Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-04
90 ABROAD no uEAn NEWS.

W. NhNHNFaNN w AAAH|AhH HfAfHHHf
rho following story concerning the
alleged rebuilding of Nauvoo b. the
Tattor-day Saints. is reproduced from
tho Chicago Tribune OF December 30.
last. ~ is printed under these head
lines: 'Mormons Prepare to Regain
Nauvoo:" Financial Troubles u 81.
Mary's Academy May Lot Them Obtain
Old site;" Would Rebuild Temple"
"f.ntter-D Day Saints Anxious to Return
to the Spot from which They Were
Expelled This is the story.
Through the failure OF p. j. Keiran's
Fidelity Funding company OF New
York. the Mormon branch % salt Lake
City hopes now for tho realization OF
long cherished dream. the rebuilding at
NauvOo. Ill OF the temple destroyed
IN yS42 and tho re-establishment az the
same place or the O. irch which was
driven from the city and the state IN
1916
"For over half century the menu
bers OF the Church of Jesus Christ Of
Lattor-day saints have kept their
minds on the garden spot By the Mis-
sissippi from which they had been cN-
PEELED.
'''rho difficulties into which st. Mary's
academy and The Spaldmg institute OF
Nauvoo have fallen have tended 20
crvstaiizo these hopes The property Of
the Benedictinr sisters is estimated 10
be worth about SJ00.O0o The notes and
mortgages given to Kciran amount to
close To- 81 100000
"ff the cases pending in the courts
are decided against the sisters the prop
eity viii be sold on foreclosure and
there is little doubt that the Mormon
Church would. IN this event be the
principal bidder
"At present Illinois is considered but
mission Of the Mormon Church, and
Tor sentimental reasons alone this Is
displeasing TO the Mormons throughout
the world The Church was born AZ
Kirkland. o.. but lie early growth and
the most stirring periods Of its history
took place al Independence. Mo. and
Nauvoo III To regain these lost towns
and make them again Mormon strong
holds has long been one Of the dearest
wishes Of the Church.
This dream has already been prac-
tlcally carried out IN the case OF fnde-
pendcncc. where a magnificent Mormon
temple soon will be erected. This was
made possible, not by tho conversion OF
the people Of Independence but by the
emigration Of large numbers Of Nor
mons from utah
should the Church become possessed
OF tho school property at Nauvoo a sim
liar movement would set In toward that
city. AZ Il is. hundreds OF MormOns
visit Nauvoo every year.
What II more Significant. the site
90 the building OF the Catholic church
In the town was once the center OF
Mormondom. ie convent now used by
the Benedictinc sisters was built IN the
a. -.
senal. The Spaiding institute. a school
for boys, which was built last year
az a cost OF S250.00O with money OBJ
tanned from Keiran. Is on the site OF
the Mormon temple. which was burned
by incondiaries IN 1912"
This date should be 1s4s, not is42 as
stated twice.
The story that the Church would
be the principal bidder" In the event
OF the foreclosure ON tho property re-
ferred 10, and the realization OF the
alleged dreams relating 10 Indepen-
denoe. and ali the rest Of II. Is quite IN
teresting rs specimen product OF the
fertile Imagination OF "A newspaper
writer but it lacks foundation in fact
Absolutely nothing is known at church
headquarters Of any dreams as to the
making Mormon strongholds" OF either
Nauvoo or Independence. ana nothing
Is known about the financial difficulties
OF the convent around which the story
Ia the Chicago paper is woven.
The lawless mob that caused the ex-
pulsion of the Saints from Nauvoo in
flicted tho greatest possible injury up
ON that beautiful city II was at one
time one az the largest cities Ia Illinois
and had very promising prospects Il
would have become one Of tho great
ccnters Of commerce. But when the
Saints were driven out. tho BLESSING
OF Heaven seemed Co be withheld
There was "a lack OF enterprise and
consequent shIinkage Of values. Houses
that would have been worth 81 900 be-
fore tho exodus. were sold for $500 in
1885, about forty years later, while the
property whore tho Saints settled in
Utah, constantly rose in value. Under
the rcign of the spoilers the city OF
Nauvoo crumblcd 20 insignlnoance. Il
would, undoubtedly boz a great bless
ing 10 Nauvoo. should the Iatter-day
Saints ever be Ia a position TO settle
There again IN large numbers. but there
"a as FAR a. We know. mo- move "a that
direction az present The history of
Nauvoo should convey much need
cd lesson 90 anti-"Mormons" every-
where They are engaged IN "a losing
fight as they VIII nnd out. sooner on
later 10 their own cost.