The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and ChildrenWaite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
History
The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and Children
Waite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
Latter Day Saint churches; Young, Brigham, 1801-1877
_Same date._ _An Act granting to Brigham Young the whole of Cache Valley
for a herd-ground._ This valley is fifty miles long, and more than ten
miles in width, and the richest and most productive valley in the
Territory.
_December 27, 1855._ An Act granting to Brigham Young all of Rush
Valley, except the United States Reserve, for a herd-ground. Another
extensive tract of country.
_January 4, 1856._ An Act granting to Brigham Young exclusive right to
establish a ferry over Bear River.
_January 5, 1856._ An Act granting to Brigham Young a ranch and
herd-ground in Lone Rock Valley.
_January 12, 1856._ An Act granting to Brigham Young exclusive right to
control the road and coal-beds in Coal Canyon, San Pete County.
_Same date._ _An Act making an appropriation to Brigham Young of $1000
from the Territorial Treasury, to enable him to pay for a share in the
Deseret Iron Company._
_January 22, 1864._ An Act authorizing Brigham Young to establish a toll
on the Tooele Road.
After reading all these donations and munificent franchises, one can
appreciate the point of the joke perpetrated by Brigham, when he says
"he takes no thought how to get rich, and yet riches constantly flow to
him."
THE TITHING SYSTEM.
The object of tithing, as stated in the "Book of Doctrines and
Covenants," is to exalt the poor, and humble the rich,--taking from
where it is not wanted the surplus property of the church, and placing
it where it is needed. The law of tithing, as originally instituted,
calls for one tenth of the annual increase and gains, after providing
for the wants of the family. When the poor were amply supplied, the
residue was to be used for purchasing inheritances for the saints,
building houses for public worship, etc.
Of late years, however, tithing assumes an entirely different form, and
is much more comprehensive in its scope and exacting in its demands. The
"saints" in Utah, Europe, and throughout the world, are required to pay
one tenth of their income, without any reference to their ability to
meet the demand. Thus the laboring man in Utah, who receives but one
dollar and fifty cents per day,--not enough to support his family
comfortably,--is assessed tithing to the amount of about forty-five
dollars per annum.
But this is not all. Every emigrant and new-comer is expected to pay one
tenth of his entire possessions. Upon this point much strictness
prevails. On the arrival of the faithful in Zion, they are visited by a
bishop and clerk, and inventories of all their property taken. One tenth
of everything must then be sent to the tithing-office, not even
excepting household furniture, cooking utensils, or clothing. Should the
party be in possession of a little money, he is urged to pay the tithing
all in cash.
A very good idea of the extent to which this tithing system is carried
may be formed from the following tithing-song, sung at a meeting of one
of the quorums, and published in the "Deseret News," No. 6, Vol. V.:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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