MOG&WB 
in tins part of his narrative the old fire 
gleamed from Ids keen eye, his cheeks 
llushed with excited ardor, and with an ora¬ 
torical sweep of his hand lie said : _ u Yes, if 
I were only young again I could weep away 
all your religions from under the whole 
heaven.” 
Here the orbit of his wandering star was 
crossed by a Mormon missionary, or, in 
plainer English, a peddler of Mormon Bibles, 
Oliver Cowdkry,.Toe Smith’s amanuensis, 
who was about the only one who could write 
a respectable hand, and who prepared the 
manuscript for the printer, came along with 
his pack. Tie had heard of the erratic and 
heretic preacher. He presented him with a 
copy of the golden Bible. Riodon solemnly 
affirms that this was liis first personal knowl¬ 
edge of Jok Smith and the Mormons. Alter 
a few days Powdery returned and held a 
long interv iew with Riodon. Riodon had 
read a considerable portion of I lie book. 
He questioned Cowdeky about Smith, and 
found that he was entirely Illiterate. Rig- 
don expressed the utmost amazement that 
such a man should write a book which 
seemed to shed a flood of light on all the old 
Scriptures, open all their profonndcsl mys 
tcries, and give them perfect, consistency and 
complete system. In his fresh enthusiasm, 
he exclaimed that if GoD ever gave a revela¬ 
tion surely this must be divine. Thus Mor- 
monism gained its first clerical convert, and 
from this time Ruidon became one of the 
great lights and leading spirits of die Mor¬ 
mon movement, 
1 le at once left Ohio and went to Palmyra. 
There he made the acquaintance of Harris, 
and delivered the first Mormon sermon in 
Palmyra, in the hall of the Young Men’s 
Association. Ho declared that he was called 
of God to preach the new revelation. Jle 
took his text from the new Bible: 
First Boole of Nophi, Chap, iv.—“And (ho 
miijcl spake unto mo saying, Those last records 
Which thon hast seen among flic Qentiles shall 
establish the truth of tho first, which is of the 
Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, and shall make 
known tho plain and precious thlnjrs which 
have been taken away from them, and shall 
make known to all kindreds, tongues and peo¬ 
ple that tho Lamb of God is tho Eternal Father 
und Savior of the world: and t hut nil men must 
come unto Him or they cannot be saved,” 
He stood up, holding the Book of Mormon 
in his right hand and the old Bible in his 
loft, and claimed that each was necessary to 
the other; that the old Bible could not be 
properly interpreted except by the aid of this 
new revelation. This sermon was heard by 
a very small audience, and attracted no fa¬ 
vorable attention beyond the few “saints” 
who were already convinced. Riodon says 
that, bis first introduction to Joe Smith was 
at the home of the WuiTMEKH. in Fayette, 
MY OLD WOMAN AND I 
BY JOHN BUOCOUAM. 
WE have crossed the bridge o’or the middle of life, 
My old woman and I, 
Taking our share In the calm and tho strife. 
With the travelers pnssinn l>y. 
And tliouKh on our pathway the shadows are rife, 
There’s a li«ht In the western aky. 
Some losses and crosses, of course, we ve had 
My old woman and I; 
But, bless yoi.! we never found time to be sad. 
And a very good reason why. 
We were busy as bees, and we weren’t so mad 
As to stop In our work to cry. 
On our chuiucouble roml ns wo Journeyed along, 
My old woman and I, 
I'he kindly companions wo met In the throng 
Made our lives like a vision Hy; 
And therefore the few that Imagined us wrong 
Scarcely cost us n single sigh. 
’i'he weak und the weary we’ve striven to cheer, 
My old wontnu and t; 
For we each of us thought that our duty while hero 
Was to do as we’d bo done by, 
In the hope to exhibit a balance clear 
When the reckoning day is nigh. 
Harper’s Magazine. 
THE MORMONS 
Pen and Pencil Sketches, Illustrating tlieir 
Early History.—11. 
-.% 
BY A. W. COWLES, D. D. 
