CHAPTER IX. 



The Mormons were originally of the sect known as "Latter- 

 day Saints," which sect flourishes wherever Anglo-Saxon gulls 

 are found in sufficient numbers to swallow the egregious nonsense 

 of fanatic humbugs who fatten upon their credulity. In the 

 United States they especially abounded ; but, the creed becoming 

 "slow," one Joe Smith, a smart man, arose from its ranks, and 

 instilled a little life into the decaying sect. 



Joe, better known as the " Prophet Joe," was taking his siesta 

 one fine day, upon a hill in one of the New England States, when 

 an angel suddenly appeared to him, and made known the locality 

 of a new Bible or Testament, which contained the history of the 

 lost tribes of Israel; that these tribes were no other than the 

 Indian nations which possessed the continent of America at the 

 time of its discovery, and the remains of which still existed in their 

 savage state ; that, through the agency of Joe, these were to be 

 reclaimed, collected into the bosom of a church to be there estab- 

 lished, according to. principles which would be found in the won- 

 derful book — and which church was gradually to receive into its 

 bosom all other churches, sects, and persuasions, with " unanimity 

 of belief and perfect brotherhood." 



After a certain probation, Joe was led in body and spirit to the 

 mountain ; by the angel who first appeared to him, was pointed 

 out the position of the wonderful book, which was covered by a 

 flat stone, on which would be found two round pebbles, called 

 Urim and Thummim, and through the agency of which the 

 mystic characters inscribed on the pages of the book were to be 



