1. 1844 March, pp. 99–100—A strange birth among the “Saints”
2. 1844 April, pp. 123–24—A strange account of the Latter-day Saints—by Tobit ger y Bont
3. 1844 April, p. 124—The Saints Again—Abersychan by “I”
4. 1844 May, p. 160—Quack Henshaw
5. 1844 June, pp. 192–93—City ordinances for Nauvoo
6. 1844 June, p. 196—The Saints Again—T. ab Ieuan
7. 1844 July, pp. 220–21—Epistle from George Rees and p. 221—explanatory letter of James Wilkins
8. 1844 September, pp. 293–94—few lines about the Martyrdom
9. 1846 March, p. 90—“Widow of the Mormon Prophet”—New York Sun for 9 Dec 1846
10. 1846 March, pp. 90–91—“To the Rev. W. R. Davies”—letter of defense Abel Evans and Wm Henshaw
11. 1846 March, pp. 91–93—A Reply to the Above
12. 1846 March, pp. 111–12—A Miracle! A Miracle! At Last!
13. 1846 May, pp. 193–94—“Amddiffyniad y Seintiau”—Abel Evans and Wm Henshaw defend themselves
14. 1846 May, p. 194—To Mr. Quick yn Dw’r
15. 1846 June, p. 232—The Saints Caught in Their Own Net
16. 1846 June, pp. 232–33—“To Mr. E. Lewis, Cwm Gelli Dywyll”—letter Roger Williams,
17. 1846 July, pp. 250–51—The Saints—(David Williams and Thomas Jones)
18. 1846 September, pp. 353–55—Saints’ Visit to Llanfaircaereinion—Robert Evans vs Meiriadog
19. 1846 October, pp. 369–70—The Saints—(David Williams)
20. 1847 January, pp. 11–12—The Profession of Faith of the Latter-day Saints
21. 1848 January, pp. 16–17—The Mormons—Three Murderers at Large!
22. 1848 February, p. 75—Mormonism—Baptizing an Apostle
23. 1848, February, pp. 75–76—The “Saint” Turned Thief
24. 1848 May, p. 188—Two Latter-day Saints rebaptized Baptists—no great honor
25. 1848, June, pp. 209–11—Baptism for the Dead and Baptism Again by W. R. Davies
26. 1849 February, p. 68—Satan divided against himself
27. 1849 March, p. 97—New Heaven—widows take husbands’ clothes
28. 1849 April, p. 128—Lecture given in Aberafon by the Rev. J. R. Morgans
29. 1849 November, p. 351—George Thomas was baptized and then died of cholera
30. 1850 February, p. 67—Nasty comment about Mormonism
31. 1850 October, pp. 302–5—Lecture on False Religions
32. 1850 October, p. 324—meaning of “Mormon”
33. 1851 January, p. 30—A Description of Joe Smith
34. 1851 April, pp. 127–28—Disappointment of Mormonism—Henry Wilkins
35. 1851 September, p. 290—Domestic Gentleness of the Saints
36. 1852 January, pp. 32–33—Saintly Literature—includes letters by Emrys Davies
37. 1852 March, pp. 95–97—Mormonism in its Glory
38. 1852 August, p. 258—Mormons—a roof cave-in in Newport
39. 1852 October, pp. 320–21—Richard Duckett, London
40. 1853 January, p. 21—Aberaman Baptist chapel reclaimed
41. 1853 April, p. 119—Mormonism—death of David Davies
42. 1854 November, p. 352—death of Willard Richards leaving 20 widows
43. 1855 June, pp. 170–74—first part of Edinburgh Review article
44. 1855, July, pp. 194–98—second part of Edinburgh Review article
45. 1855, September, pp. 260–63—third part of Edinburgh Review article
46. 1855 September, pp. 287–88—Likely Destruction of the Mormons
47. 1855 October, pp. 293–96—fourth part of Edinburgh Review article
48. 1855 November, pp. 326–29—fifth part of Edinburgh Review article
49. 1855 December, pp. 354–58—sixth part of Edinburgh Review article
50. 1856 November, pp. 350–51—Mormons in the Salt Lake Valley
51. 1859 July, p. 211—Question from “Sentinel” about origin of Book of Mormon
52. 1859 September, p. 274—Answer to question from “Sentinel” about origin of Book of Mormon
53. 1859 November, pp. 332–34—two hours with Brigham Young—Horace Greeley

Baptist, March 1844, pp. 99–100

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055026/29#?xywh=2243%2C72%2C2174%2C3201

A Strange Birth among the “Saints.” The foolish and mad men who call themselves “Latter-day Saints” have arrived in Pendaran. They profess to work miracles, to prophesy, to speak in unknown tongues, yea, in a word to do everything which the apostles did. I am sorry to say that a number of the dregs of society are now believers. They baptize at night, and those receiving baptism must undress for them and go to the water stark naked! They believe that the water washes away all their sins. They do not consider the baptism of the Baptists as being worth anything, although they admit that the only way is by immersion, and the only subjects are believers; and they say that no one has been sent by God except for them, and they alone. They have baptized several from various sects in this place, but especially from the Wesleyans and one from the Baptists, a woman from the Llanidloes neighborhood, who is known now by the name of “Martha two baptisms.” I am pleased to inform my compatriots that almost all of them are English and Irish, and English from the lowest part of Dyfedshire, the other side of Arberth, are several of them. A few days ago one of the Lady Saints became sick from the same sickness which all of our mothers have suffered, but with this difference—before the period was completed for her to give birth she was taken with frightful swoonings (hysterics,) and St. T——s G——s, her husband, together with all the Saints fear that she was near death; in spite of that, not one danger was important, since the men of miracles were near. Someone ran to fetch one John Jones (the middle man they called him). He came and went to the bed of the sick one—he placed his hands on her and prayed for her, and there was great rejoicing among the Saints. For the space of half an hour they believed that a miracle had been wrought, and that the woman had been totally healed; but soon she had another fit, the worst of all. In this crisis, there was nothing else to do but to grieve over the absence of the arch-deceiver, that is the great prophet, the father of them all. He was in Rhymney at the time, but he came there the next afternoon, and went about praying, etc., for her. But the following night she became worse than ever before. The Chief Apostle was sent for! He arrived and went to the bed of the afflicted—he placed his miraculous hands on her and prayed for her, etc. But despite all their prayers, and the powerful miracles, the woman got worse and worse, and they had to send for Williams, the Doctor, Pendaran, after keeping the woman in such pain for that space of time. The Saints did not allow any able or accountable women to come into the room—only some men and boys! After the doctor went in and saw the condition of the woman, he found that she had given birth, and was totally delivered, and the child had died in the bed, and the room, as has been pointed out, was full of men and lads!!! It would be too loathsome and inhuman to put all the circumstances graphically before the public. This will serve to show to our race what kind of animals the Latter-day Saints are. All the Saints are the chief fools around. They say they are all going before long to Joe Smith in America—that the second Zion is being built now, and that it will be heaven on earth for them before long. I shall give more of their story to you when I get a chance, if I think it will serve some purpose. I did not think there were men so stupid in Wales to believe such a heap of nonsense and presumption, etc. By the bridge. TOBIT.

Baptist, April 1844, pp. 123–24

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055059/22#?xywh=1762%2C8%2C2609%2C3841

A Strange Account of the Latter-day Saints

WEAKNESS AND STRENGTH.—In the last Baptist I gave a brief account of a birth among the Saints; now, with your permission, I shall give a small account of their failure together with their success; it is unfair to falsely accuse Satan despite all his Satan-ness. And by the same principle, it would be a pity to put the weakest side and only that before the public. With respect to this group of subjects of his Majesty, i.e., the Latter-day Saints, Pendaran is their main church, here dwells the head prophet; but we have not as yet heard a word of as much as one deed, despite his powerful deeds; but they have striven and continue to strive to expand their boundaries and win proselytes, and among other places they are laying siege to Merthyr, and have set up their camp in an area of that place which is called Georgetown, near Nant-y-Gwenith. The various sects heard of their coming, and of their several and strange doctrines, and a host gathered to hear them, and in their midst was Dafydd Oliver, a member with the Baptists in Sion, and James Wilkins, one of the ministers of the same Church, to hear them and see miracles. They listened simply and attentively during the time the apostle was speaking. The sum of their assertions that night was their infallibility, that they said not one word except that which was revealed and indicated by either Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost; and consequently, his listeners could trust his doctrine, for it could not be erroneous, etc. After finishing his foolish and devilish chatter, D. Oliver asked him for a clarification of some particular part of his assertions, which led to a heated and fierce debate, and the infallible one had to admit in the presence of those present that he has misworded the subject, that he had intended otherwise, etc. Then his opponent took hold of him with invincible strength, showing him to be a satanic and presumptuous wretch, trying to blind a few of the weak-headed fools who followed him, into believing that he was speaking infallibly, and was a recipient of visions and revelations directly from God, when he was forced to confess before them all that he was confused like a wild bull in a snare, and he had to fall from his fallibility to his shame and arrogance. That subject was left immediately, and a debate ensued about miracles, for he professed that they could speak in tongues, prophesy, heal the sick, raise the dead, yes, in a word, everything which was done by Christ and his apostles. Here again, Oliver showed to him his folly, his arrogance, and his devilishness, by challenging him or his brethren to convince them with proof, etc. In this manner the first debate ended, and it was agreed to stage the second in the same house the following week, and so it was. The Saints came, Oliver came, but by then the Saints had changed their ground by trying to deny publicly that they had claimed they could perform miracles, but that that power was in their church, which mortally affected their character, inasmuch as those present had heard them profess that the previous week. The third and last time the Saints had nothing to answer for themselves. They could not establish one reason or land one blow; Oliver gained a clear victory, all hearers recognizing that as one and agreeing that the Saints had become Satanists. After the situation had deteriorated, and worse than the Rhos fair in Cardiganshire, J. Wilkins asked permission from the man of the house to address the listeners, instead of allowing them to go away with their feelings full of levity and laughter, which permission he received. Until this time he had not said one word, but had given fair play to the Saints and to Oliver; then he showed their stupidity and arrogance, which, as he observed, was clear to everyone, and that they would not come ever again to disturb the camp of the Saints, as they were beneath the notice of every man of common sense, etc.

Next they moved their miraculous persons to Dowlais, and made their encampment in a residence near the Caersalem house of worship, where bodies and souls were fattened on the ministry of St. J——y T——m and St. J——m C——r, together with a few enlightened characters of the place; but they were not there long before they had to move this camp a second time, and the only reason for that, said St. Jolly, was because there were so many Baptists, members of Caersalem, in that accursed place, that they could not, in spite of all their faith, do good to bodies or souls, and that they were too young and weak in the faith to withstand such men; and away they went, but no one misses them.

The next place they attacked was Twynyrodyn, near Sion Chapel, Merthyr, but they were there a very short time, and their ministry was strangely unsuccessful. Now they were like Satan walking along the dry places failing to understand why they could not obtain rest—no point in thinking about Dowlais, Twynyrodyn was cursed, Georgetown and its castles had been broken to the ground by Captain Oliver. In this moment of crisis they decided to attack Cefncoedycymer, but by the time they attacked this place, one Thos. Thomas, a man who lame in his hip, came to the meeting and conversed and confounded them until they fled from there, and they were never again seen in Cefn. And that is what has happened to them until now, but let it be remembered that it has been the Baptists who have opposed them to this point. You have perceived their failure; now you shall have their success.

After much failure they moved and camped near the men of the sprinkle, that is the church of the Independents by the name of Bethesda, Merthyr. These heard that the Saints had come to their borders, and since they were aware that they had yet to recover from the wounds received from Oliver, and had not strengthened their armies after the lame man had chased them from Cefn, an intelligent and gifted young man who was a member in Bethesda, a deacon in the Sunday School and a warrior from his youth, was selected to chase the Saints from their boundaries, etc. A heated battle about the miracles took place, the Saints lost their ground as usual, and the Independents appeared victorious in the eyes of the public. The hopeful young man’s brethren were quite proud to have such a one in their midst; and some believed that before long he would rise to the same level in the army as his brother QUICK. A second debate was scheduled to the end that the giant could completely eliminate the Saints. The battle came, but by the second campaign the Saints had come to understand their weakness and also understood where the great strength of their enemy really was; the result was that the Saints moved the ground of the debate, and instead of defending miracles, they focused on the sprinkling of babies, and the sprinklers were slain forthwith; he fell silent, and what’s more he went of his own free will with the Saints from the scene of the debate to the river and was baptized!

This traveled like a tremor through the camp of the sprinkle in Bethesda; and great was the distress of the father of the fallen; and it was strange how he was lamenting the next night at the religious meeting at Bethesda, and he could not help but wonder and ponder what had bewitched his son, etc. But you will be even more surprised when I tell you that his father was seen the second night following the same path, and was buried in the water by the Saints; then another son and his sister, and great was the singing and the shouting that was and continues to be heard in the camp of the Saints!! Here were four followers of the sprinkle brought down, but no wonder—they had previously believed in the existence of sprinkling babies, something that never before existed; and one must confess that the apostles worked miracles, although that power fell away with their age. Too bad that men believe, or at least embrace the old Papist rites, so they cannot stand their ground before their weakest enemies. And I hope that this foolish happening will serve a good purpose to open the eyes and convince the minds of many of the men of the basin—had they been Baptists they would have won the battle. Hard for one to believe, Mr. Editor, such a stir over the battle in Merthyr and Dowlais; in a word, there are two things which are a common witness at the present time, which are the O’Connell test, and the victory of the Saints!

TOBIT BY THE BRIDGE

Baptist, April 1844, p. 124

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055059/23#?xywh=-1232%2C24%2C4693%2C3912

The Saints Still

MR. EDITOR—I should like to have space in your useful Publication for the following account for the benefit of the common folk who are being drawn away by those hotheads.

They have paid their visits to this area, and among their various miraculous tricks they have baptized two nice boys. One was so ignorant about the ordinance he did not know its purpose or anything about its Author any more than a wild man. For example, this is his shameful and impious comment a few hours before receiving his baptism, “What the d——v——l, I want to see what they are, and if it is true that they can give sight to the blind,” etc., etc. Now you can see the fruits of that wise person, that not repentance but spying was the purpose of his obedience.

The other who has been a member with the Wesleyans, and strange how suitable he was for a time that the members set him as the class leader. This hawk is wondrous for puffing and conceit. He considered the little Wesleyan flock too lowly to listen to his wisdom; but as the English say, It is a family complaint. He has a brother in an apostolic office with the Saints, who is known by the name George-the-Chartist; but his present title is St. George. The common saying is that St. George has exposed some of the secrets to his brother William, and that the latter has seen the benefit and the profit of the craft, so that he decided to sell Wesleyanism for good. And to be sly about the deed he received his baptism at 10:30 at night; and to show his self preservation he wanted to be baptized in warm water; it appears that he was ashamed to show his smiling face and his shameful conduct in broad daylight. Within two days after his baptism a disease broke out on his knee so that he was unable to work. Well, in view of the circumstance, it seemed to be an opportunity for the apostles to try their hand and their skill in working a miraculous gift on the patient. Then two apostles came, Morris and Jones, and placed their hands on William’s leg, and prayed—the patient was healed—he pranced and cut capers and caused great surprise. The next report was that no one but they believed, and that they were the right ones. But to the disappointment of those who cherish Sainthood, William’s leg got worse to the point that he was near to losing his life, despite the blessing of William’s leg by the two apostles. What this shows is that they are nothing but heretics, wolves, false prophets and deceivers. William is unable to work until now, but he thinks that he will be totally healed when the prophet Henshaw comes to this area; this story I shall yet transmit to you.

Yours respectfully,
I.
Abersychan.

Baptist, May 1844, p. 160

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055092/27#?xywh=-1253%2C-112%2C4734%2C3913

The Saints Again

MR. EDITOR—According to my promise in the last number of your useful Publication, here for the service of the public is a full account of the miraculous deed which the Saints offered on the leg of that remarkable person aforementioned. Oil was given to him by the Saints for the purpose of making the leg whole, but it did not appear to have any healing effect until the great prophet placed his hand on it; but it appears that neither the oil nor anything else the Saints did had left any effect. At last, the sufferer decided to send for an old woman who can heal ailments of the kind which he had. And indeed the medicine of the old woman won praise from the Saints, although they tried with all their might to blind the residents of the area. Quack H-n-s-h-w was in the area, but he did not promise any miraculous effect as the Saints had expected; for Billy’s leg was bigger than the leg of his trousers when I saw him on the Sabbath next for the visit of the prophet to the area. But in spite of how much perceptible odiousness is between his assertions and his miraculous powers, the dolt Billy continues in the valley of this heretical formation until now, and it is likely that he will continue until of necessity and out of shame he has to pick up his tools and go as he did before across the country with his usual stewardship.

Respectfully yours,

I.

Baptist, June 1844, pp. 192–93

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055125/27#?xywh=-254%2C16%2C2377%2C1964

The Source of the Bible,

Together with a little of the history of the Mormons, or the Latter-day Saints, in America.

MR. EDITOR—The following lines are a quote from a letter received lately by some friends in Merthyr from a friend by the name of Thomas Williams from America, State of Ohio, to show the deceit and arrogance of these detestable people who erroneously call themselves Latter-day Saints, or Mormons. It is so easy to raise up and spread heresies in this age, owing in part to the idleness of those who have the ability to work, and to the wide perversion of the teachers of congregations concerning the commandment to teach all the nations and to preach the gospel to every creature. I was motivated to place before the public, by means of your praiseworthy Publication, by a reverent yearning for the truth; and because this destructive and damnable heresy has reached many areas of South Wales; and because some brazen-faced pigmy is making a determined effort to sow these destructive tares in the neighborhood in which I reside. The account that follows is as close as I could understand it. It was very difficult to read because of the writer’s effort to put a lot of things in a small amount of space.

The Rev. Solomon Spauling [Spaulding], who was famous for his broad understanding of history and his love for it, lived in New Salem (a town in the state of Ohio). In that place there were numerous hills and strongholds in ruins of a past nation. These ancient remains attracted the attention of the settlers, and were the objects of research for this expert. In them were found several weapons and tools which showed that those who made them had great skill in craftmanship. Since Mr. S. was a learned man and fond of history, he took great delight in this exposition of antiquity; and in order to enjoy the hours of his retirement and to use the time for his active intellect, he seized upon the idea of giving an outline of the history of this long lost nation, its great antiquity, etc. The result led him to write in a most ancient manner. And since the Old Testament is the oldest book in the world, he imitated its style as closely as possible. His only objective in writing this historical novel was to entertain himself and his neighbors: this took place around the year of 1813. As he was going forward with the narrative, the neighbors would come from time to time to hear him read parts of it, and they had a great interest toward him and the work that was being produced in their midst. The work professed to have been written by someone from a lost nation, who had reclaimed it from the earth, and who had put on it the name, Manuscript Found.

Mr. S. died in the year 1816. After the book of the Mor—— [Mormons] came out, a copy of it was taken to New Salem where Mr. S. had lived previously, and the exact place where Manuscript Found was written. A female preacher called a meeting, and in the meeting numerous segments of the book of Mor were read. The historical parts of it were immediately recognized by the oldest inhabitants as the work of Mr. S., which had been deeply imprinted on their minds all those years ago.

Present at the meeting was Mr. John Spaulding, the brother of the said Spaulding, and an extremely religious man, and he recognized the work of his brother. He was surprised when he understood that the work of his godly brother was being used toward such a sinful purpose. His grief was relieved in a flood of tears. He arose immediately and testified to the congregation that his profound grief and concern was that the writings of his brother were being used in such a manner. The commotion in New Salem was so great that the inhabitants summoned Dr. Philustus Hulburt [Philastus Hurlbut], one of their number, to come there to obtain the first writing of Mr. S., so he could compare it with the Bible of the Mor [Mormons], to satisfy their own minds and to keep their friends from embracing such deceit. This took place in the year 1834. When he came, Dr. Hulburt [Hurlbut] brought with him a written request to obtain the manuscript, signed by Henry Luke, Aaron Wright, and others, which historical fable, together with a few godly sayings and parts of the holy scripture, was made into a new Bible, and it was given to a number of false religionists as a holy book!

Thomas Williams says that he saw the book, and that it is about the size of the Dual-language Testament. The Mormons say now that it is the book that is written about in Isaiah 29:11, 12. These heretics are going forward successfully, deceiving and being deceived. They have raised up a strong sect, and they have gone (so they say) to the Land of Promise, namely their Canaan, which is on the banks of the Mississippi river. When they arrived there, they began to take possession of everything the inhabitants had, and they caused a great devastation. In the meantime, the governor of Illinois posted a reward for the capture of Joe Smith, their leader, which was partly in vain. His main city is Nevoo [Nauvoo] (Jerusalem, apparently). The organization of Nevoo [Nauvoo] at present is under a full charter, obtained from the government of Illinois. They have a senate, the works of which echo the will of the prophet. I shall give two precursors of their legislation, which are currently in full force in the city:

“An excellent ordinance for the excellent cause of Joe Smith, and others.

(A foreword reporting the difficulties of Smith with Missouri.)

Section 1, “Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, according to the intent and meaning of the Charter, for the benefit and convenience of Nauvoo, that hereafter, if any person or persons shall come with process, demand, or requisition founded upon the aforesaid Missouri difficulties to arrest said Joe Smith, he or they so offending shall be subject to be arrested by any officer of the city, with or without process, and tried by the municipal court, upon testimony, and if found guilty sentenced to imprisonment in the city prison for life, which convict or convicts can only be pardoned by the governor with the consent of the Mayor of said city.” Passed Dec. 8, 1843.

WILLIAM [WILLARD] RICHARDS, Recorder,

JOSEPH SMITH, Mayor.

Such an excellent governor! the right to forgive from a governor!! and imprisonment for life from an ordinance of the city!!! One other less dangerous:

An Ordinance for the health and convenience of travelers, and others.

Section 1, “Be it ordained by the council of the city of Nauvoo, that the Mayor of the city be authorized to sell or give spirits of any quantity he in his wisdom shall judge to be for the health, comfort, or convenience of such travelers, or other persons as shall visit his house from time to time.” Passed Dec. 12, 1843.

WM. RICHARDS, Recorder,

JOE SMITH, Mayor.

The only purpose of this ordinance is to give to the Mayor of the city, who is a taverner and a self-merchant of effervescent liquor, to deal without a license!! Evil and deceitful men who go forward worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Ohio Observer.

P. S. On February 26, about 150 persons who had drunk very abundantly from the seductive cups of Joe Smith landed, coming from Nauvoo, and left the following day to go to New Orleans, presumably on their return to England, from whence they came, the greater part after becoming dissatisfied so much with Joe Smith and his evil seduction. Success to the pure gospel of the New Testament to drive every unscriptural tradition and heresy from the world to its own place, says

R. P. D., Merthyr.

Baptist, June 1844, p. 196

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055125/31#?xywh=177%2C2105%2C1488%2C1467

The Saints again, again.

Mr. Editor—This sect is very well known by now in the industrial parts of Wales, and some of their wicked antics are known to the readers of The Baptist. But the Psalmist says, “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.” So it is with the Saints. Recently, in Rhymney, Monmouthshire, there was a woman who was getting close to the difficult time for giving birth, but was more unconcerned than anyone with any experience as she faced such a difficult task for the first time. Since she was a member with the Saints, and well aware of their powerful works, she had the utmost confidence in them. When she became sick, she requested some of the prophets to come to her so they could release her from her captivity and proclaim deliverance on her. Thus, some men and inexperienced lads came to lay their benevolent hands on her and utter their gibberish, while rubbing her sides; but to no avail, for the Saintly woman grew worse and worse. At last, they were forced to request a higher prophet, but to no avail. An old midwife was there who was quite well acquainted with assisting in births, but she did not receive an offer to say or do anything from the boys who laid their hands on her. Then, in light of the failure that followed, it was necessary to question the prophet H—n Sh—w, but the midwife wished to ask the Doctor who came to the door, waiting there about ten minutes to wait to have admittance—but he had to turn back like a dog with a saucepan on its tail; and because of neglecting to open the door to the doctor, the woman was three hours longer than was appropriate before she was released, when it was necessary to get the Doctor back, or else have the death of the mother and the baby. We see that there is nothing but nonsense, along with trickery of the worst kind, that are associated with this group. We wish for the women who have any respect for this group to beware of them beforehand, lest even worse things happen. You, the women who have not yet associated with this sect, beware lest you be beguiled by their smooth talk, their deceit, and their barbarity; otherwise, just ask Betsy Jones, Rhymney, or the old doctor Mary Edwards. It is said that the latter in her sleep has seen the Saints coming before her in the form of spirits from the court below.

T. ab Ieuan

Baptist, July 1844, pp. 220–21

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055158/23#?xywh=-498%2C1128%2C2729%2C2445

Epistle from an Apostle

Dear Brother and Saint John Thomas,

We, a few of the contemptible Saints in the sight of the ungodly world, have intended many times to send greetings to you for the purpose of strengthening you in the faith, and great was our joy when we heard of your return to the true church of Jesus Christ, and from the awful darkness to the true light of our great prophet Joseph Smith from America. The return of a man of your stature to be a saint is a greater honor to the cause than a hundred of just any kind, and a greater wound to the Baptists; we have heard that you were an elder precentor in Sïon Chapel for many years, and the condition of your soul was wretched throughout all those years. How can Dafydd Saunders, Maurice Jones, together with a host of such men who call themselves ministers, show their faces before you on the day of judgment, knowing that they have deceived you? and you, through that entire period of time, knowing that you were a hypocritical and evil man. And you know that Christ established one baptism in his true church, and also that there is one faith, namely one doctrine of faith; and consequently, the first baptism could be nothing more than your baptism to the doctrines of men and devils. Oh, dear brother, remember the awful state you were in, pretending that you had been baptized, and pretending to pray, commune, and sing, and all those things with men, each one of them evil, and that all who had died were in hell, each one; and great must have been the misery of those two devils, more than anyone else, from Merthyr, namely old Maurice Jones and old Dafydd Saunders; and is it not a wondrous thing that the world has stood for so long from the age of the Apostles until now, without one godly man it it? God promised to spare Sodom if there were five godly men in the city, and because there was not one he burned it; we are almost ready to believe that He is not always the same, but we are about to decide that it is for our sake that he spared the world through all those hundreds of years—what is your opinion about that? We are greatly saddened to hear of the awful scorn and distress that the Saintly brother Henshaw is suffering in Merthyr. As for this dear and beloved brother himself, there has never been any man on the earth so similar to the Apostle Paul in so many ways. A professed deist was brother Henshaw, as he declared a while back; just as was Paul, he himself was a persecutor; the Dowlais Company put brother Henshaw in the Cardiff Jail several years ago; the Rome Company put Paul in jail in the city of Rome for preaching; the dear and beloved brother W. Henshaw was held by the state authorities in the town of Newport during the time of the Chartist riots, and he was bound by them for a short time; many times Paul was bound by the state officials; Paul was able to cast out devils, and dear brother Henshaw is also able to do so; Paul was able to work mighty miracles and did so, as can brother Henshaw. And I appeal to your conscience, as a man accountable to the judgment, have you not been personally healed? But, dear, dear brother and saint, I must be as honest as Paul was with Peter, namely rebuking him to his face, so it is necessary for me to do to you; Merthyr is a very popular place, and a lovely place to have a flourishing church with numerous Saints, but what is the reason that you are not working miracles there to convince the evil men? We, a few of the Abersychan Saints charge you and command you to go to your old deceitful, ungodly, and hypocritical brethren in the Sïon Chapel, at the time of the largest public meeting, for the purpose of persuading them out of their darkness; and to leave them without excuse at the coming judgment, work a miracle on the old sinner who is there under the name of minister, give him a new knee, as the apostle did for the lame man at the gate of the temple, Acts 3:7. And let brother Abel walk to Bethesda, where he was once under the name of member, and let him give an arm to that accursed minister, for then will our religion be established forever in Merthyr, and the gates of hell will never be able to move them. Dear brother, we must truly show our miracles, for otherwise we will be shameful to the world. Remember that you are responsible to God for the things you profess—the judgment will come. I charge you to read this epistle to all the holy brethren and sisters in Merthyr.

I am your brother,

George Rees, an Apostle of the Saints in Abersychan

To our dear brother Saint John Thomas, Merthyr Tydfil.

May 20^th, 1844

P. S. Since we do are not sure how to direct this so you will be sure to receive it, we are sending it in care of the evil and accursed man, James Wilkins, since we know that he lives near you. We do not think it necessary to seal this as there is no need to keep secret the honest things of the Saints—see John 18:20, 21.

Mr. Editor,

I received the foregoing epistle through the post on the 25^th of May without any stamp on it, neither had there ever been one. It was addressed to my care to give it to John Thomas. I failed to understand which John Thomas it could be in the neighborhood, but by looking inside at the writing, and seeing the words Apostle, Saints, miracles, etc., I understood to whom I was to take the epistle; I took it the following morning, and I found J. Thomas in bed, blushing to the roots of his hair in repentance for his ever having been so foolish as to have been ensnared and bewildered by them, and testifying that all he had seen from them was trickery and lies, etc. And he has turned his face back very repentant; I hope the pain he received will be a warning to others not to be “carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” Here is the entire letter at your service to publish in the Baptist, so that all that happened will be an example to others, to be written “for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

I am your humble and constant reader of the Baptist.

