Secret Combinations

SECRET COMBINATIONS.

The existence in the United States of several secret political organizations which do not hesitate at the shedding of blood, is to the Latter-day Saints a sure sign, among others, of the speedy downfall of that once prosperous and mighty Republic. The overthrow of any nation where they are allowed to exist, is only a matter of time.

The “Ku Klux Klan,” the “Loyal League,” the “Grand Army of the Republic,” all secret, oath-bound orders, are spreading fear and dismay through North and South. The “Ku Klux Klan” seems to be creating the greatest stir at the present time, we therefore publish in another column a manifesto put forth by the organization, which is said to have taken its name from the peculiar double click of the deadly rifle, a name sufficiently suggestive of the object and intent of the association. Only a short time since Mr. Ashburn, an active and influential member of the Radical party, was murdered at Columbus, in Georgia, by a gang of ten or fifteen men, armed, masked, and disguised, and supposed to be members of the “Ku Klux Klan.” Circulars, headed and marked with “Ku Klux” symbols, have been sent to several prominent Radical members of Congress, and apprehensions of assassination are creating terror in Washington. Efforts are being made by military commanders in the South to discover and break up the “Klan,” but as yet they have been unsuccessful. The “Grand Army of the Republic” and the “Loyal League” appear to be in the interest of the Radical party, and we shall doubtless soon hear of dark deeds and bloody reprisals on their part.

“Fenianism,” another secret order which had its origin in the United States, seems slumbering at present, but we have no sure evidence that it is either dead or dying. An organization that extends its influence over the principal parts of the globe, that blows down prison walls and spreads death and destruction in the capital of England, assassinates a leading statesman in Canada, and strikes down a British prince in Australia, is not likely to be crushed in a moment, and Great Britain may expect to hear and feel much more of the deadly effects of that wicked, secret combination.

These secret orders are no “new things under the sun,” though they are called by new names They have existed at intervals from the earliest ages, and originated with him who tempted mother Eve to sin. Satan is the author of those secret combinations which lead to the shedding of blood, and for this reason he is called by the Savior “a murderer from the beginning.” In the present translation of the Bible we have but a very limited account of the history of Cain. If we had a full and complete record, we should learn something concerning the secret oaths which were revealed to him by the Adversary, which led to the murder of Abel, the slaying of the young man by Lamech, and the wickedness which became so widespread, that god had to cleanse the earth by a flood.

In the Book of Mormon we have an account of secret combinations which caused great trouble and distress among the Jaredites, resulting in the overthrow of kingdoms at different periods, and the final, complete destruction of the nation. The Jaredites were a nation descended from a colony who emigrated, under divine guidance, to the Western continent from the plains of Shinar, when God scattered the people in consequence of the building of the tower of Babel. The following account of the establishment of that secret order which brought destruction upon them is from the Book of Ether, chap. 3, par 12:—

“And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto the house of Jared all his kinsfolks, and said unto them will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you? And it came to pass that they all swear unto him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired, should lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose his life, and it came to pass that thus they did agree with Akish. And Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old, who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning. And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to keep such as sought power, to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms. And it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his heart, to search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of Akish; wherefore Akish administered it unto his kindreds and friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired. And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God; for the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the beginning of man.”

This same wicked organization with similar evil consequences, was afterwards set up among the Nephites and Lamanites, nations descended from Nephi and Laman the sons of Lehi, who went to America from Jerusalem in the time of Zedekiah, King of Judea. Book of Helaman, chap. 2, par. 30:—

