Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-03-06
Origin Of NIOrnnOnisIn.

AT the request of some of our readers,
we republish well authenticated ac-
count of the origin of Mormonsm,
which was inserted in the Religious
Telegraph and Observer on the 9th of
May last. This account of one of the
grossest religious impostions of our
time, was communicated to the Boston
Recorder by Rev. John Storrs, under
date of Holiston, Mass, April sth,
1889. His letter to the editor of that
paper is as follows:
DEAR SIR:-As the pastor of the
Congregational church and society in
this town, have had occasion to come
in contact with Mormonism in its gros-
sest forms. Consequently have been
led to make inquiries relative to its ori>
gin, progress, and SO far as they have
any peculiar sentiments of its votaries.
My object in this has been, as faithful
pastor, SO far as possible to arrest the
progress of what deem to be one of the
rankest delusions ever palmed on poor
human nature. However, not suppo-
sing that the readers of the Recorder
would be interested in the details of
Mormonism in general, | send you for
publication in your valuable periodical
the following communication, as a pa
per of unusual Importance, giving a Ger
tilted, sufficiently well attcsted and true
account of the origin of the Book of
Mormon" or Golden Bible" as it is
sometimes called: on which the whole
system mainly depends. And here
perhaps it should be said, that the lea
ders of the delusion pretend that the
book was dug out of the ground, where
it had been deposited for many Genius
rlcs; that 1t was written on certain
metallic plates, in peculiar character
or hieroglyphic; that the finder, man
of money-digging memory, who was
accustomed to look into the ground by
the aid of peculiar stone, was in ST.
milar manner enabled to read and trans
late it. Hence, what is sometimes cal
led the Mormon Bible. But not such
is its origin, according to the following
commune alton.
The occasion Of the communication
coming into my hands, is as follows {:
Having heard, incidentally, that there
was lady in Monson, Mass, whose
husband, now dead, was the author of
the book, ! requested in note, Rev. d..
r. Austin, Principal of Monson Acadc-
my, to obtain of her, for my benefit, and
to be used as | should think proper, a
certified account of its origin with her
husband; for the character of which
lady, | wished the venerable DIR. Ely
and himself to avouch. The following
highly satisfactory document came in
reply.
You are requested TO insert it in the
Recorder, not so much because it will
interest the ma jority of your readers,
but that the facts, well attcsted may be
laid up in memory and the number of
your papers containing them being kept.
may afford the means to an enlightened
community, to refuse so great an impo-
sition on the world. | would not only
respectfully bespcak its publication in
the Recorder, but in other papers; !
would it were published throughout the
land; for many Mormons are stragg-
ling throughout the country endcavor>
ing to propagate their notions; and with
some success with peculiar class OF
people. The origin Of this pretended
revelation being thus completely au-
thentcated, may save many minds from
delusion, fanatacism and ruin.
Yours respectfully,
JoHN SroRRs.
! ORIGIN OF TIE BOOK OF MORMON
OR "GOLDEN BIBLE"
As this book has excited much attcn'
ton and has been put, by certain new
sect, in the place of the sacred Scrip
lures, deem it duty which | owe &c
the public, to state what know touch
ing its origin. That its claims to a dl'
vine origin are wholly uniounded, need,
no proof to a mind unperverted by tho
grossest delusion. That any sane per-
son should rank it higher than any Other
merely human composition, is matter
of the greatest astonishment; vet ii i.
received as divine by some who dwell
in enlightened New England, and ever
by those who have sustained The charac
ter of devoted Christians. Learning
recently, that MormOnism has found it
way into a church in Massachusetts
and has impregnated some of its mem
bers with its gross delusions, so that ex
communication has become necessary
) am determined to delay no longer do
, ing what can to strip the mask from
this monster of sin, and to lay open II
5 pit of denominations.
Rnu Snlnnnnn Snanldinn 10 whom