Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-07-22
Origin of the Mormon Rihlc.

Origin Of the Mormon Bible.
The real author Of the Book Of Nor
mon was Rev. Solomon Standing
graduate Of yarmouth College in 1875.
His health failing he engaged in bust
ness, and in 1903 was living at Conneaut,
Ohio, where there are numerous Indian
mounds. He then wrote q romance,
setting forth the not new theory that the
North American Indians were repre-
sentatiyes Of the lost tribes of Israel.
Mr. Spaulding took advantage Of his sur
rounding4, and connected his story witn
the relics which were found in the
mounds In q fictitious introduction 10
his novel which he entitled The Manu-
script Found" he speaks Of the book as
one Of the eXhumed relics Of past age.
He makes use of the Scripture style of
expression. He tells Of the departure
from Palestine ola Jewish father. Lehi,
and his four sons, Lamar, Samuel, Lem
Uel and Nephi, Of the various iournies
and their voyage to this Western Conti-
neut, Dissension and division are fire.
quent. The descendants of the brothers
develop into hostile tribes. Then came
quarrels and wars. and finally decisive
battle, and in short, the substance Of all
that is found III the Golden Bible" q
Joseph Smith Indeed the Book q
Mormon seems TO he only a modified
but mutlated edition of Rev Mr. Spaul-
ding's "Alanuscript Found" There is
abundant internal evidence that the
later is reproduction Of the earlier
work.
Spaulding used to read the chapters
of his story 10 lis neighbors, who were
deeply interested in its progress, and
were greatly entertained by the ingenu-
itv of the author He worked upon it
three years, or until 1872, whenhe moved
90 pittsburg Pa. There he put his man
uscript into the hands of q printer by
the name Of Patterson. lie expected to
publish the book, and it was announced
in the papers in 1913 as forthcoming. 1t
never was published, however, probably
because Spuuding had not the money to
pay the bills. Spaulding died in 1916.
The original copy was returned TO his
widow, who kept it until the Book of
Mormon was published, and then she
produced ii in proof Of her assertion that
Joseph's pretended revolution was
fraud. In the Boston J9trp03 of May
IS, 1889 she told the story Of the Manu-
script,
The evidence Is complete that Smith
discovered only what he and some ASSOC
ciate had hidden in box Of their own
making in hole Of their own digging.
Smith came into possession Of a copy of
the work of Spaulding, by sydney Rig
don, q workingman in Patterson's print
ing Office. Rigdon confessed the fact
afterward when he was cut off from the
Mormon Church by Brigham Young.
The three witnesses also quancle, with
Joseph and RIgdon and confessed to
having sworn taisely. Rigdon on leay-
ing the work of printing became a
preacher of peculiar doctrines. Smith
had quite a large following in certain
views peculiarly his, and these two re-
ligiOus ishmHlites coming together, set
60 work to give the world a new Bible.
Smith, adding what was suited to his
purpose, dictated Spaulding's story TO
Oliver Cowdrey from behind q screen,
and the work was done, land palmed Oft
upon q company of ool deluded fanatics
as divine"
TIE new prophet seems to have had
but vague notions of what doctrines the
new church should hold. Rigdou held
to some doctrines which Smith did not.
But they both agreed ON the question Of
the Second Advent. then exciting their
section of country. They made that
doctrine prominent III their Bible. The
idea was the end is at hand; the In
dams are to be speedily converted
America is tie final gathering place of
the saints, who were to assemble a near
the center Of the continent rs possible"
This was doctrine, and this they
,.r,,.l,.l and this ,hiatlv ~ first If