MORMONISM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 77, 31 March 1880, Page 4

MORMONISM.

T (Aucktanc^Evening Star ) After "Tell'it all" by Mrs Stenon the unfortunate wives of a Mormon elder, one would have supposed; that there was no necessity for any further exposure of the horrible whited sepulchre yclept "MormonisHu" The misfortune, however, is that such books may fall into few hands in |thia colony, and therefore the men. who work in " Ways that are dark] and tricks that are vain," are able, to influence' the ignorant tind and credulous. Mrs Stenhouae did "Tell it all." She gave even, the true; story of the flummery that goes on in '. "• the grand Tabernacle, and a very vivid description of the torments suffered by " condemned arid neglected first wives. Another lady at Salt Lake ' City has recently undergone the same experience,; and she describes in the * following graphic words :-—" After dinner, which dragged terribly, the, bridegroom looking very sheepish indeed, preparations were made for the opera. He placed, his arm gently around the slender waist . to his new bride, folded her cloak close; to her form, and drew her towards him' in sight of his first wife iand all the. guests. She responded to his caress with a. tender glance, Land the lady des-, cribing the scene noticed in the first; wife's pallid face~a look of agonised endurance, mingled with devilish malignity.^ When the visitor ex-, pressed her sympathy aft^er the jde.pftrture.. ; : i qf:;-.:the .. .bridev; and bride-; groom, the first wife - replied *■ " I am notjealous^ibut happy in this new love! of my husband. Our faiths teaches us to-TpV6j:tbeße sisters ia> 'marriage as our. own _teshy; This marriage-is- not an' estrangement of my husband's love, as' iLwould Jae jn an unsanctified .Gentile, jbt&i^'Cf-m .-..1n this, marriage >_jive oyer,: Bgain. rmy : own: espousal, my own bridal, and renewagain the first ' Sweet s -of married love." When the other gnests had gone, bow-! ever, the truth came out unreservedly.! "lam most wretched; — Between me' and any celestial lights,, or any glory or! peace of consolation in this life or thej world to come, there stands that woman.! Between me and all the light of my religion standsthat women. This gill's face is hateful to me ; that my husband should love one for bar mere beauiy alone J My imagination cannot be held back from all the soul-torturing, crucifying things which follow in the train of this marriage." If any of our female readers should be enamoured of the religion of Joseph Smith after reading the above they are. welcome* to it. "'Tis distance lends . enchantment to the view.' 1 * Looked at by those who have been admitted to the charmed circle, it is a mere charnelhouse. Nor has Mormonism any more legiti-

mate claims to honorable recognition as an agent of colonization, than it has of social morality, as the following extract will show :— " A curious phase of the Mormon difficulty is presented in an alleged scheme by which all of the arable land of the Territory is monopolised by Mormons to the exculsion of all other persons Every person familiar with Utah regions lus noticed thst ths Mormonß plant a * city " wherever they plant a colony. These fo-caUed cities sre used to take up vast tracts of land under the laws of the United States, though the " cities " are merely nbaa*B. Thus one of these fraudulent communities with a big nstise tacked to if, though only a hamlet in the sagebusb, with 6CO inhabitants*, claims, and receives from the Governmfeut a tract of land c-ontaing four square miles. As " cubs " of this type are spread all over Utah, it happens that a great land monopoly is. created for the benefit of the followers of the Mormon hierarchy.. It is contrary to sound policy to allow monopolies of tbis sort to exist, whether Mororaas or Gentiles in shcre their benefit." If any of ©or readers are ttmptod to go to tbe Utah territory in search of cheap land, the scales will fall from their eyes alter reading the above. The lands thus required are " farmed " by the much-married elders, who use the foolish dopes from abroad as mere serfs. Five or six years ago a number of settlers at Karori Valley, Wellington, were cajoled into breading up tbeir homes and embarking for Salt Lake City. A few months later they returned stripped, of almost their last shilling. The money bad gone into the pockets of the wily Mormon missionaries.