XI E> RAR.Y 
 
 OF THL 
 
 U N I VERSITY 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 
 298 
 C27p 
 cop. 2 
 
 I .H.S.
 
 THE 
 
 PROPHET 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NINETEENTH CENTUEY.
 
 " America is in more danger from religious fanaticism. The 
 government there not thinking it necessary to provide religious 
 instruction for the people in any of the new States, the prevalence 
 of superstition, and that perhaps IN SOME WILD AND TERRIBLE 
 SHAPE, may be looked for as one likely consequence of this great 
 and portentous omission. AN OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN might 
 find dupes and followers as readily as the All-friend Jemima ; 
 and the next Aaron Burr who seeks to carve a kingdom for him- 
 self out of the overgrown territories of the Union, may discover 
 
 that FANATICISM IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON WITH WHICH 
 
 AMBITION CAN ARM ITSELF ; that the way for both is prepared by 
 that immorality which the want of religion naturally and neces- 
 sarily induces, and that CAMP-MEETINGS may be very well di- 
 rected to forward the designs of a MILITARY PROPHET. 
 Were there ANOTHER MOHAMMED to arise, there is no part of the 
 world where he would find more scope, or fairer opportunity, than 
 in THAT PART of the Anglo-American Union into which the elder 
 States continually discharge the restless part of their population, 
 leaving Laws and Gospel to overtake it if they can ; for in 
 the march of modern colonization both are left behind." 
 Southey's Colloquies, vol. ii. p. 42, 1829 .
 
 NOTICE
 
 $ropf)et of tfje Nineteenth (Eentutg ; 
 
 OK, THE 
 
 RISE, PROGRESS, AND PRESENT STATE 
 
 OR LATTER-DAY SAINTS: 
 
 * 
 
 TO WHICH IS APPENDED, 
 
 AN ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 BY THE REV. 
 
 HENRY CASWALL, M.A. 
 
 N 
 
 PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN KEMPER COLLEGE, MISSOURI ; 
 
 AND AUTHOR OF " AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN CHURCH, 
 
 " CITY OF THE MORMONS," &C. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR J. G. F. & J. RIVINGTON, 
 
 ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, 
 AND WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL. 
 
 1843.
 
 Coo 4 -i 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 IF the base scheme entitled " Mormonism " were 
 designed merely as a gainful speculation, we might 
 be satisfied with exposing the knavery of the im- 
 postors who have attempted to fill their pockets by 
 operating on public credulity. Having effected 
 this object, we might suffer it to repose undis- 
 turbed among the numerous fraudulent contri- 
 vances, which, during their brief day, have en- 
 trapped the wonder-loving multitude, and have been 
 finally consigned to merited oblivion and contempt. 
 But Mormonism is not simply a money-making 
 scheme, it is a religion ; a religion too, which may 
 be considered as in many respects a natural result 
 of several tendencies which have long displayed 
 themselves in the nominally Christian world. Hence 
 it becomes desirable to expose not merely the fraud, 
 
 a 
 
 51962.,
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 but the heresy of the system ; to exhibit the means 
 by which it has produced not merely temporal dis- 
 appointment and distress, but spiritual desolation 
 and ruin. To accomplish this double object, it is 
 necessary to give its history, to trace the causes by 
 which the way for its success was prepared, to de- 
 scribe the apparently accidental circumstances by 
 which the foundation of the system was laid, and 
 to show how its vague outlines were gradually 
 reduced to definiteness and proportion. We shall 
 then be prepared to account for the remarkable 
 phenomenon of its extraordinary propagation, and 
 for the circumstance, otherwise inexplicable, of a 
 low juggler, without character, without education, 
 without common prudence or decency, exalting 
 himself to be the prophet, priest, and king of 
 myriads of religious devotees. 
 
 There are, perhaps, some who consider Mor- 
 monism a subject too contemptible for serious 
 notice ; but it may well be doubted whether such 
 persons have ever endeavoured to fathom the 
 depths of human credulity. It is sufficient for the 
 compiler of the following history to know that not
 
 PREFACE. Vll 
 
 far from a hundred thousand persons, possessed of 
 the average share of capacity, have embraced Mor- 
 monism with more than the average share of faith. 
 True, there is much that is ludicrous, and still 
 more that is disgusting in the conduct of the Mor- 
 mon leaders ; and it would be a vain attempt to 
 throw an air of romance over the life of a vulgar 
 swindler, or to render that respectable which is 
 intrinsically absurd. But, apart from the conduct 
 of its founders, Mormonism must stand on the 
 same footing with many other manifestations of 
 religious opinion, and must be regarded by the 
 thoughtful observer with serious interest, as a new 
 pattern of error, produced by the ever-shifting 
 kaleidoscope of the human mind. 
 
 An apology, perhaps, is due to the reader, for 
 the insertion of various passages, which are cer- 
 tainly better suited to the pages of a Newgate 
 Calendar, than to a work proceeding from a Chris- 
 tian Clergyman. The task of delineating the 
 prophet's infernal character has been certainly far 
 from agreeable to the author ; and he is aware
 
 Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 that, although he has drawn a veil over many cir- 
 cumstances and expressions unfit for publication, 
 he has too often incurred the risk of offending good 
 taste by the exhibition of blasphemy and vulgarity. 
 Yet, if the subject deserve to be recorded, it is of 
 course necessary that all its essential features 
 should be duly noticed and fairly described. Joseph 
 Smith, without his blasphemy and vulgarity, would 
 be a very different being from the " Prophet of the 
 Nineteenth Century." 
 
 The Author trusts that the following pages will 
 show that the history of Mormonism is capable of 
 affording much instruction to the student of human 
 nature, and valuable lessons to those who aim at 
 the propagation of truth, or the extirpation of 
 falsehood. A salutary moral is attached to all the 
 leading events connected with its progress ; and, 
 strange as those events may appear, they are fully 
 deserving of philosophical investigation in connec- 
 tion with the present aspect of many Protestant 
 communities. At the same time, it is hoped that 
 the narrative is presented in a form which will inte-
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 rest the general reader, and enable him to trace 
 with facility the gradual progress of this extraor- 
 dinary delusion. 
 
 Mormonism may continue to exist for many 
 years, or it may suddenly explode and disappear ; 
 but, in eitner case, it will not be surprising if thou- 
 sands should be ready to lay down their lives in its 
 defence. It would be more remarkable if an equal 
 number of persons should be found prepared to 
 adhere to the uncorrupted doctrines of the Saviour, 
 and to defend with resolution, in the unity of the 
 Church, the pure faith once delivered to the 
 Saints. 
 
 The Author has given ample authority for the 
 statements contained in the following work, and 
 has endeavoured to exercise rigid impartiality in 
 the examination of testimony. The publications 
 to which he has referred are the following : 
 
 1st. " Gleanings by the Way," by the Rev. 
 John A. Clark, D.D., Rector of St. Andrew's, 
 Philadelphia ; printed at Philadelphia in 1842. 
 (pp. 352, 12mo.) From the circumstance that
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 Dr. Clark was the Rector of the Episcopal Church 
 in Palmyra (New York), at the time when Mor- 
 monism originated in that vicinity, his testimony 
 is particularly valuable. 
 
 2nd. " Mormonism in all Ages, or the Rise, 
 Progress, and Causes of Mormonism, with the 
 Biography of its Author and Founder, Joseph 
 Smith, Junior ; by Professor J. B. Turner, Illinois 
 College, Jacksonville, Illinois." Printed at New 
 York, in 1842. (pp. 304, 12mo.) This work is 
 designed to expose the wickedness and absurdity 
 of Mormonism, with a view to the benefit of the 
 peculiar classes endangered by its incursions. The 
 character and standing of Professor Turner as a 
 Presbyterian Minister, and his contiguity to the 
 scene of Mormon operations, are sufficient to ren- 
 der his work an important authority. 
 
 3rd. " The Book of Mormon, an Account writ- 
 ten by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken 
 from the plates of Nephi ; by Joseph Smith, 
 Junior, Author and Proprietor, Palmyra. Printed 
 by E. B. Grandin, for the Author, 1830." (pp. 588,
 
 PREFACE. XI 
 
 12mo.) The copy cited is one of the first edition, 
 and was obtained by the compiler from the pro- 
 phet's mother, in April, 1842. 
 
 4th. " Gazetteer of the State of Missouri, with 
 a Map of the State ; compiled by Alonzo Wet- 
 more, St. Louis, 1837." (pp. 382. 8vo.) 
 
 5th. " Times and Seasons," City of Nauvoo, 
 Illinois ; edited by Joseph Smith. Printed and 
 published about the first and fifteenth of every 
 month, (pp. 766. 8vo.) to April 15, 1842. The 
 statements in this periodical work must of course 
 be received with great caution ; still, in many re- 
 spects, they must be considered as good authority. 
 
 6th. " Sketches of Iowa, or the Emigrant's 
 Guide;" by John B. Newhall, New York, 1841. 
 (pp. 252, 18mo.) 
 
 7th. " Book of Covenants and Revelations," 
 Kirtland, 1835. (pp.250. 18mo.) This book has 
 exerted more influence on Mormonism than any 
 other, not excepting the Book of Mormon, and is, 
 therefore, frequently quoted as authority on points 
 of doctrine. 
 
 8th. " A Brief History of the Church of Christ
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 Dr. Clark was the Rector of the Episcopal Church 
 in Palmyra (New York), at the time when Mor- 
 monism originated in that vicinity, his testimony 
 is particularly valuable. 
 
 2nd. " Mormonism in all Ages, or the Rise, 
 Progress, and Causes of Mormonism, with the 
 Biography of its Author and Founder, Joseph 
 Smith, Junior ; by Professor J. B. Turner, Illinois 
 College, Jacksonville, Illinois." Printed at New 
 York, in 1842. (pp. 304, 12mo.) This work is 
 designed to expose the wickedness and absurdity 
 of Mormonism, with a view to the benefit of the 
 peculiar classes endangered by its incursions. The 
 character and standing of Professor Turner as a 
 Presbyterian Minister, and his contiguity to the 
 scene of Mormon operations, are sufficient to ren- 
 der his work an important authority. 
 
 3rd. " The Book of Mormon, an Account writ- 
 ten by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken 
 from the plates of Nephi ; by Joseph Smith, 
 Junior, Author and Proprietor, Palmyra. Printed 
 by E. B. Grandin, for the Author, 1830." (pp. 588,
 
 FREFACE. XI 
 
 12mo.) The copy cited is one of the first edition, 
 and was obtained by the compiler from the pro- 
 phet's mother, in April, 1842. 
 
 4th. " Gazetteer of the State of Missouri, with 
 a Map of the State ; compiled by Alonzo Wet- 
 more, St. Louis, 1837." (pp. 382. 8vo.) 
 
 5th. " Times and Seasons," City of Nauvoo, 
 Illinois ; edited by Joseph Smith. Printed and 
 published about the first and fifteenth of every 
 month, (pp. 766. 8vo.) to April 15, 1842. The 
 statements in this periodical work must of course 
 be received with great caution ; still, in many re- 
 spects, they must be considered as good authority. 
 
 6th. " Sketches of Iowa, or the Emigrant's 
 Guide;" by John B. Newhall, New York, 1841. 
 (pp. 252, 18mo.) 
 
 7th. " Book of Covenants and Revelations," 
 Kirtland, 1835. (pp.250. 18mo.) This book has 
 exerted more influence on Mormonism than any 
 other, not excepting the Book of Mormon, and is, 
 therefore, frequently quoted as authority on points 
 of doctrine. 
 
 8th. " A Brief History of the Church of Christ
 
 Xll PREFACE. 
 
 of Latter Day Saints (commonly called Mor- 
 mons), including an account of their Doctrine and 
 Discipline, with the reasons of the author for leav- 
 ing the said Church ; by John Corrill, a member 
 of the Legislature of Missouri, St. Louis, 1839." 
 (pp. 50, 8vo.) This pamphlet is the work of a 
 person who was among the earliest converts to 
 Mormonism, and an eye-witness of many of the 
 most important events in its history. 
 
 9th. " Mormonism Pourtrayed, its errors and 
 absurdities exposed, and the spirit and designs of 
 its author made manifest; by William Harris, 
 Warsaw, Illinois, 1841." (pp. 64.) This pamphlet 
 is also by a person who was for some time a zealous 
 Mormon. 
 
 10th. " An appeal to the American People, 
 being an account of the persecutions of the Church 
 of Latter Day Saints, and of the barbarities in- 
 flicted on them by the inhabitants of the State of 
 Missouri ; by authority of said Church, Cincinnati, 
 1840." (pp. 84, 18rno.) 
 
 llth. "Document showing the testimony given 
 before the Judge of the fifth judicial circuit of the
 
 PREFACE. Xlll 
 
 State of Missouri, on the trial of Joseph Smith 
 and others, for high treason, and other crimes 
 against that State. February 15, 1841." This 
 document was published by authority of Congress, 
 and is of considerable value, as elucidating the 
 spirit and designs of the prophet and his con- 
 federates. 
 
 12th. " An Address to Americans, a poem 
 in blank verse, by James Mulholland, an Elder of 
 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 
 Nauvoo, 1841." (pp. 11, 18mo.) 
 
 13th. An Oration delivered on the 4th of July, 
 by Sidney Rigdon, Far- West, 1838. 
 
 The Author has also occasionally referred to 
 " The City of the Mormons," " America and the 
 American Church," and various newspapers, which 
 assist in tracing the history of Morinonism. 
 
 The reader's attention is particularly solicited to 
 a remarkable extract from Southey (inserted oppo- 
 site the title page), which did not meet the Author's
 
 XIV PREFACE. 
 
 eye until the greater part of this work was in 
 print. The prediction was published in March, 
 1 829, fourteen months previously to the publication 
 of the Book of Mormon, and while the American 
 Mohammed was busily engaged in his pretended 
 translation.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Western America becomes the cradle of Mormonism 
 1st, Through the want of influential religious institu- 
 tions 2dly, Through the growth of Fanaticism 3dly, 
 Through the rise of Campbellism 4thly, Through the 
 want of respect for antiquity, and established usages . ;' 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SOLOMON SPATJLDING UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSISTS IN 
 PREPARING THE WAY FOR MORMONISM. 
 
 Spaulding's birth and education He becomes a preacher 
 then a tradesman then a bankrupt He removes to Ohio, 
 and becomes bankrupt a second time He writes an histo- 
 rical romance respecting the American Indians He 
 removes to Pittsburg, where his manuscript remains in a 
 printing-office He removes to Amity He dies The 
 Book of Mormon appears It is compared with Spauld- 
 ing's work, and found to be generally identical with it 
 Spaulding's original work is lost 13 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AS A 
 DIVINE REVELATION. 
 
 Birth of Joseph Smith, the Prophet The Prophet is dis- 
 satisfied with all religious sects, and begins to dig for
 
 XVI CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 money He meets with Spaulding's manuscript, and digs 
 for a silver mine He falls in love, and pretends to dis- 
 cover another silver mine He elopes with Emma Hale, 
 and obliges a Dutchman to pay the expenses of his flight 
 He begins to tell a story respecting his discovery of a 
 Golden Bible He persuades his own family to believe, 
 and succeeds in enlisting Martin Harris Harris visits 
 New York The Prophet and Harris produce the Book 
 of Mormon, which is published with the testimony of 
 eleven witnesses besides the prophet 26 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 Organization of the first Mormon " Church " Missionaries 
 sent to the West History of Rigdon, the Campbellite 
 Rigdon assists in preparing the way for Mormonism He 
 is converted by Smith's missionaries His flock follow his 
 example, and are immersed They receive the " gift of 
 tongues" Rigdon visits Smith, and becomes his prime 
 minister Horrible fanaticism breaks out at Kirtland 
 Smith declares it to be the work of Satan The converts 
 rapidly increase A Bishop is appointed, and Mormonism 
 appears in a new aspect 51 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 SMITH TELLS A NEW STORY AND PRODUCES NEW 
 BOOKS. 
 
 The Prophet tells a new and complete story respecting the 
 golden plates Smith's Theory of Inspiration Book of 
 Mormon and its claims Book of Covenants and its incon- 
 sistencies New version of the Old and New Testaments, 
 with the Prophet's alterations and interpolations Pratt's 
 " Voice of Warning," " Times and Seasons," &c. ... 72
 
 CONTENTS. XV11 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE OF MORMONISM. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Doctrine of faith Doctrines of baptism, confirmation, and 
 miraculous gifts Doctrine of apostolical succession 
 Papal authority of Smith Priesthoods of Melchisedec 
 and Aaron Zion, in Missouri, the centre of the faith 
 Mormon stakes Trials of transgressors Patriarchs 
 Twelve Apostles Seventies Theological preparation of 
 preachers Tithes Democratic theory of Mormonism, ^- 
 and theocratic practice Witness of the Spirit Saints 
 equal with the Deity Transmigration of souls The Deity 
 material, and matter eternal Literal interpretation 
 Baptism for the dead Doctrine of the resurrection Doc- 
 trine of the Eucharist Smith the interpreter of Holy 
 Writ . . 84 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CONTINUED INCREASE OF MORMONISM. 
 
 Causes of the growth of this heresy 1st, It admits the 
 Scriptures 2d, It is congenial with erratic religious cha- 
 racter 3d, It is adapted to wild views of religion 4th, 
 It teaches authoritatively 5th, It possesses no strict 
 standard of morals 6th, It is in the hands of artful 
 leaders Cowdery and others proceed to Missouri Smith 
 holds a convocation, and appoints the " Melchisedec priest- 
 hood " He sends his elders to Missouri, and proceeds 
 thither himself He founds the city of Zion, and prophe- 
 sies respecting it He returns to Kirtland Rapid diffusion 
 of his religion A new hatch of elders sent forth The 
 Mormons begin to emigrate to Missouri Alarm of the 
 Missourians Change of operations Sacred firm estab- 
 lished Commencement of the temple Description of it 
 Its cost . 101
 
 XV111 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SMITH BECOMES BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT IN- 
 TRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The Mormons assume the name of Latter-day Saints War- 
 like expedition in aid of their persecuted brethren in Mis- 
 souri Smith and Rigdon form a mercantile house, and 
 run in debt The elders are conducted to learning by a 
 royal road A grand endowment takes place Blessings 
 and cursings are poured forth Smith establishes a bank 
 The prophet shows two hundred boxes of speck The 
 bank breaks Harris and others apostatize and the pro- 
 phet runs away Mormonism is introduced into England 
 Methods of persuasion adopted by its missionaries 
 Statistics of English Mormonism Craft of its teachers . 121 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN A MILITARY CAPACITY. 
 
 History of the Mormon settlement in Missouri The 
 " Saints " claim the country as their inheritance The 
 " Gentiles " are exasperated The Mormon Bishop is 
 " tarred and feathered," and the Mormons are driven from 
 Jackson county They appeal to Governor Dunklin with- 
 out success Their sufferings at their expulsion They 
 flee to Clay county The prophet issues a " revelation " 
 on the subject of their persecutions He marches to their 
 relief with 250 men, a distance of 800 miles He holds a 
 council with the mob, and returns to Kirtland The 
 Mormons settle in Caldwell county Smith, Rigdon, and 
 Co. remove to Missouri Mormonism increases The 
 " Gentiles " are alarmed The Mormons prepare for the 
 worst The Danite band is formed, and the " Dissenters" 
 are expelled Bloody schemes of Smith and his Danites
 
 CONTENTS. XIX 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The timid Mormons are prevented from removing 
 Smith declares that hereafter he will not obey the laws of 
 Missouri Election fracas Smith is apprehended for vio- 
 lence to a justice of the peace, and bound over to appear 
 for trial 141 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A TERRIBLE REVERSE. 
 
 The Missourians seize the arms of the United States The 
 militia are called out The mob obtains a cannon, and ex- 
 pels the Mormons from Dewitt The mob invades Davies 
 county The Mormons rise, disperse the mob, and plunder 
 the houses of their enemies They capture the cannon and 
 enter Far West in triumph Battle between Mormons and 
 Methodists Death of Patten Massacre of Mormons at 
 Haun's mills Far West capitulates, our prophet is given 
 up, and sentenced to be shot He is imprisoned and 
 brought to trial with his accomplices The Mormons are 
 expelled from Missouri, under a threat of extermination 
 They settle in Illinois The prophet and his comrades 
 escape from jail and join them 165 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE PROPHET RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 
 
 The Mormons gather strength from their reverses, and the 
 prophet is courted as a great political leader Nauvoo is 
 founded, and increases with rapidity The prophet again 
 speculates in " town-lots" He sends Elder Hyde on a pil- 
 grimage to Jerusalem The pilgrim sees great signs in 
 heaven, arrives in Palestine, and offers up a prayer on the 
 Mount of Olives The prophet obtains charters for the 
 Nauvoo legion, the city of Nauvoo, the Mormon univer- 
 sity, &c. Ordinances of the mayor and aldermen Pro- 
 fessorships in the university A " revelation " obtained
 
 XX CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 for a hotel and for the temple Tithes imposed on the 
 Mormons Description of the temple and the font Egyp- 
 tian mummies Book of Abraham " Tunes and Seasons" 
 Letter to Queen Victoria Designs of the prophet . . 187 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE PROPHET IS LEFT JN A DANGEROUS PRE- 
 DICAMENT. 
 
 Estimate of the number of Mormons Smith, a source of 
 corruption to his followers His wickedness no argument 
 against Mormonism Evidences of Mormonism Views of 
 other denominations Roman Catholics Church of Eng- 
 land Presbyterians Methodists Irvingites Character 
 of the Mormons Character of the prophet The author's 
 visit to Nauvoo The personal appearance of the prophet 
 His opinion of a Greek Psalter Mormon congregation 
 Smith's fraudulent bankruptcy The prophet plans the 
 assassination of Ex-governor Boggs He takes many " spi- 
 ritual wives" Rigdon, Bennett, and others apostatize 
 The prophet is arrested and released He fortifies Nauvoo, 
 and defies the government Conclusion 211 
 
 . 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Analysis of the Book of Mormon 231
 
 THE PROPHET 
 
 NINETEENTH CENTURY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 
 
 Western America becomes the cradle of Mormonism 1st. Through 
 the want of influential religious institutions 2dly. Through 
 the growth of Fanaticism 3dly. Through the rise of Camp- 
 bellism 4thly. Through the want of respect for Antiquity, 
 and established usages. 
 
 MORMONISM is a system which could not have 
 been easily produced or readily developed in Eng- 
 land. The mature religious institutions of the 
 mother country would have opposed a bulwark 
 against its progress as a fanaticism ; while an 
 efficient government and an active police would 
 have stripped it altogether of its military cha- 
 racter. Had it been preached in the first place in 
 Britain, it would probably have crept in the dust 
 like other reptile forms of delusion ; and the names
 
 2 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 
 
 of its prophets and teachers would have ranked with 
 those of Southcote or of Muggleton. But in the 
 Western hemisphere its antecedent probability of 
 success was incalculably greater. Various circum- 
 stances had concurred in preparing the way for the 
 introduction of a new system of religion. The fuel 
 was already collected, the pile was duly prepared, 
 and an accidental spark alone was wanting to kindle 
 a blaze of fanaticism, which no existing means 
 would avail to extinguish. It may be well, there- 
 fore, before narrating the rise and progress of 
 Mormonism, to consider briefly the condition of 
 the religious world in Western America prior to 
 its appearance. 
 
 In the first place then, it must be recollected 
 that Western America has never possessed any 
 institution resembling an influential Church, and 
 strongly controlling public opinion. In New Eng- 
 land the Puritan establishment flourished in vigour 
 during nearly two centuries, and its effects are 
 clearly visible in the marked and peculiar character 
 of the eastern people. But to the westward of the 
 river Hudson this curious system never existed, 
 and its indirect influence alone was perceptible. 
 Virginia, during its colonial existence, possessed an 
 establishment professedly of the Church of Eng- 
 land. But Episcopacy, which constitutes the basis 
 of the English Church, was unknown there, except
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 3 
 
 in name 1 . The colonists indeed petitioned 2 , from 
 time to time, for an American Bishop ; but the 
 government of the mother country, for various 
 causes, uniformly declined to comply with their 
 reasonable requests, and they remained ecclesiasti- 
 cally subject to the Bishop of London. Their 
 clergy were either emigrants from Britain, or na- 
 tives of the colonies who had proceeded to England 
 for ordination. Both sources of supply were in- 
 adequate, and the latter was peculiarly hazardous 
 and burdensome. Hence, while dissenting sects 
 met with no considerable obstacle to their pro- 
 gress, the Church appeared to be studiously kept 
 in the back ground, without any effectual means of 
 discipline for the clergy, and without the important 
 ordinance of Confirmation for the laity. There was 
 no visible centre of unity ; there were no means 
 for the ready removal of abuses ; each clergyman 
 acted for himself, and none dreamed of working in 
 concert with the rest. The Church, therefore, 
 possessed little influence, and finally lost its hold 
 upon the respect and attachment of the com- 
 munity. The Revolution came, and the early Vir- 
 ginian Church, having been founded originally upon 
 the sand, was soon swept away and nearly anni- 
 hilated 3 . The new government found the Ameri- 
 
 1 " America and the American Church," p. 169. 
 
 2 Ib. 170. 3 Ib. p. 174.
 
 4 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 
 
 can people divided into various denominations, not 
 one of which could claim a majority in its favour. 
 Hence, even though the government had possessed 
 the will, it had not the power to set up any na- 
 tional form of religious doctrine and worship. 
 From that period the idea of an established 
 Church became more and more unpopular, and the 
 people came to the conclusion, that 4 any legislation 
 by which Christianity should be distinguished from 
 Mahometanism, paganism, or infidelity, would be 
 contrary to the first principles of American liberty. 
 In the new states, and finally in all of the older 
 ones also, religion was thrown upon the voluntary- 
 support of its friends ; and while secular education 
 received a tolerable share of public attention, no 
 general system of Christian instruction was suf- 
 fered to exist. 
 
 As a natural consequence of this state of things, 
 the great mass of the community, being destitute 
 of official guides, were influenced by accident or by 
 caprice in their choice of religious teachers. The 
 Scriptures, indeed, still maintained their ground, 
 and commanded, to a certain extent, the reverence 
 of the multitudes to whom the living Church had 
 ceased to speak. But destitute as those multi- 
 tudes were of authorized expositors, and unable of 
 
 * " America and the American Church," p. 63.
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. O 
 
 themselves to form any consistent scheme of doc- 
 trine, it is not wonderful that numerous wild forms 
 of religion soon held extensive sway. It is painful 
 to the Christian mind to reflect on the scenes 
 which often occurred, and which are still too fre- 
 quently exhibited in Western America at meetings 
 professedly religious. Frequently, not only whole 
 communities, but vast regions, have been subject 
 to the most extraordinary attacks of enthusiasm*. 
 In the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, from the 
 year 1800 to 1804, both inclusive, meetings were 
 often held, as at present, in the open air, and 
 lasted for a number of days in succession. During 
 the continuance of these meetings, the people re- 
 mained on the ground day and night, listening to 
 the most exciting sermons, and engaging in a 
 mode of worship which consisted chiefly in alter- 
 nate crying, laughing, singing and shouting, ac- 
 companied with gesticulations of a most extra- 
 ordinary character. Often there would be an un- 
 usual outcry, some bursting forth into loud ejacula- 
 tions of thanksgiving, others exhorting their careless 
 friends to ; ' turn to the Lord ;" some struck with 
 terror, and hastening to escape, others trembling, 
 weeping, and swooning away, till every appearance 
 of life was gone, and the extremities of the body 
 
 5 Prof. Turner's " Mormonism in all Ages," p. 272. 
 B 3
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 
 
 assumed the coldness of a corpse. At one meeting 
 not less than a thousand persons fell to the ground 
 apparently without sense or motion. It was com- 
 mon to see them shed tears plentifully about an 
 hour before they fell ; they were then seized with a 
 general tremor, and sometimes they uttered one or 
 two piercing shrieks in the moment of falling. 
 This latter phenomenon was common to both 
 sexes, to all ages, and to all sorts of characters. 
 Towards the close of this commotion, viz., about 
 the year 1803, convulsions became prevalent, and 
 were distinguished as the "rolling exercise," the 
 "jerks," and the "barks," which are thus described 
 by credible witnesses 6 . 
 
 The " rolling exercise" consisted in doubling the 
 head and feet together, and rolling over and over 
 like a hoop ; or in stretching the body horizontally, 
 and rolling through mud and mire like swine. 
 
 The "jerks" consisted in violent twitches and 
 contortions of the body in all its parts. Sometimes 
 the head would fly half way round, and backwards 
 and forwards, until not a feature could be re- 
 cognized. When attacked by the "jerks," the 
 victims of enthusiasm sometimes leaped like frogs, 
 and exhibited every grotesque and hideous contor- 
 tion of the face and limbs. 
 
 6 Turner, p. 273.
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 7 
 
 The " barks" consisted in getting down on all 
 fours, growling, snapping the teeth, and barking 
 like dogs. Sometimes numbers of the people 
 squatted down, and, looking in the face of the 
 minister, continued demurely barking at him while 
 he preached to them. These last were peculiarly 
 gifted in prophecies, trances, dreams, rhapsodies, 
 visions of angels, of heaven, and of the holy city 7 . 
 
 The above will serve as a specimen of the kind 
 of worship deliberately chosen by persons whose 
 private judgment was uncontrolled, and who de- 
 sired to be considered extremely spiritual. Nor 
 has this description of religion been confined to a 
 few obscure fanatics. It has prevailed most ex- 
 tensively among many sects 8 , and principally 
 among the Baptists and the Methodists, bodies 
 which, in regard to number, are the leading deno- 
 minations in the United States, and contain within 
 the sphere of their direct influence probably not 
 less than six millions of souls. The Holy Spirit is 
 too generally regarded as the author of enthu- 
 siastic manifestations similar to those described 
 above, and religion is made to consist in feelings, 
 impulses, and experiences, rather than in the ex- 
 ercise of a living faith, the cultivation of Christian 
 graces, and the performance of holy duties. The 
 
 7 Turner, p. 274. 
 
 8 " America and the American Church," p. 316. 324. 
 
 B 4
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMOXISM. 
 
 preachers and people unite in despising written and 
 studied sermons, and the wandering rhapsodies of 
 illiterate men are almost considered as dictated by 
 heavenly inspiration. 
 
 It will thus be seen that a new form of super- 
 stition has for some time held extensive sway in 
 Western America. The people have doubtless 
 generally rejected the notion of seven sacraments, 
 the worship of saints and images, and the belief in 
 purgatory and transubstantiation. But it is clear 
 that vast bodies in America, professing strong Pro- 
 testantism, have for half a century maintained 
 errors perhaps equally dangerous with the worst 
 corruptions of Romanism. A way was thus pre- 
 pared for the appearance of a Prophet, claiming 
 immediate inspiration, interpreting the Scriptures 
 according to his own fancies, and, in short, leading 
 his followers into the lowest abyss of mental de- 
 gradation. The abuse of Protestantism seemed 
 rapidly bringing back something akin to Popery ; 
 and it was not unreasonable to anticipate that an 
 infallible ruler would soon arise to lead captive 
 those who had made a great boast of their liberty. 
 In fact, long before Mormonism was heard of, 
 many wise and good men, contemplating the state 
 of the religious world in the West, had sorrowfully 
 expressed their apprehension that a new religion 
 would shortly appear, combining in itself many of
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 9 
 
 the worst elements of a destructive fanaticism, and 
 decidedly Antichristian in its tendency. It is per- 
 haps a happy circumstance, that when this antici- 
 pation was realized by the appearance of Mor- 
 monism, the new religion came out under the 
 superintendence of leaders, whose follies, iniquities, 
 and absurdities have often threatened a dissolu- 
 tion of the entire fabric. Had the founders of the 
 system been men of tolerable character, moderate 
 foresight, and sufficient honesty to become the 
 dupes of their own enthusiasm, it is impossible to 
 estimate the mischief which might have been 
 already effected. 
 
 Another circumstance assisted greatly in pre- 
 paring the way for Mormonism. Together with 
 the practical Antinomianism, and the enthusiastic 
 views of spiritual agency described above, there 
 had grown up a contempt for outward ordinances 
 and regular ecclesiastical discipline. A reaction 
 was ultimately produced, which, without destroying 
 enthusiasm and fanaticism, produced a complete 
 revolution in the opinions of a large portion of the 
 community on the subjects of Baptism and external 
 order. A great reformer, Alexander Campbell by 
 name, became conspicuous in the denomination of 
 Baptists about the year 1827 9 . Being a person of 
 
 9 Turner, p. 24. " America and American Church," p. 313. 
 B 5
 
 10 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 
 
 considerable property, great boldness, and much 
 real learning, he soon occupied almost the position 
 of an inspired prophet. He published a new trans- 
 lation of the New Testament, compiled from the 
 versions of Macknight and Doddridge, with some 
 variations of his own. He taught that immersion 
 was absolutely necessary to render a person a mem- 
 ber of Christ, and an inheritor of the kingdom of 
 heaven. He declared that the Holy Ghost was 
 promised only to those who should have submitted 
 to immersion, and that such persons alone could 
 justly expect the remission of their sins. All 
 unbaptized or unimmersed persons were boldly pro- 
 nounced unregenerate. They were considered un- 
 susceptible of the direct influences of the Holy 
 Spirit, though capable of being acted upon by the 
 moral power of truth, whether contained in the 
 Scriptures or in oral instructions. A scheme of 
 " Church " government also was laid down, which 
 approximated in some respects to the doctrine of 
 the apostolical succession, and which seemed to 
 prepare the ground for something like a priest- 
 hood. These new opinions spread like wildfire, and 
 throughout Western Virginia, Kentucky, and 
 Tennessee, numerous enthusiastic persons were 
 soon preaching them to crowded and breathless 
 congregations. They proclaimed with much zeal, 
 and no small share of ability, the duty of all men
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMONISM. 11 
 
 to be baptized for the remission of sins, and the 
 absolute necessity of immersion. They promised 
 the Holy Ghost to all who should be thus bap- 
 tized, on a profession of faith and repentance ; and 
 encouraged them to expect not merely the ordinary, 
 but the extraordinary gifts of the Third Person in 
 the Trinity. This was denominated the " Ancient 
 Gospel," and to these views all men were required 
 to conform. Prodigious success accompanied the 
 efforts of the new sectaries ; and notwithstanding 
 the epithet of " Heretics," 11 which was profusely 
 lavished upon them by many who held errors at 
 least equally dangerous, the " Campbellites " con- 
 tinued to increase, and have succeeded in maintain- 
 ing their position to the present day. By a pro- 
 cess which will hereafter be explained, Campbellism 
 was soon made to form one of the main ingre- 
 dients of Mormonism. 
 
 When, in addition to the above leading causes, 
 it is considered that the great mass of the inha- 
 bitants of the West have little respect for ancient 
 institutions on the ground of their antiquity; 
 that they are naturally restless, fond of change, 
 and greedy of novelty ; and that these peculia- 
 rities of their character arise almost necessarily 
 from the circumstances in which they are placed ', 
 
 1 See De Tocqueville on American Democracy. 
 B 6
 
 12 PREPARATIONS FOR MORMON1SM. 
 
 the reader will be convinced that Western Ame- 
 rica, in the early part of the nineteenth century, 
 was precisely the locality in which a religion like 
 Mormonism might be expected to take root and 
 flourish. Without a preparation similar to the 
 above. Mormonism never could have been received 
 far beyond the immediate circle of the false pro- 
 phet's coadjutors. The seed might have been cast 
 into the earth, but it could never have sprung up ; 
 much less could it have produced its subsequent 
 abundant harvest of misery and degradation. 
 
