1872 09 21 Chicago Tribune Emigration to Utah

Emigration to Utah

Chicago Tribune 21 Sep 1872

EMIGRATING TO UTAH. Passage Through Chicago of 600 Mormon Converts* Character and Appearance of the Newly- Made Latter- Day Saints. England and Scandinavia Brig- ham's Principal Depots of Supply. Few Catholics Ever Become Followers of Joseph Smith. A Talk with an Ingenuous Mor- mon " Missionary." While public sentiment baa set recently in a stronger tide than ever against the practice of polygamy and the Mormon Ghuroh as its apolo- gist, the Church itself has not been idle. Far and - wide, in America ana in Europe, its mission- aries are laboring with wonderful earnestness to bring more converts to the Churoh, and strengthen, numerically at least, their now some- what critical position. The last evidence received of this fact is the arrival, in this country, of a large party of Eng- lish, Scotch, Irish, Welsh, and Scandinavian emi- grants, all hound, through much sea sickness and tribulation, for the territory whose name is a by- word among the nations for superstitious bigo- try, and, as the woild is wont to view it, the para- dise of the sensual. The party arrived in New York in charge of Elder G. W. Wilkins, who was assisted in his charge by James A. Lishman, Christian Madsen, and T. O. Thomasen. The two latter had oharge of the Scandinavians, while the former attended the general wants of the party, and transacted all the businees connected with, and inseparable from, the conduct of so large a mass of travelling humanity. There were,* all told, 698 souls, of whom 295 were English, 256 Scandinavians, 25 Scotch, 12 Welsh, and 4 Irish. They left Liver- pool in the Guion & Williams steamer, Minne- sota, on Sept. 4, and had altogether a com- fortable passage, there being no sioknesa on board beyord the ordinary trials and tribula- tions of eea- sickness. They arrived in Castle Garden after a 12 days' passage, and spent a day and a half in New York City. They left that locality on Wednesday, via the Pennsylvania & Fort Wayne Roads, for the Far West, some for Salt Lake City, some for Ogder, and various points in Utah Territory. So large a party could not be conveyed in one train, and two specials were provided to convey them to their destination. The former of these con- tained about 400 emigrants, principally English, with a fair share of Scandinavians, and consisted of nine densely crowded cars, arriving in Chicago at about 8 o'clock last night. Mr. Lishmas, who, owing to the protracted sickness of Mr. Williams, had to shoulder the responsibilities attaching to tlse party, had telegraphed ahead, and the train backed into the yard of the Chicago & North- western Railroad, where a transfer of baggage and passengers was made without delay or con- fusion. The other train, which contained the re- niair der of the party, arrived about two hours later, and the party started for the still more western regions of the UnionPaoiflc, at 11 o'clock p. m. A reporter of THE TKIBUNE met the train at Liverpool, Ind., ana journeying in with them, had ample opportunity to oonverse with many oil them and form an opinion as to their general appearance. The unfortunate travellers, who had b6en journeying steadily westward for more than a fortnight, presented, in many oases, a wee- tie gone and dilapidated appearance, but eeemed to be supported by a blissful termination of the fatigue. They had not had muoh sleep, and were greatly in need of rest. Many of those from England were travelling enfamille, whole fami- lies coming from neighboring districts. While they were Mormons in belief, they had not yet become so in practice, and were troubled with the care of only one family. Fortunate for them that this was the case, for the trouble and anxie- ties of one brood were in many oases more than enough for worn out parents. The English portion of the party was composed me inly of mechanics, farm hands and the like, and the Scandinavians were among those a trifle lower in th walks of life. The former were by no mears the stupid or ignorant people that pre- jucice against their particular creed would lead one to imagine. They were, as a rule, bright and intelligent. They were healthy, stout looking country folk of the better class. Many of them were going to friends, whose conversion years ago to Mormon doctrines had brought them out to the land of promise. Others were gc ing at a venture, longing to practice freely what, accordr mg to their convictions, was a religious privi- lege or duty, relying upon meeting � there friends and acquaintances of early days. Oae intelli- gent- looking Gloucestershire- man had