St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-02-29

denomination, aud have written from
memory the following account. thiut
it would be well if the people in general
were made acquainted with the origin
aud antecedents Of these people. II
you think proper to insert what ! have
written in your paper. it would be well
for the people in general.
About the year 1920 the Rev. Solomon
Spaulding, Baptist preacher. theu re-
siding in Pennsylvania, not able to
travel and preach, for diversion wrote
an imaginary history of the ten lost
tribes of the children of Israel. Rev.
Spaulding, in his narrative, translated
the ten lost tribes from Palestine to
North America. There were from time
to time prophets among them, as We
read in the Old Testament. Ii my
memory serves me Alright, the last
prophets name was Mormon. There
were good and evil prophets among
them. Disscntions and wars arose
among them from century to century,
until the good prophets were ncariy all
cxterminated. Then it was made known
to their last prophet that he should
have the history of his people engraved
on metal plates, these plates bOand to-
&c: her and buried.
Mr.. Spaulding died soon after writing
this fictitious history. Then Mr..
Rigdon. who had been Baptist Sreach-
er, but was not at the time, obtained a
copy Of Mr.. Spauiding's work from
Mrs. Spaulding, and went over to PAL
myra, n. Y, where he found the fallrjl ~
of Joe Smith. Joe bein. quite young as
yet. somewhat overgrown, iniolent,
dissOlute. and violinist ut night par
ties. MIR. Kigdon and Joe had an angel
appear to Joe, and tell him where to
dig. in certain hill, and he would and
did find the bound metal plates, on
which was engraved what is now called
the Mormon Bible. Mr.. Spauldiny's
history was published and Joe began to
preach, and like Islam when lie began
to preach Islamism. he had very few
converts in his place of birth. Joe
soon went to Missouri, gained some
more adherents, WAS expelled from
Missouri and went over into Illinois,
where he began TO b'sild a city, which
he named Nauvou. By this time he had
gathered quite numerous band OF fol-
lowers, such as they were. They were
strictly Latter Day Saints. The sur
rounding Inhabitants were Gentiles,
and the good things Of earth by right
belonged to the Saints, who by right or
otherwise came into possession of do
nestle animals, fowls, etc When the
Gcntiles appealed to Joe and the other
Latter Day SAINTS for the return of
what they considered their own prop
erty, they, the GssntilcS, cOald get no
redress. After time the old residents
concluded they understood the situation
of affairs, gathered an armed band of
the free and the brave, who visited
Nauvou, found Joe and an old r bro-
Their Hiram in an upper room. whom
they shot and killed from the street be-
low. The Saints scattered in three di-
rections and in three companies. One
company, led by Iiigdon, went to the
northern part of Michigan, where they
settled on and among tie Beaver Is
lands, near the Strait of Mackinaw.
Vessel. pass through, this strait be-
tween Lakes Huron and Michigan. On
dark nights lights wonld be placed by
the MormOns on boats out from the
land, or in some okhcr manner. to cause
the vessels to run aground. The crews
of the vessels were killed, aud the yes
sells robbed aud burned. Some of the
sailors escaped and told the story. a I'd
the Saints were killed or scattered once
more. 4 second company from Nau
you. directed by James ]. strong, went
to Racine, Wisconsin, were there for
some years. but finally went to Salt
Lake City and joined Brigham Young
and his followers from Nauvou.
SolLe years after the events Just re-
lated large Wagon train Oh the way to
California reached Salt Lake City. The
people bought SUP plies for the remain
der of their Journey. and procured
guides to take them through the proper
pass in the Rocky Mountains. It was
late In the season The guides led the
train far from the right way. b. wilder
ed the people, dressed themselves like
Indians, and fought. killed and robbed
them. A few fled to the mountains and
were famished and frozen before the
following spring, hut one or two sur
yived the winter. This was the .MOun-
tain Meadow Massacre
There were s.deStroying angels
among the Saints, who killed certain
persons pointed out to them. At one
time the MOr7nOns rebelled against the
United States Government. and troops
were sent against theH.. Mormon Ell
ders, Missionaries. by twOs always.
were soon sent throughout the United
States and Canada, visiting small towns
aud backwoods settlements, processing
to work miracles and heal the sick, in
many instances dem0ralizing families,
and persuading some to go to Utah.
Missionaries were sent 10 European
countries, to the lowly and ignorant.
telling the people what fine place
Utah was. All who would come to
America would be given free passage
and free homes. Vessels were char
tered, bringing over three or four hum
drcd persons in ship. Hundreds Of
thousands have been brought over from
Europe and have settled in Utah. Colo