Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-03-17
LECTURE ON MoRMoNISM.

subject was the history of the Mormons
from their entering Utah, July "A, ls4s
to the present time. The lecture was
very interesting. He said in part, that
Ike all other new settlers, the Mormons
had to struggle for the actual necessi-
ties of life for the first few wears of
their residence in Utah. Three events
contributed largely 10 their material
prosperity The emigration to Califor-
ME OF the gold seekers. This furnished
market at fabulous prices for every
pound of food the Mormous could snare
and enabled them to buy for song
the surplus baggage that these emf,
grants had brought from the East. The
Mormon war, under Buchanan's admin
istration, caused General Johnston to
transport heavy wagon teams of sup
plies TO Utah for the supposed use of
the army, and when this war so ignom-
iously collapsed their supplies were
sold at auction for what they would
bring. This laid the foundation of the
wealth OF the Mormon hierarchy. The
building of the overland railroad, of
which Brigham Young was a heavy
contractor added much to the wealth
of the Mormon leaders. Brigham
Young, when he went to Utah in lS4S,
was so poor that he was compelled to
borrow the money TO pay his travelling
expenses; when he died in 1877. twenty
nine years later, his estate was valued
at over three millions of dollars. AS
soon as the Mormons were settled in
Utah the leaders of the so-called church
OF Jesus Christ sent out many mission
aries 10 various parts of Europe TO
make converts and gather them to the
new Paradise These missionaries
preached the speedy second coming of
Christ when all the nations of the world
should be judged with fiery indigna-
ton. That in the day of Gods wrath
that was about to come, there would be
but one place of safety and that was
the new Paradise among the noun
talns OF Utah, and all the saints of God
were warned to flee there before it
would be too late. The result was that
a large emigration, like a river, flowed
into Utah during the fifties. The most
OF these found things altogether differ
ent from what they expected and be.
came dissatisfied the result was con
tentlon and discord and it looked as
though the whole system would go to
pieces.
But Brigham Young and his faithful
followers, energized by that spirit Of
dlabolism which is the true founder OF
the Mormon system, was sufficient for
the emergency, and at once he became
absolute dictator ruling and controlling
his people with rod of IRON, and IN
1896 commenced that remarkable move
ment known as the reformation, q
movement that for crime and fanatical
fury, the historian says, lis unequalled
since the dark ages" To make this
movement effective the doctrine OF
blood atonement was openly preached
and practiced, and the DANTE Band
or the Church Avengers" was organ
lied to carry out the will of the Nor.
man hierarchy History says that dur.
ing this period, over 500 persons were
Slain in cold blood, including the 100 OF
Mountain Meadow massacre. Brigham
Young claimed that, as the successor OF
Joseph Smith, he held the keys OF
heaven according to the revelation
given to Smith as follows Verify |
say unto you that whatsoever you seal
on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and
whatsoever you bind on earth in my
name and by my word, saith the Lord,
shall be eternally bound in heaven and
whatsoever sins you remit on earth
shall be RENTED in heaven and whose
soeyer sins you retain on ca, tn shall be
retained in heaven" Therefore the
voice of the Mormon priesthoods must
not be questioned" TO question is To
doubt and to doubt is to be damned
land he who apostatizes can only have
his sin removed by having his blood
shedn
During this period there was nothing
to restrain the true spirit of Mormon
fapatacism. Brigham Young had bid
defiance to the authority of the govern
ment. The federal officers. sent to gov
ern Utah, were mistreated and rejected
and the individuality of manhood was
crushed beneath the iron heels of a
fanatical dictatorship. In the history
of Utah, from 1854 to 1861, can be seen
what would be the history of any
country where the fanaticism of the
Mormon hierarchy rules unchecked
The coming OF the Stars and the Stripes
and the location of Camp Douglas over
looking Salt Lake City, by General Con-
ner, in 1862, introduced new order of
things. Never was the flag welcomed
more j0yonsly by few loyal hearts.
With the flag came the bold daring
miner and the absolute power of the
dictator was broken But the disloyal
fight on the part of the Mormon power
was ever kept up. BI. CHAM Young
died 1877 and the head authority passed
into the hands of others, more cunning
more diplomatic yet Just as disloyal.
When the faithful historian writes up
the history of the Mormon church for
the % years, from 1877 to 1908, there is
no question in the mind of the speaker
but what the verdict will be, that for
dupleity, disloyality, disceptnre and
treachery it is without an equal in the
history of nations.
Then commenced game of sharp
practice against the government that
was bringing the enforcement of law to
bear heavily upon the Mormon law
breaker. The speaker knows of these
things because he. was then resident
of Salt Lake City. Poring the ten
years, from 1880 to 1900, things were
lively in Utah. The stars and stripes
ioated over Camp Douglas; the boys
in blue were on parade; the iron dogs
of war each evening gave growl that
could be heard far and near The
officer of the law was in the land hunt
ing for the law breaker The law
breaker was terror stricken and fleeing
The detective was everywhere; Bishops
were dTItSlSQs EluSES were UIaE2tu
into court. There was much false
swearing. and no little perjury, but of
no avail the evidence was completed
and the penitentiary was being filled
with convicted criminals Some fled to
the mountains some hid in their cellars
Even their president, John layer. went
into retirement TO avoid the officer of
the law and only came to the light
when borne by his pail bearers. Ten
years of this was enough for the Nor
mon hierarchy For once they realized
that the arm of Uncle Sam was more
powerful than the arm of their God A
meeting was called, : committee was
sent 10 the leading loyal element in the
city asking under what conditions
csu.d the Mormon obtain relief The
answer NaS prompt and brief Obey
the lawr The result was that the
church authorities entered into a
solemn written contract in which they
agreed To diSband their church party.
separate their church from state and
give up polygamy, absolutely and en-
tirely.