Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-01-01

the authors were desired to call at the
end of mouth, when the work would be
completed. The now went and g voIun.
tarily made oath before a justice of the
peace that they had writ on from the die
tation of Smith, who, until the time of
the angels visit, had been dumb and an
idiot from his faith, and that they had seen
the twe've golden tables and the stone
spectacles; adding, that no one
except Smith could see through them. At
the expiration of the month they returned
TO the man of types and demanded their
books. The disciple of Caxton met them
with long face, and told them that the
whole of the first sheet (16 pages, had
been thrown down and that the manu-.
scripts not having been preserved, he had
not been able to fulfil his agreement by
the stipulated time; but that, if they
would write it ii oUe5 ag I'm he would of
course print it at his own expense. The
Prophets were astounded at his intelli.
gence, and as they had kept no copy of
their work, despared of replacing the in.
spired writings-thereupon the printer,
by way of removing the difficulty, advis-
ed them to take another look at the gol-
den plates"
The despairing Mormonites took the
hint, and returned with sixteen pages of
fresh matter, which the printer immediate
" composed.
On the publication Of the book, the
printer worked off and published the six
teen original pages which he pretented to
have lost, and which were altogether DIFF
terent from those they had brought him
the second time. This created a terrible
sensation among the scribcs, who were
now called upon by the perfdious printer
to produce the plates.
Twelve gOlden tablets, each of the size
of a large tea tray, are not very easily to
be procured-but the angel was good e.
nough to step in once more to their aid.
The conclave made oath that the angel
had taken the tables to heaven on the com
pletion of the work,-the stone spectacles
however, and the stone cheS' were produc
ed in evidence, and multitudes of persons
were found TO be noodles enough to be-.
lieve the absurd story.
The writer of this, travelling in 1880
through the state Of New York, fell into
company with drover, whose uncle had
been choused out Of 900 by these fell
lows. Multitudes had joined them, selling
alltheir property, and throwing the pro.
cceds into the common stock, and they
have several establishments, one of which
is in tho state of Ohio, where they herd TO-
gelher in the most edif5 ing fashion. OF
course chastity is moi among their cardi-
nal virtues. Thcv profess hearty con-
tempt for all unbelievers," and are noted
for the premptitudc with which they con-
sign to everlasting fire and birthstone
all not oftheir own persuasion.
The poor drover alluded to, not being
himselfa Mennonite, and having antci-
pated coming in as heir to the ''oid Teller, %
could in nowisc keep his temper, when
speaking of tie ''new revelation" He
consigned Mormon, Joe Smith and all their
followers to pnrdtion after u most un.
seemly fashion libeled the angel who
had thrown Joe Smith the box, and OBJ.
served that " the angel was sharp enough
however, for be TOOK care to carry off the
goon: he didn'. leave that behind him. -
/" Now" continued he, that old Scrubs
of an uncle Of mine might have remem.
bered that he had had ten years Of my la.
Dor, and that no man is called upon tc
throw away his life for nothing bot ther
the old chap hadn't got no more gumfior
than a backwoodsman' bull, nor no more
steadiness than a monkey on a wa'ercock
so that when they came to him he got clear
frightened out ofthe little wits that be had
The first time wentto NewYork he tool
the opportunity to sell his farm, and hi:
stock and everything, and didn't leave HIM
self more clothes nor plumber that wha
you might ram into a pedlar's wallet Sc
when ] found myself master of the outside
Of the house, and ready furnished lodg
ing in the forest, where ] might pick anC
choose among the tees, and live squire
J fashion, that is, if SO be as could have
climbed and made up my mind 20 dine
every day on hazel nuts and raw corn.
| only wish could have knowed what wa!
) agoing on; I'd have found a way to re
: turn home time enough to clear 'em all on
with my cudgel, and that in fashion tina
$ would have made them tremble all the dav
, oftheir lives at sight of hickory tree"
/ The doctrinal book of the Mennonite
: by them called ''the Bible" has, withtbem
7 entirely superseded the Old and New Tes
taments. A copy Of this book lately ar