Extract from the “London Despatch.”

On Wednesday an investigation was gone into before Mr. Baker, the coroner, at the Royal Oak, Galway-street, St. Luke's, on the body of Elizabeth Morgan, aged 55 years, whose death was alleged to have been caused through improper treatment by unqualified persons. Maria Watkins, of 31, Cross-street, Islington, said she had known the deceased abont [about] 12 months. For some time past she had suffered from a spasmodic affection, and on Tuesday week last witness was sent for to attend her. Witness found her very ill, but no medical gentleman was called in, it being against the religious tenets of the sect to which the deceased belonged to do so. The sect to which she belonged styled themselves "The Church of Jesus Christ, and Latter-Day Saints," their place of meeting being in Castle-street, Cow-cross. They dated their origin from the Apostles, and treated their sick according to the following text, taken from the last chapter of the Epistle of St. James: "If there be any illness amongst you ye shall call for the elders of the Church, and anoint yourselves with oil in the name of the Lord." She (witness) had known cases of healing under such circumstances, but the deceased sank and died on Saturday last. Mary Ann Albin, Spencer-place, Goswell-road, wife of one of the elders of this foolish sect, said she was called to see the deceased on Tuesday morning, and from her appearance thought she was suffering from inflammation of the bowels. No surgeon was sent for. Witness administered some "sage tea with Cayenne pepper" in it; leeches and other remedies were also applied. Every thing was prayed over before it was given. The Coroner said the remedy appeared to him to be worse than the disease, and he hardly knew how to deal with the case, as he had his doubts whether it was not one of manslaughter. In his opinion the case was not strong enough to warrant a verdict of manslaughter being returned, but he trusted the publication of it in the papers would act as a caution to the members of this strange sect, and that they would see the necessity of calling in medical aid. The jury, after some deliberation returned a verdict of "Natural death," with a hope that the present inquiry would act as a caution to that body how they acted in such cases for the future.

If we were not somewhat conversant with the follies and absurdity of men who profess to regulate religious affairs, and to give tone and energy to the multifarious creeds that are now extant, we could scarcely have believed that any men professing any degree of intelligence, or holding any office of importance, could be found to give birth unto, be connected with, or bear witness of such]a bundle of nonsense; snch [such] sheer ignorance, and profound folly, as is manifested in the above article. But as it is published by the 'London Despatch ,' a journal that professes to rank among the foremost of the British Empire, and in other papers of importance in the professed metropolis of the world, as it has emanated from the emporium of learning, science, and divinity; the professed fountain of all true intelligence, the seat of bible societies, missionary societies, and tract societies; the place where nobles are instructed and kings learn wisdom, we of course must notice it. What then is the important thing that has attracted the attention of nearly all editors in the city of London? that has excited the deep interest, and careful investigation of a learned London jury; and a more profoundly learned coroner? something solemn, deep, and awful, something that must be published in the public journals of the day, and be heralded to all the world. Therefore listen ye nations and give ear ye kings of the earth, let all the world attend with respectful deference, for be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that "ELIZABETH MORGAN, AGED 55 YEARS," IS DEAD. Oh Tempore!!! Oh Mores!!!! Yes the solemn fact is announced by the "London Despatch "-she is dead--but what gives deep interest to the fact and adds solemnity to the scene is that she died a "natural death!!!!! she was not murdered in cold blood; she was not poisoned, nor drowned, nor burned to death, she did not die in a mad-house, nor cut her throat; neither had she the privilege of being killed through the administration of the learned medical faculty, nor through the nostrums of the more learned, but less popular Thompson; it was her fate to die a natural death! and therefore the learned coroner "trusted the publication of it in the papers would act as a caution to the members of this strange sect, and that they would see the necessity of calling in medical aid." Therefore ye Latter-Day Saints pay attention and live forever; for it would seem by this that the inhabitants of the city of London never die, because they have abundance of "medical aid" or if they do die

they are assisted by the faculty to die, they do not die a natural death-for the coroner thought it necessary to warn this "foolish sect" lest they should be guilty of dying a natural death and no doubt (according to the statement of the coroner) if Elizabeth Morgan had still remained a citizen of London and not have joined that "strange sect" (who die naturally) but that she would either have lived forever or have had the privilege of dying an unnatural death through the assistance of medical aid.

But the Latter-Day Saints are a "strange sect" a "foolish sect" but why so? "they dated their origin from the apostles, and treated their sick according to the following text taken from the last chapter of the epistle of St. James: 'If there be any illness (is any sick) among you ye shall (let him) call for the elders of the church, and anoint yourselves with oil in the name of the Lord,' [and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."] The coroner seems to be ignorant of the doctrines of the Latter-Day Saints, or he never would have stated that they "dated their origin from the apostles." We believe in apostolic religion, but we do not date our origin from them-we believe that the religious world have all become corrupt long ago, and that it needed a revelation from heaven to restore apostolic religion, and that we have had such a communication: but we do not profess to have descended lineally from them. The learned coroner seems also to be ignorant of his bible, or he would have quoted the above passage a little more correctly than he has done. Respecting its being contrary to our religious tenets to employ "medical aid" we would remark that it is unqualifiedly false, and that we think that sister Morgan had as much right to refuse medical aid and die a natural death if she thought proper, as a Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker, Universalist, or any other person; and that the coroner had no right to hinder her, nor to try other people for allowing her to do so.

But the people prayed for her "according to the text in St. James" 'if any are sick &c.' The thing has at last come out; the coroner did not think it right to follow the directions of "St. James," for he thinks them a "strange sect" a "foolish sect," and admonishes them to beware of such conduct, from which we must naturally infer that the coroner does not believe the epistle of James, nor do any of the sects in London, [for his profession must make him generally acquainted with the sects] and and he thinks this is a 'strange' sect because they do, and that they are very 'foolish' for believing it. A man may be a Dunkar, a Shaker, a Methodist, a Southcatonian, a Presbyterian, or a Wilkinsonian; he may dance, or shake, or whirl around on his heel, or rend the heavens with his shouts, or sit still and say nothing: he may profess to be a mortal, or an immortal man; he may do any thing that is unscriptural, and it will be orthodox but to believe the bible, and to practice its precepts is 'foolish and strange' to this enlightened and Christian coroner, and to the inhabitants of London. But that they die after this administration is singular. The apostles however and the ancient churches used to administer in this ordinance, and yet they died. It is well for them that they did not live in the city of London, the seat of religion, and science, or the pious coroner and his coadjutors would have tried these ungodly men for practising [practicing] contrary to their religion, and would have warned all the sect against their impositions and follies.