MORMON LITERATURE AND HYMNOLOGY. Their hymnology is none the less peculiar. The hymns are abundant, the authors varied. Almost all their leading men have occasionally courted the muse and touched her lyre; Brigham Young was one exception, his life being so thoroughly prosaic that his imagination did not rise much above the lowest substratum of baseness. George Wither, an English poet, said in 1622, in his "Philarete: " "As the sun doth oft exhale Vapors from each rotten vale, Poesy so sometime drains Gross conceits from muddy brains." Let us open the book entitled Latter-day Saints' Hymns, and see whose names are found in the index; P. P. Pratt is suffixed to 51 of the collection of 331; 52 are purloined from Wesley's collection and Watts's; while just 13 bear the subscript of Miss Eliza R. Snow [Smith], one of the widows of the prophet. Their Josepholatry is shown in a number of their hymns, as No. 290, by John Taylor, late president: "The Seer, the Seer, Joseph the Seer! "When I leave this frail existence, When I lay this mortal by, Father, mother, may I meet you In your royal court on high? Then, at length, when I've completed What you sent me forth to do, With your mutual approbation Let me come and dwell with you." 297 This one just quoted is very often sung at funerals. One would think such vagaries of sentiment and speech could not be found among nineteenth century Saxons. P. P. Pratt, with the hierarchical leaders, believed in entire separation from the government of the United States, and wrote thus (No. 92): "Lo! the Gentile's chain is broken; Freedom's banner waves on high. * Far above Missouri's fountain, Lo! it waves for all the world." This was written after the exodus. So John Taylor when they left Nauvoo (Hymn 299): "We'll burst off all our fetters and break the Gentile yoke, For long it has beset us and now it must be broke; No more shall Jacob bow his neck, Henceforth he shall be free In Upper California-O, that's the land for me!" Charles W. Penrose, editor of the Deseret News, the organ of the Church, sings (No. 61): "Up, awake, ye defenders of Zion, "Shall we bear with oppression forever? Shall the blood of the martyrs still flow? Yet Mr. Penrose has since applied for amnesty and has received it from the president of the nation that affords such a horde of pillagers as he thus above styles the officers of the government sent to Utah to enforce the laws. Wilford Woodruff, the reigning monarch of this Latterday kingdom, has written several works on the Acts of the Apostles of the Day and Age in Which We Live. In his Leaves from My Journal he tells in all seriousness (as I myself have heard him from the pulpit) that he walked forty miles a day in mud knee-deep in the swamps of Arkansas; that his wife died, and was revived by the laying-on of his hands. "The sisters gathered around + Leaves from My Journal, p. 54. Endowment House oaths. 298 ... REV. T. C. ILIFF, D.D. her body weeping, while I stood looking on in sorrow. I had some oil that had been consecrated at Kirtland. I took it and consecrated it again before the Lord. . . . I then bowed down and prayed for the life of my companion, and I anointed her body with the oil in the name of the Lord. I laid hands upon her, and in the name of Jesus Christ I rebuked the power of death and the destroyer, and commanded the same to depart from her, and the spirit of life to enter her body. The spirit returned to her body, and from that hour she was made whole." One of the latest publications of this organization is The Martyrdom of Joseph Standing, by John Nicholson. It was written while the author was in the penitentiary for the violation of the Edmunds' law. An appendix contains a sketch of the life of each of the polygamous Mormons who had at that time been imprisoned "for conscience' sake." Young Standing was no doubt murdered in cold blood in the State of Georgia, and the crime was as unwarranted as it was foul. As a citizen of the United States he had a perfect right to protection while not violating the laws. This he did not get, nor did the great commonwealth of Georgia bring the offenders to merited justice. Might is not right, and force does not change opinions or inaugurate healthy reformations. Nor is it a credit to our nation that fifteen or twenty Mormon elders have been slaughtered, and but few of the murderers punished. Mr. Standing's body was brought to Salt Lake City for burial, and Bishop Whitney-the gentleman now engaged in writing the three-volume History of Utahdedicated to the young man's memory certain lines now engraved upon his marble monument. The first two lines are here produced: "Beneath this stone by friendship's hand is lain The italics are mine. I shall deal principally with the second and larger part of the book-the part giving biographical sketches of the "martyrs " to date. The ones mentioned here shall be only those personally known to the writer, a part of whom were somewhat intimate acquaintances. On page 112 is the name of Edward Brain, an Englishman, a builder by trade. The writer was in the courtroom in Salt Lake during the entire trial of this man; only four witnesses appeared against him, one a son, and three wives "of his bosom." The first witness, "the old woman," had been married by him away back in the 40's, and when she had borne six children was turned adrift, and a "younger, fairer face" chosen ; these two were witnesses. When this second choice had had seven children that celestial Bluebeard decapitated her and took still another. When he arose for sentencing, he, upon being asked whether he had any thing to say, replied: "I know polygamy is of God. I have seen the deaf made to hear, the blind to see, and