The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-11-14
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Aobertistr,
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER IA.
A Short History Of Mormonism from an
Authentic Source.


There existed years ago a Connecticut man.
named Soloman SpaldiDg "a relation of the one
who invented wooden Dutmegs) q Yankee of the
true stock. lie appears at first as a law student:
then a preacher, next a merchant, then a bank
rupt afterwards he becomes a blacksmith in a
small western village then a land Spectator and
a county schOol-master; later still, he becomes
the owner Of an iron foondry once more a bank
rupt at last a writer and a dreamer.
As might be expected he died a beggar, little
thinking that by a singular coincidence one of
his productions (t' The Manuscript Found y re-
deemed from oblivion by a few rogues, would
prove in their hands a powerful weapon, and be
the basis Of one of the most anomalous, vet DOW
erful secessiOns which has ever been experienced
by the established church.
We find under the title of the 81 Manuscript
Found an historical romance Of the first settlers
Of America, eEdeavoring to show that the Amer
lean Indians are descendants of the Jews, or the
Lost Tribes 1t gives a detailed account of
their journey from Jerusalem, by land and By
sea, till they arrive in America, under the COM
mand of Nephi and Lehi. They afterwards had
quarrels and contentious, and separated into two
distinct nations, one of which is denominated
Nephites, and the other Lamanites.
Cruel and bloody wars ensued, in which great
multitudes were slain. They buried their dead
in large heaps, which caused the mounds now so
commonly found on the continent of America.
Their knowledge in the arts and sciences, and
their civilization, are dwelt upon, in order to
account for ell the remarkable ruins of cities and
other curious antiquities, found in various parts
OF North and South America. Solomon Spalding
writes in the biblical style, and commences almost
every sentence with, 'fAnd it came to pass. -
"Now, 1t came to pass"
Although some powers Of Imagination and q
degree Of scientific information are displayed
throughout the whole romance, il remained for
several years unnoticed, on the shelves of Messrs.
Patterson d Lambdin, printers in Pittsburg,
pennsylvania. Many years passed, when Lamb
din, the printer, having failed, wished : : TO raise
the wind by some book speculation" Looking
over the various manuscripts then in his posses
sion, the " Manuscript Found - venerable in its
dust, was, upon examination, looked upon as a
8 gold mine,' which would restore the ahluence
the unfortunate publisher. But death summoned
Lambdin away, and put an end to the specula-
ton, as far as his interests were concerned.
Lambdin had intrusted the precious manuscript
to his bosom friend, Sidney Rigdon, that he
might embellish, and alter it as he should think
expedient.
The publisher now dead, Rigdon allowed this
' chef d'0uyre to remain in his desk, till,
rejecting upon his precarious means, and upon
his chances of obtaining a future livelihood, a
sudden idea struck him.
Rigdon well knew his countrymen and their
avidity for the marvellous he resolved to give to
the world the Z" Manuscript Found mot as a
mere work OF imagination, or disquisition as its
writer had intended Ii it to be but as a new code
of religion sent down to man, as of yore on awful
Sinai, the tables were given to Moses.
For some time Rigdon worked hard studying
the Bible, altering his book, and preaching every
Sunday. 1t was easy for him, from the first
of his intended imposture, to publicly
discuss in the pulpit, many strange points of con-
troversy, which were eventually to become the
corner-stones of the structure which he wished
to raise.
The novelty of the discussions was greedily
by many, and of course prepared them
for that which was coming. Yet it seems that
soon pTeceiyed the evils which his wild
would generate, and he recoiled from
the task; not because there remained lurking in
his breast some few sparks Of honesty, but be-
,ause he wanted courage; he was a scoundrel,
a timorous one. With him Mormonism"
was a mere money speculation, and he resolved to
himself hahind aoHso fool, WHO might bear
he whole odiuIn. while he would reap the
golden harvest, and quietly retire before the
coming Of a storm. But as is often the case, he
without his host for it so happened
hat, in searching for a tool of this description,
ne found in Joe Smith the one not precisely what
le had calculated upon. He wanted o compound
# roguery and folly as his tool and slave Smith
vas a rogue and an unlettered man, but he was,
shat Rigdon was not, a man of bold conception,
ull OF courage and mental energy, one of those
lnprincipled, yet lofty aspiring beings, who,
.enturies past would have succeeded as well as
iahomet, and who has, even in this more
heightened age, accomplished that which is
to contemplate.
When too late to retract, Rigdon perceived
With dismay, that, instead of acquiring a silly
he had subjected himself to a superior
ill he was now himself a slave, bound by fear
nd interest, his two great guides through life.
ninth consequently became, instead of Rigdon,
the elect of God,' and is now a great religious
nd political leader. But Rigdon is most I'M
oubtedly the Father of Mormonism, and the
uthor of the " Golden Book, with the exception &
f a few alterations subsequently made by Joe t
NTH. {