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Show THE MORMON CHURCH. 107 mere opinion of others. The result was that my first im pressions of them were favorable. They appeared exceed ingly plausible, and in nine cases out of ten the liberal Gen tile is impressed as I was, and will endeavor to cover up, and explain away, very much that he learns from the more experienced that is prejudicial to the characters of the lead ers of the sect. Such a least was my experience, and I have had many long and sharp arguments in defence of what I supposed was an injured and abused people. Much of their true history I was reluctant to believe, but fact after fact has been presented so clearly before me, that I am compelled to change the opinions first formed. Nor am I alone in this respect either; but I find nearly every in telligent and honest individual who has taken the trouble to look into their iniquitous system, and at first thought of them as I did, has been led to think of them as I do now. I am sorry to believe that much that has been written abusive of the Mormons, has been so colored by prejudice, as I have before intimated, as to distort facts, and by extrav agant descriptions destroy the effect which a plain state ment would have upon the thoughtful reader. Then on the other hand the extreme plausibility of the leaders, with their apparent liberality, and their hospitable treatment of influential strangers, cause others to state as much less than the truth, as the first class state more. They are led to consider them as not near so bad as they are represented to be, and not unnaturally side with the weaker party. They have heard extravagant abuse until they are willing to conceal much that they must abhor as an offset. Before referring to the church as it exists at the present day, I will give a brief sketch of its history from its origin. Mormonism had its rise in New Hampshire in 1830, when Joseph Smith claims to have received and translated the Book of Mormon, and organized the Church of Latter Day Saints. Smith declared nimself to have been specially inspired for the work, and designated by the Almighty as the leader of His people. He claims to have received the |