The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-02-11
pRss,bssf woobRuFF.

embraces the whole of Utah, Southern
Idaho, Wyoming, Eastern Nebraska,
Western Colorado, Northern Arkansas,
Western Iowa; Eastern California and
portions of New Mexico, an area of half
a million square miles.
Converts are multiplying, for the
missionaries, both at home and abroad,
are earnest. Jealous workers, who dare
all things in the service of their
church. This intensity of zeal is the
direct outcome of the persecution the
Saints have experienced. Persecution
strengthens the prosecuted.
Many people in the East suppose
that polygamy is no longer part of
Mormonism. That is not so. Polyga-
nous children are given the preference
over homogeneous, Plural marriages
are encouraged. Mormons to-day are
taking to themselves second and third
wives,
The manifesto Of President Wood
ruff was only blind. 1t did not mean
anything to those who knew the facts
more than that the Mormon Church
had decided to conform outwardly te
the law of the land, while at the same
time continuing to visit their extra
wives, who ostensibly lived apart each
in her own house with her own chill
dren.
What difference did 1t make whether
the wives were in one house or in a
half dozen houses? The elders could
visit each one in turn just as he
chose.
The Church marries the Saints as it
chooses. If it finds a wife isn't happy
with the man with who she is living it
seals" her to another man, and so on
until 1t locates her happily. The mar
riage ceremony is not public. Only the
elect are present. The ceremony is a
reproduction of the supposed courtship
out as literally as possible.
Land is at the bottom of all Mormon
success. The Church controls vast
tracts, and besides it acts as distribut-
missionaries go abroad among the
poorest peasantry of Great Britain,
Norway, Sweden, Holland, Germany
and Switzerland and say to them, 1--WE
are come to you to give you eternal sal
walton and a nice farm if you will be-
lieve our doctrine, which really is not
harder to believe than any other doc
trine. The farm will be your own, too.
Think of that, Let your mind dwell
upon it. Will you ever have farm OF
your own to do what you liked with if
you stay in this country? No, of course
not; but if you are baptized and go to
the Land of Promise in America you
shall have large farm, and we will
! lend you money to stock it and to buy
implements with
The missionaries keep their promis-
| es. They send their peasants to Utah,
where they are instructed how to file
a claim on land. They take farm,
! and, of course, have to borrow from the
| Church before they can begin work
The Church fits them out and takes a
mortgage on the farm as security. The
interest on the mortgage and the 1.-THE
| one-tenth of the annual product of all
\ the labor of the farmer, go to the
! Church.
| Every Saint has to pay this 1.-THE
| BY the time the 1.-THE and the interest
have been paid the newcomer has
mighty little for himself. In truth, he
literally is owned, body as well as soul.
by the Mormon Church. He must dc
| its bidding, for without its aid he is
helpless. AS the majority of Mormons
are farmers, the power of the Church
can be understood.