MERCY  IN  ELDERS'  COURTS.

"Blessed are the mercifulm for they shall obtain mercy." -- Matt. 5:7. It has often been said that it is "human to err, but divine to forgive." This saying, although quite common, cantains a sentiment worthy of high commendation by all believers in christianity... This spirit and principle of forgiveness is one of the great gifts and values of the gospel ministry. When any person professing to be a Saint of God assumes the prerogative of shutting up the door of the kingdom of God against repentant sinners, or returning prodigals, they do poorly represent the character of Christ's mission to the world...[several paragraphs of sermon material follow]

Ever hoping to be found on the side of the right, and in defense of the principles of justice, mercy and truth.
                                                    WILLIAM B. SMITH.


Note: "Uncle William," it seems, had considerable first-hand experience, over the years, in the discomfiting role of a "returning prodigal."

In the Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer for April 24th, we find the following in respect to President Joseph Smith and his purpose to lecture in that city.

JOSEPH  THE  PROPHET.

It is not every day that the people of Cleveland have the opportunity of seeing and listening to a prophet and the son of a prophet. They will have that opportunity the present week, as Joseph Smith, the head and prophet of the Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints and the son of the founder of Mormonism, is to deliver three lectures in this city in the latter part of the week on the subject of Mormonism. The first of the three lectures will be given in music hall on Thursday evening, the subject being "The Faith Once Delivered to the Saints." In this he will give an exposition of the Mormon doctrine as it is held by the members of the Reorganized Church and as he claims it was originally held by the Mormons, the tenets so objectionable to the American people having been interpolated by the Brighamites. It is not unlikely that in the later lectures he will have something to say concerning those interpolations, such as the practice of polygamy and the horrible doctrine of blood atonement which is responsible for so many tragic crimes committed by the Utah Mormons.

It is but simple justice to the present Joseph Smith to say that he is an intelligent, earnest, conscientious man, evidently sincere in his peculiar belief, of unsullied purity in his life and free from al the taint or suspicion of mercenary motives in his connection with the church of which he is the head prophet and seer. He and his followers have no part in the immoral and disloyal teachings and practices of the Utah Mormons, each one of the two bodies of Mormons looking on the other as apostate. A searching analysis of Utah Mormonism at the hands of the head of the other branch of the Mormon church, would naturally be of greater interest and value than a violent denunciation of the polygamous branch by a Gentile, who could only study the institution from the outside, no matter how long he had lived among the people.


Note: The RLDS editors naturally copied out this laudatory article from the Apr. 24, 1887 issue of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. They were probably a bit more reticent to reprint the other article on Mormonism that appeared in that same issue: "The Book of Mormon: A Puritan Minister Partly Responsible for Its Production." See the July 30, 1887 issue of the Herald for a belated reprint of and response to the latter item.

THE  BOOK  OF  MORMON.
__________

A PURITAN MINISTER PARTLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR ITS PRODUCTION.
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How a Congregational Clergyman in New England Elaborated His Theories Regarding the Lost Tribes of Israel in a Book Which was Never Published and Eventually Found Its Way Into the Hands of Solomon Spaulding -- Rev. Ethan Smith's Semi-Historical Romance Identified With the Story as Told in the Book of Mormon.

_________

(Cleveland Plain-Dealer, April 24th.)

The recent conference of the Josephites or monogamous Mormons at Kirtland, Ohio, and the extended reports of their proceedings in the Plain Dealer has renewed public interest in the peculiar faith to which members of this church subscribe. The origin of the Book of Mormon has never been clearly established. The Latter Day Saints, of course, accept the statements of Joe Smith and believe it to be an inspired work. The general public, however, are hardly as credulous and regard the alleged Bible as a fraud -- the work of some clever romanticist rather than the translation of hieroglyphics on golden plates by a nineteenth century prophet. The Spaulding theory, with which everyone at all acquainted with the subject is familiar, has the most advocates. They hold that Spaulding's manuscript of his romance "The Manuscript Found," fell into the hands of Joe Smith, Sidney Rigdon and others and from that fanciful work was constructed the Book of Mormon.

If this theory be true it will astonish orthodox church people to learn that a Congregational divine, one of the foremost of his time in New England, is responsible for the introduction of the "twin relic of barbarism" -- as the Utah church has been called -- in this country. Rev. Ethan Smith, who died at an advanced age in the early "forties," was one of the lights of the Congregational church in New England. A man of deep learning, he was at once a preacher, author and philosopher, holding to many ideas far in advance of his time. One of his pet hobbies was the belief that the North American Indians were descended from the lost tribes of Israel, who came over to this continent several hundred years before Christ, built great cities and reached a very high state of civilization.

Rev. Dr. Smith wrote a work on this subject, which after completion, he decided not to publish, fearing that it might injure his reputation as a theological writer. This book was an elaboration of the theory Dr. Smith had so long maintained. Taking as its foundation the migration of the lost tribes of Israel to the western continent, it described the hegira from Palestine, the establishment of the Jews in what is now Central America and Mexico, the founding of a great empire and its gradual decline and fall. It told of magnificent cities inhabited by an enlightened and Christian people. The author claimed for them a civilization equal to that of Egypt or Jerusalem.

Hundreds of years passed and the history of the eastern Jews was repeated on the western continent. Quarrels between the various tribes sprang up, bloody wars were waged and the process of disintegration began. Gradually the people were scattered, their cities destroyed and all semblance to a nation was lost. Thousands perished by pestilence and the sword and the remnants of a once mighty nation relapsed into a state of barbarism. Their descendants, Dr. Smith claimed, were Indians of North America, and the Aztecs of Mexico. This is almost exactly similar to the story told in the Book of Mormon.

Solomon Spaulding was a warm admirer of Dr. Smith and when a young man studied under his tuition. He became interested in his theories regarding the settlement of America, and in return Dr. Smith took the young student into his confidence and granted him a perusal of his unpublished book. Spaulding was deeply impressed with the truth of this theory and pursued his investigations even farther than Dr. Smith had ventured. Taking the latter's views as expressed in his book Spaulding some years later wrote his famous "Manuscript Found," which afterward fell into the hands of Joe Smith and was reconstructed into the Book of Mormon. Indeed, it is not at all unlikely that Dr. Smith's original manuscript, which it is said Spaulding had in his possession, suffered a similar fate. At any rate it has never been seen since.

These facts are told to the Plain Dealer by a grandson of Dr. Smith, now residing in this city. He states that the Book of Mormon differs very slightly as far as its general outline is concerned, from the historical romance written by his grandfather sixty or seventy years ago, and he is quite certain that the Mormon faith is founded on the production of that worthy pastor's fertile imagination.

__________

SPAULDING-SMITH  STORY.

It is perhaps unnecessary to apologize for placing any further edition of the Spaulding Manuscript Story as the origin of the Book of Mormon before the readers of the Herald; but as that remarkable story has been endowed with so great tenacity of life, (or lives, for its name is legion), we deem it almost indispensable that the elders of the church should be in a possession of all -- the whole variety of stories, from the one told by Dr. Hurlbut at the beginning of attack on the book to the latest from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, that the objector to the Book of Mormon may select which of them he chooses to rest his objection upon, and thus leave the rest free to be used in rebuttal.

There seems to have been a Smith in the original tale at last, and he is now ingeniously found in the ranks of the Congregationalists. There is some show of fitness in this; for, as the "Andover heresy," that there is a probation after death for those who learn not the Lord's will while on earth, is making lodgment in that same Congregational fold, it would be hedging to some advantage to discover that Joseph Smith, or Sidney Rigdon were indebted to the Rev. Dr. Smith, a Congregationalist, for the tenet taught by them upon their projecting the Book of Mormon upon the world. It must be so, for Dr. Smith's grand-son told the Plain Dealer so; and he is "quite certain that the Mormon faith is founded upon the production of" his grandfather's "fertile imagination." It strikes us that the "fertile imagination" is "sixty or seventy years" this side of his grandfather's brain.

It seems to us that the following ought to be remembered by those who write upon the Spaulding Story theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon.

1. That the first knowledge the world has that Solomon Spaulding wrote any manuscript of the character alleged, a historical romance concerning the origin of the American Indians, is the statement of Dr. Philastus Hurlbut, at one time a member of the Church of the Latter Day Saints and disfellowshipped by it for gross immorality.

2. That no manuscript was produced as the one claimed to have been written by Mr. Spaulding, that a comparison of the Book of Mormon with it might be made.

3. That without attempting to show where the manuscript story from which it was alleged the Book of Mormon was plagiarized was at the time Mr. Hurlbut wrote his work; the statement of persons who said that they had heard some of Mr. Spaulding's stories read, are introduced alleging a remembrance or a similarity in names, &c., and this is done after a lapse of over twenty years after reading is said to have taken place.

4. That Sidney Rigdon was claimed to have been the originator of the fraud, Joseph Smith the tool used by him to make it a success.

5. That no connection, or collusion between those two is shown until after the Book of Mormon was printed.

6. That the statements of Mrs. Spaulding, afterwards Mrs. Davison, the wife and widow, and Mrs. McKinstry, the daughter of Solomon Spaulding show that the manuscript of the story, "Manuscript Found," was in the actual, or constructive possession of Mr. Spaulding, or his legal representatives from the time it was written until 1843; being at no time out of actual possession of the family more than two months; and then at Pittsburg, and then a supposition only.

7. That the manuscript was sent to Mr. Jerome Clark, Monson [sic], Massachusetts, for safe keeping, by Mrs. Davison, from her possession at the house of her brother, Mr. Sabine; Mrs. McKinstry stating positively, that the said manuscript was in the trunk in which it had always been kept and was sent to Mr. Clark in that identical trunk.

8. That Mr. Hurlbut went with Mr. Sabine, a relative of Mrs. Spaulding authorized with an order to Jerome Clark from Mrs. Davison to deliver the manuscript to Mr. Hurlbut; and that Mr. Clark did deliver to Mr. Hurlbut the only manuscript found in the trunk.

9. That Mr. Hurlbut turned this manuscript over to Mr. E. D. Howe, of Painesville, Ohio.

10. That Mr. Howe sold a printing office and material, including a miscellaneous lot of manuscript writings, articles, pamphlets, etc., to L. L. Rice, formerly of Ravenna, Ohio, afterwards of Honolulu, Hawaii.

11. That Mr. Rice found a manuscript among those bought of E. D. Howe, which was in the hand writing of Solomon Spaulding, and certified to by three man whose names -- Aaron W[r]ight, Oliver Johnson [sic], and John N, Miller -- figure in Howe;s "Expose of Mormonism," attached to affidavits affirming what they had heard read from a manuscript written by Solomon Spaulding; and this further certified to by the signature of D. P. Hurlbut, himself.