James Wilkins, Merthyr

Baptist, September 1844, pp. 293–94

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055226/30#?xywh=132%2C2190%2C1949%2C1611

The Mormons, or the Latter-day Saints

The great prophet Joe Smith, leader of the deranged people who call themselves by the above name, together with his brother Hyrum, were killed lately in the jail at Carthage, Illinois, (?) America. Because of their treason and the trouble they had caused in the country, the Prophet and the chief-apostle, his brother, were thrown into jail to await their trial. Because one of the saints tried to rush the jail, which angered the guards who were restraining him, he fired a rifle at one of them and injured him; then a general commotion around the jail followed. At that time, Joe and his friends began to shoot, (they had secretly obtained some handguns), and they tried to escape through the window of the jail, when all the guards turned their rifles on them, and it is said that Joe received a hundred bullets in his body, and his brother several, until the two of them were corpses on the floor—“He who kills his master is ungodly.” This caused a great uproar in Nauvoo and Warsaw, and it was feared by then that the latter town would be burned to ashes by the Mormons as revenge. What do the saints (or rather the satans) have to say about this?

Baptist, March 1846, p. 90

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055843/13#?xywh=-1029%2C-1%2C4320%2C3571

Mormonism

The following is a bit of the history of the movements of these fanatics, together with the opinion of the living prophetess of the dead prophet—their opinion about themselves, and the opinion of others about them.

THE WIDOW OF THE MORMON PROPHET.

FROM THE NEW YORK SUN.

Nauvoo, Illinois, November 20, 1845.

To the Editor of the New York Sun.

SIR—I hope to be excused for addressing, for the first time in my life, a letter to the Editor of a newspaper, and this I have been induced to do, from seeing the letter of Gen. Arlington Bennet, published in the newspapers, urging the Mormon people to remove to the Pacific Ocean, and advocating the cause of the Tyrants, who have seized on the government of the Mormon Church. This church, such as it is, was formed by my lamented husband who was martyred for its sake, and whether true or false has laid down his life for its belief!

I am left here, sir, with a family of children to attend to, without any means of giving them an education, for there is not a school in the city, nor is it intended there shall be any here, or at any other place, where the men who now govern this infatuated, simple-minded people, have sway. I have not the least objection that these petty tyrants remove to California, or at any other remote place, out of the world if they wish; for they will never be of any service to the Mormons, or the human family, no matter where they go. Their object is to keep the people over whom they rule in the greatest ignorance, and most abject religious bondage, and if these poor, confiding creatures remove with them, they will die in the wilderness! The laws of the United States are quite good enough for me and my children, and my settled intention is to remain where I am, take care of my property, and if I cannot educate my children here, send them to New York or New England for that purpose. Many of the Mormons will, no doubt, remove in the Spring, and many more will remain here; and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to have a mixed Society in Nauvoo; as in other cities, and all exclusive religious distinctions abolished.

I must now say, that I have never for a moment believed in what my husband called his apparitions and revelations, as I thought him laboring under a diseased mind; yet they may all be true, as a Prophet is seldom without credence or honor, excepting in his own family or country, but as my conviction is to the contrary, I shall educate my children in a different faith, and teach them to obey and reverence the laws and institutions of their country. Shall I not, sir, be protected in these resolutions against the annoyance of the men I now oppose, for they will no doubt seek my life?

What object Gen. Arlington Bennett has in advocating the cause of these petty tyrants, I am not able to understand, for he assured me, when at my house, that he had not the smallest intention of connecting himself in any manner with the, much less removing with them to the Pacific Ocean. But this is a strange world, and I would not be surprised if they had offered to anoint and crown him King or Emperor in the West! As I have something more to say, I will take the liberty to write you another letter.

With great respect,

I am, sir, your humble servant

Emma Smith

Baptist, March 1846, pp. 90–91

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055843/13#?xywh=-1029%2C-1%2C4320%2C3571

To the Rev. W. R. Davies

[Because of the presumption of these rascals who erroneously call themselves “Saints,” and their constant assaults on believers and unbelievers in the areas of the Works, and the fact that they have beguiled many children and weak-minded people with their disrespect for the ordinances of Heaven through their sinful imitations of them, we hereby provide space for the following pieces of correspondence which have been exchanged between the Rev. W. R. Davies, Dowlais, and them. We must confess that the response of Mr. Davies to them is rather clumsy, but considering the limited understanding and the low morals of those who address him, perhaps it would be difficult to do better.—EDITOR.]

Merthyr Tydfil, January 10, 1846. [The Welsh is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors.]

DEAR SIR,

Since you have been preaching lately in the “Houses of Worship” of your sect and other places on miracles, etc., together with striking against our “churches” in our absence, you had an easy time of fighting only against your own shadow, or else you were a “straw man” “sir.” We whose names are signed below have been appointed by the flock of the only true “Church” pertaining to “Jesus Christ” which customarily assembles under the Sign of the “White Lion of Merthyr Tydfil” to send you this letter to compel you as an honest man to come to the field to defend that which you have said, to face the public next “Thursday” night, that is the 15^th of this month, and come out in the open so the public can know. Should you come, there to stand against you will be our praiseworthy Apostle, namely “Capt. D. Jones.” Not from our part do we fear you, rather we shall honor him this time as our oldest “Apostle” and “Most Respected Teacher” in Wales. Take the path that you see best to follow, and if you do not come, your absence will be proof of your heresy.

We are in the name of and for the Church of Jesus Christ.

ABEL EVANS and WM. HENSHAW.

Baptist, March 1846, pp. 91–93

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055843/14#?xywh=-1030%2C-1%2C4320%2C3570

A Reply to the Above

To the most learned A. Evans and W. Henshaw.

SIRS,—I received a most learned note from you, the contents of which prove the extent of your knowledge, together with the arrogance of your hearts; and I cannot help but be surprised, amazed, yes, feel deeply that one man in Wales has been blinded, or rather possesses such extremes of arrogance to enable him to claim such nonsensical and ungodly rubbish as the things which are proclaimed by you. I would consider Mahomet innocent in comparison with you. Such knowledge and enlightenment had not spread across the world in the time of that terrible false-prophet as has now spread across Wales, and different parts of the civilized world. I understand from your letter addressed to me, that the intention is to get me to hold a “fair” with some sinful creature you call the “apostolic Captain” and that this is the subject at hand; and you announce, by the way, “my absence will be proof of my heresy; I consider that my appearance in such a place and on such an occasion, would be proof of my foolishness for the following reasons:—

1. The persons who address me are beneath my attention. Abel and Henshaw, Oh Excellent names! Oh, bright characters! “May my soul never become a party to their secret.”
2. The names which you give yourselves are too low to be despised, such as “the only true church of Jesus Christ—our praiseworthy apostle Cap. D. Jones,” etc., names and characters no man would claim unless he was as ignorant as the pagan about the things which comprise a church and an apostle, names which the most arrogant man would fear to adopt for himself, unless he was a complete Atheist, or given up by God to strong error so that he will believe a lie, his conscience seared by hot iron. It would be the same for every man who understands what an apostle was for the Captain D. Jones you mentioned to claim at once that he is Jesus Christ; and doubtless the mad and foolish men who believe his apostolicism would believe that he is He, if he were to announce himself as this character.
3. The mad and arrogant teachings which you proclaim are beneath the attention of every man of common sense. For example, in the nonsensical pamphlet which is neither one thing nor the other, only a pile of foolishness, look at “teachings of men and devils,” which you call “an address,” page 3, such as “the gift to heal the sick and receive healing by the laying on of hands in the name of Jesus—casting out devils—and even to see visions, and to speak with angels and spirits of the invisible world.” One could think that there would not be one man, even in Merthyr, who would lend an ear to listen to such madness, arrogance and lies. Man must pity him greatly. I heard that you proclaim that the spirit of the scoundrel Joe Smith appears to you; no, do not tell your lies about the dead, his claims are too tight, and his prison too safe, and his memory will be a curse and a bad smell whilst history exists.
4. I refuse your offer with scorn, since I judge that one of your purposes in holding a ‘fair’ is to collect fools together, but mainly to try to collect money; but if the Apostolic Captain wants a ‘fair,’ let the offer be made to his natural brother, * maybe it will become advantageous to them; the one will have the honor of publishing it and the other of selling it.
5. I am completely determined to refuse your offer out of true respect for the inspired advice of God through the mouth of one of his holy apostles, who advised me saying in 1 Tim. vi, 5, “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth: from such withdraw thyself:” and thus you, you are no more than corrupt men, given up to do evil.

I wish to draw your most serious attention as responsible men in the world to come, and I beseech the creature, Cap. Jones. I do not know a Captain of what he is, maybe a captain of a few evil men, or of Joe Smith’s soul when it appears on earth, but if he has any sort of boat, if it only be a fishing boat, for the sake of his body and soul, let him follow his calling; or if he intends to live idly from deception, lies and arrogance, out of respect for his fellow-nation if nothing else let him go to the American Indians and not damn the souls and characters of the harmless and innocent Welsh; and by the way, I wish the same favor with regard to the foolish Henshaw; let this scoundrel go to his birthplace, that is Cornwall, and make fools of the Cornishmen, and let him live there on their backs. Oh, my fellow-nation, the dear Welsh! Do not make of yourselves a laughing stock to all the nations of earth by lowering yourselves to listen to such a lying, deceiving and devilish crowd; and I am very happy to announce that only a few of my fellow countrymen have been trapped by these wicked creatures; and of those deceived by them many have seen the deception and the shame on them for ever having listened to such foolishness; but truly, these arrogant men will not carry on much longer, their madness is clear to everyone. It is wonderful to hear and see men professing miracles and healing the sick, yet having to run to the doctors when some unfortunate circumstance calls for it. In Pen-y-daren people remember what took place there when the wife of one of these lunatics was in a fever during childbirth, the room was filled with the lads they call “Saints.” It would be a shame on humanity and the persons involved to relate the whole circumstance to the public; the woman was getting worse and worse, then someone ran to fetch one of the miracle men to put his hands on her, but nothing worked. He, they say, was too weak in faith, Henshaw was away from home, and oh, the shouting that was necessary! At last he came, and he put his filthy, sinful hands on her; despite this the poor, foolish woman was having great convulsions and fits and in the end they had to get Doctor Williams, Pen-y-daren, and through him was the miracle done. Another of the crowd professed to cure all the children of Dowlais and overcome death; but in the midst of his miracles Mr. Death visited the man’s house and killed his children; he said “that he could have returned them from death but that it was a pity to take them from heaven,” and at the time when the wicked scoundrel had an accident at work, were the hands of the apostles put on him to cure him? Oh no, men know that all their claims are deceit and false and they heartily laugh in their sleeves at the fools who believe them and freely maintain them under the guise of preaching; and the greatest blame rests with those who shelter idlers of conscience; wicked men have done and will do anything for money. I understand that there is now some fund for purposes which are known to your leaders—the fruits will soon be seen. Oh, my fellow Welshmen! For how long will you be deceived?

You complain that I have preached on the miracles in your absence. Do not lie! I was announced every time, and notice was given that that was the subject to be dealt with, and many of you were listening each time; and I shall preach again, if I am able, against you and all other heretics; but I would not wish you ill in this world nor the world to come, but rather good, although I fear that your wicked and ungodly leaders have been given up by God to believe a lie and to deceive you.

Upon ending, take note that I will never again take any notice of your letters if you go to the fuss of writing them and sending them to me, but rather throw them away to the land of oblivion with the greatest contempt; but the one that was sent to me this time shall appear word-for-word as it is, and it will be a pretty piece before the public, and this too will follow it, and if necessary more of your foolishness will appear. I do not ask you to forgive me for not calling you “saints,” as this would be an insult to common sense, a disgrace to Christianity and a sin against God, but I call you by your proper names, sons and daughters of the devil, the enemies of all righteousness; and I ask, “for how long will you continue to pervert the just ways of the Lord?” Let no man be surprised at me nor think the phrase too harsh. One of these terrible creatures recently asked an old member on the day of the Lord (whilst walking together towards Merthyr to their different places of worship) what was his basis for everlasting life? To this he was answered that it was “the death of Christ which did this;” to this the scoundrel answered in contempt, “The blood of Christ indeed, do not be so stupid and foolish, that was lost in the earth, and that was the end of it; and the same would result if you were to drink water and drink wine to remember such madness.” Take note, this was not a young lad, but an old man, and a long-standing member of the group. Do not be deceived, as these men are no more than Atheists and Deists of the worst sort of chartists, except that they take a pretense of religion to deceive their fellow men. A family comprised of these creatures recently lived near me, and amongst them one of the members was courting a religious sister, who was at service in a responsible shop in Dowlais, and it was surprising what an excellent family they were; the angels and spirits of the unseen world were with them as numerous as flies, so they said, and the business which took place at that time was plundering the shop of all sorts of goods through the kitchen window before the family arose; and it was an excellent sight to see the “saints” being led through the streets by the Police in pairs bound in iron chains, and from there to Cardiff jail where their teacher had been before them; but in spite of everything, they possess such impudence and challenge even ministers of the gospel, to lower themselves to hold a fair with them in the White Lion. If the above facts are doubted, not only will they be confirmed, but a host of the same nature will be brought to light.

I am,

W. R. DAVIES.

* This apostle is a natural brother of the Rev. John Jones, Llangollen, now of Rhydybont. This shows that these are “Quick” men to know what thing is profitable.

Baptist, March 1846, pp. 111–12

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055843/34#?xywh=2513%2C1106%2C2289%2C3424

A Miracle! A Miracle! At Last! A Miracle!

The “Satanists” greatly professed many of their miracles, and they deceived an uneducated, irreligious and good-for-nothing crowd—they succeeded in charming a host of the dregs of Merthyr to follow them; and they were continuing with their deception quite well until the “praiseworthy apostle” came here to strengthen them in the faith, and to sell the craziest sort of pamphlet ever seen, beneath the attention of every man in his senses. This was published by some little creature sometimes called “the apostle” and other times “Captain D. Jones,” it was printed by his natural brother, John Jones, Rhydybont, (Llangollen), or the Rhymni baptismal fair member. This pamphlet claims the Satanists’ ability to “perform miracles, talk with fairies,” etc., etc. The people of Merthyr were tired of the announcing of “miracles, miracles” all the time, without seeing one sign; they had to get on with performing them or stop talking about them, and as you know, here there is a place and opportunity every day to perform them. So it happened this particular time—a man called William Hughes, a collier who lives in Collier’s Row, Cyfarthfa, had an accident, (he is one of the Satanists), he broke the small bone in his leg at work—Dr. Davies was sent for and he put it back in place and tied it up, etc.—then he was followed in a visit by the “praiseworthy apostle” and a crowd of the Satanists, and they pulled off the bandage and the apostle placed his hand on the painful area pretending to pray; and the Satanists claimed in the strongest way that they saw the swelling lessen and disappear under his hand, etc.; these things were proclaimed throughout all the places, etc., until the people of Merthyr and Dowlais were surprised that the apostles hands had strong powers. On leaving he told the man to come to the meeting the following day to show himself and that he was completely well, etc. The next day Dr. Davies called to see the man; and to his surprise he found him much worse than expected, his leg terribly swollen and very painful, etc. The doctor couldn’t understand these things; but to his surprise, on looking at the leg he saw that some idiot had opened the bandage which he had applied the day before, and this had caused the above mentioned; and when questioned the sufferer admitted everything, and the foolish scoundrel has not gotten better to this day, being supported by the parish of Merthyr; and if the above fact is doubted by any man of woman, male or female Satanist, let him ask Mr. Roger Williams, Relieving officer, Merthyr Tydfil, if he can have the happening in more detail. I do not send these things to you in order to entertain myself, nor to give others something to laugh at; but for the world to understand such hellish boldness, and the Satanic deceit in the hearts of evil men. Oh blessed Christianity! What great and numerous things have you suffered from every deceit and deceivers who tried to charm others by calling themselves after thy holy name. Is it not surprising that the same womb has created the two brothers the same, and that the two brothers were endowed with extremes of deceit and arrogance, that is the apostle David [Dan] Jones, and the commentator John Jones, Rhydybont, previously Llangollen, (remember that they are two natural brothers); and no Welshman or Englishman, even if required by oath, can say in which of the two is the greater curse and arrogance. The Welsh people must be more foolish than fools before they read, without mentioning buying the writings of these two men.

I ask you to put in the next almanac, in red ink, a notice about the three main books in the world, that is “The Address of the Twelve Apostles of the Saints,” by the apostle David [Dan] Jones; “An Explanation of the New Testament,” by the Rev. John Jones, and “Sentinel” by Twm the Poet (T. ab Ieuan). These three wonderful books will be sure to have an extensive sale, because the names, learning, godliness, truth and honesty of their authors are so well known throughout the whole of Wales.

Merthyr. QUICK-IN-WATER

Baptist, May 1846, pp. 193–94

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055925/36#?xywh=-1269%2C-507%2C4801%2C3968

Defense of the "Saints"

MR. EDITOR,

Recently the March issue of the “BAPTIST” came into our hands, and we saw, to our great surprise and dismay, our names signed under some letter, which the Rev. W. R. Davies, Dowlais, says we wrote to him, calling upon him to debate with our “praiseworthy apostle, Capt. D. Jones,” etc. But we testify in sobriety and truth, in the presence of God and men, that we never wrote, or caused to be written, the aforementioned letter, or any other piece of writing to this man; and if someone else wrote this letter to him, we are completely unaware of it. All we know of anything like it is, that we heard that the Rev. W. R. Davies was showing some letter rather similar to the above one to his neighbors in scorn, with Capt. D. Jones’s name attached to it, about three months ago, and he threatened to publish it, etc., which caused Mr. Jones to announce publicly at the time, if the said letter appeared, that the public should not believe it, and that every word of it was a forgery. Notice of this was also sent to Mr. Davies, and it was expected that the matter had gone to the land of oblivion until we saw the aforementioned letter in the Baptist with our names on it.

It is easy for every man who knows anything about us to see that the letter is a fake. We do not, and neither does Capt. D. Jones claim to be an apostle, and no one in Britain, as far as we know, claims, or is given the title of apostle in our midst. We expect you will give space to this defense in one of your next issues. It is fair for everyone to have the truth, whatever his opinion may be. We should like to make use of your columns to comment on Mr. Davies’s reply to the said letter, and we hope that neither you, nor the Editor of any other religious publication in Wales, would publish such things about any of your fellow countrymen, unless you were willing to publish the defense as well. At the very least, we are doing no more than our duty by giving you this information, so that you can, if you wish, take back the libels, so that we are not obliged finally to employ other means to obtain the justice and the freedom accorded to our characters by the laws of our land.

Yours respectfully,

ABEL EVANS,

WILLIAM HENSHAW.

[The Editor’s comment]

Whether the letter referred to is false or authentic, the writing is very much like the writing of this letter. They are so similar that everyone who saw them decided at once that it was the same hand which wrote the two letters.

Baptist, May 1846, p. 194

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055925/38#?xywh=-450%2C505%2C1907%2C2966

To Mr. Quick in Water

Sir—It is wished that you prove that which you said in the last Baptist with respect to Capt. D. Jones and the elders of the church. The people in the Blackwood area, namely the “Saints,” took it upon themselves to be in Merthyr in one committee inquiring with respect to that which you said, and that every word you said was a lie, taunting the apostle to heal the man’s leg completely, as he followed them to their meetings all across Merthyr; furthermore, he does not belong to the Merthyr parish, and he has never received a single penny from it. We wish to yet learn from you whether what you said is true.

Cwm Gelli Dywyll

Ed. Lewis

Baptist, June 1846, p. 232

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055966/35#?xywh=-1029%2C0%2C4321%2C3571

The Saints Caught in Their Own Net

Mr. Editor—I promised the last time I wrote to you about the “Saints” that I would never comment on them to weary you and your readers, but now justice and the public call for a short comment from me on their essay in the Baptist for May, page 193, that is the denial of their letter to me which is printed in the Baptist for March. I will try to be as brief as I can.

1. The existence of the letter which they disown. I judge that there is nothing which is denied which does not exist, is available and in keeping. This is enough on that matter.
2. The witnesses of the letter. It is said that everything is established through the mouths of two or three witnesses, and so it is on this occasion. The above number of preachers were in my house when I received it, they saw it placed in my hand, they saw me open the seal and heard me read it; then I gave it to them, and they read it. Soon you yourself (W. O.) came here, and I gave it to you. That’s enough about this. I wrote a reply to them, but at the time it is true that I did not intend to print it, only send it to be read in their room at the specified time. I sent two men for that purpose—they went: but by the time they arrived at the “Satanists’” room, there was nothing there but untidiness and disorder; and the men returned without saying a word, and they gave me the letter, and they and others advised me to send it to you. The first thing I heard was that the Saints were announcing that I sent some letter in reply to theirs, (there was no denial of the letter so far), but that the messengers stopped at some pub and got drunk. This is the first lie I heard with regard to it. One of the messengers was a teetotaler and the other one of the most sober men in Dowlais, and they didn’t go to a single pub from Dowlais to Merthyr as they both went and returned, and they saw neither food nor drink. All right, we will carry on. They now claim that the letter was a forgery. Well done, Satanists; and they also say “that they sent me notice that it was a forgery;” to this I give my word, No, never such a thing. I remember one philosopher delivering a long lecture to a numerous audience to prove “that honey was a sweet substance;” at last a clean-shaven, uneducated lad in the crowd stood up and called the lecturer a fool, take note, yes, indeed a fool; if the fool, he said were to have put his fingertip in it and tasted it he would have proved his point in a second, instead of keeping us here all this time to listen to his chatter, and the taste of the honey would break the argument.” Therefore, I shall not bring forward many witnesses to prove the existence of the letter that is denied by its authors. Whoever disbelieves it may call in the office of the Bedyddiwr in Cardiff; they will be very welcome to see it and read it; and in order to prove the thing, look at both of them, that is the first letter to me, and the second to Mr. W. Owen to deny it, and compare the handwriting, nothing more is necessary: and if the deniers are thinking of continuing their lies, the only way for them to succeed is to deny both.

I am truly sorry that anyone of my fellow nation, the Welsh (although only dregs), believe such mad, devilish and ungodly rubbish. It is true that Joanna Southcott and the scoundrel Canterbury, etc., mocked the English many years ago, and it can hardly be said that these deceivers are beyond all of these here in arrogance, Satanism and lies.

I consider it your duty as Editor and publisher of a religious monthly (for the sake of religion and your fellow nation), to publish the tricks of these Satanists now and again. The English do this almost every week; see the Silurian for May 9^th where their madness in Wakefield is a dead child to second life—but we know the result; but once their deceit became known they tried to hide their shame by claiming that it was the fault of the deceased’s mother, that her faith was too weak, etc., then they went to open another child’s eyes with their holy oil, but it all ended in deceit and lies. The apostle carries olive oil in his pocket around Merthyr and Cwmbach, Aberdare and claims that the Holy Spirit does great things through him, but we do not know of anyone who has received the virtue. It is not worth wasting ink, paper or time. They claim one thing and deny another, although they are as clear as the summer mid-day sun amongst and beside us; for example, “W. Hughes received nothing from the parish of Merthyr.” Etc.

I am yours,

Dowlais, May 16, 1846. W. R. DAVIES.

Baptist, June 1846, pp. 232–33

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2055966/35#?xywh=-1029%2C0%2C4321%2C3571

To Mr. E. Lewis, Cwm Gelli Dywyll.

SIR,—I read your article in the May issue, and I wish to inform you and the disbelieving Saints in the Blackwood area who took it upon themselves to go to Merthyr to investigate the truth of what was said by “Mr. Quick in Water” in the March issue about William Hughes the Collier who broke the small bone in his leg, together with the treatment he had from the Saints.

The claim of the Saints—“every word that Mr. Quick in Water said is a lie.”

Fact.—The testimony of Hannah, the wife of William Hughes, together with the doctor, to me was as described by Mr. Quick in Water in the March issue.

Claim.—“And also he is not on the parish of Merthyr, and has never received a penny from there.”

Fact—From my hand, as an official of the parish of Merthyr, his wife had five shillings on Saturday 24^th January, and the same sum every following Saturday for six weeks until he got work laboring. He had broken the small bone of his leg about a fortnight before asking me for payment; and if there had been any virtue in the magic of the Saints one would have expected healing sooner of the “slight fracture of the small bone” (according to the doctor’s language). If the Saints do not have a better basis to their claims about other things than they have about the case of William Hughes, they had best leave it alone.

I am yours,

ROGER WILLIAMS,

Relieving Officer.

Merthyr Tydfil, May 12, 1846.

_______

“THE SAINTS.”—One of the chief prophets of these evil men has left the above Satanic brotherhood in America, and has published a book to make public the deceit and tricks of the chief leaders, and the deceit of their deacons; it doubtless contains many of the tricks and deceit of the children of hell, and hopefully it will serve the purpose of opening the eyes of many men deceived by the satanic crowd.

Baptist, July 1846, pp. 250–51

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056007/13#?xywh=-901%2C-2%2C4060%2C3571

The Saints

MR. EDITOR,

If you see fit for the following to appear in some corner of our praiseworthy Publication, I and a several brothers and subscribers of The Baptist in Merthyr would be very grateful to you. That which prompted this letter is as follows:

There is a man here named Thomas Jones who wasted over three years of his valuable time with those deceitful creatures who dare to call themselves Latter-day Saints; and this man at present professes that he has found their voluntary lying and deceit detestable, and that he has left the ungodly crowd in their den and has come in order to begin to listen to us. This was no common man amongst them, (or we would not pay so much attention to him) but was one of the most esteemed officers, one of the most humorous preachers amongst them, if indeed they can be called preachers—a man considered by them to be as high as the Son of God, as you will see by reading his answers in that which follows. As Mr. Jones showed a desire to hold fellowship with us, I took the time to talk with him. Then he asked me if I would be so kind as to write down the things which he considered his duty to publish, (about the deceit of the Satanists) for the benefit of his fellow creatures. I agreed to this and wrote the questions down. Then I asked them to him one by one; these he answered easily and with consideration, and I wrote them as follows.

I am yours, sir, with all respect,

Silo, Abercanaid

David Williams

I asked him as follows: Do you see fit to inform me what first persuaded you to join with those who call themselves the Latter-day Saints?

Reply. I went to listen the first time out of curiosity and having heard them talk of performing miracles in their midst I asked them for evidence of the miraculous feats; they replied by saying if I were to come to the church to them or join with them I would have that which I asked from them, for they said that that was where these things were to be seen; with an air of fanaticism I joined them three years and two months ago. A long time to fight against God and conscience!

Question. How did you become such an object of their attention to the point of being urged to preach with them?

Reply. Because I was as arrogant as they, claiming that there were things in their midst, such as miracles, etc., which they do not have.

Question. Did you perform a miracle or pretend to do so in their midst?

Reply. I did not perform a miracle nor did I see anyone else do such a thing; but as for faking such a thing, I was all too used to the ungodly task of deceiving men with false miracles. For example, when at work in Dowlais, I injured one of my fingers so that I could not do my job, then I went as far as Victoria, that is the works called by that name; and as soon as I came into sight of the false disciples there they shouted with such joy that one could have thought that the image which fell from Jupiter was paying them a visit, and they said, “Oh, here is Jones coming!” I was slightly surprised and asked what was wrong? They answered me saying that there was a woman there possessed by a devil since the day before; and that three of the elders had fasted and taken up the task of casting it out, but had failed. So on their request I went to the place; they wanted to come with me into the room to her but I prevented them because I knew that I, no more than they, could not perform a true miracle as did Christ and his apostles. Then I went into the room with a small girl and took the hand of the one considered to be possessed by a devil, and I told her to get up from there, and to stop being a cause of clean teeth for the fasters, nor for anyone to worry over her. Then she got up, and I put my unclean hands on her in false holiness, and the woman appeared to be as normal—no more possessed by a devil than anyone else, for there was nothing wrong with her but wickedness to get a laugh from their madness.

Question. Thank you for your readiness to answer me, and as I understand that you were considered one of the foremost amongst them, I ask you in their opinion, according to what orders were you considered to serve in their midst?

Reply. For about a year I served according to the order of Aaron. Then they considered me worthy of a higher order, that is the order of Melchizedek, the same order as the order of the Son of God. But I did not receive any tithing in spite of it all. I hope that God and his Son will forgive me for ever taking such a deceit upon myself and trying to rob the Mediator of his glory.

Question. Since you have been connected with such things, having and taking names and characteristics so unsuitable, do you feel sorry for all of the above things and their like?

Reply. Yes, from my heart, especially for my arrogance against the good Lord, who in his grace has given me time to repent; and I hope I shall have pity from the God of all grace through the true virtue of the cross.

Question. Did you, T. Jones, pretend to speak in strange tongues, or translate, or both?

Reply. Yes, each of the two.

Question. Could you or anyone you know do this sincerely, or was it fake?

Reply. Only in pretense and deceit. And I shall give an example of how I did this, in the following way: Strange tongue: “Coresiah Marasiah safon Taramo cina manoma micor sari sonamaco!” Translation: “Thus saith the Lord, be faithful my people, for I the Lord have spoken to you through the mouth of my servant!!” There’s an example of that deceit for you, and I am ready to carry on until all their deceit is revealed, and that in its true shape and form; and I have many things to be brought to light, and if this letter appears in the excellent, publication called The Baptist, the reader can expect other things to follow. And as you and I judge this enough for now, we shall finish today hoping to have time to carry on again.

D. W. I agree with you in that, and according to your previous decision, be so kind as to sign your proper name on the letter.

T. J. I will, willingly. I am yours, readers of the above letter,

THOMAS JONES.

Merthyr, June 4, 1846.

