The Washington times., 1902-02-24
AS BRIGHAM YOUNG'S
DAUGHTER KNEW HIM
Considers Him the Greatest
Man of the Century.
MORMONISM AS TRUE RELIGION
Mrs. DonGciI Advances Arguments
ihnt the Prejudice Against Her
People Is Because of poI,gumy.
hich Has Been Abandoncd

Mrs. Maria Y. Dongell. of salt Lake
City, who is a daughter of the great
Norman leader, Brigham Young, is in
the city as one of the delegates to the
National Council of Women.
Mrs. Dongell is said to bear a close
resemblance to her father in features,
manner, and voice. Her most striking
characteristic is quaint but intense
eaTnestness. Nobody can doubt, after
three MINUTES talk with her that she
believes thoroughly IN two thirgs-that
Mormonism is the only true religion, and
that her father was one of the greatest
men OF his century.
Everyone who met my father" said
Mrs. Dongell, felt a certain ave of him.
You remember, even Mark Twain said
that Brigham Young made linn feel
small"
y twinkle in Mrs. Dongells eye, and
laugh in her voice made it evident that
she could appreciate the fun of the joke
even at the expense OF her people.
Ii the Eastern people would only come
ont and live with US, she continued,
they would find that we are not at all
the sort of people We have been repre-
scented TO be. l wish you could see the
beautiful boys and girls growing up in
our city, the contented women the beau
tlful, refined characters in our homes.
People are prejudiced against us because
of one feature of our life, which has now
been abandoned.
PcIySamy Not Commonly Practiced.
'Polygamy is not commonly practiced
now. 1t is not part of our religion to
break the laws OF our country Com
paratively few were ever called to the
state OF plural marriage. 1t cannot be
entered into by everyone.
The Book of Mormonism is not the
basis of MormOnism. The Book of Nor
monism is merely the history Of a race
who lived on this continent 400 years
ago. The Bible is the basis of our re-
ligion
We believe that We have the only true
faith. that we are the only people who
literally believe. the Bible. We believe
in personal God. in all parts like man,
and, OF course, in heaven. We believe
that every man is held responsible and
punished for his own sins
plural marriage. as We call It. was re-
vealed to my father
III was very repugnant to him at first
He felt as if he could not accept it. But
he was led by the Spirit TO do so ! wish
you could have seen mis- home These
women lived together and loved each
other like sisters. When my mother died
my stepmother took charge of us, and
cared for us as if we had been her own
children. My father was not only great
mamie was good man"
Mrs Dongell then told with touches of
dramatic spirit the story of Joseph
Smiths visions and of the finding of the
famous plates of revelation
Where Strength of Mormons Lies.
Outsiders think,'' she said. that our
strength lies in organization, that every
man, woman, and child is organized. 1t
is not that at all. It is the spirit of God.
The Church is making gains every day 1t
never was so strong as today.
When l hear some OF these people in
the East-good people they are, too-com-
pairing our social system to the immoral
ity in these big cities, it makes my blood
boil
Even the people who live side by side
with us do not understand us. They come
West filled with prejudice. and they don't
try 10 get rid OF it. Perhaps they can't
only wish they would come and live with
US and try to understand us"