Graham guardian., 1908-08-07

the cause of humanity for selfis
mbition.
Yes, all great men and leader
have lived long enough ahead o
their time to look into the future
then when the time is ripe lead
er more bold and determined thai
the rest, breaks out and causes {
great commotion in his world, ther
we move on out of darkness int
light.
Christopher Columbus was such
Il man, Joseph Smith, the founde
of "Mormonism" was such man
Brigham Young, the modern Moses
was another of these men wht
could see beyond his day.
Columbus believed he was divine
ly called to carry Christianity
to India. His very name sym
bolized to HIM that he was tn,
modern Christ--Ohristo meaning
Christ, and Colombo signifyins
pigeon-carrier, thus made to con
vey the meaning of messenger o
Christ,
Yes, we may safely say IL wal
the religious sentiment that gave
to us the new world. 1t was thi'
religious sentiment that gave to u'
the great Inter mountain West.
GRowTH OF This WONDERFUL SEo1
Now 90 BACK with me and lei
US stop the great eloOk of time, lei
us command as Joshua did, the
sun to stand still. the huge pendu
lem to cease swing for q time
Let us turn back the mighty haut
of time about seventy FIVE years
and view with our modern eyes
the beginning and early growth OF
this peculiar religion commonly
called "Mormonis and proper,
,y termed the Church Of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Three.quarters of q century ago
New York was comparatively a
new country, Ohio and Illinois
were for the most part wilder.
ness, western Missouri was the
boundary of the Inhabited United
States, and Utah was comparative
ly unknown, save that it was the
home Of sayages and still more
savage wild beasts, besides being
cut off from civilization by a track
less desert
In the far East there began to
evolve about this time new phase
of society, new religion, people
was being prepared to redeem the
great unknown West.
BIRTH OF THE PROPHET
In the year 1906 was born in the
State Of Vermont, blue-eyed, fair
haired baby boy,' Joseph Smith,
who was designed to be the found.
er of the new religion. He was of
a poetic and visionary turn of
mind, and, like Columbus, was
looking tor something beyond his
day.
1t is impossible for the people
of our day to deal with the condi
tions of the people of another day
that has passed into history. We
must know something of the con-
ditions and environments that sur
them, to deal to any ex-
tent in justice.
MOVING WEST
Driven from New York to Kirt-
land, Ohio, to Independence, Mo-,
then to Illinois, and not long after
the martrydom of their leaders the
march was Westward.
THE DIyIDINe LINE
The Missouri river diyided civ.
lization from des9lation, Waited
pen or oratorY Of man is too feeble
10 begin to depict the suflerings,
The hardships and sorrows of this
noble band OF pioneers. The
scenes constantly before them were
such as would have brought de-
'pair to any people not so inspired,
Is were the fellow"-- of tho Ono
who died on Calvary. Only the
was bright beiore them,
billy trust and hope kept them up.
FACES TOWARD THE SETTING SUN
The Pioneers started from winter
quarters, now Florence, Neb., early
n April, l847. The main body of
people were left on the Missouri
With instructions to follow later.
The line Of emmigratlng hosts
loon stretched from the Missouri
River to the Great Salt Lake.
There are few more touching
pictures in the annals Of history
han that journey Of devoted men
md women. They were deter
nlned band; having been crushed
,ut of civilization, they were hurled
,aked and destitute upon the des-
,rt, behind them q flaming sword
iplifted, the bridges burned and
10 retreat, and destitute as they
we're they faced the unknown,
towards the setting sum-"
THESE PIONEERS WERE AMERICANS
Most Americans forget that these
pioneers were Americans. They
we're fleeing from prejudice into
he wildern ess, even T as our fore
the 'Puritans,' did before
hem in the Mayflower.