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The Guide or the Literary Monthly
1852 February, p. 32—The Glory of Mormonism
1852 April, pp. 63–64—Disappointment of the Deceived Mormons
1852 June, p. 104—A Mormon Denies His Religion
1852 August, pp. 143–44—Mormon Deceit
The Guide or the Literary Monthly, February 1852, p. 32
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The Glory of Mormonism
A letter from the Salt Valley says, “The system of polygamy is in full force here. It is said that President Young has ninety wives. He was driving through the streets a few days ago with sixteen of them in a long carriage, fourteen of them with babies on their breasts. It is said that Heber C. Kimball, the second person in the Mormon trinity, has close to the same number. Any man here may have as many wives as he can provide for.” London Times, January 20.
The Guide or the Literary Monthly, April 1852, pp. 63–64
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Disappointment of the Deceived Mormons
Letter from America
The following letter was published in the Times for March 10. Since the Instructor can reach the hands of some who do not have a chance to see the Times, we, for the sake of such, are reprinting it; hoping that it can be a warning to those who may be inclined to be deceived through the craftiness of the Mormons. If there be any who doubt the letter, the original can be provided by Mr. J. Lewis, Mineral Agent, Victoria Iron Works.
St. Louis, December 7th, 1851.
Dear Friend,
I avail myself of this opportunity to write to you a few lines to inform you of the condition of things in this land.
My wife, our child, and myself were sick for five months, but at present I am somewhat improved. I have lost my happiness, for I buried my wife and my child in the same grave when I was in Illinois. At present I am living in Missouri. This country is highly unhealthful.
I wish for you to make every effort within your power to persuade my friends and all the people there to stay where they are, instead of being hoodwinked by the Mormons, which is nothing but complete humbug, which I have been able to experience to my grief and sorrow. It is a pity that the people could not perceive the deceit before leaving. They were promised every kind of blessings, but when they arrived here, they were embittered at their stupidity! I am not pointing this out to discourage anyone, but in order to make known the true condition of things here. Thus, if some still come after being warned of the danger, they must deal with the consequences. Of the 400 who started off from there, about 200 of them have died after arriving here. There was not a single Welshman who died on coming across, except for four children who died at sea. At present I am living with William Davies, from Abercarn, Monmouthshire, who also came here with the Mormons, and who is by his own hand a witness to these realities. It would be better for men not to have been born than to come here as Mormons. They take all of your possessions in Wales, and after coming here they starve you if they have the opportunity. They take the wives of the arrivals and leave their own. Brigham Young has 24 wives, and 19 of these presently have nursing infants; and the lower officials have the number of wives equal to their circumstances, some 14, some 7, and others have varying numbers. At present, as much as they can they disparage the official spies of the Republic of the United States, those who leave their positions and who have returned to Washington. And since the Congress is in session at present, we shall soon hear what our determined fate will be. I fear that the circumstances that prevailed in Nauvoo are nothing compared to those of the future if they resist. But through it all, I have obtained enough to eat and to drink since coming here. I intend to move to Pennsylvania in the coming spring, for it is much more healthful there; and we advise everyone who wishes to come to America to come to New York, since the climate is so unhealthful in New Orleans.
The Mormons are extremely unkind to each other here; I had to dig the grave for my wife myself! She was put in a proper grave, but the Mormons did not lend a single hand of help to me at the time. At present I consider myself to be at complete liberty, since I am out of their association. The great men here who give substantial money there, are also those who receive substantial promises of receiving much land and other things when they come here. Such, I say, are left to die in the workhouse, and among them are Howell Williams, William Rees, and many others, and whether they are living or have died we know not. * * *
I can tell you also that there is no more respect for keeping the Sabbath than for any other day. On the Sabbath there are all kinds of sports, such as horse racing, rolling the ten pins, card playing, drinking, dancing, and swearing, and everything that is beyond propriety; and the Presidents are participants in such activities to a very great extent.
Evan Howells
St. Louis, Missouri
“Mr. John Lewis, Victoria Iron Works.”
The Guide or the Literary Monthly, June 1852, p. 104
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A Mormon Denying His Religion
One of the Saints (?) from Machynlleth, while in Llanfair lately, was asked whether he was a Saint. He denied it and said he was a Good Baptist! “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,” but “I am ashamed of the gospel of Joe,” said the behavior of this Mormon.
The Guide or the Literary Monthly, August 1852, pp. 143–44
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Mormon Deceit
Mr. Jones, Llanidloes, delivered an excellent lecture on the above topic lately, which was received by hundreds of listeners with great acceptance. The main topics of the Lecture were sent to us by one of the listeners; we are pleased to present them to the attention of the Reverends:
- That man is able to determine the truth of things. 1, Because beings and things are quite close to him, so he can know them. 2, Because the qualifications are in him for him to properly understand them. 3, Because his happiness consists of a true knowledge of things, etc.
- That the revealed will of the Son of God is easy to determine as truth. 1, On account of its prominence. 2, On account of its appropriateness as a system of moral principles to purify the moral life of the world. 3, On account of its consistency in and of itself. 4, On account of its consistency with the present and personal responsibility of man.
- That, consistent with reason and truth, Mormonism cannot be determined as TRUTH. 1, The God who acknowledges—material substance is his nature, and the form of man is his conception. 2. A middle position, or the purgatory of Mormonism. 3, The Mormon system is imperfect. 4, Mormonism is contrary to the popular position of the world. 5, Mormonism is contrary to a consistency of the faith. 6, Mormonism is the destruction of Christian hope. 7, Mormonism is the destruction of the nature of the kingdom of the Messiah, etc.
We understand that Mr. Jones, at the end, offered any Mormon the opportunity of opposing his lecture through reason and scripture; and for one Saint to stand up and say that he would review the lecture of Mr. Jones the following Thursday evening. But despite going to the Town Hall to hear him, all he did was to confirm the lecture more than anything else, and he showed more of the wretchedness of Mormonism than before. He did not even mention God and purgatory!
