Page:History of Utah.djvu/421

 ld never

be perfected. There can be but one perfect govern- ment — that organized by God, a government by apos- tles, prophets, priests, teachers, and evangehsts; the order of the original church of all churches acknowl- edged by God."

Early in this narrative we saw plainly, and re- marked upon it as we proceeded, that it has been chiefly the political character and aspirations of the church that have brought it into all its difficulties everywhere — in Ohio, in Missouri, in Illinois. And its thirty years of isolation and independence in Utah, during which time it came in contact with the American people or with the government only in a limited degree, intensified its desire for con- trol. The only way the Mormons can live in peace with gentile neighbors is for them to follow the ex- ample of their brethren, the Josephites — leave politics and government out of their ethics, and not combine for the purpose of controlling counties, states, or ter- ritories. But this strikes at the very root of their religion, which has already given them for an inher- itance all counties and countries and peoples through- out the world, as they modestly claim.

There is here much more than the religious unity of ancient Israel. As a cooperative association, Mor- monism has not its equal in the history of the world. In every conceivable relation, position, interest, and idea; in every sentiment of hope and fear, of joy and sorrow — there is mutual assistance and sympathy. It enters into all afiairs, whether for time or eternity; there is an absolute unity in religion, government, and society, and to the fullest extent short of communism, mutual assistance in agriculture, commerce, and manu- factures. If a foreign convert wishes to come to Amer- ica, he is helped hither; if he wants land, farming imple- ments, seed, stock, he is helped to them ; trade and man- ufactures are largely cooperative. And this bond of strength, whether it be called the holiness of saints or