The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-10-01
WEEKLY BAZOO.
SEDALIA
THE BOOK OF HORIZON.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER l, 1878.

THE BOOK OF HORIZON.
1t may not be generally known, but the
original manuscript of the Book Of Mormon
is in the possession Of q Mr.. Whitmer, in
Richmond, Ray county. A week or 40 ago
the church at Salt Lake cen: two of their
most prominent men 10 purchase the book,
but although Mr.. Whitmer was offered an
immense sum, he would not part with il.
Last weeks Conservative says: The article
that We published couple Of weeks since,
regarding the original manuscript Of the
book Of Mormon. has been extensively pub
lished BY the press with the request that
more light be thrown upon the subject, and
the Kansas City journal Of Commerce thinks
that the manuscript should he deposited
ut Independence, "a that is 10 be the future
city of the faith" % it would appeal with
great force to the imsginations of the faith
full, that Mr.. Whitmer would become, in
their estimation and traditions. the provi
Dental instrument in the preservation Of
the true word" and it regrets. as we'll as the
St. Louie Republican, that more light had
not been thrown on this subject. From
what We can learn Mr.. Whitmer, the custo-
dian Of the book, was one of the three
living witnesses to the discovery OF the gold
plates from which it is asserted that the
book Was translated by Joseph Smith,
through the medium of . pair of rock
spectacles that each inscription or CIPHER
on the plates Was Q sentence, and that the
plates were in the shape of a tablet, one
half of which we're sealed that after the
plates that we're opened had been translated
an angel, guide to Joseph, Mr.. Wnitmer
terms the spiritual visitant, came and took
the tablet and when he returns the sealed
plates will be opened and the world will then
learn the commands Of the son Of Mary.
The work came into Mr.. W.. hands
through Mr.. Cowdery, who was the amanu
ensis Of the prophet, and who supervised
the printing OF the Book of Mormon, re-
serving the manuscript, and it can be seen
thu: several of the pages have been cut. 50
that the printers could zee the copy in what
is known TO the craft az ''takes." Mr.
Whitmer being one Of the witnesses, Mr..
Cewdery thought that he was the proper
custodian, as did John Whitmer, brother Of
David, who was secretary of the church at
Far West, and one Of the twelve witnesses
"a to Its validity. Feeling that doubts
might arise a. to the authenticity Of the
book of Mormon or that interpretations
might be made by the leaders of the church
at Sal; Lake, the original manuscript has
been securely guarded. 50 that no change
could be made without its being refuted.
While Mr.. Whitmer IL a strong believer in
the doctrines that tins book teaches, he is
bitterly opposed to the assertions and
teachings Of the Utah branch, with their
system of spiritual wives and D~nitelsm.
believing that the pretended revelation O:
Joseph Smith, overturning the stronges;
averment of the book of Mormon. was an
outcrDpping OF the carnal man, and not Of
Of the spiritual kingdom, for the book OF
Jacob of the Mormon bible. after
previous condemnation of David and
Solomon, for shaving many wives
and concubines," says, explicitly ::
"Wherefore my brethren, hear me and
hearken to the word of the Lord; for there
shall not any man among you have save il
be one wife; and c0ncnbines he shall have
none. For I, the Lord God, dellghteth in
the chastity Of woman" And in the Book
of Doctrines and Covenants, which is their
creed, after declaring that the language Of
to promise to keep themselves "wholly for
each other and from all Others during your
lives" it AYERS, a. follows: "Inasmnch "a
the Church of Christ has been reprosched
with the crime of fornicafiOn and pOlygamy,
We declare that We believe that one man
should have one wife, and one woman but
one husband, except in case of death, when
either is at liberty to marry again."
That is the belief that Mr.. Whitmer still
clings to, and it wAs doubtless for fear that
something might be done to the original
record, either to interpolate it or strike out
such passages az the above, has caused him
to watch with q jealous eve every move
made bv TIE Elders of the Utah church.
A regards the custody of the book. he
thinks it should be held BY him and his
descendants until the coming of the Saviour.
who has promised in due time to be again
among his people and set up his tabernacle
20 that all can worship in one common
temple and drink of the water of life freely.
So far there has been no Interpolation Of
the original book printed from theae pages
at Palmyra, New York, nor will there be
while David Whitmer holds them in his
possession.
Died.
In Benton county, ten miles south at
Windsor. on Wednesday. Sept. 18th; VIII
liam E. Wetzel, Of typhoid pneumonia, aged
about Sc years.
Virginia papers please copy.
CLINTON.