The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-11-03

cause 1t was removed from earth-or, in
their hgurative expression, "the man child
was caught up into heaven" which means
that the priesthood was taken away fifteen
hundred years ago. Ard Joseph was told
that hls prayes were heard and registered
IN the books on high, and that, being dear
ly beloved of the Lord, he should be com
mssioned priest after the order of Mel
chisldek, and restore that line among men,
organizing church Of faithful persons, to
receive the Lord in the Millennium, which
time should be hastencd according to their
degree OF mighty tdih, for he was deter
mined "to cut the work short in righteous
ness" In after visits he was further in
structed that truth should spring out of
the earth"-Ps.)-and that, accordingly,
he should be conducted to the hill Cumorah,
in Palmyra, New York, and receive from
out the ground holy and prophetic records
concerninga family Of Jews that emigrat-
ed from Jerusalem in the time of ZcdeIiah,
and were miraculously led to America,
across the Eastern ocean.
"On being guided TO the spot, he found
square stone box, eight inches high, COW
cred with slab, cemented upon it; and
made repeated trials to open it. He was
struck back 10y an invisible blow, and in
formed, in answer 10 his earnest drawer.
that the want of success was owing TO his
listening to the suggestions, of Satan, who
had walked at his elbow on the way. and
had made him resolve to make use of the
golden plates on which the records were
engraved, rs well as the contents when
published, to advance his temporal for
tunes. This was sin--to think he should
become famous, was unholy ambition; that
he should be rich and powerful thereby,
was avarice.
"Dut on sincere repentance and sub
mission, four years after, the contents of
the box were shown to him, the angel
opening it; which consisted of the "Sword
of Laban," brought from Jerusalem. a
oreastplate and two stones, bright and
shining" and golden plates engraved with
characters, and united at the backs by
rings. A portion of the records was re-
cclved, constituting the Book Of Mormon.
IN which are depicted, much in the styIe of
the Bible Chronicles, the various fortunes
OF the four brothers of the emiprat;np
family, and of their desceudants-how
some tribes were evil in their practices, de-
sPising reproof, and became cursed with a
dark skin aad loathsomc habits. and were
made SconrocS In n,h hors swl,n.-c-li:---.-- IA
from tho truth-thc sayings, teachings,
and warnings of their prophets, who fore
told bv Eame the advent Of the Saviour
OF the world-the organization among the
In Z
by Christ, who came down to them after
His ascension at Jerusalem, and gave them
! lis gospel nearly in the words of the Ser
mon on the Mount, and how that for
apostacy these Christians were finally de-
stroyed by the Gadianton robbers and the
red nen-the last prophet, Morani by
name, sealing up the Records, and deposit
ing them, with the sword, Urim and
Thummim, and brcastplntc, at Cunorah,
there to remain until 'the fumess of time"
should demand their exhumation; and
which should be brought forth, "by way
OF Gentile," for the convincing OF both
Jew and Gentle that Jesus is the Christ"
(Sec Preface, b. Mormon.)
The restoring angel was the spirit Of
this same Morani, the son of Mormon the
Seer, who had made "a compendium vi the
holy writings and delivered them to him;
and Joseph now constituted the Seer, by
means OF the Urim and ThummIm, placed
i'll II bow and looked through upon the
plates, began their translation, and preach
ed the news of his important mission"
Such il the account gwen by Joseph
Smith and his followers Of the origin of
the Book Of Mormon. Fanaticlsm will
ever meet with opponents in men whose
minds are enlightened by science, and
where Christian principles are firm and
settled. II is alleged by the opponent Of
Mormonism, that the Mormon bible was
fabricated by Joseph Smith, out Of a
manuscript written by the late Rev. Mr..
Spaulding, at Conncaut, Ohio; and of
which lie became possessed. This manu-
script was written by Mr.. SpauIding, to
account for the ruined cities and temples
discovered in Central America. These re-
mains Of past civilization, which anti
quarians have not yet been able to account
for, were chosen by Mr.. ,Spaulding rs the
! subject of h!s Ms, which Is q romance 70
show the manner in which America was
peopled by the Jews, and the "lost ten
tribes Of Israel" together with the subse-
quent events that occurred to their des-
cendents, and the origin Of the Indian ma.
tons which overspread the continent Of
America when il was discovered by Col.
umbus. A clear idea of the origin of the
Mormon bible can be had from the affida.
Wit Of Mr.. Henry Lake, given at Conneadt,
in 1888, which is corroborated by an a.
bundance Of other testimony.
ale affirms; II left the State Of New
York in the year Of 1910, aud arrived in
this place about the first of January fol
lowing, Soon after my arrival formed
a copartnership with Solomon Spaulding
$~%. lie frequently read to me from .
manuscript which he was writing, and
which he entitledth Manuscript Found"