12. That the manuscript was given to President J. H. Fairchild, of Oberlin College, Ohio, by Mr. Rice in whose possession it was found in 1885, and was by him lodged in the archives of that college at Oberlin, where it now remains.

13, That a copy of it was procured by consent of President Fairchild, by Elder E. L. Kelley, of Kirtland, Ohio; and was published by the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, at Lamoni, Iowa, and is now on sale by them at their place of business in said town.

14. That D. P. Hurlbut, nor E. D. Howe, ever returned the manuscript obtained from Clark by Hurlbut to Mrs. Davison, or Mrs. McKinstry; though the return of it was frequently asked for of Dr. Hurlbut, even as late as 1844.

15. That no proof has ever been presented to show that the manuscript, or any manuscript written by Solomon Spaulding was ever in the hands of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, or any other Mormon, or Latter Day Saint, and that the statement that such manuscript was ever had in possession by the men named, or of any person in their behalf, rests solely upon conjecture, supposition, and presumption of those inimical to the Latter Day Saints.

16. That there is not one particle of evidence to prove that the Mormons, or any one in their behalf ever bought, or offered to buy of D. P. Hurlbut, E. D. Howe, or any other person, dead or living, the "Manuscript Found." "Manuscript Story." or any other manuscript story, or writing of Rev. Solomon Spaulding; at any time, or in any place, or for any sum whatever.

17. That there are good and valid reasons for believing that the "manuscript story," found by L. L. Rice, of Honolulu, Hawaii, among the papers and other properties purchased by him in 1839-40, of E. D. Howe, of Painesville, Ohio, is the identical "Manuscript Found," so long and so persistently claimed by pulpit and press as being the origin of the Book of Mormon, under the skillful management of Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, and that such manuscript was not and could not have been used by either of those men as such origin; Mr. Rice being correct when he states that he would as soon think the Book of Revelations to have been founded in the tale of Don Quixotte, as that the manuscript found by Mr. Rice should have been used as the foundation of the Book of Mormon.

Error may have many a rood the start of slow footed Truth; but the latter marches steadily, all times and seasons are hers and all lands her home; she will in due course overtake her nimble predecessor, and when she does she exposure is sure and complete. The truth of Mormonism has waited long for vindication against this Spaulding error; and it is within the pales of the law of compensation that such vindication should come in the regions whence the falsehood had birth, and from evidence found almost in the hands of the men who at first traduced such truth.


Note 1: The blatant shoddiness of the above response from one or more of the leaders in the RLDS Church is, simply stated, unconscionable. The editorial reviewer of the Plain Dealer article barely mentions that article's subject matter, let alone its salient points. Instead, he launches into what amounts to a string of largely unwarranted deductions, phrased in the terse language of a legal brief, and ends with pious platitudes of a decidedly saccharine flavor, all the while entirely avoiding the assertions of the article under review! The message here is: "The Church published "Manuscript Found," and it isn't the Book of Mormon." How easy it would have been for this nameless Reorganized Mormon hack-writer to have simply contacted Ethan S. Smith, the grandson of the Rev. Ethan Smith, who was then living just south of Cleveland and whom he might have quickly reached through the auspices of the same newspaper that printed the article. But, after the end of the first Braden-Kelley debate, the RLDS leadership steadfastly avoided contacting such people as Ethan S. Smith, Matilda McKinstry, and James A. Briggs, to ascertain the validity of any part of their various allegations in regard to the writings of Ethan Smith and their possible relationship to the Spalding authorship claims for the Book of Mormon.

Note 2: The false dawn of the "Ethan Smith theory" thus fades away among the forgotten pages of the Saints' Herald of 1887. See the Aug. 20th issue for its last gasp, until it was later resurrected by I. W. Riley, B. H. Roberts and Fawn M. Brodie during the course of the next century.

We have information from a reliable source that both Sidney Rigdon and his wife remained steadfastly in the faith, believing that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and obtained plates and translated the Book of Mormon, substantially as related in the history of the church. Our informant states that he visited Salt Lake City in 1863, had a number of conversations with Pres. B. Young and others, who seemed to desire to convert him to the polygamic dogma. That on returning east he took occasion to visit Elder Sidney Rigdon, and questioned him closely as to his knowledge of the Book of Mormon. His statement was, "I know nothing of its origin, only what Joseph Smith, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer stated in regard to it. I believe that the book was found as Joseph Smith stated. Joseph Smith was a prophet, and this world will find it out some day."

Our informant is reliable and knows whereof he writes. This is another nail in the coffin of that Spaulding Romance lie, about the Book of Mormon.


Note: The "informant" here was none other than the son of Sidney Rigdon, John W. Rigdon. See John's public statement on the same topic, as published in the RLDS Independent Patriot and reprinted on pp. 389-392 of Elder Rudolph Eztenhouser's 1894 book.

Correspondence.

COLDWATER, Mich., July __.     

Mr. Editors:-- Is it the duty of the elders of this church to reply to every blackguard that yelps against the Book of Mormon? It has been proved by good witnesses to be of divine origin time and again. This idea of replying to every bark or yelp of the dogs looks like the defendant in court who rakes all the saloons and doggeries to get witnesses to defend his case, when three good witnesses will do just as well.

If the Plain Dealer cares to know facts, and let his readers know those facts relating to the origin and coming forth of the Book of Mormon, why not cite him to the history of it as given by the translator and the church years ago. If that will do him no good, replying to the slang and lies of Puritan ministers will not. The longer such liars are noticed, the longer the people may be bothered with theories, romances, &c. It may be food for some, but I question its edifying the well read Latter Day Saint. If elders wish to have the public enlightened on the Book of Mormon, tell them to read their Bibles, as explained by Joseph Smith, the Martyr, and burn up the manuscripts of all from E. D. Howe, of Painesville, Ohio, down to Ethan Smith, of New England.

If our elders say anything by way of reply to these scamps, let them say; "Take our standard works and the facts which we have collected to give all that have truth." Let them come to us and not run after our foes to get at the facts pertaining to that book. Are we not as capable of finding the facts; and are we not as willing the world should have them as those hirelings who divine for money...

I would say in conclusion, if the Plain Dealer is what his name calls for, let him publish what Mr. Smith told the world about the first and last of finding the plates, translating, &c. Then will he and his readers be wiser on many things pertaining to this and the next life.

                  L. D. HICKEY.

Note: Thus does Mormon Elder Lorenzo Dow Hickey (a Strangite and would-be RLDS) banish the "Ethan Smith theory" from the RLDS ranks for almost two decades -- with name-calling, finger-pointing, and a holier-than-thou faux righteousness, totally unwilling to abide any instruction whatsoever from "the Gentiles." No matter that Solomon Spalding and Ethan Smith both attended Dartmouth at practically the same time; no matter that Ethan and Solomon were Congregationalist ministers in New England at the same time; no matter that Solomon's widow died in Ethan's home town of Belchertown, Massachusetts; no matter that Ethan Smith was the pastor to Oliver Cowdery's step-mother and his step-sisters; no matter that Oliver's great uncle Nathaniel Emmons performed Ethan Smith's marriage ceremony and endorsed Ethan Smith's books; no matter that Ethan Smith's View of the Hebrews matches with the Book of Mormon in a hundred different ways, or that it was published practically in Oliver's back-yard; no matter that a Solomon Spalding manuscript later turned up within walking distance of Ethan Smith's church in Poultney, Vermont; no matter anything at all.

"RIDICULOUS."

We have just read in The West Side, for September 30th, published at Independence, Polk county, Oregon, the "official paper" of that county, a long, flimsy and partly false dissertation on "Mormonism -- its history and religion." In it we find for the first time the statement that "William Smith, a brother of the prophet, accompanied him in his search" to obtain the plates, and that William said he "found them so heavy that he was unable to raise them," etc.; also that he "states that the prophet had a hard struggle with the Evil One and his agents before securing the sacred plates," and that "the Mormons religiously believe this ridiculous legend."...

If the editor of The West Side will give his readers "Mormon" doctrine and history, he should take it from authorized Mormon records, and not from the unreliable and contradictory writings of their enemies....

The West Side, in harmony with the preceding errors, reiterates the hoary old humbug that the Book of Mormon was "written by a Rev. Solomon Spaulding, and entitled 'Manuscript Found.'"

This editor and his kind should make a pilgrimage to Oberlin College, Ohio, see that genuine "Manuscript," as verified by the signatures of D. P. Hurlbut and many of the so-called witnesses in Howe's slanderous "History of Mormonism," learn the fact that the said Howe, Hirlbut, and a low set of priestly abettors have humbuged the world with their unblushing falsehoods, and then learn the further fact that there is no more likeness between Spaulding's infidel, polygamous, nonsensical "Manuscript" and the Book of Mormon than there is between a lazy, lecherous, ignorant anarchist and a plain, pure, intelligent, loyal Christian citizen. In plan, method, morals, purpose, genius, religion, location, dates, size and general make-up, these two productions are as wide as the poles and as different as hades and heaven. We pity the stupidity of any who believe the theory that the Book of Mormon originated in any way with "Rev. Spaulding" and his "Manuscript," or those who still publish that evident fraud to the world.

---

THE  HAUN'S  MILL  MASSACRE.
_______

AN INCIDENT OF THE 'MORMON WAR' IN MISSOURI.

Special Correspondence of the Globe-Democrat.

(view original article from Missouri paper)

 


Note: The Herald writer provides false information in his "Ridiculous" article. The Oberlin Spalding holograph does not contain the title "Manuscript Found;" nor did any of the "witnesses" in Howe's 1834 book; nor do the "signatures" of any of those witnesses accompany Hurlbut's c. Dec. 31, 1833 certificate, as recorded on the final page of the Oberlin manuscript. There is no reason to assume that the Oberlin document was ever called "Manuscript Found," by anybody other than Mormon polemicists. In fact, the same "witnesses" reportedly provided testimony exactly opposite to what The Herald writer asserts -- another in a long series of RLDS misrepresentations and obfuscations in regard to Solomon Spalding, his fictional writings and the testimony of witnesses documenting the Spalding-Rigdon claims for Book of Mormon authorship.

COMMENTS  ON  PRES.  WOODRUFF'S  EPISTLE.
_______

The Deseret News of Tuesday, October 11th, contains an epistle from Wilford Woodruff "on behalf of the council of the Twelve Apostles," from which we reproduce what we think to be its salient points, together with the comment that we deem to be necessary.

For some time before his death the Prophet Joseph was inspired of the Lord to anticipate his own departure from earthly scenes. This was shown in various ways; but especially in the great anxiety which he displayed to bestow upon the Twelve Apostles all the keys and authority of the Holy Priesthood which he had received. He declared in private and in public that they were equipped and fully qualified, and that he had rolled the kingdom of God on to the shoulders of the Twelve Apostles.

