The City of the Mormons; or, Three Days at Nauvoo, in 1842Caswall, Henry
History
The City of the Mormons; or, Three Days at Nauvoo, in 1842
Caswall, Henry
Latter Day Saints -- Illinois; Nauvoo (Ill.)
"For your very kind and satisfactory information as to that
arch-impostor, Joe Smith, I most cordially thank you. Mormonism is a
heresy of a very dangerous and disgraceful tendency; and I am sorry
to add, it has produced effects already in some parishes in England
which, in this enlightened age, one could scarcely imagine possible.
They first of all laid their blasphemous scheme at Preston, in
Lancashire, after taking out a licence at the quarter sessions. This
occurred about the year 1836 or 37; and they soon numbered in that
locality nearly 500 converts. In 1838, they extended their
iniquitous operations to various villages on each side of the
Ribble. At Ribchester, the famous Roman station of Ribcunium, they
seduced many; and the same results followed in other places nearer
Clitheroe. Since that time, itinerant preachers among the Methodists
and Calvinists have joined the unholy compact; and even farmers,
labourers, mechanics, and others,--in short, whoever among them
could supply the _needful_,--have been persuaded to sell their
property, and emigrate to Nauvoo. In 1838, every Mormon in one
village, and in other villages probably the same, received a
certificate, or passport, of which the following is a copy:
"We do hereby certify that A. B., the bearer of this, is a regular
member, and in good standing and fellowship, in the Church of the
Latter-day Saints in Waddington, and is a worthy member of the same;
and as a token also of our love and good will, we give unto him this
letter of commendation to the esteem and fellowship of the Saints,
in any land or country to which he may be pleased to remove.
"_March 29,
1838._
"H. C. KIMBALL,
"ORSON HYDE,
"Presiding Elders of said Church.
"This will be called for."
Three hundred of these certificates were printed at Clitheroe, by which
speculation about £15 were realized.
The way in which a Mormon prophecy is given to produce effect on the
converts, is artfully designing. A young man, for instance, is immersed.
After his immersion, the elders write a letter, unknown to the proselyte
himself. As long as he remains faithful, all is right; the letter
remains carefully sealed, and is kept by third parties. If he leaves
them, a meeting of all the Mormons in the neighbourhood takes place, the
letter is brought out with solemn pomp, the seal is broken, and the
contents are read publicly. The following will serve for an example of
these prophetic letters:
"Liverpool, _April 13, 1838_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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