Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-17
THE BOOK OF MORMON.
A True history of Joe Smiths Remark
able Piece of JuggIery.

How many people know anything about
the origin of the Mormon religion, or
rather, Of the Book of Mormon, which is
its authority? l knew precious little
about it until this week, when l accident
ally fell in with Mr.. Clark Braden, who
has recently given the subject a most
searching investigation. His story shows
of what stuff a religion may be made.
The MOrmOns number probably 800, 900.
They are divided into many sects, but the
principal are the pOlygamOus Brighamites
in Utah and the nOn-pOlygamOus Jo-
sephites scattered in various places. The
story may be given in few words. The
Book of Mormon was written by an old
broken-down Presbyterian clergyman
named Solomon Spaulding. Spaulding
was born in Connecticut in 1761. He
graduated at Dartmouth College and set
tied as Minister for a Congregational
church. He made a bad failure at preach
ing. and went into business with his
brother in New York State, did not sue
coed, and started an iron foundry in a
town in Northern Ohio. He soon failed
in that venture and became very much
discouraged. His wife supported the
family by taking boarders and he spent
his time in writing, though what did not
then appear. The family moved to Pitts
burg, when he rewrote his book, adding q
second part. He afterwards reyyrOt0 the
entire book, adding third part. This is
the origin of the manuscript.
Now, what became of it? Spaulding
made arrangements to have it printed in
Pittsburg. After part of it had been set
up the whole manuscript was stolen by a
tanner named Sidney Rigdon, who was in
the habit Of lOafing around the printing
office. RigdOn kept it concealed for some
years, until he fell in with Joseph Smith,
who evolved the plan of producing it.
TnIo fn II
family living near Palmyra, N. Y. They
lived in house and supported themselves
by hunting and fishing and other means
suspected to be more questionable.
Joseph, one day, found a remarkably clear
crystal, shaped much like a child's foot,
and he declared it was a ''peep-stOne,7 in
which he could read the future and dis
cover stolen goods, strayed cattle, etc.,
and on several occasions was so sue
cessful in predicting the locality Of goods
and cattle that he soon came to have con-
siderable reputation. He then extended
his field of operations by divining where
treasure was buried, and under his .diFec-
tions great many diggings were made,
unsuccessfully, however. These diggings
extended over a large area, some fifty
miles or more, around Palmyra andssome
of them may be seen now. He fell in
with Sidney Rigden, who told him Of the
manuscript. Smith soon devised a scheme
for producing it under proper surround
ings. The alleged book of copper plates
was found under divine guidance, on
which characters Of reformed Egyptian
were craven. The book was accompanied
by & pair of speGtacles of wondTous
power, which enabled Smith to translate
the remarkable characters. This he did
from behind a SCREEN while an amanUen-
sis took down his words. The Book of
Mormon was printed in 1880 at Palmyra,
Ny, farmer, Martin Harris, putting
up the cash to pay the printer. Thus
Solomon Spaulding's manuscript found its
way into print with such additions and
alterations as Smith chose to make for his
n vVn banafit