Baptist, September 1846, pp. 353–55

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056089/36#?xywh=-572%2C1357%2C2851%2C2508

The Saints’ Visit to Llanfaircaereinion

To the Editor of The Baptist

Mr. Baptist—My task is to announce a misfortune—the task is unpleasant to me, but the work is necessary. I inform you that the Latter-day Saints (?) polluted the holy streets of the town of Llanfaircaereinion last Sabbath (August 2, 1846) by visiting the place and preaching miracles in it. Two saints were here—one a prophet and the other a servant of the prophet. The prophet preached at one and at five. Preaching was the task of the one and the task of the other was to hold the hat of the preacher or prophet. The name of the prophet was ROBERT EVANS, Glan Conwy; and the name of the hat-holder was WILLIAM EVANS, Rhymney. The first looked miserly and the other had the scowling look of a sheepdog or a tiger. Robert Evans preached very well on baptism the first two times, but poured out his miracle-slime at the end. It is more dangerous for some of the Baptists to be charmed by these deceivers than any other denomination, because they speak so well on baptism, etc. This Robert Evans is a knowledgeable man, and exceptionally skillful in deceit. He knew that he must, as a deceiver, bring out his good things in the beginning in order to make his bed in the minds of his listeners—then pour out his magic poison. At the end of his sermon at five, he said that “his eyes were witnesses of seeing men receive miracles, that his ears were witnesses of hearing the Holy Spirit descend upon people, and that he himself was a living witness of these things,” etc. It’s a pity that deceitful wanderers such as these could not become wretched naturally, instead of insisting on becoming so miraculously! This false-prophet had a lend of the ears of many listeners of all denominations, as well as a keen hearing for his falsehood.

I should inform you here that this prophet, on arrival at the place, asked two or three whether Meiriadog now lived in Llanfair. He had an affirmative reply each time. Then he said that he was quite familiar with Meiriadog from when he was in Rhosymedre and himself in Rhosllanerchrugog. These things came to my ears and amidst many others I went to listen to him. After I came into his sight I could hardly swear that I had never seen that man before. However, at the end of his sermon at five, I went to him, and asked him if he knew me, as he had told others that he did, etc. He replied that there was no special acquaintanceship between him and me, only that he had seen me in Cefnmawr. I told him that seeing me did not create any recognition and I added that I had seen more people than I know. My purpose in noting these things is to show that this prophet is not one who can tell the truth, “the whole truth—and only the truth” in small things. I asked him if he would come home with me after the Baptists evening service—he promised to come, and he came too, together with his servant-prophet. After their arrival a bit of an argument broke out between us. The point of the argument was the miracles. He claimed that speaking in strange tongues, prophesying, healing the sick, casting out devils, etc., were essential things now as in the apostolic age. Having disagreed with him for about an hour and a half, I told him that it wasn’t possible for him to win honest disciples through bare claims, without showing fair proof of one of the claimed things. He said that he would if I would come to his church. (?). That’s a weakness, is it not? Jesus Christ’s work was to walk around doing good to all, not to those who became his disciples—and thus his apostles as well. So I said to him, if you can perform miracles, give sight to some blind person—hearing to some deaf person—resurrect some dead person—give speech to some dumb person—then, make dumb my tongue which opposes you—heal the pain in my belly—or tell me what Jesus Christ is in Syrian, and I will become one of your disciples; then your teaching will be accepted on its own evidence, like our leader who said,—“If you do not believe me believe the deeds which I fulfill.”

At the end of the argument, I read him the conversation which is in the Baptist for last July between David Williams, Abercanaid, and Thomas Jones, Merthyr. Having read it he told me that Thomas Jones was troubled that he had sent those things to the Baptist: and he permitted me to reproduce the following lines from his diary:

“Merthyr, July 13, 1846.

“I saw Thomas Jones at the gate of Merthyr church, and he told me that he was sorry that he had sent the conversation between himself and David Williams, Abercanaid to the Baptist, for July 1846. I am,

ROBERT EVANS.”

Glan Conway.

Now, Mr. Baptist, allow me now to refer a question or two to Thomas Jones, Merthyr.

1. Did you admit to Robert Evans, Glan Conwy, that you were sorry that you had sent the aforementioned conversation to July’s Baptist?
2. If so, or if not, did you tell any lies about your old brothers in the conversation?

A reply from you in October’s Baptist will satisfy the following people who were in the argument:—James Roberts, Urias Watkins, John Watkins, Thomas Breese, John Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards. I asked that last question to the prophet but I didn’t get an answer from him one way or the other. He said this much, that The Baptist puts in every insult about them and refuses to allow them to defend themselves, etc.*

I said that the claim was a lie—I added that everything of theirs would appear as the rest, and that I would give my life for their publication. They promised to send their correspondences to me to send to The Baptist. Remember, Mr. Baptist, leave space for them.

When these Mormons left between eleven and twelve o’clock we agreed to carry on the argument in public on the pages of The Baptist. Robert Evans is to begin the argument. His subject will be “The Gospel and miracles;” that is, to prove that the gospel cannot be a gospel if the miracles are abolished. My subject will be “A Gospel without miracles;” that is, again to prove that a gospel can be a gospel without miracles. Those are titles worded in quite strange ways, aren’t they? They are the wording of Robert Evans—he took the one and gave the other.

There I have fulfilled my promise to Robert Evans, that is to send the discussed things to the Baptist. They are not very well organized, but I hope that things will carry on more orderly in the debate, when it takes place, which will not be forever in my opinion, for I believe that nobody will see a line from this chief-northern-deceiver. He promised to visit me the following morning but I did not see him. I shall end now lest I weary you.

I am, Sir, yours completely,
Meiriadog
Llanfair.

*The Baptist is open to all to defend themselves in the face of an accusation brought against them, except when the defendants have forfeited their truthful characters; on this ground the saints are free to defend themselves as long as they bring credible and well-known witnesses to confirm their evidence. We cannot allow anything other than this because we have caught them in their own traps before. But the Saints should remember that The Baptist does not exist as a tool for them to spread their tales and their assertions up and down the country.

Editor.

Baptist, October 1846, pp. 369–70

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056130/12#?xywh=-1030%2C-1%2C4320%2C3570

The Saints

DEAR EDITOR,—You will easily remember the conversation which took place between me and Mr. T. Jones, Merthyr, about the deceit of the false-saints, which was published by you in the July Baptist. The conversation did not end there, and we carried on, and I would have sent it to you sooner if it were not for the fact that I do not consider this rabble worth the attention of many of the readers of the Baptist. But after I heard Meiriadog mention it in the last Baptist and that Robert Evans said that T. Jones claimed that he was sorry that he had sent it to the Baptist, I decided to send it to you, sir, and if you see fit for it to appear, I and several others will be very thankful to you. I am yours etc.,

DAVID WILLIAMS.

I have four religious and acceptable men as witnesses of the truth of the following conversation, [which took place] on an afternoon in one of the Baptist chapels in Merthyr. The conversation took place as follows:

I asked T. Jones, How do you feel now in your mind?

T. J. Reply—My mind is more at ease now than it has been for some time.

Question—Does your decision still remain the same (about revealing the deceit of the false-saints) as when you spoke about this matter before?

Reply—Yes, and I am very glad to have the opportunity to cast down some more of my burden, especially since I do not consider it enough to depart from heresy without also publicly professing that I am doing so, and this in order to warn others, any more than I would consider it enough on the other hand to admit blame without departing from it.

Question—Do you see fit to inform us how these deceivers receive foolish men into their deceitful and secret meeting place, and what blessings they announce and what promises they make to such as these?

Reply—They baptize for the forgiveness of sins, and this most often at night; then they lay hands on the baptized saying, “Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Then as the keys of the kingdom of heaven (so they say) are theirs, they open the heavens to him and announce to him the honor of seeing visions, prophesying and seeing angels; then they bless him in the name of the God of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Then they promise that they shall possess the wonderful lands in Nauvoo, (formerly) but after that deceit became known they promise that they shall cross the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean to California; and some of them have been trained by them to collect the old scattered tribes of Israel towards the Pacific Ocean to Zion, and the old Welsh people from distant corners of the world and the family of Joseph for the enjoyment for the excellent civic privileges which they dream about.

Question—Did you announce such madness to men since you were a high official amongst them?

Reply—Yes, most unfortunately.

Question—Did you or they have any scriptural basis or direct order from God to do such a thing?

Reply—No, and we did not search the scriptures for such a thing, but rather we shamelessly claimed that we have revelations from God when we knew that they were completely deceptive. We claimed that we saw Jesus Christ in red whiskers appearing to inform of us of the things which would be; but alas! The wrong we did him whom in truth none of us has ever seen, nor will see either until he comes with the clouds. And I would prefer to admit my mistake and let it lie at my own door rather than to dare to blame it on him who never had deceit in his mouth; for if the Son of God (as they say) had given a revelation about Nauvoo it would have been sure to happen. But the truth is, it is the leaders of these people who teach them to stray and cause them to trust in a lie.

Question—Do you see fit to give us an example of the visionary deceit in their midst?

Reply—Yes, Willingly. Before the man called Captain Jones came here another was in charge; and as this man was an Englishman and not a Welshman, and the Captain himself a Welshman, we thought it would be better to change them. And as our first leader rebelled slightly against the Captain, and as he was considered the chief minister for Wales, then we were in a predicament as to how to move away the first so that the second could have his place, but to do this one of my friends told me that he knew the way to succeed, and that he would say that he had had a revelation directly from God—that our old friend had misbehaved with another man’s wife, and myself and others agreed with him in the lie and the boldness, yes, in the awful task and such a terrible wrong! A great wrong to the man! A terrible wrong to another man’s wife! A terrible wrong to God! By putting him as the father and author of such a lie!! The heavens be surprised! The earth be afraid! Humanity be ashamed! Blasphemers tremble at such a thing! What, disgrace on the throne and character of the Trinity!—the splitting of two families if it had its effect!—the destruction of the characters of both sexes! Woe the day I agreed to such a terrible deceit!

I am a witness of the work of one claiming to many that he had had similar revelations about other similar things, and they were such that for the sake of decency I do not desire to put them before the public; and that man admitted to me that he did not have the visions which he testified to others that he had. The word is true—“many deceivers go out.”

I myself have often mentioned the everlasting gospel, and was ready like them to claim that they had it in its purity; but now things are different, mercifully. I think I hear someone ask, Are the above false revelations and the like their gospel? Is their gospel deceit and lies instead of the truth? Yes, a lie to God and men—ruining families and claiming false wantonness. Everyone will find out that things like this are not a gospel. Rubbish such as this is not preached throughout all the world. Doubtless an angel would be ashamed to go into even a corner of such unhealthy rubbish as this, let alone fly with it through the midst of heaven. There is a great difference between the gospel of the Son of God and that of the false-Saints; a wondrous and holy truth is that of Jesus, urging and compelling all truth; and the commandment is, “Tell the truth, all of you to each other.”

Time runs out for me to relate all about sharing the miraculous talents—and about a strange meeting in Cwmbach, Aberdare. But these things I have told you so that men may believe the deceit of this rabble and so that everyone may avoid them. I am yours,

Merthyr. Thomas Jones.

“I am grateful to you for your willingness to answer me, and I hope that you will continue to reject all deceit and to search steadfastly, soberly and sincerely for the truth, so that you will eventually have privilege in the tree of life and that you will enter through the gates into the city; the outside of which will be all those who love and tell lies. Yours,

Silo, Abercanaid. David Williams.

Baptist, January 1847, pp. 11–12

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056252/6#?xywh=197%2C160%2C1970%2C2948

The Profession of Faith of the Latter-day Saints

The following profession was related by one of the apostles of the Latter-day Saints in Ystradgynlais, Glamorganshire, before two witnesses, that is Thomas Hopkins and Evan Davies. This was published in the “Congregational Treasury” for June 1846 and is sent to you to publish in the next issue of the “Baptist”. There has never before been such a confession—spare us from such foolishness. Here it is—

1. We believe in two holy persons, the Father and the Son, and that the person of the Father is in the form of a man, possessing flesh and bones, hands and feet, and that he has feelings like those of men, only that there is no blood running through his veins to give life and that it is spirit in place of that part of the body of the deity, and therefore it is impossible to harm him.
2. We believe that the Son is lower than the Father, and that he has no power or knowledge but that which he receives from the Father.
3. We believe that the Holy Ghost is not a person like the Father and the Son, but that he is a sort of virtue originating from the Father and the Son.
4. We believe that man’s soul did not receive its existence from God, but that it is a spirit without beginning, because it is unreasonable that there should be a beginning to something endless.
5. We believe that the holy angels are gods and that they did not receive their existence from God, and so they are without beginning such as he himself, and independent from him for their maintenance.
6. We believe in two church sacraments—baptism and the Lord’s Supper. That baptism is of no significance as other sects say, but it is a baptism for the forgiveness of sins; and that no-one can receive forgiveness of their sins before obeying this most high ordinance.
7. We remember the death of our Lord Jesus Christ every week by taking bread as a sign of the destruction of his body, and water as a sign of the spilling of his blood; for we were informed by God that today’s wine should not be taken, as it is not pure.
8. We believe that one should baptize on behalf of the dead. In the millennium which begins in thirty years’ time we shall be baptized for the pagans who did not hear of the gospel; and they shall enter the heavenly Canaan on our profession of faith on their behalf.
9. We believe that nobody should venture into the most high work of preaching the gospel without having received undeniable proof that God has set him aside for that task, and that through vision or some other supernatural form.
10. We believe that all the offices should be in the church now that were in it in the time of the apostles and their miraculous talents—healing the sick, and casting out devils. I bear witness that all these talents are in our church now. As proof of this, I recently had the important task of casting out a devil from a woman, one which tortured her very violently. I went about the task in the following way—“I, as a servant of Christ, have been authorized by him to cast out devils and to heal the sick; and as such I command you to leave this woman.” “You lie,” said Satan, “You are not a servant of Christ and neither do you have the authority to cast me out.” Then I made a pact with God through fasting, that I would neither eat nor drink until I got the scoundrel out. I told him again, “I have promised God that I will neither eat nor drink until I get you out of this woman.” “Ha, ha, ha,” he said, “I shall starve you.” “Be quiet and come out of her,” I said; then he left her with a sort of noise like this, Tshoo, tshoo, tshoo, until his slime was shooting all over the room. There is also a woman in our church who has been in the third heaven, not in the body but out of it; she left the body in the following way:—She gave several short breaths and inclined her head, putting her weight on the back of the chair, then we saw her face become blue and her eyes stood still, and her spirit took wing to paradise, and there she saw unspeakable things; her dead body was with us in the room for two hours, and then her spirit returned to her body again. We were also informed by God that the plague threatened in the 11^th chapter of Revelation was about to come upon Britain, to destroy all the disbelievers of our witness. Also, no one should be hesitant about whether they have or have not received the Holy Ghost. We receive it in the following way:—We feel the room being filled with a sort of warm breeze, then we feel that breeze going into the mouth, and from there to the chest; then it is so hot that we can scarcely bear it, and we are completely filled. And if the spirit of prophesy tells of the destruction of some town we will see it in blue-green flames, although our eyes will be shut at the time so that it is impossible not to speak out.

Yours, etc.
A Southerner

Baptist, January 1848, pp. 16–17

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056741/15#?xywh=-55%2C61%2C2058%2C1825

The Mormons

Mr. Editor.—Be good enough to give a corner of your Treasury [sic] to the following things. As for the notice, I judge that it is best to print it as it is, for the everlasting shame of the memory and name of the scoundrel Joe Smith, and for the everlasting shame of his mad and foolish followers!!

“THREE MURDERERS AT LARGE!

“Governor Reynolds has offered a reward of six hundred dollars for the apprehension of O. P. Rockwell, the Mormon assassin of Governor Boggs, and Joseph Smith as an accessory; or three hundred dollars for each of them. Also a reward of one hundred and fifty dollars for James Bratton, charged with the murder of William Claybrook; and one hundred and fifty dollars for John Taylor, charged with the murder of L. D. Bowen.—New York American, Oct. 10, 1842.”

Dear Welshmen, here are the founders of the pure religion for you! Here’s a shining man for the eternal God to choose to set up his kingdom on earth!! A man, because he helped to kill an American governor, fleeing like Cain long ago, and the government printing Handbills, and offering rewards for his capture! May hell be surprised! That one Welshman could sink so low, and lend an ear to listen to the followers of such a crowd! Note further this evil man’s way of continuing while he could with his worldly treatment. It once happened that food was rather scarce in Nauvoo, but in order to keep the disciples together Joe smith found quite an easy way of fulfilling their need; he took this verse, “For the cattle upon a thousand hills are mine.” Next, he appointed and set up an official to whom he gave the honorable title of “The Lord’s butcher.” His job was to search for and choose the best animals available and kill them, then to send them into Nauvoo to feed Joe’s starving disciples. And to make everything safe plenty of men just as unprincipled as Joe and his butcher were put under the authority of this Satan. Well, the question is, where did they get the animals to butcher? They were stolen from the settlers in every place for many miles round and about; and the saints were fed with these stolen animals. It is impossible to deny the above facts, see The Christian Messenger, pages 360, 361.

A Mormon Miracle

They often mentioned their miracles, the thousands who saw them, etc., and here is one of them. A Newspaper called “The Ottawa Free Trader” mentions a miracle which is worth noting, translating and publishing for the Welsh. “A famous prophet called Strang needed a house in which to live, and he decided to get it at the expense of the enchanting foolishness of his stupid and crazy followers; he called the Satanists together and he informed them that if they built his house the Lord had authorized him to say that they would be paid with a gift or supernatural talent. The building was soon finished, and then they went to the prophet to ask for and to receive the heavenly talent; he kept his promise and commanded them to gather together at the church in order to receive the heavenly gift. All the saints came together and the prophet led them through several ceremonies, that is washing their heads and their feet, etc., and then last of all he anointed all of their heads with some composition which smelt very strange; then he commanded them to go to another room which was as dark as that of Egypt long ago, persuading them that they would be made recipients of the miraculous talent in that room and that it would be done in a wondrous way and that it would be a visible revelation of the Holy Spirit which would make them safe from all the plots, spells, and temptations of Satan from then on. Sure enough, when they went into the dark room every head shone like the brightness of the sun and the saints’ joy at the power of such a miracle was great—each one of them his head like the light. But another prophet called William destroyed all the glory; even though his head too was full of brightness he suspected that there was some deception, and he remembered that “all that glitters is gold.” And what the scoundrel did was to take some of the oil away in order to look at it and test it; and he discovered that it was a mixture of a sort of oil and phosphorous and that the light which emanated from the phosphorus was only natural and that the whole thing was a satanic and devilish deception. As an honest man the prophet William took the fact and announced the deceit of the prophet Strang before the whole congregation, and he despite all his Satanism could not deny the fact but slowly and shamelessly and without a fuss admitted it all. Afterwards he gave a sermon to justify his action and tried to prove that Moses and Christ achieved their miracles through similar natural means; but he did not explain all his deceit enough to keep William any longer—he left them forever, like any other man of sense would do, etc.

If any Satanist doubts the above fact let him read the Weekly Dispatch for October 31, 1847.

W. R. DAVIES
Dowlais

Baptist, February 1848, p. 75

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056782/34#?xywh=-483%2C58%2C2808%2C2600

Mormonism

Baptizing an Apostle

Quite an amusing and laughable occurrence happened recently within a hundred miles of the town of Machynlleth, in a pool in the river known by the name Forge Pool. Here there are a few of the creatures called Satanists; there used to be more, but here they are rapidly approaching the land of sunset, as I understand is their fate in every other place. Amongst them is a man learned and powerful in words and actions, especially in miracles, whom they call an apostle. And as his vocation is selling earthenware vessels he is called and known by the honorable name, “Apostle Ned the Pots.” A young man came to them to ask to be baptized; and after the apostle and the man “who tests the spirits” had questioned him, they understood that he was a true Satanist; next they collected the few Satanists together, at midnight, to the place mentioned beside the river. Before going into the water the apostle prayed long and earnestly that the new brother might receive the Holy Ghost in his baptism; then they both went down into the water, and when they had reached the intended depth the young man found that he had been filled with some spirit, because the apostle fell headlong into the water three times and held him down each time until he was more than half drowned; the Satanists ran away and left the apostle to escape or perform a miracle; when he found himself free, the man ran for his life, and in his fear and confusion he went through the river and to the left hand side, and he climbed to a steep wooded hill and made his way through the thorns and brambles; and of all the things done by the Satanists from the beginning up until now this is the most similar to a miracle of them all, that is to be able to climb such a hill and work his way through such difficulties. Is it not a pity to think that the devil can make such a fool of a human creature and have him mock the holy ordinances of heaven? This story is true every word to the shame of the nation.

Machynlleth.

Baptist, February 1848, pp. 75–76

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056782/34#?xywh=-483%2C58%2C2808%2C2600

The “Saint” Turned Thief

In the last quarterly assizes of Cardiganshire a complaint was brought against one Thomas Harris, a Printer with Jones, Llangollen previously, now Rhydybont, where the Saints’ books are published. This Thomas Harris has not only learned printing with John Jones but has also learned to preach Mormonism with Dafydd Jones, his brother; he had been carrying out his work as a Mormon preacher in Llanddewi Aberarth on the 17^th of last December. He found a place to sleep in an inn there and the payment he gave for this kindness was to steal a Welsh and English Dictionary from the house. The daughter of the house saw him looking at the books, but sometime during the day when she wanted the dictionary, behold, the Mormon miracle had been performed on it, that is it had changed from belonging to the publican to belonging to the Mormon Saint. But the publican felt rather unwilling that his possessions be turned into “saints” like this, and he went to Rhiwlas-fach to search for the preacher, and he asked him if he had seen the book. To this he replied no, and called the Most High as a witness of his innocence. He also denied having touched any of the books in the house and that he would confront the girl who said that he had. So it was, and in front of her he still continued to deny this. She reminded him of the conversation they had at the time about the Dictionary; but he denied this too. At this the man of the house said that he would go to a Judge to obtain a warrant, and he left the room to prepare himself for this purpose. But he was soon called back, and the prisoner confessed that he had stolen the book and that it had been in his pocket when he had asked him about it. He also confessed that he had scratched out the owner’s name and that he was sorry for that.

In the prisoner’s confession before the Justice he admitted stealing the book thinking that it was a Bible, and that when he saw the name inside the evil spirit came upon him to urge him to scratch out the name and bury it in a pit in the earth which he had made for that purpose, but that the Lord had convinced him that it was better not to do this and to return the book to its owner.

Here is another warning, to add to the scores of previous ones, that people should be wary of these lawless, immoral and gospel-less wanderers. “Do not receive them into a house.”

Mormonizing a Woman

The New York Standard says that Henry Cobb of Boston has recently divorced his wife Augusta because she has become a spiritual wife according to Mormon doctrine, and has gone to live with Brigham Young, the one who claims his right to be Joe Smith’s successor. [People, you had better beware of the present-day Satanists lest they steal your wives.]

Baptist, May 1848, p. 188

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056905/27

Maesteg—I wish for you to provide space in your BAPTIST for the following few lines, namely a few lines giving our history as a church on the arrival of our dear minister, the Reverend H. W. Hughes in our midst; his ministry is very successful in the hand of the Spirit of God, as he has baptized eleven since he has been here; and I am glad to let you know that two of them have been very zealous with the Latter-day Saints;* and there are yet before the church many who request baptism, and there is good hope for the cause; for the house is full of hearers.

Edward Williams

*We do not consider it an honor for the church to receive anyone who has been so insane as to be with the Mormons. We would have the same doubt in receiving some from the insane asylum as in receiving them. Editor.

Baptist, May 1848, pp. 186–87

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056905/25#?xywh=-402%2C1193%2C2785%2C2328

The Church of Meinciau.

Many ministers and congregations of the Baptists throughout Wales are aware that the Special Baptists in a village that is known by the name of Meinciau, parish of Llangyndeirn, Carmarthenshire, have a cause, and it has been like this for more than twenty years, and this church has about eighty members.

But the most peculiar thing that I am aware of is that the Mormon rascals have sown seeds of lies, by saying far and wide that there are members of Meinciau, that the majority, but not all, have joined them. And consequently we declare, that this claim is untrue, because there are only three of the members of Meinciau who have gone to the fraudulent rascals, and that one of these is like the wandering Jew, that is, that he had been with practically every sect of believers that are in our country, before coming to us in Meinciau; and we did not think as we received him as a member with us, that he would be with us more than a few others for long; but as long as he was with us he would grab onto some new sect. And now Mr. Editor, he has gotten hold of an alliance which esteems him as one of them. Again, with regard to the other he is more similar to some kind of Hypochondriac than anything else, but perhaps he is under the effect of the ingredient that is in them. For as for the third, he is good for nothing but the dungheap. And now we can say that he is more of a loss to them than he is to us, because many of the others have come to us in their place; and there are clear signs that they have realized that they are more of a benefit for the cause than are they themselves; and we can say also that there is greater success in their midst at present —— [behind them] , than there was since the cause began in Meinciau, because our revered minister James Davies, who is over eighty years old, has baptized eleven for the profession of their faith in the Son of God, Saturday, March the 4^th; and on the following Sabbath he received them as members, and four were restored; which constituted an addition to the church of fifteen the same Sabbath.

April 2^nd, seven were baptized, and one was restored; and there are many in the association yet to be baptized next month. Great success to the truth everywhere.

[A poem of ten 4-line stanzas follows—no more criticism of the Church.]

Anthony Fair Play

Baptist, June 1848, pp. 209–11

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2056942/12#?xywh=-1%2C1483%2C2128%2C1887

Baptism for the Dead

It is amazing the extremes to which children of men run in their views of natural and religious matters; but of all the crazy and superstitious idiots who ever came to the world, let alone to Wales, in all of their beliefs the followers of Joe Smith excel on everyone and everything. Martha of the Mountain in Arfon, and Mary of the white cloak in Meirion, as well as every other wicked man or woman that we could put in the same category, were no more than children compared to this crowd these are the dregs who have brought the greatest shame on the lineage of Gomer from the time we came to Wild Wales until now. Two of them live near me; they fearlessly and shamelessly claim that they have received the Holy Spirit under the hands of the elders in a miraculous way; but to which part of their bodies do you think the Holy Spirit came? To their bellies: and they claim that they still feel it today, and the best description that they can give of its effectiveness is that it warms them and heats them like gin. But one of the pair says that it recently moved from the pit of his stomach to up under his arm, but that he continues to be always warm there. Although it’s so difficult for every man in his senses to believe the above lying, sinful and bold madness, yet it’s as true that they claim it as that the sun has risen.

Another quite exceptional thing about them is that they “baptize on behalf of the dead.” They say that the hosts who have died without having the opportunity of Joe Smith’s gospel or the Mormon Bible are in some middle state between heaven and hell, (similar to the Pope’s Purgatory). They are too good to be cast into hell and not good enough to have the happiness above because they were not baptized; and to make up for this shortcoming they baptize each other on behalf of these dead. A young man who had been here some months returned to them, he was baptized. They performed a miracle, he himself told the secretary, on or in his ear, not by restoring his hearing which is not required, but some pain or strange stabbing struck his ear, and he ran as fast as he could to the Satanists, one of the rabble put his hand on it and it was cured in a moment. Soon after this, he and a crowd of his brothers came to his mother-in-law who has been a Baptist for many years; they said that Daniel must be baptized; the woman was surprised and asked, What purpose would that serve? The answer she got, to her worry, was that it was for his father-in-law, that is her husband, who had recently died and had spent most of his time as a chosen and earnest member with the Baptists; and he died intent on the sacrifice of the cross. When the widow heard this blasphemy her eyes filled with tears and she became agitated, and she took hold of the poker swearing that she would beat them with it unless they left her house in a moment; they ran out into the middle of the road with her after them. This is baptism on behalf of the dead according to the Satanic mind.

I saw another madness just as bad as this in my opinion, in the Revivalist for last March, page 97, by some Catholic I should think, who calls himself, “W.G., Llanharn.” In connection with the story of a mother, etc., some “woman who hailed from the loins of various notaries;” although she did not give herself to religion, says Mr. W. G., the poor woman died on the birth of her first-born; then added the writer, namely W.G., “Her son was baptized on the lid of her coffin on the day of her funeral by the writer.” Now the question is, whether it is Daniel who intended to be baptized for his father-in-law who is in his grave, or the aforementioned W.G., who is the greatest fool? Let the wise judge. And wasn’t the discipline of the poker as necessary for one as the other? Or we’ll take a little more time and we’ll tell this W.G. that John didn’t baptize on the lids of coffins; and we’ll show before his eyes that it was in the Jordan or in some water that all the baptized were buried together in the time of Christ and the apostles. We shall leave the foolish, disgusting and papist scoundrel here.

Baptism Again

An amazingly Satanic family lived in D——s, which contained, so they say, all true saints; and amongst them was a young lad who was courting a responsible draper’s maid, and they decided to marry; and as they were both saints, and the draper had enough goods whilst they had nothing “and that the earth and its fullness belongs to the Lord,” they judged that it was fair for them to have their share and so it was; but the saints secret came out into the open, they were caught and they were imprisoned for a long time; now they severely threaten anyone who mentions that they did wrong saying that they suffered the punishment of the law in a proper way, and that they have been baptized a second time (one three times) to wash away their sins before God.

