Mormon fanaticism exposed a compendium of the Book of Mormon, or Joseph Smith's golden bible. Also, the examination of its internal and external evidences; with the argument to refute its pretences to a revelation from God: argued before the Free Discussi

.

^ 4k Church of J

w ofLotter-day

MORMON FANATICISM
EXPOSED.

A COMPENDIUM OF THE

BOOK OF MORMON,

OR JOSEPH SMITH'S GOLDEN BIBLE.

Also, The Examination of its Internal and External Evidences

with the Argument to refute its pretences to a revelation

from God: Argued before the Free Discussion So-

ciety in the City of Boston, July, 1841.

BETWEEN

ELDER FREEMAN NICKERSON, a Mormon,

AND THE AUTHOR,

TYLER PARSONS.

BOSTON:

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR.

184 1.

Historian's Office Library

The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints

o

V

ncrrm

a-

K

MORMON FANATICISM EXPOSED, &c.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

By the reading part of the community it is well known, that about
ihe year of 1S27, a sect called Mormons, appeared in the State of
New York, pretending to be under the immediate and special di-
rection of- God, through Joseph Smith, Jr. a boy of 17 years of
age, a pretended prophet from the Lord. Smith's pretensions were
as follows, viz : An angel from Heaven appeared to him in vision,
when on his bed, and informed him of a Book of Record being hid
ill the earth, in a certain place, that contained valuable truths to the
family of man, — an account of the race that once inhabited the far
West. That Gol designed him to be an instrument of promulgat-
ing this grand secret to the world, as his piophet.

Through this visionary boy, this sect of Mormons have founded
their belief; by the influence of others, more artful than this
prophet, Smith, this superstitious sect have spread their doctrines
Over a great part of the habitable world.

The progress this sect is now making by their missionaries, in
this and all other countries, seems to me to require the notice of
ihe public, while all the facts may be traced. The many disputa-
tions that have attended the truth of Christianity, .1 presume will
justify my remarks. A distinguished believer in the Mormon
faith, by the name of Elder Freeman Niekerson, from the State
of Illinois, came to Boston, in June, 1841 — then and there com-
menced a course of lectures on the subject of Mormonism, with
the belief that he should be able to organize a society in this city.
In his lectures, he invited all sects, Christians or skeptics, to dis-
prove his Book of Mormon to be of divine revelation.

This challenge I readily accepted, to have it argued between him
and myself ; this was agreed to. It was commenced in Winches-
ter Hall, the place where the Society for Free Discussion hold their
meetings on Sunday afternoons. It was discussed five Sundays
in succession, between Elder Niekerson, and all others that chose
lo support his views, and myself and others that chose to deny
the trutn of his claim, agreeable to the rules and the regu-
lations of our debating society. This rule did not answer the
.purpose; there king so many speakers, it became expedient
to continue the debate between the Elder, or any other Mormon,
and myself; this course was adopted for the better, and continued

four Sundays in succession, in the forenoon, commencing at 10
o'clock — all of which I shall give I you in this pamphlet. One
other reason why I submit to this inquiry and publish the same, is
i -elieving the time is not far distant, when this deluded sect of
Mormons may, by their superior numbers, be induced to dictate
to others, what shall be considered canonical; and enforce their
svstem of faith and belief at the point of the sword : as all reli-
gious fanatics have done in all ages and places in the world.

To prepare the reader to look over this Mormon delusion, allow
me to call your attention to others that have appeared in the world.
The many distinguished false Christs that history has recorded,
that inundated the Jewish theocracy, which kept them in perpetual
confusion ; and the many of later ages, some of which I will refer
to. Many will recollect the famous account given of the celebrat-
ed Sabati Levi, in 1666, that flourished in Smyrna; this arch de-
ceiver, with his prophet Nathan. A man, by the name of
Nathan, in Jerusalem, went to Smyrna, nearly two years before
Sabati appeared, and prophecied that the Messiah was coming.
vHe assumed the place of Elias, as a fore-runner for Sabati.
Thousands believed on him ; many of the Jews put on mourning,
and sat in sackcloth and ashes, on account of their sins ; they be-
lieved Nathan much stronger than the Bostonians do in prophet
Miller's 1843, Christ coming the second time. Some of the Jews
died by fasting, and whipping themselves ; some sold and distribut-
ed all their property among the poor.

When Sabati appeared, thousands and tens of thousands flock-
ed to his standaid. The more rational and intelligent put no con-
fidence in his miraculous pretensions ; his followers increased.
They held large meetings, and managed all their concerns with
such adroitness as to deceive the ignorant and credulous. They
had five hundred prophets and prophetesses at one time. This is
Mormon-like ; they are all of these classes ; they asserted they
could work miracles ; speak with other tongues, other languages.
So do the Mormons,

They had the sagacitv, and apparent power, to fall into the
greatest extacies of joy, or grief, as the occasion should seem to
require. Infants, that could scarcely lisp, would pronounce the
words Sabati, Messiah, Son of God.

The community were in great excitement. Voices could be heard
in the lower part of the stomach, not unlike the ventriloquist ; sev-
eral voices could be heard distinctly at the same time and place.
The devotees could fall into trances, and apparent death. Foam at
their mouths, as though they were decomposing. The first words,
uniformly, on their recovery to their senses, would be Sabati, the
Messiah. This excitement called the attention of the Grand Seign*
ior of Smyrna ; he was not to be hoaxed any longer by these fa-
natics ; he called in the Mesiah to be tried by his rules, as he, the
Messiah, pretended, Mormon-like, he could raise the dead, he would
now give him a chance, or any of his aids, to raise him ; or, at least,
he would give him a chance to ward off death, which, to the Grand

Seignior, would be tantamount to raising the dead. When he was
brought before the authority, the evidences, his followers, declared
on oath, that they saw a pillar of (ire between Sabaiiand the Grand,
Seignior. Many there declared the same ; others said they be-
lieved it, although they did not see the fire. Here was the decep-
tion— Mormon -like.

This stratagem did not fright the old Seignor. He ordered Sa-
bati to be stript naked, to be placed for a mark for his sharp-shoot-
ers, with bows, and pointed poison arrows — sure death where they
;hit, and sure of hitting the right place.

This false Messiah, Sabati, shrunk from the dose, and cordially
^confessed his imposition, and turned Mahomedan, before thousands
of credulous and astonished Jews.

This is a fair sample of the Mormons : taken in the whole, some
of the wire pullers are artful, cunning, while Jos. Smith, and hun-
dreds of thousands of others are duped to the lowest degree of de-
gradation. Thus much on Sabati.

The next that I refer you to, is the famous Munzer Stubner, and
Stark. In the time of the reformation, so called, the commencing
of the 16th century, they also made great pretences to be governed
by the immediate spirit of God, to guide them in all things; they
were to dispense with all law, or order; all distinctions of birth,
rank, or property, must be destroyed ; all must be common stock ;
and poligamv was not incompatible with reason, or scripture, Old
or the New Testament. They also made the same claims to the
working of miracles. I am not aware that the Mormons claim the
privilege of poligamy, as yet. I presume they will, when they re-
vise their creed. „

The next deluded fanatic, is the elect Lady Ann Lessu, called
Ann Lee, the authoress of Shakerism. She worked miracles of
all descriptions, and spoke seventy-two different languages fluently.
She conversed with the dead at pleasure ; so do the Mormons, not
only converse with the dead, but raise them from the grave, as they
declare they have at Nauvoo, in their city. A boy they call a
natural son, 14 years of age; he can decipher any thing ; he looks
into Heaven, or Earth, and tells what is done. This two of the
most respectable Mormons related to me. This will make a superi-
or to Jo. Smith. He could see through a pair of stone spectacles,
and through a plank floor into a thick wooden box, and decipher,
translate, and transcribe Egyptian language into English ; not-
withstanding, he could not write, or read a word of any language,
whatever ; but, however, he says he did it, by the power of God.
But this boy does it without any stone or other specks. This elect
lady produced many disciples ; she manufactured the holy dance,
the consecrated shivering, where the body would be perfectly cold,
and the person swoon away in apparent death.

She was the great enthusiastic devotee to rank the marriage
covenant among the list of crimes of the first class. She is gone
and left a comparative small number to perpetuate her memory.

Others have appeared, the Barkers, Jumpers, and Mutterers, in

France, Scotland, England, and America, within 15 years, we have
had the famous Miss Campbell, of Scotland. She came back from
the dead : she had the gift of tongues, 'tis said ; she made many-
converts ; and several Scotch clergymen believed in her pretensions.

I will now ask your attention to the last, but not the least, of all
the fanatics and deluded sects the world ever rend of. Agreeable
to my proposal and promise. I am to give you a compendium of
the Book of Mormon, or Joseph Smith, Jr's Golden Bible. I shall
give it to you in as concise and comprehensive manner as possible.

My quotations from their Book will be noted with ,.the page on
which it stands, that the reader may refer to the book for the cor-
rector of my remarks, by what I have written the whole character
of the book may be discovered ; and the reader will learn to judge
of its pretences, whether they are diyjn.e or romance, novel and
vain ; written by Solomon Spaulding and others, being well calcu-
lated for the ignorant, superstitious, and credulous to be believe in
as a revelation from God. With the foregoing remarks as intro-
ductory, I will proceed to give the compendium of the Book of
NMormon, and recommend the careful perusal to all and every one,
and do believe a candid and enlightened public will sp far appre-
ciate as to read it.

A COMPENDIUM OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

This book purports to be a revelation from God to certain per-
sons hereafter named, in said book ; it is called the Book of Mor-
mon, as the recording angel of this book of Books. It contains
5SS pages, octavo, viz : the first and second Books of one Nephi, 122
pages; the Book of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, 21 pages; the
Book of Enos, 3 pages ; Book of Jarom, 2 pages ; Book of Omin,
4 pages ; the Words of Mormon, 3 pages ; the Book of Mesiah,
68 pages ; the Book of Alma, 1S6 pages ; Book of Helaman, 44
pages ; Boole of Nephi, son of Helaman, 66 pages ; Book of Mor-
mon, 20 pages; Book of Ether, 35 pages; Book of Mormon, 14
pages. It commences:

This Book of Mormon, so called, Joseph Smith, Jr., in the State
of New York, pretends to have found in the earth, in the township
of Manchester, Ontario county, in the State of New York, writ-
ten in Egyptianlanguage, on plates of gold, about 24 plates, 7 by 9
inches, hung with gold rings, of half moon shape, the leaves said
to be about as thick as common glass, of the size of the plates, and
my opponent, Elder Nickerson, says, he understood it weighed 30
lbs. I valued it at 9,000 dollars, provided it was pure gold ; he
said it had the appearance of gold, although he had never seen it.
Joseph Smith claims the privilege of finding this book by order of
an angel from Heaven ; and also claims to be the decipherer of this
book, and the translator of these golden plates from ihe Egyptian
to the English, from which we are now getting a compendium.
It purports to be printed in Palmyria, by E. B. Grandin, for ihe
author, 1830.

Pt commences its romantic and nov'el history of one Lehi, a pious
Jew, whose wife's name was Sariah, with their four sons. Laman,
Lemuel, Sam and Nephi ; this account is found in the 1st Book of
Nephi. He says he was born of goodlyparents, and dwelt with his
father, Lehi, in Jerusalem, until the first year of the reign of Zede-
kiah, king of Judah ; that his father dwelt there when the proph-
ets called on the inhabitants of the city to repent, or the city should
be destroyed — p. 1. That his father, Lehi, prayed unto the Lord
in' behalf of the inhabitants, and, in. answer to his prayers there
came down from heaven a pillar of fire., and dwelt oh a rock before
him; and that he saw and heard much, but does not tell what he
saw and heard, except the pillar of fire. He became aiTrightened,
and' did tremble and quake exceedingly ; and he returned to his
house at Jerusalem, and cast himself on his bed, and was carried
away in vision, in a dream. The heavens were opened. He saw
God on a throne, surrounded with numberless angels singing and
praising him. One personage, that was above all others, whose
brightness exceeded the lustre of the sun at noon-day, came down,
with twelve others, to the earth. The most distinguished came to
his father and read a book of the fate that awaited the city of Jeru-
salem—that it should be destroyed, and many should perish with
the sword, and the remainder should be carried captive into Baby-
lon— p. 6. Here Nephi, the son and prophet to his father, says he
does not give a full account of what his father Lehi saw, in visions
and dreams, but what he has written is an abridgment made on the
plates by him. He says his father made these visions known to
many of the Jews, and they were angry, and sought his life.

He further says, the Lord spake to his father in a dream, and or-
dered him to depart, leave the city, and flee to the wilderness with
his family; and that his father obeyed and fled ; left all his posses-
sions, lands, houses, gold, silver and precious things ; that they
went through the widerness to the Red Sea ;• that not long after
leaving Jurusalem, his elder brothers, Laman and Lemuel, mur-
mured at their father for leaving the city, and called him a visiona-
ry man for leaving all his valuables, and gding into the wilderness
to perish.

Here we have the origin of these visionary beings, called the
Mormons. His father, he says, replied to Laman and Lemuel with
the power of God, and confounded them until their frames did
shake before him. It will be remembered that this Nephi, that is
giving this account, is a young boy : he says, 1 am young, but
large in stature, and desirous to know the mysteries of God ; and
the Lord paid him a visit, and he told his brothers of it, viz, La-
man and Lemuel ; and they did not believe him, but Sam, he says,
did. The object of the visit from the Lord, Nephi says, was to
command him to return to Jerusalem, with his brethren, and get
the records of the Jews, and the genealogy of their family, which
were in the hands of Laban, and written on brass — p- 9.

Agreeable to this command they went, and when they arrived at
the city, they dreW lots which should go and demand the records of

Laban ; the Jot fell to Laman ; he went, and was treated roughly
by his kinsman, and called a robber ; and Laman was for returning
to his father in the wilderness, to tell him the sad tidings, that there
was a failure on the part of God, that sent them after the records
to Laban.. But not so with this young boy, this Mormon prophet,
Nephi ; he was all for fight in ihe name of God. He required his
brethren to go with him and get the inheritance of their father,
the gold and silver, &c.,and then tempt Laban with the cash, and
thus get the plates of their origin. They did so. And when La-
ban found they had cash, he pursued them to take their lives; they
fled and left all in his hands, and hid in a cave ; there they quar-
relled among themselves about the failure. They beat the young
prophet with a stick. An angel appeared and reproved them for
their conduct, and told them that this young brother was chosen of
God to rule them, and that he should succeed against Laban and
obtain the plates, because he was faithful. This is the sentiment
all through the book, viz : faithfulness to these visionary dreams
will always give them success. Nephi, after the angel had left him,
tried to get his brother to go to Laban, and thus accomplish the ob-
ject for which they came. They were afraid Laban would kill
them, if he could find them, but Nephi advanced, and his elder
brother followed, until they came to the walls of the city. Nephi
says he crept into the city, and went toward Laban's house in the
night, not knowing which way he went, but he was led by the
Spirit ; but before he came to the house of Laban, he saw a man
fallen to the ground, drunk, and he knew it was Laban : and I be-
held his sword and drew it from its sheath : the hilt was of pure
gold, and the blade precious steel. And it came to pass that I was
constrained to kill him, but I said, in my heart, I have never shed
the blood of any man. I shrunk back, that I might not slay him.
And the Spirit saith to me again, behold, the Lord hath delivered
him into thy hands. Yea, and I also know that Laban hath sought
to take my life ; and he has taken away our property. The spirit
saith again, slay him, it is better that one man should perish, than
a nation should perish in unbelief. I knew that the Lord had deliv-
ered him into my hand, that I may obtain the plates of brass:
Therefore, I did obey the voice of the spirit, and took Laban by
the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.
That is well done for a boy, After he had killed him he stripthim
of his military raiment, and put it on himself, through fear of detec-
tion. He went to Laban's house, the treasury, and there met La-
ban's servant ; and by being dressed in Laban's dress, and speak-
ing with Laban's voice, he deceived him. He commanded him to
get the keys of the treasury, and get the brass plates, and to ac-
company him outside the walls of the city, where his brothers were
hid. When his brothers saw him dress'd in Laban's dress, they
supposed it to be Laban, having killed the prophet Nephi, and was
in pursuit of them, and they fled. Nephi called on them, and they
knew his voice, and came to him. This circumstanc gave Laban's
servant intelligence of the affair that his master was killed ; he at-

tempted to flee, but Nephi, this ingenious murderer, held him fast,
and promised him, if he would go with them, they would spare his'
life, and he should be free.

This policy of Nephi was good, to prevent the Jews from follow-
ing them to the wilderness to detect the murder of Laban. They all
proceeded on, and they came to the Red Sea, where the father
and mother wei'e. When the parents saw their children with Lo-
ram, the servant of Laban, they were comforted, for they had sup-
posed they were killed by Laban.

Sariah had been scolding Lehi, her husband, for leaving Jerusa-
lem, called him a visionary man ; now she knew that God had
commanded him to leave the city. I would remark here, that it is
common with many women, when their husbands meet with adver-
sity, to thinli that they are wrong in their pursuits, and visionary,
however laudable the pursuit. But, on the contrary,' if fortunate,
by any means, the Lord prospers them. This is a dangerous senti-
ment, though many believe it.

The old man took the plates, and found they gave an account,
from the creation, of the five Books of Moses — p. 15. From the
genealogy, he found he was of Joseph, that went to Egypt. This'
filled him with the spirit , he prophesied that these records should
never perish. Thus we have the origin of the history of the plate
from which the novel writer takes his patterns; and from which
the deluded Mormon commences his prophetic career. This ends
the first chapter of Nephi, first book. Here I would remark, the
writer finding he had no women to people the New World, he says,
that Father Lehi prevailed on one Ishmael and his family to go
with him, whose daughters his sons took for wives.

He makes Lehi to be a greater prophet than any of the Jewish.
He tells all the events' that shall take place under the Christian Era.
He developes all the records of Matthew, Luke and John, 600 years
before John the baptist was born. This puts the prophecy of the
Old Testament all in the shade ; but when, think ye, it was writ-
ten 1 I answer, in 1S27. The 2d chapter is an addition of Lehi
prophecy, what should befall the Jews, and of the coming of
Christ, the particular manner of his birth, where he should be born.
Here the novelist makes one of those mistakes usual to them, to
cause excitement. He says Jesus was born in Jerusalem. T shall
comment on this when I examine the internal evidences. He also
speaks of John the Baptist being a messenger to prepare the way :
he borrows the precise language of Scripture, viz : prepare ye the
way of the Lord, make his paths straight ; and much, saith Ne-
phi, did my father speak concerning this thing — p. 22.

Here the writer makes another blunder to call the attention, viz :
that John was to baptise in Bethebara. From the 1st to the 5th
book of Nephi, we have all the minutse of the birth, death, resur-
rection and baptism of Christ, by John ; p. 24, 25, of his miracles,
the death of Christ, when the rocks rent ; and p. 26, 27, he closes
the 3d chapter of his records. I now make an end of speaking
2

10'

concerning the things which I saw, while I was carried away in the-
spirit ; and if all the things which I saw are not written, the things
that I have written are true ; and thus it is. Amen.

Thus far we see the object of the writer is discovered, the man-
ner which he has adopted in quoting hundreds of scriptural texts,
verbatim, relating to all christian accounts, are sufficient to show the
fallacy of its being a prophecy 600 years before the Christian Era.
This prophecy of Lehi, from the 1st to the 5th chapter, of itself,
proves, to my mind, that it was got up by some novel writer for
the purpose of wealth, as a sacred novel, and has been divert-
ed, perhaps, by designing, crafty men — not Jo Smith — men not
positively known — perhaps Rigdon, a Scotch priest, now a Mor-
mon; from a general history of him I should suppose he is well
calculated to impose on the credulous dupes, such as Smith, and
hundreds of thousands of others. The wonderful singularity of
style, and complete uniformity of language; the medley mixture of
Bible history, its high pretensions to divine authority, its perform-
ing miracles on the condition of having the fullest confidence in the
letter of the Bible, by saying, as all the Mormons do, that when
Gfbd says a thing in his word, he intends to perform it to the letter.
No sentiment can have abetter influence on weak minds and credu-
lous dupes than this. The 4th book is nothing but a continual
quarrel between Nephi and his brethren, the sceptics, on the pre-
tended prophecy of Lehi, their father. Nephi had doomed his un-
believing brethren to hell, of which he says he has spoken ; and
the devil, he says, is the preparator of it. And thus I spake unto
my brethren. Amen — p. 38.

The 5th chapter speaks of Nephi, the young prophet, taking a>
wife of one of the daughters of Ishmael, that left Jerusalem with
them, for the express purpose of intermarriage ; here they invent
the bow and arrow, that they may get food in the wilderness. He
says, His father had a voice from the Lord, in the night, to make
a journey into the wilderness : and in the morning he went to the
tent door, there, to his great surprise, he beheld on the ground a
round ball, of curious workmanship, made of fine brass ; and with-
in this ball were two spindles, or pointers, the one pointed the way
which they were to go into the wilderness to get food, and the
other which way they were to go toward the promised land. They
immediately took all their goods and chattels, and all they had, and
travelled four days, in nearly a southeast direction, and crossed the
river Laman, then pitched their tents, after getting a supply of food
by their bows and arrows, slings and stones. They then travelled
by this compass, this patent ball, which led them to a fertile land,
where they remained many days — p. 40th. Here the prophet Ne-
phi broke his bow. He says it was made of fine steel. This ac-
cident gave rise to much contention ; his brothers became angry ;
the old hero, his father, got vexed with his deprivations of food.

However, Nephi says, he made a wooden bow, and an arrow out
of a strait stick. Wonder what his former arrow was made of.
He informed his father, who was in sorrow, murmuring against the

11

!Lord. He wanted to know of him which way he must go into (he
woods to get food. The voice of the Lord came to his father, told
him to look on this ball, (compass.) there it should be written so that
they all could read it. They all saw it, and their wives; and the
pointers would traverse and work according to their faith and dili-
gence; and this writing would alter and change, give directions from
the Lord, as their case seem'd to require. And thus we see, says
the writer, that by small means the Lord can bring about great
things. These silly dupes fully believe this compass hoax.

Allow me here to remark, this compass must have been a valua-
ble acquisition to their journey through the deserts, and this was
the same compass they had to navigate the Pacific Ocean with.
But, remember, it had a nautical almanac written on it ; this is a
compass worth having. Is it not very strange tha'all the Europeans
and enlightened never had any compass, to sail by, for twenty-four
hundred years after this. What great obligations we must be
■under, to these ignorant Mormons, by way of Joseph Smith, for
so minute an account. What wisdom doth consummate, ignorance
here imparts. This account far exceeds the Jewish pillar of cloud
by day, and fire by night. I think this young collegian, or Rev.
Solomon Spaulding, put this in here to match the other account, but
it sets the other in a cloud. This not only was a guide by day or
night, but gave directions how, when, and where to go to get food ;
for instance, where the game was, the grey squirrels, or any other
food. For the prophet Naphi says, they went up into the moun-
tain agreeable to the directions on this ball; and it came to pass
that I did get food for our families, and it came to pass that I did
slay wild beasts. Then he says, their families did humble them-
selves before the Lord, and did give thanks unto him — p. 41.

I think they ought to thank him for such a compass, and espe-
cially for making Nephi such a navigator. I suppose he could
calculate longitude by this, and thus save the expense of a chro-
nometer. No doubt he could work lunars, although he does m"
say he did. It appears they went on their course, but by some un-
accountable fatality, the father of the women died, viz : Ishmael.
His daughters mourned his death, and they murmured against the
old prophet Lehi for bringing them out of Jerusalem to perish in
the wilderness with hunger. Laman said to his brother Lemuel,
and his wives' brothers, " let us slay our father, and our brother
Nephi that have pretended the Lord had talked with them, and that
angels had come and ministered unto them. But behold, we know
that he lieth unto us ; and he telleth us these things, and he work-
eth many things by his cunning arts, that he may deceive our eyes,
and lead us away into the wilderness, and thus make himself king
over us. Where is the compass ? Laman never saw it, I expect.
But, however, they went on their journey eastward ; their women
ate raw meat. It seems, with all their knowledge of the arts of
the compass, they did not know enough to rub two pieces of wood
or stone against each other to get fire. But they say, (p. 42,) their
women bare them children by eating raw meat; and they gave a

12

plenty of milk for their children : that they were eight years in the
wilderness. I ask, ivhere is the compass? At length they came
to a place on the sea shore. They are careful not to tell us where,
nor when ; they give no dates in all their history. They call the
place Ireantum ; interpreted, is, many waters. Here was fruit and
wild honey. They call the place bountifnl. Here commences a
new scheme. The novel writer has got them through the desert at
J.ast. Here is where the poor deluded fanatics begin their voyage.
After many days, prophet Nephi tells them the Lord had visited.
Jiim again ; told him to go up a certain mountain ; there he would
tell him what to do; there the Lord ordered him to build a ship
after the pattern he would ffive him, that he may cross the waters
in. He inquired of the Lord what he should do for tools and ma-
terials. Reasonable inquiry. The Lord told him to go to such a
place and get ore to make tools of. He says he did so, and made a
pair of bellowses. New York yankee phraseology. Remember
he makes the bellows to blow the fire, not having any tools yet, and
no fire. He says he made them out of skins. He then took two
stones and smote them together and produced fire. He then made
tools out of ore and molten stone, His brothers called him a fool,
to talk of building a ship, and of crossing the waters. They did
not believe the Lord instructed him so to do, (p. 43.) Nephi, to
reconcile their minds to him, referred them to the adventures of Mo-
ses, and the children of Israel oyer the Red Sea ; their 40 years'
experience ; what they had to contend with ; and how they were
punished for murmuring against ^Joses.

They, his brethren, threatened to drown him in the sea ; but he
iold them if they attempted to do it, ,their hands should become
withered. They were so duped -they believed him, or feared him,
and they repented. But the Lord wanted tp show them how they
would have been dealt with. He told Nephi to stretch out his
hand, and give them a great shock to make them know and re-
member the Lord their God. He did so; and the shock was terri-
ble: they all fell to the ground. This miraculous shock beats Dr.
Collyer's magnetism out and out. From this circumstance, the
writer says, they were all convinced that Nephi had received orders
from God to build the ship. They all went forih and helped build
her, without tools, I presume. None were made, that I have heard
of, but a pair of bellows. When the vessel was finished, she was
well done, after the pattern given of God, but not of men. I ex-
pect she was a superior model. He does not say how big she was ;
whether she was kettle bottom, or sharp built. However, they put
all their family on board, provisions, &,c, and put out to sea for
the promised lands. They got so merry they began to sing and
dance, (p. 48,.) and the captain, prophet Nephi, began to check them
and admonish them of their danger. They did not relish such ad-
vice ; they took Captain Nephi, and bound him hand and foot with
cords ; the Lord suffering it. Now comes this patent compass ;
I have not heard of it for eight years. Here it is, on board the
vessel. After they had bound the Captain, he, to show his power;

13

with God, commanded the compass not to traverse. This is power
with a witness. Therefore, they could not steer the ship on her
course, and they were driven back by a terrible storm, three days;
the fourth day they found the Lord was determined to swallow
them up in the deep. They bt the Captain loose, his wrists and
.ankles much swollen. Lehi, the old prophet, reproved them for
their treatment to Nephi, and they repented. The Captain took
the helm of the ship ; the compass worked well ; the ship went on
her course. After many davs, the writer says, they arrived at the
promised land ; South America, I presume. By this account Co-
lumbus is all becalmed ; his voyage was <too late in the age ; his
adventure is not a circumstance to the Mormons'. A fine land they
arrived at ; they called it the promised land. They planted the
seeds they brought out of Jerusalem. Everything grew in abun-
dance. They found cows, oxen, asses, horse?, goats, and all wild
animals ; gold, silver, copper, and lead ore. Here they engraved
the records of all their adventures since they left Jerusalem. They
received orders from the Lord to put them on plates, and all that
was written on former plates, that these things should be for the
ministry, and for other wise purposes known to the Lord, (p. -50)
and that ,t,hese plat.es should be handed down from generation to
generation. He then says he does not write anything on these
plates but what is sacred, and if he does, so did they of old. For,
says he, some men esteem some things to be of great worth ; others
set them at naught. This he says, is all written with all his other
writings, as the history of the Jews ; and quotes many passages of
the Old and New Testament, hundreds of years before they were
Written. Thus ends the 5th chapter of Nephi, 1st book.

The 6th and 7\h chapters which makes up the first book of Ne-
phi, is but a scriptural account of the quotations, verbatim, telling
what happened to the Jews for their disobedience, and the benefits
to the obedient, and concludes his first book of 59 pages with a
Valedictory Amen.

The second book, 15 chapters, 63 pages, gives an account of the
death of Lehi. He endeavors to reconcile all the family ; all their
bickerings that had occurred since they left home; he advised them
to be reconciled to their brother Nephi. He admits he had used
sharpness, but it was by the power of God. He excites them to a
belief in God, quotes the misfortune of Adam and Eve, not obeying
God, of the deyil as the father of lies, the coming of the Messiah
to redeem them from sin. These words were to his family, and
particularly to his two sons born on the passage ; and concludes by
saying, remember the words of thy dying father, (p. 68.) He died
about this time. After this time the children had quarrelled about
what Lehi had said to them, and Nephi grieved much, {Chap. 4,)
I cried unto the Lord. His brethren threatened his life. He had
to flee into the wilderness with his younger brothers. When he
fled he took his patent ball compass and the sword that he took ofT
the head of Laban with, that I have spoken of. He says he made
many swords by that pattern, to prepare his family to fight the La-
manites ; that is, his brother Laman, his families. &.c.

14

Thus we see the Mormons are not Quakers. He says he learnt
them to work wiih him in all kinds of work ; gold, silver, brass,
steel, and precious stones: that he built a temple ; constructed it
after the manner of Solomon's temple ; the workmanship exceeding
6ne.

(P. 72 ) — Here he gives an account of the families. He calls
them Lamanites, viz: those that were the descendants by way of
the daughters of Ishmael, that left Jerusalem with Lehi, his father.
He says they were exceeding white, and very fair and delightsome.
He speaks of them as unbelievers from the time they came out of
Jerusalem, (p. 73,) and for their unbelief, God gave them a black
skin, and cursed them and all that should mix their seed with
them. Probably this is where the distortured features and black
skin of the negro came from. The novelist has given them credit
of giving the original account how they first made the colored peo-
ple. I think this curse on the blacks was not a very moral act in
the Mormons to pray so hard to God as to inflict such a curse, as
not only to change their skins and features, but to make slaves out
.of freemen. The blacks will not thank you, Mormons, for this in-
tercession with God. When they shall have the power, if your
history or sect shall be on the face of the globe, a day of retribu-
tion will await you, not unlike the day of retribution that will await
your persecutors that have murdered your fathers and brothers,
mothers and sisters, with their children, in Missouri, for nothing
else than your misfortune of being duped and deluded on account
of this silly sacred novel.

