The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-01-27
MORMONIsM.
Elders Are Wolves in She's Ms Cloth.
ing, Says Rev. Mr.. Frank.

Nauers are wolves in She's p's Cloth.
ing, Says Rev. Mr.. Frank
For the Sentinel.
The rapid and substantial growth
OF the church of the Latter Day
saints is peculiarly interesting. The
origin of this church was peculiar
and, in fact, accidental. It's fou der,
Joseph Smith, was born of poor,
ignorant. and thriftless parents; and
these qualities were not altogether
lacking in his own character.
In his alleged visions at the age of
fifteen, he claimed that the angel
Moroni appeared to him, informing
him of the place were the plates were |
buried from which he was to trans |
late the Book of Mormon. This was
TO be the Bible OF the Western Con-
tineDt and the supplement of the |
New Testament. The work was, ia
reality, novel written by Solomon
Spalding in 1912 He was a retired
Presbyterian minister and wrote this
work as historical romance. His
subject was the native American
Indians, who were represented as
descendants of the pat riarch Joseph
1t was writ ten in rude mutation OF
the style and language of the Old
Testament But as it possessed no
features specially commendable, no
publisher would undertake it's publi-
| cation. Smith afterwards secured
the work from SpaldiDR's widow.
By the aid OF Martin Harris, a
wealthy farmer, it was Published in
1880.
Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery and
David Whitmer affixed their names
/ in solemn affirmation that an angel
/ had shown them the plat-s from
which the work was TRANSLATED.
After wards they denounced Mormon
| ism and denied this as false. Smith
himself is said to haye laughed at
the deception; tut the seriousness
with which this pl giarized work was
received euggeeted To him the plan of
appropriating this stupid imposture
TO his own fortune aud renown
Having aroused the Ontempt of his
neighbors around his home at Man
chester, New York, he moved to
Kirkland, Ohio, in 1881. Next,
accompanied by his followers, he
founded a colony at Independence,
Missouri, where the New Jerusalem
was to be founded. Owing to the
interference of the state government
they were compelled to move again.
They next founded the town OF
| NauvoO III Illinois which soon became
a thriving city.
Here Smith was lodged in Jail, and
afterwards murdered by an infuria-
ted mob. This proved to be the
salvation of the Mormon creed.
Smith had been rash and uncrupu-
lous, and was finally prosecuted by a
party within his own fold; but his
murder buried all his faults and i'm
mortal zed him among his followers
as a martyr. Thus an intolerable
despot became an illustrious hero
He had proclaimed himself a trans
lator, prophet, apostle, and elder of
the church. Alter his death his
followers, with Brigham Young as
leader, founded Salt Lake City, their
present stronghold.
Their form of worship is similar to
that of our Protestant denomina-
tions who use no ritual. Polygamy
is legalizad, though not an article in
their creed. A reform movement
among the better classes has done
much in abolisbiDg this crime. Aside
from polyRaI y they are not i'm
moral. Intemperance is almost IN
known among them. They are
characterized by industry and good
department generally. Their zeal
fer the church is an excellent example
for us. From about 125 900 adher-
ents they have sent out as many as
400 missionaries into the different
countries of the world. Some oil
these have undergone persecution
and i'll treatment for the sake OF
promulgatiDg their doctrines.
A great amount OF work has been
done in North Carolina in attempt
ing to proseiyte our people to the
Mormon faith. Perhaps there are nc
less than forty elders at work in our
State now. They claim to go with
out purse and script, which is utterly
false. The writer spent d night with
two elders, Messrs Winder and
Taylor, in August, 1892 in the home
OF a certain North Carolina family
Two days prior to this they wer,
arrested in Stanly county charged
with separating husband and wife
They were lodged in jail at their Owl
request to protect themselves iron
an infatuated mob. They had plenty
, OF money to pay lawS er's fee in thu
, trial. While they have no money te
pay hotel bills, they have plenty tt
pay their railroad fare, and to pur
chase postage stamps-it not other
, wise obtained. Perhaps the reade
will remember that just after tn
| postoffice robbery at Mooresville
, | two MormOns were arrested il
] Salisbury while trying to liquidate {
debt with postage stamps. The,
! were not found guilty, but the ques
ton is, where did they get the stamp
if they have no money?
Some have suspicioned that GU
two Mormon elders in Winston ar
mem bers of sale blowers fra ternit y
) This is probably a false charge.
They are wolves in sleeps cloth
: ing. With purses and perhaps
\ pistols, (the writer once saw Oh
> preaching in Montgomery count,
with pistol in his lett hip pocket
they stalk unmolested among on
women and children, pois oning thei
minds with the claim that portion
of the Bible are false because of in
correct translation. l know of on
: family in particular that was i'm
: PEELED by over persuasion TO emf
CRATE to Utah to seek a fortune; bu
alas calamity and separation iron
friends were the results.
Any religion that is founded upo1
false premises, and that degrade
woman, making her a victim of th,
| cprual DrononSifipa Of man ia danger