I recently received letters from different people asking about the fact that their preachers all over the country say that they are very successful and responsible men in Dowlais, &c. And they refer me to the filthy pamphlet for last March published for them by the Rev. J. Jones, Rhydybont, the author of explanations and catechisms, etc. for the Independents. After quite some trouble I had a look at it and as I read it I couldn’t help but feel serious and solemn that one Gomeric writer or writers could be so shameless in loving and telling a lie, yes, they are blatant and obvious lies. I call the reader’s most serious attention to the Dowlais story: the filthy and untrue booklet in question says “that the increase in the congregation of saints in Dowlais was so great that the Saints’ have become too small and they had to move to another place,” etc. Everyone here knows a better truth, Mr. Evan Davies turned them out of their old room as soon as he could after he took over the house; and the only reason, he said, was that no serious men, yes, even their best friends, would come to the house because such low and poor characters in every meaning of the word were welcomed there. They asked for a room in another inn nearby; but that man, to his honor, said that there was no sum of money which would cause him to let such low, foolish and characterless scoundrels into his house. And if there is anyone who doubts the above facts, let him ask Mr. Evan Davies, Dowlais Inn., etc., etc.

“Nine have been baptized here (Dowlais) since the beginning of January; one of these was the right hand man to the Rev. W.R. Davies; he was the secretary in his meeting place; one of the trustees, “etc. Old Satan, the father of all the Satanists, could not tell such hellish lies. Remember this—we expelled a man some time ago; he went to them and he is the man in whom the Holy Spirit moved from his belly to his armpit, and I think that he can fly almost as well as he can write; I know from enquiring after seeing the above lies, that he cannot keep any sort of accounts, poor thing, except by scribbling something for himself alone; that he never held one post, nor has he been a trustee. They can just as truly say that he keeps all the Dowlais accounts, and that he is the owner of the works there—the one would be as true as the other.

Yet, “another two of Mr. Davies’ members were baptized after him, and several before that, although Mr. Davies claims that only one old woman went from him to the Saints.” Pooh, pooh, why isn’t it said that they baptized scores, and amidst them the owner of the Dowlais works who is a member of parliament; claiming this would be just as rue. Again, I announce that one old woman went from Caersalem and one woman from Elim; that is the wife of the man in whom the Holy Spirit moved from his belly to his armpit. But I could name women near me who are now bruised and wounded by their husbands, if it is suitable to call them such, because they refused to join the Satanists which make up “the gentlemanly congregation.” It would be easy to name them, but for what purpose?

Now, Mr. Editor, I wish you to put these things before the public so that your reader will see what sort of belief is to be given to their testimony. It is doubtless that lies fill all their stories before they would dare to pour out such a store of lies in the tale about Dowlais. In a word, there is not as much as a single man amongst them; and they are nothing but topics of mockery to the irreligious, and objects of pity to all those who fear God. But the greatest surprise of all is that the godly and respectable priests of the nonconformists and their fellow nation did not lead the spies when they were here to the idiots in question; this is where they could have found honey and fat to blaspheme the Welsh, heard people claim to their faces that the Holy Spirit was warm in their bellies, others that it was under their armpits, others that they had seen and spoken with Christ, angels, etc., etc. These are good things to fill the blue books to blacken and disgrace the Welsh.

I wish you well and am your compatriot,
W. R. DAVIES
Dowlais

Baptist, February 1849, p. 68

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2057263/31#?xywh=247%2C99%2C1905%2C1878

Satan divided against himself

On Sabbath afternoon, January 7, 1849, not a mile from the New Church, near Cardiff, there came two of the same lineage as the one of old who “went to and fro in the earth and walked up and down on it,” and who call themselves “Saints.” After selecting the place, one of them began right away to relate his experience, and after he finished the second began—the best being last of course; but once the latter began his speech, an old soldier who was standing near the place ran until he was within a few steps of him; and upon seeing his pious demeanor, his hands raised above his two ears, and his words as scorching as those of Tom of the Pigsty; at that, the old soldier shouted fearlessly, “It would be better for you to go away, wouldn’t it!” Hearing that, the preacher lowered his hands, his tongue became still, and he and his preaching friend put their feet on the ground, and they went without delay their own way—but not cheerfully. “Do not ever come back here, lest something worse happen to you.” And the few children who were there listening to them surprised, nearly as much as the men of Gergesenes of old, when the demons possessed the pigs; they stared in awe at the old soldier, saying among themselves, “what manner of man is this, that even the Latter-day Saints flee from him?” And thus the sermon ended.

One of the Children

Baptist, March 1849, p. 97

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2057296/28

New Heaven

The Mormons, or the “Latter-day Saints,” several hundred of them, have begun their journey from the Works of Wales, and other places, toward the new heaven which awaits them in California—the land of gold.—Gold is the god of these unfortunates, and this is the treasure they long for—and as a result where this treasure is, there is their heart also.

Some of the widows have taken with them the clothes of their buried husbands, expecting to meet them in this new heaven. I hope they have a fair wind to go sufficiently far from here. What will become of the “prophets,” etc., for there will be no need for miracles there.

Baptist, April 1849, p. 128

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2057329/27#?xywh=-68%2C773%2C2562%2C2253

The Mormons

On the 14^th of last month, a public meeting was held in the chapel of the Baptists in Aberavon (since the Town Hall was too small) to listen to the Reverend J. R. Morgans (Lleurwg) deliver a lecture on the rise and increase of these simpletons. The chair was taken by the Reverend R. Morgans, A. C., the Vicar of the place. The lecture was the fruit of research and meditation, and the delivery was very good. The spacious chapel was overflowing with people listening attentively to the account of integrated foolishness. Courteous respect was given to the esteemed Chair and the able lecturer for their service. (From The Principality.)

Baptist, November 1849, p. 351

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2057560/26#?xywh=-1044%2C708%2C3138%2C2760

The Latter-day Saints

One more has been pushed into eternity because of the fanatical tricks of this people here in Haverfordwest. The name of the dead saint was George Thomas, who, after several days of uncertainty, was taken by the Cholera, and in that condition he was counseled to receive baptism into this sect; he agreed to the request and was baptized by his brother John Thomas, who is now called Cain by the people for killing his brother in that way. A postmortem examination was conducted, and the verdict of the jurors was that he had died of the Cholera, but that his death had been hastened by being immersed in water at his own request. When will this people gain a little wisdom, I wonder!

Baptist, February 1850, p. 67

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2057664/30#?xywh=1053%2C2279%2C839%2C738

[In the obituary of William Powell is a footnote:]

“The Spur and not the bridle.” The Church of God is subject to pathological visits, and not the least painful of these is Ranting, or the Speechifying Itch. Those who suffer from this ailment are a continual blight on the sanity and patience of the congregation. The sufferer is never in his element except when his mouth is open. Symptoms of the ailment are lightheadedness, an itch at the root of the tongue, hallucinations of an imagination that is running wild, and an irresistible lust for talking. Christmas Evans on one occasion was annoyed by one such person. “Well, there you are Johnny,” said Christmas. “God in his wisdom endowed you with two eyes and two ears, but only one mouth. That shows you, Johnny, that there is less work for the mouth.” One should be careful not to provide respectable congregations for the benefit of such boisterous and troublesome little boys who abuse common sense. The physical world has its safety valves. That kind of preparation applies also to the civilized world. You have Mormonism, for example, which is a kind of safety valve—a kind of culvert or sink to provide escape to secretions and church-associated troubles. The speechifyers are hereby encouraged to join the Saints where they may unburden themselves “from dawn to dusk.” A brother from Merthyr told me the other day that there is a Saint who customarily speechifies opposite his house every Sunday afternoon, spending an hour babbling on while no one is listening. The glory of these moments is that there was no one listening.

Baptist, October 1850, pp. 302–5

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2057928/9#?xywh=-93%2C161%2C2338%2C2057

A Lecture on False Religions

By Dafydd Llwyd Isaac

Ephesians 4:14—“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”

We shall divide this verse, which will be the basis of what is presented, in the following order:

1. Here business is implied. Deceive, mislead, fake, conceal in part, spin around someone’s head, (to use another language), To lead by the nose.
2. The customers, or the deceived, namely the qualities or the characteristics on the back of which one can trade, whose brains are within reach of the influence of the spiritual hucksters; i.e., the susceptibles. Their character is to be found twice over, or thrice, in the above verse. Firstly, “Children,” which means immature men, lacking experience of the world—its trickery and its lies, stupid men, beardless, and green, men who have not been “out of the sight of the smoke from their chimneys.” Secondly, Wanderers. The original word here—Klutonizo, buffeted by waves—is a nautical term. The sailor goes into the boat, he has neither oar nor counterbalance, he is completely under the influence of the wave and the gust of wind, to know where he will be found in an hour’s time, you have to consult the Almanac, to know the direction of the wind. Then, let’s say, a Joanna Southcottian calls by, in a wandering way, pouring out his inspiration, and he becomes a zealous Southcottian, he will be drunk, in fact; then Tom Courtenay will blow his horn, and as he has no ballast under his hat, Southcottism will go by the board—by then the Mormon will be relating his dreams, and dragging the wanderer after widening his mouth—and taking hold of his eyes in astonishment, on his way to California on a white horse; he had found the right religion at last; he never before had had food for the soul; if you ask how long the character in question will have his current false religion, one could answer that, if you indicate how long it will be before another false religion makes an appearance; in his mind, the fact that the thing is new means that it is correct—and he considers claiming and reasoning to be synonymous terms. Note—The boat is profession of faith; the ballast is knowledge—a man understanding his facts, and not being what he is by happenstance; the breezes are the false religions which are offered from time to time by lunatics—dreamers and impostors. Other character traits could be named that are in danger of being ridden and fooled by Religious Impostors, such as the superstitious, the mono-maniac, the man who has a bracket in his head, the babbler, the hare-brained, and the thirty senses; these traits, as the Philosopher knows, are sorts of mental deformities, and as the moon influences the lunatic, so with the above, when some new false religion is brought into a community, it draws them to join up to it, like flies on a carcass; the above mentioned are objects of pity as much as of blame, and they should be prayed for.
3. The deceivers, the salesmen, the spiritual hucksters—this class is made up of two characteristics—simpletons and knaves, simple folk or rogues. The simpleton is completely conscientious in his dreams—he is as honest as Joanna Southcott was when she claimed to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. There’s the Mormon-like sister on a stool spouting her gibberish—the dreamer will be prepared to be martyred for believing that she, poor weak-minded one, is speechifying in unknown languages, he is imposed upon. The other type is made up of deceivers and unprincipled cunning individuals, roving and mad-looking; they are too long-headed, too clever to believe their assertions—livelihood is their aim—trading on the ignorance of the innocent—taking money from simpletons, enticing them to sell their possessions—and they will be found laughing up their sleeves at the credulity of the people.

The Safety, “Being no more children,” that is, being men—the child is impetuous, credulous, fickle; the discrete man is circumspect, steady. Remark in passing—Reader, do not go to great expense to buy ballast for your boat—it would be a pity for you to be fleeced, in order to buy a bit of sense, allowing yourself to be dragged through the Mormon gutter, as your clothes will stink for a thousand generations; do not be fooled, do not be so timid, you see—what good are those two big eyes you have in your head if you do not keep them open; for many false Christs will come, Christ warns you, finding your weak spot, against the Southcottians, the Swedenborgans, the Red petticoats, the Joe Smithites, etc., making many signs, nearly deceiving the elect. Do not believe them. “Beware of false prophets, who will come to you in sheep’s clothing,” Matt. 7:15. The circumstance of the introduction of this verse by the apostle was that the temple of truth, even then, was surrounded by spiritual shops and stalls; such as those of Pagan Philosophy, Judaism, and false Christianity: “The resurrection is past already,” says Hymeneus, (2 Tim. 2:18) adding that all who did not believe that would no doubt be in hell—“overthrowing the faith of some.” There are two actors on the stage of time debating about the general governance of the world, namely truth and heresy. There is an inevitable campaign between them—truth is a gentleman, everything fair and open, no trick, no partial concealment, no playing dirty, plenty of light on the stage—but the principle on which heresy acts is deceit; it is Put the candles out with him—the night, the night forever! When illiterate men inadvertently become preachers for the truth, he shakes his head at them, suggesting that their strength is to be silent, since illumination is what he asks; but the ignorant are the elect of heresy—“Darkening counsel by words without knowledge.” These people have enough audacity for anything, some teacher of Mormonism announced, the other evening, to the thirty thousand who were listening to him, that he would at such and such a time explain the books of Daniel and Revelation and every other obscure verse in the Bible—about three quarters of an hour as I understand it, he was at it, while also transferring to hell anyone who did not believe him; as an addendum and complement,I need not add that the apostle could not read, Heresy, in order to be more successful, borrows the clothes of truth, to hide the shame of its nakedness, and imitate it with its voice. Truth has minted currency, such as faith—certainty—zeal—hope, etc., to give to its devotees to clear their way to heaven. Satan also has his mint; he coins false currency, he forges the government’s stamp, and it is spread all over the country by spiritual pedlars, taking advantage of the credulity of country folk and simpletons. The reader is advised to keep his spectacles on his nose, and his scales in his hand, for the day to take in the rent is approaching, and those who have not seen their mistake before “that day” will be deranged and collecting soot. Satan makes his religion to fit man—but God makes man to fit the religion; Satan measures man, but God measures himself.

Different sorts of deceivers.

1. Men of a lunatic, fanciful, hot-headed disposition. Some men are of a feeble and thin constitution. There is more oxygen than hydrogen in them; feeling not reason is on the throne; imagination not judgment is at the helm. This class of deceivers are honest and conscientious, they impose upon themselves; to this tribe for example Joanna Southcott belonged. Joanna announced in 1813 that she was pregnant with the Shiloh; she was at the time sixty years old; no doubt Joanna believed her story, because after she came to her senses, a few days before her death, we find her signing a declaration, to make any amends she could to society for her arrogance, “Testifying that she throughout twenty years of her life had been in a state of religious mania; and she desired forgiveness from God and men.” Yes, a crazy old woman persuading 100,000 people that she was a prophetess, and pregnant by the Holy Ghost! O! Humanity, O! Humanity! Swedenborg doubtless believed that he was speaking with angels, when he was speaking only with himself, which he did under the influence of a blister which was on the left side of his brain. Nani of the red petticoat was serious when she announced that she was the woman who was dressed in the sun, that wearing a red petticoat was essential for eternal life, and that the whole world would have become Red Petticoats within three years.

There is a natural deficiency in this class of deceivers—the illness is called mental deformity by scholars—they should be kept in an Asylum, while some of them imagine they see angels, and receive visions in their sleep, and in faints; others imagine they own houses and lands and palaces, each being under the influence of some illness or hallucination but taking a different direction.

1. The second class which is made up of falsifiers, that is cunning, long-headed, false, unprincipled men; these do not believe a word of their systems; their aim is to ride the hangers-on, take money from them, scrounge, sponge, lurk in little houses, and make a living—this is what trading in men’s bodies and souls is like. It is to this class of deceivers that the Muslims, the Pagan priests, the Catholic priests, and Joe Smith belonged, along with other irreligious people; for instance, about the character of the last named, read “the Revelation from God” (that is, according to Joe) that follows—it can be read word for word from the Doctrine and Covenants, p. 144, the book which is the authorized text book for the Mormons themselves; and this is the law for every man who comes to this country (America) to receive an inheritance—that he set his money at the feet of the Bishop of the Church. (Do you hear the simpletons of Llanybydder?) “It is right that a house be built for our servant Joseph Smith, prepare food and clothes for him, and whatever he needs; and in seasonal labor, you Joseph my servant, you have no strength, this is not in your calling.” No strength indeed, the old Lazy Impostor. He was the top fighter in the entire country? And here you have men setting God’s name on their own ruse to extract money—(The fool and his money are soon parted).

This class of deceivers, namely the falsifiers, claim to be able to perform miracles as proofs of their Divine mission. I have near at hand a volume from the Tract Society, of Pretended Miracles, and Natural Phenomena, in which there is a vast and catastrophic catalogue of the various tricks perpetrated by false priests from age to age, to seduce the brainless populace into believing they were performing miracles, in order to deceive them. The illiterate common people were ignorant of the laws of nature, of the influence of one element and the power of another, when brought into contact; what is in itself completely natural appeared supernatural to the uneducated, in other words, a miracle—for that is what a miracle is. If the people of Cwrtnewydd were to see an Engine going through the place, propelled by steam, they would swear that the devil, or an angel was pulling it—the thing, from their knowledge of nature, would be supernatural. We note one or two tricks of the Deceivers—the Lord commands the sons of Israel “not to converse with the dead.” The pagan priests pretended to converse with the dead; what they had was the art of ventriloquism—the poor, ignorant person believed that the voice was rising from the grave, and then would bend soberly so that the priest could mount his hind-quarters; the Catholic priests used machinery to simulate miracles—a wire would be put in the images in order to move them like Punch and Judy; this trick was enacted a fortnight ago in France: one day, surprisingly, it was found that the image of St. Andrew on the church wall was shaking his head; the story spread like wildfire throughout the whole country, with hundreds—according to the Times—flooding towards Reims church every day, making sacrifices on the altar. Also, one can make use of Electricity, Galvanism, Chemistry, Legerdemain, Mesmerism, etc. The unprincipled crafty fellow, with whichever of these arts he chooses, can drive the simple man to sell his bed from under him, in order to buy a white horse to go towards California and Salt Lake.

Or then there is the Mormon apostle—in his left hand is a bottle with oil in it; from the bottle in his other hand he pours Laudanum into it; this is the Holy Ghost, he says, closing his left eye and pulling a foot-long face; and the poor fanatic drinks the holy oil, and very soon the Laudanum will affect the thing which serves him instead of a head. The effect—Blue Devils and White angels fill the room, and the dullard is prepared to be martyred for his religion.

(Mormonism weighed in the scales in the next Issue.)

Mr. Editor—It is said that Mormonism is having some effect in mountainous areas of Wales and that several of the illiterate Welsh, here and there, have been pulled into their trap, which is to sell the little they have—the proceeds of which, as seen above, are to be laid at the feet of the Mormon Bishop after paying the tolls in Liverpool and St. Louis, which makes them a bit more meagre; and they, the silly simpletons, are thrown naked into the wilds of the “Rocky Mountains.” The remaining part of the above lecture is an exposé of Mormonism, giving chapter and verse on every claim. I am told that we trust too much to the common sense of our compatriots—that it is someone’s duty to bring out an Essay and spread it from end to end in order to expose their hellish tricks, and that it would be a pity for even one Welshman to fall prey to the clutches of these cyclops. Well, I am willing to make the following offer—if it is thought that a tract containing the foregoing part and the remaining part of the lecture will be of service, send to me, in “Pontypool” by the 10^th of October, orders for the number required of them. And if the orders reach a thousand copies it will be sent to them with the Baptist for November. Every effort will be made to keep the price to no more than two pence. The sale has to be sufficient to pay the Printer, and that is all; and I have neither time nor inclination to go three steps after it to sell it. —D. LL. I.

Baptist, October 1850, pp. 302–05

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2057928/9#?xywh=-93%2C161%2C2338%2C2057

A Lecture on False religions

By Dafydd Llwyd Isaac

Ephesians 4:14—“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”

We shall divide this verse, which will be the basis of what is presented, in the following order:

1. Here commerce is suggested. “Deceive”, mislead, fake, conceal in part, spin around someone’s head, (to use another language), To lead by the nose.
2. The customers, or the deceived, namely the qualities or the characteristics on the back of which one can trade, whose brains are within reach of the influence of the spiritual hucksters; i.e., the susceptibles. Their character is to be found twice over, or thrice, in the above verse. Firstly, “Children,” which means immature men, lacking experience of the world—its trickery and its lies, stupid men, beardless, and green, men who have not been “out of the sight of the smoke from their chimneys.” Secondly, “Wanderers.” The original word here, (Klutonizo, buffeted by waves), is a nautical term. The sailor goes into the boat, he has neither oar nor counterbalance, he is completely under the influence of the wave and the gust of wind, to know where he will be found in an hour’s time, you have to consult the Almanac, to know the direction of the wind. Then, let’s say, a Joanna Southcottian calls by, in a wandering way, pouring out his inspiration, and he becomes a zealous Southcottian, he will be drunk, in fact; then Tom Courtenay will blow his horn, and as he has no ballast under his hat, Southcottism will go by the board—by then the Mormon will be relating his dreams, and dragging the wanderer after widening his mouth—and taking hold of his eyes in astonishment, on his way to California on a white horse; he had found the right religion at last, he never before had had food for the soul; if you ask how long the character in question will have his current false religion, one could answer that, if you indicate how long it will be before another false religion makes an appearance; in his mind, the fact that the thing is new means that it is right—and he considers claiming and reasoning to be synonymous terms. Note,—The boat is profession of faith; the ballast is knowledge,—a man understanding his facts, and not being what he is by happenstance; the breezes are the false religions which are offered from time to time by lunatics—dreamers and impostors. Other character traits could be named that are in danger of being ridden and fooled by Religious Impostors, such as the superstitious, the mono-maniac, the man who has a bracket in his head, the babbler, the hare-brained, and the thirty senses; these traits, as the Philosopher knows, are sorts of mental deformities, and as the moon influences the lunatic, so with the above, when some new false religion is brought into a community, it draws them to join up to it, like flies on a carcass; the above mentioned are objects of pity as much as of blame, and they should be prayed for.
3. The deceivers, the salesmen, the spiritual hucksters,—this class is made up of two characteristics—simpletons and knaves, simple folk or rogues. The simpleton is completely conscientious in his dreams,—he is as honest as Joanna Southcott was when she claimed to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. There’s the Mormonish sister on a stool spouting her gibberish—the dreamer will be prepared to be martyred for believing that she, poor weak-minded one, is speechifying in unknown languages, he is imposed upon. The other type is made up of deceivers and unprincipled, cunning individuals, roving and mad-looking; they are too long-headed, too clever to believe their assertions,—livelihood is their aim,—trading on the ignorance of the innocent,—taking money from simpletons, enticing them to sell their possessions—and they will be found laughing up their sleeves at the credulity of the people.
4. The Safety, “Being no more children,” that is, being men,—the child is impetuous, credulous, fickle, the discrete man is circumspect, steady. Remark in passing,—Reader, do not go to great expense to buy ballast for your boat,—it would be a pity for you to be fleeced, in order to buy a bit of sense, allowing yourself to be dragged through the Mormon gutter, your clothes will stink for a thousand generations; do not be fooled, do not be so timid, you see—what good are those two big eyes you have in your head, if you do not keep them open; for many false Christs will come; Christ warns you, finding your weak spot, against the Southcottians, the Swedenborgans, the Red petticoats, the Joe Smithites, etc., making many signs, nearly deceiving the elect. Do not believe them. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing,” Matt. 7:15. The circumstance of the introduction of this verse by the apostle was that the temple of truth, even then, was surrounded by spiritual shops and stalls; such as those of Pagan Philosophy, Judaism, and false-Christianity: “The resurrection has already happened,” says Hymenaeus, (2 Timothy 2:17) adding, that all who did not believe that would no doubt be in hell—“overturning the faith of some.” There are two actors on the stage of time debating about the general governance of the world, namely truth and heresy. There is an inevitable campaign between them,—truth is a gentleman, everything fair and open, no trick, no partial concealment, no playing dirty, plenty of light on the stage,—but the principle on which heresy acts is deceit, it is Put the candles out with him,—the night, the night for ever! When illiterate men inadvertently become preachers for the truth, he shakes his head at them, suggesting that their strength is to be silent, since illumination is what he asks; but the ignorant are the elect of heresy,—“Darkening counsel by words without knowledge.” These people have enough audacity for anything, some teacher of Mormonism announced, the other evening, to the thirty thousand who were listening to him, that he would at such and such a time explain the books of Daniel and Revelation, and every other obscure verse in the Bible,—about three quarters of an hour as I understand it, he was at it, while also transferring to hell anyone who did not believe him; as an addendum and complement,I need not add that the apostle could not read. Heresy, in order to be more successful, borrows the clothes of truth, to hide the shame of its nakedness, and imitate it with its voice. Truth has minted currency, such as faith—certainty—zeal—hope, etc., to give to its devotees to clear their way to heaven. Satan also has his mint, he coins false currency, he forges the government’s stamp, and it is spread all over the country by spiritual pedlars, taking advantage of the credulity of country folk and simpletons. The reader is advised to keep his spectacles on his nose, and his scales in his hand, for the day to take in the rent is approaching, and those who have not seen their mistake before “that day” will be deranged and collecting soot. Satan makes his religion to fit man—but God makes man to fit the religion; Satan measures man, but God measures himself.

Different sorts of tricksters. 1, Men of a lunatic, fanciful, hot-headed disposition. Some men are of a feeble and thin constitution. There is more oxygen than hydrogen in them; it is feeling and not reason that is on the throne; imagination not judgment is at the helm. This class of deceivers are honest and conscientious, they impose upon themselves; to this tribe for example Joanna Southcott belonged. Joanna announced in 1813 that she was pregnant with the Shiloh, she was at the time sixty years old, no doubt Joanna believed her story, because after she came to her senses, a few days before her death, we find her signing a “declaration”, to make any amends she could to society for her arrogance, “Testifying that she throughout twenty years of her life had been in a state of religious mania; and she desired forgiveness from God and men.” Yes, a crazy old woman persuading 100,000 people that she was a prophetess, and pregnant by the Holy Ghost! O! Humanity, O! Humanity! Swedenborg doubtless believed that he was speaking with angels, when he was speaking only with himself, which he did under the influence of a blister which was on the left side of his brain. Nani of the red petticoat was serious when she announced that she was the woman who was dressed in the sun, that wearing a red petticoat was essential for eternal life, and that the whole world would have become Red Petticoats within three years.

There is a natural deficiency in this class of tricksters, the illness is called mental deformity by scholars,—they should be kept in an Asylum; while some of them imagine they see angels, and receive visions in their sleep, and in faints; others imagine they own houses and lands and palaces, each being under the influence of some illness or hallucination, but taking a different direction.

2. The second class which is made up of falsifiers, that is cunning, long-headed, false, unprincipled men; these do not believe a word of their systems, their aim is to ride the hangers-on; take money from them, scrounge, sponge, lurk in little houses, and make a living,—this is what trading in men’s bodies and souls is like. It is to this class of deceivers that Mahomet belonged, the Pagan priests, the Popish priests, Joe Smith, along with other irreligious people; for instance, from the characteristic of the last named, read “the revelation from God,” (that is, according to Joe,) that follows—it can be read word for word from the Doc. and Cov., p. 144, the book which is their authorized text book, the Mormons themselves; and this is the law for every man who comes to this country (America), to receive a legacy,—that he set his money at the feet of the Bishop of the Church, (Do you hear the simpletons of Llanybydder?) “It is right that a house be built for our servant Joseph Smith, prepare food and clothes for him, and whatever he needs; and in seasonal labor, you Joseph my servant, you have no strength, this is not in your calling.” No strength indeed, the old Lazy Impostor. He was the top fighter in the whole country? And here you have men setting God’s name on their own ruse to extract money, (The fool and his money are soon parted).

This class of deceivers, namely the falsifiers, claim to be able to perform miracles, as proofs of their Divine mission. I have near at hand a volume from the “Tract Society”, of “Pretended Miracles, and Natural Phenomena,” in which there is a vast and catastrophic catalogue of the various tricks perpetrated by false priests from age to age, to seduce the brainless populace into believing they were performing miracles, in order to ride them. The illiterate common people were ignorant of the laws of nature, of the influence of one element, and the power of another, when brought into contact; what is in itself completely natural appeared supernatural to the uneducated, in other words, a miracle,—for that is what a miracle is; if the people of “Cwrtnewydd” were to see an Engine going through the place, propelled by steam, they would swear that the devil, or an angel was pulling it,—the thing, from their knowledge of nature would be supernatural. We note one or two tricks of the Deceivers,—The Lord commands the sons of Israel “not to converse with the dead.” The pagan priests pretended to converse with the dead; what they had was the art of ventriloquism,—the poor ignorant person believed that the voice was rising from the grave, and then would bend soberly so that the priest could mount his hind-quarters; the popish priests used machinery to simulate miracles, a wire would be put in the images in order to move them like Punch and Judy; this trick was enacted a fortnight ago in France: one day, surprisingly, it was found that the image of St. Andrew on the church wall was shaking his head, the story spread like an infection throughout the whole country, hundreds—according to the “Times”—flooding towards Rheims church every day, making sacrifices on the altar. One can also make use of Electricity, Galvanism, Legerdemain, Mesmerism. &c.; the unprincipled crafty fellow, with whichever of these arts he chooses, can drive the man of straw to sell his bed from under him, in order to buy a white horse to go towards California and Salt Lake.

Or then there is the Mormon apostle,—in his left hand is a phial with oil in it, he, from the phial in his other hand, pours Laudanum into it; this is the Holy Ghost, he says, closing his left eye, and pulling a foot-long face; and the poor fanatic drinks the holy oil, and very soon the Laudanum will affect the thing which serves him instead of a head,—the effect, Blue Devils, and White Angels fill the room, and the dullard will be prepared to be martyred for his religion.

(Mormonism weighed up in the next Issue.)

