1870-02-28-New York Herald-The Mormons

The Mormons

New York Herald, 28 February 1870, p. 4

The Mormons

How They are Treated by the Gentiles—The Tide of Indignation Subsiding—What Mormonism Believes in—The Service Yesterday.

For more than two months past the people of Long Island have been in an excited state of mind over the success of the Mormon bishops and elders in making converts to their faith. So infatuated were some of the people with the brilliant descriptions of the city of Utah and life therein that many professed their willingness to become converts, receive baptism and start upon their journey for the happy land. So popular were their ideas of Christianity becoming, as none of the ministers were content to confute them, but rather enjoyed the theory of abusing their exponents, that the more determined and passionate ones, concluded to drive them from the locality by some means, even by that of violence. While a meeting was in progress in East Meadows a party of twelve men entered and informed the "saints" that they would be obliged to leave the locality in half an hour or they would be driven out by force, and ten minutes found the preachers and party on their return to Freeport. When they arrived in the latter place they were waited upon by a deputation of citizens, who informed them that they would be required to leave the town in twenty-four hours, and if not gone in that time they would be subjected to mob violence and driven out by force. Thinking acquiescence the better part of valor they went to Patchogue. Here they intended to remain until civil protection was afforded them, when they would return. Justice Curtis, of Freeport, having promised protection the excitement has broken out again.

Yesterday a meeting was held at Christian Hook, and it was thought that a disturbance would ensue, but no one could be found among the malcontents daring enough to being the assault. Elder Brower preached in the afternoon, his sermon seeming to afford general satisfaction. During the course of his remarks he said:—"We do not wonder at the persecution which we receive here. The faith has been everywhere persecuted since its promulgation, as was Christ before it. We do not rely on the Book of Moron as a mode of worship, as has been stated by our persecutors, but, on the contrary we adhere with unparalleled zeal to the tenets of the Bible, delivered to us by the Almighty through revelation. Jospeh Smith had a revelation and found the plates containing the word of God concealed under ground, composed as they were of solid gold. Smith, too, was everywhere persecuted. He was arrested on various charges and tried forty-six times, each time being defended by Stephen A. Douglas, and acquitted. His persecutors, finding that they could not behead him in this way, lowered themselves to the common level of murder and had him assassinated. He was shot while declaring the faith he had received through revelation. Those who do not like our faith because it recognizes polygamy do not understand it. Some Mormons have more than one wife, but while they have the right it is not an obligation. Abraham and all the ancients had more than one wife, and while the Almighty was on the earth he dwelt with them and did not object to it—nay, he rather countenanced it. We believe that Christ came to save all. We have as much chance to be saved as any of the Protestant belief, for they, too, are schismatics. We all generated from the Catholic Church and owe our allegiance to her. If we are followers of a faith founded by a mortal man, then so are the Methodists, for they are followers of an insane mortal named Wesley. And a like characteristic will apply to them all. We claim to have all the gifts and blessings anciently enjoyed, and believe that we will inherit the earth after its destruction, and, further, that God, the Saviour and Holy Ghost are three distinct persons. Of all the learned divines none have ever been able to confute the Book of Mormon. If they think they are correct why fear the Mormons? We will give them every opportunity to confute our doctrines, and are willing to meet them on any public platform.

If they continue to hold these meetings some serious disturbance may be confidently looked for, which, if once commenced, will terminate in bloodshed, as they are determined to defend themselves to the last.