The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-11-10
The Z" Book Of Mormon and How Ii
Originated.

Public attention was frat called 10
the Book Of Mormon and 10 the OTgani-
cation OF the church Of that name AT
Kirkland, Lake County, O., in the year
1854. Sidney RigdOn was al that time
the recognized organizer and leader Of
the new order. The writer lived with
in a few miles Of Kirkland az the time,
and although quite young he has q dis
tinct recollection of the public senti-
ulent and feelingas 10 the new religion.
After this new religion had succeeded
in attracting some attention, and had
obtained quite a number Of adEerents
by tine efforts of Rigdon, Joseph Smith
and Oliver COwdery, il began to chal-
lenge the criticism and investigation Of
a class of minds far above those who,
through superstition and religious
frenzy, mad lOinei the order. Among
these were Eber ID. Howe and Storm
Rosa. Mr.. Howe was the editor Of the
gainesville Telegraph and Mr. Ross was
= practising physician. They resolved
70 see what there was in MormOnism,
and went to work The result was
book Of some 800 pages entitled 'MOr-
monism Unveiled | presume the
book could be obtained now by sending
20 the Postmaster or Mayor Of Paines-
vile, o., where the authors lived.
gainesville Is but ten miles from kirt-
land.
The pretense Of the Church leaders
that the Book Of Mormon had It's orr
Gin from The discovery Of the plates by
Joe smith, as claimed in the letter Of
W. w. was one Of the first things 10 be
exposed. This the authors did by
showing that the original Book of Nor
mon was religious romance prepared
oy solomon Spaulding, a retired
preacher II the gospel, Of Ashtabula
. County. Ohio. and this fact was shown
I by the sworn affidayits OF Mrs. Spauld-
/ ing and 4 large number of the immedi-
ate neighbOrs and friends OF Mr..
I Spaulding, whom he often entertained
during long evenings with reading pOr-
tiOns OF his romance. These affidavIts,
In describing the romance and IN CIV
ing the names Of the actors, the scenes
and incidents narrated, and AL the sur
rounding circumstances, leave no doubt
of the two books.
II Is further shown that Mr.. :. after
completing his book, went with ms
manuscript TO a certain printer IN Pitts
burgh, Pa, To have It published, and,
while the printer was examining the
manuscript and considering the subject,
Mr.. SpauldinC was taken sick and died.
The book further shows that Sidney
Rigdon was az that time = iourneyman
printer in the same Office applied 10
by Mr.. :, and had assisted in eNamin-
inc the manuscript Il further shows
that Spaulding's widow after his death
applied 10 the printer for the manu-
script Of her husbands romance, but II
could no, be found. MormOnism Tn
veiled'' further shows that about this
time a Young and very eccentric man
by the name of Joseph smith, IN the
County Of Chautauqua, n Y. was At
tracing considerable attention as 3
seer who pretended that by LOOKING
al a certain stone placed in his hat
drawn close to MS face he would dis.
cover hidden things and unknown facts
/ and that Rigdln had changed his resi-
dence from Pittsburgh to the neighbOr'
hood OF this seer
The plates mentioned by ". W. next
make their appearance a. having been
discovered by this s'seer" Joe smith
Here Oliver Cowdery's services are
called in to translate the inscription.
and hieroglyPhics Of the plates, he be
ing 4 man Of learning. And the result
, OF al this was the advent Of the Nor
mon b. bic into the world and the es
b Establishment II Kirkland of the Church
: Of the Laiter-day Saints, with RigdOn
smith. and COwdery AZ its head, with s
few followers as devoted Is Catholicism
! itself could wish.
: The combined effects of " Mormon
, ism Unveiled " and the collapse of TIT
! Kirkland Safety Fund Bank, got up by
. these same men, whose bills had beer
I spread as broadcast as possible, an'
The constantly occurring troubles be
tween the MormOns and the surround
: inc citizens, compelled them % abandon
e Kirkland These troubles were Of thl
: same Sind a. those that subsequent
e Ted 10 smiths death az NauvoO, III. III
: was. in fact, arrested and tried for 81
p attempt D. commit murder, but slippe,
j. through the meshes Of the law, as man
e a culprit has done. The charge wa
+ that Smith had persuaded q meek mem
Der Of the faith by the name of Dento
L 10 believe that Il was the viii Of Go
a that a man by the name Of GrandisO
j. Newell should be removed, as he was
= wicked hindrance 10 the progress Of th
II church And Denton waylaid Newe
IS 70 Kill him: Newell failed TO put in a
n appearance az the requisite time, AN
4 Denton told the story Judge Bissel
ie who j. now living a retired life at r.
u Oak, Ia, successfully defended Smit
C. MANY are the stories told by the form'
IL people Of Kirkland of the fruitless efor
n ~ the Mnrmnns To- work miracIes