PRESIDENT  WOODRUFF'S  PERSONAL  TESTIMONY.

I, Wilford Woodruff, being the last man living in the flesh who was present upon that occasion, feel it a duty I owe to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, to the House of Israel, and to the whole world, to bear this my last testimony to all nations, that in the winter of 1843-4, Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God, called the Twelve Apostles together in the City of Nauvoo, and spent many days with us in giving us our endowments, and teaching us those glorious principles which God had revealed to him. And upon one occasion he stood upon his feet in our midst for nearly three hours, declaring unto us the great and last dispensation which God had set His hand to perform upon the earth in these last days. The room was filled as if with consuming fire; the Prophet was clothed upon with much of the power of God, and his face shone and was transparently clear, and he closed that speech, never-to-be-forgotten in time or in eternity, with the following language:

"Brethren, I have had great sorrow of heart for fear that I might be taken from the earth with the keys of the kingdom of God upon me, without sealing them upon the heads of other men. God has sealed upon my head all the keys of the kingdom of God necessary for organizing and building up of the Church, Zion, and kingdom of God upon the earth, and to prepare the Saints for the coming of the Son of Man. Now, brethren, I thank God I have lived to see the day that I have been enabled to give you your endowments, and I have now sealed upon your heads all the powers of the Aaronic and Melchizedec priesthoods and apostleship, with all the keys and powers thereof, which God has sealed upon me; and I now roll off all the labor, burden and care of this Church and kingdom of God upon your shoulders, and I now command you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to round up your shoulders, and bear off this Church and kingdom of God before heaven and earth, and before God, angels and men; and if you don't do it you will be damned."

And the same Spirit that filled the room at that time burns in my bosom while I record this testimony, and the Prophet of God appointed no one else but the Twelve Apostles to stand at the head of the church and direct its affairs. * * *

The Twelve Apostles, with President Brigham Young as their head, became the presiding council of the Church.

The lessons which the Church then learned in regard to te the priesthood and the rights of the Priesthood, have never been forgotten. When President Young was taken from us, there was no jar nor division of sentiment among the Apostles; and among the people there was scarcely a question as to where the right of Presidency rested. President John Taylor took the position which belonged to him, and the work of God moved forward without interruption and with a union and harmony on the part of all connected with it, most delightful to witness. He has stood at our head for nearly ten years and during that period he be has possessed the gifts and qualifications which belonged to his high office and calling. His entire career is one that can be contemplated with the utmost satisfaction and pleasure by all who love the truth and admire the integrity in those who are called to be servants of God. From the time that he be was baptized a member of the Church until his spirit took its flight from earth, he never wavered in his advocacy and defense of the principles of righteousness. Under all the varied circumstances through which he and the people of God were called to pass, in the midst of the deepest trials and afflictions, his voice was always raised in tones of encouragement and hope; and when the storms were the fiercest he rose to the occasion and always displayed undaunted courage and unflinching devotion to the Zion of God. In the providence of God it fell to his lot to be with the Prophet Joseph and Patriarch Hyrum when they were martyred for the truth, and he mingled his own blood with theirs. Though severely wounded on that occasion he miraculously escaped death. He was a man whom the Lord loved. The evidence of this Is to be found in the fact that he [chose] him to preside over his Church at the departure of his servant Brigham. We feel thankful to God our Eternal Father that we have been permitted to live with and enjoy the society of President John Taylor and be his fellow laborers. Our association with him and the Presidents and Apostles who have gone before him into the spirit world we esteem as a great honor. We take delight in anticipating the rejoicing that we shall have when we shall be permitted to mingle in their society.

Once more the responsibility of presiding over the Church has fallen upon the Council of he Twelve Apostles. The Counselors of President Taylor, Brothers George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, being members of the Council of the Twelve Apostles at the time they were chosen to be members of the First Presidency, have, since his death, taken their places again as members of that Council.

Fifty-seven years and a half have elapsed since the Church was organized. In looking around among those with whom we associate to-day, how few there are left of those who, under the Lord, helped to lay the foundation of this work and were the companions of the Prophet in the early labors connected therewith! To-day there is but one Apostle left of those who belonged to the Council of the Apostles during the lifetime of the Prophet Joseph, or, indeed at the time these valleys were first settled. The other faithful apostles who were ordained under the direction of the Prophet Joseph have all passed behind the vail....

We can have no wish to take from any man his meed of worth, or labor; but a serious question has risen with reference to the nature of the responsibility imposed by Joseph Smith upon the quroum of Twelve as organized and existent during the later years of his life and at his death. That Joseph Smith carried much of the burden properly belonging to the Twelve as a spiritual body appears certain as is seen in a revelation in Doctrine and Covenants, July 23d, 1837, and in the church history; but that he at any time put upon them, or from himself, any responsibility attaching to himself and to the office of president of the church, which he held, and which his successor should hold after him, if he should be succeeded by any one, is by no means presumable. If Joseph Smith was informed in regard to the law and organization of the church, he knew that the Twelve must stand in its own place, and not in the place, or station filled by him as presiding over the whole church. And the records of the times when the events occurred clearly shows that an understanding obtained at the time, by the Twelve, Brigham Young being the exponent of the views held by them, which was widely different from that which was acted upon in 1847 when Brigham Young was elevated to the presidency, as also when John Taylor succeeded him.

At the death of Joseph and Hyrum, William Smith, John E. Page and Lyman Wight were members of the quorum, and did not cease to be members for some time after the assassination. These men must have been with the quorum at the time such alleged instruction preparatory to the anticipated departure of Joseph Smith was going on; and they did not then, nor ever afterward, understand the teaching of Joseph, so secretly given, as Wilford Woodruff now states it, and as Brigham Young construed it in 1847. Further than this, Brigham Young, August 15th, 1844, stated that no one need think that Joseph's place would "be filled by another;" "for," said he, "he stands in his own place, and always will; and the Twelve Apostles of this dispensation stand in their own place and always will." -- Times and Seasons, 5:618.

And the reorganization which Brigham Young effected, beginning at Winter Quarters in 1847, effectually disproved the assumption that Joseph's instructions contemplated what was done in that direction. Lyman Wight, John E. Page and William Smith, who must have been partakers of the same counsel and teaching had quite a different conception of what Joseph's teaching was; and one of these, William Smith, is still living, with full faith in the mission of his brothers and in Mormonism as declared by them...


Notes: (forthcoming)

From the Saturday Evening Post, Oct. 9th, 1852.

THE  MORMONS  AGAIN.

A Cincinnati correspondent, who gives the Mormons a regular going-over in his letter, for their doctrines and practice of polygamy, and whom we judge to be something of a Mormon himself, says, very much to the purpose: --

They announce that polygamy is a doctrine "sent forth as a Standard of Universal Restoration for the Tribes of Israel, and for all nations." They "seek to excuse themselves" in their abominations, because of the things which were written concerning some of the ancients. A specimen of this kind of sophistry is presented by Mr. Pratt in his communication, and yet this great Apostle professes to be a Mormon, and I have no doubt that many of your readers imagine that Brigham Young and all these Salt Lake apostles believe in the Book of Mormon and the original Mormonism, whereas they hace "departed from the faith," and "have turned the grace of God into lasciviousness." The Book of Mormon informs us of just such apostates as they are, who lived on this land in ancient times. It says: "Thus saith the Lord, this people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the Scriptures; for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. Begold, David and Solomon tryly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord. *  *  *  There shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none: For I, the Lord God, delighteth in the chastity of women. *  *  *  I will not suffer, saith the Lord of hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of hosts; for they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people, because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction; for the shall not committ whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of hists."

Mr. Pratt accuses "Christendom" of having "oetty prejudices, local superstitions, and narrow views" on the subject, but these quotations, and more that might be made, show that the Book of Mormon is more opposed to the Salt Lake "Standard of Universal Restoration" than Christendom is, for the Book of Mormon condemns ancient as well as modern polygamy. The Salt Lake apostles also excuse themselves by saying that Joseph Smith taught the spiritual wife doctrine, but this excuse is as weak as their excuse concerning the ancient kings and patriarchs. Joseph Smith repented of his connection with this doctrine, and said it was of the devil. He caused the revelations on that subject to be burned, and when he voluntarily came to Nauvoo and resigned himself into the arms of his enemies, he said that he was going to Carthage to die. At that time he also said, if it had not been for that accursed spiritual wife doctrine, he would not have come to that. By his conduct at that time he proved the sincerity of his repentance, and of his profession as a prophet. If Abraham and Jacob, by repentance, can attain salvation and exaltation, so can Joseph Smith.
                               Respectfully,
                                                   ISAAC SHEEN.

It therefore seems that the Salt Lake Mormons, if Mr. Sheen be correct, and he quotes the words of the "Book of Mormon," are acting not only in opposition to common decency and morality, but to the explicit commands of their "own holy Book," and to the dying testimony of Joseph Smith, their founder. We shall be pleased to hear from any of our Mormon readers, how the doctrine of their Bible upon this subject, and the present Salt Lake practices, can be reconciled. If there are a majority of honest, pure-minded men and women among the people...


Note 1: The above letter is Elder Isaac Sheen's first known published comments on Mormon iniquity, since he took Latter Day Saint "President" William Smith to task in the pages of various Cincinnati and Washington D. C. newspapers in 1850. No doubt Elder Sheen had even more to say, after the official announcement of Utah Mormon polygamy was published in the Sept. 14, 1852 issue of the Salt Lake City Deseret News, however, Sheen subsequent remarks on the topic have not yet been located for transcription.

Note 2: Isaac Sheen's admission of the fact that Joseph Smith, Jr. "repented of his connection with this doctrine" is a bit startling to see published in any RLDS periodical, since the very appearance of similar confessions in the very first issue of the Herald. Sheen's disclosure in that introductory number, (such as: "The reason why the Lord destroyed the prophet and made those who "set up their idols in their heart, "a sign and a proverb" made them bear the punishment of their iniquity is worthy of our earnest attention.") never thereafter captured the "earnest attention" of the Herald nor the Reorganized LDS leadership.

The editor of the Expositor has this to say of the calumniators of the Saints, in the February issue of that excellent paper:

"Why, we have run the Rev. 'Spaulding manuscript,' of Hurlbut and Howe out of its hiding place, where it has been hid for nearly fifty years; we have published the illiterate vulgar, profane, obscene and infidel production of the pious Presbyterian divine, and it makes the retailers of the old lies of Howe and Hurlbut sore, and destroys their stock of lying evidence, and now they wish to invent another by trying to prove that this pious infidel minister wrote another 'manuscript found,' and that the one unearthed recently is not the one they meant all the while. Their old, persistent lie about Rigdon's stealing said manuscript and remodeling it into the 'Book of Mormon,' has been exploded and the authors unmasked to the utter contempt of all honest men, and leaves these pious divines without ammunition to load their guns to shoot paper wads at the Latter Day Saints, and hence the effort of Mr. Deming to supply the long felt and much needed dirt for these venerable dirt slingers.

