The Mormon puzzle, and how to solve it

by R. W. Beers

There were, no doubt, aggravations at the time leading the Mormons to the commission of the crime which we should remember. Ordinarily the Mormons were glad to see the arrival of Gentile emigrants en route for the far West, as it gave occasion for trade and barter; but at this time Federal troops were advancing toward Utah, and consequently a spirit of intense hatred toward the Americans and toward our Government was kindled in the hearts of the Mormons, and especially of their leaders. Their persecutions in Missouri and Illinois came up before their minds to increase their hostility against the Gentiles. Just then it was that there came within their borders this train of American emigrants. They regarded them naturally as enemies, and their very presence at that time was a powerful incentive to their extermination.

Moreover, these emigrants were from Arkansas, where only a short time before Orley P. Pratt, one of the first Mormon apostles, had gained his crown of martyrdom; and his murderer was not even arrested. Now the opportunity of avenging the death of one of their leading Saints was put within their reach, and this fact was another powerful inducement to commit the crime. But after all is said that can be said in extenuation of that terrible deed, it stands forth as a most foul, shocking, and unjustifiable butchery.

Brigham Young, as Governor of Utah, was in honor bound to protect those emigrants on their way across his Territory, and yet he was the author of their destruction. On the fourth day after the emigrants left Cedar City, in Southern Utah, about sixty Mormons, painted and disguised as Indians, it is said, left that place in pursuit of them. They were under the command of Bishop John D. Lee, and had all the equipments of a military force except artillery. Lee invited the Piute Indians to accompany him, and he directed the combined forces of the Mormons and Indians throughout the entire siege. At Mountain Meadows the victims were overtaken. They were taken completely by surprise, but they at once corralled their wagons and prepared for defence. For four days they fought heroically. During the third day’s battle it became a necessity with the emigrants to get water. It was in clear view, but it was covered by the rifles of the Mormons. Hoping that the latter might have pity on children, they dressed two little girls in white and sent them with a bucket in the direction of the spring. The Mormons shot them down. The morning of the fourth day Lee told the men under his command that his orders were to “kill the entire company except the children.” In order to do this, he used finesse and stratagem. He sent a flag of truce to them, offering to protect them from the Indians if they would lay down their arms. Putting confidence in his promise, they marched up to the spring where Lee stood, and placed themselves under his care. The line of march was then taken up, and after the distance of half a mile had been traversed Lee gave the command to halt; then immediately the command to shoot them down. All the men and women were slain, stripped of their clothing, and left without burial.

In 1859 General Carlton raised a cairn of stones over the bleached skeletons of the victims. Upon one of the stones he caused to be written: “Here lie the bones of one hundred and twenty men, women, and children from Arkansas, murdered on the tenth day of September, 1857.” Upon a cross-beam he caused to be painted: “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, and I will repay it.” Brigham Young ordered this monument to be destroyed, and said the inscription should have read: “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, and I have repaid it.”

Lee was at length tried and executed for his part in that terrible butchery, but he was only the instrument of the Mormon leaders. He was in moral bondage, bound to carry out the wishes of his leader, however willing or unwilling he may have been to do so. He would never have ordered that massacre if he had not received an express command, nor would his troops have done the dastardly deed. But they were in bondage.

This may be clearly proved from the dying confessions of Lee, which were published after his execution. On the night previous to the massacre the Mormons held a council meeting. In describing that conference, Lee says: “I know that our total force was fifty-four whites and over three hundred Indians. As soon as those persons gathered around the camp, I demanded of Major Higbee what orders he had brought.... Major Higbee reported as follows: ‘It is the orders of the President that all the emigrants must be put out of the way.’ He then went on and said that none but friends were permitted to leave the Territory, and that as these were our sworn enemies, they must be killed. The men then in council knelt down in a prayer circle and prayed, invoking the Spirit of God to direct them how to act in the matter. After prayer Major Higbee said, ‘Here are the orders,’ and handed me a paper from Haight. The substance of the orders were that the emigrants should be decoyed from their stronghold and all exterminated, so that no one should be left to tell the tale, and then the authorities could say it was done by the Indians.... I then left the council and went away by myself, and bowed myself in prayer before God, and asked Him to overrule the decision of that council. At the earnest solicitation of Brother Hopkins, I returned with him to the council. When I got back, the council again prayed for aid. After prayer Major Higbee said, ‘I have the evidence of God’s approval of our mission. It is God’s will that we carry out our instructions to the letter.’ The meeting was then addressed by some one in authority. He spoke in about this language: ‘Brethren, we have been sent here to perform a duty. It is a duty that we owe to God, and to our Church and people. The orders of those in authority are that all the emigrants must die. Our leaders speak with inspired tongues, and their orders come from the God of heaven. We have no right to question what they have commanded us to do; it is our duty to obey.’ I, therefore, taking all things into consideration, and believing as I then did that my superiors were inspired men, who could not go wrong in any matter relating to the Church or the duty of its members, concluded to be obedient to the wishes of those in authority; I took up my cross, and prepared to do my duty.”

From that confession it is clear that Lee revolted at the idea of the massacre, his conscience did not approve of it, and in committing it he acted as a slave, as a martyr, regarding it as a cross.

So doubtless it was with others under his command. It is related that a missionary teacher asked a carpenter to make some repairs to her school-house. The Work was done at noon-time, when the children were away from the school; and one day the man said, “I believe you are a Christian, and I want to ask if you think I can be forgiven for helping in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. I want to tell you; it is on my mind all the time; but if you betray me my life will be of no account.” The teacher said she would not betray his confidence, and she believed, whatever his sins might be, they would be forgiven if he repented of them. The carpenter then told her how a lovely, golden-haired little girl was sent to a spring for water that dreadful day, and that he was one of those commanded to shoot her down; that her look of entreaty was forever before his eyes; and then the strong man wept at the remembrance, while making his confession, of a barbarity that he dared not refuse to accomplish. Was not that man in moral slavery?

Now, as that massacre was executed on account of the moral bondage of the Mormons to the priesthood, so also was the dastardly murder of Dr. J. K. Robinson in Salt Lake City in October, 1866, the murder of the Aiken party of six persons, the Potter and Parish murders, and the five hundred or more other assassinations which stain the history of the Mormon Church.

II. But not only has murder resulted from this bondage. Theft is indulged in, not because their consciences approve it, but because they are taught by the priesthood that the plundering of all those opposed to them, whenever an opportunity occurs, is a duty, because whatever is taken from the ungodly Gentiles is that much put into the treasury of the Lord.