--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1841 to 1842. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 3 number: 24 published: 1842-10-15 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Mormonism-Gen. Bennett, &c,” *Times and Seasons* 3, no. 24 (October 15, 1842): 955–956." printed_title: MORMONISM-GEN. BENNETT, &c. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-10-15_3_24 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v3n24.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-10-15_3_24 start_page: 955 end_page: 956 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1842 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-10-15_3_24 publication_year: 1842 --- # Mormonism-Gen. Bennett, &c "Five feet nine inches high, with black eyes, black hair sprinkled with grey [gray], dark complexion, and rather a thin face,-such, as nearly as we could judge by lamp light, was the aspect presented by this would be notable personage, the other evening, in Marlboro' Chapel, Boston. We hardly knew, after all, what to think of him and his purposes. His manner does not impress us, as that of one actuated by any very high and noble impulses. Yet, that all he is saying and doing is falsehood and forgery we are not at all inclined to think. That he read sundry documents that were genuine we have no manner of doubt. That his original instigation to what he is doing, is the purest in the world, we must confess we do not believe.-However, be his motives what they may, we have no question he is in possession of evidence laying open no small amount of villainy. We have before expressed our opinion, that the major portion of those who have joined the Mormon body, have done so in simple sincerity of intent. But that many of those in high places among them are very far from single hearted, we are impressed by Gen. Bennett, let him or his design be what they will. We did not like his manner, his aside comments, his ejaculations,-and we liked just as little the boisterous applause rendered to his readings or remarks. Still, an impression was left by the whole and this though not very favorable to the speaker, yet decidedly gave us to believe that roguery the most scandalous attaches to Jo Smith, if to no others of the Mormon chief ones. Gen. Bennett read, from various newspapers, accounts of crimes committed by Mormons. This might, peradventure, be well for the public, however it might show for General Bennett himself. It is well that truth be revealed, whatever be the mind of its revealer.-He then related several advances of a disgusting character, made by Joe Smith to women of Nauvoo. If truly stated these were abominable enough, since they were instances of borrowing the cloak of religion to effect the devil's purposes. We are inclined, from the total impression made on us, to believe that he told what actually occurred. And 'twas vile enough, to be sure. He then read a letter, which taking the entire impression made on us, we incline to hold authentic, written by Joe Smith to Miss Rigdon, in explanation, (as he called it) of proposals he had previously made her. 'Twas not without a certain devilish talent, skilfully [skillfully] employing holy words, and striving to make black appear white,-an effect it might possibly have wrought, had the person addressed believed with undoubting assurance, the writer to be a holy man. On the whole, after taking pains to listen two evenings to Gen. Bennett, we came away with no pleasant impressions. The leaders of the Mormons-especially the leader-are, we verily believe, knaves. And knaves of a class the most detestable, too seeking to win indulgence in the two very basest passions, Lust and Avarice, through the highest of all sentiments-the Religious! In pity's name, if there be any within reach of our voice of warning, let them keep away from Nauvoo! Religion is the highest and best. But, if cheated and betrayed through means of pretensions of this class, we are in peril of being stricken with a deadly chill! At least, let any, who have a leaning this way, pause for a time. This can do no harm. Light will ere long penetrate every nook and corner of Nauvoo. If we have the opportunity of information we will use it." We have extracted the above double minded mixture of doubt and fear, and good and bad, and upon the whole, a little more very careful persecution, from the "Essex County Washingtonian," of Salem, Mass. of September 15:-and without "if's or ands," after all the affidavits and certificates, against J. C. Bennett, and in support of the innocence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we declare solemnly that it exceeds itself in nothingness. If pure religion had ever existed upon the face of the earth, among men, without the same jealousy, persecution, and blood-stained traces of its progress, as it were inch by inch, we could easily pass the land of "hanging witches," in silence, but from Eden to Nauvoo, and from Abel to Joseph Smith; yea, even the Lord of glory, himself-all have had to taste the bitter cup. Jesus said: "woe unto the world because of offences [offenses]! for it must needs be that offences [offenses] come; but woe unto that man by whom the offence [offense] cometh!" There is no possible excuse for men that sin with their eyes open. Salem has heard the gospel in its fulness [fullness], and there certainly must have been some precious souls present to have witnessed by the spirit of God, whether the elders of Israel preached truth or error. The world has ever been more tenacious for what they call religion, than the children of God, governed as they always have been by immediate revelation. Satan is, to natural appearance, a much smoother faced christian, than the children of light: he not unfrequently [infrequently] fasts twice a week, makes long prayers, besides holding thanksgivings -and while the saints have to suffer, from the cradle to the grave, every indignity, slander, and abuse, he gravely says:-"This can do no harm-pause for a time!" When such needless cautions are given in a land of liberty and light, all we can say is, "O, generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?" If the Mormons have succeeded for twelve years to gull the brightest part of Christendom with a false religion, what will they do with the less enlightened portions of the globe, for twelve years to come? Ah, dear sirs, when more than fifty thousand souls have witnessed the power of God; and time has developed the ruins of cities mentioned in the Book of Mormon, it is too late to cry delusion, or beat for a pause:-the work of God never tarries. The Lord will come, and all his saints with him: even so.