FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   324   325   326   327   328   329   330   331   332   333   334   335   336   337   338   339   340   341   342   343   344   345   346   347   348  
349   350   351   352   353   354   355   356   357   358   >>  
en assured by Harris, that if he did not, he would be destroyed in 1832. "T.N.S. TUCKER." GROTON, MAY 23, 1842. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note 1. As I have mentioned the word _titles_: I must make myself understood. There are certain classes of individuals in the United States who, by their own fortune, education, and social position, could not be easily brought over to Mormonism. Joe Smith, as a founder of a sect, has not only proved himself a great man, but that he perfectly understands his countrymen, and, above all, their greediness for any kind of distinction which can nominally raise them above the common herd, for it is a fact that no people hate the word equality more than the American. Joe Smith has instituted titles, dignities, and offices corresponding to those of the governments in the Old World. He has not yet dared to make himself a king, but he has created a nobility that will support him when he thinks proper to assume the sovereign title. Thus he has selected individuals expressly to take care of the Church, these form the order of the Templars, with their grand masters, etcetera. He has organised a band of soldiers, called _Danites_, a sacred battalion--the _celeres_ of Romulus--these are all _comites_ or counts; their chiefs are _conductors_, or dukes. Then follow the pontiffs, the bishops, etcetera, etcetera. This plan has proved to answer well, as it has given to Mormonism many wealthy individuals from the eastern states, who accepted the titles and came over to Europe to act as emissaries from Joe, under the magnificent titles of Great Commander, prince of Zion, Comte de Jerusalem, Director of the Holy College, etcetera, etcetera. CHAPTER FORTY THREE. Let us now examine into the political views of the Mormons, and follow Smith in his lofty and aspiring visions of sovereignty for the future. He is a rogue and a swindler,--no one can doubt that; yet there is something grand in his composition. Joe, the mean, miserable, half-starved money-digger of western New York, was, as I have before observed, cast in the mould of conquerors, and out of that same clay which Nature had employed for the creation of a Mahomet. His first struggle was successful; the greater portion of his followers surrounded him in Kirkland, and acknowledged his power, as that of God's right hand; while many individuals from among the better classes repaired
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   324   325   326   327   328   329   330   331   332   333   334   335   336   337   338   339   340   341   342   343   344   345   346   347   348  
349   350   351   352   353   354   355   356   357   358   >>  



Top keywords:

etcetera

 

titles

 

individuals

 
classes
 

follow

 

Mormonism

 

proved

 

examine

 

political

 
CHAPTER

College

 
counts
 
Director
 

chiefs

 
accepted
 

states

 

Europe

 

bishops

 
answer
 
wealthy

eastern

 
pontiffs
 

emissaries

 

conductors

 
prince
 

Mormons

 

magnificent

 
Commander
 

Jerusalem

 

struggle


successful

 

greater

 

portion

 

Mahomet

 

Nature

 

employed

 

creation

 

followers

 

surrounded

 

repaired


Kirkland

 

acknowledged

 
composition
 

swindler

 

aspiring

 

visions

 

sovereignty

 
future
 

miserable

 

observed