1866 08 27 Brooklyn Eagle-Mormons in Brooklyn
Mormons in Brooklyn
- Brooklyn Eagle, 27 August 1866, pg. 2
The community at large is perhaps scarecely aware of the existence of a branch of the "Mormon" or Latter-day Saint's Church in our midst. Yet such is the fact, and the branch, to all appearance, not only exists, but thrives, if one may draw an inference from the fact that the young leaves on it (to carry out the simile) are much more numerous than the old ones. The fact of their remaining comparatively unknown up to the present time is indicative of a modesty and diffidence rare in these days, in which the art of attracting public attention has been so far perfected, and in which it is so extensively used to subserve the purposes of charlatans, religious propagandists and politicians. The branch to which we refer exists in Williamsburgh, and holds regular meetings in Adelphi Hall. Here they meet every Sunday afternoon and evening for worship and attention to their religious concerns. Whatever may be the number of the congregation, it is certainly not large enough to obliterate the individuality of its members, for all seem quite at home each one knowing every one, and the meeting possessing more the character of a reunion than of a set religious service. They observe all the ordinary forms of worship, however, in singing, prayer, and preaching. The services are usually conducted by one of the elders, who are the highest officers of these local organizations. Beneath them are the priests, teachers and deacons. The general organization of the church consists of the President, his two counselors, and twelve apostles under each of whom are seveny-preachers. The duty of these apostles is simply the duty of the twelve apostles of Christ, to travel throughout the earth preaching and making converts. That of the seventy subordinates of each of the apostles is to labor in the same field under his direction. They believe in the divinity of Christ, whom they regard as the Son of God, but distinct alike from him and from the Holy Ghost. Each of the three persons of the Trinity they regard as possessing a separate existence, and if it may be so expressed, a distinctive individuality. They believe in the necessity of repentance, and of baptism (by immersion) for the remission of sins. They aim in their church government to reproduce as nearly as possible the early government of the Christian church as set forth in the New Testament. This creed is not sufficient perhaps to characterize them completely as a sect. For that purpose we must add the institution of polygamy, the belief that it is right for a man to have more than one wife, if he desires, and can get them, and the further belief of modern inspiration as evinced in the person of Joseph Smith, their prophet. Such is their religion—such is the belief require to constitute a "Mormon."
At the services held yesterday addresses were delivered by Elder Tullidge, of Great Salt Lake City, and by Elder Wm. H. Miles, of the Williamsburgh branch. The attendance was somewhere in the vicinity of ninety and if we are correctly informed it embraced about as large a proportion of the total membership as is usually present at religious worship in other churches of this city.
Mr. Tullidge on being introduced to the meeting referred to the early struggles of the church and to the gradual growth and dissemination of its principles among the class for which Christianity was more especially intended, namely, the poor and unfortunate, notwithstanding the opposition it had met with and the obloquy which had been heaped upon it since Joseph Smith first ventured on its renovation and reestablishment. He attributed the success which had attended the labors of their early converts and apostle to their earnestness. Although young and untutored in the ways of the world, they had the ardor of conviction; they had a firm and steadfast faith which had enabled them to stand forth and preach the gospel in spite of persecution and reproach, even in strange countries and cities where no one knew them. It was to this earnestness they owed their success. They had been called impostors. Would it be believed that men who had given up all, who had endured public scorn, who had left their homes, and crossed seas, and submitted to be driven from their abiding places, and finally succeeded in building up a great community were impostors? Men who undertook impositions were old and gray-haired and crafty, but Joseph Smith, when he made his great announcement to the world was only fourteen years old, not an age when a man was likely to be an impostor. He gave a short account of the achievements of the Mormons; how they had been driven from town to town and finally chased into the wilderness in the expectation and hope that they might there starve; how soon after a call was made on them for five hundred men for the American army in the Mexican war, in the hope that ill as they could spare them they might refuse, and so bring down on themselves the punishment of rebellion; how Brigham Young, as he always does, checkmated their persecutors by sending the quota demanded, although it took nearly one-fourth of his able-bodied men; how in spite of these drawbacks they went through the desert and established themselves on soil which then belonged to the Mexicans, but which they first claimed for the American flag; how they discovered the gold in California, and how they gradually built up a flourishing community in the Valley of Salt Lake. He claimed that some consideration was due to them by this Government which they had served with such devoted loyalty. He referred to their great and increasing prosperity as indications that the hand of God was in the work, not because he considered any community that was flourishing as particularly favored of God, but because the hand of God was in the great results of every age, and this was one of the results of this age. He said that the earnestness of the Latter-day Saints was