The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901Linn, William Alexander
History
The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901
Linn, William Alexander
Latter Day Saints -- History; Utah -- History
Two non-Mormons who had an early view of the church in Utah and who
put their observations in book form were B. G. Ferris ("Utah and the
Mormons," New York, 1854 and 1856) and Lieutenant J. W. Gunnison of
the United States Topographical Engineers ("The Mormons," Philadelphia,
1856). Both of these works contain interesting pictures of life in Utah
in those early days.
There are three comprehensive histories of Utah,--H. H. Bancroft's
"History of Utah" (p. 889), Tullidge's "History of Salt Lake City" (p.
886), and Orson F. Whitney's "History of Utah," in four volumes, three
of which, dated respectively March, 1892, April, 1893, and January,
1898, have been issued. The Reorganized Church has also published a
"History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" in three
volumes. While Bancroft's work professes to be written from a secular
standpoint, it is really a church production, the preparation of the
text having been confided to Mormon hands. "We furnished Mr. Bancroft
with his material," said a prominent Mormon church officer to me. Its
plan is to give the Mormon view in the text, and to refer the reader for
the other side to a mass of undigested notes, and its principal value to
the student consists in its references to other authorities. Its general
tone may be seen in its declaration that those who have joined the
church to expose its secrets are "the most contemptible of all"; that
those who have joined it honestly and, discovering what company they
have got into, have given the information to the world, would far better
have gone their way and said nothing about it; and, as to polygamy, that
"those who waxed the hottest against" the practice "are not as a rule
the purest of our people" (p. 361); and that the Edmunds Law of 1882
"capped the climax of absurdity" (p. 683).
Tullidge wrote his history after he had taken part in the "New
Movement." In it he brought together a great deal of information,
including the text of important papers, which is necessary to an
understanding of the growth and struggles of the church. The work was
censored by a committee appointed by the Mormon authorities.
Bishop Whitney's history presents the pro-Mormon view of the church
throughout. It is therefore wholly untrustworthy as a guide to opinion
on the subjects treated, but, like Tullidge's, it supplies a good deal
of material which is useful to the student who is prepared to estimate
its statements at their true value.
The acquisition by the New York Public Library of the Berrian collection
of books, early newspapers, and pamphlets on Mormonism, with the
additions constantly made to this collection, places within the reach of
the student all the material that is necessary for the formation of the
fairest judgment on the subject.
W. A. L. HACKENSACK, N. J., 1901.
DETAILED CONTENTS
BOOK I. THE MORMON ORIGIN
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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