Trouble Among the Mormons—An "Elder" Expelled.
The Deseret News (organ of Brigham Young at Great Salt Lake City) has a long story about the expulsion of a Mormon elder from the company of the "Saints." The "elder" in question is Walter M. Gibson, formerly known as Capt. Gibson. It seems that he arrived in Utah on his way to the Malay Islands in the fall of 1849. He was out of funds, but managed to secure them by lecturing upon Oceanica. In course of time he sought baptism and was soon Elder Gibson. He went down to the Pacific coast, lectured at San Francisco, and was accused of being a Mormon, but denied it. Finally he reached the Sandwich Islands, and soon made his presence felt among the natives, and was rapidly making a "good thing" out of them, when a committee from Utah went on to investigate his acts. They found him living in clover, possessing acres of lands by thousands, his sheep by the same figures, and his horses and cattle, geese and turkeys in droves, But more than all this, he dispensed Mormon offices and titles. He had ordained hosts of Kamehameha's subjects as Apostles, High Priests, "Seventies," elders and everything else, and even the women received from his hand the honors of priestesses and other titles that his cunning could suggest to touch their veneration, while he touched their property. Our Mormon delegation visited him and remonstrated with him, but he couldn't see it, and suggested to them the propriety of a speedy departure. A few hints of Lynch law by the newly-converted natives accelerated their departure.
The News thus consoles the brethren:—
"It is not the first time in the history of this movement that we have known of dark days in distant missions; but we need not tell the Saints that those days have gone past forever. It is with much satisfaction that we can look back upon the past and contemplate through what the church has passed and see to-day the certain overthrow of evil. Men in their weakness, their folly and their pride might ten, fifteen, twenty, or more years ago travel in forbidden paths, and for a while with comparative impunity cover their tracks; but, to day, a tithe of such nonsense or villainy would find them out and send them to their legitimate place quicker than they ever dreamed of, and all rejoice that it is so now and cannot be repeated."
