READINGS  IN  EARLY  MORMON  HISTORY
(Newspapers of California)



Arthur B. Deming's
Naked Truths About Mormonism

Oakland, California: Deming & Co., 1888
(printed on the Seventh Day Adventist Pacific Press)


  • Volume I, number 1 (Jan. 1888)

  • Pg. 1   Salutatory   Intro.   Apology   Spalding   Derby   to Rice
    Pg. 2   MSs.   Osborn   Saunders   Anderick   Butts   W. Hine
    Pg. 3   Alderman   Bell   Sayer   Stafford   Rev. Whitney  
    Pg. 4   O. Whitney   Oberlin MS   McKinstry   Briggs   editorial


  • Volume I, number 2 (Apr. 1888)

  • Pg. 1   Stafford   Rogers   Smith   Harmon   Polygamy   S. 132
    Pg. 2   Ford   Goldsmith   Miller   Rockafelo   Granger   Morley
    Pg. 3   Aldrich   Wilson   Barber   Lillie   Grover   Sherman
    Pg. 4   Parrish   Pratt   Cowdery   Smith   Tinker   B. Young  


  • Volume II, number 1 (centennial edition)
  •     (a 1988 one-shot revival of Deming's newspaper)

  • Transcriber's comments on Deming's sources





  • Old Newspaper Articles Index   |   Misc. California Newspapers

     

    READ  AND  LAUGH  AS  YOU  NEVER  LAUGHED  BEFORE!

    COPYRIGHTED 1888, BY ARTHUR B. DEMING.       ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
    Published  Monthly   by  DEMING & CO.,  856  Market St.,  Oakland.
    Terms. - Fifty Cents per year in advance; Single Copies 5 cents. In Clubs of Five, $2.00; Larger numbers in proportion. VOL. I.                     OAKLAND,  CAL., JANUARY, 1888.                       NO. 1.

     

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    SALUTATORY.

    PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF, Historian of the Mormon Church, Salt Lake City, Utah --
    Dear Sir: Remembering the cordial reception you extended me when I called at the Historical Rooms in October, 1882, and the high compliment you bestowed upon my father, together with information obtained from Mrs. Woodruff while again visiting your Historical Rooms in April, 1886, lead me to address to yourself these lines.

    While visiting a former clerk of mine who had purchased a farm in Kirtland, Ohio, I learned that a debate was to be held in Kirtland, on the subject of Mormonism. I was urged to and did reluctantly become one of the Moderators. Mr. Braden, the opponent of Mormonism, was unable to satisfactorily prove some points he claimed, and he engaged a party to collect evidence to sustain his position. The party did not accomplish much and I undertook the business. I began in March, 1884, and have been engaged in it much of the time since.

    Owing to legal or other troubles, I suppose, Mr. Braden was unable to fulfill his agreements with me, and I determined to continue the important labor on my own account. The parties whose statements I intend to publish are, I believe, of unimpeachable character, and Mormons will be compelled to accept their testimony. I presume your Historical Society have not paid enough attention to their origin and early history. I hope to remedy the deficiency. I desire to thank your Society, through yourself, for the privilege they accorded me of making a catalogue of publications on Mormonism from your library, also for valuable extracts from the same. For want of money I have not succeeded as I might have done. I hope to derive means from the sale of my newspaper and continue the work, and with competent assistance re-edit, and present your Society with several copies of my intended book, "Naked Truths about Mormonism." I trust, as an honest man, you will carefully weigh the evidence and act accordingly.
                                                    Sincerely for the truth,
                                                            ARTHUR B. DEMING.


     


    INTRODUCTION.
    ________

    WHILE fasting and reading the Old Testament in New York City, in 1880 -- '81, I was strongly impressed that I had revealed to me (not by Mormon revelation) the principal reasons for great intellect in children. While on a visit to Boston, in September, 1881, I spoke to a prominent physician about it. He replied it was new to him, and said, "Talk it wherever you go." I did as far as Minneapolis, Minnesota, and went to Colorado and Salt Lak[e] City, where I was kindly received by leading Mormons.

    The evening of my arrival in Salt Lake City I called on Gen. D. H. Wells, whom I had known in Illinois. I visited with part of his numerous family until 10 o'clock P.M., when he accompanied me to the Continental Hotel. We conversed on the sidewalk until 11 o'clock P.M. He said he had told me things about polygamy he had never told anyone. The hotel Manager, Mr. Davis, said everybody in the city admitted that General Wells was an honest Mormon. For the information of my readers who are not Mormons, I will state that Gen. Daniel H. Wells lived on a farm near the Mississippi River, in Hancock County, Illinois, before the Mormons settled Nauvoo. He told me their temple was built on a part of his farm. He was Justice of the Peace and was elected Coroner and my father was elected Sheriff in August, 1844. Polk was elected President on the same ticket. General Wells' first wife remained in Illinois, and he went to Utah and became a double brother-in-law to Brigham Young, and his Second Counselor. He was Mayor of Salt Lake City ten years, and had six wives and twenty-four children. I told one of his daughters that her mother loved their father more than


     


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    his other wives because her children resembled their father much more than theirs. Her reply was, "I know she does, and I wish he only had mother for his wife." The first wife's children claim to be superior to the plural wife's children. There certainly is a great difference between lawful love children, and illegal lust children. General Wells commands the Mormon Militia of Utah, and has held various other offices.

    One evening the General commenced to preach Mormonism to me. He began about Brother Joseph and the Hill Cummorah. I laughed and said, None of that, it would do no good. I afterward regretted I did not hear his argument. He desisted, but in a few minutes handed me the Wells genealogy, and requested me to read a statement he showed me. It read: "In 1666, at Wethersfield, Connecticut, Gov. Thaddeus Wells married Elizabeth Foot, daughter of John Deming." and then he claimed a relationship, and to make it stronger he offered me two of his daughters, before I left the city, who were own sisters, for wives, which offer I declined (no reflection intended towards the ladies, one of whom has since married and died with her first child).

    One of his daughters said that she was a Bob Ingersoll woman; that as soon as any of the young ladies were active in church work, the Elders were after them for plural wives. I made so many inquiries about their institution they became somewhat annoyed and another daughter inquired if I was writing a book. I replied I had no such intentions, which was true at the time

    One evening at a late supper with the General, one of his wives stood and waited upon us throughout the meal. I felt sorry for the lady, who was a superior woman that most any man of suitable age would be proud to claim for his wife. The supper was good, and very neatly prepared.  

    The General told me he caused the following notice to be inserted in the Deseret News, the church paper:--

    "THE SON OF AN OLD FRIEND. --

    Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Deming, of New York, who is on a business visit to this city. He is a son of the late General Deming. mentioned in the early history of the church, and whose memory, on account of his friendly offices to the Latter-day Saints in days when they were in deep trouble, is held in respect by them. General Deming was an intimate friend of Gen. D. H. Wells."

    "Gen. Minor R. Deming was elected Sheriff of Hancock County, Illinois, in August, 1844. General Deming was an officer of militia, and a citizen previously in no way identified with the Mormon fraternity. He had resided on a farm some miles (14) out of Carthage, was well educated and capable, and we think he was conscientious in his endeavors to do right. But he was extremely conservative in his respect to law and order." -- Gregg's History of Hancock County, Illinois, 1880, page 336. This was written by a political opponent.
    When father was Sheriff he often took me with him to Nauvoo and elsewhere. He usually stopped overnight with Orson Spencer or Brigham Young. Joseph A. Young, his oldest son, showed me the places of interest in the city and the temple. I played on the green, evenings, with Orson Spencer's children. His daughter, who is Bishop H. B. Clauson's first wife, informed me that father carried her in his buggy to Carthage, and she stayed one week at our house, and slept in the room the prophet occupied before he leaped from the window and was shot and killed. Father made a great many enemies by his efforts to protect innocent Mormons from mob violence, in Hancock County, Illinois. He lived in constant expectation of being killed. Our neighbors sometimes, evenings, would rap on our windows and tell us to pull down the shades or we would be shot, as men were prowling about with guns.


     


    [ pg. 1 col. 3: Introduction continued ]


    One evening I answered a loud rap at the east door and invited Mr. ___ in. He handed me a letter for my father, and told me to tell him he was wanted at the Court House immediately. He read the letter and reached for his hat to go. Mother said he must not go, they meant some evil for him. She prevailed upon him to remain indoors. The next day we were informed that Mr. Wilson, a hotel-keeper, stood near the jail with a gun, intending to kill him when he left the house.

    After he killed Doctor Marshall, the County Clerk, in self-defense, for the night before the doctor made a speech to a crowd, from the north door-steps of the Court House, and said either he or Deming should die the next day. Gen. D. H. Wells informed me that he saw the doctor assault father, who backed out of the County Clerk's office, and when Marshall had him by the throat, shot him with his pepperbox revolver, and killed him. Mortimor Thompson, I think his name was, who was a bitter enemy of father's, and a member of the Carthage Grays, came to the district school and informed the teacher, who was a bitter anti-Mormon, that Dr. Marshall was killed. He immediately closed the school. I started with my younger brother, for the jail. We lived in the dwelling part, which was distant two long squares after turning the corner west of the school house. When I turned the corner, I saw Lieut. Frank Worrell, of the Carthage Grays, and another of father's enemies, standing in the road near the wool-carding mill, which was half way to the jail. I surmised they intended harm to myself and brother, so we went east of the school house, and through the premises adjoining, and skulked along by the fences crossed the road leading north of the Court House on the run, unobserved by the men, and finally reached the jail through Colonel Freeman's garden. 

    The teacher often, without sufficient cause, whipped me severely. I told father he did because he belonged to the mob party, and hated him. Father, whose profession was a teacher, always sided against me, until one day he whipped me very hard; it made me so sick and sore I ate no dinner. I plead so earnestly he permitted me to remain home that afternoon. I think he remonstrated with Price, the teacher.

    Father was treated as meanly as the guard of the Carthage Grays could devise. He was put in the middle dark cell, and mother, my brother and I slept on beds on the floor with him. Judge of Probate, Greenleaf, and others of father's friends saved him from mob violence. He was soon bailed for $5,000, and Murray McConnell was engaged to defend him at the trial, to be held in Peoria, but father removed his flannel during a very hot day late in August, and caught cold, which resulted in brain fever, from which he died September 10, 1845, within twenty feet of where the Mormon prophet was shot. During the sickness, when delirious, four men were required to hold him in bed; he said they were coming to kill him. His dying request to mother was to give the boys educations if able, if not, trades.  

    The pretext for assaulting father was his selling land Marshall claimed, at Sheriff sale. The cause was Mormon politics and hatred. While father lived he had a restraining influence over the violent opponents of the Mormons. They feared he would cause their arrest and punishment. The mob did not discriminate between the Mormons who were good, industrious, and peaceable citizens, and the Danites and bad Mormons, and consequently many innocent Mormons were wronged. I admit that it was almost impossible to capture, convict and punish Mormon criminals and those who stole on Mormon credit after they reached Nauvoo.

    The anti-Mormons, mostly Whigs, as soon as they heard of father's death, began burning the houses and other



     


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    property of Mormons. According to Gregg;s history of the county, published in 1880, they burned September 11, 1845, Yelrome or Morley Town, named after Isaac Morley, of Kirtland, Ohio, which contained about one hundred homes. The burning continued until the Quincy Rifles and other troops were stationed in Carthage, when order was restored.

    Soon after this hundreds of Mormons before leaving Nauvoo and the State, visited Carthage jail to see where their prophet and his brother were killed. It was my business to show visitors through the premises and explain the circumstances connected with the event. Sometimes they gave me a picayune, or bit. Mother said the Mormons were poor and not to accept anything from them. and I did not knowingly.

    I write these few of many similar facts to convince all who have become Mormons since 1846, that from childhood I have been friendly to them, and I propose to continue my friendship until all honest Mormons are thoroughly convinced that they have been most wickedly and cruelly deceived.  

    I visited Carthage, Illinois, in August, 1882, and the old jail building, Court House and old school house now used as a carpenter shop. Judge J. M. Ferris accompanied me to St. Mary's, fourteen miles southeast of Carthage, where father had purchased from the Government, about 1836, 600 acres of land. He told me, as did [High]-Sheriff Patterson, that mother sold the farm much below its value, and that several persons they knew would have been glad to have paid much more than $6,500 in 1854. The homestead tract was a lovely mound on St. Mary's Prairie, about seven miles from Plymouth on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. The Judge said father's friends would have prevented its being sold were it not stated it was to remain with his relatives. Another piece of property was sold for $1,000, $600 cash, endorsed note $400. The agent neglected to have the note protested, and it never was paid. Within two years the lot was sold for $2,500, after removing the house.

    After returning to Carthage, I visited Quincy, Illinois, where father was buried beside his brother, who was killed by lightning in 1843 or '44, in Deacon Kimball's barn near the cemetery in the eastern part of the city. Although the lots were paid for, and the city authorities were offered $13 per year for the grass, by a man who agreed to mow it, in 1881-82 they leased it to a livery stable keeper, who pastured much of the time sixteen horses in the cemetery, and he let a man pasture two or three cows in it for watering his horses, for which the city received $25 annually. I was informed that there were many prominent citizens buried there, but their relatives had moved away. O. H. Browning had relatives buried there, also Henry Asbury told me he had. Instead of purchasing another lot in some better kept cemetery, and removing my father's and uncle's remains, I have devoted my time, and all the money and aid I could earn, borrow, or beg, with scarcely any assistance, in continuing my search for the evidence needed to prove the true origin of Mormonism. Various persons have respectfully called me a fool for so doing. 

    I offered, when seventeen, to sign off my interest in my father's estate for $500, to be used in obtaining an education. I was compelled to learn a trade I always disliked, and after serving five years' apprenticeship, never did two weeks' work at it. Had my father avoided Mormon influence, I would no doubt received a thorough education, and most probably have lived a better and much happier life, and possibly some other more competent person with abundant patriotism and means would have succeeded much better than myself in securing sufficient proof of the fraudulent origin of Mormonism to have fully satisfied the most credulous Mormons, and cause


     


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    them to voluntarily abolish the institution because they believe the truth

    My life has been one of strong hopes and continued disappointments. I can prove, I believe, that my father did more for the Mormons than any other man in Illinois, in defending the guilty, I regret to say, as well as the innocent. All my through life are direct or indirect of his friendship to the Mormons, as he virtually gave his life fro them. Had he spent one-tenth of the time and money that I have, he could easily have obtained very much more evidence as to the fraudulent origin of the "Book of Mormon," and early rascalities of the Mormon leaders and many of their followers. They have in many ways acknowledged him as their friend, and I expect that all honest Mormons will eventually provided they read all the evidence I intend to offer them (if they do not kill me, as I have several times been creditably informed they intend to do) will acknowledge that I am a much better friend to them than was my father. "Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" It will make you free.


     


    APOLOGY.
    ______

    This is not a model of English literature. It does not claim to be. It is simply (with a few exceptions) the statements of the pioneers of Ohio, who, early in life, could not obtain even a common school education from lack of means and facilities, but who have stated in plain talk what they have seen and heard about Mormonism, particularly its early history, taken for the most part in their own language and sworn to where Justices or Notaries were accessible.




    THOMAS JEFFERSON said he was not afraid to error so long as truth was left free to combat it. The chief reason Mormonism has caused our Government so much trouble and expense is, that our authorities have used force without enough facts. The Mormons are composed of two classes, the Deceivers and the Deceived, who are by far the most numerous, and are generally honest, industrious, well-meaning people. Had the newspaper managers of 1830 been as enterprising and thorough in collecting news as they are to-day, Mormonism would have been very short-lived. A few hundred dollars judiciously expended by a competent person would have proven Rev. Sidney Rigdon's frequent visits with Jo Smith, at Manchester, New York, and elsewhere, for several years before the "Book of Mormon was published, also how he obtained and used the Spaulding "Manuscript Found." The Mormon thistle was allowed to take root and grow because but few people thought it would ever amount to anything.




    The following extract is taken from the Times and Seasons, of Nauvoo, Illinois, December 1, 1844, page 727, John Taylor, late President of the church, editor: --

    "If Mormonism succeeds, Christianity will receive a mortifying blow. The question is. "What ought to be done?" The answer is, "Inform the people." We have looked upon it as a mere delusion, containing the seeds of its own dissolution. But there is order in this fanaticism; there is system in this imposture, and it carried with it an invisible spirit by which the learned and the unlearned are strangely overcome.' -- Baptist Register, of New York.

    "Yes, Mr. Register, 'inform the people' that is just what ought to be done, and if Christianity, as now practiced by Christendom, from the Catholic with his beads down to the Millerite with his picture of Daniel's vision, does not receive a 'mortifying blow,' there is no truth in the Bible."
    It seems that there were those in 1844 who knew what ought to be done to oppose Mormonism, but they did it not thoroughly.




    WANTED. -- Valuable original information regarding the origin and early history of Mormonism, similar to what is contained in this paper, for which a fair price will be paid, if used. Correspondence solicited. Address, A. B. Deming, Oakland, Cal.


     


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    ABOUT  SPAULDING.
    ________

    SOLOMON SPAULDING  was born in 1761, in the town of Ashford, Connecticut, U.S.A. When a student in Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, from which he graduated, he became much interested in what became of the lost ten tribes of Israel, and imbibed the views of one of the officers of the college, that the American Indians were most probably their descendants. He entered the ministry, and for ten years preached about the country as an evangelist. He never was a settled pastor. He wrote a manuscript on a few quires of letter paper, purporting to be an account of the wanderings and arrival in America of the lost ten tribes (similar to the "Book of Mormon"), probably while he preached in Middletown, Vermont. (See statement of S. S. Osborn and Judge Frisbie's letter.) He finally became his brother's partner in mercantile business in Cherry Valley, New York. In two or three years they failed.

    In 1808 or 1809 the Spaulding Brothers engaged in a land speculation in New Salem, the northeast town in Ohio, now called Conneaut, an Indian name, meaning many fish, which formerly abounded in the creek of that name, and was a great Indian resort. In digging into the mounds, which are numerous thereabouts, in search for iron ore, the workmen discovered large skeletons, and what they considered evidences of a pre-historic race. Spaulding became greatly interested and his adopted daughter, who is still living, told me she well remembered seeing her father, when sitting (she standing by his side) place one of the bones of the skeleton beside his leg, and it reached considerable above his knee. He thought it was the skeleton of a giant

    The anticipation of war with England, which began in 1812, deterred people from settling near the lake for fear of an attack from Canada. The Spauldings being unable to sell their land, again failed. Solomon's health was poor, and he wrote several historical stories, from the profits, when published and sold, he hoped to improve his financial condition, and pay his debts. The country at that time was sparsely settled and Spaulding spent much time visiting about, usually three or four days at a friend's. He was a great character in that section, and was welcomed everywhere because he read his writings to them.

    Spaulding was recommended to go to Pittsburgh to have his book published, whither he removed his family in 1812. He left his "Manuscript Found" with Patterson Bros., who were publishers and book-sellers, for examination, hoping they would publish it. The climate of Pittsburgh did not agree with him, and he again moved to Goodwill, now called Amity, in Washington County, Pa., where he kept a temperance tavern, and died in 1816. Sidney Rigdon, who was born in St. Clair Township, Alleghany County, Pa., twelve miles south of Pittsburgh, in 1793, it is said, became acquainted with Spaulding and his manuscript in Pittsburgh.

    His widow one year later (1817) moved to Central New York and finally married and settled in Monson, Mass, where she died. In July, 1884, Mr. Eber D. Howe, the publisher of "Mormonism Unveiled," told me about the Spaulding's manuscript story, "Conneaut Creek." He said it was a romance of Indian wars along the shores of Lake Erie, written on one or two quires of paper. He did not know what became of it, he supposed it was destroyed when the newspaper office was burned. The files of the Telegraph, Howe's paper, of 1836-7-8, were burned. Mr. Howe said they contained much about Jo Smith's bank and Mormon affairs. I advertised for numbers of those years, but received no reply. When Mr. Howe informed me about the "Conneaut Creek" Manuscript, word had not been received in America that it was in the possession of Mr. L. L. Rice, at Honolulu, S. I.


     


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    SPRINGFIELD, Pa., Dec. 9. 1884
    My father, John N. Miller, settled in Springfield, Erie County, Pa., near Conneaut, Ohio, in 1800. He was an elder of the Presbyterian Church over thirty years, and his father was before him. I have many times heard father say that in 1811 he and Andrew Cochran helped build a forge or furnace for General Keyes at Conneaut, Ohio, and that they boarded with Solomon Spaulding, who had been a preacher, but his wife was not religious. She was high-strung, a frolicker, fond of balls and parties, and drove him out of the ministry. He said he liked Spaulding. While they were at their meals Spaulding would lie on the bed and read to them his manuscripts. Father also frequently read them himself. I have often heard him tell about the Nephites and Zarahemlites before the "Book of Mormon" was published. I well remember D.P. Hurlbut coming to our house about fifty years ago and his telling father that he was taking evidence to expose Mormonism, and hearing him read from the "Book of Mormon." Frequently father would request Hurlbut to stop reading and he would state what followed and Hurlbut would say that it was so in the "Book of Mormon."  He expressed great surprise that father remembered so much of it. Father told him that the "Manuscript Found" was not near all of Spaulding's writings and that probably there would soon be another prophecy out. Father said he had no doubt the historical part of the "Book of Mormon" was Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." John Spaulding, Solomon's brother, lived half a mile from our house and our families were quite intimate. I saw father sign a statement and give Hurlbut. He had statements from Henry Lake, Aaron Wright and Dr. Howard, of Conneaut. Hurlbut stayed two nights with a Mormon woman of very bad character, who lived alone. Several of the lowest families in Springfield became Mormons. Mr. Hartshorn, a Mormon, whose wife was a Methodist, did not go West, but he insisted and she hung herself on the way.
        [Signed]         RACHEL DERBY
        Witnessed by:
        LEE DERBY
        A. B. DEMING.
    (The original missing in Chicago.)

     
    After taking the above statement from Mrs. Derby, the writer returned to Conneaut on the Nickel Plate Railroad and called on Postmaster Keyes, son of General Keyes, who owned the iron furnace and requested that if he obtained any information of interest about Spaulding's history to inform me. I left the same evening and the next morning received a letter at Painesville, O., which was written by Rev. W. H. Rice, of Addison, N.Y., to the postmaster, of Conneaut, O., stating that his father had in his possession the Spaulding manuscript from which the "Book of Mormon" was made. I have not the letter with me and do not remember the exact words. He desired to know if Aaron Wright, Henry Lake and D. P. Hurlbut resided in Conneaut. I was reading the letter in the Temperance Reading room in Painesville, O., when Deacon Crane, of the Baptist Church, aged eighty-five, passed the door. I ran to him and inquired if he ever was acquainted with L. L. Rice. He replied, "He used to edit the Painesville Telegraph about 1839-40, and his sister taught school in our district." I immediately wrote the following letter, which Mr. Rice sent to his father at Honolulu, S. I., and his daughter, at my request, returned to me. 

    PAINESVILLE, O., Dec. 10, 1884.
    Rev. W. H. RICE -- Dear Brother:
    Postmaster Keyes, of Conneaut, sent your letter to me. I was Moderator in the Braden Kelly debate on Mormonism, held in Kirtland, Ohio, last February and March, and have since been engaged in collecting evidence for a new book, to be called "A Death Blow to Mormonism." I expect it will be published early next year. D. P. Hurlbut was a Methodist preacher in Ontario County, N. Y., joined the Mormons, left them and collected evidence for a book published by E. D. Howe, of Painesville, in 1834. Your father edited the Painesville Telegraph about 1838-40, and no doubt found it among Howe's effects in the office. Howe founded the Telegraph. Please write at once to your father to send all the papers to you by express to Addison, N. Y., and I will pay the expressage. I desire to consult them as soon as possible.
          Most respectfully,
          ARTHUR B. DEMING.


     


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    p. 2. V. I. N. 1.]                 HIGHLY  IMPORTANT  FACTS  ABOUT  MORMONISM.                 [Jan. 1888.


    I wrote several letters to L. L. Rice of Honolulu, S. I., and informed him that I had taken statements from fifteen persons who had heard Hurlbut lecture on the "Origin of Mormonism," and read from the Spaulding "Manuscript Found" and the same from the "Book of Mormon." Mr. Rice did not receive my letter until he had committed himself somewhat favorably to Mormon theories, I told Mr. E. D. Howe that word had been received from the Sandwich Islands that Spaulding's manuscript from which the "Book of Mormon" was made, had been found there, without mentioning Rice's name. Mr. Howe trembled and became greatly excited. I told a clergyman in the town that he could not have been much more so if the Sheriff had read his death warrant. A few days later he said he was failing and wanted to die. I finally read to him W. H. Rice's letter and that relieved his fears, for he said Rice used to edit the Telegraph and he probably [had] Conneaut story, which proved to be correct. I have not the slightest doubt but that Howe and Hurlbut sold to the Mormon leaders the copy of "Manuscript Found" which Hurlbut had when he lectured on "Mormonism," that the Mormons agreed to pay a [large] amount for it by installments and obtained possession of the "Manuscript Found" and probably destroyed it; [and] they never paid but the first installment, and that was the reason Howe was so bitter against them, and they called him the Mormon eater.  Mr. Howe was a man of superior mind and intelligence and universally respected by those who knew him. He would converse with the utmost freedom on all subjects but Mormonism, when he became guarded in his expressions and refused to talk on the subject. He told me his sister Harriet was a Mormon and stock in the ledger of Jo Smith's bank stands in her name. [Mrs.] Howe was originally a Baptist and followed Rigdon (whom she greatly admired) into Disciple doctrine and [then] Mormonism. Mr. Howe said after prophet Jo Smith's back-house scrape, she lost confidence in him and in Mormonism. I was at Mr. Howe's [some] fifty or sixty times from five minutes to six hours each time and became much attached to himself and [her?]. I inquired if the Mormons did not try to prevent the publication of "Mormonism Unveiled." He said W. W. Phelps, who formerly published an anti-Masonic paper at Canandaigua, N. Y., called, but that he looked at him pretty sharp and he did not stay long. Howe's paper was anti-Masonic. I shall have more to say of Mr. Howe when I take notice of his book and Hurlbut. 