 An accidental event, which will be detailed in the 
 next chapter, constituted the opening scene in the 
 drama of Mormonism.
 
 SPAULDING S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 13 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SOLOMON SPAULDTNG UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSISTS IN 
 PREPARING THE WAY FOR MORMONISM. 
 
 Spaulding's birth and education He becomes a preacher then 
 a tradesman then a bankrupt He removes to Ohio and 
 becomes bankrupt a second time He writes an historical 
 romance respecting the American Indians He* removes to 
 Pittsburg, where his manuscript remains in a printing office 
 He removes to Amity He dies The Book of Mormon 
 appears It is compared with Spaulding's work, and found to 
 be generally identical with it Spaulding's original work is 
 lost. 
 
 THE reader is now requested to look backward 
 more than eighty years. In the year 1 761 2 , before 
 the Eevolution had separated the best portion of 
 America from the British Empire, a person was 
 ushered into existence, who unconsciously became 
 a conspicuous character in the history of heresy. 
 This was Solomon Spaulding, who was born in the 
 town of Ashford, in the quiet and steady colony of 
 Connecticut. From his youth he was distinguished 
 
 2 Clark's " Gleanings by the Way," p. 249. Turner, p. 207. 
 
 2
 
 14 SPAULDING UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSISTS IN 
 
 by a lively imagination and a great fondness 
 for history. Having completed his preparatory 
 course of study, he proceeded to Dartmouth Col- 
 lege, at Hanover, in New Hampshire. This insti- 
 tution was then of recent origin, and derived its 
 name from an English nobleman who had been 
 one of its principal benefactors. Having taken his 
 degree, Mr. Spaulding studied the Calvinistic 
 theology, and was ordained a minister of the Con- 
 gregational denomination. He officiated in this 
 capacity for three or four years, when, for some 
 reason which has not transpired, he deserted the 
 pulpit, and commenced business as a tradesman at 
 Cherry Valley, in the state of New York. His 
 previous pursuits, and perhaps his speculative turn 
 of mind, seem to have disqualified him for worldly 
 engagements ; and an event took place which in 
 other countries would have proved a serious cala- 
 mity. Solomon Spaulding became a bankrupt 3 . 
 At that period the more western parts of America 
 presented great inducements to emigration. The 
 Indian tribes in Ohio had ceased to be dangerous, 
 and the fertile lands in that agreeable country were 
 eagerly sought by numbers who had the world 
 before them, and who desired to carve out their 
 fortunes by the active energies of their own right 
 
 3 Turner, p. 207-
 
 PREPARING THE WAY FOR MORMONISM. 15 
 
 hands. To a person of Spaulding's imaginative 
 character, the prospect of recovering his position, 
 and of attaining a respectable competence in the 
 new country, appeared peculiarly inviting. He 
 accordingly joined the stream of western emi- 
 grants, and arrived at Conneaut, in Ohio, near the 
 southern shore of Lake Erie, in the year 1809 *. 
 Here he commenced as a speculator in land 5 , pur- 
 chasing a considerable tract at a small price, and 
 endeavouring to sell it out in small lots at a large 
 profit. He also engaged in building a forge, in the 
 hope of materially increasing his means by the 
 manufacture of iron. He entered into partnership 
 in the following year with a person named Lake, 
 and the two conjointly completed the erection of 
 the forge. This speculation was unfortunate, and 
 the traffic in land appears to have been equally dis- 
 advantageous 6 . In fact, the war between Great 
 Britain and America was then raging, and Lake 
 Erie and its shores were, in a great measure, the 
 scene of hostile operations. In 1812, Spaulding 
 had failed once more, and was considerably involved 
 in debt 7 . Whether from disappointment, or from 
 the effects of a sickly climate, or from both causes 
 combined, his health had now given way 8 , and he 
 was disabled from active labours. His mind once 
 
 4 Clark, p. 250. 5 Ib. p. 309. c Ib. p. 308. 
 
 7 Ib. p. 309. 8 Ib. p. 250.
 
 16 SPAULDING UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSISTS IN 
 
 more reverted to literary pursuits 9 , and he con- 
 ceived the idea of publishing a book which he had 
 already in part prepared. His sanguine imagina- 
 tion assured him that successful authorship would 
 enable him to discharge his debts ', and, perhaps, 
 to acquire a competency. The subject of the work 
 was suited to his peculiar temperament. He had 
 been long in the habit of contending that the ab- 
 origines of America were the descendants of some 
 of the tribes of Israel ; and in this opinion, it is 
 but fair to add, he was by no means singular 2 . 
 Several exceedingly ingenious and plausible essays 
 have been written to prove the same point. The 
 arguments most commonly adduced, appear to be 
 derived from the resemblance of some Indian words 
 to the Hebrew, the general belief in one Supreme 
 Being, the practice of various ceremonial rites, and 
 traditions, which seem to point to Asia, as the 
 original cradle of the race 3 . In the vicinity of 
 Conneaut, as in many other parts of the West, 
 there are numerous works of earth, regularly con- 
 structed, and bearing the appearance of fortifica- 
 tions, which evidently belong to a period of remote 
 antiquity*. On forming excavations in the sides 
 
 9 Clark, p. 251. ' Ib. p. 309. 
 
 2 See Newhall's Sketches of Iowa, p. 23?. 
 
 3 See Bishop M'llvaine's preface to the " Antiquities of 
 America." 4 Newhall, p. 234.
 
 PREPARING THE WAY FOR MORMONISM. 17 
 
 of these mysterious remains, numerous implements 
 were found 5 , some of which evinced a skill in the 
 arts altogether surpassing that of the existing 
 Indians 6 . Spaulding's peculiar views led him to 
 take a lively interest in these developments of anti- 
 quity 7 , and he had long devoted much of his leisure 
 time to the construction of an historical romance 8 , 
 describing the adventures of the nations by which 
 these fortifications were reared. Under the gui- 
 dance of Nephi and Lehi, their ancestors were 
 represented as leaving Jerusalem, to escape the 
 judgments coming on the old world. There was a 
 detailed account of their journey from Jerusalem 
 by land and sea, till they arrived in America with 
 their leaders. The settlers were described as 
 having various contentions among themselves, and 
 as finally separating into two distinct nations, deno- 
 minated Nephites and Lamanites. Between these 
 parties cruel and bloody battles were fought ; giants 
 performed prodigies of valour, and the ground was 
 frequently covered with the slain. They buried 
 their dead in large heaps, and thus produced the 
 mounds or barrows which are found throughout 
 North America 9 . Their arts, sciences, and civili- 
 zation were brought into view, and an account was 
 
 5 Newhall, p. 232. 
 
 6 See Atwater's Antiquities of Ohio. 
 
 7 Clark, p. 251. Ib. p. 305. 9 Ib. pp. 306, 307.
 
 18 SPAULDING UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSISTS IN 
 
 given of the origin of the curious antiquities in 
 North and South America. 
 
 The story was entitled, " The Manuscript Found 1 ," 
 and purported to be a translation of a record dis- 
 covered beneath the earth, and written by one of the 
 " Lost Nation." In order to keep up an appear- 
 ance of consistency, the author adopted a style of 
 writing similar to that of the English version of 
 the Scriptures 2 . Nearly every sentence was made 
 to commence with the phrase " and it came to pass," 
 or, " now it came to pass V The names of Nephi, 
 Lehi, and Moroni were often repeated*; many 
 paragraphs began with "I, Nephi ;" and there was 
 a tragic story recounting the particulars of the 
 death of a certain Laban 5 , . previous to the depar- 
 ture of the emigrants from the old world. As the 
 author advanced in his narrative, the neighbouring 
 settlers frequently came to his house, and inquired 
 pleasantly how he proceeded in deciphering the 
 manuscript 6 . When he had prepared a sufficient 
 portion, he informed them, and they assembled to 
 hear it read. Much interest was excited among 
 them, although none imagined the tale to be any 
 thing more than an ingenious fiction. Many of 
 those who had been present on these occasions 
 remembered the general outlines of the story, and 
 
 1 Clark, p. 251. 2 Ib. 3 Ib. p. 305. 
 
 4 Ib. p. 308. 5 Ib. p. 307. 6 Ib. p. 251.
 
 PREPARING THE WAY FOR MORMONISM. J9 
 
 from their testimony, in the absence of the manu- 
 script itself, the foregoing facts were collected after 
 an interval of twenty years. The widow, the bro- 
 ther, and the partner of Spaulding, are among the 
 witnesses 7 ; and their statements are too circum- 
 stantial, and too well supported by collateral evi- 
 dence, to admit of any reasonable doubt. In the 
 year 1812 8 Spaulding removed from Ohio, and, 
 having been furnished by his late partner with the 
 means of defraying his travelling expences 9 , he 
 arrived at Pittsburg in Pennsylvania, where he 
 resided for about two years. Here he designed to 
 print his book, from the proceeds of which he 
 assured his creditors tha.t he should be enabled to 
 satisfy their demands *. Meeting with a Mr. Pat- 
 terson 2 , the editor of a newspaper, and partner 
 with one Lambdin in the business of a printing- 
 office, he exhibited to him his manuscript, with a 
 view to its publication. Patterson seemed pleased 
 with it, and borrowed it for perusal. He retained 
 it for a long time, and obstacles appearing in the 
 way of publication, it was finally laid upon the 
 shelves of the printing-office, together with other 
 unfortunate productions of genius. Here it was 
 not altogether unnoticed, and it was in the power 
 
 7 Turner, p. 210. 8 Ib. p. 2)1. 
 
 9 Ib. p. 210. Clark, p. 252. Clark, p. 309. 
 
 2 Clark, p. 252.
 
 20 SPAULDING UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSISTS IN 
 
 of any person frequenting the office, to read it, to 
 make extracts from it, or to copy it entirely*. The 
 widow of Spaulding testifies that it was a subject 
 of notoriety and interest to all connected with the 
 establishment * ; but whether the manuscript was 
 ever returned to the author, is still a subject of 
 uncertainty. In 1814 5 , Spaulding removed to 
 Amity, some distance from Pittsburg, where his 
 numerous disappointments were finally terminated 
 by his death 6 , which occurred in the fifty-fifth year 
 of his age, and in the year 1816. The widow then 
 removed to the county of Onondaga in the state of 
 New York 7 ; and, among the small effects of her 
 deceased husband, she took with her a trunk, con- 
 taining a quantity of his writings, and probably the 
 important manuscript mentioned above 8 . From 
 Onondaga county she went to Hartwick, in the 
 county of Otsego, leaving the trunk and its contents 
 at her brother's house, in a place denominated 
 Onondaga Hollow. In 1 820 she married again, on 
 which occasion the trunk was taken to Hartwick, 
 where she left it with a friend on her removal from 
 that place in 1832. At that period she accompanied 
 her second husband, Mr. Davidson, to Monson 9 , in 
 Massachusetts, where it is believed she still resides, 
 
 3 Clark, pp. 252. 266. Turner, p. 211. 4 Clark, p. 252. 
 5 Turner, p. 211. 6 Clark, p. 252. Turner, p. 212. 
 Ib. p. 212. 9 Clark, p. 249.
 
 PREPARING THE WAY FOR MORMONISM. 21 
 
 and to which place the trunk and its contents ap- 
 pear to have been ultimately forwarded. 
 
 In the meantime a remarkable book had ap- 
 peared, printed at Palmyra, in Western New 
 York, in 1828, and denominated "The Book of 
 Mormon." It was a volume of 588 pages *, con- 
 sisting of fifteen different books, purporting to have 
 been written at different times, by the authors 
 whose names they respectively bear, and collected 
 by the prophet Moroni 2 . These historical records 
 covered a period of about one thousand years, 
 from the time of Zedekiah, king of Judah, to the 
 year of our Lord 420. They professed to trace 
 the history of the American aborigines, referring 
 their origin to the Jews, and giving an account of 
 their contentions, adventures, and wars, from the 
 time of their leaving Jerusalem under the guidance 
 of Nephi and Lehi, down to the final dissolution of 
 their power in the time of the prophet Moroni. 
 Before leaving Jerusalem, Nephi was represented 
 as being constrained by the Spirit of the Lord to 
 kill a certain Laban, the keeper of the genealogy 
 of his forefathers. After their arrival in America, 
 the emigrants were described as separating into 
 two distinct nations of Nephites and Lamanites, 
 and waging the most destructive and bloody wars 
 
 1 See Book of Mormon, first edition. 2 See Appendix.
 
 22 SPAULDING UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSISTS IN 
 
 with each other. The whole style of writing was 
 in imitation of the English version of the Scrip- 
 tures; and the work itself claimed divine autho- 
 rity, as having been translated through miraculous 
 power, by one Joseph Smith, from certain plates 
 hidden in a cave, and discovered to him by an 
 angel 3 . 
 
 The publication of this book excited, as may be 
 readily imagined, a considerable sensation in a new 
 country, where authorship is by no means a com- 
 mon vocation 4 . A copy of it found its way to 
 Conneaut in Ohio, where poor Spaulding had re- 
 sided in 1812. A preacher of Mormonism had 
 addressed a meeting in that place in the year 1 834, 
 and had read copious extracts from the pretended 
 new revelation. Some of the older inhabitants, 
 who were present, immediately observed the resem- 
 blance of the Mormon history to the " Manuscript 
 Found" of the unfortunate Solomon. Mr. John 
 Spaulding, the brother of the deceased, recognized 
 the work, and was penetrated with amazement and 
 grief 5 . Bursting into a flood of tears, he rose up 
 on the spot, and interrupted the preacher by warm 
 expressions of indignation and regret. The Book 
 of Mormon was immediately afterwards examined 
 by Mr. John Spaulding himself, and six other per- 
 
 3 See Preface to the Book of Mormon, first edition. 
 * Clark, p. 252. 5 Ib _ p . 2 53.
 
 PREPARING THE WAY FOR MORMONISM. 23 
 
 sons, who had been well acquainted with Solomon 
 and his writings 6 . It immediately brought the 
 " Manuscript Found" to their recollection, after an 
 interval of more than twenty years. It contained 
 the same historical matter, the same names, and 
 many passages which were readily identified as 
 verbatim transcriptions from the work of the de- 
 ceased. There was, however, much additional 
 matter mixed up with it 7 , together with copious 
 extracts from the Scriptures. Christianity was 
 declared to have been introduced among the Ame- 
 rican aborigines, and the Saviour was represented 
 as descending in America (after his ascension in 
 Judea), for the purpose of preaching to the people 
 of Nephi 8 . Several hands had evidently been em- 
 ployed in the preparation of this book. Occasional 
 marks of literary skill were displayed in the man- 
 agement of the main story, while in some of the 
 details and hortatory parts, and especially in those 
 passages designed to give a Christian complexion 
 to the work, there were unequivocal evidences of 
 blundering ignorance. 
 
 In consequence of this examination of the Book 
 of Mormon, a considerable excitement was pro- 
 duced in Conneaut 9 ; some of the more credulous 
 inhabitants expressing their belief in the divine 
 
 6 Clark, chap, xxviii. " Ib. p. 308. 
 
 8 Book of Mormon, 5th chapter of Nephi. 9 Clark, p. 253. 
 
 12
 
 24 SPAULDJNG UNCONSCIOUSLY ASSISTS IN 
 
 inspiration of the work, and others maintaining 
 that it was Solomon Spaulding's production, with 
 some alterations and additions. They finally com- 
 missioned a Dr. Hurlbut, one of their number, to 
 repair to the residence of Mrs. Davidson in Massa- 
 chusetts, a distance of about seven hundred miles, 
 in order to obtain from her the original manuscript, 
 for the purpose of comparing it with the professed 
 revelation 1 . This Hurlbut had been a zealous 
 Mormon 8 , and a distinguished preacher in that 
 sect ; but had lately quitted them, and now pro- 
 fessed to be their decided opponent. On his pre- 
 senting his credentials to Mrs. Davidson, at her 
 residence in Massachusetts, she produced 3 the 
 trunk of papers, which she does not appear to have 
 examined for many years. On opening it, a variety 
 of writings, which it formerly contained, were dis- 
 covered to be missing. The required manuscript 
 was not there, and in fact nothing but a short un- 
 finished romance, deriving the origin of the Indians 
 from Rome, by a ship driven to the American 
 coast while on a voyage to Britain. This manu- 
 script was taken by Hurlbut, and shown to the 
 persons in Conneaut 4 who had deputed him to 
 obtain the required document. Of course it did 
 not answer their expectations ; but they recog- 
 
 1 Clark, p. 253. * Ib. p. 260. 
 
 3 Turner, p. 213. * Ib. p. 213.
 
 PREPARING THE WAY FOR MORMONISM. 25 
 
 nized in it the first plan of Spaulding's romance. 
 They said that he began his work in this way 5 , and 
 wrote perhaps a quire of paper to that effect ; but 
 finally gave it up, and determined on deriving the 
 origin of the Indians from the Jews. 
 
 It is, therefore, certain that Solomon Spaulding 
 wrote a book, about the year 1812, similar in all 
 its leading features to the historical portions of the 
 Book of Mormon. That the manuscript, or a 
 copy of it, was taken from the printing-office in 
 Pittsburg, is probable ; but that the original was 
 removed from the trunk, while in Otsego county, 
 appears equally probable. That it is gone, that it 
 came into the hands of the founder of Mormonism, 
 and that it was made subservient to the purposes 
 of a vile imposition, is as certain as that the Book 
 of Mormon exists 6 . 
 
 5 Turner, p. 213. Ib. p. 214.
 
 26 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AS A 
 DIVINE REVELATION. 
 
 Birth of Joseph Smith, the Prophet The Prophet is dissatisfied 
 with all religious sects, and begins to dig for money He meets 
 with Spaulding's manuscript, and digs for a silver mine He 
 falls in love, and pretends to discover another silver mine He 
 elopes with Emma Hale, and obliges a Dutchman to pay the 
 expenses of his flight He begins to tell a story respecting his 
 discovery of a Golden Bible He persuades his own family to 
 believe, and succeeds in enlisting Martin Harris Harris visits 
 New York The Prophet and Harris produce the Book of 
 Mormon, which is published with the testimony of eleven wit- 
 nesses besides the Prophet. 
 
 THE 23rd of December, 1805, was distinguished by 
 the birth of Joseph Smith 7 , a person who was des- 
 tined to appear as one of the great phenomena of 
 the nineteenth century, and to become, to some 
 extent, a living type of the heresy, the schism, and 
 the religious imposture of the age. While the 
 
 7 " Times and Seasons," p. 727.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 27 
 
 unfortunate Solomon Spaulding was engaged upon 
 his equally unfortunate manuscript in Ohio, the 
 future prophet of Mormonism was growing up 
 among the green hills of Windsor county, in the 
 state of Vermont 8 . His father, whose name was 
 also Joseph, appears to have been a farmer of 
 small property, of no particular religious opinions, 
 and addicted to intemperance and other vicious 
 habits 9 . The mother does not seem to have been 
 particularly superior to her husband ; and it may 
 be readily imagined that the offspring of such a 
 couple were not likely to be trained up " in the 
 nurture and admonition of the Lord. 1 ' The pro- 
 phet had six brothers, Alvin, Hyrum, Samuel, 
 Harrison, William, and Don Carlos, together with 
 three sisters, Sophronia, Catharine, and Lucy 1 . 
 When the prophet was in his tenth year, namely, 
 in 1815, the whole family removed several hundred 
 miles westward, and took up their residence at 
 Palmyra, and afterwards at Manchester, both in 
 Wayne county, in the western part of the state of 
 New York 2 . In the year 1821, when our prophet 
 was about fifteen years of age, a " revival of reli- 
 gion,"" as it is called, commenced in Manchester. 
 It began with the Methodists, under the preaching 
 
 8 "Times and Seasons," p. ?27. 9 Turner, p. 152. 
 
 1 " Times and Seasons," p. 727. 2 Ib. ; Turner, p. 14. 
 
 c2
 
 28 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 of a Mr. Lane 3 ; but soon became general among 
 the various sects. Indeed, the whole district of 
 country was affected by it, and numbers were 
 " professedly added to the kingdom of the Lord." 
 The usual strife for proselytes commenced between 
 the Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian sects 4 , 
 and some of the Smith family declared themselves 
 converted. The mother, three of the brothers, 
 and a sister, joined the Presbyterian communion ; 
 the young prophet asserted his partiality for the 
 Methodists, but could not make up his mind to 
 unite with them, and ultimately professed himself 
 unable to decide which sect was right and which 
 was wrong 5 . Notwithstanding, however, the new 
 professions of the family, and the singular conscien- 
 tiousness of young Joseph, it appears that the cha- 
 racter of the Smiths was not materially improved 6 . 
 From a variety of documents, certified before pro- 
 per tribunals, it is evident that the father and sons 
 were notoriously addicted to falsehood, drunken- 
 ness, and idleness, that they frequently boasted 
 their skill in deception, and were also suspected of 
 gaining their livelihood in part by theft. They 
 spent much of their time in digging for money, 
 which they pretended had been hidden in the earth 
 during the revolutionary war ; and to this day 
 
 3 Turner, p. 14 ; " Times and Seasons," p. 727. 4 Ibid. 
 
 5 Ib. pp. 284. 14 ; Ib. p. 727. 6 Ib. p. 152.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 29 
 
 many of their excavations are to be seen in the 
 neighbourhood of Manchester 7 . For breach of 
 contracts, for non-payment of debts and borrowed 
 money, and for duplicity with their neighbours, 
 the family was notorious 8 ; and their whole object 
 appears to have been to live without work, upon 
 the industry of others. In this school of villainy 
 our prophet was trained from a child, and finally 
 became the most distinguished of his vagrant 
 family for cunning and unscrupulous audacity 9 . 
 In 1822, while digging a well, in company with 
 his brother Hyrum and a person named Chase, the 
 last-mentioned individual found a curious stone, 
 about twenty feet from the surface, and brought it 
 to the top of the well '. Joseph immediately placed 
 it in his hat, alleging that, by putting his hat over 
 his face, he could see great wonders in the stone. 
 Chase accordingly valued it highly ; but Smith 
 succeeded in obtaining it from him, first for a con- 
 siderable time, and afterwards entirely. His father 
 now claimed for him a kind of second sight ; 
 namely, a power to look into the depths of the 
 earth, and discover where its precious treasures 
 were hidden 2 . When the worthless family en- 
 gaged in their nocturnal excursions for money- 
 digging, the younger Joseph was their guide, 
 
 Turner, p. 152. Ib. p. 155. 9 
 
 1 Ib. p. 204. 2 Clark, p. 242.
 
 30 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 putting the wonderful stone into his hat, and then 
 closing the hat over his face to decide by the ap- 
 pearance of the stone where they should begin to 
 excavate 3 . 
 
 In September, 1823, his reputation for this mode 
 of conjuring having become considerable, he was 
 employed in his vocation by a Dutchman named 
 Stowell *, residing in Chenango county, New York. 
 Smith was now in the vicinity of Hartwick, at 
 which place, Solomon Spaulding's trunk and manu- 
 scripts had been deposited for several years. It is 
 probable, that by some means he succeeded, be- 
 tween 1823 and 1827 5 , in obtaining possession of 
 the " Manuscript Found," the professed discovery 
 of the work in the earth agreeing remarkably well 
 with his burrowing propensities. For the space of 
 four years he led a wandering life, without any 
 ostensible business 6 , and was once or twice arrested 
 as a common vagabond. He was seemingly out of 
 employ during the greater part of the time, without 
 resources and without friends. By his own con- 
 fession, he was engaged by Stowell, together with 
 his father, and others of the same occupation, in 
 digging 7 for a silver mine, supposed to have been 
 anciently worked by the Spaniards. He was, there- 
 fore, in the society of men not only accustomed to 
 
 3 Turner, p. 204. * Ib. p. 205. 5 Ib. p. 206. 
 
 6 Ib. p. 206. i Ib.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 31 
 
 deceive others, but ready to become duped, and 
 prepared for wonders and sudden speculations. 
 During this period, viz. in 1825, while engaged in 
 digging near Harmony in Pennsylvania, not far 
 from Hartwick, in New York, he boarded, with his 
 father and the rest of the band, in the house of a 
 distinguished hunter of the name of Hale 8 , a per- 
 son of good character, and a member of the sect of 
 Methodists 9 . Mr. Hale testifies, that Smith was 
 the leader of the money-diggers, in consequence of 
 his supposed supernatural powers. At first he gave 
 them great encouragement in regard to the silver 
 mine, but when, in the course of digging, they had 
 arrived near the place where he had stated that an 
 immense treasure would be found, he said that the 
 enchantment was so powerful, that he could not see. 
 They then became discouraged, and soon after- 
 wards dispersed 1 . Smith returned to Manchester ; 
 but during his sojourn in Harmony he had found 
 an attraction in the person of Emma, the daughter 
 of Mr. Hale 2 . Being destitute of means to travel, 
 our prophet adopted the following mode of raising 
 money s , and of obtaining at the same time a recom- 
 mendation to the young lady. He went to a person 
 named Lawrence, in the autumn of 1826, and pre- 
 
 8 Clark, p. 242. 9 Ib. 
 
 1 Hale's affidavit taken before a magistrate. Clark, p. 242. 
 
 2 Clark, p. 243. Turner, p. 156. 3 Turner, p. 156. 
 
 C4
 
 32 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 tended that he had discovered, near Harmony, in 
 Pennsylvania, a rich silver mine, the produce of 
 which could be readily loaded in boats and taken to 
 Philadelphia for sale. By promising to go himself 
 and point out the spot, Lawrence was induced to 
 believe and to accompany him. Larwence soon 
 found that he was expected to advance money to 
 Smith, and to pay all the travelling expences. 
 When they arrived at Mr. Bale's, Smith persuaded 
 Lawrence, in the first place, to recommend him to 
 Miss Emma, and after he had effected this object, 
 they both went to look for the mine. Of course 
 nothing was discovered, and the unfortunate Law- 
 rence was left to return home and to pay his ex- 
 pences back as he best could. Smith then requested 
 Mr. Hale * to consent to receive him as a son-in- 
 law; but this impudent proposal of the money- 
 digger was indignantly declined by the worthy 
 father. Our prophet appeared to acquiesce in the 
 decision, and departed ; but soon afterwards, watch- 
 ing his opportunity, he returned during Mr. Hale's 
 absence, and eloping with his daughter, was soon 
 afterwards clandestinely married to her 5 . He now 
 required the means of taking his wife to his father's 
 residence at Manchester. He accordingly went 6 to 
 Stowell, the Dutchman who had formerly employed 
 
 4 Hale's testimony. Clark, p. 243. s Ib. 
 
 8 Turner, p. 156.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 33 
 
 him, and told him that he had discovered a cave on 
 the banks of Black Biver in New York, in which 
 he had found a bar of gold as thick as his leg, and 
 about three or four feet long ; but that, on account 
 of its being firmly fixed at one end, he could not 
 get it out without assistance. He stated, however, 
 that if Stowell would convey him and his wife to 
 Manchester, he would get a chisel and mallet and 
 accompany him to the cave, when they would detach 
 the gold and divide it between themselves. The 
 old Dutchman gladly acceded to this arrangement, 
 and the whole party arrived safely at Manchester. 
 Soon afterwards Stowell reminded Smith of his 
 promise respecting the gold ; but our prophet 
 calmly replied, that he did not intend to go in 
 search of the cave, for his wife was now among 
 strangers, and would be unwilling to be left alone. 
 Like Lawrence, the unhappy Dutchman returned 
 home, without seeing any gold, except what he had 
 paid himself to defray the expences of the party 7 . 
 
 It was about this period that Smith seems to 
 have devised the grand scheme of converting to his 
 own purposes the manuscript of Spaulding, which 
 by some means had certainly fallen into his hands. 
 The first notice we have on this subject is from 
 Peter Ingersol 8 , who testifies on oath, that the 
 
 1 Turner, p. 156. 
 
 8 Ingersol's testimony, Turner, p. 215. Harris, p. 10. 
 
 c 5
 
 34 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 elder Smith told him that a book had been found 
 in a hollow tree in Canada, giving an account of the 
 first settlement of America before it was disco- 
 vered by Columbus. In January 1827, old Smith 
 told one Willard Chase 9 an improved story ; viz., 
 that a spirit had appeared to his son Joseph, 
 informing him of a record on golden plates which 
 he could obtain by repairing to a given place, 
 dressed in black, and riding on a black horse with 
 a switch tail. He stated that Joseph had pro- 
 ceeded according to these directions ; that he found 
 a box containing the plates ; that on opening it he 
 saw the book ; but was hindered in his attempt to 
 get it. A toad in the box assumed the form of a 
 man, and struck Smith a blow on the head, which 
 threw him backward a considerable distance. The 
 spirit who guarded the book then commanded him 
 to return in one year in company with his eldest 
 brother, and promised that at that time he should 
 receive the plates. 
 
 By stories of this kind our prophet seems to have 
 first tested the credulity of his father and his money- 
 digging comrades. In August of the same year 
 (1827) he visited Mr. Hale *, accompanied by his 
 wife, in order to obtain the property of the latter, 
 consisting chiefly of clothing, furniture, and cows. 
 
 9 Chase's testimony, p. 215. 
 
 1 Hale's testimony quoted above.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 35 
 
 On this occasion, the hypocritical prophet told his 
 father-in-law that he had given up what he called 
 glass-looking, and that he expected to work hard 
 for a living, and was willing to do so. After a short 
 visit, he returned with his wife to Manchester, 
 where the following circumstance 2 , mentioned by 
 him to a companion, seems to have decided him 
 upon the plan which he ultimately pursued. In 
 the course of the autumn, while walking in the 
 woods, he happened to find some beautifully white 
 sand which had been washed up by a stream of 
 water. He took off his frock, tied up some quarts 
 of it, and returned home. On entering the house 
 he found the family at dinner; and when they 
 expressed their desire to know the contents of the 
 frock, he gravely told them that it was the 
 " Golden Bible." To his surprise, they were cre- 
 dulous enough to believe the story, and expressed a 
 strong desire to see the wonderful work. The pro- 
 phet told them solemnly that no man could see it 
 with the naked eye and live ; but that if they were 
 ready to take the consequences he was quite willing 
 to show it to them. They now positively refused 
 to see it, and fled from the apartment in great con- 
 sternation. " Now," said the prophet, with an 
 
 3 Oath of P. Ingersol, Turner, p. 216. 
 
 c6
 
 36 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 oath, " I have got the fools fixed*, and I will carry 
 out the fun." 
 
 After * this, he applied to Willard Chase to make 
 a case for his Golden Bible ; but as Chase refused 
 to do it, he made a box of coarse boards himself. 
 He put the sand in a pillow-case and then into the 
 box, which he permitted all to see and handle, but 
 not to examine. Shortly after this, he determined 
 to go with his wife into Pennsylvania again *. Being 
 in want of money for the journey, his fertile 
 genius led him to the adoption of a singular 
 scheme. There was residing 6 in Palmyra at 
 that time one Martin Harris, a farmer of some 
 property, but of a peculiar turn of mind. He had 
 been first a Quaker, then a Methodist, and after- 
 wards a Universalist, then a Baptist, and next a 
 Presbyterian 7 , but at this time, in his religious 
 views he was floating upon the sea of uncertainty. 
 He was well versed in the Scriptures ; but was 
 quarrelsome, and possessed an evident inclination to 
 religious controversy. He had always been a firm 
 believer in dreams, visions, and apparitions, and 
 
 3 An American expression, used in a great variety of senses, 
 and (like the word " box " in England) to be interpreted only by 
 the help of the context. 
 
 4 Turner, p. 216. 5 Ibid. 
 
 6 Testimony of Mr. Clark. Clark, p. 222. 
 i Turner, p. 166. Clark, p. 223.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 37 
 
 for some time had expressed his conviction that, by 
 means of his wonderful stone, Smith could see into 
 the earth and discover any secrets he desired 8 . 
 The fact that the same Harris was a domestic 
 tyrant, having often beaten and kicked his patient 
 wife 9 , afforded no presumption against his becom- 
 ing the slave of imposture. Smith determined on 
 making this man his dupe, with the hope of obtain- 
 ing from him at least sufficient money to furnish 
 his travelling expenses * ; and as he had succeeded 
 in the case of Lawrence and in that of the Dutch- 
 man Stowell, he felt confident of success in a third 
 trial of his skill. Having procured a piece of 
 paper, he marked upon it sundry characters which 
 he arranged in columns like the Chinese mode of 
 writing. Greek, Hebrew, and all sorts of letters 
 more or less distorted, were intermingled with sun- 
 dry delineations of half-moons, stars, and other 
 objects, and the whole ended in a rude representa- 
 tion of the Mexican zodiac 2 . He exhibited this to 
 Harris, and told him that it was copied from one of 
 the pages of a book composed of golden plates 3 , 
 which had been discovered to him by an angel. 
 He added that, together with the book, two trans- 
 
 8 Mrs. Harris's testimony, Turner, p. 167. 
 
 9 Ibid. i Turner, p. 217. 
 
 2 Testimony of Professor Anthon, Clark, p. 232. 
 
 3 Ibid. p. 234.
 
 38 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 parent stones had been given him, through which 
 he had been enabled to read the plates, though the 
 box containing them had not yet been opened. He 
 spoke of the immense value of the plates 4 , and of 
 the riches which would accrue from the publication 
 of so wonderful a work, and offered Harris a share 
 in this sudden influx of wealth if he would advance 
 a few dollars for present necessities. He even car- 
 ried his audacity so far as to propose 8 to Harris, 
 that the latter should sell his valuable farm, and 
 apply the proceeds to the printing of a translation 
 of the golden book. He engaged to leave with 
 him the golden plates as a security 6 , until he 
 should be reimbursed by the sale of the work. To 
 convince him more clearly that there was no risk in 
 the business, and that the work was actually what 
 it claimed to be, he told him to take the paper of 
 mysterious characters to the city of New York 
 and submit it to learned men, who would soon dis- 
 pel all his doubts ; and satisfy him as to the safety 
 of the investment 7 . 
 
 In this way, by skilfully working on the credu- 
 lity, superstition, and avarice of Harris, he fairly 
 enlisted him, and obtained from him immediately 
 the sum of fifty dollars. With this money, he 
 started for Pennsylvania 8 , together with his wife 
 
 * Turner, p. 21?. 6 Clark, p. 235. i^a. 
 
 i Ibid. 8 Turner, p. 217.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 39 
 
 and his box of sand. The latter article he exhi- 
 bited to Mr. Hale, soon after his arrival at Har- 
 mony. He permitted him to feel its weight, and 
 having told him that the plates of the golden Bible 
 were contained in it 1 , refused to satisfy his cu- 
 riosity by opening it. Mr. Hale then requested his 
 hopeful son-in-law to inform him who would be the 
 first person privileged to see the golden plates. He 
 replied, that it would be a young child. After this 
 Mr. Hale became dissatisfied, and informed Smith 
 that he would not permit the box to remain in his 
 house, unless he were allowed to see its contents. 
 Our prophet accordingly removed his box, and soon 
 afterwards declared, that the golden plates had been 
 concealed in the woods 2 . 
 
