Mormonism

The death of Brigham Yonng revives interest in the tenets of the chwrch over which he has for so long a time presided. They are thus laid down by a recent writer : "The priesthood of the Hormon church ia organised into the following quorums : The First Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, the High Council, the Seventies, High Priesta, elders, teachers, and deacons. The First Presidency (in 1875) consiste of Brigham Young, George A. Smith, and Daniel H. Wells. They preside over and direct the affairs of the whole church. The Twelve Apostles constitute a traveling presiding high council. The whole hierarchy is divided into two bodies, the Melchizedek priesthood and the Aaronic priesthood. To the f ormer, which is the highest, beiong the offices of apostle, seventy, patriarch, high priest, and eider. The Aaronic priesthood iucludes the offloes of Bishop, priest, teacher, and deacon, and can bo held oüly by ' literal descendants of AaröD,' who aro designated as such by revelation. The Mormon church teaches that there are itíáúy gods, and that nent sumís uecome gods iu nesiven, ana rise one aboye íinotlier in power and glory to iuflnity. Joseph Smith is now the god of tliis geueration. His superior god is Jesús, whose superior god and father is Adam. Above Adam is Jehovah, and above Jehovah is Elohim. All these godshave many wives, and they all rule over their own desoendants, who are constantly increasing in number and dominion. The glory of a saint when he becomes a god depends in some degree on the mimber of his wives and chüdren, and therefore polygamy is inculcated and wives are ' sealed' to saints here on earth to augment their power in the heavens. The gods are in the form of men, and they are the fathers of the souls of men in this world. The ten commandments are eonsidered the rule of life, together with a revelation given to Joseph Smith, Feb. 27, 1833, which is called ' A Word of Wisdom. ' ít teaches that it is not good to drink wine or strong drink, excepting in the sacrament of the Lord's supper, and then it should be home -made grape wine ; that it is not good to drink hot drinks, or chaw or smoke tobáceo ; that strpng drinks are for the washing of the body, and that tobáceo is an herb for bruises and sick cattle ; that herbs and fruits are for the food of man ; that grain is for the food of man and beasts and fowls ; and that liesh is not to be eaten by man except in winter, cold, and famine. This 'Word of Wisdom,' however, is not regarded precisely as a commandment, but as a revelation to show forth the will of God, and ' suited to the condition of all saints, young and old, male and female, without distinction.' Infant baptism is condemned, but the childreu of the sainte are eonsidered old enough at 8 years to be baptized. Baptism for the dead is practieed, a living person being publicly baptized as the repre eentative of one or more deceaeed persons. Washington, Franklin, and other famous men have thus been vicariously baptized into the church."