The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-01

sook God and He destroyed them. Ac-
cording to this story-for story II is
America is ancient Caanan, which God
had promised to Israel. do not know
how he would make this story and the
history of Israel agree. The argument
would be, however, no difference as TO
what the history of Israel was, Jo-
seph Smiths revelation is later and
higher than Gods word. The remnant
of Joseph God led from Jerusalem
southwark at last in great ships tof
which no such have ever been in eX-
istenceD across the Pacific ocean to
South America. About 400 years af-
terward they were discovered by the
Nephltes and were called the people of
Zarahemla.
This seems to be a confusion of the
discovery of America and the ancient
history OF Israel which is separated by
a gulf of time of twenty centuries or
more. The Nephites We're eventually
destroyed by the Lonmonites i'm a ter
rible war that arose between them.
The last battle was fought four miles
! from palmyra, N. Y, at which time all
were killed except some Mormon, VINO
was left on the battlefield for dead.
He recovered and hid the plates on the
aforesaid hill. His son, Moroni, who
lived for some time after his fathers
death, added to the writings. These
writings contain much of the sayings
of Jesus Christ. but the most of his
sayings are to be given out by his
saints followers of said SMITH here
after. This is for the first book of
/ Mormon and very brief.
HARD TO ANSWER.
Where did this work come from?
I IA
to answer if there was no history to
be had on the matter. But. Fortunate
ly, there is both history and living evil
dence yet. and both are i'm abundance.
Here | quote from Mr.. Pratt and 9TH
| ers. who knew Smith and his preten-
tions perfectly. Joseph Smith seems
at first to have had vague and con-
fused ideas as to the nature and de-
sign of the church he was about to es-
tablish until he found a convert in
sidney Rigdon, an able Campbellite
preacher, then residing in Ohio. He
| was inclined to teach millenarianism,
and bring his flock over to the new
, faith. This settled Smith, and to-
gether they worked out a sort of mill
linarian faith, in which, at that time,
Western New York was largely inter-
ested. RigdOn copied most of the book
Of Mormon from a story and copied
|
wanted. He tried then to get it pub
li.,hed as a story, but the printers did
not think it worth troubling with. This
work, however, was afterwards, print
ed with some of Smiths alleged mir
acles in June, A. D., 1880, the money
for publication being furnished by a
former friend of Smiths. The first
Mormon conference was held at Fay
ette. n Y, June !, 1890. There was
n pt ha
book was examined and there was
much enthusiasm over it, but quite as
much opposition by those who knew
Smith. This is the true history of
the Mormon bible, or book of Mormon,
as it is called. This was the book
of Mormon or the first book to which
many prophecies have been added.
There are yet scores of persons living
to testify to the truth of the history
of the book of Mormon, no matter
what it's adherents may say, written
testimonials from some Of whom |
heard read by the Rev. DR.. II. NJ.
Booth, of Auburn, n. Y, in a lecture
given by him to the Shakespeare club
at that city in the winter OF 1896.
| But where did Rigdon get this form
| for his book. 1t has been absolutely
proved, and that beyond any reason
| able doubt. that Rigdon was a friend
of an ordained minister, named Solo
mon Spaulding. who was born at Ash
| ford, Connecticut, A. D., 17Gl, gradu-
| ated at Dartmouth college 1855, and
died 1916 at Amity, Pennsylvania.
| SpauIding wrote romance on the an
cient Americans and June, A. D., 1872,
to a bookseller named Patterson. of
| Pittstburg, for publication. Spauld-
ing died before it was published. Rig
don it is purported, used a direct copy
of this book of fiction for the Book of
| Mormon.