    SEVERAL  COPIES  OF  "MANUSCRIPT  FOUND"
    __________

    When in Washington D. C., Mr Redic McKee, now deceased father of David R. McKee, Washington agent for the N. Y. Associated Press, informed me that he kept store in Amity, Pa., for a Pittsburg firm, and that he boarded with Solomon Spaulding and heard him tell about his "Manuscript Found," and that he did not read a copy that was in the house because there was a corrected copy at Patterson's Printing Office in Pittsburgh, Pa., and he intended to purchase a copy when published. Rigdon obtained possession, I know not how, of the corrected copy Patterson had, and the copy of a previous draft Hurlbut secured. It is not improbable that Spaulding rewrote the "Manuscript Found" several times; it was such an original and strange work. I have evidence that Hurlbut said he had a copy of "Manuscript Found" for which he had been offered $1,000, but did not sell, and that his son said it was in their house and he could see it any time.  



    S. S.  OSBORN'S  STATEMENT.
    __________

    Mr. A, B. Deming, Esq. -- Dear Sir:According to your request I hand you a statement of my recollections of the Mormons, and of the "Manuscript" I saw in Vermont. When the Mormons came to Kirtland, Ohio, I was residing in Chardon, the county seat of Geauga County, Ohio, and Kirtland was then in the same county. I knew Sydney Rigdon while a Baptist, and also after he became a Disciple or Campbellite preacher. I visited Kirtland to satisfy my curiosity, found the Mormons living in improvised quarters and having all things in common. So far as I could gauge they seemed, with a few exceptions, ignorant, credulous and superstitous. I procured a copy of their "Book of Mormon." and read it enough to satisfy me as of its character. A notice was sometime afterwards posted up that one of them would preach at the Court House in Chardon. The town was small then, and with a book in my hand I visited most, if not all, of the Gentiles in the village, the result being that the Mormon preacher had no hearers. That I believe was the only attempt ever made by any of them to preach there, I afterward moved to Painesville, then in the same county, and which by division became the County town of Lake County, and Kirtland also became part of Lake; it was about the same distance from

     


    [ pg. 2 col. 2: Salmon S. Osborn continued, etc. ]


    Painesville as from Chardon. I knew the Smiths, Joseph Jr., his father, and his brother Hyrum slightly, and many of the Mormons; but having satisfied myself as to their pretensions, had little to do with them excepting in efforts to collect debts from them.

    In September, 1871, I spent some little time in Middleton, Vt., with my wife and her sister, who were both invalids. We had rooms and board at Hezekiah Haynes'. When he learned we were from the vicinity of Kirtland, O., inquiries were made about the Mormons, and I was then told about what they termed the Wood scrape, and that Mormonism undoubtedly originated in that town, and that Mr. Woodard (I think the name was), the Town Clerk, had a "Manuscript" written by Spaulding, which might throw some light on the subject, as he believed Spaulding's writings and the religious fanaticism of the Woods' gave rise to Mormonism. From him I learned also, that the Hon. Reuben Wood, late of Cleveland, Ohio, one of the clearest headed lawyers and best of Ohio's Judges, was a descendant of the same Wood, of Middleton, and himself read law there. I then became interested to know more about it. Soon afterwards I had occasion to call on the Town Clerk, who was also a shoemaker, for a little of his mechanical skill, and procured from him a sight of the manuscript and the rather reluctant loan of it on my promise to use it carefully and return it to him. As I now remember it was written in a fair, plain hand, upon foolscap; short-cap I think, and there may have been one quire or more or less of it stitched together: it purported to be an account of the journeyings of the ten lost tribes of Israel to America, and what they did and became on this continent, by Solomon Spaulding. I had abundance of leisure in Middleton and kept the document a week or more, and returned it to Mr. Woodard. I did not read all of it. It did not interest me much, and I have no distinct recollection of the story, nor had I then the "Book of Mormon,: having lost mine soon after I used it in Chardon, as before stated. I practiced law in Chardon from 1828 to 1833 or '34 and afterwards in Painesville until 1849.
                      S. S. OSBORN
    I withhold his residence for the following reasons: --
      Mr. Osborn is eighty-three years of age and unusually active for his years. His social standing is excellent. He strongly objected to making a statement. I called at his home five or six times and when I informed him I had obtained statements from Senator Payne, of Ohio, Lawyer Tinker and many other of his old friends, also Hon. E. B. Washburnes, he reluctantly produced the above statement. When I called for it, and his daughter learned that he had given me one, she demanded it in such a determined manner, I feared I would be compelled to surrender it to her. I hesitated and she turned to her father with earnest remonstrance. I skipped the length of the hall, grasped my hat, overcoat and Arctics, and ran nearly a block before putting them on, so she could not call me back, and have not called since. Wealthy and aristocratic people usually refuse to aid our Government to suppress its enemies, when it requires signed statements as to what they know about Mormonism. There are many people who are prominent in every relation in life whose parents were once Mormons, and they very much dislike to admit the fact. A retired Government officer could make a valuable statement but has refused to.


    I called on a man in Southern California who was a well-to-do business man in London, England. In 1852 be became a Mormon and intrusted most of his property to Mormon Elders and could not regain possession. He finally left Salt Lake City for Southern California and acquired much property. He said he would not for the world have his neighbors know that he had been a Mormon. He said he considered it a stain upon a man that could not be effaced. 




    CAREER  OF  SIDNEY  RIGDON.
    __________

    BORN February 19, 1793, near the village of Liberty, St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pa., lived on his father's farm till his father died in 1810; he pretended to work on the farm till 1813. In 1813 he went into a tannery in Pittsburgh, where he staid till 1817. Joined the Baptist Church at Peters Creek, Library, in 1817. Studied theology under Mr. Clark in Beaver County, Pa., in 1818 and 1819. License to preach as a regular Baptist preacher by the Connesquising Baptist Church in 1819. Went to Warren, Ohio, in the fall of 1819, studied with Adamson Bently, who was pastor of the Baptist Church in Warren, Ohio, and joined the church March 4, 1820; ordained as Baptist preacher at Warren, April 1, 1820. Married Phebe Brooks in 1820. Moved to Hartford, Trumbull County, Ohio, preached for the Baptist Church until January 1822. He preached occasionally in school houses and dwellings in Conneaut, Ohio, near where Solomon Spaulding lived, in 1819-22. Was installed as pastor of First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, January 28, 1822. Showed Rev. John Winter in his study Spaulding's "Manuscript Found" the same year. Was suspended for heresy July 11, 1823. Expelled for heresy October 11, 1823. Preached for adherents in the Court


     


    [ pg. 2 col. 3 ]


    House of Pittsburgh until the summer of 1824. Engaged in tanning in the fall of 1823, and sent his family to Warren in the fall of 1825. He joined them in the winter. Moved to Bainbridge, Ohio, April 1826. Preached Rev. W. Goodall's funeral sermon in MNentor in August, 1826. Was hired by the Baptist Church of Mentor and Kirtland, and removed to Mentor in the spring of 1827. Was seen by Lorenzo Saunders at the Smith's in Manchester, N. Y., in the spring of 1827, and again in the fall of 1827. Preached Mormonism in Rochester, N. Y., in the spring of 1830. Was connected to the Mormons November, 1830. Moved to Kirtland in the fall of 1830, November. Again visited Smiths' at Manchester, N. Y., December, 1830. 




    HARVEY BALDWIN, of Aurora, Portage County, Ohio, says that over thirty years ago he heard his father say that he belonged to the Baptist Church in Bainbridge, Portage County, Ohio, when Sidney Rigdon preached there, and that several times when he called to see Rigdon he found him in a room by himself, and that he each time hurriedly put away books and papers he had as though he did not wish him to see them. Deacon Clapp, of the church Garfield attended in Mentor, says he was eighteen years old when Rigdon came to Mentor to live, and that he had a large chair with a leaf on the arm to write on with a drawer underneath with a lock and key. The chair was covered with spots of ink. Rigdon told him he had much use for it.  




    STATEMENT  OF  H. H.  LUSE.
    __________

    I was born in Green County, Pa., March 13, 1810. In 1814 my parents moved to the town of Howland, near Warren, Ohio. I attended the Baptist Church, of which my mother was aÊmember. I occasionally heard Sidney Rigdon preach. I moved his household goods from his father-in-law's, Deacon Brook's house in Warren, with an ox-team, to a brick house in Mentor, Ohio, in March, 1828. Rigdon and his wife rode in a one-horse wagon. I heard Rigdon preach a very pompous sermon at the Austintown yearly meeting in 1829, I think. The audience generally expressed their disgust. Alex Campbell and Scott were present. I moved in October, 1835, to Parkman, Geauga County, Ohio, about twenty five miles from Kirtland. It was generally believed at that time that Sidney Rigdon was the author of Mormonism. The first moment I saw and heard Kalloch preach in Union Hall, I thought of Sidney Rigdon, whom he strongly resembles in every respect.
                                            H. H. LUSE.
    Witnessed by:
    BERTHA LUSE (Daughter),
    EDNA LUSE (Daughter).
    No. 18 Essex Place, San Francisco, Cal., Oct. 13, 1887.
    It is quite probable Rigdon obtained additional household goods from Deacon Brook's family, his wife's parents, in Warren Ohio, which Mr. Luse moved; for Rigdon certainly moved from Bainbridge to Mentor in the spring of 1827.
     




    Statement  of  Lorenzo  Saunders.
    __________

    HILLSDALE COUNTY, State of Michigan.
       Lorenzo Saunders being duly sworn deposes and says: That I reside in Reading, Hillsdale County, State of Michigan; that I was born in the town of Palmyra, Wayne County, State of New York, on June 7, A. D. 1811, and am now seventy-six years of age. That I lived in said town of Palmyra until I was forty-three years of age. That I lived within one mile of Joseph Smith at the time said Joseph Smith claimed that he found the "tablets" on which the "Book of Mormon" was revealed. That I went to the "Hill Cumorah" on the Sunday following the date that Joseph Smith claimed he found the plates, it being three miles from my home, and I tried to find the place where the earth had been broken by being dug up, but was unable to find any place where the ground had been disturbed.

    That my father died on the 10th day of October, A. D. 1825. That in March of 1827, on or about the 15th of said month I went to the house of Joseph Smith for the purpose of getting some maple sugar to eat, that when I arrived at the house of said Joseph Smith, I was met at the door by Harrison Smith, Jo's brother. That at a distance of ten or twelve rods from the house there were five men that were engaged in talking, four of whom I knew, the fifth one was better dressed than the rest of those whom I was acquainted with. I inquired of Harrison Smith who the stranger was? He informed me his name was Sidney Rigdo[n] with whom I afterwards became acquainted and found to be Sidney Rigdon. This was in March, A. D. 1827, the second spring after the death of my father. I was frequently at the house of Joseph Smith from 1827 to 1830. That I saw Oliver

     


    [ pg. 2 col. 4: L. Saunders continued]


    Cowdery writing, I suppose the "Book of Mormon" with books and manuscript laying on the table before him; that I went to school to said Oliver Cowdery and knew him well. That in the summer of 1830, I heard Sydney Rigdon preach a sermon on Mormonism. This was after the "Book of Mormon" had been published, which took about three years from the time that Joseph Smith claimed to have had his revelation.
         [Signed.]      LORENZO SAUNDERS,
         [Seal.]
    Sworn and subscribed to before me this 21st day of July, A.D. 1887.
                LINUS S. PARMELEE,
         Justice of the Peace of Reading, Mich.  




    MRS. S. F. ANDERICK'S STATEMENT.
    _________

    I was born in New York State near the Massachusetts line, May 7, 1809. In 1812 my parents moved to a farm two miles from the village, and in the township of Palmyra, New York. In 1823 mother died, and I went to her sister's, Mrs. Earl Wilcox, where I lived much of the time until December, 1828, when I went to live with father who had again married and settled on a farm on the Holland Patent, twenty miles west of Rochester, New York. Uncle Earl's farm was four miles south of Palmyra village, and his house was nearly opposite old Jo Smith's, father of the Mormon prophet. Old Jo was dissipated. He and his son Hyrum worked some at coopering. Hyrum was the only son sufficiently educated to teach school. I attended when he taught in the log schoolhouse east of uncle's. He also taught in the Stafford District. He and Sophronia were the most respected of the family, who were not much thought of in the community. They cleared the timber from only a small part of their farm, and never paid for the land. They tried to live without work. I have often heard the neighbors say they did not know how the Smiths lived, they earned so little money. The farmers who lived near the Smiths had many sheep and much poultry stolen. They often sent officers to search the premises of the Smiths for stolen property, who usually found the house locked. It was said the creek near the house of the Smiths was lined with the feet and heads of sheep. Uncle's children were all sons, and they played with Smith's younger children, I associated much with Sophronia Smith, the oldest daughter, as she was the only girl near my age who lived in our vicinity. I often accompanied her, Hyrum, and young Jo Smith, who became the Mormon prophet, to apple parings and parties. Jo was pompous, pretentious and active at parties. He claimed, when a young man, he could tell where lost or hidden things and treasures were buried or located with a forked witch hazel. He deceived many farmers, and induced them to dig nights for chests of gold, when the pick struck the chest, someone usually spoke, and Jo would say the enchantment was broken, and the chest would leave.

    Williard Chase, a Methodist who lived about two miles from uncle's, while digging a well, found a gray smooth stone about the size and shape of an egg. Sallie, Williard's sister, also a Methodist, told me several times that young Jo Smith, who became the Mormon prophet, often came to inquire of her where to dig for treasures. She told me she would place the stone in a hat and hold it to her face, and claimed things would be brought to her view. Sallie let me have it several times, but I never could see anything in or through it. I heard that Jo obtained it and called it a peep-stone, which he used in the place of the witch hazel. Uncle refused to let Jo dig on his farm. I have seen many holes where he dug on other farms.

    When Jo joined the Presbyterian Church, in Palmyra village, it caused much talk and surprise, as he claimed to receive revelations from the Lord. He also claimed he found some gold plates with characters on them, in a hill between uncle's and father's, which I often crossed. Several times I saw what he claimed were the plates, which were covered with a cloth. They appeared to be six or eight inches square. He frequently carried them with him. I heard they kept them under the brick hearth.

    He was from home much summers. Sometimes he said he had been to Broome County, New York, and Pennsylvania. Several times while I was visiting Sophronia Smith at old Jo's house, she told me that a stranger who I saw there several times in warm weather and several months apart, was Mr. Rigdon. At other times the Smith children told me that Mr. Rigdon was at their house when I did not see him. I did not read much in the "Book of Mormon" because I had no confidence in Jo. Palmyra people claimed that Jo did not know enough to be the author of the "Book of Mormon," and believed that Rigdon was its author. I was acquainted with most of the people about us, and with Martin Harris.



     


    [ pg. 2 col. 5: Sarah Fowler Anderick continued, etc. ]


    On my way to California I stopped in Salt Lake City from July, 1852, until March, 1853. I received much attention from Mormon ladies because I was acquainted, and had danced with their prophet.
        [Signed.]     MRS. S. F. ANDERICK.
        [Seal]
        Witnessed by:
          MRS. I. A. ROGERS (Daughter)
         OSCAR G. ROGERS (Grandson).

    Subscribed and sworn before F. S. Baker, Notary Public for Monterey County, California, June 24, 1887.
            SAN FRANCISCO, Cal.  |
            Dec. 21, 1887.     |
    A. B. DEMING, Esq., Oakland, Cal. -- Dear Sir: Mrs. S.F. Anderick, of whom you inquire, is a member of my church. She is a most estimable Christian woman, and is possessed of more than average intellectual ability and culture. She is careful in her speech and reliable in judgement; sound inmind and of unimpeachable veracity. Her testimony would be first-class in any court of justice upon any subject with which she might be conversant.     Respectfully,
                    G.W. IZER,
    Pastor Simpson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, San Francisco, Cal.
    435 BUCHANAN STREET. S. F. Cal.
    A. B. DEMING, Esq. -- Dear Sir: I am personally acquainted with Mrs. S. F. Anderick, and have been for two years. She lives on this street, one block from my residence. I have often met her in church, in society and in her home. I am certain that she is remarkably well preserved, and is sound in mind. She is a woman of intelligence, and of high moral and Christian character.     Always sincerely,
                C. H. FOWLER,
          Bishop of the M. E. Church.  




    ISAAC  BUTTS
    ________

    I was born in Palmyra, N.Y., near where old Jo Smith settled, January 4, 1807. I attended school with Prophet Jo. His father taught me to mow. I worked with old and young Jo at farming. I have frequently seen old Jo drunk. Young Jo had a forked witch-hazel rod with which he claimed he could locate buried money or hidden things. Later he had a peep-stone which he put into his hat and looked into it. I have seen both. Joshua Stafford, a good citizen, told me that young Jo Smith and himself dug for money in his orchard and elsewhere nights. All the money digging was done nights. I saw the holes in the orchard which were four or five feet square and three or four feet deep. Jo and others dug much about Palmyra and Manchester. I have seen many of the holes. The first thing he claimed to find was gold plates of the "Book of Mormon," which he kept in a pillowcase and would let people lift, but not see. I came to Ohio in 1818, and became acquainted with Sydney Rigdon in 1820. He preached my brother's funeral sermon in Auburn, O., in May, 1822. I returned to Palmyra twice and resided there about two years each time. Many persons whom I knew in New York joined the Mormons and came to Kirtland. They told me they saw Sidney Rigdon much with Jo Smith before they became Mormons, but did not know who he was until they came to Kirtland.
        [Signed.]     ISAAC BUTTS.
        South Newbury, Geauga Co, O.  




    W. R. HINE'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born February 11, 1803, at Colesville, Windsor Township, Broome County, N.Y. Jo Smith, who became the Mormon prophet, and his father came from Palmyra, or Manchester, N.Y., and dug for salt two summers, near and in sight of my house. The old settlers used to buy salt from an Indian squaw, who often promised to tell the whites where the salt spring was, but she never did. Jo Smith claimed to be a seer. He had a very clear stone about the size and shape of a duck's egg, and claimed that he could see lost or hidden things through it. He said he saw Captain Kidd sailing on the Susquehanna River during a freshet, and that he buried two pots of gold and silver. He claimed he saw writing cut on the rocks in an unknown language telling where Kidd buried it, and he translated it through his peep-stone. I have had it many times and could see in it whatever I imagined. Jo claimed it was found in digging a well in Palmyra, N.Y. He said he borrowed it. He claimed to receive revelations from the Lord through prayer, and would pray with his men, mornings and at other times. His father told me he was fifteen years old. I called him half-witted. He was miserably clad, coarse and awkward. He had men who did the digging and they and others would take interests. Some would lose faith and others would take their places. They dug one well thirty feet deep and another seventy-five at the foot and south side of the Aquaga Mountain, but found no salt.

    My nephew now owns the land he dug on. Asa Stowel furnished the means for Jo to dig for silver ore, on Monument Hill. He dug over one year without success. Jo dug next for Kidd's money, on the west bank of the Susquehanna, half a mile from the river, and three miles from his salt wells. He dug for a cannon the Indians had buried, until driven away by the owner of the land. He dug for many things and many parties, I never knew him to find anything of value. He and his workmen lived in a shanty while digging for salt. When it rained hard, my wife has often made beds for them on the floor in our house. Jo became known all over New York and Pennsylvania. Sometimes his brothers were with him. Isaac Hale, a good Methodist, lived seven miles below me on the river. I often stopped with him

     


    [ pg. 2 col. 6: William Riley Hine continued ]


    when rafting. I have attended many prayer-meetings at his house, evenings. Emma was fine looking, smart, a good singer, and she often got the power. Jo stole his wife, Sunday, while Hale was at church. My wife and I saw him on an old horse with Emma on behind as they passed our house on their way to Bainbridge, N.Y., where they were married.

    Jo and his father were all the time telling of hidden things, lead, silver and gold mines which he could see. I called him Peeker. About the spring of 1828, Jo came in front of my house where several men were pitching quoits. I said, "Peeker, what have you found?" He said he had found some metal plates which would be of great use to the world. He had them in a box in a handkerchief which he carried in one hand. I said, "Let me see them." Jo Smith said they must first be sent to Philadelphia to be translated. He said the only man in the world who could translate them lived there. After they were translated the world could see them.  Calvin Smith, whose farm joined mine, said with an oath, he would see them. Jo said if he laid his hands on him he would prosecute him. I told Calvin he better not. Since I have seen the conduct of the Mormons, I have many times regretted that I interfered. Citizens wrote to parties in Philadelphia, where Jo said he had sent the plates and word was returned they had not received them. Jo said they could not be translated in Philadelphia and they had been sent to New York City. Justice N. K. Nobles wrote to New York and could learn nothing about them. Soon I learned that Jo claimed to be translating the plates in Badger's Tavern, in Colesville, three miles from my house. I went there and saw Jo Smith sit by a table and put a handkerchief to his forehead and peek into his hat and call out a word to Cowdery, who sat at the same table and wrote it down. Several persons sat near the same table and there was no curtain between them. Martin Harris introduced himself to me, and said they were going to bring the world from darkness into light. Martin's wife cooked for them, and one day while they were at dinner she put one hundred and sixteen pages, the first part they had translated, in her dress bosom and went out. They soon missed the one hundred and sixteen pages and followed her into the road and demanded them of her. She refused, and said if it was the Lord's work you can translate them again, and I will follow you to the ends of the earth.

    Dr. Seymour came along and she gave them to him to read, and told him not to let them go. Dr. Seymour lived one and a half miles from me. He read most of it to me when my daughter Irene was born; he read them to his patients about the country. It was a description of the mounds about the country and similar to the "Book of Mormon." I doubt if the one hundred and sixteen pages were included in the "Book of Mormon." After I came to Kirtland, in conversation with Martin Harris, he has many times admitted to me that this statement about his wife and the one hundred and sixteen pages, as above stated, is true. I heard a man say who was a neighbor to the Mormon Smith family, in Palmyra, N.Y., that they were thieves, indolent, the lowest and meanest family he ever saw or heard of. Hyrum was the best of the family. Many letters were received from Palmyra, stating the bad character of the Smith's. Calvin Smith and I, while burning brush, found a hole which, when cleaned out, was fifteen feet deep; it was covered with poles which had been split with tomahawks; a tree near by was marked each side for seventy feet. Gun barrels and various Indian implements were found later near by. The hole was within twenty rods of Jo's salt digging. Newel Knight, who lived a few miles from me was brought before Justice N. K. Nobles as a witness for reporting Prophet Jo Smith had cast three devils out of him. Knight testified the first was as large as a wood chuck, the second was as large as a squirrel, the third about the size of a rat. Noble inquired what became of them. Knight said that they went out at the chimney. Jo was discharged. Noble told me later that it made his heart ache to hear the puppy swear. This occurred during the pretended translation of the plates. I met Prophet Jo's father on the dock at Fairport, O., in July, 1831. He inquired if I came on in the Mormon faith, I replied that I did: a crowd soon gathered about us. One of them asked what my faith was. I said the Mormons were the damd'st set of liars and scoundrels I ever knew. My reply caused a shout from many on the dock. We all took a drink.

    I rented Claudius Stannard's farm and stone quarry, two miles south of the temple in Kirtland. (Before I rented the quarry, a combination had been formed not to let the Mormons have any stone). I quarried and sold the Mormons the stone used in the construction of the temple, except a

     


    [ pg. 2 col. 7: William Riley Hine continued, etc. ]


    few of the large ones which came from Russell's quarry. Prophet Jo and his father frequently talked over with me their experience along the Susquehanna. Jo could scarcely read or write when he lived in New York. He had a private teacher in Kirtland and obtained a fair education. While the temple was building the workmen lived in temporary buildings. Prayer meetings were held mornings by the workmen for the success of the work before beginning their labors. One day while I was at the Flats, a meeting was held in which the Spiritual Wife Doctrine was discussed. Rigdon said if he had got to go into it he might as well begin. He put Emma, Jo Smith's wife, on the bed and got on himself. Jo became angry. It was in everybody's mouth for miles about Kirtland.

    When I first saw Emma on the streets in Kirtland, she threw her arms around me and I think kissed me, and inquired all about her father's family. I brought her letters and took some later to Mr. Hale from her. Jo told Emma he had a revelation about the plates, but that he could not obtain them until he had married her. I became acquainted with D. P. Hurlbut before he left the Mormons. He courted Dr. Williams' beautiful daughter, and told her he had a revelation to marry her; she told him when she received a revelation they would be married. Everybody about Kirtland believed he had left the Mormons because she refused him. Other Mormons and Black Pete claimed to receive revelations to marry her. I was often in Hurlbut's company, and once while fishing with him on Lake Erie, after he had left the Mormons, he told me he was going to ferret out Mormonism and break it up; I replied you had better break up a nest of yellow jackets. I told him I knew the Mormons in New York State would as soon swear to a lie as to the truth. Later I told Hurlbut to write to Isaac Hale, Jo's father-in-law, and he did.

