The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-18
SMITH DIDN'T Make GOOD
Mormon Chief Couldn't Walk the
Water Per Schedule
SMALL BOYS PLAYED TRICK ON HIM
DEVOTED ADHERENTs WAITING
FOR MIRACLE GAVE JOSEPH
THE LAUGH HORSY.
SMALL BOYS PLAYED TRICK ON HIM

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 49,
The long discussion in the senate
OF the various phases Of the Reed
SmOOt case has had the effect of slim
ulating Investigations of a number of
the obscure features of MOrmOnism. A
mass Of historical matter has been
brought to light by students of the
growth of the cult and a great vol
ume of material, widely scattered,
has been rediscovered and added to
the data of origins.
Among this material is the story
OF the miracle that failed, involving
the tragedy of budding prophet, who
could not deliver the goods, a mis-
fortune which came very near cost
ing Joseph Smith a tight-fitting coat
of tar and feathers as the penalty
of his failure The tale is told in
an old history of Chenango county,
New York, and has been overlooked
by many of the historians and critics
of Smith and the church he founded.
1t happened at the little town of
Alton, where Smith was married in
1927 and where he had lived for some
time. Here he organized his society
and practically began the strange
propaganda that as the years passed
trailed itself nearly across the con-
tinent until it reached the promised
land on the shores of the great Salt
Lake. At Alton Smith drew about
him a body of earnest converts, and
his vigorous preaching, his strange
personal magnetism, and his start
ling avowals of prophecy and inspira-
ton attracted large crowds to his
services. Finally, to put the capstone
of achievement to his monument of
pretensions, and to prove to the
sneerers and revilerS, of whom there
were many, that he had divine at
tributes, he walked from shore to
shore upon the waters of a creek
that flowed near the town.
Point of Frenzy.
The fact came as the dramatic eli
max to powerful sermon by which
his hearers had been aroused to the
point OF frenzy and the ocular de-
monstration of his professed divinity,
greeted with a Greek chorus of
"Amens," removed the last vestige
of doubt from the minds of converts.
According to the relation in the old
county history, the news of this mar
velous feat spread like wildfire
throughout the adjacent countryside.
1t was discussed at every crossroads
store and was the one topic of con-
versation at every farm house and
village home, even the revilers were
subdued for the moment, and the
flock of converts increased rapidly
Still there were many skeptics, for
the Smith family had a very unsavory
reputation in the neighborhood, and
Joseph Smith in particular, according
to the affidavits of some sixty of the
prominent men of the vicinity, was
held to be a person of absolutely no
moral character, and of vicious
drunken habits. They doubted and
waited.
Smiths success was his undOing,
according to the old history The
converts hungered for miracles. They
wanted some more of the water-walk-
ing business as ocular proof for the
flock of new adherents, and Smith
rather reluctantly consented. for none
l. hot 70
cheapens. When the day came great
crowds lined the shore of the creek,
every one upon the tiptoe of expect
ancy At the appointed hour. Smith
appeared, and, with a tread of dig
nifty and assurance, approached the
bank at the spot roped off for him
to make the trial. He removed his
shoes and stockings and waded in.
The great crowd held it's breath.
Necks were craned and staring eyes
prophet.
A mumur of surprise. gasp of
wonder swept over the crowd as
Smith slowly and dramatically walked
toward midstream, the water. we'll
known to be ten or twelve feet deep
at that point, coming only half way
between his feet and knees. With
unbelieving eyes the skeptics watch
ed the progress Of his majestic glide.
Then suddenly, with a splash that
threw the water of the muddy creek
high in the air. the prophet disap-
peared, to come to the surface a
moment later putting mortal under
similar cold-bath circumstances.
Devoted Adherents.
A roar of laughter swept over the
crowd, and battery of sharp, crude,
brutal epithets and witticisms were
turned loose upon him as he swan
to the shore, and was pulled out by
his devoted adherents. Some of the
baser sort wanted to give Smith
coat of tar and feathers, but the dis
credited miracle worker was whisked
away out of danger by some of his
supporters, and the advice of the