MR. ED.—It is said that Mormonism is having some effect in mountainous areas of Wales, and that several of the illiterate Welsh, here and there, have been pulled into their trap, which is to sell the little they have,—the proceeds of which, as seen above, are to be laid at the feet of the Mormon Bishop, after paying the tolls in Liverpool and St. Louis, which makes them a bit more meagre, and they, the silly simpletons, are thrown naked into the wilds of the “Rocky Mountains”; the remaining part of the above lecture is an exposure (exposé) of Mormonism, giving chapter and verse on every claim. I’m told that we trust too much to the common sense of our compatriots. That it is someone’s duty to bring out an Essay, and spread it from end to end, in order to expose their hellish tricks, that it would be a pity for even one Welshman to fall prey to the clutches of these cyclops. Well, I am willing to make the following offer,—If it is thought that a tract containing the part above and the remaining part of the lecture will be of service, send to me, in “Pontypool” by the 10^th of October, orders for the number required of them, and if the orders reach a thousand copies, it will be sent to them with the BAPTIST for November. Every effort will be made to keep the price to no more than two pence. The sale has to be sufficient to pay the Printer, and that is all; and I have neither time nor inclination to go three steps after it to sell it.—D. LL. I.

Baptist, October 1850, p. 324

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2057928/31#?xywh=16%2C-1%2C2051%2C2057

Mormonism

No doubt many have been inquiring what can the meaning of the word Mormon be! It is easy for every scholar to understand what it is without the laying on of hands of any Mormon “apostle.” It is derived from the Greek word, Mormo, or Mormon, namely dissimulation, fantasy, or humbug, deception. Perhaps the fraud Joe Smith, poor thing, was not thinking of the suitability of the name when he called the standard work of his religion by the name “Book of Mormon.” Its Welsh name is “Book of Deceit,” and in English it can be called, “The Book of Humbug.”

Baptist, January 1851, p. 30

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058032/25#?xywh=-1044%2C-3%2C4280%2C3538

A Description of Joe Smith

The following picture of this deceiver is given by a gentleman who recently visited the city of the Mormons; “I saw Smith near to his home; he looks rough and ungentlemanly, and his face shows him to be between a fool and a scoundrel; his hands are big and fat, and on one of his fingers there was a gold ring with a carving on it. His age is about thirty-five. I did not see his eyes, as he does not raise his head like an honest man and show his face clearly. He went to his house, followed by elders, bishops, preachers and ordinary Mormons. After we had entered chairs were given to the prophet and myself, as for the others they had to be satisfied to stand. I placed a book in the prophet’s had and asked him to explain its contents to me. He asked if I had any idea about it? I said that I thought it was the book of Psalms in the Greek language. “No, it is not a Greek book,” he said, “but there are a few words of that language in it. That which is not Greek is Egyptian; and that which is not Egyptian is Greek. This book is very valuable. It is a dictionary in the Egyptian language.” When the Mormons heard this they said in surprise, “we said that our prophet would satisfy you; nobody but our prophet can reveal such secrets.” Poor things? The book was Greek after all—which shows that poor Joe did not know any more about secrets of this nature than he knew about the carvings of the Egyptian pyramids.”

Baptist, April 1851, pp. 127–28

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058131/26#?xywh=-69%2C559%2C1939%2C1706

The Disappointment of Mormonism

St. Louis, North America, Dec. 28, 1850.

My Dear Father and all my relatives,

Here I am having had the privilege once more of writing these few lines to you. Although at present I am physically very far away from you, yet my thoughts turn to you very often hoping to find you and all the relatives in good health, as I am at present—thanks be to God for this. Dear father, I hope that you will pass over the mistakes in this letter as this is the first time for me to write you a letter in Welsh. I would have written to you before this for you to hear from me if I had had the opportunity to do so, but I didn’t. We set out from Liverpool on the 17^th of October, 1850, for New Orleans. Although we were about 416 passengers on the ship. There were very many Irish with us, about 101 of them and they caused us very great trouble in as much as they stole our food from the fire, that is the place where we cooked our food. I, and very many others, lived on oat flour and water and a little boiled rice, for we couldn’t eat the biscuits which were as hard as rocks. We put them in warm water to soak but they were the same after that, as hard as rocks. Many wept because they couldn’t get food to eat apart from the ship food and many worried that they had left home and a comfortable place to come here. This is the truth for you, my dear father. Many there with you think that it’s a very good living for passengers on the sea, but indeed they are greatly mistaken. In Liverpool, William Phillips and all those with him told us who were going overseas that we had food for ten weeks, if we would be at sea for as long as that—that Orson Pratt had taken care of us and that we were not to worry; but this was the greatest lie, like everything else he said. We only had food for six weeks and that’s what the captain said; and we saw that as well in as much as the food came to an end. I brought a lot of food from Liverpool or I don’t know what I would have done indeed. After we set sail from Liverpool we all became very ill with sea sickness. We were like that for a few days, the wind began to pick up and the sea was very rough until many thought that we would go to the bottom; but the wind ceased and the sea became calm, and many were thankful for that as was I myself. The ship went very quickly, about twelve miles an hour. I saw many small islands in the middle of the ocean, that is the Western Islands, St. Domingo, Cuba etc. Everyone rejoiced to see land for we had seen nothing but water for weeks. I saw many fish, large and small; I saw the fish called ‘flying fishes’ flying together like birds. It was very hot for us when passing the land of Cuba so that we couldn’t bear many clothes on us, and with so many on the ship it was very hot for us; some slept on deck at night because it was too hot below. Oh! My dear father, if only I had listened to you and my dear brother James when I was with you in the little room where James worked; but that’s how it was—I was deceived by others. There are many who would return if they had the means to come; and so myself as well, my dear father, if I had only five or six pounds to come; but I have nothing in a foreign land and it’s impossible to get work here in the winter because it’s so cold. I don’t know what may come in the summer for me and others. I think of you until many tears flow down my face. If only I could see your face again, my dear father; I will not be so foolish as to listen to the false prophet again. If I get work I shall return to you within the year. Remember me to all my relatives, as well as all my friends and my old master. I will write to you again as soon as I can.

The time I came to New Orleans was the 25^th of November and I went with the steamer up the river Mississipi to St. Louis. I was on board twelve days. On the sea journey four children died and four died of cholera on the river Mississippi—this in short from your dear son,

Henry Wilkins

Mr. Editor,

I received the above letter from my son, a young lad of seventeen, who was charmed and deceived by the Mormons or the people who misname themselves Saints. When I received the letter I did not think of its appearing in the press, but some told me that the Mormons claimed to them that no such letter had ever come to me from my son in America, but that it was a letter written in Merthyr with the intention of scorning them: I say to such as these, if it will satisfy them let them come to me and they shall see the original letter with the post mark of St. Louis, Liverpool, etc., on it. If you judge that the above letter might prevent anyone from being deceived to go to California, or the earthly heaven of the Mormons, it is at your disposal. Wishing you every success in revealing heresies, I remain yours in truth,

J. Wilkins
Georgetown, Merthyr
March 4^th, 1851

Baptist, September 1851, p. 290

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058296/29#?xywh=-876%2C188%2C3963%2C3275

The Domestic Gentleness of the Saints

The “hour” recently came for the wife of one of the Saints who had been determined not to believe her husband’s foolishness in spite of his zeal and diligence to force this new way upon her. When her trouble came her husband was sent for from work in order for him to send for the doctor; but although he was informed that his wife was seriously ill he said that he would not come because his wife had refused to believe. As the poor woman was getting worse and seemed to be in a very dangerous condition, the husband was sent for again but he refused to come a second time saying that if she had believed she would not need a doctor. But seeing the woman about to give up the ghost one of the neighbors ran to call the doctor who came at once and testified that if the woman had been another ten minutes without help she would have died. It seems from the above fact that there is something in Joe Smith’s religion which dries up the warm feelings of the human nature, and tends to confuse families and make them unhappy. May all the young girls of the Principality be saved from such devilish wolves.

Baptist, January 1852, pp. 32–33

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058433/27#?xywh=-1019%2C-2%2C4300%2C3554

Saintly Literature

Dear Editor,—The other day two letters written by one of the “Latter-day Saints” were put in my hand. Reading them greatly amused me. When I came across some words in these letters I thought that the writer had been persuaded to try and write them in “a strange language,”—that the effect of the order—the laying on of hands was so influential that it made him change his language more than three times before ending the sentence. But on noticing, it seems that his intention was to write in the language of his mother; and however defective in that he is believed to be much more defective in every other language.

I believe that these letters would be read with amusement by you, Mr. Editor, and the readers of The Baptist; because of this I decided to rewrite them “word for word” (as they say) and send them to you to put in your publication for the readers’ amusement at the beginning of a new year. If you, Mr. Editor, are of the same opinion as I, allow them appear in The Baptist; and if you are not then toss them into the fire, and there is no need to tell you to laugh when the clumsy mess burns.

If anyone doubts the correctness of the re-write, let him call in the house of J. Bedford, the distributor of The Baptist in Aberavan and he can see the original letters.

Yours, Mr. Editor,
DAFYDD AVAN

“Cwmafan, December 3, 1851

Mr. J. Bedford,

Dear Sir,

I have heard that you have undertaken to settle the rules of the debate arranged between Mr. Thomas Davies of Cwmafan and myself, which is to be held next Monday evening, the 8^th of this month. I myself offer some rules which I consider to be fair and reasonable. First, that I shall determine to prove that God has a body and parts belonging to it on the basis of the Bible and the New Testament alone. Second, that I do not intend to answer any irrelevant question on a set topic in any way other than to prove that God has a body. Third, that everyone speaks for fifteen minutes and no longer, and fourth, that there should be two chairmen and each should choose his chairman. Fifth, that the meeting should last for two hours beginning at seven precisely and ending at nine. Sixth, that nobody is to speak within the set time of the debate but Mr. T. Davies and myself. Of course, the chairmen will have this right. Now I consider this to be reasonable and fair, and if you have an amendment on fair grounds I shall be ready to accept it through the bearer of this letter; and if you please you go to ask about the Town Hall, I shall be responsible for paying my share, since maybe you are more well-known to them than I. I am yours, dear Sir, in the truth,

Emrys Davies, Cwmafan.”

Mr. J. Bedford.

“Dear Sir—In reply to your last letter. It was not my intention to argue at all. Rather, my intention was to defend my faith and my belief, and as he, Mr. Davies is unwell, there is nothing for it but to wait for him to get better. If he then feels fit we will carry on since Mr. R. J. Rogers has begun to lecture against this principle. I cannot see that it has been fully explained.

I am, Sir, your humble servant,

Emrys Davies.”

Cwmafan, December 6^th, 1851

“I am very sorry that Mr. Davies is afflicted.”

Baptist, March 1852, pp. 95–97

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058499/26#?xywh=-889%2C0%2C4041%2C3554

Mormonism in Its Glory

By its fruit the tree is known; and since there has been considerable debate in the country for years in connection to Mormonism, whether it is of the earth or from hell, we have gathered a basket of fruit from the Mormon tree of the Official Declaration of some American Judges, which were sent to the State of Utah, the Valley of Salt, for the purpose of staying there as common Judges, and administering the Laws of the United States among the Mormon inhabitants; but upon their arrival there, they found that the state of the society was so degenerate that it was impossible for them to fulfill their duties, and they returned, and they gave a Report of the situation of the territory to the President; from this Report we present a few quotes, so that our readers may recognize the tree better by the fruits growing on it in its own paradise.

THEIR POLITICS

“We found upon our arrival that almost the entire population consisted of a people called Mormons; and the Mormon church overshadowing and controlling the opinions, the actions, the property, and even the lives of its members; usurping and exercising the functions of legislation and the judicial business of the Territory; organizing and commanding the military; disposing of the public lands upon its own terms; coining money, and forcing its circulation at a standard higher than its real value; openly sanctioning and defending the practice of polygamy, or plurality of wives; exacting tithing from its members, and enormous taxes, from citizens, not members; penetrating and supervising the social and business circles, and inculcating and requiring, as an article of religious faith, implicit obedience to the counsels of the church, as paramount to all the obligations of morality, society, allegiance, and of law. At the head of this formidable organization, called “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” stood Brigham Young, the governor, claiming, and represented to be the prophet of God, and his sayings as direct revelations from heaven; commanding thereby unlimited sway over the ignorant and credulous. His opinions and wishes were their opinions and wishes. He only had to show his agreement or his indifference, and that would immediately be their agreement or indifference. In a word, he ruled as he pleased, without a rival or opposition, for no man dared question his authority. * * * * *

“We presumed and expected, since he had sought and been honored with the office of executive of the territory, that he was well disposed towards the government, and would wield his unbounded influence to keep the claims of the church within appropriate bounds, to secure due respect and obedience to the law. But in this we were disappointed. He soon made us feel that all his sympathy was with the church and against the government; that he was jealous of his power as head of the church, and against sharing it even with the United States. He forbade an interview with one of the officials that first arrived there, and refused to allow the courtesy to him to pay his respects to him as an administrator of the territory, declaring, as we were later informed, that he would appoint no one except Mormons as officials in the territory, and that “no one else would come among them except for damned rascals.” Another one of us was requested to have an interview which was used as an occasion for a violent exhibition of his temper and an offensive insult. This feeling of jealousy could not be subdued or kept secret; the murmurs and mutterings were rife throughout the community, and they broke out often in public condemnations of the government, the people, and the officials of the United States. The Sabbath and the pulpit were misused for this task, especially if one of the officials was present. He would declare to the great multitude gathered to worship that “he was not opposed to the government of the United States, but rather to the damned and infernal rascals that were at the head of it.”

“Upon the occasion of celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the Mormon pioneers into the valley (July 24), an immense concourse of their people were assembled from all parts of the territory. Those of us then in the territory were invited to be present. We were seated upon the platform, with a number of the leading men of the church, including the present delegate in Congress (John M. Bernhisel). Governor Young rose to address the audience, and a profound silence ensued, as is always the case when he rises to speak. After reflecting in terms of condemnation upon the hostility of General Taylor to the Mormons, and to giving them a government, he exclaimed, in a loud and exulting tone, “but Zachary Taylor is dead and in hell, and I am glad of it.” Then, drawing himself up to his utmost height, and stretching his hands toward heaven, he declared in a still more violent voice, “And I prophesy in the name of Jesus Christ, and by the power of the priesthood that is upon me, that any president of the United States who lifts his finger against this people shall die an untimely death, and go to hell.” To this sentiment there came up from those seated around us, and from all parts of the house, loud and mingled responses of “Amen!” “Good!” “Hear!” etc. Upon a subsequent occasion in reply to the remarks made by one of the officials upon the subject, before a large audience, the governor reiterated and declared, “I did say that General Taylor was dead and in hell; and I know it.” A man in the crowd, seemingly to give the governor an opportunity of fixing its truth, asked, “How do you know it? To which the governor promptly answered, “Because God told me so.” An elder in the church, laying his hand on the shoulder of one of the representatives, added, “Yes, judge; and you’ll know it too, for you will see him when you get there.”

After mentioning the animosity shown to the government of the United States, and the impudent calumny they expressed, the representatives said the following:

“A cold and deliberate murder was committed in the territory upon the body of Mr. James Munroe, a citizen of the United States, from Utica, New York, on his way to Salt Lake City, by a member of the church; and the remains were brought into the city and buried, without an inquest; and the murderer walked through the streets afterwards under the eye of the governor, and in his society, some of the relatives of the deceased residing there, and members of the church, afraid or disinclined to act. It was reported, and believed by many, that the murder was counseled by the church, or some of its leading members, and such an impression would paralyze the hand of anyone inclined to interfere. It was the common talk that he intended to kill Mr. Munroe; he was permitted to go out 60 or 80 miles to meet his intended victim, and no one lifted a hand to prevent the deed. He met Munroe, who was unarmed, invited him out of his camp, took a seat and talked half an hour with him, and then rose up, bade him farewell, and blew his brains out with a pistol! We have no doubt that if he had been tried, an entire acquittal would have followed, as was the result in February last, in the case of the murder of Dr. John R. Vaughan, who was murdered on his way to California.

“We deem it our duty to state in this official communication, that polygamy, or plurality of wives, is openly avowed and practiced in the territory, under the sanction and in obedience to the direct commands of the church. So universal is this practice, that very few if any leading men in that community can be found who have not more than one wife each. The prominent men in the church, whose example in all things it is the ambition of the more humble to imitate, have each many wives; and some of them we were credibly informed and believe, as many as twenty or thirty: and Brigham Young, the governor, even a greater number; only a few days before we left the territory, the governor was seen riding through the streets of the city in an omnibus, and sixteen of his wives were with him, and fourteen of them had babies in their laps—a sure sign that this evil is increasing.* It is not uncommon to see two or more sisters married to the same man; and in one instance, at least, a mother and her two daughters are among the wives of a leading members of the church.” More is to come if our readers can stand it.

[Footnote: There you have a great litter of pigs! This is how to bring forth a nation all at once! No wonder these sinners were so greatly attracted to the Zion of Salt, for birds of a feather flock together, and there they can practice every evil deed in one place.]

Baptist, August 1852, p. 258

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058664/29#?xywh=-1019%2C0%2C4301%2C3554

Mormons

Recently, as the Monmouthshire Mormons were expecting some of their leaders to return from the neighborhood of Salt Lake, they prepared a tea party to welcome them in Newport (on Usk) and about 400 of them gathered together to meet the spies of their American Canaan when an event took place which doubtless caused many of these foolish creatures to look upon it as a miracle. Whilst about 400 of the Saints were drinking tea together half of the heavy, high roof fell about their heads. For a while there was a commotion and great fear; the dust, the spoons, the tea and the Saints were mixed up together, and the cries of those in amongst the remains were terrible. Many ran under the tables to shelter and they shouted for some miracle to save them, whilst others were covered by pieces of the roof. The amazing thing, and which is doubtless considered a miracle by the Saints is that the roof above the place where the elders, or apostles, were sitting was complete, and they were not injured. Every effort was made for the poor Saints and within an hour everyone had been freed; and the surprising thing is that not as many as one, it is said, of the Saints received any injury, whilst it is said that two or three men who went there to mock the acts of the Joe smith’s received injury, which doubtless will cause them to remember their arrogance. The meeting was moved to another place where the evening was joyfully spent until late telling of the miracle performed by the elders and the prophets, who worked such a miracle by causing the roof to fall on the heads of the Mormons without their being injured.

Baptist, October 1852, pp. 320–21

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058730/27#?xywh=-497%2C1366%2C3333%2C2551

The Latter-day Saints

On Saturday, the 28^th of last August, Mr. Richard Duckett, a gentleman in London who had retired from business, was accused in the Train Office of a disgraceful attack on his wife by threatening to cut her throat. His wife said that her life was in danger from this threat from her husband, who had threatened to kill her.

Mr. Yardley, the Magistrate: What is the reason for the quarrel between you?

The defendant: Because I do not agree to be one of the Latter-day Saints. My wife said to me a few days ago, “If you do not receive your baptism in the church of the Latter-day Saints, your soul will be lost and you will be damned.” I said to her, “If you continue to annoy me about your damned religion, I will cut your throat.” The next morning as I was walking along Mile End road to get some air, I was greeted by a respectable looking gentleman who asked, “Is your name Duckett?” to which I responded in the affirmative. Then he invited me to have a glass of beer with him, to which I agreed, even though a gin and tonic is my usual drink; but I do not pretend to be an abstainer or a Saint. After finishing the beer, he invited me to come with him a little way down along the road, and we finally came to a large building which I thought was a factory. We stopped opposite the door for a while, and suddenly two strong men grabbed me and jostled me into the house, where I was greatly surprised to see men chained down on straw beds unable to move hand or foot. I shouted out, “Lord, what is this? Is this place a jail? I have never hurt anyone. I’m not crazy. Why was I brought here?” Then my clothes were taken off me by force, and I was made to lie down on one of the straw beds. My clothes were taken away, and next morning when I tried to get up, I was ordered to remain still until the doctor came to see me. When the doctor came he took my pulse and conversed with me. Then he said, “This man is no more crazy than I am. In any event, I shall come to see him again tomorrow morning.” Next morning when he came to see me, he ordered that I should be released; and after that, my wife swore out this warrant against me, although I have been married to her for over thirty-four years and am the father of twelve children, and I had never struck her as much as one time in all that time.

Mr. Yardley: Is it true that he has never before struck you?

The Wife: Yes, but he would have struck me that time had he not been restrained. He had never been so happy as he was during the three months during which he was one of the Latter-day Saints.

The defendant said that his wife, unfortunately, had gone to the Latter-day Saints, and that she, with the help of brother Kidman, the preacher, had persuaded him to attend some of their meetings; but soon he had seen enough to satisfy him. When he found out what kind of people he had to deal with, he left them, and his wife, as mentioned previously, had him arrested as a lunatic.

Mr. Yardley: You are no more crazy than I am, although the circumstances you have been through have been sufficient to make you so; and the persons who caused you to be imprisoned are accountable for the consequences. I hereby nullify the warrant and release you.

Baptist, January 1853, p. 21

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058834/22#?xywh=75%2C1206%2C1543%2C1428

Ordination of a Minister in Aberaman near Aberdare

The reader will remember that this is the chapel that for a season was in the hands of the Saints. It is now very beautifully finished, and has been secured for the Baptists, and we are confident, despite all the Satanists of the world, that the cause will yet blossom here for Jesus Christ.

Lenox

Baptist, April 1853, p. 119

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2058933/24#?xywh=-602%2C391%2C3367%2C2962

Mormonism

Reverend Sir,

It is known to you that the Mormons, or Latter-day Saints, are at present trying to spread their heresies across the principality. In Brecon, with us, they have been sowing their poisonous principles for some years. A year ago last Christmastime they enticed and attracted three or four young boys to be baptized by them, and amongst them was a young man called David Davies, a navigator by vocation; he was an innocent, quiet young man, a good neighbor and industrious in his work; he stayed amongst the Saints until the beginning of last Autumn when he was taken ill with the disease of which he died; and he weakened from the aforesaid time until almost the end of February. From the beginning of his illness he would not let any of the Saints come near him; his mind was very troubled because he had allowed himself to be baptized by them; the closer he came to death the greater his worry became. He warned his mother that none of the Saints were to come into the house; he feared that every neighbor was one of the Saints. As much as half an hour before dying he hit the bed intending to hit John Roberts, the one who baptized him, and he died in that way. His death has caused all the aforementioned boys to leave the Saints; and if you make this letter public I hope that it can be a warning to many others around the iron works. Now I shall turn to the youth of Wales. Remember that it is the Bible, and only the Bible, which is the book of religion. “Search the Scriptures,” etc., John 5:29. We do not need the Book of Mormon or any other book as a guide for religion. “All scripture,” etc., 2 Tim. 3:16. “They have Moses,” etc., Luke 16:29; “If they hear not Moses,” etc., verse 31. Professors of the faith in Wales, beware of being enticed away from the truths of the Bible. “Be no more children, tossed to and fro,” etc., Eph. 4:14. Read the scriptures carefully. A word to Sunday School teachers: “Be ye steadfast and immovable, etc., 1 Cor. 15:58. Remember, as I said above, that the book of religion is the Bible, and only the Bible; “if they speak not according to this word,” Isaiah 8:20. Strive for the principles of the Bible, strive to teach the present generation, and pray much for the influences of the Holy Spirit to seal the education in them.

Now, before finishing, a word to those who have been beguiled by the above heresy. The first place is the best place for you to leave them. Come to the Bible; know that you will share their sin while you associate with them and listen to them 2 John 1:10, “If there come any unto you,” etc. Receive them not into your houses. Take the apostle’s counsel to the Philippians (3:2), “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers,” etc. Their purpose is to entice you to the destruction of your souls. Know that the Bible mentions only two dispensations, that of Moses and that of Christ, and that each of them is established through miracles. It would be too long to go over the Old Testament ones at present. Read the Book of Exodus. And as for the New Testament, I shall simply remind you of Hebrews 2:4, “God also bearing them witness,” etc. There is no need for miracles these days since the dispensation has been established.

I am yours sincerely,
H. L.
Brecon

Baptist, November 1854, p. 352

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2059613/31#?xywh=-806%2C727%2C3318%2C2743

We have learned that a Mormon Elder by the name of William [probably Willard] Richards died lately in the town of the Great Salt Lake, and has left twenty widowed women to mourn his loss! If this is not a shame to mankind, we do not know what is.

Baptist, June 1855, pp. 170–74

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2060910/9#?xywh=-64%2C-111%2C2527%2C2264

Mormonism*

[*The following observations on Mormonism are a Review on a great number of Mormon Books which appeared lately in the Edinburgh Review.

The readers of Southey’s “Doctor,” must remember the quaint passage in which he affects to predict that his book will become the Scripture of a future Faith; that it will be “dug up among the ruins of London, and considered as one of the sacred books of the sacred island of the West; and give birth to a new religion, which may have its chapels, churches, cathedrals, abbeys,—its convocations and its councils; its priests, its bishops, its arch-bishops, its cardinals, and its popes,” &c., &c. Many must have felt, when they read this grotesque extravaganza, that it almost overstepped the boundary which separates fun from nonsense; yet, its wild imagination has been more than realized by recent facts. While Southey was writing it at Keswick, a manuscript was lying neglected on the dusty shelves of a farmhouse in New England, which was fated to attain more than the honors which he playfully imagines in his own composition.

The book destined to so singular an apotheosis, was the production of one Solomon Spaulding, a Presbyterian preacher in America; of whose history we only know that, like so many others of his class and country, he had abandoned theology for trade, and had subsequently failed in business; nor can we wonder, judging from the only extant specimen of his talents, that he should have been thus unfortunate both in the pulpit and at the counter. After his double failure, the luckless man, according to his widow’s statement, that he had “a literary taste,” thought to redeem his shattered fortunes by the composition of an historical romance. The subject which he chose was the history of the North American Indians; and the work which he produced was a chronicle of their wars and migrations. He described them as descendants of the patriarch Joseph, and their fortunes were traced for upwards of a thousand years,—from the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, down to the fifth century of the Christian era. This narrative is purported to be a record buried in the earth by Mormon, its last compiler, and it was entitled “The Manuscript Found.” A manuscript, indeed, it seemed likely to remain. Its author vainly endeavored to persuade the booksellers to undertake the risk of its publication. Nor does their refusal surprise us; for we do not remember, among all the ponderous folios which human dullness has produced, any other book of such unmitigated stupidity. It seems unconceivable how any man could patiently sit down, day after day, to weary himself with writing sheet after sheet of such sleep-compelling nonsense. Its length is interminable, amounting to above 500 closely printed octavo pages. Yet, from the first to the last, though professing to be composed by different authors, under various circumstances, during a period of a thousand years, it is perfectly uniform in style, and maintains the dryness without the brevity of a chronological table. Not a spark of imagination or invention enlivens the weary sameness of the annalist; no incidental pictures of life of manners give color or relief to the narrative. The only thing which breaks the prosaic monotony is the insertion of occasional passages from Scripture; and these are so clumsily brought in, that they would seem purposely introduced to show by contrast the worthlessness of the other parts. Nor is dullness the only literary offense committed by the writer of the Book of Mormon. It is impossible to read three pages of it without stumbling on some gross violation of the rules of grammar. These blunders are so uniformly interspersed throughout the work, that they must be ascribed to its author, and not corruptions of a later writer, as some tales sometimes do. Yet, this worthless Book, which its writer could not even get printed in his lifetime, is now stereotyped in all the chief languages of Europe, and is regarded by proselytes in every quarter of the globe, as a revelation from heaven.

This extraordinary happening was brought about by the roguery and deceit of a young man from America, named Joseph Smith, the son of a small farmer in Vermont. From an early age, this youth had amused himself by practicing on the credulity of his simpler neighbors. When he was a boy of fourteen, there occurred in the town of Palmyra, where he then lived, one of those periods of religious excitement which are called in America Revivals. The fervor and enthusiasm which attends these occurrences often produce good effects; many excellent men have traced the sincere piety which has distinguished them through life, to such an origin. But there is a danger that the genuine enthusiasm of some should provoke hypocrisy in others; so it happened on this occasion in Palmyra. Half the inhabitants were absorbed in the most animated discussion of their deepest religious feelings; any extraordinary “experience” was sure to attract the most eager interest. Under these circumstances, young Joseph amused himself by falling in with the attention of his pious friends upon himself, by an “experience” more wonderful than any of theirs. He gave out that while engaged in fervent prayer, he had been favored with a miraculous vision. “I saw,” says he, “a pillar of light above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually upon me. It no sooner appeared, than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me, I saw two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air.” He goes on in his “Autobiography,” from which we quote, to say that these heavenly messengers declared all existing Christian sects in error, and forbade him to join any of them. This statement, however, was no doubt an afterthought. At the time, he probably only proclaimed that his “deliverance from the enemy” had been effected by a supernatural appearance.

Such precocious hypocrisy, however painful, is no extraordinary phenomenon; probably every outburst of kindred excitement develops some similar instance of childish imposture; and we remember lately to have seen a narrative published by a believer in the miracles of Irving, detailing a case where a boy of only seven years old pretended to inspiration, and kept up the farce for many weeks, duping all the while his parents, and having the impudence seriously to rebuke his old grandfather for unbelief. Children are flattered by the notice which they excite by such pretensions; and, if the credulity of their elders gives them encouragement, are easily tempted to go on from lie to lie. For there is perhaps no period of life more sensible than childhood to the delights of notoriety.

It was, probably, only a desire for this kind of distinction which originally led Joseph Smith to invent his vision. At first, however, he did not meet with the success which he expected. On the contrary, he complains that the story “had excited a great deal of prejudice against him among professors of religion,” and that it drew “persecution” upon him. We may suppose that his character for mendacity was already so well known in his own neighborhood as to discredit his assertions. At all events, he seems thenceforward to have laid aside, till a later period, the part of a religious impostor, and to have betaken himself to less impious methods of cheating. For some years he led a vagabond life, about which little is known, except that he was called “Joe Smith the Money-digger,” and that he swindled several simpletons by his pretended skill in the use of the diving rod. Among the shrewd New-Englanders one would have thought such pretensions unlikely to be profitable; but it seems there were legends current of the buried wealth of buccaneers, and Dutch farmers possessing the requisite amount of gullibility; and on this capital our hero traded.

