The Tithing System.
The object of tithing, as stated in the "Book of Doctrines and Covenants," is to exalt the poor, and humble the rich,—taking from where it is not wanted the surplus property of the church, and placing it where it is needed. The law of tithing, as originally instituted, calls for one tenth of the annual increase and gains, after providing for the wants of the family. When the poor were amply supplied, the residue was to be used for purchasing inheritances for the saints, building houses for public worship, etc.
Of late years, however, tithing assumes an entirely different form, and is much more comprehensive in its scope and exacting in its demands. The "saints" in Utah, Europe, and throughout the world, are required to pay one tenth of their income, without any reference to their ability to meet the demand. Thus the laboring man in Utah, who receives but one dollar and fifty cents per day,—not enough to support his family comfortably,—is assessed tithing to the amount of about forty-five dollars per annum.
But this is not all. Every emigrant and new-comer is expected to pay one tenth of his entire possessions. Upon
this point much strictness prevails. On the arrival of the faithful in Zion, they are visited by a bishop and clerk, and inventories of all their property taken. One tenth of everything must then be sent to the tithing-office, not even excepting household furniture, cooking utensils, or clothing. Should the party be in possession of a little money, he is urged to pay the tithing all in cash.
A very good idea of the extent to which this tithing system is carried may be formed from the following tithing-song, sung at a meeting of one of the quorums, and published in the "Deseret News," No. 6, Vol. V.:—
"Tithing-Song.
Air. The King of the Cannibal Islands.]
"Come, Mormons all, attention pay,
Whilst I attempt to sing my say;
I've chosen for my text to-day,
'Come forward, and pay up your tithing.'
These may not be the very words,
Which ancient Holy Writ records;
But Malachi, I think, affords
A verse which with the sense accords.
It seems that he had cause to scold
The saints, or Israelites of old;
In fact, they needed to be told,
'Come forward, and pay up your tithing.'
Chorus.
"Then if to prosper you desire,
And wish to keep out of the fire,
Nay, if you to be saints aspire,
Come forward, and pay up your tithing.
"Just as it was in the olden times,
With ancient saints in other climes,
The call is now, 'Bring out your dimes,'—
'Come forward, and pay up your tithing.'
Our Prophet says, 'When Elders preach,
The law of tithing they should teach;
Pay up themselves, and then beseech
All those who come within their reach.'
This makes me now entreat of you
To follow counsel; right pursue;
And whilst all evil you eschew,
'Come forward, and pay up your tithing.'
Chorus.
"Then if to prosper, etc.
"Now, male and female, rich and poor,
Who wish to keep your standing sure,
That you salvation may secure,
'Come forward, and pay up your tithing.'
A tenth, that is, and nothing less,
Of all you do or may possess,
In flocks and herds, and their increase,
With pigs and poultry, ducks and geese:
A tenth, indeed, of all your toil,
Likewise the produce of the soil;
And if you've any wine or oil,
'Come forward, and pay up your tithing.'
Chorus.
"Then if to prosper, etc.
"Henry Maiben.
"Great S. L. City, 1855."
Not only the extent of this exaction, but the penalty for non-payment, is fully set forth in this song, to wit, exclusion from the church, and deprivation of all spiritual blessings. What greater penalty can be placed before a true Mormon?
The administration of the law of tithing has been excessively cruel in Europe. Many of the saints in England, who, from infirmity, age, or incapacity to labor, have been supported by the parish, receiving one, two, or three shillings per week, have been anathematized and cut off from the
church, because they could not pay their tithing out of their parish allowance, and support life from the remainder!
From the European Mission alone, over $500,000 of British gold has found its way into the pockets of Brigham Young. No account has ever been made of this vast amount, nor is there any public work or project requiring expenditure of church-money, which has not been more than provided for by the home tithing-fund.
The poor in Utah suffer severely from this exaction. You may see families barefooted, women and children nearly naked, destitute of even the necessaries of life, the husband making every effort to meet the day of tithing, fearful of losing his soul's salvation should he fail. Cases of extreme destitution have not been, in former years, comparatively numerous; but as the rich become richer and the poor poorer, by the operation of this system, these cases become more marked and frequent, and already a rumbling of discontent is heard among the masses, which occasionally reaches the throne, and which will soon break forth in loud peals of thunder, demanding justice for a long oppressed and outraged people.
