Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. II.djvu/88

Rh How a man, who evidently in many cases was a deceiver, could obtain so great an influence over thousands of people in the present Christian state of society, and was able to form them into a vast organised body, according to his law, seems scarcely comprehensible, unless it be by supposing that this man was really possessed of some extraordinary powers, partly of a prophetic kind, (and we hear of many such, similar to the oldest prophetic skill, even in the present day, as, for instance, the second-sight of the Scotch Highlanders,) and partly of worldly prudence. He was shot during the war with Illinois, and he is said to have distinctly foretold the time, and the manner of his death—but the Mormon people continue to be led by men who adhere to his laws, and who pretend to be guided by his spirit. The habits and organisation of the community is said to be according to the Christian moral code, and extremely severe.

I must now tell you something about my new home. It is at the house of Mr. Johnson, the Professor of Geology. He is now from home on a scientific journey, but is shortly expected back. His wife, her sister, and two adopted children, a handsome girl of fifteen, and a boy of thirteen, compose the whole family. Mrs. Johnson zealously denounces slavery, and as zealously advocates hydropathy. She sees the root of all evil in the former, and a cure for all evil in the latter; hers is a thoroughly good, sincere, open-hearted, excellent character, with a great deal of fresh originality. Her sister, who is several years younger, is a Quakeress, and has one of those pure, lovely countenances, so general among the women of this sect, with a quiet, intelligent manner. She always wears white, and every morning the breakfast table is ornamented with fresh roses, which she gathers in her morning walk in the Park of the Capitol; one or two roses are laid for each person, just as we used to have them at Årsta. Miss D. is the ideal of a