History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

150
THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
he has no soul. He comes to Joseph and says,
"Hail/ master!" and worships him. He professes all
that the Mormons profess, and more; he does all
that the Mormons do, and more. So the prophet
makes him general of his legion, mayor of the city,
chancellor of the university, not to mention his functions
as attorney, doctor, and privy counsellor. All
this is done with quick despatch; and the result
is that the great man soon tires of his greatness,
or thinks to become yet greater by turning renegade,
and writing a book against his late friends and
associates. 11
11 Representative of a class of anti-Mormon literature, not altogether
'creditable to either its authors or supporters, are the following:
The History of the Saints; or, An Expose of Joe Smith and Mormonism.
By John C. Bennett. (Boston, 1842.)
The Abominations oj Mormonism Exposed; containing many Facts and
Doctrines concerning that singular people during seven years' membership with
them, from 1840 to 1S47. By William Hall. (Cincinnati, 1852.)
Mormonism: Its Leaders and Designs. By John Hyde, Jun., formerly a
Mormon elder and resident of Salt Lake City. (New York, 1S57.)
Mormonism Unveiled; or, The Life and Confessions of the late Mormon
bishop, John D. Lee; Written by Himself; Embracing a history of Mormonism
from its inception down to the present time, luith an exposition of the secret history,
signs, symbols, and crimes of the Mormon Church; also the true history
of the horrible butchery known as the Mountain Meadow Massacre. (St Louis,
1877.)
The role of traitor is not one which in any wise brings credit to the
performer, either from one side or the other. However great the service he
may render us, we cannot but feel that he is false-hearted and vile. Many
of the apostates, though they may not have written books, declare that they
joined the sect only to learn their secrets and then expose them. These are
the most contemptible of all. There may be cases where a young or inexperienced
person, through ignorance or susceptibility, has been carried away
for a time contrary to the dictates of cooler judgment; but the statements of
puch persons are justly regarded with more or less suspicion. Far better is
it, far more honest and praiseworthy, for him who, having unwittingly made
a mistake, seeks to rectify it, to go his way and say nothing about it; for if
he talks of writing a book for the good of others, as a warning, and that
they may avoid his errors, few will believe him. ' If he has proved traitor
once,' they say, 'he will deceive again; and if he is sincere, we cannot more
than half believe him, for such an individual is never sure of himself.' John
C. Bennett, general, doctor, methodist preacher, and quack, is from his own
showing a bad man. He devotes some fifty pages to the vindication of his
character, which would not be necessary were he honest; other fifty are
given to defaming his late worshipful patron Joseph Smith, which would
never have been written were he true. When a man thrusts in your face
three-score certificates of his good character, each signed by from one to a
dozen persons, you may know that he is a very great rascal. Nor are we
disappointed here. This author is a charlatan, pure and simple; such was
c may credit him
he when he joined the Mormons, and before and after. Wr
fully when he says, 'I never believed in them or their doctrines;' although
in a letter to Dr Dyer, dated Nauvoo, Jan. 20, 1842, he declares: ' My heart is