Pagans, Puritans and Christians

PAGANS, PURITANS AND CHRISTIANS. BY S. A. KENNBE. Robert G. Ingersoll once said— "Religion is the upas tree in whose shadow the human heart has withered and turned to ashes." This is rather a drastic indictment, to be sure; but • in passing judgment upon it and its author, the impartial person will first consider the great agnostic's early training, environment, his broad comprehensiveness and his love of liberty and equal rights. They will find in him a nature which rebelled, even in his early youth, against tyranny, oppression, misrule, and that form of government whose reliance is upon coercion, restriction and superstition. Being compelled to travel in the ruts of tradition, wherein his forbears had walked, and threatened with infinite penalties of a character which was outrageous where it was not absurd, it is no wonder that his advancing manhood, with its accompanying expan- g A Kenner Bion of intellect through observation, study and reflection, brought first objection, then resistance, then antagonism, and finally contempt, a condition

PAGANS, PURITANS AND CHRISTIANS. 259 of things which is very apt to lead one as far from the path of reason one way as his instructors were the other way: and such seem never to know when to stop. It is an easy matter to understand that all the sayings of the scriptures are not to be taken literally; that allowance must be made in places for peculiar conditions the like of which more modern people have never known, and for styles of expression which have no resemblance in the phraseology of subsequent times. Incongruities and anachronisms have been reconciled and straightened out by the translators, no doubt, in a more or less arbitrary manner, so as to make the flow of a narration correspond as nearly as possible with current methods; and these things, and many others, not taken into account, with the sacred book perused with more of a disposition to discover discrepancies and manifest errors than in a spirit of righteous investigation and a desire to learn by receptive devoutness, is more likely to be productive of unbelief than otherwise. For instance, a person of Ingersoll's bent of mind, reading the account of Joshua ordering the sun and moon to stand still and being obeyed, would (and he did) instantly "fly the track" and scoffingly show how preposterous such a story is, since all educated people know that the sun relatively to us always stands still, and to cause him to be actually fixed (as relates to our vision) at any particular point where he happens to be, even for a moment, would result in the immediate and utter destruction of the earth and all things upon it. Again, the hackneyed story of Jonah and the whale, is brought; under animadversion, it being shown by the disbeliever that,in the first place, a whale cannot swallow a man, and in the next place, that if it could and did do so, the man could not live more than a few minutes. In this connection, the children in the fiery furnace do not escape attention, nor do any of the other prominent incidents, the impossibility of which, gauged by scientific standards, constitute the agnostic's stock in trade. The parents and tutors of Ingersoll, and others of his class, made the mistake of supposing that the enforcement of rigid rules and the upholding of undeviating precepts supportive of a strict construction of Holy Writ, by violent means where others were not availing, would produce the desired results. "Just as the twig was bent the tree

260 IMPROVEMEN1 ERA. inclined" was the accepted axiom, to the exclusion of that which is quite as truthful and much more applicable — "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still." There is a certain percentage of the mule's characteristics in every human being, some, of course, having inherited more of this ingredient than others. It naturally follows that when you try to push, or pull, or force a person in a certain direction he naturally inclines to one which, if not directly opposite, is at least different in some degree, corresponding, of course, to the percentage of the aforesaid ingredients possessed. In nothing is this more marked than when trying to inculcate Christianity. The genuine article comes to the one receiving it, as a result of either inspiration, moral suasion or lofty example, sometimes all three. It never came, and cannot come, by threats, compulsion, or unreasonable precepts; and wherever these are tried a result exactly the reverse of what was sought is very sure to be the product, albeit there may, for the sake of personal safety or advantage, be a hypocritical outward seeming of the desired condition. Hence, irreverence, hence, infidels, so called. Probably no class of sectarian worshipers was more responsible for driving non-combative, thinking people into disbelief than the "Hard-Shell" Baptists of the first half of -the nineteenth century, although each and every one contributed and some are still contributing a full quota through their strict construction and literal interpretation of scripture, accompanied by cast-iron methods of deportment and rank intolerance in dealing with differences of opinion. In these respects they modeled as closely after that band of intollerant people who landed at Plymouth Rock from the ship Mayflower, as an advanced civilization and some irreligious laws would permit; in fact, some of the latter's customs descended unimpaired and were practiced with as much pious persistence as the Pilgrim Puritans ever knew how to do. Loud laughter at any time was sinful, but on Sunday was criminal, and had to be especially and categorically atoned for; dancing was regarded as one of Satan's prime agencies, engaged in only by those whose souls were tainted, if not wholly depraved; no music other than those hymns which the sect's hymn-books contained, to be sung without mechanical

