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Show 358 Early Western Travels [ VoL 26 driven along beside the wagon, away started he all agog for the promised land. The grand tabernacle of these fanatics is said to be at a place they call Kirtland, upon the shores of Lake Erie, some twenty miles from Cleveland, and numbers no less than four thousand persons. Their leader is Joe Smith, and associated with him is a certain shrewd genius named Sydney Rigdom, a quondam preacher of the doctrine of Campbell.*** Under the control of these worthies as president and cashier, a banking- house was established, which issued about $ 150,000, and then deceased. The private ** Sidney Rigdon ( 1793- 1876), after having been a Baptist pastor at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and later assoristrd with the Disciples in Ohio, cstshlishrri a branch of the Mormon church with one hundred members at Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith, who had founded the last- named church at Fayette, New York ( April 6, 1830), went to Kirtland in February of the following year. Aided by Rigdon, Smith attempted to establish a mixed mmmnnistir and hierarchical organised community. Mormon tanneries, stores, and other enterprises were built, and the corner- stone of a $ 40,000 temple laid July 23, 1833. Through improvident financial management, the leaders soon plunged the community deeply in debt The Kirtland Society Bank, reorganized as the Kirtland Anti- Bankers Company, after issuing notes to the amount of $ 300,000, failed, and Smith and Rigdon further embarrassed by an accumulation of troubles fled to Jackson County, Missouri, where Oliver Cowdery by the former's order had estahKshrd the Far West settlement. Joseph Smith was ssssstinsted by a mob ( June ay, 1844) at Carthage, Illinois, and Brigham Young succeeded him. Sidney Rigdon, long one of Smith's chief advisers, and one of the three presidents of the Mormon church at Nauvoo, combated the doctrine of plurality of wives. He refused to recognize the authority of Young as Smith's successor, and returned to Pennsylvania, but held to the Mormon faith until his death in 1876. In 1848 the charter granted to the city of Nauvoo by the Illinois state legislature, was repealed. The Mormons thereupon selected Utah as the field of their future activity, save that a few members were left in Missouri for proselyting purposes. Alexander Campbell ( 1788- 1866), educated Sat the University of Glasgow, came to the United States ( 1809) and joined the Presbyterian church. Refusing to recognize any teachings save those of the Bible, as he understood them, he and his father, Thomas Campbell, were dismissed ( 1812) and with a few followers formed a temporary union with the Baptist church. Disfellowshiped in 1827, they organized the Disciples of Christ, popularly known as the Campbeftltes. The son published the ChrisUan Baptist, a monthly magazine, its name being changed ( 1830) to the MiUeimial Harbinger. He held several public offices in the state of Virginia, and in 1840 founded Bethany ( Virginia) College.- ED. |
