The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-12-29
ORIGIN OF MORMONISM
The Curious Outcome OF Literary
Production-ThcA Aut hcr w as Draw
ing on His Imagination.

| 'hS cuFous outcoIhc Oh Il Literary
Production-The Author w as Draw.
ing on His Imagination.
| THE following article was printed
in the Greenville Mountaineer, Nav
"a, 1889, and is reproduced on account
OF It's strange statement of a literary
curiosity.]
The book of Mormon, or Golden
| Blhie," it would seem, is the produc-
tion OF the Rev. Solomon Spaulding,
formerly pastor Of Presbyterian
Church on the Western Reserve in
Ohio. While suffering under disease,
10 amuse himself and his friends, he
wrote an imag mary history Of the mys.
terlous race Of men who built the an.
| cient mounds and other works of art.
which are scattered SO profusely over
The valley of the Mississippi. His
manuscript falling into the hands OF
| wicked men has been perverted into
the means of building up the new sect
Of fanatics The Rev. John Storrs, of
Holliston, Mass, learning that the
widow of Mr.. Spaulding was living at
Monson, Mass, addressed her letter.
ard obtained the following NARRATIVES
| which we copy from the Boston Re-
corder.
Il " Solomon Spaulding was q arad-
Gated Of Dartmouth College, was dis
tinguished for a lively imagination
ana great fondness for history. At
the time of our marriage, he resided
IN Cherry Valley, New York. From
this place we removed to New Salem,
Ashtabula a County, Ohio, on Couneaut
Creek. Shortly after, his health sunk,
and he was laid aside from active la
nors. In New Salem, there are nu-
mprnllS and fnrt,
cicnt relics arrest the attention of the
new settlers. Numerous implements
were found, evincing great skill in the
arts. Mr.. Spauldlng took a lively in
terest in these developments OF anti
qulty; and in order to beguile the
hours Of retirement and furnish en-.
joyme Mt for his lively imagination, he
conceived the idea of giving an his
lnrical sketch of that long lost race,
Their extreme antiquity, of course,
would lead him to write in the most
| ancient style, and as the Old Testa-
ment is the most ancient book in the
world, ne initiated !n5 cty'e as nearly
| as possible. This was about the wear
1872 1t claimed to have been written
by one Of the lost nation, and to have
been recovered from the earth, and
ASSUMED the title of Manuscript
Found" The neighbors would often
Inquire howaMr. S. progressed in de.
cip"crlDg The manuscript" "and when
| ne had sufficient portions prepared
| they would assemble to hear it read
he was enabled from his acquaintance
with the classics and ancient history,
20 Introduce many singular names
| which were particularly noticed by
the people and could be easily re-
cognlzed by them. Mr. S. had broth
er residing in the place, who was per-
fcctly familiar with this work
From New Salem, we removed to
PIttsburg, Pa. Her Mr.. S. found an
| acquaintance in Mr.. Patterson, an
editor of Il newspaper. He exhibited
| MS manuscript to Mr.. p, who retained
| it u long time and informed Mr.. S
| that IL he would make out title page
| and preface, he would publish it, and
1T might be source of profit This
| Mr.. S. refused to do for reasons which
| cannot now state. Sidney Rigdon,
who has figured 90 largely in the his
tory OF the MormOns, was at this time
connected with the printing office
Here he had ample opportunity to be-
come acquainted with Mr.. Spauding' 5
manuscript, and to copy IL If he chose
At length the manuscript was return
ed to ts author and soon after we re.
moved to Washington Co, Pennsyl.
vania, whore Mr.. s. died in 1916. The
manuscript then fell into my hands,
and was carefully preserved. Alter
the Book Of Mormon" came out, a
copy Of 1T was taken to New Salem,
the place OF Mr.. Spaulding's former
residence, and the very place where
the Manuscript Found" was written.
A woman preacher had appointed u
meeting there, and in the meeting read
and repeated copious extracts from the
Z" Book of Mormon" The historical
part, was Immediately recognized by
all the Older inha Ditants, as the identi-
cal work Of Mr.. S. Mr.. John Spaul-
ding was present, and recognized per-
fectly the work OF his brother. Hc
arose on the spot, and expressed his
deep regret, that the writings OF bis
brother should be used for q purpose
80 vile. The excitement in New Salem
became so great that the inhabitants
had meeting and deputed DR.. Phi
lastus Hulburt, to repair to this place.
and to Obtain from me the original
manuscript for the purpose OF CT mpar-
Ing with the Mormon Bible, to satisfy
their own minds, and to prevent their
friends from embracing an error 80 de.
luslve. This was In the year 1884. DR..
Hubert brought with him an introduc.
| Vioh gnu itpuCob lOT Une maDu6Cr1Dt,
signed by Messrs. Henry Lake, Aaron
Wright, and others, with all whom I
was acq tainted.
The Rev. DR.. Ely, pastor of the Con.
gregational church In Monson, and ID.
r. Austin, principal of Monsoa Aca.
deny, have given their certificates
that Mrs. s. is "a woman Of irreproach.
able character, and that her TESTIMONY
is worthy OF implicit confidence"
---L.nla and Floasla Sleanx. of 81