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SKETCH OF MORMON HISTORY.
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A great deal has been said in this country about the Mormons or Latter-day Saints, in Newspaper paragraphs, and short notices in Periodicals, and a great deal more in the way of mere rumour, while as yet a short and clear account of their origin and progress, which pretends to be at all circumstantial, is unknown. In America, several works have been published with this object in view, and the writer of this sketch has availed himself to some extent, of the information they contain.
The system is now so well known and so nearly exploded in America, that they make scarcely any progress in proselyting there; and the few American converts they do make are almost entirely of the class called "loafers." The people of Illinois call them "Jack Mormons," to distinguish them from the more sincere Mormons, who are chiefly English.
The following brief outline of the history of Mormonism is intended to supply the lack of information, as far as can be done in so small a compass, and though scanty and perhaps not skillfully arranged, yet care is taken to state nothing but what there is good evidence for. Every item has been made public in America, and no attempt has been made by the Mormons there to controvert them, either by bringing the statements before any of the legal tribunals, which were all open to them, or by any other means, except their own declarations. Many of the facts are so well known that they do not attempt to deny them, but merely make excuses and pallations for them, -- the Kirtland Bank Scheme, for instance. But if after all, any mis-statements should have crept in, the writer can consciously say that he will regret it more than any other person; as his sincere desire is to state the simple truth, with the view of guarding his fellow-countrymen against a dangerous imposture. He has had ample opportunities of studying its progress and influence, and is satisfied that a detected falsehood in their opponents weighs more in favour of their cause in the minds of the Latter-day
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but which may be obtained by any person who chooses to make the necessary enquiry; perhaps the most sceptical would be convinced if they had the same amount of information. There are other abominations which he would be sorry to pollute these pages by particularizing. Suffice it to say, that it is clearly established that a system of all but universal female prostitution exists at Nauvoo, as a secret regulation of the church, none but the faithful being permitted to have the privilege. The teach that this system is what we are to understand by the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was from this system of adultery that the commotion arose which issued in the death of the prophet Joseph Smith. One of the dignitaries of the church, a Dr. Foster, who was himself deep in all the foul secrets of the iniquitous scheme, and a member of the "Destroying Angels," returning home one day, found the carriage of Joseph Smith at his door. Half suspecting the object of the prophet's visit, he did not speak on the subject until his departure, when he began to question his wife. For a time she evaded his enquiries, until at length he took out a brace of pistols, gave her one, and retained the other himself, telling her that if she did not immediately disclose the prophet's intentions, she should shoot him, or he would shoot her. Then she confessed that the prophet had been teaching her the "spiritual wife doctrine," which we do not wish to lay before our readers. Foster could not stand this; it came too near home for him; he, therefore, sought out another malcontent of the name of Law, and these two commenced the publication of a periodical, the object of which was to expose the abominations of Smith and the other heads of the church; its title was "The Expositor." In the first number they published sixteen affidavits of females whom Smith and others had attempted to seduce, under plea of having had special permission from God. On the publication of the first number, Smith called a meeting of the authorities of the town, who were all mere puppets in his hands. At the meeting this "Expositor" was condemned as a nuisance, and two hundred men were sent to pull down Foster's house and the printing office. A bonfire was made of the paper, presses, types, and other implements, and Foster and Law had to flee for their lives to Carthage, where they commenced a legal action by issuing a warrant for Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. They surrendered themselves and were taken prisoners to Carthage, expecting as easy an acquittal in this case as on many other occasions, in consequence of the intimidation and bribery they had in their power to exercise. But there enemies knew as well as themselves that they ran no risk in a mock trial. Their mode of acting was of a more summary character. A number of men came disguised, and with blackened faces, to the prison; overpowered the jailors, and then deliberately fired upon
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