    Hale's reply is published in Howe's "Book on Mormonism." I heard Hurlbut lecture in the Presbyterian Church in Kirtland. He said he would, and he did prove that the "Book of Mormon" was founded on a fiction called "Manuscript Found," written by Solomon Spaulding, at Conneaut, Ohio, in the early part of the century. He said Spaulding was consumptive and could not work, and wrote stories to procure a living. He said he had seen Mrs. Spaulding, and she said a good share of the "Book of Mormon" was the same as "Manuscript Found," which was written by her husband, Solomon Spaulding. Spaulding's brother asked him, as he was an educated man, why he wrote in old style. He said his title was "Manuscript Found" and therefore he wrote it in old style. Hurlbut said Spaulding tried to obtain money to pay for printing it. While traveling he slept in the woods nights, took cold and finally died. Sydney Rigdon stole the copy left with the printer in Pittsburgh. Hurlbut had a copy of Spaulding's "Manuscript Found" with him. He and others spoke three hours. Hurlbut read Hale's letter in the lecture. Martin Harris said Hale was old and blind and not capable of writing it. I stated that Hale was called the greatest hunter on the Susquehanna, and two years before had killed a black deer and a white bear, which many hunters had tried to kill, also that he was intelligent and knew the Scriptures. The night the meteors fell in 1833, the Mormons sent men on horseback for miles about Kirtland to arouse the people. They got me up at three o'clock A.M., they claimed it was the fore-runner of some wonderful event, and it was said and believed. Prophet Jo said there would be no more stars seen in the heavens. All the time I was in Kirtland many persons were becoming disgusted with Mormonism, and many left them and exposed their secrets. Squire J. C. Dowen lived half a mile from me, he was physically and mentally a capable man. His reputation as a citizen was very good. This statement was read to me and my daughter before being signed. I heard Hurlbut lecture before, and after he saw Spaulding's widow.
                                     W. R. HINE  X.
          Witnessed by:
          A. B. DEMING
    Chester, Geauga County, Ohio. 
    Mr. W. R. Hine resided on his farm in Munson, Geauga County, Ohio, forty years and all his neighbors know him to an honest man. His wife having died he lives with his daughter, Mrs. Parker, at Chester Cross Roads seven miles south of the Mormon temple in Kirtland, Ohio. His right arm is paralyzed and he was compelled to sign with an X

    His mind is strong and memory very good. In the statement at Chicago, he stated that the Kelley's, Mormon elders from Kirtland, called on him the day of the Ohio State election in Oct., 1884, and asked him questions and he replied. They wrote down something; but did not read it to him and he does not know that it is correct.


     


    [ pg. 3 col. 1 ]

    [Jan. 1888.]                 HIGHLY  IMPORTANT  FACTS  ABOUT  MORMONISM.                 [V. I. N. 1. p. 3.

     


    R. W.  ALDERMAN'S  STATEMENT.
    __________

    In February, 1852, I was snow-bound in a hotel in Mentor, Ohio all day. Martin Harris was there, and in conversation told me he saw Jo Smith translate the "Book of Mormon" with his peepstone in his hat. Oliver Cowdery, who had been a school teacher, wrote it down. Sidney Rigdon, a renegade preacher, was let in during the translation. Rigdon had stolen a manuscript from a printing office in Pittsburgh, Pa., which Spaulding who had written it in the early part of the century, had left there to be printed, but the printers refused to publish it, but Jo and Rigdon did, as the "Book of Mormon." Martin said he furnished the means, and Jo promised him a place next to him in the church. When they had got all my property they set me out. He said Jo ought to have been killed before he was; that the Mormons committed all sorts of depredations in the towns about Kirtland. They called themselves Latter-day Saints, but he called them Latter-day Devils.
         Claridon, Geauga Co., Ohio,
              Dec. 25, 1884.

           [Signed]     R. W. ALDERMAN.
       Witnessed by:
           CLARA ALDERMAN,
           A. B. DEMING. 




    MR.  BELL'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in Harpersfield, Delaware County, N. Y., December 3, 1803. Our family lived several years in Broome County, N.Y., four miles from Badgers Settlement, where we did our trading. I came to Painesville, Ohio, in 1825, and boarded with Carlos Granger. Whenever Sidney Rigdon, a Baptist minister who lived in Mentor, came to Painesville, he usually stopped with Granger. I have often heard him say at his meals, "How nice it would be to have all Christians live in a community separate from the world's people." After he became a Disciple, he frequently spoke in his sermons of a wondrous light which was soon to burst upon the world. I have heard others say Rigdon, after he became a Mormon, said that Mormonism was the marvelous light he had predicted. I attended the first Mormon meeting Pratt and Cowdery held in Painesville. My brother Milo, from Broome County, N.Y., was present. They told about Prophet Jo Smith finding the gold plates, and said they saw them. My brother ridiculed them after the meeting. He told me he knew Jo Smith when he was digging near the Susquehanna River for Captain Kidd's money. Jo had a peep-stone through which he claimed to see hidden or buried treasures. Jo sold shares to all who would buy, and kept the money. He said they would all make a circle, and Jo Smith claimed if they threw any dirt over the circle the money chest would leave. They never found any money. Jo Smith's brother Hyrum's wife was a cousin of Mrs. Bell. It was claimed she died during confinement because her husband refused her the services of a physician. Esek Rosa, an expert accountant and brother of Dr. Rosa, of Painesville (who prepared for the press most of Howe's book on Mormonism), while in conversation with me about Rigdon and Mormonism, several times told me that Rigdon told the people in Mentor and Painesville that he was going to Pittsburgh, Pa., but he went to Rochester, N.Y., instead. Esek said he was visiting in Rochester, and while on the street he was invited to enter a building near by and hear a very smart man preach. Rosa replied, "I think I have heard that voice before." When he entered the room he found Elder Sydney Rigdon preaching Mormonism. This occurred several months before Mormonism was preached in Ohio.       K. AE. BELL.
        Witnessed by:
            CLARA E. CLARK.
    Sworn to and subscribed before me, the undersigned, by K. AE. Bell, this sixth day of May, 1885.
        D. CLINTON HILL,
            Justice of the Peace, in and for Painesville Township, Lake County, Ohio. 




    REMARKABLE  PROPHECY  FULFILLED.
    __________

    My father was an English gentleman, and well educated. He came to America and became a citizen when he was a young man. He was an Episcopalian, but married Jane Allen, a Quakeress, or Bordertown, N. J. His father was in poor health, and wrote for my parents to come to Norwich, England. They had twenty-one sons and four daughters, twins four times, seven of whom died at about sixteen. Seventeen lived to maturity. All were put out to nurse until four years old. My nurse was paid a guinea a month. Mother came in a carriage each week with clean clothing for me. I did not know she was my mother until taken home by her a few months before leaving for America. All the children ate together, and mother sat at the head of the table and directed the servants. My parents ate by themselves. Five sons and two daughters were at boarding school at one time in London. My parents loved their children, but never idolized nor kissed them until dead. I was the nineteenth, born May 4, 1810. My parents desired their children to be American citizens, and emigrated in 1816 to Luzurne County, Pa., seven miles from Wilkesbarre. When a young man I spent much of the summers along the Susqurhanna River. I became acquainted with Jo, Hyrum, and Bill Smith, whom I often saw hunting and digging for buried money, treasure, or lost and hidden things. Jo claimed to receive revelations from the Lord where to dig. People would say, "Jo, what did the Lord tell you last night, or what did you dream?" "Jo, what are you going to dig for next?" "Jo, I found a hollow tree or stump; go and see what you can find there." He had a peep-stone which he claimed had an attraction, and he could see hidden things through it. He was generally called the Peeker. He was said

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 2: Henry A. Sayer continued. ]


    to be the laziest whelp about the country. He had men to do the digging. I have heard merchants refuse to trust Jo Smith for a plug of tobacco, but say they would give him one. I well remember when he organized his Mormon Church at Harmony, Pa. My father said at the time that Mormonism would take well with the ignorant English, and would become troublesome in this country. He claimed the Government out to put a stop to it.     HENRY A. SAYER.
       Witnessed by:
            A. B. DEMING.

    Subscribed and sworn to before me at Willoughby this twenty-fourth day of February, 1885.
       A. P. BARBER,
           Justice of the Peace in and for Lake County, Ohio.
    Mr. Sayer will be glad to hear from his brothers or sisters, or their children, having lost track of them. 




    C. R.  STAFFORD.
    ________

    I was born in Manchester, New York, Feb. 4, 1813. Our school district was called the Stafford District because of sixty scholars enrolled, forty were Staffords. The road on which they lived is now called Stafford Street. The Mormon Smith family lived near our house. I was well acquainted with them and attended school with the younger children. There was much digging for money on our farm and about the neighborhood. I saw Uncle John and Cousin Joshua Stafford dig a hole twenty feet long, eight broad and seven deep. They claimed that they were digging for money but were not successful in finding any. Jo Smith kept it up after our neighbors had abandoned it. A year or two after Jo claimed to find the plates of the "Book of Mormon." He had men dig a tunnel near fifty feet long in a hill about two miles north of the hill where he claimed to find the plates. I tried to look into a peep-stone in my hat in a dark room; I saw nothing, some claimed they could. I saw old Jo Smith, his wife and Mrs. Rockwell baptized by prophet Jo Smith. I have seen Jo in drunken fights; father and son were frequently drunk. I remember when a man (Hurlbut) came to our school house and took statements about the bad character of the Mormon Smith family, and saw them swear to them. Jo Smith, the prophet, told my uncle, William Stafford, he wanted a fat, black sheep. He said he wanted to cut its throat and make it walk in a circle three times around and it would prevent a pot of money from leaving. Jo's family ate the sheep; he duped many people in similar ways. He claimed to receive revelations from the Lord. The Smiths stole six hogs-heads from us; everything missing was claimed by our neighbors to be in possession of the Smiths. I would make oaths to my statement were not the Justice sick.
        [Signed.]     C. R. STAFFORD
        Witnessed by:
           R. M. STAFFORD (Son)
            INA M. RICHARDS (G. daughter).
       Auburn, O., March, 1885. 




    STATEMENT  OF  REV.  S. F.  WHITNEY  ON  MORMONISM.
    __________

    I was born in Fairfield, Herkimer County, N.Y., March 17, 1804. I saw the Battle of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain; it lasted two hours and forty minutes. I followed boating as hand and captain on the lakes and ocean. I was soundly converted at eighteen on Grand Island, and united with the Methodists. I came to Kirtland, O., in 1826, where my brother, N. K. Whitney kept store. I heard Sidney Rigdon preach in Squire Sawyers' orchard in 1827 or '28. He said how desirable it would be to know who built the forts and mounds about the country. Soon it would all be revealed. He undoubtedly referred to the "Book of Mormon" which was published in 1830. Revival meetings were held in Kirtland in 1827 or '28, by Rigdon, in which he preached orthodox Baptist doctrine on the work of the Holy Spirit. In Mentor he preached against it. I informed the converts in Kirtland. They censured him and he denied it, and stated in a sermon the man told a falsehood. As soon as the services closed I stood on a bench and requested the audience to be seated. I told them I was the man alluded to, and I repeat these statements and I can prove it by six witnesses now present." Rigdon made no reply and appeared ashamed.

    I attended the first Mormon meeting in Kirtland. Oliver Cowdery was the chief speaker, and P. P. Pratt, David Whitmer and Ziba Peterson endorsed what he said; they preached reformation and baptism for the remission of sins. At the beginning their meetings were held in school-houses and at residences. Their prayer meetings were generally decently conducted until the power came, when they became bedlam. At times six or eight young men and women would rush to one corner of the room and all fall in a promiscuous heap on the floor. Others would fall off the seats. At Seely Griffin's, I have seen men and women who claimed to have the power laid indiscriminately on the bed and trundle-bed. Some would talk Injun. Harvey Whitcomb's wife,

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 3: Samuel F. Whitney continued ]

    recently married, had the power and was lying on the bed talking Injun. I saw Isaac Fellows run his riding whip under her clothing. She kicked and sent him six or eight feet. He got up and said "I swear she has got the power." The young men had a laugh at his expense. Young men came from miles about the country for amusement. I have seen at the close of Mormon meetings one go into the water and others bring him pieces of rails and sticks which he would baptize. Others would get on stumps and preach in unknown tongues. Preaching to the Lamanites or Indians was a hobby at the start. I have been awakened and gone to my window nights and seen them on stumps preaching.

    Their prayer-meetings were very informal, chiefly exhorting, prophesying and debating, in which the Gentiles often took part. But little reverence was manifested, blackguard and boisterous laughter were of frequent occurrence, until their meetings were held in the temple. As many as twenty Campbellites were baptized in a night by Mormon elders. They would stand in the water and exhort the people to come and have their sins washed away. Rigdon was generally too lazy to baptize. The early Mormon meetings are correctly described in the following extract from '"Martindale's Theological Dictionary," edition 1823, page 302, article French Prophets: --

    "They had strange fits which came upon them with tremblings and faintings as in a swoon, which made them stretch out their arms and legs, and stagger several times before they dropped down. They struck themselves with their hands, they fell on their backs, shut their eyes and heaved with their breasts. They remained awhile in trances and coming out of them with twitchings, uttered all that came into their mouths. They said they saw the heavens open, the angels, paradise and hell. Those who were just on the point of receiving the spirit of prophesy dropped down, not only in their assemblies, crying out for mercy, but in the fields and in their own houses. When the prophets had for awhile been under agitations of body; they began to prophesy. The burden of their prophesy was 'Amend your lives, repent ye, the end of all things draws nigh.' The hills rebounded with their loud cries for mercy, and imprecations against the priests and church."

    The Mormons denounced all the religious denominations as priestcraft in their preaching. The Lamanites in three years would come and help them exterminate the Gentiles and blood would flow down the streets. They claimed to receive revelations from God concerning temporal as well as spiritual affairs through Jo Smith. Other Mormons claimed to receive revelations, but theirs were not binding unless in accordance with prophet Jo's word of wisdom. They claimed to have a revelation to build the temple of stone, then another revoking the first, that it was to be built of brick. Thomas Hancock got drunk and melted down the kiln. They again claimed to receive another revelation to build it of stone, which they did. Orson Hyde, one of their first twelve apostles, said in a sermon in Conneaut, O., that those who did not embrace Mormonism, God would smite them with a curse and their flesh would consume away from their bones, their eyes would hang out of their heads, and their bodies would be covered with maggots from head to foot. One woman said loud enough for all to hear "WH-O-O-A-H! then I shall be maggoty." I heard Oliver Cowdery say the saints would live one thousand years. They all claimed it. Jo and Rigdon claimed they could heal all diseases and perform miracles, cast out devils and raise the dead. Brigham Young claimed to have the same power in Kirtland.

    Warner Doty, aged about 25, pretended he caught a revelation in the air which was a commission for him to preach Mormonism to foreign nations. His uncle, Nathan Goodell, said he wrote it to fool him. Doty had a fever. The Mormons took charge and watched with him day and night. His mother became alarmed and called Dr. Brainard, who told her it was too late, altogether too late. The watchers had been instructed when the fever turned to send for Jo and Rigdon. They came and laid their hands on him and pronounced him healed and told his mother he would recover because they had received a revelation that he was to preach to foreign nations. Doty soon died, being the first Mormon to die in Kirtland. Rev. Elijah Ward preached his funeral sermon from Job 36:18, "Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." Jo and Rigdon were present and writhed under the sermon. The Mormon leaders made strenuous efforts to convert me. Whenever a new priest of extra ability came he was sent to convert me. Elder Gould, it was said, had been expelled by the Free-will Baptists because he had seduced seven women in one church he

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 4: Samuel F. Whitney continued ]


    was pastor of, including one preacher's wife; he was bad before he joined the Mormons and worse after. He was sent to convert me. I was painting my brother's house. He first read a chapter or two from the Bible in the unknown tongue, and then stated he could convince anybody of the truth of Mormonism who had a mind capable of feeling the force of his argument. My brother's wife said I had better spend time to have him do it. It would be of infinite value to me. I objected to neglecting my work. My brother said he would give me the time. I told Gould I had not a mind susceptible of the force of his arguments. He said I had. I told him it was not good manners in me to dispute him. He asked if I believed the Scriptures. I told him I did. He inquired if I possessed the signs of those who believed, to heal the sick, cast out devils, and raise the dead. I replied I had all I lived for. He retorted, I see the devil in your eye. I asked him if he had any signs. He said he had. You say I have a devil, I adjure you to cast him out. He replied, I had more than Mary Magdalene. You say I have a devil and that you have the power to cast him out, and I adjure you to. But instead of casting him out, you blackguard me. I said you are in danger, I am a stronger man than you. I have read of seven sons of one Sceva who undertook to cast out a devil in the name of Jesus, etc. I laid down my paint pot and brush and started for him. He fled. My brother's wife censured me. Brigham Young came soon after and preached in the ball-room of the Brick Tavern at the Flats. My brother sent word for me to come and hear him. He took no text and claimed to be inspired, and said a woman in New York told him every word he spoke was a text. He said not all received revelations, but he did. He claimed he had the power to perform miracles, related various exploits he had done, and sang in the unknown tongue. He had much more ability than Joe Smith. 

    Orson Pratt, while preaching in Conneaut, said God had recently told him the "Book of Mormon" was true. A Methodist exhorter who had been expelled, inquired of Pratt when it was God told him. Pratt replied, "The previous Tuesday." The exhorter said Pratt was mistaken, for he saw God Friday night, and God told him he had not seen Pratt at all. This silenced Pratt, and the meeting was closed with uproarous laughter.

    Billy Hibbard, a Methodist minister of uncommon strength of mind, a powerful debater and very eccentric who preached in New York and Vermont, while traveling along the Hudson River, found a Methodist Church which had nearly been broken up by the Mormon preachers. He told the pastor as the Mormons claimed to receive everything by revelation, it could not be met by argument, but must be by ridicule. He requested the privilege of preaching against Mormonism in his church. The appointment was made for a week-day evening, and the house was crowded. Hibbard showed many of the inconsistencies in the "Book of Mormon." The audience frequently laughed and he would reprove them for their levity at such solemn truths. He closed his discourse by reading from the "Book of Mormon," "and behold, it came to pass that the devil laughed," and he said how important to know that the devil laughed. This convulsed the audience with laughter and they went home laughing. They were no longer troubled with Mormonism.

    Jo Smith stopped with my brother, N. K. Whitney, some weeks, when he moved his family to Kirtland, where I became acquainted with him. He was a large, uncouth man, much more animal than intellectual, which was characteristic of the entire Smith family. He was dull, slow of comprehension, and lacked tact. He told me on the hill in Kirtland he could answer any question on the Bible. I inquired who was the father of Melchisedek's children; he hesitated, then said he had forgotten. I asked him who was the mother; he could not tell. I proposed a dozen or more Scripture questions he could not answer. He was naturally a coward and dishonest, a numbhead; money and lust were his controlling principles. I told Jo the "Book of Mormon" did not agree with the Bible. He desired to know where. I replied the Bible says that Jesus was the only begotten Son of God. The "Book of Mormon" says Christ is the Son of the only begotten Son of God, which makes Christ the grandson of God. Jo claimed it was the printer's fault.

    Jo's peep stone was called the Urim and Thummim. Mormon elders and women often searched the bed of the river for stones with holes caused by the sand washing out, to peep into. N. K. Whitney's wife had one. I took it to search for a cot I had lost from my injured finger. She said it was wicked to trifle with sacred things. There was much talk about Mormons

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 5: Samuel F. Whitney continued ]


    digging for hidden treasures soon after their arrival in Kirtland.

    D. P. Hurlbut had been a Mormon and was expelled. Hurlbut lectured against Mormonism, and Jo Smith had him arrested, he claimed for threatening his life. Jo testified in court that Hurlbut was expelled for base conduct with lude women, but had been restored again before Jo knew the charges, which were afterwards received from New York State. Jo Smith was on the witness stand at Chardon (the county seat of Geauga County) three or four hours. He testified he had no arms, and that his house was not guarded. I was a witness and supposed I was called to testify about the firing of guns in Kirtland which had brought together the Mormon men under arms several times; they were in constant fear of being mobbed. I was asked if I believed Jo Smith, the Mormon prophet, was a man of truth and veracity. I told them I was not sworn to tell what I believed. After considerable debate by the counsel, the Judges decided it was a proper question. I said I did not, for Jo knew he had sworn to things which he was well aware I knew were not true. Jo had told me a short time previous, while I was painting my brother's store (he at that time was living in the dwelling part of it), that he had a sword and pistol, and that his house was guarded by six men every night. He told me their names. Hurlbut was placed under $200 bonds to keep the peace. 

    The day after Hurlbut's trial in Chardon, while in my brother's store, Jo Smith and many of his followers came in; Jo began to abuse me for testifying as I did. He asked me the reasons why I would not believe him under oath. I replied that he lied so like all possessed. He said that he believed I lied when I swore as I did. I told him he lied about the charges against Hurlbut, for Orson Hyde came into the store right after excluding Hurlbut and accidently dropped the charges on the floor, and I picked them up and had them, and they were not as he testified. He lied about having fire-arms, and the house being guarded. I asked him if he was a prophet of the Lord. He replied he was. I said, "Blessed are they who trust in the Lord, and nothing shall offend them;" he being very angry all the time. I inquired if he had the gift of healing; he said he had. I told him if he would perform one miracle I would become a convert to his faith. He said I would construe it some other way. I replied he could perform the miracle on himself. I see you have a lying tongue and a short memory, and if you will cure that I will embrace the faith.

    The conversation began in the morning and lasted two hours. Jo shook his fist in my face, raved around violently, and threatened to whip me. My brother ordered us to stop talking, that he would not have such conversation in his store. Jo said he must free his mind. I told him to go ahead, I would take care of N. K. Jo's language was out of character. Rigdon began talking; I told him he ought to have better manners than to speak when his master was speaking. Two weeks previous Jo laid his hands on me and called me his spiritual brother, and prophesied that in two weeks I would embrace the faith, do miracles, and perform various wonders. Jo said I must never speak to him again. I said I should not reject a spiritual brother because he swore to a lie. The store was full of Mormons and I was the only Gentile, but I was not afraid of them.

    Col. John Morse hitched his horse near the temple, while it was being built; the Mormons complained it was in the way; some words passed between them. Jo Smith called Morse a "dirty, lousy, stinkin' Presbyterian." Morse told Jo he lied. He attended the church but was not a member. Jo pretended that he was going to whip him, and he would strike his fists past his head and then on the other side. Some time after N. K. Whitney told Jo he must apologize to Morse or his conduct would greatly injure the church. Jo finally did.

    A lady told a relative of Heber Kimball, that Jo Smith, when a young man, stole chickens, was a great hand to fight, and was a wicked young man. He replied, "I wish you would not say anything more against the prophet, for when I get to Heaven I shall be his son, for my mother was sealed to him as a spiritual wife before he died."

    Harvey Morse said a Mormon who worked for him said he knew Jo Smith in New York, when he was seventeen, and that he used to rob hen roosts and fight, and he was a very bad young man. Morse said, "Yet you believe God has committed to him a great trust?" He answered, "Yes." I should have supposed God would have chosen an honest young man.

    Squire Butler, who kept the lighthouse at Fairport, Ohio, told Jo Smith that he was astonished that a man of his appearance would attempt to palm off on the public a book which contained

     



    [ pg. 3 col. 6: Samuel F. Whitney continued ]


    so many absurdities as the "Book of Mormon." Jo replied, "I am astonished that a man of your intelligence don't know that the more absurdities there is connected with it, the more ready the people are to embrace it."

    Martin Harris was an exceedingly credulous man, his every thought was a revelation to him. He wanted to ride with me to Painesville. I told him he might if he would not speak on Mormonism. This he agreed to but I had frequently to check him. He was a perpetual talker. He claimed he had a revelation when he first came to Kirtland for him to go to Missouri, and obtain an Lamanite Indian squaw for a wife to aid them in propagating Mormonism. Martin told me soon after Joseph, the prophet, left Kirtland, that, two years before, he had told him that as his wife had left him he needed a woman as other men. Jo named two who lived at his house who would accommodate him. Jo usually had several women at his house. All the time Martin was in Kirtland boys eight years and older would gather about him and dispute with, and annoy him in various ways. Martin claimed to be Elijah and when greatly annoyed would curse them. The boys would say, "Go up old bald head, now fetch on your bears."  

    The last years of his stay in Kirtland he suffered extreme poverty and would have been much better off in the poor-house. I told my nephew, Bishop Orson F. Whitney, from Salt Lake City, when he visited me and other leading Mormons, it was a disgrace for them to permit Martin who was one of the three witnesses and had spent his estate in promulgating Mormonism, to suffer as he did. Soon after they took him to Utah, where he lived a few years and died, aged ninety-three. I was well acquainted with Grandison Newel., before and after the Mormons arrived in Kirtland. He was a go-ahead fellow and carried through what he undertook. He was a public-spirited man and tried to break down Mormonism by legal prosecution. Jo Smith claimed he had a revelation that Newel must be killed. I heard M. K. Davis say he went up to Newel's house, and when he stepped out of the door, before going to bed, he tried to raise his rifle and shoot him but he had not the strength. Newel told me when he was coming home from Painesville one night, he was in deep thought and his team passed the road where he should turn off, he continued on to the next road and escaped being murdered as men were waiting to kill him on the road he usually came from Painesville. A leading Mormon who left them and became a Baptist minister, told me that any man who knew the secrets of Mormonism and apostatized, they would put him out of the way. He much feared his life would be taken.

    Old Bosley, an unusually mean and wicked man, was ordained to scourge apostate Mormons and Gentiles. The Mormon leaders brought to Kirtland a wretched set, then swindled and foresook them. Those who remained generally became infidels, atheists or spiritualists. Oliver Granger was the eldest of seven sons of whom I never heard anything good. Their father was a local preacher and a good man. Oliver became president of the Kirtland Stake of Zion after Jo Smith left, and had charge of the bank the latter part of its existence. He furnished his brother Julius and others large amounts of Mormon money, and they bought many horses, harnesses, wagons, cattle and anything they could but with it at high prices. They bought much from the Germans in Southern Ohio. Julius Granger brought considerable of the property to Willoughby and sold it at auction. 

    The Mormons taught their followers the saints were to possess all things. Foraging among the Gentiles they called sucking the milk of the Gentiles. Mr. Lumareux, who came to Kirtland from Canada intending to remain a Mormon, told his son he expected to find a pious and godly people here, but they were very ungodly, there was much religion but no grace. Every Mormon man when baptized became a priest, some were made elders. Jo sat in the temple with the Melchisdec Priesthood. The Campbellites denounced other sects for sectarianism. Rigdon and the Mormons charged them as being the same. I heard one of the leading Mormons say in Kirtland, he was not going to have a narrow contracted kingdom in heaven, that he should preside over; he wanted more angels than he could raise from one woman. Jacob Bump, who did the stonework of the temple, while standing near it told me that a Mormon took some straw from that wagon which stood nearby, burnt and extinguished part of it and threw it into the temple to give the impression the other buildings were not burned by Mormons. He said, "I can put my hand on the man who did it."