His gains, however, were but small; and he was struggling with poverty, when at last he lighted on a vein of genuine metal, which, during the remainder of his life, he continued to work with every-growing profit. This was no other than the rejected and forgotten manuscript of poor Solomon Spaulding, which he either been purloined by Smith’s associate, Sidney Rigdon, who had been employed in a printing office where it was once deposited, or had been stolen out of the trunk of Mrs. Spaulding, who lived about this time in the neighborhood of Smith’s father. In one way or another, it fell into Joseph’s hands about twelve years after its author’s death. The manuscript, as we have said, purported to have been buried by Mormon, its original compiler.*

[The proofs that the “Book of Mormon,” published by Smith, is identical with Spaulding’s “Manuscript Found,” are conclusive. The identity is asserted in the depositions of Spaulding’s widow, of Spaulding’s brother, and of Spaulding’s partner, Henry Lake, the two latter of whom swear to their acquaintance with Spaulding’s manuscript, and that they recognized it perfectly well. There appears to be no doubt whatsoever in the minds of the witnesses on this point.]

This easily suggested to the imagination of Smith, already full of treasure-trove, the notion of pretending that he had dug it up; at first, however, he seems to have intended nothing more than to hoax the members of his own family. He told them that an angel had revealed to him a bundle of golden plates, engraved with mysterious characters, but had forbidden him to show them to others. His hearers, to his surprise apparently, seemed inclined to believe his story; and he remarked to a neighbor, (whose deposition is published), that he “had fixed the fools, and would have some fun.” But it soon occurred to him that his fabrication might furnish what he valued more than “fun.” He improved upon his first story of the discovery, by adding that the angel had also shown him, together with the plates, “two stones in silver bows, fastened to a breast-plate, which constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim. Being in the possession of those who knew how to use them constituted Seers in ancient times; and God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.”—(Smith’s Autobiography, XIV.) Furnished with this mysterious apparatus, he was commanded to translate and publish these divine records. He might reasonably expect that the publication of Spaulding’s Manuscript, garnished with this miraculous story, would prove a profitable speculation; and on the strength of these expectations, he obtained advances of money from a farmer named Martin Harris.***

[*** “Our translation drawing to a close,” says Smith, in his Autobiography, “we went to Palmyra, secured the copyright, and agreed with Mr. Grandin to print 5000 copies for the sum of 3000 dollars.” This sum was supplied by Harris, in accordance with a “revelation” delivered in March, 1830, as follows:—“I command thee that thou shalt not covet thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing of the ‘Book of Mormon.’ . . . . Impart a portion of thy property, yea, even part of thy lands . . . . Pay the debt thou hast contracted with the printer.” (Doctrine and Covenants, section 44.)

Concerning this man, as concerning most of the early associates of Smith, we must remain in doubt whether he was a dupe or an accomplice. His cupidity was interested in the success of the Book of Mormon, and therefore he may be suspected of deceit. On the other hand, he did not reap the profit he expected from the publication, which, as a bookselling speculation, was at first unsuccessful; and he was ruined by the advances he had made. Ultimately, he renounced his faith in Joseph, real or pretended; and Joseph, in revenge, abused him in the newspapers as “a white-skinned negro,” and a “lackey.” This looks as if he had been a dupe, and not in possession of any dangerous secrets. It is certain that he consulted Professor Anthon at New York on the subject of the mysterious plates; and that he showed the Professor a specimen of the engravings, which Mr. Anthon describes as “evidently prepared by some one who had before him a book containing various alphabets,—Greek and Hebrew, &c,; the whole ending in a rude delineation of a circle decked with strange marks, and evidently copied after the Mexican Calendar given by Humboldt.” Harris also stated his intention of selling his farm, to provide funds for the translation and publication of these plates. The Professor counseled him not to do so, regarding him as the victim of roguery, but all was in vain. Not long after, early in 1830, the Book of Mormon was published, and Harris was employed in selling it. He also signed a certificate, which is prefixed to the book, wherein he joins with two other witnesses in testifying the authenticity of the revelation, as follows:—

“We declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates and the engravings thereon.”

Eight other witnesses also testify that they had seen the plates, but without the angel. If we are not to consider all these as accomplices in the fraud, we must suppose that Smith had got some brass plates made, and had scratched them over with figures. No one else was allowed to see them; and Joseph informs us, that after he had “accomplished by them what was required at his hand,” . . . “according to arrangements, the messenger called for them, and he [the angel] has them in his charge until this day.”

Although the sale of the Book of Mormon did not originally repay the cost of publication, yet it made a few converts; and it was very soon “revealed” that these proselytes were bound to consecrate their property to the support of Joseph. Thus we see in a “revelation” of February, 1831:—“It is meet that my servant, Joseph Smith, Jr., should have a house built in which to live and translate. And again:—“If ye desire the mysteries of my kingdom, provide for him food and raiment, and whatsoever thing he needeth.” A singular announcement to be made by a prophet who soon after became the manager of a Bank, partner in a commercial house, Mayor of Nauvoo, General of Militia, and a candidate for the Presidency of the United States.

We see, however, from these “revelations,” (which were all given within twelve months from the publication of the book) that the imposture had already expanded beyond its original dimensions in the mind of its author. At first, he only claims to have miraculously discovered a sacred record, but does not himself pretend to inspiration. Soon, however, he proclaims that he is a prophet, divinely commissioned to introduce a new dispensation of religion; and in April, 1830, he receives a “revelation” establishing him in that character, and commanding the “Church to give heed unto all his words and commandments.”—(Doctrine and Covenants, section 46.) At the same time, it is announced that all existing sects are in sinful error; and their members are required to seek admittance by baptism into the new church of Joseph Smith. In accordance with this “revelation,” he proceeded to “organize the Church of Latter-day Saints.” He and his earliest accomplice, Cowdery, baptized one another; and in the course of the month, they baptized twenty or thirty other persons, including Joe Smith’s father and two brothers, who, from the first, took a profitable share in the imposture.

In the same year, the new sect was openly joined by one of its most important members, Sidney Rigdon, who had perhaps been previously leagued with Smith in secret.****

[****That is, if we suppose that Rigdon was the person who had conveyed Spaulding’s Manuscript to Joe Smith.]

This man had been successively a printer and a preacher; and in the latter capacity, he had belonged to several denominations. It is but too evident, from the impure practices of which he was afterwards convicted at Nauvoo, that he was influenced by none but the most sordid motives in allying himself to the Mormons. He was one of those adventurers, not uncommon in America, who are preachers this year and publicans the next, hiring alternately a tabernacle or a tavern. In point of education, however, Rigdon, though far from learned, was superior to his vulgar and ignorant associates. It was therefore ‘revealed’ that he should take the literary business of the new partnership. Accordingly, the earlier portion of the “Doctrine and Covenants,” (the New Testament of the Mormons) was composed by him; and he thus became the theological founder of the sect, so far as it had at that time any distinctive creed; for the “Book of Mormon” itself contains no novel dogmas, nor any statements which would be considered heretical by the majority of Protestants, except the condemnation of infant baptism, and the assertion of the perpetuity of miraculous gifts. Smith had apparently left the work of Spaulding unaltered, except by interpolating a few words on this latter subject, which were necessary to support his own supernatural stories. But Rigdon encouraged him to take a bolder flight. He announced the materialistic doctrines which have since been characteristic of the Sect; he departed from the orthodox Trinitarianism which had been adopted in the “Book of Mormon;”******

[***** “Q. How many personages are there in the Godhead?— Ans. Two.”—(Doctrine and Covenants, page 47.)

and to him may be probably attributed the introduction of baptism for the dead. Moreover, under his influence the constitution of the Mormon Church was remodeled. Joseph had begun by adopting the ordinary Presbyterian divisions; but now a more complex organization was introduced, and it was “revealed” that the true Church must necessarily possess all those officers who existed in the primitive epoch—Apostles, Prophets, Patriarchs, Evangelists, Elders, Deacons, Pastors, Teachers; besides a twofold hierarchy of Priests, called by the respective names of Aaron and of Melchizedek. The object of this change was to give an official position to every active and serviceable adherent, and to establish a compact subordination throughout the whole body; an object in which no religious society except that of the Jesuits has more completely succeeded.

(To be continued in the next.)

Baptist, July 1855, pp. 194–98

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Mormonism

(Continued from page 174.)

While rendering such services to his new associates, Rigdon did not neglect his private interests. He immediately obtained the second place in rank; and after a short time he compelled his accomplice to receive a “revelation” which raised him to equality with the Prophet himself. He was thus enabled to claim his fair share in the spoil of dupes whom he so largely contributed to deceive.

Under these new auspices, the new Sect made rapid progress; but while Joseph continued in the district where his youth was spent, there were many stumbling blocks in his path. The indignation of his neighbors was naturally roused by the successful frauds of a man whom they had despised as a cheat and liar from his cradle. He vainly endeavored to disarm such feelings, by candidly avowing his past iniquities; those who had known him from boyhood were not easily persuaded to believe in his repentance. And since, in America, there is but a short step from popular anger to popular violence, Joseph perceived that it would be better for him to withdraw to a safer place, before the storm should burst. Rigdon had already made numerous converts in Kirtland, and town of Ohio; and a nucleus was thus formed to which new proselytes might be gathered in sufficient numbers to defend their master and themselves. Therefore, Joseph moved to that place early in 1831; but though Kirtland was for some years the center of his operations, yet he never intended to make it his permanent abode. He already perceived, that to avail himself fully of the advantages of his position, he must assemble his disciples in a commonwealth of their own, where no unbeliever should intrude to dispute his supremacy. This was impossible in the older States of the Union, but it appeared quite practicable on the western frontier. There land could be bought for next to nothing, in a territory almost uninhabited; and it might be reasonably presumed that a few thousand converts once established, and constantly reinforced by the influx of new proselytes, might maintain themselves against any attack which was likely to be made upon them. Acting on these views, Smith and Rigdon, after a tour of inspection, selected a site on the borders of the wilderness, which was recommended by richness of soil and facilities of water carriage. Joseph immediately put forth a string of “revelations,” which declared that “Zion” was in Jackson County, Missouri, and commanded all the “Saints” to purchase land at the sacred spot, and hasten to take possession of their inheritance.

Within a few months, no fewer than twelve hundred had obeyed the call, and employed themselves in cultivating the soil of the new Jerusalem. These converts were mostly from the Eastern States; and they were, in habits and character, superior to the common run of squatters. Colonel Kane, who visited them at a later period, gives them high praise. He says they excelled in cleanly habits and decent language over the other border inhabitants of Missouri, who were the scum of society, who had been pushed by their betters toward the frontier lands. They seem to have consisted principally of small farmers, together with such tradesmen and mechanics as are required by an agricultural colony. Nor were they without considerable shrewdness and intelligence in secular matters, however inconsistent were their credulity with common sense. By their axes and their ploughs, the forest soon was turned into a fruitful field; their meadows were filled with animals, and their barns with grain. Unfortunately for themselves, they did not unite prudence with their industry. They were too enthusiastically certain of their superiority to strive to live as friends to anyone. Their prophet had declared that Zion should be established, and should put down her enemies under her feet. Why, then, should they hesitate to proclaim their anticipations? They boasted openly that they should soon possess the whole country, and that the unbelievers should be rooted out from the land. These boasts excited the greatest indignation, and fears rose in the minds of some; for the old settlers saw the number of their new neighbors increasing daily, and knew that their compact organization gave them a power more than proportionate to their numerical strength. Legally, however, there were no means of preventing these strangers from accomplishing their intentions; for every citizen of the Union had an undoubted right to buy land in Jackson County, and to believe that Joseph Smith, Jr., was a prophet. But in America, when the members of a local majority have made up their minds that a certain course is agreeable to their interests or their passions, the fact that it is illegal seldom prevents its adoption. The Jacksonians knew that they had at present a majority over the Mormons, and they resolved to avail themselves of this advantage before it was too late, lest, in their turn, they should be outnumbered by the Mormons, and thereby be liable to those pains and penalties which are the portion of a minority in the Great Republic. The citizens of the county therefore convened a public meeting, wherein they agreed upon the following, among others, resolutions:

“That no Mormon shall in future move and settle in this County.

“That those now here who shall give a pledge within a reasonable time to remove out of the County, shall be allowed to remain unmolested until they have sufficient time to sell their property.

“That the editor of ‘The Star,’ (Mormon Newspaper or Publication) be required forthwith to discontinue the business of printing in this County.

“That those who fail to comply with these requisitions, be referred to their brethren who have the gifts of divination and unknown tongues to inform them of the lot that awaits them.”

These resolutions were at once communicated to the Mormon leaders; but, as they did not immediately submit, the meeting unanimously resolved to raze to the ground the office of the obnoxious newspaper. This resolution was forthwith carried into effect, and the Mormon Bishop (a creature of Smith’s, who presided in his absence) was “tarred and feathered,”—an appropriate punishment enough, which had also been administered to his master, not long before, by a mob in Ohio.

Notwithstanding these hostile demonstrations, the Mormons could not bring themselves to leave their newly-purchased lands without resistance. They appealed to the legal tribunals for protection and justice, and organized a militia, which maintained for some time a guerilla warfare against their antagonists. At length, however, they were overpowered by numbers, and abandoned their beloved Zion. But most of them found refuge in the adjoining Counties, where they gradually acquired fresh property, and continued for four years in tranquility.

Meanwhile, their prophet had remained snugly established at Kirtland, which he wisely judged a more desirable home than the wild land of Zion, till the latter should be comfortably colonized by his adherents.

From that place he sent out his “Apostles” and his “Elders,” who successfully made many proselytes in all the surrounding areas. The first duty imposed on all converts was the payment of tithing to the “Church;” and those who received the commands of Joseph as the voice of God, did not hesitate to furnish this conclusive proof of the reality of their faith. On the strength of the capital thus placed at his disposal, Smith established at Kirtland a mercantile house and a Bank. We find from his Autobiography, that the whole Smith family were at liberty to draw without stint from the common stock; and their ill-gotten gains were squandered as recklessly as might have been expected. Difficulties and monetary deficiencies ensued, and several “revelations” called upon the saints for money to prop the Prophet’s credit; but at length the crash came,—the firm failed, the bank stopped payment, and the managers were threatened with a prosecution for swindling. To escape the Sheriff’s writ, Smith and Rigdon were obliged to fly by night, and they took refuge among their followers in Missouri.

This took place in the autumn of 1837, four years after the expulsion of the saints from Zion. That expulsion had painfully falsified the prophecies of Smith, who had so completely committed himself to the successful establishment of his people in the spot which he had first chosen, that he did not acquiesce in their abandonment of it without a struggle. In February, 1834,soon after their ejectment, he had promised their immediate restoration in the following “revelation:”—

“Verily, I say unto you, I have decreed that your brethren which have been scattered shall return. Behold the redemption of Zion must needs come by power. Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel. Verily, I say unto you, that my servant Baurak Ale is the man. Therefore, let my servant Baurak Ale say unto the strength of my house, my young men and the middle aged, gather yourselves together unto the land of Zion. And let all the churches send up wise men with their moneys, and purchase lands as I have commanded them. And, inasmuch as mine enemies come against you, to drive you from my goodly land which I have consecrated to be the land of Zion, ye shall curse them; and whomsoever ye curse, I will curse. It is my will that my servant Parley Pratt, and my servant Lyman Wight, should not return until they have obtained companies to go up unto the land of Zion, by tens, or by twenties, or by fifties, or by an hundred, until they have obtained to the number of five hundred, of the strength of my house. Behold, this is my will; but men do not always do my will; therefore, if you cannot obtain five hundred, seek diligently that peradventure you may obtain three hundred, and if ye cannot obtain three hundred, seek diligently that peradventure ye may obtain one hundred.”—(Doctrine and Covenants, section 101.)

By such efforts a volunteer force of 150 men had been raised, and had marched from Kirtland in June, 1834, to reinstate the saints in their inheritance. Joseph also, who, to do him justice, seems not to have lacked physical courage, had marched at their head; though, why he superseded Baurak Ale, the divinely appointed Moses of the host, we are not informed. The little force had safely reached their brethren in Missouri; but the Prophet, finding they were not strong enough to effect their purpose, had disbanded them without fighting, and had himself returned to Kirtland, where he had remained till the commercial crisis which we have just mentioned.

When thus finally driven to take refuge among his followers, Smith found them in a very critical position. Four years had passed since their expulsion from Zion, and they had established themselves in greater numbers than before, in the Counties bordering on that whence they had been driven. They had cultivated the soil with perseverance and success, were daily increasing in wealth, and had built two towns (or cities, as they called them) Diahman and Far-west. But their prudence had not grown with their prosperity. They thought themselves a match for their enemies, and fearlessly provoked them by repeating their former boasts. The Prophet’s arrival added fuel to the flame. The disgraceful failure of his prophecies still rankled in his mind. He declared publicly among his disciples, that “he would yet tread down his enemies, and trample on their dead bodies;” and that “like Muhammed, whose motto was, The Koran or the sword, so should it be eventually, Joseph Smith or the sword.” These and similar facts were disclosed to the Missourians by apostate Mormons, and excited great exasperation. At length, a collision occurred at a county election, and open warfare was the consequence. For some weeks the contest was maintained on equal terms, and both parties burned and destroyed the property of their antagonists with no decisive result. But finally, the Governor of Missouri called out the militia of the State, nominally to enforce order, but really to exterminate the Mormons. They were unable to resist the overwhelming force brought against them, and surrendered almost at discretion, as appears from the following terms which they accepted:—1. To deliver up their leaders for trial. 2. To lay down their arms. 3. To sign over their properties, as an indemnity for the expenses of the war. 4. To leave the State forthwith. The spirit in which this last condition was enforced, will appear from the conclusion of an address delivered to the Mormons by General Clark, the commander of the hostile forces:—

“Another thing yet remains for you to comply with—that you leave the State forthwith. Whatever your feelings concerning this affair; whatever your innocence; it is nothing to me. The orders of the governor to me were that you should be exterminated; and had your leader not been given up, and the treaty complied with, before this you and your families would have been destroyed, and your houses in ashes.”

The results of this contest seemed likely to be fatal to the Prophet, who was given up to the State authorities, to be tried on charges of treason, murder, and felony, arising out of the war; but he contrived to escape from his guards, and thus avoided, for the time, the justice of a border jury. He fled to Illinois, where he found the remnant of his persecuted proselytes, who had been compelled to cross the bleak prairies, exposed to the snowstorms of November, with no other shelter than their wagons for sick and wounded, women and children. Twelve thousand of these exiles crossed the Mississippi, which separates the States of Missouri and Illinois. By the citizens of the latter they were received with compassionate hospitality, and relieved with gifts of food and clothing.

In a wonderfully short time the sect displayed once more its innate vivacity, and that strength that originates from an unshakeable union and voluntary obedience. By the arrival of proselytes, their numbers increased soon to fifteen thousand souls. For the third time, they gathered themselves together in a new settlement, and they built the town of Nauvoo in a strong location on the banks of the Mississippi, which almost surrounds the peninsula chosen for their principal city; and within eighteen months, the city contained 2,000 dwelling places. The prairies turned into fields of grain, the hills were covered with herds, and the steamboats landed goods and settlers on the docks that had replaced the earlier swamps. Here, at last, the Mormons appeared to have finally established themselves safely in a commonwealth of their own; and Joseph was able to enjoy quietly the opulent fruits of his deceit for over five years. The wealth that was according to his desire increased continually, from the tithes of his converts, (which increased according to the growth of their possessions,) and from the contributions of his new proselytes, which were flocking in, not only from the United States, but also from several parts of Europe. In 1837, missionaries were sent to England, and before the death of the Prophet, the Mormon Apostles had baptized 10,000 British subjects. New “revelations” were published, summoning all these converts to Nauvoo, and commanding them to bring with them “their gold, their silver, and their precious stones.” Construction was begun on a mansion, where the Prophet and his family would receive lodgings and their sustenance at the expense of the public. The “revealed” commandment was, “Let it be built unto my name, and let my servant Joseph Smith and his house have place therein, from generation to generation, saith the Lord; and let the name of that house be called Nauvoo House, and let it be a delightful habitation for man.” While Joseph was preparing like this for his own comfort, he was careful to turn the attention of his followers from his personal gain, to some public object of expense, which could be interpreted as calling for all the revenue to be under his care. As he had done previously in Kirtland, so now he began to building a temple in Nauvoo; but this one was far more spacious and splendid than the previous building, and it was to be consecrated with the most frightful ceremonies; for only here (as it was explained in a “revelation”) that the rite of baptism for the dead could be administered effectively. The foundation of the temple was laid, with military and state ostentation, early in the year of 1841.

In the meantime, the State of Illinois had granted a Charter of incorporation to the city of Nauvoo, and Joseph Smith was chosen as Mayor. Furthermore, the citizens who were able to bear arms were formed into an orderly militia of soldiers, and the State furnished them with arms. This body of soldiers, which was called the Nauvoo Legion, was instructed continually by the Prophet, who had been appointed its commander, and who thenceforward adopted the style and title of “General Smith.” On all public occasions it was his delight to appear on horseback in full uniform at the head of his little army, which consisted of about 4,000 men, and it was in a great state of efficiency. An officer who saw it reviewed in 1842, says of it, “Its evolutions would do honor to any body of armed militia in the States, and approximate very closely to our regular forces.” The Inspector-General of the legion was a general Bennett, who had served in the United States army. His correspondence with Joseph is one of the most curious illustrations of the Prophet’s character. His correspondence with Joseph is one of the most curious illustrations of the Prophet’s character. Bennett offers his services in a letter wherein he avows entire disbelief in Smith’s religious pretensions, but, at the same time, declares himself willing to assume the outward appearance of belief. He had gone so far as to submit to Mormon baptism, which he calls “a glorious frolic in the clear blue ocean, with your worthy friend Brigham Young.” A letter of the General is as follows:—

“Nothing of this kind would in the least attach me to your person and cause. I am capable of being a most undeviating friend, without being governed by the smallest religious influence. I say, therefore, “Go ahead.” You know that Muhammed had his right- hand man. The celebrated T. Brown, of New York, is now engaged in cutting your head on a beautiful cornelian stone, as your private seal, which will be set in gold to your order, and sent to you. Should I be compelled to announce in this quarter that I have no connection with the Nauvoo Legion, you will, of course, remain silent. I may yet run for a high office in your State, when you would be sure of my best service in your behalf. Therefore a known connection with you would be against our mutual interest.”

To this candid proposal Smith replied in a letter which pretends to rebuke the skepticism of Bennett; but, so far was he from feeling any real indignation at the proposed partnership in imposture, that he consents to the request about the Legion, and accepts the offered bribe as follows:—

“As to the private seal you mention, if sent to me, I shall receive it with the gratitude of a servant of God, and pray that the donor may receive a reward in the resurrection of the just.”

(To be continued.)

Baptist, September 1855, pp. 260–63

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Mormonism

(Continued from p. 198.)

Every year now has added to the wealth and population of Nauvoo, and consequently to the security of its citizens and the glory of its Mayor. Smith’s head was so far turned by his success, that in 1844, he offered himself as a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Probably, however, this proceeding was only meant as a bravado. In Nauvoo itself he reigned supreme, and opposition was put down by the most summary proceedings. The contributions of his votaries and the zeal of their obedience, fed fat his appetite for riches and power. Nor was he restrained from the indulgence of more sensual passions, which case and indolence had bred. In July 1843, he received a revelation authorizing him, and all those whom he should license, to take an unlimited number of wives. This “revelation” is too long to quote in full, but the manner in which it silences the remonstrances of Smith’s wife is too curious to be omitted:—

“Let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those who have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me. Therefore, it shall be lawful in me if she receive not this law, for him to receive all things whatsoever I the Lord his God will give him. And he is exempt from the law of Sarah, who administered unto Abraham according unto the law, when I commanded Abraham to take Hagar to wife.”

On the authority of this “revelation,” Smith and his chief adherents proceeded to act, but at first, they concealed the innovation under a profound mystery, and during ten years it was only communicated privately to the initiated, and its very existence continued unknown to the majority of the sect. Not many months have yet passed since the Mormon leaders have decided on a bolder policy, and have publicly avowed this portion of their system. Their present audacity, indeed, is more strange than their former reserve; considering that the consequences of the original invention of this new code of morals were fatal to the Prophet, and disastrous to the Church. For, though the ‘revelation’ was concealed, the practices which it sanctioned were not easily hidden, especially when some months of impunity had given boldness to the perpetrators. Several women whom Joseph and his Apostles had endeavored to seduce, declined their proposals, and disclosed them to their relatives. These circumstances roused into activity a latent spirit of resistance which had for some time been secretly gathering force. The malcontents now ventured to establish an opposition paper, called the “Expositor,” and published, in its first number, the affidavits of sixteen women, who alleged that Smith, Rigdon, Young, and others, had invited them to enter into a secret and illicit connection, under the title of spiritual marriage. This open and dangerous rebellion was put down forthwith, by the application of physical force. Joseph Smith ordered a body of his disciples to “abate the nuisance;” and they razed the office of the Expositor to the ground. The proprietors fled for their lives, and, when they reached a place of safety, sued out a writ from the legal authorities of Illinois, against Joseph Smith and Hyrum, his brother, as abettors of the riot. The execution of the warrant was resisted by the people and troops of Nauvoo. On this the Governor of the State called out the militia to enforce the law, and required that the two brothers should be given up for trial. Joseph had now only the alternative of war or submission. But hostilities would have been hopeless, for his troops only amounted to 4,000 men, while the militia of the State numbered 80,000. Therefore, he though it the wiser course to surrender, especially as the Governor pledged his honor for the personal safety of the prisoners. They were accordingly committed to the county jail at Carthage. A small body of troops was left to defend the prison, but they proved either inadequate or indisposed to the performance of their duty.

The popular mind of Illinois was at this time strongly excited against the Mormons. The same causes which had led to their expulsion from Zion and from Missouri were again actively at work. Their rapid growth, and apparently invincible elasticity in rising under oppression, had roused even more than the former jealousy. It seemed probable that before long the influx of foreign proselytes might raise the Prophet to supremacy. Why not use the power which the circumstances of the moment placed in their hands, take summary vengeance on the impostor, and forever defeat the ambitious schemes of his adherents? Under the influence of such hopes and passions, a body of armed men was speedily collected, who overpowered the feeble guard, burst open the doors of the jail, and fired their rifles upon the prisoners. A ball killed Hyrum on the spot; when Joseph, who was armed with a revolver, after returning two shots attempted to escape by leaping the window; but he was stunned by his fall, and, while still in a state of insensibility, was picked up and shot by the mob outside the jail. He died on June the 27^th, 1844, in the 30^th year of his age.

Thus, perished this profligate and sordid knave, by a death too honorable for his deserts. In England he would have been sent to the treadmill for obtaining money on false pretenses. In America he was treacherously murdered without a trial; and thus, our contempt for the victim is changed into horror for his murderers. The farce which he had played should not have been invested with a dignity he did not deserve, by the execution of the fraud. Yet, when we consider the audacious blasphemies in which he had traded for so many years, and the awful guilt which he had incurred in making the voice of Heaven pander to his own avarice and lust, we cannot deny that in his punishment, the wrath of lawless men fulfilled the righteousness of God. Secure in the devotion of his armed disciples, and at an age when he could still look forward to a long life of fraud, luxury, and ambition, he had exclaimed, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” But the sentence had gone forth against him—“Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of thee!”

To call such a man a martyr is an abuse of language which we regret to find in a writer so intelligent as Mr. Mayhew. A martyr is one who refuses to save his life by renouncing his faith. Joseph Smith never had such an option given him. We doubt not that if he could have escaped from the rifles of his murderers by confessing his imposture, he would have done so without hesitation; and would the next day have received a “revelation,” directing the faithful to seek safety when threatened by the Gentiles. But his enemies knew him too well to give him such an opportunity.

We must also protest against the attempt to represent this vulgar swindler as a sincere enthusiast. “There is much in his later career,” says Mr. Mayhew, “which seems to prove that he really believed what he asserted—that he imagined himself the inspired of heaven and the companion of angels.” The reason given for this charitable hypothesis is, that “Joseph Smith, in consequence of his pretensions to be a seer and prophet, lived a life of continual misery and persecution;” and that if he had not been supported by “faith in his own high pretensions and divine mission,” he would have renounced his unprofitable and ungrateful task, and sought refuge in private life and honorable industry. The answer to such representations is obvious: First, so far from Joseph’s scheme being unprofitable, it raised him from the depths of poverty to unbounded wealth. Secondly, he had from his earliest years shrunk from “honorable industry,” and preferred fraud to work. Thirdly, so far from his having lived in “continual misery and persecution,” he gained by his successful imposture the means of indulging every appetite and passion. During the fourteen years which intervened between his invention of Mormonism and his death, the only real persecution which he suffered was when his bankruptcy at Kirtland compelled him to share the fortunes of his followers in Missouri. And as to the risks of life and limb to which he was exposed, they were nothing to those which every soldier encounters for a shilling a day.