 In the meantime, Martin Harris, in a state of 
 high excitement, had proceeded three or four hun- 
 dred miles to the city of New York, with the 
 scrawl of mysterious characters given him by 
 Smith. He obtained an introduction to the emi- 
 nent Professor Anthon 3 of Columbia College, a 
 gentleman well known by his valuable editions of 
 several of the classics. To this gentleman he ex- 
 hibited his extraordinary document, and requested 
 him to examine it and to state his opinion upon 
 the subject. Professor Anthon at once concluded, 
 
 1 Bale's testimony quoted above. 2 Ibid. 
 
 3 Professor Anthon's testimony quoted above ; also Clark, 229.
 
 40 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 that some cunning fellow had prepared the paper 
 in question for purposes of imposition, and gave 
 this opinion to Harris without any hesitation. 
 Harris then requested Professor Anthon to state 
 this opinion in writing. The request was granted 
 without any reluctance, the Professor certifying 
 that the characters appeared to be merely an imi- 
 tation of various alphabetical signs, and that they 
 seemed to have no meaning connected with them. 
 Harris then took his leave with many thanks, and 
 with the express declaration that he would not sell 
 his farm, or embark in the speculation of printing 
 the golden book. On his return homewards he 
 seems to have departed from this wise resolution, 
 and, like a monomaniac, to have abandoned himself 
 altogether to his delusion. By the time he had 
 reached his home, near Palmyra, he was again a 
 perfect believer in the divine commission of Smith ; 
 and said that he had no more doubt of it than of 
 the inspiration of the Apostles 4 . The very fact, 
 that Smith was an obscure and illiterate man, was 
 a sufficient proof to him that the money-digger 
 must be acting under divine impulses. He declared 
 his intention to sustain Smith in carrying on the 
 work of the Lord, and his determination that a 
 translation of the golden book should be published, 
 
 * Clark, p. 230.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 
 
 even though the cost of it should consume the 
 whole of his worldly substance 5 . All sensible per- 
 sons wondered at his credulity, and finding him 
 inaccessible to expostulation, contented themselves 
 with ridiculing the absurdity of his story. The 
 infatuation of Harris became more and more com- 
 plete, and soon after his return from the city of 
 New York, he followed the prophet to Penn- 
 sylvania 6 . 
 
 Smith's plans had now, viz. in the summer of 
 1828, assumed some definiteness, and he proceeded 
 boldly with his new " revelation." Seating himself 
 in a private room, behind a curtain or blanket 7 , he 
 placed the wonder-working stone in his hat, and 
 put the hat over his face. He declared himself to 
 be thus enabled to see in plain English, the cha- 
 racters inscribed on the golden plates, which he 
 averred to be at the same time hidden in the woods. 
 He read aloud his fictitious translation, which was, 
 doubtless, merely an altered copy of Spaulding's 
 work, or, perhaps, to some extent, the original 
 manuscript itself. On the outside of the curtain, 
 Martin Harris was stationed, who carefully wrote 
 down the words, as they proceeded from the lips of 
 the concealed interpreter. Harris was told that it 
 
 5 Clark, p. 240. 
 
 6 Turner, p. 218. Hale's Testimony quoted above. 
 i Turner, p. 18. Clark, p. 230.
 
 42 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 would arouse the most terrible divine displeasure, if 
 he should attempt to draw near the sacred chest, 
 or even to look at Smith while engaged in deci- 
 phering its contents *. 
 
 While 9 thus employed as the prophet's amanu- 
 ensis, Harris took one hundred and sixteen pages 
 of his manuscript, and carrying them home with 
 him, locked them up in a drawer, thinking them 
 quite safe. But his wife, who had the sense to 
 despise Smith and his proceedings, slipped out the 
 upper drawer in Harris's absence, and thus suc- 
 ceeded in abstracting the manuscript, which she 
 placed in the hands of a nteighbour for safer keeping. 
 When Harris discovered it to be missing, he sus- 
 pected his wife, and demanded its restoration. She 
 refused to give him any information on the subject, 
 upon which he beat her most cruelly, declaring at 
 the same time that she was trying to hinder him 
 from making money 1 . She still persisted in her 
 refusal, and very properly told him, that if the 
 translation had been made by divine power, the 
 same being who revealed it could easily replace it. 
 Supposing that Smith and Harris would attempt 
 to reproduce the part which she had concealed, and 
 that they could not do this verbatim, she intended 
 to keep the manuscript until the publication of the 
 
 8 Clark, p. 230. 9 Ibid. p. 247. Turner, p. 197. 
 
 1 Mrs. Harris's testimony quoted above.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 43 
 
 book ", and then to place the hundred and sixteen 
 pages in the hands of those who would print them 
 and expose their variation 3 from the " golden 
 bible." 4 But she had to deal with a person who 
 was too wily to be thus caught. The author of the 
 imposture, having, doubtless, altered Spaulding's 
 manuscript considerably, and having reserved no 
 copy of these alterations, did not dare to attempt 
 a reproduction of the abstracted pages. Accord- 
 ingly, in July, 1828, Smith issued his first pre- 
 tended verbal " revelation," which has been made 
 public, and which may be seen in one of his books, 
 denominated the " Book of Covenants." In this 5 , 
 after rebuking the prophet for his negligence, and 
 intimating that his work was ended for the present, 
 the Deity is represented as informing him, that 
 after due repentance, he should be called again to 
 the work of translation. After ten months had 
 elapsed, viz. in May, 1829, another revelation 6 , was 
 produced, which is inserted as follows, as a preface 
 to the Book of Mormon, or Golden Bible 7 . 
 
 "As many false reports have been circulated 
 respecting the following work, and also many un- 
 lawful measures taken by evil designing persons to 
 destroy me, and also the work; I would inform 
 
 2 Turner, p. 197. Clark, p. 248. 3 Ibid. 4 Clark, p. 248. 
 5 Turner, p. 197. 6 Book of Covenants, p. 156. 
 
 7 Ib. p. 163. Book of Mormon, Preface to the first edition.
 
 44 IXTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 you that I translated by the gift and power of God, 
 and caused to be written one hundred and sixteen 
 pages, the which I took from the book of Lehi, 
 which was an account abridged from the plates of 
 Lehi by the hand of Mormon ; which said account, 
 some person or persons have stolen and kept from 
 me, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover 
 it again ; and being commanded of the Lord that 
 I should not translate the same over again, for 
 Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the 
 Lord their God, by altering the words, that they 
 did read contrary fro^i that which I translated and 
 caused to be written ; and if I should bring forth 
 the same words again, or, in other words, if I 
 should translate the same over again, they would 
 publish that which they had stolen, and Satan 
 would stir up the hearts of this generation, that 
 they might not receive this work ; but, behold ! 
 the Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan 
 shall accomplish his evil design in this thing ; 
 therefore thou shalt translate from the plates of 
 Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have trans- 
 lated, which ye have retained ; and behold, ye shall 
 publish it as the record of Nephi ; and thus I will 
 confound those who have altered my words. I will 
 not suffer that they shall destroy my work ; yea, I 
 will show unto them that my wisdom is greater 
 than the cunning of the devil. Wherefore, to be
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 45 
 
 obedient unto the commandments of God, I have, 
 through his grace and mercy, accomplished that 
 which he hath commanded me respecting this 
 thing. I would also inform you that the plates 
 of which hath been spoken, were found in the 
 township of Manchester, Ontario county, New 
 York." 
 
 It appears, however, that even the faith of 
 Martin Harris occasionally wavered. In the winter 
 following the loss of the hundred and sixteen pages, 
 he told the prophet that he needed a greater wit- 
 ness, and expressed a wish to behold the original 
 golden plates 8 . Smith informed him that he dared 
 not show them; but said that he would go into 
 the woods to the place where they were deposited, 
 and that, after he returned, Harris should be per- 
 mitted to follow his track in the snow, to find the 
 golden book, and to examine it for himself. Harris 
 attended to these directions, but, not succeeding 
 in his object, returned greatly dissatisfied. That 
 he had reason to be somewhat annoyed, is plain, 
 from the fact, that Smith had promised to deposit 
 the golden plates in his keeping as a security for 
 the money which he was to advance for the main- 
 tenance of Smith while translating, and also for the 
 publication of the book when completed. Smith 
 
 8 Hole's testimony, Clark, p. 244. 
 
 12
 
 46 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 now perceived that Harris must in some way be 
 pacified, and accordingly it was revealed 9 to him 
 that he would be authorized to show them only to 
 three individuals, who should assist in bringing for- 
 ward the work. He then persuaded Harris to 
 believe, that in some sense he actually beheld 10 the 
 wonderful plates. There was a worthless fellow *, 
 named Oliver Cowdery, residing in the neighbour- 
 hood, a school teacher by profession, and also a 
 Baptist preacher, who, together with one David 
 Whitmer, was similarly persuaded by our ingenious 
 prophet. Harris, Cowdery, and Whitmer actually 
 signed a certificate, afterwards appended to the 
 book of Mormon, in which they declared that an 
 angel of God had descended from heaven, and laid 
 before their eyes " the plates and the engravings 
 thereon V Whitmer reported, that the angel 
 who appeared was " like a man in grey clothes 
 having his throat cut 3 ." The three witnesses also 
 certified, that the voice of God had declared to 
 them, " that the plates had been translated by 
 Divine power." The following circumstance will, 
 however, exhibit the value of this testimony. On 
 one occasion a sensible and religious gentleman in 
 Palmyra put the following question to Harris: 
 
 9 Clark, p. 254. 10 Turner, p. 1?4. 
 
 1 Testimony of David Stafford. Turner, p. 171. 
 
 2 Turner, p. 179. 3 Clark, p. 256.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 47 
 
 " Did you see those plates f Harris replied, that 
 he did. " But did you see the plates and the en- 
 gravings on them with your bodily eyes ?" Harris 
 replied, " Yes, I saw them with my eyes, they 
 were shown unto me by the power of God and not 
 of man." " But did you see them with your natu- 
 ral, your bodily eyes, just as you see this pencil- 
 case in my hand? Now say no or yes to this." 
 Harris replied, " I did not see them as I do that 
 pencil-case, yet I saw them with the eye of faith ; 
 I saw them just as distinctly as I see any thing 
 around me, though at the time they were covered 
 over with a cloth." 
 
 To the testimony of Cowdery, Whitmer, and 
 Harris, inserted in the book of Mormon, the certi- 
 ficates of eight additional witnesses were annexed, 
 although Smith had originally revealed, that three 
 persons only were to be permitted to behold the 
 plates*. These witnesses consisted of the pro- 
 phet's unprincipled father, two of his equally un- 
 principled brothers, Hyrum and Samuel, and four 
 brothers of the Whitmer who had signed the first 
 certificate. They 5 declared that the prophet had 
 shown them the plates, that they had handled them 
 with their hands, and felt their weight, and that 
 they had also seen the ancient and curious engrav- 
 4 Clark, p. 257. * Book of Mormon.
 
 48 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 ings with which they were covered. All the 
 eleven witnesses concerned in the two certificates, 
 were deeply interested in the success of the im- 
 posture, and expected to make their fortunes by 
 it. Three of them have since died in the pro- 
 fession of Mormonism, but all the rest, except- 
 ing the prophet's two brothers, have aposta- 
 tized from the system, and have become its op- 
 ponents 8 . 
 
 After the loss of the hundred and sixteen pages, 
 Cowdery was employed as a scribe in the place of 
 Harris, and his courage was sustained like that of 
 his predecessor by revelations 7 , which Smith readily 
 produced as they were required by circumstances. 
 By his assistance the Book of Mormon was finally 
 completed early in the year 1830 8 . It was pub- 
 lished soon afterwards, the entire cost being de- 
 frayed by Martin Harris, who raised the necessary 
 funds by a mortgage on his farm 9 . Harris now 
 considered himself inspired, and imagined that 
 revelations from heaven were made to him in re- 
 ference to the most minute affairs of life 10 . He 
 declared that the Lord had commanded him to sell 
 the Book of Mormon at the price of a dollar and a 
 
 e Turner, p. 164. 
 
 7 Ibid. p. 180. Book of Covenants, pp. 162. 150. 
 
 Turner, p. 18. Clark, p. 231. Ib. p. 258.
 
 AS A DIVINE REVELATION. 49 
 
 half, and with this object he again visited New 
 York. While in the metropolis 1 , he called a 
 second time on Professor Anthon, and made an 
 unsuccessful attempt to induce that gentleman to 
 accept a copy of the book as a present. During 
 the interview, he informed the Professor that he 
 had never seen the plates themselves, which were 
 carefully locked up in a trunk, but that he had the 
 trunk in his possession. He added, that he was 
 afraid to open the trunk, for if he were to do so, 
 the curse of Heaven would descend upon himself 
 and upon his children. 
 
 Finding 2 , to his disappointment, that the book 
 did not sell very briskly at the price of a dollar 
 and a half, Harris now declared that he had re- 
 ceived another revelation from heaven which re- 
 quired him to sell the book for one dollar a copy. 
 Wherever he went this deluded wretch imagined 
 that he saw visions and supernatural appearances 
 all around him. He told a gentleman, after one of 
 his excursions to Pennsylvania, that on the way he 
 had met the Lord Jesus Christ, who walked along 
 by his side in the shape of a deer for two or three 
 miles, talking with him as familiarly as one man 
 talks with another. 
 
 1 Testimony of Professor Anthon quoted above. 
 
 2 Clark, p. 258. 
 
 D
 
 50 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, &C. 
 
 With a knowledge of the facts stated in this 
 chapter, it is not difficult to account for the intro- 
 duction of the Book of Mormon as a divine reve- 
 lation, and for the extraordinary success which 
 afterwards attended the imposition.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 51 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 Organization of the first Mormon " Church '' Missionaries sent 
 to the West History of Rigdon the Campbellite Rigdon 
 assists in preparing the way for Mormonism He is converted 
 by Smith's missionaries His flock follow his example and are 
 immersed They receive the gift of tongues Rigdon visits 
 Smith and becomes his prime minister Horrible fanaticism 
 breaks out at Kirtland Smith declares it to be the work of 
 Satan The converts rapidly increase A Bishop is appointed, 
 and Mormonism appears in a new aspect. 
 
 WE have thus far beheld the prophet feeling his 
 way along the avenues which the credulity of his 
 neighbours opened to him, and with the assistance 
 of Spaulding^ manuscript and of his own inventive 
 audacity, gradually completing a work professing 
 to be a revelation from heaven. His views appear 
 to have been limited in the first place to pecuniary 
 gain *, which he expected to acquire partly by his 
 influence over the superstitious Harris, and partly 
 
 1 Harris, p. 44. 
 
 D 2 
 
 OF
 
 52 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 by his interest in the sale of the Book of Mormon. 
 But the work being now complete and before the 
 public, his diabolical genius took a more extensive 
 range. He had been long engaged in sounding the 
 depths of human credulity, and, having as yet 
 found no bottom, he determined to steer boldly 
 forwards, and to aggrandize himself as the founder 
 of a new religion 2 . Immediately, therefore, after 
 the completion of the book, viz., on the 6th of 
 April 3 , 1830, the first Mormon society (almost 
 blasphemously called a "Church 1 ') was organized at 
 Manchester in the State of New York. It con- 
 sisted of only six members, viz., Joseph Smith, the 
 prophet's father, Joseph Smith the prophet, Hy- 
 rum and Samuel Smith the prophet's brothers, 
 Oliver Cowdery, and Joseph Knight. Of these the 
 prophet was declared to be "called and ordained an 
 apostle of Jesus Christ," andjirst elder of the new 
 society, afterwards entitled " the Church of Latter 
 Day Saints." Oliver Cowdery the scribe was, with 
 like propriety, appointed " second elder," and to 
 old Joseph Smith was assigned the somewhat un- 
 defined position of " Patriarch V 
 
 These six worthies forthwith set themselves with 
 great zeal to the extension of their religion, fully 
 intending that their converts should become their 
 
 2 Harris, p. 44. * Ib. p. 28. Turner, p. 22. 
 
 4 Turner, pp. 22, 23. 245. 
 12
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 53 
 
 customers as purchasers of the " Golden Bible." 
 Soon afterwards a branch was established by them 
 at Fayette, and the June following in Colesville, 
 both villages of Western New York 5 , near the 
 place where Joseph had formerly been employed by 
 Stowell in digging for money. Twenty persons 
 were shortly added to the number in Manchester 
 and Fayette, and thirteen dupes were in like man- 
 ner entrapped at Colesville 6 . In October in the 
 same year (1830), the believers in the divine mis- 
 sion of Smith had increased to seventy or eighty 7 . 
 But in this vicinity our prophet's character was 
 altogether too well known to allow of the rapid 
 propagation of his doctrine 8 . A few weak and 
 unstable souls indeed had been deceived ; but, with 
 these exceptions, the population regarded the pre- 
 tensions of the money-digger as gross fabrications 
 and impudent falsehoods. It was, therefore, a wise 
 stroke of policy for those concerned in the impos- 
 ture to emigrate to a place where they were wholly 
 unknown. This idea seems to have been in part 
 derived from a new convert, Parley P. Pratt, a 
 resident in Ohio, and previously a preacher among 
 the Campbellite Baptists. Accidentally, as it ap- 
 peared, passing through Palmyra, and hearing of 
 the " Golden Bible," this person sought an inter- 
 
 5 Turner, p. 23. 6 Ibid. 
 
 * Ibid. " Clark, p. 346. 
 
 i) 3
 
 54 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONFSM. 
 
 view with the prophet, and immediately gave in his 
 adhesion to Mormonism 9 . About the same time, 
 an expedition was fitted out for the western coun- 
 try, with the professed design of converting the 
 Indians. The elders deputed by the prophet on 
 this mission 1 were Oliver Cowdery, the leader, 
 Parley P. Pratt, Peter Whitmer, and a new con- 
 vert, named Tiba Peterson. On their way they 
 planted their doctrines in Kirtland, a town in the 
 north-eastern part of Ohio, where they founded a 
 numerous society 2 . 
 
 This event in the history of Mormonism is some- 
 what marvellous in the eyes of others as well as in 
 the estimation of the " saints" themselves. It is 
 important, therefore, that we should consider the 
 circumstances which serve to elucidate so remark- 
 able an occurrence. I have already, in the first 
 chapter, alluded to the origin of the Campbellite 
 Baptists. These novel sectarians date their com- 
 mencement in the year 1827, at which period, 
 Alexander Campbell, their founder, together with 
 Walter Scott, Sidney Rigdon, and others, seceded 
 from the regular Baptists, and established a new 
 connexion of their own 8 . Among these reformers, 
 Rigdon held to the literal interpretation of the 
 prophecies, and taught that the long lost tribes of 
 
 9 Clark, pp. 311,312. l Ibid. ; Turner, p. 23. 
 
 2 Ib. p. 313 ; Ib. p. 23 ; Corrill, pp. 7, 8. 3 Turner, p. 24.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONJSM. OO 
 
 Israel were soon to be restored, and that wonder- 
 ful revolutions were at hand, affecting not only the 
 moral, but the political and even the animal world *. 
 But as this person is a conspicuous character in 
 the history of Mormonism, it is important that we 
 should trace his career from as early a period as 
 possible. 
 
 We first hear of Sidney Rigdon about the year 
 1814 *. At that time, it will be recollected, poor 
 Spaulding and his wife were residing in Pittsburg, 
 while the unfortunate manuscript was deposited in 
 the printing-office of Messrs. Paterson and Lamb- 
 din 6 . The widow of Mr. Spaulding thinks that 
 Rigdon was at that time connected with the print- 
 ing-office, where of course he would have opportu- 
 nities of reading or copying the manuscript, al- 
 though there is no positive evidence that he did 
 so 7 . It is certain that, about the year 1823, Rig- 
 don, then a Baptist preacher, returned, after some 
 absence, to Pittsburg, where he resided about 
 three years, continually occupied, as he asserted, 
 in the study of the Bible 8 . During the same three 
 years, it will be recollected that Smith was en- 
 gaged in a wandering life, employing his stone- 
 spectacles, and sometimes digging for mines, near 
 
 4 Turner, p. 24. 
 
 5 Mrs. Davison's testimony ; Clark, p. 252. 6 Ibid. 
 i Ibid. Clark, p. 319. 
 
 D4
 
 56 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 Harmony, in the same state in which Rigdon was 
 now residing 9 . On the supposition that Spauld- 
 ing^s original manuscript, or a copy of it, remained 
 in the printing-office, Rigdon might at this time, 
 if not previously, have obtained a knowledge of it. 
 It has been stated, by credible witnesses, that, 
 about the year 1824, he was on terms of intimacy 
 with Lambdin, and was frequently seen in his 
 shop l . In 1827, as already mentioned, Rigdon 
 separated from the regular Baptists, together with 
 Alexander Campbell, and, having left Pittsburg, 
 commenced preaching some new points of doctrine, 
 partly agreeing with those of Campbell, and partly 
 different 2 . These new doctrines related to the 
 literal fulfilment of the prophecies, the return of 
 the Jews, the literal reign of the saints in Zion, 
 and the restoration of miraculous gifts 3 . It was 
 afterwards found that these doctrines were incul- 
 cated among the fundamentals of Mormonism 4 . 
 About the time when Rigdon left Pittsburg with 
 his new doctrines, the Smith family began to speak 
 of the discovery of a book, containing a history of 
 the first inhabitants of America *. Rigdon removed 
 in 1827 to the neighbourhood of Kirtland, in Ohio, 
 where he immediately began to teach the doctrines 
 
 9 See Chapter III. 1 Clark, p. 319. 2 Ibid. 
 
 3 Turner, p. 30. 4 Ibid. 
 
 5 See Chapter III. ; Clark, p. 319.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. -57 
 
 of Campbell, with his own modifications 6 . He 
 preached with considerable versatility, and with 
 much power of popular eloquence 7 . He also 
 brought to his aid the workings of an enthusiastic 
 temperament, which sometimes threw him into 
 spasms and swoonings, similar to those nervous 
 agitations which have so often prevailed in Western 
 America and elsewhere 8 . These nervous fits he 
 ascribed to the agency of the Holy Spirit, as mul- 
 titudes had done before him, and contended that 
 the miraculous gifts of the apostolic age were now 
 about to be restored to the Church of God 9 . 
 
 The credulous and simple of course believed all 
 that he taught, especially when he confirmed his 
 doctrine by spasms, rhapsodies, and marvellous 
 visions '. Many hundreds were thus deluded, and 
 gathered into a mock church at Kirtland 2 . Other 
 preachers soon united their efforts with his, among 
 whom was Parley P. Pratt, already mentioned, 
 and afterwards the great apostle of Mormonism in 
 England 3 . While this work was going forward, 
 Rigdon made several long visits to Pennsylvania, 
 in which state Smith was at that time engaged 
 with Harris and Cowdery, in the pretended busi- 
 ness of translating the golden plates *. The Book 
 of Mormon was published, as before-mentioned, in 
 
 6 Clark, p. 319. 1 Turner, p. 24. Ibid. 
 
 9 Ibid. i Ibid. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. * Clark, p. 319. 
 
 D 5
 
 58 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 1830. In the August following, Parley P. Pratt, 
 while on a journey, as he says, to his native place, 
 fell in with the Book of Mormon, at Palmyra 5 . 
 He declares that he was greatly prejudiced against 
 it at first ; but after praying to God, as he affirmed, 
 he became convinced of its truth, and accompanied 
 Cowdery, Whitmer, and Peterson on their mission 
 to the West 6 . 
 
 It was either in the May or June previous to 
 this mission, and therefore not more than two 
 months after Joseph Smith had organized his first 
 society, that a Dr. Rosa, a respectable gentleman 
 of Painesville in Ohio, happened to be in company 
 with Sidney Bigdon 7 . Both were on horseback, 
 and they rode together for several miles. They 
 conversed, as travellers in America are wont to do, 
 and religion was the subject of their discourse. 
 Bigdon took occasion to remark that it was time 
 for a new religion to spring up, and that " man- 
 kind were all ripe and ready for it." Bosa thought 
 he alluded to the Campbellite doctrine ; but was soon 
 undeceived by Bigdon, who remarked that it would 
 not be long before something would make its ap- 
 pearance. He added that he thought of going to 
 Pennsylvania, and that he should be absent for some 
 
 5 Clark, p. 313 ; Turner, p. 25. 6 Turner, pp. 25, 26. 
 * Clark, p. 315.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 59 
 
 months ; but that the time would depend upon cir- 
 cumstances. The doctor was much surprised by 
 this conversation, as Bigdon was at that time a 
 very popular preacher in his own denomination. 
 
 The coincidences appearing in the above facts 
 have induced in many minds a suspicion almost 
 amounting to certainty that Bigdon, having ob- 
 tained by some means the manuscript of Spaulding, 
 (or a copy of it) afterwards embellished and altered 
 it to suit his own views during his three years' 
 study at Pittsburg 8 . It is also supposed that at 
 the death of Lambdin, Bigdon became sole pro- 
 prietor of the work, and in order to publish it to 
 advantage, originated the scheme of bringing it 
 before the world in a miraculous way 9 . A fit 
 agent was accordingly found in Joseph Smith, 
 whose fame as a wizard had already extended itself 
 far and wide, and to his charge the altered manu- 
 script was intrusted in order to be ushered into 
 notice with eclat 1 . In the meantime Bigdon, with 
 the help of Pratt, was busy in preparing for the 
 triumph of Mormonism in Ohio, from the year 
 1827, when Smith commenced his pretended trans- 
 lation, up to 1830, when the book of Mormon was 
 published 2 . 
 
 On the other hand, it has been contended that 
 
 Clark, p. 320 ; Turner, p. 220. 9 Clark, p. 320. 
 
 1 Ib. 2 Turner, p. 220. 
 
 D6
 
 60 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMON1SM. 
 
 Rigdon possessed too much talent, power of 
 language, and knowledge of Scripture, to put 
 together such absurdities as are found in the book 
 in question 3 . Nor has it been distinctly proved 
 that Rigdon ever saw the manuscript of Spaulding, 
 or that he was ever in the company of Smith pre- 
 viously to the publication of the work 4 . 
 
 But whether Rigdon or Smith was the originator 
 of the scheme, it is obvious that, by a course of 
 remarkable circumstances, Rigdon and his follow- 
 ers were altogether prepared for Mormonism, when 
 their colleague Pratt was converted to that faith, 
 and Smith's four elders were deputed on their 
 mission to the West 5 . 
 
 These four worthies travelled leisurely on their 
 way, preaching their doctrines whenever an oppor- 
 tunity offered 6 . They professed to be special mes- 
 sengers of the Living God, sent to preach the 
 Gospel in its purity, as it was anciently taught by 
 the Apostles 7 . They carried with them numerous 
 copies of their new revelation ; they told the story 
 of the miraculous discovery of the golden plates, 
 and declared that the translation had been pro- 
 duced by a special prophet of the Almighty, for 
 the salvation of the house of Israel, and for the 
 
 3 Turner, p. 211 ; see also Corrill, p. 11. * Turner, p. 211. 
 * Clark, p. 320 ; Turner, p. 211. 6 Corrill, p. 7. ' Ib.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMOXISM. 61 
 
 conversion of the Gentiles 8 . Wherever they went, 
 these doctrines became the topic of conversation, 
 and excited great curiosity 9 . The testimonies of 
 the three and of the eight witnesses, inserted at 
 the close of the book of Mormon, produced much 
 astonishment ; although the more intelligent soon 
 concluded that the work had been published on 
 speculation l . Under the guidance of Parley P. 
 Pratt, the four elders, having completed three 
 hundred miles of their expedition, were brought to 
 the residence of Rigdon, in Mentor, not far from 
 Kirtland, at the latter end of October, 1830 2 . 
 E-igdon at first received them apparently with 
 suspicion, and objected to the Mormon scheme, and 
 the authority of the prophet 3 : Pratt, however, 
 presented to him the book of Mormon, which he 
 was ultimately induced to read, after much per- 
 suasion and argument *. In the course of two 
 days, wonderful to relate, all his objections to 
 Mormonism gave way, and he avowed his conver- 
 sion to the faith 5 . 
 
 Cowdery in the meantime had converted seven- 
 teen of Eigdon's Campbellites 6 . Eigdon imme- 
 diately assembled his old followers, and, while he 
 harangued them for nearly two hours, both himself 
 
 8 Corrill, p. 7. 9 Ib. Ib. J Clark, R . 312. 
 
 3 Ib. * Turner, p. 26. 
 
 5 Ib. ; Clark, p. 312 ; Corrill, p. 8. Turner, p. 26.
 
 62 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 and his congregation melted into tears 7 . The 
 next morning he was immersed, together with his 
 wife, amid manifestations of overpowering feeling ; 
 and within the following month a hundred and 
 thirty of his former flock followed his example 8 . 
 
 The following individual case is, doubtless, a 
 good specimen of these conversions in general. A 
 person named Corrill, who had been astonished 
 and grieved at the sudden change in Rigdon's 
 opinions, called upon him, and requested leave to 
 converse with him on the subject 9 . Rigdon re- 
 plied that he was now beyond the land of conten- 
 tion, and had got into the land of peace l . Corrill 
 asked him whether the Scriptures were not suffi- 
 cient for our salvation 2 . He replied that the 
 Scriptures informed us of perilous and distress- 
 ing times that should come in the last days, and 
 that now God had sent his servants to instruct 
 mankind respecting those times, that they might 
 repent and prepare for them 3 . He added, that if 
 these messengers were rejected, it would be worse 
 with the unbelievers than it was with the people of 
 Sodom and Gomorrah *. With these declarations, 
 he refused to converse any further on the subject 5 . 
 Obtaining no satisfaction from Rigdon, or from the 
 four elders, Corrill attended several of their meet- 
 
 J Turner, p. 26. 8 Ib. ; Corrill, p. 8. a Ib. 
 
 1 Ib. 2 Ib. 3 Ib. * Ib. 6 Ib.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 63 
 
 ings in Kirtland 6 . At one of these meetings, 
 which continued all night, they professed to lay on 
 hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost 7 . They alse 
 administered a pretended sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper, after which they prophesied, and spoke in 
 unknown tongues 8 . Persons in the room, who 
 took no part with them, declared that the tongues 
 spoken were regular Indian dialects, with which 
 the persons who spoke were never known to have 
 been conversant 9 . Corrill returned home under 
 the conviction that supernatural agency had been 
 at work, and soon became a professed Mormon '. 
 In the glowing language of Pratt, " the Holy 
 Spirit was mightily poured out, the Word of God 
 grew and multiplied, and many priests were obe- 
 dient to the Word V In the course of the fol- 
 lowing winter and spring the number of Mormons 
 in Kirtland and its vicinity increased to more than 
 a thousand 3 . 
 
 During November 1830, in about three weeks 
 after his conversion, Sidney Bigdon visited the pro- 
 phet Smith at his residence in the state of New 
 York, accompanied by one Edward Partridge 4 . 
 Joseph was prepared to receive him, and declared 
 that a revelation had just been made to him by the 
 
 6 Corrill, p. 9. 7 Ib. 8 Ib. D Ib. 
 
 1 Ib. p. 16. 2 Turner, p. 26. 3 Ib. 
 
 * Ibid. ; Clark, p. 312 ; Corrill, p. 17.
 
 64 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 Lord in reference to this new convert 5 . This pre- 
 tended heavenly communication, which is recorded 
 ki the " Book of Covenants," was in the following 
 words 6 : "Behold, verily, verily, I say unto my 
 servant Sidney, I have looked upon thee and thy 
 works ; I have heard thy prayers, and prepared 
 thee for a greater work. Thou art blessed, for 
 thou shalt do great things. Behold, thou wast 
 sent forth even as John, to prepare the way before 
 me, and Elijah which should come, and thou knew- 
 est it not. Thou didst baptize by water unto re- 
 pentance, but they received not the Holy Ghost ; 
 but now I give unto you a commandment, that 
 thou shalt baptize by water and fire of the Holy 
 Ghost, by laying on of hands, even as the Apostles 
 of old." 
 
 Rigdon professed to make many impartial inqui- 
 ries into the evidences of the new religion, and 
 finally to become fully convinced of its truth 7 . 
 He afterwards told Alexander Campbell, his former 
 colleague, that if Smith should be proved a liar, or 
 should say himself that he never discovered the 
 Book of Mormon, as he reported, he should still 
 believe, and also believe that all who rejected it 
 would be damned 8 . 
 
 5 Turner, p. 16 ; Clark, p. 312. 
 t; " Book of Covenants,'' p. 117. 
 ' Turner, p. 27 ; Corrill, p. 17. 8 Turner, p. 27.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 65 
 
 After this meeting, Mormonism became more 
 fully matured and developed 9 . Hitherto it had 
 been deficient in spirit and power, its aim extend- . 
 ing little beyond the habitual aspirations of Joseph 
 the money-digger l . Before his meeting with Rig- 
 don in 1830, few of the peculiarities of Mormonism, 
 as it now exists, were broached by Smith, or found 
 in the Book of Mormon ; nor had Smith ever 
 taught them, unless in loose generalities, which 
 might be interpreted to suit circumstances 2 . But 
 after Rigdon's conversion things assumed a differ- 
 ent aspect 3 . Smith's revelations became more ex- 
 plicit and decisive *. He proceeded to organize his 
 disciples, and to propound their doctrines and dis- 
 cipline 5 . As to the doctrines, they were to be 
 substantially the same with those which Rigdon 
 had been teaching since 1827 s . As to the disci- 
 pline, there were to be two distinct priesthoods, 
 distinguished respectively by the names of Mel- 
 chisedec and Aaron, both containing a sufficient 
 number of presidents, bishops, prophets, priests, 
 elders, and other officers, to make every Mormon 
 a man of authority 7 . Smith was at the head of 
 all, and Rigdon became his prime minister, an 
 
 Clark, p. 313. 1 Turner, p. 31. 2 Ibid. 
 
 3 Ibid. Ibid. 5 Ibid. 
 
 6 Ibid. ; Clark, p. 320. 
 * Turner, p. 32 ; Clark, p. 321 ; Corrill, pp. 24, 25.
 
 66 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 elder, a high priest, and a scribe, and, in short, 
 " the orator and oracle of the faith V 
 
 Rigdon being familiar with the Bible, a close 
 reasoner, and prepared to establish to the satisfac- 
 tion of numbers, the negative or affirmative of any 
 question from Scripture, was commissioned to 
 promulgate the absurdities of Mormonism, and to 
 prove the words of Smith by demonstrations from 
 Holy Writ 9 . A " revelation" was soon received 
 that Kirtland, the residence of Rigdon and his 
 brethren, was to be the eastern border of the pro- 
 mised land, which was to extend westward to the 
 Pacific Ocean 2 . On this land, it was further de- 
 clared that the New Jerusalem, the City of Refuge, 
 was to be erected 3 . Upon it, all true believers 
 were to assemble, to escape the destruction of the 
 world, which was soon to take place 4 . 
 