Having accounted for the race of blacks, I proceed from p. 73 to
86, which is but a repetition from the Old and New Testament, in
favor of his sentiments ; and from that to p. 122 is but a Jewish
prophecy, occasionally mixed with the Mormon faiths; nothing of
interest worth giving you. He closes up his sayings as follows: —
<l And now, my beloved brethren, all they which are of the House
of Israel, and all the ends of the earth, I speak unto you as one
crying from the dust. Farewell until the great day shall come ;
and you that will notpurtake of the goodness of God, and respect
the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words that shall
proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God ; behold, I
bid you an everlasting farewell ; for these words shall condemn
you at the last day. For what I seal on earth shall be brought
against you at the judgment bar, for thus hath the Lord command-
ed me, and I must obey, Amen." Thus ends the 15th Chapter,
2d book of Nephi.

Here is where the deluded Mormons put their confidence. If
they believe what has been said by Nephi, they shall be able, also,
to do mightier works than he has done. They believe he had
power to seal their fate at the last day.

The next is the book of Jacob, the brother of Nephi. It has
five chapters. Nothing of interest, but replete with wars, excur-
sions, admonitions and warnings to reclaim the Lamanites. There
was a threat to the Nephites, that if they did not repent of certain

15

gins, they should become dark colored. It appears by Jacob's ac-
count, an eternal hatred against each other existed. I should sup.
pose this would be the result of such power, viz: the power to turn
the whites into blacks. It would produce an etprnal war at this
age. Hear one of the declarations from Jacob, in confirmation of
my remarks, (p. 128.)

" O, my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins,
their skins will be whiter than yours." Meaning those who had
been turned into blacks ; those I have referred to, (p. 143.) Jacob
closes his writings, hands them down to Enos, his son, and says :'
w I make an end of my writing upon these plates, hoping my breth-
ren may read my words. Brethren, Adieu !"

The book of Enos is short, like Jaron and Omni. Nothing of
moment worthy of much comment. The subject matter there al-
luded to, is the writing on the plates of Jaron and Omni, and the
transmission of them down to the days of King Benjamin ; being
about 320 years alter their departure from Jerusalem.

We now come to the words of Mormon : Chap, lst^ He ap>>
pears to be a sort of recording angel, having the jurisdiction of all
the records ; and that he is to transfer them to his son Moroni, as
Avill be seen in the close of this book. He pretends to be one of
the conquerors that lived to destroy every one else, or nearly so ;
and he is selected as one that was the instrument of burying the
plates that Jo Smitli found under the hill in the State of New
York, in 1827. I shall refer more to Mormon, in his epistles to
his son. (p. 577 to 585.

The next book is Mosiah, containing 13 chapters. He hails as
son to King Benjamin. He migrated to a land of Tarahemta. It
would be too tedious for my purposes, and too tedious for the read-
er to follow all these several writers in this book of Mormons
through all their labyrinths of pretended history. Any person that
has ever read the historical romance of Solomon Spaulding, the
manuscript from which the subject matter of this book was taken,
would be placed in a belter situation to understand this romance.
The many episodes that seem to occur in this book of Mosiah and
other books referred to in this compendium, were they not too vo-
luminous, they might be so arranged as to explain with a greater
variety the sentiments that Spaulding intended to convey in his
novel. But I shall confine my remarks to the most distinguished
features and occurrences said to have taken place, on which this
deluded set of people, called Mormons, place their faith as literal
truths, and divine revelation.

1 he Mormons that have come to Boston, and with whom I have
conversed, do not appear to be conversant with the Book of Mor-
mon. One of them asserted in a public meeting, that he had never
read it through, but he knew it was all true, by the power of God.
This is the same way the witnesses swore they saw the golden
plates, viz ; Cowdry, Harris, and Whittemore, as we shall prove by
evidence. Taking this book from my last quotaiinns to p. 425, it
is of all books the most unintelligible possible. The novel writer

16

well knew the propensity of ignorance and credulity to believe im-
possibilities ratheT than plain- truth. Spaulding was a clergyman,
and well knew that any plan or any history that pretends to ap-
prove of the Old and New Testament, and especially should it pre-
tend to be more than paramount to it in its marvellous features, it
would create an interest among the superstitious parr of communi-
ty, and of course he should not loose his labor. In attempting to
account for the first settling of the far west, admitting this was his"
object, to carry out this, there is thousands of quotations from the
Old and New Testament mixed in with all the appearance of hu-
mility, when spoken of by prophecy and otherwise ; while at the
same time and place the parties are all clothed and fully equipped
with the habiliments of pure military costume ; ready, willing and
able to fight for their God. This, to be sure, corresponds with the
Old Testament, but does it accord with the design of the New 1
Havino- <nven the general character of the book of Mosiah, so call-
ed, and The general features of many other writers in this book, I
now come to' the book of Alma. He is chief judge over the peo-
ple, (p. 231. High priest over the church, he gives an account- of
the' judges, and of the wars, and contention of the perpetual wars
between the Nephites and Lamanites; he accredits^ Mosiah for his
good reian. The first man before Alma, to be tried, was a preach-
er, of great stature, preaching the word of God ; declaring to the
people that all preaching should be popular ; that they ought not to,
labor, but be supported by the people. And they held ail mankind'
should be saved at the last day, (p. 221.) and that all men should,
have eternal life. Many believed his doctrine, and they supported
him in costly apparel,- and established a church of that kind',— Uni-
versalis!. As he was going to meeting one day, he met a man who
was an Orthodox. They got into contententions abou.t their senti-
ments. The Orthodox was an old man, by. name of Gideon Parr.
The Universalist drew his sword, and slew Gideon. He was
brought before Judge Alma, for trial. He plead his own cause j
but Alma said, this is the first time priestcraft has been introduced
before the pftople. The ynUe decided the case against him, for
killing Gideon. They took him; his name was Nehor; and car-
ried on top of the hill Manti, and hung him between the heavens
and the earth, for preaching to the people what was contrary to the
Word of God. This is the way the Mormon Judge served the Uni-
versalist at that time. I suppose that Spaulding thought that they
would serve him so, or as they had done in the State of New-York
and Massachusetts before.

This case produced a great clamor among the people ; persecu-
tion was so severe, that thev passed a law against it. They came
to the conclusion that the priests were no better than the people.
Thus, the writer says, they were all equal— p. 123. For five years
there was peace among the different sects. Judge Alma would
have served John Murray the same compliments— hung him up to
dry.- This religious war-hatchet was not buried sufficiently deep.
The hatchet was dug up; the Liberal and the Orthodox declared

17

war; 18000 men were slain. One party, under Amlica, the
Universalist, and under Nephi, called Nephites, (God's people.) The
wars became so severe, and the orthodox beat the liberals so much,
that the Liberals joined their forces with the Lamanites, the blaeks,
that were turned so by the Nephites ; they united all their forces
and drove the Nephites to the other side of the river Sidon. The
number of the slain was so great that they could not be numbered,
—p. 228.

I have given a true picture of the book of Alma. To the eighth
chapter it is all wars and fighting. God's people always conquer,
notwithstanding they lose all their soldiers. The character of the
contending parties of religionists in the seven first chapters of Al-
ma, are described. They are a fair picture of the religious disputes
in the State of New York at the time Solomon Spaulding wrote
this manuscript, (p. 250.) The character of lawyers are portrayed
as follows : — " Now these lawyers were learned in all the arts and
cunning of the people. The lawyers are charged with design for
the sole purpose of getting money. Ye lawyers and hypocrites, ye
are laying the foundation of the devil ; ye are laying traps, and
snares, and plans, to pervert the ways of the righteous." Amulick
had spoken against the lawyers. There was one Teesrome, a law-
yer, that got gain by his employ and deceit. He became converted.
When he had made confession of his guilt, he said, " Behold, I
am guilty, and these men are spotless before God." Lawyers, I
believe, may make this plea frequently, when they know they have
a wicked, fraudulent, and murderous client. He turned on the
other side to plead, but the people charged him with being possess-
ed of the devil. Persecutions for religious opinions ran high ; it
became universal throughout the land. Imprisonment and death
was the lot. Great and marvellous were the cases recorded. Law-
yers, judges, priests and the people were engaged. One would
suppose the novel writer was portraying which time, and when they
hung and banished Quakers. Many got into prison. Judges vis-
ited them in prisons, to extort a confession and repentance. They
threw women and children into the flames. Alma, and Amulick,
the lawyer, were taken and carried to a place of martyrdom to wit-
ness the distress of the women and children that were writhing in
the fire. Amulick was for exercising his Mormon powers to pre-
vent these poor creatures in the flames being burnt ; but Alma
thought it not best. He thought it best that the Lord should re-
ceive them to himself in glory. This sentiment and practice is
true, universally, I believe, with the Mormon power. They all
say they can work miracles : heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out
devils, &s. But they universally let the dead rest, the sick die,
and those that were possessed of the devil get clear of him the best
way they can. Let the Lord do his own work. I will give a few
statements that may be reckoned among hundreds that compose the
substance of the Mormons' book, viz. miracles. Alma and Amu-
lick, before named, were cast into prison for their religious behef
The judges, lawyers und others visited them in prison, rfife
3

18

judges would interrogate them, and smite them on the mouth ; call
on them, if they had this Mormon power, to execute it on them.
They were stripped of their clothing, kept hungry and thirsty, and
bound with strong cords. The judges called on them to deliver
themselves from the cords, (p. 264,) and struck them again on the
mouth. The power of God came to Alma and to Amulick, and
they stood upon their feet. They broke off the cords, the people
fled out, and the jail was rent in twain. The judges and lawyers
did not get out, but fell on their faces and were destroyed in the
ruins. But Amulick and Alma came out unhurt. The people
heard the noise, and came forth : and when they saw all was de-
stroyed but Amulick and Alma, they fled from them as they would
from two lions. On this case the Mormons give much credit. We
take leave of Alma on p. 40. What has become of him I cannot
tell. He gave Heleman a long lecture and disappeared. Not un-
like the case of Moses, the devil could not find his body. Neither
can we trace Alma.

The book of Heleman, the son of Alma, comes next. It com-
mences the 40th year of the judges. Its whole accounts are of a
warlike character, and alternately giving accounts of the adversi-
ties and prosperities of the church. Nephi, the judge, his son,
yielded up the bench, and became a preacher, and his brother Lehi
also, (p. 417.) They produced a great reformation among their ene-
mies. The Lamanites, 8000 of them, were baptized unto repent-
ance. This gave them courage to go as missionaries to the Ne-
phites. They were taken by their enemies and imprisoned. After
they had been many days without food, the authorities went into
prison to take them to slay them. There they found these proph-
ets encircled about with a great fire : the officers could not get at
them. These Mormon prophets were in the middle of the fire, and
not burnt. The officers were struck with amazement, while in
that place. At midnight, great darkness followed, and the jail
trembled and shook repeatedly. They heard a small voice saying
unto them; " Repent : do my servants no harm." As this was re-
peated the third time, they saw through a cloud the faces of the
prisoners as the faces of angels. The walls trembled. At length
a pleasant mild voice addressed them ; " whisper of peace from
heaven ; because ye have believed, and of your faith in my well
beloved son which was before the foundation of the world." The
heavens were opened, and angels administered unto them in pre-
sence of three hundred souls, that saw and heard all these things.
A reign of peace followed for a few years, when the Chief Judge
was murdered on the bench, (p. 423,) and his son, by persons un-
known. There were gangs of men about that time that bore the
name of Gidianton's Band. Out of this company the writer inti-
mates the origin of the Masons. This book was made up about
the time of the Morgan excitement in the State of New York and
in the neighborhood where this book was probably made, or print-
ed. And it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that there
were robbers among them, they were exceeding sorrowful ; and

19

they did use every means whatever in their power to destroy them
from off the face of the earth. But behold, Satan did stir up the
hearts of the Nephites, inasmuch as they did unite with these
bands of robbers, and did enter into their covenants and their oaths,
that they would protect and preserve one another in whatever dif-
ficult circumstances they should be placed in, that they should not
suffer for their murders or their stealings, or secresy. And it came
to pass that they did have their signs, yea, secret signs, and their
secret words ; and this, that they might distinguish a brother that
may have entered into the covenant ; that whatever wickedness his
brother should do, he should not be injured by his brother, nor by
those who did belong to his band who had taken this covenant.
And thus they might murder, plunder and steal ; commit whore-
doms and all manners of wickedness, and their abominations should
not be tried by the laws of the country ; and whosoever of those
that belonged to their band should dare reveal unto the world their
wickedneess and their abominations, should be tried not according
to the laws of the country, but according to the laws of their wick-
edness, which had been given them byKishkumen and Gidianton.
Behold ! it is their secret oaths and the covenants which Alma com-
manded his son not to go forth unto the world, lest they should be
the means of bringing down the people unto destruction, (p. 124.)
I remark here that the novel writer probably intended to give his
views of Masonic oaths, and of their institutions. He first speaks
of a judge being murdered on the bench by some unknown hand,
and his son likewise : and they could not trace the murderers.
This, he says, was in the 67th year of the reign of the judges.
Probably the writer alluded to the abduction and supposed murder
of Morgan, the seceding Mason : for he says the murdered persons
were not to be found, (p. 423.) He seems to attribute the failure
to the grand conspiracy of those combined under secret oaths. In
this particular part of this pretended Book of Mormon, there is a
manifest similarity of circumstances, and of language that was
published in the State of New York, at the time of the great ex-
citement about the supposed murder of Morgan, which took place
about the time this novel was got up. The writers, I think, were
determined to fasten a stigma on the character of the Masonic In-
stitution; that it had produced a flood of evil and immoral tenden-
cy in all ages, from its commencement, (p. 424.)

In confirmation of my remarks, I here state their sayings. He
says it is the same spirit that gave Cain the disposition to murder
Abel, his brother. He says it is the same spirit that put it into the
hearts of the people to build a tower to get to heaven. Further, he
says it is the author of all sin, and behold ! he doth carry on the
works of darkness and secret murders, and doth hand down their
plates and their oaths, covenants, secrets and murders, from genera-
tion to generation. I have quoted verbatim thus far, for the express
purpose of showing this book, or the substance of it, was written
by Solomon Spaulding and others, about the time of the Masonic
excitement, as I shall prove by the evidences. I shall show from

20

Mr Spaulding's wife, called by name of Matilda Davidsont having
married again since the death of Mr Spauiding, published in the
Key Stone, a respectable public journal of the State of Pennsyl-
vania, at Harrisburg, December 9th, 1840. The writer ends this
book of Heleman, 68th year of the reign of the judges.

The next in this drama is his son Nephi. He commences with
the usual threatenings of all the prophetic writers in this novel to
the people if they will or do not repent of their sins, God will visit
them in his anger. This is ministerial. It will be remembered
that the writer of this manuscript was a clergyman. Keep that in
view, and you will be able to account for about all these sayings.
The whole book of Nephi is a full description of the people of
New York city, and all other great places ; " for behold," says the
writer, " it is to get gain to be praised of men. Yea, that ye might
get gold and silver, ye have set your hearts upon this world, &c."
(p. 428.) But the prayers and tears of this pious Nephi seemed
to be disregarded by the populace. And the prophet consulted God,
and received power to afflict them to any extent. This is Popery
ovf 1827. The people, not believing in Nephi as their prophet, he
relates a case of murder to show them that his knowledge and
power was of God. He spoke to them of their unbelief in the Old
and New Testament, and of Jesus Christ, as though the writer was
speaking to sceptics, or those that did not accredit the history of
Moses and the prophets as Divine Revelation. He exhorts them
all to repent, and lay up treasures in heaven ; give up their mur-
derous doings and intentions, and secret combinations. Here he
alludes to the same Masonic history his father Heleman has so
largely discussed in his prophecy. He says, " the murderers are at
your doors; go into the judgment seat. Behold your judge is
murdered by his brother, and he belongeth to the secret band."
As soon as the people heard this, five of them went to find out the
truth of this statement. If this proved to be the truth, they agreed
to say all his other prophecies were true, and from God. This is
a Mormon sentiment, that they universally state at all times. If
one word of their bible be true, it is all true. So they say of the
Christian and Jewish records. To proceed : when these five men
came to the judgment seat, behold, the chief judge had fallen to
the earth, and was in his blood. They were then convinced of
their unbelief, and became believers. The cry of murder was soon
heard. The secret murderer had fled. The people assembled, and
finding these five men there, fallen to the earth, they supposed they
were the murderers. They bound them and cast them into prison.
After the burial and the usual parade was over, the authorities be-
gan to ferret out the murderers. The five men in prison told their
story how they came there by the prophecy of Nephi, as he had de-
clared, publicly, the judge was slain ; and having satisfied the court
of their statement, they suspected the prophet Nephi as the plotter
of this death. Nephi was brought before the court on trial. There
was a great tumult between the court and the believers in the hon-
esty of Nephi, the prophet. Nephi defended himself on the ground

21

that God had revealed this unto him, to convince them of his being
a true prophet. He now says to them, "I will convince you; be-
hold, go to the house of Scantum, the brother of the judge Seezo-
ram. Ask him if Nephi hath agreed with him to slay his brother,
and he shall say nay. And ye shall say unto him, have ye mur-
dered your brother ? And he shall stand with fear, and wist not
what to say. He shall deny it, and appear astonished ; he will de-
clare himself innocent. Behold ! examine him, and ye shall find
blood on the skirts of his garments. Then say unto him, do we
not know this is the blood of your brother? He will tremble and
look pale. Then charge him with the deed. Because of this fear
and paleness you are guilty. Then great fear shall come upon
him, and he shall confess the murder ; and that Nephi knew no-
thing of this but by the power of God. And then ye shall say that
I am an honest man, and sent of God," (p. 434.)

Here this tragedy ends. Allow me to say, not unlike all novel
writers that break off their most alarming stories in the midst, we
have no account of the trial ; perhaps if we had, Nephi may have
been the real conspirator. This looks like all the other marvellous
sayings calculated to dupe the credulous. It appears the people
were not agreed in the opinion of the innocency of the prophet
Nephi. It produced such an effect on him that God gave him pow-
er to punish the unbelievers. "Behold, I give you power that
whatsoever ye shall seal on earth, shall be sealed in heaven. And
whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven : that
if ye shall say unto this mountain, be thou cast d_own and become
smooth, it shall be done." He used this power, and caused a great
famine for four years. He prevented its raining on the face of the
earth for more than four years. The people died by thousands.
Nephi was a hard customer. This outdoes good old Elijah. He
thought three years and six months would answer his views. But
the Book of Mormon, in all the exploits, appears to exceed all other
books. It is on this account the Mormons build all their faith.
The novel writer well foresaw this result : he had preached suffi-
cient time to know how to make dupes ; to know, that the more
improbable and impossible a pretended sacred historian's statements
are, it is a fact the more the dupes are likely to accredit it, as truth.
But, notwithstanding all the famines and pestilence by the sword,
the prophet Nephi could not make the people believe on him to his
satisfaction. Thus he ends his valedictory. We read that in that
great and last day there are some that shall be cast out from the
presence of the Lord. They that have done good shall have ever-
lasting life : and they that have done evil shall hare eternal damna-
tion. And thus it is, Amen.

Thus I have quoted much from the prophet Nephi, the son of
Heleman, because the deluded Mormons depend much on his ac-
count for their faith.

Next in rotation is the prophet Samuel, the Lamanite. He was
a missionary to Tarahemta. The people would not allow him to
preach in the city. I suppose it may have been the city of New

22

York. He made declaration that the sword of justice hung over
them. His preaching caused such a stir among the people, they
told him he had the power of the devil. They went to take him,
but he escaped from them, and was, as he says, never heard more
among them. I remark that this book of Samuel, or prophecy, is
a rigmarole of nonsense, unworthy of comment.

The next writer is Nephi, son of the Nephi I have spoken of.
He gives us a flaming account. He represents the unbelievers to
have concluded to put all the believers to death, providing the say-
ings of the prophets of Samuel and others did not come to pass.
That Nephi, the prophet, called on the Lord to sustain him and the
believers ; that the prophecies that had been spoken, of the coming
of Christ, his death and resurrection, and the signs that should at-
tend these days and times, the sun should be darkened, &c. He
now undertakes to show its fulfilment. ? And it came to pass that
the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled : for behold ! at
the going down of the sun there was no darkness, and the people
began to be astonished, because there was no darkness. When the
night came, the people were affrighted, and believed the son of
God would soon appear, (p. 453,) that the night was as light as the
day, and that the sun did arise as usual, and from this circumstance
the people were to know Christ was born on that day."

I will here remark, a singular night, as light as the day. We
Yankees have been taught to believe, that the light was called day,
and the darkness called night ; but the Mormons, to outdo all others,
they have night in the day time. The prophecy of the birth of
Christ by Samuel, having come, the people were anxious to see the
prophecy fulfilled of his death and resurrection, ascension and de-
scension, as had been prophesied, after the expiration of 25 years
of wars and contentions about Christ's coming. The time drawing
nigh, Nephi kept up his prophecies : he cast out devils, and raised
his brother from the dead, after the people had stoned him to death,
(p. 469,) till at length the day of darkness came on the face of the
whole earth for three days. It finally turned out to be three hours.
I suppose the writer thought best to take the Christian account.
He says :he city sunk. No such account in the Christian books.
He says it was so dark over the whole earth for a time, that fire
would not burn, nor candles. There was neither sun, moon or
stars. It must be very dark that neither fire or candles would burn.
This Mormon writer must carry out his sayings sufficiently to make
it impossible with truth, before a full bred Mormon can believe it.
However, he says the city Morone sunk, and a mountain came up
in its place. That's bravo. No such account given in the New
Testament at the death of Christ. The graves opened, and many
that were dead arose and went into the city. That is nothing com-
pared with the Mormon's account. They say they heard voices in
the earth. " Wo unto the people, for the devil laugheth, and re-
joiced because the city sunk, and destroyed all the people.'' Query ?
How did they hear him laugh? But at the expiration of three
days the darkness disappeared, and the earth closed. I cannot con-

23

ceive, for my life, how the earth could close, for the writer before
said a mountain came up in the place where the city sunk. How-
ever, this is good Mormonism. What especially makes it true, is
because it is impossible.

Soon after this ascension of Christ in Jerusalem, there was a
great concourse of the Mormons together, and they heard a voice
in the heavens, saying " Behold my beloved son in whom I am
well pleased; hear ye him." Did they not borrow this text, think
ye, from the Christian Testament. I think they did as late as 1827.
They say they were in the land Bountiful, if you know where that
is. This is the place where they saw Jesus descend, (p. 476, chap.
5 Nephi.) They were then talking about the wonderful signs they
had seen ; the darkness and the sinking of many cities. This
voice, they say, was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice ;
it was a small voice. It did not make their frames shake. The
third time they heard it, they cast their eyes to heaven, and saw a
man descending therefrom, with a white robe on. He came and
stood in the midst of them. They thought it to be an angel. But
he soon informed them he was Jesus. They all went forth and
thrust then hands into his side, 2500 of them, and felt the print of
the nails in his hands and feet. There he gave power to Nephi to
baptise the people; (p. 490.) He there told them to have no dis-
putations about doctrines. Here he preached all the substance of
his sermon on the mount, so called, nearly verbatim ; from p. 477
to 493 may be read in the New Testament. There is where the
Mormons got it from. In the state of New York, in the western
part, is where in truth the land for its richness may be called boun-
tiful, but not by the Red Sea, as the Mormons pretend.

Jesus now ascends. After taking them all by the hand, there
came a cloud and overshadowed the people, and they could not see
him ; but they bear record he ascended into heaven. Here we see
it is quite easy for a Mormon to testify he saw a thing, when he
says in the same breath he did not see it. Therefore we must give
him credit what it is worth for truth, (p. 493.)

Again, the Mormons, not unlike ' Old Virginny neber tire.' This
report of Jesus' having descended, they assembled the next day by
the waters' edge, to baptize all that Jesus had chosen, viz: 12
American disciples. Angels came down to witness the grand dis-
play. Jesus also condescended the second time to come down
among them. Where was Miller at this time 1 Has he forgotten
the time is past. The Mormons lead the van. They are ahead of
the prophet Miller 2000 years. But, however, that is not a great
deal out of the way : all the mistake I can perceive is, that Miller
must call his the third time in lieu of the second. Just make the
figure 2 into a 3, that is all.

Here Nephi says they ate bread and drank wine, and wrought a
miracle to get it. He gave them much instruction ; referred them
to many prophetical texts in the Old and New Testament, and ex-
pounded all the scriptures to them. Then he called for the records
and corrected them. Therefore it is written as he commanded, (p.

24

503.) Query 1 — Has Jo Smith deciphered properly and truly ?
That is the question. (P. 509.) — Jesus about leaving them want-
ed to know what they mostly wished of him to do in heaven for
them when he should arrive. All answered but three of them.
All they wanted, after living to the age of man, 72 years was
named by Jesus to be a fair time, was to come into his kingdom.
This he readily granted. He then inquired what he should do for
the three : they were afraid to tell, but he knew. They did not
want to die at all. Like John, he granted that, and told them they
should never taste of death, but should be changed in the twinkling
of an eye ; they should not have pain nor sorrow. What a fine
world this, to have no death, no pain, no sorrow, no trouble ; al-
ways young. Where are these three happy beings ? I should be
glad to go a long journey to the far west to see them ; but I expect
they are like Jo Smith's golden plates ; no one has ever seen them
or ever will. However, when Jesus said that to his friends, he
touched the finger of every individual : and the heavens opened,
and every soul went aloft to heaven but the three that have got to
live forever on earth. There they saw and heard things they can-
not utter. They all say they cannot tell whether they were in the
body or not. How dare they say upon oath they were in heaven.
However, they were found on earth. They do not tell us how
they got down again. They undertook to promulgate this great
transaction. The people were sceptical, and did not believe them.
They were put into prison ; it would not hold them. They were
put among wild beasts ; they would play with them like lambs, (p.
511.) This beats our common Christians' stones all to smash.

Now listen to Nephi, the son of Nephi we have been speaking
of. This is as he says, 100 years afterwards ; when he says the
disciples that Jesus had chosen had gone to the paradise of God.
But the three ; he does not tell us where they are. I suspect the
prophet did not know. His reign commences ; no contentions, no
lyings, murders, nor crime ; (p- 515.) No Lamanites, he says, nor
no manner of ites. I quote his language, that the reader may get
a full view of his meaning. The Lamanites are the race of whites
that came out of Jerusalem, viz : the daughters of Ishmael that
Laman, the sceptic, married, and became numerous ; and his broth-
er Nephi prayed God to curse them with a black skin. And God,
by Nephi's account, turned them all into negroes. From that time
to this they have been fighting the Nephites, and justly. I call this
a hard kind of praying ; to turn a beautiful white lady into a black.
This looks a little like malice aforethought, or wilful murder.
Take your choice, Mr Mormon. I proceed : they prospered ; the
churches accumulated in numbers and wealth. But these black
Lamanites waxed strong and numerous. In about 244 years, (p.
517,) they built up churches in South America, or the State of New
York, just as you please. They began to build up the secret oaths
and the combinations of Gideanton. By the way,, these Mormons
mean the Masonic fraternity ; for they have alluded to thorn
throughout the whole book. These Lamanites grew rich; and in

25

300 years the Nephites became exceeding wicked. Amos, the
prophet, that had figured well, had died, and Amaron took the re-
cords and hid them up unto the Lord, (p. 518.)

Now we have come to the Book of Mormon, so called. He ap-
pears to be the great recording anafel. He says : " And now I,
Mormon, make a record of the things of which I have seen and
heard, and call it the Book of Mormon. About the time Amaron
hid up the records unto the Lord, he came to me, I being about ten
years of age, and I began to be learned, somewhat after the man-
ner of the learning of my people." Amaron told him he was a so-
ber child, and when he was 24 years old he might go to the land
of Antrim, unto a hill called Shim. " And there have I deposited
all the sacred engravings concerning this people." Thus you see
how this Mormon got the knowledge of the plates, where they are,
as he becomes the grand recorder at last, (p. 519.)

He says that his father took him to Tarahemta, where the whole
face of the land was covered with buildings ; New York perhaps ;
and the people were numerous as the sand of the sea. There be-
gan to be war between the Nephites and Lamanites. He was 15
years of age, of a sober mind, and visited of the Lord. The peo-
ple were so wicked, that the gifts of healing, the working of mira-
cles had ceased, and his mouth was shut. When he was 16 years
old, the Nephites appointed him to the command of their army.
He says he was large in stature ; that the Lamanites came against
him with a great army ; that his army took fright, and retreated to
the city of Angelah. There they fortified against the Lamanites ;
but the Lamanites drove them from their forts to the seashore on
the west. The Lamanites came against them with 44000 ; he stood
his ground with 42000, beat the Lamanites and they fled. But
notwithstanding all this trouble and destruction of war, witchcraft
and sorceries in the land, his people did not repent of sin ; so much
that they were hewn down and heaped up, he says, as dung upon
the earth. For a number of years nothing but war was experi-
enced. Great losses alternately were felt by the people, of wars.
And it came to pass that Mormon did utterly refuse to be a com-
mander and leader, on account of their wickedness. Wars in-
creased in the country. His people were killed by thousands.
He was induced to take the command again, but without success.
The Lamanites gave him battle; his whole army was killed, with
the exception of 24. His army numbered 10,000, (p, 529.) Here
he gives a particular account of the battle. It is worth noticing,
for its horrid destructions. There were 240,000 of the Lord's
people engaged against a supposed equal number of the blacks,
that they made out of the whites; no wonder God's whites got
beat. Now listen to the prophet Mormon's bulletin. He says, on
the morrow when the Lamanites had returned to their camps, from
the top of the hill Comorah, the 10,000 of my people which
were hewn down, being led in the front by me. You see Mormon
was no coward ; he headed the army. " And we also beheld the
10,000 of my people that were led by my son Moroni." You see
4

26

Mormon had a brave son. " And behold ! the 10,000 of Gidgiddo-
nah had fallen ; and he also had fallen, and Lamah had fallen with
his 10,000; and Gilgal had fallen with his 10,000; and Limhah
had fallen with his 10,000 ; and Toneam had fallen with his
10,000; and Cameniah, and Moroniah, and Antionum, and Shib-
lom, and Shem, and Josh, had fallen with their 10,000 each. And
it came to pass that there were ten more which did fall by the
sword with their 10,000 each. Yea, all my people, save it were
those 24 that were with me, and also a few that escaped into the
south countries ; and a few which had dissented over unto the La-
manites had fallen, and their flesh, bones and blood lay upon the
face of the earth, being left by the hands of those that slew them
to moulder upon the land, and to crumble and to return to their
mother earth, (p. 530.)

This Mormon bulletin or sword fight with the Lamanites sets
Napoleon Bonaparte all in the shade. The battle of Wa-
terloo or Trafalgar is not a circumstance to this. Here is 230,000
of God's people killed, but the 24 that General Mormon saved in
his 10,000. The Mormons fought bravely, that's a fact. Mormon
'says he was wounded. He gives us no account of the loss of the
Lamanites, the black sceptics. Probably the Lord was on their
side, and of course, as in old times, they did not lose a man.

Mormon says, after the battle, his soul was rent with anguish. I
should think so, if he had any soul. I have my doubts about such
kind of souls, that will fight for God, with the spirit of the devil.
However, he seems to lament the battle, and the sins of his people,
and calls on them to repent and be baptized with the Holy Ghost,
and follow the example of our Saviour according to that which he
hath commanded them. " It shall be well with you in the day of
judgment, Amen." This is first rate religion ; fight, kill, murder
and destroy all that do not agree with you in religion, and for such
murderous acts tell them it will be well with them in the day of
judgment.

