Hppletons' /ll>ontfol£ Bulletin. 



thor's books, is a work which will 

 attract wide attention. This remark- 

 able historical novel depicts the actual 

 beginnings of Mormonism, the character 

 of the first " revelations " and of those 

 who accepted them, and the extraordi- 

 nary experiences and persecutions of 

 the early members of the sect. Merely 

 as a story of strange happenings and 

 adventures this novel would enlist the 

 interest of readers, but it has also as 

 really its chief reason for being, the 

 great interest attaching to its portraiture 

 of the character of Joseph Smith. In 

 these pages the peculiar temperament 

 of the " Prophet," the founder of the 

 sect, is placed before readers in a man- 

 ner which will open to them an un- 

 known chapter in our history. The au- 

 thor has studied his character in the 

 light given by modern psychological re- 

 search, and the results will probably 

 be accepted as a true interpretation of 

 an extraordinary character. The story 

 shows what Mormonism was at the 

 outset, and traces the changes which 

 showed themselves clearly at Nauvoo 

 City, where polygamy, which was no- 

 where present in the original creed of 

 the sect, is said to have had its origin. 

 At the present time an intimate interest 

 will be felt in this vivid picture of the 

 Mormon Prophet's origin and career, 

 the steadfastness of his followers 

 throughout ignominy and peril, and the 

 strange modifications introduced in 

 their beliefs in the days of prosperity 

 and material temptation. 



* 

 * * 



Since Miss Dougall's strong novel 

 sets forth the original creed of the Mor- 

 mons and shows the changes in their 

 beliefs, its appearance at a time when so 

 much interest is felt in the Roberts 

 case will be welcomed by thoughtful 

 readers. In regard to the case of Brig- 

 ham H. Roberts, recently elected to 

 Congress in Utah, whose admission to 

 Congress has been the subject of many 

 protests, a correspondent of the " New 



York Evening Post " has written as 

 follows : 



' ' Without attempting to fathom the in- 

 tentions of the leaders of the Mormon 

 Church, who have a commendable habit of 

 keeping their own counsel, the election of 

 Mr. Roberts certainly demonstrates the fact 

 that a man can be elected Representative 

 from Utah who is living in polygamy, in 

 defiance of the prohibitions of his church 

 and the laws of his State, and who admits 

 that the pledges under which statehood was 

 granted to Utah were meant to be kept only 

 so far as suited the convenience of the men 

 who made them. Briefly, it proves that a 

 majority of the people of Utah see no reason 

 why a polygamist and a political confidence 

 man should not represent them in Con- 

 gress. . . . The leading question discussed 

 in the campaign was whether it would be 

 wise, proper, and politic to send Mr. Rob- 

 erts down to Washington, with his polyg- 

 amous record. His acceptance or rejec- 

 tion by the Fifty-sixth Congress will simply 

 show the Mormons how far they can safely 

 go. The church is still teaching the es- 

 sential righteousness of polygamy. Young 

 men, who do not under the new revelation 

 contract plural marriages, continue to lead 

 to the Temple young women who are there 

 sealed to them for the world to come, a 

 form of engagement which does not become 

 effective until death. Polygamy, according 

 to the revelation, is not to be encouraged 

 in this world, but it is the regular thing in 

 the next. The old polygamists continued 

 to live with their complete families, like 

 Representative-elect Roberts, and among 

 the younger generation, who are supposed 

 to respect the new revelation, there are 

 many lapses from the rule of monogamous 

 marriages." 



The lack of a comprehensive book 

 for travelers, investors, and others, de- 

 voted entirely to Puerto Rico, will 

 insure a welcome for Puerto Rico and 

 its Resources, by Frederick A. Ober, 

 the well-known traveler in the West 

 Indies, which is published by D. Apple- 

 ton and Company. The aim has been 

 to produce a work that will answer all 

 questions likely to arise in connection 



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