Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1877 — Life Among the Mormons. [ARTICLE]

Life Among the Mormons.

The thraldom that Utah labors under is sadly apparent. Its laws have been the work of ’’ Apostles and Prophets.” The result is a priest-ridden community. Their system of public education 1 is very inferior. It is their custom to bring out their young brethren to “ give testimony” as mouth-pieces of the Lord. I heard recently some of these “ testimonies” at a gathering pf some 120 women of all ages. The leading spirit seemed to be Airs. Eliza R. Snow. She is full seventy years of age, and has been ’’sealed” to the Prophet Joseph Smith for eternity and to Brigham Young for this life. She predicted a great famine, and exhorted the sisters of Zion to gather grain, for an awful day was coming when both saints and sinners would come to be fed from die granaries of Zion. The women at the close of the meeting went away each one, seemingly, firmly determined to gather in her little mite of grain to be stored up against the coming famine. During the meeting an Irish woman arose to ” bear testimony” that she enjoyed the only true religion in the world. She was thankful for the knowledge given her. She was not afraid to talk before anybody, not even the preachers, of whom Bhe had confuted as many as five at a time, She believed’-in the prophecy about the grain, too, for she had once read a story about a princess somewhere, she could not exactly recollect, who died,of starvation, and in the tomb beside her were her jewels and diamonds and pearls, witha letter saving.- “ May the finder of these jewels die by the same death I did.” This proved to her the reality of the impending famine. I was, at this meeting, asked to give my own “ testimony,” but replied that I had come to listen and learn. Shortly, a sister became inspired and spoke in tongues.” Her manner and gesticulation were those of an insane person. I distinguished a few such words as “uno urano, uro turo tuero te,” and others similar in sound. These expressions Sister Zama L. Young, a prophet, interpreted as meaning that there is a recording angel at the right hand of Ood, who keeps account of all the good and evil done in life. This was followed by an exhortation to repent, watch mid pray.. At the close of this meeting, which lasted over two hours, I asked The lady if she knew the language she had been called upon to interpret. She replied that she had been raised on a Ranch, and had received scarcely any of the advantages of early education. H«r knowledge came on the spot, instantaneously, through the inspiration of prayer. They asked me if I was an infidel. On this particular head I replied indefinitely, but told them it was rather hard to believe in “ prophecies,” “ gifts of inspiration,” or speaking in public without any previous thought as to wliat I might say. Public schools are needed here. There are many young men and women here whose parents have not bee a able to give them an education. The Episcopal Church gives free tuition for 200 children, and has many more applications, notwithstanding the Mormon opposition to free schools. Recently this school performed the Cantata of Queen Esther to crowded audiences Mrs. Haydon, who supervised this performance, is about leaving for Europe, much to the regret of the Salt Lake people. A Gentile correspondent of one of the Salt Lajce journals thus sets forth some of the pecularities attending education here; “ My favored lot in Zion is that of a (Jay laborer. I have about $250 taxable property, and four children of school age. To keep them in school, say seven months in the year, costs thirty-five dollars for tuition alone, exclusive of books, schoolhouse tax, etc. Tim is a tax of fourteen per cent, on my taxable property for the one item of tuition alone. Now, were I a citizen of lowa, I would pay for the privileges, with all school-house expenses thrown in, on the above $250, $1.50; or in Illinois, $1; in Ohio, 90 cents; Maine, 75 cents; New York, 43 cents; Indiana, 22 cents. Now, Brigham Young’s assessable property is noi over $2,500,000, and his not very numerous offspring who are of school age, we estimate at forty, making his school tax .00014, or about one-seventh of one mill on the dollar, while I pay .14, or 140 mills. That ia to say, I pay one dollar in seven of my assessable property, while Brighamjpays one in $7,l4B.”— SaU Lake Cor. N. Y. Graphic. «Mr .i ii i ——— .’-II .n.tmhm

—ln connection with the Moody and Sankey services in Boston, the following is related: “ A business man of Boston, a member of the church, is in the habit of lunching down town. A few days since, as he was seated at the table in a restaurant where he was no stranger, the proprietor accosted him with ‘Do you see any change here?’ ‘No.’ ‘Why, don’t you notice that my.bar is gone ?’ ‘ Well,’ said the wondering disciple, after staring a moment, ‘ what Is that for U ‘Why,you see, I’ve been down to the Tabernacle lately, and I’ve made np my mind that if cah’taftbm this business any longer; so I’ve turned round.’ And, taking a card from Ms pocket, he showed a list of men he was praying for, and told earnestly of the work he was now doing. Then, with the eagerness and confidence of new-born enthusiasm, he arid, 4 flow tell me what Jou are doing?’ No answer. The proessed disciple wasn’t doing anything. But the question sent an astonished man home to ask God to show him his work.”