The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-08

Editor Tribune; The Order of Enoch
was bad enough and outlandish enough
without any exaggeration. All of the
members of the order did not wear
gunny sacks, wooden shoes and wood
en- tag hung from the neck as some of
your correspondents state. True, some
fanatics Of the order did wear the gar
ments Of Enoch, so called, but no law
of the order compelled any such dress.
The prominence and activity of these
few fanatics led the general public to
indulge In many exaggeratlons
The truth about the Order of Enoch
is as follows:
The prophet Joseph promulgated a
revelation establishing the order In
1882. According to the revelation the
order was to be everlasting. According
to the revelation the scheme of the or
der was that every saint should convey
all his property TO the church and all
should enjoy and suffer in common. This
would bring about the humility of his
following as the prophet desired. Of
course, the prophet was the head Of the
order. A ceremony of initiation into
the order was devised and in this rite
a "hnsey woolsey' toea, sandals and
a tag with the candidate s celestial
name on it played some part. This, L
learn from tradition. But after joining
the order, none, except fanatics, wore a
garb different from what was worn be-
fore.
The celestial names of some members
Of the order may be found in the reve-
lations concerning Enoch. For instance
the celestial name of the prophet was
Enoch and Gazelam. (See sections rs
and 80 Of Doctrine and Covenants,)
However, notwithstanding the revela-
ton, the Glorious Order of Enoch was n
fizzle from the start. 1t did not work
out as the prophet expected. Quite a
number joined the order, to be sure, but
it did not enmesh the people who had
published April %. 1894, the prophet
divides the property of the association
among few favorltes and dissolves
the organization.
Bishop Whitney, in his history Of
Utah, treats the order as a mere ex-
pertinent on the part of the prophet.
He wholly overlooks the fact that the
order was matter of revelation from
beginning to end Report has it that
this same Whitney, DOW Apostle Whit
ney, advocates establishment Of the
order.
The next we hear of Enoch is in Utah.
Along in the later sixties and early sew
enties money was not coming in fast
enough to suit Brother Brigham. Be-
sides this, General Connor and his SOL
diers had arrived, Gentiles were becom-
ing numerous in Utah. apostasy was be-
coming common and the priesthood was
losing its despotic hold on the people.
Brigham s advice was to Htie up the
calf to keep the cow at home.' The
Order of Enoch was revived, revamped
and launched with great enthusiasm.
For several years Enoch was preached
and praised from the tabernacle and
from every pulpit in Mormondom a
great many people Joined the order.
To ioin the Order Of Enoch the can
didate was required first Of all to trans
fer all his property of every kind, ma
ture and description to Brigham Young,
trustee In trust. After having conveyed
all his property to the church-Brig-
ham Young was the church-the candi
date was initiated into the United Or.
der Of Enocb, The purpose of the in
ltiation was to impress the initiate with
sense of humility and Of his depen-
dence on the church
First of all, the candidate was ar
rayed IN a mean garb Of coarse cloth,
because the SAINTS of old were supposed
to have worn such garments, and given
his celestial name. This celestial name
was written on a tag hung to the can
didate' neck. The candidate was then
led into the presence of the officers of
the lodge. The officers sat at various
stations in the hall and each delivered
lecture as the candidate appeared be-
fore him At the first station the can
didate was told that he had put the
world behind him and was purged of
sanctification. The other stations de-
livered similar lectures and at the end
of the ceremony the candidate was pro"
nounced sanctiiied. purified and conse
Grated and was told to be humble and
obcdient. Awful oaths were admins
tered to the candidate enjoining the OBJ
legations Of the order.
1t seems almost impossible that such
a scheme could entice sensible men TO
Join the order, but the fact remains
that this outlandish organization netted
millions of dollars to Brigham Young
and the Mormon church. In Southern
Utah whole settlements Joined the or"
der In st, George about fifty per cent
of the well-to-do portion Of the men of
the community Joined. In Salt Lake
City number of rich and influential
men went TO Enoch. as joining the order
was called. Throughout Southern Utah
widely worn by members of the order
was very common, In Long Valley the
fanatics Of the order established col
ony called Ordcrville In Orderville
they adopted the meanest and humbest
gnrb that could be devised. Some ultra
fanatics wore nothing but potato sacks
with arm holes cut in the corners. Such
garments were called Enoch shirts. Some
men gave the family dishes to the
church and ate out of wooden troughs
as sign of true humility and lowliness
For several years the order existed.
or course, it had It's boom and its de
cline. So long as recruits could be OBJ.
tanned the order did business Prom