# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1855 07 31_S197
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

197

battle-mound, where, according to a heavenly decree, it was found in 1827 by Jos. Smith.

So much for the web of lies concerning the origin of the Book of Mormon, which as such was soon exposed convincingly enough, since it was shown most irrefutably that an accomplice of Smith's, Sidney Rigdon, who at that time was working in a printing-office, had appropriated the manuscript of a romance by Solomon Spalding in Ohio, in which the latter had spun out the opinion widely held in America, that the Indians were descendants of the lost ten tribes of Israel; and that Rigdon, in company with Smith, had reworked it into a book of religion, upon which there soon followed the spreading abroad of the fable of the discovered plates. In spite of this exposure the impostors succeeded in gaining for themselves at first a small following, in that Rigdon went to Ohio, and in the little town of Mentor, as a self-made preacher, gathered a congregation about him, to whom he first proclaimed the appearing of the thousand years' kingdom on earth (Chiliasm), and so prepared them for the reception of Smith and his new doctrine, that the latter, when he now moved his residence hither also, found several hundreds who were ready to be baptized upon his abominations. The center of the "church" became at first the little town of Kirtland, O., which now received the name Shinar. Signs and further revelations — of the devil's making — were naturally not lacking either. Men and women prophesied, preached and groaned in competition. Smith made use of the enthusiasm: most of the men were at once sent out as priests and elders. Their labors did not remain without success: the adherents of the false prophet of Kirtland grew from hundreds to thousands. A second settlement was founded near Independence, Mo., which soon throve even better than the first, and of which Smith prophesied that it would one day blossom like a rose in the desert. Meanwhile there had joined themselves to the Mormons, or, as they prefer to call themselves, "Latter-day Saints," that is, Saints of the last days, all sorts of horse-thieves, counterfeiters, etc. Besides, Smith now taught that the day was not far off when all the land in the West should belong to them and the Indians, because by their hand the heathen, that is, non-Mormons, must be exterminated. Both of these naturally displeased their neighbors, and the Mormons were compelled to turn to another district. In the autumn of 1839 a regular little war was raised against them, for which the militia of the State was called out, in consequence of which they withdrew across the Mississippi into Illinois. The cruelties committed against them in Missouri, as well as their capable laborers, procured for them a friendly reception here, and when great masses of new adherents now streamed in to them from all parts of the world, particularly from England, there arose under their hands, on a place formerly waste, the fair and great city of Nauvoo. Smith, as well as several other leaders, developed from now on a considerable talent for order, in consequence of which the swampy region was soon drained and turned into richly bearing fields of corn and wheat, a number of capable artisans and merchants were drawn thither, a university was founded, a watchful police and a small but efficient army were set up for defense against the still threatening Missourians, and a town-hall, a Freemasons' hall and a large inn were built, to be the host of which a solemn revelation designated Mr. Smith, jr. Above all, however, the splendid temple, which Smith had built from the tithes of his people, aroused general astonishment. It was a building 140 feet long, 90 feet wide and 70 feet high, which a tower of 170 feet overtopped. Its style was a mixture of Greek, Egyptian and Florentine art, with original fancies which, however, clothed themselves in the form of divine commands. Built of white, marble-like limestone, this structure cost almost half a million dollars.

Thus within 14 years Mormonism had grown into a considerable power. In spite of, or perhaps also partly in consequence of, the manifold carnal warfare against them, the new "church" had by 1844 about 100,000 adherents, who were scattered over the whole world, and among whom, to our particular grief, there are also many former Lutherans from Holstein, Denmark, Norway and chiefly Sweden; it had moreover founded a city of its own, which within three years already counted 20,000 inhabitants. Smith maintained among these an almost unlimited authority, acquired riches, became mayor of Nauvoo, general of the city's Legion, 2000 men strong, armed from the arsenals of the State, and at last even had the boldness to come forward, beside Clay and Calhoun, as a candidate for the presidential chair of the United States. But then the LORD cried to this accursed villain His: "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further!" The prospering of the sect and their arrogance toward the "heathen" vexed the neighbors. Besides, it was already being rumored then that Smith and his apostles were working, under the pretext of a divine command, at the introduction of polygamy, that women were being seduced, and that other shameful excesses were taking place among them. A party within confirmed these rumors, and a newspaper, the Expositor of Nauvoo, furnished proofs. Smith had the press of this paper destroyed, was prosecuted, and was sharply threatened with the use of force by the militia of the neighboring counties when he refused to appear before the court. To prevent bloodshed, the then governor of Illinois hastened to the place. Upon his promise to protect them from acts of violence, Smith, his brother Hyram, and the apostles Richards and Taylor gave themselves up to him. The Legion, however, laid down its arms. But all this did not attain the intended end: the hatred of the opponents was not quenched. On the way to the county jail at Cartage, in the absence of the governor, a crowd of masked men forced their way into the house in which the prisoners were kept, overpowered the guard, and shot Smith and his brother in murderous ambush.

The founder of the new American Mohammedanism was therefore no more. But as little as Mohammed's kingdom fell with his death, so little did Mormonism find its end, or even the turning-point of its power, with Smith's death. To take vengeance for Smith's murder would have meant to cut the thread by which the sword hung over the Mormons' own heads. This was well recognized by their leaders, who therefore urgently exhorted them to moderation and quiet. In Smith's place Brigham Young was chosen from the number of the twelve apostles as head, and so under this leader, who probably surpasses his predecessor in cunning and perseverance, the building of the temple, etc., was carried on. Yet the bitterness on both sides was so great that in the autumn of 1845 it broke out anew into open hostility. The leaders of the sect now came to the conviction that in Illinois there was no remaining any longer for them and theirs, and after general deliberation they gave their oppressors the promise that in the course of the next year they would emigrate beyond the western boundary of the Union. In February 1846 a company of scouts accordingly did actually set out first as an advance guard, and after this, under great hardships on the lonely prairies of Iowa, had reached the upper Missouri and had pitched a temporary tent-city there, there followed a few months later, in endless processions of wagons, carts, horsemen and footmen, who carried the best part of their movable goods with them, most of the remaining inhabitants of Nauvoo, after they had first completed their temple and held in it, with great splendor, amid the sound of kettle-drums and trombones, their farewell service. Only a few thousands, who had not yet succeeded in selling their real estate, remained for the time, in order to follow as soon as possible. The opponents, however, regarded the dedication of the temple as a proof that these who remained behind intended to hold the city, and therefore in September made an assault on Nauvoo. The Mormons defended themselves most fearlessly under their General Wells against the assailants armed with cannon, but had at last to consent to a treaty which compelled them to immediate departure, whereupon the city was taken possession of by the victors. Since then Nauvoo lies half desolate. The French Communists under Cabet, who settled here in 1849, have not been able to restore its former splendor. The temple especially is now a heap of ruins, since in 1848 it was wantonly set on fire and burned down to the walls, and these soon afterwards were completely destroyed by a raging storm. The golden angel, however, which, a trumpet in his hand, adorned the spire of the temple, is at present in Barnum's Museum in New-York.

Meanwhile the emigrated Mormons moved ever farther westward. At many places on their line of march they pitched their tents