182 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



ica, and even to Great Britain and Ireland. Hundreds of 

 proselytes nocked to Joe, to hear from his lips the doctrine 

 of Mormonism ; and in a very brief period the Mormons 

 became a numerous and recognised sect, and Joe was at 

 once, and by universal acclamation, installed as the head 

 of the Mormon Church, and was ever after known by the 

 name of the " Prophet Joseph." 



However, from certain peculiarities in their social sys- 

 tem, the Mormons became rather unpopular in the settled 

 States, and at length moved bodily into Missouri, where 

 they purchased several tracts of land in the neighbourhood 

 of Independence. Here they erected a large building, 

 which they called the Lord's Store, where goods were col- 

 lected on the common account, and retailed to members of 

 the Church at moderate prices. All this time their numbers 

 increased in a wonderful manner, and immigrants from all 

 parts of the States, as well as Europe, continually joined 

 them. As they became stronger, they grew bolder and 

 more arrogant in their projects. They had hitherto been 

 considered as bad neighbours, on account of their pilfering 

 propensities, and their utter disregard of the conventional 

 decencies of society exhibiting the greatest immorality, 

 and endeavouring to establish amongst their society an 

 indiscriminate concubinage. This was sufficient to produce 

 an ill feeling against them on the part of their neighbours, 

 the honest Missourians ; but they still tolerated their pres- 

 ence amongst them, until the Saints openly proclaimed 

 their intention of seizing upon the country, and expel- 

 ling by force the present occupants giving, as their reason, 

 that it had been revealed to their prophets that the " Land 

 of Zion " was to be possessed by themselves alone. 



The sturdy Missourians began to think this was a 

 little too strong, and that, if they permitted such aggres- 

 sions any longer, they would be in a fair way of being de- 

 spoiled of their lauds by the Mormon interlopers. At 

 length matters came to a crisis, and the Saints, emboldened 

 by the impunity with which they had hitherto carried out 

 their plans, issued a proclamation, to the effect that all in 

 that part of the country who did not belong to the Mormon 





