Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-18

Mr.. Maverick thus explodes this
clever fraud: On our table lie two edi
tions of this famous volume one printed
in London in 1854, gilt-edged and full
bound-the other cheap reprint, issued
in New York. The latter contains an
introduction, giving tM Mormon version
of the Divine Authenticity of the work
and the proofs to establish its human
origin The English copy was printed
by the Mormons, ssand was sold at the
" Latter-Day Saints Depot " in Jewen
street, London; the American edition
was originally printed for the use of non
believers in Mormonism, but thousand
copies were subsequently sold to the
Mormons in Williamsburg with the often
siye Introduction excluded Both
editions are now out'of print.
The book is literary curiosity-not
only on account of the ingenious manner
in which it is put together, but because
it was eagerly accepted by the Mormons
as the standard of a religious faith, and
is still so regarded by them. 1t is to
the Mormon what the Koran is to the
Mohammedan. 1t purports TO be An
Account Written by the Hand of Nor
mon, upon Plates taken from the Plates
of Nephi-translated by Joseph Smith,
jr. and on the fy-leaf of the English
copy is the Testimony of Three Wit
nesses " to the genuineness of these
plates. These witnesses say
" We declare, with words ofsoberness,
that an angel of God came down from
heaven, and he brought and laid before
our eyes, that we beheid and saw the
plates, and the engravings thereon, etc.
Then follow their names Oliver Cow
derry, David Whitmer, and Martin Har-
ris. All these were good Mormons, who
hoaxed the others because 10. Smith
hoaxed them, and they knew no better.
The facts were these About the year
1909 the Reverend Solomon Spaulding,
a clergyman who had been graduated at
Dartmouth College and settled in the
town of Cherry Valley, in the State of
New York, removed from that place to
New Salem, Ashtabula county, Ohio.
Mr.Spaulding was an enthusiastic archa-
ologist. The region to which he re-
moved was rich in American antiquities.
He accepted the theory that the curious
mounds which have been so carefully
explored and described by Mr.. Squier
and others, were the work of a branch
Of the ancient Israelites who once peo-
9led the American continent. The am
pie material By which he was surrounded,
tull of mythical interest and legendary
'uggestiveness, led him to the eoncep-
ion of a singular literary project. He
iet himself to the task of writing a tcti-
iOus history of the race which had built
he mounds, and after three years labor
he volume was finished. Before the
inal revision of the manuscript, how
.ver, Mr.. Spaulding had removed to
oittsburg. When he was ready to send
lis book TO the press, he placed the
manuscript in the hands Of a printer
iamed Patterson in that city. Some
unexplained delay occurred, and the
-olume was never printed as Mr. Spauld-
ngs production. In the employ of Pat
ersop vas a versatile genius, one Sidney
figdoD, a journey1nan printer, whose
articular delight was in dissertations o4
theological questions Rigdon disap- |
eared soon after Mr.. Spaulding's man
script arrived tie manuscript disap-
cared with him, and in 1916 Mr.. Spauld- |
1g died. The next that was heard of |
The Manuscript Found was the dis
overy Of a part Of it III the possession |
f Jose - Smith, jr., the original
acobs' of the line of Mormon Prophets,
shiftless, adventurous, bright scamp,
tho schemed and did anything but work
)F a living. An agent, acting for Smith,
ppeared before Professor Anthon in
Jew York, few years after Spaulding's
cath, hearing with him a ''Gold Book
nd an enormous pair of spec'acles,
hich, he said, had been dug up from a
i'll near Palmyra, New York. The Gold
'ook consisted of several metallic plates
lscribed with sibgular characters "evi-
emily prepared, says Professor An
ION, by some person who had before
i'm at the time book containing vari-
US alphabets, Greek and Hebrew letters,
'osses, and fourishes." Some time
-terwaFds this Gold Book was taken to
rOfessOr Athen in print, and offered for
lie, but he declined to buy, and ended
y denOuncing " the rogues who had
vented the hoax. 4 little later, Jo
NTH announced his revelation from
eaven, and gathered about him the first
ompany of fools who embraced the
-ormon doctrine. From that time on
ard the story of Joanna SouthcOte was
'peated, and to-day Mormonism is the
ost striking example in the record of
ligiOus delusion. The q Prophet" 10.
as killed by mob Nauyoo became
o hot for the Mo,rmO4 Brigham
oung had revelation Sand became
o.'s successor; the tribe continually
Igmented in numbers by converts from
1rope, moved westward and still
rther westward, With Brigham still at
leir head, until finally they reached
tab, and now the Pacific road and the
vilization that run upon its track
reaten to push them from their last
sting place. Mormonism rests upon
greatest OF It's kild-but like
hoaxes, however ingenious or long
7ed, it is sure TO find an end, and then
pass with all the others into the pages
history as thing of the past.
After all, though, hoaxes are good
ings in their way. The :" Roorback .
ade votes fer James X. Kolk-beeause
slandered him. The " "Moon Hoax "
ade friends for Richard Adams Locke,
cause it showed be had genius. The
Proclamation Hoax was not without
use-for it brought out the loyal feel
g of our people, and made them more
ueky than ever. The next hoax that
mes will-let US wait to see what it
II do.
Strawberries in New York.
The New York Sun. of Tuesday. saws