Again, there is a standing tithing-price which must be paid for flour and other necessaries, by those who are engaged upon the public works, or who are obliged to work for their richer brethren. These always pay their laborers in produce at tithing-prices. But these prices are usually far beyond the cash value of the same article in the market. In 1862-63, the tithing-office price of flour was $6 per hundred. The wages of workmen were nominally $2 per day. But if a poor saint worked for his more affluent brother, as in most cases he was obliged to do, he uniformly received his pay in flour at $6. It was not uncommon to see a laboring man going home at night, with his sack of flour, the result of his day's work, or of the labor of two or three days. At the same time the market-price of flour did not exceed $3 per hundred. If the poor
man, who was obliged to take all his pay in flour, wished to purchase some sugar or groceries for his family, he must exchange for the same his flour, at half the price paid for it. Thus did the dignitaries of the church "grind the face of the poor."
The masses were induced to submit to this state of things, by the assurance that flour would rise to a price much greater than $6, and when it should do so, the balance would be upon the other side, and the poor would be the gainers, as they should never pay more than that sum.
In the winter of 1863-64, flour rose rapidly, owing to the new markets opened up in Idaho and other mining regions. Now the time had come when the predictions and prophecies concerning the rise of flour had been fulfilled. But the church authorities, notwithstanding the solemn promises which had been made to the people, raised the tithing-price of flour to $12 per hundred. This was "the last straw that broke the camel's back," and came near producing a revolution. One day a workman in the "church" (alias Brigham's) blacksmith shop, called at the "tithing-store" for his flour, as was customary, the same being his wages for work for a stated period. At the store the flour was weighed out, and he was given a ticket at $12 per hundred. This was the first time he had been charged over $6. The blacksmith left his bag of flour at the store, and proceeded, fired with indignation, to the President's office. Inquiring for him, he was told the President was out, and he could not see him. He replied he must see him, and should remain until he did. After some time the President appeared. "Brother Brigham," said the excited workman, "you are a liar and a hypocrite." This caused a great excitement at once. The clerks sprang instantly from their places, some surrounding Brigham, others the blacksmith. The latter proceeded: "Have you not repeatedly given the people your solemn promise that they should never be charged by the church over $6 per hundred for flour? You with your wives and families are
rolling in wealth, surrounded with everything the heart can wish. But go with me, and I will show you cases of destitution and suffering which will cause your soul, if you have one, to shudder with horror."
The clerks that were here ordered to put him out of the office, which was done immediately, but the enraged man, now that his lips were unsealed, continued to talk, in a loud tone of voice, until a number of people, attracted by curiosity, gathered around him. To them he explained the cause of the difficulty, and inveighed in unmeasured terms against those who were living in luxury and extravagance upon the industry and hard-earned savings of the poor.
The crowd was finally dispersed, and one of the clerks sent to the outraged blacksmith to inform him that he could have the flour at $6. He replied that he would die of hunger ere he would ever taste of it or touch it. The next day Brigham drove down to the poor man's house, taking the flour in his carriage, and induced him to accept it, and the same day the tithing-price of flour was reduced to $6 per hundred.
The best articles of everything paid in for tithing—the choice hams and beef, the best butter, cheese, etc.—are laid away until the families of the first Presidency, the clerks, and a few of the elect are supplied. The balance is served out to the mechanics and laborers. Thus the church dignitaries literally live off of "the fat of the land." Often when butter, or some other article not quite so abundant as usual, is called for by the workman, he is told "there is none in the store," while at the same time large quantities are stowed away; and scarcely is he out of sight, before some member of higher standing in the church visits the same store, and his wants are amply supplied.
As Brigham is not scrupulous on the subject of appropriating the means of the "church," that is, of the people, minor officers, as Bishops of settlements, do not hesitate to speculate upon their own account. This is more or less tolerated, according to the faithfulness of the party to the interests of
the heads of the church, and his diligence in "attending to counsel," or, in other words, in obeying orders. It is notorious that the Bishops all become quickly wealthy. Appoint a man Bishop of a settlement, and in two or three years his fortune is made; and he who previously lived in a log-cabin, with barely the necessaries of life, is soon in possession of a fine house, with carriages, horses, &c., at his command. Every Bishop is expected to "build up the kingdom" by having numerous wives. If he has less than half a dozen, he is scarcely considered as "doing his duty to the church," and at once exposes himself to remark, if not to censure.
Many incidents might be mentioned illustrative of the manner in which property is accumulated by the Bishops. When the army under Col. Johnson was located at Camp Floyd, a Bishop of one of the southern settlements sold to the officers at the camp, at fifty cents per pound, all the butter which had been paid in for tithing, and accounted for it at the general tithing-office, at the tithing price,—twenty-five cents per pound.
Frequently the people would in this way be deprived of luxuries which had been sold, and the proceeds of which had gone into the pockets of the Bishops and other officers of the church. On one occasion Kimball alluded in his sermon to the complaints of the people, that they could not get butter or anything else to eat on their bread. In response he told them, if their bread was hard and dry, "dip it in City Creek."