been con- certed to Mormonism twenty years ago, and left wife and children in England to prepare in the uelds of Utah a home and means So bring them to it. Several women were going out to join their husbands, possibly to And % hem linked aiready to more families than one. One old lady with glasses was going out aim- lessly and alone. She was a cheery soul from Wottingham, and expected to meet some one there She knew; any wa? there were plenty of Notting- ham folk going to Utah, and she would go too. iThere were very many old ladies, an astonish- Sng number of them in fact. What they expect- ed to do in Utah, unless they were travelling � with relations, or to join some who had gone be- fore, no one can tell. One or two young men, whe had come along with the party, got off at � hicago, knowing that good steady work would open for them. They expressed their intention � V remaining here, the urgent advice of their Meads proving fruitless. Itwasstated that the party was about equally e! tviae& in point of numbers, as men, womenD ead children; but, as far as could be observed, & majority of young and good looking girlc, paging from Iff to 20 years of age, comely laseee fho were not married, and would not be, B� r. I^ aheaan acsured the reporter, until they do- gged. This goint of similarity between Gen- S% 38 and Ms rmons of the sex is noticeable. Of 8i ren th6re were plenty,� of all ages and girls and boys in all conditions of chub- ' Jflsiess, hunger, misery, fretfulness and misohief. feme GC the children were mourning a father t? rfeo cot om the train for dinner, and� in the lan- gsasc oft the slang, " got le� c." ihe ether train, teiv? evarv bronchi thaso misguided parents to XEgst their ^ spring In Chjoago. � E 0 reporter, finding LZr. Tiohman, stated � kiiy who he war:, and what he wanted to learn � Witt regard to the party, adding that he was trail aware that Hormone ger- erally were not in- tblicad to converse with remarkable freedom whan the representatives of the Gentile press ware in the vieinity0 Sr., IdsIiEaan, \ rith e^ � al ccaJor, said ko * rea H3t, and that tfco pro's � f this o - * ntry JSnropehad erased tS. e Mormsa Church, and persecuted it without @ aaae. Ee was willing, mwever, to give my information that would tend to enlighten the outside worlds, w& rm E � � smsiderod to fee grossly ignorant m all aaatteas pertaining to Maimo& Som. i/ ha e$ n- � vsreation, carried on in � dark asd Qslsy oteamear, waB necessarily � aHe � It. sndeesesessary to rspsoduoe in fuli/ tac fee subs tianceia given below. Mr. Lishman, by tse ^ ray, is a wiry, well formed, shrewd Scotch- man, a out 38 or � o years of age. He answered JaEestions readily and with singular energy, as � fSaagh fully convinced of the purity of his creed Cfid the force of his remarks. He spoke with a tsfeong Gootch accent, which his 20 years' resi- dence in this country, off and on, have not yet worn OM. Saporier. Will you give me an insight into our byetem of making converts 1 Mr Lishman. You call it a system. We have )� s oj3t6m. There are Elders of our Church, mis ^ ionaries, preaching the true Gospel in Earope, at a filiess are the men who make converts. Reporter. How are these Elders appointed 1 LZr. LeshDQaa. Thev are'called by tne General Convention of the Church, lieporter. And what salary do they receive ! Mr. Lishman. They receive no salary at all. I have preached through Scotland ana the north of England without puise or scrip, and have made my living comfortably among those who wera convinced of the truth of the new gospel. Reporter. How ie it that they come together in so large a party f Mr. Lishman. Those who are converted nat- urally wish to join their brethren in the faith in this country. By applying to the Elders they re- ceive instructions as to what steps to take to come to this country. They fmeet the Mormon agents in Liverpool, sn 1 they are thus as& isted in ercsupg the water and the Continent from New York to Utah. Reporter. Do they come through at their own expense ? Mr. Lishman. All the able- bodied men you ses here come through at their own axpenae. Brig- ham Young and others subscribed about $ 6 000 to assist the penniless incoming over, but apart from this sum there was no money offered. Reporter. Where did you preach when in Eng- land ? � Mr. Lishman. We are always willing in Utah to offer a Methodist or an Unitarian clergyman an opportunity to preach from our pulpits. They may preach and their hearers may judge for tl! em selves where and what the truth is. But while in England, only on two occasions was I permitted to speak from an orthodox pulpit. Reporter. I suppose that