" Lion of the Lord "

In referring to Brigham Young as " the founder of Mormonism," (TIME, July 2) was in error. Mormonism--the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints--was founded by Joseph Smith, whose parents and grandparents were seers and diviners, at Manchester, N. Y., in 1830. Instructed, he said, by revelation, Smith supposedly dug up a " supplement to the New Testament" written on thin gold plates, and known as The Book of Mormon. On the strength of this "revelation," which declared him to be "God's prophet, entitled to all obedience," Smith founded the Mormon body.

About 1834 Smith's licentiousness grew so pronounced as to threaten the existence of the Church, which had grown to be a fair-sized organization. Brigham Young, Vermont painter and glazier, who had been baptized in 1832 and soon afterwards ordained elder, made his influence felt by his " indomitable will, persuasive eloquence, executive ability, shrewdness and zeal,'' and was ordained one of the " twelve apostles " who were sent out in 1835 as missionaries to the " gentiles." He was given the title of "The Lion of the Lord."

Meanwhile Mormons had been migrating to Missouri and Illinois. It was in the former state that Smith's downfall came about, in 1844. The Book of Mormon had expressly forbidden, polygamy: "There shall not any man have save it be one wife and concubines he shall have none, for I the Lord God delighteth in the chastity of women. . . . For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people, otherwise they shall hearken unto these things." In 1843, Smith had a " revelation " establishing polygamy, but it is supposed that he had been secretly practicing it for some years. When the purport of the new revelation became generally known there was an uprising against the Mormons, and several of their leaders, including Smith, were arrested on a charge of treason. A mob, with the connivance of the militia guard, broke into the building where they were imprisoned and shot Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum dead.

After Smith's death, Young claimed the succession to his office. He contrived to have the Council of Twelve, of which he was head, made the supreme authority in the Church, and had his most potent rival, Rigdon, tried for threatening treason and " cut off from the Church." It was not until 1847, however, that Young was chosen as Smith's successor. Under his leadership the Mormons migrated to Salt Lake City. When Utah was admitted into the United States as a territory in 1850, Young was the first Governor. He died in 1877, leaving an estate of more than $2,000,000, 25 wives and 56 children.