The Winchester home journal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1858-01-16
The Origin Of HIOYlnOmisll.

The following account Of the origin Of
the Mormon religion, which we copy from
the Journal Of Commerce, will be rea
with especial interest, at the present,
time:
MoRMoNIsM.-As this disgusting com.
pound Of sensualily, despotism and f..
rociousness, is continually thrustng itself
upon public attention, it may interest
some of our readers to recall the circum.
stances in which it originated. The
calamity has come upon us as one of the
results Of that excessive freedom, in the
exercise of which we throw open the
gates Of our empire TO all manner Of i'm t.
migrants from the old world for this
anomalous population is chiefly recruited
from Europe. Rev. Solomon Spaulding,
a graduate Of Dartmouth College, was
distinguished for lively Imagination,
and love Of history. He lived in a
part Of Ohio Astounding with mounds
and the ruins Of old forts, and took much
interest the study Of these antiquities.
To beguile his hours of retirement, he
conceived the idea Of giving historical
sketch of the lost race, about which there
was so much mystery. 1t was Of course
a fanciful undertaking, giving wide scope
for the exercise Of imagination, and
tempting him to indulge in an antique
style while describing ancient things.
The Old Testament containing the most
ancient books in the world, he found it
convenient to initiate its style. He there
fore aunched out at will into the region
of free historical romance This was in
1912. His neighbors, hearing of the
progress Of his curious work, would come
to his house and hear portions Of it read.
1t claimed to have been written by one
of the lost nation, to have been recover.
ed from the earth, and was christened
witt, the title of Manuscript Found"
This self.amusins gentleman pretended
10 be decypher;ng the mysteries of the
disinterred manuscript, and regularly re.
ported progress to his neghbors. From
the classics and from ancient history he
introduced many uncou,h and unaccus.
toned names, which awakened curiosity.
Mr.. Spaulding removed to Pitsburg, and
found friend in the person OF an editor.
to whom he showed his manuscript. The
editor was pleased, borrowed ii, kept it
and offered to print it, if Mr.. S. would
make out a suitable title page. He
promised also to make it source Of
profit. Mr.. S. declined any such use of
it. Sydney Rigdon, who has since fig.
ured so largely among the Mormons,
was then employed in the editors print.
ing office; he inspected the manuscript,
and had an opportunity to copy it. 1t
was returned to the author, who died in
1916. But the influence he had unwit.
ngly originated, did not die with him.
There is no doubt that Rigdon took a
,opy Of the manuscript He appeared
n Palmyra, N. Y, in 1928, working al
lis trade. About this time there began
o BIO talk Of certain mysterious "plates"
icing found in that region. They had
,een discovered, it was said. by Joseph
smith IT,, in the bank Of the Erie Canal,
lear Palmyra. Here Smith and Rigdon
TO start the fraud. Smith was
man OF low cunning, vulgar and sen.
ual in his habits, fitting accomplice
Or Rigdon, both being ready to execute ;
ny faIsehood. Joe was to be SCI, up as !