PAGANS, PURITANS AND CHRISTIANS. 261 accompaniment, was tolerated; theatres, and indeed all such forms of amusement, were even worse than dancing, and constituted the gateway through which poor, lost humanity were hurried to Hades; and so on, ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Of course, things churchly are not so bad of later years, for reasons above set out, and probably for others. The foregoing is merely a prelude, a sort of way-paving for the story in chief. My theme relates more particularly to a woman born and raised in the more northerly part of the Southern States, and who, so far as can be learned, was the first person to embrace "Mormonism" in the state of Kentucky. Of course, she was a Baptist — nearly every person was who lived in that section at that time, which was in the early thirties. Being possessed of a strong religious nature and an investigating mind, she was, doubtless, as thoroughgoing a communicant as any, and a much more intelligent one than most, for, while she accepted and lived up to the doctrines of the Baptist church (because it was not only the best but the only thing of the kind available) she was not at any time wholly satisfied with it . It was like a hungry person being given half a meal of partly good and partly bad food. She did not, like the great agnostic, reject all because some portions were objectionable, but preferred to let the latter go for the sake of the former. Meantime, she continued investigating, hoping and praying. She read her Bible with the right spirit prevailing, and what she could not understand weighed not against the full enjoyment of what she could understand. And at last her prayers were answered, her faithfulness was rewarded. Some years ago Elder Ben E. Rich published a little book entitled Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, and the writer hereof assisted him somewhat in the preparation of its contents. The reason I refer to it here is because the consummation above referred to is worked in as part of the story, names, of course, being changed. It tells of a missionary event of the times spoken of , in the state last named. The gospel had not then reached even the borders of the states remote from the Atlantic, except here and there, and the interiors not at all; but it was beginning to spread, and had at the time to which the story relates, reached a village a few miles south of the Ohio river, being borne thither by

262 IMPROVEMENT ERA. if I am not in error, Elder Rich's father, who later became known to his people as the good Apostle Charles C. Rich. Of course, the time spoken of in the book is not synchronous with the real occurrence, this having been moved forward enough to fit into a more recent period, but with this exception the story is strictly correct. The woman spoken of (some people would say "lady," but I prefer the nobler form of expression) went to hear the new comer, of course, and, at the conclusion of the services, made her way to him and told him he had brought her what she had long waited for, that she knew of her own knowledge that the testimony was true, and asked for immediate baptism, which, of course, was performed. This meant more than a simple statement of the facts so far suggested, for that community of ''hard-shells,' were not disposed to look with favor upon a withdrawal from their own organization in favor of any other, more particularly the one whose principles had but just been unfolded, such a thing as Christianity clothed in common sense being* too much for them. The new member was possessed of the true spirit. Receiving the gospel and living in accordance with its requirements were but a part of the duties which the true Christian adopts as his plan of action. To number one's self with the Lord's people, to be able to realize that one's calling and election are sure if that plan is unswervingly maintained, is truly a great thing, but not all of greatness that the situation permits. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is an injunction that not even Ingersoll or any of his ilk was ever known to combat. To have stopped with having placed her own feet in the straight and narrow path, would then the full measure of duty, of glorious opportunity, have been gained? Hardly. Learning is not given for the sole purpose of advancing and benefiting the learner, but also in order that he may thereby be in a better position to teach others, and the goodly woman seems to have understood this along with her other understanding. She had a husband and children who were not so religiously inclined. They were not even Baptists. Securing a copy of the Book of Mormon and such other printed matter relating to the Church as was available, she applied herself to the task of making them understand as she understood the great truths placed before them. She read and commented, she quoted and interpreted the

