| Show editor deseret news As it is assert ed that we as a people are spiritual ests that joseph smith was an advanced medium and that oui system Is identical with spiritualism I 1 shall be glad to show that these assertions are unfounded to aver that we are spiritualists because we believe in spiritual communication is a mistake the spiritualist either becomes himself a medium by being taken possession of by a disembodied tor he receives comman communications I 1 i through one who is a thus possessed we receive communications for ourselves or through others as the result of obedience to the jordin ordinances anees ances of the gospel our understandings being quickened and illuminated by the holy spirit the spirit of prophecy As to joseph smith being an advanced medium in the sense used by A 1 I davis davia and other spiritualists we admit that he was visited and sent forth by the lord jesus christ as a witness of the restoration of the gospel that he was alse also als ais visited by peter james and john who laid their hands upon him and conferred upon him hina the authority of the holy priesthood which is the authority to act ask as a representative of our heavenly father we amit arnit that all the power claimed by during the twenty years of their existence was possessed by joseph smith with the divine right to exercise it but sir the spiritualist does not believe belleve in this priesthood which joseph held norin nor in the authority by which it is held the gospel taught by jesus christ is comple compie completely tely ignored by him the resurrection of the body is denied spiritualism acknowledges no sacrifice f iee lee no ordinances worships at no ahr shrine ine except that which is in us erects no altar but that which we may find material for its erection in every willing heart sacred to the supremacy of the human soul and daily worship at its shrine who does not know that the list alist either loses bis big ide identity during the time of his being unde the influence of the disembodied spirit or else if he believe the dictum of the gini 1131 ellum elium puts his confidence in the cont controlling roling spirit the tho latter day saint is not in any way thus affected his agency is 18 not controlled his identity Is not disturbed he receives additional light or intelligence to judge of objects which he perceives to understand them as they are it is the spirit of truth he receive who isto know what spirit is received when a medium is controlled by an unknown personage who can guarantee the presence in a medium simply because that medium under an influence which completely controls him says of the spirit in possession 1 I am joseph smith or jus jesus christ besides the spiritualist does not believe in god as a being of personage they teach that god is the great permeating all pervading life principle this is the old rauth pantheism elsm god in every thing that proposition when divested of its adjuncts la is reduced to the expression god principle there is no doubt of the correctness of this expression but bat this does not affect hla hia existence as an individualize individualized d being at all events we do not see as the spiritualists do on iun this important point there is not time here to show all the points in which there is complete arity the pre existence of man is denied by spiritualists the existence of man upon the earth the material plane as they call it as a probation or preparation for a future return to the earth is denied to them abis toils existence is the embryonic one the spirit or life principle is individualized on this material pla a view aview to its or development in the spiritual spheres As to the kingdom of god being established upon the earth the will of god being done on the earth as it is done in heaven obedience to one with a view aview to accelerate the restitution of all things to their pristine perfecta perfects ability and simplicity these ideas are scouted by all spiritualists the present age with them is the advanced age there has been no in man bine since e firstie firs the was placed upon this planet by lay his heavenly father science and philosophy say eay BO so and the angels say so 90 spiritualism may change the form of unbelief but it does not alter its character the scepticism of the age as to the immortality of the soul may be removed but what we want Is faith in god as th the creator of the heavens and the earth faith faith falth in mans great destiny to live again upon this fair earth in a glorified and immortal condition faith in the words worda of eternal life as made known bothem oy revelation from god these things spiritualism does not teach nor any other principle in common with the doctrines of the church of jesus christ ot of Latt erday saints batir BE HILLSBORO LOWER VILLAGE i N NH H jan ath 1870 editor deseret items news dear sir siri sirl siri I have received nothing but courteous kind treatment from friends and strangers since I 1 left my mountain home there is a universal desire to hear and learn something of utah and its people generally though I 1 think mostly from curiosity which however no doubt will result in good as all seem to U be much better pleased and satisfied with us after hearin hearing than before and come to the rational con that we are no worse than the cherest