| OCR Text |
Show POLYGAMIA. 93 thing he had told three times, he was by nature well fitted for the place he had occupied from the first that of Church Historian. To him all doubtful points in Mormon annals were referred as to an infallible oracle. When Gentile visitors to the tabernacle were to be impressed, he stood next to Orson Pratt, and when doubtful questions were to be settled in favor of Brigham's pet designs, he found a precedent or made one with equal readiness. He consist-ently believed and taught that it was the duty of the Mormon laity " to be as a tallowed rag in the hands of the priesthood ; " of each order of the priesthood to yield implicit obedience to their superiors next in rank ; and of all orders, to be subject to the lightest command of their divinely appointed leader, Brigham Young. To the last of his life he obeyed Brigham's lightest request, and died in the confi-dent faith that he could only enter heaven on Brigham's voucher, properly indorsed by Joseph Smith. To such depths of abasement may the heaven- born intellect sink. He was succeeded as First Councilor by Brigham's son, " Johnnie" Young; for it is one of the " first principles of the gospel" as known in Utah, that all power is to be kept concentrated in the hands of the Smiths and Youngs. Daniel H. Wells was then, and is now, Brigham's Second Councilor, these three constituting the First Presidency of the Church, and having the right of final decision on all appeals from the lower priesthood, of whatever branch. Wells is, by popular election and " Divine ap-pointment," a Prophet and a Squire, a Mayor and a President, a Lieutenant- General and the husband of five wives. He is a tall, an-gular and most ungainly Saint, whose face and head bear involuntary witness to the truth of Darwinism. Borrowing a term from dime-novel literature, the Gentiles style him " The one- eyed pirate of the Wasatch." Long acquaintance with his career has only confirmed my first impression of him: he is the most dangerous man in the priesthood. The others are mostly impostors ; he believes it, bloody doctrines and all. Had he held the reins from 1870 till 1873, he would have precipitated a savage conflict, and the end would have been Mormonism drowned in blood, as was the Anabaptist schism, or a new development and fresh lease of life on the cry of " persecu-tion." It is well that he has small chance of succeeding Brigham ; so much more dangerous is a fanatic than an impostor. Brigham Young I did not see or converse with till some time after, but was for many years familiar with his appearance in the pulpit. Physically, the man is as near perfect as is ever allowed to one of our wretchedly developed race. Six feet high and uucom- |
