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CHAPTER VII.
Religion
In every nation there is some kind of religion, & in every religion, however adulterated & corrupted there are some things which are commendable, some things which serve to improve the morals, & influence mankind to conduct better than what they would do, provided they pursued the natural dictates of their depraved minds, [without any restraint]. As this sentiment is an established maxim, which has been believed in every nation from the earliest ages [of time in every nation.] Hence it has been the policy of all governments to encourage & protect some kind of religion and precepts in examining the religious sentiments which are believed and practised throughout this extensive empire & which are encouraged & protected by the government. I found some things which are common to the various systems of theology in Europe & Asia & some things which have no resemblance to either. From the sacred roll as it is denominated I shall extract the tenets of their theology & a description of their religious ceremonies. It expresses them to this effect. “There is an intelligent omnipotent Being, who is self existented & infinitely good & benevolent. Matter eternally existed. He put forth his hand & formed it into such bodies as he pleased. He presides over the universe & has a perfect knowledge of all things. From his own spiritual substance he formed seven sons. These are his principal agents to manage the affairs of his empire. He formed the bodies of men from matter into each body he infused a particle of his own spiritual substance, in consequence of which man in his first formation was inclined to benevolence & goodness. There is also another great intelligent Being who is self existent & possessed of great power but not of Omnipotence. He is filled with infinite malice against the good Being & exerts all his subtlety & pow to ruin his works. Seeing the happy situation of man he approached so near as to touch his soul with his deleterious hand. The poison was immediately defused & contaminated his passions & appetites. His reason and understanding received no injury. The good being looking upon his unhappy offspring with infinite love and compassion made a decree that if mankind would reduce their passions & appetites under the government of reason he should enjoy blessings in this world & be completely happy after his soul quits his body. Death dissolves the connection. Ethereal bodies are prepared for the souls of the righteous. These bodies can pass through any part of the universe & are invisible to mortal eyes. Their place of residence is on a vast plain which is beautified with magnificent buildings, with trees, fruits, & flowers. [Here they enjoy every delight which] No imagination can paint the delights, the felicity of the righteous. But the wicked are denied ethereal bodies. Their souls naked and incapable of seeing light, dwell in darkness & are tormented with the keenest anguish. Ages roll away & the good being has compassion upon them. He permits them to take possession of ethereal bodies and they arise quick to the abodes of delight & glory: "Now O man attend to thy duty & thou shalt escape the portion of the wicked & enjoy the delights of the righteous. Avoid all acts of cruelty to man and beast* defraud not thy neighbor, nor suffer thy hands secretly to convey his property from him. Preserve thy body from the contamination of lust, & remember the seduction of thy neighbors wife would be a great crime. [Let thy citizens be numbered once in two years , & if the young women, who are fit for marriage are more numerous than the young men, then wealthy men, who are young & who have but one wife, shall have the privilege, [with the permission of the King] to marry another until the numbers of the single young men & the single young women are made equal. But he that hath two wives shall have a house provided for each, & he shall spend his time equally with each one.] Be grateful for all favors & forsake not thy friend in adversity. Treat with kindness & reverence thy parents. Forsake them not in old age, nor let their cheeks be furrowed with tears for the want of bread. Bow down thy head before the aged, treat thy superiors with respect, & place thy rulers & thy teachers in the most honorable seats. Let rulers consult the welfare of the people and not agrandige themselves by oppression & base bribes. Let religious teachers walk in the road which leads to celestial happiness & lead the people after them. Let Parents restrain the vices of their children & instruct their minds in useful knowledge. Contention and strife is the bane of families & the destruction of domestic happiness. Being yoked together the husband and wife ought to draw in the same direction, their countenances will then [appear beautiful] shine with the efflugent beams of friendship, & love. Peace & harmony will attend their habitation & their affairs will prosper."
*No crime is so horrid as maliciously to destroy the life of man.
"Hold out the hand of kindness and friendship to thy neighbor, consider him when reduced to indigence & distress, he is as dear to the great and good being as what thou art [& now thou hast an opportunity to manifest the disposition of thy heart.] To afford him relief will be pleasing to thy maker & an expression of thy gratitude. Envious & malicious souls are almost incurably contaminated with that hellish poison which first disordered the soul of man, partake not of their guilt by joining them in the malignant work of slander & detraction. Their intended mischief returns upon their own heads & the slandered character of the innocent & just shines forth with increasing luster. Let the stranger find a [ hospitable] resting place under thy roof, give him to eat from thy portion, that when he departs he may bless thee & go on his way rejoicing."
"Say not to thyself I will indulge in inactivity & idleness & lie upon the bed of sloth & slumber away the precious moments of time, for in this thou art unwise, for disease will attend thee, hunger will torment thee, & Rags will be thy clothing. Let industry & economy fill up the measure of thy waking moments, so shall thy countenance display health and sprightliness plenty shall supply the wants of thy family & thy reputation shall be respectable."
["But I behold a being in human form, from whom I turn away with disgust and abhorrence He is covered with so much dirt & filth, that no ethereal body is provided for him nor can he be received into the abodes of the blessed."]
"Suffer not thy bodies or thy garments to remain besmeared with dirt & filth. Cleanliness prevents many deceases & is pleasant to the sight. But from a dirty filthy mortal we turn with disgust & abhorrence. As the great author of our existence is benevolent to all his offspring so it becomes us to be benevolent to our fellow beings around us. Our country is one body & we are part of its members. We are therefore bound to maintain the rights & privileges & the honor and dignity of our country at the risk of our lives. Great rewards attend the brave & their exploits & achievements in contending against tyrants & in defending the rights of their country will be celebrated on the plains of story."
"But the vision now expands & directs our contemplation to fix on his attributes, whose spiritual substance is commensurate with infinity. As only a single particle from his substance constitutes our souls, how small, how diminutive must we appear in the view of Omniscience. We must therefore contemplate his attributes thro the medium of his works & admire with profound reverence & adoration his wisdom goodness and power which are visible in the formation & arrangement of all material bodies & spiritual beings. He requires us to supplicate his favors, & when received to express our gratitude. As our passions & appetites often get the ascendants of reason. We are therefore bound to confess our faults & implore forgiveness."
"Now that you know & keep all these things which were made known by divine inspiration, it is ordained that on every eighth day ye lay aside all unnecessary labor, that ye meet in covenant numbers & form assemblies That in each assembly a learned holy man shall preside, who shall lead your devotion, & explain this sacred roll & give you such instruction as shall promote your happiness in this life & in the life to come once in three months. Ye shall hold a great festival in every city & towns & your priests shall sacrifice an elk as a token that your sins deserve punishment, but that the divine mercy has banished them into shades of forgetfulness. Be attentive Oh man to the words of truth which have been recorded & pay respect to all the commandments which have been written for your observance. Your maker will then be pleased to see you rejoice in the participation of his favors & to behold your faces brighten with the benign beams of cheerfulness."
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