The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-06-07

was, however, in the box where they
were found, so he declared, n marvel.
Gus instrument called Urim and Thum.
min, by which he was enabled to read
the mysterious letters and translate
them into English. In 1880 Smith pub.
lished an English translation of the
plates under the title The Book of
Mormon,) together with certificates of
IL men who claimed to have seen the
plates. This book tells how, in the
time of King Zedekiah of Jerusalem,
a pious lsraclite by the name of Lehi.
together with his family, migrated from
Palestine to America and described on
these plates an account of his marve.
lous adventures as well as the reveal
tions which God vouchsafed to him.
Many of his sons, like Lamar, went out
into the wilderness and became the an.
cestors and chiefs of the North Ameri.
can Indians. The descendants of his
centuries before Christ, and among
them were preserved the dignity of the
priesthood and their sacred plates. 10
the descendants Of this family also ap
peared the Christ when He rose from
the dead, and He chose from the family
II apostles. who within a brief time
converted the whole country to Chris.
tianity; but when at the beginning of
the 4th century the church, in conse.
quence Of wars, became d~isintegrated.
Mormon, a mighty hero and pious Christ.
ian, rose and drove out the Lamanites
who had in the meantime become red
and fallen into barbarism. Neverthe.
less they returned about the year 400
and the Nephites persisted before them.
Mormon s son, Moroni, finished the his.
tory of his people in 420. The book
was published in 1880, and it was at
one time claimed that it was a plagiar.
ism on a move written by a clergyman
named Soloman Spalding several
years before; but this manuscript has
been discovered aud compared with
that of the Book of Mormon, and it is
found that they are entirely different.
Spaulding's manuscript is now ia the
Oberlin College, Ohio.
The new prophet Immediately began
to collect his followers about him. aud
by April o. 1880, he had organized "a
church ut Fayette, n. Y. The next year
the sect numbered several hundred
members and moved TO Kirkland. Ohio,
where they increased in numbers and
wealth through the efforts of mission
aries who were sent out by the prophet
In 1891 they began TO locate at Jackson
county, Mo-, but in 1883 they were
driven out of the country, partly on
account Of their faith and partly on
the charge of being ab~olitionists. They
took refuge in Clay county aud sur
Boggs of Missouri issued an cxtermi.
mating order against the Latter Day
Saints and they were driven out OF
that state. They went TO Illinois, where
by 1910, on the site of the previous set.
Element called Commerce, Hancock coun.
~, they had founded the city at Nau.
WOO. over which Smith had cxtraordi.
nary civil and military authority. The
city flourished, soon numbered 2,l0O
houses and having "A beautiful temple
built according to the plans which
Smith claimed he had received IA n
vision. In 1874 a discontinued member
Of the church issued n newspaper at
NauVoo ~assailing the prophet and
threatening to expose ~various alleged
immoralities and misdeeds. The city
council nj Nauvoo passed AN ordinance
declaring the p~rinting-oiiice a nuisance
1t was destroyed by the officers of the
law. Smith was blamed for this and
"A warrant issued for his arrest. Before
civil war actually broke out, the gov.
ernor Of the state induced Smith h
SUI rended and 90 to Carthage. On June
81, 1874, a mob attacked the Jail, over
powered the guard, killed Smith and his
brother Hyrum and wounded others in
the prophet 3 party.
This did not put an end TO Mormon
ism. Smith was succeeded by Brig
ham Young, who early in 1870 left Nau
VOC with others for the west. I'm
the spring Of ls47 . company Of "a;
started through the wilderness and OF
July % arrived at the valley of sal
Lake, which he declared was he prom
'A'd land. IL IL led far from '"ins
the promised land when they got tho,c