WHAT A MORMON CONVERT FOUND.
By Frank S. Johnson
THE Ram’s Horn, March 26, 1904, prints the following account of a Mormon convert, in Virginia, and what he found when he reached the Mormon communities in the West:— My home is in Vicksville, Southampton County, Va. I am thirty-eight years old, and have a family of six children. My sister-in-law died after the death of her husband, and left five children to my care. I had been a Christian more than four years before the Mormon missionaries came to my house, and had found great comfort in the Christian life. I was a member of the Christian Church, sometimes called the Disciples. Nine members of my family were also members of the church. George Whittle and Henry Taggart, Mormon missionaries, came to my house early in December, 1899. They have made their home with me since they came, until this time, in May, 1900. (That is the way they preach the Gospel without purse or scrip.) There were six other missionaries coming often to my house and remaining several days at a time. They told us that we must gather to Israel, flee to the mountains; that this was the commandment of the Lord. They talked like Christians, and I believed what they said, and trusted them. They said when Christ came He would come to the temple, and we ought to be there. They said polygamy had been done away with—that no one was living in polygamy, nor had been for a great many years. They told us we could not live our religion in Virginia, but ought to come to the mountains. They said the Saints here (in Utah) were a pure people—no such wickedness as in the states. They represented Utah as a paradise. They wanted us to go to the temple and be sealed to each other as husband and wife and children. They wanted me to sell all and come with my family. We all joined the Mormon Church, and believed what the missionaries told us. But I did not want to sell my little home until I had come to see. They said I could take up as much land as I wanted when I came, so I decided to come, and sold all my farming implements, my mechanical tools, my horse and timber that I had ready to work. I got money enough to come and go back again. They did not want me to take money enough for me to return—said I would like it here. I came on and went to the friends at Preston, Idaho, to which place they had directed me. I called at Mrs. Whittle’s and learned that her daughter, sister of our missionary, was living in polygamy—the second wife of Mr. Pond. I learned also from the Mormons that the sister of Elder Taggart was a polygamous wife. These facts startled me, as both of the missionaries had declared to us again and again that no one had been in polygamy for a long time; polygamy was a thing of the past. If they had told me the truth I would not have come to Utah, nor would I have sacrificed my property to come. While visiting among the brethren at Preston I discovered that the Saints would swear, for I heard them. They would ask a blessing at the table, and presently begin to curse. They would pray and swear right along. I had never been used to that, and it hurt me. President Snow, the "mouthpiece of God, prophet, seer, and revelator," came up to the conference at Preston. I thought, "Now we will hear something good; if he does speak for God, he will surely say something good and helpful." But to my surprise he did not. He talked all the time about tithing. They must "pay up." It was money, money, money, all the time; no Gospel at all; nothing about the love of God; nothing about our Saviour whom I loved. I was sick and disheartened. I could neither sleep nor eat. The Saints wanted me to come to all their meetings, but I could not. The missionaries had deceived me. Instead of a paradise, I found the Saints swearing, living in polygamy, and the young people were vile beyond description. Instead of the prayer-meeting, they had the dance. Instead of the Gospel of love, they preached money. I went out and laid down in the fields, crying to God for help to get away, back to my home again. All these facts and conditions I found out from the Saints. I did not go to any of the denominations for information. I heard with my own ears, saw with my own eyes, and sorrowed in my own heart. The Mormon missionaries who profess to preach without purse or scrip cost me, a poor man with a large family, about three hundred dollars. But I am thankful that I did not bring my family. I thank God that He has made it possible for me to go back home. I will warn all my neighbors against the falsehoods and deceptions of the Mormon missionaries. I make these statements to warn people against the Mormon deceivers. It is the worst thing I have ever heard of.