The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-06-28
CHAPTER XlII.-Continued.

SOfn6tiHleS MS grievance "ouiu
have a personal basis, as when he told
them: Il have gone to work and made
roads to the canyon for wood; and L
have cut wood down and piled it up,
and then | have not got it. | wonder
II any of you can say as much about
the wood | have left there. | could
tell stories of Elders that found and
took my wood that should make pro-
fessional thieves blush. And again l
have proof to show that Bishops have
taken thousands of pounds of wheat
In tithing which they have never re-
ported to the general tithing-oftice,-
proof that they stole the wheat to let
their friends speculate upon"
Under this very pointed denuncia-
ton many of the flock complained Bit
terly. But Brigham only increased the
flow of his wrath upon them. You
need" said he, Ito have it rain pitch
forks, tines downward from this pull
pit, Sunday after Sunday"
Still, there were rebellious Saints to
object, and, as Brigham drew the lines
of his wrath tighter, these became
more prominent in the community.
When they voiced their discomfort,
they angered the priesthood. But
when they indicated their purpose to
leave the valley, as many soon did,
they gave alarm. An exodus must be
prevented at any cost, and so the
priesthood let it be known that migra-
tons from the valley would be consid-
cred as nothing less than apostasy. In
Brigham's own words: "The moment
a person decides to leave this people,
he is cut off from every object that is
desirable in time or eternity. Every
possession and object of affection will
be taken from those who forsake the
truth, and their identity will eventual
ly cease,
But, as the reform wave swept on,
It became apparent that these words
had been considered merely figurative
by many who we're about to seek
homes outside, the valley. From every
side news came privately that this
family or that was preparing to leave.
And so it came about that the first
Sunday Joel Rae was able to walk to
the tabernacle, still weak and wasted
and trembling, he heard a sermon
from brigham which made him ques,
ton his own soul in an agony of ter
ror. For, on this day, was boldly
preached, for the first time in Zion
something which had never before
been more than whispered among the
highest elect,-the doctrine of blood
atonement-of human sacrifice.
Under his discourse Joel Rae sat
terrified, with a bloodles face, cover
ing as he had made others to cover
six weeks before. The words seemed
to carry his own preaching to it's right
full conclusion; but now how changed
was his world!-a whirling, sickening
chaos of sin and remorse.
AS he listened to Brigham's words
picturing the blood of the sinner smok
ing On the ground, his thoughts fed
back to that night,-that night Of
wondrous light and warmth, the last
he could remember before the great
blank came.
Now the voice of Brigham came to
him again: "'And almost all things
are by the law purged with blood;
and without shedding of blood is nc
REMISSION"
Then the service ended, and he saw
Bishop Wright pushing toward hin
through the crowd.
well, we'll, Brother Rae-you d.
look peaked, for sure! But you'll picl
up fast enough, and just in time, too
Lord! what won't Brother Brigham d.
when the Holy Ghost gets a strange
holt on him? Now, then" he added
in lower tone, IF l amt mistaken
there's going to be some work for tn,
Sons of DAM"