Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-08-03
MormOniSm.

| cdllJV mas Recently uSeu NfSlteU w
Mormon emessaries, who persistent
1ly contend for a hearing on the
ground that they have been misrep-
resented, we re-pnhlisb this letter,
that our readers may see that it
would be very difficult Job to mis-
represent this class, unless some
! thing good should be said Of them.
The letter was published in the
Herald and Presbyter, of ,Cincinna-
| Iii, June 18th, OIL authority Of Rev.
S. Il. Wishard, D. D., Superipten-
dent Of Presbyterian Home Mis-
sions in Utah, and in part is as fol
lows:
I a recent convert to Mormonism,
MIR. Frank S. johnson. makes the
following statement, VIZ:
TO the public:
| My home is in Vieksvi11e, South
ampton County, Va. | am thirty
! eight years old, and have family
| Of six children. Ny sister-in-law
died after tie death of her husband
and left frye children to my care. j
had been Christian more than
four years before the Mormon ms
sionaries came to my house, and
had found great comfort in the
Christian life. ! was a member OF
the Christian Church, sometimes
called the disciples. Nine members
of my family were also mem bers of
the church. George White and
| Henry Taggart, Mormon mission
aries. came to my home early in De-
cen,ber, 1899. Yhey have made
their homes with me since they
came. until this time, in May, 1900.
THAT is the way they preach the
Gospel without purse or scrip
There were six other missionaries
coming often to my house and re-
naming several days at time.
They told US that We must gather
to Isreal, flee to the mountains:
that this was the commandment of
the Lord. They tallsed.like Chris.
tians, and | believed what they said
trusted them. They said when
Christ came he would come to the
temple, and we ought to be there.
They said polygamy had been done
away with that no one was liv-
ang in polyganly, nor had been for
a great many years. They told us
we could not live our religion ia
Virginia. but ought to come to the
mountains. Fhey said the saints
here Tin Utah were pure people
no such wiciedness as in the States.
They represented Utah as q para
disc. They wanted us to come to
temple and be sealed to each other
as husband and wife and children.
They wanted me to sell all and
come with nv family. We all
joined the Mormon Church. and be.
lieyed what the missionaries had
told US but ] did not want to sell
| my little home until | had come to
see. They said | could take up as
much land as wanted when l came
so decided to come, and sold all
my farming implements, my me
chanical tools. my horse and timber
that | had ready to work. got
money enough to come and 60
back again. They did not want
me to take money enough for me
to return-said | would likeit here.
| came on and went to the friends
at Preston. Idaho, to which place
they directed me. | called at Mrs.
Whites and learned that her
daugter, sister Of our missionary,
was living in polygamy-the sec
ond wife of MIR. Pond. | learned
also from the Mormons that the
sister of Elder Taggart was IA rolyg-
amous wife.
These facts startled ME. as both of
the Missionaries had declared to us
again and again that no one had
been in polygamy for a long time;
polygamy was thing long of the
past If they had told me the truth
| would not have come to Utah.
nor would | have sacraficed my
property to come.
While visiting among the breth-
rem at Preston | discovered that the
saints wotld swear, for | heard them.
They would ask blessing at the
table, presently begin to curse.
They would pray and swear right
along. | had never been used to
that, and it hurt me.
President Snow, the "The Mouth
piece Of God, Prophet. Seer and
ltevelator," came up to conference
at Preston, | thought, Now we
will hear something good; if he
does speak for God, he surely say
something good and helpful. But |
to my surprise lie did not. He talk
ed all the time about tithing. They
must s'pay up" 1t was money,
money. money all the time; no Cos
pei ut all; nothing about the loye
of God; nothing about our Savior
whom loved. | was sick and dis
heartened. ! could neither sleep
nor eat.
The saints wanted me to come to !
all their meetinge, but could not. !;
The missionaries had deceived me.
Instead of paradise, | foand the
saints swearing, living in polygamy