The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-28
MORMON CHURCH.
Inside Facts Howit was Originated
lt IN Palmyra.
THE FOUNDER JOSEPH SMITH
And his Wonderful Revelations.
How he Came TO Accurately De-
scribe Hiding Places Of Stolen
Propcrty-His Many Dcccpti0ns.
The Story of the Book OF Mormon.
Why the Fraud Grew.

BOSTON. Mass. Jan. 27.--Mrs II. s.
caswcll. secretary OF tho Woman's De-
par,mcnt OF the congregationalist
Home Missionary Society, Is In Boston.
The society and its representatives have
been Interested historically In the over
throw Of Mormonlsm. and consequently
In disabusing Its adhercnts and advo-
Gates OF their errors. Mrs. Cuswell Is
one Of the missionary women who are
cnlightcning the public on the origin
and history OF Mormonism, and In NULL
flying the attempted revival Of it In the
west She says:
In conversation with an apostate
Mormon, was put In possession of
some interesting facts concerning Jo-
seph Smiths mother, which had been
given to the Mormons by lady who
was born ard brought up In Palmyra,
y. Y, where Mormonlsm originated
for this false religion really had It's ORR
gin in the brain and heart Of m ig-
norant. deceitful mother.
Joseph Smiths mother moved In the
lowest walks Of life. She had kind OF
mental powe:. which her son inherited.
They were both victims OF n vain and
vivid imagination. They were both
noted for a habit OF extravasant asscr-
lions Both could look listener full
in the eye. and without q blush or the
least confusion, improvisc the most
startling statements and vivid stories.
II any one detected an inconsistency
and alluded to II, n subtcrfuse was al
ways at hand. An old gentlemn who
knew them well, said: You can't face
them down; they'll both lie and Stick
TO it."
Mrs. Smith used to do family wash
ings at the houses In the village. II ar
iIcles were left upon the line TO dry and
not secured by their owners before
midnight the washer was the winner.
In these nocturnal dcpredations she was
assisted by her boys, who took occasion
also TO visit the poultry yards and grain
bins. Joe never worked except at Chop
ping bees" or raising" when whisky
was the impetus and reward.
The mother OF the high priest OF Nor
monism was superstitious 10 the last
degree. The very afr she brcathed was
inhabited by familiar spirits She turn
When Joseph was very young, Mrs.
Smith made up her mind that one OF
her sons should be prophet. and the
weak husband and father agreed with
her that OF their nine childten. Joseph
was the genius. ard Joseph should be
the prophet. The mother then began
to impress the idea upon the mind OF the
boy. ard with success that at last he
rarely smiled. never laughed and never
INDUCED in fun. because J., would not
BE- in keeping with his vocation.
His mother inspired and aided him in
every scheme OF du?licity and cunning.
Joseph Smith could not write. but he
could read, and the bad books which he,
read had much TO 90 with the origin OF
Mormonism. The Autobiography of
Captain Kidd" the pirate, was his SUI
p:esne favorite.
One day when Joseph was IL gears
Old. while watching his father. who was
digging well. he saw i stone OF curious
shape. il bore some resemblance to Il
child's foot. This little stone became
the acorn Of the Mormon oak. This was
the famous Palmyra seer" or Peek
Stone" with which Joseph Smith was
Accustomed to divine. Being instructed
b% his mother. this BOY OF 10 nov set Up
a claim to miraculous power. He was
I"hN'N ~. Il hlleclily puSltioH Nltsl Udil-
Gagged eyes. 4 large white "stovepipe"
hat. in which was placed the wonderful
stone. was held in front OF his face.
Under these circumstances he could re-
veal things unutterably wonderful. He
could reveal only too well where stolen
property might be found While gazing
at the stone IN the hat he could see cas-
kets Of gold anu gems hidden by Cap
tam Kidd and the SDaniards. He could
see treasures OF marvellous value be-
meath the ground In neighborlng fields
and woods. Digging became the order
VI me night In that town and sleep the
order OF the day. All who could be hired
py strong drink were organized into
digging phalanx. They were COM
'nanded TO dig in the darkness Sol
emn ceremonies prelaced the work. Not
one sod could be disturbed By a spade
until Joe Smiths wand OF witch hazel,
Euloeo oy the sacred stone. pointed out
the place or the concealed treasure En-
Tire silence was one condition Of sue
cess
After hours OF hard work and when
the answering thud was about to strike
the eur. everybody was in rapture OF
expectancy. some one was sure to
toreak the silence by speaking-the spell
was oroken-the treasures were spirited
away 20 another quarter. and the dig
'GinE must be resumed on another night
mus matters went on for seven years.
very litt!e attention was paid to these
performances ot Joe Smith by respecta
fo!e people near his home, but lovers of
one marvellous came from distance
20 look at Joe and the excavations, and
Inc air was filled with mysterE. which
was quite favorable for future dcvelop-
'ments.
Inc perseverance and audacity OF Jo-
seph smith was bOundless. but he,
alone. could never have wrought out the
pinstltution OF Mormonism. IN 1897 a
mysterious stranger inquired the way
10 Joseph Smiths cabin, and the neigh
hors began to note n sudden intimacy
between the two men. followed by many
private and mysterious conferences.
The stranger was from Ohio. Riedon
was somewhat OF literary genius, YER
satilc In his gifts. shrcwd, Willy, deep
and utterly unprinciplcd
Soon after Rigdon's appearance on
the scene. MormonIsm began to assume
local hnbitatlon and a name. Tho an
gel began TO talk more definitely to Joe
Smith.
Your sins" said The angel, are nil
forgiven. None OF the present religious
faiths are acceptable to God. You, Jos
cph Smith. shall found n sect which the
Almighty will own and bless"
The angel told Joseph that the North
American Indians were a remnant OF
me lsraclltes; that their inspired writ
inSs were 10 be !ntrustch TO him-and
nm hlone--as no other human being
could sec them alive. Following the d.
reclionS given by the angel Joseph
smith proceeded alone to the hilltop
Curmornh, nh cmincncc four miles
south % Palmyra. and hftcrwnrd tes-
t!l!ca that he found there n series of
golden plates on which were written. IL,