A FREE THINKER AMONG THE SAINTS.
We find in the Salt Lake Tribune gratifying evidence that the world moves in Mormondom as well as elsewhere. It is a handsome quarto sheet, styling itself the "Organ of the Liberal cause in Utah,” with "Mental Liberty" and "Spiritual Progress" for its mottoes. The firm assertion of the Federal power in Utah by the present admin-istration, and the developement of the silver mines of the territory, are breaking down the au-tocratic rule of Brigham Young, of which fact the existence of the Tribune is a lively evidence. It is a wide-awake journal, and by no means mealy-mouthed in expressing its opinions. It believes in the mines, and enters into a long argument in reply to the slurs and flings of what it calls "the Orthodox (Mormon) press," as to the state of society which the mines are bringing to Utah. It states that a year ago the territory as a whole could not pay its indebted-ness, and that nothing but the mines could have saved it from hopeless bankruptcy. It chuckles over "the melancholy decease" of another "co-operative store"—establishments set up by the Mormons and marked by the sign "Holiness to the Lord," with which all the faithful are ex-pected to exclusively trade, thus ruining the business of the Gentiles. "Peace to its Hashes," says the mocking Tribune, "it has gone to another and a better world, there to meet with other departed Ward Stores. It is consoling to think that it will not be a solitary ghost, running about Heaven all alone!" Fancy the ghost of a grocery shop running about Heaven! though to be sure, many such establishments are suffi-ciently spirituous if not spiritual.
Then the Tribune scoffs at the saying of one Elder William Clayton, who in a recent sermon said it was wrong to buy of any store, Mormon or otherwise, which had not the regular co-operative sign, "Holiness to the Lord," "even of Bro. Brigham, if he has not the proper sign." The Tribune exultingly declares that this is "a very nice way of hitting over Bro. Brigham's shoulder at one of Bro. Brigham's partners," who is doing an excellent business without ever having put up the required sign.
The Tribune exults in other evidences of in-consistency and declension on the part of the othodox saints. It mockingly reminds Bishop Peter Maughan who has just been chosen Presi-dent of a mining district, that only eight years ago he said of some who hesitated to work upon some fencing required by the church, that they were "worse than the poor, mean, damned mis-erable coots now on the road to the goldmines." "To-day," adds the Tribune, the miserable coots on the road to the gold mines include Bro. Peter himself! Where on earth are we all going to, and especially in what direction is Peter travelling?" Again, "it is marvellous," says the Tribune, "to see the change in senti-ment which is going along right in the heart of orthodoxy itself," and as an instance states that a Mormon preacher recently in a sermon on Polygamy rated "the mothers in Israel" for not teaching their daughters to believe in it, laying it down as a principle that they who would not go into it would "be damned." "This gentle-man," adds the Tribune, "would have seen a great necessity for still another and a severer sermon had he (heard the free and unstinted criticisms with which his ideas were received by many of his friends, especially those of the fair sex. The Priesthood preach as usual, and it is listened to as of old, and then the people go and do as they please." The Tribune learns, too, that last Sunday, at Kaysville, "fifteen persons were disfellowshipped, and handed over to the buffetings of Satan." It advises the "Kaysville Free-thinkers" to organize and hold meetings for mutual instruction, both religious and philosophical. It says "our meeting-house" will soon be completed, and calls for contribu-tions to ornament and fit it up.
Going back to the mines, which is always its "strong hold," the Tribune makes a great flourish over the arrival of "a couple of young scions of the British Aristocracy, who are here for the purpose of working the mines." It patronizes these noble Englishmen in the most amusing style, wishing "our distinguished young friends success," and remarking that "if their knowledge of minerals be equal to their titles, they will doubtless obtain it." In con-clusion it observes—"Our mines have been fill-ing up with live men for some time past, but this we believe, is the first instalment of 'live lords.' All happiness to the gentlemen." "The young scions of the British aristocracy" must be highly flattered by their reception!
Altogether, the Salt Lake Tribune is doing brave work among the "Orthodox" Saints of the Latter Day Church, and we doubt not will have a preserving influence upon the society of Utah worthy of its saline title.