On the departure from the Territory of the army under Col. Johnson, Brigham bought a large quantity of bacon at one cent per pound, selling it again to the laborers on the public works at twenty-five cents. The large contracts of purchase are usually awarded to him, partly because he has more money with which to fulfil them, and partly because men of lesser means do not wish to cross his path, by interfering with his financial operations. A large quantity of condemned crackers were purchased at the same time, at a nominal sum, many of which were afterward dealt out
to the laborers on the public works, at fifteen cents per pound.
Soon after the arrival of the saints in Utah, their attention was especially directed to the building of a temple. Promises were made to them, that upon its completion, the Saviour, together with angels, would enter therein, and minister unto those who remained faithful. There they were to receive blessings that could be obtained in no other place. This has been held out as a strong inducement for the payment of money. Over $100,000 has been paid for the accomplishment of this object by the British saints alone. Not a dollar of this money has been used for that purpose, as all that has been done upon the temple has been more than paid for by the people of Utah.[143:A]
The work upon the temple has proceeded very slowly, and the foundation is but little above the surface. Many of the saints are dissatisfied with its progress, and ask each other why more has not been accomplished during the fifteen years that have rolled away since its commencement; and especially while such ample means have been constantly on hand,—the tithing system furnishing an immense revenue, and no other public work on which to expend it? And why it is that $200,000 should be expended by Brigham Young upon a theatre for his own benefit, and nearly as much more upon a hotel now being built, and house added to house and building to building in his own enclosure, while the temple is neglected? These questions have much significance, and doubtless the day is not far distant when the people will insist upon an answer more satisfactory than they have yet received.
The immense fund realized from the tithing system, and which is constantly at Brigham's disposal, enables him to
improve many opportunities that are offered for private speculations. These he is not slow to perceive, nor does he permit any advantage of that kind to escape him. A very common speculation is to send a brother who is doing well, and accumulating a handsome property, upon a foreign mission. The call to go upon a mission is considered a trial of the brother's faith, and he is not expected to decline. Should he desire to sell his house or other possessions, rather than to leave them in the hands of agents, brother Brigham stands ready to purchase them at a reduced price. In this way a large amount of property falls into his hands. If the missionary returns at all, he comes nearly impoverished, and commences anew to acquire property.
In 1862 there were two distilleries in Salt Lake City, the owners of which, Moon & Bradley, were rapidly increasing in wealth. Brigham professed much indignation, telling them "they should welter in hell for manufacturing the intoxicating draught to destroy their brethren." As a sort of expiatory act for their offence he sent them upon a mission to raise cotton in Southern Utah. As soon as they were gone, he opened a distillery himself, in the name and under the sanction of the city council, under pretence of regulating the traffic by law. Thus he managed to monopolize the large profits from the manufacture of ardent spirits, an immense quantity of which is used in Salt Lake City and throughout the Territory.
Among the various inducements held out to the poor saints in Europe, has been the promise to each of a city lot in Salt Lake, of one acre and a quarter, upon the payment of the cost of survey, $1.25. On their arrival, they find to their astonishment, although there are plenty of vacant and unfenced lots, that they have to pay to Young or Kimball $100 or $150 for a lot. On one occasion a poor Dane having purchased a lot upon credit, built a small house upon it, but his wife falling sick he was unable to pay for the lot at the time agreed upon. Kimball compelled him to pull down the
house and remove the material; and the Dane was obliged, in consequence, to pass the winter, with his family, in his covered wagon. Fortunately the winter was a mild one, or they might have perished.
The saints are fond of dancing, and in the winter season social parties for that purpose are numerous. Each ward has a commodious house, built by taxation, which is used for schools and public meetings. But for dancing their use is forbidden, and the people are obliged to pay Brigham $100 per night for a building called the "Social Hall." Yet this hall was built from the proceeds of tithing paid in by the very people who are thus obliged to pay for the rent of it!
Mr. Taussig, a simple and unpretending man, had succeeded in establishing a substantial tannery well stocked with leather. By some designing persons he was induced to refuse the payment of his taxes, on the ground that they were exorbitant, and the Territorial Collector sold the property, which was bought by one of Brigham's agents, and the poor man reduced to poverty.
In the fall of 1857, Brigham called a mass meeting in the Tabernacle, and after dilating upon the disadvantages the people were laboring under in being without a currency, established a bank, calling upon the faithful to bring in all their gold and silver, and receive the new paper currency in exchange. This was done. In a few months the bank was suspended, and depositors were paid in labor tithing, for the currency held by them, in exchange for their gold and silver.
