The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-14
MORMONISM IN OHIO.
COL. LEFFINGWELL'S VISIT TO THE
SAINTS AT KIRKLAND.
The Story as Told by the PrOOf-Reader
Of the spa1ding nTanuscript-Phra-
seOIOgy Of the Mormon Bible
In the Temple.
[st. Louis Republican,

well, accompanied by an old Mormon
friend from Utah, was met by reporter
the other afternoon on Olive street. The
colonePs friend remarked to the reporter:
Did you know that Lef6ngwell corrected
the manuscript of the Mormon Bible
alleged to have been written by Rev. Solo
mon Spalding2"
This was something like q new reVela-
ton, and on Col. Leffingwell stating that
it was fact, and as all the parties know
ing the circumstances are now dead ex-
cept Mr. Leffingwell, he,was asked to add
knew about the origin of the Mormon
Bible. The colonel readily consented,
but his Mormon friend, observing his
readiness to do so, walked on and beck
oned to the colonel to come along, evil
IDENTIFY objecting to having the story told
for publication.
Col LeffinRwen commenced by saying:
Long ago in the past. have forgotten
the year, Mr.. Spalding wrote a drama
called The Book of Mormon in a hotel
at Conneaut, Ashtabula county, Ohio,
where l had been teaching school
was known through the country as a good
grammarian and possessing an accurate
knowledge of the English language My
father had been principal of the Meadville
years, a position which / subsequently
filled on my father retiring to farm.
Mr.. Spalding was lawyer by profession
and had taught school. He had never
been reverend, as some accounts give
that prefix to his name. He was about
35 years Of age when first fell in with
him, was very poor, and sick with con-
sumption, and toward the last nearly lost
his voice, so that he could not plead at the
bar. He said he wanted to make some
money, and wrote the drama, which he
handed me for correction, It was full of
Bible expressions, and as I had read the
Bible from lid to lid I knew the proper
phraseology to use. l corrected the
grammar. and had to reconstruct and
transpoSe entries to make good English
out of it l was engaged three months,
and my notes and pencil marks may be
found on every page.
He wanted me to conform to Bible
language. He never paid me cent for
my labor. 1t was entitled The Book of
Mormon and he told me he was going
to Pittsburg to sell the manuscript /
afterward learned that he got hold of
Sidney Rigdon, and knew within six
Rigdon got it Rigdon was a preacher,
a scholar, and smart fellow had seen
him baptizing converts in Mahoning
county, Ohio. Some years afterward
was on lecture tour in Ohio, lecturing on
grammar and the construction of the
English language. went to Kirkland in
a buggy, accompanied by young law
leaders. We drove up In front Of large
tent and Rigdon came out / told him
that corrected the Mormon Bible when
1t was Spaldings manuscript. assured
him gave it the proper construction and
what grammar 1t had. He smiled and
said that was all right, but requested me
to say. nothing about it. told .Rigdonn
Joe Smith. He said: IT is just our din
ner time; you can't see Joe Smith, be.
cause he is marking goods ct the store
they having received forty wagon. loads
from the lake shore the day before.
"Afterward we were introduced to the
and his hair was cut short down on mis-
forehead The color of his hair was
between deep brown and dark red he
sent young man with US into the temple,
which was but newly finished The front
had a projecting roof, supported by pillars
We entered the portico, when the young
man. our guide, said: Take off your
hatsp replied: Our hats are already
off. sir. We've long way to drive, and
want you to hurry up, sirl
"We were then conducted into the in
terror of the temple. A broad aisle ran
through the middle of the temple, with a
cross aisle in the centre, above which
curtain hung. dividing the temple into
two parts. Sidney Rigdon occupying. we
were told. the eastern portion, which in.
cluded the grand altar. The arrange.
ment seemed to be thus made in
consequence of the still incom-
plete condition of the temple
By mounting on one anotherS shoulders
we were enabled to pull ourselves up
through a hole in the attic, where we were
shown several mumm;es, including that of
Joseph and other patriarchs mentioned in
the Bible After visiting the temple we
were invited into the tent, where we were
provided with good dinner, and, taking
leave Of the saints. we drove out to Kirt-
land, well satisfied with our visit.
The above chat with Col. Leff1ngwell
left the impression that his statement of
the part taken by him in the correction of
Spalding's manuscript is undeniable. but
the other fact that said manuscript was
the original of the Mormon Bible is rather
a matter of inference than supported by
direct and incontrovertible testimony
Col Letingwell, however. asserts that so
far as lie has compared his recollectiOns of
the Spalding manuscript with the Nor
mon Bible they are identical That is his
belief