their one great characteristic, and that which had enabled them to succeed in the face of their many difficulties. When driven from a village they became a town; when expelled from the town they became a city; and finally, when driven thence, the became a little nation. They would become greater were they interfered with, but he believed they would not be. He said that in the beginning of their career they were poor, but now they were prosperous, and had all they could desire in abundance. They had formed over a hundred settlements, covering a space of territory larger than England, and they intended now to invite the poor and oppressed everywhere to come to the homes provided for them in this land of abundance and liberty. The relatives and friends of their people in foreign lands could not be less than a million, and these they intended to get first. A great effort is about to be made, and it will soon be seen that "Mormonism" will be among the powers that are respected. He took occasion, towards the close of his address, to advert to some remarks which had appeared in the Tribune, charging the Mormon emigrants to this country with being especially filthy, and insinuating that they were immoral by saying that the sexes slept together promiscuously. He denied both charges. he said that their emigration was conducted with a great deal of system and care, and in such an excellent manner as to attract even the attention of the British Government, which had caused inquiries as to their mode to be made with the view of adopting any improvements the inquiry might suggest. As to the other charge that sexes consorted promiscuously on the passage, without regard to decorum, he said it was intended to convey an idea which was not the truth. He admitted the fact that the sexes slept together, but said it was as man and wife, as decent people do all the world over. The only thing they could urge in that connection was polygamy. The marriage tie was as sacredly regarded among them by both sexes as it was in any other community. They had their children and they were just as solicitous for their legitimacy; they had their daughters and sisters and they were as anxious for their purity and chastity and more careful than most others in maintaining and upholding them. Perhaps that was the cause of the enmity and malignity of some outsiders towards their church. He asserted that they wished to cultivate the highest possible morality, that they loved virtue like others, and that they were not behindhand or slack in their efforts for its promotion. He was willing to admit that some of their members were immoral, but as far as they found any man to be so they cut him off, expelled him from the church, and he did not see the justice of making them responsible for that which as a body they would not tolerate.
In the course of his remarks he took occasion to advert to the charity the Mormons had shown even to those who persecuted and maligned them. He spoke of the kindess which John C. Fremont and his party received at their hands and—probably forgotten. He also mentioned the kindness that they were in the habit of showing towards overland trains. In conclusion he thanked them for the opportunity that had been given him to address them on that occasion.
He was followed by Elder Wm. H. Miles. This gentleman gave full credit ot the reporter of the Tribune for his ascertainment and statement of facts. He was of the opinion that the passages referred to were the work of another hand—probably an editorial one. He believed the account of the filthy condition of their emigrants originated in some circumstances in relation to the ship Cavour. Some of its passengers had told him that persons from Castle Garden, probably under-strappers in the employ of the Customs department, had come on board and endeavored to extort money under the threat that unless they paid it they would all be detained at Castle Garden. They refused to pay it, and the officials referred to then threatened to have revenge, and he believed it was they who had contrived this story about the filthy condition of Mormon emigrants. He did not believe it was the work of any person connected with the Quarantine.
The vessel he could say was cleanly in all respects. He had been on board and had heard the highest testimony from the captain and officers of the vessel as to the cleanliness and good conduct of all the emigrants. As to the refusal to admit them to Castle Garden it was a fabrication for he knew that their emigrants were always welcomed there, and were well spoken of by the authorities in charge. They were fully as good as the average of the emigrants coming to that place. He spoke of this merely that their minds might be set at ease. He was afraid some of them would be troubled about it. For his own part he was not in the least annoyed. He had become accustomed to it. Many years ago, when a young member, he had felt all the attacks on the Church most acutely, but now his sensibilities were somewhat blunted. He concluded by an exhortation to the congregation to stand by and cherish the faith and the glorious hopes of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day saints.
These addresses were preceded by singing and prayer. The rite of communion was also administered. There was only one peculiarity about it, that instead of wine they used water—a point of no great importance, since the miracles of the past teach us that they are mutually convertible. An interesting ceremony performed yesterday was the laying on of hands and prayer for the sick. A pale faced little girl was presented, around whom the elders forming a circle placed their hands on her head and prayed for her recovery. We were informed after the services were over that this was done in imitation of the ancient practice of the church. Altogether their devotions and earnestness in their form of worship is as evident, and can no more fairly be doubted than can the sincerity of any other body amongst us.
