There does not exist upon the face of this broad earth a more complete social ostracism for religion than in Utah. Not many months ago a girl brought home some sewing which she had for a Christian woman. The girl looked round upon the happy home and burst into tears. Upon being asked the cause of her grief, she replied: "Oh, that I lived in a happy Christian home! You think me a Mormon, but I have _never_ been a Mormon at heart. My mother was once the wife of a Presbyterian clergyman in England. About three years after her marriage my father died. I was the only child of my parents. My mother's people became Mormons, and my mother emigrated with them to Utah, bringing me with her. Here she married a Mormon, and I have been carefully taught in their religion; but I have my father's Bible, sermons, and diary. I know that his religion is true, and not this Mormon doctrine, which teaches of gods many, and heaven attained by sensual courses--women earning their salvation and exaltation in heaven by becoming the polygamous wives of some wicked man. I loath it; but I am poor. I can only do plain sewing for a living, and while I remain with my mother she will charge me nothing for board. I am not strong, and often sick. If I come out boldly and say, 'I will go to the Church of my choice and worship God according to the dictates of my conscience,' I shall be turned into the street, perhaps be denounced as a bad character--not an uncommon thing in Utah--and come to want. No, I must stop at home, be quiet, worship God in my heart, and pray for forgiveness." If a man apostatizes who is in business he is no longer supported by the Mormons, and they in many places are nine tenths of the people. He is despised. He can get no work, since the Mormons control nearly all business contracts. The Mormon people will no longer hold intercourse with him. His family is the butt of ridicule and contempt, and his children are insulted and stigmatized. The entire family is as completely ostracized as though they had been convicted of an infamous crime. Now, it certainly requires strong heroism, real, sterling manhood, for one to face such a prospect for his family. Most people would obey the dictates of the hierarchy, whatever they might be, rather than bring such loss and shame upon themselves and their children. Thus it is seen how fear of earthly loss enters as a prominent factor in holding the Mormon people in bondage.