Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1888 — Brigham Young’s Ready Wit. [ARTICLE]

Brigham Young’s Ready Wit.

Empkror William will make a visit to the C*ar, and will be accompanied by the man of iron. May they have a pleasant visit. Tub alleged plot of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers to-destroy with dynamite the property of the C., B. A Q. railroad ought not to be believed. Railroad engineers are not that kind of people, as their past record fully proves. If there is a plot it is by a few individuals, not by the Brotherhood. JvnoK Binm.K, of Philadelphia, while charging a jury recently, said that at the present day then* were two classed who favored lotteries—very religious people and very bad people. The first class wish the exclusive right to have rattles and modified lotteries, in order to make money for the church and serve God. The other class also finds it an easy way to make money. But the Judge added that he had far more difficulty with the religious people. In Puritan times nothing was more common than a lottery to pay a church debt, or for town purjKJses, such as building bridges, seminaries of learning, and for governmental purposes. Harvard College had more than one turn at the wheel. This a hint to impecunious churches and colleges of the present day. Portlaxd, Me., reports a very wonderful phosphorescent illumination over the city one night recently. The streets were brightened, and the people all set to wondering at the cause. But the solution came to those who climbed to the roofs, for it was found that a huge swarm of lightning bugs was flying toward the north. The effect was surpassingly beautiful. Migrations of animals and insects are difficult to understand, but they occur in the case of all living creatures, man included. In this way a creature that has been a pest for years suddenly, by a spontaneous movement, starts off and is seen no more. The same is true, untortunately, of our friends, also. No danger stops them, land or water all the same, on they march, often perishing by the million. The marvel is in the unanimity andjapparent spontaneity of the movement.

It is believed that the following anecdote of Brighairt Young has never before been published. The high priest of the Mormons often had to exert the whole of his wonderfully quick wit in order to preserve the faith that his followers had in him. A certain elder, while chopping wood, had Cut his leg so badly that it had to be amputated. As soon as he was able he came to Young and stated his case to him somewhat as follows; “I have always been a good Mormon, I have several wives and a good many children and in my present, maimed condition I do not know how 1 am to provide for them. I believe truly that you are Christ’s representative on earth, and that you have all the power that he had. If you like, you can work miracles; if you like, you can give me a new leg, and now I ask you to do it." Young assented to all the flattering propositions as they were laid down, and when the elder had finished speaking he said: “I can give you a new leg, and I will, but I want you to think a little about it first. When the day of judgment comes, wherever you are buried your old leg will find you out and join itself to you, but if I give you a new one, that will rise with you, too, and th question is, whether you would rathe suffer the inconvenience of getting along with one for a few years here or go through all eternity w T ith three legs,” The Choice was quickly made, and Brigham Young’s reputation as a miracle worker was saved.