Here Mormon disappears, and leaves the story to be finished by
his son. Moroni is to remember Mormon is wounded. Now lis-
ten to his son's account.

" Behold, I, Moroni, do finish the records of my father, Mormon.
Behold, I have a few things to write, which things I have been
commanded of my father. And now it came to pass that after the
great and tremendous battle at Camorah, the Nephites that escaped
into the country, were hunted by the Lamanites, and all destroyed,
and my father was also killed by them. Here he says he wrote
and hid up the records to the Lord." A cant phrase wi'h the Mor-
mons. He says the Lord would not admit of these records being
a source of gain, but whosoever should bring them to light, him
will the Lord bless. That person, the Mormons say, is Joseph
Smith, that he eventually found these records on gold plates in the
State of New York, in 1827, having been there hid up perhaps a
rhousand years. When they were hid up in the earth, they were
brass; but when found by Jo Smith they were gold. Therefore

27

we see it takes a thousand years to turn brass into gold. Elder
Nickerson, in the examination of these plates at Winchester Hall,
said, they had the appearance of gold ; although, by inquiry of him,
I found he had never seen them. But we must make allowance
for the Mormons. All they mean, when they say they see things,
for instance, when they see the dead raised, as they often do, they
see it by the power of God. When they are or would be likely to
be punished for perjury by their statements, they call the power of
God, faith, and thus escape the punishment usually inflicted for
perjury.

Moroni complains of the unbelief of his people, and warns and
exhorts them to have faith in God, and not condemn him, nor his
father, nor any that have written before him, (p. 538.)

He is about closing up the records of his father, Mormon, and
says : " and now behold, we have written this record according to
our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the
reformed Egyptian ; being handed down and altered by us accord-
ing to our manner of speech. But the Lord knoweth the things
we have written : therefore he hath prepared means for the inter-
pretation thereof." Jo Smith, for instance, who could not read the
English language. He could readily translate, transcribe, and de-
cipher these ancient records by looking through a pair of stone
spectacles, that came hid up in the box where the records were
found ; which Jo got out of the box without opening it. The
specks are called by the Mormons, Urim and Thummim, light and
perfection. Such as Aaron wpre on his breastplate ; equal to a
dandy breastpin at the present age.

I will now call your attention to the Book of Ether, p. 589, writ-
ten by Moroni, the son of Mormon ; he writes and records all the
history of Ether and the epistles of his father, and closes the book
of Mormon. Having given an account of the inhabitants of the
south, he now pretends to give the history of those that went north,
and the account was on 24 plates, called the book of Ether. It
will be remembered, when they speak of the book of any one, it
is the records of that person on plates ; and by their own account
they alter, add, or take away as they shall think proper, by the
power of God. This book takes its rise of Adam, and of the Tow-
er of Babel ; of one Jared and his brother, and their families that
were not confounded, when God confounded the rest of the world.
That God sent them north of the tower, and they were located in
the valley of Nimrod ; that the Lord conversed with the brother
of Jared in a cloud ; gave directions where to go ; that they built
barges and crossed rivers ; carried seeds and honey bees, and fish
to inhabit the waters. I suppose, by the power of God, fish would
live out of the water, as well as in it.

They at length arrived to a great sea ; does not tell where. I
suppose Spaulding, the novel writer of this, thought he would leave
some part of this to be imagined. However, they call this place
Moriancumer. They staid there four years ; at the end of that
iime, the Lord came in a cloud, and conversed with the brother of

28

Jared three hours, and found fault with him for not praying to him
in all that time. It appears to me that he must have been a stupid
fellow not to have remembered his old friend that had conversed
and sustained him so well. However, God told him to sin no
more, but go to work and build barges, and prepare for a land of in-
heritance. Here we have the intimation somebody is coming to
the far west. They did build barges, small and tight. God gave
the particular directions. They sat as light as a fowl on the water.
He says they would hold water like a dish ; the ends were peaked,
and the top as tight, and like unto a dish. And the length was the
length of a tree. Who knows the length of these barges, as long
as a tree ? I have seen a tree, and many trees in the western coun-
try, over 100 feet in length. One was said to be 170 feet long. I
have also seen a shrub oak, full grown, three feet long. Which of
these did the Mormon build his barges by. The latter, I should
think. The writer says when the doors of the barges were shut,
they were as tight as a dish. He does not give us the tonnage or
the bigness. I suppose, then, they were as big as a piece of chalk.
After he had got the barges done, they were so tight the people
vcould not live in them. Remember they were as tight as a dish,
top, bottom and sides. Who could live in them ? And they had
no light. They called on God to know what they must do, as they
were under his direction. He told them to make a hole in the top
of the barges, and a hole in the bottom, and when they should suf-
fer for air, they should unstop the hole, and receive air. " And if
so be the water come upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole
thereof." The barges thus finished, he told the Lord they had no
light in the barges, and said, " wilt thou suffer that we cross the
great water in darkness." A reasonable inquiry. They should
have light to cross the Pacific Ocean. The novel writer is now
preparing his vessels to come to America by way of the South Pa-
cific, from thence to the far West. We will now see the account of
his preparations and passage, (p. 543.)

Now let us remember they have the barges, eight in number, air
tight ; they are as long as a tree, and as big as a piece of chalk,
with a plug in the bottom and top, but no light. Master carpenter
called on the Lord for light ; but the Lord told him he could not
have any windows, because the mountain waves would dash them
in pieces. But he told him the barges should be like a whale in
the midst of the sea. " Nevertheless, I will bring you up out of
the depths of the sea."

However the Lord told him he would prepare him with light,
(p. 543.) The carpenter, the brother of Jared, he appears to be
the boss under God. He went up the mountain, it being a very
high mount, he says : and there did mould out of a rock sixteen
small stones ; and they were white and clear, and transparent as
glass. And he cried unto the Lord, and told him of all the evils
that would attend the voyage, unless he would touch those stones,
and prepare them that they may give light on board the barges,
two stones in each barge. Behold ! O Lord, thou canst do this.

29

And it came to pass the Lord stretched forth his finger, and touch-
ed them one by one. Boss saw his finger. From this it appears
he did not see the Lord. It appears the Lord then enjoined secresy
on the boss carpenter, and told him not to suffer these things to be
told to any man, but to treasure them up until the time cometh ;
and to seal them up, that no one could interpret them. I suppose
the Lord meant exclusive of Jo Smith. If he did not mean to ex-
cept Jo, according to the Mormons' account in this Holy Bible, he
outwittted the Lord.

The Lord then furnished the boss with two particular stones ; I
wish the reader to notice these two stones, because eventually these
were the stone specks that Jo Smith got out of this box, that the
boss is now sealing up ; but remember Jo did not break the seal
to get them. Query, How did he get them out?

The Lord told him these stones should magnify to the eyes of
men, those things which ye shall write. Here the Lord told him
to go down from the mount and write the things he had seen and
heard. This, the writer says, was before Jesus was lifted upon
the cross. Here Jesus developes the whole plan of the gospel, from
the foundation of the world to the end. According to this account,
the account by the apostle Paul and others are all too late. The
Mormons are in advance, ages. However, they have stone spec-
tacles as transparent as glass ; that makes a great difference, (p 547.)
We now come to the 2d chapter of this book of Ether. Here
Moroni claims the whole credit of writing the whole story.
He says, according to his memory, he takes the whole credit from
the boss carpenter. He says he sealed up these records, and there-
fore touch them not, for that thing is forbidden you. So said Jo
Smith, as you will see in the testimony by Martin Harris. And
now, says Moroni, if you doubt my authority for these things, in
the mouths of three witnesses shall these things be established, and
this work shall be shewn forth by the power of God. Here Moro-
ni, as the Mormons say, alludes to the testimony of Oliver Cowdry,
David Wbitmer, and Martin Harris ; all Mormons, and all inter-
ested. I shall examine these persons in the evidence.

Now Moroni proceeds to give an account of the barges ; via. the
record of the brother of Jared the barge builder (Chapt. 3d. p. 54S#)
And now J Moroni proceed &c, the stones were prepared for the
barges, that they were put, one in each end of the barges, for light ;
for men, women, and children, were to go in these barges. They
took on board food, flocks, and herds, animals, and fowls, &c. they
say, and proceeded to sea. The mountain waves broke over them,
terrible tempests, but their barges were as tight as a dish. That
they had a fair wind: to use their language, the wind did never
cease to blow towards the promised land ; and that they had light
in their barges, night, or day under water, or above water, for 344
days, passage. These are sky lights worth having; Jo Smith or
some of the followers should in justice to the cemmercial part of
community exhibit these stone lights ; it would save much oil on a
long voyage. — However the barges arrived all safe to the promised

30

land ; (across the Pacific, I presume.) This voyage of Jared and
his brother, and families, in these barges, were about 22 souls
when they set sail, but before they arrived they were many ; thus
you see they were not Shakers. I suppose the reason they had so
long a passage is, because they had no compass. Surprising that
the boss carpenter, when consulting God for a sky-light for the bar-
ges, should forget the compass; but what is more strange, that his
God should forget it. This voyage is equally miraculous, when
compared with Capt. Nephi, where they had the patent ball com-
pass. But they are all arrived with the plates, viz the records, that
Jo Smith found.

They had not been long in the promised land before they com-
menced quarreling, who should be chosen King. They grew nu-
merous ; rich land ; the sons rebelled against their fathers ; they
alternately imprisoned each other. Murder, treachery, and craft,
was the common practice ; secret oaths, to conspiracy was agreed
on, (p. 553.)

Maroni says he does not write the manner of the oaths, but were
the same as the Lamanites had. I have described them on back
pages (via) Masonic oaths. They got a King over the people ; Ja-
red by name, but the same state of society as formerly; assasina-
tions, and murders, from father to son. Prophets appeared in the
land, to warn them of the result of their wickedness. Orders were
given to put all the prophets to death ; for they had prophecied
that great curses should come in the land, (p 561.)

Moroni now says, (p 567,) he proceeded to finish his records,
concerning the destruction of his people ; (the reader will under-
stand by this, what Solomon Spaulding in his novel probably meant.)
Supposing he was then imagining a great body of people now in-
habiting the great western world ; and he is now about giving a
novel account how they destroyed each other, and thus left this
great country desolate. For it has been supposed by many to have
been once inhabited by some great people. He gives a splendid
account of a personage, called Ether, from which this book, written
by Moroni, derives its name Ether, pretended to prophecy of all
the events from the beginning, and the people cast him out ; his
life being in danger, he hid in the cavity of a rock.

There was a famous war character by name of Coriantumr ; there
was an exterminating war declared against him and his adherents;
the prophet Ether told him, if he would repent and his household
the Lord would give unto him the kingdom ; otherwise all should
be destroyed save himself; (p 56S) and he should only live to see
all the prophecies fulfilled. And it came to pass that Corian.tumr
repented not, nor his household ; and the wars did not cease, and
they sought to kill Ether : and he hid again, in the cavity of a rock.
Societies all in confusion ; these secret combinations were at work.
The chief priest, murdered, the' chief of the nation when on the
throne. The next in command pursued Coriantumr, called Lib, and
his brother called Shiz ; a grpat warrior, as will be seen; he made
great destruction, he burnt cities, and indiscriminately destroyed

31

men, women, and children. The world around stood in fear ; the
wars were so long and severe, the face of the whole earth was
covered with the dead ; (p 570) there was none left to bury the
dead. I have told you the Mormons will tell the largest story about
any thing they undertake to tell, than any other sect.

However, General Shiz followed Coriantumr, although God told
the prophet Ether that Coriantumr should not fall by the sword. I
am now about giving the last account of the grand Mormon exploits,
that took place in all the experience, from the days the prophet Lehi
left Jerusalem to the present time, being over one thousand years,
by their time. This account, and battle, so far exceeds all others
the world can boast of; it will richly pay to record it.

Solomon Spaulding, the originator of the novel, undoubtedly in-
tended by the closing account to show why, in his novel views, the
far west had become freed of its ancient people. Therefore he well
knew how to give the exterminating blow by wars. It appears by
this account there were about four millions of people bolonging to
the Lamanites and to the decendants of the Nephites ; this you
will infer from the circumstances, that Coriantumr lost over two
millions in this battle; and all accounts before admit the Laman-
ites, and their decendants, to have been more numerous, from the
time they took the name of Lamanites when Laman and Lemuel
married the daughters of Ishmael, that left Jerusalem at the outset
of the voyage. The reader will here bear in mind that these La-
manites are the descendants of the brothers of Nephi, the young
prophet, that took offLabans head at a blow when they took leave
of Jerusalem ; by which means the records of all the ancient ac-
counts, with all those of later dates, which compose this Mormon
book, is said to be preserved.

You will remember, also that their skin was made black notwith-
standing they were the most pure, and delicate race of whites when
they left Jerusalem. But their not believing in the superhuman
pretency of their father Lehi and brother Nephi. God changed
them to negroes ; by the prayers of the prophet, and by the account
of all the writers in this book, they have been warring ever since.
No wonder; and if the story was founded in truth; I should think
they have been engaged in a noble war, that should end only with
the complete destruction of every white woman that would counte-
nance such a proceedure, as coming from Gcd ; Nepi, or the devil.

I will now proceed to give the account. I slated there must have
beed about four millions on both sides. General Shiz pursued
Coriantumr eastward; — say, if you please, as far as the town of
Manchester, in the State of N. Y. There he gave battle to Cori-
antumr, for three days (p. 570.) Shiz's army took fright, and fled,
destroying all in their way, that would not join them ; at length
the armies came in contact the second and third time, with horrid
destruction ; and Coriantumr got wounded, and was carried off the
field for dead (p. 571.) And it came to pass when Coriantumr had
recovered of his wound, he remembered he was not to die in bat-
tle. He saw there had been slain already nearly two millions of

32

his people, two millions of mighty men'; the prophet Moroni says :
and also their wives, and their children. This is worth telling,
especially by a Mormon prophet, that cannot lie. He, Coriantumr,
required terms of capitulation (viz) that he would give up the king-
dom, if he would spare the lives of the people. The answer from
Shiz, he would spare the lives of the people, if Coriantumr would
surrender himself and let him slay him, with his own sword.
(Hard terms from a christian Mormon.) Coriantumr resented the
proposition of Shiz ; and was with his people, determined to risk
another battle. On the morrow they had an exceeding sore battle.
Who fought ? Coriantumr was again wounded, but his army beat
Shiz : and drove them to the hill Ramah. Moroni here says this
is the same hill where his father, Mormon, did hide up the records
unto the Lord. This is where the Mormons pretend Jo Smith
found them. Not contented with this great loss of millions, both
parties took four years to recruit, then to decide the war by one
general battle ; in which men, women, and children, were to be
engaged (p 572.) The women had shields, breast-plates, and head
^plates ; when the time of four years had fully expired, they march-
ed forth to battle. Bravo. The first day was horrid, they retired
at night with deep howlings, and lamentations, that rent the air ;
because of the great destruction of the people. The next day they
commenced battle ; and great and terrible was the result ; but
they conquered not. Coriantumr wrote for an armistice, but no ; the
Spirit of the Lord prevented ; Shiz would give no quarters. He
was something like the anecdote of the bravery of the Marblehead
officer in the revolution, when engaged in taking his enemy, when
asked for quarters ; " No, we will halve you to night, and quarter
you in the morning."

Shiz was for settling the contest on the third day ; the prophet
says, they were drunk with anger, and when night came they had
all fallen but fifty two of the people of Coriantumr and sixty nine
of the people of Shiz; this is well done, in three days ; kill over
four millions. However, these few left slept upon their swords
that night, on the morrow fought again ; and at night there were
left 32 of Shiz's swords men and twenty seven of Coriantumr's.
Now for the last battle ; the next day at night they ate, and drank,
and prepared for death on the morrow ; this is Spartan like. They
met and the men of Coriantumr fled, and Shiz pursued, and he
overtook them ; they all fell in battle on both sides, but Coriantumr
and Shiz, both generals were alive ; as soon as Shiz had got strength
from loss of blood, for he was wounded. He met Coriantumr and
they fought until Coriantumr with his sword smote off the head of
Shiz at a blow ; and after taking breath, he lifted up his hands, and
fell dead to the earth. This is well done. Here this holy prophet
testifies, that after Shiz had lost his head, that he raised up his
hands and fell; and after struggling for breath he died. This is
more than a match for the guillotine in France, there the head
would move about after it was taken off the body.

This battle so far exceeds all the battles ever read of, it would be

33

vain in any one to attempt to match it. An Alexander, or an Xer-
xes the great, or any other that may have been accredited for con-
quering the world, and lamenting there were no more worlds to
conquer, is not to be compared with this ; in their case they were
only conquered; but here they are all killed but Coriantumr, and
he fell to the earth as dead, but not killed, nor has been seen, or
heard of since. And the Lord snid to Ether, go form ; and he went
and beheld the words of the Lord ; the reader will remember that
Ether prophecied that Coriantumr should not be slain in battle.
Here the prophet Moroni, has his redeeming clause. Here he
finishes his record, and says the one-hundredth part I have not writ-
ten ; and here you have the last words of this famous or infamous
prophet Ether. Whether the Lord will, I be translated, or that I
suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be
that I am saved in the Kingdom of God. Amen.

The next book is thai of the recording prophet ; Maroni the son
of Mormon. Nothing but a short detail of the Epistles of his fa-
ther, the order of ordaining Priests, Elders &c. &c. then seals up
the record, and gives assurance to the world that spiritual gifts
shall never fail to the obedient ; and that the plates shall be dug up
out of the earth ; and that the truth of it shall be made known, by
the power of God (p. 586.)

He closes his writings on page 583 in these words, And now I
bid you farewell, I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my
spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth trium-
phant through the air to meet you before the pleasing bar of the
great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge, of both quick and dead, Amen.
The reader will, by a careful examination of my analysis of all
the different books as pretended to have been written by various
persons, and at sundry times, in ancient days, readily discover
there is perfect uniformity of style of writing, the mode of trans-
ferring the records and plates from father to son, and from one
Brother to another in the faith ; there is but one sentiment, viz. that
they all, by being obedient to the commands of God, they could do
and perform any act whatever, to the raising of the dead or lesser
miracle ; they uniformly say the same at the present day, all of
which is founded in the most gross falsehood and delusion.

It will be seen plainly that one cranium was the great originator
of this novel, that the allusions to all the religions as taught in the
yankee country, are manifest with all the evils and bickerings
among the various sects, skeptic not omitted, the troubles of slavery
o£the black, the evils of Masonic Oaths, the slavery of the whites,
by the craft of priests, all of which shows this to have been the
production of some genius not Joseph Smith, probably Solomon
Spaulding, as will appear in the testimony I shall produce to prove
it not divine revelation.

Thus I have, as I proposed, given you a compendium of this book
of Mormon in as concise a manner as possible to have it under-
stood, the origin and objects of the various writers of this vain ro-
mance, for that is the highest name that I am pleased to give it. I

5

have bestowed as much or more attention to it than I otherwise
should have done, because the sect called Mormons are fast accu-
mulating numbers to the belief in their dogmatical Book of Mor-
mon, as a revelation from God. In this and all the civilized coun-
tries, the effects of which, if not checked by reason, will most prob-
ably in the far west be the most extensive and powerful sect there ;
and without any prophecy whatever, they, not unlike all others that
have deluged the earth with blood, to carry out their religious
dogmas, will, like the history they here give us of their pretended
prophets, and military leaders in the Book of Mormon, stand the
highest in the bloody ranks of superstition and delusion in the
west.

I am now to give you the examination of its internal and exter-
nal evidences on which the Mormons found their faith as a revela-
tion from God. It requires patience like that of Job to bring out
and expose their foolish pretentions.

Their internal evidences are, that the Book of Mormon is truly,
and literally founded in truth, that it contains all the revelations
s contained in the Old and New Testaments, and more than para-
mount to them, while they give a limited prophecy of the Gospel
plan, previous to the christain era, the Book of Mormon gives a
full account 600 years previous, with all the subsequent events that
havh transpired up to the publication of the Book of Mormon, 1830.

The reader will see at once its false pretensions, when compared
with the Jewish, or Christian record ; this I shall show conclusively
in the arguments between the Elder Freeman Nickerson the Mor-
manite and myself, before the Society of a free discussion in Bos-
ton, July and August 1841. My reasons are there given at suffi-
cient length, to satisfy every rational mind.

I would observe, if this Book of Mormon came from God, as they
the mormons pretends, it is representing God so much worse, mur-
derous and cold blooded, than the devil is represented to be in the
Jewish and christian books ; it si impossible to be true, as coming
from the same author.

The horrid wars, and the destruction of the human race, with all
the privations, and horrid sufferings, the many millions of human
beings, as descendants from the families of Lehi, and Ishmael, to-
gether with those of Jared, and his brother that escaped from the
tower of Babel, all of which were under the direction and special
advice of God. All of which, in a serious point of view, I should
believe it a blasphemy if one can be on God. Having intimated
what the Mormons rely on, as internal evidences, in support of
their book.

I7will now introduce the external evidences that they most
strongly offer, as proof of this book being Divine revelation. I shall
briefly call up the evidences they produce in this case, and thus re-
fer the reader to the arguments that have been used to prove them
false, together with what has been brought by Elder Nickerson, to
prove the truth of their evidence — 1st, Joseph Smith, a boy of 17,
about the year 1827, in the state of New York, purports to be un-

der the direction of an angel from God, finds a Golden Book in the
town of Manchester, buried in the earth in a wooden box, enclosed
in a stone vault, when found by Smith, the size of the book was
7 by 9 inches, and had 24 leaves as thick as a common window
glass, and weighed about 30 lbs. the leaves were bound together
with three half moon rings of gold that this book purports to have
been written in reformed Egyptian language on these golden plates,
containing all that has come to us in this book of Mormon ; and
much more to be translated at some future time,- so much for the
Book.

The evidences that they put in the case, in this Book, that most
solemnly swear to the seeing of the records and plates, and were
required by God to bear record to the truth, are three, viz : —
Oliver Cowdry, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, all Mormons ;
and their testimony is called the testimony of three witnesses.

Now listen to their testimony, and be astonished. When I shall
produce it from their book, will be seen at full length on the record-
ing pages. The next testimony they call to support the truth of
the records and plates, as having seen them, and hefted them, that
Smith had shown them, and that they did handle them, they also
call God to witness to the truth of their testimony. They are call-
ed in their Book the testimony of eight witnesses, signed. Chris-
tian Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, John Whitmer, all Mormons; of
one family, five Whitmers, including the one spoken of before, they
are a swearing family, no mistake ; and, Hiram page, Joseph Smith,
seignor, Hiram Smith, Samuel H. Smith; Smiths are the Father
and two brothers of Joseph Smith, the pretended author of this
Book, called the Golden Bible.

I shall give a copy of their testimony at full length, the leaf on
which the testimony of the three witnesses are recorded ; and the
leaf on which the eight witnesses are recorded, are not numbered
in the paged leaves. At some other day they will be blotted out of
existence, for their facility and perjury, when a committee of revi-
sal shall be directed by God.

Having alluded to the principal evidences in support of this book,
all other evidences are but circumstantial, Elder Nickerson, the
present debator, calls himself an evidence, and as such I shall ad-
mit he says it is all true, and he knows it to be such ; you will see
how much he knows about the truth of this book when you hear
him examined on this point

Another circumstantial evidence is the testimony of Martin Har-
ris. When the Book was first pretended to be found by Smith,
please read it carefully.

We have not any evidence from the prophet Joseph direct, there-
fore we must make out without his perjuring himself direct.

Having brought all the names of the persons that the Mormons
rely on in support of this record being in existence, I shall proceed
to give it as I have it, how this book was obtained by Smith. It is
from Martin Harris, and Elder Freeman Nickerson. Mr. Nicker-

36

son stated on the examination, that Martin Harris was a man of
truth and veracity ; let us see if this is true.

I have taken the subject matter of Harris's statement from a gen-
tleman that resided in the immediate neighborhood at the time-;
and was published in the Episcopal Recorder, called the History of
Mormonism, August 24th, 1840; it was published and copied in a
public journal at Harrisburg, December, 1840.

In the paper called the Key Stone, much respected for its charac-
ter for truth and candor, this statement of Martin Harris, one of the
three witnesses that has sworn in this book, to have seen the gol-
den plates by the power of God. His statement was made to a
man of the first reputation, and he has given it to the public, as I
give it you. He lived in the vicinity of Palmyra and, nearby where
this golden bible was said to have been found ; and he was well
acquainted with Martin Harris.

He says that Martin Harris came to his house early in the au-
tumn of 1827. One morning, about sunrise, his appearance indi-
cated more than usual excitement; and when he had passed the
^threshold of his door, he inquired whether he could see me alone.
Remarking that he had a matter to communicate to me that he
wished to be purely confidential. I then invited him to my study.
He closed the door, and drew a package from his pocket with cau-
tion ; suddenly he stopped, and inquired if there was any possibil-
ity of their being interrupted. I answered him in the negative ; he
proceeded, by saying he reposed great confidence in me, and what
he had to communicate to me must be at present, confidential. He
said he verily believed that an important era had arrived ; that a
great flood of light was about to burst upon the world ; and that the
scene of divine manifestation was to be immediately around us.
In explanation of his meaning, he said a golden bible had recently
been dug from the earth, where it had been deposited for thousands
of years ; and this would be found to contain such disclosures as
would settle all religious controversies ; and soon bring on the Mil-
lennium; that this bible was a mysterious book; that no human
eye had seen it ; that it was then in the possession of Joseph
Smith, Jr.; that there had been a revelation to Smith, by which he
had discovered this sacred deposite ; that Smith had two transpar-
ent stones, that came in the ark, where the bible was deposited ;
Smith had got in possession of them without opening the ark ; that
Smith used them as spectacles ; by looking through these stones,
he could, and had transcribed from one of the leaves the characters
that he had taken from his pocket so carefully. It appeared to me
so perfectly ludicrous and puerile, I told Harris it was all a hoax,
got up to practice on his credulity, for the purpose of extorting
mnoey from him. . He told me he had already advanced twenty-five
dollars to Smith, as a kind of copartnership in this new revelation.
He seemed to me to be intent on making it a source of wealth, as
well as a new revelation. The idea that the golden leaves would
not only be valuable as gold, but would impart great spiritual
wealth throughout the world. Harris seemed to repel, with indig-

37

nation, my remarks of its being an imposition on him ; he proceed-
ed to relate more particulars in regard to the discovery of the mar-
velous book ; he communicated the same in substance to many oth-
ers ; he said after Smith had been out in the night on one of his
money-digging excursions, as he was in the habit of, and had
returned home, while he lay in bed, he had a remarkable vision, an
angel of God came to him clad in a celestial splendor; and assur-
ed him that he, Smith, was chosen of the Lord to be a prophet of
the Most High God, and to bring to light hidden things, that would
prove of great and unspeakable benefit to the world. Smith told
him where it was deposited ; and that he was to follow certain di-
vine directions. If he did not, he should draw down upon himself
the wrath of heaven, that the angel told him how the book was
written on plates of metalic substance of gold, and where they
were deposited in the ark ; that he, Smith, must not presume to look
into the ark, under three years from that time. Before he could be
allowed to look at these plates, he must go a journey to the State
of Pennsylvania, there, in the mountain, as described by the angel,
he would find a very lovely woman, belonging to a very respecta-
ble family, whom he should take as wife, and as proof of the mis-
sion of the angel sent of God, that Smith should be a chosen
prophet of God, this should be the test, as soon as he should see
this stranger, this woman in the woods, he should be smitten with
her beauty, although she is a stranger, and far above you in the
walks of society. She will be willing instanter to go with you to
the ends of the earth.

The angel told, him after he shall be married, he must return
home, and remain perfectly quiet until the birth of the first child ;
and when this child shall have completed his second year, he may
then proceed to the place where this golden bible was deposited,
and get it, and publish the truth to the world. As soon as Smith
awoke from his dream, he arose, and started for Pennsylvania, not
knowing what way he should go, but the Lord directed him ; when
he eame to the place where the angel directed him, he found the
woman, took her as wife, and returned home, all as the angel told
him ; when he arrived home, he became so impressed with the
great and awful task to be a prophet of God, he communicated the
thing to his father and family ; this was a violation of the angelic
rules and orders. The propensity of the old man was so great at
money-digging, he importuned with Jo, the young prophet, to go
with him and dig, to see if the ark was there, not with the inten-
tion of removing it, or opening it, before the time of three years
had expired, according to the orders of the angel. Accordingly, Jo
and his father, in the stillness of the night, went to the place with
their spades, and commenced operations where the angel said it
was deposited; they had not proceeded long in the excavation, be-
fore they came to a stone-arched cave, cemented where the box or
mysterious chest was deposited ; on opening this arch, the ark mov-
ed with locomotive power out of their sight. This so far exceeds
Fulton on steam power, no wonder a Mormon believes it ; no won-
der he says it is by the power of God ; this corroborates Mr. Nick.

38

erson's story, and I think they both got lessons from the same de-
luded source, viz : Jo Smith. However, Harris says they pursued
to find the chest again; they got in sight of it, and when taking a
view of its form and extent, and stood gazing at it, a thunder clap
came from Heaven, and shook the earth, a sheet of forked lightning
swept over the ground, and burnt terribly about that spot ; and the
chest removed again, with a rumbling noise, out of their sight.
They were so terrified, they fled home. Joseph, the prophet, took
himself one way alone, and his father, Joseph, another way. Jo-
seph, Jr., the prophet, when in the woods, the angel met him, clad
in terror and wrath : he spoke in the voice of thunder and forked
lightning. The terror of his divine majesty smote him to the
ground ; his whole frame, he says, became convulsed with agony.
In language most terrific did the angel upbraid him for his disobe-
dience ; that is, for prematurely going to see this deposite of the
plates. The angel disappeared, and Smith went trembling home,
full of terror ; his mind became composed, and another divine com-
munication was made to him, authorising him to go, and get the
ark ; but he must go alone, and get it secretly, and deposite the same
under the hearth, but by no means to look into it until the time had
expired which the angel ordered, viz : in the fourth year. The rea-
son Smith assigned to Harris for the angel not allowing him to get
the ark, and remove the deposites, was this, that Jo had told his
father of the secret, and the report might get about and there was
danger of the deposites being taken by others ; that was a good
caution ; but one would think the angel of such a power as Jo de-
clared him to be, might prevent that ; but, however, too close an
examination would spoil their story: it being gold, no wonder the
angel wanted it protected. However, Harris says that Smith most
scrupulously observed the divine direction of the angel ; he says
Smith had a pair of stone spectacles, that he got out of the ark,
without opening it ; that he could decipher and transcribe the writ-
ings on the plates in the box without opening it. This completely
outwitted the angel ; Smith was forbid to open the box ; but with
Jo's specks he could look through the cover and read just as well
as any way. No doubt he could read reformed Egytian better
through a brick hearth than any other way. Remember the proph-
et Jo could not read at all, any language whatever. Harris says
Smith took him to his dwelling, where the ark was deposited, and
hung up a thick blanket between them : Smith was concealed from
him on the side where the deposites were, and he forbid him to
look the other side of the blanket ; Smith said if he did it would
arouse the divine displeasure; if he should draw near him, or dare
look at the sacred ark while he was decipher these mysterious char-
acters, with these stone spectacles ; he called them Urim and
Thummin.

