Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-06-21
,T.,,,on;sm-The Golden Bible-VShaf me
Mormous have Accsmplished ana arr
Leaving in Utah

Leaving in Utah
rhe ,rsin of Mormon mustard seed was plant
ed bv its Prophet, Joseph Smith, in 1929. In
that YEAR he employed Oliver Cowdery as ms
.manueusis to write out the Book of Mormon
a the Proubet read the records from the Golden
Plates alleged to have been discovered under
qround in Western New York Martin Harms oi
PaImvra. a farmer of means, became security to
Mr.. Grspdin, then publisher Oflhe Wayne Senfi-
nell t. PRINT and bind 5000 copies of the B'ble,
for ss, 900. The publication was completed IN
1880. The manuscripts were written by Cow
derv from transIations verbally given by Smith,
who alone was able to read the hieroglyPhics Of
the sacred Plates, by means Of wonderful
stone and magic sPeetaeles, said to have been
found in the earth with the records When
Itrsnslating Smith occupied a daIk room, and by
special revelation neither CowdeTy nor any 9TH
er person except the Prophet, was permitted to
see the Golden Plates, on penalty of instant
death. The Plates were said by Smith TO re-
semble plates of gold, and the hieroglyPhics, of
great antiquity, were +" written by the hand OF
Mormon upon Plates taken from the Plates of
Nephi"
The Book Of Mormon is a dull story Of the
lost Tribes, done up in poor Scripture style
There is but little connection in the Books and
Chapters, and wonderfully long bow is ooea-
sionally drawn in narTating the adventures of
individuals and tribes When MomOnism be-
gan to flourish in the Lake region of Ohio, the
G llden Bible was seldom preached or much
quoted from in public congregations, the Nor
mon Elders often being 'icOntent with slight
reference to its contents, and the remark that,
aIf the Christian Bible is true, the Book Of
Mormon Is also" The Book possessed but t
tic interest as a romance or historical work,
and it was usually thrown by after a chapter OF
two had been perused, at least by outsiders.
Nor does the Book of Mormon appear to have
become text book to any considerable extent
even in the teachings in the Salt Lake City
Tabernacle The discourses of Brigham Young,
he High Priests and Elders, as reported in the
DsseTef Meas, often refer to and quote from the
Bible. but never from the Book of Mormon 1t
is so pointless as really to have been ignored BY
the Latter Day Saints of the Prophet Smith for
more than quarter of century.
That Elder Sidney RigdOn, a Campbellite
preacher of considerable celebrity in this sec
ton thirty years ago, was connected with the
bringing out of the Book of Mormon, there is
scarce a doubt. In his disoourses before the
Golden Bible appeared he frequently predicted
"a new light, new revelation" that was soon
70 appear. He was the forerunner of Smith,
aad the pretended translations Of the Prophet
were doubtless transcripts from romance writ
ten By Rev. NJ SPaulding, and who was de-
ceased, and whose manuscripts fell into the
hands of Rigdon aud were by him altered into
the myth of the Book of Mormon. RigdOn was
early converted by Smith, and was among the
first preachers of the newly revealed gospel
according to Mormon" RigdOn often referred
to the revelation" with " / told you it would
be so" sort of an air, and after the murder Of
Smith, at Nauvoo, attempted TO become his sue
cessor Failing in this he established himself
over branch of secedeTs in Western Psnnsyl-
vania, and either run of, run out, apOstatiEed,
or died, years ago. His Mormon fame was
eelipsed by Brigham Young, and his bOastful
mission proved dead failure.
- -u-s7---zz-u-.t-zz1---r--
] Smith, from the day tie small band Of M0rmous
left Kirtland, in Lake county, for their suppos-
= ed New Jerusalem" in Missouri Driven out
of that State by IRE and sword, they "planted
( their stakes - and buiIi city at NauYOO. The
! fires Of persecution were again lighted, their
Prophet was murdered, and in rigorous sea
son of the year they were forced from Illinois
! into the great and inhOsPitable wilderness of
} the Rocky Mountains The following article
from the Tribune shows how they have there
fiOurished, and what they now are leaving for
the sake of MOnnOnism. History scarcely af-
fords aparaliel
The line Of Mormon settlements which are
represented in our last accounts from Utah as
being abandoned by the inhabitants, commences
near the northern boundary Of the Territory,
about seventy mies distant from Salt Lake
City, in the valleys of Caahe aud Malade, which
are used, however, chiefly for ih0 pasturage 0f
the stock belonging to the church. There arc
also two small settlements on the Bea. River,
but the first place approaching Salt Lake City
Box Elder or Brighan's City, about eight miles
south OF Bear River and ilty-seven from Salt
Lake City. This tSVn, which is inhabited
principally by Danes aud Swiss, i very hand
somelY situated on plain about two hundred
feet above the level OF Bear River The houses
are well built and handsomely arranged. Five
miles south is Willow Creek, in the vicinity Of
which is much good land, producing the heayi-
est crops Of wheat raised in the Territory.
Twelve miles south of Willow Creek Fort is
Ogden's Hole a fine valley surrounded on all
sides by mountains, except the naTrow pass at
its entrance. Il contains five hundred inhabit-
ants Three miles south. west Of the HHole" is
Bingham's FOrt, containing seven hundred in
habiiants. Two miles from Binghams Fort
and tEirty-fve from Salt Lake City, is Ogden
1 City, on Weber River, one Of the largest towns
in the TeTiitGry, and containing many handsome
buildings The population is four or FIVE thou
sand. fast and West Weber Forts, en- the Op-
Posiie banks Of the river, about eight miles
above Ogden City, contain about five hundred
inhabitants. Eight miles further south is Keys
vile, cOHtaiEiEg about thousand inhabitants
II has some good arabls land, and fine stock |
range. Pennington City, the county scat Of
Davis County, contains about the same number |
of inhabitants Three or four miles further |
south IS Sessions, 8 Struggling settlement, scat
tered some five miles along the road, but with /
many fne houses, and including the best lands 4
in the Terrtsry. Eight miles from Sessions Is
Salt lake City, which j slpPosed TO contain