    I was informed that Jo Smith, son of the Mormon prophet, said at the Mormon Conference, held in Kirtland in 1883, that he was born in the dwelling

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 7: Samuel F. Whitney continued ]


    part of Whitney's store; he was born in a house put up for his father on Isaac Morley's farm. His mother had hard labor and the blood went to her head which became black. The prophet became frightened and sent to Willoughby for Dr. Card, and told the messenger to run his horse. The doctor came and bled her and delivered the son. I saw Dr. Card at the Flats on his return home, who informed me and laughed heartily about Jo's revelation that the Mormons should not employ physicians. One of their mid-wives, old Mrs. Birdsley, told me of Jo's inconsistency in calling Dr. Card, and came near leaving them for it. Meetings were held for blessing and cursing. At one held in the temple, an elder said Jo's mother, who was old, would have another son, the patriarch said "Amen." Mother Smith said he was a devilish fool. I visited my brother on business in Nauvoo, Ill., in 1843. General training occurred while I was there, and Jo Smith was commanding general. He rode a large horse and six of his spiritual wives rode smaller horses, three each side abreast, and they formed a pyramid.

    The women had black ostrich feathers in their hats, and made a grand appearance. They were called his body-guard. I was told there was considerable jealousy among his harem as to who should accompany him on his parade. I was told the Mormon women used as obsene language as the men. I heard some from them. Emma Smith told my brother's wife that Jo was very angry when he was informed I was in Nauvoo. He said I would never get away from Nauvoo, that they would make cat-fish bait of me. I sent word to Jo that my eye was upon him. W. W. Phelps told Jo they had better not molest me, that it would react on them. I had met Emma on a steamboat on the Mississippi, and inquired of her how Jo was. She said he was sound in limb, wind, and -----. I was told that at Jo's funeral Emma made faces at his spiritual wives, and called them "bitches" in their presence. She said they need not make so much fuss about him, it was none of their business. Heber C. Kimball said, while preaching in Nauvoo, on women's long dresses, some said Queen Victoria wore them. What in hell has Queen Victoria to do with women here? 

    My brother did not wish to leave Kirtland, but Jo's father, called the patriarch, told him it would not be well for him not to. I endeavored to persuade him to leave them at Nauvoo and return to Kirtland. He said he would like to, and promised me he would. The Mormons threatened him, so he dared not leave. He went to Utah. I was told by a Mormon who left them, but retained his faith in the "Book of Mormon," that the Kirtland Safety Society Bank bills were used as currency in Utah, and the church authorities ordered my brother to counter-sign as many bills as gold-dust was deposited to redeem them. Because he would not violate his instructions and counter-sign more, he was poisoned by the Mormons at a conference and lunch which he attended. He fell on the street, and died soon after being taken home, September, 1850, aged fifty-five. His successor was appointed before he was poisoned, such I believe was the case. His daughter, Mrs. Belle Sears, while visiting me in October 1883, informed me that she knew three of prophet Jo Smith's wives who were then living in Salt Lake City. My brother's wife was very credulous. She became a Disciple under Rigdon's preaching, and followed him into Mormonism. My brother seldom attended church, and knew but little of theology. He was a thorough and successful businessman, worth, when he became a Mormon, from twenty to thirty thousand dollars. He was immediately made a bishop and president of the Aaronic priesthood. They blessed him, and said he was to ride in a carriage ironed off with pure gold. He lost heavily by Jo's bank. I was intimately acquainted with the late Squire John C. Dowen for over fifty years. We often visited each other. He was a good and able magistrate, a highly respected citizen of unquestioned truth and veracity.     S. F. WHITNEY.
        Witnessed by:
           Z. J. WHITNEY (Wife),
           A. B. DEMING.

    Subscribed and sworn to before me, at Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio, this sixth day of March, 1885.
           A. P. BARBER,
            Justice of Peace. 



    I requested a young man, I have forgotten his name, who was drawing building stone from a quarry, four miles south of Willoughby, Ohio, and near Rev. S. F. Whitney's home in West Kirtland, to call and tell him I was coming down to obtain from him a statement of what he knew about Mormonism in Kirtland. Whitney returned word by the young man that he did not wish to make a statement. However, I obtained a free ride with a farmer most of the way, and called [on him]


     


    [ pg. 4 col. 1 ]

    p. 4. V. I. N. 1.]                 HIGHLY  IMPORTANT  FACTS  ABOUT  MORMONISM.                 [Jan. 1888.


    He said he had been much persecuted by Mormons, but more by their sympathisers, and he feared them. He said it would be just like them to burn his barns. He said Prophet Jo Smith's private secretary, after he left them, told him that they would kill any man who knew the secrets of Mormonism, if they thought he would expose them. He much feared his life would be taken. He no doubt kept quiet, for his daughter wrote me she did not know that her father, who became a Baptist minister, ever was a Mormon. I have secured one interesting statement he made, by diligent search

    I told Mr. Whitney that nearly all persons who knew about the early history of Mormonism were dead, and it was of the greatest importance that he should make a sworn statement of what he knew. I used various arguments and after inquired, what reply he would make when the Master demanded his reasons for not doing his duty, at the great Judgment. He then consented. I spent two days and evenings asking him questions, hearing his replies and conversation, and taking notes, and then wrote out his statement.

    He was disappointed in not obtaining one of two men he had engaged to rake and put his hay in the barn, so I pitched on and off several loads for him. Mr. Whitney, who weighed near three hundred pounds, had recently fallen and broken several ribs, and walked with crutches. He told me when he was commander of a vessel, while unloading scrap iron, two of his men would make hard work carrying one bundle weighing 200 pounds. To shame them he carried three bundles weighing 600 pounds several rods on shore, and laid them down. When in his prime he had no fears of personal violence from the Mormons.

    He stated that one of the party who tarred and feathered Sydney Rigdon and Jo Smith at John Johnson's, in Hiram, O., informed him that Rigdon said to their assailants he presumed they were gentlemen, but Jo Smith fought until overpowered. A doctor present offered to castrate Jo and said he would warrant him to live. It was not done. Several of Johnson's sons were of the party. They were angry because their father was urged by Jo and Rigdon to let them have his property. He finally did give them some of it, and moved to Kirtland and kept tavern, and his son Luke became one of the first Mormon Twelve Apostles. He left them and said it was the fault of the Mormons that they were driven from Missouri.

    Rev. S. F. Whitney was in the Methodist ministry over fifty years, and voted for Douglas for President in 1860. 




    SALT  LAKE  CITY  CORPORATION
    __________

             TREASURER'S OFFICE,
             SALT LAKE CITY, April 2. 1886.
    DEAR UNCLE: Your friend, Mr. A. B. Deming. the bearer of this, has called upon meand also met my mother. As he has kindly offered to carry this brief note to you, I write while he is waiting. He will also seeBelle Sears, at my suggestion, and bring you word from her. We were all very sorry to hear, from Belle's mother, by letter, that you were again troubled with your old enemy, the cancer. Mr. Deming was surprised when I spoke of it, he thinking that you were entirely recovered from it. We will hope you may. All is well with us at home. I often think of you and my other dear relatives in Ohio, and of the pleasant hours passed in your society. Kindly remember me to your wife, to cousins S. F. Jr., Charles, Susan, to dear cousin Nell, Fred and all the rest, whom we both know without naming, in Kirtland, the Plains, Cleveland, Painesville, etc. I was, and am, favorably impressed with your friend, Mr. Deming, who seems to entertain a high respect for you and yours. Mrs. Wells, Belle's mother, wrote me from Cleveland that she had visited you and Nellie. She came as far homeward as Atchison, Kansas, and then returned to Washington on business.

    Give my best regards to all friends and relatives and accept for yourself the assurance of my warm personal esteem.
                   Yours affectionately,
                                      ORSON F. WHITNEY.

    I was informed by a creditable party while last in Salt Lake City that Bishop N. K. Whitney's second wife confessed on her death bed to Bishop Tuttle, of the Episcopal Church, that Bishop Whitney's first wife gave him poison in a whisky sling she made for him. The first time it made him very sick and the next evening she gave him another, which caused his death. She made three each time, for herself and the second wife without poison. The above letter was written by the City Treasurer, Bishop Whitney, who is a grandson of the Bishop, whose first wife poisoned him. Persons as well born as Treasurer Whitney, who is an unusually bright and attractive gentleman, ought not to be engaged in promulgating a religion which caused his grandfather's death


     


    [ pg. 4 col. 2 ]


    without cause. In May I received a letter from Rev. S. F. Whitney's widow, informing me that he died March 22 in the triumph of a living faith. I have concluded to publish the letter and send it to the executor, together with sufficient copies of my paper to supply each of the relatives and friends named in the Treasurer's letter.

     


    Statement of Mrs. Sophia Munson.
    ________

    My parents settled on Mentor Road, four miles west of Painesville, Ohio, in 1810, when I was six weeks old. I well remember when Elder Rigdon came and lived opposite our house in 1827. He was very poor, and when he had much company would send his children to he neighbors to borrow knives, forks, dishes and also for provisions. Father kept his horse and cow gratis.

    Rigdon was a very lazy man, he would not make his garden and depended on the church for garden supplies. He would sit around and do nothing. He was away much of the time, and sometimes claimed he had been in Pittsburgh, Pa. I was quilting at his house until 1 o'clock at night the day the four Mormons came to convert Rigdon. I heard some of their conversation in the adjoining room. Orson Hyde boarded at our house and attended a select school, also to Rigdon who taught some evenings.

    My parents joined the Cambellite Church, in Mentor, during Eld. Adamson Bentley's protracted meetings, I think, in 1828. Mrs. Rigdon was an excellent woman, and never complained of their poverty.
        [Signed.]     Mrs. Sophia Munson.
        Witnessed by:
            A. B. DEMING.
        Mentor, Ohio, February, 1885. 


    FUTURE  ARTICLES.
    ________

    Among the numerous statements and articles future numbers of this paper will contain of special interest are the following: One from a party who lived two years with Joseph Smith, and accompanied him on his travels. Another from a man who was his private secretary two years. One from a lady 94 years of age, a member of Rigdon's church, written by herself. Many from intelligent ladies and men too numerous to mention here. A lengthy statement from the late Hon. E. B. Washburn, of Chicago, Ill., of his several visits to Nauvoo and Carthage before and soon after the killing of the Smiths. The last statement made and signed in 1885, by E. D. Howe, aged 86, and the publisher of "Mormonism Unvailed." Also many interesting facts about Howe and the parties who prepared the book for publication. 

    Jo Smith said he established the Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Co.,by direct revelation from Jesus Christ, and it would eventually swallow up all other banks. Capital, $4,000,000. Brigham Young was credited with $7.00 paid for $100,000 stock which stood in his name. The stock ledger was secreted from 1837 till 1884, when I purchased it. A list of the principal stockholders, together with its history will be given; the killing of Jo and Hyrum Smith, in Carthage jail, who commanded the 150 men; the names of some of the leaders who are now dead; the oaths taken and particulars by one of the party who stood within 50 feet of the jail and saw the Mormon prophet shot and counted the bullet holes in him; Mormonism in Missouri and Illinois, and the Danites. When I treat on Utah affairs, the facts will be more naked and startling than any that have been puvlished, except the Mountain Meadow Massacre. I may publish a partial diary of the travels and circumstances attending the collection of my evidence, which probably would be very interesting, amusing and entertaining to most readers, which would contain many facts that I did not include in statements signed by the parties. The complete history of the acts of the Mormons never can be written, so many who best knew its history are dead, and many are ashamed of their connection with it, and others for fear of being persecuted or killed, dare not tell what they know about Mormonism.  An old acquaintance abd personal friend of Brigham Young told me that Brigham said to him in Salt Lake City, in 1852, to show him a man from Clay County, Mo., and he would show him his head in twelve hours. He had a man who would do it. My informant said Brigham was responsible for the Mountain Meadow Massacre, that it was for plunder, and Brigham had and used some of it. He said he knew of lots of things they did. He said he was well acquainted with Joe Smith, the Mormon prophet, in Ohio, and that he was a d----d thief. He refused to sign a statement, as he did not want to be hunted down by them. Mrs. Stenhouse, who is now in England, told me that she did not tell it all, her husband would not let her. He struck out much she had written. She said there were many things about Mormonism which could not be written, or much less spoken.


     


    [ pg. 4 col. 3 ]


    MORMON  FORGERY

    Of the Title to L. L. Rice's Copy of Spaulding's
    "Manuscript Story: Conneaut Creek,"

    By Substituting

    "MANUSCRIPT  FOUND,"

    To Deceive the People.


    The  Saints'  Herald.
    Joseph Smith    .    .    .    .    .    . Editor.
    W. W. Blair    .    .    .  Associate Editor.
    Lamoni, Iowa, April 3. 1886. 

    We publish the following letter from Mr. L. L. Rice, who in the providence of God, unknowingly held the notorious "Manuscript Found" for nearly fifty years just as it came into his hands, with the printing office he purchased from the Mormon-eater, E. D. Howe. It will be seen he indorses the printed copy as being correct, "and well preserving the character of the original." His views in respect to the labors of President Joseph Smith in Utah and Idaho last year are just and sensible.

                      HONOLULU, Feb. 21, 1886.
    Mr. W. W. Blair: I received from yourself, or some one connected with your establishment, as I suppose, ten copies of the "Manuscript Found," printed in good style, and well preserving the character of the original. I have disposed of them all "where they would do the most good," as the phrase is, except a single copy I have preserved for my own use. I very much want another copy, to send to a friend in New York. You will further greatly oblige me if you will send a copy of it by mail, addressed to James A. Briggs. Esq., 177 Washington Street, Brooklyn, New York.

    I have read with great interest, in the Saints' Herald, the accounts of President Smith's tour of Utah, etc., to propagate Anti-Polygamic Mormonism. It seems to me his mission augurs the way in which the polygamous Mormons are bound to relieve themselves of their present difficulties.
                Very truly, etc.       L. L. RICE .




              OAKLAND, CAL, July 12, 1887.
            Pres. Jas. H. Fairchild, OBERLIN COLLEGE -- Dear Sir:  Please inform me soon if the title of the Rice-Spaulding Manuscript in your possession is correctly printed in the Lamoni Mormon edition. Please state wherein it differs and oblige, sincerely yours,
               A. B. DEMING. 



             Oberlin, July 19, 1887.
    A. B. DEMING -- Dear Sir: The original Spaulding Manuscript in our Library has no title. The first page is simply headed "Introduction," and the last page contains the certificate of D. P. Hurlbut and others that the Manuscript is Solomon Spaulding's. The title, "Manuscript Found," prefixed to the Lamoni edition, is the work of the publishers. The paper in which the manuscript was wrapped when Mr. Rice first brought it to me in Honolulu, had inscribed on it, in pencil mark, "Manuscript Story," as I thought in the handwriting of Mr. Rice himself, but was not sure.
            Yours very truly,
               Jas. H. Fairchild. 

    In another letter, dated August 2, 1887, he says: "The words, 'Manuscript Story -- Conneaut Creek,' are still on the paper in which the manuscript was wrapped when Mr. Rice first showed it to me in Honolulu, written with a pencil. Mr. Rice says these words were on the paper when he received it. If you can obtain evidence that Rigdon was at Smith's house in 1827 or 128, you will disprove the account of Rigdon's conversion to Mormonism, at Mentor, as given in Howe's book, and also the statement in Pratt's pamphlet, in the library of the Cleveland Historical Society, that he first introduced Smith and Rigdon to each other after the Mormons began preaching in Ohio. You will prove that a distinct effort was made in those early days to cover up the previous acquaintance of Smith and Rigdon. You will prove that the conversion of Rigdon at Mentor was a device for deception, planned in advance.
            Yours very truly,
               Jas. H. Fairchild.



         504 North Highland Ave.
           E. E., Pittsburgh, Pa.,
               Nov. 11, 1887.
    Mr. A. B. DEMING -- Sir: Your letter of November I received two days since. My father left no papers on this subject, but I distinctly recollect his saying that Sidney Rigdon showed him the Spaulding Manuscript as a literary curiosity left in the office to be published if it was thought it would pay. When father saw the "Book of Mormon" he said it was Rigdon's work, or he had a hand in it; I do not remember his words entirely, so many years have elapsed, but that was the import.      Respectfully,
           MARY W. IRVINE.

    Mrs. Irvine is a daughter of Rev. John Winter, a Baptist minister, who was well acquainted with Sidney Rigdon. Her sister is a wife of Justice Miller, of the United States Supreme Court.


     


    [ pg. 4 col. 4 ]


    Conclusive  Evidence.
    __________

    The following letter is from the daughter of Rev. Solomon Spaulding, the author of "Manuscript Found," which Rev. Sidney Rigdon used in making the "Book of Mormon," at Bainbridge, Geauga County, O., in 1826 and '27, while pastor of the Baptist or Disciple Church. 

         WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 31, 1887,
      A. B. DEMING, San Francisco, Cal. --
    Dear Sir: I have carefully read the Rice-Spaulding manuscript you gave me. It is not the "Manuscript Found," which I have often seen. It contained the words "Lehi, Lamoni, Nephi" and was a much larger work.       Respectfully,
                M. S. MCKINSTRY.

    The following letter is from R. Patterson, editor of the Presbyterian Banner, of Pittsburgh, Pa., with whose father Rev. Solomon Spaulding left his "Manuscript Found" for examination and publication in 1812. I left the pamphlet alluded to in Chicago: --

                November 18, 1887.
    Mr. A. B. DEMING -- Dear Sir: Mrs. Mary W. Irvine called on the 10th inst. to inquire for a copy of the letter she had furnished me in regard to the testimony of her father, Dr. Winter, as to Rigdon's possession of the Spaulding manuscript. Some one, whose name she could not recall, had written her on the subject.  I mailed her a copy of my pamphlet the next day, and in return received a note from her inclosing the letter of inquiry for me to answer. I was surprised to find it was from yourself, for I had heard a rumor that you had fallen victim to the Danites.

    Mrs. Irvine has nothing to add to her testimony as already printed. She has searched her father's papers in vain for anything that would throw more light on the subject. That testimony you already have. I would have written sooner but have been pressed for time.      Yours, etc.
          R. PATTERSON. 




    HON.  JAS. A.  BRIGGS'  STATEMENT.
    __________

    The manuscript of Rev. Solomon Spaulding, Conneaut, Ohio, found by Mr. L. L. Rice, of Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, and now in the archives in the Library of Oberlin, Ohio, and published by the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Lamoni, Iowa, throws no more light upon the authorship or origin of the "Mormon Bible" or "Book of Mormon" or the "Golden Bible" than it does upon the real authorship of the Letters of Junius.

    The manuscript came in the possession of Mr. Rice legitimately being among the effects of the Painsville Telegraph, bought by him of its former owner, Mr. E. D. Howe, who published, in 1834, a book "Mormonism Unveiled." Now, Mr. Joseph Smith of Lamoni, Iowa, you assume altogether too much when you say the newly found missing link completes the chain of evidence which proves that the "Manuscript Found" never was, and never could be made the occasion, cause or germ of the "Book of Mormon." I have just read the Manuscript Story you sent me a few days ago, by request of my old and much valued friend, Mr. L. L. Rice, of Honolulu, and in my opinion it settles nothing, save that the author of the story was a very weak brother, and if written by Rev. Solomon Spaulding, he was a man of indigent talents, and the money paid for his college expenses was wasted. Allow me to doubt if he wrote it. You must get some better and more positive link in the chain of evidence than this story, recently printed, to convince the world that the original "Manuscript Found," written by Solomon Spaulding, was not the basis for the historical portion of your Mormon Bible. Let me state some stubborn facts, not only from my own memory, but substantiated by witnesses; from Oct., 1832, until the first of April, 1834, I lived in the village of Willoughby, some two and one-half miles from the village of Kirtland, where your first Mormon temple was built, and yet stands. I heard much of Mormonism, heard its most eloquent champion, Rev. Sidney Rigdon, preach.

    In the winter of 1833-34, or in the early spring of 1834, a number of gentlemen in Willoughby who felt an interest in the Mormon question appointed themselves a committee to look into the matter. They were Judge Nehemiah Allen, who had been an associate Judge of the county of Cuyahoga, a representative in the Legislature; Dr. George W. Card, an intelligent physician, Samuel Wilson, an active and energetic business man; Jonathan Lapham, a lawyer of many years at the bar, and myself, a very young lawyer. We met at the house of Mr. W. Corning, in Mentor, now the Garfield place, a well-to-do and independent farmer. Dr. P. Hurlbut also met with us. He lived in Kirtland and during the winter and spring had given much time in looking

     



    [ pg. 4 col. 5: Briggs continued ]


    up evidence and documents to prove that Mormonism was a delusion. He had much of the evidence that he had collected with him. Now I am very sure he had the identical story that you have printed with him. I remember about the ancient fort at Conneaut Creek, the mound, and the statement of finding the manuscript about the Indians. I have no doubt that Hurlbut, as he says, gave the story to Mr. E. D. Howe. But I believe he had also with him, and we had before us in that investigation, the original "Manuscript Found" written by Rev. Solomon Spaulding. I have said and believed for more than fifty years that I have seen and had in my hands the original "Manuscript Found" from which the Mormon Bible was made .

    I have no doubt we had the "Manuscript Found" before us, that we compared it with the Mormon Bible, that the style in which the "Manuscript Found" was written was the same as that of the Mormon Bible. The names -- peculiar -- were the same, not to be forgotten. The names Lehi, Nephi, Maroni, etc., and the expression "and it came to pass" often repeated. This manuscript did not go to Mr. Howe. What did Hurlbut do with it? Some few years ago I wrote to him and asked him who had it -- what he did with it. He did not answer my letter. He received it, as it was not returned to me. Dr. Hurlbut died in Ohio two years ago last June. He is silent now, the grave closed over him. Of Dr. Hurlbut and this "Manuscript Found" the Rev. D. R. Austin, of Munson, Mass, writes in a letter to Rev. Dr. Clark, June 28, 1841. "He, Dr. Hurlbut, stated some time after he had received it, the Manuscript, he had made four hundred dollars out of it."   Whether Dr. H. sold the Manuscript in question or not, it is certain he did not give it to Howe with the other documents, and the Manuscript Story is not the "Manuscript Found" of Spaulding. Was there more than one Manuscript of Spaulding? John N. Miller writes in 1833, as follows: "In 1811 I was in the employ of Henry Lake and Solomon Spaulding at Conneaut. I boarded and lodged in the family of Spaulding for several months. I was soon introduced to the Manuscript of Spaulding and perused it as I had leisure. He had written two or three books or pamphlets on different subjects, but that which particularly drew my attention was one which he called "Manuscript Found." I have recently examined the "Book of Mormon" and found in it the writings of Solomon Spaulding from beginning to end." Several of the witnesses who knew Spaulding intimately and well and heard him read, and had read themselves, the "Manuscript Found," certify that they recognized the names of the Manuscript in the "Book of Mormon." They are positive; they admit of no doubt. The statements of Mr. Robert Patterson, of Pittsburgh, Pa., the son of Mr. R. Patterson, the printer with whom Spaulding left his "Manuscript Found," in his history of the "Book of Mormon" shows how the Rev. Sidney Rigdon was mixed up with it. 

    RIGDON  AND  THE  MORMON  BIBLE

    The Rev. John Winter, D. D., says in Pittsburgh in 1822 and 1823, when Rigdon was the pastor of the Baptist Church there, he was well acquainted with Rigdon and upon one occasion when in Rigdon's study R, took from his desk a large Manuscript and said in substance: 'A Presbyterian minister, Spaulding, whose health had failed, brought this to the printer to see if it would pay to publish it. It is a romance of the Bible.' To confirm this, Mrs. Mary W. Irvine, a daughter of Dr. Winter, writes: "I have frequently heard my father speak of Rigdon's having Spaulding's Manuscript, and that he had gotten it from the printers to read it as a curiosity." Rev. J. A. Bonsall a step-son of Dr. Winter indorses the above statement. Mr. Z. Rudolph, the father of Mrs. President Garfield, knew Sidney Rigdon very well, and has stated that during the winter previous to the appearance of the "Book of Mormon," Rigdon was in the habit of spending weeks away from his home, going no one knew where. Rigdon at this time made his visits to Jo Smith at Palmyra, N. Y. At last the "Book of Mormon" was published at Palmyra and then this renegade Baptist and Campbellite turns up as the first regular Mormon preacher in Palmyra. Sidney Rigdon was the mysterious stranger at various times in Palmyra. The Rev. Adamson Bentley, to my own personal knowledge a man of very high character and a brother-in-law of Rigdon, in writing Rev. Walter Scott, an old and cherished champion of Rigdon says: "I know that Sidney Rigdon told me that there was a book coming out, the manuscript of which had been found engraved on golden plates, as much as two years before the Mormon Book made its appearance, or had been heard of by me." The Rev. Alexander Campbell, one of the very able and learned men of his day, who had great reputation, says:

     


    [ pg. 4 col. 6: James A. Briggs continued, etc. ]


    "This conversation of Brother Bentley with Rigdon was in my presence, Rigdon observing at the same time that in the plates due up in New York there was not only an account of the aborigines of the country, but also it was stated that the Christian religion had been preached in this country during the first century, just as we were preaching it on the Western Reserve." These sentiments conect Rigdon with a knowledge of Spaulding's "Manuscript Found."  

    In 1834, early in the spring, Dr. P. Hurlbut had Jo Smith, of Kirtland, the Mormon prophet, arrested on a warrant of a justice of the peace in Painesville, Ohio, for assault and battery. The examination was in the old Methodist Church on the southeast corner of the public square. The matter excited great interest. The late Judge Benjamin Bissel was the attorney for Smith; I was the attorney for Hurlbut. The examination lasted three days. During the examination I said to Bissel, "Let us get a statement from Smith of how he found the golden plates of the Mormon Bible." Bissel at first objected to my question, but then withdrew the objection, and then Prophet Smith told us the whole story of digging for and the finding of the plates in Palmyra, N.Y. Smith testified that in digging he touched the plates. He was kicked by an unseen power out of the hole in the earth. From these plates the Mormon Bible was translated. He did not tell where the plates were .

