New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-15
THE GOLDEN BIBLE.
now A GREAT pIposTURE GREW.


Though Mormon SIN has considerable literature
there WAS room for another book upon the carrier
history of that false religion, and the purpose OF
AR Kennedy in undertaking this labor was praise
worthy So far as he has fulfilled that purpose
his book is satisfactory moreover, and 1t may at
once be admitted that it does afford, within the
lines of q general survey, a more impartial and
accurate view Of that early history than can be
found elsewhere Its fault is that il docs little
more than outline scenes events AMI states OF
society and sentiment which are full of interest
and value, and even the sketches OF which here
given indicate far more than is expressed MI
Kennedy in fact, appears to have perceived clearly
what was needed for the calculation Of obscure
points ia the development Of Mormonsm, but to
have undervalued much material the free use of
which would have added greatly to the value OF
his book.
In his first chapter he justly examines the
spiritual conditions prevailing in the Western
and the further Eastern States during the youth OF
JOSEPH Smith. Such an inquiry is absolutely
indispensable to a clear understanding of what
followed. The period was one of intellectual and
religious fermcnt A young and vigorous rural
population, having broken away from the ira
6itions OF Puritanism, drifted sea of wild
speculation. The emotional side of the pioneer
accompanying ignorance smootbcd the way for
every conceivable fantasy. The democratic
spirit, undsciplincd by broad experience, rcvolted
from all authority. There seemed, TO great many
of these daring seekers after new light, no
reason why prophets, secrs, Messiahs even, should
not arise from out the American wilderness as
naturally as on the plain of Bethlehem or the
desert of Sinai. In regard to the supernatural
credulty was hardly less rife than at the time
OF the witch mania. The young men dreamed
dreams and the old men and women saw visions.
When young joseph Smith dug up an oddly shaped
stone and pretended that he could divine by it
after the manner of DR.. Dec, his simple neighbors
accepted his claims, and on the strength of his
wondrous /" Peek Stone,' wasted time and sub
stance in repeated efforts to find the treasures
supposed to have been buried by Captain Kidd.
Josephs mother what would in Scotland
have been called "a spae woman" She had the
second sight She claimed clairvoyance. She
heard voices and saw mystic visions. Doubtless
the boy inherited some special tendency to other
worldlincss," though it is not less certain that,
his enterprise once launched he guided and tended
it with a single eye to the attainment of material
prosperity. But it would be mistake to conclude
that Mormonism grew wholly out Of fraud on
the one side and credulity on the other. Mr..
Kennedys narrative males It quit clear lint Smith
possessed special natural gifts of the kind which
in all ages have insured success in under
talSings dependent upon popular favor. One of
these gifts loosely indicated at the present day
by the phrase personal magnetism proved very
useful to him. lie could influence most people
when brought in contact with them. lie was
very persuasve' and so no doubt was his
ally Sidney Rigdon. Smith had no moral sense.
His blood and training were alike against him.
Born of family of Migrants, loafers, chicken
thieves whislIey drinkers and cheats, and bred to
be lazy, shiftcss and dishonest, nothing was more
likely than that he should avail himself of the
first opportunity to impose upon his fellows. As
TO the precise method OF the initial imposition
the Golden Bible, that it is TO say-it is to be re-
GREETED that no clear evidence exists nor has
Mr.. Kennedy been able to add anything new TO the
mass of conflicting statements already in print
on the subject The Solomon Spaulding theory
remains undemonstrated, and all the Others fall
far short Of the requirements of valid testimony.
Whether Joe Smith invented the Mormon Bible
himself, or was helped by Rigdon's more fertile
fancy. or appropriated and altered Solomon Spauld
ing's story, will now probably never be known.
The worldly wisdom of the young impoStor
was strlangly shown in his cautious adherence
TO the main lines Of old Bible doctrine in framing
his spurious revelations. He knew better than to
shock the inbred reli gOus conservatism which
the most radical refomers were still unconsciously
influenced by. The novelties of his creed were
reserved for the earthly organization of the
Church. The central aim was to establish Joseph
Smith in power and prosperity. 1t is true that
his prudence was not equal to the demands on
it, When he attained power he lost his judgment,
in fact and the clearest evidence CT this is his
fatally rash attempt TO measure himself with the
at Tho Ctata and ha Not 10
pulsion of the Mormons from Kirkland, Zion, Far
West and Nauvoo was unquestionably lawless and
outrageous, and indicates the essential barbarism
Of the men who were active in the work Of per
secutiCn; but the arrogance and intolerance of the
Mormon leaders as certainly set the example Of
aggression, and their wild taunts and open hostility
to American forms of government must have deeply
incenscd the Western men, who, however rough
they might be, were patriotic to the core.
The collapse of the Kirkland experiment was
due primarily to Smiths wildcat banking, but
secondarly to the great financial stringency of
1897. In the other cases disaster was caused d-
rectly by the enmity of the surrounding commun-
ties an enmty famed BY SANDER and calumny to
white heat Mr.. Kennedy should have gone more
into detail at this point Scarcely anything is
now known of the real processes by which the
Mormons became so hateful to their ncishbors. 1t
is indeed certain that the grossest fictions were
circulated about them: that they were charged
with as many crimes as the Jews in the Middle
Ages; that they offended the conservatism of an
ignorant outside element; that their political
venality and time. serving finally lost them the
confidence Of both parties: but all this needs to
be told greater length and it cannot be credited
that the material has already disappeared. Much
more, also, could have been related concerning the
sojourn at Nauvoo perhaps the most singular cpl
sode in the history of the United States for there
one man, and he vulgar impostor, actually sue
ceeded in establishing religious despotism within
an American State, and VIII the unanimous con-
sent OF the State Legislature was given powers
which practically put him above the jurisdiction
Of the State. more astonishing spectacle surely
was never seen than when both parties We'd with