"This 'charcoal' Deming, like all who have written before him, has fallen into the mistake of claiming that the 'Book of Mormon' was a history of the 'ten lost tribes of Israel,' and so the second 'manuscript found' of Rev. Spaulding, they say, was a purported history of the lost tribes of Israel. Now we will do as well by Deming as we once offered the Rev. (?) Dr. Roberts in the debate we had with him in Iowa on the subject. We will give Mr. Deming or any other person, 160 acres of good land if they will find a single sentence in the Book of Mormon which purports or pretends that said book is a history of the lost tribes of Israel or anything pertaining to their history. Unfortunately for the cause of Deming & Co., Mrs. Spaulding nor her daughter, Mrs. M. S. McKinstry, never told of ever giving Hurlbut but one manuscript, nor ever pretended that he got but one; and we have proved time and time again that one went into the possession of Howe, and that when Rice bought out Howe's office this identical manuscript went with the rest and has been under Rice's care and keeping since about 1840, until it was placed in the keeping of President Fairchild of Ohio, who furnished us the copy we have published.

"The name 'Manuscript Found' is the name given to Rev. Spaulding's manuscript by his widow and daughter, and by Howe and Hurlbut. And as the manuscript had no name of its own, the publishers were justified, yes, in duty bound to give it the name it had always been known by, and that all the friends of the manuscript gave it. And it comes now will ill grace for them to charge the publishers with the forgery of the name 'Manuscript found,' which was placed on the published book. And the fact that on the wrapper which held the manuscript the words 'Manuscript Story -- Conneaut Creek,; -- and which name Fairchild says was evidently the Handwriting of Mr. Rice of Honolulu, and not the author, and further, as the Spaulding family and friends have always called it 'Manuscript found,' it was no forgery for the publishers to prefix the name they all had given to the production. Consequently the claim put forth that Spaulding wrote another manuscript in regard to the lost tribes of Israel from which the Book of Mormon was made, rests in the addled brains of the opponents of the Book of Mormon. And another fact, patent to any person who ever read the Book of Mormon, there is not one word or sentence in the book claiming or pretending to be an account of the lost tribes of Israel. And here is where the whole subterfuge of the false witnesses is brought to light and exposed to every person who will read the book."

To the above we may add that it does not matter how many manuscripts Rev. Spaulding may have written, either after or before he wrote the "Manuscript Story." One thing is now established by the widow of Spaulding, Mrs. McKinstry, the witnesses whose names are signed to the "Manuscript Story" (including that of Doctor Hurlbut), also the testimony of Howe, Rice and Fairchild, and that is, that the said "Manuscript Story" is the genuine, veritable work of said Rev. Solomon Spaulding. In this an all essential point is gained, for in that document we have Rev. Spaulding's powers and qualities exhibited so clearly and fully that we can easily measure him and size him up in respect to his natural abilities, his defects in scholarship, his morals, his religion, his ignorance of the antiquities of America, his irrational and flimsy theory in respect to the aborigines of America, all proving that he never possessed, and never could possess, the qualifications necessary to write the Book of Mormon, nor anything approaching it. He, in that manuscript, has furnished to all people the plain evidences of the manner of man he was. And judging him by what is there displayed, he had neither natural nor acquired wit, wisdom, skill, learning, morals, religion, nor archaeological knowledge sufficient to unite anything superior to his stupid, irreligious, immoral, and nonsensical "Manuscript Story." It was and is his last, best, and only effort in that line. He had no more ability to write the Book of Mormon than a gibbering penny-a-liner had to write the Principia of Sir Isaac Newton, or the Cosmos of Humboldt. We repeat, that it does not matter how many manuscripts Rev. Spaulding wrote; for the one he did write fixes his capabilities, religion, (if he had any,) and his morals at a low-down standard, utterly and hopelessly beneath that required to design, plan, and execute a work like the Book of Mormon. But there is not a shadow of proof that he ever wrote save the one. It now will be in order for the Rev. "Mormon eaters" to invent some other theory on which to wreck the Book of Mormon. We cheerfully await developments.


Note 1: When the Herald editors finally got around to acknowledging the fact that non-Mormon critics had been claiming for over two years that the RLDS Church's 1885 "Manuscript Found" booklet was misnamed, they did so only in a round about way -- by quoting from this self-justifying article in The Expositor, a paper started in Jan. 1885 by some RLDS in Oakland, California. The "saintly" editors and publishers of The Expositor could not help but notice the appearance of Arthur B. Deming's Naked Truths About Mormonism when it was published in their own town in Jan. 1888. Predictably, the RLDS writers ignored "Charcoal" Deming's many signed affidavits and painstaking research and instead concentrated on misrepresenting both him and the Spalding authorship claims.

Note 2: The errors put forth as fact in the Expositor-Herald compilation are glaring ones. The originators of the Spalding claims made it plain that the manuscript re-discovered many years later in Honolulu was not the "Manuscript Found." This understanding was part of the Spalding claims from the very beginning, and not an innovation added on to them after the RLDS published the misnamed 1885 "Manuscript Found" booklet. Also, nobody from the early years of the Spalding claims development ever said that the manuscript later re-discovered in Honolulu substantially resembled the Book of Mormon. Also, nobody ever credited Solomon Spalding with writing the entire Book of Mormon -- his writings were claimed as providing the historical base and some of the unique names in the book. The especially "moral" or "religious" portions of the Book of Mormon were early on credited to an editor or expander, specifically to the Rev. Sidney Rigdon. Thus, the RLDS publishers were in no way whatever "justified" in tacking onto the title page of their publication the words "Manuscript Found." That name was not associated with the manuscript until after it was re-discovered in Honolulu.

Note 3: Lewis L. Rice carefully disassociated himself from the "Manuscript Story -- Conneaut Creek" title written in the manuscript's wrapper. He said in the public press that the name was there on the wrapper when he first noticed the package, some time after he received it from Howe. If it was not the wording of Spalding himself, it was at least a title very early associated with the manuscript. In their 1886 printing of the same document the Utah Mormons were careful to use that same "Manuscript Story" title, having realized its early association with that particular Spalding holograph. Finally, the Book of Mormon tells the story of Lehi of the tribe of Manasseh and corroborates biblical prophecies concerning the tribe of Ephraim. The implication is left with the reader that these two "lost tribes" will inherit the Americas in the latter days. the other "lost" tribes of Israel are incidentally mentioned in the book, indicating that its author(s) had at least some interest in their fate and final location in the world. Solomon Spalding may well have written a story mentioning one or more "lost tribes" just as the Book of Mormon does. He may just as easily have edited out of his final draft any mention of certain among those several tribes. Or, failing that as the logical explanation of things, an editor such as Sidney Rigdon may have simplified the text by dropping all mention of lost tribes other than Manasseh and Ephraim.

Friends have sent us copies of the following clipping from the Chicago Inter-Ocean, asking to know if it is genuine, to which we reply, No. First for the reason that there is not, nor has there ever been a "Second Book of Mormon;" therefore, second, "the Mormons" do not "consider these books in the same light that Christians consider the Old and New Testaments." Third, Joseph Smith never claimed to translate anything from "two large copper plates;" fourth, he never claimed to find on any plates figures of "crowns, the crucifixion, and other such signs;" fifth, he never pretended to translate with "magic spectacles" at Nauvoo, or anywhere else, "copies and descriptions" of hieroglyphics that had been "sent all over the old world to prominent hieroglyphists for translation," Here is the clipping:

"SECOND  BOOK  OF  MORMON."

"Metamora, Ill., Jan. 30th -- The Inter-Ocean of the 27th contained an account of the origin of the "Book of Mormon," which reminded your correspondent of what he knows of the translation and origin of the "Second Book of Mormon." Every one who is at all acquainted with their history will know that this Second Book came to light just prior to the evacuation of Nauvoo, and that the Mormons consider these books much in the same light that Christians consider the Old and New Testaments.

"An account of the Second Book may prove interesting to most of your readers. After having read the statements to follow all will agree that it is not only possible, but very probable that the First Book was no more of divine origin than the Second Book.

"The facts are as follows: Some time before the demise of Joseph Smith, the Mormon leader, one John Fugate, who then lived in or near Quincy, Illinois, conceived a little plan by which to startle the natives. He obtained two large copper plates of a blacksmith (whom, of course, he had to let in on the secret) and they thereon engraved, by the use of wax and acid, some signs and symbols. The plates were mostly covered, I think, with a writing very similar to the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and around on the margin were figures of the sun, crowns, the crucifixion, and other such signs of similar character. And then with paint, or acid, and iron filings they covered them with a very good imitation of rust. They then bound them together with a rusty wire, went to the woods and buried them between two huge flat stones, and deep down in an old Indian mound. They covered them up carefully, replaced the sod and dirt and awaited developments.

"On a day that there was a big religious gathering in town they went to the woods with the avowed purpose of excavating a well-known Indian mound, and returned with these plates. Of course their find soon became known and everyone in town was interested, and particularly so when the rust (?) was taken off and the marks exposed.

"Joseph Smith, hearing of this and seeing therein a strong hit in his favor, proclaimed them to be connected with the Mormon religion, and set about to have them translated. For this purpose they, or copies and descriptions of them, were sent all over the old world to prominent hieroglyphists for translation. But the problem came back unsolved, and many letters were written to Mr. Fugate concerning the same. Undaunted, however, Smith put on his magic spectacles and proceeded to translate from the Second Book of Mormon.

"This is not quite all. Mr. Fugate, thinking the joke had gone far enough, told the whole affair to one of the leading Methodists in town. The Methodists immediately spread the news far and wide. Owing to the anger of the Mormons, Mr. Fugate was obliged to quietly leave to avoid being murdered by them. Mr. Fugate died at Camp Point, Adams county, three years ago, but his wife and all his family still live. His oldest son, Dr. J. T. Fugate, of Urbana, Illinois, has all the newspaper reports, documents, and letters concerning the case, and would no doubt be glad to verify these statements to any person skeptically inclined."

