women appeared in the ha-
rems Of the elders-women who had
pined and wept, and bore upon their
faces the traces of an unextinguishable
horror. Belated wanderers upon the
mountains spoke Of gangs Of armed
men-masked, stealthy and noiseless-
who fitted by them in the darkness
These tales and rumols took substance
and shape. and We're cOrroborated and
re-corroborated. until they resolved
themselves into a definite name. To
this day, in the lonely ranches of the
West, the name of the DANTE Band.
or the Ayenging Angels. is sinister
and ill-omeneG one.
Fuller knowledge of the organization
which produced such terrible results
served to increase rather than lessen
the horror which it inspired in the
minds of men. None knew who be-
longed to this ruthless society. The
names of the participators in the deeds
Of blood and violence. done under the
name Of religion, were kept profoundly
secret. The very friend to whom you
communicated your misgivings as to
the prophet and his mission might be
one of those who would come forth
at night with fire and sword to exact
terrible reparation. Hence every
man feared his neighbor. and none
spoke of the things which We're nearest
his heart.
One fine morning John Ferrier was
about to set out to his wheat fields.