This ends Harris's statement, and he told the same in substance
to many in the neighborhood of Palmyra ; they had been publish-
ed with thousands of other circumstances, equally marvellous. —
Harris was so engaged with Smith in this business, he took some

of the manuscripts that Smith gave him, and went to New York to
Dr. Mtchell, and to Dr. Anthon, at Columbia College, the Profes-
sor, ant tkat they could not read the characters. I shall give some
account oiDr. Anthon's account of Harris's visit to him, recently
published. The remarks of this person that Harris called on, and
made th« foregoing statement, says, that soon after this conversa-
tion with Harris, he moved out from that part of the country, that
he heard bu\ little rnor6 of it, until the book was about to be pub-
lished, it was not until the manuscript of Solomon Spaulding had
been published, of which there has been a full description given.
He says thatMartin Harris mortgaged his farm to his knowledge
to publish this, book. The facts connected with the rise of Mor-
monism, I hsye been enabled to get hold of, by which we can
show the rise a this imposition ; to my mind, it is the grossest of all
impositions eve imposed on the community.

I remark her«, that notwithstanding Harris swears he did not see
Smith the other^ide of the blanket, yet he swears Smith had on the
stone spectacles, find did look through the hearth, and lid of the
ark, and deciphe, the language, and give him the same in English.
Harris, not unlife all Mormons I have seen, can swear through
thick and thin, low did Harris know what Smith had on his eyes ?
Has Harris not perjured himself in his statement 1 Yes. Mr.
Nickerson, the Momon, has stated that he believed Harris to be a
man of truth. Frtm this testimony of Harris, relating to Smith,
it will be seen that Hr. Nickerson's opinion is not worth much in
this case. For, out of Harris's own mouth he must be condemned.

I will here record ihe oath of the three witnesses, as a perpetual
monument of perjury and falsehood, that will live when the de-
luded fanatics shall have mixed with the clods of the valley.

THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES.

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto
whom this work shdl come, that we, through the grace of God,
the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which
contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi ; and
also of the Lamanites,his brethren, and also of the people of Jared,
which came from the tower, of which hath been spoken ; and we
also know that they havt been translated by the gift and power of
God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of
a surety that the work is v.rue. And we also testify that we have
seen the engravings which are upon the plates ; and they have been
shewn unto us by the power of God, and not of man; and we de-
clare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down
from Heaven, and he brought, and laid before our eyes, that we be-
held and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon ; and we know
that it is by the grace of God, the Father, and our Lord Jesus
Christ, that we beheld, and bare record that these things are true
and it is marvellous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the
Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it ; therefore,
to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony

40

of these things ; and we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we
shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be fourd spot-
less before the judgment seat of Christ, and shall dwel' w'th him
eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Faticr, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God, Araen

Signed, OLIVER COWDRY.

DAVID WHITMER.

MARTIN HARRIS.

The falsehood and corruption of their testimony, you will see
proved in the last part of the arguments on the extetfal evidences.

THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES.

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, un-
to whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smit!, Jr., the author
and proprietor of this work, has shewn unto us tb plates of which
hath been spoken, which hath the appearance of g»ld ; and as many
of the leaves as the said Smith has translated, we did handle with
our hands ; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which
has the appearance of ancient work, and curous workmanship.
And this we bear record, with words of sobeness, that the said
Smith has shewn unto us, for we have seen anr hefted, and know
of a surety that the said Smith has got the plat'S of which we have
spoken. And we give our names unto the wa'M, to witness unto
the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing
witness of it.

Signed, CHRISTIAN WHITMER.

JACOB WdlTMER.

PETER WHITMER, Jr.

JOHN WHITMER.

HIRAM PAGE.

JOSEPH SMITH, Sr.

HIRAM SMITH.

SAMUEL H. SMITH.

The three witnesses swear the angel has the plates. The eight
swear Joseph Smith has the plates. Who is false? All of them,
notoriously so. What did these childrer of the Whitmers know
about ancient workmanship ? Or Joseph Smith's father and his
boys know of this affair 1 They say as many of the plates as Jo-
seph Smith translated, they handled. And so did I, — because he
never translated any. Did not these ignorant Smiths know that
their brother Jo was ignorant of all languages. Comparatively
speaking, he did not know his right hand from his left. So says
his neighbors at that time. I have given an exposition of the eight
evidences in my closing remarks.

Having given you the statement of Martin Harris to one of his
neighbors, at the time the book was said to have been found, and
have given you the testimony of the three witnesses, and the testi-
mony of the eight witnesses, that the deluded Mormons rest all

41

their faith »n, in snpport of the fact of the book being found and
seen, before I proceed to the question in debate, I will give some
general views founded on facts, relative to Jo Smith, the pretended
finder of this book, and Martin Harris, this poor deluded fanatic, a
runner for Smith. We shall then be better prepared to make pro-
per allowances for their delusions.

A gentleman well ecquainted with Martin Harris, says in a pub-
lic paper I have alluded to, that he, Harris, attended religious ser-
vice in their church; that he had known and heard of him as a
farmer in comfortable circumstances. He says, he resided but a
short distance from our village of Palmyra. Harris was always
distinguished for certain peculiarities of character. He had been a
Methodist, and of late had identified himself with the Universal-
ists. At the time he came to my house to reveal the secret of the
found book from Jo Smith, he made no pretensions to any one faith,
but appeared to have an extensive knowledge of the scriptures : and
possessed a manifest disputatious turn of mind. I learned from
himself and others, that he had been a firm believer in dreams, vis-
ions, ghosts, witches, supernatural apparitions, &c." Having giv-
en you a general description of Harris, which appears to me to have
the peculiar traits of him, by his own testimony, where he says
that he saw the plates by the power of God, I will now give you
the peculiarities of Jo Smith, which will enable the reader to judge
of the merits of the whole concern ; all of which will be found
true by various public documents, and private statements.

The family of Smiths always bore the general reputation of mo-
ney diggers in the place of their nativity : always hunting for bu-
ried money, under pretence of magic knowledge. This I under-
stand to be the general character of the Smiths. That they were
perfectly idle, and vagrant; that Jo from a boy lived this kind of
life ; that he had no education : completely destitute of all school
education ; living then in Vermont ; his father a money digger.
He considered Jo, his son, to have the science of second sight, or
called bv others clairvoyance. That he had power of sight to look
into the earth, and discover hidden treasures. This was years be-
fore the pretended discovery of this bible. This family would fre-
quently make excursions in the night time, that they might conceal
the knowledge from others if they should find the treasures. This
young Jo was the guide ; his mode was to put into a hat a certain
stone he had with him, and hold the hat over the ground, and then
look through this stone speck with one eye. By this process they
would determine where to commence digging. I have given a clue
to the general character of the young prophet Jo, the finder, author,
and translator of this golden bible, with his origin in Vermont ; the
life and habits of his father, that has subscribed his name as one of
the eight witnesses as having seen and hefted the plates. The
reader will now be prepared to read this book understandingly, be-
ing fairly apprised of all their pretences and delusions. When
you may read the testimony of Harris, Mr Nickerson, and others,
you will observe there is sufficient collateral testimony to prove all
6

42

my remarks, and the extracts from others to have been based on the
truth. I shall now proceed to show the examination and argu-
ments that were brought before the Boston Free Discussion Society,
on the following question :

Question for discussion, — The Mormon Bible : — Is there any
proof from the internal or external evidences of that book, or from
any other history or fact, to prove it is Divine Revelation ? Or is
it not the novel writings of Solomon Spaulding, Joseph Smith, Jr,
and others, an imposition on the public, well calculated to inspire
the ignorant, superstitious, and credulous, with the belief it is a re-
velation from God, by way of Joseph Smith, Jr., in or about the
year 1827, in the state of New York.

Persons of every religious persuasion were invited to attend.
The meeting was pledged to permit, with a liberality not usually
evinced in other associations, any observations or remarks any per-
son may judge it useful to make. I would here remark this is a
constitutional privilege of the Boston Free Discussion Society.

The respective debating parties met on Sunday, at two o'clock,
P. M., per agreement, a chairman having been appointed. The
question was read by the chairman, and the meeting declared to be
open for debate ; that the affirmative of the question would be in
order to commence. Accordingly, Elder Freeman Nickerson, the
Mormon, commenced by observing he should endeavor, by the help
of God, his heavenly father, to prove to the full satisfaction of all
present, and as many as should hear his arguments, or read them,
that the Book of Mormon, then in his hand, was a revelation from
God, to the prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr., in or about the 21st of Sep-
tember, 1823, in Manchester, in the State of New York ; and that
he knew it was all true, by the power of God, for his voice had
made it known to him, by his obedience to his commands. He
said the history of the Book of Mormon was the history of and
from creation, from Adam to Noah, from father to son. At that
time it did not require any records or writing to be made. People
lived so long, it was contained in their memories.

Having said thus much on the origin of the Jewish scriptures,
believing every word of them to be the word of God, he com-
menced reading a chapter from the Mormon book ; the first book of
prophet Nephi, saying, it is in perfect accordance with the Old and
New Testament, and that he must have his own way of explain-
ing, commencing where he pleased ; and before he should get
through his arguments, or leave the city of Boston, every soul
would believe in the Mormon faith, if they did not acknowledge it,
and that he felt himself under great obligation to this society, for
the privilege of speaking for God, and showing the word of God
was sharp, and powerful; dividing asunder the joints and marrow.
That he was a christian, and that now was the time for the chris-
tians to come out and show they were washed in the blood of the
Lamb ; and unless they did, they would be chastised for their
neglect and disobedience. They that are not for me, are
against me. That he knew what he said, for the word of the Lord

43

had declared it to him, and all that would be obedient to their hea-
venly father, should have the evidence of the signs that should fol-
low them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils, take
up deadly serpents, and take deadly things, and they should not
hurt them: should they lay their hands on the sick, they should
recover ; and all those that would believe, and be baptised with the
Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, as it had been on him, could
do the same ; and all that were sent of God could do as God said
they should do, which he should prove to them before he left the
city. At this time the chairman informed him that the time allot-
ted him of 20 minutes was fully expired. I remark here that the
time allotted to the speakers was 20 minutes ; and no speaker was
to speak twice on any subject, to the exclusion of any other per-
son's speaking on the other side of the question.

As this question was agreed on between the elder Nickerson and
myself, it required I should reply to him. Reply. — My friend
Nickerson has improved his time in exhorting you to become Mor-
mons : and if you will, you shall have the power of working mira-
cles, as he says he has, and that his Mormon book is a revelation
from God, and was revealed to Joseph Smith by the power of
God, and he swears he knows it is all true, for the voice of the
Lord hath declared it to him. His great object appears to be, by
what he has said, to prove the Mormon book is in perfect accord-
ance with the Old and New Testament ; but he was very careful
not to say much about the Book of Mormon, but put the burthen of
proof on the negative side, to show all they could. He observed
in his remarks, he should begin where he pleased, and the audience
have seen how, and in what manner he had supported the question.
That my course must be to examine the evidences that were put in
the case, viz : — the eleven depositions that were attached to the
book : but before I should do this, having remarked on the state-
ment of Mr Nickerson, sufficient to show how I understood him,
I observed to the audience, this question respecting the Book of
Mormon being divine revelation, is of the first importance. They
are a growing people in the far West, and all over the European
world ; they are fast settling the West with Mormons from all quar-
ters ; their faiths were well adapted to the feelings and sympathies
of the credulous, and the marvellous. Should it progress as it
had done since 1827, when the sentiments contained in the book
were first published in the State of New York, it would, in process
of time, become a powerful engine of religious power, if not th
leading religious sect in this country. If so, they or their children,
or race would probably resent the persecutions and unjust oppres-
sions, they, as a sect, have been compelled to endure from the in-
habitants in the State of Missouri. They have been driven from
that State by an exterminating act of the State, and greatly abused
for their religious delusions. A day of retribution will come, when
their power shall be as strong as their delusions. This has been
the case in all countries, and alternately with all religious sects. I
shall examine this book as I should any case of murder, and that
the audience and the readers were the jury to try the issue of this

44

question. In order to bring it fairly before the audience, I must
call the evidences the Mormon surest the truth of their revelation
on. First evidences called by me, were Oliver Cowdry, David
Whitmer, Martin Harris. These three witnesses' testimony on a
preceding page was read. This being done, the eight evidences
were called up, viz : — Christian 'Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter
Whitmer, John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sr., Hiram
Smith, Samuel H. Smith. Here the reader will see I was com-
pelled to call up their evidence that they rely on to support the
book, for the purpose of showing its fallacy, credulity, fanaticism,
and perjury. All of which you will see in their testimony on a
preceding page, which will be clearly proved to all unprejudiced
minds.

Having thus far proceeded with my evidence, I commenced
questioning Elder Nickerson, the debating Mormon.

Question to Mr Nickerson. — Do you know Joseph Smith, Jr.,
the reputed author of this Book of Mormon ?

Answer. — Yes.
N Q. — Is he reputed to be a man of ti uth ?

A.— Yes.

Q. — Was he at the time this book was said to have been found ?

A. — I have so heard.

Q. — Do you know of his digging certain golden plates out of
the earth, in the town of Manchester, in the State of New York?

A. — I did not see him dig them up.

Q. — Then how dare you say in your statement to the audience,
that you knew it was all true, for the voice of the Lord had de-
clared it ? "What do you mean by the voice of the Lord?

A. — From hearsay ; from those that know it by the power of
God.

Thus, all their knowledge is hearsay, I believe. By this time I
was informed by the chairman my time allotted me had fully ex-
pired. One of the audience required a suspension of the rules,
that I might proceed with my examination. It was granted me,
and I proceeded.

Q. — Mr Nickerson, did you ever see those plates?

A.— No.

Q. — Do you pretend to say they are gold ?

A. — I think they are.

Q. — Do you know it?

A. — I have never seen them cut or tried. They have the ap-
pearance of gold.

Q. — How do you know that ? How much did they weigh ?

A. — About 30 pounds.

Q. — Did you see them weighed ?

A.— No.

Q. — How do you know what they weighed then ?

A. — So said by others.

I asked these questions to determine the value of this golden bi-
de. A christian friend rose to a point of order ; stating my mode

of questioning and cross-questioning was too severe, and not in ac-
cordance with free discussion, and of the house.

My reply was, the Mormons have come to the city of Boston,
and introduced a book, called the Book of Mormon, a new revela-
tion from God ; and they have given out a challenge to all and
every sect, Christian or Sceptic, to show the contrary. Mr Nicker-
son, the debating Mormon, says he is willing to be inquired of as
close as 1 please, on all questions of their book or faiths. There-
fore, I believe I have a perfect right to examine the evidences as
close as though they were under oath in a case of murder. Pro-
ceed,— was the voice of the audience.

Q. — Mr Nickerson, do you know the rules by which they val-
ued this golden bible ?
A.— No.

Q. — What weight, 12 or 16 ounces to the pound ?
A. — I do not.

I ask this, because it will make about $2000 difference in value ;
one will give $7,000, the other $9,000, more or less.

Q. — Mr Nickerson, do you suppose Cowdry, Whitmer and Har-
ris, the three witnesses that have testified to seeing these plates,
have sworn by the same rules you have stated, viz : hearsay?
A. — I do not know.

Q. — Do you know who translated the languages from the gold-
en plates, into English ?

A. — The prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr.
Q. — How do you know that ?
No answer.

Q. — What language was there written on the plates ?
A. — Reformed Egyptian.
Q. — How do you know that ?
No answer.

Q. — Do you understand Reformed Egyptian language ?
A.— No.

Q. — When and where did Jo Smith translate the language ?
A. — I was not present.

I forbore to ask Mr Nickerson any more questions, then believ-
ing him to be in a perfect state of unadulterated delusion, and that
his evidence would be as likely to be as much yes as no. By this
time my second allotment of time was fully expired. My friend,
Eider Nickerson, took the stand to reply ; and commenced as usual
for him, that his heavenly father had given him this opportunity to
answer for himself; that he was happy to appear in proof and de-
fence of the revelation of God, as made known <o him. He did
not wish to keep anything back. Notwithstanding he was not
learned, yet he was taught of God, and was obedient to him : he
had left all for him and his cause ; had made great sacrifices of all
his property, and was ready to lay down his life, if the case re-
quired it ; that he had been a firm believer for years, had been bap-
tised into the faith, and had received the forgiveness of his sins,
by laying on of hands, of those that had power to forgive sins ;

46

that he had received the Holy Ghost, and had become a partaker
in all its benefits ; that he was well acquainted with all the con-
cerns relating to the digging up the plates that had been spoken of.
Here he gave some account ot the book, and said, the prophet, Jo-
seph Smith, when he returned to his home one night about the 21st
of September, 1823, and lay down on his bed, he was informed in
a vision by an angel, that he was to be a prophet for God ; to pro-
mulgate to the world a new revelation : that he should find it hid
up unto God, in a certain place, and described the place to Smith ;
and told him it was the history of the prophet Nephi, &c. ; that he
must not attempt to get it until the fourth year from that time.
And the angel gave him all the directions ; all of which, he, Nick-
erson, had got written down, he said; and Joseph, the prophet, did
disobey the commands of the angel, and went to the place previ-
ously to the time set, and commenced digging for the golden plates
in the box or ark, that the angel told him they were in. At length
he came in contact with a stone arch, which he took up, and saw
the chest, and got hold of it, but could not get it then. But in due
time he obtained it, and was permitted to translate it, by the power
\)f God, viz : by the aid of two stones, called the Urim and Thum-
mim, all of which he knew by the power of God, and his will to
him by being obedient to his commands. This is the way Mr
Nickerson says he knew this thing. God told him all this. Hav-
ing said this much, says Mr Nickerson, about the digging up the
plates, he said as he had heretofore said, that Cowdry, Whitmer
and Harris, and the testimony of the eight witnesses, were report-
ed to be men of truth. He then read their testimony, as it is re-
ported in the Mormon book, and on a preceding page, and offered
them to the public, on which he should rely, in support of the Book
of Mormon being found by Joseph Smith. He observed, when he
said a thing, he meant what he said. When he speaks of healing
the sick, or performing miracles, personally, he meant the audience
should believe what he said, literally. If he spoke of healing a
broken bone, or a crooked arm, he meant so. He attempted an il-
lustration. He bent his arm akimbo, then, with much muscular
force, threw it quite straight. Like that, said he. A gentleman
rose, and asked him if lie meant by physical force? Yes, said he,
by physical force or any other force, he did not care what force it
was, if it straightened the limb. This, he said, I have seen and
done. More than that, being interrogated by some of the audience
on his working of miracles, he related two of them ; perhaps they
were easy cases. He said that an elderlv lady, who had been bow-
ed down to the earth, crooked by long infirmity, sent for him to heal
her. He obeyed the command, and when there, he prayed to his
heavenly father, and annointed her with oil, and laid his hands on
her. (Laughter.) She became straight immediately. This occa-
sioned a loud smile with the audience.

The chairman requested the audience to retain their countenances,
and to preserve order, if possible.

Mr Nickerson proceeded by saying, this is no laughing matter.

47

He appeared affected by his own stories. I imagined a magnet-
izing influence, by way of sympathy, among the female part of the
audience, would be produced. This was wonderfully apparent ;
had I not seen something of the same before, I may have partaken
of its magnetizing fluid.

Mr. Nickerson will excuse these remarks. I proceed to give his
statements of the other miracle he performed. A brother Mormon
was sick, nigh unto death, for a long time, till at length he receiv-
ed the gift of faith that he could be healed by the prayers of broth-
er Nickerson ; he was informed of the fact, and went immediately,
nothing doubting; when he saw him, he read to him the 15th
chapter of James, the 14th and 15th verse particularly — look at the
texts, they are to the point, no mistake. He then knelt down by
the bedside, after anointing him with oil, and prayed to his heaven-
ly father. His Mormon brother arose from his bed, on which he
had been so long confined with a consumption, and eat a hearty
meal, and then walked six miles. Mr. Nickerson then said he did
not come there to tell anything but the truth, and what had been
done by him and others, by the power of God. Mr. Nickerson's
time being expired he took his seat. Mr. S. took the stand in re-
ply to Mr. Nickerson, and said he should not occupy but a few
moments on the negative of the question, before the audience. He
gave us an off-hand speech, much to the purpose; not only in reply
to the Mormons, but to christians generally. He showed the abso-
lute impossibility of such powers as Mr. Nickerson has spoken of,
being in use, being above and contrary to all rules of the laws of
nature, and sound philosophy, he did not entertain a doubt that the
immagination of Mr. Nickerson, or others, may have been wrought
up to that belief, that their prayers may have had the desired effect,
and they be serious in their pretensions, and think they had or
could perform miracles. But his experience, although short, com-
pared with that of Mr. Nickerson, had confirmed him in the be-
lief taat sincerity was no safeguard against delusion. His readings
of facts, that are well known to thousands, will vouch for the cor-
rectness of my remarks. He then referred the audience to the case
of the Hindoo widows at the funeral pile, as a specimen of their
sincerity and faith, he observed, the Mormons appeared to be sin-
cere ; that they called themselves christians, and pretended to em-
brace the christian faiths — if so, the christians were bound to sup-
port them, or show where the errors of the Mormons are. He first
thought the question was not of any importance to society at large,
but, on more mature reflection, he had come to the conclusion that
this questiun is of great importance to the community. That the
Mormons were becoming quite a leading sect in the far West;
they were spreading their faith throughout the civilized world —
they already boast of their hundred thousand followers, most of
which are communicants,; and if this be true, they may ultimate-
ly be the predominant religious sect in this country. He illustrat-
ed his views by the influence of other sects, in other ages ; all of
which had produced like results, whenever their numbers and phy-

48

sical powers were sufficiently strong-, as to carry their dogmas and
delusions into effect. His remarks were well timed, and to the en-
tire satisfaction of the audience. He was followed in reply by El-
der Olney, a Mormon, quite a novel man in his language, as you
will see by what I took minutes of at the time. He commenced by
saying, My friends, the fact is this, all that brother Nickerson has
told you I know to be true, by the power of God. Allow me to
say, I think it likely he never saw Mr. Nickerson before ; but re-
member, once for all cases, when the Mormons swear for each
other, as they do, I believe, in all cases, they swear by the power of
God — pardon this digression, friend Olney, He said, I have been
a preacher in the faith of Mormon nine years ; and the fact is,
now my friends, that you may know this is all true that I tell yon,
when you will obey the commands of God, for the fact is, now
my friends, you will know that the whole account of Christ is true.
For the fact is, my friends, I am a believer in the doctrines of
Christ. And the fact is, now my friends, I know what is said is
all true by the power of God ; I have preached it nine years ; and
the fact is, now my friends, I hare made great sacrifices, and have
done and suffered much ; and the fact is, now my friends, I have
done and seen greater miracles than brother Nickerson has told of.
The fact is, now my friends, that if the dead was to be raised ten
rods from this, I should not go to see it. For the fact is, now my
friends, I have seen greater things done by the power of God. The
fact is, now my friends, I would not care if all the Mormon books
were destroyed. I do not know of reading the book of Mormon
through in my life. But the fact is, now my friends, I know it is
all true, by the power of God. I have a book in my soul, which
teaches me wisdom, and knowledge. I believe I have read the
book of Mormon once. But the fact is, now my friends, it is the
Word of God ; and it is sharp and powerful, and dividing asunder
the joints and marrow, soul and spirit. And the fact is, now my
friends, I am glad to have this opportunity to speak for God. He
then took his seat. When the Rev. Mr. Collier took the stand in
reply to the Mormons, he felt disposed to accredit them for show-
ing a spirit of humility and christian meekness ; and he could not
doubt their sincerity and candor, and that this meeting had been
conducted with its usual good feelings ; but he was compelled to
say he believed his Mormon friends were mistaken and deluded.
He believed the cannon of the Scriptures were closed, and no ad-
ditional or new revelation was expedient or scriptural ; he did not
intend to make but few remarks on what had been said ; he was
inclined to think the question was of such an import, and in such
hands, as would be fully investigated without him. He should ad-
duce but two texts of scripture, which he thought would establish
his position, relating to the addition or new revelation, as spoken of
in the promulgating of the book of Mormon. He hoped all would
look seriously at these texts, he should present, and pay particular
attention to their import. One of which is recorded in the 4th
chapter of Deuteronomy, 2d verse : For ye shall not add unto the

49

Word which I command you ; neither shall ye diminish aught
from it. That ye may keep the commandments of the Lord, your
God, vvhich I command you, The other text quoted, was in the
last chapter of Revelations, ISth and 19tli verses; For I testify
unto you, that every man that heareth the words of the prophecy
of this book, if any man should add unto these things, God shall
add unto him the plagues therein written. The texts thus far
quoted would apply to the arguments of the Mormons. He then
took his seat. After Mr. Collier had taken his seeat, Elder Olney,
the previous speaker, wished the privilege of a moment to reply to
Mr. Collier, that the text spoken of did not mean what Mr. Collier
supposed, but simply meant to be confined, the first text,to a partic-
ular tribe ; and the second text to that particular book of Revela-
tions generally. The time having been fully expired for the meet-
ing to be adjourned, to the following Sunday, at 2 o'clock, P. M.,
it was accordingly done : adjourned to Sunday, the 4th of July ,to
meet at Winchester Hall.

Sunday, the 4th, met according to the adjournment, and called
to order by the chairman. Mr. Nickerson opened the meeting in
the affirmative of the question, in his usual form, that he was
thankful to his heavenly father for the opportunity of showing the
Book of Mormon to be a true revelation from God ; that it was in
accordance with the old and New Testament ; that he believed
every word, both of the Jews, Christians and Mormons; and he
would call on the christians, of all sects, to come out and show
themselves on the Lord's side, and not to be half-way christians.
Now was a good time ; God was on his way : the latter days
spoken of were at hand ; and if any one meant to have any part in
the first resurrection, he must brave the storm of pride and self-
love, and covetousness, and become like their Eider Brother, Jesus
Christ; that he had left all, and had been with him, having made
a sacrifice of all his property; and if required, he would lay down
his life in the cause. He hoped that his friend, Mr. Parsons, that
enquired so closely in the evidences to the book of Mormon, last
Sunday, would not reject them, because eight of them, out of the
eleven, belonged to two families, viz : Joseph Smith's, and the
Whitmer's. He, Mr. N., considered these evidences as good as Mat-
thew, Mark, Luke, or John, and that the testimony was complete,
and sanctioned by the Holy Ghost, and is so believed by all in the
true Mormon faith ; and that he was made to believe it by the gift
of the Holy Ghost, and the power of God, and that by the laying
on of hands. He should be glad if his friend Collier was present,
but as he was not, he should not say mueh about the meaning of
the texts he, Mr Collier, referred to, last Sunday, to prove the
book of Mormon not of divine revelation — his brother Olney had
already answered that part, and fully shown the texts of friend Col-
lier were misapplied. Having said thus much on the book of Mor-
mon, he had no objection to be examined by any one ; he did not
come to Boston to deceive any one, but to speak the truth, and he
hoped the christians would come out to the help of the Lord

50

against the mighty, and not fear those that denied the truths of the
Bible, and the book of Mormon, and said they could prove it a
novel, and a hoax on the community. I am thankful to God, my
Heavenly Father, for this opportunity of speaking for him and his
cause. I have said much in favor of this society, because they are
willing to investigate; and I expect, before I leave Boston, to con-
vince them I am an honest man, and that the book of Mormon is
the truth, and divine revelation ; and that the miracles he had
spoken of, were nothing compared with what he could tell by the
power of God. He then took his seat, and seemed to be much re-
freshed, in giving his testimony in behalf of the book of Mormon,
and of the evidences that had sworn to it.

I then proceeded, by way of reply to my friend Nickerson, stated
that I had every good reason to believe the book of Mormon was
got up by a Mr. Spaulding, formerly of Ohio, a young clergy-
man, as a religious novel, a few years previous to its appearing in
New- Yqrk State ; and that the manuscript, or book, had since
been remodelled, and so matured, as to inspire the ignorant and
credulous, with the belief that it was a revelation from God ; that
I expected to show, conclusively, to the unprejudiced mind, that I
should produce a great variety of testimony to prove my position
correct ; and that I expected to have Mrs. Spaulding's deposition t«
that effect ; that I expected to prove that the eleven evidences that
had sworn to the plates of the book of Mormon, had all perjured
themselves; and that was, in my opinion, clearly shown in their
testimony, as I intended to show, when I shall argue the case to
the audience. I then commenced my enquiry of Mr. Nickerson,
why it was that Joseph Smith could not, or did not, obtain the
plates when he first attempted, as was stated in his evidence, given
the last Sunday. Mr. Nickerson did not answer me. The chair-
man, a young man that generally fills the chair to the satisfaction
of the audience, seemed to think my mode of inquiry was not in
accordance with the rules we had established in the Society for
Free Discussion. This occasioned a reply from me, and some re-
marks from others. I expressed a perfect willingness to comply
with our constituted rules, but I believed this case required a differ-
ent course, especially from me, as I had agreed to publish an analy-
sis of the book of Mormon, with all that should be said upon the
subject before the Society of Free Discussion ; and in order to get
at the evidence on which the Mormons rely, in support of their
claims, to prove the affirmative of the question, I should be allow-
ed to ask any and all questions relating to that book ; and that
Mr. Nickerson had said he had gotten all the particukr tran-
sactions written down, and if so, I have a good claim to know
what they were ; for I supposed they would corroborate all I ex-
pected to establish ; and unless I was allowed to proceed in my
mode of inquiry, to get at the existing facts, I should be compelled
to abandon the subject, in a great measure, and should have the
case argued between Mr. Nickerson, the Mormon, and myself ex-
clusively, where I should, by an agreement, have the privilege of

51

enquiry, in any shape I should choose, to get at the truth ; and he,
Mr. Nickerson, thought this most advisable, and, eventually, it was
adopted. There were so many speakers on the question at issue,
that I omitted my mode of enquiry, and reserved it for the time
when it was to be argued before the society by me, exclusively, as
you will see in the sequel, when on the external evidences, that the
Mormons rely on, in support of the book of Mormon being of Di-
vine Revelation. I then took my seat.

A Mr. Sweet then took the stand, an elderly man, a man of good
understanding, apparently a stranger to the greater part of the au-
dience. He was inquired of, by the chairman, on which side of
the question he intended to speak ? This question was in order,
3rou will see, with the constituted rules of the society, viz : that
speakers, on all questions, shall follow each other alternately, oa
the affirmative and negative. Mr. Sweet answered in the affirma-
tive, that is, the principal of what he should say was what he
heard from the Mormons a few years since, that he called that the
affirmative side. He proceeded, and stated that he heard two Mor-
mon sermons, from Mormons that came to Boston not long after
they had got up the Mormon Bible, and that Joe Smith was there,
or a man that called himself so ; that they preached in Fanny
Brewers's chamber, corner of Belknap and Myrtle streets. This
fact is well known to thousands in Boston, as the people congre-
gated about the house to hear them. Joe Smith, the pretended
prophet, told him, in presence of witnesses that he could produce,
that he, Smith, dug up the plates that the Mormon Bible was trans-
lated from ; and that he translated the language from Egyptian to
to the English, as it is now written; that an angel called on him
three times to give him instructions about the plates — I will not be
positive whether it was two or three times, but let it go at two —
that he, Smith, opened the plates when he first dug them up, but
could not understand or translate them. Directly, a self-moving
machine began to rise up perpendicular, written in English what it
contained in Egyptian, page by page, so that he could read it legi-
bly, or any one else ; that the plates were found in a stone box ;
that he opened it by the force of a bar; that the ark, or box, that
coutained the plates, was in the shape of a cocked hat, of old fash-
style, &c.

