Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-05-20

their subject matter and in their deliy-
erv, cOnfniug themselves as rule TO
the prosecutions of the saints and the
msdeeds OF their prosecutors. Refer
onces to the Book OF Mormon are few
in number, the speakers seeming deter
mined 10 thrust it into the background
as much az possible.
Every Mormon village and settlement
has its tabernacle, where services very
like those l have been describing are
held every week. The secret and mystic
rites OF the church are performed In the
several temples. To the latter Gentiles
are stern}y denied admission, and a
Mormon cannot gain entrance without
q recommendation from mis- bishop. The
outsider cannot appreciate the reyeren-
tlal awe with which the sim le-minded
Mormons regard the temples OF THAR
faith. Angelic visitors are thought to
have Joined ia the dedication OF the
temple at Manti, and by many 1t was
devoutly believed that Christ would ap-
pear in person when the Salt Lake City
temple was dedicated. The endowment
ceremonies, which are performed in the
temples, have often been described, but
OF other temple rights, equally strange
and absurd, but little is known. One Of
the most curious is baptism for the
dead. A saint assumes the name and
goes through the ceremony OF INNER
sion for dead relative. This baptism
by proxy enables those who passed away
before the Angel Maroni appeared TO
Joseph Smith to enjoy the blessings Of
the new dispensation. The practice OF
baptism for the dead has often been
carried TO the most ridiculous extremes.
President Woodruff has been baptized
for 5000 dead relatives, whose names
and ageS-the data necessary for the
performance OF the ceremony-he spent
months in searching out. One would
think that, with this much accom-
plished, the self-saCriGcing old gentle
man would have been content to rest
from his labors, but he has gone
still further in order to assure the
celestial welfare Of his dead kinsmen.
When he was in charge of the temple
at St. George he received divine reve-
lation that he could call on the men
and women of st. George TO go through
the endowmeutS for his dead. He says
that this revelation filed his soul with
Joy, and that he proceeded to act on il
forthwith. In single day 154 OF the
women OF ST. George went through the
endowments for the same number OF
his dead female relatives, and up TO the
present time the souls welfare OF some
.. 500 Of them has thus been secured.
Thousands have availed themselves Of
this privilege. President Woodruff has
in person been baptized and gone
through the endowmeets, as proxy, for
such presidents of the United States as
died before the truth was revealed to
Joseph the prophet
For thousand miles, from Idaho In
the north through Utah into Arizona in
tho south, extends an unbroken line OF
Mormon settlements. Colouizing In the
territories adjacent TO Utah began
thirty years ago, and WAS carried on
vigorously until very recently. At the
present time there are about $4,000
Mornons in Southeastern Idaho and
about the same number in Northern
Arizona, who have settled there during
the last twenty years. There are also
small Mormon colonies in Nevada, Col
orado, California, Wyoming and Mon