The Dawson journal., 1884-09-18
THE BOOK OF MORMONs."
The True History of Joe Smiths Re-.
markable Jugglery.
st. Louis Spectator.

st. Louis Spectator.
How many people know anv
thlng about the origin of the Nor
mon religion, or rather, of tb.
Book of Mormon" which is if,
authority? [ knew precious littl,
about it until this week, when
accldently fell in with Mr.. CLARK
Braden, who has recently giver
the subject a most searching in.
vlstlgation. His story shows Of
what stuff a religion may be made
Inc Mormons number probably
5OoOOO. They are divided into
many sects, but the principal are
the polygamous Brighamitems in
Utah and the nonpolygamous Jo-
sephites scattered in various
places. The story may be given
IN a few words. "The Book OF
Mormon" was written by an old
broken down Presbyterian clergy
may named Solomon Spaulding.
Spaulding was born in Connect
cut in 176l. He graduated at
Dartmouth College, and settled as
minister for a Congregational
church. He made a bad failure
at preaching, and went into bust
ness with his brother in New
York state, did not succeed, and
started an iron foundry in north
ern 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 appear. The
family moved to Pittsburg, when
he re-wrote his book, adding sec
ond part. He afterwards re-wrote
the entire book, adding third
part. This Is the origin of the
manuscript.
Now what became of it? Spaul-
ding made arrangements to have
it printed in Pittsburg. After a
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.
Smith belonged to not-over re-
putable family living near Palmy-
ra, N. Y. They lived in house
and supported themselves by
hunting and fishing, and other
means suspected to be more ques-
tionable. Joseph one day found a
remarkable clear crystal, shaped
much like child's foot, and he
declared that it was peep stone, "
in which he could read the future
and discovered stolen goods, stray
ed cattle, etc, and on several oc-
casions was so successful in pre-
dieting the locality of goods and
cattle that he soon came to have
considerable reputation. He then
extended his field of operations by
divining where treasure was buri-
ed, and under his directions a
great many diggings were made
unsuccessfully however. These
diggings extended over a large
area, some fifty miles OF more,
around Palmyra, and some of
them may be seen now. He fell
in with Sidney Rigdon who told
him of the manuscript. Smith
soon devised a scheme for produc
ing it under proper surroundings.
The alleged book of copper plates
was found under divine guidance,
on which characters of reformed
Egyptians were craven. The book
was accompanied by pair of
spectacles of wonderous power,
which enabled Smith to translate
the remarkable characters. This
he did from behind a screen, while
an amanuenis took down his
words. The "Book of Mormon"
was printed in 1880 at Palmyra,
N. Y, a farmer, Martin Harris,
putting up the cash to pay the
printer, Thus Solomon Spaul-
ding's manuscript found its way
into print with such additions and
alterations as Smith chose to make
for his own benefit.
DIR. w. NJ. PITTS:
Dear Sir-I have been using