1841-02-09-Christian Reflector-Mormons in Franklin County
Mormons in Franklin County
Christian Reflector, v5 n6, 9 February 1842, p. 2
- For the Christian Reflector
Mr. Editor,—The following facts cannot fail to interest your readers; neither, we think, will their publication be entirely useless. They will at least lead people to inquire how it is, that in a community where the institutions of the gospel have been established, and the means of religious improvement abound, a heresy, so wild and diabolical as Mormonism, can make proselytes. The religious knowledge of such persons must be most lamentably superficial, whatever their advantages. The inefficiency of Sabbath school instruction—the neglect of God's word—and the paucity of religious books of the better kind, among our churches, are, it seems to me, sad and most lamentable realities. Leving reflections however, I will give the narrative.
In the year 1835, a resident of Wendell, and member of the Baptist church, took into his carriage, as he was journeying homeward, a weary traveller. This man, who proved to be a Mormon, so won upon the credulity and good nature of his friend, that he invited him to stop at his house; and the invitation was accepted. This led to his continuance in town for a considerable period, which he employed in giving lectures and explaining and defending "the new revelation." And although the absurdities of his story and system of faith were amply exposed, by both the Congregational and the Baptist pastors, he actually succeeded in making several proselytes, and shook the faith of a number more. Among the believers was one Baptist brother, who was previously in good repute for his stability. He was ordained elder by the travelling preacher,and the new church left in his charge. Since the founder left, I believe none have been added; several have emigrated to the "promised land." They have several times attempted the working of miracles, and even to raise the dead, and their failure probably put a stop tho their accession. Matters continued thus with the "latter day saints" in Mormon Hollow, till last autumn, when commenced a new era in their history. A member of our House of Representatives from that county, whose testimony is unimpeachable, has furnished me with the following facts, and consented to their publication.
A citizen of New Salem sometime since emigrated to Pennsylvania and Michigan, and finally to Nauvoo, having, with his family, been converted to the faith of "Jo Smith." Last autumn his son returned to New England. In New Hampshire he fell in company with one or more Mormons, who came with him to New Salem, and commenced lecturing in defence of Mormonism. Mr. Magin the chief speaker, has continued his lectures ever to the present time, and with astonishing success. The other man has been withdrawn seemingly by a special judgment of heaven. He was one cold night found in a pond in Warwick, divested entirely of clothing. He was questioned, and found to be insane; having laid his clothes, he was with difficulty induced to direct to them, and when he did a [illegible] to be laid across a mark in the road which pointed in that direction. He was suffered to take his own course, and wandered into Wendell, where he was met by the ordained preacher referred to before, who took him to his own home.
the following Sabbath the disciples assemble and undertook to restore the insane by [illegible] -acle. As they failed to do this, however, he was taken to the poor house of N. S. where he remains. Still the infatuation continues until more than twenty have been proselyted. Mr. Magin dogmatically tells them they can believe or not, but the time will come when they "will have to believe." Mr. H. baptizes them, which is salvation. Afterwards hands are laid upon them and they receive the Holy Ghost with divers gifts. In one case, a cure of a long standing disease they pretend has been effected; and further, that the woman was released from a severe distress by the laying on of the hands of the preacher. One of her sons has commenced preaching, and also speaks in an unknown tongue, which a younger brother declares is an old Latin oration which he has heard him rehearse two times. But the most marvellous part of the story is, the old lady "interprets his tongue!" In another case a little girl being very sick, the parents tried the efficiency of the elder's miraculous powers a long time; but this failing, they sent for Dr. A; his engagements being many, he sent medicine, promising to call in the afternoon. In the evening he found the sufferer relieved;—they said by miracle, positively affirming that the ??re medicine had not been administered. But, as a Good of trth would have it, Miss ___ who was on the point of believing the heresy, saw the medicine given, and "therefore she knew that the whole was an imposition." Yet the sect is gaining ground. The Congregational and Baptist clergymen have recently delivered lectures on the subject; with what success, however, we have not heard. T. E. S.