    It was a great legal farce. Pratt, Hyde and other leading Mormons were there. Now what is the result of the whole matter? First, the manuscript found by Mr. Rice, and now in the possession of the Oberlin Library, is not the "Manuscript Found" written by Solomon Spaulding. Second, that Spaulding wrote more than one story, as we have positive knowledge of two. Third, that Hurlbut obtained possession of the original "Manuscript Found," that we had to compare with the Mormon Bible before the committee at Mentor. Fourth, that Hurlbut stated that he had made four hundred dollars by selling it, and I believe he did or he would have answered my letter. Fifth, that the testimony of numerous reliable witnesses states that when they heard read and read it themselves, the Mormon Bible, they at once recognized the peculiar phraseology and the names as those in the "Manuscript Found." Sixth, that Rigdon, by his own statements, is proved as having read Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." Seventh, that he visited Jo Smith at Palmyra, and he is identified with the first appearance of the Mormon Bible, as well as the first preacher of Mormonism. I have ever believed since the meeting at Mr. Corning's, at Mentor, that Rigdon was the compiler of the Mormon Bible. He had the brains of the concern. Smith had not the capacity, natural or acquired, to do it. He was cunning but not intellectual. Brigham Young became a power. Mormonism is a cheat, a delusion, and a fraud. It is too bad that so many have been so badly deceived, and been turned from the faith of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he who brought life and immortality to light and teaches that all who put their trust in him shall inherit a life that is upward and onward and eternal, in the peace and glory and happiness of Heaven.
        [Signed]   JAMES A. BRIGGS,
    No. 177 Washington Street, Brooklyn, N. Y., March 22, 1886. 



    Oscar D. O'Brien's  Statement.
    __________

    Sidney Rigdon, in 1829 or '30, in a sermon preached in Daniel O'Brien's house ten miles south of Cleveland, said that the time had been that he preached to tickle the people's ears, but that now he preached the words of truth and soberness. A son of Rigdon who lived in New York told me later that his father made a grave mistake going into Mormonism. "It is humiliating to our family." He said himself and brothers were in Salt Lake City about 1861 and called on Brigham Young, who received them very cordially and said their father would be received with open arms. He replied his father would never go there. Brigham said Sidney Rigdon was fully the equal of H, W. Beecher as a pulpit orator, but his voice was not as strong. He said his father became morose and would sometimes turn people out of doors when they would try to converse with him on Mormonism.
                    OSCAR D. O'BRIEN,
          Cleveland, O., April 6, 1885. 

    MORMON  BLASPHEMY.
    ________

    "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more (save Jesus only) for the salvation of men in this world than any other man that ever lived in it." From the "Doctrine and Covenants" of the Utah Mormon Church, also in the edition published at Lamoni, Iowa, by the Reorganized fraud. Article: "Martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Brother Hyrum."


     


    [ pg. 4 col. 7 ]


    TO  WHOM  IT  MAY  CONCERN.
    ________

    It may save Mormons who are determined to perpetuate the institution, right or wrong, peaceably or [following] much anxiety, labor and expense, [to] make the following statement: Frequently when taking evidence [from] parties after they had signed their statement they would recollect other important facts and I would, where time permitted, prepare another statement embracing the additional facts and [have] it signed and sworn to. At other [times] I hired copies made or type-written. The misses and gents of the [High] School on Painesville, Ohio, gratuitously copied a number which would have been lost but for their kindness and patriotism. When I went to Washington, D. C., from Chicago, Dec. [---]. 1885, I carried my best original statement, and secured some valuable [ones] there, also in Pittsburgh, Pa., [near] Rigdon's home, and other parts of the State.

    On my return to Chicago, I [placed] my evidence in the store room of [Bennett's] Restaurant, 164 East Main Street. It occurred to me about [--] weeks later someone might bribe the help and obtain it from them. [I left] the restaurant through the kitchen [by] the rear alley, and down Fifth Ave. and left the bag containing my evidence, letters, memorandum, books and [miscellaneous] papers on heredity and other subjects, in a store where consent was most heartily accorded. I certainly must have been followed, for when I called for my baggage the evidence was missing. The manager, who granted me permission to leave them, disclaimed all knowledge of what had become of them. If my paper receives the patronage it justly deserves, I will [gladly] pay $200 for all the papers, letters, manuscripts, etc., when returned, provided I have the privilege of examining them. No questions will be asked and no prrosecution, honor bright. [If] the terms are not satisfactory, will negotiate. It will save me another trip to Washington and elsewhere, [and I] can afford to buy it under the circumstances.

    I will say further that I try to [keep] my originals in fire-proof safes, [at] duplicate and separate places, should enterprising Mormons [----] with my services, others can [-------] I would honestly recommend such [---] Mormons to renounce Mormonism, repent and accept Christ experimentally.

     

    PRACTICAL  REFORM.
    ________

    All persons who are convinced that Mormonism is not of divine origin and who no longer intend to remain in open or silent partnership with the iniquity, should immediately organize themselves into societies for mutual aid and protection and publish their names for the encouragement of others, except in isolated places, which might not be prudent at present.


    Warning
    ________

    Orders will be sent to postmasters and news dealers to stop the delivery of all foreign newspapers who reprint over one column from "Naked Truths about Mormonism."             A. B. DEMING.


    Special Notice for the Press.
    ________

    The contents of this paper are copyrighted. Permission is hereby given to all newspapers and magazines to print with credit, extracts equal to one of its columns. This will answer all correspondence on the subject.             ARTHUR B. DEMING.
           Oakland, Cal., J an. 10, 1888.



    SEVERAL very interesting and amusing statements could not be included in this number; they will appear in the next. May be obtained through any news dealer. Single copies five cents. 



    The clerk's certificate to Lorenzo Saunders' statement, by oversight, we omitted in making up the first page.



    No good citizen will defend Mormonism.



    ==> This Paper is stereotyped and any number can be supplied.




    HIGHLY  IMPORTANT.
    ________

    All persons who desire to see Morminism speedily abolished, should immediately subscribe for one or more copies of "Naked Truths About Mormonism," then read and send to Secretary of the Loyal League, Salt Lake City, Utah, who undoubtedly will see to their proper distribution.

    Terms, 50 cents per year in advance; 5 copies, $2.00; 2-c. postage stamps will be received in payment. Address, Deming & Co., 856 Market St., Oakland, Cal.



     



    S T A R T L I N G   R E V E L A T I O N S !

    COPYRIGHTED 1888, BY ARTHUR B. DEMING.       ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
    Published  Monthly   by  DEMING & CO.,  856  Market St.,  Oakland.
    TERMS. -- Fifty Cents per year in advance; Single Copies 5 cents. In Clubs of Five, $2.00; Larger numbers in proportion. VOL. I.                     OAKLAND,  CAL., APRIL, 1888.                     NO. 2.

    [ pg. 1 col. 1 ]

     
    MORMON  PROPHET.

    J o s e p h   S m i t h ' s


    DECEPTION  TRICKERY,
    Fraud, Villainy and

    D E S P O T I S M.

    His Witch-Hazel Rod, Peep
    Stone and Money-Digging,

    M I R A C L E S.

    Walking on the Water,
    Healing the Sick, Raising

    T H E  D E A D.


    Talking in Unknown Tongues and
    Humbuggery in General.



    HUNDREDS  OF  MURDERS.
    Committed by Mormon Church Orders in
    Nauvoo, Ill., and


    THOUSANDS  IN  UTAH.
    Including Many Emigrants to California
    Traveling in Small Parties.
     


    C. M. STAFFORD'S  STATEMENT.
    I was born in Manchester, Ontario Co., N.Y., May 26, 1808. I well remember about 1820, when old Jo Smith and family settled on one hundred acres one mile north of our house. The north line of his farm was the boundary line between Manchester, Ontario Co., and Palmyra, Wayne Co.; N.Y. The village of Palmyra was about two miles north of Jo's house. Old Jo claimed to be a cooper but worked very little at anything. He was intemperate. Hyrum worked at cooperage. Alvin was the oldest son and worked the farm and was the stay of the family. He died a few years after they came. I exchanged work with Jo but more with his brother Harrison, who was a good, industrous boy. I did not enjoy my meals at the Smith's, they were so filthy. Jo got drunk while we were haying for my uncle, Wm. Stafford; also at a husking at our house, and stayed overnight. I have often seen him drunk. Jo was the laziest one of the family, and a dull scholar, as were all the Smiths except Harrison and Catherine. I attended school with them, also Bill and Carlos.

    Oliver Cowdery taught one winter. Catherine's reputation for virtue was not good. Jo claimed he could tell where money was buried, with a witch hazel consisting of a forked stick of hazel. He held it one fork in each hand and claimed the upper end was attracted by the money. I heard my stepfather, Robert Orr, say he had been digging for money one night. Some of my neighbors also said they were digging for money nights. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Rockwell, said that Prophet Jo Smith told her there was money buried in the ground and she spent considerable time digging in various places for it. I never knew of her finding any. Jo Smith told me there was a peep-stone for me and many others if we could only find them. Jo claimed to have revelations and tell fortunes. He told mine by looking in the palm of my hand and said among other things that I would not live to be very old.

    When he claimed to find gold plates of the Mormon Bible no attention was paid to them or him by his neighbors. Some time after Jo had men dig on a tunnel forty or fifty feet long in a hill about two miles north of where he

     


    [ pg. 1 col. 2: Stafford continued ]


    claimed to find the plates. I have been in it. Some people surmised it was intended for counterfeiting. Jo was away much of the time summers. He claimed to have a revelation that Manchester, N.Y., was to be destroyed and all the Mormons must leave for Kirkland, O.  Orrin Rockwell and wife wanted my wife, their daughter, to go to Missouri. We came to Auburn, Geauga Co., O., Dec. 2, 1831, and have since resided here.

    Orrin Porter Rockwell made us a visit on a fine horse (I doubt if he owned it). Soon after Governor Boggs was shot. Prophet Jo told Mrs. Risley, of Manchester, a cripple, he could heal her and she joined the Mormons. Jo failed to heal her and she never walked.
      [Signed]       C. M. STAFFORD.

      Witnessed by:
        A. B. DEMING.
      Auburn, March 23, 1885. 



    JOSEPH  ROGERS'  STATEMENT
    ________

    I was born in Wester, Oneida Co., N.Y., Feb. 10, 1805. Our family moved to Phelpstown a few miles south of Palmyra, N.Y., in 1815, where I resided until 1842. I was often in Palmyra, and was well acquainted with Jo Smith, who became the Mormon prophet. When a young man he claimed to receive revelations from the Lord where treasures were buried. He told Peter Rupert and Mr. Cunningham, a blacksmith (simple-minded old men), that there was a chest of gold buried on my brother-in-law, Henry Murphy's farm, under a beech tree. Henry's younger brother, Jack, said that must be stopped, and he obtained some filth in a sap bucket and got up in the beech tree before they arrived in the evening. They came and Mr. Rupert held the Bible open and a lighted candle as prophet Jo directed, while Peter dug for the chest of gold. Jack called Peter three times and he looked up and said, "Here am I, Lord," and received the filth in his face. Peter told me and others that the Lord chastised him and he had to stop his digging. He said he paid Jo for the information. I told him he ought not to believe Jo, for he was liar and imposter. He said Jo would put a spell on him and that he would have to stand still two weeks. He said Jo had perfect command over men. He believed he was a prophet. Jack was called Lord Murphy afterwards. There were many others similarly duped by Jo. Many of Jo's victims were from New Jersey and believed in witches and ghosts. He could not fool the New England or York State Yankees. Jo Smith and his adherents dug a cave in a hill in Manchester, N.Y., and used to go there, he said, to consult with the Lord. He had a door at the entrance fastened with a padlock. The sheriff took possession and found much property which had been stolen from farmers about there. Jo had left for Ohio. It was believed that Jo intended to remove the property. 

    I had the affidavits of six creditable farmers who lived in Manchester, N.Y., that Jo Smith, who became the Mormon prophet, stole their chickens and sheep. I lost them moving. Farmers said he was a terror to the neighborhood and that he would either have to go to State prison, be hung, or leave the county, or he would be killed. Jo contrived in every way to obtain money without work. The farmers claimed that not a week passed without Jo stole something. I knew at least one hundred farmers in the towns of Phelps, Manchester and Palmyra, N.Y., who would make oath that Jo Smith the Mormon prophet was a liar, intemperate and a base imposter. His father, old Jo, was called a devil. He was very intemperate, profane and vulgar in conversation. Jo, the prophet, said much about his troubles with the devil and that he, the devil, got the better of him much of the time. Jo traveled about the country considerable and was well known.

     


    [ pg. 1 col. 3: Rogers continued ]


    While visiting my uncle, Jacob Wiggins, in Western, Oneida Co., N.Y., I attended a Mormon meeting in a schoolhouse about three miles north of Rome, N.Y. The preacher spoke about twenty minutes and then introduced a woman who would speak in the unknown tongue. She said, "Feel of me low, feel of me lee, feel of me li." A man by the door got up and said, "By --- I can interpret it: Feel of my toe, feel of my knee, feel of my thigh. That is what she means," and left the room. He was under the influence of liquor. It caused so much laughter it stopped the meeting. My uncle always laughed when I asked him about the unknown tongue. My uncle knew the interpreter. I was informed by three or four creditable parties who were at a public house in the town of Pittsford, Ontario Co., N.Y., that a stranger stayed over night and died as was supposed. A doctor was called and another stranger soon came. He said he was a Mormon and could bring the dead to life. The hotel keeper requested him to restore the man to life. The doctor inquired if he could if the man's head was cut off. The Mormon replied he could. The doctor took an ax and said he would cut off his head. The pretended dead man rose up and said, "For God's sake don't cut off my head." I have no doubt the above is true, knowing the persons well who informed me. But few persons about Palmyra and Manchester became Mormons. Jo, the prophet, pretended to tell fortunes for pay. He could read the character of men readily and could tell who he could dupe.
      [Signed] JOSEPH ROGERS.
      [Seal]

      Witnessed by:
        HELEN ROGERS (Daughter).
      Los Gatos, Cal, May 16, 1887.

    Subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of May, A.D., 1887.
      JOHN F. TOBIN,
                Notary Public.
    Mr. Rogers formerly lived at Ann Arbor, Michigan. Judge White, his son-in-law, is attorney for the Northern Pacific Railroad at Duluth. His son, W. H. Rogers, is a shipping merchant at 411 California Street, San Francisco.
     



    MRS.  M. C. R.  SMITH'S  STATEMENT
    __________

    I was born in Belchertown, Mass., May 1, 1812. When I was five or six years old my parents moved to Manchester, N.Y., one mile from the Mormon Smith family, and I attended school with their children. There was considerable digging for money in our neighborhood by men, women and children. I never knew of their finding any. I saw a large hole dug on Nathaniel Smith's farm, which was sandy. I saw Joshua Stafford's peep-stone which looked like white marble and had a hole through the center. Sallie Chase, a Methodist, had one and people would go for her to find lost and hidden or stolen things.  My mother was one of the first Mormon converts. Father copied the "Book of Mormon" for the printer, or part of it. I heard Martin Harris say that the first part of the "Book of Mormon" was stolen and that he thought his wife took it and it was not printed in the "Book of Mormon." Father joined the Mormons after my parents went West. Catherine Smith, sister of the prophet, showed me in their house a chest with lock where the plates were kept, but they feared they would be stolen, and then she took up four bricks in the hearth and said they had been buried there. Jo Smith's mother doctored many persons in Palmyra. My sister, with whom mother died in California, was opposed to her being a Mormon. I hope sometime it will be known whether Mormonism is true or not. My brother, Orrin Porter Rockwell, made me a visit in 1844 or '45. When ten years old he broke his leg

     


    [ pg. 1 col. 4: Smith continued ]


    and a young doctor in Palmyra set it so one leg was shorter than the other and it always troubled him so he could not work at farming.
      [Signed]   MRS. M. C. R. SMITH.

      Witnessed by:
        A. B. DEMING,
        B. N. SHAW.
      Hamden, Ohio, March 25, 1885. 



    MRS.  SYLVIA  WALKER'S  STATEMENT
    ________

    I was born in Manchester, Ontario County, N.Y., Aug. 27, 1818, and lived there until 1852, when I came to Ohio. The Mormon Smith family lived in sight of my parents' house. I attended school to Oliver Cowdrey with Carlos, Sam, Bill, Catherine, and Lucy Smith, who were very poor scholars. Jo, Hyrum and Sophrona, the other children, were older. I have been at their house. They were the lowest family I ever knew. They worked very little and had the reputation of stealing everything they could lay their hands on. Old Jo was very intemperate. When Jo told his neighbors about finding gold plates no one believed him nor paid any attention to it, he had humbugged them so much. Much of the time he claimed he was in Pennsylvania. I attended a Mormon meeting in old Jo Smith's loghouse. Martin Harris spoke and Darius Pearse laughed at something he said. He reproved Pearse, who left the house, and when he was in the road began to denounce the Smith family and talked nearly one hour. The audience left the house and listened to him. He reviewed the character of them and said they stole six of his fat sheep. His talk greatly pleased his neighbors. He was one of our best citizens. The Mormons said the price of the "Book of Mormon" was established at $1.75 by revelation. It did not sell well and they claimed to receive another to sell it at $1.25. The people were amused that the Mormon Deity did not know what price to set upon the book. It was freely talked among the neighbors that Jo Smith said he had a revelation to go to Pennsylvania and get him a wife. Jo claimed to receive a revelation to dig forty feet into a hill about two miles north of where he pretended to find the gold plates of the "Book of Mormon," where he would find a cave that contained gold furniture, chairs and table. The Mormons dug into the hill horizontally over forty feet without finding any cave. The boys troubled them so they placed a door with lock at the entrance. The boys placed brush against it and destroyed it with fire. The Mormons abandoned it. I heard our neighbors say probably Jo Smith dug his fat sheep and barrels of flour out of it.
      [Signed]   MRS. SYLVIA WALKER.

      Witnessed by:
        MRS. ALBERT PHINNEY
            (Daughter).
        MISS LULA PHINNEY
            (Granddaughter).
      Chester, Ohio, March 20, 1885. 



    REUBEN  P.  HARMON
    ________

    My parents came to Ohio from Vermont in 1815. I resided in Kirtland when the Mormons first arrived. I was personally acquainted with Rigdon and heard him say after baptizing thirteen in the river on father's farm, "Come, here is water enough to wash away all your sins." I have heard Rigdon several times say in his sermons that before long the Indian mounds and forts about there would all be explained. He caused a row of log houses to be built on Isaac Morley's farm, and established a Communistic Society before Mormonsim was heard of. I heard Rigdon preach his first sermon at Kirtland Flats, after he embraced Mormonism. He said he had been preaching wrong doctrine and asked their forgiveness. He said he should address them no more in public. He wept freely through his sermon. I frequently attended their meetings

     


    [ pg. 1 col. 5: Harmon continued ]


    at Isaac Morley's. Order was observed until they got the power and began to talk in unknown tongues. Some called it talking Injun. The women were usually laid on the beds. Lucy Stanton was a leader in the power business. I saw Warner Doty, a young man of fine physique, when lying on the floor on his back, spring up 7 feet and catch hold of the beams overhead. Black Pete a low cunning illiterate negro used to get the power and writhe around in various contortions on the floor. At times he would run over the hills and say he saw holes of fire. White women would chase him about. Mormon preachers often quoted from the prophet Joel: "The young men shall see visions and the old men dream dreams." It was announced that on a certain Sunday in the summer of 1832, they would heal the sick and lame and revive the dead. Thousands came, many from a distance. I attended, and heard Rigdon say there would be no preaching to-day. He dismissed an audience of several thousand on the hill back of the house, who were greatly disappointed and expressed much indignation. I then went to see the dead child in the house now occupied by Mrs. Carroll. It was lying on a bed. I felt of its face and hands which were warm and pliable. I thought it was under the influence of opium. It did not breathe. It was about two years old and belonged to Mr. Gould, who had lately come from the East. I heard it was buried the following Wednesday. I was well acquainted with Martin Harris, who was often at my house for days at a time. I have questioned him much about the plates from which the "Book of Mormon" purports to have been translated. He never claimed to have seen them with his natural eyes, only spiritual vision. He said it was impossible for the prophet Joseph to get up the "Book of Mormon," for he could not spell the word Sarah.  He had him repeat the letters of the word. He was a very illiterate man. He claimed he would be one of the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation and would not die but would be translated. He often urged me to be baptized and become one of them. I have heard Mormons talk in unknown tongues and Jo Smith interpret. It was of no importance. N. K. Whitney's wife was a vehement exhorter. My wife was employed by Newel several years to ornament chairs, and boarded in his family. Newel first introduced Jethro Wood's iron plows in Northern Ohio. He was a very enterprising business man. My father was made a stockholder in the Mormon bank without his knowledge. After it failed I paid to have his name changed to Harrison to avoid litigation. I was one of the appraisers of the Temple in Kirtland about 1856. It was sold to satisfy a judgment held by Newell.       Kirtland, Dec. 16, 1884.
      [Signed]   REUBEN P. HARMON,
          Witnessed by: A. B. DEMING
          GRANVILLE HARMON (son)"
    Mr. Harmon is one of Kirtland's most intelligent and substantial citizens, owns over 500 acres of land in the town and is well known as an auctioneer in several counties. His statement will not be doubted by those who know him. He was a friend and correspondent of Garfield. 




    A P O L O G Y.
    ______

    The original intention was to print the January number early in December, 1887, but owing to a rush of work and other causes the paper was not issued until about the middle of January. We did not secure subscribers and entry at the Oakland post-office until February and as newsdealers dislike to send out papers of back dates we omit February and March numbers. All subscribers are entitled to twelve numbers.


     


    [ pg. 1 col. 6 ]


    THE
    Polygamy Revelation


    -- in --
    JOSEPH  SMITH'S  HANDWRITING


    STILL  IN  EXISTENCE!
    ________

    In looking through Tullege's life of the Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith, I saw the name of J. R. H. Van Cleve, of Chicago, Ill. I called on Mrs. Van Cleve, who at that time, July, 1885, was private secretary to U. S. Collector Spaulding of Chicago. I introduced myself by showing him the extract from the Deseret News referring to my father. He read it and seemed much pleased. He received me cordially and said his father had been a Mormon, if I am not mistaken -- though he was not -- and that he married the granddaughter of David Whitmer. I told him that there had been much written about the Mormons that was erroneous, and that I was collecting facts for a true account of its origin and early history. He said that David Whitmer had the original manuscript from which the "Book of Mormon" was printed and would not sell it, although Orson Pratt and other Utah Mormons had requested him to name his price. He said the Utah Mormons sent two men to Missouri to steal it and other manuscript Mormon history. One of the men was captured in the attempt and sent to the penitentiary for two years. He said that John Whitmer, David's brother, was the church historian by appointment and that after his death he spent several days looking over his manuscripts and papers, and that he found five volumes of manuscript history, also the revelation about celestial marriage, or polygamy, dated July 12, 1843, in Joseph Smith's own hand-writing (which he knew) the same as printed in the Doctrines and Covenants of the Utah Mormons.  I told him there was in the same in the Chicago Historical Society a letter of Joseph Smith's, written to Emma, his wife, from Lancaster, Penn., which was presented to the society by his son. I requested Mr. Van Cleve to write to his relatives and have them send it to him so we could compare it with the letter in the historical rooms. He said it was not necessary for he had seen other writing of the prophet, Joseph Smith, and knew that the revelation was written by him. To please me he wrote and received a copy of another revelation by Joseph. He said there was so much opposition by Mormons to Joseph's revelation on polygamy that he obtained another confirming the first to appease the opposition. I told him I did not care to see it but did wish to see the one of July 12, 1843. He said when his successor was appointed he intended to go to Richmond, Mo., and write a history of Mormonism from David Whitmer's standpoint. He said Whitmer did not recognize the Reorganized Mormon Church led by the prophet's son, but claimed that he, David Whitmer, was the rightful successor of the church as its head. He said the Whitmers and Oliver Cowdery, whose wife was David's sister, left the Mormons in Missouri on account of Joseph and Rigdon's polygamy. 

    He promised me that if I would come to Richmons, Mo., when he was there he would show it to me and I could compare it with the revelation of July 12, 1843, printed in the Utah Doctrines and Covenants. I had twenty or more interviews with Mr. Van Cleve and obtained from him much information of great value on Mormonism. Mr. Van Cleve said he obtained consent of John Whitmer's daughters to remove the papers he had selected and that he placed them under some apples in the wagon, when the mean were away, and brought them to Richmond, Mo. He said he purchased a safe in Chicago and sent it to Richmond and it was placed in the bank and contained


     


    [ pg. 1 col. 7: polygamy continued]


    the original manuscript of the "Book of Mormon," five volumes of manuscript Mormon history, the revelation about polygamy in Joseph Smith's handwriting, and other papers on Mormonism, he had been collecting. He had a good likeness of Rigdon taken about 1835, which cost him considerable, also of other Mormon leaders, which he intended to use in his proposed book. 



    JOSEPH  SMITH'S  CELEBRATED.
    SO-CALLED
    Polygamy Revelation.

    FROM
    THE  DOCTRINE  AND  COVENANTS
    Of the Utah Mormon Church.
    References by Orson Pratt,

    _________

    SECTION 132.

    Revelation on Eternity of the Marriage Covenant, including the Plurality of Wives. Given through Joseph Smith the Seer, in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, July 12, 1843,

    1. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having 1 many wives and concubines:
    2. Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter:
    3. Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them 2 must obey the same.
    4. For behold, I reveal unto you a 3 new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that 4 covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can 5 reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
    5. For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall 6 abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were 7 instituted from before the foundation of the world.
    6. And as pertaining to the 8new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof 9must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God. 
    7. And verily I say unto you, that the 10 conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and 11 sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.


