in a fearful manner, or else were tied to trees and deprived of food until obliged to gnaw the bark in order to sustain life.

The massacre at Hauns' Mill is still fresh in the memories of the older citizens as the most barbaric butchery of the age. Defensless citizens were attacked without a moment's warning in a most inhuman manner, with bludgeon, corn-cutter, and gun. Seventeen were slaughtered, the rest escaping only by fleeing to the woods and forsaking their properties to be pillaged by their Christian persecutors.

Fifty or sixty of the Saints were thrust into dungeons, bound in chains, and it is said were fed on human flesh, termed by their persecutors, "Mormon beef."

Finally, after laying waste their fields, shooting down their cattle and burning their dwellings, they forcibly expelled them from the State, some fifteen thousand bleeding, suffering Saints. Their holdings were confiscated to pay the expenses of the war, and this proving inadequate, the legislature appropriated two hundred thousand dollars to cover the deficiency. In these depredations the Saints lost some two million dollars' worth of property, never receiving a cent of reimbursement.

It is unnecessary that we mention the names of the ring-leaders of such brutal proceedings; suffice it to say that clerical cloth was usually found in the van, Bible in one hand and sword in the other. Nor do we think that proof will be called for. There are too many unanswered memorials in the archives of State and Congress, attested by accompanying affidavits, to ever permit of any questioning of the horrors recited. Even the pens of our opponents run red when writing upon these heartrending scenes. Nor must the Saints be charged as the cause of these illegal proceedings as the following from Reverend Smucker in his history of the Mormons will show:

My heart sickens and the blood freezes in my veins while I write and while I contemplate the worse than savage atrocities inflicted upon the most lawabiding, peaceful, unoffending people that ever graced the footstool of God.

What but the power of prophecy could have foretold such calamities?

The Book of Mormon, then, stands upon its merits, its every page enstamped with inspiration and guaranteeing redemption at par at the altar of every honest prayer:

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost; and by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things. Book of Mormon, p. 544.

Unalloyed truth! Like a young giant conscious of his conquering strength it invites all to make his personal test. Impostor! Do I hear? Never! Where the impostor so insane as to throw away his chance for success by referring his case to so unbiasable a Judge?

Proved by archæology, demonstrated by discovery, confirmed by internal teaching, backed up by the Bible, and rendered impreg

nable by prophecy, having won its way against all kinds of powerful opposition, the book, serenely conscious of its irresistible strength, is ready to stake its all on the results of a single issue, suffering the honest investigator to choose his own time and place. It mut be of divine origin.

THE USE AND PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

It is valuable as an educational work, bringing to light the history of a highly cultured and long extinct people. It is the only record of its kind.

OF LATTER DAY SAINTS.

It is of priceless worth to the antiquarian, assisting him to locate and follow up his researches among the ruins.

It reveals the manner of the Lord's dealing with his people on this continent, relating the mighty miracles performed among them. It teaches the gospel of Christ in great plainness that none may misunderstand.

It comes as another witness to the power and indispensableness of the gospel of Jesus Christ; the Bible being that other witness.

It tends to dissolve the ever-increasing clouds of infidelity hovering over the Bible, by fulfilling its prophecies, thereby witnessing for it as a true record.

It comes as an ensign of the restoration, an essential announcement that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

It is a record of the house of Joseph, and of particular importance to that people, revealing unto the Lamanites (Indians) what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers.

It comes uniting itself with the stick of Judah that the purposes of God in the restoration of the house of Israel may be speedily accomplished.

It contains prophecies of momentous nature, pertaining to coming events of interest and concern to all.

It comes that the meek may increase their joy in the Lord and the poor among men rejoice in the Holy One of Israel, that the eyes of the blind may see out of obscurity, the erring come to understanding, and the murmuring learn doctrine.

THE REORGANIZED CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS VS. MORMONS.

It must not be supposed that the Book of Mormon has aught to do with the people of Utah who, unfortunately, are graced with the misnomer "Mormons." The book in no shape or manner indorses that miserable institution; to the contrary it inveighs against their accursed characteristic in unstinted terms:

Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord, wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. Wherefore, I, the Lord God, will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken unto the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; for I, the Lord God, delighteth in the chastity of women.-Page 116.

It may be interesting to know just how the "Mormons" came into possession of the name, which, through them, has become so sadly sullied. Upon the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1830, this being its official name, singular success attended it. In a few years it had spread to all parts of the United States, the Canadas, and the British Isles. As might be expected, the ensign of the restoration occupied a conspicuous place and naturally attracted foremost attention; hence arose the nickname "Mormon." At that time the name signified nothing more nor less than a belief in the Book of Mormon. There were no charges of immorality, not the remotest; and polygamy was unheard of.

