| OCR Text |
Show 344 WESTERN WILDS. soul. It was but for a second. She was evidently off her guard. But the young man left with a strange pain in his heart that he could not analyze. Once away from the personal influence of the elder, his mind in-stinctively revolted against the argument. He could not answer it ; but \\ efelt that Mormonism was a fraud. He went again and listened to more searching arguments. This went on for weeks. He rarely saw Marian, still more rarely got an opportunity to speak to her ; but instead, he listened to all the plausible sophistry of all the Mormon apostles and apologists a whole library of books devoied to pervert-ing the Scriptures. He could not reply effectively, yet he did not believe. All at once there was a sudden change. There \ vas one visit when no argument was offered, and little courtesy shown. He went away greatly disconcerted; but some influence, he could not have told what, soon took him there again. Elder Briarly received him in silence, then opening one of his works of " authority," read : " If any man, having heard the truth in its fullness by the mouth of an elder, persists in unbelief, he is from that hour an enemy of the faith. From such withdraw yourselves ; for it is not possible that such companionship should be profitable." " Young man," said the elder, " that is our faith, and it shall be my practice. For the future you understand me." Erelong Manson observed that some strange and evil influence was around him. The old lady with whom he boarded suddenly declined to extend any further accommodations, forcing him to seek a distant and less convenient place. Soon he observed that Mormon custom-ers avoided him, and always waited for some other clerk to attend on them. The young men of his own age quietly dropped his acquaint-ance, but always without a word of explanation or ill humor. There was no complaint at the store, but his employer could not fail to observe that this clerk lost rather than gained him custom. Strange changes had taken place in Utah. The army was gone, and the new Federal officials seemed completely under the control of Brigham Young. The nation was in a death struggle with rebellion, and every Sunday the Tabernacle rang with fierce denunciations of the Gentile government. This was the consumption decreed, this was the great war foretold by the Prophet Joseph, which was to avenge the Saints on their enemies ; this was the beginning of the bloodshed which was to lay waste Babylon, and bring the day when seven women would take hold of one man, and a feeble remnant of the American race come begging the Saints to save them from annihilation. Thus ran |
