The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-03-11
MORMONlSM.
publications

the Spaulding Manuscript recently
in my possession, it occurs to me
that n more specific statement of
some points connected with Nor
monism and the Mormon Bible, may
be of interest to you and your
readers especially as it is alleged,
with some evidences of probability,
that the Utah Mormons contemplate
establishing a large colony of their
followers on these Islands, and even
of transferring their headquarters
here.
The Spaulding Manuscript re-
Gently discovered in my possession,
and published by the Mormuns, in
no wise determines the question as
to the authorship of the Book of
Mormon, or of Spaulding's connec-
ton with the latter. 1t shows con-
clusiveiy that this criting of Spauld-
ing was not the original of the Book
of Mormon--nothing more in that
regard. 1t gives the Mormons the
advantage of calling upon their OPP
ponents to produce or prove that
any other Spaulding Manuscript
ever cXisted-and that is the gist of
the whole matter. Until lately |
have been of the opinion that there
was no tangible evidence that any
other production of Solomon Spauld-
ing, bearing upon the question,
could be shown rs having ever
existed. But correspondence aAd
discussions growing out OF the pub
LEGATION of this document, have
shaken my faith in that belief, and
indeed produced quite change of
opinion on that subject. l will
refer to several items productive of
that change of opinion.
Mr.. A. b. Deming, of gainesville,
Ohio, who has investigated the sub
ject thoroughly, writes to me hat
he has evidence that Spaulding,
after writing the story which has re-
Gently come to light, without finish
ing it, changed his plan, and got up
more elaborate story, which he
denominatcd "Manuscript Found"
of which he made two or more
copies, and sent one to Pittsburgh
for publication-from whence Sidney
Rigdon obtained it--and ON which
the historical part of the Book of
Mormon was based. ct is to be
noted that the title "Manuscript
Found" is not given in the manu-
script recently in my possession, at
all. 1t was added by the publisher
of the copy furnished you by Prof.
Alexander.)
Colonel William ii. Leflingwell, n
well-known teacher in Northern
Ohio, says recently, in the st. Louis
Republican:
Long ago in the past, | have forgot
ten the year, Mr.. Spalding wrote II
drama called 'Thc Book OF Mormon,
in hotel at Connclut, Ashrabula
county. Ohio. where had been teaching
school. was known though the country
rs good grammarian and possessing an
accurate knowledge of the English Ian
| guage. My father had been principal
of the Meadvillc school, ut Meadville,
| Penn, for eight years, II position which
| j subsequently filed on my father re-
firing to II farm. Mr.. Spalding was a
lawyer by profession and had taught
school. lie had never been II reverend,
as some accounts give that prefix to his
name. lie was about 30 years of age
when | first fell in with him, was very
poor, and sick with consumption, 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. IL was full of Bible
expressions, and as had read the Bible
from lid to lid | knew the proper
phraseology TO use. ] corrected tho
grammar, and had to reconstruct and
transpose entries TO make good English
ont of it. | was engaged three months
and my notes and pencil marks may be
found on every page"
There were no such "notes and
pencil marks" on the pages Of my
manuscript.
James a. Briggs, Esq, u wei
known and reputable lawyer IL
Northern Ohio for many years, ant
for dozen years past public
officer in New York City, iesided al
Willoughby, Ohio, four miles from
Kirkland, when the Mormons frs
located at the latter place. In ,
letter to the New York Tribune
dated Jan. 20, 1886, Mr.. Briggs
says:--
'In the winter Of ls33-3i, self con.
stituted committee, consisting OF Judge
Allen, DR.. Card. Samuel wilson. Judg,
Lapham, w. Corning and mys 4, me
at Mr.. Corning's house. in Mentor, nov
known as the Garfield farm. to lnVesti
gate Mormonism and the origin of Tia
Mormon Bible. DR.. ID, l.. Hullburt
whose name is mentioned in the articl
in your paper this morning, was EN-
ployed to look up testimony. lie wa
present with the committee and ha,
Spauldlng's original manuscript wit
him. We compared IL, chapter by chap
ter with the Mormon Bible. II WA
written in the same style. many of lh
names were the same, and we came I
the conclusion, from all the testimon
before us, that the Rev. Sidney Rigdol