 While Smith and Rigdon were thus concocting 
 their schemes at Manchester, the work was ad- 
 vancing rapidly in Kirtland, under the superintend- 
 ance of Cowdery and his associates 5 . During the 
 autumn and winter, the village was continually 
 crowded with visitors, who came from different 
 parts of the United States and Canada, to inquire 
 after the " New Religion V As the peculiarities 
 
 8 Turner, p. 27. 9 Clark, p. 313. Ibid. 
 
 2 Ibid. ; Harris, p. 28. 3 Ibid. * Ibid. 5 Ibid. 
 6 Turner, p. 27.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 67 
 
 of Mormonism became developed, scenes of the 
 most frantic and horrible fanaticism ensued, the 
 actors in which were principally young persons of 
 both sexes 7 . Cowdery and his companions pre- 
 tended that the power of miracles was to be given 
 to all those who embraced the new faith ; and they 
 professed to communicate the Holy Spirit by laying 
 their hands upon the heads of the deluded multi- 
 tude *. This operation at first produced an instan- 
 taneous prostration of body and mind, and was 
 often followed by a gift of tongues, which it was 
 believed that none could understand except by 
 inspiration 9 . Many would fall upon the floor, 
 where they would lie for a long time apparently 
 lifeless 1 . The fits usually came on during or after 
 their prayer-meetings, which were held nearly every 
 evening 2 . Some, in imitation of the prophet, em- 
 ployed magic stones, through which they professed 
 to see, and to describe not only the persons, but 
 the dress and employment of people hundreds of 
 miles distant 3 . Their conduct grew more and 
 more eccentric and absurd, till they resembled a 
 party of raving Bacchanalians. Sometimes they 
 imitated the wild modes of Indian warfare, such as 
 
 7 Clark, p. 313 ; Turner, p. 27 ; Corrill, p. 17 ; " Times and 
 Seasons," p. 74?. 
 
 8 Clark, p. 314 ; Turner, p. 28. 9 Ibid. Ibid. * Ibid. 
 2 Turner, p. 283 ; Clark, p. 314. 3 Turner, p. 28.
 
 68 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 knocking down, scalping, and tearing out the 
 bowels of the victims 4 . At the dead hour of night 
 they ran through the fields and over the hills in 
 pursuit of balls of fire, which they declared they 
 beheld in the atmosphere 5 . Sometimes they 
 mounted on the stumps of trees, and while ab- 
 sorbed in visions, they plunged into the waters of 
 baptism, or harangued the imaginary multitudes 
 by which they thought themselves surrounded 6 . 
 Others fell into a trance, and having continued ap- 
 parently lifeless for a long time, awoke to relate 
 what they had learned respecting the future glory 
 of the saints, and the destruction of the unbeliev- 
 ing 7 . Sometimes their faces, bodies, and limbs 
 were violently distorted and convulsed, until they 
 fell prostrate on the ground 8 . Three of the young 
 converts pretended to have received a commission to 
 preach from the skies, after having first leaped in the 
 air as high as they could 9 . All these performances 
 were believed to emanate from the Spirit of God '. 
 
 Rigdon continued with Smith in Manchester 
 about two months, receiving revelations, preaching 
 in the vicinity, and trying to establish the truth of 
 Mormonism 2 . But meeting with little success, he 
 
 4 Clark, p. 314 ; Turner, p. 28. 
 
 s Ibid. ; " Times and Seasons," p. 747 ; Corrill, p. 16. 
 
 6 Ibid. 1 Ibid. 8 Ibid. Clark, p. 314. 
 
 Ibid. 2 Corrill, p. 17 ; Clark, 321.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 69 
 
 first wrote to the converts in Ohio, disclosing to 
 them that Kirtland was to be the seat of empire, 
 and in January, 1831, returned to that place him- 
 self 3 . Smith and his whole family, together with 
 Harris and about fifty Mormon families from the 
 state of New York, followed him a few days after- 
 wards 4 . 
 
 On the arrival of Smith in Kirtland, he appeared 
 astonished at the wild enthusiasm and scalping per- 
 formances of his proselytes 5 . Some of the less 
 insane having appealed to him on the subject, he 
 very wisely produced a new " revelation," inform- 
 ing them in substance that it was all the work of 
 the devil 6 . Upon this announcement the disturb- 
 ances ceased for a time, while Smith and Rigdon 
 took to themselves the entire monopoly of all won- 
 ders, and commended to the "saints" the more 
 appropriate duty of believing 7 . In the following 
 winter, however (1831), a new fanaticism gained 
 ground. The opinion was propagated among the 
 Mormons, that they should never taste death ; and 
 that all diseases would yield to the faithful and 
 devout use of prayers, herbs, oil, and imposition of 
 hands 8 . The prophet himself, however, in the 
 
 3 Clark, p. 314. 
 
 4 Turner, p. 27 ; Clark, p. 321 ; Corrill, p. 17- 
 
 5 Clark, p. 321 ; Turner, p. 29. 6 Ibid. ; Corrill, p. 17. 
 7 Turner, p. 29. 8 Ibid.
 
 70 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 
 
 case of his wife (now denominated " the elect 
 lady"), had recourse to a surgeon, greatly to the 
 grief and scandal of his disciples 9 . Persons of less 
 distinction were religiously left to die in the hands 
 of the gifted and wonder-working elders. 
 
 After Rigdon's return to Kirtland, with his new 
 companions and his new faith, Alexander Campbell, 
 his former associate and guide, challenged him to a 
 public debate, in which he undertook to show 
 the foolish absurdities, shameless pretensions, and 
 manifest imposture of the Mormon scheme 2 . This 
 challenge, however, Rigdon prudently declined ac- 
 cepting, and Mormonism continued to extend itself 
 with considerable rapidity 3 . Nearly all the male 
 converts, however ignorant or worthless, were trans- 
 formed into " elders," and sent forth to proclaim 
 with all then* wild enthusiasm, the wonders and 
 mysteries of Mormonism*. All those who had a 
 taste for the marvellous, and delighted in novelties, 
 flocked to hear them B . Many travelled fifty or a 
 hundred miles to the throne of the prophet in Kirt- 
 land, to hear from his own mouth, the story of the 
 discovery of the golden bible and the stone specta- 
 cles 6 . Many, even in New England and the 
 British provinces, after hearing the frantic declara- 
 tions of the travelling elders, forthwith placed their 
 
 9 Turner, p. 29. 1 Ibid. 2 Clark, p. 322. 3 Ibid. 
 * Clark, p. 321. * Ibid. Ibid.
 
 RAPID PROPAGATION OF MORMONISM. 71 
 
 all in a waggon, and took their way to the " pro- 
 mised land," in order to escape the judgments of 
 heaven 7 . They were privately told, that the state 
 of New York, with the adjacent countries, would 
 most probably be sunk, unless the inhabitants be- 
 lieved in the divine inspiration of the prophet 
 Joseph 8 . 
 
 Shortly after Smith's arrival in Ohio, he pub- 
 lished a " revelation," appointing Edward Partridge, 
 already mentioned, Bishop of the Church, an office 
 which implied little more than a commission to 
 attend to the wants of the poor 9 . This step occa- 
 sioned some surprise, but the people, " recollecting 
 that there were bishops in old times, said nothing 
 against it 1 ." Soon afterwards Smith received the 
 " revelation called the Law, which contained some 
 good moral precepts, and required a consecration 
 of property for the work of the Lord V But we 
 must now consider Mormonism as it appeared in 
 its new aspect, together with some of the causes 
 which gave it the elements of strength and 
 extension. 
 
 1 Clark, p. 321. * Ibid. Corrill, p. 17. 
 
 1 Ibid. 2 Ibid.
 
 72 SMITH TELLS A NEW STORY, 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 SMITH TELLS A NEW STORY, AND PRODUCES NEW 
 BOOKS. 
 
 The prophet tells a new and complete story respecting the golden 
 plates Smith's theory of inspiration Book of Mormon and 
 its claims Book of Covenants and its inconsistencies New 
 version of the Old and New Testaments, with the Prophet's 
 alterations and interpolations Pratt's " Voice of Warning " 
 " Times and Seasons," &c. 
 
 HITHERTO the prophet had related various and 
 contradictory stories respecting the angel and the 
 golden plates, the narrative being altered to suit 
 his successive exigencies \ But after the publica- 
 tion of the Book of Mormon, it became necessary 
 to adopt a uniform and consistent detail of the 
 whole transaction, to satisfy the curiosity of those 
 who, from different motives, might inquire into the 
 origin of the new " revelation V Accordingly, 
 the following account was produced, and subse- 
 quently given to the world in the columns of 
 
 1 Turner, p. 1?. ' 2 Ib. p. 214.
 
 AND PRODUCES NEW BOOKS. 73 
 
 several Mormon periodicals 3 , under the supervision 
 of Smith himself*. 
 
 In the year 1823, when Smith was living at 
 Manchester, and about seventeen years of age, an 
 unusual religious excitement was produced in the 
 whole community. It commenced with the Me- 
 thodists ; but soon extended to the Baptists, Pres- 
 byterians, and other sects in the vicinity. Smith 
 began to reflect on the importance of being pre- 
 pared for a future state ; but, upon inquiring the 
 way of salvation, he found that each sect pointed 
 to its own particular creed as the perfection of 
 truth. So great was the confusion and strife among 
 the different denominations, that it was impossible 
 for him to come to any certain conclusion upon 
 the subject. He now determined to investigate 
 the question more fully, believing, as he said, that 
 41 if God had a Church, it would not be split into 
 factions V While labouring under extreme diffi- 
 culties produced by the contests of the sectarian 
 bodies, he happened to read the fifth verse of the 
 first chapter of St. James : "If any of you lack 
 wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men 
 liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given 
 
 3 " Messenger and Advocate " " Times and Seasons," &c. 
 
 4 Turner, pp. 14. 17- 214. 219. 204. Corrill, p. 12. Clark, p. 
 243. Harris, p. 4. " Times and Seasons," pp. 706. 726. 753. 
 
 5 See Smith's assertion, " Times and Seasons," p. 706. 
 
 E
 
 74 SMITH TELLS A NEW STOKY, 
 
 him." He determined to act in accordance with 
 this precept, and retired into the woods, in order 
 to make the attempt. Having looked around and 
 found himself alone, he kneeled down, and began 
 to express the desires of his heart. He had 
 scarcely done so, when he was seized by a power 
 which entirely overcame him, and bound his tongue, 
 so that he could not speak. Thick darkness ga- 
 thered around him, and he was ready to sink into 
 despair. But, exerting all his powers to call upon 
 God, he saw a pillar of light exactly over his head, 
 above the brightness of the sun, which gradually 
 descended till it came upon him. Immediately he 
 found himself delivered from the enemy who had 
 bound him. When the light rested upon him, he 
 saw two personages of surpassing brightness and 
 glory standing above him in the air. They exactly 
 resembled each other in features, and were sur- 
 rounded with a brilliant light which eclipsed the 
 noon-day sun. Smith begged them to inform him, 
 which of the sects was right, and which it was his 
 duty to join. He was answered, that he must join 
 none of them, for they were all wrong, and their 
 creeds were an abomination in the sight of God. 
 At the same time he received a promise that the 
 fulness of the gospel should, at some future time, 
 be made known to him. After this, however, he 
 was left to all kinds of temptations, and gave way,
 
 AND PRODUCES NEW BOOKS. 75 
 
 by his own admission, to the gratification of many 
 sinful appetites. On the 21st of September, 182o, 
 after he had retired to bed, he betook himself to 
 prayer. He begged for the forgiveness of his sins, 
 and also for a further manifestation of divine glory. 
 Suddenly his room was filled with light, far purer 
 and more glorious than the light of day. The 
 appearance produced a shock which affected his 
 whole body, and in a moment a form stood before 
 him, whose countenance was as lightning, and whose 
 person beamed with unutterable splendour. The 
 celestial visitant was of somewhat more than ordi- 
 nary size, and his garments were pure white, and 
 apparently without seam. He proclaimed himself 
 to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful 
 tidings that the covenant made with ancient Israel 
 was about to be fulfilled, and that the preparatory 
 work for the second coming of the Messiah was 
 speedily to commence. He declared to the enrap- 
 tured Smith, that his sins were forgiven, and that 
 the Lord had chosen him to bring forth and trans- 
 late the Book of Mormon. Moroni, the last of 
 the Nephites, of the seed of Israel, had abridged 
 this book from the records of his tribe, and had 
 engraved the work upon golden plates. These 
 plates were deposited in a stone box, under the hill 
 Camorah, near Manchester, about three miles from 
 Smith's residence, where they had already been 
 E 2
 
 76 SMITH TELLS A NEW STORY, 
 
 concealed about 1400 years. Although these mar- 
 vels were twice repeated before morning, Smith 
 went as usual to his labour on the following day, 
 and it was not until the angel had appeared once 
 more, and expressed displeasure at the delay, that 
 he proceeded to the spot indicated to him, in search 
 of the hidden treasure. 
 
 Having removed a portion of the soil, he found 
 these precious documents deposited in a box of 
 stone near the surface of the earth, and secured 
 from air and moisture by a peculiar cement applied 
 to the joints of the box. The plates were thin 
 leaves of gold, about eight inches long by six wide, 
 and were held together at one edge by three golden 
 rings passing through each leaf. On removing the 
 stone from the top of the box, he attempted to 
 take possession of the plates, but received a shock, 
 which not only frustrated his attempt, but deprived 
 him of his natural strength. This was repeated 
 three times, until finally he exclaimed aloud, " Why 
 cannot I obtain this book?" Suddenly the angel 
 of the Lord appeared, and informed him that the 
 book was withheld from him because he had in- 
 dulged in mercenary thoughts, and had desired to 
 enrich himself by the plates of the book to be 
 translated from them. He resorted to prayer, and 
 again the heavens were opened, the glory of the 
 Lord shone around, and Satan with his hosts
 
 AND PRODUCES NEW BOOKS. 7? 
 
 passed in dread array before him. The angel then 
 declared that he must desire to obtain and trans- 
 late the plates solely for the glory of God and the 
 good of mankind. As a punishment for his covetous 
 wishes, the angel forbade his removing the plates 
 at this time, and told him that he should not ob- 
 tain them, until he had repented of his folly. Four 
 years after this memorable day, viz. on the 22d of 
 September, 1827, the angel delivered the records 
 into his hands. They were filled with engravings 
 in Egyptian characters, small in size, but beauti- 
 fully executed. With them were found the mystic 
 Urim and Thummim, which appeared in the form 
 of two transparent stones, set in the rim of a bow, 
 like a pair of spectacles, and fastened to a golden 
 breastplate. By looking through these, Smith was 
 enabled to read the Egyptian characters in Eng- 
 lish " by the gift and power of the Almighty." 
 After completing the translation, the plates, the 
 Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, were 
 again taken by the angel, and concealed from hu- 
 man sight. 
 
 Such was the blasphemous tale substituted for 
 the former inventions of the same description. 
 We will now consider the theory of inspiration, 
 on which Smith professed to write his revelations. 
 
 This theory is wonderfully simple, and may be 
 
 E3
 
 78 SMITH TELLS A NEW STORY, 
 
 found in the " Book of Covenants 6 " as follows : 
 " Behold, you have not understood. You have 
 supposed that I would give it unto you when you 
 took no thought, save it was to ask me. But 
 behold, I say unto you, you must study it out in 
 your own mind. Then you must ask me if it be 
 right ; and, if it is right, I will cause that your 
 bosom shall burn within you. THEREFORE you 
 shall feel that it is right. But if it is not right, 
 you shall have no such feelings ; but you shall have 
 a stupor of thought, that shall cause you to forget 
 the thing which is wrong. THEREFORE you can- 
 not write that which is sacred, save it be given you 
 from me." 
 
 Upon this last principle, was constructed much 
 that claims to be pre-eminently Divine Revelation ; 
 viz. large portions of the Book of Mormon, and the 
 whole of the Book of Covenants. 
 
 The Book of Mormon has been in part de- 
 scribed, and will be found in an abridged form in 
 the Appendix. 
 
 It claims a rank and an importance excelled by 
 nothing that has preceded it. It is declared to be 
 a new and everlasting covenant, abolishing all 
 former covenants 7 ; it is pronounced to be the ful- 
 
 6 " Book of Covenants," p. 162 ; Harris, p. 9. 
 
 7 Harris, p. 10 ; "Book of Covenants," pp. 91. 178.
 
 AND PRODUCES NEW BOOKS. 79 
 
 ness of the everlasting Gospel ; and it professes to 
 make known " the plain and precious things which 
 have been taken away 8 ." 
 
 " The Book of Covenants and Revelations" con- 
 tains about two hundred and fifty pages, 18mo., 
 of which the first seventy-five pages consist of a 
 series of seven lectures on faith, with questions 
 and answers appended to each 9 . The remaining 
 hundred and seventy-five pages are occupied with 
 professed revelations from heaven, given at various 
 times to Joseph Smith, respecting the translation 
 of the Book of Mormon, the organization, doc- 
 trines, and government of the " Church" so called, 
 the management of finance, the sending forth of 
 preachers, and many subjects of an exceedingly 
 trivial description 1 . This book is obviously de- 
 signed to concentrate all power and resources in 
 the hands of Joseph and his accomplices 2 . It has 
 exerted far more influence on the doctrines and 
 destinies of Mormonism than the Book of Mormon 
 itself, although it has been generally kept in the 
 back-ground, and the Book of Mormon put for- 
 ward as the main authority of the " Saints," after 
 the Bible 3 . Two editions of this work were pub- 
 lished, the first in 1833, and the second in 1835 *. 
 
 8 Harris, p. 10 ; " Book of Covenants," pp. 30. 32. 180. 
 
 9 Turner, p. 20. l Ibid. 2 Ibid. 
 a Ibid. 4 Ib. p. 244. 
 
 E 4
 
 80 SMITH TELLS A NEW STORY, 
 
 Great inconsistencies exist between the several 
 parts of the book; and the editions of 1833 and 
 1835 are in several respects repugnant to each 
 other 5 . In 1833, before the prophet had fully 
 defined his own position, a " revelation" was pub- 
 lished, dated in March 1829, while Smith was 
 engaged in his " translation V In this the Lord 
 is represented as commanding Smith to pretend to 
 " no other gift, 1 " except to translate, and expressly 
 declares that he will " grant him no other gift V 
 But in publishing the second edition, it was found 
 expedient to leave the prophet free to usurp what- 
 ever power he pleased 8 . The clause, therefore, 
 was made to read as follows, the words in italics 
 being now interpolated : "I have commanded 
 that you should pretend to no other gift save to 
 translate, until my purpose is fulfilled in this, for I 
 will grant you no other gift until it is finished 9 '." 
 
 This Book of Covenants and Revelations, al- 
 though the real basis of the Mormon faith, con- 
 tains only a small part of the pretended revelations 
 received by Smith 1 . There is still a large folio 
 of many hundred unpublished revelations, which a 
 Mormon is bound to believe and obey wherever he 
 meets them 2 . 
 
 4 Turner, p. 225. 6 Ib. p. 226. ' Ibid. 8 Ibid. 
 
 9 Ibid. ' Ib. p. 243. 2 Ibid. 
 
 E 5
 
 AND PRODUCES NEW BOOKS. 81 
 
 Smith, with Rigdon as his scribe, prepared, 
 about the year 1832, another work of considerable 
 importance to his scheme, although published as 
 yet (1842) only in small parts, on account of the 
 want of funds 3 . This is none other than a new 
 edition of the Holy Scriptures^ " translated through 
 the power and gift of God" In this most audacious 
 and infamous undertaking (the idea of which was 
 probably derived from Alexander Campbell's New 
 Testament) whole verses and almost entire chap- 
 ters are added to the original text, in order to 
 make the Bible appear to speak the words of the 
 false prophet *. Thus, in the first chapters of 
 Genesis, certain doctrines of the Trinity, and of 
 atonement by sacrifice, are fully explained to 
 Adam by the angel of the Lord 5 . Again, in 
 Malachi iv. 1, we find the following alteration : 
 " For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an 
 oven, and all the proud, yea, all that do wickedly 
 shall burn as stubble, for they that come \i. e. the 
 Mormons] shall burn them, saith the Lord of 
 hosts, that they shall leave them neither root nor 
 branch'." So in the 5th verse, "Behold I will 
 
 3 Clark, p. 328 ; Turner, pp. 21, 22 ; Corrill, p. 48. 
 
 * Turner, p. 21. 5 Ibid ; " Book of Covenants," p. 13. 
 
 6 " Times and Seasons," p. 753. 
 
 E 5
 
 82 SMITH TELLS A NEW STORY, 
 
 reveal unto you the priesthood by the hand of Elijah 
 the Prophet, before the coming of the great and 
 dreadful day of the Lord V The last verse of the 
 23rd chapter of St. Matthew is made to read 
 thus : " For I say unto you, ye shall not see me 
 henceforth till ye shall say, blessed is he that 
 cometh in the name of the Lord. Then understood 
 his disciples that he should come again on the earth 
 after that he was glorified and crowned on the right 
 hand of God*" 
 
 The " Voice of Warning," by Parley P. Pratt, 
 does not profess peculiar inspiration ; but is con- 
 sidered, by the Mormons, as the most able exposi- 
 tion and defence of their doctrines, especially of 
 those derived from the prophecies, and pertaining 
 to the " kingdom of God 9 ." 
 
 Other books of great authority and influence 
 have been produced from time to time, some in the 
 form of periodical publications, such as the " Morn- 
 ing and Evening Star ;" " Messenger and Advo- 
 cate," " Elders' Journal," and " Times and Sea- 
 sons," and some in the shape of pamphlets, pub- 
 lished occasionally, in defence of Mormonism, by 
 its leading elders and functionaries 1 . From the 
 
 T Times and Seasons," p. 753. * Corrill, p. 48. 
 
 9 Turner, p. 21. l Ib. p. 13.
 
 AND PRODUCES NEW BOOKS. 83 
 
 sale of these works, conjoined with other sources 
 of profit, Smith and his accomplices derived a 
 considerable revenue, and the Smith family in 
 particular, after their arrival in Kirtland, were 
 soon raised from poverty to comparative af- 
 fluence 2 . 
 
 2 Clark, p. 320.
 
 84 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE OF MORMONISM. 
 
 Doctrine of Faith Doctrines of Baptism, Confirmation, and 
 miraculous gifts Doctrine of Apostolical Succession Papal 
 authority of Smith Priesthoods of Melchisedec and Aaron 
 Zion in Missouri the centre of the faith Mormon Stakes 
 Trial of transgressors Patriarchs Twelve Apostles 
 Seventies Theological preparation of Preachers Tythes 
 Democratic theory of Mormonism, and Theocratic practice 
 Witness of the Spirit Saints equal with the Deity Trans- 
 migration of Souls The Deity material and Matter eternal 
 Literal Interpretation Baptism for the Dead Doctrine of 
 the Resurrection Doctrine of the Eucharist Smith the 
 interpreter of Holy Writ. 
 
 ALTHOUGH the religious doctrines of a person like 
 Smith can be of little consequence when considered 
 in reference to himself, still, as they have been 
 actually received and maintained by many thousand 
 persons, they are deserving of a particular notice 
 in a history of Mormonism. The doctrines and 
 discipline of the novel heresy, as collected from the 
 books mentioned in the last chapter, will therefore 
 be now described.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 80 
 
 The Mormon doctrine of faith, which is an 
 entering wedge to the whole system, is laid down 
 in the first part of the Book of Covenants 3 . Here, 
 in commenting on Hebrews xi. verse 3, the writer 
 says, " By this we understand that the principle of 
 power which existed in the bosom of God, by 
 which the worlds were formed, was faith, and that 
 it is by reason of this principle of power existing in 
 the Deity that all created things exist ; so that all 
 things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, 
 exist by reason of faith as it exists in Him. Had 
 it not been for the principle of faith the worlds 
 would never have been framed, neither would man 
 have been formed of the dust ; it is the principle 
 by which Jehovah works, and through which He 
 exercises power over all temporal and eternal 
 things ; take away this principle or attribute (for 
 it is an attribute) from the Deity, and He would 
 cease to exist V The writer then proceeds to 
 show that we come to a belief in a Supreme Being, 
 and a knowledge of His attributes, by revelations 
 made to men, and received by faith on the ground 
 of mere human testimony 5 . The inference in- 
 tended to be deduced from this by the Mormons 
 is, that men are required to believe the revela- 
 
 3 Turner, p. 231. 4 " Book of Covenants," p. 7 5 Harris, p. 21. 
 5 Turner, p. 230.
 
 86 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE 
 
 tions of Smith as they believe those of Moses 6 . 
 In order to remove the objection to Smith's revela- 
 tions, derived from the want of rational evidence 
 that they are from God, the writer denies that the 
 miracles of the Bible were wrought in attestation of 
 the veracity of inspired men, and affirms that they 
 were performed simply for the benefit of those who 
 believed 7 . In regard to the effects of faith, the 
 passage in Mark xvi. 17, is quoted, " These signs 
 shall follow them that believe," &c., and the in- 
 ference is drawn, that these signs were designed to 
 follow all who in all ages should believe the 
 Gospel 8 . The presence of the miraculous gifts of 
 primitive times is then declared to be essential to 
 the existence of a true Church 9 . 
 
 In conformity with this theory of faith, the Mor- 
 mons believe that those who have authority to 
 administer in the ordinances of the Gospel, have 
 the right and authority, through prayer, of bestow- 
 ing the gift of the Holy Ghost by the imposition of 
 hands *. They who have repented, reformed their 
 lives, and become " regenerate," by immersion " for 
 the remission of sins," are entitled to receive this 
 gift in the ordinance of confirmation 2 . Infant 
 baptism, accordingly, is not tolerated ; but children 
 
 6 Turner, p. 231. 7 Ib. p. 234. 
 
 8 Ib. p. 235 ; see also " City of the Mormons." Ibid. 
 
 1 Corrill, p. 46. * Ib. p. 9.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 87 
 
 may be immersed after they have attained the age 
 of eight years 3 . At that time they are also re- 
 quired to be brought to the meeting, that the 
 elders may lay hands on them, and bless them in 
 the name of the Lord 4 . Sick persons receive from 
 the elders the benefit of prayers, anointings, and 
 imposition of hands 5 . Sometimes they have been 
 healed, sometimes partly healed, and sometimes 
 not benefited in any respect 6 . If the first result 
 takes place, it is ascribed to faith ; if the second, 
 then it is " according to their faith ;" and if the 
 last, it is " because of their unbelief.' 1 '' The speak- 
 ing of unknown tongues, together with the inter- 
 pretation of them, is another gift ascribed to faith, 
 and is considered to be a necessary mark of the 
 true Church 8 . 
 
 Apostles and Prophets also are declared essen- 
 tial to the existence of a Church 9 . It is asserted, 
 that the original Apostles appointed no successors 
 in their office ; but that the long-lost succession is 
 revived in the person of Joseph Smith, " the Pro- 
 phet of the Lord V He holds the keys of the 
 
 3 Corrill, p. 47. * Ibid. 
 
 5 Ib. p. 46 ; City of the Mormons," p. 42. 6 Corrill, p. 46. 
 
 7 Ibid. ; " City of the Mormons," p. 42. 
 
 8 " City of the Mormons," p. 39 ; Turner, p. 235. 
 
 9 Turner, p. 236. 
 
 1 Ib. p. 237 ; "Book of Covenants," p. 177 5 Harris, p. 15.
 
 88 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE 
 
 Church for life, with authority to bind and loose, 
 and the power of the sword is committed to his 
 hand 2 . In the Book of Covenants, he is called a 
 Seer, a Translator, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and 
 an Elder of the Church 3 . " There is none other 
 appointed to receive commandments and revela- 
 tions, until he is taken away ;" and he is " like 
 unto Moses, having all the gifts of God, which he 
 bestows upon the head of the Church *." The 
 Church is "to give heed unto all his words and 
 commandments, and to receive them as if from the 
 mouth of God V He is to be exempt from tem- 
 poral labour ; for those " who desire the mysteries 
 of the kingdom of heaven" must " provide him food 
 and raiment, and whatsoever he needethV He 
 claims to have been " ordained to the Aaronic 
 priesthood by John the Baptist, in the presence of 
 Joseph, Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, and Adam ;" and 
 to the priesthood of Melchisedec, by Peter, James, 
 and John 7 . 11 And to complete the climax of Anti- 
 christian and Satanic blasphemy, the prophet has 
 been heard boldly asserting that " he was as good 
 as Jesus Christ 8 ." We may search the annals of 
 
 2 Turner, p. 237. 
 
 3 " Book of Covenants," p. 177 ; Harris, p. 15. 
 
 4 Ib. pp. 88. 126 ; Ibid. 5 Ib. p. 177 5 Ibid. 
 
 6 Ib. p. 112 ; Ibid. 7 Ib. p. 180 ; Ib. p. 1. 
 
 8 Clark, p. 343, testimony of Levi Lewis.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 89 
 
 nfallible Eome, and trace the history of her most 
 aspiring pontiffs, yet it is doubtful whether higher 
 titles, greater authority, or more immaculate holi- 
 ness have ever been claimed, than in republican 
 America, by Joseph Smith, the money-digger 9 . 
 
 Under this infallible head, who has power even 
 to appoint his successor, the two " priesthoods'" of 
 Melchisedec and Aaron perform their peculiar func- 
 tions l . The first (or greater) priesthood consists 
 of high-priests and elders, who preside over the 
 spiritual affairs of Mormonism. The second (or 
 lesser) priesthood contains the bishops, priests, 
 teachers, and deacons, who administer the ordi- 
 nances and manage the temporal concerns of the 
 sect. Three of the high priests are chosen and 
 set apart to preside over the " Church of Latter- 
 day Saints," throughout the world. They are 
 called the " First Presidency ;" and the office has 
 been filled for about ten years by Smith and his 
 principal accomplices, Sidney Eigdon and Hyrum 
 Smith. The Mormon " Church" in Jackson 
 county, Missouri, is declared to be the " Zion," 
 and is designed ultimately to become the great 
 centre to which the Gentiles are to gather, and 
 
 9 Harris, p. 16. 
 
 1 Corrill, p. 24, whence the following facts respecting the 
 " priesthood" are collected.
 
 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE 
 
 from whence the law is to proceed 2 . Other 
 " churches," established by " revelations " given to 
 Smith, are called " Stakes of Zion," or simply 
 " Stakes," each of which is ruled by three high- 
 priests, whose jurisdiction is confined to the limits 
 of their particular stake. A high council is also 
 appointed at each stake, consisting of twelve high- 
 priests, as a court of ultimate appeal. There is 
 also a " Bishop," who stands at the head of the 
 lesser priesthood ; and who, with two councillors, 
 administers in temporal things, and constitutes a 
 court of immediate jurisdiction for the first trial of 
 transgressors. If two Mormons have a difficulty, 
 they must settle it between themselves, or by the 
 assistance of another ; but if they cannot do this, 
 the case must go into the bishop's court for trial, 
 and either party if dissatisfied with his decision can 
 appeal to the council of high-priests 3 . In every 
 stake, the oldest man, if suitable, is ordained a 
 " Patriarch," whose duty it is to be a father to the 
 " church," and bless such children as have no 
 natural father to bless them 4 . 
 
 There is a travelling high council, consisting of 
 
 twelve high-priests, called the " twelve apostles" who 
 
 are sent forth to preach Mormonism to all the 
 
 world, and to discipline and govern all unorganized 
 
 2 Turner, p. 224. 3 Ibid. * Ib. p. 245.
 
 OF MORMOXISM. 91 
 
 " Churches." One of these is called the " Presi- 
 dent of the Twelve." 
 
 There are also three bodies called " the Seven- 
 ties," consisting of seventy elders respectively, in 
 each of which seven preside over the rest in their 
 councils. These seventies travel and preach Mor- 
 monism throughout the world, under the direction 
 of the "twelve apostles." The first presidency, the 
 high council, and each of the seventies, have the 
 right to discipline their own members within their 
 respective limits ; and a decision of either body is 
 final, and reversible only at a general council of all 
 the bodies conjointly. 
 
 The high-priests, elders, and priests, travel and 
 preach, every one being furnished with the Book of 
 Covenants and Pratfs Voice of Warning, from 
 which all acquire their proof-texts and their logic *. 
 The teachers and deacons remain at home, and 
 are the stationary officers of the " Church." 
 
 The various ministers of this heresy profess to 
 discharge their several functions without pecuniary 
 compensation. But great sums are levied under 
 the name of tithes > to enable the prophet to accom- 
 plish his purposes, and to live upon the industry of 
 his disciples 6 . In answer to the question, "O 
 Lord ! show unto us thy servants how much thou 
 
 5 Turner, p. 225. 
 
 c Clark, p. 335. Times and Seasons," p. 667. 677.
 
 92 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE 
 
 requirest of the properties of thy people for a 
 ty thing;" the following "revelation" was pro- 
 duced 7 . " Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require 
 all their surplus properties to be put into the hands 
 of the bishop of my church of Zion, for the build- 
 ing of mine house, and for the laying the founda- 
 tion of Zion, and for the priesthood, and for the 
 debts of the presidency of my church, and this shall 
 be the beginning of the tything of my people ; and 
 after that, those who have been tythed shall pay 
 one-tenth of all their interest annually, and this 
 shall be a standing law unto them for ever for my 
 holy priesthood, saith the Lord. Verily I say unto 
 you, it shall come to pass, that all those who 
 gather unto the land of Zion shall be tythed of 
 their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, 
 or they shall not be found worthy to abide among 
 you ; and behold, I say unto you, if my people 
 observe not this law to keep it holy, and by this 
 law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my 
 statutes and judgments may be kept therein, that it 
 may be most holy ; behold ; verily I say unto you, 
 it shall not be a land of Zion unto you, and this 
 shall be one example unto all the stakes of Zion, 
 even so, Amen." 
 
 For some time after the commencement of the 
 system, an elder was allowed to " ordain " an elder, 
 
 7 For this " Revelation " see Clark, p. 335.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 93 
 
 a priest, a teacher, or a deacon, whenever he 
 thought proper ; but a rule was subsequently 
 adopted, that none should be ordained without the 
 consent of the "church"" 1 to which he belonged 8 . 
 Smith teaches expressly, that all the functionaries 
 of Mormonism are created and removed at pleasure 
 by their constituents, the people. Notwithstanding 
 this democratic theory, he reserves to himself the 
 sole right of receiving and promulgating revelations 
 upon all subjects, even the most minute 9 . As the 
 " Saints " are bound to yield the most implicit 
 obedience to these revelations, on penalty of eternal 
 damnation, Smith is not only the absolute monarch 
 of his democrats, but, in fact, their Grand Lama 
 and their Deity, for whenever he professes to utter 
 revelation, his voice is to be considered the voice of 
 God 1 . 
 
 The above will suffice for the Mormon doctrine 
 of the priesthood. But to the priesthood, with its 
 preaching, its evidences and its logic, there is an- 
 other testimony superadded, which is denominated 
 "the witness of the Spirit 2 ." After the high- 
 priests, elders, and priests, have proved the Ame- 
 rican Indians to be "Joseph's bough, running down 
 on the other side of the wall," and after they have 
 
 * Corrill, p. 26. 9 Turner, p. 225. l Ibid. 
 
