The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-07-24
Mormonism in Ohio.
COL. LErfINuWELLS VISIT TO THE
SAINTS AT KIRTLAND,
THE STORY AS TOLD THE PRooF.READER
OF THE sPALDINa MANUSCRIPT
PHRAsEoLoGY OF THE NOR
MON BIBIE-IN TIE


OF THE sPALDINa MANUSCRIPT
PHRAsEoLoGY OF THE NOR
MON BIBIE-IN THE
TEMPLE.
The venerable Col. William IT.
Leifingwell, accompanied by an old
Mormon friend from Utah, was met by
a reporter the other afternoon on Olive
street. The colonel,s friend remarked
to the reporter "Did you know that
Leffingwell corrected the manuscript
of the Mormon Bible alleged to have
been written by the Rev. Solomon
Spalding r.
This was something of new revela-
tion, and on Col. Lefiingwell stating that
it was fact, and as all tho parties
knowing the circumstances are now
dead except Mr.. Leffingwell, he was
asked to add to the truth of history
by telling what he knew about the
Mormon Bible. The Colonel readily
consented, but his Mormon friend, OBJ
serving his readiness to do so, walked
on and beckoned to the colonel to
come along, evidently objecting to
having the story told for publication.
Col. Leflingwell commenced by say.
ing: Iong 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 had been teach.
ing school. was known through the
country as good grammarian and
possessing an accurate knowledge
OF the English language. My father
had been principal OF the Meadville
school, at Meadville Penn, for eight
years, position which subsequently
filled on my father retiring to a farm.
MIR. Spalding was lawyer by profession
and had taught school. He had never
been a reverend, as some accounts give
that prefix to his name. He was about
35 years of age when l first fell in
with him, he was very poor and sick
with the consumption, and toward the
last nearly lost his voice, so that he
could not plead at the bar. He said
he wanted some money and wrote the
drama, which he handed me for correc.
tion. 1t was full of bible expressions,
and as l had read the Bible from lid to
lid l knew the proper phraseology to
use. l corrected the grammar and
had to reconstruct and transpose en-
tries to make good English out of it.
was engaged three months, and my
notes and pencil marks may be found
on every page,
Gle wanted me to conform the Bible
language. He never paid me a cent
for my labor. 1t was entitled The
Book of Mormon and he told me he
was going to Pittsburg to sell the man.
uscript. | afterward learned that he
got hold of Sidney Rigdon, and l |
knew within six months that Spalding
sold it, and that Rigdon got it. Rig
don was preacher, scholar, and a |
smart fellow. l had seen him baptiz.
ing converts in Mahoning county, |
Ohio. Some years afterward was on :
a lecture tour in Ohio, lecturing on
grammar and the construction of the |
English language. l went to Kirt-
land in a buggy accompanied by a
young lawyer, to see Joe Smith and |
lie Mormon leaders. We drove up in
front of large tent and Rigdon came
out. told him that l corrected the |
Mormon Bible when it was Spaldings
assured him l gave it |
The proper construction and what gram
mar it had. He smiled and said that
was all right, but req uested me to say
nothing about it, l told Rigdon that
we came over there to see him and Joe
Smith. He said; 1T is just our dinner
lime; you can't see Joe Smith, because
ne is marking goods at the store, they
having received forty wagon-loads
from the lake shore the day before.
"Afterward we were introduced to
,he prophet. Joe Smith had round
lace, and his hair was cut short down
IN his forehead. The color of his hair
vas between deep brown and a dark
ed. He sent a young man with us
nto the temple, which was but newly
inished. The front had a projecting
'oof, supported by pillars. We enter
ID the portico, when the young man,
'ur guide, said: Take off your hats /!
replied Our hats are already off,
ir We've long way to drive, and
want you to hurry up, sirv
''We were then conducted into the
Interior of the temple. A broad aisle
an through the middle of the temple,
With a cross aisle in the centre, above
which a curtain hung. dividing the
emple into two parts, Sidney Rigdon
we were told, the eastern
portion, which included the grand altar.
The arrangement seemed to be thus
made in consequence of the still incom-
1lete condition of the temple. BY
on one another's shoulders
We were enabled to pull ourselves up
through a hole in the attic, where we
we're shown several mummies includ-
ng that of Joseph and other patriarchs
in the Bible. After visit.
ng the temple we were invited into
he tent, when we were provided with
good dinner, and, taking leave of the
'aints, we drove out to Kirkland, we'll
satisfied with our visit"
The above chat with Col. Letting.
we'll left the impression that his state
nent of the part taken by him in the
correction of Spalding's manuscript is
,ndeniable; but the other fact that
said manuscript was the origin of the
Mormon Bible is rather a matter of
inference than supported by direct and
ncontrovertible testimony. Col. Left
ngwell, however, asserts that so far
rs he has compared his recollections of
,he Spalding manuscript with the Nor
non Bible they are identical. That is
lis belief.
A Pertinent Question.