The following is a transcription of:
Letters
to Oliver B. Huntington, 1846-1879, Church History Library, Call no.: MS
15664
It is a letter dated April 12, 1861, with a continuation
dated April 14.
Watertown April 12, 1861
My Dear Brother:
Your kind favor of Feb. 24 &
26 was duly received, the 1st day of April, & as you anticipated, you
probably received mine of the 2 of March about the same time, There has nothing
of particular interest transpired since my last. I am glad to hear so favorable
a report of all the friends, & particularly of W. D. & yourself. You
express some fear of a failure of the postal arrangements of the country. And I
suppose the "Saints" expect that the Nations, who do not accept the
New Covenant,--the Testimony of the Prophet & Seer, Joseph Smith, --&
now that of the Church of the Latterday Saints are considered
"Gentilez", the "World" and the "Wicked",--&
the "Children of the Devil", fit subjects of the "wrath of
God", --& that the judgments of God are about to be poured out upon
the world & the earth cleansed of wickedness, --And the Church also
believe, that they are the True Church, chosen of God--A peculiar people. His
chosen people, & now, the real Israel of God, That Mormonism is the work of
God,--is True, & that it will increase & spread till it covers the
whole earth,--that God has seen their wrongs and said, "it is
enough",--that He will be their Avenger & their Father, Is it not so?
Tell me if I am mistaken. I think I have heard it taught by the Mormons for 31
years! & nearly the same doctrine taught by the Presbyterians & the
Methodists for about 42 years. Very well, Oliver, that is Bible doctrine, I own
it, --& the old Jews have the same doctrine, namely, all through the old Testament,
that is where the Christians get it.. As we get truth only by investigation,
study, research & comparison--it may not injure us to "compare
notes" upon these matters. I like to hear your opinions, ideas &
belief--as well as those of many others upon all matters, So I will continue to
try to give you some of my crude notions upon these and other matters. I hope
you will correct my mistakes, for I want to get the truth without regard to any
preconceived notions. It is my opinion that such selfish ideas in relation to
religion & Theology is but the natural outfroth of a universal feeling
implanted in the human constitution & its normal and legitimate use is
necessary for the preservation of the race & the development of each
individual. --a selfish feeling --a desire to benefit self--to preserve self
& then to benefit our friends & as our knowledge & mental capacity
increases & expands a desire to benefit our nation & our race--the
whole human family. & when the mind is more fully developed--more enlarged
& less selfish, as it naturally will be, we shall have larger views--more
comprehensive,--more universal.
We can then see that every
science appears to be based upon universal principles. Every law or principle
in physical science appears, to all scholars, to be universal, & no one
doubts that all laws & principles in relation to Animals are universal,
& no person in this country thinks that God is partial to any race of
animals, or has any favorites among them. And is not man as much an animal as a
horse or a Monkey or an Aurangoutang! Man is brought into the world in the same
manner as animals, He is subject to dissolution--death, in the same manner as
the lower animals. These things prove a universal relation between all men and
their Creator. God is not an enemy to some men & a friend to others. He is
a friend to All.--that is my belief. You will say there is a vast difference
between a moral & an immoral man.--very true, & there is a vast
difference between a lion & a lamb,--to us,--But will God condemn one to a
life of misery & the other to a life happiness because he has given them different
constitutions & passions? Because some persons cannot believe in the
divinity of the Christian religion, or the Mormon religion or any other
religion, will it be just for God to condemn him to endless torment? I consider
human moral actions limited to human comprehension or the sphere of human
conditions & human reason, Can you conceive of an immoral action performed
by any being below man? In this world, does God deal better with the moral man
than with the immoral man, except in the mind or soul of each individual? Has
God dealt better with or shown any favor or mercy to the Jews? more than their
neighboring nations? Has He shown the Mormons or the Christians any particular
favor more than any other persons with equal mental & physical
constitutions? I have yet to learn that the believers in Christ, or in Joseph
Smith, or John Calvin receive any more favors at the hand of their Creator than
those who reject them all.
