THE CITY OF THE SAINTS,
AND
ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS TO CALIFORNIA.

“Clear your mind of cant.”—Johnson.

“Montesinos.—America is in more danger from religious fanaticism. The government there not thinking it necessary to provide religious instruction for the people in any of the new states, the prevalence of superstition, and that, perhaps, in some wild and terrible shape, may be looked for as one likely consequence of this great and portentous omission. An Old Man of the Mountain might find dupes and followers as readily as the All-friend Jemima; and the next Aaron Burr who seeks to carve a kingdom for himself out of the overgrown territories of the Union, may discern that fanaticism is the most effective weapon with which ambition can arm itself; that the way for both is prepared by that immorality which the want of religion naturally and necessarily induces, and that camp-meetings may be very well directed to forward the designs of military prophets. Were there another Mohammed to arise, there is no part of the world where he would find more scope or fairer opportunity than in that part of the Anglo-American Union into which the older states continually discharge the restless part of their population, leaving laws and Gospel to overtake it if they can, for in the march of modern colonization both are left behind.”

This remarkable prophecy appeared from the pen of Robert Southey, the Poet-Laureate, in March, 1829 (“Sir Thomas More; or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society,” vol. i., Part II., “The Reformation—Dissenters—Methodists.”)