Matters progressed favorably, the church experiencing a phenomenal growth, tens of thousands accepting the new-found faith. In those days the storm of persecution was raging, and culminated in the assassination of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in June, 1844. They were not executed after the decree of any court, but were murdered by a treacherous mob overpowering those to whom had been delegated the duty of protect

ing the Prophet, while awaiting trial upon trumped up charges. In this work they were led, as usual, by a reverend divine, Mr. Williams, who, unable to down the Saints with the Bible, proposed to do it by the bullet.

Upon the death of these prominent persons trouble arose within the church, occasioned by the undue ambition of some who were over-anxious to lead. This ought not to have been, since the revelation to the church, previously accepted and adopted, clearly indicated who the successor should be. It was Joseph, the son of Joseph. More or less confusion existing, usurpers became busy. With them it was a policy of now or never, and from this time forward dates the beginning of several apostate factions, among them one known as the Brighamites.

This was started by Brigham Young, once a Methodist, later a Latter Day Saint, but who, becoming enamored with the love of rule, succeeded in obtaining authority over a portion of the church, leading them to Utah in 1847. His ascendancy was gained by craft and cunning. At first he made no claims for the presiding office, but once getting his followers in a tight place he soon set up his reign and rule. His leadership, however, was never indorsed by the church, and out of a membership of two hundred thousand, possibly eight or ten thousand followed him.

Upon his arrival in Utah he ordered all to be rebaptized, and many of his prominent ministers were reordained; thus establishing a new and separate institution. An important feature about the whole affair was that he retained the name of the original church. This is the policy of the counterfeiter, who, notwithstanding the spuriousness of his coin, denominates it with the legal name. Going from bad to worse, he eventually introduced polygamy, which became the earmark of Utahism. Then it was that the name "Mormon" partook of evil, since this name, contracted by them when in fellowship with the true church, still followed.

The doctrine of polygamy originated with apostates long after the death of Joseph Smith, as the following from Chambers' Encyclopedia will show:

It may be here stated that it can not be shown that Smith was a polygamist. It was not till August, 1852, at a public meeting held in Salt Lake City that it was formally received. Rigdon, Kimball, Pratt, Hyde, and Young are its true originators.

Whatever the corruptions of Salt Lakeism, they ought not to be charged to the church from which they departed. If so, then we may stigmatize Methodism also, since, forsooth, Brigham was once a member of that body.

That the church in Utah is a departure from the church as organized by Joseph Smith is proved by the following extract from the decision of a law court held at Kirtland, Ohio, in 1882.

That the church in Utah, the Defendant of which John Taylor is President, has materially and largely departed from the faith, doctrines, laws, ordinances and usages of said original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and has incorporated into its system of faith the doctrines of Celestial Marriage and a plurality of wives, and the doctrine of Adam-God worship, contrary to the laws and constitution of said original Church.

And the Court do further find that the Plaintiff, the Reorganized Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the True and Lawful continuation of, and Successor to the said original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, organized in 1830, and is entitled in law to all its rights and property.

This decision was later affirmed in 1893 in the verdict of the Appellate Court in Missouri in the famous Temple Lot Suit.

It is quite evident, therefore, that the Reorganized Church is the "continuation of and successor" to the original church as set up in 1830.

It was called a reorganization, not because of any cessation of spiritual authority, but rather because of a resumption of organized labor previously prevented by the woeful scattering of the Saints following the death of the two martyrs. No doctrinal changes have been introduced. Never an alteration or an amendment of the terms and tenets of the church as laid down in 1830. They have stood unalterably the same. It did not require any change. "Whatsoever God doeth it shall be for ever."-Ecclesiastes 3: 14.

Our attitude on the marriage question is, as it always was, strictly monogamic. The following was received by the church through Joseph Smith in 1831 and was adopted as a rule of action:

Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shall cleave unto her and none else; and he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not, he shall be cast out.-Doctrine and Covenants 42: 7.

And again, I say unto you, that whoso forbiddeth to marry, is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of God unto man; wherefore it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh.-Doctrine and Covenants 49: 3.

It will be seen, therefore, that the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and the church were unitedly and uncompromisingly arrayed against polygamy.

Of the Prophet Joseph Smith we have nothing to say other than he was a pure-minded man of God. His works will show: "By their fruits ye shall know them." And this humble statement of the faith and practices of the church he was the instrument of organizing, together with his remarkable claims as to effecting the restoration, will readily solve the question as to the quality of the fruit.

The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been actively occupied since 1851. True, it has been up-hill work, but thanks be to God, we have reached that time when the name, Latter Day Saint, has become honorable in the land.

Joseph, the son of Joseph, now in his seventy-seventh year, still presides over the body with dignity and skill. He lives at Independence, Missouri, where also are the headquarters of the church.