The transaction to which the above probably relates, and (if so), of which it is a false and misleading perversion, is described as follows by John Hyde in his book against "Mormonism," pages 265-269, when arguing and seeking to explain away the divine origin of the Book of Mormon:

"It is a fact that Smith did copy some characters on to a slip of paper, which he sent by Martin Harris to Professor Anthon. It is also a fact, that the description of the characters made by the Professor, does somewhat resemble the description of the glyphs of Otolum, made subsequently by Professor Rafinesque (Atlantic Journal, 1832, Professor Rafinesque). Of this similarity O. Pratt makes great capital as a proof of the Book of Mormon. I admit the resemblance. It is also a fact that eight men testified that Smith had shown them several plates curiously engraved; that they "did handle and heft them;" and that they knew Smith had them. Although, as before shown, these plates could not have been the pretended golden Bible, yet I think there can be no doubt that these men told the truth as to seeing and handling certain plates, and that Smith had them. Unless Smith had got something, he could never have originated the idea of the book; could not have copied the characters sent to Professor Anthon by Martin Harris; still more, those characters could not have happened to resemble engravings subsequently found; and as these eight do not pretend, as to the three, to have seen them with all the ridiculous concomitants of the eye of faith and coming of angels, it is reasonable to believe that Smith really possessed some plates. If their testimony is credible, it proves that he not only had them, but that he kept them, and not delivered them 'up to the angel,' as he elsewhere pretends. To possess the plates is one thing, to have received them from God is quite another. To admit that he had them does not admit the truth of the Book of Mormon.

"'How did he get them?'

"On the 16th of April, 1843, a respectable merchant, by the name of Robert Wiley, commenced digging in a large mound near this place. He excavated to the depth of ten feet, and came to rock. On the 23d. he and quite a number of the citizens, with myself, repaired to the mound, and after making ample opening, we found plenty of rock, the most of which appeared as though it had been strongly burned; and after removing full two feet of said rock, we found plenty of charcoal and ashes; also human bones, that appeared as though they had been burned; and near the eciphalon a bundle was found, that consisted of SIX PLATES OF BRASS, of a bell-shape, each having a hole near the small end, and a ring through them all, and clasped with two clasps. the ring and clasps appeared to be of iron, very much oxydated: the plates first appeared to be copper, and had the appearance of being covered with characters. It was agreed by the company that I should cleanse the plates. Accordingly, I took them to my house, washed them with soap and water, and a woolen cloth; but finding them not yet cleansed, I treated them with dilute sulphuric acid, which made them perfectly clean, on which it appeared that they were completely covered with characters, that none, as yet, have been able to read. They were found, I judge, more than twelve feet below the surface of the top of the mound.

"'I am , respectfully, a citizen of Kinderhook,'     "'W. P. HARRIS, M. D.'"

"The following certificate was forwarded for publication at the same time:

"'We citizens of Kinderhook, whose names are annexed, do certify and declare, that on the 23d of April, 1843, while excavating a large mound in the vicinity, Mr. R. Wiley took from said mound six brass plates, of a bell-shape, covered with ancient characters. Said plates were very much oxydated. The bands and rings on said plates moldered into dust on a slight pressure.'"

    ROBERT WILEY,          J. R. SHARP,
    GEORGE DECKENSON,      IRA S. CURTIS,
    W. LONGNECKER.         FAYETTE GRUBB,
    G. W. F. WARD,         W. P. HARRIS,
    W. FUGATE.

"The characters on these plates also resemble Professor Anthon's description: 'The characters were arranged in columns like the Chinese mode of writing, and presented the most singular medley I ever saw. Greek, Hebrew, and all sorts of letters, more of less distorted, were intermingled, with sundry delineations of half moons, stars and other natural objects, and the whole ended in a rude representation of the Mexican Zodiac." (Professor Anthon's letter.) Professor Rafinesque describes the glyphs of Otolum, Mexico, as being 'written from top to bottom like the Chinese.' 'The most common way of writing is in rows, and each group separated.' (Atlantic Journal for 1832). This similarity between the characters on Wiley's plates and Professor Rafinesque's description, does not prove that Wiley got his plates from an angel. However much the characters on Smith's plates may have resembled either of the above, it does not any the more prove that Smith got his plates from an angel either." -- Mormonism by John Hyde.

Of this matter the Times and Seasons published in Nauvoo, Illinois, May 1st, 1843, only a few days after the alleged discovery of the above plates, has this to say: (view original article from 1843)...

Kinderhook and not Quincy, many miles distant, is where these plates were said to have been discovered.

We are not aware that Joseph Smith ever claimed to have translated the above mentioned plates, or accepted them as genuine, much less to translate a "Second Book of Mormon." There are many newspapers and their correspondents ever ready to cry "hoax!" "humbug!!" "delusion!!!" and yet when weighed in the balances they are found to be the class foreshown in the Scriptures who are "deceiving, and being deceived." This Inter-Ocean correspondent is one -- but not a very brilliant one -- of that despicable class.

---

THE  DREADFUL  DEMING.

A person named Arthur B. Deming has begun the publication of a paper which he calls "Naked Truths About Mormonism." It will be given in monthly doses at fifty cents per year, or five cents per copy. He begs the public, Mormon or otherwise, to buy, as he wishes to obtain means to exhume and re-inter his father, who had the misfortune to be buried in a cemetery which has since been utilized as a pasture lot for horses and cows. In the meantime he will indulge his goulish propensities, he hopes with profit, by slavering with his imbecile and obscene drivel, the reputation of other people's fathers and mothers, provided they are dead and unable to call him to account. In short, one way or another, he lives on the dead, and has added new terrors to the grave.

At the top of the first page of his paper he says, -- "Read and laugh as you never laughed before." There is indeed matter for mirth in his paper, but not in the way he intended. Where he and his statement-makers intend to be merry, they are sad, shallow or disgusting, but when they mean to be serious, then they are foolishly funny.

Having paid my "nickle" on Mr. Deming's representation that his was a humorous paper, I shall endeavor to obtain mirth to that amount, and being of a benevolent disposition, I will try to place the same within the reach of others, freed from the gratuitous nastiness with the Deming school of humorists embellish their remarks. Remember, the distinguishing trait of Deming's character is ghoulishness. To be attacked by him, you must first be dead. So, too, his most "edifying" statements are not published during their author's lifetime. He usually collects such from the mumblings of irresponsible dotage, possibly supplying whatever malice and depravity they may require to bring them down to the Deming standard, after which he waits until the alleged author has, as he says, "departed in the triumph of a living faith," and then he rushes into print. In fact, there seems to be a sad fatality about making a statement to him. Deming appears to be a synonym for death. After a "Salutatory," Mr. Deming begins his "Introduction" thus:

While fasting and reading the Old Testament in New York City, in 1880 or '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 Lake City, where I was kindly received by leading Mormons."

It is deplorable that those no doubt occult reasons for "remarkable intellect in children" were not revealed to the ancestors of Mr. Deming. He states elsewhere that he has written much presumably valuable matter on the subject of "heredity;" that his paper is a "Journal for newly apprehended truths," and that if those who believe in the Book of Mormon, will read his paper, it would make them "free." In other words, he will teach you that the gospel plan of salvation is out of date. That you are not responsible for your meanness. Blame it on your grandmother, especially if she is dead.

During Mr. Deming's stay in Salt Lake, he was the guest of Gen. Wells, concerning whom one of his paragraphs reads as follows:

"One evening the General commenced to preach Mormonism to me. He began about Bro. Joseph and the Hill Cumorah. 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)."

However it was, by missing Deming, in the language of sweet Ophelia, she "made a good escape/" It is not certified that either of the girls was a party to the proposal for Mr. Deming's hand; and if it was made at all, doubtless Gen. Wells was merely working that fund of merriment of which Mr. Deming is unconsciously the source. It is not my wish to defend any of the heresies which were introduced by Brigham Young to subvert the faith once delivered to the Saints, but I protest that the sins of Utah will become respectable if they are long opposed by such men as Mr. Deming. He makes no distinction between the genuine church and the Utah counterfeit. He does not attempt to refute our doctrines, but preferred rather to breathe the venom of his slanderous breath upon the record of the man through whom the everlasting gospel was restored to earth; the man who was faithful unto death; the man who exchanged a world unworthy of him for a martyr's crown in heaven.

Early in life, Mr. Deming appears to have manifested that peculiar kind of thrift for which he has ever since been remarkable. He remarks that when a mere child, it was his business to show visiting "Mormons" through the Carthage jail and describe to them the killing of Joseph Smith and his brother by the mob. Occasionally, he says, in delightful retrospect, they gave him a "picayune or bit." His mother told him the "Mormons" were poor, and not to accept anything from them. He adds, "I did not knowingly," and considering how little he knows to-day, it was no doubt true. He says, "I write these few of many similar facts to convince all Mormons that from childhood I have been friendly to them." It is evident, however, that he uses the word "friendly" in its cannibalistic sense merely.

Concerning Mr. Deming's father he states, that pending his trial for killing a man in self-defense, he

"Removed his flannel during a very hot day late in August, and caught cold, which resulted in brain fever, from which he died September 10th, 1845, within twenty feet of where the Mormon prophet was shot. During his 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."

He informs the reader that sixteen horses and two or three cows now crop the herbage above his father's grave. His uncle is buried there also. As an extenuating circumstance he observes:

"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."

Not for this reason only, but owned and operated by A. B. Deming, a victim of circumstances, heredity, and newly apprehended truths. Fifty cents per year. Reduced rates to the "zealous" among the clergy and to young ladies Seminaries, if Deming succeeds in eluding the vigilance of Anthony Comstock. The paper differs from the Police Gazette in having no pictures. It is also a hundred times more destitute of truth.

No doubt some well-meaning persons, ignorant of Mr. Deming's character, (or want of it), and of his methods and motives, have been betrayed in stating an opinion or telling what their fathers said that they had heard, but when, in the first number of his paper, they see Deming display the vacuity of his mind and the foulness of his heart, in simpering unconsciousness of his awful state, such decent persons will blush that a mistaken sense of duty ever led them on general principles. I think most people will reaffirm the verdict with the "respectfully" left out. -- Perturbed shade of Deming's pere, rest! Although thou didst defy the laws of hygiene by braving the inclemency of a hot August day flannelles, yet soon as thy ghoulish offspring has finished his present "Burking" operations with sufficient profit, he intends to dig thee up!

Mr. Deming declares that his father was a friend to the "Mormons," and that although all his own misfortunes through life can be traced infallibly to that friendship, he is yet more friendly than was his father; and if they doubt it, just let them buy and read the "evidence" he intends to offer. Professing zeal for the spread of his alleged evidence, he has copyrighted the contents of his paper, and no "esteemed contemporary" shall quote more than one column, stating that said column has been taken from the "Odorous Excavator," to give their names to a creature whose acquaintance is polluting; whose praise is infamy; whose enmity is renown.

