The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-12-11
INVESTIGATING M0RMONISM.
script Under INSPECTION by
q Committee.

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, November 24.-The
remarkable growth OF Mormonism in
/ Utah and other parts of the United
| States, and the efforts made by the
ablest statesmen to check the growth
of polygamy, has brought the Mormon
problem so prominent before the minds
that All investigation OF the original
Mormon Bible manuscripts by scientific
day. This manuscript, which is de-
clartd to be the translation Of some
heiroglyphics inscribed upon metal
plates, whose hiding place in the soil of
Ontario County. n. Y, had been re-
vealed 10 Joseph Smith BY an angel of
the Lord. is in the possession of David
Whitmer, of Richmond. Mo. Mr.. Whit
sner Is now quite an aged man, and the
only surviving member OF the little
band vino assisted Joseph Smith in the
funding o the Mormon Church. Heti>
said TO lead aH almost blameless lie,
and is firm believer that the m4nu-
script intrusted 10 his care is of Divine
origin. Whitmer, Oliver "owdery and
Martin Harris were The rim"sees who
testified when Smith published the Nor
mon Bible that an angel of Cod came
down from Heaven and laid before their
eyes the plates that bore the character
of which the manuscript is said to be
translated. The investigation IS being
pushed by Prot. Clark Braden, formerly
President of Abingdon College. The
Judges appointed for the occasion are
Col. J. T. ChiIds, OF the Richmond Con
zcrrGtor; Mr. z han Al,oA, of the Lex
ington Observer, and Mr.. Harrison, OF
the Richmond Democrat. One OF the
principal witnesses 20 appc-T before the
Examining Board is Maj. J. II. Gilbert.
of Palmyra, n. Y! he i tic printer
who set the type for the first --Jrmon
Bible. The points TO be considered are:
/. Is the manuscript Ii Whitmer'N
hands the manuscript Maj. Gilbert used
in setti:.g up tie Book OF Mormon?
.. Is the manuscript punctuated and
capitalized, and to what extent: 3. Are
the errors in gTdmiliilr and Con- position
that are Ill thefirSt edition of tie Cook
of Mormon found III the manuscript?
4. Has the manuscript been changed
since it left the hands of Oliver COwdery,
and to what extent and by whom?
There have been several theories adj
vanced by persons who are not vi the.
Mormon faith AS to the origin of this
Bible. The most plausible one, how
ever, and the one most generally ac-
cepted, is that the Book of Mormon was
written by Rev. solomon opaul ing.
graduate of Dartmouth College. WHO
was in the habit of using his leisure
hours in the compilation o. speculative
and historical romance relating 20 the
origin of the races which were former
inhabitants O; this globe. The manu-
script OF one of these Dries Is said TO
have been stolen by Sidney 'Rigdon.
After the publ alton of these scriptures
bv Smith an attempt was made by the
daughters of Spaulding to expose the
fraud. but success did not crown their
efforts. The original book, as publishei
nv Smith. did not sanction polygamy
b : he is said o ave recc We a revela
ton in 1913 which authorized each
-. amt" to take several wives. The ex-
animation of the manuecipt viii occlpy
ten DAYS or two weeks. and the de-
cis;on of the Judges will probably set at
st any future discussion of the ques-
tion.-G