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.