The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-22
Their aggressIveness carried t

sect. Their aggressIveness carried them
beyond the borders of the territory TO
which they were sent. The same spirit
of expansion has led them to return from
the new fields to which they went in or
|, der to carry their doctrines back to the
very spot whence they sprung, to be
plucked up and cast out in their early
days by ruthless hand.
There are in New York today a score
Of missionaries of the Mormon faith.
They are to be found throughout New
England, particularly in the state Oh
Massachusetts. There are few as well
scattered about the West.
These are seeking constantly for con-
verts. To those who oppose Mormonism
as device of INSCRIPTIONS men to hood
wink the unsophlsticated, 1t Is surpr sing
that they are finding so many.
The doctrines they teach are primarily
those originally advanced by Smith. Po-
lygamy, which has been the signal fea-
ture which has attracted notoriety to the
sect. Is not prominently advanced. New
ertheless, 1t must be accepted by the new
converts as a part of their belief though
the church itself, in obedience to the laws
of the United States, has prohibited it's
practice.
Polygamy, primarily, is the ground
upon which Mormonism has been fought
-.
which 1t will be opposed in the future.
In striking at it opponents of the faith
strike at the root of the original tree, for
1t was this factor more than any other
which contributed most largely to the
marvellous spread of the belief.
SMITH AND PoLYGAMY.
Strangely enough, it was denounced by
Joseph. Smith in the original book of
yUoc 11xy III, Jata
his enemies allege, to further his personal
ends. 1t has since been an accepted creed
with his followers, and was never dis
countenaneed by the religion until six
years ago, when the edict of President
Milford Woodruff forbade it within the
Mormon church Those who practice
polygan1y are not ordered to abandon it,
but the further practice was absolutely
forbidden.
The story of the inception of Mormon
ism is surprising one. Smith, who was
born at Sharon, VT, in 1906, and who early
removed with his parents to Ontario
county, New York, saw various visions
between the ages of Is and 49, which pre-
dicted for him a peculiar work ordered of
God. On Sept. q. 1923, the Angel Moroni
appeared three times in the night at his
bedside and told him Of a work Of God
craven upon golden plates, written by
the prophets Of the Lord and buried in a
hill near Manchester, N. Y. The next
night he appeared again and showed him
two transparent stones trimmed in silver
bowls, like spectacles. looking through
which the plates would become intelligf-
BILE. The same night he led him to the
spot where they were hidden and deliver
ed them into his hands, telling him to
translate them for the guidance of the
sons of men and spread them broadcast
throughout the land.
The books, as translated by Smith, re-
late this history. They were inscribed it
is said, in a reformed Egyptian script.
They told of the destruction of the
Nephftes. They told, too, of how an
earthquake announced the crucifxion of
Christ to the disciples in America; of how
the Lord, after His resurrection, appeared
to the Saints in America and remained
with them forty days. They advocated
the general beliefs of Christianity and
advanced most of the theories of Biblical
history. Among other things, they de-
nounced infant baptism and condemned
polygamy. They proclaimed a millennium
near at hand and the foundation of a new
Zion in America.
When published, in 1880, the doctrines
of Mormonism created a sensation. The
converts to the belief assembled first at
Manchester, but the feeling against them
became strong that they migrated to
Kirkland. o. Smiths most ardent lieu
tenant was one Sydney Rigdon. They
later moved to independence. Mo. Here
Smith. Rigdon and Williams were created
as the first presidency and twelve apostles
were appointed-among them Brigham
Young. who had joined the sect at Kirk
land. The feeling against them broke out
afresh at Independence, and the practices
of Smith and Rigdon became so Infamous
that a mob attacked them in 1892 and
coated them with tar and feathers. In
1885 they were driven out of Independence
into Illinois, where they established, I'M
der a charter from the state. the city
Of Nauvoo. Here they thrived for nearly
twenty years, building up a formidable
organization.
PLURAL MARRIAGES ADVOCATED.
1t was in 1916 that Smith first advanced
the doctrine Of polygamy He claimed the
right to take to himself number of spir-
itual wives The wife of DR. Foster one