MORMONISM IN NEW YORK & UTAH.
It is announced in the daily papers that a Mormon temple is to be erected in this city. It is to be a house of reception for the multitudes of Mormon emigrants who must pass through New York on their way to Salt Lake City, and who are now very frequently the victims of sharpers and swindlers. "In this house it is intended they shall be received, until they can pur-sue their journey in safety. Those who are poor will here find a home until they get employment and can settle themselves com-fortably. Apartments will be furnished also for the use of missionary Saints and Elders sojourning in this section to watch over the religious welfare of the faithful scattered throughout the Eastern States. In the centre of the building will be erected a house of worship, from which the whole will take the name of Temple. The establishment will be ruled by a resi-dent Saint, assisted by a number of Elders and a regular Board of Commissioners, all of whom are to be appointed by the Gov-ernment at Utah."
The entire cost of the building will be about half a million dollars, and a Commit-tee is already on the ground drafting plans which will soon be submitted for approval to the authorities in Utah.
The proportions of this enterprise indi-cate the extent of the missionary operations of the Mormons. Their efforts to proselyte the poor and ignorant are indefatigable, and are supported by necessary funds from the overflowing treasury in Salt Lake City. It is said that Brigham Young is sending out 2,000 missionaries or agents this year, and that the immigration into Utah ter-ritory will be unprecedented. The number of Mormons in this city and Brooklyn is increasing. There are 300 families of them in Brooklyn and about an equal number in New York. In the former city they have a church governed by a so-called Saint and several Elders. In order to escape the penalty of the laws against polygamy, they do not legally marry their wives, but "live in a state of concubinage amenable to no law." But they all look forward eagerly to removing to the Mormon capital in Utah.
The Mormon horizon, however, is not without a cloud. Dissensions are breaking out even in the central governing Council at Salt Lake City. This disintegrating force from within will be much more po-tent in removing this plague spot from our country than any prosecution or persecu-tion from without.
The Deseret News, published at Salt Lake City, and the official organ of Brigham Young, prints in its issue for Oct. 26 the fol-lowing notices:
To whom it may concern :
This certifies that Wm. S. Godbe, E. L. T. Harrison and Eli B. Kelsey were cut off from the Church of Latter-day Saints on Monday, the 25th day of October, 1869, by the High Council of Salt Lake City, for harboring and spreading the spirit of apos-tacy. WM. DUNFORD,
Clerk of Council.
The offence of these men is, that as edi-tors of the Utah Magazine, they have dared to controvert Brigham Young's opinions as to the expediency of developing the min-eral resources of Utah Territory. The Mor-mon Pope decrees that this industry shall not be developed, and these men have dared to raise their voice in opposition. It was asked during the trial "whether it was apostacy to differ honestly from Brigham Young," and members of the Council re-plied : "It is apostacy to differ honestly with Brigham Young. A man may be hon-est even in hell. You might as well ask the question whether a man had a right to differ honestly with the Almighty!" Eli B. Kelsey, one of the Council, was instantly cut off from the Church simply for voting against the expulsion of the editors.
A Mormon thus exscinded was formerly a doomed man. The "Danites" or " De-stroyers" would follow and hunt him down, and it remains to be seen whether the presence of the United States troops in the Territory will lessen the peril of these re-bellious Saints. Mr. Godbe is said to be fifty years of age, a polygamist, and a de-vout Mormon, besides being one of the richest men in Utah. This latter fact may account for the evil eye of Brigham Young towards him.
It will be a blessing to the country if this internal agitation shall convulse Mon-mondom, expose the hideous deformities of the system, and thus lead to its extirpation by the enlightened Christian sentiment of the people."
