church shall make some misstep which will again direct public attention to it in a hostile manner. The devout Mormon has no more doubt that his church will dominate this nation eventually than he has in the divine character of his prophet's revelations. Absurd as such a claim appears to all non-Mormon citizens, in these days when Mormonism has succeeded in turning public attention away from the sect, it is interesting to trace the church view of this matter, along with the impression which the Mormon power has made on some of its close observers. The early leaders made no concealment of their claim that Mormonism was to be a world religion. "What the world calls Mormonism' will rule every nation," said Orson Hyde. "God has decreed it, and his own right arm will accomplish it."1 Brigham Young, in a sermon in the Tabernacle on February 15, 1856, told his people that their expulsion from Missouri was revealed to him in advance, as well as the course of their migrations, and he added: "Mark my words. Write them down. This people as a church and kingdom will go from the west to the east." Tullidge, whose works, it must be remembered, were submitted to church revision, in his "Life of Brigham Young" thus defines the Mormon view of the political mission of the head of the church: "He is simply an apostle of a republican nationality, manifold in its genius; or, in popular words, he is the chief apostle of state rights by divine appointment. He has the mission, he affirms, and has been endowed with inspiration to preach the gospel of a true democracy to the nation, as well as the gospel for the remission of sins, and he believes the United States will ultimately need his ministration in both respects. . . They form not, therefore, a rival power as against the Union, but an apostolic ministry to it, and their political gospel is state rights and self-government. This is political Mormonism in a nutshell." 2 Tullidge further says in his "History of Salt Lake City" (writing in 1886): "The Mormons from the first have existed as a society, not as a sect. They have combined the two elements of organization the social and the religious. They are now a new society power in the world, and an entirety in themselves. They are indeed the only religious community in Christendom of modern birth." 3 1 Journal of Discourses, Vol. VII, pp. 48-53. 2 p. 244. 8 p. 387. Some of the closest observers of the Mormons in their earlier days took them very seriously. Thus Josiah Quincy, after visiting Joseph Smith at Nauvoo, wrote that it was "by no means impossible" that the answer to the question, "What historical American of the nineteenth century has exerted the most powerful influence upon the destiny of his countrymen," would not be, "Joseph Smith." Governor Ford of Illinois, who had to do officially with the Mormons during most of their stay in that state, afterward wrote concerning them: "The Christian world, which has hitherto regarded Mormonism with silent contempt, unhappily may yet have cause to fear its rapid increase. Modern society is full of material for such a religion. . . . It is to be feared that, in the course of a century, some gifted man like Paul, some splendid orator who will be able by his eloquence to attract crowds of the thousands who are ever ready to hear and be carried away by the sounding brass and tinkling cymbal of sparkling oratory, may command a hearing, may succeed in breathing a new life into this modern Mohammedanism, and make the name of the martyred Joseph ring as loud, and stir the souls of men as much, as the mighty name of Christ itself." 1 The close observers of Mormonism in Utah, who recognize its aims, but think that its days of greatest power are over, found this opinion on the fact that the church makes practically no converts among the neighboring Gentiles; and that the increasing mining and other business interests are gradually attracting a population of non-Mormons which the church can no longer offset by converts brought in from the East and from foreign lands. Special stress is laid on the future restriction on Mormon immigration that will be found in the lack of further government land which may be offered to immigrants, and in the discouraging stories sent home by immigrants who have been induced to move to Utah by the false representations of the missionaries. Unquestionably, if the Mormon church remains stationary as regards wealth and membership, it will be overshadowed by its surroundings. What it depends on to maintain its present status and to increase its power is the loyal devotion of the body of its adherents, and its skill in increasing their number in the states which now surround Utah, and eventually in other states. 