A long, long time ago, in an area not far from where this is typed, we write of a Mormon Chapel that no longer stands, but the secrets of what was inside remains, and they are true as truth can be. But let's start with some foundational information. Although USA & Utah history books don't publish the whole truth about things that occured in America, we do know the Latter Day Mormon Church was re-established in New York in 1830. Back then, Americans hated that church, even though they were believers' in the US Constitution-the principle law of the USA. American citizens jailed and killed Joseph Smith and his brother, and the angry mob were protected by State and US officials.The Second leader of the soft spoken Mormons was Brigham Young, who just wanted a place of refuge. The Mormons were still killed and driven out of "Dodge". Many liked to the killers phrase of old sayings of the Indians, which was "The only good Mormon was a dead Mormon" and the turning point was the burning, raping and butchering of Saints in Missouri, so the Mormons-even though ill prepared, headed to the Utah "desert", where the Mexican government made claim to the Utah area, but didn't want it, but it did anger the Indians who were here for a long time. When the Mormons asked the local Chiefs if they could purchase part of the land, the Indians or what I call "The Ancient Ones", were a dumb founded, saying "We can sell what doesn't belong to us, then backed it up with "God is the owner of all land, water and trees". The Mormons agreed that "It was better to feed the Indians than fight them", and the Church treated them better than the US, who wanted to eradicate them all or put them on Reservation's, so hostilities began. After the Mormons arrived, the US wanted the land for new citizens arriving, so they went to War with Mexico in 1846, and ended two years later, with hardly a shot being fired. Mexico knew they were outnumbered and the US Troops started the forgotten phase of "Remember the Alamo", but if you go to the Alamo now, it is operated by Mexicans! Anywho, Mormon Scouts were sent from Salt Lake to San Bernardino, and were to look for possible settlements near streams from the mountain's, and so the first settlement in Salt Creek(now Nephi),was in 1852. Followers believe in going to Church; singing and dancing, so Two Wards(Welch folks call them Parish) were separated and the North Ward was a Mansion in and of itself, and that is where I first went to Church, and when the speakers got boring, I had to search and seek every hidden area in that two story building, which had a basement for recreation and banquets. So, there should be a photo of that now torn down edifice and a little information from the authentic history book of Juab County, written by Alice Paxam McCune, who I became pals with when I was about ten, pulling weeds for her. She was a women before her time. One of the best of the best, and she alone would have lead the folks to Nephi. When the Chapel was tore down, it was found with a trap door behind the speaker podium, as Anti-Mormons came to Utah and to kill the Apostles of the Church, but was afraid to take on Orrin P. Rockwell, and Juab Counties Wm. Fisher Tolley. Then the spiral staircase they led up to the overflow seats, contained a secret safe in the wall, where an Assistant Clerk kept a Diary of rumors of what local folks were doing. That was lated secured and forgot about, until the structure was tore down. When the journal or diary was discovered, it was turned over to the Stake President, who later showed it to me, wondering what to do with it. It contained innocent type "sins" and basic gossip of unfound rumors, some of which were about our own family members who helped settle this land. He said he had been praying about it, and when he told me about it, I said "your prayers are answered". Although he knew I was somewhat of a sinner, I instructed him to dismiss all of it in his mind and take it to the head men at Church Headquarters. He did. It is a now a new Year, so if you get bored, sing the songs of the Old North Ward, and if you want to dance, you may have to call on somebody besides Rob Garrett who used to be the Square Dance caller in the basement. Is it Alama left or right or Does eh doe?
No comments:
Post a Comment