The two most important personages in 
the earliest days of Mormonism, next to the 
chief seer, Smith, were Martin Harris 
and Sidney B. Riodon. Harris famished 
money and Riodon “brains” for the new 
movement, for the Smith family were la¬ 
mentably wanting In both these important 
requisites for a new religion. Harris was 
the first convert w ho had property. All the 
rest were dependent, on their daily labor for 
a precarious livelihood. Harris had a. good 
farm and was in comparatively easy circum¬ 
stances. He was, however, a weak, credu¬ 
lous man, very ignorant, and yet a constant 
reader of the Old Testament, It is said that 
lie learned nearly the whole of it so as to be 
able to repeat it, from memory, and could 
give chapter and verse for almost, any pas¬ 
sage. lie seemed to himself to have con¬ 
quered the whole province of revelation, in¬ 
cluding narratives, doctrines, prophecies and 
mysteries; and, like a greater personage of 
olden time, ho sighed for a new world to 
conquer. Familiar with the old Hebrew 
prophets in his way, and with bis own inter¬ 
pretation of iheir sublime visions, which he 
of course readily exhausted, he was ready to 
hail with delight a “ live prophet,” even if 
lie did, to all human vision, seem like an idle 
vagabond. This doubtless added to the 
sacredness of liis prophetic character, in bis 
eyes. It perhaps was the weird eccentricity 
of one, familiar wit h si range visions and ni 3 ’s- 
tcrious revelations. At, any rate, Harris 
gave all the mind lie had and all the influ¬ 
ence lie could command to the new prophet. 
He was most thoroughly convinced of the 
divine mission of Joe Smith. He devoted 
his time lo the new faith, and at length mort¬ 
gaged Ids farm to raise means for printing 
flic* new Bible. His wife, who had no sym¬ 
pathy for what she fully believed to bo the 
insane delusion of her husband 
THE VINCENTS; 
Olt, TUP. MYSTERY AT TIIE HUE SKUI.VGS 
BY MRS. K. F. ELLF.T, 
ALTIlOlt OK " WOMKV UK THE AMIUIPAN IUvOI-KTION 
oir American Society/' Ac., Jlc. 
Qintexa 
fContlniutil from page 45. hist No.] 
VI- THE PIC-NIG ON THE MOUNTAIN, 
Mrs. Chauncey Lyon was walking with 
Mian Ada Wingate about the grounds of 
her father’s house. They were talking of 
Mrs. Vincent, who had just passed them, 
to take her usual solitary walk. As she 
stopped to speak to them, they noticed how 
pale she looked, and that her eyes, unnatu¬ 
rally la rge from the attenuation of her cheeks, 
seemed lighted by a strange fire. 
“ She is in the habit of going ant alone,” 
said Ada. “ She will not even permit the 
child to accompany her. If she would only 
talk of her troubles they would be less hard 
to bear.” 
“She is not like you, Ada,” said the 
young man, gazing at her with fond admi¬ 
ration. “ But we must do something for 
her. She must attend this pic-nic.” 
“ I fear we cannot persuade her to go.” 
“ You can do anything. You are irre¬ 
sistible.” 
The young people essayed their united 
powers of persuasion when Laura returned 
fVom her walk ; and were rewarded by suc¬ 
cess. The sad lady, on being assured that 
her presence would not cast a gloom over 
their party, promised to accompany them. 
Ada was so delighted with this concession, 
thal she played and sang with unwonted 
spirit that, evening; and as Laura contrib¬ 
uted the aid of her rich, powerful, well- 
trained voice, they had a rare treat of music. 
Young Lyon, more fascinated than ever, 
lingered late, and promised to be their escort 
to the mountain next day. 
The village and neighborhood was In a 
state of excitement on the festive occasion 
the next morning. Carriages rolled into the 
little town, stopping at the taverns, and gaily 
dressed ladies and gentlemen alighting, took 
the footpath up the mountain to the grounds. 
These had been cleared of underbrush, the 
groves being spared for shade, There was 
a level space for dancing, and the musicians 
were stationed on a platform. In several 
woody recesses seats were arranged and 
canopied by flower wreaths, and light tallies 
were set, out with refreshments. All the 
visitors at the Springs were on the ground 
before noon, and the dancing was in full 
operation. 
Laura took Mr. Wingate’s arm, and 
begged that Ada would not mind her; so 
that young lady permitted Chauncey to de¬ 
vote himself to her. It was a great pity, 
they both thought, that Osborne Maitland 
was absent in Virginia. He would have 
been a faithful attendant for Mrs. Lyon. 
After one or two dances, Ada allowed her 
cavalier to take her into one of the arbors 
for refreshment. They eat down in this 
sheltered nook, concealed by the foliage from 
observation, and were presently engaged in 
animated conversation. By the youth’s ar¬ 
dent looks and the maiden’s changing color, 
it might have been seen that the subject was 
one of interest. Two or three times the fair 
girl started up, and wondered where her 
friend could be; and us often she was per¬ 
suaded to sit down again, and leave Laura 
to enjoy herself in her own way. The sweet 
badinage of young love, though charming 
to those interested, would hardly he so to 
the reader, and we shall not attempt to 
chronicle it, or to note the accompaniment 
of eyes that declared more eloquently than 
lips could, the feelings of each. An hour 
had passed when the leafy curtain was gently 
parted, and a voice called Ada. It was 
Laura Vincent. 