The favorite theory of those who have sought to disprove the Divine origin of the Book of Mormon, has always been that Sidney Rigdon obtained it at Patterson's printing office in Pittsburg, where it had been left by Mr. Spaulding, and that he gave it to Joseph Smith. By the most conclusive testimony, the whereabouts of the Spaulding Manuscript has been accounted for until after the publication of the Book of Mormon. It has been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that during all this time it was either in the actual or constructive possession of Mr. Spaulding or the heirs; that after the publication of the Book of Mormon it was obtained by a person (Doctor Hurlbut, ED.) engaged in collecting material for a book against the Latter Day Saints, under the supposition -- the bare theory -- that Sidney Rigdon had copied it, and that the person obtaining it afterwards informed Mr. Spaulding's widow that, as it did not read as expected, it would not be published. Since then this manuscript has been recovered from Mr. Rice, late a resident of the Hawaiian Islands, and it has been published by the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to show that it could not have been the basis of the Book of Mormon. True to his ghoulish nature, Mr. Deming leans upon the scythe, shakes his hour-glass encouragingly, and when he learns that receivers of the Manuscript (Hurlbut and Howe,) are actually dead, he informs the world that undoubtedly Mr. Howe sold the real Manuscript to the "Mormons" who destroyed it, and that the one found was a different one altogether, written, however, he admits, by Mr. Spaulding. Nay, should you find a thousand of Mr. Spaulding's romances, (the man being dead), Mr. Deming stands ready to assure you, on the honor of an honest body-snatcher, that he wrote still others!

In like manner it has been proven over and over again by unimpeachable witnesses, that Joseph Smith never saw Sidney Rigdon until after the publication of the Book of Mormon and the organization of the church. So long as these men were alive, no one ever attempted, by direct testimony, to prove the contrary. Nor, indeed, for years afterward. That exploit awaited the ripening mendacity of Arthur B. Deming. When reliably assured that all the parties competent to deny and disprove his statement are dead, he discovers a lady in San Francisco who once saw Sidney Rigdon at Joseph Smith's house. She was told that it was Sidney Rigdon by Saphronia, Joseph Smith's sister. Mr. Deming informs his readers that in some cases he does not give the exact words of his gossips, but interrogates them, doubtless encouragingly and suggestively, (one victim for "two days and two evenings"), taking notes the while, and when the unlucky wretch is quite exhausted and calls for fresh air, Deming selects such parts as he thinks will be marketable, and weaves them into a "statement" with the Deming flavor of clumsy fraud and imbecile malice infused, by which time the victim is willing to sign anything if it will only purchase his absence. In this way appears to have evolved the "statement" of the lady in question. She says, or is made to say, that she once saw a stranger at Mr. Smith's house, and that Sophronia Smith told her that it was Sidney Rigdon. She does not say, (even Deming does not make her say,) that this was before the publication of the Book of Mormon; but Deming asks the reader to infer, nay, to consider it proven that it was so. But if the lady should hereafter state that it was prior to that publication, would such evidence, in the light of the facts, have anything to commend it to any man or woman of candor and intelligence? What are the facts? All the questions against whom she would thus testify, have long been dead, and are therefore unable to deny and refute her testimony. They were, however, alive for years after the inferred occurrence, during which the Rigdon theory was often asserted as a matter of opinion, but never as a matter of fact. During this time no device was left untried to prove the collusion of Sidney Rigdon, and without success. In vain did they search for facts to fit their groundless theory. And why? Simply because there were no facts. The witnesses to prove the falsity of that theory were then living. They did prove it time and again. There are those living to-day who can prove it, but such are not the persons whom Mr. Deming's "statement-makers" quote. These content themselves with telling what persons long dead told them; and this, frequently with a false construction placed upon it, is brought forward by this professional defamer of the dead, as "evidence," forsooth! Upon such "evidence" the Son of God was crucified. Upon such "evidence" Stephen was stoned to death.

Upon such "evidence" Joseph Smith was murdered by a mob, for teaching none other things than Jesus commanded and the apostles taught; even that gospel concerning which Paul said, "Though I or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel, let him be accursed." And yet devils, with only the transparent screen of A. B. Deming held up before them, can enlist Methodist ministers and a Bishop in making war against the gospel and those to whom it has been "the power of God unto salvation."

So far as regards Mr. Deming himself, it is not easy to be indignant. He is rather an object of alternative amusement, pity, and contempt. But what shall we say of the reverend gentlemen who, with the Bible in their hands, applaud this creature for assailing the very essence of the Bible? One of those reverend gentlemen, who in early life was "soundly converted," and "preached Methodism for fifty years," made a statement to Mr. Deming which Ananias would blush at. With a Satanic faculty of invention, he slanders the sainted mother of men whom all decent opponents respect; men whose lives are stainless monuments of integrity and of sacrifice for righteousness and truth. With unholy glee he relates approvingly, acts an intended acts, whose authors must have been among the vilest that ever disgraced the name of man. This statement was not published until after the maker of it, as Me. Deming remarks with extreme unction, had "departed in the triumph of a living faith;" therefore, how much of it is his and how much Deming's, it would be hard to tell.

Mr. Deming avers that he expects to be killed; be is obliged to be constantly on the alert to escape the sanguinary designs of parties vaguely described as "Danites." At a certain period the editor of the Presbyterian Banner writes, rejoicing to hear that Mr. Deming was still alive, and saying it had been reported that he had fallen a victim to the "Danites!" Make yourself easy, Mr. Editor. Your protoge has about him that mark of imbecility which shall be as serviceable as the brand of Cain. There is one person, however, that he should avoid, and that is the "fool-killer." Deming, beware!

And it is by such men as Mr. Deming, and by the methods he employs, that the enemy of souls now attempts to assail the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to make men satisfied with substitutes for it and perversions of it, knowing that the authorized administration of its original ordinances turns men from the power of Satan to God.

Little children, called to be Saints, know ye that He in whom ye have trusted, is faithful. Be not faithless, but believing. All power is given unto Him in heaven and on earth. It is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. When there was no eye to pity and no hand to save, God committed the everlasting gospel to you through the prophet whose testimony ye have received. Concerning those who persecute you, pray as the Son, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Speak comfortably to my people. Pray for the peace of Zion. They shall prosper who love thee. Can a mother forget her suckling child? Yea, she may forget, yet I will not forget thee. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort thee. I was angry, and hid my face for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I remember thee.

JUDSON JENNINGS.     

Note 1: The Herald editors treat the Inter Ocean article with much derision, even though they must have been aware (as early as May, 1879) that the Wilbur Fugate plates from Kinderhook were a hoax. The letter writer admittedly makes numerous mistakes in his account, however (substituting Quincy for Kinderhook, "John" Fugate for "Wilbur" Fugate, etc.), and he thus provides the Herald editors with plenty of room in which to criticize him, without their having to admit that the Kinderhook plates were an obvious fraud.

Note 2: Elder Jennings' spewing forth of journalistic vitriol upon Mr. Arthur B. Deming does not comport especially well with the message from scripture the same RLDS zealot offers in closing his review of the first issue of Naked Truths About Mormonism. In tone and evident editorial strategy, this article much resembles the "Spaulding-Smith Story" review published in the July 30, 1887 issue of the Herald, wherein the reviewer manages to avoid engaging the content of material he was reviewing altogether. To his credit, Elder Jennings at least finds two or three items provided by Deming's "statement-makers" which he manages to get around to mentioning. He seems to invest almost all of his defensive energy in combating the recollections of "a lady in San Francisco" (Mrs. Sarah Fowler Anderick) "who once saw Sidney Rigdon at Joseph Smith's house." Jennings gives the impression that he bought his copy of Deming's Oakland-based newspaper directly from a seller (perhaps from Deming himself) so, presumably, Jennings was in the Bay Area and could have contacted Sarah Anderick directly, in order to check out her story. Failing that, he might have called upon the services of RLDS Elder Hiram P. Brown, editor of the Oakland Expositor newspaper, to interview Mrs. Anderick and determine whether or not she was telling the truth. However, RLDS apologists and polemicists of the late 1800s rarely engaged in such personalized fact-finding.

Note 3: This is the same "charcoal" Deming (he sold "blood purifier" charcoal as a sideline) blasted by Hiram P. Brown in the previous issue of the Herald and the brother of the Rev. M. R. Deming whose story was featured on the front of the Dec. 31, 1887 issue of the Herald. Had Arthur made a clear "distinction between the genuine church and the Utah counterfeit" and concentrated his criticism upon Brigham Young and the Utahans, perhaps RLDS polemicists like Elder Jennings would have much less to complain about in the man's work and would have spilled less printer's ink in assassinating his character.

Note 4: Articles like the one written by Jennings and the one in the July 30, 1887 Herald, generally call upon the critics of Mormonism to offer some substantial evidence for their criticism. Deming did just that, in his over-hyped newspaper (he intended peddling it to railroad travelers but failed in that market), however the RLDS reviewer avoids dealing with that fact. In the same issue that featured the Mrs. Sarah Fowler Anderick's statement, Deming also provided significant statements by Matilda Spalding McKinstry (eye-witness to the writing of the "Manuscript Found"), James A. Briggs (who, in an open letter to Joseph Smith III reports having seen the "Manuscript Found"), and other important testifiers who were then yet living and available for interview by the Reorganized Mormons. Jennings faults Deming for having interviewed so many dead people, but Deming began his statement collecting in 1884 and only found a means to publish them in 1888. All of the people he interviewed, who were adult eye-witnesses to early Mormonism, were of course very elderly people by 1888. Deming was lucky to have had the opportunity to interview as many of these aged witnesses as he did (John C. Dowen, L. L. Rice, E. D. Howe, etc.) before they passed away.

Correspondence.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 7th.     

Bro. Joseph:-- We have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing four of our missionaries of late... They all made friends here, and are much liked.

Oakland furnished us with quite a treat during their stay. Clark Braden was there lecturing and among other subjects handled, was one for which he is noted -- "Mormonism." I had the pleasure (?) of being present. It was a re-hash of the old Spaulding story, and other worn out yarns and lies, so twisted and arranged as to try to destroy the point gained by the publishing of "Manuscript Found." He claimed that Spaulding had written three manuscripts, and that we have not published the right one, but a rejected Roman manuscript, which bears no resemblance to the Book of Mormon, or Spaulding's second manuscript from which the said book was stolen. Well! thus it is; new stories must be manufactured to meet the discoveries and developments of the day; but still the work goes on and increases, and Braden seeks new fields in which to tell his old stories, and unload his filth...

Yours in bonds,                 
                 GEO. S. LINCOLN.

Note 1: The Rev. Clark Braden arrived in Oakland just as his old associate, Arthur B. Deming, was closing down his commercially unsuccessful publication, Naked Truths About Mormonism. Whether or not the two anti-Mormons reconciled their differences and cooperated in staging Braden's June 1885 lectures in Oakland remains unknown. Certainly Braden would have agreed with Deming's published conclusions regarding the Spalding manuscript discovered in Hawaii and printed in 1885 by the RLDS -- that it was not the oft-publicized "Manuscript Found."