 2 Ibid. p. 239.
 
 94 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE 
 
 declared the golden book to have been disinterred in 
 fulfilment of the prophecy (Ps. Ixxxv. 11.) " Truth 
 shall spring out of the earth, 1 ' the astonished 
 hearer, knowing that they claim miraculous powers, 
 perhaps ventures to ask for a sign 3 . The reply is 
 abruptly given, " A wicked and adulterous genera- 
 tion seeketh for a sign, and verily there shall no 
 sign be given them." The anxious inquirer now 
 demands, " How, then, shall I know the truth of 
 these doctrines," and receives as a reply, " Ask in 
 faith, as we have done, and it shall be given you." 
 That is, first believe it, then ask, and then you 
 shall know it to be true *. Under the influence of 
 this fanatical doctrine of " the witness of the 
 Spirit," the credulous Mormon neglects the testi- 
 mony of the Catholic Church which God has given 
 for his guidance, and following his own internal 
 fancies and impulses, surrenders himself to the 
 power of darkness and delusion. 
 
 With such a doctrine of faith, such a prophet, 
 and such a priesthood, superadded to such a " wit- 
 ness of the Spirit," deep must be the darkness, and 
 powerful indeed must be the delusion. Professing 
 to believe in the literal interpretation of Scripture, 
 the Mormons say, that when Christ prayed that all 
 the saints might be one with him and the Father, 
 
 3 Turner, p. 239. Ibid.
 
 OF MORMON! SM. 95 
 
 and declared that they should sit with him on his 
 throne, he intended to teach that all the saints are 
 to become equal with God himself 5 . And since 
 Christ assured his disciples that they should do 
 "greater things than these," therefore the Mor- 
 mons shall do greater things than Christ did ; they 
 shall create, uphold, redeem, save, and reign for 
 ever, over greater worlds than this for which Christ 
 has died 6 . Nor is this all. Every true Mormon 
 is not only to be a God and a Christ hereafter, but 
 in his own belief he has been a demigod, or at 
 least an angel, from all eternity 7 . He is taught 
 that his actions and destiny here are the result, 
 and can only be explained upon the admission, of 
 his existence and actions before inhabiting his pre- 
 sent body 8 . This doctrine of " transmigration." 
 although promulgated to the " faithful," does not 
 distinctly appear in Smith's published " revela- 
 tions 9 ." 
 
 Following the same supposed literal interpreta- 
 tion of Scripture, the Mormons deny that " God 
 is a spirit, without body, parts, or passions," and 
 assign to him a human form, with human feelings 
 and instruments of human enterprize l . As God 
 
 * Turner, p. 240 ; " City of the Mormons," p. 34. 
 
 6 Turner, p. 241. Parley Pratt's " Truth Vindicated," p. 29. 
 
 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. p. 242. 
 9 " Book of Covenants," pp. 211. 115. 
 
 1 " City of the Mormons," p. 38 ; Turner, pp. 287, 243.
 
 96 DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE 
 
 is said to be material, so it is declared that matter 
 is eternal, and that nothing which God has made 
 will ever be destroyed or lost, but that all things 
 will finally be restored to their proper station *. 
 
 They believe in the literal gathering of Israel, 
 and in the restoration of the ten lost tribes 3 . The 
 literal Jerusalem is to be the place of gathering for 
 the Jews ; but the Gentiles, with the remains of 
 the ten tribes (viz, the American Indians), are to 
 assemble at Mount Zion, in Missouri, where they 
 will possess the wealth and fulness of the earth 4 . 
 After this event the world will undergo a change 5 . 
 Mountains will be literally thrown down, valleys 
 exalted, and barren places made fruitful ; even the 
 beasts of prey, under the influence of the Holy 
 Spirit, will thirst no longer for blood ; but will 
 derive their food from the .produce of the soil 6 . 
 Earthquakes, distress of nations, and other alarm- 
 ing signs will follow ; and Mormonism will be 
 preached in all the world 7 . The sign of the Son 
 of Man will appear in heaven, and the Lord Jesus 
 will descend, accompanied with ten thousand of his 
 saints 8 . After the condemnation of the wicked, a 
 new heaven and a new earth will be brought into 
 
 2 " City of the Mormons," p. 26. Corrill, p. 47. 
 
 3 " Times and Seasons," p. 710. * Harris, p. 23. 
 
 8 " City of the Mormons," p. 26 ; " Times and Seasons," pp. 
 710. 579. 
 
 6 Harris, p. 23. 7 " Times and Seasons," p. 580. 8 Ib. p. 581.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 97 
 
 existence by Almighty power ; the two Jerusalems, 
 with their inhabitants, will be caught up into 
 heaven and made new ; they will then descend into 
 their former places, and Christ, with his saints, 
 will reign personally upon earth for a thousand 
 years in paradisiacal glory 9 . 
 
 The Mormons profess to baptize for the dead in 
 conformity with St. Paul's expression, " What 
 shall they do which are baptized for the dead 1 ." 
 (1 Cor. xv. 29.) They assert, that the words of 
 Scripture, which assure us that sin against the 
 Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven in this world or 
 the world to come, imply that some sins may be for- 
 given in the world to come 2 . Upon this principle 
 they say that Christ " preached to the spirits in 
 prison" (1 Pet. iii. 19.) in order to "bring out the 
 prisoners from the prison, and them that sat in dark- 
 ness from the prison house V (Ts. xlii. 7.) From this 
 purgatory the souls of those who have not died in 
 unpardonable sin may be delivered by means of the 
 everlasting priesthood, which administers not only 
 on earth but in heaven *. But before this deliver- 
 ance can be effected, their living friends must con- 
 sent to be baptized for them 5 . Therefore, when a 
 Mormon believes any relative or friend to be in the 
 
 9 Harris, p. 23. J Clark, p. 316. 
 
 2 " Times and Seasons," p. 759. 
 
 3 Ibid. 760. * Ibid. Ibid. 
 
 F
 
 98 DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE 
 
 torments of Hades, he must offer himself in bap- 
 tism for that individual, after which the tormented 
 friend is supposed to emerge from misery into per- 
 fect happiness 6 . For these baptisms a fee is 
 demanded " for the Temple,' 1 and thus the deli- 
 verance of departed souls from purgatory is made 
 to swell the revenue at the disposal of the pro- 
 phet 7 . 
 
 They believe in four different future states ; the 
 celestial, telestial, terrestrial, and the lake of fire 8 . 
 The first three are compared respectively to the 
 glory of the sun, the stars, and the moon 9 . The 
 first, or celestial kingdom, is a kingdom of perfect 
 order, and he that will not submit to the esta- 
 blished order of Grod in his Church cannot enter 
 therein 1 . The second, or telestial state, is the 
 Paradise reserved for the spirits of the just after 
 death, and in which they remain till the resurrec- 
 tion 2 . At that period they are reunited with the 
 body, and enter on the terrestrial state, which is 
 introductory to the yet more glorious celestial 
 kingdom 3 . There are many degrees of glory in the 
 telestial state, differing from each other like the 
 stars 4 . (1 Cor. xv. 40. 42.) The wicked, or those 
 
 6 Clark, p. 216. Dr. Rosa's testimony. 
 
 7 " Times and Seasons," p. 763. 
 
 8 Corrill, p. 47. " Book of Covenants," p. 225. 
 
 9 Ibid. * Ibid. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. * Ibid.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 99 
 
 who have committed unpardonable sins, will also be 
 raised, and will be condemned to the lowest hell, 
 or the lake of fire and brimstone 5 . All, in short, 
 will receive the degree of glory or punishment for 
 which they are prepared, according to their works. 
 
 The Mormons partake every Sunday of a fictitious 
 Eucharist, which is administered by an equally 
 fictitious high-priest or elder 6 . Bread and wine are 
 used by them as emblems ; they have no doctrine 
 recognizing the real presence, and they profess to 
 administer merely in remembrance of the body and 
 blood of Christ 7 . During the millennium they 
 consider that our Lord will gird himself, and admi- 
 nister bread and wine to his people with his own 
 hands in his Father's kingdom 8 . 
 
 Lest the more sagacious Mormons should detect 
 the falsity of any of the above doctrines by an 
 appeal to Scripture, all such appeal is effectually 
 prevented. The Mormons are taught to believe 
 the Bible to be the Word of God only so far as it 
 is translated correctly, that is, just as Smith, their 
 infallible head, interprets and explains it, or sup- 
 plies at his caprice the portions which he declares 
 to be deficient 9 . By this doctrine respecting Scrip- 
 
 5 Corrill, p. 47. " Book of Covenants," p. 225. c ibid. 
 
 7 Ibid. 8 " Times and Seasons/' p. 581. 
 
 9 " Book of Covenants," pp. 7. 16. 111. 76. 117. 166. Book 
 of Mormon," 1st edition, pp. 30, 31. 
 
 F2
 
 100 DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ture the fetters are riveted, the last link in the 
 chain of delusion is completed, the prison gate is 
 barred, and the wretched captive is left at the 
 mercy of one of the most ruthless despots that ever 
 tyrannized over the souls and bodies of mankind.
 
 CONTINUED INCREASE OF MORMONISM. 101 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CONTINUED INCREASE OF MORMONISM. 
 
 Causes of the growth of this heresy 1st. It admits the Scrip- 
 ture 2nd. It is congenial to erratic religious character 
 3rd. It is adapted to wild views of religion 4th. It teaches 
 authoritatively 5th. It possesses no strict standard of morals 
 6th. It is in the hands of artful leaders Cowdery and others 
 proceed to Missouri Smith holds a convocation, and appoints 
 the " Melchisedec priesthood " He sends his elders to Mis- 
 souri, and proceeds thither himself He founds the city of 
 " Zion," and prophesies respecting it He returns to Kirtland 
 Rapid diffusion of his religion A new batch of elders sent 
 forth The Mormons begin to emigrate to Missouri Alarm of 
 the Missourians Change of operations Sacred firm esta- 
 blished Commencement of the Temple Description of it 
 Its cost. 
 
 AFTER the systematic arrangement of the doctrines 
 and discipline of Mormonism, the new religion 
 increased with wonderful rapidity. It may be well 
 to investigate briefly some of the causes which, 
 with others already mentioned, have contributed to 
 its success ; and which will probably continue for 
 some time to give it currency. 
 
 F3
 
 102 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 One cause is that it professes to admit (on the 
 whole) the truth of the Scriptures *. Had it set 
 up a claim for a religion wholly new, it would pro- 
 bably have gained comparatively few adherents 2 . 
 But recognizing the Bible, and professing many 
 doctrines which are held by other denomina- 
 tions, it retains sufficient semblance of Chris- 
 tianity to deceive the careless and superficial 
 observer 3 . 
 
 Another cause is, that it contains much that is 
 congenial to almost every shade of erratic religious 
 character*. The lofty pretensions of the priest- 
 hood, with its high sounding titles, attract the 
 aspiring, and the attraction is increased by the 
 knowledge that, without previous study, or the 
 slightest scholastic preparation, a blacksmith or a 
 bricklayer may shine forth as a bishop or an 
 apostle 5 . For the superstitious lover of the mar- 
 vellous, there are miracles, ecstasies, visions, and 
 revelations ; astonishing legends respecting the 
 early inhabitants of America, and wonderful re- 
 cords, describing Christ as preaching in that con- 
 tinent after his resurrection 6 . For the enthu- 
 siastic interpreter of prophecy, there are provided 
 a millennium, a new Jerusalem on earth, an actual 
 
 1 Clark, p 218. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 
 
 4 Ibid. Turner, p. 288. 5 Ibid. Ibid. p. 36. 
 
 6 Clark, p. 218.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 103 
 
 reign of the saints, and, finally, a state of equality 
 with the Redeemer 7 . 
 
 A third cause (to which I have already alluded) 
 is its congeniality with the wild views of religion 
 produced by the teaching of various schismatical 
 bodies 8 . The people had long been accustomed to 
 have their nerves excited by violent preaching and 
 singing, and the effects of this excitement, exhibit- 
 ing themselves in swoonings, shriekings, and other 
 forms, had been constantly ascribed to the Holy 
 Ghost, during the memory of the existing genera- 
 tion 9 . The powers of rational inference had thus 
 been almost entirely broken down in the minds of 
 enormous masses of the population, and when 
 Joseph and his accomplices succeeded in working 
 up their hearers (as they have often done) to the 
 most intense excitement, it was easy to persuade 
 them that the Spirit was abundantly poured out 
 upon them, and that they were in the direct road 
 to heaven l . 
 
 A fourth cause is found in the divisions and sub- 
 divisions of professed Christians 2 . Smith himself 
 attributes his peculiar course to the influence of 
 this cause, having, as we have seen, very early 
 declared his belief, that " if God had a Church it 
 
 i Turner, p. 288. 8 Ibid. p. 280. 
 
 9 Ibid. > Ibid. p. 283. 2 Ibid. p. 284. 
 
 F 4
 
 104 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 would not be split into factions s . This may pos- 
 sibly be a true story ; but undoubtedly the same 
 cause has contributed immensely to the growth of 
 Joseph's heresy 4 . By the utter want of even 
 apparent unity in the " religious world " of Ame- 
 rica, the natural powers of the mind are too often 
 confounded by a dense fog of commingled truths 
 and sophisms, in which there is neither darkness 
 nor light 5 . An eager desire is thus produced, that 
 light from some source should dispel the gloom 
 and reduce to order the chaos that reigns both 
 without and within 6 . The mind yearns after Ca- 
 tholicity ; but the true Church is seldom presented 
 in its fulness and with its proper claims, appearing 
 like a small sect among larger sects, and with its 
 features veiled by a cloud of prejudice and misap- 
 prehension 7 . Under these circumstances, if Smith, 
 or any other new prophet, assumes the place of the 
 Church, and professes to teach on divine authority, 
 many will believe him because they prefer belief 
 to doubt 8 . Of this principle Mormonism has 
 availed itself, by engendering distrust in all other 
 denominations, and by holding itself up as the only 
 sanctuary to which men may flee for the solution 
 of their doubts, and in which they may cherish that 
 
 3 See Chap. v. 4 Turner, p. 284. 5 Ibid. p. 285. 
 
 6 Ibid. 7 See " America and the American Church." 
 
 8 Turner, p. 285.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 105 
 
 hope of universal union so instinctively dear to the 
 human soul 9 . 
 
 A fifth cause is, that no very strict standard of 
 Christian morals and discipline is connected with 
 Mormonism. Multitudes in other denominations 
 have been accustomed to measure the influence of 
 the Holy Spirit on their minds, not by the degree 
 of fidelity with which they are enabled to discharge 
 their duties, but by the amount of pleasurable feel- 
 ings which they are enabled to excite in them- 
 selves 1 . Hence morals and religion are practically 
 put asunder, and the strange spectacle is seen, of 
 persons notoriously vicious making the highest 
 pretensions to religious character. Among this class 
 of people Mormonism has obtained splendid tri- 
 umphs from the very beginning of its career, and 
 many devout " Saints " are to be found who, like 
 Martin Harris, can be domestic tyrants, or who, 
 like the infallible Smith, can be drunkards, liars, 
 swearers, and, in short, all that is loose in principle 
 and abandoned in practice. Thus Mormonism 
 opens an asylum for all the refuse of other persua- 
 sions, for all who have been excommunicated, or 
 censured, or annoyed, or despised, or endangered 2 . 
 The gross perceive charms in a sensual paradise 
 which they can see in no other, and gladly listen to 
 
 9 Turner, p. 285. Ibid. p. 280. 2 Ibid. p. 36. 
 
 r5
 
 106 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 the announcement, that a visit to the prophet, or a 
 journey on a mission, will relieve them at once of 
 their sins and of their infamy 3 . 
 
 A sixth cause may be found in the artful policy 
 of the Mormon leaders 4 . For example ; at least 
 one-tenth of their converts are commissioned by 
 them as apostles, teachers, elders, high-priests, 
 bishops, or deacons 5 . They usually select for dis- 
 tant missions their most sincere men, who have been 
 recently proselyted from other denominations, and 
 who know little respecting the worst peculiarities 
 of Mormonism *. These men preach the doctrine 
 they held in their former persuasion, slightly modi- 
 fied by the Mormon ideas of literal interpretation, 
 prophecy, and miracles, and call it Mormonism 6 . 
 Two objects are thus accomplished at once. These 
 devout men are sent forth to operate upon those 
 sects which they have left, and from which in 
 reality they differ but little. At the same time 
 they are kept away from head quarters, where they 
 would be in danger of learning too much of Mor- 
 monism, and consequently of apostatizing from the 
 faith 7 . 
 
 From these various causes, combined with others 
 which might be enumerated, Mormonism derived its 
 
 3 Turner, p. 297. * Ibid. p. 298. * Tbid. 
 
 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 107 
 
 elements of strength and extension. Thousands 
 were accordingly soon drawn into the spiritual 
 whirlpool, and carried with velocity to the grand 
 centre of the new faith at Kirtland 8 . Among the 
 weak, the ambitious, the fanatical, the sceptical, 
 the immoral, and the credulous, it frequently hap- 
 pened that worthy and conscientious persons were 
 swept into the vortex, and whirled along till they 
 either lost whatever piety they possessed, or until 
 they opened their eyes to their danger, and saved 
 themselves from ruin by a timely though difficult 
 retreat 9 . But we must now resume the thread of 
 our history. 
 
 Cowdery and those connected with his mission, 
 having made the converts before-mentioned at Kirt- 
 land, in the autumn of 1830, proceeded on still 
 farther to the west, with the professed object of 
 converting the Indians l . On their way they tried 
 their skill on several scattered tribes ; but the red 
 men, less credulous than the whites, merely laughed 
 at them, and refused to become proselytes 2 . In 
 the meantime the deluded Mormons at Kirtland 
 had numerous visions, in which they saw these mis- 
 sionaries preaching to the savages with mighty 
 power, and baptizing whole tribes 3 . They finally 
 arrived at the western line of the state of Mis- 
 
 8 Turner, p. 37. 9 Ibid. 
 
 1 Clark, p. 323. Corrill, p. 16. 2 Clark, p. 324. 3 Ib. 
 
 F6
 
 108 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 souri, perhaps eight hundred miles from Kirtland, 
 late in the year 1830, with the intention of pro- 
 ceeding into the Indian country west of the United 
 States*. Here, however, they were stopped by 
 the agents of the general government, under an 
 Act of Congress, which prohibits white people 
 from trading or settling among the Indians *. They 
 then took up their winter quarters in the village 
 of " Independence," about tv/elve miles within the 
 western limit of the United States, where they ob- 
 tained employment as labourers or artizans during 
 the winter 6 . In the following spring, one of them 
 returned to Kirtland with a flattering account of 
 the country in the neighbourhood of Independence 7 . 
 Soon afterwards a " revelation " was declared to 
 have been received by the prophet, requiring him 
 to call the elders together, that they might receive 
 an " endowment 8 ." Accordingly, about the 1st of 
 June, 1831, by the command of Joseph, the Mor- 
 mons assembled in Kirtland, for the purpose of a 
 great meeting, at which it was declared, that won- 
 derful events were to take place 9 . All the elders, 
 about fifty in number, were present; and many 
 new attempts were made by Smith to perform 
 miracles, and otherwise to deceive his followers *. 
 
 4 Clark, p. 324. 5 Tb. Ib. 
 
 i Ib. 8 Ib. Corrill, p. 18. Turner, p. 34. 
 
 8 Clark, p. 324. Turner, p. 34. Clark, p. 325.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 109 
 
 In spite of what Smith had previously declared 
 respecting the operations of Satan, the spirit of 
 fanaticism burst out with increased violence on this 
 occasion 2 . It threw one of the elders from his 
 seat upon the floor ; it paralysed another, so that 
 he could neither move nor speak 3 . Other very 
 extraordinary events occurred ; but at length, by a 
 " mighty exertion, 11 it was declared that all origi- 
 nated in an evil source ; the infernal spirits were 
 duly exorcised, and all was quiet *. At last it was 
 discovered, that the endowment was to consist in 
 the formal introduction of the " Melchisedec priest- 
 hood " already described, to which several of the 
 elders were " ordained s ." Some doubting now 
 took place among Smithes clergy, and they very 
 freely expressed their disappointment in being 
 merely made " priests of the order of Melchisedec," 
 after all their preparations for a great endowment 6 . 
 In a few days, however, the prophet devised a way 
 of settling the difficulty, and of preventing the 
 threatened danger of apostasy 7 . A commandment 
 was published, requiring the elders to go to Mis- 
 souri two and two, by different routes, and to 
 preach as they went 8 . Only a fortnight was 
 
 z Ib. Corrill, p. 18. Turner, p. 34. 3 Ib. 
 
 * Ib. 5 Corrill, p. 18. 6 Ib. Turner, p. 34. 
 
 ? Corrill, p. 18. Turner, p. 35. 
 
 s Corrill, p. 18. Clark, p. 325. Turner, p. 35.
 
 110 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 allowed them to make preparations for their long 
 journey, and most of them left what business they 
 had to be closed by others 9 . Some left large 
 families, with their crops upon the ground, and set 
 out for a distant land, from which they never 
 returned '. At the appointed time the elders were 
 in motion, proceeding by various roads to the 
 country denominated "the promised land 2 ." Smith, 
 Rigdon, and six or eight others, soon followed 
 them, and all arrived in due time at Jackson county, 
 in Missouri, in which county Independence is situ- 
 ated 3 . Here they found Oliver Cowdery, with his 
 companions, and the prophet at once proceeded to 
 purchase a portion of land*. Upon this spot he 
 directed Rigdon and Cowdery to perform the cere- 
 mony of laying the corner-stone of the city of 
 Zion 5 . Here he also pointed out the site for a 
 temple, and professed to receive sundry revelations 
 touching the future glory of the city 6 . He pro- 
 phesied, that in a few years it would exceed in 
 splendour every thing known in ancient times 7 . 
 Its streets were to be paved with gold, and all who 
 should escape the general destruction, shortly to 
 take place, would assemble there with all their 
 
 9 Clark, p. 325. 1 Ib. 2 Corrill, p. 18. Harris, p. 28. 
 
 3 Ib. Clark, p. 325. Turner, p. 35. Harris, p. 28. 
 
 * Clark, p. 325. 5 Ib. Corrill, p. 18. Harris, p. 28. 
 
 Turner, p. 35. 6 Ib. 1 Clark, p. 325. ,
 
 OF MORMONISM. Ill 
 
 wealth 8 . The ten lost tribes of Israel had been 
 discovered in their retreat in the vicinity of the 
 North Pole, where having been secluded for ages 
 by immense barriers of ice, they had become ex- 
 ceedingly rich 9 . In a few years the ice would be 
 melted away, when those tribes, with St. John, and 
 some of the Nephites described in the Book of 
 Mormon, would appear in the new city, loaded with 
 immense quantities of gold and silver 1 . " Revela- 
 tions" were also received, commanding some of the 
 elders to return to Kirtland, some to take charge 
 of Zion, and some to commence preaching in Jack- 
 son county, and its vicinity a . Dissatisfaction was 
 expressed by a few in reference to the bad situation 
 of the city, and the generally disagreeable appear- 
 ance of the country 3 . On the whole, however, 
 Smithes first purposes were fully answered, for the 
 doubts of the elders had been effectually removed, 
 and their enthusiasm had not in any respect 
 abated *. After a stay in Zion of about a fortnight, 
 Smith, Rigdon, and Cowdery, with some of the 
 elders, returned to Kirtland 5 . 
 
 At this place they found their work advancing 
 with most satisfactory rapidity. Nearly ah 1 their 
 male converts, however ignorant or worthless, were 
 
 * Clark, p. 326. Ib. l Ib. 2 Ib. 
 
 3 Ib. * Turner, p. 35. 
 
 5 Corrill, p. 18. Turner, p. 35. Clark, p. 326.
 
 112 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 forthwith transformed into elders ; and their emis- 
 saries were soon roaming two and two through 
 all parts of the land, for the propagation of their 
 tenets 6 . The number of these travelling priests 
 and elders is not known ; but the names of those 
 licensed by the prophet during a single quarter, 
 about this period, are given by a Mormon publica- 
 tion, to the amount of two hundred and fifty 7 . 
 
 Soon afterwards a special command was given 
 by the prophet to seventeen neighbouring families, 
 to depart immediately to " the promised land V 1 
 They obeyed his orders, and emigrated forthwith, 
 leaving their ripening crops on the ground 9 . Like 
 most of the poorer emigrants to Zion, they became 
 " squatters ;" that is, they settled upon and culti- 
 vated portions of the public land, with the pros- 
 pect of ultimately purchasing them l . A general 
 order was also given to all proselytes, to sell their 
 lands and other property, and to repair to Mis- 
 souri ; but " not in haste nor by flight V Accord- 
 ingly, many went during the year 1831, making 
 sacrifices of property in proportion to their faith, 
 and their anxiety to be upon what they fondly ima- 
 gined their " eternal inheritance V 
 
 In the meantime the elders, travelling in couples, 
 
 6 Turner, p. 35. 7 Ib. Clark, p. 326. Ib. 
 
 1 " Account of the Persecution of the Latter-day Saints," p. 5. 
 
 2 Clark, p. 326. * Ib.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 113 
 
 met with a degree of success at once ridiculous and 
 deplorable 4 . In less than three years after the 
 accession of Kigdon and his congregation, Mormon 
 societies were established in Canada, Missouri, 
 Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, New York, Vermont, New 
 Hampshire, Massachusetts, and, indeed, in nearly 
 all of the northern and middle, and in some of the 
 southern states 5 . The elders, in their printed 
 reports, speak of baptizing thirty, fifty, and some- 
 times even a hundred and fifty persons at a single 
 station 6 . Before the end of the year many new 
 converts had been gathered at Kirtland and in 
 Zion, and " consecrated " property, amounting to 
 ten or fifteen thousand dollars, had been collected 
 in a stock, considered common, but actually under 
 the control of Smith and Eigdon 7 . Small sums 
 of money were now sent to the person in Zion 
 denominated * bishop," an officer who possessed 
 supreme command in pecuniary affairs, and as fast 
 as lands were purchased with it, and preparations 
 made for emigrants, the bishop gave information, in 
 order that the saints might be gathered in 8 . But 
 this regulation was not sufficiently attended to, for 
 the mania of emigration to Zion had generally 
 seized upon the poorer portion of the Mormons, 
 and had spared those who were in easy circum- 
 
 4 Turner, p. 38. 5 Ib. " Times and Seasons," p. 708. 
 
 * Ib. ' Clark, p. 327. 8 Comll, p. 18.
 
 114 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 stances 9 . Like locusts, the pauper heretics came 
 swarming to Jackson county, until they appeared 
 likely to outnumber the older settlers l . To these 
 Missourians, the new religion was naturally an 
 abomination, for they clearly saw, that if Mor- 
 monism should gain a majority, it would, on repub- 
 lican principles, rule the country, and they would 
 find themselves under the hated government of the 
 despot Joseph 2 . Accordingly, they became more 
 and more dissatisfied, and offered to sell their pos- 
 sessions to the Mormons, and remove from their 
 neighbourhood 3 . The Mormons, however, although 
 desiring to make the purchase, were unable to pay 
 the price, the consecrated funds not being supplied, 
 and thus originated those disturbances which ter- 
 minated, as we shall hereafter see, in their expul- 
 sion from the country *. 
 
 The following year (1832) commenced with a 
 change of operations in Kirtland 5 . The prophet 
 and his head men began to look with less ardour 
 on their Missouri scheme 6 . From the accounts 
 which reached them respecting the disposition of 
 the Missourians, they feared that in Zion their 
 authority would be at least questioned, and pro- 
 bably resisted 7 . They were also unwilling to un- 
 
 9 Corrill, p. 18. Turner, p. 44. Turner, p. 44. Corrill, p. 19. 
 2 Ib. Harris, p. 34. 3 Turner, p. 45. 4 Ib. 
 
 s Clark, p. 327. 6 Ibid-
 
 OF MORMONISM. 115 
 
 dergo the hardships of a new country, hardships 
 which they expected to be increased by the Indian 
 hostilities then commencing under the renowned 
 " Black Hawk " against the western settlers 8 . 
 They therefore continued to make Kirtland the 
 centre of their operations, and to send forth as 
 elders or high-priests nearly every male Mormon 
 who could walk 9 . 
 
 In the month of April, a firm was established 
 by " revelation," consisting of the principal Mor- 
 mons, both in Kirtland and Zion, and ostensibly 
 for the peculiar benefit of the sect 1 . By previous 
 " revelation," in 1831, all the property of the 
 people had been boldly claimed as consecrated to 
 the Lord ; but this law had never been enforced, 
 because the people, with all their faith, could not 
 tolerate it 2 . The " revelation " was afterwards 
 wisely revised, so as to read " of thy property " 
 instead of "all thy property 3 ." The authorities 
 in the new firm (of whom our prophet was not the 
 least) took the formal control of all this conse- 
 crated property, superseding the "Bishop," to 
 whom originally the temporalities had been nomi- 
 nally entrusted 4 . They were bound together by an 
 oath to manage the affairs of the poor, and all 
 
 8 Clark, p. 327. 9 Ibid. 1 Turner, p. 39. " Book of Cove- 
 nants," p. 219, 20. 2 " Book of Covenants," p. 93. Harris, p. 30. 
 3 Turner, p. 39. 4 Ib. p. 40, Corrill,p. 21. Harris, p. 30.
 
 116 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 things pertaining to the bishopric, both in Zion and 
 in Shinahar 5 (the new name of Kirtland). The 
 money in their hands was, notwithstanding, em- 
 ployed by them for other purposes 6 . They pro- 
 ceeded to purchase lands around Kirtland, which 
 they afterwards divided into lots, by " revelation," 1 
 (as they said) and sold to their proselytes at high 
 prices 7 . While they were thus busily engaged in 
 speculation, the prophet, with Blgdon's help, occu- 
 pied most of his leisure time in altering the Old 
 and New Testaments, in the attempt to make the 
 Scriptures speak the language of his heresy 8 . 
 During these operations, the year 1832 came to a 
 close ; Mormonism continuing to increase, and 
 new converts flocking from every quarter 9 . 
 
 At the commencement of 1833, the discarded 
 gift of tongues again appeared at head-quarters, 
 and from thence extended to all the Mormon con- 
 gregations 1 . The frequent failures which had 
 occurred in healing, discerning spirits, and casting 
 out devils, rendered some such expedient necessary, 
 in order to sustain the spirits of the faithful, and 
 increase the number of converts 2 . The gift com- 
 menced at this time with a fanatic named Gifford, 
 
 5 Harris, p. 30. 6 Ibid. 
 
 7 Ibid. Book of Covenants," p. 234. 8 Clark, p. 328. 
 
 9 Con-ill, p. 21. 1 Clark, p. 328. Turner, p. 38. 
 
 2 Clark, p. 328. Turner, p. 38.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 117 
 
 from New York, and was at first pronounced by 
 Smith, the work of the devil, as before 3 . On fur- 
 ther consideration, he was induced to retract this 
 declaration, and soon all tongues were in motion 
 with all imaginable zeal 4 . The scheme proved 
 eminently successful, and Mormonism received a 
 new impulse 5 . A simple rule was laid down for 
 the acquisition of the gift, which was declared to 
 be so perfect, that those who followed it could not 
 err 6 . It was as follows : " Rise upon your feet 
 and look and lean on Christ ; speak, or make some 
 sound ; continue to make sounds of some kind, 
 and the Lord will make a correct tongue or lan- 
 guage of it 7 ." The interpreter v/as taught to pro- 
 ceed in the same way ; he was to utter whatever 
 should come first into his mind, and the power of 
 faith would enable him and his hearers to believe it 
 a correct version of the unintelligible sounds which 
 had preceded it 8 . 
 
 About the same time, the new firm commenced 
 the important work of building "the Temple of 
 the Lord " in Kirtland, which was ultimately com- 
 pleted in 1835, and secured by deed to the pro- 
 phet and his successors 9 . This singular edifice was 
 eighty feet long by sixty in width, and fifty -seven 
 
 3 Turner, p. 39. * Ibid. * Clark, p. 328. 
 
 6 Ibid. p. 329. Turner, p. 39. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. 
 
 9 Turner, p. 40. Corrill, p. 21 . Book of Covenants," p. 213.
 
 118 CONTINUED INCREASE 
 
 feet high *. It was divided into two stories, each 
 twenty-two feet high and with arched ceilings. 
 After allowing sufficient room for the entrance and 
 the stairs, and for the thickness of the wall, two 
 apartments remained, each sixty-five feet in length 
 and fifty-five in breadth. In each of these rooms 
 were built eight pulpits, four at each end, rising 
 behind and above each other, and designed for 
 different grades of the " ministry, " according to 
 their rank in office. Every pulpit was made to 
 accommodate three persons, and to the front of 
 each lower pulpit was attached a table leaf, which 
 could be raised at pleasure " for the convenience of 
 administering the sacrament."" The upper story 
 was appropriated to education, and was supplied 
 with tables, while in the roof five rooms were fitted 
 up for schoools, and for the meeting of committees 
 or "quorums." The lower room was dedicated 
 solely to the purposes of religious worship. The 
 four pulpits at one end, accommodating twelve per- 
 sons, were appropriated to the " Melchisedec," or 
 high-priesthood, and those at the opposite end to 
 the " Aaronic," or lesser priesthood. The highest 
 of the first four pulpits was occupied by the puis- 
 sant and mysterious first presidency, (namely, Smith 
 
 1 Corrill, p. 21, from whence the following account of the tem- 
 ple is derived. Corrill superintended the construction of the 
 building.
 
 OF MORMONISM. 119 
 
 and his two colleagues), the next in height by the 
 president of the high-priests and his two counsellors ; 
 the third by three high-priests, and the lowest by 
 the president of the elders and his two counsellors. 
 The highest of the opposite pulpits was occupied by 
 the " Bishop of Kirtland " and two counsellors, the 
 next by the president of the priests and two coun- 
 sellors, the third by the president of the teachers 
 and two counsellors, and the last by the president 
 of the deacons and two counsellors. Each pulpit 
 had curtains in front hanging from the ceiling, 
 which, when let down, were capable of concealing 
 the occupants entirely. The body of the room 
 was filled up with open seats, so contrived that by 
 a slight alteration the congregation could face 
 either way, according as the high-priesthood offi- 
 ciated at one end, or the lesser priesthood at the 
 opposite extremity. In this curious apartment a 
 most exciting and fanatical kind of worship was 
 performed, not unlike that of the Methodists and 
 Baptists in its general features. Extempore prayer 
 and preaching are altogether in vogue with the Mor- 
 mons, to the exclusion of every thing liturgical 3 . 
 
 The cost of the temple was declared to be about 
 40,000 dollars, or nearly nine thousand pounds ster- 
 ling 8 . A committee was appointed by the " first 
 
 2 See City of the Mormons." 
 
 3 Turner, p. 40. Corrill, p. 21.
 
 120 CONTINUED INCREASE OF MORMONISM. 
 
 presidency" to collect the required amount, by 
 travelling through the Mormon congregations, and 
 demanding contributions in every direction 4 . The 
 people freely " consecrated " their property to this 
 purpose ; but, notwithstanding their liberality, the 
 building committee found themselves in debt for 
 the edifice to the amount of nearly 15,000 dollars, 
 or more than three thousand pounds 5 . Nor was 
 this deficiency surprising, since Smith and Rigdon, 
 two members of this very committee, were at the 
 same time engaged in building houses for them- 
 selves, having openly declared that they had now 
 suffered enough, and that the Lord had revealed his 
 will that they should become wealthy. Thus the 
 temple advanced amid prospects of great pecuniary 
 embarrassment, and it will be hereafter seen, that 
 the debts now contracted became ultimately the 
 ruin of the Mormon " Stake " at Kirtland. 
 