“ I am going to leave you for a little 
while,” she said. “ Do not be uneasy if I do 
not return to dinner.” 
“ Are you not well, dear Laura ?” asked 
Ada. 
was then vacant, and he was invited to spend 
the Sabbath ami supply the pulpit. The re¬ 
sult was an engagement with the congrega¬ 
tion to remain as ilieir regular supply. Hero 
lie met, with great success as a preacher, and 
built up a strong church. His intense love 
of investigation and new modes of thought 
hero continued to grow upon him. He 
claims that he thoroughly reviewed Hie 
Scriptures, and reached down to their pro- 
foundest depths. Dissatisfied with all ordi¬ 
nary interpretations, he began a series of new 
and original explanations of doctrine, of his¬ 
tory and of prophecy. These novelties soon 
appeared in liis preaching, and at length he 
announced to his congregation that he could 
not preach the doctrines or receive the in¬ 
terpretations of Scripture, which the church 
professed to believe. Hu resigned bis charge; 
but a large number sympathized with him, 
and wished him to form a new congregation. 
He, however, removed .to Ohio as an Inde¬ 
pendent. Baptist, Wimt he pleased, 
refused to 
sign the mortgage, and the alienation became 
so serious that they separated. Harris per¬ 
sisted in his efforts to publish the New 
Scriptures of the Mormon faith, and at 
length an edition of 5,000 copies was printed, 
at a cost of S3,000. One of the printers has 
now in his possession the original sheets 
from which the first, edition was printed. 
Harris retained his influence through all 
the early years of the new enterprise at Pai- 
myra, at Kirtland, O., and for a time at In¬ 
dependence, Mo. At this latter place S.mttu 
discarded him and expelled" him from the 
company of the saints, and Harris left the 
community as an excommunicated Mormon. 
But little is known of liis subsequent his¬ 
tory, except that with all his bitterness 
against his rivals ami disgust at their con¬ 
duct, be continued to believe most devoutly 
in the inspiration of the Book of Mormon, 
and the truth of, at least, the earliest revela¬ 
tions of Joe Smith. 
Sidney B. Riodon was the master intel¬ 
lect of the whole movement prior to the set¬ 
tlement of the “ Saints" at Nauvoo. A few 
weeks ago the writer visited this original 
apostle, the first preacher, the ablest lecturer 
of all the early days of Mormonism, and the 
principal materials for this sketch were com¬ 
municated from his own lips. He lias resi¬ 
ded for nearly twenty years in the village of 
Friendship, Allegany Co., N. Y. He is 
now a venerable old man of nearly eighty 
years, with snowy beard and a been eye. 
His health serins good; his mind clear and 
vigorous. He has indeed a quick, excitable 
manner, and a fondness for strong, emphatic 
A MORMON BAPTISMAL SCENE BY MOONLIGHT 
and contradicting whomsoever lie pleased. 
He himself stated that not unfrequently be 
would attend a service and take his seat 
among the congregation, and alter sermon 
arise and ask the liberty of adding a few re¬ 
marks, and then quote passages of Scripture 
to show the erroneous doctrines which Hie 
preacher had just uttered, and close by in¬ 
viting the congregation to come and hear 
him at liis uexL appointment. This kept the 
community in a ferment and secured for him 
crowded houses. lie seemed just on the 
point of forming a new sect which should 
1 Ins extraordinary love of serious learning 
and remarkable aptness in the study of 
Scripture, very naturally suggested to liis 
own mind and to others the idea of his be¬ 
coming a preacher. He was licensed, ac¬ 
cording to the custom of the Baptists, that 
he might prove his gifts and try his calling. 
If we credit ills own account, his early 
pulpit ministrations created a great sensation 
throughout that part of the country, and 
especially in the western part of Ohio, where 
the labors of the young preacher were in 
great demand. He was here employed as a 
kind of evangelist—without a settled charge. 
About, this time he married, und with bis 
wife visited Pittsburgh. A Baptist church 
Recently, in digging a ditch near Fair- 
mount, Ill., bones were found which are 
thought to be. those of a mastodon. They 
were found about two feet below the surface 
in a common prairie slough. The bones are 
especially interesting from the fact that they 
are probably the. only fossil remains of the 
kind ever found in that State. 
Tiik world was sad!—the Kwrden was a wild! 
Aud Mac, the l fei init, sitfhed— till woman smil’d 
