Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1882 — The Founder of Mormonism. [ARTICLE]

The Founder of Mormonism.

Joe Smith was born in Rutland, Vt., about the time that Wingate, the combined forger and charlatan, made such a sensation there. He removed, when a youth, to Palmyra, N. Y., and there liigdon found him. Smith was full of magnetism, full of warm blood, a hearty, generous fellow — from the description an original, untutored Jim Fisk. After proper training, Smith became the prophet and liigdon the inspiration behind him, putting cuififußg words into the mouth of the boor. At last Smith, finding how pleasant it was to play prophet, and flattered by the devotion paid him drew away from the cold Rigdon. For one of his ?en. ual nature, it was but natural to oouflude that if celestial plural marriages were good it was a grievous waste of time to wait for death to sauctifythem, that real women were to be to doubtful and unsubstantial ghosts, and that the right thing was to be sealed to those still in the flesh. So he had a revelation; polygamy became a part of the Mormon religon, and Joe Smith a little Mohammed. Followers began to flock rapidly around Smith. Probably, without being conscious of the fact, he had ma.de animalism the keystone in the arch of his creed, and given to his church all the adhesiveness which cements Christian creeds, and in addition all the fascination which, to sens'jal natures, clings to Mohammedism. Thence forth the institution thrived until it became so much of a nuisance and took on attributes of such menace to free government, that in a paroxysm of rage the mob killed Smith. Though his life had been full of irregularities, in the hearts of his followers li is death made him a martyred prophet who had died for his people, and ever since he has been held by them as one to be reverenced next to the Nazarene.