190 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



a holy dance. As there are a many strange gentlemen 

 now a present, it's about right to tell 'em a what our 

 doctrine just is ; and so I tells 'em right off what the Mor- 

 mons is. They are the chosen of the Lord ; they are the 

 children of glory, persecuted by the hand of man : they 

 flies here to the wilderness, and, amongst the Injine and 

 the burner, they lifts up their heads, and cries with a loud 

 voice, * Susannah, and hurray for the promised land ! ' Do 

 you believe it ? I know it. 



" They wants to know whar we're going. Whar the 

 church goes thar we goes. Yes, to hell, and pull the 

 devil off his throne that's what we'll do. Do you believe 

 it ? I know it. 



" Thar's milk and honey in that land as we're goin' to, 

 and the lost tribes of Israel is thar, and will jine us. They 

 say as we'll starve on the road, bekase thar's no game and 

 no water ; but thar's manna up in heaven, and it '11 rain 

 on us, and thar's prophets among us can make the water 

 1 come.' Can't they, brother Dowdle ? " 



" Well, they can." 



" And now, what have the Gentiles and the Philia&Mff 

 to say against us Mormons ? They says we're thieves, and 



steal hogs ; yes, d 'em ! they say we has as many 



wives as we like. So we have. I've twenty forty, my- 

 self, and mean to have as many more as I can get. But it's 

 to pass unfortunate females into heaven that I has 'em 

 yes, to prevent 'em going to roaring flames and damnation 

 that I does it. 



" Brother Dowdle," he continued, in a hoarse, low voice, 

 " I've ' give out,' and think we'd better begin the exercises 

 grettful to the Lord." 



Brother Dowdle rose, and, after saying that " he didn't 

 feel like saying much, begged to remind all hands that 

 dancing was solemn like, to be done with proper devotion, 

 and not with laughing and talking, of which he hoped to 

 hear little or none ; that joy was to be in their hearts, and 

 not on their lips ; that they danced for the glory of the 

 Lord, and not their own amusement, as did the Gentiles" 

 After saying thus, he called upon brother Ezra to " strike 



