Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-12-08

now to cry persecution! The duped
Zee their folly, and are n by one re-
nouncing their immoral doctrine-being
protected in their right by Uncle Sans
bayonets. z - as "a
Joseph Smith. who wrote the Book Of
Mormon. was the founder of the Mormon
religion. He claimed to have had dis
closed to him in a vision the locality of
the hidden tablets, from which he pre-
tended to read to an amanuensis u trans
lation Of them. Others claimed, at the
time, that he took the material from an
unpublished romance written in 1872, by
one VIM. Spaulding, a graduate of Dart
mouth College. The object OF this novel
was to account for the presence Of the In
dian tribes as being descendants from He
brew Adventures, who, it wal claimed,
immigrated to this continent many centu-
ries before Christ. This charge Of pla-
giarism is quite well supported by afida.
Wits Of friends Of Spaulding, as well as by
the similarity of the narratives themselves.
The Book Of Mormon is a collection OF
sixteen different books protesting to have
been written at separate intervals and by
different prophets. In style of compo-
sition it resembles the Bible. but is an ex-
ceedingly clumsy and verbose imitation,
and bears the appearance Of a counterfeit
on its face. 1t contains some three hun
bred passages stolen almost verbatim from
the Bible, without the least acknowledge
ment Of their origin; for instance: "For
do we not read that God is the same, yes
terday, to-day, and forever, and in him is
neither variableness nor shadow Of chang
ing" The Book of Eloin, claiming to
have been written several centuries before
the Christian era, has the following clause:
g. the cold and silent grave, whence
no traveller returns" Verify, the mantle
of the inspired Eloin descended to the
shoulders of Shakespeare.
The original Book Of Mormon opposes
very Utterly the doctrine Of poligamy.
Many passages similar to the following are
to be found: "For, behold, thus saith
the Lord, this people begin to wax in ini-
guilty /; they understand not the Scripture;
for they seek to excuse themselves in COM
hitting whoredoms, because OF the things
which were written concerning David and
Solomon his son. Behold. David and
Solomon truly had many wives and con-
cubines, which thing was an abomination
to me, saith the Lord.
Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and
hearken unto the word of the Lord (; for
there shall not any mar among you have,
save it be one wife; and concubines he
shall have none; for 1, the Lord, delight
eth in the chastity of women"
This prophet evinces a sublime con-
tempt for the principles of Lindley Muir
ray, which were not, however, promulgat-
ed until long after the alleged writing of
this book. .....- ....-.a.
In 1885, believers in the new doctrine
of Mormonism focked in considerable
numbers to Missouri. They, being of an
immoral character, soon became involved
in difficulties with the inhabitants. They
were accused Of incendiarism, asSassina-
ton, and other outrages, and were driven
successfully from Jackson and from Clay
counties, and had located in the town OF
Far West. Here they were joined by
Smith and an accomplice named Rigdon.
both Of whom had fed from New York
to avoid arrest for fraud in q bank swim
ding operation. They still continued
their ou,rages, headed by Smith and Rig
don, and soon became so formidable as to
compel the Governor to call out troops to
suell the disturbances. Smith and Rig
don were arrested, and the Mcrmons
driven out of the State. They then mi
grated to Carthage county, Illinois, where
they were joined by Smith, who escaped
by breaking Jail. One DR.. Isaac Galland,
who owned a large tract Of land there,
gave Smith a portion to induce settlement,
and enhance the value Of the remainder.
Very naturally Smith received a "revela-
ton L" that the Almighty desired the Nor
mons to build there. Accordingly Nauvoo
was built, and from the rise OF his real
estate, and other speculasions. he amassed
a fortune of a million OF dollars. Being
now quite well-to.do in the world. Smith
concluded that having one wife was not
in accordance with his altered circum-
stances. But the teachings Of the Book
of Mormon were . sore thorn in his side,
and he found It necessary to have q rev
citation" legalizing p0igamy. This was
in 1913 ; and up to this time the Mormons
as q sect had adhered to the teachings of
their Book relative to concubines. This
revelation was received withs % much dis
satisfaction that it was not promulgated
officially until 1852. However, the i'm
pressible Joseph obeyed the command,
and took as many wives as he could per-
suade to share his Inequalities. He oon
caused discords in the community by
making advances to certain respectable
married ladies. The result Of this was
the establishment Of a newspaper, entitled
"The Exposition a bitter opponent of the
new dogma. Smith headed & mob and
attacked and demolished the printing
office. Foster s Law, the publishers, es-
capped to Carthage, where they obtained
warrants Of arrest for Smith and his ac-
complies. But the Mormons would not
suffer the arrest, and drove the officer out