, 1888-09-27
rHE BOOK or MORMON.
s T'rue History or Joe Smiths Re-
markabie Piece of JugSierY.
rSt ouiS Sr,acfator

& True History OF Joe Smiths Re-
narkabie Piece of JugSierY.
[St Louis Speetator.l
How many peopls know anything about the
origin OF the Moru1on religion, or rather, OF
the Book Of Mormon, which is its authC rityl
l knew precious little about it until this
week, when l accidentally fell in with Mr..
Clark Braden, who has fecently given the
subject most searching investigation. His
story shows of what stuff q religion may be
made The Ms2saons number probably
800, 600 They are divided into many
sects, but the principal are the polyg-
amous Brighamites in Utah and the
non-polygamous Josephites scattered in vari-
GUS places The story may be given in few
words. The Book Of Mormon was written
by an old broken down Presbyterian clergy
man named Solomon Spaulding. Spaulding
was born in Com ,ticut in l1Gl. He gradu-
ated at Dartmouth college, and settled as
minister for a Congregational church. He
made bad failure at preaching, and went
into business with his brother in New York
state, did not succeed, and started an iron
foundry in a town in northern 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 WI iting, though what did not then
appear. The family moved to Pittsburg
when he rewrote his book, adding second
part. He afterwards rewrote the entire
book, adding third part. This is the origin
OF the manuscript.
Now, wha. became of it! Spanking malo
arrangements to have it printed in Pitts
burg After part of it had been set up the
whole manuscript was stolen 10y tanner
named Sidney Rigdon, who was in the haEit
OF loafing around tie printing oiiice Rig
don kept it concealed for some years, until hs
fell in with Joseph Smith, who evolved the
plan of producing it. Smith belonged to )
not over reputable family living near Pal
myra, N. Y. They lived in q house and
supported themselves by hunting and fishing
and other means suspected to be more queS-
tionahle. Joseph, one day, found remark
ably clear crystal, shaped much like u child's
foot, and he declared it was peep stone" !"
In which he could read tho future and dis
cover stolen goods, strayed cattle, etc, and
on several occasions was SO successful in pre-
dieting the locality Of goods and cat
tie that he soen came to have con-
siderable reputation. He then extended
his field of operations by divining where
treasure was buried, and under his directions
great many diggings were made, unsuc-
cessfully however. These diggings extended
over a large area, some fifty miles or 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 scheme for producing it under
proper surroundings. The alleged book of
copper plates was found under divine guild
ance, on which characters Of reformed EsyP
han were craven. The book was accom-
panied by pair of spectacles of wondrous
power, which enabled Smith TO translate the
remarkable characters. This he did from
behind a screen, while an amanuensis took
down his words The Book of Mormon was
printed in 1880, at Palmyra, N. Y, farmer,
Martin Harris, putting up the cash to pay
the printer Thus Solomon Spauldings
manuscript found its way into print with
such additions and alterations as Smith chose
10 make for his own benefit.
A book will soon be published by the Chris
tan Publishing company giving all the in
yestigations of Mr.. Braden and the complete
chain OF evidence establishing the authen-
ticity of his story. 4 manuscript of the
Book of Mormon is still in existence in the
possession of Mr.. Withmer, of Richmond,
No, aud the compositor who set Up most Of
the book at Palmyra, fifty years ago, is still
living, Mr.. ]. H Gilbert. Mr.. Braden is
now trying TO arrange that Mr.. Gilbert shall
ses this manuscript to say whether it is the
copy from which the book was originally sol
up.