1858-07-01-Harrisburg Patriot and Union-Mormon Fanaticism

Mormon Fanaticism

Harrisburg PA Patriot and Union, 1 July 1858, pg. 3, column 2

Mormon Fanaticism—Letter from a Mormon Woman to her Parents in New Jersey

The following letter from a Mormon woman in Salt Lake City, addressed to her parents in New Jersey, has been handed us for publication. It was written on the eve of departure from Salt Lake City for the southern settlements, and is curiously descriptive of the writer's unbounded faith in Mermonism and her natural regrets at leaving her home:

GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, May, 1858.

MY DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER: I feel that I must write you another letter before I leave my home, as I do not know when or where I may get another opportunity of writing to you. I suppose that you have heard by this time, through your papers, that we are leaving our beautiful valley—to go we know not whither.

When first my beloved husband announced to me that it was decided that we should leave, I felt a pang at my heart. I looked out at my little flower-garden, the work of our own hands, and then around me, inside my little cottage, on the few little comforts which we had accumulated through hard labor; then I sauntered into the little room which I had prepared for your reception this season. I must abandon them all, and the hope of meeting father and mother and the rest of the family. And last, but not least, I looked upon our little ones, and my grief knew no bounds. In my rebellious heart I felt to say, I cannot expose my little ones to the trials of a wandering life, and ah, horror! perhaps the scalping-knife of the Indians, for we know that the soldiers are bribing them. I fancy I can hear you both say, "Is not Mormonism worth all these sacrifices, and even our lives?" Yes, my dear father and mother, it is. But you also know how very fond of home I am, and my love for my husband and children knows no bounds; and I felt that to see those dear ones suffering again, as I did before we had a home, was more than my strength could bear; but all this was the struggle of a few hours only. When I began to reflect upon my conduct, I felt truly ashamed of my weakness. How often had I, in bearing my testimony, said that I was willing to make any sacrifice for the work of the Lord, and when He was going to put me to the test, should I turn like a coward and say, "I cannot do it?" And then my rebellious heart would turn again and say, "Is it not your own house and land? did you not toil hard enough to get it? did you not sell all your trinkets, clothing—everything, in fact, that you possessed, to get the adobes to build it? and why should you give it up to a band of robbers, or, in other terms, to President Buchanan's troops, which are the same?"

But still I struggled and conquered. I then made up my mind that if I had to die it should be in the path of duty; and when my husband returned in the evening I could talk calmly to him of preparations for our departure. I next thought that, as I was now so strong, it was my duty to go and see Ellen and James; but what was my surprise, on reaching their house, to find them all ready to start, and when I asked Ellen if she did not feel a little bad at leaving her home, (for you know that she had one of the most comfortable in the valley,) she said, with a smile, "These things are not ours; they are the Lord's, and if he requires me to leave them, I am ready." I am sure you will think her a most noble woman, as I do. * * * * Where we are going, I know not: but this I do know, that if it were not for our ultimate good, we should not be permitted to leave these valleys.

Go where you will, you will see the Saints making cheerful preparation for their departure, and a word of comfort on their lips for their neighbors, notwithstanding which, a keen observer might perceive a tear glistening in the eye of some of the stoutest among us. We have enough to eat, and for that we are thankful. Our clothing is nearly all worn out, and it is not possible to buy any more here. If we had heeded the counsel of Bro. Brigham a little sooner we should now have had an abundance of clothing; but we are like children—we have to learn by experience. I think sometimes that if you could see me you might enjoy a hearty laugh at my expense; but fortunately for me I have now no mirror, and therefore my appearance does not annoy me much. I still have in my possession an article for daily wear, which once bore the appellation of "a dress," but so transformed is it that it would be difficult for a casual observer to decide which was the original dress piece. My husband also wears a coat of many colors. As for buying shoes and stockings, they are quite out of the question. We should have been out of this unpleasant state, if our enemies would only have left us alone, for we all began to see the necessity of manufacturing our own goods. We have already made some very good flannel here. We have twelve sheep of our own, two cows, three horses, two of which were working on the farm; the other was my own private property, made a present to me by my husband.

[A postscript to this letter, dated at an encampment thirty—five miles from Salt Lake City, adds:]

We are now thirty-five miles from the city, and living under our tents. I have nothing particular to add, save that my little Joseph is sick, but I have faith that he will get well. We do not trouble about him, nor about ourselves; we will all get through our trouble some day. It is good to feel that the Lord is for us, though men be ?? to us. I am resigned to my fate. It is all for the best.

Your affectionate daughter,

G———— R————.