1861-02-18-New York Herald-The Mormons in Williamsburgh
The Mormons in Williamsburgh
- New York Herald, 18 February 1861, p. 8
THE MORMONS IN WILLIAMSBURGH—The "Latter-Day Saints" profess, just at present, to be flourishing in Williamsburgh. They have succeeded, after "very hard fighting," in getting the Odeon in which to hold their meetings. They previously congregated at Columbia Hall, in Grand street. They now hold three meetings every Sunday, which are attended largely by a peculiar set of people—most of them out of curiosity. Many of the faithful are from different nations of Europe, waiting for the genial warmth of May, when a large caravan is to be formed by them to traverse the Plains. Among them are a company of Tyrolleans of both sexes, in their queer native costumes. The assemblages attracted by the Mormons of the Burgh are composed mainly of laboring people, evidently of low mental caliber.
The speakers yesterday were the two Apostles, Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow; the two late missionaries to England, N. V. Jones and Jacob Peters, and several laymen. Notwithstanding the voluminous productions of Joseph Smith, the Mormon preachers never deign to look up a test. They profess to be inspired. Orson Pratt asserts his Divine inspiration with the greatest assurance, and asserts that this whole nation who have "heard the word and not obeyed," shall most certainly go down to death and everlasting destruction. His manner is precisely that of a sledge-hammer revival-preacher. Erastus Snow, the other Apostle, was not so severe on the United States. He rather complimented them, from the fact that the nation had been selected to nurture the bud of Mormonism, though he characterized them as "a crooked and perverse generation," and their present downfall, he said, had been distinctly predicted and known and asserted by Mormons at least for thirty years.
The meetings yesterday were held at 10 1/2, 2 1/2 and 6 1/2 o'clock, and the Odeon was nearly filled each time. The Mormons were engaged in Williamsburgh, twelve years ago, and have sent away large numbers to Utah. There is now a congregation of 350, of whom 200 are permanent residents.