    1 vers. 3, 34, 37-40, 61-63. Gen. 16, 21:3, 18-21, 25:6. Chapters 29, 30. 33:5-7, 37:2. Exod. 21:7-11, 22:16. Lev. 18:18. Num 12:1,. Deut. 17:14-18, 21:10-17, 22:28, 29, 25:5-10,. Judges 1:16, 4:11, 8:29-32. See also chapters 6 and 7, 10:14, 12:8, 9, 13, 14. ISam 1:1,2, 25:42,43, 27:3, 30:5, 8,. IISam. 2:1-4, 3:2-5, 14, 16, 5:13, 23, 12:8, 15:16. 16:21, 22, 19:5. IChron. 2:18, 19, 46, 48., 3:1-9, 4:5, 7:4, 14, 8:8, 9, 14:3, 28:5. IIChron. 11:21, 13:21, 24:2,3. Isaiah 4:1. Hosea 1:2, 10:11,12. Luke 20:27-36. ICor 11:11. ITim 3:2, 12. Rev. 21:12.
    2 vers. 4, 5, 13-18, 27.
    3 vers. 3, 5, 13-18, 27, 31:2,3,4.
    4 vers. 6, 13-18, 27.
    5 131:1-4.
    6 88:38,39.
    7 vers. 11, 28, 63.
    8 see 3.
    9 see 4.
    10 88:38,39.
    11 vers. 19, 46, 47.


     


    [ pg. 2 col. 1: Sec. 132 continued ]

    p. 2. V. I. N. 2.]                 HIGHLY  IMPORTANT  FACTS  ABOUT  MORMONISM.                 [Apr. 1888.

    8. Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
    9. Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name?
    10. Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed?
    11. And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by 12 law, even as I and my Father 13 ordained unto you, before the world was?
    12. I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto you this commandment, that no man shall come unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my law, saith the Lord.
    13. And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall 14 not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God.
    14. For whatsoever things 15 remain are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed.
    15. Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their 16 covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world. 
    16. Therefore, when they are 17 out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.
    17. For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever.
    18. And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that 18 covenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power -- then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.
    19. And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the 19 new and everlasting covenant, and it is 20 sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, upon whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this Priesthood; and it shall be said unto them -- Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths -- then shall it be written in the Lamb's Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall 21 pass by the angels, and the Gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads,which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. 
    20. Then shall they be 22 Gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because 23 all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be Gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.
    21. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye 24 abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.
    22. For 25 strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation


    12 vers. 5, 63.
    13 41: 15. see 12.
    14 vers. 14-18.
    15 vers. 15-27.
    16 vers. 16, 17.
    17 all commandments must be promptly attended to in this world, or they will ne invalid and of no effect in the world to come.
    18 vers. 7, 46, 47.
    19 see 2.
    20 vers. 7, 46, 47.
    21 vers. 16-18, 20.
    22 17-19, 37. John 10:34, 35. Rev. 14:1, 32:4.
    23 50:26-28.
    24 131: 1-4.
    25 II Nep. 9:41. 31:9, 17, 18, 33:9. Alma 37:44, 45. Hela. 3:28, 30. III Nep. 14:13, 14.

     


    [ pg. 2 col. 2: Sec 132 continued ]


    and continuation of 26 the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.
    23. But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive 27 your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also.
    24. This is eternal lives, to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law.
    25. Broad is the gate, and 28 wide the way that leadeth to the deaths; and many there are that go in thereat; because they receive me not, neither do they abide in my law.
    26. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man 29 marry a wife according to my word, and they are 30 sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the 31 new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood -- yet 32 they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be 33 destroyed in the flesh, but shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God.
    27. The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye 34 commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my 35 new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in no wise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord.
    28. I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee the law of my Holy Priesthood, as was ordained by me and my Father before the world was. 
    29. Abraham received all things, whatsoever he received, by revelation and commandment, by my word, saith the Lord, and 36 hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon his throne.
    30. Abraham received promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit of his loins -- from whose loins 37 ye are, namely, my servant Joseph -- which were to continue so long as they were in the world; and as touching Abraham and his seed, 38 out of the world they should continue; both in the world and out of the world should they continue as innumerable as the stars; or, if ye were to count the sand upon the seashore ye could not number them.
    31. This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham; and by this law is the continuation of the works of my Father, wherein he glorifieth himself.
    32. Go ye, therefore, and do the 39 works of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be saved.
    33. But if ye enter not into my law ye cannot receive the promise of my Father, which he made unto Abraham.
    34. God commanded Abraham, and Sarah 40 gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.
    35. Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it.
    36. Abraham was commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.
    37. Abraham received concubines, and they bear him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness, because they were 41 given unto him, and he abode in my law; as Isaac also and Jacob did none other things than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other things than which they were commanded, they have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but 42 are Gods.
    38. David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they 43 received not of me. 


    26 continuation of posterity in the eternal world. vers. 30, 31. Numbers 16:22. Hab. 12:9.
    27 John 14:2,3.
    28 III. Nep. 14:13. Matt. 7:13.
    29 ver. 19.
    30 vers. 7, 19, 20.
    31 see 3.
    32 vers. 19, 23.
    33 vers. 41-43, 54, 63, 64.
    34 after having received so great light, if a person murders, there is no forgiveness. 42:18, 79.
    35 see 3.
    36 ver. 37. Luke 13:28.
    37 II Nep. 3:7, 11, 12, 14-17.
    38 vers. 19, 31-37.
    39 John 8:39.
    40 Gen. 16, 25:12-18.
    41 Gen 15:16.
    42 133:55. See 22.
    43 vers 7, 19, 39.

     


    [ pg. 2 col. 3: Sec. 132 continued ]


    39. David's wives and concubines were 44 given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall 45 not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord.
    40. I am the Lord thy God, and I gave unto thee, my servant Joseph, an appointment, and restore all things; ask what ye will, and it shall be given unto you according to my word.
    41. And as ye have asked concerning adultery -- verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man 46 receiveth a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and if she be with another man, and I have not appointed unto her by the holy anointing, she hath committed adultery and shall be destroyed. 
    42. If she be not in the new and everlasting covenant, and she be with another man, she has committed adultery.
    43. And if her husband be with another woman, and he was under a vow, he hath broken his vow and hath committed adultery.
    44. And if she hath not committed adultery, but is innocent and hath not broken her vow, and she knoweth it, and I reveal it unto you, my servant Joseph, then shall you have power by the power of my Holy Priesthood, to take her, and give her unto him that hath not committed adultery, but hath been faithful; for he shall be made ruler over 47 many.
    45. For I have conferred upon you the keys and power of the Priesthood, wherein I restore 48 all things, and make known unto you all things in due time.
    46. And verily, verily, I say unto you, that whatsoever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you 49 bind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens; and whosoever sins you 50 remit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you 51 retain on earth shall be retained in heaven.
    47. And again, verily I say, whomsoever you bless I will bless, and 52 whomsoever you 53 curse I will curse, saith the Lord; for I, the Lord, am thy God. 
    48. And again, verily I say unto you, my servant Joseph, that whatsoever you give on earth, and to whomsoever you 54 give any one on earth, by my word and according to my law, it shall be visisted with blessings and not cursings, and with my power, saith the Lord, and shall be without condemnation on earth and in heaven.
    49. For I am the Lord thy God, and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I 55 seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a 56 throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father.
    50. Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you; go, therefore, and I make a way for your escape, as I accepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac.
    51. Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to prove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice;
    52. And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive 57 all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.
    53. For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been faithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him. 
    54. And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law.
    55. But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant


    44 7, 19, 38. IISam. 12:8.
    45 IISam. 12:11, 15:16, 16:20-23, 20:3.
    46 vers. 4-7, 19.
    47 Luke 19:15-26.
    48 Acts 3:21. Isaiah 4:1.
    49 Matt. 18:18.
    50 Matt. 16:19. John 20:23.
    51 John 20:23.
    52 124:93. 53 124:93. 44 ver. 39.
    45 ver. 23.
    46 vers. 19, 37.
    47 ver. 65.

     


    [ pg. 2 col. 4: Sec. 132 continued ]


    Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an 58 hundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and land, wives and children, and crowns of eternal lives in the eternal worlds.
    56. And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid forgive my servant Joseph his trespass; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I; the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to rejoice.
    57. And again, I say, let not my servant Joseph put his property out of his hands, lest an enemy come and destroy him; for Satan seeketh to destroy; for I am the Lord thy God, and he is my servant; and behold, and lo, I am with him, as I was with Abraham, thy father, even unto his exaltation and glory.
    58. Now, as touching the law of the Priesthood, there are many things pertaining thereunto.
    59. Verily, if a man be called of my Father, as was Aaron, by mine own voice, and by the voice of him that sent me, and I have endowed him with the keys of the power of this Priesthood, if he do anything in my name, and according to my law and by my word, he will not commit sin, and I will justify him.
    60. Let no one, therefore, set on my servant Joseph; for I will justify him; for he shall do the sacrifice which I require at his hands for his transgressions, saith the Lord your God.
    61. And again, as pertaining to the law of the Priesthood: if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then he is justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are 59given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.
    62. And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, 60 he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.
    63. But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has 61 committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth according to my commandment, and to fulfil the 62 promise which was given by my Father 63 before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be glorified. 
    64. And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, if any man have a wife, who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the 64 law of my Priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she believe and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord your God, for I will destroy her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my law.
    65. Therefore, it shall be lawful in me, if she receive not this law, for 65 him to receive all things whatsoever I, the Lord his God, will give unto him, because she did not believe and administer unto him according to my word; and she then becomes the transgressor; and he is exempt from the law of Sarah, who administered unto Abraham according to the law; when I commanded Abraham to take Hagar to wife.
    66. And now, as pertaining to this law, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you, hereafter; therefore, let this suffice for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega. Amen.



    58 Mark 10:28-30.
    59 ver. 48.
    60 19, 20, 43.
    61 ver. 41.
    62 Titus 1:2.
    63 that is, the souls, or spirits of men to be born in heaven. Ver. 19, 30.
    64 ver. 52.
    65 ver. 55.
    66 vers. 34-37. 


    POLYGAMY was thoroughly tried in ancient times, according to Scripture, by the good as well as bad people, and was proved unsatisfactory to the best interests of society. The Mormons have made a worse failure. Public sentiment and Congress have decided that polygamy must cease in our country and there being less Scripture examples for Mormonism it also ought to cease. 



    C O N S I S T E N C Y.
    __

    If Joseph Smith HAD BEEN what he CLAIMED TO BE, A Prophet of the most High God, ALL HIS FOLLOWERS WOULD BE AS MUCH OBLIGATED to OBEY HIS SO-CALLED POLYGAMY REVELATION of July 12, 1843, as were the DESCENDANTS of JACOB to OBEY MOSES or Christians the Commands of Christ, HIS Disciples and Apostles.


     


    [ pg. 2 col. 5 ]


    MR.  FORD'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    Emma Smith, wife of the prophet, Jo Smith, burnt the original and first written revelation on Patriarchal Marriage by throwing it in the fire but Brother Kingsbury, one of Joseph's scribes, had previous to this, made a complete copy, hence preserving it for reference. President Brigham Young held the principle of Patriarchal Marriage, commonly called polygamy, so sacred a principle and that the human family in this corrupt generation so incompetent to practice it according to the true principle of Celestial Marriage that he in public in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City said if they were not very careful how they entered into it that it would damn nineteen out of twenty that went into it, so testified to me by many truthful elders among whom was Elder Robert Campbell, Sheerer and S. J. Sudbury and William Joseph Smith a patriarch. Brigham Young himself told me that he sealed three wives to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple. Eliza Snow, the poetness now living in Salt Lake City, and Patriarch David Fullmer's sister, was one of Jo Smith's wives in this city, and two or three more are yet alive in this Territory whose names I cannot call to mind. 
        [Signed]       Robert Henry Ford.
        Salt Lake City, March 26, 1886.
    N. B.   I have heard him repeat such sentiments myself many times.
                           R. H. F.

    Witnessed by:
        A. B. DEMING (of Chicago).
        ALBERT WALTERS (of Harlan, Ia).
    Mr. Ford is a cousin of General Sir Henry Havelock, the hero of Lucknow, India. He was originally a member of the Church of England, next a Baptist minister, and now a Mormon, terrifically in earnest, and I fear deranged on the subject of Mormonism. He is a curator of the museum in Salt Lake City, and is a gentleman worthy of your acquaintance. 



    J. F.  GOLDSMITH'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    My father was an architect and builder. He was the first and only architect in Cleveland for some years. Most of the older residences on the north side of Euclid Avenue he designed and built, also many of the best houses in Painesville. He built Grandison Newell's residence about two miles northeast of Kirtland Flats, now occupied by Mr. Beals, my brother-in-law. C. W. Hurd learned the business with my father and was his successor in Cleveland. He was the architect of the Case Block Opera House, City Hall and many other prominent buildings. When riding with my father to Cleveland, I made some inquiries about the Mormon Temple at Kirtland. He said, "My son, I verily believe the plans for the Temple originated in my own brain." The Mormon leaders came to me and obtained all in information they could, as to what I thought would be advisable for such a building. Soon after, they went on and built it, they claimed, by revelation. If they were inspired, it must have been by the devil for I never was paid fir it. John A. Eddy learned the carpenter trade with my father, and married my sister. He told me that Jo Smith announced in a Mormon meeting; at such a time he would walk on the water.   Grandison Newell and your father paid me one dollar a night to watch and see what the Mormons did. The night before the walking was to be, Jo Smith, Rigdon, Brigham Young, and William Aldrich worked half the night and drove forked stakes in the river in the form of a horseshoe, the ends being on one bank and in deep water. They placed green sycamore slabs which would sink in the water on the crotched stakes which were eight or more inches under water, altogether between two and three hundred feet long. After they left, I removed one of the slabs near the center. According to appointment, prophet Jo Smith came with several hundred Mormons and Jo addressed them. He said they could walk on the water if they only had faith. Jo arrayed in a long white robe, walked some distance, turned and walked backward, and where the slab had been removed, went in all over. He got to shore by the aid of the limb of a tree. Jo said at once to the audience, "Oh ye of little faith, if you had faith as large as a grain of mustard seed, I could remove mountains."
        [Signed]       F. J. GOLDSMITH

       Witnessed by:
        CARRIE A. GOLDSMITH
        (Daughter),
        ABIGAIL J. GOLDSMITH
        (Daughter).

    Sworn to and subscribed before me, the undersigned, J. P. by F. J. Goldsmith, this 8th day of May, A. D. 1885.
                        D. CLINTON HILL,
    Justice of the Peace for Painesville, Lake County, Ohio.
    Mr. Goldsmith came out of the war 1861-65, with an honorable record. His mother, whose statement I have on Mormonism, recently died, aged 101. His daughter copied many of my statements thus preserving them.


     


    [ pg. 2 col. 6 ]


    JOEL  MILLER'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in Peekskill, N. Y., Dec. 26, 1814, and came with my parents to Willoughby, Ohio, in 1825. I have lived here and in Mayfield, the adjoining town south, and of Kirtland west, ever since. I attended many Mormon meetings in Mayfield and Kirtland when Rigdon, Jo Smith and others preached. Prayer meetings were held after preaching when the Stanton girls and Printha Abbott always got the power. They would scream, hello "Glory!" and clap their hands, and finally apparently become unconscious. I attended a meeting at Mrs. Crandall's, who had a double log house in Mayfield, Jo Smith preached. Thirty or more men and women got the power. I have often seen women fall over back on men's laps and others on the floor. John Goodell, Warren Cottrell and two other young men rolled a large snow-ball on the roof and placed it on the top of the chimney. The house soon filled with smoke and drove the people out except those who had the power. Soon the snow melted and fell down the chimney and scattered the fire and ashes about the room. Those who had the power immediately got over it and left the room. While the room was being cleaned Black Pete, who was a good singer, harangued the people out-of-doors.

    They baptized three times that night. They sang much in their meetings. The majority of the citizens in the west part of the town joined them. Jo claimed he had a revelation that the converts must put all their property into the Lord's treasury. Rufus Mapes, who had sixteen children who lived to maturity, said he did not read in his Bible that the Lord required his farm. He and many others left them. I went to Isaac Morley's to see the dead child raised to life. I stayed till late in the afternoon without being gratified. I never saw so many people together before. Soon after our Mormon neighbors informed us Jo Smith, on Sunday night, was going to walk on the water and urged our family to go. My brother and I went with Enos and Joel Smith, whose parents were Mormons.

    After attending a meeting in the school house at the Flats in Kirtland, at which Jo and I think Rigdon spoke, we all went to the river east and below the bridge. Jo Smith again spoke to the crowd and put on a white robe and began to walk. He said something about faith and talked as he walked in a curve. He was out of water except his feet and was successful for a time. He walked slowly and finally went down. The Gentiles shouted loudly, laughed and jeered in many ways. The Mormons said Jo's faith had failed. I saw several men step into the water and reach for Jo to help him out. I soon after learned planks had been fixed in the water for him to walk on and one had been removed. Black Pete said at a meeting in Mayfield that fire would not burn him. Two men immediately set him on the burning logs in the fire place and the fire destroyed his pants. Many young men for miles about the country attended the Mormon meetings for amusement. I have seen men and women stand on the seats, reach up and go through the motions of picking fruit from trees. They said they were picking ambrosial fruit and would pretend to eat it.
        [Signed]       JOEL MILLER.
       Witnessed by:
        A. B. DEMING.

    Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 29th day of March, 1885.
                        A. P. BARBER,
    Justice of the Peace in and for Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio. 



    WILLIAM  ROCKAFELLOW.
    ________

    I resided in Kirtland after the Mormons had mostly left. Leonard Rich, a Mormon elder, told me he saw Jo Smith walk on the water. He said planks had been fixed in the water and one had been removed so Jo went down where he got out of the water. Jo said he could have walked if the brothers' and sisters' faith had not failed. He told me Jo Smith had a revelation that Grandison Newell must be killed, and he was the man indicated to do it. Rich refused and Jo engaged M. C. Davis, a gunsmith, who went on horseback and said he saw Newell sitting with his back to a window reading a newspaper, but could not shoot him. He told prophet Jo, Newell was not at home. Luke Johnson, one of the original twelve apostles, told me when he was leading an old man into the water to baptise him, he said, "For God's sake, Johnson, don't snag me, I would not be snagged for all the religion in the world."

    When I came to Kirtland small boys carried from $5.00 to $1,000 in Mormon money. It was often said if the Mormons had been honest they

     


    [ pg. 2 col. 7: Rockafellow continued ]


    might have [ ----------------] [ ----------- ] prospered.
        [Signed]     WILLIAM ROCKAFELLOW.

        Witnessed by:
           CORA PARSONS.
      Russell, Geauga Co., Ohio,
            March 19, 1885.
     



    J.  M.  GRANGER'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in Tioga County, N. Y., Jan. 16, 1820, and came to Chester, in O., 1829. I well remember going to Kirtland one evening with a two horse wagon load of men and boys to see the Mormon prophet, Jo Smith, walk on the water. There was a large crowd on both banks of the river below the bridge east of the Flats. Jo addressed the crowd on Faith some time. He said all that was needed to perform miracles was faith. He put on a white robe and began his walk and talked of his faith bearing him up. He suddenly went down and the Gentiles shouted and said the plank had failed. The Mormons said his faith had failed. He was helped out of the water. I was seventy five to a hundred feet from him.
        [Signed]     J. M. GRANGER.
        Witnessed by:
           C. L. POWELL.
      Willoughby, O., March 30, 1885.
    Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 19th day of April, 1885, at Willoughby, Lake Co., Ohio.
                        A. P. BARBER,
    Justice of the Peace. 



    MRS.  ALFRED  MORLEY.
    ________

    My husband, Alfred Morley, was a disciple and one of the Mormon leaders, and lived across the road from our house. I have heard many Mormons who attended the dedication, or endowment of the Temple, say that very many became drunk. Jo Smith and Hyrum vomited in the pulpit, others vomited in the pews. The Mormon leaders would stand up to prophesy and were so drunk they said they could not get it out, and would call for another drink. Over a barrel of liquor was used at the service. Fannie Brewer and her sister, old maids from Boston, furnished money to build a three story house; they called it the Boston House. Jo Smith claimed he had a revelation to start a bank, and that all the brethren must pay in all their money, which many did. They were promised payment when the Mormon money was issued. They were not paid until all the specie was gone or the bills were worthless. A Cleveland man told Jo Smith he would help circulate his money. He borrowed a large amount on his note and soon after sent men to the bank with a few hundred each, who drew the specie. Jacob Bump told my husband Jo had boxes two-thirds full of lead with some specie on the top. He had Mr. Mygatt, who was in the Painesville bank, and another man call and inspect the bank. They reported it all right and able to redeem its bills. The bank was shirt-lived. Jo's brother Bill, Leonard Rich, Julius Granger, Amasa Bonney, and his brother-in-law, Mr. Booth, would know of Mormons moving to Kirtland from the East and would intercept them and say they were going East, and induce them to exchange their Eastern money for Mormon money, which they could use in Kirtland. Many were swindled by them. I heard Bump say Jo Smith would remove the boxes of lead to his house in the night and return them to the bank in the day time, and say to the persons who were present, "See how the money comes in." Jo Smith and other Mormon leaders went East and bought a large amount of merchandise and sold it to Jacob Bump. The Eastern merchants were unable to collect their claims. 

    My neighbor, Elijah Smith, sold his farm to the Mormons. Jo Smith announced in the Sunday morning service in the Temple that $2,000 must be paid early Monday morning in hard money. He said the brethren must bring all their specie to the afternoon service. Amos Perry, who had recently arrived, took $700, silver dollars, in a bag on his shoulders, but it never was repaid to him. I know many others who paid smaller sums, and said they only received a writing showing how much they had paid. They also were never repaid. Mr. Smith did not expect to be paid in silver, and he had my husband and Champion Morley, his son-in-law, accompany him to Rocky River to pay the sum on another farm. He feared being robbed. Jacob Bump told Mr. Morley Elijah Smith would have been followed if he had not had two men with him. The Mormon leaders swindled their followers in every way imaginable. Many left them after being swindled.
        [Signed]     Mrs. ALFRED MORLEY.
        Witnessed by:
           AGNES L. MORLEY (Daughter),
      Kirtland, Ohio, Feb. 27, 1885. 


    W A R N I N G.

    Loyal citizens of Kirtland, Mentor, and other positions of Ohio must not permit persons who have made statements of which they know about Mormonism to be persecuted in any manner by Mormons or their sympathizers.


     


    [ pg. 3 col. 1 ]

    [Apr. 1888.]                 HIGHLY  IMPORTANT  FACTS  ABOUT  MORMONISM.                 [V. I. N. 2. p. 3.

     


    ISAAC  ALDRICH.
    ________

    I was born Jan. 9, 1805, in Lebanon, Grafton Co., N.H. I became a Mormon in 1832. The Mormon elders preached only Bible doctrine in New England and were called the most strict Christians of any sect, but were not so in Kirtland. I came to Kirtland in June, 1838. N. K. Whitney told me before the big camp left for Missouri in the summer of 1838, that nothing left outdoors nights was safe. Benj. K. Hall from the Town of B-----, Maine, gave Jo Smith all his money, $300 and suffered much. Jo Smith, who fared sunptuously every day, and had five cows, finally gave them one. Joseph Wilder gave Jo $1,2000 and many others did the same and suffered for the common wants of life. My brother, Hazen Aldrich, who was president of the Seventies, told me when the Temple was dedicated a barrel of wine was used and they had a drunken "pow-wow." When any vomited they would sing to drown the noise. I believe the Mormons are guilty of every crime in the decalogue. John Carroll, the architect of the Temple, whose family lived West, said Jo Smith told him there were plenty of women in Kirtland who would accomodate him. He declined. James Brain's wife who came to Kirtland with the first company of Mormon emigrants, said that Elder Tulley lodged with two women on the passage over. Others of the company made the same statement. Samuel Phelps, who came from Canada, told me Brigham Young ordered Hodges killed, whose two brothers had killed Miller and Leicy in Iowa. Brigham said any person who undertook to ferret it out ought to be served the same way. One of Jo Smith's best friends, who had many relatives living about here, told me the Mormons were trying to organize a club to steal from the Gentiles, and Mr. Story was to drive the load to the Ohio River. They were also to steal cows. I was solicited to join them, but I refused.
        [Signed]     ISAAC ALDRICH.
      Witnessed by:
        A. W. MURREY. (Son-in-law),
    Hamden, March 17, 1885. 



    G. S.  PELTON'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in Gustavus, Trumbull Co., O., May 22, 1805. I often heard Sidney Rigdon preach in Greensburg, Trumbull Co., in 1819-20. I removed to Russell, Geauga Co., ten miles south of Kirtland in February, 1836. I made window sash and took them to Kirtland every few weeks for two years. I had dealings with the Mormon leaders. I was in Rigdon's home three times in one day to collect a bill before I found him. His women said he was not there. I told them he was there for a man saw him go in the north door just before. Rigdon then came into the room and we started for the bank. On the way to the bank I asked Rigdon why he had so many women around. He said, "We believe in having more than one woman." I said, "How many wives have you, Mr. Rigdon?" He replied, "Six." I then asked how many Jo Smith had. He said "Seven." "You's behind Jo," said I. He said he would catch up. I refused to take Mormon money and Jo Smith, who was upstairs, came down and heard our talk and said, "He won't take Mormon money; put him out." 

    He finally paid me four dollars in bank of Monroe, Michigan, which was below par. I said to Rigdon, "What about that woman Jo resurrected?" Rigdon replied, "We buried her once too many times." I said, "Where is she now?" He pointed to where she was buried. There was much talk in Kirtland about the woman being buried alive. A Mormon to whom I sold sash told me he had two women. I saw them. There was no secret about Mormons having plural wives in Kirtland. There were empty glass boxes with some specie on top on shelves in the bank. My brother's wife was a most beautiful woman. He told me that Jo Smith had a revelation in Nauvoo that his wife, with others, was to be sealed in ten days as a spiritual wife for one of the Mormon leaders. His neighbors moved his family, pretending they were going on a visit, and he left by night another way, to join them and they traveled three days and nights on their way to Michigan.
        [Signed]     G. S. PELTON.

      Witnessed by:
           F. G. SCOTT.
       Sworn and subscribed in my presence this day, March 21, 1885.
                 A. R. GARDNER,
          Justice of the Peace, Chagrin Falls, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 
    A PARTY whose statement I have, told me he many times heard that a woman consented to be buried alive in Kirtland, and Jo Smith was ro resurrect her. It was said pipes were connected with the coffin through which to furnish her air and food. The Gentiles watched the grave and she was not resurrected. He said he would include it his statement provided I obtained a similar statement from another party.