the lame to walk under my ministration; and I desire to follow the example of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I would rather go to the penitentiary than be tabooed by my co-religionists." He went. David E. Davis's name is here. Davis is a one-legged Welshman; he married three sisters-the whole family and these women do the work of the farm, as he is a rancher. Often when drunk he beats them shamefully, using for that purpose a black-snake whip. Yet he suffers for "conscience' sake!" What a conscience he must have! The virtues of Hugh S. Gowans are paraded and extrolled. He is the highest officer in the part of the Territory where he resides. On the day following the shooting of President Garfield this man-a Scotchman stood up in the pulpit at Tooele, and said: "Garfield has been shot and will soon be dead; that is what the saints have been praying for; he raised his hand against polygamy and God cut him down." The congregation shouted "Amen! Amen!" The last I shall mention of this long list of "martyrs" is Andrew W. Cooley, Bishop of Brighton Ward. Present were three of his wives, each with a small baby in her arms; the "bishop" had been drunk the day previous, having received a black eye, and was wearing a court-plaster along the left side of his nose; yet rather than give up his religion (?) he went to the penitentiary. He died shortly after and was lauded to the skies on account of his great faithfulness. I thought of giving some specimens of the classical sermons of the leading lights of the Church, but this paper has already grown very long. I shall be glad to do so at a future time if the editor says yes. The business of the various Churches doing Christian work in Mormondom is not only to remodel the theology of the people, but also their speech and manners. The Christian schools have not yet fulfilled their mission. Nephi, Utah, 1891. Rev. T. C. Iliff, D.D., Superintendent of the Utah Methodist Episcopal Mission. BY A FRIEND. Thomas Corwin Iliff was born at McCluny, Perry County, O., October 26, 1846. He enlisted in the Ninth Ohio Infantry in 1862, although only sixteen years old. and was mustered out in 1865. He has since taken an active interest in the affairs of the Grand Army. He matriculated at the Ohio University in 1865. Iliff was a notable figure at the college in his day. A man of powerful physique, and with a great fund of animal spirits. he made himself beard and felt every-where. In his sphere of activity the same qualities, combined with earnestness of purpose and resistless impetuosity, have gained for him the title of "the Western Cyclone." He delighted in all athletic exercises, and could run over every thing in college that stood against him in a rush. or a foot-ball tussle. His voice could be heard everywhere. If he was in his room declaiming the whole college knew it. His voice could be heard in any crowd and at any hour of the day or night singing, laughing, or hallooing. At the same time he manifested that force of character which has been the chief factor in his subsequent success. After graduation, in 1870, he entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was at once sent on missionary work to the Rocky Mountain region, where, especially in Utah, his activities have been mostly engaged since. He at first held the position of presiding elder of the South-east Montana District, but was afterward superintendent of the Utah Mission, a position he still holds. It was for this work that his vigorous manhood seems to have specially fitted him. He had unlimited work to do, and necessarily limited conveniences for doing it. In the beginning he traveled hundreds of miles through Utah, Idaho, and Montana, by stage and coach, in sleigh or on horseback, many a bitter night sleeping in the mountains with nothing to protect him but his blankets and an adjacent snow-drift. A year or two later his mission was restricted to work among the Mormons of Utah and Idaho, which had been begun but a short time before. For many years he labored here, when the only safety for a gentile was to be found in his own judgment and discretion, and not in the respect the people entertained for law or abstract right. His work here has been great and varied. He has been in charge of both the educational and evangelistic work of the Methodists. Under his management the work has spread until he has at present under his direction from sixty to seventy preachers and teachers. Besides the enormous work incident to this position as superin- | liberality is almost proverbial. He gives to every worthy tendent, presiding elder, and preacher, he does much work to keep the people of the East interested in his work. He has recently visited nearly every part, from Maine to California, in the effort to raise funds for new educational institutions, and to stir up new interests in the solution of the Mormon question. He is extremely popular with all classes, notwithstanding the great diversity of religious opinions and practices. He has taken strong ground on the Mormon question, but has always aimed to treat them with as much kindness and consideration as was consistent with his high purposes. He has again and again preached by invitation in Mormon tabernacles. His great cordiality has made him friends every-where. One well acquainted with that country said that next to the Mormon apostles and Governor Murray and Chief Justice Zane, of the Territory, he was the best known man in Utah. His cause, whether religious or otherwise. He recently headed the subscription list for a new Methodist university located in Ogden with $1,000-and has paid it. He is said to look much like Beecher in his palmy days; and it is said when one who injured Beecher in life sees Iliff he is filled with fear and trembling, and prays his sins may be forgiven. He received the degree of D.D. several years ago from his alma mater and De Pauw University. He was married in 1871 to Miss Mary Robinson, of Belpre, O. Utah has been a difficult field for Protestant missionaries, but Dr. Iliff has seen the Methodist Episcopal Mission in that Territory steadily increase under his leadership, and the Utah Mission now reports 28 missionaries, 37 teachers, 35 churches, 1,310 members and probationers, 36 Sunday-schools with 2,196 scholars, 28 day-schools with 1,579 scholars, and property valued at $482,925. 