 * Corrill, p. 21. * Ibid. Clark, p. 332.
 
 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA. 121 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SMITH BECOMES BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 
 
 The Mormons assume the name of Latter-day Saints Warlike 
 expedition in aid of their persecuted brethren in Missouri 
 Smith and Rigdon form a mercantile house and run in debt 
 The elders are conducted to learning by a royal road A grand 
 endowment takes place Blessings and cursings are poured 
 forth Smith establishes a bank The prophet's two hundred 
 boxes of specie The bank breaks Harris and others aposta- 
 tize, and the Prophet runs away Mormonism is introduced 
 into England Methods of persuasion adopted by its mission- 
 aries Statistics of English Mormonism Craft of its teachers 
 
 ON the 4th of May, 1834, it was determined in 
 a solemn assembly, that the believers in the new 
 revelation, should no longer be called " Mormons," 
 but the " Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 
 Saints 1 ." Soon afterwards the prophet and two 
 hundred and fifty of his followers proceeded on a 
 warlike expedition to Missouri, as will be more 
 fully detailed hereafter. Having spent a few weeks 
 1 Turner, p. 47. 
 
 G
 
 122 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 among his western disciples, Smith returned to 
 Kirtland in the latter part of the summer 2 . The 
 building of the temple advanced with great rapidity 
 during this year, and before the commencement of 
 winter, the walls were erected and roofed in 3 . Soon 
 afterwards, the principal elders in Zion left Mis- 
 souri, and came to Kirtland, where many of them 
 spent the summer of 1835 ; while others travelled 
 and preached in the eastern and southern states 4 . 
 About the same time, the firm was divided by 
 " revelation," so that the members residing in Kirt- 
 land constituted one company, and those in Zion 
 another 5 . In the same " revelation," they are 
 commanded to divide the consecrated property be- 
 tween the individuals of the firm, each being 
 required to manage the share committed to him as 
 a steward 6 . In 1835, Smith, Kigdon, and some 
 others, formed a mercantile house in their capacity 
 of stewards, and purchased goods on credit to the 
 amount of thirty thousand dollars, having found 
 merchants in the West, who were sufficiently cre- 
 dulous to trust them 7 . In the autumn they estab- 
 lished other houses of business, and purchased 
 goods on credit in New York and Philadelphia, to 
 the amount of sixty or seventy thousand dollars, 
 
 2 Turner, p. 48. 3 Corrill, p. 21. 
 
 3 Harris, p. 30. " Book of Covenants," p. 240. 
 7 Harris, p. 31. Turner, p. 42. Clark, p. 333. 
 
 Ibid. 
 Ib.
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 123 
 
 expecting by this speculation to raise enough money 
 to relieve them from their existing embarrassments 8 . 
 Apparently forgetting that pay-day must even- 
 tually arrive, the swindling heresiarchs, intoxicated 
 with pride in the possession of such a quantity of 
 valuable property, declared that they were on the 
 road to wealth, and that they were about " to suck 
 the milk of the Gentiles V That their calculations 
 were altogether ill-founded will plainly appear in 
 the sequel. 
 
 Late in the autumn of 1835, while these specu- 
 lations were going forward, three or four hundred 
 of the travelling elders assembled in Kirtland, ac- 
 cording to a " revelation " which commanded them 
 to prepare for a solemn assembly 1 . A new and 
 unaccountable scheme had entered the fertile brain 
 of our ingenious prophet, and he determined that 
 ah 1 these elders should at this opportunity be ren- 
 dered learned men forthwith 2 . He issued a " reve- 
 lation" commanding them to seek learning, to study 
 the best books, and to get a knowledge of coun- 
 tries, kingdoms, and languages 3 . An extravagant 
 thirst for scholarship was at once produced in the 
 minds of the reverend elders, and schools of gram- 
 mar, geography, and languages were established at 
 
 8 Harris, p. 31. Turner, p. 42. Clark, p. 333. 
 
 9 Clark, p. 332. ' Turner, pp. 40, 41. 
 2 Ib. Corrill, p. 22. 3 Ib. 
 
 G2
 
 124 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 Kirtland for their especial service *. The " in- 
 spired " method of acquiring unknown tongues was 
 in this instance abandoned by them, and Mr. 
 Seixas, a Jew, was engaged by Joseph to conduct 
 them by a royal road to the knowledge of Hebrew 5 . 
 Doubtless, that celebrated teacher made a fair spe- 
 culation in the sale of grammars, lexicons, and 
 Hebrew Bibles; but it does not appear that his 
 instructions were of any permanent benefit to his 
 enthusiastic pupils, although they flattered them- 
 selves, that " in a short time they had gained much 
 insight into the sacred language 6 ." At length the 
 period for the great assembly arrived. The hypo- 
 critical prophet previously exhorted the elders to 
 solemnize their minds by casting away all evil, in 
 thought, word, and deed ; and assured them, that, 
 without due preparation, they could not expect a 
 blessing, for that the Holy Ghost would not dwell 
 in unholy temples 7 . The " house of the Lord" 
 being now sufficiently complete, the two priesthoods 
 appeared in their proper places, and the building 
 was solemnly dedicated 8 . The assembly met within 
 its gates ; great numbers of people from a distance, 
 as well as from the neighbourhood, having convened 
 for the occasion 9 . They spent the day in fasting 
 
 4 Turner, pp. 40, 41. Corrill, p. 22. s Turner, p. 40. 
 
 6 Corril], p. 23. 7 Ib. 8 Ib. 
 
 9 Harris, p. 31. Corrill, p. 23. Turner, p. 41.
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 125 
 
 and prayer, in washing their bodies with pure 
 water, and in perfuming them with eau de Co- 
 logne 1 . They also washed each other's feet, and 
 anointed each other with " holy oil," pronouncing 
 mutual benedictions in the name of the Lord 2 . 
 These ceremonies commenced with the prophet and 
 his two colleagues 3 . In the evening they all met 
 to receive the long expected " endowment 4 ." They 
 first broke their fast by partaking of what they 
 called " the Lord's Supper," in which they ate a 
 little light wheaten bread, and drank freely of pure 
 wine, which the prophet declared would not hurt 
 them, since it had been " consecrated to the 
 Lord s ." A marvellous spirit of prophecy soon 
 ensued, which vented itself mainly in blessings on 
 their friends, and curses on their enemies, in which 
 latter class their Missourian opponents, and all 
 " sectarian " preachers received their full share 6 . 
 After spending the night in alternate blessings and 
 cursings, the meeting separated 7 . An eye-witness 
 declares, that " if he should be so unhappy as to go 
 to the regions of despair, he never expects to hear 
 language more awful or more becoming the infernal 
 pit," than what he heard on that horrible night 8 . 
 Nor did the " consecrated wine" (or rather the cup 
 
 1 Harris, p. 31. Corrill, p. 23. Turner, p. 41. 2 Ib. 
 
 3 Corrill, p. 23. * Turner, p. 41. Harris, p. 31. 
 
 5 Harris, p. 32. Ib. ' Ib. 8 Ib. 
 
 G3
 
 126 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 of devils) exhale its inspiration on that occasion 9 . 
 For several days, and even for weeks, the elders 
 went from house to house prophesying, blessing, 
 and cursing, as the occasion required, until it was 
 supposed, that the last days had truly come, and 
 that the Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon 
 all flesh 1 . In sending them forth again, Smith 
 told his elders that, as they were now endowed 
 with power to build up the kingdom, they must 
 call upon God, and follow the direction of his 
 Spirit*. He advised them to avoid inveighing 
 against other denominations of Christians, and to 
 be content with preaching the Gospel in its native 
 simplicity and power 3 . 
 
 At length pay-day arrived, and Messrs. Smith, 
 Eigdon, and Co. were unable to discharge the 
 debt of a hundred thousand dollars, (22,000?.,) 
 due to the eastern and western merchants 4 . To 
 meet the exigency, they at first attempted to 
 borrow money of the banks; but failing in this 
 object, they determined on having a bank of 
 their own, and on employing its notes in pay- 
 ment 5 . They commenced it in 1837, witlwut a, 
 charter, which was properly refused by the legisla- 
 ture of Ohio 6 . The institution was called the 
 
 s Turner, p. 41. > Corrill, p. 23. Turner, p. 41. 
 
 2 Corrill, p. 26. 3 Ib. * Turner, p. 42. 
 
 3 Clark, p. 333. 6 Corrill, p. 27.
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 127 
 
 " Safety Society Bank,* and was formed in the 
 following manner 7 . Subscribers for stock were 
 allowed to pay the amount of their subscriptions 
 in town lots at five or six times their real value ; 
 others paid in personal property at a high valuation, 
 and a few paid in cash 8 . Early in January their 
 paper was issued from the new bank in great quan- 
 tities 9 . Their principal creditors wisely refused to 
 take it; but, as it was current in the vicinity, 
 Smith paid off with it the debts which the com- 
 pany had contracted in Kirtland 1 . As the credit 
 of the bank soon became very suspicious, the 
 holders of its notes came in great anxiety to learn 
 the amount of precious metals in the vaults 2 . 
 Smith foreseeing this event, had filled one box with 
 dollars, and about two hundred boxes with lead, 
 shot, and old iron 3 . Accordingly, when the anx- 
 ious holders arrived, he very coolly and candidly 
 took them into the vault, pointed out the two hun- 
 dred boxes marked " one thousand dollars " each, 
 and opening one, externally similar, exhibited the 
 silver which it contained 4 . He allowed them to 
 feel the weight of the others, and they departed 
 fully convinced that the Bank was worth two hun- 
 
 ' Turner, p. 42. Clark, p. 333. Harris, p. 31. 
 
 9 Clark, p. 333. l Harris, p. 31. 
 
 2 Clark, p. 334. (Testimony of Cyrus Smalling of Kirtland.) 
 
 3 Ib. * Ib. 
 
 G 4
 
 128 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 dred thousand dollars 5 . This expedient, worthy of 
 the discoverer of the Golden Bible, answered its 
 purpose for a time, and the elders were sent 
 throughout Ohio, to pass off the paper, and to ex- 
 change it for other notes, wherewith to pay their 
 creditors 6 . One of these elders, Brigham Young, 
 took forty thousand dollars ; another was entrusted 
 with twenty thousand; and as they all evinced 
 great zeal in their undertaking, the notes were soon 
 worth less than an eighth part of their nominal 
 value 7 . A very few thousand dollars of this money 
 were redeemed, and after some months the " Safety 
 Bank" exploded, and Smith and his brethren, having 
 swindled the community to a prodigious extent, 
 were themselves involved in inextricable difficul- 
 ties 8 . In consequence of this explosion, mutual 
 recriminations arose among the " Saints," and 
 Smith, Rigdon, and Co. were accused of incapacity, 
 selfishness, cupidity, and tyranny 9 . The rebellious 
 Mormons were now denominated " Dissenters," 
 and were assimilated by the prophet to Korah, 
 Dathan, and Abu-am 1 . Smith, on the other hand, 
 charged the " Dissenters " with cheating, stealing, 
 lying, counterfeiting money, and, above all, with 
 
 5 Clark, p. 334. (Testimony of Cyrus Smalling of Kirtland.) 
 
 6 Harris, p. 31. Clark, p. 334. ' Ib. 
 
 8 Harris, p. 31. Clark, p. 335. 9 Corrill, p. 27. 
 
 1 Turner, p. 43. Corrill, p. 27.
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 129 
 
 want of faith 3 . Martin Harris, once Joseph's 
 scribe, a chosen witness to the Book of Mormon, 
 for which he had sacrificed his farm, now aposta- 
 tized from the faith, threatened to expose the pro- 
 phet, and returning to Palmyra, declared that 
 Smith had become " a complete wretch V Others 
 followed his example, secessions continued to mul- 
 tiply, and reasonable people indulged a hope that 
 Mormonism was approaching its dissolution 4 . 
 Many, who continued faithful, became tired of the 
 strife, and proceeded to New England, New York, 
 Great Britain, and other remote regions, preaching 
 that religion abroad which had been so effectually 
 disgraced at home 5 . Smith himself, beset with 
 difficulties, both without and within, saw no refuge 
 but in speedy flight 6 . He accordingly suddenly 
 decamped in the night, attended by his bankrupt 
 company, and closely pursued by the officers of 
 the law 7 . The chase was fruitless, for our pro- 
 phet had a train of desperate and determined fol- 
 lowers, and crossing the boundary of the state, the 
 whole party was soon beyond all fear of apprehen- 
 sion 8 . They had succeeded in carrying off the 
 most valuable of their effects, while their almost 
 
 2 Turner, p. 43. Corrill, p. 2?. 3 Clark, p. 349. 
 
 4 Corrill, p. 27. 5 Ib. 
 
 6 Ib. Harris, p. 31. Turner, p. 43. 
 ? Clark, p. 33G. 8 Ib. 
 
 G 5
 
 130 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 unprecedented roguery had reduced numerous 
 respectable families to misery and ruin 9 . 
 
 While Smith and his accomplices were thus 
 escaping from justice, their religion, matured in 
 America under the influence of favourable circum- 
 stances, was enabled to gain a foothold in a coun- 
 try from which they afterwards derived immense 
 accessions of converts and of cash. Fielding and 
 Kimball, two of the elders, reached England in the 
 year 1837, and landing at Liverpool, proceeded to 
 Preston in Lancashire, where, strange to relate *, 
 they easily obtained a license at the Quarter Ses- 
 sions 2 . They found that, among certain classes of 
 the people, credulity, ignorance, and the influence 
 of numerous sectarian bodies, had prepared the 
 way for them almost as effectually as in the wildest 
 parts of North America. At the same time, they 
 had the advantage of appearing in a foreign coun- 
 try, where they could tell their story as they 
 pleased, the true history of their sect and the 
 iniquities of their prophet being altogether un- 
 
 9 Clark, p. 336. 
 
 1 It will be recollected that lawfully ordained clergymen of the 
 American Church cannot legally officiate on any occasion in Scot- 
 land or in the Colonies ; and in England and Ireland, only by a 
 special license, which extends to merely two Sundays. The 
 penalty attached to transgression is 50. 
 
 2 For many of the following facts respecting English Mormon- 
 ism, the Author is indebted to the kindness of the Rev. Thomas 
 Dent, of Billington, near Whalley, Lancashire.
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 131 
 
 known. Another advantage was added, in the 
 prevailing distress of the manufacturing districts, 
 which had rendered emigration desirable; and many 
 imagined that in a pilgrimage to Mount Zion in 
 Missouri they had discovered the way to compe- 
 tence and comfort, no less surely than to true reli- 
 gion. The Mormon missionaries proclaimed to 
 the astonished natives with the utmost confidence 
 and fluency, that a new revelation was absolutely 
 necessary, because men had transgressed the laws, 
 changed the ordinances, corrupted the Gospel, and 
 lost the priesthood 3 . They represented that the 
 Bible was deficient and incomplete in many parti- 
 culars, and that at least seven of its books had 
 been entirely lost, viz. the Books of Gad, Jasher, 
 Nathan and Shemaiah, the Acts of Solomon, the 
 Book of the Prophecy of Ahijah, and the Book of 
 Visions of Iddo the Seer. Immersion for the 
 remission of sins was declared by them to be the 
 only true regeneration; and infant baptism was 
 asserted to be sinful in the sight of God. As for 
 the established Bishops and Clergy of England, they 
 denounced them as lovers of money, idle, and glut- 
 tonous, rolling in wealth and luxury; while the 
 people were under the severest yoke of tyranny and 
 spiritual despotism *. The dissenting preachers of 
 
 3 " Times and Seasons," p. 693. * Ib. p. 647. 
 
 G 6
 
 132 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 all denominations were represented by them as 
 leagued in one common cause with the established 
 Clergy, in order to oppress and enslave the nation 5 . 
 They declared that the holy prophet Joseph had 
 been raised up in America, to deliver the English 
 and all other nations from their state of darkness 
 and of bondage, and that his books were the very 
 revelations which had long been necessary, and 
 which the Almighty had designed as the means of 
 guiding mankind to heaven 6 . 
 
 In the simplicity of their minds, the poor arti- 
 zans and labourers who heard these elders were 
 too generally willing to credit them. They could 
 not conceive that any set of men would come for- 
 ward with such strange opinions, and preach them 
 in so commanding and dictatorial a style, if truth 
 were not the foundation of their assertions. They 
 seldom thought of seeking for proof (a process to 
 which, in fact, few of them had been accustomed), 
 nor did it ever enter their minds that common pru- 
 dence would require them to ask for the credentials 
 of these new religionists. They were put in pos- 
 session of no well-authenticated fact; they were 
 the eye-witnesses of no miracle ; and yet they 
 believed with the most child-like and unhesitating 
 faith. 
 
 5 Times and Seasons," p. 647- 6 Ib. p. 648.
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 133 
 
 In Preston and its vicinity, Fielding and Kim- 
 ball made nearly five hundred converts during 1837. 
 In the following year, they extended their opera- 
 tious to various villages on each side of the Kibble. 
 At Ribchester (the famous Eoman station of Rib- 
 cuniuin), they established a flourishing " church ;" 
 and the same result followed in Clitheroe and other 
 towns and villages in Lancashire. Several itinerant 
 Methodist and Baptist preachers were induced to 
 join them ; and the news reaching America that 
 the English were ready to believe, the famous Par- 
 ley P. Pratt, the notorious Brigham Young, and 
 other missionaries, soon arrived from Missouri and 
 from Ohio. All of these teachers lived on the 
 industry of their dupes, by whom they were sup- 
 plied with food, clothing, lodging, and money, as 
 their necessities required. The converts were also 
 expected to contribute " of their property," in 
 order to replenish the " consecrated " treasury in 
 the hands of Smith and Rigdon. The missionaries 
 in England presented regular reports to the pro- 
 phet in America ; and it is from these statements, 
 taken in connexion with testimony from respect- 
 able sources, that we are enabled to trace the rapid 
 progress of the imposture. 
 
 Parley P. Pratt, a man reared in the wilds of 
 America 7 , stationed himself in Manchester, where 
 
 7 " Times and Seasons," p. 647.
 
 134 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 he established a printing-press, and commenced the 
 publication of a periodical work, denominated the 
 " Millennial Star." He published a third edition 
 of his own "Voice of Warning," and many of 
 Josephs revelations, for the benefit of the English 
 public. He also produced an edition of five thou- 
 sand copies of the Book of Mormon, " revised and 
 corrected," and of course greatly superior in execu- 
 tion to the first edition printed at Palmyra. By 
 the force of his native talent and audacity, he soon 
 attained a sort of headship over the brethren in 
 Great Britain, which he still maintains. In Man- 
 chester, he has made numerous converts ; and as 
 they emigrate to the Mormon settlement in Ame- 
 rica, the number is speedily made up by additional 
 proselytes 8 . 
 
 Elder Fielding, a Canadian convert, proceeded 
 to the Isle of Man, and founded a congregation, 
 respecting which it was soon reported, that " they 
 were increasing in numbers and in gifts 9 ." 
 
 Elder Snow was sent to London, and soon 
 gathered a congregation of two hundred and 
 twenty. After being in that city six months, he 
 reported that a great work was going on in Lon- 
 don, that multitudes were becoming convinced of 
 the truth, and were being added to the " church " 
 
 8 Pratt's Report ; " Times and Seasons," p. 625. 
 
 9 Fielding's Report ; Ib. p. 635.
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 135 
 
 by repentance and baptism l . On one occasion this 
 missionary visited Bedford, where he found a Mor- 
 mon society of one hundred and twenty persons 
 living in " good order, peace, and love," with ten 
 zealous and persevering " priests V He remained 
 three weeks among them (Elder Adams supplying 
 his place in London), and during this time twenty- 
 three persons in that vicinity were " baptized into 
 Zion/sfold 3 ." 
 
 Elder Richards went to Monmouthshire, where 
 he met the officers of a Mormon conference, repre- 
 senting one hundred and thirty-four members, and 
 found " a spirit of union and effort in the cause of 
 Zion, superior to any former occasion of the kind." 
 About twenty had been baptized, three were " or- 
 dained," and a dozen additional places which had 
 been opened for preaching were well attended 4 . 
 
 Elder T. Harris gave an encouraging report from 
 Bristol 5 . Elder Nixon went to Doncaster, where, 
 within three days, he baptized two preachers and 
 three members of a dissenting community 6 . Elder 
 Taap made rapid progress at Paisley, in Scotland 7 . 
 Elder G. A. Smith went to the Potteries, where 
 he laboured with astonishing success 8 . On the 
 28th of March, 1841, he presided at a conference 
 
 1 Snow's Report, " Times and Seasons," p. 636. 
 
 2 Ibid. s Ibid . 4 Ibid< s i b id. o Ibid> 
 
 7 Ib. p. 637. 8 Ib. p. 434.
 
 136 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 of " Latter-day Saints," held in " the magistrates 1 
 assembly-room, 1 ' 1 at Stanley 9 . There were repre- 
 sented 17 branches, 663 members, 19 elders, 54 
 priests, 25 teachers, 1 4 deacons : showing an in- 
 crease of 570 during G. A. Smith's residence at the 
 Potteries, and of 141 in the last three months 1 . 
 
 Elder Woodruff 2 , one of the travelling high- 
 council from head-quarters, preached to three thou- 
 sand persons in the market-place at Hereford, and 
 soon afterwards presided at a conference, in which 
 18 branches were represented, containing 408 
 members, 8 elders, 32 priests, 11 teachers, and 
 
 1 deacon. After visiting numerous and extensive 
 congregations in Herefordshire, he met the 
 " Froom's-hill Conference," at which were present 
 
 2 high-priests, 20 elders, 30 priests, 9 teachers, 
 and 2 deacons. Thirty branches were represented, 
 containing 997 members, 24 elders, 66 priests, 27 
 teachers, and 7 deacons. All the above-mentioned 
 persons, amounting to more than 1500, had em- 
 braced Mormonism within the term of one year. 
 
 In Woolwich, a society was established, and a 
 commodious chapel hired for its purposes. In that 
 place, it is said, " the Lord opened the heart of 
 a wealthy stranger, insomuch that he stepped for- 
 ward at the close of the meeting, and voluntarily 
 
 9 Snow's Report, " Times and Seasons," p. 434. ' Ibid. 
 2 Woodruff's Report, " Times and Seasons," p. 435.
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 137 
 
 offered to pay a whole year's rent of the chapel, 
 declaring at the same time his intention of becom- 
 ing a " Latter-day Saint V 
 
 Soon afterwards it is reported that "cheering 
 accounts are received from London, Edinburgh, 
 Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham, and other places," 
 and that hundreds are being baptized unto repent- 
 ance, and enjoying the Holy Spirit. Within the 
 course of a single year, one of the travelling elders 
 reports having been present at the baptism of 
 " seven thousand saints V One thousand of these 
 had already emigrated to " the land of promise,'" 
 beyond the Mississippi. 
 
 At a still later date, the Liverpool Albion (Sept. 
 1842) assures us that " the emigration of the Mor- 
 mons, or Latter-day Saints, is daily increasing."" It 
 is further stated, that " the class of persons thus 
 emigrating are in appearance and worldly circum- 
 stances above the ordinary run of steerage passen- 
 gers. The bulk of them are from the midland 
 counties, farmers, and farmers 1 servants, with 
 their wives and families. Upwards of five thou- 
 sand have already emigrated, and an equal number 
 will probably leave before spring." 
 
 The poor dupes thus induced to quit the land of 
 their forefathers are firm believers in Mormon pro- 
 
 3 Snow's Report, " Times and Seasons," p. 619. 
 
 4 " City of the Mormons," p. 29.
 
 138 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA, BUT 
 
 phecies and miracles, and in the sacred character 
 of their supreme pontiff, Joseph. They are for- 
 bidden to enter into argument with those of other 
 persuasions, or to listen to any statements against 
 their faith ; and they are required to bring to their 
 elders every pamphlet opposed to them. The pro- 
 ceedings of the leading men in England are marked 
 with considerable unity of purpose and of action. 
 They evince great boldness in their assertions, 
 great dexterity in their arguments, and great cun- 
 ning in evading any question which is not conve- 
 nient or agreeable to answer. They commence 
 operations in any given place by preaching from 
 the Bible exclusively, introducing Joseph Smith 
 and the Book of Mormon only incidentally, and 
 keeping the Book of Covenants altogether out of 
 sight. Suspicion is thus lulled asleep, the hearer 
 is gradually weaned from his former belief, and 
 ultimately, when converted, the mysteries of Mor- 
 monism are more and more fully developed to him. 
 He is then employed as an auxiliary, he assists in 
 spreading the delusion among others, and if consi- 
 dered suitable, is forthwith ordained an elder, a 
 priest, or a teacher. 
 
 The Mormon elders, too, exercise a peculiar 
 craft in saying and unsaying ; within a few days 
 asserting a thing as true, and then flatly denying 
 it, if the fraud does not answer. They will not
 
 INTRODUCES HIS RELIGION INTO ENGLAND. 139 
 
 give a reply to all who ask questions, but only to a 
 chosen few, whom they pronounce to be " asking 
 in a proper spirit, 1 ' and who are, in fact, those de- 
 luded beings over whom deception can exercise an 
 unlimited influence. They seduce the weak-minded 
 by a long list of visions and marvellous tales. They 
 teach them that their souls will be lost if they 
 attend any services but their own. To prevent the 
 danger of apostasy, they describe in vivid colours 
 the doleful condition of a lapsed Mormon, and de- 
 clare that "it would have been better for him 
 never to have been born, than that he should deny 
 the truth, slight the visions, and reject the testi- 
 mony." " They who do so," they add, " are the 
 wicked of the earth, sons of perdition, vessels of 
 wrath fitted to everlasting destruction ; there is no 
 possibility for them to escape, their state is utterly 
 hopeless." 
 
 It is under the very convenient cloak of night, 
 however, that English Mormonism performs most 
 of its operations. This dark system is then in its 
 glory, converting ignorance into the tool of delu- 
 sion, chaining it fast by order and discipline, and 
 forcing it to believe the most palpable absurdities. 
 In such beguiling hours, the secret " Church- 
 meeting" is held, to the exclusion of all except the 
 initiated. The business consists of exhortations to 
 perseverance, narrations of visions and revelations,
 
 140 SMITH BANKRUPT IN AMERICA. 
 
 and explanations of difficulties. Then also gifts 
 are received for the " Bishop of Zion," confessions 
 are made, delinquents are reprimanded, apostates 
 are excommunicated, and the triumphs of Mor- 
 monism are described. Enquiries are made in 
 reference to the people living in the neighbourhood, 
 the places of worship frequented by them, the natu- 
 ral bent of their characters, the amount of their 
 knowledge, and their disposition towards Mor- 
 monism. The necessary advice is then given by 
 the elders to their converts, in order that they may 
 prevail upon these neighbours, and suggestions are 
 thrown out as to the best method of persuasion in 
 each particular case. 
 
 Having thus given a brief sketch of the rapid 
 progress of Mormonism in " Protestant and en- 
 lightened England, 11 amid all the intelligence of the 
 nineteenth century, it is time that we revert to our 
 fugitive prophet, and the fortunes of his disciples 
 in Missouri.
 
 THE PROPHET IN A MILITARY CAPACITY. 141 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN A MILITARY 
 CAPACITY. 
 
 History of the Mormon settlement in Missouri The " Saints" 
 claim the country as their inheritance The Gentiles are exas- 
 perated The Mormon bishop is " tarred and feathered," and 
 the Mormons are driven from Jackson county They appeal 
 without success to Governor Dunklin Their sufferings at 
 their expulsion They flee to Clay county The prophet issues 
 a "revelation" on the subject of their persecutions He 
 marches to their relief with 250 men, a distance of 800 miles 
 He holds a council with the mob, and returns to Kirtland 
 The Mormons settle inCaldwell county Smith, Rigdon, and Co. 
 remove to Missouri Mormonism increases The " Gentiles" 
 are alarmed The Mormons prepare for the worst The 
 Danite band is formed, and the " Dissenters" are expelled 
 Bloody schemes of Smith and the Danites The timid Mor- 
 mons are prevented from removing Smith declares that here- 
 after he will not obey the laws of Missouri Election fracas 
 Smith apprehended for violence to a justice of the peace, and 
 bound over to appear for trial. 
 
 THE prophet leaving his costly temple and many 
 hundred faithful proselytes in Kirtland, proceeded 
 to Missouri, accompanied by several of his prin- 
 
 12
 
 142 . THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 cipal accomplices. To understand the position of 
 Morinonism in the Far West at that period, it 
 will be necessary to look backwards as far as 1831, 
 in the autumn of which year we left our " Saints'" 
 rapidly gathering at " Zion," and " squatting 11 on 
 the public lands, with the prospect of a collision 
 with the older inhabitants of the country. 
 
 Many of these " Saints," instead of labouring to 
 heal the breach now commencing, began to put 
 forth the most irritating and preposterous claims 5 . 
 Not having the means of purchasing the land which 
 had been offered to them in the county, they boldly 
 declared that the Lord had given it to them for an 
 inheritance ; and that the Missourians, like the 
 Canaanites, ought to be dispossessed 6 . Some of 
 them, acting upon this principle, are said to have 
 appropriated to their own use several articles of 
 property belonging to the " Gentiles ;" so that 
 they shortly earned for themselves the unsaintly 
 reputation of ordinary pilferers. At the same time 
 their peculiar organization united them to such an 
 extent, that it was almost impossible for the in- 
 jured Gentiles to obtain legal redress 7 . The Mis- 
 sourians became more and more alarmed for the 
 security of their property and their liberty ; and 
 finally, on the 20th of July, 1833, they rose in 
 
 5 Harris, p. 32. 6 Ibid. 1 Ib. p. 34.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 143 
 
 their fury, demolished the printing-office at Inde- 
 pendence, which the Mormons had used for the 
 diffusion of their doctrines, seized and partially 
 stripped Edward Partridge, the unlucky " Bishop 
 of Zion," and having covered him with tar, applied 
 to the suffering confessor an external coating of 
 feathers 8 . The same indignity was inflicted upon 
 other functionaries; and the Missourians, having 
 thus far exhibited their intentions, agreed to meet 
 again on the 23rd, in order to carry forward the 
 business of destruction 9 . At the appointed day, 
 several hundreds of the exasperated Gentiles once 
 more assembled, and manifested their determina- 
 tion to complete the work which they had so suc- 
 cessfully begun 1 . Four or five of the leading 
 Mormons magnanimously offered their lives to the 
 mob on condition that the " church" should be 
 spared any further suffering 2 ; but all was in vain, 
 the Missourians were inexorable, and extorted from 
 the unresisting " Saints'" a promise to leave the 
 country early in the ensuing year 3 . 
 
 Hitherto the Mormons had been proved guilty 
 of no misdemeanor recognized by the law, and, 
 after the dispersion of the mob, they concluded that 
 their agreement to remove was not legally binding, 
 having been extorted from them by force and 
 
 8 u Account of Persecutions," p. 7 5 Corrill, p. 19. 
 
 9 Con-ill, p. 19. ' Ibid. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid.
 
 144 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 terror 4 . They therefore drew up a petition, about 
 the end of October, which they presented to Mr. 
 Dunklin, the Governor of Missouri, praying for 
 that protection of which they felt the urgent need 5 . 
 Lieutenant Governor Boggs, however, who resided 
 at Independence, declined adopting any measures 
 for their protection, and told them that if they 
 considered themselves aggrieved, they ought to 
 apply to the civil authorities for redress 8 . They 
 adopted the course recommended to them ; but, as 
 might be expected, they found it worse than use- 
 less 7 . The Missourians of Jackson county, hear- 
 ing of their proceedings, became dreadfully exaspe- 
 rated, and recommenced hostilities 8 . Houses were 
 pulled down, the wretched believers in Smith were 
 dragged out, the men were whipped, and the women 
 were insulted 9 . The Mormons, finding that the 
 authorities of the State could not or would not 
 protect them, now for the first time began to arm 
 in self-defence l . Several skirmishes took place, in 
 which a few persons were killed on both sides, and 
 a number wounded 2 . Lyman Wight, a conspi- 
 cuous character among the Mormons, hearing that 
 several of his brethren were in jail without cause, 
 and that their lives were to be taken, assembled 
 
 * Corrill, p. 19. 5 Ibid. Ibid. 7 Ibid. 
 
 8 Ibid. " Account of Persecution," p. 12. 
 
 9 Corrill, p. 20. Ibid. p. 12. l Ibid. 2 Ibid.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 145 
 
 1 50 men, partly armed them, and marched to Inde- 
 pendence, the county town, with the intention of 
 rescuing the prisoners 3 . In the mean time the Mis- 
 sourians continued together in such force, and with 
 such determined purposes of vengeance, that the 
 Mormons, to save their lives, agreed to leave the 
 county immediately *. Lyman Wight, on arriving 
 with his men, found that the capitulation had taken 
 place, and perceiving that resistance would now be 
 fruitless, surrendered to the mob the whole of his 
 arms, amounting to fifty-two guns, a pistol, and a 
 sword, which were never afterwards restored 5 . The 
 Mormons, being effectually disarmed, were now, in 
 the middle of November, expelled from the county, 
 to the number of about twelve hundred 6 . They 
 assert that men, women, and children were driven 
 from their log huts in the night, barefoot and 
 nearly naked 7 . In the words of a Mormon poet : 
 
 " In winter's blast, exposed on prairies bare, 
 They wander forth unfriended by the world : 
 Spoil' d of their goods, deprived of house and home, 
 Their children barefoot tread the frozen ground, 
 And leave their footsteps red with infant blood ." 
 
 It is recorded by them, that the mob flogged some 
 of their number so severely that in several in- 
 
 3 Corrill, p. 20. " Account of Persecutions," p. 12. 
 * Ibid. Ibid. 
 
 6 Turner, p. 45. Corrill, p. 20. 
 
 7 " Times and Seasons," p. 708. 8 Mulholland, p. 4. 
 
 H
 
 146 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 stances death ensued 9 . An unhappy band of one 
 hundred and ninety women and children, protected 
 by only three men, travelled in one direction more 
 than twenty miles (nine of which were over a bleak 
 prairie) before they dared to halt and await the 
 arrival of their husbands and fathers 1 . In another 
 direction, about 200 women and children proceeded 
 to the Missouri river, where they spent a whole 
 night on the naked prairie exposed to drenching 
 sleet and piercing frost 2 . In consequence of this 
 treatment, many of the Mormons died, while their 
 triumphant enemies burned their deserted homes, 
 and took possession of their flocks and herds, their 
 household furniture, their corn, and the improved 
 lands upon which they had " squatted," and which 
 by their industry they had brought into cultiva- 
 tion 3 . 
 
 Thus, with an enthusiasm worthy of a better 
 cause, many of these poor people, having aban- 
 doned in the first place their faith, their country, 
 and their friends, now sacrificed their all in the 
 cause of their iniquitous prophet, which they vainly 
 considered to be the cause of God 4 . The greater 
 part of them fled to Clay county, on the north 
 
 9 " Times and Seasons," p. 708. " History of Persecutions," p. 1 1 . 
 1 " History of Persecutions," p. 10. 2 Ibid. p. 11. 
 