of the English the majority belong to the Established Church 9 EMr. Lishman. Mess of them did ; but there them 8� me We8leyana aad Baptists among f Reporter. Any Catholics ? Mr. Lishman. No; I don't think there was one � Catholic among the party. f CathoHcitm ? D� y�- U ma! se many converta from Mr. Lishman, No; as a general thing we do not. There are ozily four Irish in the party now. Reporter. How many ElSers kava you Mr. Lishman. I believe that there aie at present about 20 in England, and 14 or 15 in Nor- wa?, Dennoark, and S weden, Reporter. How do their efforts succeed i � Mr Lishman. Mormonism is largely on the increase m Scandinavia, bus in Eogllnd the con- veFy " PiUiy, and in that country no perceptible gain has been made. There are about 8,000 In England and Scandinavia. Reporter. It is generally urged against polygamy, that its tendencies are sensual and retrogressive. What do you think? Mr Lishman. Ikcowthis. Before the rail- road was completed there were no houses of prostitution in Salt Lake City. Since the influx of Gentiles, they spring up occasionally, but are suppressed by the city authorities as nuisances Reporter. Do you regard polygamy in the Mormon Church as a privilege to be indulged ir- only by believers ? Mr Lishman. It is an order, Sir; a saored duty. Not that all Mormons are neesesarily P Jygamists. Many of them have only one wife But I'll tell you what I told a gentlemen I met on the train in England. He asked me muoh the name questions as yon are asking. Goa gave our first parents the com- mand to increase and multiply, and replenish the earth. Now, supposing that the nnmber of men and women to whom the com- mand was given was equal. Then you have mon- ogamy. But, supposing half a dozen men and half a dozen women, and two of the men refuse to marry,� are they to oondemn the women to perpetual maidenhood through their wickedness or inability to marry i Is it not morally right for these two women to marry themselves to two of the married men I And, if this is trne in the case of half a dozen, is it not equally true with the whole world 1 Now, Sir, there's where Mormon- ism cornea in and displays its Divine origin! Lst me tell yon that there are in England, to- day, 640,000 more women than men, and the propor- tion is the same throughout the civilized woild. Hence the necessity for Mormonism. And then, Bir, we have bad a revelation. There is not a doubt in my mind that God appeared to Joseph Smith and called on him to preach the Gospel to the world. Reporter. How are you going to convince the world of the genuineness of the revelation t Mr. LiBhman. We don'c want to oonvinoe the world. We don't expeot to make oonverts, exeept here and there. The world refused to be- lieve JesuB Christ, and it's just as faithless to- Afty as it Wfts tb 0210 The reporter did not remind Mr. Lishman that a creed that ceased to spread must shortly fade away, but after some further conversation on Moirnonism in its physiological aspect, where he was promptly met with the standard argu- ments of the Church, and a reference to the cus- toms of the Hebrew patriarchs, and the recogni- tion of Abraham by Jesus Christ. The reporter inquired whether the emigrants received grants of land on their arrival; but learned that they receive a no more than they could purchase. There was no doubt, however, that thev would be well taken care of. While the train was waiting at Sixteenth street, the friends of the emigrants who had been notified of tneir arrival, flocked to meet them. The Britisher whose sojourn in this country was estimated by months only, patronized his ac- quaintance whom not a year ago he left among the Lincoln shire Wo Ids, and gave utterance to sage opinions, freely criticising the Mormons and characterizing their creed as villanous. After the train had watted half an hour at the crossing, and Briton AmeiioanJzed had frater- nized with the raw emigrant, and made advanoes to the pretty girls who wouldn't be married until they wiBhed, a tall and portly person came through the oars and said, " Ees there any one more for Chicago V To which a forlorn woman with two children made answer by rising. The portly person looked defiantly at her and re- marked, " It vas better you mind your beesnesa then, eh" and conducted her out. This gentle- man's manner was not calculated to cheer the hoptless emigrants The transfer of the emigrants snd their bag- gage was done without the least confusion, and in a manner highly creditable to the manage- ment of the two railroads, the Pittsburgh & Fort Wayne and Chicago & Northwestern. The party are still en route for Brigham Young's dominion.