    WARREN  SMITH'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    My parents became Mormons in Bolton, New York. Father sold one of his farms and fortunately could not sell the other at the time. Our family started for Missouri with four good horses, two wagons. On our arrival in Kirtland, Prophet Jo Smith told father he had a revelation from Jesus Christ that he must stay in Kirtland and build up Zion. He said, "Money I [want and] money I must have." Father

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 2: Smith continued ]


    paid him about all he had and took a building lot near the Temple as part payment, and began to collect material and build a dwelling. He asked Jo for a deed and found the prophet had bought the land on contract, and had not made his payments, and could not give father a deed, and so he lost it. Jo swindled many others as he did father.

    We had to pay $2.00 for a bushel of corn, and other provisions were proportionately high in price, and we had no money to buy with. We came near starving. Father's faith in Mormonism failed, and he often asked the prophet for his money which he had loaned him. Jo finally told father that if he did not quit dunning him and keep out of his way he would kick his behind. He promised to pay when the bank opened, but never did. I heard Jo Smith say at a Sunday service in the Temple that he had a revelation that converts coming from the East must not go to Missouri, but must stay and build up Zion; that they were going to give Missourians the worst drubbing they ever had.

    I have heard Jo Smith say to groups of Mormons in the streets and in the temple that they must "suck the milk of the Gentiles." He used to send out through the country parties of Destroying Angels to rob the Gentiles. The Mormons stole so much that they were in constant fear of being mobbed by the Gentiles. About 1837 I stood with a loaded gun on guard all night on the hill toward Mentor, expecting an attack. 

    I have often seen Jo Smith, Rigdon, P. P. Pratt, Orson Hyde, and other men, with a lot of women, go into the Temple and hold private meetings in the upper story. I, with other toung men, have many times late in the evening tried to enter the Temple where they were, and always found the doors locked. Polly Beswick, an old maid who lived next door to us, called and said she had been sealed up to Brother Joseph, the prophet. Father asked her several questions. She replied that what was done on earth was sealed in Heaven.
        [Signed]     WARREN SMITH.
                (Born Aug. 14, 1820.)

      Witnessed by:
           B. N. SHAW.
           A. B. DEMING.
        Munson, Geauga Co., Ohio.
            March 18, 1885.
     



    MRS. H. W.  WILSON'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in Middlebury, Conn., July 7, 1802, and came with our family to Mentor, Ohio, in 1821. I attended Sydney Rigdon's evening grammar school in Mentor one term, and his preaching until he publicly abused Rachel Ferry, who became Isaac Sawyer's wife, while he was preaching. I heard Rigdon one evening after preaching exhort and urge the people to come right forward, repeating it several times, and be baptized and "your sins will be washed down stream; you can't see them and God can't see them." My brothers often attended the Mormon meetings. Boys would write on rolls of paper and throw them in the air, where the Mormons would see the rolls but not the boys; they called them revelations. Black Pete, who stayed at N. K. Whitney's some of the time, got up early one morning and put on Whitney's black suit of clothes, took his watch and I saw him as he passed our house on his way to Painesville. He believed in having all things common, and it caused much fun at Whitney's expense. Preserved Harris, Martin's brother, put his property into the common fund. His wife, who was a superior woman, made a party and invited the Mormon leaders, who came; she received and treated them very courteously, and induced them to restore herself and husband the property they had put in.  I was well acquainted with Garrit Brass and his family. It was generally believed by citizens of Mentor that Mr. Brass was murdered, his house robbed and then burned to conceal the crime. The ruins were searched for specie Mr. Brass was known to have, but none was found. Grandison Newell saved Mentor from Mormonism. The Mormons boasted they would own Mentor to the Lake. I heard Rigdon say at a Campbellite meeting, when he was beating up volunteers, that he thought he had lost many by not baptizing right on in the night. The Mormons frequently baptized in the night.
        [Signed]     MRS. H. W. WILSON.

      Witnessed by:
           A. B. DEMING.
        Concord, Lake Co., Ohio.
            April 23, 1885.
     



    STEPHEN  H.  HART'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I came to Mentor, O., in 1826 and have since resided here. I was well acquainted with Sydney Rigdon and other Mormon leaders. Isaac Morley and his brother-in-law, Titus Billings, and others through Rigdon's influence, established a Communistic Society on

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 3: Hart continued ]


    Morley's farm and claimed to have all things in common. I attended Rigdon's preaching and heard him urge the church to put their property in the common fund and have all things common. I have heard Mrs. Mann and other members of Rigdon's church say that weeks before he joined the Mormons, he took the Bible and slapped it down on the desk and said that in a short time it would be of no more account than an old almanac; that there was to be a new Bible, a new Revelation, which would entirely do away with this. It caused the church to distrust him and but few followed him into Mormonism. It was said that Jo and Rigdon ordered the poor Mormons, who had no money, to work five days on the Temple and one for their families. There was much suffering among them. It was commonly reported and believed that Jo Smith told his followers that they were the Saints and were to possess all things, and that they could take anything they chose from the Gentiles. 

    Mr. McWhithey, who was a Mormon and pretty well off, frequently visited me. I have heard him for hours at a time tell his experience with the Mormons. They urged him repeatedly to put his property in the Lord's treasury to help build the Temple, but he declined. Jo Smith said they would all know it was the work of the Lord when the Temple was dedicated. He said he attended a service which lasted from 10 A. M. until 4 P. M., and there was another service in the evening. The Lord's Supper was celebrated and they passed the wine in pails several times to the audience, and each person drank as much as he chose from a cup. He said it was mixed liquor, and he believed the Mormon leaders intended to get the audience under the influence of the mixed liquor, so they would believe it was the Lord's doings. He said they had a white dove which they intended to have light on Jo, the prophet, but it became entangled in the twine and the scheme failed. When the liquor was repassed, Mr. McWhithey told them he had endowment enough, and said he wanted to get out of the Temple, which was densely crowded. He retained his property.

    The Mormons claimed they established the Kirtland Safety Society Bank by direct revelation from heaven. Martin Harris, who furnished the money to pay for publishing the "Book of Mormon," worked off and on for fifteen or twenty years for me. His judgement about farming was good. When we had finished hoeing the corn he would raise his hands toward the field and pronounce a blessing and say he was sure of a good crop with his blessing. One night he went upstairs to bed without a light, but soon came down and said the devil had stirred his bed. My wife went upstairs with the light and found that the bed was all right; Martin said the devil had made it all right. There was a pile of bedding we supposed he had felt of instead of the bed. One night he fell down-stairs; he said the devil came to his bed and he had a tussel with him and the devil threw him downstairs. Every wrong he attributed to the devil. Martin claimed he would renew his age and be translated like Enoch. He said people would provide for his wants, because he was a prophet of the Lord. When old and unable to work he frequently came to my house, and would follow my wife about the house and talk Mormonism to her several days at a time. When she could endure it no longer, she would ask him if the Lord told him to marry Caroline Young, his second wife, who left him and went to Utah. He always became angry at that and would leave. Martin, when closely questioned about the plates from which the "Book of Mormon" purports to have been taken, would say he saw the plates by the eye of faith. He often compared himself to Enoch, Elijah, Paul and other Bible persons. I never doubted that he was insane on Mormonism. My wife said she taught school in Mentor, and boarded with Preserved Harris, when Martin first came to Ohio. One night he talked Mormonism and all went to bed. She finally slipped into her room and shut the door. Martin kept on walking and talking Mormonism until late in the night.
        [Signed]     STEPHEN H. HART.

      Witnessed by:
           A. B. DEMING.
        Mentor, Ohio, Nov., 1884.
    Mr. Hart is one of Mentor's best citizens, and resides in an elegant brick house on his farm about one mile south and in full view of the Garfield place. 



    MRS.  J. D.  BARBER'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in North Killingworth, Conn., June 21, 1807, and was married at Otisco, N. Y., in 1835. In 1835 I moved to Mentor, O. My husband went to mill and did most of his trading in Kirtland, where on one occasion he saw a family when they drove up and inquired [for] the prophet, who

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 4: Barber continued ]


    was coming near by. The stranger said to Jo Smith, "I have come to enjoy the privileges of your church." Jo said, "How much money have you?" The man stated the amount. The prophet Jo placed his hand on his head a moment and said, "I have a revelation from the Lord that you must pay me $1,500 before you can have the privileges of the church." The man looked at his wife and she shook her head. He told Jo he had a revelation to go home and he immediately turned his team about and I saw him as he passed through Mentor eastward. Several families whom I had known in New York State, who owned good farms and lived comfortably, became Mormons, sold them and removed to Kirtland. They let Jo Smith have most of their money, he promising to let them have western lands in Missouri in payment. They lived in shanties about twelve feet square, one story, the doors opening outward. When they left for the West many died on the way. The survivors who had sold much personal property for less than one-tenth its value and abandoned much, kept demanding of the prophet the land he had promised them and he continued to put them off. A party wrote back that instead of obtaining the land promised they had a stump for a table and wrote the letter they sent on it.

    Travelers dared not pass through Kirtland in the night there was so much shooting. Dr. Seely, of Mentor, opposed the Mormons and he was a number of times shot at while passing through Kirtland nights; sometimes he was mistaken for Grandison Newell. Ariel Corning, one of our neighbors, said that the Mormons claimed to receive revelations written on rolls of paper from an angel who threw them down from the top of the wash bank of the river at the Flats known as the Hog's Back, which was about seventy feet high and the road passed between it and the river. Ariel said he went through the woods and came up behind and caught the angel one night, who proved to be one of the leading Mormons dressed in white. Friends of mine who were present when the Kirtland Temple was dedicated told me they saw a dove let out of the window and drawn back with a string. The Mormons claimed the dove brought a revelation from the Lord. Erastus Barber, my father-in-law loaned the Kirtland Safety Society Bank considerable money at a high rate of interest. When he called for it they compelled him to take two-thirds Mormon money, all of which he lost. He moved from his smoke house a ham, a short distance to his house, leaving the door unlocked. On his return he found two hams had been taken in his absence. Mormons would loaf around the houses of Gentiles and some of them would steal everything they could lay their hands on. They begged for food and clothing. Many of their children had neither coats, shoes, nor hats, and suffered much for food. The Gentiles pitied and often aided them and rejoiced when they left Kirtland. Mormon women learned the use of firearms and some said they would kill the Gentiles. In the fall of 1837 it was rumored that the Gentiles were going to destroy the Temple on a certain night. The Mormons collected their arms and ammunition and with their women and children occupied the Temple all night. About a man rode rapidly through Kirtland, calling loudly, "They are coming! They are coming, prepare!" The port-holes in the walls of the basement of the Temple were soon filled with guns. It was done to frighten the Mormons and to stop their stealing.
        [Signed]     MRS. J. D. BARBER.

      Witnessed by:
           A. B. DEMING.

    Subscribed and sworn to before me, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County of Lake and State of Ohio, this 29th day of April, A. D. 1885.
                W. A. LILLIE.
        Justice of the Peace, Willoughby, Ohio. 



    W. A.  LILLIE.
    ______

    I was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, in 1815. Our family moved to Chester, the town adjoining Kirtland on the south, in 1822. About 1834 Mr. Pearne, of Chester, told me he used to live in the neighborhood of the Mormon Smith family in Palmyra, N. Y., and was well acquainted with all of them. He said they were a low family and of no account in the community. He told me the summer before Jo Smith, the Mormon prophet, first came to Ohio, he often saw Smith and Rigdon together. It was the first he knew of Rigdon, and it was before the "Book of Mormon" was published. He saw Smith and Rigdon start together in a buggy for Ohio. Mr. Pearne knew Rigdon well after coming to Ohio and said he believed he was at the bottom of Mormonism. My father borrowed the "Book of Mormon" and when he had finished


     


    [ pg. 3 col. 5 ]


    reading it laughed and remarked Rigdon had done pretty well.
                   W. A. LILLIE.
        Witnessed by:
          A. B. DEMING.
          THOMAS B. PAGE.
     Sworn to and subscribed in my presence at Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio, this 7th day of March 1885.

              A. P. BARBER.
                  Justice of the Peace. 



    CHARLES  GROVER'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in Aurelius, N. Y., Jan. 9, 1804. I came to Willoughby O., Aug. 31, 1818, and have continued to reside here, except three years when I was West surveying. I heard D. P. Hurlbut lecture on the origin of the "Book of Mormon" in the Willoughby town hall in 1833 or 1834. He said that the object of his lecture was to show that the "Book of Mormon" was founded on a fiction written by Solomon Spaulding at Conneaut, O., in the early part of the century, which he called "Manuscript Found." He said he had been to Pittsburgh, Pa., and learned that Sidney Rigdon had stolen it from the printing office where it was left to be printed. He had obtained another copy from which he read selections and then read the same from the "Book of Mormon," the historical part of which was the same as Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." At the close of his lecture he invited the audience to examine it. I took and read from it a little; it was plainly written on letter-sized paper and nearly two inches thick. 

    Soon after I was witness at a lawsuit in Painesville, and again heard Hurlbut lecture. At the close Squire Holbrook read to the audience from Spaulding's "Manuscript Found;" also C. C. Paine. General King said, "Give them hell." Mr Story, a mason by trade, told me he left the Mormons because prophet Joseph Smith said, the night of the falling meteors, 1833, there would be no more stars seen in the heaven[s]. The next night the atmosphere was unusually clear, and the stars were in their usual places and shone brighter than ever. I was well acquainted with the late Squire J. C. Dowen for fifty years. He was a large, powerful and fearless man. I have often conversed with him about Mormonism. He admitted to me that the Mormons were very friendly to him and he was lenient to them.  He said he was aware some of the Mormons in Kirtland practiced polygamy in violation of the law but he refused to issue warrants against them, as he did not wish any difficulty. The Disciples appointed a committee to prosecute Rigdon and expose his true character, so as to destroy his influence among the Disciples. Alvin Wait and others of the community told me Squire Dowen would not notice their complaints. Mr. Deming read to me J. C. Dowen's statement about the Mormons in Kirtland. I have many times heard him narrate the same with more details.
        [Signed]     CHARLES GROVER.

      Witnessed by:
          DELL GROVER.
    Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 5th day of March, A. D. 1885.
                      A. P. BARBER.
    Justice of the Peace in and for Lake County,Willoughby Township, in Ohio.
    Mr. Grover has been a radical Democrat all his life. He died a few months after I took his statement. 



    JACOB  SHERMAN'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I removed from Oneida County, N.Y., to Kirtland, O., and bought a farm near Squire Dowen, my brother-in-law, in 1833. Myself and wife attended Hurlbut's lecture on Mormonism at the Presbyterian Church at the Center. He said he had been to New York and obtained a copy of the fiction written by Solomon Spaulding called "Manuscript Found." He read from it and the same from the "Book of Mormon," the historical part of which he said was taken from Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." Martin Harris got up and contradicted something Hurlbut said. Another man arose and said he knew Hurlbut was right.  The Mormon leaders told their followers they would rather they would steal than beg from the Gentiles. I suffered from their thefts. Mrs. Steadman told me that the Mormon preachers told her in New York that if she would come to Kirtland, she would see her dead children. She came and was greatly disappointed in not seeing them. She said the church where she came from had more religion than the whole Mormon church. Zebina Smith exchanged his farm in Monson, Geauga County, O., for building lots in Nauvoo, Ill. He failed to obtain them, then his wife died and he returned to Monson and worked as a day laborer. His neighbor, Mr. Young, who made the same exchange and could not obtain the lots he had bargained for in Nauvoo, returned and demanded his farm The man said it had passed out of his hands. Young threatened to kill him and his farm was deeded back. Mr. Wetherbee,

     


    [ pg. 3 col. 6: Sherman continued ]


    one of my Mormon neighbors, told me they used over a barrel of liquor at communion when the Temple was endowed, or dedicated. Mr. Deming read to me J. C. Dowen's statement. I have heard him many times speak substantially the same statements in conversation.
        [Signed]     JACOB SHERMAN.

      Witnessed by:
          C. D. CLARK.
    Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 24th day of February, 1885.
                A. P. BARBER.
    Justice of the Peace in and for Willoughby Township, County of Lake, Ohio. 



    HENRY  CARROLL'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in Concord, three miles from Kirtland Flats, June 8, 1814. I attended the Mormon meeting held at Isaac Morley's June 4, 1832, where they claimed they would heal the sick and raise the dead. Some claimed 5,000 people were present. Between three and four P. M. prophet Jo came into the yard and said to the crows there would be no miracle performed that day because the people were so disorderly.

    My grandfather brought from Pennsylvania Black Pete, whose parents were slaves. He was so ugly he could do nothing with him and gave him to my uncle, who succeeded no better. Pete joined the Mormons and wanted to marry a white woman. Jo Smith said he could get no revelation for him to. Pete claimed he did. He made a lantern with a gourd and a man's face on it, tied it to the tail of a kite and flew it in the night from the bluff of the river called the Hog's Back, near where the Mormons were baptizing. Many were much frightened and some of the Mormon women fainted. Pete was made much of by them. It was claimed all things were common, even to free love, among the Mormons at Kirtland. There was much pilfering done by Mormons in our neighborhood.
        [Signed]     HENRY CARROL.

      Witnessed by:
          A. D. CARROLL.
          B. N. SHAW.
    Fowler's Mills, March 18, 1885. 



    MRS.  S. W.  HANSON'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I resided in Kirtland all the time the Mormons were there. They claimed to receive revelations from Heaven on my husband's farm, which with other farms adjoining, they bargained for and built upon them a large number of small wooden residences. When they went to Missouri, my husband regained possession of his farm, with the buildings they had erected, including the one that Brigham Young had occupied, they not completing the payments according to contract.

    My father, Rev. E. A. Ward, a Methodist Minister, attended the funeral of Elder Warner Goodell, pastor of the Baptist Church in Mentor, in August, 1826. Sidney Rigdon preached the sermon. Father said he was greatly surprised at many strange and mysterious expressions in the sermon, conveying ideas wholly unwarrented by the Bible. Rigdon resided in Pittsburgh three years, and claimed he spent the time studying the Bible. Soon after he left Pittsburgh he preached doctrines that afterwards appeared in the "Book of Mormon."

    The Mentor Baptist Church, composed of well-to-do farmers and some of the Kirtland Baptists, invited Rigdon to become their pastor. He accepted, removing from Bainbridge, Ohio. The Mormons announced that on a certain day, at the house of my husband's uncle, Isaac Morley, they would raise the dead. Joseph, the prophet, made protracted efforts to restore to consciousness a child to whom they had administered a soporific, but the scheme failed because they had given an overdose, and the child died.

    One day I found Jo Smith driving some of my chickens from my yard into his. He claimed he had received authority from Heaven to appropriate to himself or the church any property he needed. Not believing in his divine right, I suddenly stopped the proceeding. Mr. Hanson, my husband, was Justice of the Peace and Postmaster at Kirtland Flats. Persistent application was made to the Government for the appointment of a Mormon as Postmaster. They failed in this, and he was waylaid and shot at twice when returning home at night.
        [Signed]     MRS. S. W. HANSON.

      Witnessed by:
          A. C. WILLIAMS.
    Columbus, O., Feb. 23, 1885.


    VALUABLE  INFORMATION.
    ________

    All persons who are interested in reading this paper, will certainly want No. 1, which can be obtained through any news dealer for 5 cents. Terms, 50 cents per year in advance.


     


    [ pg. 3 col. 7 ]


    JAMES  THOMPSON'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    I was born in Whitesborough, Oneida County, New York, Nov. 14, 1804, and settled in Willoughby, Ohio, in June, 1834. I married John Gould's daughter Harriet. Her father had been thirty years a Free-will Baptist minister in New York, and knew Jo Smith there. He became a Mormon and moved to Kirtland in the spring of 1832. I have often heard my wife and her parents tell about Joseph, the prophet, attempting to restore to consciousness their child which they claimed had been drugged. The child was buried. Jo Smith advocated having spiritual wives. One night he got into a second story window, with a ladder, of a house south of the Temple. He was not well received, and it caused much talk about the town. Jo claimed he had the right to, by revelation. Father Gould told me Mr. Parish said Jo Smith bought a farm in Mentor and agreed to pay $1,000 the next day. Mr. Parish went up stairs and obtained the Mormon money, returned and handed it to Jo to put in a package for his brother Hyrum to take to Mentor in the morning. Hyrum returned and demanded $100 saying Parish gave him but $900. Parish insisted he gave Jo $1,000. Jo had some trouble with his brother Bill who was present when Parish paid Jo the $1,000. Bill said he saw Jo put $100 in his pocket. Jo's hired man said when Jo came home the night before, he told his wife he had $100 more than he thought he had. Parish made so much fuss about it Jo owned up that he took it. Jo would bargain for farms and offer more than people asked for them. He employed Amasa Bonney to buy horses with Mormon money. I saw an old farmer when he came to Kirtland with seven fine horses for Bonney, who placed them in Johnson's tavern stable. He went to the bank and obtained his pay in Mormon money. He soon learned that it was worthless and returned and demanded the horses, but was refused. He cried. Father Gould said Bonney ought to go to the penitentiary. The horses were sent East and sold for good money. Oliver and Julius Granger would do anything for money, Julius would meet immigrants coming to Kirtland and induce them to change their good money for Mormon. 

    I worked for Grandison Newell considerable. He used to drive about the country and buy up all the Mormon money possible, and the next morning go to the bank and obtain the specie. When they stopped payment he prosecuted them and closed the bank. After the fire I heard Jacob Bump say they had boxes of lead with a little specie on the top. He said Jo Smith told him to dig under the west corner of the bank and they would claim it was robbed. He said he refused. About fifty persons were present from Willoughby the morning after the fire.

    The week before Jo left for Missouri meetings were held in the temple about every day. I attended several. I heard John F. Boynton say that the prophet Jo had secretly instructed him and others who were to go out as missionaries, that if the world's people molested them to knock them over and throw them over a log. He said he could not endure such instructions. Jo ordered him ejected, which was done. Mr. Parish said substantially the same and others did who were also put out. One Sunday night I saw Jo, Hyrum and their father with Rigdon in the west pulpit. Father Gould stood ten feet from them and denounced Mormonism for three-fouths of an hour. None were ejected that night, Jo and Rigdon left on horseback by a back road the same night. Mr. Gould told me Monday about a dozen men who had renounced Mormonism watched for Jo and Rigdon in the bushes with guns to shoot them, but they did not pass that way. Mr. Gould said the Mormons would obey any order Jo Smith gave. There was any amount of stealing done by the Mormons from Gentiles about the country. They claimed it was right.
        [Signed]     JAMES THOMPSON.

      Witnessed by:
          H. M. MCFARLAND, Jr.
    Sworn and subscribed before me this 7th day of February, 1885.
               D. CLINTON HILL, 
    Justice of the Peace in and for Painesville, Lake County, Ohio.


    WANTED. -- The following publications: --

          Evening and Morning Star, published at Independence, Mo., in 1832-33.
          Book of "The Doctrine and Covenants," Kirtland, 1835.
          "Howe's Book on Mormonism,"
          "Book of Mormon," Palmyra Edition 1830.
          "Bennett's Book on Mormonism,"
          The first volume of the "Saints' Herald,"
          Kirtland money if in good condition.


     


    [ pg. 4 col. 1 ]

    p. 4. V. I. N. 2.]                 HIGHLY  IMPORTANT  FACTS  ABOUT  MORMONISM.                 [Apr. 1888.


     

    WARREN  PARISH'S  STATEMENT
    ________

              KIRTLAND, Feb. 5, 1838. To the editor of the [Painesville Republican] Sir: I have taken the liberty to send you a synopsis of the leading features of the characters of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon, who were styled leaders of the Mormon Church, and if if you are disposed and think it would be of service to the public, you are at liberty to publish it. I have for several years past been a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, commonly called Mormon, belonging to the Quorum of Seventy High Priests, and an intimate acquaintance of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon, the modern prophets, and have had an opportunity of ascertaining, to as great an extent, perhaps, the real character of these men as any other individual. I have been Smith's private secretary, called to fill this high and responsible station by revelation, which I wrote myself as it dropped from the lips of the prophet, and although contrary to my natural inclinations, I submitted to [it] fearing to disobey or [treat] lightly the commands of the [Almighty]. I have kept his journals and, like [Baruch], the ancient scribe, have had the honor of writing the history of one of the prophets. I have attended him in the private councils, in the secret chambers, and in public exhibition.   I have performed a pilgrimage with him, not to Mecca, but to Missouri, a distance of 1,000 miles, for the redemption of Zion, in company with about 100 others, called the Camp of Israel. When we arrived in Clay County, adjoining Jackson Jackson County, Mo., in which Zion was located by revelation, and from which our brethren had been driven, we were informed through the prophet that God had revealed to us that we need not cross over and fight as we had expected, but that God had accepted our sacrifice as he did that of Abraham, ours being equal to his when he offered up his son; therefore we were sealed up unto eternal life in the name of Jesus Christ as a reward for our suffering and obedience. I have sat my his side and penned down the translation of the Egyptian hieroglyphics, as he claimed to receive it by direct inspiration from Heaven. I have listened to him with feelings of kindness, when he declared that the audible voice of God instructed him to establish a Banking Anti-banking institution, which like Aaron's rod, should swallow up all other banks (the bank of Monroe, Michigan, excepted), and grow and flourish and spread from the rivers to the ends of the earth, and survive when all others should be laid in ruins.   I have been astonished to hear him declare that we had $60,000 in specie in our vaults, and $600,000 at our command, when we had not to exceed [$1,000] and could not command any more; also that we had but about $10,000 of our bills in circulation, when he as the cashier of the institution, knew that there was at least $150,000. Knowing their extreme poverty when they commenced this speculation, I have been not a little surprised to hear them assert that they were worth from $100,000 to $400,000 in cash, and in less than ninety days after become insolvent without any change in their business affairs. But such has been the audacity of these boasting blasphemers, that they have assumed the authority to curse or to bless, to damn or to save not only this church but this entire generation, and that they hold their destinies in this world and that which is to come. And such has been their influence over this church in this place, that they have [filched] the moneys from their pockets and obtained their earthly substance for the purpose of establishing a bank, and various wild speculations, in order that they might aggrandize themselves and families, until they have reduced their followers to wretchedness and want.   For the year past their lives have been one continued scene of lying, deception and fraud, and that to, in the name of God. But this I can account for in my own mind. Having a knowledge of their private characters and sentiments, I believe them to be confirmed infidels who have not the fear of God before their eyes, notwithstanding their high pretensions to holiness, and frequent correspondence with the angels of Heaven, and the revelations of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost. What avails the claims of such men to holiness of heart, when their examples do violence to the system of morality, to say nothing about religion.   What more favorable ideas can one entertain whose has heard them say, "Man has no more agency than a wheel-barrow, and consequently is not accountable, and in the final end of all things, no such principle will exist as sin." This language, independent of many abominations that might be named, such as the prophet's fighting four pitched battles at fisticuf, within four years, one with his own natural brother, one with his brother-in-law, one with Ezra Thair, and one with the Baptist priest, speaks volumes. Their management in this place has reduced society to a complete wreck. The recent outrage committed here, viz. the burning of the printing establishment, I have no doubt was nothing more nor less than carrying into effect Smith's and Rigdon's last revelation that they had before they took their leave of this place between two days.In fact the lying, fighting, stealing, running away, etc., that have been carried on among us are only reducing their theory to practice, and in some instances they have not only taught the theory, but have set the example themselves.