 3 Ibid. p. 11. " Times and Seasons," p. 708. 
 
 4 Turner, p. 303.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 147 
 
 side of the Missouri, opposite Jackson county 5 , 
 where the inhabitants received them kindly, gave 
 them employment, and paid them good wages during 
 the winter 6 . Mr. Dunklin, the governor of Mis- 
 souri, seemed disposed to redress their injuries, and 
 endeavoured to bring the inhabitants of Jackson 
 county to justice 7 . But after assembling the 
 witnesses at Independence under the guard of a mi- 
 litary force, the Attorney-general of Missouri ad- 
 vised the Mormons to abandon their suit, since 
 justice in the case was impossible, considering the 
 excitement of the people 8 . They took his advice, 
 and returned to Clay county under the protection 
 of the guard 9 . 
 
 The knowledge of these proceedings soon reached 
 the ears of the prophet in Kirtland *. He saw at 
 once the danger and the advantage of the new 
 position of affairs. Indeed the world had evinced 
 so much unbelief, and the " church " was becoming 
 so divided in itself, that persecution had become 
 indispensable to arouse the sympathy of the one, 
 and to concentrate the energies of the other. A 
 revelation of unusual length, clearness, and point, 
 
 5 " Times and Seasons," p. 708. " History of Persecutions," 
 p. 13. Corrill, p. 20. 6 Ibid. 
 
 ' Corrill, p. 20. " History of Persecutions," p. 12. 
 
 8 Corrill, p. 20. 9 Ibid. p. 21. 
 
 1 Turner, pp. 45, 46, 47, 48, from whence the facts respecting 
 the prophet's warlike expedition to Missouri are derived. 
 
 H2
 
 148 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 was soon forthcoming from the press in Kirtland, 
 which was scattered abroad in the form of a hand- 
 bill, and even sold for one dollar per copy. The 
 main points adverted to by the prophet were the 
 following. 
 
 The Mormons were declared to have been chas- 
 tened because of "jarrings, contentions, envyings, 
 strifes, lustful and covetous desires among them," 
 by which they had polluted " their inheritance." 
 On repentance and return to duty, God would 
 nevertheless favour them, and inflict vengeance on 
 their enemies. All the " warriors and young men " 
 were exhorted to assemble and march to the rescue 
 of their brethren in Missouri ; while the latter were 
 advised to persevere in demanding redress from the 
 civil authorities of the State and of the United 
 States. The sufferers were gently reproved for 
 abandoning their property in Jackson county, 
 and were commanded never to give up their claim 
 to it, since there alone the Lord had determined 
 to build up the temple of Zion. 
 
 This proclamation had the desired effect in 
 awakening sympathy and in restoring harmony. 
 The " strength of the Lord's house " (as the forces 
 were called) began to rally from all quarters around 
 the prophet, and to prepare for a crusade to the 
 " Holy Land." Rusty swords, old cartridge boxes, 
 pistols, rifles, muskets, and pitchforks, were soon in
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 149 
 
 motion, while the needles and thimbles of women 
 and children were alike diligent in the work of pre- 
 paration. At length, on the 4th of May, 1834, 
 having assumed the name of " Latter day Saints," 
 the more readily to avoid recognition as Mormons, 
 the " army of Zion," numbering two hundred and 
 fifty strong, took up its march in different squad- 
 rons for the promised land. The prophet, accoutred 
 with the best sword in the army, an elegant brace 
 of pistols and a rifle, and provided with a stout 
 bull-dog and four horses, took the command in per- 
 son. After various adventures on their march of 
 nearly 800 miles, our crusaders arrived in Missouri 
 in the following June. When once on the western 
 side of the Mississippi, the valiant prophet deter- 
 mined on proceeding incognito, and gave up the 
 command to his lieutenants. As they approached 
 the scene of action they were met by a deputation 
 of the inhabitants of Jackson county, who, expect- 
 ing vengeance, and apprehending that the prophet 
 would soon be joined by the refugees in Clay 
 county, desired to inquire into the import of this 
 martial array. A conference was accordingly held, 
 which resulted in a council of the opposing parties 
 held in Clay county. The people of Jackson 
 county engaged either to sell their own lands to 
 the Mormons, or to purchase the comparatively few 
 acres owned by the latter. Upon these terms, the 
 
 H3
 
 J50 THE PROPHET AFPEAES IN 
 
 prophet (whose courage seemed to fail when within 
 gun-shot of the Gentiles) agreed to abandon the 
 expedition. At the same time the Asiatic cholera 
 broke out among the troops, in spite of the gifts of 
 healing ; and while the warriors dispersed, Smith 
 returned to his temple and to his speculations in 
 Kirtland. 
 
 From this time the Mormons continued to ga- 
 ther in peace in Clay county, hoping when suffi- 
 ciently powerful to get possession of the " pro- 
 mised land " of Zion 2 . They purchased lands and 
 cultivated them ; they built houses, they erected 
 mills and other machinery, and in a very short time 
 began to enjoy the comforts of life 3 . In 1836, 
 their elders returned from their winter's drilling 
 in Hebrew and theology at Kirtland, and in the 
 following summer were followed by a new swarm of 
 "Saints'" from various parts of Canada and the Uni- 
 ted States 4 . The " Gentiles " of Clay county now 
 very naturally took the alarm, like those of Jackson 
 county before them, and began to threaten violence, 
 and even to commit outrages 5 . The Mormons, 
 having in vain petitioned the governor for protec- 
 tion, began to take up arms in self-defence 6 . The 
 
 2 Turner, p. 48. Corrill, p. 21. 
 
 3 Corrill, p. 26. Turner, p. 48. " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 13. 
 
 4 Turner, p. 48. 5 " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 13. 
 c Ib. p. 14.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 151 
 
 respectable inhabitants, foreseeing danger between 
 the Mormons and the mob, appointed a mediating 
 committee, and stipulated to secure to the Mor- 
 mons a quiet settlement in a neighbouring district, 
 on condition of their leaving Clay county 7 . This 
 they agreed to do, and having sacrificed nearly all 
 that they had gained during the last three years, 
 the unfortunate " Saints " settled on the district 
 assigned to them 8 . This district was afterwards, 
 by an act of the legislature, erected into a separate 
 county, and denominated Caldwell 9 . A town was 
 also laid off and incorporated, to which the appro- 
 priate name of "Far West" was assigned, and 
 during the first year after its foundation, the Mor- 
 mons had erected in it a hundred and fifty houses 1 . 
 They purchased large quantities of land in the new 
 county, and although they laboured under great 
 disadvantages, on account of their poverty and 
 former sufferings, their union and industry pro- 
 mised to triumph over every difficulty 2 . Many of 
 them, however, were obliged to earn their bread by 
 labouring in the neighbouring counties, where the 
 people gave them employment, and in some in- 
 
 7 " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 14. Turner, p. 48. Harris, p. 32. 
 Corrill, p. 26. Corrill, p. 26. Turner, p. 48. 
 
 9 Harris, p. 32. " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 16. 
 1 " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 16. Turner, p. 48. 
 3 Corrill, p. 26. Hist, of Persecutions," p. 16. 
 
 H 4
 
 152 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 stances lent them money to enable them to pur- 
 chase land*. 
 
 Friendship and mutual confidence were begin- 
 ning to be restored, and the old enmity was gra- 
 dually dying away, when the prophet and Bigdon, 
 having been driven from Ohio after the explosion 
 of their bank, came to " Far West " on the 14th 
 of March, 1838 *. Here they found that trouble 
 was preparing for them, according to the Scripture, 
 which declares that " there is no peace to the 
 wicked. 1 ' 1 Some of the Mormon " dissenters'" had 
 preceded them, who, though affecting a reconcilia- 
 tion, still endeavoured to destroy their influence 
 among the " Saints V Two of the presidents of 
 the western Mormons had also been accused of 
 endeavouring to appropriate to themselves the 
 lands of the " church," and had been turned out of 
 office by their angry brethren 6 . Smith and Rigdon 
 accordingly endeavoured, and with some success, 
 to rectify the state of affairs ; but in a short time 
 the " dissenters " began once more to be trouble- 
 some 7 . The Missourians also sometimes threatened 
 to expel the whole sect from the state, and the 
 prospect appeared peculiarly gloomy 8 . But the 
 Mormon emigrants were now pouring in rapidly 
 from all parts of the United States, from Canada, 
 
 3 Corrill, p. 26. * Turner, p. 48. 5 Corrill, p. 2?. 
 
 fi Ib. i Ib. p. 28. Turner, p. 49.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 153 
 
 and from England. In eighteen months after their 
 first settlement in Caldwell, they had filled the 
 county, and were under the necessity of seeking 
 habitations elsewhere 9 . Under the direction of 
 Smith and Rigdon, new towns were established in 
 several adjacent counties 1 . To one in Davies 
 county, Smith gave the name of Adammondiah- 
 man, which signified, according to his interpreta- 
 tion, " the Valley of God in which Adam blessed 
 his children 2 ." Another, called De Witt, was 
 established by him in Carroll county, and around 
 these " cities " he assembled many of his followers 3 . 
 At the same time Smith and his leading men, 
 feeling some confidence in their growing strength, 
 abandoned their former professions of meekness 
 and non-resistance, and began to talk loudly, and 
 to threaten all who might oppose them*. The 
 inhabitants of the old and rival towns in Davies and 
 Carroll counties now took the alarm, and many of 
 them openly declared that they would not submit 
 their counties to the rule of " Joe Smith 5 ." 
 
 On the other hand the chief Mormons asserted 
 in their sermons, that they had been harassed by 
 dissenters, law-suits, and mobs for seven or eight 
 years, that they were determined to endure it no 
 
 9 Corrill, p. 28. Turner, pp. 48, 49. * Ib. Hist, of 
 
 Persecutions," p. 16. 2 Turner, p. 49. Corrill, p. 28. 
 
 3 Ib. * Ib. s Ib 
 
 HO
 
 154 THE PROPHET APPEAES IN 
 
 longer, and that it was the will of God that the 
 saints should fight unto death rather than endure 
 such things 6 . If they would only have faith, God 
 would protect them, though their enemies were 
 ever so numerous ; and the time was not distant 
 when " one should chase a thousand, and two put 
 ten thousand to flight V By means of this kind 
 of preaching, the Mormons generally were filled 
 with the belief that God would enable them, if 
 necessary, to stand against the whole United 
 States 8 . Many became disgusted by these doc- 
 trines, and alarmed at their probable consequences ; 
 but remonstrance with the prophet was utterly use- 
 less 9 . Already there were many dissenters, and 
 an increasing number of those in whom Smith could 
 not confide, by reason of their disaffection *. It was 
 distinctly seen, that unless perfect unity could be 
 produced within, Mormonisin could never effec- 
 tually resist its external enemies, and a great pro- 
 ject was soon formed, which was nothing less than 
 the entire extirpation of dissent 2 . After many 
 plans for executing this project had been suggested 
 in secret meetings, Sidney Rigdon decided the 
 point, in a sermon which has since become cele- 
 brated under the name of the " Salt Sermon V 
 
 6 Corrill, p. 29. Turner, p. 49. 7 Ib. 8 Ib. 
 
 9 Ib. 1 Turner, p. 49. 2 Corrill, p. 30. Turner, p. 
 3 Turner, p. 50. Harris, p. 32. Corrill, p. 30. 
 
 50.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 155 
 
 In this discourse he declared that, according to his 
 text, the dissenters, who had lost their savour, 
 ought to be literally cast out and trodden under 
 foot by the saints until their bowels gushed out 4 . 
 In illustration of this exposition, he remarked that 
 Judas Iscariot did not fall headlong without help, 
 but that the apostles threw him down, and after- 
 wards trampled out his bowels with their feet 5 . 
 He also said, that Peter stabbed Ananias and 
 Sapphira, and that the deacons carried them out 
 and buried them 6 . In conclusion, he recommended 
 these examples to the imitation of his hearers, in 
 the case of those enemies of God and man, the 
 " dissenters 7 . 11 
 
 In consequence of these doctrines, a secret 
 society was speedily formed at Smithes suggestion, 
 the members of which solemnly covenanted before 
 God, under penalty of death, to keep their secrets, 
 and to sustain the first presidency and one another 
 in all things, whether right or wrong 8 . Joseph 
 Smith assembled this society in a school-house, and 
 prophesied over them, declaring that they would 
 be the means, in the hand of God, of introducing 
 the millennial kingdom 9 . They amounted to about 
 
 4 Turner, p. 50. Harris, p. 32. Turner, p. 50. 
 
 5 Harris, p. 33. Turner, p. 50. 
 
 6 Ib. i Turner, p. 50. 
 
 * Corrill, p. 30. Turner, p. 50. Harris, p. 32. Congressional 
 Document, p. 1. 9 Cong. Document, p. ]. 
 
 H6
 
 156 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 three hundred, and, at first, took the name of the 
 " Big Fan," in reference to their purpose of sepa- 
 rating the dissenters from the " church," like chaff 
 from grain. Afterwards they were called the 
 " Daughters of Zion," and finally, the " Danite 
 Band," or " Danite Society V They were divided 
 into companies of fifties and tens, with suitable 
 officers, and a general over the whole 2 . They had 
 also private signs, by which they might know each 
 other by day or by night *. 
 
 Few of the Mormons understood the real design 
 of the " Danite Band," and they were told that it 
 was merely a measure of self-defence against the 
 mob 4 . It was, in reality, however, the chosen 
 means of carrying out the principles of the " Salt 
 Sermon," and other discourses of the same de- 
 scription 5 . Accordingly, after this body was 
 formed, notice was given in June, 1838, that the 
 dissenters must leave the county in three days, 
 under the severest penalties 6 . In consequence of 
 this notice, many of them fled from the neighbour- 
 hood in great alarm, while others were under the 
 necessity of confessing and making satisfaction 7 . 
 Among the dissenters who withdrew were John, 
 
 1 Congressional Document, p. 2. Turner, p. 50. 
 
 2 Turner, p. 50. * Ib. Harris, p. 32. 
 
 * Turner, p. 50. * Turner, p. 51. Harris, p. 32. 
 
 6 Ib. Congressional Document, p. I. 7 Ib.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 157 
 
 David, and Jacob Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and 
 Hiram Page, (all of whom had been among the 
 original chosen witnesses to the divine origin of the 
 Book of Mormon,) Lyman Johnson, one of the 
 " twelve apostles," and others of less distinction *. 
 
 In one of the secret meetings of the " Danites," 
 one of their leaders, Lyman Wight, the hero 
 already mentioned, asserted that " the time was 
 near when God would require his Church to go 
 forth like the Jews of old, and slay every man, 
 woman, and child, throughout Missouri V The 
 Danites also considered the expediency of predict- 
 ing a great pestilence among the Gentiles, and 
 then poisoning the wells and springs to secure its 
 accomplishment 1 . On another occasion it was 
 declared, that if any one of them found a brother 
 Danite in difficulty with a Gentile, they must 
 rescue him, whether right or wrong, and, if neces- 
 sary, $ut his adversary in the sand, as Moses did 
 to the Egyptian 2 . This terrible society took upon 
 itself to prevent all murmur against the sacred 
 triumvirate, Smith, Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith ; 
 and it was determined by them, under the pro- 
 phet's direction, that whoever opposed the "first 
 presidency " should be expelled the county, or put 
 
 8 Harris, p. 32. Turner, p. 51. 
 
 9 Turner, p. 51 ; Harris, p. 33. 
 
 2 Congressional Document, p. 17. 
 
 1 Ibid.
 
 158 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 to death 3 . They undertook also to enforce the 
 law of " consecration," by which every Mormon 
 was required to consecrate to the Lord all his sur- 
 plus property *. It was in one of their meetings 
 that Smith made the memorable declaration, that 
 if the Missourians molested him, " he would estab- 
 lish his religion by the sword, and become to this 
 generation a second Mahomet 5 ." 
 
 As the enmity of the " Gentiles " became more 
 and more developed, the language and actions of 
 the prophet, and of his chief men, exhibited a des- 
 peration even greater than that of the deluded 
 Danites 6 . These " evil men and seducers, waxed 
 worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." 
 When the 4th of July arrived, a day observed 
 throughout the United States, as the anniversary 
 of American Independence, a " liberty pole" was 
 raised by the Mormons at Far West, on which, 
 according to custom, the American flag was 
 hoisted 7 . A civil and military procession was 
 formed, and Rigdon delivered an oration, after- 
 wards published, which clearly evinced the deter- 
 minations of the " Presidency 8 ." After haranguing 
 the Mormons on the principles of freedom and 
 American citizenship, he spoke in conclusion as 
 
 3 Corrill, p. 31 ; Harris, p. 32. * Ib. p. 46. 
 
 5 Congressional Document, p. 12. 6 Turner, pp. 52, 53. 
 
 7 Corrill, p. 32. 8 Ibid.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 159 
 
 follows, " We take God to witness, and the holy 
 angels to witness this day, that we warn all men 
 in the name of Jesus Christ to come on us no 
 more for ever. The man, or set of men, who 
 attempt it, do it at the expense of their lives ; and 
 that mob that comes on us to disturb us, there 
 shall be between us and them a war of extermina- 
 tion, for we will follow them till the last drop of 
 their blood is spilled; or else they will have to 
 exterminate us, for we will carry the war to their 
 own houses and their own families ; and one party 
 or the other shall be utterly destroyed V This 
 oration was publicly commended by Smith, and 
 was received with shoutings and hosannas by the 
 Mormons *. About the same time, Rigdon de- 
 clared before a number of the " Saints," that " if 
 the sheriff came after them, they would kill him ; 
 and if any interfered they would take off their 
 heads V In order to prevent the timid Mormons 
 from leaving the neighbourhood, now so dangerous, 
 a large number of people, probably Danites, agreed 
 with Rigdon, that if any Mormon should attempt 
 to pack his goods, in order to remove from the 
 county, they should be at liberty to kill him 3 . It 
 was also very hospitably resolved, that " if any 
 
 9 Sidney Rigdon'a " Oration." l Turner, p. 53. 
 
 2 Ibid. ; Congressional Document. 
 
 3 Congressional Document, p. 46.
 
 160 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 stranger should appear in the town looking around, 
 he should in like manner be put to death V 
 
 In a similar spirit, the prophet Joseph had laid 
 his plans with reference to Mormon dissenters. 
 He commanded one of the Danites, in case of his 
 hearing any man speak against the Presidency, to 
 tie him up and give him thirty-nine lashes ; and if 
 that would not do, thirty-nine more, until he ex- 
 pressed contrition 5 . All dissenters, who should 
 prove unwilling to fight the " Gentiles," were to 
 be placed on horses, with pitchforks or bayonets 
 in their hands, and forced into the front of the 
 army 6 . Smith and Rigdon also expressed their 
 readiness to assist in erecting a gallows in the pub- 
 lic square, for the purpose of hanging all dissenters, 
 " as Peter hung up Judas Iscariot V Smith de- 
 clared that he would not obey the laws of Missouri, 
 which he said were " made by blacklegs and law- 
 yers*.'''' In his capacity of commander-in-chief of 
 the "army of the kingdom," he told his troops 
 that " heretofore they had fought like devils, but 
 now they must fight like angels, for angels could 
 whip devils at any time V 
 
 The great body of the Mormons, imbibing the 
 same spirit of fanatical vengeance, declared that 
 " they had been driven from place to place, their 
 
 4 Congressional Document, p. 46. 5 Ib. p. 29. 
 
 Ib. p. 18. 7 Ib. p. 20. 8 Ibid. 9 Ib. p. 14.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 161 
 
 property destroyed by mobs, and their rights as 
 American citizens trampled upon 1 . They could get 
 no redress from civil courts, to which they had first 
 quietly appealed, nor from the executive, nor from 
 the state V " They had been told by the authori- 
 ties that they must take care of themselves in their 
 hour of distress, and now they intended to do it, 
 and to clear the neighbourhood of mobs and of 
 dissenters 3 ." They had formerly supposed that 
 the kingdom of God was to be set up peaceably, 
 but they considered that present circumstances 
 showed the necessity of using force 4 . In con- 
 formity with these views, the Mormon missionaries 
 throughout the world were instructed to direct 
 their converts to proceed immediately to Zion. 
 
 On the other hand, the Missourians, with a 
 spirit similar to that of the Mormons, but without 
 their religious fanaticism, had determined that the 
 subjects of Smith should be expelled from the 
 state, or totally exterminated 5 . The conduct of 
 the Danites soon led to an open breach between 
 the opposing parties. At an election in August, 
 1838, which took place in Caldwell, the Mormon 
 county, this society took upon itself to oblige the 
 people to support the candidates nominated by 
 Smith 6 . The Mormons, on coming to the polls, 
 
 1 Turner, p. 54. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 
 
 4 Corrill, p. 31. 5 Turner, p. 54. 6 Corrill, p. 33.
 
 162 THE PROPHET APPEARS IN 
 
 found the Danites prepared to control them, and 
 gave their votes as they were required, " believing 
 it to be the will of God r ." Some of them found 
 fault with these proceedings, but their murmurings 
 were speedily checked by the threatenings of the 
 terrible society 8 . At an election soon afterwards, 
 in the adjoining county (Davies), the inhabitants 
 of which were partly " Gentiles'" and partly Mor- 
 mons, it was urged by the former, that as the 
 Mormons had shown themselves to be entirely 
 under the control of Smith, they ought to be con- 
 sidered politically in the same condition as negro 
 slaves, and prevented from giving their votes 9 . In 
 consequence of this, a quarrel ensued, which ended 
 in blows, and a general conflict was the result, in 
 which the Mormons obtained the superiority, al- 
 though inferior in point of numbers '. The " Gen- 
 tiles" then sent for their guns and ammunition, and 
 declared their firm determination to exterminate 
 all the " Saints" in the county, sparing neither 
 men, women, nor children 2 . An exaggerated story 
 of the conflict reaching " Far West," Joseph 
 Smith, with Bigdon, Wight, and 150 other Mor- 
 
 7 Corrill, p. 33. 8 Ibid. 
 
 9 History of Persecutions," p. 18 ; Corrill, p. 33; Harris, 
 p. 33. 
 
 1 Ibid. 
 
 2 " History of Persecutions," p. 12 ; Corrill, p. 34.
 
 A MILITARY CAPACITY. 163 
 
 mons, proceeded to Davies county, with the pro- 
 fessed object of burying their dead 3 . On arriving 
 at the scene of action, they found that none had 
 been killed, and that the Missourians had dis- 
 persed 4 . Instead of returning peaceably, they 
 went from house to house, obliging the " Gentiles" 
 to give them written promises that they would not 
 molest the " Saints'" in future 5 . Under fear of 
 instant death, Adam Black, a justice of the peace, 
 wrote the promise required ; but Mrs. Black, with 
 greater courage, reviled the prophet vigorously, 
 while her husband was writing, and told him that 
 she supposed he was come to steal something from 
 the house 6 . As soon as Smith and his party had 
 retired, Black proceeded to the neighbouring town 
 of Richmond, and entered a complaint against 
 Smith, Wight, and others, for obliging him to sign 
 the paper " m et armis V 1 A writ was issued for 
 their apprehension, but in consequence of the 
 threats which had been employed, the sheriff feared 
 to execute it 8 . The " Gentile " inhabitants now 
 assembled in great numbers to assist the sheriff, 
 and as it was reported that four thousand would 
 soon be collected, Smith became alarmed, and by 
 
 3 " History of Persecutions," p. 23 ; Corrill, p. 34. 
 
 4 Corrill, p. 34 ; Harris, p. 33. 
 
 5 " History of Persecutions," p. 24 ; Corrill, p. 34. 
 
 6 Ibid. 7 Ib. p. 25 ; Ibid. 
 8 Corrill, p. 34.
 
 164 THE PROPHET IN A MILITARY CAPACITY. 
 
 the advice of General Atchison of the militia, he 
 surrendered himself to the authorities, together 
 with the rest of the accused 9 . Having been exa- 
 mined, they were bound over to appear for trial at 
 the court of Davies county, and were permitted to 
 return home l . 
 
 9 Corrill, p. 34. Ibid.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 165 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A TERRIBLE REVERSE. 
 
 The Missourians seize the arms of the United States The mili- 
 tia are called out The mob obtains a cannon, and expels the 
 Mormons from Dewitt The mob invades Davies county The 
 Mormons rise, disperse the mob, and plunder the houses of 
 their enemies They capture the cannon, and enter Far West 
 in triumph Battle between Mormons and Methodists Death 
 of Patten Massacre of Mormons at Haun's mills Far West 
 capitulates Our prophet is given up and sentenced to be shot 
 He is imprisoned and brought to trial with his accomplices 
 The Mormons are expelled from Missouri, under a threat of 
 extermination They settle in Illinois The prophet and his 
 comrades escape from jail and join them. 
 
 THE excitement of the multitude was not allayed 
 by Smith's surrender, for the Missourians gathered 
 in Davies county under one Austin, to the amount 
 of several hundreds, while the Mormons collected 
 at Adammondiahman in the same county, under 
 the valorous Lyman Wight, and prepared them- 
 selves for defence l . The Missourians sent a party 
 
 1 Corrill, p. 35. " History of Persecutions," p. 28.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 to a deposit of the arms of the United States, 
 which they plundered and carried off, in order to 
 serve their own purposes 2 . The Mormon authori- 
 ties of Caldwell county intercepted this party on 
 their way, captured some prisoners, together with 
 the arms, and gave up the captives and the spoil to 
 General Doniphan of the Missouri militia 3 . Gene- 
 ral Atchison now felt it necessary to call out the 
 militia of the state, after which he proceeded with 
 generals Doniphan and Parks, and five hundred 
 men, to quell the disturbances between the Mor- 
 mons and the mob *. The former dispersed imme- 
 diately ; but the latter submitted with such reluc- 
 tance, that a company of volunteers was kept on 
 duty for thirty days to preserve the peace 5 . When 
 the mob finally dispersed in Davies county, it re- 
 assembled at De Witt, in Carroll county, under the 
 same commander, and commenced operations against 
 the Mormons about the 1st of October, 1838 6 . 
 They sent over the Missouri river to the old ene- 
 mies of the Mormons in Jackson county, and pro- 
 cured from them a cannon, with plenty of powder 
 and balls 7 . They closely invested the unhappy 
 Mormons in De Witt, and forbade their leaving it 
 
 2 " History of Persecutions," p. 32. Corrill, p. 35. 
 
 3 Ib. * Ib. * Corrill, p. 35. 
 8 Ib. " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 35. 
 
 7 " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 38. Corrill, p. 36. 
 
 12
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 167 
 
 under pain of death 8 . The " Saints " applied to the 
 authorities for aid, and two companies of militia 
 were sent to their assistance, one of which was 
 under the command of a Methodist preacher, 
 named Bogard 9 . General Parks was at the head 
 of the entire detachment ; but finding that Bogard 
 and his party were disposed to assist the mob, he 
 professed himself unable to help the besieged Mor- 
 mons, some of whom actually died in consequence 
 of their sufferings l . Smith and Eigdon, on hearing 
 of these circumstances at Far West, collected 
 about a hundred armed men, and went to assist 
 their brethren 2 . But the latter, conscious of their 
 weakness, had already capitulated, having agreed 
 to leave the county, on receiving a promise (never 
 fulfilled) of compensation for their losses 3 . On 
 the llth of October, 1838, they left their homes 
 with about fifty waggons conveying their property, 
 and after many hardships arrived at " Far West," 
 to which place the prophet and his men had 
 returned 4 . 
 
 Great exasperation among the Mormons ensued, 
 which was increased by the intelligence that the 
 mob was again advancing on Davies with the 
 cannon, in order to expel the Mormons from that 
 
 Hist, of Persecutions," p. 38. 9 Ib. p. 39. l Ibid. 
 
 2 Corrill, p. 35. 3 Ib. p. 36. " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 40. 
 4 " History of Persecutions," p. 40.
 
 168 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 county 5 . The following Sunday, Smith preached 
 an exciting sermon, and gave notice that he wished 
 all the male inhabitants of the Mormon county of 
 Caldwell, to assemble the next day at Far West 6 . 
 The meeting having come together on Monday, 
 Smith detailed the injuries which the " Saints" had 
 received, and said, that as the civil authorities 
 would not redress their wrongs, it was high time 
 that they should take measures to defend their 
 rights 7 . After the sermon, Smith put the ques- 
 tion, and it was voted almost unanimously, that 
 the brethren would embody and attack the mob in 
 Davies 1 county 8 . Smith told them that they must 
 live on the plunder of their enemies ; and justi- 
 fied this course by the example of the Saviour, 
 who, he said, scrupled not to steal corn, while pass- 
 ing through the fields of his enemies the Jews 9 . 
 In their designs of marching against the mob, the 
 Mormons were encouraged by the circumstance, 
 that the generals of militia, having declared that 
 their men could not be relied on, were reported to 
 have advised the "Saints 11 to defend themselves 1 . 
 About two hundred men immediately volunteered 
 to proceed to the scene of difficulty, and the pro- 
 
 5 " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 41 . Corrill, p. 36. 
 
 6 Corrill, p. 37. Congressional Document, p. 2. 7 Ib. 
 8 Ib. 9 Congressional Document, p. 13. 
 
 Ib. Corrill, p. 36.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 169 
 
 phet nominated a person named Patten to com- 
 mand them, while two hundred others were ap- 
 pointed under Rigdon to guard Far West 2 . The 
 next day (Tuesday) Patten's company marched to 
 Adammondiahman in Davies county, accompanied 
 by Joseph Smith, Lyman Wight, Parley P. Pratt, 
 and other leading characters J . A council was 
 held the same night, in the course of which Smith 
 declared, that it was time that the saints of the 
 Most High God should protect themselves and 
 take the kingdom 4 . He compared the Mormon 
 " Church " to the little stone mentioned by the 
 prophet Daniel, and said, that the dissenters first, 
 and the state next, were part of the image that 
 should be destroyed by this little stone 5 . Lyman 
 Wight also observed, that after defeating the mob, 
 they would subdue the whole state, and take St. 
 Louis before the end of winter 6 . On the following 
 Thursday, Patten, leaving Smith at Adammon- 
 diahman, took about a hundred men armed and 
 mounted, and led them to Gallatin, a " Gentile" 
 town in Davies county 7 . He dispersed the few 
 persons remaining in the place, plundered and 
 burnt a storehouse and other buildings, and carried 
 off an abundance of spoil, which was taken to 
 
 2 Corrill, p. 37- Congressional Document, p. 13. 3 Ib. 
 
 * Congressional Document, p. 3. * Ib. 
 
 6 Ib. 1 Ib. Corrill, p. 37-
 
 170 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 Adammondiahman, and deposited as consecrated 
 goods, in " the Lord^s storehouse,"' under the care 
 of Knight, the " bishop V The valorous Lyman 
 Wight, at the head of seventy or eighty mounted 
 men, marched against another small town, named 
 Millport, which he burned, having found it deserted 
 on his arrival, and the property removed 9 . Two 
 other companies scoured the country in different 
 directions, and returned with a quantity of plunder 1 . 
 The piece of cannon employed by the mob was 
 also captured and taken in triumph to Adammon- 
 diahman 2 . Between five and eight hundred Mor- 
 mon warriors were kept under arms on various ser- 
 vices, whose fanatical courage was constantly main- 
 tained by the exhortations of Smith. The prophet 
 assured them that the Lord would send angels to 
 fight for them, and that, through their means, the 
 riches of the Grentiles would be consecrated to the 
 house of Israel 3 . Under such teaching the love 
 of pillage grew upon them very rapidly ; they plun- 
 dered all that came in their way ; they burnt from 
 eighty to a hundred and fifty dwelling-houses ; and 
 in the course of a fortnight, effectually cleared 
 Davies county of their enemies *. After this, Pat- 
 
 8 Corrill, p. 37. Congressional Document, p. 3. 
 
 9 Congressional Document, p. 4. Corrill, p. 37- 
 
 1 Ib. 2 " History of Persecutions," p. 44. 
 
 3 Congressional Document, p. 14. 4 Corrill, p. 36.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 171 
 
 ten and his company marched to Far West with 
 a portion of their booty, and on their arrival, 
 Rigdon shouted three hosannas to the victors. 
 The prophet and Wight also returned to head- 
 quarters 5 . 
 
 In the meanwhile the Gentiles were collecting 
 their scattered forces under the command of one 
 Gilliam 6 . When a sufficient number had assem- 
 bled, they painted themselves after the manner of 
 Indians, and made an incursion into the Mormons" 
 own county of Caldwell, where, besides committing 
 the usual ravages, they threatened instant death to 
 all who should refuse to deny that Smith was a pro- 
 phet of God 7 . When this intelligence reached Far 
 West, the valiant Patten took Parley P. Pratt, 
 with about sixty men, and went to disperse the 
 enemy 8 . Not finding GillianTs forces where he 
 expected, he proceeded in search of them, and 
 accidentally encountered a party of the militia 
 commanded by Bogard, the Methodist preacher, 
 and acting under the orders of General Atchison, 
 with the professed object of preserving peace 9 . 
 The Mormons, mistaking this party for the mob, 
 determined on a battle, and after some religious 
 
 5 Congressional Document, p. 24. 6 Corrill, p. 22. 
 
 7 " Hist, of Persecutions," pp. 44, 45. 61. 
 
 s Ib. p. 45. Corrill, p. 39. 
 
 9 Corrill, p. 39. Congressional Document, p. 10. 
 
 i 2
 
 172 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 ceremony, their captain gave the command in these 
 words, " In the name of Lazarus, God, and the 
 Lamb, fire Danites V An action ensued, in which 
 the Methodist preacher and his men were put to 
 flight, with the loss of one killed and several 
 wounded 2 . Three or four of the Mormons were 
 also badly injured, among whom was Patten him- 
 self, who, with another man, died shortly after- 
 wards 3 . Smith, Wight, and others, hearing of the 
 victory, proceeded immediately from Far West to 
 the scene of action, where they pronounced bless- 
 ings on the wounded, and prayed over them, that 
 they might be healed and saved 4 . 
 
 This battle, fought on the 25th of October, pro- 
 duced great alarm among the Mormons, when they 
 ascertained that Patten's company had attacked 
 the regular militia of the State 5 . They knew that 
 henceforth they would be treated as outlaws, and 
 that those of the Missourians who, from respect to 
 the laws, had preserved a neutral part, would now 
 declare themselves against them. Accordingly, a 
 few of the more timid made their escape in the 
 night, together with their families. The prophet's 
 mounted Danites were sent from Far West in pur- 
 
 1 Congressional Document, p. 10. 
 
 2 " Hist, of Persecutions," p. 45. Con-ill, p. 39. 
 
 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. p. 9. Turner, p. 56. 
 * Corrill, p. 39.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 173 
 
 suit of these faint-hearted " Saints ; " but failed in 
 their attempt to overtake them 6 . 
 