PAGANS, PURITANS AND CHRISTIANS. 263 sayings of the good books, she reasoned upon developed facts, and pursued her work with patience, persistence and mildness, never showing discouragement or permitting discontinuance, and finally had the supreme satisfaction of having her husband enter the waters of baptism. The children, several in number, and advancing by stages from accountability to maturity, proved a more difficult task than the other. There were no grandchildren until several years later, and when they did come they proved, as they advanced along life's highway, to be little if any in the way of improvement upon their immediate progenitors; but they, too, were embraced within the sphere of that true Saint's tireless labors. The family finally drifted up to the neighborhood of Nauvoo, and at the time of the martyrdom of the prophets, the sons, two in number, still remained outside the pale of the Church, but the four daughters had all entered the fold. Being unable to accompany the exiles without leaving part of the family behind, all of them proceeded to a little town in Missouri, on the western bank of the Missouri river, a few miles above where it empties into the Mississippi. Each and every one who came courting these daughters was made to understand that he must make a fair investigation of the doctrine of "Mormonism," even if he did not join the Church, before obtaining the mother's consent to marriage, which all, excepting one, who drifted off to California and was never heard of again, subsequently did, but not till they had come to Utah. Others, not related, were similarly moved upon and came to the mountains. In due course of time, the war clouds foretold by the prophet began to gather and lower upon the land, threatening to break full soon. The mother would occasionally remind the stubborn sons and sons-in-law of how accurately the inspired predictions were about to be fulfilled. , Before the storm actually burst, two of the families (sons-in-law) sacrificed their homes — everything had to be sacrificed or abandoned at that time — and pulled out for the safe refuge in the valleys of the mountains; the elder son, however, was determined to remain and raise a regiment for the Confederate army. Would he, after all, be left behind? If his fate had been in the hands of some women the question would have to be

264 IMPROVEMENT ERA. answered in the affirmative; but this one was different; and a year or thereabout later, when the last look at the old home was taken from the heights skirting the Missouri side of the river, at a point where the Confederates occasionally appeared and threw shells and solid shot across the big stream with apparently no other object in view than mischievous pastime, the son was with the mother. The remainder of the flock, including the writer of these lines, was there, too, all headed for Zion, which they reached without noteworthy incident in due time. In the Dixie part of Utah, in an obscure grave, all that is mortal of that thoroughgoing Saint has reposed for many years awaiting the call to come forth and again live in the flesh among the just and upright. Meantime, it is not a flight of fancy, even for one who doesn't claim to know positively ,to say, that she is enjoying her reward in the fullest, the only one she ever asked for. Her name is not a matter of so much consequence, but as the story would be deprived of some of its effectiveness if identity were withheld, it is here given: Hannah Foster Kenner. The writer hereof is the oldest son of her oldest son, previously spoken of. It is not without some degree of reluctance that anything relating to the family is placed before the Era array of readers, realizing by long experience in the journalistic field that incidents that are of the greatest interest to those immediately concerned are not always so to others; but let me entertain the hope that what is herein set out possesses some concern for those who take an interest in the gospel plan, and the means by which it is added upon and extended as time moves along. To the possessor of real faith and genuine integrity, the great truth cannot always remain hidden; and when it comes within such person's radius it acts as a magnet upon particles of metal. To those who ask for the connection between the exordium and the subsequent portion hereof, let it be said that while each is reasonably complete without reference to the other, conclusions are reached by the conjunction that might not be suggested otherwise. Those who scan sacred things in order that they may find contradictions, materials for doubt and inexact, if not impossible, conditions set out, can easily find them, and by gauging all situations to the material and uninspired method of determination

PAGANS, PURITANS AND CHRISTIANS. 265 may find such satisfaction and encouragement as they desire — but oh, how selfish, how narrow they are! You never hear of any Voltaire public institutions, Tom Paine asylums or Ingersoll hospitals, or of any great or far-reaching charity or other work of beneficence that either ever accomplished , although neither was wholly unable financially; they "lived for this world, and if there be another world they will live for that," as they put it — showing their utter unbelief in, if not contempt for, the other, by entering it as destitute of capital as if they had had no opportunity to acquire any. Whereas the poor woman who held this life to be but a preparatory stage for another, was so filled with love for the Lord's great family that she even regarded her own salvation as an incomplete thing if it did not embrace the salvation of others, but more particularly those who were given her to take care of and direct in the way they should go. Neither did she leave any institutions of charity nor monuments commemorative of great and noble deeds, except in the memories of all — every one — who ever knew her; but she was poor, much poorer in the world's goods after the realization of her cherished hopes than before — and therein is the great difference as to that phase of the subject. The difference otherwise has been sufficiently dwelt upon. Salt Lake City, Utah.