The story of Mr. Sweet was believed by the audience, as the
simple truths heard from Joe Smith ; as the same, in substance,
spoken by other Mormons, about the same time, at Julian Hall, in
their lectures.

Mr. Sweet concluded by giving his opinion, and said, he did not
believe a sentence of what any of the Mormons had said about their
book being a revelaton from God. He then took his seat. I re-
mark, here, that Mr. Nickerson seemed to be disconcerted by the
closing remarks of Mr. Sweet, and also about the stone box being
in the shape of a cock'd hat; but the audience will remember that
Mr. Nickerson had said it was encased in a stone vault. Mr. Nick-
erson made enquiries of Mr. Sweet of his name, and where he

52

could be found. Mr. Svfreet, in his usual intelligent manner inform-
ed him, as being well known in Boston. Allow me to observe, that
the next Sunday Mr. Sweet appeared, and,in reply to Mr. Nicker-
son, offered 10 produce the evidence to what he had stated the pre-
vious Sunday ; but I told him, in private, that in that stage of the
inquiry it did not require it, that there might be found one hundred
in Boston that could swear to all the principal facts that he had
stated, from these men that came to Boston at the time he spoke
of; for I could testify to it in substance myself, as I was one of the
number that examined them in Julien Hall, where one of them
stated that the angel had taken the golden Bible, and left a fac-
similie in its room ; and that I observed to the Mormons, at the
time, that they made a bad beginning with the angel. Thus far
my knowlege of ihe statements of the Mormons, when at Boston,
at the time Mr. Sweet alluded to, agrees with his.

When Mr. Sweet had taken his seat, the chairman informed the
audience that the last speaker had not improved his whole time by
twelve minutes. Mr. Nickerson, the Mormon, rose to reply, and
observed, he should like to improve the remaining time — it was
granted him by a vote of the audience. He proceeded in his usual
form of introduction, and said that he was willing to impart all he
knew about the book of Mormon, but the course adopted by me, the
writer of this book, the mode that I had chosen to examine the
witnesses, was to prepare the minds of the aradience to disbelieve
• the book of Mormon ; but he should show it all true, by the power
of God ; that when he should be ready to meet me in single com-
bat, by this time he was informed that the few moments allotted

to him were expired. He concluded by saying he always meant to
observe the rules of the house, with as much decorum as any other
person or speaker, whatever. He was then seated.

I will remark that Mr Nickerson or any other Mormon that
spoke, did observe the rules of time, when informed by the chair-
man, as much, and prompt as any one. Although they usually ap-
pear to be under the spirit of what they call the Holy Ghost, that is
a determined resolution which seemed to me to engage the whole
muscular force of the body, they would make the cushions of the
desk smoke : and their delivery was so rapid, and coming with
such power, it would remind us of the day of pentacost, when they
appeared as though they were drunk before nine of the clock, (bi-
ble account.) though there is no evidence they were so, but I be-
lieve they were in the same state of mind of the Mormons. I am
rather sceptical about any peoples' speaking different languages
correctly, not having learned them.

The next person that rose to speak, in the negative of the ques-
tion, was Mr. S., that had spoken the Sunday before. He address-
ed the audience in his usual happy and convincing style of argu-
ment. The audience listened with their accustomed silence, when
he took a general view of the apparent objects of the Mormons,
that they were probably sincere in their intentions to spread their
faith ; and many of them were honest believers in the evidences

53

reported in their book; but he believed they would not be able to
make many converts to their faith out of the infidels, for they
had no confidence, generally, in any religious dogma. If the
Mormons expected 'to succeed with them, they must produce
some actual experiment, some one case, viz: that of raising the
dead, healing of the sick miraculously, or some other paramount
case, and that which is above and beyond all human powers ;
such as they have testified they have done, and can perforin by the
power of God. If they will do this, we infidels will all be Mor-
monites in spite of ourselves; but until that is done, intelligent in-
dels will be compelled to remain as they are.

He believed it was the duty of the christians to come out in
support of the mormon faith, or, otherwise, if they are deluded,
they should show to them the contrary. The Mormons sup-
ported all their books and dogmas ; all the difference he could
discover between them was, the Mormons believed the Bible to the
very letter, while the christians believed it figurative and spiritual.

He felt a degree of sympathy for Mr. Nickerson, as he seemed to
be nearly alone in this part of the community; that they had been
abused and persecuted by the Missourians, to that degree of cuelty
which characterised all sects of religionists, of whatever faith or
age. He should not pretend to make any remarks on their Bible,
as it was not familiar to him, never having read it ; but from what
he had already heard, and admitted by the Mormons, it must be a
great delusion, and as a friend to Mr. Nickerson, he should advise
him to return home to the bosom of his family, and abandon the
idea of establishing a society of mormons in the City of Boston.
He then took his seat. I presume his speech and advice was re-
plete with good sense, and gentleman-like treatment to the Mor-
mons, and so admitted by Mr. Nickerson.

When Mr. S. was seated, a Mr. C. took the stand in the
affirmative of the question, quite contrary to the expectation of the
audience. When asked by the chairman which side of the ques-
tion he intended to support, it was understood he said the affirma-
tive. He proceeded to read a number of long extracts from the
Mormon books, and pretended to expound them, in his usual philo-
sophic manner, shewing the texts to agree with the morals and
sayings of the New-Testament; that they harmonized with the
fundamental principles of the christian religion, and that he felt a
deep interest in the faith ; that it was a kind of transcendentalism,
fully in accordance with the age. True, he thought there was a
considerable heterogenous matter in their writings, but not ulike all
other sacred writings; we must make a proper discrimination and
allowance, considering the circumstances under which they were
written, and the persons by whom they had been brought to light.
When his time was expired and he was seated.

It appeared to me, and I presume it did to the audience general-
ly, that the Mormon had made a deep conviction on the mind of
our friend, he being a christian member. I concluded that he
intended to become a christian of the Mormon stamp, from what

54

he said and read. The select readings were calculated to pro-
duce this opinion. They were on the keeping; of the Sabbath,
and other christian moral duties and practices, when our friend
took his seat. I noticed he seemed to enjoy his usual smile.
1 was then at liberty to pursue my former remarks in the nega-
tive of the question. I commenced by introducing the speak-
er that had just taken his seat, to Mr Nickerson, as a brother
Mormon in the faith. This introduction occasioned a smile
on the countenances of the audience, which the new convert
appeared to enjoy as well as the rest of us. I observed our
friend was a better subject for a Mormon than most of us ;
more refined in his notions and feelings in the philosophy of
religions ; that he was not so calloused to the reform of the
age. Any remarks seemed to create a sentiment in the mind
of the new convert, something contrary to what I expected,
and I believe the audience had the same impression. The
gentleman arose in his seat, and observed with his usual appa-
rent sincerity, that he did not intend to be identified with the
Mormons in sentiment, or faith, and that the next Sunday he
should speak on the negative of the question ; that the Book
of Mormon was the most ridiculous subject he ever read. I
was perfectly at a loss : thunderstruck ; and if I had been a
Mormon, I should say by the power of God. The re-conver-
sion of the Mormon convert was so sudden, it occasioned a
cheering smile on the audience, more especially the Christian
department : finding their ranks were not yet broken. My re-
marks being concluded, Mr Nickerson had a few minutes to
reply to Mr C. The old veteran expressed his sentiments on
this occasion ; said he should be glad to see men and women
converted, and become partakers in the blessings of the obe-
dient and the faithful ; but he did not want any half way con-
verts. Rather a hard hit, it was thought, on the returning
penitent.

By this time the chairman observed there was about 20 min-
utes before the usual hour of adjournment ; that he should
like to say a word or two on what had been said. It was
granted. He commenced by saying he thought there had
been quite too liberal use made of personalities by some par-
ticular speakers. It was so spoken by him that the audience
knew who he alluded to ; Mr S., that had given advice to the
Mormon to retire to the bosom of his family, and myself were
alluded to. The chairman was arrested in his remarks by Mr
S., that he was not in order, and quite uncalled for at that
time and place : and to prove the correctness of his opinion,
he requested by a motion, that it be tested by a vote of the
audience. This occasioned some debate, and was argued to

55

be a bad precedent. The arguments went so far as to believe
the audience would not sustain the chairman in his remarks,
and the person that debated the question of propriety, request-
ed Mr S. to withdraw his motion, which was done. The
chairman, in that stage of the case, gave way to the Mormon,
Mr N. He observed that he did not take anything that had
been said by Mr S., or myself, as designed to hurt his feelings,
but thought the subject had been treated with that usual good
feeling that fairly belonged to that Society. Mr S. then rose
and said he believed all I had said on the subject of Mormon-
ism was with that usual good feeling that was well known by
the society ; such as I had uniformly on all occasions strictly
observed. This remark from Mr S. called out a gentleman-
like acknowledgement from the chairman, that he had been
too fast in his remarks, and he hoped it would be excused.

It was then voted to adjourn to Sunday, the 12th of July
next, at 2 P. M., at Winchester Hall.

Met according to adjournment. The meeting was called to
order by the chairman. Elder Nickerson commenced with
the affirmative of the question. He remarked that he should
bring some different proof from what he had previously given,
to prove the Book of Mormon is a revelation from God. Al-
though the evidences in the book, viz : the eleven that swore
to the plates were unimpeachable, and were on the same
ground of character as much entitled to be believed as those
in the Christian Bible, and therefore the Mormon book will be
found a true revelation from God, and he knew it, for his hea-
venly father, whom he obeyed, had made the truth manifest to
him, by his power ; and that God had ordained one, and sent
him forth to declare his word, and promulge his sayings and
his doings to the world, that had long been hidden up from
us. I asked him if he meant Jo Smith. He said no, that he
meant himself. (Smiles.) He said it was a high stand to
take, but it was true. To show the power of God to choose
men, and enable them to carry into effect his will, he referred
to Peter ; what he saw in a vision ; a sheet drawn up to heav-
en. From that he said, God was about convincing the world
by him that the Book of Mormon was a revelation of his do-
ings ; and if any one would come out on God's side and be
faithful, they would see God was as good as his word, and that
he knew he was, and that he came to Boston to obey him, in
answer to a good conscience; not to tell what he believed, as
Christians say, but to promulge what he knew. He did not
come there to deceive the people, but speak for God. Net to
work miracles, as some unbelievers wanted him to, nor to sell
the Holy Ghost to the Yankees, for them to sell again to make

56

money. (Smiles.) That we were all immortal, and like the
dry bones that Ezekiel saw, 37th chapter. That bone came
to his bone ; it was a truth and no fiction, nor figure ; that it
meant what it said ; that the bones did actually come to life.
Just so in the Book of Mormon; it means what it says, and if
it is not true, the Christians ought to come out and prove by
their Bible what the dry bones mean : and if the Book of
Mormon is not true, let them show it ; not leave the task to in-
fidels to do it ; them that did not believe in any revelation but
that of Nature's God. The chairman called the Elder to a
point of order, for dwelling so extensively on the Jewish and
Christian bible to prove the Mormon bible true, not being re-
levant to the question.

I rose and observed to the chairman that the Mormon should
have all possible indulgence, as he had a bad case to make
out ; such as it would be folly in any one but a Mormon to
attempt. He was allowed to proceed, and said he should prove
in the end, that the Old and New Testament proved the truth
of the Mormon Book, and that the Mormon bible proved the
truth of theirs ; that the Christian and Mormon may well be
compared to the two sticks spoken of in Ezekiel ; and if any
of you will be obedient to God, my head for it you will re-
ceive its blessings and its promises. The Elder was informed
that his 20 minutes was fully expired. My remarks, perhaps,
should have been in order to have followed. But a lady, A.
F., rose, and claimed the floor. She said she was for truth ;
but not like the Mormons, that had killed a brother, as she be-
lieved they had. I here remark she is a non-resistant ; and
having been informed of the Mormons' making some defence
to save their lives in the State of Missouri, occasioned that
remark. She was called to order, being too personal. She,
however, was determined to proceed with her favorite topic,
without any formal rule of argument, to the question. From
different individuals the house became quite confused. Some
one asked her not to get mad ; she thought it came from me,
but it did not. She believed she was not mad nor insane, but
spoke the truth in her usual engagedness. I made a few re-
marks, that when ladies spoke to any question, I should be
pleased to hear them in a style that was becoming their femi-
nine character. When such spoke, and were intelligent, and
susceptible of being governed by the rules and orders of the
society or house, it would be so received by all societies, more
especially the free discussion society. She took her seat.
The Elder Nickerson thus spoke. He pretended to take a
review of what Mr Sweet said the last Sunday : and said the
statement that Mr Sweet gave, what Jo Smith had said to him

57

in Boston, some years since, in Fanny Brewer's house, could
not be correct, so far as related to the box that contained the
golden plates. (See Sweet's statement on the preceding
pages.) That Smith said the box was in shape of a cocked
hat. The Elder, however, did not deny the possibility of the
truth, but said Mr Sweet, like himself, was getting old, and
liable to forget. That Smith had uniformly told all that no
one had seen the box or plates except the eleven evidences in
the book. There were evidences then in the room that would
swear to the truth of Mr Sweet's statement, and Mr Sweet
consulted me on the propriety of bringing them to the stand.
I gave advice to the contrary. (See preceding pages.) The
Elder proceeded by saying the Mormons were fast spreading
their truths and their faiths both in South and North America ;
that many were sent of God as in ancient days, when John,
the forerunner of Jesus was sent, and so were the Mormons,
not all ; and every man is sent, but if any one come and
preach not this doctrine that I preach, or shall preach any
other gospel, let him be accursed. I stand here boldly before
you, to promulge the truth. Will not one of you stand up
with me to the help of the Lord against the mighty? No one
appeared to aid the old veteran. He took his seat.

Mr S. took the floor, and observed, that much had been
said about the divine authority of the Book of Mormon, but
little had been said to prove it. The Mormons cannot prove
any book to be inspired. To do this, they must be inspired
themselves to understand it, and is it not charging God fool-
ishly, to say he has given such a revelation. God has inspired
all, or he has not inspired any. It would be derogatory to his
character, to do anything to the contrary. That the origin of
the Mormon Bible is not in accordance with the general char-
acter of God, or his revelation. Agreeable to the christian be-
lief, they have declared theirs to be the closing up of the
cannon of the revelations of God to man. Would he have
communicated in the manner and form as reported in the Book
of Mormon ? The true character of God is portrayed in the
laws of universal nature. There it may be seen in the great-
est splendor, in the proud lakes and pleasant fields, where na-
ture is in her glory : there his greatness may be seen, and by
the contemplative mind enjoyed. But the Mormons come to
us with ancient pretences, such as have been doubted and de-
nied by millions : they declare to us they have the superhu-
man power to work miracles. I shall hold them to their state-
ments ; this is the stand they have taken. They must be wil-
ling to stand or fall by this rule. If they get defeated on this
trial, others that have like pretences must fall with them, and

58

in their fall they will carry down to the grave of oblivion, all
fanaticism founded on the belief of miracles, such as will find
themselves in one common grave, where there is no hope of
resurrection.

The evidences of all that had believed, or should believe, is
recorded, 16th of Mark, 1 7th and 18th verses, and the Mor-
mons have referred to them as proof. I shall not take their
ipse dixit. They are here, and we must have something tan-
gible. When they perform any one of those miracles record-
ed in that chapter, we sceptics shall be compelled to believe,
in spite of ourselves. If the Mormons refuse, or neglect to
give us a demonstration of their power, 1 shall remain in un-
belief, and still believe they are a deluded sect. However, I
must say they have been shamefully abused for their credulity.
I wish to treat them with candor and fair arguments, for the
purpose of showing them the absolute falsity of their pretences.
Mr S. was informed of his time being fully expired, and he
was seated.

Mr L., an old sailor, has the floor next, and spoke in the af-
firmative of the question. He never heard a Mormon before.
I think it is all true, what he has said, viz : that God will do
as he says he will. I have experienced something like it in
« my life. Particularly one time at sea ; I promised God if he
would give us a fair wind, I would always be obedient to him ;
and the captain cursed me for my foolishness, for my preten-
sions or promises in my prayers. A fair wind came, and I
have ever since been a believer. I admit I have not always
been so good a child as 1 could wish, or such as I promised
God to be. The promises to Abraham, and many others in
the Bible, were proofs of God's doing as he said he would.
That goes to establish the statements of the Mormons. He
had heard the infidel speak on these subjects, but never heard
any one deny the power of God to do all things, but always
found them disposed not to believe what others had pretended
to have seen ; and unless they could see the same themselves,
they could not believe. He concluded, and was seated.

1 concluded from what he said, and the materials of which
he is made, he, Mr L. would make a first rate Mormon in sen-
timent. His gift of speech is not quite so rapid as the Mor-
mons, but is equally novel and eccentric, and probably strictly
honest in his remarks.

Mr W. has the floor, and in his usual style, which is gen-
erally radical, and in many instances pithy and to the point.
Said he, I hold in my hand a paper, called a chart of all re-
ligions, among which is that of Jo Smith, the Mormon's, creed.
tie referred to a number of texts to show their high pretences

59

to work special miracles, John, xiii. 14, Mark xvi. &c. So
much for their pretended miracles that they say they can per-
form. He, Mr W. did not believe that Deity had ever per-
formed any one miracle by man ; and if so anciently, he could
now ; and if the Book of Mormon is a revelation from God,
why do they not prove it such. If they will not give us the
proof, such as they say they have in their power, of what use
is it for us to discuss this question with them. If we should
continue it to all eternity, they will not be able to prove the
affirmative of the question at issue. What the Mormon has
said, is all straw 5 he must prove what he has said to be a spe-
cial revelation from God, or I shall conclude it is false ; and
further, they must prove by what source and power they work
miracles, providing they could do that. I am assured in the
Christian Bible that the devil had such power, and did deceive
the christians. I think he has deceived my friend, the Mor-
mon. Therefore, how shall we be able to decide which is the
true or false. I think the Mormons are more consistent than
the Christians, but believe it all false. Therefore all those
that propagate such doctrines, are false men. By way of ex-
planation, he said, if a falsehood be stated by any one, how-
ever sincere he may be that makes it, it does not make truth
of it ; therefore it implies falsehood, come from whom it may.
This remark, by way of explanation was after Elder Nicker-
son had replied. Mr W. was then seated.

Mr N., the Mormon, replied to Mr W. He began the at-
tempt, to describe him to the audience, by giving him some
professional title, but could not readily recollect what Mr W.
was by profession, but he believed it was some kind of a mag-
netizing of the head, or something else ; he could not tell pre-
cisely what it was. Mr W. wants me to cut off my head, then
put it on again, and then he will believe me ; and if I should
do that, and should put my head on sideways, or some other
way, then he would not believe, unless it was put on precisely
as it was before. He thought a man would be in a bad fix,
and in an awkward situation, if he should try the experiment,
if he should get his head on crossways, his feet going ahead,
and his head strongly inclined to go sideways for safety. But
he thought Mr W. with his knowledge of feeling of the head,
would be in a pitiful situation to tell what the predisposition
of a man was, should one apply to him without any head on
his shoulders. The Mormons give some hard cuts. The El-
der was seated, when a Mr R. claimed the floor. He made
no pretences to a familiarity with the origin of the Mormons,
he remarked, on the pretended miraculous manner in which
the Book of Mormon was found by Jo Smith. He inquired if

60

any one could believe it came from God. It was unreasonable.
He had been taught to believe the christian revelation was the
closing, of the books of revelation from God to man. He referred
to Smith, the reputed author, as deciphering or translating the Book
of Mormon from the Reformed Egyptian language, when it is said
he cannot read his own language. That these circumstances were
enough to doubt the truth of the whole concern, and the high pre-
tensions of the Mormons must go down, and unless the Mormons
could give better evidence, he must conclude it all absurd ; but if
true it will stand the test of inquiry, if otherwise. If it will not
bear that test practically, it must, like all other false faiths, fail.

When Mr R. had taken his seat, Mr C. occupied the stand in
favor of the Mormon book, as was supposed by the chairman, when
he was inquired of which side of the question he intended to take.
It was understood he said the Mormon. Notwithstandiug the Sun-
day before he said he should be on the other side, I concluded I
was not mistaken the last Sunday, when I introduced him to the
Mormon as a young convert. He proceeded in the defence of the
Book of Mormon, as being in accordance with the Christian Bible
in many places. That no one book, however good and extensive
it may be, could contain all the truth : therefore the Book of Mor-
mon was a new era. He was not one of those persons that gave
limits to free inquiry and science. He did not pay homage to any
man, however great their pretensions, or ancient their records. He
should not, like some that had spoken on this subject, say the Mor-
mons were false men. Circumstances in history had given rise to
the belief that great nations had been located in the far west, and
in the south, and North America. The pilgrims, when they came
here, they produced some new things to others unknown ; and the
Mormons may, and probably will do the same. He observed that
one of the Mormons that had signed the book, as a witness, was
originally a man of good reputation, by the name of Harris ; there-
fore, if that be true, he could not reconcile himself to the cruel
treatment the Mormons had received in Missouri, on account of
their discovery. But this mode of treatment is in perfect accord-
ance with all sects and ages, when any new or strange thing be-
comes developed. The Mormon sentiment maybe more correct
than many imagine, because it makes a kingdom in the mind, and
is the true philosophy of all books, and all religions, come from
whom they may, or wherever found. However, in conclusion, he
said he had concluded as he gave intimation last Sunday, that he
believed it was all from the devil, and immediately took his seat.
Smiles by the audience. Thus his early conversion proved, as I
expected, abortive, notwithstanding the pains I had taken to intro-
duce him to the Mormon the last Sunday, as an indented apprentice.
My remarks should have followed the Elder Nickerson ; but
there being so many speakers, prevented it this time. I commenced
by informing the audience that I had concluded to publish a com-
pendium of the Book of Mormon, and an account of all the argu-
ments that had been used for and against the question between the

61

Mormons and their opponents. I should give the subject matter of
all the debates, which will make about 200 written pages, or 100
or more of full printed octavo; and should be pleased to have a
corrected copy of their speeches. It will gratify the public, I pre-
sume, save me the trouble of taking them, which I should do as
correct as possible. Should the speakers decline giving me the
minutes of their statements, and not wish to be known publicly, I
shall report them without giving their names at length, merely giv-
ing the first letter of their sirname. As all speeches are public
property, as soon as delivered, I presume no one can object to hav-
ing the subject matter made public. I will now proceed ; I have
examined the evidences of the Mormon book, and such as my
friend, the Mormon, relies on as the external evidences, and all
other Mormons, as truth, viz : the eleven evidences that have sworn
to the seeing, hefting and handing, the plates, and saw the engrav-
ings thereon, all of whom must have perjured themselves, as will
fully appear, when you examine their statement, as I shall show,
when I argue the case with the Mormon, and before the society,
Sunday, in the forenoon, commencing about the first of August.
As there are so many speakers on the subject, it is quite difficult for
me to examine and argue the subject, having but twenty minutes of
time to make any remark on the Mormon book, and the Elder is
extremely cautious ; hedoesnotgivetheaudier.ee, as I expected,
and had good right to demand, his book, to be brought forward by
him and call on him to prove it a revelation from God, agreeable to
the question at issue ; therefore I have to show what his book con-
tains. Unless I do, the audience must be in midnight darkness,
never having read it. Therefore the audience will indulge me
with their patience, while I shall give them a brief account of their
pretences. If we find their statements will not bear the test of ex-
amination, of fair arid unbiassed research, let us condemn them.
With this introduction, I will proceed to read the origin of the
plates, taken from the 1st chapter, 1st book of the prophet Nephi.
He, in the first ten pages, as will be seen in my compendium, gives
an account that they were left in Jerusalem, and when, and what
transpired before they got to the Red Sea, what occurrences took
place in obtaining the plates, and records in them ; they learn their
genealogy of themselves and their ancestors : there we have an
account of all their bickerings, and the many impossibilities they
relate, all of which will be set forth in the compendium of this
book. It will be seen to be a novel of no ordinary character, when
it commenced from the pen of Solomon Spaulding, a clergyman, as
I shall produce sufficient evidence to show, from Mrs Spaulding,
the wife of Spaulding, who has since become a widow, and name
changed by marriage to that of Mrs Davidson. Her statement,
with the statement of many of the neighbors that lived in the
neighborhood at the time this manuscript of Spaulding was got up
and published, will be sufficient to show every one that this Mor-
mon Book, by the artful and designed, has been made out of that
novel, by many alterations, and studied craft, not by Jo Smith, as it

62

purports, but by some persons that well know how to operate on
the ignorant and credulous ; they make a good selection in making
Joe Smith a cats-paw, a kind of scape-goat; all of which, and the
testimony I shall alternately produce, will establish, and, to every
rational mind, show the negative of the question at issue, to be well
settled. With these remarks I will conclude, my time of twenty
minutes having expired.

Mr. Hill, a Mormon, rose to reply, and asked leave to make a few
remarks. He was a man of no ordinary talent. I extremely re-
gretted the time of adjournment of the meeting had arrived, and
was called, which prevented Mr. Hill from proceeding. It would
have been pleasing to heard his reply to what I expected to prove.
He would have told us, I presume, that he knew the book of mor-
mon to be true by the power of God, as Martin Harris saw the
plates, not with his natural eyes, but by the power of faith ; what
he and I believe, the Mormons generally call the power of God:
by this pretence, that faith is the gift of God. Voted to adjourn
the meeting, 19th of July, at 2 of the clock, P. M., at Winchester
Hall.

Sunday, 19th, met according to the adjournment. Mr. Nicker-
son, the Mormon, has the floor, in support of the question, that the
book of Mormon is a revelation from God. He observed he had re-
ceived a new revelation the past week, more evidences of its ori-
gin being divine ; a confirmation of the plates being found ; that
* the hand-writing of a letter from old father Abraham, the patriarch,
. was found ; that he had received such knowledge from a friend,
his name not to be mentioned, that a Mr. Michael Chandler had a
copy of this letter deciphered. He also had the biography of Jo-
seph Smith, the prophet. I should think the biography of Joseph
Smith and this letter from the good old patriarch would appear
well together. Chandler says he was in Kirkland, Ohio, a Mor-
mon town, at the time there were two mummies found, and that
this letter was with them preserved ; and if that is true, said the
Elder, and 1 have no doubt it is, it would silence all that had been
said, or could be said, about the falsity, and perjury of the witnesses
to the book of Mormon. He read, or attempted to read, a part of a
letter, purporting to be an extract from the Abrahamic letter, that
was found with the mummy ; it was a perfect jargon of nonsense,
such as would disgrace any audience ; it was so written that the
Elder could not be understood what he did read, therefore, I did
not report any of it. I concluded that he had better take the letter
to the prophet Joe, and let him review the translation. This letter,
the Elder said, would be of great value to the cause of the book
of Mormon, for every one would see how God was detertmined to
establish the truth, and he would do it in spite of men or devils.
By the help and power of God, he expected to convince every per-
son in Boston, that would hear and repent of their sins, and be bap-
tised, and become obedient ; they would see the whole proved to their
satisfaction, notwithstanding what had been said by his friend, that
he would satisfy every rational mind that it was the work of Solo-

63

mon Spaulding, that gave out the first manuscript as a sacred novel,
and that it was made up to suit the ignorant and the credulous ; if
so, they had many well read men that embraced the faith, and these
our opponents pretend to say, are the wire-pullers to carry on the
farce. The Elder's time being expired, he was seated.

I then commenced my remarks, which was in order, as I wished
to hear what others should say, for the purpose of publishing it. I
was tired of waiting for evidence to prove the book of Mormon di-
vine ; there had not been any attempt of any kind; the burden of
proof was on the affirmative ; but I am aware the Mormon does
not intend any such mode, but merely divert the attention of the
audience, by making appeals to them, telling them what God will
do, not what the book of Mormon is, and where it was found. No,
this would destroy his whole scheme. The absurdity in that book,
he is well aware, must seal his fate on that question ; therefore,
the task must fall on roe to give an exposition of it. This book of
mormon, which purports to be the prophecy of one Lehi and oth-
ers, his leaving Jerusalem through fear of the Babylonians, and
under the express orders of God, is false, and not in accordance
with the Old Testament.

Every person, well read in the history of the Jewish nation, will
see, in the history of the pious Jews, which shows plainly that God
required them never to leave the place of their fathers, on no ac-
count, but put their trust in God, and that the temple in Jerusalem
was the place assigned them and their children to worship. Hence
David said he had rather be doorkeeper in the house of the Lord,
than dwell in tents of wickedness. Again, when Jerusalem was
captured by the Babylonians, and the Jews under marching orders,
they halted, and sat down by the river and wept ; — for what ? Be-
cause they were compelled to leave Jerusalem, the place where
they assembled to worship — they were grieved. They hung their
harps on the willows by the side of the river — they, refused to sing
the Lord's song in a strange land. They all, as one, swore by
their God, that their right hand should forget its cunning, and their
tongues cleave to the roof of their mouth, before they would for-
get thee, O Jerusalem. If I have given a fair description of
the feelings of the pious Jews, then the inference is, if Lehi,
the prophet, left the city with his family, as the book says, he
must have been an impious Jew, and every one will think so, to
look at his subsequent life. Provided it is true, Lehi must have
been of a reprobate character. He never had any wish to return,
notwithstanding he left possessions that were very valuable, gold
and silver, houses and lands, and underwent severe privations. We
do not hear any grief from him on account of having to leave the
temple of the Lord ; no breathing after holiness for temple worship ;
no loss of friendship in parting from all his relatives, when, as he
pretends, and says, he was told, of God's angel, to fly and leave
the city, for God would suffer it to be trodden down of men. The
whole story, as you will see, is doubtful fact ; but when viewed as
a novel, it is romantic and vain. There is not a man on earth

64

that can make sense of its history. Any person of common sense
will see in the book of Mormon, that every transaction related is
of the marvelous, from the commencement to the end ; and their
superhuman acta far exceeds all other acts in any other history.
The children of Israel had a pillar of fire by night, that is, a con-
tinual blaze ascending upward, by the aid of the officers, to let the
immense army know, of a truth, that their leaders had not deserted
them. Bui what is this to Lehi ? — nothing, not a circumstance.
Here Lehi went out in the morning in the wilderness, where the
foot of man could not be found, there he finds a brass ball, within
it was a compass, that told them how to steer for the Red Sea, or
any where tbey desired to go ; added to this, was writing on that
ball, that would alter as their faith should wish, or wherever they
wished to go and get food, or any other thing or place, the writing
would change ; and was legible, so that their wives and children
saw it, and read it ; and this compass was always subservient to
their wishes so long as they obeyed God, either on the land or sea ;
when they should disobey God or the prophet Lehi, or his son Ne-
phi, this patent compass would not traverse : all of which I have
alluded to in my compendium. I remaak on the absurdity of the
compass found out twenty five hundred years since, by this stupid
Lehi, and kept hidden from enlightened nations untz'l about three
hundred and fifty years since. I referred to the absolute absurdity
« of their building vessels, to cross the ocean, without tools or me-
chanics. I also referred the audience to the state of ignorance
they admitted themselves in, not knowing how to get fire, or make
any apparatus to blow it when got ; they must receive all this
knwledge by information from angels ; he told them to smash two
stones together to get fire, and took skins and made bellowses. I
remark here, that the prhaseology is a New York Yankee phrase,
about those days 1827. I wonder if the same phrase was com-
mon among the Jews twenty five hundred years before ? Think
ye they spelt it the same ? However, they said the women had to
eat raw meat before, but they grew strong and gave much milk for
their children, as you will see in the compendium. The reader
will see, by a careful perusal of all the Mormon book, — among all
the writers theypretend to be about fifteen of them — there is a
perfect sameness of style throughout all the book, plainly indi-
cating that one hand, and one cranium, got up thisyankee romance,
as I shall show you in the further prosecution of my inquiries.

