THE MORMONS.
Brigham Young's Choice of a Suc-cessor.
[From the San Francisco Chronicle.]
On the 6th of April, 1830, in a small hamlet in the State of New York, Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, and five of his newly converted disciples met together and consti-tuted themselves "the Church of Christ," and there and then modestly resolved them-selves into “the Kingdom of God on the earth." This half-dozen—all men, by-the-by—were fully satisfied with themselves, and that they were "the elect and chosen of God," and so they broke bread and partook of wine together, and, “being full of the spirit," they "blessed each other," “pro-phesied" and "foretold many things that were to come to pass.” From that time to the present, as the year passes round, the Mormons everywhere assemble together to do honor to the event, and this is what is desig-nated in the language of the Conventicle as "the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” On the 6th of October, another great gathering is called the semi-annual Conference, and at these two periods all the business of the Mor-mon Church is attended to, the policy of the leaders is defined, and everything of impor-tance is “laid before the Saints.” On these occasions
"THE RULERS IN ISRAEL"
are all re-elected by the disciples uplifting their hands in token of their approval, and witnessing to heaven that they will uphold those who are chosen to rule over them in the priesthood. There are no primaries or cau-cuses preceding the Mormon elections under Brigham, for that shrewd tactician has always thought it was fitting for him to do "the head work," and when the people did the voting they could return to their homes flat-tered with the thought—which he puts into their minds—that they had really gone through the process of electing their presiding offi-cers. So completely has Brigham brought his people under this subjection, that it is of no consequence what he proposes to them—if they even hate the subject proposed, they will vote for it, if Brigham puts it before them, and, as seen by a telegram to the Chronicle, recently, the old man has at length defined is policy for the future of the Mormon Church, in selecting for his first counselor the youngest son of his first family,
JOHN W. YOUNG.
This now to be prominent young man is well known in this city, especially among capitalists. He has stopped at our hotels quite frequently within the last few years, and has been enter-tained in a princely style both here and at Menlo Park. In personal appearance he is very attractive to the fair sex, and in his manners and habits he would pass anywhere for "a man of the world," who was pretty well satisfied with this terrestrial globe and in no hurry whatever to get off to the upper re-gions. Up to the building of the Pacific Rail-road "Young Johnny," as he was familiarly called, was an excellent Mormon, and gave early evidence of being
A FIRST-CLASS PATRIARCH.
He had hardly got through his teens when his eyes fell kindly on a young Saintess, and the baked meats of the marriage feast had hardly cooled before he fell desperately in love with another young Saintess, and married her also. The Prophet thought Johnny should see a lit-tle more of the world before proceeding fur-ther in that line, and he was consequently sent to England on a tour of pleasure in company with his brother "Briggy Junior." These two scions of Mormon royalty traveled all over Europe, spending lavishly the funds of the poor confiding Saints. On Johnny's re-turn to the United States, his first wife press-ed upon him to call upon her relatives in Philadelphia, and to gratify her wishes the young man hastened to the City of Brotherly Love, and before he was twenty-four hours acquainted with his first wife's family, he fell
DESPERATELY IN LOVE
with the cousin, who had only been recently married, but who was not happily mated. She accepted an invitation to visit Utah, the plains were soon traveled over, the cousin became converted, and in a few weeks after ward she was "Mrs. Johnny No. 3." Time passes rapidly and No. 3 gains the ascendency over the young man's heart. The first wife obtains a divorce and the second is put aside with "an allowance." No. 3 was the lady who came frequently to San Francisco and was received into "our best society" as "Mrs. Young." With her the youngest son of the Prophet drank deeply of the ways of the world, and was furiously captivated by its fashions. For several years he has lived so little in Utah—preferring San Francisco and New York to the City of Saints—that he has been regarded as an apostate from the faith, and thus, unexpectedly to everybody, he re-turned to Utah a week ago, and the Prophet, in utter disregard of the sentiments of the Mormon people, places him next to his throne, and makes him by that act the next Prophet of the Mormon Church. It is prob-ably expecting too much to look for any com-motion among the Mormons over this sudden conversion of a splendid scapegrace into a full-fledged prophet, seer and revelator.
THE OTHER MORMON CONFERENCE.
The members of “The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints" on the Pacific coast held their semi-annual Con-ference last week in Music Hall, on Sixth street, Oakland. The Church of the "Re-organized" was presided over by Elder Joseph Smith, the oldest son of the founder of Mormonism, who was on this occasion present among the Saints on the other side of the bay, enlightening their minds in the origi-nal faith of his father, and repudiating the course of Brigham Young. There is consider-able interest in the movements of young Smith, as there is centered in him the hope of contributing to the breaking up of the Utah polygamy and other abominations there. The headquarters of the Reorganized is at Plano, Illinois, and the visit of "Elder" Smith here is for the purpose of encouraging those who
REPUDIATE BRIGHAM'S RULE.
During this Conference the missionaries re-ported that there were in San Bernardino 156 reorganized Mormons; in Brighton, 12; in Alameda Creek, 74; in San Francisco, 62; in West Oakland, 47; in Davisville, 12; in Wat-sonville, 56; in Pine Mountain, 10; in Jeffer-son, 21; in San Benito, 21; in Santa Rosa, 68; in Healdsburg, 18; in Nortonville, 38; in Long Valley, 40; in Stockton, 5; in Sacramento, 40. In Nevada there are: In Carson, 42; in Motts-ville, 42; in Franktown, 19; and in Dayton, 9. In all these places, where there has been an effort made, the principles of this phase of the Mormon Church are said to be well re-ceived, and converts have been made. An Elder Brown, from Sacramento, related some astonishing revelations of healing of the sick during the last few months. The Reor-ganized Saints spent their time together very happily. They don't like Brigham a bit, and look for his death composedly.
The missionary Elders were appointed to their various fields of labor for the ensuing six months as follows: Elder Bradsbury Robinson to Humboldt County; Elder Parks, of Santa Rosa, to the Petaluma Mission; El-der Joseph F. Barton to Los Angeles; E. H. Webb to Sacramento; Orin Smith to San Joaquin; J. C. Clapp to Oregon; A. B. Johns to Nevada; A. Whitlock to San Ber-nardino, and H. P. Brown to San Francisco and Alameda Districts. Elder D. S. Mills, of the old Mission of San Jose, who had been traveling for several years in California as an Evangelist, was reappointed to that mission. The Saints, under young Joseph Smith, are perfectly satisfied with themselves and each other, and they have not the slightest doubt but that they will get away with Brother Brigham.