    And I am fully convinced that their precepts and examples, both in public and in private, are calculated to corrupt the morals of their votaries and cast a shade over their characters, which, like the twilight of evening will soon settle

     


    [ pg. 4 col. 2: Parrish continued ]


    into the gloom of midnight darkness, and had it not been arrested in its mad career, would have transmitted into succeeding generations a system of hereditary tyranny and spiritual despotism unparalleled in the annals of the Christian Church, the Church of Rome excepted. But they have fled in a night; "they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; the wicked fleeth when no man pursuth." The printing establishment, book bindery, etc., was formerly the property of Smith and Rigdon; it had been sold the day previous to its being set on fire, by virtue of two executions obtained against them of $1,000 each, for issuing banking paper contrary to law.   The establishment had fallen into the hands of those who have late remonstrated against the wickedness of the above-named individuals; and had it not been sacrificed upon the altar of reckless fanaticism, it would no doubt at this time have been speaking the truth, as an atonement for an ill-spent life. A well grounded conviction of this fact was evidently one reason why Smith and Rigdon obtained a revelation to abscond, and that the press must not at all hazards be suffered to be put in requisition against them; also that God would destroy this place by fire; for its wickedness against its prophets, and that his servants are swift messengers of destruction, by whose hands he avenges himself upon his enemies. This accounts for the outrage.   This is but a preface to the catalogue of their iniquities that might be enumerated. But the most astonishing thing after all is, that men of common sense and common abilities should be so completely blinded to dispense entirely with the evidence of their senses and tamely submit to be led by such men, and to continue such glaring inconsistencies; and at the same time to be made to believe that they have God for their author, and the happiness and well-being of mankind for their end and aim. But the magic charm is broken at last; superstition and bigotry have begun to lose their influence and unclench their iron grasp from this devoted people who have "been led like lambs to the slaughter, and as a sheep is dumb before her shearers," so have we not dared to open our mouths. However, justice seems to be in pursuit of the workers of iniquity and sooner or later will overtake them: they will reap a just and sure retribution for their folly. This then is the conclusion of the whole matter: They lie by revelation, swindle by revelation, cheat and defraud by revelation, run away by revelation, and, if they do not mend their ways, I fear that they will at last be damned by revelation.
        [Signed]     W. F. PARISH.

    This is to certify that we are personally acquainted with said Parish, Smith and Rigdon, and that the above is a statement of facts according to our best recollection.
        LUKE JOHNSON.
        JOHN F. BOYNTON.
            (Two of the 12 Apostles),
        SYLVESTER SMITH.
        LEONARD RICH.
            (Formerly presidents of the Seventies).  


    PARLEY  P.  PRATT'S  LETTER.
    ________

                 KIRTLAND, May 23, 1837.
    The following letter is an exact copy of the original, which is in the possession of the Lake County Historical Society at Painesville, Ohio. P. P. Pratt was a brother of Orson, and was killed in the Indian Territory in 1857 by a man whose wife he had seduced.

    PRES'T. J. SMITH JR. Dear Brother as it is difficult to obtain a personal interview with you at all times By reason of the multitude of Business in which you are engaged you will Excuse my saying in writing what I would otherwise say By word of mouth. Haveing Long Pondered the Path in which we as a people have been led in regard to our temporal management, I have at Length Become fully convinced that the whole scene of Speculation in which we have been Engaged is of the Devil; I allude to the covetous Extortionary Speculating Spirit which has reigned in this place for the Last vseason, which has given rise to Lying deceiving and takeing the advantage of ones Nabour and In Short to Every Eavle work: 

    And Being as fully convinced that you and President Rigdon; Both by presept and Example have Been the principle means In Leading this people astray in these particulars and haveing myself Been Led astray and Caught in the same snare By your Example and By false Prophesying and preaching from your mouths; yes haveing done many things Rong and plunged myself and family and others well nigh in to distruction, I have awoke to an awful sense of my situation and now resolve to retrace my steps, and to get out of the mare and make restitution, as far as I can. And now Dear Brother If you are still determined to pursue this wicked course untill yourself and the Church shall sink down to hell; I Beseach you at least to have mercy on me and my family and others who are Bound with me for those certain 3 lots which you sold to me at the Extortionary price of $2,000 which never cost you $1.00; for if It stands against me it will [ruin] Myself and a helpless family as well as those Bound with me for yesterday Pres't Rigdon came to me and Informed me that you had drawn the money from the Bank on the obligation you held against me and

     


    [ pg. 4 col. 3: Pratt continued ]


    that you had Left it to the mercy of the Bank and could not help what ever course they might take to collect it: notwithstanding the most sacred promise on your part that I should not be incured By giving these writings. I offered him the 3 lots for the writings but he wanted my house and home also; now deare Brother will take those lots and give me up the writings and pay me the seventy five dollars which I paid you on the same  or will you take the advantage of your Nabour because he is in your Power  if you will receive this admonition from one who Loves your Soul and repent of your Extortion and covetousness in this thing, and make restitution you have my fellowship and Esteem as far as it respects our dealings Between ourselves' But if not I Shall be under the painful necessity of prefering charges against you for Extortion, covetousness and takeing advantage of your Brother By an undue religious influence for it is this kind of influence which Led us to make such kind of trades, in this society, such as saying it was the will of God that Lands Should Bear such a price and many other Prophesyings Preachings and Statements of a like nature.
            Yours with respect,
                P. P. PRATT.

    P. S. Do not suppose for a moment that I Lack any Confidence in the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants  Nay It is my firm belief in those Records that hinders my Belief In the course we have Been Led of Late. 



    OLIVER  COWDERY'S  RENUNCIATION  OF  MORMONISM.
    ________

             STATE OF OHIO, | s. s.
           County of Seneca, |
    Personally appeared before me the undersigned, a notary public within and for said county, G. J. Keen, a resident of said county, to me well known, and being sworn according to law, makes oath and says, "I was well acquainted with Oliver Cowdery who formerly resided in this city, that sometime in the year 1840 Henry Cronise, Samuel Waggoner and myself, with other Democrats of this county, determined to establish a Democratic newspaper in this city to aid in the election of Martin Van Buren to the presidency, and we authorized Henry Cronise, Esq., to go East and purchase a suitable press for that purpose. Mr. Cronise went East, purchased a press and engaged Oliver Cowdery to edit the same. Mr. Cowdery arrived in Tiffin some time before the press arrived. Some time after Mr. Cowdery's arrival in Tiffin, we became acquainted with his, Cowdery's, connection with Mormonism. We immediately called a meeting of our Democratic friends, and having the "Book of Mormon" with us, it was unanimously agreed that Mr. Cowdery could not he permitted to edit said paper. Mr. Cowdery opened a law office in Tiffin, and soon effected a partnership with Joel W. Wilson. 

    In a few years Mr. Cowdery expressed a desire to associate himself with a Methodist Protestant church of this city. Rev. John Souder and myself were appointed a committee to wait on Mr. Cowdery and confer with him respecting his connection with Mormonism and the "Book of Mormon." We accordingly waited on Mr. Cowdery at his residence in Tiffin, and there learned his connection, from him, with that order, and his full and final renunciation thereof. We then inquired of him if he had any objection to making a public recantation. He replied that he had objections; that, in the first place, it could do no good; that he had known several to do so and they always regretted it. And, in the second place, it would have a tendency to draw public attention, invite criticism, and bring him into contempt. But, said he, nevertheless, if the church require it, I will submit to it, but I authorize and desire you and the church to publish and make known my recantation.We did not demand it, but submitted his name to the church, and he was unanimously admitted a member thereof. At that time he arose and addressed the audience present, admitted his error and implored forgiveness, and said he was sorry and ashamed of his connection with Mormonism. He continued his membership while he resided at Tiffin, and became superintendent of the Sabbath-school, and led an exemplary life while he resided with us. I have lived in this city upwards of fifty-three years, was auditor of this county, was elected to that office in 1840. I am now in my eighty-third year, and well remember the facts above related.
        [Signed]     G. J. KEEN.

    Sworn to before me and subscribed in my presence, this 14th day of April, A. D. 1885.
                FRANK L. EMICH.
          Notary Public, Seneca Co., O.
    G. J. Keen, Esq., is one of our oldest citizens, is a respectible man and is very highly esteemed.
        [Signed]     O. T. LOCK.
                  Postmaster. 
    The church by neglecting to obtain Oliver Cowdrey's sworn statement proving the fraudulant origins of Mormonism, probably committed a sin of omision that they never can rectify nor overbalance. Oliver Cowdrey's Mormon record prevented his being a candidate for office in Ohio and he removed to Wisconsin and was defeated for the Legislature there. He became broken hearted and died of consumption at Richmond, Mo., March 3, 1850.



    We have received numerous letters and encouragement from various subscribers in Utah and elsewhere, some of whom send us the names of liberal Mormons and their post office address, requesting us to send them sample copies of our paper.


     


    [ pg. 4 col. 4 ]


    JOSEPH  SMITH'S  CONFESSION.
    ________

    John Taylor, late president of the Utah Mormon Church, who was in company with Joseph and Hyrum Smith in the front room upstairs, in the dwelling part of Carthage jail and was wounded when the Smiths were killed, told Brigham Young and other persons that Joseph looked out of the window and saw the approaching men, whose wives he had demanded should be sealed to him. The prophet said, "I am a dead man." The Mormon leaders know this is true. 



    "WHO  KILLED  THE  SMITHS?"
    ________

    BY ONE OF THE PARTY, WHOSE NAME IS WITHELD FOR PRUDENTIAL REASONS.
    ________

    I saw the Mormons drive away my cow, horse, and hogs, also my neighbor's stock, when living in Illinois. They claimed there were the Lord's people and had the best right to it. I was a member of the Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois, Regiment, who were called out before Jo Smith surrendered to Governor Ford. Before the Governor ordered us to disband, there had been much talk about our going to Carthage and disposing of the Smiths. All believed justice could not be obtained bt process of law. Captain John Head, who had been a Texas ranger, was the first who proposed going to Carthage; then several persons addressed the men, urging them on. About 150 started for Carthage, the county seat of Hancock County, under the leadership of Captain Head. Before we began our journey, while in camp near Warsaw, we all took an oath not to divulge the names of those engaged in the affair and to always stand together. More anti-Mormons joined us on the way and the oath was again taken. Higby, Foster and the Laws were of the party. We arrived at Carthage jail late in the afternoon, June 27, 1844. The guard of eight or ten men feigned a resistence and withdrew 100 or more yards from the jail, towards the Court House. We had been informed that they would not oppose us. Sledges were obtained from a blacksmith shop near by (Colonwl Freeman's), and the front door was battered down; some of the party rushed upstairs. I heard some firing upstairs. I was about fifty or sixty fwwt from the well, which was a few feet east of the jail. I saw Jo Smith jump from the window.   He was shot before and after he jumped, while in the air. I suppose more than fifty shots were fired at him. I saw the bullet holes; some went through him. I saw a young man stab him with a butcher knife and say, "You was the cause of my father's death!" Some of the party said it was Governor Boggs' son of Missouri, whom Porter Rockwell shot on orders from Jo Smith. All was done within ten minutes from the time they commenced at the door. We advised Captain Head and other leaders of the party to disguise themselves. They hurridly left Carthage by the Warsaw road. Before we left Warsaw for Carthage, we had been informed the guard would offer only a slight resistence. We accomplished what we went for, for our country's good. 

    I came to California from Iowa in 1847. Captain Head commanded our company of 110 men and 60 wagons. We intended to remain in Salt Lake City one week and rest our teams. We arrived friday. I met two families who were my neighbors in Illinois, and who knew I had fought the Mormons in Nauvoo. I made several exchanges with them Saturday. Sunday we heard A. W. Babbit preach in the Tabernacle and he closed his sermon by saying that he thought it would be mutually beneficial for the Mormons to exchange vegetables for dry goods and groceries, and said we would be well treated except those who had been concerned in the killing of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. They would not be hurt. They would be killed so quick it would not hurt them. Captain Head and the narrator, who commanded the company, ordered the cattle brought in Sunday evening, and we started at 9 o'clock in the evening and went 150 miles, where we rested one week, and finally got through all right. I know of several men who were killed by Mormons while on their way to California, in 1849, because they were supposed of being concerned in the killing of the Smiths. Also I knew two who were killed by Mormons in California. I heard two men say, who were present at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, that Jo Smith said the Holy Ghost would come down in the form of a dove, when he called him. Jo called many times. Then a voice from upstairs said the rat had eaten the Holy Ghost. The men said they had seen the dove come when called for by Jo Smith a number of times before, but did not know how it was accomplished. The men had

     


    [ pg. 4 col. 5: One of the Party continued ]


    been Mormons. (I have heard the same story from several other parties who believed it -- so do I.) Jo Smith claimed he could do anything Jesus Christ did. He refused to walk on water in the day-time because Jesus walked in the night. 



    A. L.  TINKER'S  STATEMENT.
    ________

    A. B. DEMING: -- Dear Sir: I was for many years in his lifetime well and intimately acquainted with the late Judge Benjamin Bissel while he was a resident of this city. For seven years he was the presiding Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of this Circuit, which embraced four counties including the county of Cuyahoga, in which the city of Cleveland is situated. He was with singular unanimity esteemed and regarded by the bar of his circuit as an able, impartial and upright judge. A few years after he left the bench he entered into a partnership agreement with me whereby we became partners in the practice of law. Our partnership was formed early in the year 1851 and continued till 1863, and on many occasions within that period of time, I heard him speak of his personal acquaintance with and professional relations to Jo Smith and his proselytes while they were living at Kirtland in this county, the county of Lake.   Before Bissel was elected judge he was the regular retained advisor and lawyer of Jo Smith and his followers in this section of the State, their headquarters then being at Kirtland, where the Mormon Temple now stands. Have often heard Judge Bissel canvas the merits -- or rather the demerits -- of Jo Smith as a man and the pretended founder of a new religion. He, Bissel, told me that he had at different times, as a lawyer, defended Jo Smith and his accomplices, charged and indicted for various crimes and felonies, and had saved them by reason of a defective and loosely drawn indictment, and that when he rendered his bill for these services Jo Smith and those indicted with him objected on the ground that the charges were excessive. When Judge Bissel reminded him that it was an ungracious thing for him to do, as he had so many times saved him and his associates from the penitentiary, and had stopped all legal inquiry into the merits of the offenses charged on technical grounds merely, his bill was paid. Judge Bissel also stated to me that had these men been tried for their crimes upon indictments well drawn nothing could have prevented conviction and consequent punishment. 

    Have heard Judge Bissel relate to others, and often he has related to me, that the Mormons at Kirtland had conceived a murderous grudge against a prominent citizen then living here, who, as they supposed, had been instrumental in setting on foot criminal prosecutions against them, and therefore inspired, Jo had, as he said, a direct revelation from God to the effect that his deluded followers must, as soon as possible, put this citizen, this hated Gentile, to death. They lay in wait for him with loaded rifles but his life was saved by a sheer mistake of theirs as to his identity. This last fact has also been stated to me by him whom they thus sought to kill and who died but a few years ago. The truth of it is substantially confessed and has never to my knowledge been seriously questioned in this vicinity where the occurence took place.   Some forty years ago I was acquainted with many of the professed disciples of Jo Smith and members of the Mormon Church in this section. As a rule they were a pitiful set of vulgar fanatics of the dullest, ugliest and densest ignorance, while others were the [chaff] of felony and vagabondage, and their religion, in the judgement of candid and intelligent men, a depraved, wicked and outrageous superstition. Jo Smith, the pretended founder of their religion, was a low, filthy, cogging knave, a transparent impostor and sham, very ignorant, and yet, withal gifted, or rather cursed, with a modicum of low cunning. How any rational creature could be deceived into the belief that he was divinely inspired and a prophet will, to the people here who saw and witnessed his many crimes, ever remain an unsolved wonder in this wonderfully credulous age.
        [Signed]     A. L. TINKER.
          Painesville, Ohio, Dec. 5, 1884.
    Mr. Tinker studied law with Joshua R. Giddings and he is one of the ablest lawyers and most highly esteemed citizens in this section of Ohio, and is a brother-in-law of the late Governor Ford of Ohio. 



    "THE  CHRISTIAN  REFLECTOR."
    ________

    In 1845, in an article on Joseph Smith, says: --
    "The acts of his life exhibit a character as incongrous as it is remarkable. If we can credit his own words and the testimony of eye-witnesses, he was at the same time the vicegerent of God, and a tavern keeper; a prophet of Jehovah and a base libertine; a minister

     


    [ pg. 4 col. 6: Reflector continued ]


    of the religion of peace, a lieutenant general; a ruler of tens of thousands and a slave of his own base passions; a preacher of righteousness and a profane swearer; a worshipper of the God of Israel and a devotee of Bacchus; mayor of a city and a miserable bar room fiddler; a judge upon the judicial bench and an invader of the civil, social and moral relations of men; and, notwithstanding these inconsistencies of character, there are not wanting thousands who are willing to stake their soul's eternal salvation upon his veracity. 



    APPRECIATION  AND  SUBSTANTIATION.
    ________

      PAINESVILLE, Lake Co., Ohio, |
              Jan. 25, 1838 |
    A. B. DEMING --Dear Sir: O have just received two of your papers by mail, and have perused the statements all through and can vouch for the truth of most of the persons who made the statements. Especially do I know Rev. S. F. Whitney's to be a correct account of the doings and actions of Jo Smith and Rigdon. I bought my store in Kirtland from him. I would advise you to keep Mr. Whitney's statement in print. As he was so well known far and near it will have great weight. When a boy I used to go from Mentor to Kirtland evenings to see the doings of the Mormons at their meetings, and was there disgusted at seeing their foolish actions. The father of the prophet Jo Smith was called the patriarch. -- He used to consecrate a barrel of whiskey; and then say, "Drink of it and no harm will be yours." Prophet Jo Smith used to get drunk and swear. I should think your numerous statements ought to convince all Christendom of the false doctrine of Jo and Brigham. I have a sister-in-law living in Oakland, Mrs. M. Wilson. She is a physician. Last August I received a paper from you containing a notice of my brother-in-law's death, W. H. Parks, of Marysville, Cal.
        [Signed]     I. SHERMAN.
    Mr. Sherman is a descendant of Roger Sherman, of Conn., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence; is a cousin of Gen. W. T. Sherman. He was weigher in the Custom House, San Francisco, from 1870-73. His daughter married Hon. Gen. F. Seward, formerly minister to China. 



    PERJURY,  ARSON,  MURDER.
    ________

    Postmaster Eddy of Willoughby, Ohio, nineteen miles east of Cleveland and two and a half miles from Kirtland kindly kept some of my statements in his safe in the post office: also a large amount of manuscript on Heredity and numerous letters in a box in the rear part of the office. A light was kept burning all night, and stealing them was dangerous. A fire was discovered in two places about ten feet apart in the adjoining building, and within two feet of the safe, and both places in the wood p[ar]tition between the post office and adjoining building.  I have no doubt whatever that the fire was made to destroy my Mormon evidence. Six or more stores and several dwellings were burned about 10:30 P. M. I believe the Anarchists and Mormons are controlled by the same spirit, and some of the leaders will commit perjury, arson and murder to defend Mormonism today as they did at Nauvoo and Utah. 



    I N C O N S I S T E N C Y.
    ______

    The Mormons both Affirm and Deny that Joseph Smith Walked on the Water.
    ______

    Editorial -- Who Shall be Our Next President Advertising the Claims of Prophet Joseph Smith. (From Times and Seasons, February 15, 1844.) One great reason that we have for pursuing our present course is, that at every election we have been made a political target for the filthy demagogues in the country to shoot their loathsome arrows at; and every story has been put into requisition to blast our fame from the old fabrication of "WALK ON THE WATER" down to "the murder of ex-Governor Boggs." Whatever, therefore, be the opinions of other men, our course is marked out, and our motto henceforth will be -- General Joseph Smith." 


    STATEMENTS  OF  JOSEPH  HARVEY  AND  SAMUEL  ROGERS.

    We, the undersigned, Joseph Harvey and Samuel Rogers, attended a Mormon meeting in what was District No. 5, and heard the preacher say in his sermon that prophet Joseph Smith does perform miracles. He saw him walk on the water in Kirtland, and many others heard read, distinctly, in the air, a chapter from Isaiah. Mr. [Huntoon], who lived near the school house, said it was not done; that no man could walk on water. The preacher said: "I claim to be a man of truth; I saw him walk on the water with my own eyes before many people."
        [Signed]     JOSEPH HARVEY,
                           SAMUEL ROGERS.

    Witnessed by:
        A. B. DEMING.
    Sworn to and subscribed before me, the undersigned, by Samuel Rogers and Joseph Harvey, this 6th day of May, A. D. 1885.
                 D. CLINTON HILL,
    Justice of the Peace for Painesville, Lake County, Ohio. 


    The Mormons have appealed to the agent for the suppression of vice to prevent the circulation of NAKED TRUTHS ABOUT MORMONISM. We have omitted several valuable statements, proving Jo Smith's polygamy in Kirtland. They may appear later.


     


    [ pg. 4 col. 7 ]


    BRIGHAM  YOUNG

    Advises the Mormons to Give up
    POLYGAMY.
    _______

    Brigham Young said to the School of the Prophets soon after the decision in the Reynolds case that it was the will of God that we give up polygamy. The congregation unanimously arose and said No! that it was their religion. Brigham said, "I wash my hands of it and you will have to fight with the Government." Some said Brigham was in his dotage. 



    I was well introduced in Utah to several persons who have been prominent in Mormon affairs and upon my assuring them I would not divulge their names, they gave me much valuable information, which, I think, has not heretofore been published, portion of which follows this article. My informers are more opposed to polygamy than are the Josephites. 



    THOUSANDS  MURDERED.
    ________

    There have been murdered by white Indians (i. e. Mormons), thousands of people who tried to emigrate from Utah, being dissatisfied with Mormonism. They were murdered by church orders. My informants would not limit the number to hundreds. They also say many emigrants were murdered on their way to and from California. Their goods were placed in the Tithing House, and their teams driven back into the Territory. Large companies were not molested, but two or three team parties were the victims. This will account for many who left the States for California, who were never heard from, and are supposed to have been killed by Indians. One of the gate keepers divulged much. He is now dead, In a religious system that has caused so much human suffering, and committed so many crimes, worthy of self-government even a Territorial form? A party told me Utah had been bathed in blood and women's tears. A woman's virtue or a man's life is of no account to the Mormon leaders. 



    ADULTEROUS  MORMONS.
    ________

    At a meeting held in Social Hall in Salt Lake City, in the fall of 1856, about 500 elders, bishops, high counselors, apostles and other Mormon leaders being present, many of whom had been missionaries, Brigham Young commanded all who had commited adultry since they joined the church to stand up. One of my informants, who was present, said more than half the audience arose; another told me fully three-fourths. Brigham thought they misunderstood him. After they were seated he repeated his demand and obtained the very same result. Polygamy creates instead of satisfies lust. 



    BRIGHAM  CLAIMS  EMMA.
    ________

    After Joseph Smith's death, Brigham Young told his widow, Emma, that she had destroyed her husband. The Mormons knew that she caused the prophet Joseph's death. Brigham told her she had got to be sealed to him, and they were going to emigrate. He told her she would not put on any airs with him. He said, "If you don't mind me I will have you cut in inch pieces and make fish bait of you."

    Emma Smith wrote to Governor Ford of Illinois and he wrote to her not to be annoyed by him. The Governor wrote to Brigham Young that he did not think it possible that they were practicing polygamy, but that if he heard any more about it he would have it investigated. Immediately after receiving Governor Ford's letter Brigham began preparations to move from Nauvoo. 



    MRS. MATILDA STOUT'S STATEMENT.
    ________

    My parents became Mormons in Richland County, Ohio, soon after the meteors fell in 1833. They said I would be damned unless I was baptized. Many others were at the same time. We moved to Caldwell County, Missouri, and were driven out. Father helped bury thirteen Mormons in a well which was dry. They had been shot in a blacksmith's shop at Hauhns Mill by the mob. We lived near Carthage, Illinois, until the prophet was killed, and then we moved to Nauvoo, where we stayed till April, 1846, and went with Brigham Young's company to Utah. I heard polygamy much talked about and advocated by some privately. The first public announcement I heard was made by William Smith, the prophet's brother, in a service he preached in a grove near the Temple in Nauvoo. Many of the audience became angry and left before he had finished his sermon because he advocated polygamy. I heard him through. Bill's first wife died, it was said, of venereal dosease. He kept company much before her death with two women who, it was claimed, were sealed to him soon after her death. Every possible effort was made to force women into polygamy in Nauvoo. I resisted all their efforts.
        [Signed]     MRS. MATILDA STOUT.
    Witnessed by:
        E. P. C[LUFF].
        A. B. DEMING.
    San Bernardino, Cal., May 22, 1886.




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