River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-12-25
TEE BOOB OF MoRMoN.

From the St Louis Spectator.

From the St Louis Spectator.
How many people know anything
about the origin of the Mormon religion,
or rather of the Book of Mormon, which
is its authority? / knew precious little
about it until this week, when / acct
dentally fell in with Clark Braden, who
has recently given the subject most
searching investigation. His story
shows of what stuff religion may be
made. The Mormons number proba-
bly, 800, 900. They are divided into
many sects. but the principal are the
polygamous Brighamites in Utah and
the non-polygamous Josephites scatter
ed il various places. The story
NAV be given in a 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 settled as minister for a
Congregational church. He made bad
failure at preaching, and went into
business with his brother in New York
state, did not succeed, and started an
iron foundry in town in Northern Ohio.
He soon failed in that venture and be-
came 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 Pittsburg, when he rewrote
his book, adding q second part. He
afterward rewrote the entire book, add
ing third part. This is the origin OF
the manuscript.
Now, what became of it? Spaulding
made arrangem ents to haveit printed in
Pittsburg. After part of it had been
set up the whole manuscript was stolen
by tanner named Sidney Rigdon, who
was in the habit Of loafing around the
printing office. Rigdon kept it con-
eealed for some years, until he fell in
with Joseph Smith, who evolved the
plan of producing it. Smith belonged
to a not over reputable family living
near Palmyra, N. Y. They lived in a
house and supported themselves by
hunting and fishing and other means
suspected to be more questionable.
Jaseph one day found remarkable
clear crystal, shaped much like child's
foot, and he declared it was a peep
stone" in which he could read the flu
ture and discover stolen goods,
strayed cattle, ETC., and on sew
eIal occasions was so successful
in predicting the locality of goods and
cattle that he soon came to have con-
siderable reputation. He then extend
ed his field of operations by divining
where treasure was buried, and under
his directions great many diggings
were made, unsuccessfully, however.
/ These diggings extended over large
area, some 90 miles or more, around
Palmyra, and some of them may be
seen now He fell in with Sidney Rig
don, who told him of the manuscript.
Smith soon devised scheme for pro-
ducing it under proper surroundings.
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 spectacles of wondrous power,
which enabled Smith to translate
the remarkable characters. This he did
from behind a screen, while an aman-
uensis took down his words, The book
of Mormon was printed in 1880 at Pal
myra, n. Y, 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 own benefit.
A book will soon be published by
the Christian publishing company Civ
ing all the Investigations of Mr.. Braden
and the complete chain of evidence es-
tablishing the authenticity of his story.
A manuscript of the Book of Mormon
Is still in existence IN the possession OF
Mr.. Withmer of Richmond, Mo-, and
the compositor who set up most of the
book at Palmyra, 80 yerrs ago, is still
living, j. H. Gilbert. Mr.. Braden is
now trying to arrange that Mr.. Gilbert
shall see this manuscript to say wheth.
er it is the copy from which the book
was originally set up.