Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-01

SohStohliy at Wal WIFI lIl6 NopnlCGS
the account of which was recorded on
these golden plates. At length ter
rible earthquake announced the cruel
fixion of Christ at Jerusalem. Three
days after the Lord descended out OF
Heaven and instructed the Nephites
in Christianity. But the Lamanites
continued to make constant war on
them and finally they made their last
stand on the hill Cumora in western
New York, where in great battle
100000 of them were slain. Moroni
one of the survivors after wandering
as fugitive for numberofyears bur,
led the records in the hill where they
were afterwards by him revealed to
Joseph Smith. Such is the Mormon
account of the origin of their religion.
1--WE may stay here long enough to
say that it has been clearly proven
that this book was really written by
an erratic preacher, named Solomon
Spaulding, who died at Amity, Pa, in
1916. He wrote several novels, but
could never find a publisher to print
them. This romantic account of the
origin of the Indians he wrote shortly
before he died, and his widow as late
as 1889, declared he placed it in a
printing house at Pittsburg, with
which Sidney Rigdon was connected.
Rigdon coming into possession of the
manuscript began preaching it's pecu-
liar doctrines, which were a reflection
of the religious thinking of western
New York about that time. They were
mixture of Calvinism, Universalism
Methodism, Catholicism and the rest
The book was written in the style OF
the Old Testament scriptures, from
which frequent quotations were made
without acknowledgement. Smitf
soon became connected with Rigdon,
and being shrewd was soon the domi
mating spirit. The first Mormon church
was organized at Manchester, New
York in 1880. In 1881, Smith directed
by revelation, as he said, led his con
verts to Kirkland, Ohio. Here because
of doubtful practices and fraudulen
dealings he aroused the i'll will of thu
community and the two prophets were
| dragged from their beds and tarret
and feathered. 1t was about this tim,
that Brigham Young, a painter an(
| glazier by trade, native of Vermont
was converted to Mormonism. In tn,
meantime colony had been set up in
Missouri. Hitler Smith and Rigdon
betook themselves. They were soor
involved in quarrels with the Mis-
sourians.. There was doubtless some
provocation, for it was about this time
that the order of the Danites wa:
formed who swore to support the
heads of the church in all things they
say or do. Smith prophesied to his
people that he would take the state
and the United States and the whole
world, that is, if he was not let alone
he would be a second Mahomet to this
generation, and that he would make ii
one gore of blood from the Rocky
Mountains to the Atlantic ocean. Fin
ally the militia of the state had to be
called out by the governor and the
Mormons capitulated and agreed tc
leave the state. Accordingly Smith
received a revelation commanding the
saints to settle in Hancock county, Ill.
where they founded the city of Nau
VOC. Here the state of Illinois grant
ed them charter of such extraordin-
airy privileges that they We're prac
tically independent. They organized {
military body comprising all the able
bodied men of the city, Here Smiti
! received revelation authorizing poly
gamy, and began to live accordingly
With this some of the Mormons re
nounced their faith and denounced
and exposed the leaders of the church
Smith retaliated by destroying the
presses and buildings of those who
opposed him. For this he was arrest
ed and placed in Jail with his broth
er. From this they were taken by a
mob and shot, a great blunder as vel
as a great crime. Brigham Young
was elected to succeed him and soon
after the charter of Nauvoo was revok.
ed by Illinois and they set about tc
seek new home.
In 1886 they gathered in considera
BILE numbers at Council Bluffs, from
there Young set out to investigate Salt
Lake valley in Utah. Here he arrived
in July, 1S47. The next year after a
toilsome journey across the plains, en-
countering nameless hardshlps, the
main body of the company arrived in
the valley of the great Salt Lake and
Immediately set to work to bring the
wilderness under cultivation. Salt
Lake Valley is an ideal spot for those
who might be seeking a secluded re-
treat in the wilderness. 1t is sur
rounder with high hills, but is rich and
fertile. The guide today proundly
points to the opening through which
Brigham led his hosts on that memor
able time through the mountains tc
the valley. The city was laid out with
great regularity. 1t has all it's streets
at right angles with the great temple
square for the centre of all. From
this they number north, south, east
and west. Thus secluded the hier.
archy had unbridled freedom for a
time. In 1S49 convention was called
at Salt Lake City and state was or.
ganized called Deseret, "the land OF
the honey bee" A constitution was
sent to Washington, but they failed on
recognition. Instead the territory OF
Utah was organized, of which Brigham
Young was appointed governor But
federal authorities were ignored, and
Young was removed. But Brigham
was persistent. He said: 4 am gov.
ernor. and no power can prohibit it till
GOD Almighty says, 'Brigham,you need
not be governor any longer The ter.
ritory was in state of rebellion in
cessantly till about the breaking out
of the war, when an offer of pardon
was granted provided they would sub.