Note 2: In reference to Braden's not accepting the Spalding manuscript discovered in Hawaii as being the "Manuscript Found," Mr. Lincoln says: "new stories must be manufactured to meet the discoveries and developments of the day." To understand why he makes this unwarranted conclusion it is only necessary to recall that the Mormon writers and editors of that day were exceedingly reticent to inform their readers that as early as 1834 the manuscript later found in Hawaii was clearly differentiated from the "Manuscript Found." This was no "new story" that Clark Braden had "manufactured," nor was the related and supportive report that said Spalding had written a number of different manuscripts: this too was an original element of the Spalding authorship claims from the 1830s. However, many Mormons, having never heard these facts, supposed that speakers like Clark Braden were "manufacturing" these kinds of explanations, more or less on the fly, as they encountered defenses and counter-allegations from the Mormons.

BRADEN  EXPOSES  BRADEN.

By letter from Br. George S. Lincoln in a late Herald, we see that Rev. Clark Braden is seeking still to bolster up the baseless claim that Rev. Solomon Spaulding wrote a manuscript from which and upon which the Book of Mormon was written. This blind desperation of Mr. Braden and his kind is both painful and amusing as showing the nonsensical nonsense to which men claiming wit and wisdom will descend when defending a self evident falsehood, an impudent unsupported assertion.

He asserts that Mr. Spaulding wrote other manuscripts than the "Manuscript Story" brought to light in the Sandwich Islands by Mr. L. L. Rice and Mr. Fairchild.

He can not deny however that the one these gentlemen have given to the public is a genuine production of Rev. Solomon Spaulding, for it bears the endorsement of Howe's witnesses in his Expose of Mormonism, and is further endorsed by the signature of the notorious Dr. Philastus Hurlbut, the ready and pliant procurer of Howe.

How does Mr. Braden know that Rev. Spaulding ever wrote any other manuscript than the one now discovered and bearing the signatures of Howe's chief witnesses?

And if it could be proved that he wrote others, where is the proof that any of them had anything in common with the Book of Mormon? And if it could be proved that Mr. Spaulding wrote other manuscripts, and on the topics treated in the Book of Mormon, where is the proof that any of them reached the hand of Joseph Smith and became either the foundation, or any part of the Book of Mormon? He can prove nothing of the kind. All he and his fellows can do is to assert their unsupported theories and impudently beg the people to take them as truth.

Mr. Braden and his kind are now forced to admit that the "Manuscript Story," sold unwittingly by Howe to Mr. L. L. Rice, is a genuine production of Rev. Spaulding, for as before said that document has the written endorsement of Howe's witnesses, and also the written endorsement of Doctor P. Hurlbut, the man who obtained it from the widow Spaulding and gave it to Howe for the purpose of fighting down the Book of Mormon.

Does he not know that this "Manuscript Story" gives his theory entirely away by furnishing us the measure and quality of Rev. Spaulding as a writer? Does he and his kind not perceive that in the "Manuscript Story" we have a genuine specimen of Rev. Spaulding's tastes, morals, religion, (if he had any), mental power and scholarly attainment? Do they not know that the "Manuscript Story" is a certain index, a certain evidence of what was in the brain and heart of Rev. Spaulding? Jesus said, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

When we draw a pint of vinegar from a vessel we readily judge that all the pints drawn from the same vessel are vinegar and not wine, nor milk, nor honey. And now that we have the "Manuscript Story" from Rev. Solomon Spaulding, we know just the quality of all other manuscripts, if any, coming from the same source; for the fountain must be judged by the waters glowing from it, and the tree by the fruit it is known to bear.

Ah! Mr. Braden, the folly and falsity of your theories (which you have stolen from Howe and others) are exposed by the tell-tale "Manuscript Story," for that is "a chip out of the old block" and proves that Rev. Spaulding had neither the brains, the information, the religious knowledge and culture, nor the moral purity of thought and life requisite to write such a wonderful work as the Book of Mormon.

Go on Mr. Braden, you and your kind, for all the opposition you and they can offer to that book will only rebound to its furtherance by extending the notoriety and knowledge of it abroad, inducing those to inquire after and read it who otherwise might have remained ignorant of it, and who on reading it will discover that your arguments are but the thinnest bubbles, blown by lying, polluted lips, from the foul waters gathered in the loathsome pools of sectarian jealousy and hate or mercenary greed and Godless gain.

Go on, Mr. Braden; Paul rejoiced that some preached Christ "even of envy and strife,... supposing to add affliction" to his "bonds;" and we rejoice, not in that you are debasing yourself in the sight of heaven and all decent people, but in the fact that your senseless opposition to the Book of Mormon will result in bringing it into public notice and under just and fair criticism as to its inherent merits, its genuine origin, and its divine authenticity. If you choose to "kick against the pricks," the Saints can afford to patiently see you do so, conscious that the Infinite One will make the wrath of man to praise him, and that the remainder he will restrain.

The Book of Mormon is of divine origin, and every effort made to disprove that fact serves ultimately to spread abroad the knowledge of it and firmly establish its heavenly authenticity. Its moral teachings are pure as the sunlight, and its religious precepts are rational, consistent and Christian. Its prophecies are numerous, plain, and well suited by the facts of history and tradition; while its marvelous historical statements are amply sustained by the facts of science and the discoveries of American antiquities.

Whatever may be said of the "weakness" and "simpleness" of its language, the same may be said of the original manuscripts written by many of the Bible writers, as may be seen on reading Horne's Introduction and similar works on the original writers and writings of the Bible.

As Christ and his servants, clothed in plain and humble apparel, taught the wonderful truths of life and glory in the words of simplicity and "unlearned" men, so the Scriptures of truth, including the Book of Mormon, were written in plainness and simplicity, yet they contain principles and facts as holy as heaven, and mighty unto the salvation of all who believe.

Note 1: The argument presented by the nameless RLDS editorial writer in the above article might be called the Church's second line of defense in response to the challenges presented by the Spalding authorship claims. The argument follows the basic pattern set out in a similar piece of apologetics published in the Mar. 3, 1888 issue of the Herald. The editorial tactic here is to (1) implicitly admit that the 1885 RLDS Spalding publication may be misnamed; (2) co-opt the use of the title "Manuscript Story" for that 1885 Spalding book (even though it was published as "Manuscript Found"); (3) argue that the frivolous, inept and sometimes fatuous published Spalding text proves that the author was mentally incapable of writing the Book of Mormon; and, (4) argue that the author of that Spalding text was morally incapable of writing the Book of Mormon, because the latter is obviously a masterpiece of divine revelation, while the former is utter trash.

Note 2: The "second line of defense" tactic avoids all the historical problems associated with proving or disproving that Solomon Spalding wrote and attempted to publish a work of historical fiction entitled "Manuscript Found." However, this secondary tactic does not address the original claim -- that Spalding merely wrote the historical plot and furnished some of the major characters for a lengthy piece of pseudo-scripture, primarily crafted by Sidney Rigdon. The Oberlin Spalding manuscript does not necessarily typify Spalding's writing abilities, the extent of his knowledge, or the limits of his morality. The same author who wrote that short, obviously sketchy and unfinished text, might supply a relatively well-crafted lengthier work of fiction, given time, energy, re-writing, and the incisive input of a live audience who heard the text read a chapter at a time and furnished their critical response. Furthermore, it would no doubt take a person of questionable morality to create a patent hoax masquerading as a scriptural revelation from God. It is difficult to imagine any orthodox, faithful Christian putting words into the mouth of a fake Jesus Christ in a work like the Book of Mormon. However, it is less difficult to imagine a person like the writer of the Oberlin text (with its phony revelations, prophecies, priestcraft, fake "sacred roll," pretentious "seer stone," and manufactured religion for ancient America) crafting the base story of the "Manuscript Found" and then to imagine a known pious liar and monomaniac religious falsifier like Sidney Rigdon re-writing the base text into something like the Book of Mormon. In fact, Rigdon was involved in similar projects in his work on the "translation" of the Joseph Smith Bible and in his own "revelations" (from mid-1844 onwards).

"EARLY  DAYS  OF  MORMONISM."

We have just concluded a careful reading of this last work against the Latter Day Saints, and feel inclined to make thereon a few comments.

The book contains 275 pages, 16 mo., written by J. H. Kennedy, editor of the Magazine of Western History, Cleveland Ohio.

Of course, Mr. Kennedy would have his readers think him a thoroughly unbiased in judgment and eminently just and honest in his methods, statements and conclusions. Nevertheless, from the first he wheels squarely into the ruts left by Howe, Tucker, Hyde, Beadle, Ford, and others of their kind, giving occasional reference to or quotations from Hepworth Dixon, Smucker, Stenhouse, Burton, and others far more unprejudiced, honest and competent than the former class; yet throughout his book, from beginning to end, their runs a manifest vein of antipathy, spleen, and sectarian bias...

... Mr. Kennedy assumes that Sidney Rigdon secretly connived with Joseph Smith in getting up the Book of Mormon. All the facts furnished by Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, P. P. Pratt, O. Cowdery, David Whitmer, Emma Smith, Catherine Salisbury, and hosts of others who knew that Sidney Rigdon never met Joseph Smith till in December 1830, many months after the Book of Mormon was published to the world, are denied by Mr. Kennedy, and his kind, and the surmisings, theorizings and guess-work of rabid anti-Mormons are endorsed in their stead! What, in the court of justice, would the judgment and opinion of such men be worth? Nothing -- simply nothing -- for they set aside the testimony of competent witnesses, and accept in its stead the unsupported theories of those having no knowledge of facts vital to the case in question.

"MANUSCRIPT  FOUND."

Mr. Kennedy adopts the oft-exploded theory, and the now self-evident falsehood that the book of Mormon was based and builded on the "Manuscript Found" written by Rev. Spaulding in 1805-12. If he had examined that manuscript, which may now be found in the Library at Oberlin College, Ohio, or may be obtained in print at the Herald Office, Lamoni, Iowa, he might have seen that Mr. Spaulding had neither the brains, scholarship, the general information, the religion, nor the morals requisite in writing the Book of Mormon, nor anything to at all compare with it. In the providence of God we have, in Spaulding's "Manuscript," the exact measure of the man who wrote it. We weigh him in his own balances and find him utterly wanting in those qualities essential in writing the book of Mormon... Mr. Kennedy's book is a jumbled mass of truth and error, justness and unfairness, the latter far in excess of the first.


Note: Here the editors of the Herald resort to a secondary defense against the Spalding authorship claims. Although they apply the sub-heading "Manuscript Found" in answer to Kennedy's explanations for the origin and fate of that particular work of Spalding's, their RLDS response does not claim the exact same title for "that manuscript" which "may be obtained in print at the Herald Office." No counter-claim is here offered to the effect that Spalding wrote no other works of fiction, etc. etc. This same "second line of defense" rebuttal tactic was used in previous Herald articles in 1888 (on Mar. 3rd and July 7th).