One Mr. Tennant, a gentleman residing in Lancashire, England, embraced Mormonism. His property was estimated at over $70,000. He was soon marked as a victim. By appliances and representations brought to bear with much assiduity, he was induced to purchase of Brigham Young a house in Salt Lake, which he had never seen, and pay for the same the sum of $20,000; about four times its value. In addition to this, large sums of money were obtained from him by the Elders, under pretence of his becoming a
share-holder and partner with Young in grist-mills, sugar machinery, iron-works, &c., solemnly assuring him in relation to its safe investment and future profits. Mr. Tennant died while crossing the Plains, leaving a wife, with a young child. On arriving in Salt Lake, Mrs. Tennant, instead of being comfortably installed in the house purchased by her husband, found herself placed in lodgings, the carriage, horses, and other property seized upon, and herself placed under the control of a guardian. This, together with the loss of her husband, so worked upon her mind, that she became insane. Afterward Brigham gave her in marriage to Daniel Spencer, as his fourth or fifth wife, and thus completed the wrongs for which the poor woman will call him to account in the day of judgment. She now lives upon a miserable pittance doled out from the tithing-office.
A Mr. Williams, well known to the writer, became a Mormon in England. He was a man of considerable property, and while on his way crossing the Plains, was induced to invest $15,000 in an iron company formed for working the iron mines in Southern Utah. The money was paid over, and invested by the Elders, in goods, in St. Louis. The goods were duly transported across the Plains, and unloaded within the enclosure of Young, in Salt Lake City. Mr. Williams received, in St. Louis, a receipt for his money, stating that the same would entitle him, upon his arrival in Utah, to certificates of stock in the company. But he never was able to get any stock or other equivalent for his money, nor any statement of the affairs of the company. Indeed, the dignitaries of the church, after one or two conversations upon the subject, refused to converse with him further in relation to it. Soon after, the Legislature of Utah, composed in good part of the same men, repealed the Act incorporating the company, and thus the whole thing "vanished into thin air." In 1862, which was several years after the money had been paid, Mr. Williams took legal advice, and was told he could file a bill in chancery, against all persons implicated in the transaction,
requiring them to answer under oath. He hesitated to do so, giving as a reason that he thought "the time had not yet come," and that such a course would imperil his life.
This mode of getting money by the Elders from the wealthy saints, and the retaining the same, is not only excused, but openly justified and encouraged by Brigham. The following extract from one of his published sermons will show his views upon these questions, and the character of his morality and financial integrity:—
"I wish to impress another thing on your minds. An Elder who is willing to preach the gospel, borrows a hundred or a thousand from you, and you never breathe a word of complaint against him, until you come home to this valley; but after you have been here for a few days, you follow me round and fill my ears with complaints against this brother, and ask me what he has done with your money? I say 'I do not know.' Thus you are distressed, and in misery all the day long, to get it back again. If an Elder has borrowed from you, and you find he is going to apostatize, then you may tighten the screws upon him; but if he is willing to preach the gospel without purse or scrip, it is none of your business what he does with the money he has borrowed from you. If you murmur against that Elder, it will prove your damnation. . . .
"No man need judge me. You know nothing about it, whether I am sent or not; furthermore, it is none of your business, only to listen with open ears to what is taught you, and serve God with an undivided heart."[147:A]
Stephen Goddard owned a store on Main Street, Salt Lake City, which he desired to sell. He was offered its value by a gentile, but before selling, consulted "Brother Brigham." The President said he wanted the store, and would give him $8,000 for it. To this Goddard demurred, as the sum was less than half what he had been offered. Young said when the Lord wanted his property, that should be the end of it, and the price was none of his business. Goddard and Bishop Woolley, who was present, retired outside and talked the matter over. The Bishop remarked, "He thought when a
man had worked hard to accumulate property for the benefit of his family, he should be permitted to sell it for a fair price." This was overheard by a spy, and reported to headquarters. The Bishop was sent for and sharply reprimanded. He was told that he was in a spirit of apostasy. Goddard, afraid to do otherwise, sold the store to Young for $8,000.
Besides the property acquired through the machinery of the tithing system, a large amount is obtained under the "law of consecration." Under this law, those saints who can be induced to do so, place their whole property in the hands of the President, as trustee in trust for the church, to be used when the necessities of the church require it. The object is to guard against apostasy. Brigham Young says:—
"The rulers of Great Britain have tried to make every capitalist identify his interest with the Government that has sustained the kingdom. Brethren, do you wish this heavenly kingdom to stand? . . . Imitate the policy of that earthly kingdom; identify our interest with the kingdom of God, so that if our hearts should ever be weaned from loyalty to the sovereign, all our earthly interest is bound up there, and cannot be taken away. . . .
"If a man has the purse in his pocket, and he apostatizes, he takes it with him; but if his worldly interest is firmly united to the kingdom of God, when he arises to go away, he finds the calf is bound, and, like the cow, he is unwilling to forsake it. If his calf is bound up here, he will be inclined to stay."[148:A]