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
Every emigration season, each Conference is permitted to send persons at
the rate of one for every £10 sterling so subscribed. Each one so
emigrating, is required to enter into obligations, before leaving
Liverpool, for the repayment of the same, as soon as possible after his
arrival in Salt Lake City. Parties in Utah, also, wishing their
relations brought over, must pay the required amount, before they are
sent for, unless in some special cases, where notes are accepted in
payment. The sum of £4 10_s._ is required to pay the transportation of
each person to the first American port, and the remaining £5 10_s._
thence to Salt Lake City. The emigrants are stowed away like cattle, on
the freight cars and on the decks of the boats and vessels, and thus by
having them conveyed in the cheapest manner possible, considerable of
the amount paid for transportation is saved, making a large sum in the
aggregate, all of which goes into that "treasury of the church,"--the
pocket of Brigham Young.
Again: as _all_ are obliged to pay their passage-money, either in
advance or after their arrival in Utah, and as a large portion of the
sum is previously raised by contribution, of course the amount, in
thousands of cases, is duplicated, and paid twice into the same
treasury.
The transportation across the Plains costs the church nothing at all,
except a slight diminution of the tithing-fund _prospective_. The teams
are furnished, so many from each ward and settlement, and the owners are
given credit for the use of the same in tithing account. Large
quantities of provisions are furnished and sent out to meet the incoming
saints, but these, although donated and sent by their friends, are all
charged to them by the careful priests and elders.
Before starting across the Plains, meetings are held, and the saints are
counselled to give up all their money and valuables, so that they may be
preserved on their journey. One man, in obedience to this "counsel,"
gave up his money, together with a valuable gold watch and chain.
Afterwards, remembering that he had not provided any tobacco for the
journey, he asked for a dollar back, to purchase some, which was refused
him.
Much cruelty is exercised on the Plains for the slightest disobedience.
A young man, brother of Walter Sanders, of Salt Lake, was whipped
nearly to death for being unable to travel as required.
Several years since, Brigham, with the view of saving still more from
the emigration fund, projected the plan of bringing the saints across
the Plains in hand-cart companies. Under this arrangement, every person,
male and female, was expected to assist in drawing a hand-cart; each
cart being drawn by three persons, and containing a certain quantity of
provisions, clothing, &c.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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