It is inexplicable how anyone who had ever looked at Joseph’s portrait, could imagine him to have been by possibility an honest man. Never did we see a face on which the hand of heaven had more legibly written “rascal.” That self-complacent simper, that sensual mouth, that leer of vulgar cunning, tell us at one glance the character of their owner. Success, the criterion of fools, has caused many who ridicule his creed to magnify his intellect. Yet we can discover in his career no proof of conspicuous ability. Even the plan of his imposture was neither original nor ingenious. It may be said that, without great intellectual power, he could not have subjected so many thousands to his will, nor formed them into so flourishing a commonwealth. But it must be remembered that when subjects are firmly persuaded of the divinity of their sovereign, government becomes an easy task. Even with such advantages, Smith’s administration was by no means successful. He was constantly involved in difficulties which better management would have avoided, and which the policy of his successor has overcome. We are inclined to believe that the sagacity shown in the construction of his ecclesiastical system belonged rather to his lieutenants than to himself; and that his chief, if not his only talent, was his gigantic impudence. This was the rock whereon he built his church; and his success proves how little ingenuity is needed to deceive mankind.

The men of Illinois imagined that the death of the false prophet would annihilate the sect; and the opinion was not unreasonable; for it seemed certain that there would be a contest among the lieutenants of Joseph for his vacant throne; and it was probably that the Church would thus be shattered into fragments mutually destructive. Such a contest, indeed, did actually occur; and four claimants, Sidney Rigdon, William Smith, Lyman Wight, and Brigham Young, disputed the allegiance of the faithful. But the latter was unanimously supported by the Apostolic College, of which he was chairman. This body was obeyed by the great majority of the inhabitants of Nauvoo; and a General Council of the Church, summoned about six weeks after Joseph’s death, excommunicated the other pretenders, and even ventured to “deliver over to Satan” the great Rigdon himself, although their Sacred Books declared him equal with the Prophet, who had, however, latterly shown a disposition to slight and humble him. The Mormons throughout the world acquiesced in this decision; and Brigham Young was established in the post of “Seer, Revelator, and President of the Latter-day Saints,” without any opposition of significance.

The first months of the new region were tolerably peaceful. The enemies of Zion were satisfied with the fatal blow which they had dealt; and the saints were suffered to gather the harvest of that year without disturbance. But in the following winter it became evident to the independent electors of Illinois that the sect, far from being destroyed, was becoming more formidable than ever. New immigrants still continued to pour into Nauvoo; and the temple was daily rising above the sacred hill, in token of defiance. Exasperated by these visible proofs of their failure, the inhabitants of the nine adjoining counties met together, and formed an alliance for the extermination of their detested neighbors.

Henceforward, it was evident that while the Mormons continued to inhabit Nauvoo, they must live in a perpetual state of siege, and till their fields with a plough in one hand and a rifle in the other. Moreover, experience had shown that elements of disunion existed even among themselves. So long as they were established in any of the settled States, they could not exclude unbelievers from among them. There must always be Gentile strangers who would intrude among the saints for lucre’s sake, and form a nucleus round which disappointed or traitorous members might rally, and create internal conflict. This could only be avoided by the transplantation of the Mormon commonwealth beyond the reach of foreign contact. Actuated by these reasons, the leaders who met to deliberate on the steps demanded by the crisis, came to a decision which, adventurous as it seemed, has proved no less wise than bold. They resolved to migrate in a body, far beyond the boundaries of the United States, and to interpose a thousand miles of wilderness between themselves and the civilized world. In the safety of the Rocky Mountains, the Alps of North America, they determined to seek that freedom, civil and religious, which was denied them by their countrymen. In a hymn composed for the occasion, they express this determination as follows:

“We’ll burst off all our fetters, and break the Gentile yoke,
For long it has beset us, but now it shall be broke.
No more shall Jacob bow his neck;
Henceforth he shall be great and free
In Upper California.
Oh, that’s the land for me!
Oh, that’s the land for me!”
(To be continued.)

Baptist, September 1855, pp. 287–88

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Likely Destruction of the Mormons

The newspaper called the New York Herald gives us the following account of a tragic calamity which has come upon the Mormons: “According to the latest accounts which have come to us from Utah, it is quite likely that the Mormon kingdom and settlement will be utterly destroyed, or they will be exiled from our western territories, within a very few years, by causes and means which have never before come to the imagination of saints, philosophers, or rulers.

Grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts threaten to complete the work which has perplexed the settlers themselves, as well as causing a great deal of trouble to the Government of the United States. The accounts they give are that all those great territories, except for a few small areas here and there, have been completely destroyed by grasshoppers and crickets, and that the locusts have made their appearance in some places to assist the former in completing the devastation. It is only natural that the Mormons are troubled and have become frantic over the frightful prospect before them; for through the destruction of their crops by these voracious insects, who ascend over the earth in swarms and who eat up everything within their reach, there is nothing awaiting the Saints but dying of hunger, or moving soon to a more favorable part of the world, in the midst of the desolate places of some other continent, or to some of the uninhabited isles of the sea. The history of the Mormons is one of the greatest wonders of this age. In the conflicts and abominations of their religious faith, in their persecutions from place to place, in their rapid growth through being strengthened from every nearby part of the civilized world, and in their perseverance, their diligence, and their astounding success—the creed, the prophet, and the adepts of Mormonism, on many accounts, are unparalleled in the history of religious deceptions. Undoubtedly, the most remarkable thing in recent ages is the kingdom of the Mormon leader, a kingdom within kingdoms, an institution of patriarchal polygamy in the midst of the most civilized institutions of the nineteenth century of the Christian dispensation. Also, the causes which threaten the annihilation, or the exile of these Mormons from our borders, are considered by many as the equivalent of miracles, although they are perfectly natural. In 1844, Lieutenant Fremont was the first white man, of whom we have record, to have ever traveled to the Great Salt Lake, and he has given us the first account of the hidden territories of the Great Uninhabited Valley. Through references to that journey, and to all his later journeys, as well as to the records of other travelers in those areas, from that day to the present, we understand that crickets and grasshoppers are native to Utah. From ages before memory or recorded history, the native Indians have customarily considered them as part of their sustenance. They make cakes of grasshoppers and crickets; they drive them into ditches that have hot coals on the bottom where their wings and lings are burned away, and their bodies are roasted, the same as is done with the locusts of Africa; and they serve the same needs of uncivilized America as do the locusts for the uncivilized inhabitants of Asia and Africa. They are an obstruction to cultivating the earth; they exist where there is no earth to be cultivated, and where nothing but insects and flies can exist, and they are all eaten out of necessity. The grasshoppers in Utah are equivalent to the locusts of Africa, except they are smaller in size, as the Indians are in comparison to the Arabs. The Mormons were driven from Illinois, and their wearisome and tedious journey to the Great Salt Lake took place in 1846, and their crops, on which the first group of their emigrants and the large body that followed depended for their sustenance through the coming winter, were devoured by the crickets, who ate everything green down to the ground, leaving a bare path after them, as if fire had destroyed the place. And it is to be remembered also that when the Saints were in a hopeless state, these crickets were discovered by the small white seagulls which nest along the islands of the lake; and every day these seagulls would come from their islands every morning and eat the crickets, from morning till eve until all the crickets had been devoured, and thus the crops were saved! The Saints considered these small seagulls as a miraculous intervention for their salvation, and they could hardly look at them in any other way. For that day to the present, the Mormons have been troubled but little by the crickets and grasshoppers; but on the other hand, they have received a succession of abundant crops, they have grown in numbers through immigrants and births beyond all expectation, and they have established flourishing branches of the beginning settlement in many places along this extensive valley. Furthermore, they are separated by wide deserts, and high, impassable mountains, a thousand miles from the nearest settlements of white men on the east, and from 500 to 800 miles from the white men in California, while on the north and south they are surrounded by an immeasurable desert of volcanic mountains and sandy waste land. Consequently, being cut off from receiving any outside assistance or deliverance, there is but one choice left for the Mormons, after the destruction of their crops over one harvest, but to emigrate to look for bread, or to starve to death if they do not. Neither is it certain that the crickets and grasshoppers will not return in even greater hoards next year; and if such a deplorable event happen once more, it must be that the Mormons settlement will be completely annihilated and destroyed. Neither the Government or private charity in the States will be able to keep alive over the winter a body of 50,000 people, having moved from 600 to 1,000 miles away, without any way of transporting aid to them. Consequently, it can be perceived that the devastation of these crickets and grasshoppers in Utah are a matter of life and death to the Mormons; and there is nothing before them except to emigrate once again or die of hunger.”

Baptist, October 1855, pp. 293–296 (Continued from p. 263)

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Mormonism

(Continued from page 263.)

Their decision was announced to the saints throughout the world by a General Epistle, dated January 20, 1846. It was also communicated to their hostile neighbors, who agreed to allow the Mormons time to sell their property, on condition that they should leave Nauvoo before the ensuing summer. A pioneer party of sixteen hundred persons started before the conclusion of winter, in the hope of reaching their intended settlement in time to prepare a reception for the main body by the close of autumn. But the season was unusually cold, and their supply of food proved inadequate. Intense suffering brought on disease, which rapidly thinned their numbers. Yet the survivors pressed on undauntedly, and even provided for their friends who were to follow, by laying out farms in the wilderness, and planting them with grain. Thus, they struggled onwards, from the Mississippi to the Missouri, on the banks of which they encamped, beyond the limits of the States, not far from the point of its junction with its great tributary, the Platte. They had resolved to settle in some part of the Californian territory, which then belonged to Mexico; and it happened at this time, the Mexican war having begun, the Government of the Union wished to march a body of troops into California, and invited the Mormon emigrants to furnish a body of five hundred volunteers for the service. This requisition is now represented by the Mormons as a new piece of persecution. Yet they complied with it at the time without hesitation; and five hundred of their number were thus conveyed across the continent at the expense of Government; and yet rejoined their brethren among the Rocky Mountains in the following summer, after having discovered the Californian gold diggings on their way. As no compulsion was exercised, it is evident that the Mormon leaders must have judged it expedient thus to diminish their numbers, which were at that time too great for their means of support. But it is admitted by Captain Stansbury, (the officer employed by the United States in the survey of Utah), that the drain of this Mexican battalion prevented the remainder of the pioneers from reaching the Mountains that season; therefore, they formed an encampment on the banks of the Missouri, where they were joined in the course of the summer and autumn by successive parties from Nauvoo.

Meanwhile, those who had remained in the city occupied themselves, during the precarious truce which they enjoyed, in finishing their temple. This building, the completion of which had been invested with a mysterious importance by the revelations of their prophet, was a huge and ugly pile of limestone, strongly resembling Bloomsbury Church. But as it was far superior in architectural pretensions to any of the meeting houses in the neighboring States, it was looked upon in the West as a miracle of art. The Mormon High Priests returned from their frontier camp to consecrate it on the day of its completion, in May 1846. The following sample of the consecration service will probably satisfy our readers:

“Ho, ho! for the Temple’s completed,
The Lord hath a place for his head;
The priesthood in power now lightens
The way of the living and dead.
See, see! ’mid the world’s dreadful splendors,
Christianity, folly, and sword,
The Mormons, the diligent Mormons,
Have reared up this House to the Lord.”

This ceremony had a disastrous influence on the fortunes of the remaining citizens. “It was construed,” says Colonel Kane, “to indicate an insincerity on the part of the Mormons as to their stipulated departure, or at least a hope of return; and their foes set upon them with renewed bitterness. A vindictive war was waged upon them, from which the weakest fled in scattered parties, leaving the rest to make an ineffective defense, till the 17^th of September, when 1,625 troops entered Nauvoo, and drove forth all who had not retreated before that time.”

Thus, once more, the lawless tyranny of a majority trampled down the rights of a minority. These instances of triumphant outrage, which have recurred so often in our narrative, are not only striking as pictures of American life, but may also furnish an instructive warning to some among ourselves. They force upon us the conclusion, that laws are not more willingly obeyed because made by the common people. They teach us that in those communities where every man has an equal share in legislation, that the laws of the land can be trampled underfoot with so much disregard, that there is no other similar precedent to be had from among other countries. The mob, knowing that they can enact laws when they please, infer that they may dispense with that formality at discretion, and accomplish their will directly, without the intermediate process of recording it in the statute-book. They can make the law; therefore, they may break the law; as the barbarous Romans claimed the right of killing the sons they had begotten.

We must refer to Colonel Kane for a picturesque account of the appearance of Nauvoo after its desertion, and of the sufferings of its helpless citizens, who were driven across the Mississippi by their foes. It was with pain and toil that these last unfortunate exiles reached the camp of their brethren. “Like the wounded birds of a flock fired into towards nightfall, they came straggling on with faltering steps, many of them without bag or baggage, all asking shelter or burial, and forcing a fresh repartition of the already divided rations of their friends.” At last, towards the close of autumn, all these emigrants had rejoined the main body, in the valley of the Missouri. And there they prepared to meet the severity of winter, in the depth of an Indian wilderness. The stronger members of the party had employed the summer in cutting and storing hay for the cattle, and in laying up such supplies of food as they could obtain. But these labors had been interrupted by a destructive fever, bred by the pestilential vapors of the marshy plain, which decimated their numbers. When winter came upon them, they were but ill prepared to meet it. For want of other shelter, they were forced to dig caves in the ground, and huddle together there for warmth. Many of the cattle died of starvation; and the same fate was hardly escaped by the emaciated owners.

At length the spring came to relieve their wretchedness. Out of twenty thousand Mormons who had formed the population of Nauvoo and its environs, little more than three thousand were now assembled on the Missouri. Of the rest, many had perished miserably; and many had dispersed in search of employment, to await a more convenient season for joining their friends. The hardiest of the saints who still adhered to the camp of Israel, were now organized into a company of pioneers; and they set out, to the number of 143 men, up the valley of the Platte, to seek a home among the Rocky Mountains. They carried rations for six months, agricultural implements, and seed grain; and were accompanied by the President and his chief counselors. After a three months’ journey, they reached the valley of the Great Salt Lake on the 21^st of July. And here they determined to bring their wanderings to a close, and to establish a “Stake of Zion.” *

[* All the Mormon settlements are called “Stakes of Zion,” to distinguish them from Jackson County, Missouri, which is “Zion.” This is ultimately to be reconquered by the saints, and thus Joseph’s prophecy (which their expulsion seemed to falsify, in all likeliness) is to be fulfilled. But when speaking popularly, they apply the term Zion to Utah.]

But they had small time to rest. Immediately on their arrival a fort was erected to secure them against the Indians, with log houses opening upon a square, into which they drove their cattle at night. In five days, a field was consecrated, fenced, ploughed, and planted. Before the autumn they were rejoined by their brethren whom they had left on the Missouri. This large body, consisting of about three thousand persons, including many women and children, journeyed across the unknown desert with the discipline of a veteran army. Colonel Kane, who had been an eye-witness, describes with admiration:

“The strict order of march, the unconfused closing up to meet attack, the skillful securing of cattle upon the halt, the system with which the watches were set at night to guard the camp. While on their journey, every ten of their wagons was under the care of a captain; this captain of ten obeyed a captain of fifty; and that captain in turn obeyed a member of the High Council of the Church.”

By the aid of this admirable organization, they triumphed over the perils of the wilderness; and after a weary pilgrimage of a thousand miles, came at last within view of their destined home. We cannot portray the feelings of the Mormon pilgrims at the beautiful view they had of the valley of the Great Salt Lake from the top of the mountains. They compared the land below them to the land of Canaan; and no doubt there was a great similarity between them. The mountain lake of Galilea, the Jordan running from it, and the salt waters of the Dead Sea, where the river is absorbed and the golden waves of the river are lost—all have their exact parallels in the territory of Utah. Here surely was the portion of Jacob, where the wanderings of Israel might find rest for their souls. These are the ideas that filled their minds at the time.

The arrival of these tired exiles, together with that of the disbanded volunteers from California, raised the number of the colony to nearly four thousand persons. The first thing needful was to provide that this multitude should not perish for lack of food. “Ploughing and planting,” says Captain Stansbury, “continued throughout the whole winter, and until the July following; by which time a line of fence had been constructed enclosing upwards of 6,000 acres, laid down in crops, besides a large tract of pasture land.” But, notwithstanding all their industry, the colonists were on the brink of starvation during the first winter. There is very little game in the country, and they were reduced to the necessity of feeding on wild roots and on the bodies of dead animals; and even tore off the hides with which they had roofed their cabins, to boil them down into soup. “When we clambered the mountains,” says one of them, “with the Indians, to get leeks, we were sometimes too feeble to pull them out of the ground.” This bitter season, however, saw the last of their sufferings; an abundant harvest relieved their wants; and since that time their agriculture has been so successful, that they have raised enough, not only for home consumption, but for the demand of the numerous emigrants who are constantly passing through their settlements to the gold diggings of California. The engineers of the American Government who surveyed their territory, state, that although the soil capable of cultivation bears a very small proportion to that which, for want of water, is doomed to sterility, yet the strip of arable land along the base of the mountains makes up, by its prodigious fertility, for its small extent; and that it would support, with ease, a million inhabitants. This matter is of primary importance, because a country so distant from the sea, and so far from all other civilized states, must depend entirely on its own resources; there will be a constant danger lest an unfavorable season should be followed by a famine. Against such a calamity, however, some provision is made by accumulating large quantities of grain in public storehouses, where the church government deposits the tithes which it receives in kind.

In physical prosperity, the new commonwealth, which is still (in 1854) only in the sixth year of its foundation, has advanced with a rapidity truly wonderful; especially when we consider the disadvantages under which it is placed, by the fact that every imported article has to be dragged by land carriage for a thousand miles over roadless prairies, bridgeless rivers, and high mountains. Thus, reduced to self-dependence, we can imagine the straits to which the first emigrants were brought for want of those innumerable comforts of civilized life which cannot be self-generated, or obtained from countries overseas. Even after some years of settlement, the new citizens complained that the most common articles of clothing and furniture were not to be procured among them at any price. But before their steady energy, such difficulties have gradually vanished. When the colony had barely reached its fifth birthday, besides their agricultural triumphs already mentioned, they had completed an admirable system of irrigation, had built bridges over their principal rivers, and possessed iron works and coal mines, a factory of sugar, a nail work, and innumerable saw mills, and even had a manufactory of small-toothed combs! Regular mails were established with San Francisco on the Pacific, and New York on the Atlantic; public baths were erected, and copiously supplied by the boiling springs of the volcanic region. They were even beginning to cultivate the arts and sciences, and they had founded a University in their capital, where one of the apostles gives lectures on astronomy, wherein he overthrows the Newtonian theory. They had sculptured a monument to the memory of Washington, and laid the foundation of a Temple which is to far surpass the Temple in Nauvoo; they had reared a Mormon Poet, who officiates as the Family Bard of King Brigham.

Meanwhile, their population had increased by immigration from 4,000 to 30,000, of whom 7,000 were residing in the city of Salt Lake; and the rest were scattered over the country, to replenish the earth and to subdue it. And their plan is to form very wealthy and ingenious new settlements and stations, as well as successful—

“The mode which they adopt for the founding of a new town is highly characteristic. An expedition is first sent out to explore the country, with a view to the selection of the best site. And Elder of the Church is then appointed to preside over the band designated to make the first improvement. This company is composed partly of volunteers, and partly of such as are selected by the Presidency, due regard being had to a proper intermixture of mechanical artisans to render the expedition independent of all aid from without.”

But the effects of this system will be better understood by quoting the following letter of an emigrant, who thus describes the foundation of one of the most important of these new settlements:

“I was sent on a mission with G. A. Smith, one of the Twelve, to Iron County, 270 miles south of Salt Lake, in the depth of winter, to form a settlement in the valley of Little Salt Lake (now named Parowan), as a preparatory step to the manufacturing of iron. There were a great number of people with us, and more than one hundred wagons; and after many difficulties going through the snow, we arrived safe and sound in the valley. After determining the location of our station, we formed our wagons into two parallel lines, we then took the wagon boxes from the wheels, and planted them about a couple of paces from each other, so securing ourselves that we could not easily be taken advantage of by any unknown foe. This done, we next cut a road up the ravine, opening it to a distance of some eight miles, bridging the creek in some five or six places, making the timber and poles of easy access. We next built a large meeting house, two stories high, of large pine trees, all neatly joined together. Next, we built a square fort, with a commodious cattle yard inside the enclosure. The houses built were some of hewn logs, and others of dried bricks, all neat and comfortable. We next enclosed a field, five by three miles square, with a good ditch and pole fence. We dug canals and water ditches to the distance of 30 or 40 miles. One canal to turn the water of another creek upon the field, for irrigating purposes, was seven miles long. We built a saw mill and a grist mill the same season. I have not time to tell you half the labors we performed in one season; suffice it to say that when the Governor came along in the spring, he pronounced it the greatest work done in the mountains by the same amount of men.”

We must not be tempted to linger too long on this part of our subject, or we might illustrate it by many similar examples. Suffice it to say, that by these efforts, a chain of agricultural posts has been formed, which already extends beyond the territory of Utah, and connects the Salt Lake with the Pacific. The chief of these settlements, San Bernardino, appears to be one of the most important cities in California. “The agricultural interest of the colonists of San Bernardino,” says the New York Herald, “is larger than that of the three adjoining counties united. Their manufacturing interest is rapidly increasing. They supply the southern country with timber, and for miles around they furnish flour from the fine mills which they have erected. They have purchased land for train stations in eligible situations on the sea coast.” The object of the Mormons in this extended colonization is to establish a good line of communication with the Pacific, by which they may bring up their immigrants more easily than across the great plains which separates them from the Missouri. At first, they hoped to include this line of coast in their own territory; but the Senate of the States refused their petition to that effect, and restricted them within limits which separate them from the sea; these colonies are beyond their own jurisdiction.

(To be continued in the next.)

Baptist, November 1855, pp. 326–29

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Mormonism

(Continued from page 296)

We have not, until now, given a sufficiently detailed description of the political relations between the Mormon commonwealth and the United States; therefore, it would not be unprofitable for us to say a word or two about this topic. Soon after the exiles had taken possession of their new home, it passed from the dominion of Mexico to that of the United States by a treaty made in 1848. Not long after that, a convention of the inhabitants petitioned the Congress to admit them into the Confederation as a Sovereign State, under the title of the State of Deseret—a name taken from the Book of Mormon. This the Congress declined; but in 1850, it passed an act establishing the Mormon district into a Territory, under the name of Utah. We should explain that, according to the American Constitution, the position of a Territory is very inferior to that of a State. The chief officers of a Territory are appointed not by the inhabitants, but by the President of the United States; the acts of the local legislature are null and void, unless they are ratified by the Congress; the property in the soil belongs to the Government of the United States. Therefore, it will easily be understood how natural is the anxiety of the citizens of a Territory to escape from this humiliating position, into that of a sovereign commonwealth, or an independent State, which can elect its own magistrates, make its own laws, and adopt the constitution which it prefers. But this anxiety is felt even more strongly by the Mormons, because, so long as they remain subject to the central Government of the Union, they naturally fear that the popular hatred toward them may manifest itself in renewed persecution, which expelled them from Illinois and Missouri. Also, the causes of collision still exist. In the first place, the inhabitants of Utah have as yet no legal title to their land, for they have taken possession of it without purchase; and the ownership of the soil is in the United States. Yet, the Mormons naturally protest against claims which would exact payment from them for that property which derives all its value from their successful enterprise. Besides that, the President of the Union has the right of appointing the person he prefers as Governor of the Territory; and thus, he can appoint an “unbeliever,” if he wishes. Such an appointment would be considered a grave insult by the population, and they have announced very clearly their intention to oppose it, should it ever take place. President Fillmore avoided this difficulty by nominating the Head of the Mormon Church as Governor of the Territory. But the appointment is only for four years, and may be cancelled, if the President so desires. Another matter that could cause discord, is the practice of polygamy that thrives among the Mormons. The Territorial Legislature has no power of legalizing this practice, and consequently the majority of the children of all the great officers of the Church are illegitimate in the eye of the law. Probably some child of a first wife will seek on this ground to refuse part of the inheritance to his half-brothers, children of the other wives; the Courts of the United States must necessarily give judgment in favor of his claim. But it is certain that such a judgment could not be enforced in Utah without military force, which would be enthusiastically resisted by the population. This particular case, indeed, may not arise for some years. But the indignation excited against the Mormon polygamy is so great, that a portion of the American press is already urging an armed intervention on the Government. The Philadelphia Register says:

“Not only should Utah be refused admission into the Union, so long as she maintains this abominable domestic institution; but Congress, under its power to make all needful regulations respecting the territory of the United States, should take measures to punish a crime which dishonors our nation.”

Such are the clouds already visible on the horizon of Utah, which portend a coming storm. One collision has actually occurred, but has passed off without serious effects. It was caused by the unpopularity of two judges, appointed by the President of the United States. No doubt it was very difficult to find among the Mormons any even moderately qualified for such an office. However, one lawyer was found in their midst, who, though not a resident in Utah, was brother of an Apostle; and he was nominated to a seat upon the bench. But the two other Judges were “unbelievers,” and this circumstance of itself caused them to be received with coldness. One of them, also, offended the Mormons greatly by a speech at a public meeting, in which he advised the Mormon ladies to “become virtuous.” The Governor, whose own harem was present, resented this as a gross insult, and an open quarrel ensued. Very free language was used as to the resolution of the people of Utah to resist any interference on the part of the Central Government. This language was declared treasonable by the two unbelieving Judges, and by the Secretary of the Territory, who all returned to Washington, and in a report to the Government denounced the disloyalty of the Territory which they had deserted. President Fillmore, however, wisely forbore to take up the quarrel of his nominees, and made new appointments, which appear to be more acceptable to the Mormons. Thus, the danger has passed over for the time; but such symptoms show the precarious character of the existing peace.

Meanwhile, the Mormon leaders are taking every measure which is calculated to secure themselves against a repetition of the exterminating process to which they have been so often subjected. They keep their Militia in constant drill, and its discipline is said to be excellent. Every man capable of bearing arms is enrolled, and the Apostles, Bishops, and Elders appear in military uniform as Generals, Majors, and other Officers, at the head of their troops. They can already oppose a force of 8,000 men to an invading enemy. And the standing army of the United States only amounts to 10,000, which must march for three months through a wilderness before they reached the defiles of the mountains, where they would find themselves opposed, under every disadvantage of ground, with all the fury of fanaticism and heroic patriotism of the Mormons. Indeed, Lieutenant Gunnison intimates that, in his opinion, the Mormons might already defy any force which could be sent against them.

The causes above mentioned fully account for the eagerness manifested by the heads of the Church in pressing upon the saints throughout the world the duty of emigrating to Utah. Their power of resisting hostile interference must of course be proportionate to their numerical strength. If they can double their present population, they may defend their mountain fastnesses against the world. Moreover, they will have the right, according to the practice of the Union, to demand admission as an independent State, when their population amounts to 60,000. Hence, the duty most emphatically urged upon all Mormon proselytes is immediate emigration. They must shake from their feet the dust of “Babylon,” and hasten to “Zion.” “Every saint,” says a recent General Epistle, “who does not come home, will be afflicted by the devil.” And again, “Zion is our home, the place which God has appointed for the refuge of his people. Every particle of our means which we use in Babylon is a loss to ourselves.” And the Elders are exhorted “to thunder the word of the Almighty to the Saints, to arise and come to Zion.” Nor are their efforts confined to words of exhortation. They raise annually a considerable sum, under the name of the Perpetual Emigration Fund, to pay the outfit and passage of those who are willing to emigrate but unable to pay their own expenses. This fund amounted last year to 34,000 dollars. Most of the emigrants, however, pay for themselves. In 1853, the number of saints who sailed from England was 2,609; among whom 2,312 were British subjects, and 297 Danes. Only 400 of these had their passage paid by the fund. The whole Mormon emigration from Europe has hitherto been considerably under 3,000 annually. Even including the converts from the United States, only 3,000 settlers arrived in Utah in 1851. These details, which we have collected from the official statistics published in the Star, will show how grossly the Mormon emigration has been exaggerated by the Press. The American papers, with their usual grandiloquence, are constantly telling us that hundreds of thousands have arrived on their way to Utah; and these fables are copied on this side of the Atlantic, and go the round of Europe. In reality, during the fourteen years from 1837 to 1851, under 17,000 Mormons had emigrated from England. In the future, however, while the Emigration Fund continues in operation, the rate will probably be no fewer than 3,000 per year. We may, therefore, suppose that, including the proselytes from the Union, the population of Utah will be increased by 3,500 annually. Besides this, we may allow, perhaps, 1,000 per annum, considering the nature of the population, for the average excess of births over deaths during the time that the population is rising from 30,000 to 60,000; thus, according to this count, it will have reached the required number by 1859.

This emigration, though very insignificant when compared with the exaggerated statements above mentioned, is surprisingly great when we consider the enormous difficulties by which it is impeded. In fact, if we except the capital of Tibet, there is perhaps no city in the world so difficult to reach as the metropolis of the Mormons. Emigrants from Europe must first undertake the long sea voyage to New Orleans; thence they must proceed by steamer up the Mississippi to St. Louis, a distance of 1,300 miles. From St. Louis, a farther voyage of 800 miles brings them to the junction of the Missouri and the Platte; from thence they must proceed in wagons across the wilderness, a journey of three weary months, before they reach their final destination by the Great Salt Lake. The appearance of these trains of pilgrims must be highly curious and picturesque. Captain Stansbury thus describes one of them:

“We met 95 wagons today, which contained the advance of the Mormon emigration. Two large flocks of sheep were driven before the train; and geese and turkeys had been conveyed in coops the whole distance, without apparent damage. One old gander poked his head out of his box, and hissed most energetically at every passer-by, as if to show that his spirit was still unbroken, notwithstanding his long confinement. The wagons swarmed with women and children, and I estimated the train at a thousand head of cattle, a hundred head of sheep, and five hundred men, women, and children. The wagon is literally the emigrant’s home. In it he carries his all, and it serves him as tent, kitchen, parlor, and bedroom; and not unfrequently also as a boat, to ferry his load over an otherwise impassable stream.”

