History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

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THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
receive their license from other elders by vote of
church or conference. There shall be presidents,
bishops, high counsellors, and high priests; the presiding
elder shall be president of the high priesthood,
and he, as well as bishops, high counsellors, and high
priests, will be ordained by high council or general
conference. The duty of members is to walk in holiness
before the Lord according to the scriptures, to
bring their children to the elders, who will lay their
hands on them and bless them in the name of Jesus
Christ. The bible, that is to say, the scriptures of
the old and new testaments, is accepted wholly, save
such corruptions as have crept in through the great
and abominable church; the book of Mormon is a
later revelation, supplementary thereto. Thus is organized
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints, 22 in accordance with special revelations and
commandments, and after the manner set forth in the
new testament.
The first public discourse, following the meetings
held in Whitmer's house, was preached on Sunday,
the 11th of April, 1830, by Oliver Cowdery, who the
"The church was not at that time so called, nor indeed until after the
4th of May, 1834. See chap, iv., note 50; also Millennial Star, iv. 115; Burton's
City of the Saints, 671-2. Kidder, Mormonism, 68, affirms that this
name was not adopted till some years later. Mather is only a year and a day
astray when he says, 'The conference of elders on May 3, 1833, repudiated
the name of "Mormons" and adopted that of "Latter-Day Saints."' Lippincott's
Mag. , Aug. 1880. The term ' Mormons, ' as first applied by their enemies
to members of the church of Latter-Day Saints, was quite offensive to them,
though later they became somewhat more reconciled to it. As at present popularly
employed, it is by no means a term of reproach, though among themselves
they still adhere to the appellation 'Saints,' just as quakers speak of themselves
as the ' ' Society of Friends. ' The term Mormon ' seems to me quite fitting
for general use, fully as much so as presbyterian, reformed Dutch, uni-
'
versalist, and others, few of which were of their own choosing. Mormon was
the name of a certain man, and also of a particular locality upon the American
continent; but was never intended to signify a body of people. The name
by which we desire to be known and to walk worthy of is "Saints."' Bell's
Beply to Theobald, 2. At the time of the riots in Missouri, in addressing communications
to the governor, and in many other instances, they designate
themselves as ' members of the church of Christ, vulgarly called Mormons.
See also Be Smet's Western Missions, 393; Mackay's The Mormons, 41-2.
The term 'gentile' was generally applied to unbelievers of the white race.
The Indians, originally, were denominated 'of the house of Israel,' 'of the
house of Joseph,' or 'of the house of Jacob,' also the Lamanites.
'