rest of mankind even on the social question and in all oth others they seem inclined to give us the pik preference I 1 had the pe pleasure asure of be being f ino ing present by invitation at the silver sliver wedding of mr a add and aad ad mrs B H lines of concord N H on the evening of christmas day wh ere I 1 was afforded the pleasurable opportunity in a few remarks of bringing before the minds of the coha cota company pany the blessings accruing to abraham and to all the families of the earth through him in III the marriage relations as nearly all present were married people and that if people in this or any other age wished to enjoy the society of their companions in eternity they must necessarily obey the laws by which they could be reinstated to the high privileges enjoyed by mankind before the fall I 1 did not forget to inform them that the fullness of the gospel with its administrations was fully competent to the task all of which they listened to with great attention but did not seem to comprehend though all that w with ith after acknowledged it plain and that they could not see why it should not be BO so nearly every gentleman that I 1 have C conversed with and I 1 have conversed with a great agrest many agree that our country is in anything but a favorable condition politically land sand socially As to its religion it is so near nothing that very little la is said about it spiritualism and infidelity seem to pervade the minds of the people though they themselves do not appear to perceive it and they almost universally have hava green bacas on the brain they freely acknowledge that there must be a crea grea creat t amount of executive ability in utah particularly by president B young not acano acknowledging Ar the hand band of bod in anything of course to have hava kept the people together under such extreme vicissitudes of life as I 1 have described as they have been called upon to pass through b on account of the acts and doings so of the corrupt administrators of our gig jig general lieal iteal and state governments space admonishes me that I 1 must close I 1 had the pleasure by favor of mr charles gillis postmaster of this place I 1 to 0 peruse two copies of the N NEWS aws which is IA all that I 1 have seen since I 1 left utah please blease remember me to the presidency and all inquiring friends frienda peace be with you yoa all and prosperity attend the labors of zion Is the desire of your brother in the gospel covenant A H RALEIGH HONOLULU SANDWICH ISLANDS dec 29 69 E editor diton deseret 1 dear deas brother I 1 dont feel disposed to write to all my numerous friends in zion until fairly settled bottled down so I 1 embrace this opportunity of writing to you hoping you yon will make mention of it or publish our arrival here in the DAILY NEWS we arrived here yesterday making the trl tri trip from san ban francisco in exactly eleven days the voyage though pleasant pleasa ritto titto to those who follow the sea was quite trying to us the ladies especially the steamer st estner idaho is an excellente excellent radle cradle and can out rock any ship that ever did rock i I 1 found it to be a nuisance to me when troubled with the headache the pilgrim fathers did not I 1 presume feel more thankful wh when enthey they discovered the land of america than we did when we reached these islands the sight eight of land is ever a source of joy to sea voyagers and nothing seems teems to arouse convalescent persons to a more speedy recovery than the sight of mother earth after many days at sea the sight of honolulu cannot but present a pleasing appearance to those fond of the romantic but the motley crowds who throng the streets are still more objects of amusement to the strangers than the town itself the native men are staunch robust looking fellows and can carry a hay stack with all the ease possible you may think I 1 am joking but I 1 positively saw one carrying two hay stacks I 1 saw a big object moving along the street and stopped to see what sort of a propeller it had when to my utter astonishment I 1 discovered it to be a native kanaka but what about the women well bir sir a native W oman woman ta is a whole team and no mistake there la is no possibility of a man spanning one of them around the waist bey they hey are far too massive I 1 dont know whether it would be good policy ta tot let you know my opinion of the country but with all its fascinations ci there is no place like home when the ladies landed there was not a possibility of persuading them to go on a hooner schooner Bc around to laie so we sent our luggage around and are now awaiting some conveyance ff from am brother having sent an express over to him for that purpose we are in very good quarters in this place having been furnished a room and bedding b by bro wing bros king hawkins and myself as well as the ladles ladies are recruiting as fast as possible from the effects of the sea voyage bos king and hawkins though are almost disabled over a calabash of pol poi we are a long way from home but I 1 calculate that as long as we vie are kept here you shall know something of us we are looking for some conveyance from bro thil thih evening and hope hopely to have an excellent romantic tour overla overia overland did to lale more anon with love to you bro joseph F and all our