in which the "tongues" were performed, although the trick would seem more susceptible of discovery than any previous one. This gift was not confined to the Elders and high priests, who, in other respects, were supposed to have a superabundant share of "the spirit"; but nearly all the proselytes, both old and young, could show their faith by speaking with "tongues." And it would appear, from all the facts which we have been able to gather upon this subject, that if this gift were not supernaturally bestowed, it required but a few moments instruction from a priest, to render his pupil expert in various dead languages, which could never be understood by man or beast, except a supernatural power was at the instant given to some one present to interpret it.—They sometimes professed to believe that these "tongues" were the same which were "counfounded" at the building of Babel.
Some curious particulars are related respecting these blasphemous practices, by a Mr. Higby, who was eight months an Elder in the Mormon church, and which he published in a small pamphlet. He says that shortly after he joined them, a Mormon Elder said to him, "you must go to work in the vineyard of the Lord as a preacher of the Gospel. I have viewed your heart by the spirit of discernment; I see what is in your heart; and what the will of the Lord is, concerning you all." Mr. Higby says that he was soon after ordained an Elder in the said church, and commissioned to preach and baptize, ordain Elders, confirm the churches, heal the sick, in short, that he was ordained to all the gifts of the church, which were the same as given to the apostles of old. He continues—"about the 10th of April following, R. Cahoon and D. Patton came again to the place—a meeting was called, and previous to the meeting, they said that some one would speak with tongues before they left the place. Accordingly he set himself to work at that meeting