“And it came to pass that they did have their signs, yea, their secret signs, and their secret words; and this that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant, that whatsoever wickedness his brother should do, he should not be injured by his brother, nor by those who did belong to his band, who had taken this covenant; and thus they might murder, and plunder, and steal, and commit whoredoms, and all manner of wickedness, contrary to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God; and whosoever of those who belonged to their band, should reveal unto the world of their wickedness and their abominations, should be tried, not according to the laws of their country, but according to the laws of their wickedness, which had been given by Gadianton and Kishkumen. Now behold, it is these secret oaths and covenants, which Alma commanded his son should not go forth unto the world, lest they should be the means of bringing down the people unto destruction. Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton, by that same being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit; yea, that same being who did plot with Cain, that if he would murder his brother Abel, it should not be known unto the world. And he did plot with Cain, and his followers from that time forth. And also it is that same being who put it into the hearts of the people to build a tower sufficiently high that they might get to heaven. And it was that same Being who led on the people who came from that tower into this land; who spread the works of darkness and abominations over all the face of the land until he dragged the people down to an entire destruction, and to an everlasting hell; yea, it is that same being who put it into the heart of Gadianton, to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder; and he has brought it forth from the beginning of man, even down to this time. And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation, according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men.”

From these quotations we learn that the oaths and covenants of the secret order which was established among the Jaredites, and afterwards among the Nephites and Lamanites, were the same that were had in the days of Cain, who received them from the Father of Evil.

It is interesting, though lamentable, to those who are acquainted with the Book of Mormon, who have examined its historical and prophetic statements, to watch the progress of events in. the United States, the great nation of the Gentiles, so frequently referred to in the Book, and to see in the gradual fulfilment of its predictions, a repetition of the same incidents and occurrences which it describes. The old secret combinations of the Gadiantons are revived, and an era of bloodshed and terror is re-inaugurated. The Chief Magistrate of the nation was smitten down in the midst of his friends in the very hour of his triumph, like Pahoran upon the judgement seat, and secret, oath-bound orders, like that which planned his death, are now bringing about similar destruction to that which overtook the Jaredite and Nephite nations upon the same land.

The Prophet Moroni thus speaks as a voice from the dead to the people of the United States, concerning these things, (page 531:—

“And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths, and combinations, for it hath been made [known unto me that they are had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites, and they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi; and whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed, for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them, and yet he avenge them not; wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shewn unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain, and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction, if ye shall suffer these things to be; wherefore the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you, that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you, or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry front the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who build it up. For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up, seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents; yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men, that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning. Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things, that evil maybe done away, and that the time may come that satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.”

These ancient secret combinations grew up and obtained power among the people, whenever they were stained with innocent blood. The Lord sent his Prophets to teach them, and they rejected and slew them. Then the Lord permitted Satan to work among them with his secret and wicked suggestions and deceptions, by which such bands as the Gadiantons were organized, and the same measure which a guilty people had meted out to God’s Prophets, was measured to them again “pressed down and running over.”

The great nation of the United States is guilty of shedding the innocent blood of the Prophet Joseph Smith and many of the Latter-day Saints, and of striving to accomplish the destruction of the people of God. The Lord is now bestowing upon them the reward of their wickedness. And unless they repent, and as Moroni says, “Awake to a sense of their awful situation,” woe be unto them, “because of the blood of them who have been slain.” “For the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his Saints shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them, and yet he avenge them not.” If that nation will arise and shake off its wickedness, and turn unto the Lord like Nineveh of old, he will turn his wrath away from the people, and give them power to search out and destroy those secret combinations, whose schemes and plots and hellish deeds, like an army of white ants, are eating their way into the roots of the national tree. He will establish them in the glorious rights and privileges bequeathed to them in the Constitution which he gave to their fathers, and make their land the most precious of all other lands; the habitation of freedom, the asylum of the oppressed, and the dwelling place of peace, plenty, and progress. But if they continue in their present course, their present troubles will increase, secret combinations will multiply among them, their leading men will fall by the hand of treachery, party feuds and a war of races will waste them away, and in the words of Moroni, “the sword of the justice of the eternal God will fall upon them to their overthrow and destruction.”

Let the Saints of God keep free from all secret combinations and political associations; let them watch the signs of the times, and while they behold the hand of the Lord in all the changes and overturnings which are taking place, let them rejoice and be thankful, that while the world is hastening on to ruin and death, the kingdom which shall never be destroyed is growing up in the mountains, with a strength and power that comes from the mighty God of Jacob.