friends in which bros king and hawkins and the ladles join jin I 1 remain t respectfully re speet rully fully H H CLUFF the following letter ietter from a gentleman 0 not connected with our chure church h and devoid of sympathy for our religious bious views may not be uninteresting to our out readers it would have appeared soon sooner booner er but has been mislaid millaid mi EIKO elro dec tl 21 1869 1809 editor dagret news during a stay of over twenty years on the pacific coast I 1 have been gleaning information regarding the character of the mor mons but from the various statements made by emier emigrants a ints luts passing through utah it has been an impossibility to form anything like a correct opinion of her people without analyzing the statements and the incentives to the various opinions expressed I 1 have never come across a mormon who was dissatisfied with the social organization prevailing in salt lake nor have I 1 ever come across an emigrant who has stayed la in salt lake for any length of time that would condescend to reason at all but denied all those extravagant statements made by parties hostile to the mormon s 11 neither have I 1 ever come across a al single n gle gie individual who expressed an aba abhorrence renee rence of the mor mons that could give the least plausible reason for their hostility or who had during their stay in salt lake been fined or punished hed except for the violation of some lex loci the only real objection that I 1 ever heard against the people of utah was founded upon their practice of the doctrine of polygamy but when we come to analyze that objection we findig nind find it without foundation for the reason that the most violent opponents of polygamy are in most cabes men of immoral lives men who would not consider it at all deroo derov derogatory atory to their characters to be seen in houses of iii Ill fame institutions which I 1 llave have been informed by these very opponents do not exist in salt lake city now in regard to polygamy the question resolves itself simply into this which la Is preferable in a community the practice of polygamy or the existence of houses of ill ili oame fame and as I 1 see the question is about to become a national one I 1 would like to see an honest and serious discussion of the subject mr cragin of new Hamsh Hamah lre ire I 1 see by the papers has haa introduced a bill with amendments for the execution of the law against polygamy in utah the papers do not say aay what these amendments are perhaps aney are to suppress the practice of polygamy an and d eb eis cablish brothels brot helb bela and protect prostitutes this question Is olse one of serious import I 1 know that the practice of plural marriage Is considered a crime the 7 laws of christendom but on what grounds have these laws been founded certainly not upon the word of god as given to us in the bible because we see by that book that those said to have been most favored by him were poly ga mists abraham had bad child children ren by at least two women sarah and hagar jacob also had bad rebecca and leah ana and no doubt others and solomon the only man in the whole world whom god considered good enough to erect a temple to his name had about a thousand wives and concubines yet we see that although god approved of these things they are displeasing to the puritans of new england wh when eig eia I 1 isee see bee in the papers objections to the practice of poly pois polygamy amy by the people of utah and the attempts of these new england senators to overthrow the whole system of mormonism 17 without giving givin any reasons for their objections except the single fact that they are displeased with the practice and be ing national legislators legisa tors are bryin if they can to suppress ress fess ft I 1 am inclined Incline dio dlo to doubt the sound policy of their attempted Attempt id legislation and would like to see seethe the question thoroughly investing invest investigated ig abed and philosophically discussed one of the most unreasonable objections I 1 have seen against the mormons cormons and their founded upon the fact that they found fault with and cowhided a man mail for insulting one of the young girls of salt lake city now if thosa those opposed to of polygamy prefer prostitution and desire to io establish brothels where thieves and rioters can congregate for protection from the off leers of the law after robbing their neighbor or disturbing the peace of the community let them come out jike like men and state their pre fre ferencek feren ces polygamy or prostitutes is the question now nationalized by senator cragin and there is no going behind it I 1 polygamy 0 ag yg amy with community legitimate children and comfortably supported females or prostitution with antenatal ante natal infanticide miserable women with robbers for paramours par amours thieves for associates and dupes for patrons set this question prominently before the american people aye before the civilized world and I 1 think I 1 could guess their preference I 1 am not sufficiently acquainted with the tenets of your church to either believe or disbelieve them but having been brought up in what your folks call the Gen gentile illel faith of course I 1 do not believe anything about your religious professions but when I 1 learn that |
