Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-08-16

When his weak hand grew palsed, and hsese
DARK with the nists OF age, vas In. time To dc.
ses...s,.z.t.s ~.. --..---a.-s
ORIGIN OF TIE MORMoNS.
The statements contained IN The following article
were given Ia Rev. Dr.. Murdoch OF New Haven, by
A.. minister Of ihe Mormvns, ~ they were pursuing
their way as fellow passer gets on boa,d steam
bout on the Ohio ,,et, aud communicated by DR..
Nj. to the Hartford Observer. They prescu, bret
" one of The most remarkable exhibitions Of the
obliqui,ics and tolI,cs OF the human mind IN lis
religious spccula IONS, which The history OF tins age
records.
Ioseyh Smith, nov 50 ,cirs { dgc, is The eldest
Of FIVE brothers, all born ut Norwich. IN the Sat
Of Vermont. Tie family originated IN the south
pan OF New England, but my informant could not
tell precisely where. 10 the year 1916 1917. the
whole family femovs 10 the SAFE OF Ne" York.
aud lived sometimes IN Palmyra. aud sometimes IN
The al tcent town OF Manchester. 'fhry WIRE IN
rather low chromosomes, and olluwed Turning
Aboui the year 1923, iheie Was revival OF religion
IN that iegion. and Joseph was one of the hopeful
couroIts.-Ihe Others wtto loiulnr, Que
church aud same another ~ thai sciuu, but Joseph
hesnaed between the different denominations -
While lls mnd vas pcrplcNcd With this sui rct, lie
prayed lor dvue direction; and afterwards was n
walked one night by an extraordinary rtslun. The
glory nl the l. nd filled the chamber with dlz .
xhrg heht, and glorious angrl Appeared unto HIM,
md told him lliat lac 4 chosen vessel unto the
Lord To make knnnnthe rue re tclou. rhr next da,
be went INTO the field but Was unable 10 work
his mind being oppressed by the remembrance OF
the VISION. lie fetuIred 10 the house, and soon
stcr iot his father aud broth - from HE field
and then, ~ tie presence OF The iamlly-m, Iufnt.
,naut Of Ihcm--hc related al that had occurred
I h-y Ncrr asuundcd, bat not alto sefh her in.telu.
ious. Amer this, he had other similar VISIONS, IN
onc OF whfch The existence Of several metallic plaie.
~ni sealcd 70 h ~. and Il cir i caticn desrubcd-
about three miles of, IN a pasture ground. The
neat DAY lac went alone 10 the spr aud by Il ggnr dis
covered The patcs m Il o! rude siuue bn> They
we're eight ten inches long, less width, about
che III eAness of pancs OF glass; and together. e
pile shuui Eve OF SIX inches high. They a,e 10 a
good state o. pttsefsalIor-had tho appearance Of
gold. and 6ote inscrp'iaus ia strange characters ON
both sides lie bioughl them home but was una
bic Ia read them. lie afterwards made q lac 81 lie
OF some pat. Of he descriptions, and sent II To pro-
t'ssot Aaahon Of New York city. The professor
II nougced tte characters 10 be anclent Hebrew
couucpied. and lie language 10 be degenerate lie.
brew, win MIXTURE of Egyptian. lie could dec,.
pber only one enrre word. Ailet u,l. Joseph
Smnh was superGaturdly ass $ Cd To read and IN
dersiand the INSCRIPTION and lie WAS directed to
translate eieat part OF II. The pages winch lie
was not 10 Translate found to be sealed ether,
90 hat lie dad not even read them and learn lhrir
eontents. Yah assistant to carrert la, Errhsb
he translated So much OF the inscription a. now
makesihe book Of Notmon.--Iie Leit the plates a
long line ~ his chagbcr. aud after transatinp lrom
them. lie repeatedly showed them 30 hfs pAtenr,
ant TO other irleods. But my informant sa,d he
had never seen item. Al Length lac directed by
as's,on TO bury the plates again the same manner
which he accordingly dad.
The book q MORMON IS Mr. Smhs profes
srd translation Of The inscription on the plates and
II bears the name OF MoRMoS. because a jewish
Christian ut the /! II century, bearing the name of
Mormon Is The alleged author OF The inscllpIun-
The hook IS historical. 1t gives an account of a
company OF Jewish Christians OF lhe ttibe of sr ph
who lett Judea by divine direction. a lite be ( nc
the destruction OF Jerusalem by TITUS under The
guidance OF LehI. their priest and prophet This
httle band diier wandering long and lot came a, LAST
to Anetca, and planted themselves IN the western
pau oil the present Stale of New York. So loup AS
their Characters remained unsuliie /. they wer,
prosperous; but when their piey de.enertled they
became splil INTO pariles were assailed by the,,
heaihen nelghbCfs, conquered, and either exierml.
mated or ensiased and thus ceased TO be a CHRISTIAN
people. vi th~se div ne judgments upon them they
were iofewarned by thrIr prophets, but without ei-
rect Dei"fe lheir overthrow, 10 the 4th century
MORRISON, their priest and prophet, was directed to
write their history TO iUsttibe IT on plates and 10
oury those plates IN the place where ~ 1877 atey.
siaii0n guided Joseph Smith TO search Tor them
sad 10 find hem.
Mr.. Smith with no great difficulty persuaded his
parents, ms Tour biolhers. and a lew others Ia ae
knowledge his prophetic character, and to embrace
as views but from The mass Of people he m,t n,tb
io'eoe a'd opposition. Al the eud OF ht ee or -four
ye"'s ne couid number only hundred followers
Afterwards he was more successful. and ,,,,
~. loll--he has perhaps Is 600 adheren,s. A
large body oil them reside at Nauyoo. in The : a,s
oil Limos, where Mr.. Smith himself lives and h. -.
nxed The centre aud capital Of the sect. The res,
are scattered over The Unued States and IN m
rope THEE heralds OF the sec, are no. labonns
IN England. Scotland, and Ireland, where he, nee,
az" mucn success. About one hundred English
M0Imons lately arrived at Nauvoo
The sect do not throw all fhei. propert, i,,o :.
common stock, bnt each man enjoys til. nun, Of
"s own industry. For public objects taxes are az
sessea. The general rule is a ieuth Of each msn's
income. "
10 Their religious doctrines or creed. the Mar
mons agree perfectly with the Complexities. ex.
sePt 10 Two particulars. First-They regard The
eook Of Mormon us a true history. md ios,iyed
voik. IL - not Ia Their view a new Bible. or a
hook which is TO introduce a new dispensa,,oa and
supeheae 'he use Of the Scriptures Of The O.d
s"a we" Iesia'nens 1t is only another insp,ed
voiQbe, H1riGs Tor ~ ch,ef..ie, a..