The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-01-30
"OMNIUM GATHERUM,v
Masonry and MOrmOnism.

up "the original manuscript of the
Book of Mormon" 1t was in stone
receptacle something like a pocket
book, held together by cedar stick in
a hole extending through it. The book
is written in cipher or hieroglyphics,
and contains this injunction: "Who-
ever finds this Book is requested to
send it to the elders of the Mormon
Church"
1t is not generally known, but it is
nevertheless true that Mormoniem is a
bastard Masonry. Its so.called "de-
grees," "initiations," and "obliga-
TONS" are all limitations of Masonry.
The Masonic traditions of the r. A. and
S. M. degrees, deposit of the "Book
of the Law" and the "discovery of the
long-lost Word" are all copied in Joe
Smiths alleged discovery of the "Book
of Mormon" Cor "Moroni'O in a hill
or mound in Manchester, N. j., on
Sept. 27, 1927.
The date is significant. In the au-
tumn of 1926 William Morgan published
book purporting to contain an EXPOSE
tion of the secrets of Free Masonry.
1t was undoubtedly from this book that
Smith manufactured his Mormon cere-
monies, and degrees" Smith was
born at Sharon, VT, December, %, 1905,
and was killed by mob at Carthage,
ILL.,, June 81, 1874. ct is noticeable
fact that Brigham Young, Joe's sue
cessor, was also born in VermonO
His parents were shiftless people who
avoided h, I'd labor, and occupied them
selves chiefly in digging for hidden
treasures and in similar visionary pur-
suits. They were Incorporate and I'M
truthful and were commonly suspected
of sheep stealing and other offenses.
Upwards of sixty of the most respect
able citizens of Wayne county testified
in 1888, under oath, that the Smith fam
lily were of immoral, false and fraudu-
lent character.
Smith was very poorly educated. He
could read with difficulty, and write a
very imperfect hand. His "revela-
TONS" proclamations, and other docu-
ments were generally written by others.
According to his own account, he be-
gan to have "visions" at about the age
of fifteen years. On the night of Sep.
81, 1888 the angel Moroni appeared to
him three times, informing him that
God had much for him to do; and that
record written on gold plates, giving
an account of the prehistoric inhabit-
ants of America, was deposited in par
ticular place in the earth(a hill in Man
chester, Ontario Co., n. Y. } and bows
like spectscles, on looking thro' which
the characters engraved on the golden
plates would become Ineligible. On
Sept. %, 1927, the angel placed in
Smiths hands the plates and the spec
tacles. The plates were about eight in
ches long by seven wide, little thin
ner than ordinary tin, and bound to.
gether with three rings running thro'
the whole. Altogether they were about
six inches thick, and engraved on each
side with hieroglyphies in language
called the reformed Egyptian" not
those known on the earth.
From these plates Smith sitting be-
hind blanket hung across the room to
keep the sacred records from profane
eyes, read off with the aid of the stone
spectacles, the "Book OF Mormon" or
"Golden Bible" to Oliver Cowdery,
who wrote it down as Smith read it. 1t
was printed in 1880, in volume Of sew
eral hundred pages. Appended to it
derry, David Whitmer and Martin Har.
ris, who said, "We declare with words
of soberness that an angel of God came
down from Heaven, land he brought and
laid before our eyes that we beheld the
plates and the engravlngs thereon
Several years afterward, however, the
"three Witnesses" Cowdery, Whitmel
and Harris, renowned Mormonism, and
avowed the falsity of their testimony.
The Book of Mormon is tumble of
distinct books, protesting to be writ
ten at different times by successive
prophets. 1t gives an account of Gle
hi and his family" who dwelt at Jeru
salem, about 600 B. G. In obedience
to the command Of the Lord, they Sci
out in search of promised land, ;
and after travelling "nearly eastward
for eight years, Through wilder
ness" CD they reached the ocean
Here they built ship, and being guild
ed by compass %, sailed to America
landing Gas the Mormons declare) OF
the coast of Chill. Those who arrived
in America were Lehi and his wife
his four SONS and their four wives, tw,
"sons of Ishmael" and their two wive
anu LOram, SERVANT anu Ills WIG, II
all eight adult men with as many
wives. Dust double of Noah and hi
family.) Soon after their arrival, Leh
died, and discussions arose between tn
sons of Lehi, and they separated. La
man and Lemuel and the "sons O
Ishmael" and their families, wer
cursed by the Lord for their rebellion
against Nephi, whom the Lord ha'
appointed to be their ruler, and the
and all their posterity condemned
have dark skins, and to "become a
idle people, full of mischief and sui
tlety, which did seek in the wilderness
for prey" This was the origin of tn
American Indiana, who are believe
by the Mormons to be the descendant
OF the 'lost tribes" of the Jews.
The Nephites multiplied and prof
pered, and built a temple after tn
manner of Solomon, Sand the worl
manship thereof was exceeding fine,
Observation-Disclosures