The deluded proselytes, who, in the mere act of reaching the parched valleys of Deseret, expend an amount of capital and toil sufficient to establish them with every comfort in many happier colonies, are by no means drawn from the most ignorant portion of the community. More than two-thirds of their number consist of artisans and mechanics. Out of 352 emigrants who sailed from Liverpool in February 1852, Mr. Mayhew ascertained that only 108 were unskilled laborers; the remaining 244 consisted of farmers, miners, engine-makers, joiners, weavers, shoemakers, smiths, tailors, watchmakers, masons, butchers, bakers, potters, painters, shipwrights, iron-molders, basket-makers, dyers, ropers, paper-makers, glass cutters, nailers, saddlers, sawyers, and gun makers. Thus, the Mormon emigration is drawn mainly from a single class of society; and that is the reason there is so much homogeneity thriving in Utah, which is not achieved to the same level in any other community on the face of the earth. There are no poor, for the humblest laborer becomes on his arrival a peasant proprietor; and although some have already grown rich, yet none are exempt from the necessity of manual labor, except for the Prophet and the chief Apostles in the Church; and even these seek to avert popular envy, by occasionally taking a turn at their old employments; following the example of the President, who was bred a carpenter, and still sometimes does a job of joiner’s work upon his mills. Such a state of society combines the absence of many evils and much misery, with the want of those humanizing influences which result from the intermixture of men of leisure with men of labor.

Doctrines of Mormonism

It is time to turn from the outward phenomena of Mormonism to its inward life—from its relations towards the external world, to its own internal system, theological, ethical, and ecclesiastical. And since those who join it, join it as a religion, let us first examine the doctrines which it teaches, and which they accept. And since this is a highly important topic, we beseech the utmost attention of our readers toward it.

We have already said that the original Theology of Mormonism was not distinguished by any marked peculiarities. And even still, those who preach it to the ignorant and simple, disguise it under the mask of ordinary Protestantism, and profess to differ from rival sects rather in their pretensions than in their distinctive doctrines. The order lately given to the Elders in Britain was to abstain from perplexing their hearers with startling novelties, and only “to preach faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and faith in Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.” Even the more intelligent English converts, when asked wherein they differ from other sects, reply that the difference consists in their claim to possess miraculous gifts and a living Prophet.

These gifts, which they profess to exercise, are the powers of healing the sick, speaking in tongues, and casting out devils. The former, namely the Gift of healing the sick, which they found on the well-known passage in the Epistle of James, they put in practice on every occasion of illness. Not a month passes without some miraculous healing being published in their circulating Publications; and in reading these narratives, we might almost think we had stumbled on an Advertisement of Morrison’s pills. “The consequence,” says Elder Spencer, “of changing this one ordinance to the medical nostrums of men, is the literal death of thousands.”

The Gift of Tongues is of still easier execution, and forms a frequent incident in the public worship of the Sect. Thus, we read in the official Report of a recent Conference in Utah:

“Sister Bybee spoke in tongues. President Young declared it to be a proper tongue, and inquired what the nations would do, if they were here. He said, if he were to give way to the brethren and sisters, the day of Pentecost would be in the shade in comparison to it.”

This is arrogant to the extreme; but still more disgusting are the scenes which take place in the casting out of devils. Daniel Jones, now one of the three “Presidents of the Church in Wales,” thus describes a case in which he officiated as exorcist:

“The spirits were all this time making the loudest noise; calling out “Old Captain, have you come to trouble us? Damned old Captain, we will hold you a battle.” Many other expressions used would be indecent to utter, and others useless, I suppose. Some spoke English, through one that knew no English of herself. Others spoke in tongues, praying for a reinforcement of their kindred spirits, and chiding some dreadfully by name, such as Borona, Menta, Philo. They swore they would not depart, unless old Brigham Young, from America, would come.”

We should have been inclined to infer from such descriptions, that the performers in these exhibitions must either be the most shameless of hypocrites, or the craziest of fanatics. But we are silenced when we remember that two English clergymen have also very lately published their dialogues with devils; and have surpassed their Mormon rivals in absurdity, inasmuch as they have fixed the residence of Satan, not in the heart of a man, but in the legs of a table!

The resemblance thus manifested between the teaching of some of our popular religionists, and that of the Mormons, is not confined to the point of diabolic agency; it is the natural result from a materialistic tendency observable in the two theological systems. Besides some other effects, this leads both alike to misconstrue the metaphors of Scripture by a literal interpretation, and to distort the Biblical prophecies by viewing them through a carnal medium. Thus, the Mormon speculations on the Restoration of the Jews, and on the Millennium, are the same which may sometimes be heard in Puritanical pulpits.

(To be continued.)

Baptist, December 1855, pp. 354–58

https://journals.library.wales/view/2054954/2061108/7#?xywh=-83%2C1554%2C2257%2C2264

(Continued from the previous Number.)

The Puritans and the Mormons give the same detailed description of the battle of Armageddon and the combatants. The Mormon teach that this contest will be between the Papists on one side and the “Church” on the other. The triumph of their own adherents is to usher in the Millennium. Even the date assigned to the Restoration of the Jews is the same in both systems. “It shall come to pass in the nineteenth century,” says the official Publication of the Mormons, “that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they [the Jews] shall come who are ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcast in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.”

But this tendency to debase a spiritual truth into a material fiction is most strikingly developed in the Mormon doctrine of the Resurrection. It must be confessed, indeed, that some Christian writers have incautiously spoken on this subject, in language contradicting that of the Apostle Paul; and have seemed to teach that this corruptible body of flesh and blood will inherit eternal life. The danger of such incautious statements is shown by the inferences deduced from them in the writings of the Mormons. According to their teaching, not only will the body, but all the habits, occupations, and necessities of life, be the same in the future world as in the present. Thus, one of the chief Mormon teachers tells us:

“The future residence of the saints is not an imaginary or an immaterial thing. They will need houses for their persons and for their families as much in their resurrected condition as in their present state. In this identical world, where they have been robbed of houses, and lands, and wife, and children, they shall have an hundred fold.”

Another Apostle calculates the exact amount of landed property which may be expected by the resurrected saints:

“Suppose that, out of the population of the earth, one in a hundred should be entitled to an inheritance upon the new earth, how much land would each receive? We answer, they would receive over a hundred and fifty acres, which would be quite enough to raise manna, and to build some splendid mansions. It would be large enough to have our flower gardens, and everything the agriculturist and the botanist want.”

But not content with degrading the Scriptural conception of immortality by these sordid and groveling imaginations, they venture directly to contradict the words of our Lord himself, by affirming that, in the Resurrection, men both marry and are given in marriage. Thus, the author above quoted says:

“Abraham and Sarah will continue to multiply, not only in this world, but in all worlds to come. Will the resurrection return you a mere female acquaintance, that is not to be the wife of your bosom in eternity? No, God forbid. But it will restore you the wife of your bosom immortalized, who shall bear children from your own loins, in all the worlds to come.”

This they call the doctrine of Celestial Marriage, to which, in its connection with their polygamy, we shall presently return.

A still more peculiar tenet of their creed is the necessity of Baptism for the dead. This doctrine was broached by Smith at an early period, and is incorporated into the “Book of Doctrine and Covenants,” the New Testament of the Mormons. Every Mormon is bound to submit to this rite for the benefit of his deceased relatives. Its institution seems to have had the same pecuniary object as was in the view of the Papists by establishment of the mass, or prayers for the dead; although the fees demanded by the priesthood for its performance are not stated in the official documents. They tell us, however, that the dead “depend on their posterity, relatives, or friends for this completing of the works necessary for their salvation;” and that their genealogies will be revealed to the faithful by the prophets in the temple. Thus says Joseph Smith in his last sermon:

“Every man who has got a friend in the eternal world can save him, unless he has committed the unpardonable sin; so you see how far you can be a savior.”

And some of the Mormon Hymns contain this same doctrine:

“By obeying this law we may set them all free,

And saviors we shall upon Mount Zion be.”

Spencer, the Chancellor of the University of Deseret, informs us, “unless this is done for the dead, they cannot be redeemed.” And the same learned authority says:

“Peter tells us how the devout and honorable dead may be saved, who never heard the gospel on earth. Says he, [Peter], “else why are they baptized for the dead?”

The Chancellor has exposed his ignorance wonderfully in this quotation, by counting the Apostle Peter the author of the first Epistle to the Corinthians! But this error is no more remarkable than the shameful ignorance he displays in spelling and grammar.

This Mormon sacrament is connected with another retrograde tenet, which restricts the due celebration of religious rites to one local sanctuary:

“Verily I say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me, wherein the ordinance of baptizing for the dead belongeth, and for which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the world, your baptisms for your dead by those who are scattered abroad, are not acceptable unto me.”

That is the reason for the mysterious importance attached to the completion of the Nauvoo Temple. A new Temple, and much more spacious and splendid, is presently being built in Deseret, the form of which has been represented to Brigham Young in a miraculous vision. He refuses to reveal its plan beforehand; but declares that, magnificent as it will be, it is only the faint image of that which will beautify reconquered Missouri. “The time will come when there will be a tower in the center of temples we shall build, and on its top groves and fish ponds.” Mr. Gunnison tells us, from information given him at Utah, that as soon as the present temple is finished, “animal sacrifices for the daily sins of the people” will be offered therein by the priesthood. This will complete the return of Mormonism to the “weak and beggarly elements,” of that dispensation which was purposely adapted to a state of moral childhood, “wherein were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats, and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed until the time of reformation.”

The same retrogressive tendency has led the Mormons to adopt a system of anthropomorphism,*

[*The belief that God has corporal parts like man.—EDITOR.]

which has never been equaled by any other sect, though it was approached fifteen centuries ago by the Egyptian monks whom Theophilus cursed. Allegorical images, under which the attributes of God were made intelligible to the rude Israelites by Moses, and even metaphorical figures, adopted by devotional poetry in a later age, are interpreted by Smith and his disciples in a sense as merely literal and material, as they would attach to the placards wherein their countrymen describe the person of a fugitive slave. The nature of the materializing dogmas cannot be rendered intelligible except by quotations, which, from their profanity, we would willingly omit. The following is an extract from one of their popular catechisms, bearing on the subject:

“Q. 28. What is God?—A. He is a material intelligent personage, possessing both body and parts.

Q. 38. Doth He also possess passions?—A. Yes, He eats, He drinks, He loves, He hates.

Q. 44. Can this being occupy two distinct places at once?—A. No”

To the same effect we read in the Hymn Book of the Mormons (349):

“The God that others worship, is not the God for me;

He has no parts nor body, and cannot hear nor see.”

Also, a local residence is assigned to this anthropomorphic Deity. We are told that he lives “in the planet Kolob.” Moreover, as he possesses the body and passions of a man, so his relations to his creatures are purely human. It appears that this doctrine is not a new one, but that it was believed by some in the fourth century; but it fell into oblivion after that, only until it was made one of the articles of faith of the Mormons in the nineteenth century. No existence is created; all beings are begotten. So the Prophet tells us in his final sermon:

“God never did have power to create the spirit of man at all. The very idea lessens man in my estimation. I know better.”

The superiority of the Mormon God over his creatures consists only in the greater power which He has gradually attained by growth in knowledge. He himself originated in “the union of two elementary particles of matter;” and by a progressive development reached the human form. Thus we read that—

“God, of course, was once a man, and from manhood by continual progression, became God; and he has continued to increase from his manhood to the present time, and may continue to increase without limit. And man also may continue to increase in knowledge and power as fast as he pleases.”

And again,

“If man is a creature of eternal progression, the time must certainly arrive when he will know as much as God now knows.”

This is in strict accordance with the following words of Joseph Smith:

“The weakest child of God which now exists upon the earth will possess more dominion, more property, more subjects, and more power and glory, than is possessed by Jesus Christ or by his Father; while at the same time they will have their dominion, kingdom, and subjects increased in proportion.”

One of the Apostles carries this view into detail as follows:

“What will man do when this world is filled up? Why, he will make more worlds, and swarm out like bees from the old world. And when a farmer has cultivated his farm and raised numerous children, so that the space is beginning to be too strait for them, he will say, My sons, yonder is plenty of matter, go and organize a world and people it.”

This doctrine of indefinite development naturally passes into Polytheism. Accordingly, the Mormon theology teaches that there are Gods innumerable, with different degrees of dignity and power. It was revealed to Joseph Smith that the first verse Genesis originally stood as follows: “The Head God brought forth the Gods, with the heavens, and the earth.” And the same prophet also tells us, that a hundred and forty-four thousand of these gods are mentioned by John in the Revelation. Moreover, “Each God is the God of the spirits of all flesh pertaining to the world which he forms.” And it has been lately revealed by the President, that the God of our own planet is Adam (!), who, it seems, was only another form of the Archangel Michael (!).

“When our father Adam came into the Garden of Eden, he brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days. He is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do.”

It is curious to observe, from such examples, how easily the extremes of materialism and immaterialism may be made to meet. For here we have the rudest form of anthropomorphism connected with a theory of emanation which might be identified with that of some Gnostic and Oriental idealists. But under its present intellectual guides, Mormonism is rapidly passing into that form of practical Atheism, which may be called Pantheism. Thus, we read in a Publication of the Mormons, that the only thing which has existed from eternity is:

“An infinite quantity of self-moving intelligent matter. Every particle of matter which now exists, existed in the infinite depths of past duration, and was then capable of self-motion. There is no substance in the universe which feels and thinks now, but what has eternally possessed that capacity. Each individual of the vegetable and animal kingdom contains a living spirit, possess of intelligent capacities. Persons are only tabernacles, and truth is the God that dwells in them. When we speak of only one God, and state that he is eternal, &c., we have no reference to any particular person, but to truth dwelling in a vast variety of substances.”

The same authority informs us that every man is an aggregate of as many intelligent individuals as there are elementary particles of matter in his system. And so, President Brigham, in a recent sermon, tells his hearers that the reward of the good will be a continual progress to a more perfect organization, and the punishment of the bad will be a “decomposition into the particles that compose the native elements.”

It may be asked, How can this be the theology of a sect which professes to receive the Bible as the Word of God? The answer is clear. First, the Mormon writers teach that the Christian Revelation, though authoritative when first given, is now superseded by their own. “The Epistles of the ancient Apostles, Paul, Peter, and John, we must say are dead letters, when compared to the Epistles that are written to the saints in our day by the living priesthood.” And the possession of a living source of inspiration enables them to modify, not only the doctrines of the ancient Scriptures, but even the revelations of their own prophets. For example, Polygamy is pronounced in the Book of Mormon to be “abominable before the Lord;” yet it was afterwards authorized in a new revelation by Joseph himself, and is now declared to be the special blessing of the latter covenant. But, secondly, lest this view should not satisfy all scruples, it was “revealed” to Smith that our present Scriptures have been grievously altered and corrupted, and he was divinely commissioned to make a revised and corrected edition of them. We find from his statement in his Autobiography, that he lived to complete this emended Bible. But he never ventured to print it, and it still remains in manuscript among the records of the Church. It is to be published as soon as the world is ripe to receive it. Meanwhile some specimens have been given, among which one of the most remarkable is the beginning of Genesis, which we have quoted above.**

[** Many extracts from this emended Bible have been lately published by Orson Pratt, in the Seer. The additions are so numerous as to double the scriptural text.]

The existence of this secret Bible is an example of the Mormon practice of hiding things, which forms a connecting link between their theological and their ethical system. The doctrines which they teach among the initiated may differ to any extent from those proclaimed to the Gentiles. “If man receives all truths,” says their official Publication, “he must receive them on a graduated scale. The Latter-day Saints act upon this simple and natural principle. Paul had milk for babes, and things unlawful to utter.” (!) The most striking instance of this system of pious fraud is their persevering denial of the charge of polygamy. They denied the practice so boldly and definitely, that several learned and sensible men were deceived by them, and were made to believe that the accusation was totally unfounded, so far as it pertained to Joseph Smith, at least. At length, however, it became necessary to drop the mask. As the population of Utah increased, the practices prevalent there became better known to the world, through multiplying channels of communication. It was useless to repudiate an ordinance which must be so prominent in the first letters of every new citizen of Salt Lake to his English friends. The Church, therefore, decided that the time was come for publishing to the world the “revelation” which sanctioned their seraglios. We have already cited that singular “revelation” which Joseph circulated among the initiated in the year before his death. Since its publication, in the year 1852, the Mormon leaders have completely thrown off the veil, and have defended polygamy as impudently as they before denied it. Tracts, Dialogues, and Hymns are circulated in its behalf. And even the form of administering these marriages has been published. Here is an extract:

“The President, or his Deputy, calls upon the bridegroom and his first wife, and the bride to arise. The first wife stands on the left hand of her husband, while the bride stands on the wife’s left. The president then says to the first wife, ‘Are you willing to give this woman to your husband, to be his lawful and wedded wife for time and for eternity? If you are, place her right hand within the right hand of your husband.’ The right hands of the bridegroom and bride being thus joined, the first wife takes her husband by the left arm, as if in the attitude of walking. The president then asks the man, ‘Do you, brother M., take sister N. by the right hand, to receive her unto yourself, to be your lawful and wedded wife?’ The bridegroom answers, ‘Yes.’ Then the president asks the bride, ‘Do you, sister N., take brother M. and give yourself unto him to be his lawful and wedded wife?’ &c. The bride answers, ‘Yes.’ The President then says, ‘By the authority of the holy priesthood, I pronounce you legally and lawfully wedded husband and wife for time and for all eternity. And I seal upon the blessings of the holy resurrection, with power to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection. And I seal upon you the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and say unto you, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.’ The benediction follows; and the scribe enters the marriage on the record.***

[*** This would at first appear as if the wife possessed a veto. But the official Publication informs us, in the same article, that if the wife refuses to consent to her husband’s polygamy, that it is lawful for her husband, if permitted by “revelation” through the Prophet, “to be married to others without her consent; and she will be condemned because she did not give them unto him, as Sarah gave Hagar unto Abraham, and as Rachel and Leah gave Bilha and Zilpah unto Jacob.”]

It should be added, that the President possesses the Papal prerogative of annulling all marriages contracted under his sanction, a prerogative which will bring much wealth and power to him. As to marriages celebrated without his authority, they are void in and of themselves. Consequently, either man or woman is at liberty to desert an unbelieving spouse, and take another. An example of this occurred last year in a Welsh village, with which we are well acquainted. An old woman 60 years old was converted by the Mormons, and persuaded to emigrate. She had a blind husband, 70 years of age, who entirely depended on her care. The neighbors cried shame on her for deserting her conjugal duties. The clergyman of the parish, and even her landlord did their best to persuade her; but it was all in vain. She declared that “the Lord had called her to come to Zion,” and that it was revealed to her that when she reached Deseret she should be restored to youth, or, as she expressed it, she should get a new skin.” And she unblushingly avowed her intention of being sealed to another husband, and bearing a young family in America. The end of the story is tragic. The deserted husband died of a broken heart a fortnight after his wife’s departure; and the old woman herself expired before she reached New Orleans, leaving the possessions she had with her in the hands of her seducers.

Baptist, November 1856, pp. 350–51

The Mormons in the Salt Lake Valley

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Divine Providence has different ways of dealing with the false religions of the world, ways that are secret and wondrous to us when we consider them. Some religions come to the world and exit after deceiving a few believers after a few days; others continue for a long time, causing us to wonder what purpose the Almighty can have by permitting them to exist. The continuation of blasphemous Mormonism is not as brief as some of us would wish; but, in all human likelihood, it will not be long before the beginning of worries that they are likely to become extinct as a body of believers. The Editor of the Times says that the supreme court of Utah has decided that the original law of the country is compelling the territory to be subject to the general law of America; and since the named law is the Constitution for the States, the general law of America nullifies all the acts of the Mormon Senate. Consequently, polygamy will be as unlawful in the Salt Lake Valley as it is in any other part of the United States; and the aforementioned decision abolishes every law that Brigham Young has enacted. As soon as the Saints come in contact with the spreading inhabitants of America, their existence as a sect will be ended, and perhaps it will be abolished in bloodshed. It will be impossible to operate two orders of law in the same place at the same time; and it will be necessary for the order (or rather the disorder) that violates the principles on which the society is established to be abolished. Eventually the secular inhabitants of America will be transported to the Salt Lake, when the subjects will be brought up, requiring either obedience or the opposition of the United States. If they oppose the law, we will see the history of the Mormons in Nauvoo being carried out the second time, but in a much more frightful way, and without a desert to flee into, where they could have refuge over their heads.

Baptist, July 1859, p. 211

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Question

I would like to know whether the account of the origin of the Book of Mormon was given in any volume of the Baptist? If it was, in which volume? If it was not, I believe that such an account would be very interesting to many of your readers. I have heard that the foundation of this book was a novel written by a minister to amuse himself during his illness. Information of the truth in this matter would be of particular pleasure to your obedient servant,

“Sentinel”

Baptist, September 1859, p. 274

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Answer to the question of Sentinel in the July Baptist

I offer the following to the attention of Sentinel. In an article about Mormonism in one of the English-language publications is the following: “Around the year 1809 a priest by the name of Spaulding had given up the ministry, and he wrote a tale which he called ‘the manuscript discovered.’” He took as the basis for his tale the notion, which was at that time quite common, that the descendants of lost tribes of Israel were the Indians of North America. The names of two of the persons in the tale were Mormon and Moroni. During the preparations being made to publish the book the author died, and the manuscript was in the hands of the printer. The typesetter, whose name was Sidney Rigdon, got hold of it, and it appears that he kept it following the death of the printer. It is not known what part he took in the preparation of the fictitious discovery, but very soon afterwards he became a well-known leader in the new sect. From the testimony of Mrs. Spaulding and others it appears very likely that the Book of Mormon was constructed on the tale of the priest, as well as by the addition of sections called doctrinal revelations.

AB IOAN.

Baptist, November 1859, pp. 332–34—[13 July 1859]

[This is the same as in the North Wales Chronicle for 10 September 1859]

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Two Hours with Brigham Young

On his recent visit to Salt Lake City the following conversation took place between Mr. Horace Greeley, the editor of the New York Tribune, and Brigham Young, the president of the Mormon church.

After a few preliminary conversations (says Mr. G.) I said that I intended to ask some questions in order to get a broader understanding of the doctrines and organization of the Mormon church to which I would like to have direct answers, if there were no objections. President Young promised to give answers to all pertinent and polite questions. Then we went along as follows:

H. G. Am I to regard Mormonism (so-called) as a new religion, or as simply a new development of Christianity?

B. Y. We hold that there can be no true Christian Church without a priesthood directly commissioned by and in immediate communication with the Son of God and Savior of mankind. Such a church is that of the Latter-day Saints, called by their enemies Mormons; we know no other that even pretends to have present and direct revelations of God’s will.

H. G. Then I am to understand that you regard all other churches professing to be Christian as the Church of Rome regards all churches not in communion with itself—as schismatic, heretical, and out of the way of salvation?

B. Y. Yes, substantially.

H. G. Apart from this, in what respect do your doctrines differ from those of our Orthodox Protestant Churches—the Baptist or Methodist, for example?

B. Y. We hold the doctrines of Christianity, as revealed in the Old and New Testaments—also in the Book of Mormon, which teaches the same cardinal truths, and those only.

H. G. Do you believe in the doctrine of the Trinity?

B. Y. We do; but not exactly as it is held by other churches. We believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as equal, but not identical—not as one person. We believe in all the Bible teaches on this subject.

H. G. Do you believe in a personal devil—a distinct, conscious, spiritual being, whose nature and acts are essentially malignant and evil?

B. Y. We do.

H. G. Do you hold the doctrine of Eternal Punishment?

B. Y. We do; though perhaps not exactly as other churches do. We believe it as the Bible teaches it.

H. G. I understand that you regard Baptism by Immersion as essential.

B. Y. We do.

H. G. Do you practice Infant Baptism?

B. Y. No.

H. G. Do you make removal to these valleys obligatory on your converts?

B. Y. They would consider themselves greatly aggrieved if they were not invited hither. We hold to such a gathering together of God’s People as the Bible foretells, and that this is the place and now is the time appointed for its consummation.

H. G. The predictions to which you refer have, usually, I think, been understood to indicate Jerusalem (or Judea) as the place of such gathering.

B. Y. Yes, for the Jews—not for others.

H. G. What is the position of your Church with respect to Slavery?

B. Y. We consider it of Divine institution, and not to abolished until the curse pronounced on Ham shall have been removed from his descendants.

H. G. Are there any slaves now held in this Territory?

B. Y. There are.

H. G. Do your Territorial laws uphold Slavery?

B. Y. Those laws are printed—you can read them for yourself. If slaves are brought here by those who owned them in the States, we do not favor their escape from the service of those owners.

H. G. Am I to infer that Utah, if admitted as a member of the Federal Union, will be a Slave State?

B. Y. No, she will be a Free State. Slavery here would prove useless and unprofitable. I regard it generally as a curse to the masters. I myself hire many laborers and pay them fair wages; I could not afford to own them. I can do better than subject myself to an obligation to feed and clothe their families, to provide and care for them, in sickness and health. Utah is not adapted to Slave Labor.

H. G. Let me now be enlightened with regard more especially to your Church polity; I understand that you require each member to pay over one-tenth of all he produces or earns to the Church.

B. Y. That is a requirement of our faith. There is no compulsion as to the payment. Each member acts in the premises according to his pleasure, under the dictates of his own conscience.

H. G. What is done with the proceeds of this tithing?

B. Y. Part of it is devoted to building temples and other places of worship; part to helping the poor and needy converts on their way to this country; and the largest portion to the support of the poor among the Saints.

H. G. Is none of it paid to Bishops and other dignitaries of the Church?

B. Y. Not one penny. No Bishop, no Elder, no Deacon, or other church officer, receives any compensation for his official services. A Bishop is often required to put his hand in his own pocket and provide therefrom the poor of his charge; but he never receives anything for his services.

H. G. How then to your ministers live?

B. Y. By the labor of their own hands, like the first Apostles. Every Bishop, every Elder, may be daily seen at work in the field or the shop, like his neighbors; every ministers of the Church has his proper calling by which he earns the bread of his family; he who cannot or will not do the Church’s work for nothing is not wanted in her services; even our lawyers (pointing to Gen. Ferguson and another present, who are the regular lawyers of the Church) are paid nothing for their services; I am the only person in the Church who has not a regular calling apart from the Church’s service, and I never received one farthing from her treasury; if I obtain anything from the tithing-house, I am charged with and pay for it, just as anyone else would; the clerks in the tithing-store are paid like other clerks, but no one is ever paid for any service pertaining to the ministry. We think a man who cannot make his living aside from the Ministry of Christ unsuited to that office. I am called rich and consider myself worth $250,000; but no dollar of it was ever paid me by the Church or for any service as a minister of the Everlasting Gospel. I lost nearly all I had when we were broken up in Missouri and driven from that State; I was nearly stripped again when Joseph Smith was murdered and we were driven from Illinois; but nothing was ever made up to me by the Church, nor by anyone. I believe I know how to acquire property and how to take care of it.

H. G. Can you give me any rational explanation of the aversion and hatred with which your people are generally regarded by those among whom they have lived and with whom they have been brought directly in contact?

B. Y. No other explanation than is afforded by the crucifixion of Christ and the kindred treatment of God’s ministers, prophets, saints in all ages.

H. G. I know that a new sect is always decried and traduced—that it is hardly ever deemed respectable to belong to one—that the Baptists, Quakers, Methodists, Universalists, etc., have each in their turn been regarded in the infancy of their sect as the offscouring of the earth; yet I cannot remember that either of them were ever generally represented and regarded by the older sects of their early days as thieves, robbers and murderers.

B. Y. If you will consult the contemporary Jewish accounts of the life and acts of Jesus Christ, you will find that he and his disciples were accused of every abominable deed and purpose—robbery and murder included. Such a work is still extant and may be found by those who seek it.

H. G. What do you say of the so-called Danites, or Destroying Angels, belonging to your Church?

B. Y. What do you say? I know of no such band, no such persons or organization. I hear of them only in the slanders of our enemies.

H. G. How general is polygamy among you?

B. Y. I could not say. Some of those present [heads of the Church] have each but one wife; others have more; each determines what is his individual duty.

H. G. What is the largest number of wives belonging to any one man?

B. Y. I have fifteen; I know no one who has more but some of those sealed to me are old ladies whom I regard rather as mothers than wives, but whom I have taken home to cherish and support.

H. G. Does not the Apostle Paul say that a bishop should be “the husband of one wife?”

B. Y. So we hold. We do not regard any but a married man as fitted for the office of bishop. But the Apostle Paul does not forbid a bishop from having more wives than one.

H. G. Does not Christ say that he who puts away his wife, or marries one whom another has put away, commits adultery?

B. Y. Yes; and I hold that no man should ever put away a wife except for adultery—not always even for that. Such is my individual view of the matter. I do not say that wives have never been put away in our Church, but that I do not approve of the practice.

H. G. How do you regard what is commonly called the Christian Sabbath?

B. Y. As a divinely appointed day of rest from secular labor on that day. We would have no man enslaved to the Sabbath, but we enjoin all to respect and enjoy it.