Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-09-09
THAT MORMON INvITArIoN.
Never Extended at All. 5ut Plenty Of
Talk Excited.


In view of the fact that Vermont gave
birth to both Joseph Smith and Brigham
Young, it Is inevitable that the name OF
the Green Mountain state should be
associated Indirectly. with Mormonism.
As q matter of fact, however, there IS
probab bly, not q state in the union which
has been more pronounced In it's opposi-
ton and pronounced hostility to Nor
Inonism than Vermont, and IL Smith and
Young are 60 be charged up to this state,
Vermont must also be credited with
George f. Edmunds. who took the lead
in formulating the famous anti-polygamy
law, which bears mis- name. Moreover II
is to be borne in mind that, while the
leaders Of Mormonism first saw the light
of day in Vermont, it was not until they
had shaken the dust Of the Green Noun
tains from their feet and found new
pastures, that they conceived respectively
the doctrines with which their names
were to be henceforth associated.
In spite of these considerations, the
Mormon chickens are constantly trying
to come back to Vermont to roost, and
just at this time particularly strenuous
effort is being made in the direction in
dictated. The following editorial utter
ance from the New York Times will serve
situation and at the same time indicate
how our attitude toward Mormonism of
the present day should be shaped, il we
are not 10 disappoint the expectations of
our neig hbors The Times says
"Tbe announcement that the dedication
OF the monument to Joseph Smith, the
founder Of Mormonism, at Sharon, VT,
IS to be made q sort of state occasion, the
government officials lending the dignity
Of their presence to the ceremonial, while
United States Senator Reed Smoot will
deliver an address has aroused some
natural indignation in the state. A cele-
bration of the foundation Of Mormonism
is surely ill-advised. A monument to
Joseph Smith may seem appropriate in
Sharon village, as he may have been the
most illustrious son of that village, " hich,
indeed, does not figure conspicuously in
American history; but he was 3 brutal,
/ iiliterate impostor, scarcely to be compre-
heL de | as the victim OF self-delusion, and
we fancy that toe state of Vermont will
have nothing to do, officially, with the
dedication Of his monument.
"Monui TENT building is frequently an
inexrlainRnle result OF strangely emotional
movements. Sharon can have no remem-
brsRce OF Joseph Smith. II any good
traits were ever manifested ia that neigh
borhood by him or bis family they are all
forgotten. They were disreputable lot.
When Smith and his confederate, Sigdon,
produced the so-called Book OF Mormon
he was only % years old, and was not
living in Sharon. His church was organ
lied at Manchester. \. Y, in 1880. He
was killed by turicusly moral mob Of
Carthage, o., fourteen years later. In
the meantime, he had been swiEdling
banker as we'll IS q false prophet, and
had always, in his religious pursuits,
kept . cIesr eye on peeuniary profit. The
pretended spiritual revelation touching
polygamy was announced a. Nauvoo, the
city Smith had built in Hancock county,
III. His attempt to put bis new doctrine
into practice led indirectly to his death,
though in the practice OF polygamy,
doubtless, lay all the future strength Of
Mormonism.
"Smith had energy and courage. H'
helped somewhat to blaze the trail west
ward, but be was an enemy Of THU
country, and g moral reprobate. The
monument to his memory Is an insult Il
; the intelligence Of the people in il
neighborhood, and il Mr.. Reed Smool
comes eastward to eulogize it's subject b,
will certainly not increase the measure o.
respect he may have secured in this par
of the country. AS for the Vermont
state of1cers, the manifold duties Of thu
! harvest season will surely help then
from meddling with such . deplorablI
ceremony.
"The Albany Argus, in . jocular mood
: declares that the glorihcation of Mormon
ism in Vermont would be Just and appro
pirate. Vermont IL the banner Republi
can state. The preservation of the Re
publican party IL the sole political ain
of its best citizens Utah Is in tb,
: Republican ranks. Col. Roosevelt honoreC
Mormonism BY delivering an address II
the Mormon temple at Salt Lake City
, Mark Hanna made q compact with Nor
: monism which has been lived MP to OF
both sides. Politics make strange ter
fellows. But this is all jesting. Vernon
is stalwartly Republican, but rs strongl,
! anti-Mormon, and II has no business I,
D even seem to pay tribute to the memoir
a Of the founder Of Mormonism.'
We do not know how much groun,
there may be for the statement that tn
I dedication OF the monument to JOSEPH
b Smith at Sharon is to be made q stat
occasion, the government officials lend
ing the dignity Of their presence to th
I
3 Governor Prouty or any other state office
had accepted an invitation to participant
in the ceremonies in question, and W
would be sadly surprised to hear tn
report in question confirmed.
In view of the experiences Suffered
by our state as 9 result OF the nativity O
Smith and Young it is safe to say that
wave of righteous indignation woul
sweep over the state from lake Champlail
to the Connecticut and from the CANADIAN
boundary to famous Bennington, il an
state official were to so far forget himself
to say nothing OF the confederation du
the people of Vermont, as to assume I
give that approval to the Mormon props
ganda, such as the presence OF q Vernon
state official at the dedication of til
Smith memorial would inevitably an
with reason he interpreted by the pres
of other states.
The only way in which the people g
Vermont could purge themselves Of tn
contempt in which they would rightly B
held BY the citizens Of other states unde