Correspondence.

                                                    Southwest City, Mo., Oct. 10th.
Bro. Joseph: -- I have labored some in this place and also in the regions round about; and as this city is the place where the widow of Oliver Cowdery and her daughter live, and the visit I have had with them may be interesting to others as it has been to me, I write: I came here last week with Brn. Depew and Doty, and succeeded in getting appointment for preaching Sunday night. Bro. Depew and I paid sister Cowdery a short visit last week, Wednesday, and as I did not wish to be idle till Sunday, I went with Bro. Doty to Cowskin River, and held four meetings in Depew's settlement, in McDonald county, returning to this place with Bro. Doty. We commenced labors Sunday night, the congregation being large and attention good. Bro. Doty having to leave Monday and return home, which left me without help as far as an elder was concerned, but I have not been without help of the members and the Spirit, for Bro. and Sister Miles have done nobly, and by them I am now cared for. To-night has been my third visit with sister Cowdery and daughter, Mrs. Johnson. I found them clever and glad to talk upon the early days of the church; and they both hold to the original faith, although sister Johnson was only blessed when a babe by the elders. They both strongly believe what the witnesses testify to the Book of Mormon. Sister Cowdery never was cast out of the church, so she says; but she objects to the addition that was made to the Church of Christ, but she wishes success to the Reorganization, and is not prejudiced against us. She says the cause of Oliver's withdrawing from the church was mostly because he would not join the secret order of Dr. Avard. She is inclined to believe that the leading men in the church knew and sanctioned his order of secrecy; but I told her as the history of that order was published in the Times and Seasons (if we judge by that) and that as soon as Joseph learned of it he proclaimed against it, and it was broken up and Dr. Avard went out of the church. Now my judgment is that sister Cowdery is an Israelite indeed, and her daughter also, and time will tell...
                                                    John Hawley.

---

The statement made by Bro. Hawley, in his account of his visit to the widow of Oliver Cowdery, that the cause of the latter being estranged from the Church in Missouri, was the idea that the secret order under Dr. Sampson Avard was sanctioned by the heads of the church there, may be true. Oliver Cowdery may so have thought; others thought so, why not he. But the history of the times kept by the men most interested and who knew whether the order was endorsed by the leading men or not, states that Joseph Smith wrote distinctly and specifically denouncing the action of Dr. Avard and the secret order. It is hardly proper to believe that Joseph Smith would have condemned in specific terms those measures adopted by men in fellowship with him, if he had himself authorized them, or sanctioned them, knowing as he would have done that men knew of his so sanctioning them. If it be true that such a band organized as it is stated by some, existed, when Joseph Smith is heard from on the subject it is to directly denounce it. That should be accepted as his position in regard to it.


Note: The RLDS leadership certainly were shy about getting to the center of such matters as the Far West period "Danites." They seemed happy enough just to accept whatever Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote in the public press about these sorts of difficulties, and to never press very hard to determine what actually went on in secret. In this particular case, a letter addressed to William B. Smith might have brought forth the admission that the "banditti" he knew so well during the Nauvoo era had its genesis in secret bands organized, with the top Mormon leaders' knowledge and assent, back in Missouri. The severance of Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmers from the Church at Far West was not an overly complex story, and the RLDS might have still investigated it, with fruitful results, as late as 1888. They did not.

We clip the following from the Los Angeles, California, Tribune
of the 4th inst. We commend its statements, its spirit, and its directness:

MORMONISM.

On Friday night there was a lecture on the above subject delivered at the University Church by Rev. Seth Brown, which with your permission, Mr. Editor, I wish to briefly notice.

His indictments against the church in Utah, whether true or untrue, I will not notice, for being as much opposed to polygamy and its kindred evils as he, I do not feel called upon to defend a people who endorse them. But I will cite some points made by Mr. Brown regarding Joseph Smith... I hereby challenge Mr. Brown to affirm in public discussion in Los Angeles what he asserted in his lecture; namely, that the romance written by one Solomon Spaulding was converted into the Book of Mormon.

We have no possible objection to Mr. Brown lecturing on Mormonism, or exposing any error he may find among those he so flippantly calls Mormons, but we wish to notify him that he can scarcely go anywhere in this country where he will not find some one who will insist upon the truth being told about the matter.

I can be addressed at Box 695, San Bernardino, Cal.     HEMAN C. SMITH,

Elder of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.


Notes: (forthcoming)

SOLOMON  SPAULDING'S  NEPHEW.

We call attention to the account of an interview between Bro. G. T. Griffiths and Mr. D. D. Spaulding which appears in this issue of the Herald. As will be seen, the interview took place in Conneaut Township, Crawford county, Pennsylvania, where the historic Conneaut Creek still winds its way as deviously as the story which so long lived a life of falsehood, the only available weapon in the hands of the clergy and others who sought to rebut the many and remarkable evidences of the divine origin of the Book of Mormon.

Mr. Spaulding speaks out frankly and openly concerning his uncle, Solomon Spaulding. He was personally acquainted with the author of the notorious "Manuscript Found," and from what he states it is clear that he does not spoil a true story for the sake of the relationship. He certainly knows whereof he affirms, and it is evident that in addition to his personal acquaintance with his uncle, his position as a member of the Spaulding family enabled him to obtain a correct knowledge of the life, character and reputation of Solomon Spaulding. His estimate of him is that he was irreligious, crooked in his business transactions, and "lazy." One has but to read the "Manuscript Found" for a confirmation of the former and latter statements, while the moral tone of the document will support the idea expressed in the other. This interview will be of value to the elders as another and confirmatory link in the chain of evidence against the wicked plot of those who in an early day sought to bring to naught the great purposes of Israel's God in bringing to light the Book of Mormon.

We commend Elder Griffiths' effort in securing the interview. Mr. Beardsley in whose presence the interview took place, is personally known to us as a man of integrity and a lover of the truth. Read the account of it.

---

TESTIMONY  OF  SPAULDING'S  NEPHEW.

WHEELING, W. Va., Dec. 6th, 1888.      

Bros. Smith and Blair:
Enclosed please find an account of a short interview that I had with Mr. Daniel D. Spaulding. I am inclined to believe the statement he made, that his uncle was not a minister nor a member of any church, from the tenor of the manuscripts he wrote. D. D. Spaulding is one of those frank. outspoken men. He is very much opposed to religion of any kind, and that seems to be a characteristic of the entire family. However, he treated the writer with a marked degree of respect. When I informed him of the nature of my visit he said he would tell me all he knew about the matter. But I soon learned that he was very ignorant as to Mormonism, notwithstanding he and his son have told the people, time and again, that they knew all about it and have thereby caused a great deal of prejudice to exist in Conneaut township, which I had to allay before I could get the truth before the people.

I am thankful to be able to state that we now have a branch of twenty members there and that many more are on the verge of coming in. I had the pleasure of baptizing three during my stay there. Several are investigating the work who were so bitterly opposed that they would not come out to hear the preaching when I first went there. The Saints are contemplating building a chapel this coming spring. I am confident that a good work can be done there in the near future.

In gospel bonds,                       
                          G. T. GRIFFITHS.
_______

An Interview between Elder G. T. Griffithes and Mr. Daniel D. Spaulding, nephew of Solomon Spaulding, which took place on the 28th of November, 1888, in the township of Conneaut, Pennsylvania, in the presence of Mr. Jerome Beardsley, a prominent citizen of that township. After being duly introduced the following questions were propounded by the writer:


Q. -- What is your given name, Mr. Spaulding?
A. -- Daniel D. Spaulding

Q. -- How old are you?
A. -- I am eighty-two years old.

Q. -- How long have you lived in this vicinity?
A. -- About sixty years.

Q. -- How closely were you related to Solomon Spaulding?
A. -- He was my father's brother.

Q. -- How old we you the last time you saw your uncle?
A. -- Between ten and eleven years of age.

Q. -- Then you remember him well?
A. -- Oh yes. He was a very sickly man, and the last time I saw him was at Conneaut Creek, just before he went to Pittsburg, where he died shortly afterwards.

Q. -- What did your uncle do for a living?
A. -- He was a land agent, and my father said he was a scoundrel and used to cheat the people out of their money and property.

Q. -- Was he much of a scholar?
A. -- No. He had some natural talent, but he was not very smart; but very lazy. Then he wrote the manuscripts that the Mormons call the Book of Mormon to make money out of it.

Q. -- How did the Mormons get the manuscripts?
A. -- I don't know. (Here his daughter, a lady of about fifty years, replied, "His widow gave them to Joseph Smith, jun.")

Q. -- Is there not a story afloat that Sidney Rigdon stole them?
A. -- I had not heard that before.

Q. -- Mr. Spalding, did you ever see the manuscripts? or the Book of Mormon?
A. -- No.

Q. -- What did Mr. Spalding write about?
A. -- I heard my father say it was a story about the Indians.

Q. -- Was your uncle a minister?
A. -- He was not; neither did he belong to any church.

Q. -- Then you do not know whether the Book of Mormon and the manuscript are the same or not?
A. -- No. Only what I have heard people say; have not seen either.


Note 1: Daniel Denison Spalding (1807-1892?) was the son of Solomon Spalding's younger brother John Spalding (1774-1857) and his wife, Martha Denison Spalding (1779-1864). In 1810 he moved with his father's family from Connecticut to the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, just south of the shore of Lake Erie. In about 1842 John Spalding and his family moved to Illinois, leaving behind in Crawford Co., Pennsylvania only Daniel D. Spalding, his wife and three children. The following entry is found on p. 837 in the 1885 History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II.:

DANIEL D. SPALDING, farmer, P. O., Linesville, was born in Oxford County, Conn., October 3, 1807; son of John and Martha (Denison) Spalding. John Spalding was an educated man and a school teacher, also a singing teacher in an early day in Connecticut. He was a brother of Solomon Spaulding, who, it is asserted, wrote a religious tale corresponding with Joseph Smith's (the founder of Mormonism) "Book of Mormon," and entitled "The Manuscript Found." After Spalding's death, the manuscript fell into the hands of one Sidney Rigdon, an intimate acquaintance of Joseph Smith. Our subject's mother, while living in Springfield Township, Erie Co., Penn., was attacked by Indians in her home, but she managed to escape into the woods with her four small children, leaving the Indians to pillage the house. Daniel D. Spalding came to this county in 18[17], and settled in Conneaut Township when there were only three houses by the road, between his place and Conneautville. He took up seventy-five acres of land which he cleared, and at one time owned 175 acres, all of which he accumulated by hard work and industry. Mr. Spalding was married in 1832 to Miss Alathear Whaley, a native of Sc