The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-27

One wouldn't have expected that a novel
| as The Lions Of the Lord tLothrop Pun
fishing Company, Boston,. from Harry Leon
| Wilson. whose shrewd and up-to-date story.
The Speaders.'' has achieved so notable a
success during the past year. The two are
widely different, yet upon analysis II must
be said that the same hand can be distin-
gIIished in both.
The Spenders' was a keen picture of a
certain phase of present-day life 1t de-
lineated the .'naw-rich' Western American
family breaking its way into the older so
cieiy OF the East, and was refreshingly
truthful and humorous. 1t was remarna-
bic, also. for one excellent lit of character
drawing, that of old Peter Bines. and il had
a whizzing love scene. wherein the hero an
neNcd' his sweetheart with Vigor so truly
American that the entire country respond
ed 10 its magnetism. The principal revela-
ton of the story was that its author pos
sessed the knack Of getting right al the
heart Of things and making his people in
tensely human in good old common sort
of way.
The Lions OF the LORD is 4 romance COW
ering the Mormon exodus TO Utah and the
amazing development, of a polygamous ma
ton which still exists as a problem for
American solution. 1t begins with the flight
CT the Mormons frcm Illinois i'll 1876 follow
ing the death of Joseph Smith. their prophet,
and ii brings us Up to period just after
the close OF the Civil War. The astonish-
ing record of the march across the plains
and over the mountains. the almost increG-
ible history OF the settlement of Salt Lake
City and the reclamation OF the Utah
desert. the horror OF the Mountain Meadow
massacre the invasion of Utah by the lit
tie American army under Albert Sidney
Johnston-these are some of the things
which We encounter in this novel, Brig
ham Young dominates the story and the at
mosphere OF Mormonism envelops il. The
hero, a pathetic young mystic who climbs
high in the Church of Latter-Day Saints
and lives TO realize the shame OF its teach
ines. is named joel Rae. known as 1.-The
Lutte OF the Holy Ghost because of his
matchless eicquence and nielodIous voice.
Another character. 4 very strenuous Nor
mon indeed. calls himself the wild Ram of
the Mountains" and still third rejoices
in the name of The Archer OF Paradise"
Plural wives. some contented. some desper-
ately unhappy, bob up with great fire.
quency.
That's an ambitious theme a big canvas,
a perplexing community to handle isn't 1t?
We'll, this young Harry Leon Wilson goes
at 1t In spirit of the utmost simplicity.
he sees the humorous. as well as the
dreadful. side of Mormonis,n the farce
sothcu! iiae AiiN diidUiS went mana IN anu
with the tragedy of the Mormon story. He
tells us of the Danites. that band of ruth
less avengers which did the church's bloody
work. and his hero IS made to become one
of these grim and terrible Sons of Dan
But he tells us also of the antics of Brig
ham Young and his apostles on festive &C.
casions: big. fat. scnsuous fellows wide of
Girth. who shaved themselves pink in the
face and bear's-greased their hair and
black-broadclothed their ample forms when
they went 80 seal a new wife unto the
Lord" And all the time the piteous story
of poor joel Kay. the fanatic and dupe is
moving onward as mercilessly as If con-