I was notified that my time had fully expired. I took my seat.
When Mr. E. S. rose and said he intended to say a few words in
•favor of the Mormons. As the Gospel preachers, now a days, are
coming out, preaching rank infidelity, (reference to Mr. Parker's
ordination sermon,) and if true, he should bring some strong argu-
ments in favor of the Mormons So far as to compel the Mormons
to comply with the christian books, to heal the sick, take up ser-
pents, to cast out devils, drink deadly poisons and it should not hurt
them. They think they do comply with these injunctions when
they take up the serpent of infidelity, and when they lay their

65

frands on those that are sin sick, and point them to the true way of
life. He had heard Mr. N., the Mormon, say, he had healed the
sick, and he had laid his hands on one lady, that was undergoing
the infirmities of disease, and she was healed ; and though bent
with age, she becamo straight immediately. Cannot the Almighty
work by means, through the Mormons, as well as by any one else?
For his part he did not see why the Mormon magnetism was not
as likely to be true as Dr. Collyer's magnetism. He had not time
to bring his strong arguments, and was seated. I am of the opin-
ion that the Mormon cause did not receive great support from our
friend R. S. When he brings his strong arguments, as he stated
they were, I think the Mormon question will not flourish. Many
of the speakers, I believe, from what they said, intended it as a
satire, covered over with honest pretensions. The great object
was to see the effect of flattery on the Mormons ; it had that effect
at times. Whenever anything favorable to their cause was spoken,
it seemed to raise their degrees of faith.

Mr. W. W. commenced by saying, the question touching the di-
vine origin of the book of Mormon was perfectly nugatory ; and
the pretences they set up, to comply with the conditions of their be-
lief, as being signs that shall follow them that believe, as related in
the Bible, is not only false, and inconsistent, but criminal ; and
any person that pretends to any of its requirements, unless he can
demonstrate it, by practically performing some one of these super-
human acts, is not only inconsistent with himself, but is practically
dishonest with others. That the pretences set up, by any of the
book writers, of the performance of miracles, is criminal. The
book of Mormon was brought as collateral security to support the
Jewish and christian religions, with the highest expectation that
those books and their; patrons would approve of the Mormons ;
that the ultimate object is to contend for the whole, when they
must know they are equally untrue, and unreasonable ; that Deity
has no where revealed himself out of the laws of nature, notwith-
standing all the arguments to the contrary. Such miraculous pow-
er never had been given to the church; in all ages people had been
deceived by believing such power existed. There is no criterian
to judge and try the books on their merits. If the Bible is to be
accredited, devils can cast out devils, and perform other miraculous
things; then where is the security of such belief? The falsehood
of their testimouy is not more miraculous than what they relate.
If devils can work miracles, and we cannot decide between divine
and satanic, we shall be more safe to disregard all pretenders what-
ever. It appears to me that these pretenders to work miracles, who-
ever they are, and wherever found, are but so many baptisers of
crime, subject to the severities of common sense ; and if it is possi-
ble for any of them to be honest, they are the fit sujects for the sym-
pathy of humanity.

With these closing remarks Mr. W. W. took his seat, and was
followed by Mr. S. Can the Mormons be sincere? -I believe they
can ; and if so, I cannot see, for my life, where the charge of dis-

66

honesty is with the Mormons, which my friend has so lavishly be-
stowed on tliem.

It does not follow, because a man may be deceived, he is, or
must be, practically dishonest. The criierian of a man's hooesty
is his conscience, and motive of action. A hypocrite is denomi-
nated by doing something contrary to what he knows to be right,
or believes to be just. Is this the case with the Mormons 1 I have
thought the contrary, and believe them to be deluded ; that they
have been abused, and have sacrificed all their possessions, and
have had to stem the current of the tide, the torrent of persecution
and the storm of public sentiment, and general degradation. But
they tell us the false go with the stream ; they glide down the cur-
rent of time, always ready to turn the streams to their private in-
terest. I believe sincerity is no evidence of truth, but it is of hon-
esty of intention. The Mormons, like multitudes of others that
have, and do exist, pretend to the belief and to the practice of work-
ing miraclss, as proof of their mission from God. I have uniform-
ly said, and shall demand of them the practical demonstration of
their performing some one superhuman act, and thus prove their
revelation complete; and until they do that, I must remain an un-
believer in all their religions. I sincerely believe the Mormons are
in a perfect hallucination of mind. I am willing to give them
every opportunity to rid themselves of the charge I have made
against them. They must ever remain deceived by the powers of
their imagination, so long as they pretend to any acts above the
laws of nature. Mr Chairman, I have briefly given my opinion on
the question, as it is in future to be continued between Mr Nicker-
son and Mr Parsons. I understand this is the proposed arrange-
ment between the respective parties. I think it will give them a
better opportunity to get a correct exposition of the Book of Mor-
mon, as but few of us know anything of its merits or its preten-
sions, except what we have heard in the course of this discussion,,
which has been quite limited on the part of the Mormon.

The usual hour of adjournment having arrived, it was proposed
to have the Mormon question adjourned to Sunday next, at ten of
the clock, A. M., to give Mr Parsons an opportunity of arguing the
question with Mr Nickerson, the Mormon. This was proposed by
Mr Parsons, and Mr N. was perf otly agreed. This arrangement
gave the respective parties one hour each in the forenoon. The
meeting was adjourned to Sunday next, at 10 o'clock, A. M.

Having given the subject matter of all the debates by Mr Nick-
erson, the Mormon, and those that chose to take any part in the
debate, I am now to give you, as proposed, the internal and exter-
nal evidences, with arguments from scripture and reason, to refute
its pretences to a revelation from God.

According to the adjournment, the audience assembled, Sunday,
August 1st, at 10, A. M., at the Hall. Mr Nickerson, as usual,
commenced in support of the affirmative of the question, by re-
marking he was happy to have the opportunity to appear in the
cause of his heavenly father, and that he had been engaged in his

67

cause the past week ; and he had many things to relate, such as
would astonish many. He then read a long account from Kirk-
hind, in the Ohio, relating to the Egyptian mummies spoken of be-
fore, together v/ith the letter written on papyrus, and was accredit-
ed bv the Mormons to have been written by the father of the faith-
ful Abraham ; that it had excited the attention of the learned to
have it deciphered ; and it was referred to Joseph Smith, Jr., the
prophet, and he did it. He attempted to read a copy of it, but it
was so complicated and confused, friend Nickerson could not read
it so well as probably he would have done, if Jo Smith could deci-
pher it again. It was such jargon, I could not disgrace this pam-
phlet with it. The object of pretending to read this hoaxing story,
was to impress the audience with the belief that Jo Smith had not
lost the art of translating the languages. He called the name of
Chandler, to test the truth that Jo Smith told him this story.

This is all the new revelation, and the astonishing story he said
he should relate. Remember Chandler is not present. He ob-
served he sincerely knew it was all true, by the power of God.
He said he did not suppose I should believe it, neither did he sup-
pose I believed anything in the Book of Mormon. By my re-
marks, he snpposed I did not believe the Jewish history to be of
God. He cautioned the audience against all that I had said, or may
say, as it was all carefully studied, and put together for the pur-
pose of proving the Mormons a deluded set of fanatics, and thus de-
stroy the Mormon faith. But that cannot be done, because it is of
God. He then introduced one half sheet of texts, from Genesis to
Revelations, to show the connection between the Jewish, Christian
and Mormon,, such as the Mormons rely on as internal evidences to
prove the Book of Mormon of divine revelation. I will not trouble
the reader with the texts, but simply refer to some of the most pro-
minent quotations. I will not impose such a hardship to quote
them at length. You will turn to them at your leisure. Ephe-
sians i. 10 — Acts xxi. — Mark iv. — Daniel ii. — Hosea vi. — Isaiah
xvi. — Jeremiah xxxix. — Ezekiel xvi., — all of which he read a few
verses, and to the end. I could not discover any argument he
could raise from those texts quoted, neither did he attempt any.
He said all these passages, and thousands more, may be quoted to
prove the Book of Mormon divine, but he would now close, and
hear what I had to offer to disprove what had been said or written
in the Book of Mormon, on its internal or external evidences. He
cautioned the audience repeatedly against what I should say, " for
he does net believe in miracles, in any book, and if so, how can he
believe the Mormons." Having occupied his time, he was seated.

The audience will see, by a careful perusal of what Mr Nicker-
son has said, from the first commencement, he has not spoken of
any part of his Book of Mormon. He has been cautious not to re-
late what it contains. He must well know, if he does know any-
thing about truth, that ti;e whole internal and external evidences to
the Book of Mormon are as false as they are delusive. He must
know, by hearsay, at least, or by the power of God, as he knows

68

everything, that this book of his is the work of some eccentric ge-
nius, a novel account, for the purpose of accomplishing the object
of a paramount revelation from God. It must be made so as to ac-
credit it to the ignorant and unlearned as its authors, then it would
be in accordance with the New Testament; got up by the igno-
rant. With these circumstances before them, they made a good
choice to fix the authorship on a boy of 17 years of age ; as lazy
as a Mohone soldier, and as ignorant as he was indolent; belonging
to a family celebrated for their visionary powers and credulity in
all kinds of craft. The general character of the whole family of
Smiths bears this general stamp, vulgarly called money diggers ;
too indolent to work, and always in the pursuit of money hid in the
earth. The universal testimony of all that have been quoted, give
the Smiths this character, as above described. I ask, are such per-
sons and circumstances as I have described, to be accredited for
giving a correct history taken from the Egyptian languages, being
perfectly ignorant of all languages 1 How absurd for the Mormons
to carry out their principles of evidences to be in accordance with
the Jewish and Christian books. They pretend to believe every
word of the Old and New Testament, and that their book contains
like special revelations and prophecies, accompanied with abundance
of miracles. That the Book of Mormon contains all the various
rules, orders, institutions, ordinances and commandments from God
to the ancient patriarchs, prophets, Jews and Gentiles, from creation
to the year 1830, at the time the Mormon Book was printed in Pal-
myra, in the State of New York. This proves too much, Mr Mor-
mon. It therefore proves nothing in support of the Book of Mor-
mon, but proves to a demonstration that this novel book was got up
by some novel writer about the year 1827. A man by the name
of Solomon Spaulding wrote the general manuscript from which
this was probably taken, as will fully appear. Therefore we can
account for it ; references to all the circumstances and ordinances,
doctrines, customs, style of Yankee languages, together with all
the religious bickerings, sentiments, religious, civil and political,
such as was the order cf the day through the Yankee States at the
time this book was .written. How absurd to suppose a book like
this to completely put the Jewish history in the shade, and gives
the history the lie. The Mormon Book is as familiar with the
Words Christian and Christianity 600 years before they, the peo-
ple, were first called Christians, at Antioch. Who asserted this
falsehood, the Christians, or Jo Smith? Again, to refute their pre-
tences, God made a strong and solemn covenant with the Jews at
Mount Sinai, and established a priesthood ; that he gave it exclu-
sively to the tribe of Levi, and a superior or high priesthood to
Aaron, and his sons for an everlasting covenant; and they were
not to be revoked so long as the temple should stand, and until the
Messiah should come. Then God said, Moses shall appoint Aaron,
and his sons, and they shall wait on the priest office ; and the stran-
ger, any person of any other family who cometh nigh, shall be put
to death: Numbers iii. 10. In this chapter, my position is clearly

69

established. If correct, God could not have covenanted with the
prophet Lehi, as is stated in the Book of Mormon, 7th page, to take
his family and go to a promised land ; there build a temple, and
set up anew priesthood. Who is false here? Again, the priests
of the sons of Levi shall come near, for them the Lord thy God
hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the
Lord ; and by their words every controversy and every stroke shall
be tried. Here, then, Mr Mormon, you see the power of the priest-
hood was exclusively given to the priests, the sons of Levi, to carry
out the whole Jewish laws: Numbers xviii.; and if any other
should make any claims whatever to this right, he should surely
die. Where then are the pretences that God ordered Lehi out of
Jerusalem to go to some unknown land, and there get up a new
system ? Either the Jewish system is a hoax, in all its parts, or
the Mormons' is a perfect humbug, a medley mixture of nonsense.
Thus I have shown the Book of Mormon not to be in accordance
with the Old Testament, that its internal evidences, as relied on by
the Mormons, so far as relates to the old Jewish history, are false.
In my next speech I shall call the attention of the audience to
farther evidences in the Old and New Testament, which I shall pro-
duce to refute your pretences, Mr Mormon.

My time of 30 minutes having expired, Elder Nickerson took
the stand, and with his uniform introduction, that I have so often
repeated, I think it not worth while to repeat again. He cautioned
the audience listening to what I had said, relating to the internal
evidences that the Mormons relied on in the Old and New Testa-
ment. I assure you, we believe every word of the Old and New
Testament, as the word of God ; if God said one word of it, he
spoke the whole of it; but my opponent, I believe, does not make
any pretences to believing it the word of God ; but is the work and
word of man, a work of nations, regulating their national religions,
to govern the people; believing it expedient to have some estab-
lished rules of faith, and uniform practice, to govern their subjects.
Therefore you see he will so manage his arguments, and so con-
strue all his texts of scripture as will best answer his designs. He
is about publishing all that has been said, and will be said, that he
may put the Mormon Book down, or make it appear ridiculous; but,
my friends, God has chosen the foolish things of this world to con-
found the wise, as I shall show you before I leave this city : my
friend is going to get money by this, therefore he wants watching.
He is making a great effort. Therefore I think if there is any
true genuine Christians present, they should come to the help of
the Lord against the mighty. If my time would permit me, I
would refer to the texts he has quoted, and show you that the Book
of Mormon is all true. I know it by the power of God ; and it
proves the Old and New Testament true, and those books prove the
Book of Mormon true. But my opponent does not believe either
of them ; of course he will do all he can to put them down.

But my friends, it is of God, and will stand ; the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it. I feel thankful for this privilege of

70

speaking for God at this time, to bear witness to his word.
Having said thus much, I will say I have been treated with all
politeness by this Society: they have shown themselves friend-
ly, and my friend that has been in debate with me on the
Book of Mormon, I find no fault with him ; and in what he
has said, I believe him perfectly sincere; but as I said before,
we must watch his arguments, and see if they are in accord-
ance with the word of God. His mode of showing up the
Book of Mormon is to read some astonishing and miraculous
account, and then ask you if you can believe a word of it. I
tell you, my friends, 1 did not come here to tell you what 1
believe, but what I know by the power of God ; the devils be-
lieve, and tremble. Having said thus much, my friends, and
my time is about expiring, I shall take my seat, and listen to
my friend, and reply to him the next Sunday. The Elder
then took his seat.

I replied, Elder Nickerson has spent much of his time ex-
horting you to watch my arguments relating to his Book of
Mormon ; that I am about making it lucrative, and I wish that
was true, and capable of proof. If I can obtain sufficient
patronage to pay me for my time spent, I shall be satisfied by
the belief that the public will be benefitted. I will now pro-
ceed agreeably to my closing remarks in my last speech. I
dwell on this part of my remarks, because the whole plan of
the artful Mormons, is, to base the origin, back and front of
their book ; and all its subsequent acts. On the express or-
ders of the Jewish and Christian books, not only a confirma-
tion of the truth of theirs, but its pretences, are more than
paramount in truth and quality, but they, in effect, are a part
and parcel of the same. Now allow me to examine a text to
see if my fiiend Mormon will dare to deny as collateral secu-
rity for what I have already advanced, and such as he must
destroy, or explain away, or he will be compelled to acknow-
ledge the system of Mormonism, as stated in his book, is spu-
rious, and cannot, be sustained ; all of which I shall submit to
the audience and to the public, most cheerfully, for their can-
did consideration. Hebrews vii. Paul was so sanguine with
the sentiments I have advanced, that if Jesus were present on
earth, he could not have been a priest, under the law. For
says he, Jesus was of a tribe concerning which Moses spake
nothing of priesthood. This being the opinion of Paul, how
will the delusions of the Mormons correspond. Paul's argu-
ments are, the covenant from God, or grant to the Levites ;
and the high priesthood to Aaron and his sons, were irrevoca-
ble to all intents and purposes, and that Jesus was excluded
from all official orders under the law. I have bestowed more

71

pains on this part of the evidence, perhaps, than was required ; but
I am determined to investigate the subject fully and fairly.

How absurd the Mormon statements, when compared with the
Jews, that are said to be expressly from God, and so admitted by
my friend Nickerson. He says that every word is from God.
Here we find a grand violation of all the fundamental laws of the
Jews, in every particular, recorded 560 years before the Jewish
economy was completed. Here we see the old Jew Lehi, the pro-
phet, left Jerusalem, and notwithstahding this gross outrage on the
covenant rights of God, and of the well established laws of the
Jews. This young prophet Nephi, a son of Lehi, claims the
privilege of being under the laws of Moses, and represents him-
self as acting under all its laws. When 35 years from Jerusalem,
they make a new priesthood, and say, God approbates it. He con-
secrates a high priest, and all this time teaching the laws of Mo-
ses, and exhorting the people to keep it. Page 146 and 200, there
says, we entered into covenant with God to keep his command-
ments. Thus we see, Mr. Mormon, the absolute falsehood ; while
you pretend, on one page to keep the laws of Gud, on the next page
you utterly destroy it, by your practice. Then, I ask my audience,
where is the claim to a divine origin or inspiration, providing the
Jewish or the Christian scheme, are to be considered a revelation
from God ? One or the other must be false. Which is if, Mr. N.?
You have sworn they are both true, and God's word.

Again, to put the question to rest on this point, notwithstanding
God had covenanted with the priests, that they should have all the
fat pieces of all the lambs, beeves, &-c, and be supported by the
people. And in confirmation of that law, our ancestors have re-
ceived one tenth, that is the prieshood. But the Mormons, on page
122, say, under the king Mosiah, he issued a law, that the priests
and teachers should work and earn their bread. I approve
of that law, the laws of God to the contrary notwithstanding. I
think it a great improvement in society ; but for the Mormons to
do this, under the pretence that they were in obedience to the laws
of God, it shows, as large as life, their false pretences. I have
proved, by this statement, recorded in the book of Mormon, that
the God of the patriarchs, and of the Jews, have made false
records, or Joe Smith and his associates have. Which do you think
it is, Mr. Mormon ?

In proving this fact, it is not intended, by me, to prove, or to
have the reader understand that I believe all the Jewish records
are divine ; but comparing the book of Mormon, its pretensions with
the Jewish records is fabulous, novel, and vain. Thus far I have
proceeded with the internal evidences, to show the Mormons their
books are false.

The same degree of ignorance, impudence, and error, runs
through the whole Mormon book, for the time of 600 years before
the Christian Era. They make the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, grossly abuse and violate his own promises to Israel and
Judah, concerning the land of promise, viz : that of Canaan, in-

72

asmuch as the Mormon book, by their prophet, says God promised
a new land or world to Lehi — a reprobate Jew, as I call him — if
he would run away from Jerusalem, when in danger. The reasons
assigned is, because God could not protect it from the Babylonians.
How absurd, when applied to God, for to advise one solitary old
man to leave the city with his family, to leave that holy place, that
he had wrought so many mighty wonders, in their favor, to locate
them there, then tell them to put no confidence in him any longer
unless they depart ; and all others of God's people not know a word
about all this secrecy, from that date to this ! This is so palpable
a falsehood, and so replete with absurdity, it is not worth my notice
or time to argue it, before an intelligent audience. And were it not
coming before a world that has been inundated with errors and
false revelations, outbreakings of ignorance and delusions, which
have bled the world to every pore, I should not have accepted this
Mormon challenge. This book of Mormon, with their hundreds of
thousands of honest, ignorant dupes, bids fair to become a powerful
sect, in the far West, unless they can be convinced of the gross er-
rors and delusions they have embraced. The day is not far dis-
tant when some ambitious leader will lead thera on as the vanguard
of a great and powerful number, all armed and equipt, to give bat-
tle in obedience to their God ; and like all religious fanatics, when
posssesed with power, will again deluge the earth with human blood;
and all this cruelty with, — thus saith the Lord. I will quote one
more case to show the Mormon history is false, and not in accord-
ance with the Jewish. This is the last, but not the least, of all the
Jewish prophecies to this point, viz : Malachi iii. 16. It appears,
that when dangers surrounded them, they that feared the Lord
spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and
a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared
the Lord, and that thought on his name. How does this compare,
friend Nickerson, with your Mormon prophet Lehi. In lieu of his
calling on God, and congregating with the pious Jews in time of
danger. He cut stick, ran away and left all his old friends, his
country, the holy temple, and his God; and in leiu of grieving,
praying and mourning for the situation of Jerusalem, as the pious
Jews did, when they sat by the river Babylon, the Mormons killed
the recording secretary, and stole the records, and ran off; and, by
their own account, have been fighting and murdering each other
ever since. This is fully shown in my compendium from the book
of Mormon.

I have given the audience sufficient evidence to show that the
Mormons have no claim on the Jewish records, to support the
truth of theirs. In my next speech, on Sunday next, I shall ex-
amine the New Testament, and see if their claims be well found-
ed. I expect to prove them equally false and delusive.

The meeting was adjourned to next Sunday, the 8th. Met ac-
cording to adjournment, at 10 of the clock, A. M. in Winchester
Hall. Mr. Nickerson commenced his remarks in support of the book
of Mormon, in his usual manner. As before described, he was happy

73

%o have the chance of proving the truth of his book. My opponent
has not produced one sentence to prove it false. But I have shown
and proved, by what I have said, that 'tis all of God, from Adam
to Noah, that afterwards all the Mormon records were handed down
from father to son, and that is the way they have been preserved
from the prophet Lehi, to the prophet Joseph Smith; and they all
have been most miraculously saved through all the hardships and
destructions of those that had the care of them. What do you
want of better proof than this ? I did not come to Boston to de-
ceive any one, nor to tell what I believe, but to tell the truth, and
what I know, by the power of God on my own soul. My antago-
nist has told a long and ingenious story, well put together, to de-
ceive the people, to make the christians believe the prophet Lehi
was an impious Jew, and run away from God and his country.
Who would not run away when God said run! Would ye stay
and be killed or imprisoned ? No, obey God, and he will do all he
says he will. I believe he will do all he has agreed to do. He will
cause the Jevvs to inhabit the land of Palestine. I believe every
word of the Bible. And, as sure as we live, the Mormons will yet
have their inheritance in the New Jerusalem, in the State of Mis-
souri, from which they have been driven. We believe God will
restore it to us, with interest.

I should admire to know why it is the christians do not come
out to the help of the Lord. "Do they expect the infidels will turn
christians because one of them is attempting to put down the faith
of Mormons? It is well for my opponent that he has not attempted
to show the eleven evidences is false, and I am the twelfth — smiles
by the audience. I thought he had belter wait till I come to these
true blues, and see what the truth will make of them or their evi-
dences. He proceeds and says, his opponent is determined to tear
the book of Mormon all to pieces, and expose the whole of it to
public ridicule, but he cannot do that, with all his industry and
honesty ; for that book, like all God's Word, is powerful, to the
dividing asunder the joints and marrow. Every one that comes to
God must come with his whole heart ; God does not want any
half-way christians; you must come out now, when you may be
of some use. Now the storm rages, then it is when the ship's
crew is wanted; not when it is fair weather and fair wind. Hav-
ing said thus much, 1 desire all those that mean to be on God's
side, to come out and be baptised for the remission of their sins,
and receive the Holy Ghost. This made a loud smile on the au-
dience. J intend, said the Mormon, in my next speech, to show
the fallacy of all my opponent has said. Have I not produced
15 to 20 chapters already, to prove my claims ? Has he refuted
any of them ? I desire you would watch him close. You recol-
lect he does not believe your book, where it speaks of miracles,
no more than he does of the Mormons. AW. religious books that
come from God consists of miracles ; and if we obey God we
have the power to perform all things. Does not God say, where
two or three have met together in his name, and shall ask of him
10

74

anything, it shall be granted ? Do you think God will not do as
he says? My life for it he will. I will now wait to hear what
my opponent has to say further about the Mormons, or their inter-
nal evidences, from the New Testament. No doubt he will show
some very plausible texts ; look sharp at him — smiles by the au-
dience.

Mr. Nickerson then took his seat, his time being fully expired.
I then proceeded, by way of reply, agreeable to my notice in my
last speech. My friend N. has made the same remarks in sub-
stance that he has now made seven times, viz: that I had not
proved any one thing false in the book of Mormon. He had for-
gotten it is on the affirmative of the question to prove it true, but
we must make some allowance for him, as he is probably not much
versed in debates. The audience will judge of all his rigmarole,
or harrangue, for I cannot call it any thing else ; what is it but a
course of whipping of the Christians over the backs of Infidels.
The Christians present must have smiled at his weakness; and
have pitied him in his happy delusions; in his mixture of religious
piety, and his usual quantity of acrimony, served to make the au-
dience smile frequently. I will now proceed to the New Testa-
ment evidences, as I proposed to refute the Book of Mormon. Paul
made the. twelve apostles the grand source whereby the develope-
ment of the gospel was made known ; the same, says he, that has
been hidden with God for ages, and generations which were ordain-
ed before the world to their fflory, as the missioners of Christ; this
you will find in the 3d chapter of Ephesians.

But what says the Book of Mormon ? It developes the same
scheme 600 years before the Messiah began to disclose the grand
secret ; the Mormons knew of it previous to Jesus knowing any
thing about it. Where, Mr. Mormon, did you get this intelligence.
I answer, you got this novel account out of Solomon Spaulding's
sacred manuscript, written in the State of Ohio, or elsewhere. Not
written by Jo Smith, nor translated by him from Egyptian lan-
guage, as you have falsely stated ; as I shall prove to the satisfac-
tion of the audience, how absurd the Mormon pretensions. Now
hear Paul's testimony, Mr. Mormon. I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus
Christ, "for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of this dispensation of the
grace of God, which is given me to you ward, how that by revela-
tions he made known the mystery, as I wrote before, in a few
words, whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge
in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known
unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles
and prophets, by the spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs
of the same body, and partakers f his promise in Christ by the
Gospel.

This statement of Paul's is a flat denial of all the Mormon pre-
tences, as it relates to the revelation of the Mormon prophets. They
have in their book declared and published the whole scheme of the
gospel plan, 600 years before Paul says it was made known to the
sons of men. Who tella the truth in this case, Paul, or Jo Smith,

75

Mr. Nickerson. You may make your choice. You have repeated-
ly said to the audience that every word of the Old and New Tes-
tament, and the Book of Mormon is true, and you knew it was by
the power of God. Again, you say in your book, that Jesus was
born in Jerusalem, p. 240, viz : and behold he shall be born of
Mary, in Jerusalem, which is the land of our forefathers.

What an outrage on the truth. Let us examine the Christian
Book, 1st, by prophecy; he was to be born of the tribe of Judah,
and in the village of "Bethlehem. Here is the proof, Mr. Mormon.
Mark 2d. — Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in
the days of Herod, hehold there came wise men from the East to
Jerusalem, saying, where is he that is born of the Jews, for we
have seen his star, and have come to worship him. Herod issued
out his orders to the chief priests and scribes, to know where he
was to be born, and they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judah —
Matthew ii. 5. Here, Mr. Mormon, your book must be false in
this statement. Who would be likely to know best, the inhabitants
of Bethlehem of Judah, where they first found the child, or the
prophet Alma, in South America, as reported in your book, p. 232,
chap. 3d. Or did the famous Jo Smith, the Mormon General,
make a mistake in deciphering Solomon Spaulding's narrative ?
Mr. Nickerson tell not these Mormon falsehoods, as written in your
bible, to the inhabitants of Boston. Publish them not in our streets
as truths, lest the fair daughters of this city publish you, and all
the Mormon fraternity, as a deluded people. Again, your prophet
Nephi says, that John the Baptist should baptise in Bethabary.
Here one would think the prophet should tell the truth ; he uses
all the language concerning John, 600 years before John was born,
viz : " Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
Here the Mormon is false ; look at the proof. Matt, ii : 13v. then
cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan, to be baptised of John ; 3d
ch. 4v. then went out to him out of Jerusalem and all Judea ; and
all the region round about Jordan, and were baptised of him in
Jordan, confessing their sins.

I will not dwell long on. your patience; I could quote 100
texts to the purpose, to show the falsity of the Mormon pretences,
when compared with the Old or New Testament. I have shown
sufficient to prove their book to be completely at war with all the
principal facts on which the truth of their history depends. Again:
The Book of Mormon is evidently written by one person ; its style,
and Yankee vulgar language, is the language of all the prophets,
viz: about 15 of them ; they write as familiarly about all the
sects of religionists 2500 years since, as Solomon Spaulding could
in 1823 ; they use all the language, and repeat whole chapters in
the New and in the Old Testament, verbatim ; they speak of the
Christians, a word as common in their book 2000 years before
Christ as it is now a days. How does this, Mr. Nickerson, com-
pare with truth of the New Testament; hear the proof, and blush
for your ignorance, which you frequently admit. Acts xi : 26 — and
the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

76

For the Mormons to pretend to call a sect Christians 600 years
before Christ was born, is a falsehood of the deepest die, in my
opinion. In review of the internal evidences of the Mormon Bible,
when compared with the history of the Jewish, or the Christian,
it is as false as it is fabulous, to say the Christian institutions were
in use and practice among the Mormons, and among the Israelites ;
aud that there were a people called Christians 600 years before
Christ was born, when the name was derived from him, is absurd ;
these and a thousand of other fanatic blunders, and bare faced false-
hoods in all and every part of their history, it proves the falsity of
its pretensions ; while it purports to be the writings of 12 or 15
prophets of God, ordered to write at different times, for the space of
more than one thousand years, and in different countries, Jerusa-
lem, and the Red Sea, on the Pacific Ocean, and in South and
North America, thence to the State of New York, there buried .
until Jo Smith, the prophet, dug it up, as before described, all writ-
ten in the language common to Yankees, of 1827, when it appear-
ed all the product of one's cranium, not Jo Smith, but some one
that first wrote a manuscript, from which this was remodeled, that
had long since forgotten more than the prophet Jo Smith, and
thousand of his dupes ever knew, or ever will know.