300 THE ESQUIMAUX OF ALASKA. Among the Thlinket people of south-eastern Alaska the labret is worn by the women only. Among the Esquimaux of north-western Alaska, on the contrary, it is worn by the men alone. The use of it is almost universal. During boyhood a hole is cut through the lower lip below each corner of the mouth, and an ivory plug inserted until the wound heals. After healing the hole is stretched from time to time, until it reaches about half an inch in diameter. Into this they insert the labret. These labrets are made of stone, jade, coal, ivory, bone, and glass. They are shaped like a silk hat in miniature. The labret is three fourths of an inch in diameter, one inch in diameter at the rim and one inch long. The rim is kept inside of the mouth and holds the labret in place. Many wear this form of labret on the one side of the mouth, and on the other a much larger one, resembling a large sleeve-button, one and three fourths inches in diameter on the outside, one and one fourth inches on the inside rim, and one half inch neck. Formerly they wore a large labret in the center of the lower lip. I secured a beautiful one of polished jade that has an outside surface two and one half inches by one inch. The girls have their ears, and sometimes their noses, pierced, wearing pendant from them copper, ivory, and bone ornaments, also strings of beads. Sometimes these beads extend from one ear to the other, either under the chin or back of the head. Both sexes tattoo more or less elaborately their faces, hands, and arms. Both sexes wear bracelets, amulets, and sometimes fancy belts. DRESS. They make water-proof boots of seal-skin, with walrus or sea-lion hide soles. For cold weather the boots are made of seal or reindeer skin tanned with the hair on, and walrus hide soles. The foot portion is made many times larger than the foot in order to give room for a padding of grass. These boots are so much warmer and more comfortable than the ordinary leather ones that they are almost universally used by whalers and others who have occasion to visit arctic regions. A fur shirt and a pair of fur pants complete the toilet. The shirt is called a parka, and frequently has a hood attached, which can be pulled over the head in a storm. Others have a fur hood, which, when not on the head, hangs around the neck. Ordinarily in summer the head is uncovered. In winter two suits are worn-the inner one with the fur next to the body, and the outer one with the fur to the weather. The difference between male and female attire is in the shape and ornamentation of the parka. Among some of the tribes the pants and boots of the women are in one garment. There is also a fullness in the back of a woman's parka to make room for the carrying of the baby inside between the shoulders of the mother. These clothes are made largely of the skins of the reindeer, squirrels, and birds. From the intestines of the seal and walrus, and also from salmon skins, are made the famous kamleika, a water-proof garment, which is worn over the others in wet weather. The kamleika is lighter in weight and a better water-proof garment than the rubber gar ments of commerce. The native dress, when well made, new, and clean, is both becoming and artistic. FOOD. They live principally upon the fish, seal, walrus, whale, reindeer, and wild birds of their country. Latterly they are learning the use of flour, which they procure from the government revenue vessels or barter from the whal ers. They have but few household utensils. A few have secured iron kettles. Many still use grass-woven baskets and bowls of wood and stone. Occasionally is found a jar of burnt clay. In these native dishes water is boiled by dropping in hot stones. Among the more northern tribes much of the food is eaten raw, and nothing is thrown away, no matter how rotten and offensive it has become. Some of their choicest delicacies would be particularly disgusting to us. Having, at one of the bird rookeries in the arctic regions, gathered a number of eggs, it was found that many of them contained chickens. When about to throw them overboard the native interpreter remonstrated, saying: "No! me eat them. Good!" All classes have a great craving for tobacco and liquor. Even nursing babes are seen with a quid of tobacco in their mouths. During the summer large quantities of fish are dried, and the oil of the seal, walrus, and whale put up for winter use. The oil is kept in bags made of the skin of the seal, similiar to the water-skins of Oriental lands. The oil is kept sweet by the bags being buried in the frozen earth until wanted for use. HOUSES. The coast Esquimaux have underground permanent houses in villages for winter, and tents, that are frequently shifted, for summer. The Esquimaux of the interior, being largely nomads, live in tents much of the time. The tents are covered with reindeer skins, walrus hides, or cotton canvas. In making a winter house a cellar from twenty to twenty-five feet square is dug, from three to five feet deep. At the |