"Now, you Gladdenites, keep your tongues still, lest sudden destruction come upon you. I say, rather than that apostates should flourish here, I will unsheathe my bowie-knife, and conquer or die. [Great commotion in the congregation, and a simultaneous burst of feeling, assenting to the declaration.] Now, you nasty apostates, clear out, or 'judgment will be laid to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.' [Voices generally, 'Go it, go it.'] If you say it is all right, raise your hands. [All hands up.] Let us call upon the Lord to assist us in this and every other good work."[121:A]
In the same discourse he commanded the Bishops to "kick these men out of their wards," and warned the apostates themselves that "they were not playing with shadows," but "it was the voice and the hand of the Almighty they were trying to play with, and they would find themselves mistaken if they thought to the contrary."
In accordance with this bloody teaching, many unfortunate apostates who were unwilling or unable to leave the country, "bit the dust." They felt the literal edge of the bowie-knife thus from the pulpit unsheathed for their destruction. Many of the murders committed during the succeeding six or seven years were fully authorized by these instructions; and yet Brigham, unable to deny that they had been committed, has openly boasted that his enemies have been unable to trace any of them to him, and fasten them upon him.
He unsheathes the bowie-knife, and issues a general mandate; but when the murder of some individual dissenter is brought to his door, he turns away and says, "Thou canst not say, I did it."
The second organized opposition to Young was made by Joseph Morris and his followers.
The rise and progress and subsequent history of the people called "Morrisites," is as follows:—
On the 19th of November, 1860, a man dressed in ordinary working-clothes wended his way on foot from Slatersville, a settlement in Weber County, north of Salt Lake, to the Holy City. This was Joseph Morris, and the object of his visit was to deliver to Brigham Young two letters which he had written, under the supposed influence of the Spirit.
It seems that for some reason the life of Morris had been threatened, and having been driven from the place where he had been living, he was now going to appeal to the President in person for protection. Morris had received, previous to this time, many revelations, some of which looked to a purification of the church,—all of which he had communicated to Brigham and the Apostles.
On his way to Salt Lake he met John Cook, brother of Richard Cook, at that time a Mormon Bishop, presiding at South Weber. To him Morris communicated his views and projects, and made so favorable an impression that both the Cooks soon afterward espoused his cause, and became his zealous supporters.
Morris delivered his letters to the President at his residence, but received no reply.