Should an instrument be found written, where large sums of
money were pending, and the same came before any of the high
courts to be adjudged; the high Court of St. Petersburg, in Rus-
sia, France, England, Germany, or America, they would adjudge
it written all by one person, and about the same time; thousands of
passages in the book may be quoted to show the truth of my re-
marks, but it would swell my pages quite too voluminous to be
read. Was the novelist that originated the manuscript now living,
he would smile to see the tens of thousands, and the probable mil-
lions of dupes he had made without the least design, but merely
wrote to please himself, to see how he could people the far west in
its origin. Having concluded my remarks, and proofs of the inter-
nal evidences to refute the pretences of the Book of Mormon be-
ing divine revelation, I shall close all my remarks or proofs next
Sunday, on the external evidences, showing them to be equally
false in support of the affirmative of the question at issue. The
meeting was then adjourned to Sunday next, at 10, A. M., at Win-
chester Hall.

Met according to adjournment. Mr. Nickerson commenced in
his usual style ; his introduction is generally uniform, as you will
see, therefore I shall not repeat it. He observed, that he expected
a man from New York to preach, but as he is "not come, I shall
proceed to discuss the question with my opponent on the Book of
Mormon. He has told us he shall conclude his remarks; I have
no doubt you will all acknowledge the truth that I have andvanced
about the divine revelation of the Book of Mormon — lor it is all
true as the Old and New Testament ; they are both true, and they
swear for each other; they prove the Book of Mormon divine, and
the Book of Mormon proves them divine, and all that believe on

77

them will have a part in the first resurrection ; I hope all in divine
presence will not be led astray by my opponent's arguments, for he
will undertake to-day to make a clean sweep of all the external
evidence of the Book of Mormon ; but he cannot do that ; if eight of
them are of two families, cannot they be honest men as well as
though they belonged to eight families; there are eleven of them,
and Brother Joseph, the prophet, will make twelve, and I can en-
dorse for all of them — (smiles by the audience.) He is going to
prove or to show the probability that Solomon Spaulding wrote the
Book of Mormon, or as he says it, was taken from his novel, that
was published about 1823. Yes, all this hue and cry about the
Book of Mormon, is just such as is made about Infidels. How
does my friend like that? but my head for it, we shall find it all
true, and we shall be glad to have this book to show we were honest
believers in it, when we shall be called to account for our steward-
ship. My friends, I have been here arguing all the great truths with
my friend, and he is about closing all his remarks, and remember he
is about publishing all that has been said by us all, and his book will
show I have told the truth ; I do not pretend to be learned, but I pre-
tend to be an honest man ; and therefore, I call on you to believe, and
be baptized for the remission of sins, as Peter said to Cornelius,
what hindreth. I am ready to baptize you, and receive you; and
to lay down my life if necessity requires : without this, no one can
be sent of God ; no one can be saved ; therefore, I caution you to-
day against the closing address of my opponent : he will make his
best effort; and where he will lead you, no one can tell ; his whole
object you will see is to destroy the book of Mormon, that, is, to
show it is not a revelation from God ; if he can do that, he must
be an Infidel, indeed. — Smiles by the audience. But I am of God ;
and I pray God he will convince you of its truth. I have set before
you life and death, in the name of Jesus, that you may be obedient
thereunto. I have proved sufficient to every man and woman, that
the book of Mormon is the word of God ; hundreds of thousands
are now believing it ; the Latter-day Saints are all engaged in
proving it by practising all its requirements, performing miracles,
healing the sick, casting out Devils, speaking with new tongues,
receiving gifts for men. I must close, as it was late when we
commenced. I will give notice that there will be preaching at
this place Sundays, in the forenoon, when I shall have a better
chance to show you the truth, than I have had in this debate.
I shall be what my friend Parsons says of a diamond, the hard-
er it is rubbed, the better it will shine : so it will be with me.
May God be with you. Amen.

My closing reply, agreeably to the notice last Sunday. Ladies
and gentlemen, I am to close my remarks on the evidences
of the Book of Mormon, its external evidences, that they rely
on to prove the truth of the plates that are said to have been
written in the Egyptian language, and found by Jo Smith, and by
him translated. I have discussed the subject matter of all the Mor-
mon faith before you. I have endeavored to show the folly and
falsity of its pretensions. I have shown you it is not in accord-

78

ance with truth, nor with the Old and New Testament. I have
referred you to the general character of the writers of that ro-
mance, for such it is ; that it was all written by one hand, and
style of Yankee language, or the products of one brain, remodeled,
probably, from Solomon Spaulding's novel of peopling the far
west. Having proved to your satisfaction, as I believe, that the
internal evidences they rely on are as false as thev are fabulous, I
now proceed to call the external evideaces they rely on, viz: Oli-
ver Cowdry, David Whitmer, Martin Harris ; these three men
swear positively, as you will see by referring to their testimony
on back pages, that an angel from Heaven showed them the
plates from which this book was translated ; they are careful not
to say Jo Smith translated it. How came this angel, this winged
gentleman with the plates, when Harris was with Smith at the
translation, and the blanket between them ; Smith had the plates,
be not deceived. Oliver Cowdry, David Whitmer, and Martin
Harris must, be of all men, the most corrupt and false. They
have attempted to make the community believe their testi-
mony as literal truth, and thousands of ignorant dupes have be-
lieved them. They have seen these plates, and the engravings
thereon ; how, by the power of God and not of man ? What
does that mean ; nothing more than Mormon faith. This senti-
ment runs through their whole book. What did Mr. Nickerson
say, when asked about the plates ? Did he ever see them 1
*Where are they? what was his answer? the prophet, Joseph
Smith Jr. has them. Three perjurers and false swearers say an
angel from heaven brought them and laid them before their eyes ;
and that they knew they were translated, for the voice of God
had declared it to them. What is the inference from this blas-
phemous statement? Jo Smith had told them so; therefore, Jo
Smith's voice is the voice of God, by which they solemnly
swear by the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and on these three
blasphemers is the principal of their external evidence to sup-
port this book as divine revelation. My friend Nickerson, you
are entitled to the sympathy of the community, if you are hon-
estly deceived and duped by such deluded fanatics.

I will proceed to the eight evidences, as recorded in that book,
and show them equally false, viz : Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whit-
mer, Peter Whitmer Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph
Smith senior, Hyram Smith, Samuel H. Smith.

They all swear positively, by God, that Joe Smith Jr. had the
plates, and had shown them to them, that they had the appearance of
gold ; and as many of the leaves as said Smith had translated, we
did handle with our hands, and through fear of not being believed,
they repeat it, that Smith has shown them unto us. Mr. Nicker-
son, hear their false and foolish statements — as many of the plates
as Jo Smith translated, they handled, so did I. They well knew that
Joe Smith never translated any; therefore they expect to es-cape
from the charge of perjury. Where, thinkye, Jo Smith got the plates?
Cowdry, Harris and Whitmer, swear that the angel from heaven

79

had them. When did the angel transfer them? Can you or any
one tell? Until you prove that, all your eleven witnesses stand,
in my estimation, justly chargeable with blasphemy, perjury and
fraud, provided the word blasphemy can have any possible mean-
ing attached to it, when coming from so corrupt a source. They
swear they hefted them, and when I made the inquiry of Mr. Nick-
erson, he said that he understood the weight was thirty pounds,
that they were of gold. And further, these eight witnesses swear
they he not, God bearing witness. It is very rare that a person
tells the truth that is in the habit of swearing by God, that he is
not lying, unless he is compelled, as in Court, to swear by God.

Thus my audience will see the external evidences are all false,
that there was not any book of plates found; and, I verily believe,
if these witnesses had borne any character for truth, in the world,
the authorities of the State of New York would long since have
punished them for the crime of false swearing by the Father, Son
and Holy Ghost. But as all these Whitmers are of one deluded
and degraded family ; and the three Smiths of a family of the
same class, as appears by universal consent, 'tis presumed that the
government thought them not of sufficient consequence to notice
them, or to make an example of them. Here, Mr. Nickerson, I
leave them and you to your own reflections. I will now refer you
to the testimony of Mrs Matilda Davidson, once the wife of Solo-
mon Spaulding, that wrote a sacred novel, from which this book in
part was framed, together with all other circumstances, which shows
conclusively that you, and hundreds, of thousands, have been duped
by your own ignorance and superstition, to believe the Book of
Mormon is divine revelation, when it is in truth, in its origin, the
novel history written by Solomon Spaulding, altered, fixed and re-
modelled by artful, cunning men. Probably, in my mind, Mr Rig-
don had an agency in the plan ; and that it has had the effect to in-
spire the ignorant, superstitious and credulous with the belief that
it is a revelation from God by way of Joseph Smith, Jr., of the
State of New York, in or about the year 1827.

I will ask the attention of the reader to the facts and cir-
cumstances that have been published at the time the Book of
Mormon made its appearance, with the testimony of Mrs Da-
vidson, formerly the wife of Solomon Spaulding, that original-
ly wrote a novel, from which this Book of Mormon took its
origin. The impartial reader, after reading what Mrs David-
son has said on the subject, and what has been already proved
and explained in this pamphlet, with the testimony of the
father-in-law of the prophet Jo Smith, how he ran away with
his daughter. Y'ou will see that Harris says Smith was direct-
ed by an angel to go and take her. Mr Hale, the father of
Smith's wife, has given a full statement; T'give it entire. It
shows the character of Smith to be more degraded, if possi-
ble, than what I had supposed. The character of Harris is

80

there published ; and he also is not so reputable as our friend
Nickerson, the Mormon, has stated to us. You will see a full
account of Harris, Smith and Rigdon. The account will be
headed, " Gleanings by the Way, No. 10." I take this from
the Key Stone, a public Journal of extensive circulation,
printed at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, of December, 23, 1840.
Also, from the same journal, " Gleanings by the Way," Dec.
9, 1840, there is a full account of Mrs Davidson's statement,
written and signed by her, all of which was taken from the
Episcopal Recorder, called the History of Mormons, in
" Gleanings by the Way, No. 7," Fairfield, August 31, 1S40,
published in the Key Stone, as above stated. 1 have selected
these two numbers, as they go to prove, beyond doubt, the po-
sition I have taken in this question at issue with Elder Nick-
erson, in the debate before the Society for free discussion in
Boston. I have been informed that the other numbers relat-
ing to the Mormons, from those papers, have given quite a
history of the book. I have not seen the numbers, neither
did I obtain these in season to use them before the audience
at our debate. I will here show you the statement from the
Beacon, New York, 7th of August, 1841, headed "The Mor-
mons."

These are making such rapid strides, that if they progress
as they have done, they will eventually become a sect equally
important with some of the most prominent parties already
existing. We therefore think it desirable to place on record
some facts and some documents we have procured, for the sake,
of correct information, if not arrestation of this new specimen
of assumed revelation.

A few years back, the party meeting at Tammany Hall lent
Eider Pratt their hall for a succession of Sunday mornings,
and we regularly attended his discourses : we have, therefore,
our information direct, as far as he is concerned, and we have
the documents in evidence that the Mormon Bible was written
by Solomon Spaulding, formerly published by E. D. Howe in
Plainsville. We think it desirable to lay before our readers
these documents for preservation, for many will not have seen
the work of Howe, which was published on the spot where
Mormonism rose, and sustained by the affidavit of the parties
applied to for evidence.1' I should be glad to seethe testimony
of the parties. I have never seen Howe's publication of
Spaulding's manuscript. It. would swell my columns too much
for my purpose. Believing I have produced sufficient to con-
vince any one but the Mormons of the falsity of their pre-
tences. The reader will have noticed I have frequently spo-
ken on the probability of the Mormon power in the West, and

81

when they shall have their millions, as they will have soon, by
the same ratio they have already got, then it will be seen what
all fanatics have produced in all ages. As declamation is not
argument, allow me to show their movements in their building
a temple, and their military forces. The Mormons publish a
periodical paper at Nauvoo, Illinois. I am in possession of one
dated April 15, 1S41, giving an account of the church anni-
versary, their military parade, he. President Rigdon's ad-
dress, their holy proceedings ; laying the four corner stones of
the temple. Jo Smith is their lieutenant-general, John C.Ben-
nett is major-general. Their forces are called the Nauvoo
Legion, by an act of the Legislature. They have eleven full
companies of minute men, armed and fully equipped as their
laws direct. They have one company of lancers to every regi-
ment, or cohort, as they call them : that is a Roman number,
500. I will now read from their account, an order from Smith
to the minute men, on the 3d of July last.

a The eleven companies will at all times hold themselves in
readiness to execute the laws, as originally instructed by the
general officers, that the officers and troops of the Legions are
directed to treat with proper respect and decorum, all other
officers and troops in the service of the state, or of the United
States. Officers receiving copies of their orders will promul-
gate the same without delay, through the bounds of their re-
spective commands. JOSEPH SMITH,

Lieutenant General.

John C. Bennett, Major General."

General Smith remarks : I am pressing upon you the neces-
sity of placing ourselves in a condition of complete defence,
and exact the fulfilment of duties toward us. The people
ought not to indulge a persuasion contrary to the order of hu-
man events. There is a rank due to the nations which will
be withheld, if not lost by the known weakness and absolute
neglect to improve ourselves of defence. If we desire to
avoid insult, we must, be ready to repel it.

Thus we see the Mormons are first rate fighting characters.
They have been learnt these tactics from the Missourians.
This they have practised from the time prophet Lehi left Je-
rusalem, by their own accounts. I ask the Mormon, is this
the peaceful doctrine of Jesus ? Do they believe General
Bennett, when he says the people ought not to indulge a per-
suasion contrary to the order of human events ? Why then
do you dupes indulge the belief that your Elders can work

11

82

miracles ? Is not a miracle, in its general acceptation, contrary
to, and above human power ?

On the 6th of April last they had a splendid parade. The
Mormon Ladies presented them with a splendid national silk
flag, in compliment of Col. Robinson, under the roar of can-
non. They are now assembled to lay the corner stones of a
magnificent temple, to be dedicated to Jesus Christ and the
Mormon church, under roar of cannon. Rigdon delivered
the address in good style. I have not room to state it at
lengh ; I will show some extracts.

" This is the third time I have officiated in laying the corner
stone. I have seen the blood of the innocent flow, and heard
the groans of the dying as witnesses for Jesus. (He alludes
to Missouri, by the blood-thirsty Christians, where they shot
down the Mormons.) Remember, without prophecy, I say a
day of retributive justice will take place. The Mormons will
require principal and interest under that flag. Thus saith the
Lord."

This is their language. Their escort was, 14 companies of
Nauvoo Mormons, several uniform companies from Iowa, a
splendid band, and a number of companies of artillery.

Procession formed. Cohort of 500, then Lieutenant-Gen-
eral Smith, Major and Brigadier Generals, with their aids —
conspicuous strangers — general staff — band — cohort of 500 —
ladies, eight in breast — 1st cohort of horse — 3d cohort of foot
2d of horse. When arrived at the temple ground, the ladies
were protected and stationed at the walls, private gentlemen
in the rear of them, protected by the infantry. Then they are
paraded to hear President Rigdon's oration. No one intoxi-
cated, no one to disturb, no obscene language, and ten thou-
sand people.

The ladies had previously delivered the flag. They were
driven in a splendid barouch on to the field, protected, and
when they alighted, it was delivered to General Jo Smith in
good style. He received it in behalf of the church and de-
fence of Jesus. He bowed politely to the ladies, and made
declaration, so long as he had command of the Legions, that
flag never should be disgraced. That Jesus had assembled
this military force, for the devil could not do it. What think
ye, Christians, of all this ? Is there no danger nigh .? Jesus
plainly declares his kingdom is not of this world. But the Le-
gions of Mormons deny it. and say it is. That they have
commissioned him as their captain. This is Christianity and
non-resistance with a witness, although this does not agree
with christian theory. It does with their practice in all ages.
Will not the vast prairies of the West be one vast field of

83

blood, think ye ? No doubt. Will not ignorance, supersti-
tion, and physical force fight for God? Yes, unless they can
be convinced from the laws of reason that no such parade is
required of them from any God whatever. But so long as they
can be duped by the artful and intriguing, and made to believe
God requires it at their hands, the world of man will delight
in conquest, retaliation and revenge.

Under all this information I have derived from your periodi-
cal, Mr Nickerson, and confident as I am of the results of such
pretences, allow me to give you, before I close, my best advice
as a friend, and I think, Sir, if you have a friend aon earth, he
will say to you and all Mormons, return to the embraces of
your wives and families; there make all suitable provisions for
their comfort, and not undertake to compete with the Almighty
in the raising of the dead, or of the devil. Be contented to
fill your stations as one of the human family : do all you can
to prevent such a bloody scene as always has, and always will
be the product of ignorance and superstition. Believing, as I
do, if you and all of you shall thus conduct, I see no great
danger of your being molested, or made to be afraid. But if
you persist in competition with God, without being able to
give evidence of the truth of it, you will most assuredly
have to suffer the natural consequences resulting from such
credulity.

In conclusion of my remarks, I give you Jo. Smith's last revela-
tion from God. Here you will see his orders to build a temple,
the laying of the corner stones. I have given you the account of
the great parade in April last, atNauvoo. Not having this revela-
tion at that time, I give this in conclusion, that you may see the
Mormons depend on a new revelation for all their doings. This
temple is to exceed all in the far west ; the projection in front is to
rest its vast pillars on twelve huge carved oxen, and they are to be
laid over with pure gold, of the order of Solomon's temple ; Jo has
called on all the kingdom's of the world to contribute to it; all the
believers in Mormon must bring in all their gold and silver to ac-
complish this great purpose of God ; together with their best wood,
and other materials, and we are told, it is coming in from all quar-
ters ; the north of Europe are adding large numbers to them, with
their cash. You see in his orders and revelations that God intends
to visit their enemies in Jackson County, in the state of Missouri,
with retributive justice to the third and fourth generation.

Horrid sentiment ! to punish the innocent for the guilty, the un-
born children of the state of Missouri ; some century hence must
suffer for the sins of the parents. Horrid, indeed. Hear the

84

prophet Jo in his last revelation to those that prevented him from
building a temple to the Lord in Missouri. If they do not repent
and make full restitution; and this I make an example unto you,
for your consolation concerning all those that have been command-
ed to do a work, and have been hindered by the hands of their ene-
mies, and by oppression, saith the Lord your God. For I am the
Lord your God. Here the prophet takes strong Mormon ground;
here Jo declares to the Lord their God, and says, he will save all
those of their brethren, that have been pure in heart, that aided not
their enemies. I suppose he means here to distinctly refer to
those that have been slain in the land of Missouri, saith the Lord.
Jo has given them timely notice, and he is fast collecting materials;
in twenty years from this his military force will not be intimida-
ted by the forces of the state of Missouri ; they will demand the
land with interest.

[From the Beacon, Aug. 1841.]

THE REVELATION,
Given to Joseph Smith Jr. Jan. 19th, 1841.

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph Smith,
I am well pleased with your offerings and acknowledgments which
you have made ; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might
show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth. Your
prayers are acceptable before me, and in answer to them, I say un-
to you, that you are now called, immediately to make a solemn
proclamation of my gospel, and of this stake which I have planted
to be a corner stone of Zion, which shall be polished with that re-
finement which is after the similitude of a palace. This proclama-
tion shall be made to all the kings of the world, to the four corners
thereof — to the honorable President elect, and the high minded
Governors of the nation in which you live, and to all the nations
of the earth scattered abroad. Let it be written in the spirit of
meeknesss, and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be in
you at the time of the writing of the same ; for it shall be given you
by the Holy Ghost to know my will concerning those kings and
authorities, even what shall befal them in a time to come. For,
behold ! I am about to call upon them to give heed to the light
and glory of Zion, for the set time has come to favor her.

*' Call ye therefore upon them with loud proclamation and with
your testimony, fearing them not, for they are as grass, and all their
glory as the flower thereof, which soon falleth, that they may be
left also without excuse, and that I may visit them in the day of
visitation, when I shall unveil the face of my covering, to appoint
the portion of the oppressor among hypocrites, where there is gnash-
ing of teeth, if they reject my servants and my testimony which I
have revealed unto them. And, again, I will visit and soften their
hearts, many of them, for your good, that ye may find grace in their
eyes, that they may come to the light of truth, and the Gentiles to
the exaltation or lifting up of Zion. For the day of my visitation
cometh speedily, in an hour ye think not of, and where shall be the

85

safety of my people ? and refuge for those who shall be left of them?
Awake ! O kings of the earth ! Come ye, 0 ! come ye with your
gold and your silver, to the help of my people — to the house of the
daughter of Zion.

And again, verily, I say unto you, let my servant, Robert B.
Thomson, help you to write this proclamation, for I am well pleas-
ed with him, and that he should be with you; let him, therefore,
hearken to your council, and I will bless him with a multiplicity
of blessings ; let him be faithful and true in all things from hence-
forth, and he shall be great in mine eyes ; but let him remember
that his stewardship will I require at his hands.

[Then follows instructions to individuals, which we omit, except
the following, which we give as a specimen.]

And again, verily, I say unto you, my servant George Miller
is without guile, he may be trusted because of the integrity of his
heart; and for the love which he has to my testimony, I the Lord
loveth him. I therefore say unto you, I seal upon his head the
office of a bishoprick, like unto my servant Edward Partridge, that
he may receive the consecrations of mine house, that he may ad-
minister blessings upon the heads of the poor of my people, saith
the Lord.

And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, let all my saints from
afar; and send ye swift messengers, yea, chosen messengers, and
say unto them, come ye with all your gold, and your silver, and
your precious stones, and with all your antiquities, and with all
who have knowledge of antiquities, that will come, may come, and
bring the box tree and the fir tree, and the pine tree, together, with
all the precious trees of the earth, and with iron, and with copper,
and with brass, and with zinc, and with all your precious things of
the earth, and build a house to my name, for the Most High to
dwell therein ; for there is no place found on earth, that he may
come and restore again that which was lost to you, or, which he
hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood ; for a baptis-
mal font there is not one upon the earth ; but they, my saints, may
be baptised for those who are dead ; for this ordinance belongeth to
my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your
poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me. But I
command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me ; and I
grant unto you a sufficient time to build a hous^ unto me : and dur-
ing this time youi baptisms shall be acceptable unto me. But be-
hold, at the end of this appointment, your baptisms for your dead
shall not be acceptable unto me, and if you do not these things at
the end of the appointment, ye shall be rejected as a church with
your dead, saith the Lord your God. For, verily, I say unto you,
that after you have had sufficient time to build a house unto me,
wherein the ordinance of baptism for the dead belongeth, and for
which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the
world, your baptisms for your dead cannot be acceptable unto me,
for therein are the keys of the holy priest-hood ordained, that you
may receive honor and glory. And after this time, your baptisms

86

for the dead, by those who are scattered abroad, are not acceptable
unto me, saith the Lord : for it is ordained that in Zion and in her
Stakes, and in Jerusalem, those places which I have appointed for
refuge, shall be the places for your baptisms for your dead.

And again, verily, I say unto you, how shall your washings be
acceptable unto me, except ye perform them in a house which you
have built to my name ? For, for this cause I commanded Moses,
that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them
in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise, that
those ordinances might be revealed, which had been hid from be-
fore the world was; therefore, verily I say unto you, that your
anointings, and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and
your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices, by
the sons of Levi, and your oracles in your most holy places, where-
in you receive conversations, and your statutes, and judgments, for
the beginning of the revelations and foundation of Zion, and for the
glory, honor, and adornment of all her municipals, are ordained by
the ordinance of my holy house, which my people are always com-
manded to build unto my holy name.

And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name,
that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people ; for I
design to reveal unto my church, things which have been kept hid
from before the foundation of the world — things that pertain to the
dispensation of the fulness of Jimes; and I will show unto my ser-
vant Joseph, all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood
thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built ; and ye shall build
it on the place where you have contemplated building it, for that is
the spot which I have chosen for you to build it. If ye labor with
all your mights, I will consecrate that spot, and it shall be made ho-
ly ; and if my people will hearken to my voice, and unto the voice
of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold,
verily, I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
But if they will not hearken unto my voice, nor unto the voice of
those men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest, because
they pollute my holy grounds, and my holy ordinances, and char-
ters, and my holy words, which I give unto them.

And it shall come to pass, that if you build a house unto my
mame, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the
oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promises which ye
expect at my hands, saith the Lord : for instead of blessings, ye, by
your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgment
upon your own heads by your follies, and by all your abominations,
which you practised before me, saith the Lord.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I gave a commandment
unto any of the sons of men, to do a work unto my name, and
those sons of men go with all their mights, and with all they have,
to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their ene-
mies come upon them, and hinder them from performing that work,
behold, it behoveth me to require that work no more at the hands
of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings; and the

87

iniquity and transgression of my holy laws and commandments, I
will visit upon the heads of those who hindered my work, unto the
third and fourth generation, so long as they repent not, and hate
me, saith the Lord God. Therefore, for this cause have T accept-
ed the offerings, of those men whom I commanded to build a city
and a house unto my name in Jackson county, Missouri, and were
hindered by their enemies, saith the Lord your God ; and I will
answer judgment, wrath, indignation, wailing, anguish, and gnash-
ing of teeth upon their heads, unto the third and fourth generations,
so long as they repent not, and hate me, saith the Lord your God.
And this I make an example unto you, for your consolation, con-
cerning all those who have been commanded to do a work, and
have been hindered by the hands of their enemies, and by oppres-
sion, saith the Lord your God ; for I am the Lord your God, and
will save all those of your brethren, who have been pure in heart,
and have been slain in the land of Missouri, saith the Lord.

And again, verily, I say unto you, I commanded you again to
build a house to my name, even in this place, that ye may prove
yourselves unto me, that ye are faithful in all things whatsoever I
command you, that I may bless you, and crown you with honor, im-
mortality and eternal life.

[Here again follows instructions to individuals to carry this ob-
ject, and also that of a private boarding house for the accommoda-
tion of strangers.]

Behold ! verily I say unto you, let my servant, George Miller,
and my servant, Lyman Wight, and my servant, Peter Hawes, or-
ganize themselves, and appoint one of them to be a president over
their quorum, for the purpose of building that house."

We shall follow up the above account with the documents before
referred to, which we shall publish for preservation. — g. v.

GLEANINGS BY THE WAY.— No. X.

Dear Brethren. — Although I have occupied your attention so long
with the history of the origin and rise of Mormonism, I have a few
words more to add before closing the subject. Several facts which
have come to my knowledge, since commecning these sketches, lead
me to apprehend that the developements we have been attempting
to make are noi ill-timed. Is there any one who would have form-
ed so low an estimate of the Christian intelligence of this land, as to
have concluded a 'priori that a deception so barefaced, and withal
so ridiculous, as the disinterment of the Mormon Bible from one of
the hills of Western New York, and this — set on foot by an illiter-
ate vagrant hanging on the skirts of society, and of exceedingly
doubtful character, and backed by the pecuniary means of a man of
the most credulous and superstitious cast of character, whose sanity
of mind was greatly questioned by all his acquaintance, should have
gained, in a period of ten years, such dominion over human belief, as

88

to be received as the undoubted truth of God by more than sixty
thousand persons? We are surprised to hear of the success of this
imposture in the Great Valley of the West, although there is mate-
rial there for almost every eratic conception of the human mind to act
upon. But what shall we say of the success of Mormonism in the
Atlantic states, — gathering its converts from orthodox and evangel-
ical churches? Will it not fill intelligent Christians with surprise
to learn that the Mormons are establishing themselves not only in
many parts of New England, but that they are spreading through
Pennsylvania, and that they already have two churches formed in
Philadelphia, and that a portion of the members of these churches
have been regular communicants in the Methodist and Presbyterian
churches ? Such, however, is the fact. And we shall be greatly
surprised, if this " mystery of iniquity" continues to work, and that
those who have dared to <l add to the words'" of God's finished reve-
lation, shall receive the threatened curse. We shall not be surprised
if " God shall send upon such, strong delusion, that they should be-
lieve a lie," and that they " wax worse and worse, deceiving and be-
ing deceived."

One thing however, is distinctly to be noted in the history of this,
imposture. There are no Mormons in Manchester, or Palmyra, the
place where this Book of Mormon was pretended to be found. You
might as well go down into the Crater of Vesuvius and attempt to
build an ice house amid its molten and boiling lava, as to convince
any inhabitant in either of those towns, that Jo Smith's pretensions
are not the most gross and egregious falsehood. It was indeed a
wise stroke of policy, for those who got up this imposture, and who
calculated to make their fortune by it, to emigrate to a place where
they were wholly unknown. As soon as they had arranged their
apparatus for deceiving weak and unstable souls — as soon as the
Book of Mormon was printed and their plans formed, the actors in
this scene went off en masse to a part of the country where their form-
er character and standing were unknown, and where their claim to
to divine inspiration could be set up with a little more show of plausi-
bility than it could have been any where in the state of New York.
Mormonism had to grow a number of years in a western soil, and
there acquire a sort of rank and luxuriant growth, before it could be
transplanted with any success to a point nearer its birth-place. And
even now it keeps very much in the back ground its grand pecu-
liarities. The Mormon preachers, I am told, in this region, gen-
erally dwell upon the common topics of Christianity, rather than
upon the peculiarities of their system. The object of this is man-
ifest. They wish to strengthen themselves by a large succession
of converts, before they stand on the peculiarities of their system.
But all Christians should be aware of their devices. Their whole
system is built upon imposture. They believe Joseph Smith to be
a prophet of God, when there is not a man in our Penitentiary, that
might not with just as much plausibility lay claim to that character.
They believe the Book of Mormon to be a divine revelation, when
it can be proved, that the whole ground-work of it was written by

89

Mr. Spaulding as a Religious and Historical Romance. They be-
lieve that they have the power among them to work miracles, when
even Satan, with all his power and signs and lying wonders, and
with all his disceivableness, has not been able to sustain their
claim in a single instance.

Martin Harris, after he went to Kirkland, Ohio, where the first
Mormon settlement was formed, used occasionally to return to
Palmyra. As one of the three witnesses, he claimed divine in-
spiration, and is, I believe, to the present day, regarded by the Mor-
mons as one of the greatest and best among " the latter-day saints.''1
In these visits to the place of his former residence he not only en-
deavored to proselyte his old acquaintances to his new faith, but
used sometimes to edify them with very solemn prophecies of fu-
ture evenis. I was informed by Judge S , of Palmyra, that he

came to his office so much and uttered his prophecies so frequent-
ly that he at length told him that he would not consent to his ut-
tering his predictions any more orally, but that he must write them
down and subscribe his name to them, or else seek some other place
for the exercise of his prophetic gift. Harris instantly wrote down
two predictions, attaching his signature to each.

The one was a declaration that Palmyra would be destroyed,
and left utterly without inhabitants before the year 1836. The
other prediction was that before 1838 the Mormon faith would so
extensively prevail, that it would modify our national government,
and there would be no longer any occupant of the presidential chair
of the United States. To these predictions he subjoined the dec-
laration that if they were not literally fulfilled, any one might have
full permission to cut off his head and roll it round the streets as a
football. Bear in mind that this was one of the pretended chosen
witnesses of Gcd, to testify to the truth of the Book of Mormon. I
need not say that both these prophecies, in their entire failure of
fulfilment, convicted him of falsehood, and show how little is the
value of his testimony.