1 Ford, "History of Illinois," p. 359. INDEX A Aaronic Priesthood, 120. "Abraham, Book of," 140. Adam-ondi-Aliman, revelation about, 195; last Aikin party, murder of, 450; indictments for, Alexander, Col. E. B., leader of foremost com- Allen, Capt. J., instructions about the Bat- Alma, 94. Alphabet, Mormon, 439. Amlicites, 54. Ammaron hides the golden plates, 91. Anderson, Rosmos, victim of blood atone- Anthon, Prof. Charles, account of Harris's "Argus's" letters on Mountain Meadows Apostasies, early, 133; reasons for, 153. 120. Archbold, Ann, on Mormon dishonesty, 332. Arthur, Charlotte, on endowment oath, 355. Atchison, Gen. D. R., Smith's counsel, 199; Atwater, Darwin, on Rigdon's early declara- Avard, S., reveals Danite constitution, 191; Axtell, S. B., governor of Utah Territory, 573. B Babbitt, A. W., delegate to Congress, 430; Babel, tower of, departure of Jaredites, 90. Balzac, on seers, 5. Bancroft, H. H., "History of Utah," viii; on Bank at Kirtland, story of, 148-152; redemp- Baptism, Disciples' and Mormon doctrine, 64; Baskin, R. N., prosecutor, 568. Bateman, W., part in Mountain Meadows Battalion, the Mormon, how organized, 371; Beadle, J. H., on the "Reformation," 444; on Beaver Island, Wis., Strang's colony, 325. 63, 64; reasons for acceptance, 124, 126; Bennett, Gen. James A., for Vice President, ! Mormon licentiousness charged, 270; with Benson, A. G., Brannan's alleged interview Benson, E. T., proposed settlement in Iowa, Bently, Adamson, connection with Rigdon, Benton, R. H., Mountain Meadows story, Benton, R. T., attack on Morrisites, 541. Bernhisel, J. M., truth about the Battalion, 372 note; Delegate in Congress, 501. Bidamon, Maj. L. C., Emma's second hus- Big Blue, Mo., attack on, 177, 178. Bishops, the first, 120; to hold property, 146; Black, Adam, agreement signed by, 198. Black, J. S., attorney general, approval of Bowles, Samuel, visit to Utah, 552. Boyd of Kentucky, presents Deseret constitu- Boynton, J., in church fight, 158. Brandebury, L. G., chief justice of Utah Ter- Brannan, S., emigration to California, 387, Breastplate, delivery to Smith, 32; Mother Bridger, Col. James, meets Utah pioneers, Brockman, Col., part in "last Mormon war," Bross, Lieut. Gov., visit to Utah, 552. Kane, 501, 502; back-down to Young, 504; Buffaloes, vast herds of, 381. Buffington, J., chief justice of Utah Territory, Bullock, T., experiences during the migration, Burgess, Salem trip, 147. "Burnings," the, in Illinois, 336, 343. Burr, D. H., surveyor general, presence re- C Caine, J. T., "Home Rule Bill," 607. proposed consolidation with Deseret, 430; Campbell, Alexander and Thomas, 59; Alex- ander's views of Rigdon, 61; Rigdon's jeal- Campbellites. See Disciples of Christ. Canada, Mormon settlement in, 614; anti- Cannon, G. Q., alleged endowment oath, 354; Cárdenas, expedition to Utah, 395. Carleton, A. B., member Utah commission, Carlton, Gen., erects cairn in Mountain " Carlin, Gov., on Nauvoo municipal court, 246. Carroll County, Mo., town started in, 195; Carthage Grays, part in the Smiths' murder, Caswall, Rev. H., test of Smith's knowledge, 141; a Sunday service at Nauvoo, 260. Chartered Sisters of Charity, 270. Chase, Willard, account of "peek-stone," 20; Chislett, J., description of hand-cart tragedy, Chittenden, Col. J. B., in command of anti- Christ, in Mormon Bible, 94-96; Smith's de- Church, Mormon, organization of, 99-101; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. See Reorganized Clark, Rev. J. A., on money-digging, 20; con- Clark, Gen. J. B., Gov. Boggs's orders to, 205; Clarke, S. J., on thieving by Mormons, 261. Clayton, W., affidavit about the revelation Cloistered Saints, 270. |