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Show "SPOILING THE " GENTILES." ' Concerning that old and worn-out story to tho effect that there was no just causo for the drivings of tho Mormon Mor-mon peoplo in the. early days of their church, there is an interesting and authoritative au-thoritative witness in the late David Whitmcr. In his pamphlet, "An Address Ad-dress to All Believers in Christ," on page 2S, ho says: All of the eight witnesses who were then living (except the three Smiths) came out; Peter and Christian Whltmer were dead. Oliver Cowdery came out also. Tvlartin Harris was then In Ohio. The church went deeper and deeper into wickedness. They were driven out of Missouri, and went to Nauvoo; and were driven out of Nauvoo, and went to Salt bake, where they are today, believing In tho doctrine of polygamy. David Whitmcr was one of tho three men whoso names appear as the first witnesses to "the divinity of the Book of Mormon." If tho Mormon people arc content to take his word on that subject, surely thoy must credit him with speaking the truth in other matters mat-ters concerning the church. In his pamphlet from which wo quote, Mr. Whitmcr docs not endeavor to mako an anti-Mormon display before tho Gentiles. Gen-tiles. Ho addresses himself particularly and especially to members of the church. With reference to his assertion that the organization "went deoper and deeper into wickedness, ' ' we have heretofore here-tofore noted his testimony to the effect that when ho expostulated with Joseph and tho others upou their, misdeeds he was obliged to fleo horseback from Far West. An organization then known as tho "Daughter of Zion," and later as the "Danites," sought his life because of his friendly criticism of the church chiefs. These lawless men pursued toward others, both in and out of tho church, the vicious course diroctcd against David Whitmcr. Their first mission was to drive out or destroy all who opposed the first presidoncy, and to uphold the desires ana commands or theso men, whether right or wrong. They attempted to throttle political freedom in their immediate locality in Missouri, and to prostrate tho people to the political ambitions of the pretended pre-tended prophets. They raided and pillaged pil-laged and burned and shed the blood of their neighbors. Their sole mission was to spoil the Gentile and terrorize their "enemies." Under this system the leaders of tho church indulged every evil bent that occurred to their perverted pervert-ed natures until the people of Missouri Mis-souri were driven fniutic aud beyond their own self-control. Tho result was the expulsion of tho Mormons from Missouri; and a similar courso in Illinois Illi-nois brought a similar result. Of course, nowadays wo hear much less of the "unjustified persecution of tho saints on account of thoir religion," re-ligion," but it is high time that the whole story bo dropped altogether. If the saints wore driven from Missouri aud Illinois on account of their ro ligion, their creed must havo inculcated a chromatic gamut of crime. Tho testimony tes-timony supporting this assertion is ample, and from tho inside of the church; aud David Whitmer told tho truth when he said that in Missouri and Illinois "tho church went deeper and deeper into wickedness." |