Another fact worthy of note in this connection is, that as Harris,
Smith, Rigdon, &c, all expected to make their fortune out of this
scheme, when the banking mania began first to prevail in our coun-
try, they caught the contagion, and embarked in a banking enter-
prise. In the end it liked to have proved a ruinous operation to
them all. Ultimately this speculation served Harris from Smith
and Rigdon, who went farther west, and commenced operations in
Missouri. Harris, in one of his late visits to Palmyra, remarked to
a friend of mine, that Jo Smith had now become a complete wretch,
and that he had no confidence either in him or Rigdon. Recollect
that this is the testimony of one of the three chosen witnesses by
which the truth of the book of Mormon is to be established.

One fact more. You recollect that it was mentioned in a form-
er No. of these sketches, that Martin Harris' wife could not be in-
duced to come over to the Mormon faith. He consequently aban-
doned her,visiting her only once or twice a year. She at length declin-
ed in health, and was evidently sinking down to the grave. A gen-
12

90

tleman of undoubted veracity in Palmyra told me that a few days
before her death, Harris returned, and on one occasion while sitting
in the room with her, appeared to be very much occupied in writ-
ino-. She inquired what he was writing? He replied that he was
writing a letter to the girl to whom he was going to get married
when she was dead ! According to his words he was married in a
very few weeks after her death. What are we to think of Mormon-
ism, when we remember that a man of such feelings and such mor-
ality was one of the chosen witnesses to attest its truth.

I have already said, that the Mormons in this region cautiously
keep out of sight the peculiarities of their system, and principally
dwell upon the common topics of Christian faith and practice. One
proof of this is, the very few copies of the Book of Mormon, that
are found among them. I am told that among all the members of
the two churches in Philadelphia, there are not more than twenty
copies of the Book of Mormon. This book I suppose is only for
the initiated — for those whose faith is well established.

In illustration of this remark, I will here insert a written state-
ment given by Joseph Young of Kirklank, Ohio, an elder of the
Mormon Church, while on a visit to Boston, to establish his faith in
that city.

" The principal articles of the faith of the Latter clay Saints cal-
led Mormo?is, are

1. A belief in one true and living God, the creator of the heav-
ens and the earth, and in his Son Jesus Christ, who came into this
world 1800 years since, at Jerusalem ; was slain, rose from the
dead, ascended on high, and now sits on the right hand of his Ma-
jesty in the heavens; that through the atonement thus wrought
out, all men may come to God, and find acceptance ; all of which
they believe is revealed in the holy Scriptures.

2. That God requires all men, wherever his gospel is proeloim-
ed, or his law known, to repent of all sins, forsake evil, and follow
righteousness; that his word also requires men to be baptized, as
well as repent; and that the direct way pointed out by the Scrip-
tures for baptism, is immersion. After which, the individual has
the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit ; that this divine commu-
nication is absolutely promised unto all men, upon whom " the
Lord our God shall call," if they are obedient unto his command-
ments. This gift of the Holy Spirit was anciently bestowed by
the laying on the apostle's hands : so this church believes that
those who have authority to administer in the ordinances of the
gospel, have this right and authority, through prayer ; and without
this authority, and this gift, the church is not now what it anciently
was ; consequently cannot be recognized as the true Church of
Christ.

3. That God will, in the lasts days, gather the literal descendants
of Jacob to the lands, anciently possessed by their fathers ; that he
will lead them as at the first, and build them as at the beginning.
That he will cause his arm to be made bare in their behalf; his
glory to attend them by night and by day. That this is necessary

91

to the fulfilmennt of his word, when his knowledge is to cover the
earth as the waters cover the seas. And that, as men anciently
saw visions, dreamed dreams, held communion with angels and
converse with the heavens, so it will be in the last days, to prepare
the way for all nations, languages and tongues, to serve him in
truth.

4. That the time will come when the Lord Jesus will descend
from heaven, accompanied with ten thousand of his saints ; that a
mighty angel will lay hold on the dragon, bind him, cast him into
the pit, where he will be kept from deceiving the nations for a
thousand years ; during which time, one continued round of peace
will prevail every heart. And,

5. They believe in the resurrection of the body ; that all men
will stand in the presence of God, and be judged according to the
deed, or works, done in this life ; that the righteous will enter in-
to eternal rest, in the presence of God, but the wicked be cast off,
to receive a just recompense of reward ; and that, to ensure eternal
life, a strict obedience to all the commandments of God, must be ob-
served, to the end."

You see there is not even a remote allusion to what constitutes
the gist of their whole system. But 1 will here leave the subject
for the present. Yours, &c. J. A. C.

GLEANINGS BY THE WAY,— No. VII.

Fairfield, August 31, 1S40.

Dear Brethren : — According to the intimation given in my last,
I proceed to furnish you with some further facts in relation to the
origin and history of Mormonism. In developing the history of
this imposture, and showing the several steps by which it has won
its way to the regard, and gained the confidence of thousands, it
becomes necessary to account for the existence of what is denomi-
nated the Book of Mokmon — a volume containing 5SS duodecimo
pages, consisting of fifteen different books, purporting to be written
at different times, and by different authors, whose names they re-
spectively bear. The period of time which these historical records
profess to cover, is about a thousand years — commencing with the
time of Zedekiah, king of Judea, and terminating with the years
of our Lord, 420. Should not your patience be exhausted by the
present long article, I may in another number give you a sort of an
annalysis of this volume.

This volume, as I have already intimnted, has exerted a most im-
portant influence in giving some plausibility to the claims set up by
the originators of the Mormon imposture. I am quite confident
there never would have been any permanent converts to Mormon-
ism, had not this volume been ushered into existence. The story
of the golden Bible, like a thousand previous and no less marvel-
lous tales told by Jo Smith, would have long since sunk into

92

oblivion before the publication of this book. The origin of this vol-
ume— how it came into being — is a grave question. It is quite
certain that neither Jo. Smith nor Martin Harris had intelligence
or literary qualification adequate to the production of a work of this
sort. Who then was its author ? The Mormons say that it is a rev-
elation from God. They claim for it a divine character. They
say that the successive narratives spread upon the pages of this vol-
ume, are the identical records engraven upon the metallic plates
to which we have already referred, and which, like the leaves of a
book, were deposited in a box and hid in the earth : that the wri-
ting on these plates was in " the Reformed Egyptian language"
that Joseph Smith was directed by an angel to the spot where this
sacred deposit lav ; and subsequently inspired to interpret the wri-
ting, by putting two smooth fiat stones, which he found in the box,
into a hat, and then putting his face therein.* This is the claim
set up for the Book of Mormon, and which has seduced many un-
stable souls.

Had the originators of this fabulous history, called the Book of
Mormon, kept entirely behind the scenes up to the present period,
and had there been no clue by which the authorship of this figment
of the imagination could be traced, it would still have been abun-
dantly evident to every intelligent person, that it was the product of
some shrewd and designing mind, who calculated to find his advan-
tage in gulling the credulous and superstitious. The people of Pal-
myra, at the commencement of the printing of this book, only
laughed at the ridiculousness of the thing, and wondered at the
credulity of Harris. As the publication progressed, and the con-
tents of the book began to be known, the conviction became gener-
al that there was an actor behind the scene, moving the machinery,
of far higher intellectual qualifications than Smith or Harris. Sus-
picion in some degree rested upon a man by the name of Cowdery,
who had formerly been a school teacher, if I mistake not, and was
now known to be in some way connected with Smith in preparing
this volume for the press.

I will here insert documents which I have in my hands, and
which may tend to throw some light upon the origin and author-
ship of the Book of Mormon, which I found in a little work, enti-
tled " Religious Creeds and Statistics." The author gives a
brief sketch of Mormonism, and among other things inserts a letter
or statement written by Isaac Hale, the father-in-law of Jo Smith,
giving some account of his acquaintance with Smith. I had, pre-
viously to meeting with this letter, felt anxious to obtain some facts
in relation to Smith's marriage, in order to ascertain how those
facts could agree with the statements made by him to Martin Har-
ris, which I noticed in my last letter. While at Palmyra, I met
wrth a respectable clergyman of the Episcopal Church who had
formerly belonged to the Methodist connection, that was acquainted
with Mr. Hale. He represented him as a distinguished hunter,

* See Religious Creeds and Statistics, page 130.

93

living near the Great Bend in Pensylvania. He was professedly a
Teligious man, and a very zealous member of the Methodist Church.
The letter to which I have referred, is accompanied with a state-
ment, declaring that Mr. Hale resides in Harmony, in Penn.; ap-
pended to the letter also is Mr. Hale's affirmation or affidavit of
the truth of the statement there made, taken before Charles Dimon,
Justice of the peace, and there is also subjoined the certificate of
Thompson and Davis Dimock, Associate Judges of the Court of
Common Pleas in the County of Susquehanna, declaring that
" they have for many years been personally acquainted with Isaac
Hale, of Harmony Township, who has attested the foregoing state-
ment, or letter, and that he is a man of excellent moral character,
and of undoubted veracity."

The letter or statement above referred to, is as follows :
"I first became acquainted with Joseph Smith, Jr., in Nov. 1S25.
He was at that time in the employ of a set of men who were called
" money-diggers ;" and his occupation was that of seeing, or pre-
tending to see, by means of a stone placed in his hat, and his hat
closed over his face. In this way he pretended to discover miner-
als and hidden treasure. His appearance at this time was that of
a careless young man, not very well educated, and very saucy and
insolent to his father. Smith and his father, with several other
" money diggers," boarded at my house, while they were employed
in digging for a mine that they supposed had been opened and
worked by the Spaniards, many years since. Young Smith gave the
" money diggers" great encouragement at first, but wrhen they had
arrived in digging too near the place, where he had stated an im-
mense treasure would be found, he said the enchantment was so
powerful that he could not see. They then became discouraged,
and soon after dispersed. After these occurrences, young Smith
made several visits at my house, and at length asked my consent
to marry my daughter Emma. This I refused, and gave him my
reasons for so doing ; some of which were, that he was a stranger,
and followed a business I could not approve. He then left the place.
Not long after this, he returned ; and while I was absent from home,
carried off my daughter into the State of New York, where they
were married without my approbation, or consent. After they had
arrived at Palmyra, N. Y. Emma wrote to me, enquiring whether
she could have her property, consisting of clothing, &c. I replied
that her property was safe, and at her disposal. In a short time
they returned, bringing with them a Peter Ingersoll, and subse-
quently came to the conclusion that they would move out, and re-
side upon a place near my residence.

Smith stated to me, that he had given up what be called " glass-
looking," and that he expected to work hard for a living, and was
willing to do so. Soon after this, I was informed they had brought
a wonderful book of plates down with them. I was shown a box,
in which it is said they were contained, which had, to all appearance,
been used as a glass box, of the common sized window glass. I
was allowed to feel the weight of the box, and they gave me to un-

94

derstand, that the book of plates was then in the box : into which,
however, I was not allowed to look. I inquired of Joseph Smith,
Jr. who was to be the first that would be allowed to see the book of
plates. He said it was a young child.

After this, I became dissatisfied, and informed him, that if there
was any thing in my house of that description, which I could not
be allowed to see, he must take it away ; if he did not, I was de-
termined to see it. After that, the plates were said to be hid in the
woods.

About this time, Martin Harris made his appearance upon the
stage ; and Smith began to interpret the characters or hierogliph-
ics, which he said were engraven upon the plates, while Harris
wrote down the interpretation. It was said that Harris wrote down
one hundred and sixteen pages, arid lost them. Soon after this
happened, Martin Harris informed me that he must have a greater
witness, and said that he had talked with Joseph about it ; Joseph
informed him that he could not or durst not show him the plates,
but that he, (Joseph,) would go into the woods where the book of
plates was, and that after he came back, Harris should follow his
track in the snow, and find the book, and examine it for himself.
Harris informed me afterwards, that he followed Smith's directions,
and could not find the plates, and was still dissatisfied.

The next day after this happened, I went to the house where Jo-
seph Smith, Jr. lived, and where he and Harris were engaged in
their translation of the book. Each of them had a written piece
of paper which 'hey were comparing, and some of the words were
— " My servant seeketh a greater witness, but no greater witness,
can be given to him." — There was also something said about " three
fhat were to see the thing ; meaning, I supposed, the book of plates ;
and that, " if the three did not go exactly according to orders,
the thing would be taken from them." I inquired whose words
they were, and was informed by Joseph or Emma, (I rather think
it was the former,) that they were the words of Jesus Christ. I
told them, then, that I considered the whole of it a delusion, and
advised them to abandon it. The manner in which he pretended
to read and interpret, was the same as when he looked for the
money diggers with a stone in his hat, and his hat over his face,
while the book of plates was at the same time hid in the woods !

After this Martin Harris went away, and Oliver Cowdery came
and wrote for Smith, while he interpreted, as above described.
This is the same Oliver Cowdery whose name may be found in
the book of Mormon. Cowdery continued a scribe for Smith, un-
til the book of Mormon was completed, as I supposed and under-
stood.

Joseph Smith, Jr. resided near me for some time after this, and
I had a good opportunity of becoming acquainted with him, and.
somewhat acquainted with his associates ; and I conscientiously be-
lieve, from the facts I have detailed, and from many other circum-
stances, which I do not deem it necessary to relate, that the whole
" Book of Mormon," [so called,] is a silly fabrication of falsehood

95

and wickedness got up for speculation, and with a design to dupe
the credulous and unwary, and in order that its fabricators might
live upon the spoils of those who swallowed the deception."

ISAAC HALEr

I shall have occasion hereafter to refer to the loss of one
hundred and sixteen pages spoken of by Harris, and to the
manner in which they were lost ; as this fact will not only tend
to illustrate Harris's character, but to throw some farther light
upon the sinuous track which was pursued to palm off the
Book of Mormon as a divine revelation. Whether Smith
and Cowdry were acting alone at the time referred to by Mr
Hale, or were then deriving their illumination from Rigdon, I
have no means of determining. It is highly probable, how-
ever, that they then had access to a copy of the manuscript
written by Mr Spauiding, of which we shall soon speak, and
this copy was undoubtedly obtained through the agency of
Rigdon. The true authorship of what constitutes the basis of
the Book of Mormon, unquestionably belongs to Mr Spauid-
ing. I do not, however, believe that the Book of Mormon is
an exact copy of Mr Spaulding's " Historical Romance" as
Mrs Davidson very properly denominates it. No intelligent
or well educated man would have been guilty of so many ana-
chronisms and gross grammatical errors as characterize every
part of the Book of Mormon. While Mr Spaulding's His-
torical Romance is unquestionably the ground-work of the
volume, the christianized character of the work — the hortato-
<r\£ clauses about salvation through the blood of Christ, and the
adaptation of the whole to meet the peculiar religious views
of Martin Harris, and to tally with the pretended discovery of
Jo Smith, are evidently parts of the work added to Mr Spauld-
ing's manuscript. In farther corroboration of this idea, I will
just advert to two facts. First : in this record, some portions
of which were professedly written 600 years before the ap-
pearance of our Saviour, the various dramatis Persona seem
as familiar with the events of the New Testament and all [he
doctrines of the gospel, as any preacher of the present day.
Now no intelligent and well educated man would be guilty of
such a solecism as that of putting into the mouth of a Jew
who lived four hundred years before the birth of Christ, a flip-
pant discourse about things as though they were then famil-
iarly known, when they did not occur till some 500 years af-
terwards. Hence 1 infer that these parts were added to the
original document of Mr Spauiding by Jo Smith, Cowdery,
Rigdon, or some of the fraternity. Another reason, leading
me to the opinion that considerable alterations were made in
the document referred to, stands in connection with the fact to

96

which I have already adverted — the loss of the one hundred
and sixteen pages, which were never replaced. These pages
were lost in the following way. Harris brought home the
manuscript pages and locked them up in his house, thinking
them quite safe. But his wife, who was not then, nor ever af-
terwards became a convert to Mormonism, took the opportu-
nity, when he was out, to sieze the manuscript and put it in
the hands of one of her neighbors for safer keeping. When
it was discovered to be missing, suspicion immediately fasten-
ed upon Mrs Harris. She, however, refused to give any in-
formation in relation to the matter, but simply replied : "If
this be a divine communication, the same being who revealed
it to you can easily replace it." Mrs H. believed the whole
thing to be a gross deception, and she had formed a plan to
expose the deception in the following manner. Taking it for
granted that they would attempt to reproduce the part she had
concealed, and that they could net possibly do it verbatim,
she intended to keep the manuscript until the book was pub-
lished, and then put these one hundred and sixteen pages into
the hands of some one who would publish them, and show how
they varied from those published in the Book of Mormon.
But she had to deal with persons standing behind the scene,
and moving the machinery, that were too wily thus to be
caught. Harris was indignant at his wife beyond measure —
he raved most violently, and it is said actually beat Mrs H.
with a rod — but she remained firm, and would not give up the
manuscript. The authors of this imposture did not dare to
attempt to re-produce this part of the work ; but Jo Smith
immediately had a revelation about it, which is inserted in the
preface of the Book of Mormon as follows : " As many false
reports have been circulated respecting the following work,
and also many unlawful measures taken by evil designing per-
sons to destroy me, and also the work; I would inform you
that I translated, by the gift and power ot God, and caused to
be written one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took
from the book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from
the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon ; which said ac-
count, some person, or persons, have stolen and kept from me,
notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again : And
being commanded of the Lord that 1 should not translate the
same over again, for Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt
the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read
contrary from that which I translated and caused to be writ-
ten, and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in
other words, if I should translate the same over again, they
would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would

97

stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not re-
ceive this work : but behold, the Lord said unto rae, I will not
suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing ;
therefore thou shalt translate from the plates of Nephi, until
ye come to that which ye have translated, which ye have re-
tained; and behold ye shall publish it as the record of Nephi;
and thus I will confound those who have altered my words. I
will not surfer that they shall destroy my work : yea, 1 will
shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of
the devil."

This was the expedient to which they resorted, in order to
avoid replacing the lost pages. Had those pages, however,
been transcribed verbatim from Mr Spaulding's manuscript,
they would undoubtedly have re-produced them, and urged the
act of their being able to do so as a still farther proof of their
divine inspiration. But on the supposition that there was con-
siderable new matter mingled up with Mr Spaulding's sketch-
es^ it would be impossible for them to produce the one hun-
dred and sixteen pages just as they were before, and they
would therefore naturally devise some expedient to relieve
themselves from the necessity of re-producing those pages. In
all probability, Cowdery, Smith and Rigdon, had all more or
less to do in combining these additional parts with Mr Spauld-
ing's work.

The origin of this work of Mr Spaulding, to which I refer,
and which unquestionably forms the entire ground-work of the
Book of Mormon, is thus described by Mrs Davidson, form-
erly the wife of Mr Spaulding. This statement of Mrs Da-
vidson was published some time last winter in the Boston Re-
corder, to the editors of which it was sent by the Rev. John
Storms, the Congregational minister in Hollistown, accompa-
nied with a certificate from two highly respectable clergymen,
the Rev. Mr Austin, and the Rev. A. Ely, D. D., residing in
Mason, Mass., the present place of residence of Mrs David-
son,— stating that Mrs Davidson, the narrator of the following
history, was formerly the wife of Rev. Solomon Spaulding, and
that since his decease she had been married to a second hus-
band by the name of Davidson, and that she was a woman of
irreproachable character, and an humble Christian, and that
her testimony was worthy of implicit confidence.

" As the 'Book of Mormon or Golden Bible' has excited much
attention, and has been put by a certain new sect in the place of the
Sacred Scriptures, I deem it a duty which I owe to the public, to
state what I know touching its origin. That its claims to a divine
origin are wholly unfounded, needs no proof to a mind unperverted
by the grossest delusions. That any sane person should rank it
higher than any other merely human composition, is a matter of the
greatest astonishment ; yet it is received as divine by some who
dwell in enlightened New England ; and even by those who have
13

98

sustained the character of devoted Christians. Learning recently
that Mormonism had found its way into a church in Massachusetts,
and has impregnated some with its gross delusions, so that ex-com-
munication has been necessary ; I am determined to delay no long-
er in doing what I can to strip the mask from this mother of sin,
and to lay open this pit of abominations.

'* Rev. Solomon Spaulding, to whom I was united in marriage
in early life, was a graduate of Dartmouth College, and was dis-
tinguished for a lively imagination and a great fondness for history.
At the time of our marriage he resided in Cherry Valley, N. Y.
From this place we removed to New Salem, Ashtabula county, Ohio;
sometimes called Conneaut, as it is situated on Conneaut creek.
Shortly after our removal to this place his health sunk, and he was
laid aside from active labors. In the town of New Salem there
are numerous mounds and forts, supposed by many to be the dilapi-
dated dwellings and fortifications of a race now extinct. These an-
cient relics arrest the attention of the new settlers and become ob-
jects of research for the curious. Numerous implements were
found, and other articles evincing great skill in the arts. Mr Spaul-
ding being an educated man and passionately fond of history, took
a lively interest in these developements of antiquity; and in order
to beguile the hours of retirement, and furnish employment for his
lively imagination, he conceived the idea of giving a historical
sketch of this long lost race. Their extreme antiquity of course
would lead him to write in the most ancient style, and as the Old
Testament is the most ancient book in the world, he imitated its
style as nearly as possible. His sole object in writing this histori-
cal romance was to amuse himself and his neighbours. This was
about the year 1812. Hull's surrender at Detroit occurred near
the same time, and I recollect the date well from thatcircnmstance.
As he progressed in his narrative the neighbors would come in from
time to time to hear portions read, and a great interest in the work
was excited amongst them. It claimed to have been written by one
of the lost nation, and to have been recovered from the earth, and
assumed the title of " Manuscript Found." The neighbors would
often enquire how Mr. Spaulding progressed in deciphering " the
manuscript," and when he had a sufficient portion prepared he
would inform them, and they wouid assemble to hear it read. He
was enabled from his acquaintance with the classics and ancient
history, to introduce many singular names, which were particular-
ly noticed by the people, and could be easily recognized by them.
Mr. Solomon Spaulding had a brother, Mr. John Spaulding, resid-
ing in the place at the time, who was perfectly familiar with the
work, and repeatedly heard the whole of it read.

" From New Salem we removed to Pittsburg, Pa. Here Mr.
Spaulding found a friend and acquaintance, in the person of Mr.
Patterson, an editor of a newspaper. He exhibited the manuscript
to Mr. Patterson, who was very much pleased with it, and borrow-
ed it for perusal. He retained it for a long time, and informed Mr.
Spaulding that if he would make out a title page and preface, he

99

would publish it, and it might be a source of profit. This Mr.
Spaulding refused to do, for reasons which I cannot now state.
Sidney Rigdon, who has figured so largely in the history of the
Mormons, was at that time connected with the printing office of Mr
Patterson, as is well known in that region, and as Rigdon himself
has frequently stated. Here he had ample opportunity to become
acquainted with Mr. Spaulding's manuscript, and copy it it he chose.
It was a matter of notoriety and interest to all connected with the
printing establishment. At length the manuscript was returned to
its author, and soon after we removed to Amity, Washington coun-
ty, Pa., where Mr. Spaulding deceased in 1816. The manuscript
then fell into my hands and was carefully preserved. It has fre-
quently been examined by my daughter, Mrs. McKenstry, of Mon-
son, Mass. "with whom I now reside, and by other friends. After
the " Book of Mormon" came out, a copy of it was taken to New
Salem, the place of Mr. Spaulding's former residence, and the very
place where the " Manuscript Found" was written. A woman
preacher appointed a meeting there, and in the meeting read and
repeated copious extracts from the " Book of Mormon." The his-
torical part was immediately recognized by all the older inhabitants,
as the identical work of Mr. Spaulding, in which they had all been
so deeply interested years before. Mr. John Spaulding was pres-
ent, who is an eminently pious man, and recognized perfectly the
work of his brother. He was amazed and afflicted that it should
have been perverted to so wicked a purpose. His grief found vent
in a flood of tears, and he arose on the spot, and expressed in the
meeting his sorrow and regret that the writings of his sainted broth-
er should be used for a purpose so vile and shocking. The excite-
ment in New Salem became so great that the inhabitants had a meet-
ing, and deputed Dr. Philastus Hurlbut, one of their number, to re-
pair to this place, and to obtain from me the original manuscript of
Mr. Spaulding, for the purpose of comparing it with the Mormon
Bible, to satisfy their own minds, and to prevent their friends from
embracing an error so delusive. This was in the year 1834. Dr.
Hurlbut brought with him an introduction, and request for the manu-
script; which was signed by Messrs. Henry Lake, Aaron Wright,
and others with all whom I was acquainted, as they were my neigh-
bors when I resided at New Salem. I am sure that nothing would
grieve my husband more, were he living, than the use which has
been made of his work. The air of antiquity which was thrown about
the composition, doubtless suggested the idea of converting it to
purposes of delusion. Thus an historical romance, with the ad-
dition of a few pious expressions and extracts from the Sacred
Scriptures, has been construed into a new Bible, and palmed off"
upon a company of poor, deluded fanatics as divine. I have given
the previous brief narration, that this work of deep deception and
wickedness may be searched to the foundation, and the author ex-
posed to the contempt and execration he so justly deserves.

Matilda Davidson.''

100

The whole mystery of the origin of this book seems to be clear-
ed up by this statement, and I have seen no attempt made to gain-
say or deny its truth. The farther, however, Martin Harris went
into this delusion, the more he seemed to become infatuated. He
had already embarked a large portion of his property in bringing
out the publication of the book of Mormon, and though many things
had occurred that we should think would have convinced any ra-
tional man that he had been made the subject of a deep laid scheme
of deception, he still seems to have shut his eyes, and gone on in
the dark. As I have already mentioned, at first Martin Harris was
assured that the golden plates on which this record was engraven,
would be his, and that it would be perfectly lawful to subject them
to public inspection, — but as the managers of this imposture pro-
ceeded they found it necessary to advance with more caution, lest
they should put into the hands of others the very elements which
could contribute to their own utter explosion. Hence it is revealed
to Jo Smith, that he would be authorized to show them only to three
individuals who should assist in bringing forward this book. This
was a lure to secure the continued co-operation of Harris. To con-
vince Harris that he would be highly privileged it was foretold in
the book of Ether, written by Moroni, (sec Book of Mormon, page
548) that he should find the plates, should have the privilege of
showing them to three persons. The passage referred to is as fol-
lows. " Behold ye may be privilege that ye may show the plates
unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work ; and unto three
shall they be shown by the power of God ; wherefore ihey shall
know of a surety that these things are true. And in the mouth of
three witnesses shall these things be established : and the testimo-
ny of three and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the
power of God, and also his word, of which the Father and ihe Son,
and' the Holy Ghost beareth record, and all this shall stand as a testi-
mony against the world, at the last day."

In order to satisfy Harris, and those whom they hope to delude,
it became necessary that three witnesses should see the p/ates. And
accordingly we find appended to the book of Mormon the follow-
ing certificate, headed with the caption : —

THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES.

" Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people,
unto whom this work shall come, that we through the grace of God
the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which
contain the record, which is the record of the people of Nephi, and
also of the Lamanites, his brethren, and also of the people of Jared,
which came from the tower, of which had been spoken : and we
also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of
God, for his voice has declared it unto us ; wherefore we know of
a surety, that the work is true. And we also testify that we have
seen the engravings which are upon the plates, and they have, been
shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we de-
clare wkh words of soberness that an angel of God came clown from
heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld

101

and saw the plates, and the engraving thereon ; and we know that
it is bv the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
that we beheld, and bear record that these things are true ; and it is
marvellous in our eyes : nevertheless the voice of the Lord com-
manded us that we should bear record of it ; wherefore to be obe-
dient unto the commandments of God we bear testimony of these
things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall
rid ourselves of the blood of all men and be found spotless before
the Judgment seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in
the heavens, And the honor be to the father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Ghost, which is one God, — Amen.

OLIVER COWDERY,
DAVID WHITMER,
MARTIN HARRIS."

To know how much this testimony is worth I will state one fact.
A gentleman in Palmyra, bred to the law, a professor of religion,
and of undoubted veracity, told me that on one occasion, he appeal-
ed to Harris and asked him directly, — " Did you see those plates ?"
Harris replied, he did. " Did you see the plates, and the engraving
on them with your bodily eyes?" Harris replied, "Yes, I saw
them with my eyes, — they were shown unto me by the power of
God and not of man." " But did you see them with your natural,
— your bodily eyes, just as you see this pencil-case in my hand ?
Now say no or yes to this." Harris replied, — " Why I did not see
them as I do that pencil ease, yet I saw them with the eye of faith ;
I saw them just as distinctly as I see any thing around me, — though
at the time they were covered over with a cloth."

This was the way that Harris saw the plates, Cowdery, another
of the witnesses, was one of the prime actors in getting up this
" cunningly devised fable." Whether Whitmer, the third witness,
was a deceiver, or one of the deceived, 1 am unable to say, but he
and four of his brothers were among the earliest avowed converts to
Mormonism. But as he was thus prvileged because he assisted to
bring forth the work, there can be but little doubt that he bore the
same relation to it that Cowdery did. The declaration in the testi-
mony " that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he
brought, and laid before our eyes, that we behold, and saw the
plates, and the engravings thereon," show but too well what sort
of jugglery to blind people's eyes this certificate is. They seem
themselves not to have been satisfied with the testimony : and
therefore although it was expressly revealed that onlv three should
see the plates, and that it should be established by the witness of
three, (see Book of Mormon, page 548,) yet they immediately sub-
join the testimony of eight additional witnesses in the following
words : " Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peo-
ple, unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jr. the
author and proprietor of the work, has shewn unto us the plates of
which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold ; and
as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated, we did han-
dle with our hands : and we also saw the engraving thereon, all of

102

which had the appearance of ancient work and of curious workman-
ship. And thus we bear record, with words of soberness, that the
said Smith hath shewn unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and
know of a surety, that the said Smith has got the plates of which
we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to wit-
ness unto the world that which we have seen : and we lie not, God
bearing witness of it." This is signed by Hiram Page, Jo Smith's
father, — two of his brothers, and four of the Whitmers, brothers
of the Whitmer, who was one of the three witnesses. They were
all persons deeply interested in the success of this imposture, and
expecting to make their fortunes by it. As I have fefore taken
occasion to remark, Harris was ready to be duped by any thing
which the jugglers were disposed to tell him. He seemed to
think at length that he himself was inspired, and that revelations
from heaven were made to him in reference to the most minute
affairs in life. After the Book of Mormon was published, it was
revealed to him that he should sell it for one dollar fifty cents per
copy. But as it did not sell very briskly at that price, he declared
that another revelation was made to him from heaven, and that he
was ordered to sell the book for one dollar per copy. No matter
where he went, he saw visions and supernatural appearances all
around him. He told a gentleman in Palmyra, after one of his ex-
cursions to Pensylvania, while the translation of the Book of Mor-
mon was going on, that on the way he met the Lord Jesus Christ,
who wnlked along by the side of him in the shape of a deer for
two or three miles, talking with him as familiarly as one man talks
with another. With a knowledge of the facts that have now been
stated, the existence of the Book of Mormon can well be accounted
for, and also the success of this imposture. There are a few facts
farther I have to communicate, which I shall be obliged to reserve
till the next number- J. A. C.

ERRATA.

5th page, 9th line, read natural seer, instead of natural son ;

31st page, 33d line, read pretences, instead of pretency.

I

intS'

\

\