The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1839-07-04
ORIGIN OF THE MORMON BIBLE.

loving singular development, of the Origin
and history of The Mormon BIBLE. Ii &C.
counts most satisfactorily for the existence
oi the bcGk, fact which heretofore il has
been hard TO explain. 1t was difficult to
Imagine how work containing so many
indications Of being the work Of a ciltlya
ted mind, should be connected with knave
~ So Impudent and a superstition so gross
+ as that which must have characterized the
founders OF this pretended religious sect.---
he present narrative, which, independent.
+ y OF the aiiestatlons annexed, appears TO
be by no means improbable, was procured
from the writer by The Rev. Mr.. Srow, OF
liolllston, who remarks that he has had oc.
caslon 10 come in contact with MOrmonism
~ lis grossesi forms. |, was communicated
by bun for publication in the Recorder
Boston Adrertiser.
ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
OR GOLDEN BIBLE.
As this book has excited much attention and
has been put, by certain new sect, in the place
Of the sacred Scriptures, | deem ii a duty which
| owe TO the Public 10 state what know touch
ing ils origin That its claims to divine origin
are wholly uniounded, needs no proof TO a mind
unpeycrted by the grossest decisions. That any
sane persons should rank il any higher than any
other merely human composition, is inat tier of
the greatest astonishment; yet il is received as d.
vine by some who dwell in enlightened New Eng
land. and even By those who have sustained the
character Of devoted christians. Learning re-
Gently that Mormonism has found It's way into a
church in Massachusetts and has ilnpregnuted
some Of its members with it, z oss decisions 50
that accommodation has become necessary, |
ain determined to delay 40 longer doing what
an to strip the mask from tins monster of sin,
and 70 lay open this pit Of examinations.
Key solomon Spaulding 10 whom Vas uni
I'd N marril ge in early lie, was graduate of
Dartmouth College. and was .di ,ingulshed for
lively Imagination and great tondness for his.
tols. At the time Of our marriage, he r., sided il
Cherry Valley, New YORK From this n ice we
removed 10 New Salem, in Ashtabula co1utg,
Ono; sometime called Conneaut as II is situated
upon Councsut creek, Shortly after our remoy-
q 20 this place. il- health sunS, and he Was lad
SIDE iron active l4bours. In tie town Of New
Salem, there are numa ross mounds and forts sup.
posed by many TO be- t1e cglgpidatea GNcllugs
and Notifications OF a rate row extinct. These
ancieEt relies arrest the attention OF the new set
u r and become Jacts o. research for tie curl
Gus Numerous uUp.em, MS were iourd AMI 9th.
= articles, etlnclng great skill IN the arts. Mr.
Spaulcirg being an educated man, and passion.
ately fond Of history, sooa 4 lively interest III
these Developments OF antiquity: ,ad in order to
beglilo the hcurs Of refinement. ana furnish EN-.
poyiuen, for his lively Imagination, h. conceived
the idea o. giving AStoriesi sketch u his i0ag
lest rrce, Ta,Ir extreme antiquity OF course
would lead him to write in the HsySt qnc.eat sftie
and IS the Old Testament is tie most ancient
book IN the world, he initiated It's style as near Is
possi il, Ills sole object in writing this historf.
c4t romance WIS 10 atluse himself and his nelrh-
bofs. This was about the year 1872. IIuIls
surrender Il Detroit occurred near the same ti.ae,
sud | recol.-,, the date we'll from that circum.
stance As lie progre scd in his rr4tiye the
aeigAbors would come from time to tiule to hear
portions read, and great interest in The work was
excited among them. II claimed to nave been
written by II the lost nation, ard to havc
been ,ecoested from the earth, and assumed the
title Of +" Manuscript Found" The ucighbors
would often inquire how Mr.. :, progressed in
dcclphcring :" the manuscript" and hen he had
. sufficient portion prepared he would inform
tacm and they wculd assemble TO hear it read.
He enabled from bis acquaintance with
the classics ard ancient history, 10 introduce ma,
ny siagGlqr names, which were particularly no
ticed hy the people and could be easily recognis.
81 by them. solomon Spauldng had brother
John Spauldng, residing in the place at the time,
who was perfectly familiar with this work, and
repeatedly heard tho whole Of Il read
From New salem we removed to Pittsburg
Pa, iore Mr. ). found acquaintance and
friend in the person Of Mr.. Peterson, an editor
Of newspaper. lie exhibited his manuscript to
Mr., p who was very much pleased with it, and
borrowed il for perusal. tie retained it long
time, and informed Mr.. 5. that ii he would make
out title page and preface he would publish it,
and IT might be a sourca OF profit. his Dir, ),
refused to do for reasons which cannot state,
Sidney Rigdon, who has figured so largely in
tile history OF the Mormons, was At that time
connected with che printing Office Of Mr.. Patter.
son, is well known in that region, and as Rig.
don himself has frequently stated Here he had
ample opportunity to become acquainted with
Mr. Spauldngs manuscript, and to copy il il lie
chose. 1t was matter OF notorety ana interest
TO all who were connected with the printing os-
Enlistment. At length the manuscript was re.
turned to the author and soon after we removed
20 Amty, Washington county, Pa, where Mr..
). deceased in 1916 The manuscript then fell
into my hands and was preserved carefully. 1t
has frequently been examined by my daughter,
Mrs, Mckenstry, of Monson, Mass. with whom
now reside and by other friends. After the
+" Book of Mormon came out, copy Of it was
taken to New Salem, the place of Mr. Spauld-
ing's former residence, and the very place where
the Manuscript Found was written. A wo-
man preacher appointed the meeting, and in the
meeting, read, aud repeated copiouS extracts from
he =" Book of Mormon The historical part
was Immediately recognised by all the older in
habitants as the identical work of Mr. $. in
which they had been so deeply interested years
hpfarN MIR John SnsulAinU wrs EtgNsppt VIII,
is eminently pious man, and recognized the
work of his brother. lie was amazed afflicted
that it should have been perverted to so wicked
4 r.nrnnsn His nriaf fnnnd ynnt IN 4 hnnA of