I am happy in the belief that
when God talks with anyone man He will talk with All, & that He now
communicates with all, alike. While all exist in God, I cannot understand how
any one can get out side of Him to hear him talk,--or even "see his hinder
parts", Am I blame worthy for firmly believing that all revealed religions
are but a humbug? Why is it that I feel that I know it is so? Do I not know
whether I am honest or not in my desires to know the Truth? Such, are some of
my broken ideas. You say that "according to our belief we have been
looking a long time for S. Carolina to secede," & also that
"Joseph Smith's pointed prediction upon that point . You doubtless know
that the same things were talked of before Joseph Smith said or knew anything
about it, by hundreds of people, & I know that it was all talked about by
the people here at the time he made his prophecy. without involving his
predictions.
Now why do the Mormons attach so
much importance to his prediction?
Sunday Apl. 14, Since beginning
to write to you I have received a letter from Dimick,--says they are all well
but C.A's wife, no news, Last evening Lyman came home from the village and brot
the news that "war had begun", You will get the news by the papers before
you will this. You may be a little surprised to hear me say that I am glad of
it! It is the best news I have heard for a long time° My feelings are up to the
fighting point! I hate tyrants, & dispise Tyranny & oppression, as well
as, Traitors & robbers. I say "give us freedom or give us death"!
This war, this dissolution has long been feared & long been expected, not
only the people of this country, but by other nations. The grasp of the
Oppressor is never loosed but by the force of power of the oppressed! Let it
come! This rebellion of the South, --their Treason, their robberies by Millium,
their mobs. Their inhuman treatment to people of the free States & their
proscription of the common liberties of free men in a Republic is but the
natural outgrowth of the institution of Slavery. You wished my opinion upon
this subject & I hope you have not become so contaminated with illiberal
principles as to think I have not a right to express my feelings, let them be
what they may. I like to hear it from others, that is, I like to hear all
express their opinions & feelings, & give their reasons, & when a
subject has been well discussed, on all sides truth generally prevails. Those
who know their cause is just usually have a stimulus to action &
perseverance that others have not. When a difference between parties exist,
& the difference is of vast importance & they cannot be reconciled by
reason & argument, then they must appeal to Might, & God will certainly
help those who best help themselves. I have great confidence in the final
triumph of right & justice.
I think the Union is dissolved
& will not be reunited in our day. The more powerful & popular a
government becomes the more liable it is to become corrupt. The great
corruption of the last Administration has precipitated the dissolution,--let it
go. We shall be in no danger of getting a worse one. You say's is not our
nation in an apparent fearful & awful condition?" Certainly it is
--but is it in any worse condition, apparently than the Mormons have been? You
have come out of your & we shall out of ours. We all have as firm a trust
in ourGod as you have in yours. But I am foolish enough to think that mine ie
one God over all, and that He is just as friendly to you as me, & as much
so to the pagan as to either, I rank myself with the Christians here in this
respect,--but I am no more a believer in Christianity than you are in
Presbyterianism.
Well, Oliver, I have not half
answered your, but must close. There has been but little excitement in the
Northern States, very little, but thes will be more soon if the war increases
so as to call for volunteers.
I think you will find that the
present administration is not so hostile to Mormons as the last. The main
object in sending the army to Utah was to have an excuse for sending an Army to
Kansas & give fat jobs to political friends, increasing the patronage &
powers of the Administration, That crusade was started by a few political
aspirants who wanted to get their names before the public as great sticklers
for popular religious opinions. The "times" are good here yet. There
is & has been some pressure in the large cities, there has been a great
cry, Hay & grain are very plenty. The prospects are, now, favorable for an
early spring.
O. B. Huntington
Affectionately yours
Love to all,
C. D. H.
As to John, he is in good health
& his family usually well. He does not save money very fast, but dresses as
well any gentleman need to,--makes a good appearance, lives fast, He cares
little for corresponding with his Mormon friends. Thinks the leaders are a very
wicked set of rascals,--he knows they were when he was with them. --he has no
religious belief. Please write as often as you can,--I will try to answer all.
Tell W. D. that I wish he would write to me,--I should like to be one his
regular correspondents. Good bye., Chauncy
(Chauncy D. Huntington)
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