 The Mormon forces were still collected at Adam- 
 mondiahman and Far West, and a small company 
 was stationed at a place denominated Hawn's 
 Mills 7 . On the other hand, the mob was equally 
 prepared, and in a short time the whole country 
 was under arms, and dreadful excesses were com- 
 mitted '. General Atchison, upon this, once more 
 ordered out the militia, (most of whom had re- 
 turned to their homes,) with the avowed object of 
 investigating the affair, and of bringing the guilty 
 on both sides to punishment 9 . The militia, how- 
 ever, as might be expected, sympathised entirely 
 with the mob, and perpetrated many outrages. On 
 Tuesday, the 30th of October, 240 of this militia 
 unexpectedly attacked the small party of Mormons 
 at Hawn's Mills 1 . Twenty of the latter were 
 driven into a blacksmith's shop, where they were 
 deliberately massacred, the assailants firing their 
 rifles through the interstices of the logs of which 
 the building was constructed 2 . A child, nine years 
 old, survived the general massacre by concealing 
 himself under the bellows ; but was afterwards dis- 
 
 r ' Con-ill, p. 39. 
 
 7 Ibid. Turner, p. 56. " History of Persecutions," p. 54. 
 
 8 Ibid. 9 Corrill, 39. 
 
 1 " History of Persecutions," p. 54. Turner, p. 56. 2 Ibid. 
 I 3
 
 174 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 covered and shot, the perpetrator justifying the 
 act by coldly asserting, that " little sprouts soon 
 become large trees, and this boy, if suffered to 
 live, would become a Mormon like his father 3 ." 
 An old man, once a soldier in the American Revo- 
 lution, was shot down, but not killed 4 . One of the 
 assailants seizing an old scythe, cut off the old 
 man's fingers as he stretched out his hands for 
 mercy, then severed the hands from the arms, then 
 the arms from the body, and, lastly, the head from 
 the trunk B . To so fearful an extent of barbarity 
 had the mob been stimulated, and to such an excess 
 of misery had the Mormons been reduced by the 
 Satanic devices of the infamous Smith. 
 
 On Sunday, November 4th, news was received 
 by the prophet, that Generals Atchison and Doni- 
 phan were advancing towards Far West with a 
 large army of militia 6 . Accordingly, he proceeded 
 with a hundred and sixty men and a white flag in 
 order to open a correspondence with them 7 . Not 
 meeting them, he returned to Far West, where he 
 found that the militia had arrived before him 8 . 
 Their army mustered 1500 men, the mob having 
 been permitted to enrol themselves with them as 
 volunteers 9 . Smith thus found himself invested by 
 
 3 " History of Persecutions," p. 58. * Ibid. p. 59. 
 
 5 Ibid. 6 Corrill, p. 40. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. 
 
 9 " History of Persecutions," pp. 46, 47-
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 175 
 
 his inveterate enemies ; but, nevertheless, his re- 
 sources had not yet entirely failed l . His Mormons 
 were brought out in battle array to the number of 
 250, and soon afterwards the militia were with- 
 drawn for the night 2 . The Mormons, availing 
 themselves of the opportunity, threw up a breast- 
 work around their town, and set guards to watch 
 the movements of the enemy*. The next day, 
 General Lucas with his men having joined the 
 army, Smith's courage seemed to fail, for he sent 
 an ambassador with instructions " to beg like a 
 dog for peace V In a spirit rather more heroic, 
 he added, that he would go to prison for twenty 
 years, or suffer death itself, if he could by either 
 means preserve his people from extermination s . 
 In the evening, the Mormons were informed by 
 General Lucas, the chief in command, that the 
 militia were acting under the orders of Governor 
 Boggs, who had succeeded Dunklin at a late guber- 
 natorial election 6 . They were also allowed to read 
 the Governor's order, which required that "the Mor- 
 mons should be treated as enemies, and exterminated 
 or driven from the State if necessary for the public 
 peace 7 ." The reason alleged by his Excellency 
 
 1 " History of Persecutions." Corrill, p. 40. J Ibid. 
 
 3 Ibid. " History of Persecutions," p. 47- * Corrill, p. 41. 
 5 Ibid. 6 " History of Persecutions," p. 47- 
 
 ? Ibid. Corrill, p. 41. 
 
 i 4
 
 176 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 was, that the Mormons were " in the attitude of an 
 open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of hav- 
 ing made war upon the people of the state V 
 
 Dreadful consternation ensued in the Mormon 
 camp 9 . The " Saints " expected to be extermi- 
 nated without mercy 1 . Three thousand " Gentiles " 
 surrounded them in such a state of fury, that the 
 officers could hardly restrain them from inflicting 
 the most terrible vengeance 2 . And now these 
 Gentiles had authority to cut off their retreat and 
 to destroy them, so that it appeared, that the inno- 
 cent and guilty must alike expect to share in one 
 common ruin 3 . General Lucas, however, partially 
 relieved their fears by offering them their lives on 
 the following conditions 4 . They were to give up 
 the heads of their " Church " to be punished, to 
 surrender their arms, to give up their property in 
 payment of their debts and damages, and to leave 
 Missouri without delay 5 . They were allowed the two 
 remaining hours before sunset to make up their 
 minds to these terms, the only alternative being 
 total extermination 6 . There was no course left 
 but entire submission. Accordingly, Joseph Smith, 
 
 8 " History of Persecutions." Corrill, p. 41. 
 
 9 Corrill, p. 42. l Ibid. 
 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 
 
 * Ibid. " History of Persecutions," p. 49. 
 5 Ibid. Corrill, p. 42.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 177 
 
 Sidney Eigdon, Lyman Wight, Parley P. Pratt, 
 and G. W. Robertson were informed, that the 
 Governor demanded their apprehension, and that 
 General Lucas required their immediate attend- 
 ance 7 . Smith said, that if it was the Governor's 
 order they would submit, and the Lord would take 
 care of them 8 . Accordingly, they were hurried as 
 fast as possible to the appointed place, where they 
 met General Lucas, who had made every arrange- 
 ment for the destruction of Far West 9 . Next 
 morning the army was brought near the town, and 
 the Mormon forces having marched out under their 
 officers, surrendered, and delivered up their arms, 
 which amounted to six hundred and thirty guns, 
 besides swords and pistols 1 . The main body of 
 militia continued at Far West, while General 
 Parks, with a large detachment, was sent to Adam- 
 mondiahman, where a hundred and fifty of the 
 Mormon troops surrendered to him, and delivered 
 up their arms 2 . About five hundred Mormon pro- 
 perty-holders were then collected, and obliged to 
 sign a " Deed of Trust," in which they assigned all 
 their property to defray the expenses of the war, to 
 pay the debts of the " Church," and to make com- 
 
 7 Corrill, p. 42. " History of Persecutions," p. 49. 
 
 3 Corrill, p. 42. 9 Ibid. 
 
 1 " History of Persecutions," pp. 50. 80. Corrill, p. 42. 
 
 2 Corrill, p. 43. 
 
 I 5
 
 178 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 pensation for the damages done by the Danites 3 . 
 They were then commanded to leave Missouri 
 before the ensuing spring, under pain of certain 
 death 4 . A court martial was next held upon the 
 prisoners under General Lucas, the members of 
 the commission consisting of nineteen militia offi- 
 cers and seventeen preachers of various sects, who 
 had served as volunteers against the Mormons 5 . 
 This singular court came to a determination that 
 our prophet and his comrades should be taken into 
 the public square of Far West, and there shot in 
 the presence of their families 6 . Had this decision 
 been enforced, myriads might have been saved from 
 the infamy of Mormonism, and Smith would have 
 gone into eternity under a less onerous burden of 
 unpardonable guilt. But Providence had decreed 
 that, on this occasion, Joseph should not become a 
 martyr; and that he should be allowed a career 
 which, by fully unfolding his character, would de- 
 prive him of all hope of sympathy in his fall, or of 
 canonization after death. General Doniphan, a 
 lawyer by profession, declared that the sentence 
 was illegal, and that he would not sanction its 
 execution by his presence 7 . He succeeded in de- 
 terring the others from carrying their purpose into 
 
 3 Ibid. " History of Persecutions," p. 50. 
 
 4 Ibid. 6 "History of Persecutions," p. 51. 6 Ibid. 
 ^ Ibid. p. 51.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 179 
 
 effect, and the joyful expectations of Smith's ene- 
 mies were, in this instance, disappointed 8 . 
 
 The five prisoners, together with Hyrum Smith 
 and Amasa Lyman, who were added to the number, 
 were marched off on the following Friday, Novem- 
 ber 2nd, to Independence, the seat of their former 
 difficulties in Jackson county, where they " served 
 the same purpose as a caravan of wild animals, 
 hundreds calling to look at them V The next 
 day General Clark arrived at Far West, with 1400 
 mounted men, and said that there were 6000 more 
 within a day's march 10 . He ratified all that Gene- 
 ral Lucas had done, and selected forty or fifty of 
 the Mormons for subsequent trial; after which, 
 he made the following speech for the edification of 
 the disconsolate " Saints 1 :" 
 
 " GENTLEMEN, You whose names are not 
 attached to this list of names [viz. the prisoners], 
 will now have the privilege of going to your fields, 
 to obtain corn for your families, wood, &c. Those 
 that are now taken will go from hence to prison, 
 be tried, and receive the due demerit of their 
 crimes ; but you are now at liberty, all but such 
 
 8 " History of Persecutions," p. 51. 
 
 9 Corrill, p. 43. " History of Persecutions," p. 63. 
 
 10 Con-ill, p. 43. 
 
 1 For this speech see " History of Persecutions," p. 81. 
 
 16
 
 180 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 as charges may be hereafter preferred against. It 
 now devolves upon you to fulfil the treaty which 
 you have entered into, the leading items of which 
 I now lay before you. The first of these you have 
 already complied with, which is, that you deliver 
 up your leading men to be tried according to law. 
 Second, that you deliver up your arms, this you 
 have attended to. The third is, that you sign over 
 your property to defray the expenses of the war, 
 this you have also done. Another thing yet re- 
 mains for you to comply with ; that is, that you 
 leave the state forthwith : and whatever your feel- 
 ings concerning this affair, whatever your inno- 
 cence, it is nothing to me. General Lucas, who is 
 equal in authority with me, has made this treaty 
 with you, and I am determined to see it executed. 
 The orders of the governor to me were, that you 
 should be exterminated, and not allowed to con- 
 tinue in the state ; and had your leaders not been 
 given up, and the treaty complied with, before this, 
 you and your families would have been destroyed 
 and your houses in ashes. 
 
 " There is a discretionary power vested in my 
 hands, which I shall try to execute for a season. 
 I did not say that you should go now ; but you 
 must not think of staying here another season, or 
 of putting in crops, for the moment you do, the 
 citizens will be upon you. I am determined to see 
 12
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 181 
 
 the governor's message fulfilled, but shall not come 
 upon you immediately, do not think that I shall 
 act as I have done any more ; but if I have to 
 come again, because the treaty which you have 
 made here shall be broken, you need not expect 
 any mercy, but extermination ; for I am deter- 
 mined the governor's order shall be executed. As 
 for your leaders, do not once think, do not ima- 
 gine for a moment, do not let it enter your minds, 
 that they will be delivered, or that you will see 
 their faces again ; for their fate is fixed, their die 
 is cast, their doom is sealed. 
 
 " I am sorry, gentlemen, to see so great a num- 
 ber of apparently intelligent men found in the situ- 
 ation that you are ; and oh ! that I could invoke 
 the Spirit of the unknown God to rest upon you, 
 and deliver you from that awful chain of supersti- 
 tion, and liberate you from the fetters of fanaticism 
 with which you are bound. I would advise you to 
 scatter abroad, and never again organize with 
 bishops, presidents, &c., lest you excite the jea- 
 lousies of the people, and subject yourselves to the 
 same calamities that have now come upon you. 
 You have always been the aggressors. You have 
 brought upon yourselves these difficulties by being 
 disaffected, and not being subject to rule ; and my 
 advice is, that you become as other citizens, lest
 
 182 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 by a recurrence of these events you bring upon 
 yourselves irretrievable ruin." 
 
 Having delivered this address, General Clark 
 collected his prisoners and marched them off to 
 Richmond, where they were placed in custody *. 
 Our prophet and his six comrades were forwarded 
 to the same town from Independence, on the 8th 
 of November ; but when near the Missouri river, 
 their guards became intoxicated, and the prisoners 
 got possession of their arms and horses 5 . They 
 continued nevertheless to Richmond, where they 
 were put in chains and closely guarded 6 . A court 
 of inquiry was held on the 12th, in consequence of 
 which our prophet and twenty-nine others were 
 retained for trial, under the charges of high treason 
 against the state, murder, burglary, arson, robbery, 
 and larceny 7 . The court closed on the 29th, after 
 which all the prisoners were either released or 
 admitted to bail, except Joseph and Hyrum 
 Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, with two 
 others, who were sent to jail at Liberty, in Clay 
 county, and Parley P. Pratt, with four others, who 
 
 * Corrill, p. 43. 
 
 5 " History of Persecutions," p. 65. 
 
 6 Ib. Corrill, p. 43. 
 
 7 See Congressional Document, p. 1. Corrill, p. 43. " His- 
 tory of Persecutions," p. 69.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 183 
 
 were confined in the jail at Richmond, to await 
 their trial for the crimes already mentioned 6 . 
 
 About the same time, the legislature of Missouri 
 commenced its session 7 . It was represented to 
 that body, that the Mormon population in Caldwell 
 and Davies counties were in a state of deplorable 
 destitution, from the effects of the contest, and 
 2000 dollars were accordingly appropriated for 
 their relief 8 . A number of Mormons met and 
 drew up a petition to the legislature, setting forth 
 a short history of their difficulties from the begin- 
 ning, and praying that the governor's exterminat- 
 ing order might be rescinded 9 . It prayed further 
 that they might be released from the deed of trust 
 made in duress : that they might be compensated 
 for the loss of their arms and other damages ; and 
 that they might be permitted to remain in Mis- 
 souri. After much discussion, the petition was 
 laid on the table until the July following; or, in 
 other words, it was utterly rejected l . 
 
 Joseph Smith and the other six prisoners, com- 
 mitted to the jail at Liberty, remained for some 
 time in prison ; but early in the following year, 
 1839. succeeded in effecting their escape to the 
 state of Illinois 2 . Those in Richmond jail, after 
 
 6 Corrill, p. 43. 1 Ib. p. 44. 8 Ibid. 
 
 9 " History of Persecutions," p. 73. 
 
 1 Corrill, p. 44. 2 " History of Persecutions," p. 73.
 
 184 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 
 
 obtaining a change of venue, remained in confine- 
 ment till the 4th of July, when most of them suc- 
 ceeded also in escaping 3 . The great bulk of the 
 western Mormons, amounting to nearly 1 5,000 per- 
 sons, being now deprived of nearly all their pro- 
 perty, and fearful of remaining till spring, on 
 account of the threatenings of the mob, wandered 
 in the depth of winter through Missouri towards 
 the Mississippi, a distance of 200 miles *. A large 
 number arrived at the river, opposite Quincy, in 
 Illinois, during February and March, 1839, where 
 they found the ice running in such quantities that 
 they were unable to cross, and were obliged to 
 encamp, without sufficient clothes or shelter, in the 
 open woods on the western bank of the river 5 . 
 Among this miserable and deluded multitude were 
 not only naked children, famished infants, and de- 
 licate women, but many widows, who had lost their 
 husbands during the late wars, and were reduced 
 to live upon the charity of their suffering compa- 
 nions 6 . The inhabitants of Quincy immediately 
 called a public meeting, expressed their abhorrence 
 of the conduct of the Missourians, and entered 
 upon a course of well- sustained efforts to relieve 
 
 3 " History of Persecutions," p. 70. 
 
 * Ib. p. 71. Corrill, p. 44. Turner, p. 55. " Times and 
 Seasons," p. 709. 
 
 * Turner, p. 58. 8 Ib. p. 59.
 
 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A REVERSE. 185 
 
 the necessities of the Mormons, and to provide for 
 their future wants 7 . As soon as the ice would 
 allow, the unhappy refugees crossed the river into 
 Illinois, where they were received with the greatest 
 hospitality and kindness 8 . 
 
 Of the " Mormon war " described in the last two 
 chapters, much has been said, and public opinion, 
 on the whole, has censured the proceedings of the 
 people of Missouri 9 . That the Missourians car- 
 ried the matter too far, and in many instances 
 treated the Mormons with unnecessary cruelty, 
 cannot be doubted *. At the same time, it is per- 
 fectly clear that there were many causes of aggra- 
 vation, which serve considerably to palliate the 
 atrocities which were committed 2 . In fact, it 
 seems almost impossible that persons like the 
 leaders of Mormonism, directing the pecuniary 
 and the political acts of their followers, could 
 long continue to live in peace with any commu- 
 nity. Regarding the words of Smith as in- 
 spired, the Mormons can be united by him in 
 order to accomplish any of his purposes, however 
 desperate. Such a society holds the rights of its 
 neighbours in its own hands, and possesses a capa- 
 city for secrecy, which enables it to commit depre- 
 dations of every sort without the fear of detection. 
 
 7 Turner, p. 59. 8 Ibid. Harris, p. 35. 
 
 9 Harris, p. 34. ' Ibid. 2 Ibid.
 
 186 THE PROPHET SUSTAINS A EEVERSE. 
 
 A body so constituted, having its own peculiar 
 interests, and inimical in its very nature to the 
 rights of others, cannot fail to excite jealousy. 
 When, in addition to the above, we consider the 
 materials of which Mormonism is composed, when 
 we reflect on the ignorance, the bigotry, the arro- 
 gance, and the fanaticism displayed by its votaries 
 throughout their entire coarse, it cannot surprise 
 us that a collision should take place between such 
 a people and the very independent population by 
 which they were surrounded. It was not the mere 
 religion of the Mormons that offended the Missou- 
 rians, it was their presumptuous claims, their pur- 
 pose of mutual protection, their thefts, and their 
 concealment of crimes, which, in a newly formed 
 state of society on the utmost verge of the civilized 
 world, exasperated the community of Western 
 Missouri to deeds of unrelenting and unpitying 
 vengeance.
 
 THE PROPHET RETRIEVES, &C. 187 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE PROPHET RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 
 
 The Mormons gather strength from their reverses, and the Pro- 
 phet is courted as a great political leader Nauvoo is founded 
 and increases with rapidity The Prophet again speculates in 
 " town-lots " He sends Elder Hyde on a pilgrimage to Jeru- 
 salem The pilgrim sees great signs in heaven, arrives in 
 Palestine, and offers up a prayer on the Mount of Olives The 
 Prophet obtains Charters for the Nauvoo Legion, the City of 
 Nauvoo, the Mormon University, &c. Ordinances of the 
 Mayor and Aldermen Professorships in the University A 
 "Revelation" obtained fora Hotel and for the Temple Tithes 
 imposed on the Mormons Description of the Temple and the 
 Font Egyptian Mummies Book of Abraham Times and 
 Seasons Letter to Queen Victoria Designs of the Prophet. 
 
 IT might have been expected that the fearful down- 
 fall detailed in the last chapter would have extin- 
 guished the credit of Joseph Smith, and annihilated 
 the prospects of his sect. Calculation after calcula- 
 tion had failed, plan after plan had been over- 
 thrown, and the professedly inspired prophet had 
 never known the event until too late J . If he told 
 
 1 Corrill, p. 48.
 
 188 THE PROPHET 
 
 his people to go up and prosper in the name of the 
 Lord, still they did not prosper ; but found even 
 their reasonable expectations disappointed. If he 
 foretold deliverance from their enemies, they waded 
 at his command through difficulties, they followed 
 him to the commission of crimes, but no deli- 
 verance came z . If he promised them the riches of 
 the " Gentiles, 1 ' 1 those very " Gentiles" deprived 
 them of their lawful property, expelled them from 
 their homes, treated them as prisoners of war, and 
 reduced them to abject poverty. 
 
 But, to the astonishment of the world, the devo- 
 tion of the great body of the Mormons remained 
 unshaken. Although a few quitted their ranks, the 
 " Saints " generally seemed to derive new faith and 
 increased harmony from their reverses*. Once more 
 their prophet appeared at their head, and, instead 
 of spurning him as a convicted impostor, and as the 
 profligate author of their miseries, they welcomed 
 him on his escape from imprisonment as a holy 
 confessor*. Nor was Smith in any respect dis- 
 heartened by his misfortunes. He knew that his 
 missionaries were extending Mormonism with ra- 
 pidity in England and in the eastern portions of 
 America. He was aware that thousands of new 
 
 2 Corrill, p. 48. 3 " Times and Seasons," p. 273. 
 
 4 " History of Persecutions."
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 189 
 
 proselytes, who had never seen his failures, were 
 ready to gather at whatever place he might ap- 
 point. And, above all, he was conscious that the 
 severities which had been inflicted in Missouri had 
 procured a degree of sympathy for his cause in the 
 neighbouring and rival state of Illinois, which he 
 could employ to his peculiar advantage 5 . 
 
 On arriving in Illinois, he found himself, in fact, 
 not merely an object of sympathy, but actually of 
 respect 6 . The two great political parties of Whigs 
 and Democrats in that State were almost equally 
 divided, and each was desirous of securing the pro- 
 phet's influence in its favour 7 . In that land of 
 universal suffrage, where every male citizen who has 
 attained his majority is entitled to a vote, it was well 
 understood that Smith, with his fifteen thousand 
 Mormons, and his power of controlling the ballot, 
 might often turn the scale of political supremacy in 
 whatever direction he might prefer 8 . The prophet 
 availed himself of the advantage of his new posi- 
 tion, and. by his dexterous management, the dema- 
 gogues of loth parties were soon flattering him, 
 fawning around him, and expressing their willing- 
 ness to serve him to the utmost 9 . 
 
 Early in 1839, the greater part of the Mormons 
 settled in Illinois, under their prophet's direction, 
 
 5 " Times and Seasons," p. 2?3. 6 Harris, p. 35. 
 
 J Turner, p. 64. 8 Ibid. 9 Ibid. p. 64, Harris, p. 35.
 
 190 THE PROPHET 
 
 at a beautiful situation on the Tipper Mississippi, 
 at the head of the Des Moines Rapids '. Here the 
 great river, within an almost semicircular curve, 
 includes a level space upon which the prophet laid 
 out a city, and named it Nauvoo, an appellation 
 which he declared signified in Hebrew " Beautiful V 
 The streets were planned so as to extend east 
 and west across the curve of the Mississippi, being 
 limited at each extremity by the river 3 . These 
 streets were intersected at right-angles by others, 
 which, running northward to the river, were 
 bounded on the south by a rising ground, on the 
 summit of which a new Temple was shortly 
 founded*. It was given out that, although Zion, 
 in Jackson county, Missouri, was to be the ulti- 
 mate gathering place of the " Saints," 11 Nauvoo 
 was designed as the principal "Stake" until the 
 times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled 5 . The 
 " first Presidency " purchased the site of the new 
 city at a small price, and sold out building lots to 
 their followers at a considerable advance, for the 
 benefit, as was supposed, of the general fund 6 . 
 The missionaries were then instructed to send all 
 converts to this place as soon as possible, together 
 with whatever property they might possess 7 . Ac- 
 
 1 Harris, p. 35. Turner, p. 59. 
 
 2 " City of the Mormons," p. 8. 
 
 s Turner, p. 59. 6 Ibid. p. 63. 
 
 3 Ibid. * Ibid. 
 
 ' Ibid. p. 59.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 191 
 
 cordingly, the population of Nauvoo increased by 
 thousands, and the prophet soon found that he had 
 no cause to repent his expulsion from Missouri 8 . 
 In a few months, the active Mormons had levelled 
 the forests for miles around, had erected their neat 
 dwellings, had prepared their fields and their gar- 
 dens, and had caused the wilderness " to blossom 
 as the rose V Their union and concert of action 
 which had been the origin of many of their cala- 
 mities, proved exceedingly advantageous to them 
 in the establishment of their new community. The 
 prophet by " revelation " assigned to every man his 
 proper business, and under this theocratic govern- 
 ment they arranged themselves in their new abode 
 like a swarm of industrious bees 1 . But for their 
 preposterous heresy, their lax morals, and their un- 
 principled head, they undoubtedly possessed the 
 elements of an improving and prosperous people. 
 
 Smith immediately began to devise measures for 
 the more extensive propagation of his imposture. 
 Elder Hyde, previously a missionary to England, 
 declared, that he had seen a vision requiring him 
 to go to Jerusalem 3/ . He was accordingly sent by 
 the prophet from Nauvoo on a pilgrimage to Pales- 
 tine, to dedicate that land anew to Jehovah 3 . This 
 missionary, like the others, received no stated 
 
 8 Harris, p. 35. Turner, p. 59. " Times and Seasons," p. 274. 
 3 Ibid. J " Times and Seasons," p. 274, &c. 
 2 Ibid. p. 739, &c. 3 Ibid.
 
 192 THE PROPHET 
 
 (0 
 
 salary ; but collected among the brethren whatever 
 funds were necessary for his expenses 4 . Having 
 arrived in England, he- preached in Manchester and 
 other places, where he obtained a little money, and 
 then proceeded to Holland *. Thence he advanced 
 by the Danube to Constantinople, where he took 
 ship and arrived at Jaffa in October, 1841 6 . He 
 declared that, while on this voyage, he saw a bright 
 glittering sword in the sky, the hilt of which was 
 seized by a hand which stretched itself out from 
 the heavens 7 . He added in his report, that when 
 the Arabs who navigated the vessel beheld the 
 appearance, they made a fearful outcry, and ex- 
 claimed " Oh, Allah, Allah, Allah ! " From Jaffa 
 this pilgrim proceeded to Jerusalem, supporting 
 his existence upon snails and similar diet, and often 
 fasting entirely on account of his poverty 9 . On 
 Sunday, October 24th, he went out of the city as 
 soon as the gates were opened, crossed the brook 
 Cedron, ascended the Mount of Olives, and there 
 offered up a prayer which he committed to paper, 
 and of which the following extracts will serve as 
 specimens 1 : 
 
 " O Thou, who art from everlasting to ever- 
 lasting, listen to the prayer of thy servant, which 
 
 "Times and Seasons," p. 597- * Ibid. 6 Ibid. p. 742. 
 Ibid. 8 Ibid. 9 Ibid. p. 739. 
 
 Ibid. pp. 739, 740, 741, &c.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 193 
 
 he this day offers unto thee, in the name of thy 
 holy child Jesus, upon the land where the Sun of 
 Righteousness set in blood, and thine Anointed 
 
 One expired Now, Lord ! thy servant 
 
 has been obedient to the heavenly vision which 
 thou gavest him in his native land ; and under the 
 shadow of thine outstretched arm he has safely arrived 
 in this place, to dedicate and consecrate this land unto 
 Thee, for the building up of Jerusalem again, after 
 it has been trodden down by the Gentiles, and for 
 
 rearing a temple in honour of thy name 
 
 Lord, remove the barrenness and sterility of this 
 land, and let springs of water break forth to water 
 its thirsty soil. Let the vine and the olive produce 
 in their strength, and the fig-tree bloom and flou- 
 rish. Let the land become abundantly fruitful 
 when restored to its rightful heirs .... and let 
 thy great kindness subdue the unbelief of thy 
 
 people Thou didst once move the heart of 
 
 Cyrus to show favour unto Jerusalem and her chil- 
 dren. Do thou now also inspire the hearts of 
 kings to look with friendly eye towards this 
 
 place Let that nation which shall take an 
 
 active part in behalf of Abraham's children, find 
 favour in thy sight let the glory of Israel over- 
 shadow them, and the power of the Highest pro- 
 tect them .... 
 
 " Though thy servant is now far from his home, 
 
 K
 
 194 THE PROPHET 
 
 and the land bedewed with his earliest tear, yet he 
 remembers, Lord, his friends who are there, and 
 his family, whom for thy sake he has left. Though 
 poverty and privation be our earthly lot ; yet ah ! 
 do thou richly endow us with an inheritance where 
 moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves 
 
 do not break through and steal Do thou 
 
 bless the stranger in Philadelphia, whom I never 
 saw, but who sent me gold, with a request that I 
 
 should pray for him in Jerusalem Remem- 
 
 ber Zion [i. e. the Mormon sect], with all her 
 stakes, and with all her assemblies. She has been 
 grievously afflicted and smitten ; she has mourned ; 
 her enemies have triumphed, and have said, ' Ah ! 
 where is thy God." 1 Her priests and prophets have 
 groaned in chains and fetters within the gloom 
 walls of prisons, while many are slain, and now 
 sleep in the arms of death. How long, Lord, 
 shall iniquity triumph, and sin go unpunished ! 
 Do thou arise in the majesty of thy strength, and 
 make bare thine arm in behalf of thy people. 
 Redress their wrongs, and turn their sorrow into 
 
 joy 
 
 " Let a peculiar blessing rest upon the presidency 
 of thy church [Smith, Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith], 
 for at them are the arrows of the enemy directed. 
 Be thou to them a sun and a shield, their strong 
 tower and a hiding place, and in the time of dis-
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 195 
 
 tress or danger be thou near to deliver 
 
 Let thy blessing rest upon every faithful officer and 
 member of thy Church, and all the glory and 
 honour will we ascribe unto God, and the Lamb, 
 for ever and ever. Amen." 
 
 This fervent pilgrim erected a pile of stones " for 
 a testimony" on the top of the Mount of Olives, 
 and another on Mount Zion 2 . Having conversed 
 with many Jews, whom he found intensely inte- 
 rested in the idea of a literal restoration, he re- 
 turned to Jaffa, and from thence sailed to Alex- 
 andria, where he embarked for Trieste on his 
 return to Nauvoo 3 . 
 
 This pilgrimage to the Holy Land, with the 
 prayer for Smith, Rigdon, and Co. upon the Mount 
 of Olives, was evidently an effectual means of 
 increasing the devotion of the more simple and 
 religious Mormons. But there were many other 
 methods adopted, in order to secure the co-opera- 
 tion of every class of characters. Parley P. 
 Pratt was sent to England in 1839, where, as we 
 have already seen, he took up his abode at Man- 
 chester, and published various works well calcu- 
 lated to entrap the credulous and unwary. Mis- 
 sionaries were likewise continually going forth from 
 Nauvoo to every country where the English lan- 
 
 2 " Times and Seasons," p. 741. 3 Ibid. 
 
 K2
 
 196 THE PROPHET 
 
 guage is spoken (for elsewhere the gift of tongues 
 was useless), and returning from time to time with 
 wonderful stories of their extraordinary success 4 . 
 Smithes genius, under the influence of political 
 favour, took a higher flight than ever, and our pro- 
 phet determined to obtain a legal sanction for all 
 his proceedings, in order to resist effectually the 
 opposition of " Gentiles" and " Dissenters." The 
 Danite band had irregularly served his purposes in 
 Missouri, and he now determined to reorganize it 
 as his standing army, with lawful authority, so that 
 it might serve him more completely in Illinois. He 
 had suffered much in Far West by the intrusion of 
 suspicious persons, and he now resolved on ob- 
 taining a municipal charter for Nauvoo, under 
 which he might virtually hold the police of his city 
 in his own hand, and keep all enemies at a distance. 
 He saw the importance of controlling the education 
 of the children of his converts, and therefore aiming 
 as high as possible, he concluded upon asking for 
 nothing less than a Charter for a University, which 
 should direct education from its very commence- 
 ment. 
 
 In conformity with these plans, our presidential 
 triumvirate boldly applied to the Legislature of 
 Illinois for the requisite powers s . They found the 
 
 4 See " Times and Seasons " throughout. 
 * Times and Seasons," p. 273.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 197 
 
 Legislature even more favourable and pliant than 
 they could have anticipated, and the very extensive 
 privileges which they desired were granted almost 
 without opposition 6 . Indeed the principal poli- 
 ticians seemed to vie with each other in syco- 
 phancy to the fanatical strangers ; so anxious was 
 each party to do some act that would secure their 
 gratitude 7 . However disgraceful to Missouri some 
 of the proceedings of its inhabitants may have 
 been, Illinois was at least as fully disgraced by the 
 insane " liberality " which its Legislature extended 
 to the Mormons. On the 16th of December, 1840, 
 all the above-mentioned privileges were granted, 
 together with additional charters for three compa- 
 nies, respectively incorporated for building the 
 Temple, for erecting a grand hotel, and for manu- 
 facturing purposes 8 . The Danite band was, in a 
 measure, revived under the name of the Nauvoo 
 Legion, and soon mustered seventeen hundred 
 fighting men, to whose charge, by an unaccount- 
 able infatuation, the arms of the State were in- 
 trusted, including many pieces of cannon, and all 
 necessary weapons and accoutrements 9 . Of this 
 
 e Turner, p. 61. Harris, p. 35. " Times and Seasons," 
 p. 273, &c. i Harris, p. 35. 
 
 8 " Times and Seasons," p. 273. 
 
 9 Louisville Weekly Journal," August 3d, 1842. (Statement 
 of J. C. Bennett.) 
 
 K 3
 
 198 THE PROPHET 
 
 legion our prophet was appointed Lieutenant-Gene- 
 ral by the Governor of Illinois; while the whole 
 corps was placed at the disposal of the Mayor of 
 Nauvoo, in executing the laws and ordinances of 
 the city corporation \ The council of the city was 
 appointed to consist of a Mayor, four Aldermen, 
 and nine Councillors, with full power to make such 
 ordinances as might be expedient 2 . It was accord- 
 ingly deemed expedient to ordain, in the course of 
 the year, that " all suspicious persons, persons 
 having no fixed place of residence or visible means of 
 support, or unable to give a good account of them- 
 selves," might be confined to hard labour for ninety 
 days, fined five hundred dollars, and imprisoned for 
 six months 3 . Smith was duly elected Chief Coun- 
 cillor of the corporation of Nauvoo 4 . The Quarter- 
 master General of Illinois, one John C. Bennett, 
 having declared his conversion to the faith, was 
 elected Mayor of the city, and was appointed 
 Major-General of the Nauvoo Legion 5 . This John 
 C. Bennett will become a conspicuous character in 
 the close of our history. In regard to the Nauvoo 
 University also, the short-sighted Legislature did 
 its utmost to make Mormonism an established 
 religion. The 24th section of the Act incorpo- 
 
 1 Act of Incorporation ; " Times and Seasons," p. 284. 
 
 2 Ibid. Ibid. p. 522. 4 Ibid. p. 287, &c. 
 5 Ibid. p. 275. " Louisville Journal," August 3d, 1842.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 199 
 
 rating the city of Nauvoo, contains the following 
 provisions 6 : 
 
 " The City Council may establish and organize an 
 institution of learning within the limits of the city, 
 for the teaching of the arts, sciences, and learned 
 professions, to be called the ' University of the City 
 of Nauvoo, 1 which institution shah 1 be under the 
 control and management of a board of trustees, 
 consisting of a Chancellor, Registrar, and twenty- 
 three Regents, which board shall thereafter be a 
 body corporate and politic, with perpetual succes- 
 sion, by the name of the Chancellor and Regents of 
 the University of the City of Nauvoo, * * * provided 
 that the trustees shall at all times be appointed by 
 the City Council, and shall have all the powers and 
 privileges for the advancement of the cause of edu- 
 cation which appertain to the trustees of any other 
 college or university of this state." 
 
 In conformity with these provisions, we find the 
 names of Lieutenant- General the Prophet Smith, 
 Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith at the head of 
 the Regents ; with the valiant Quarter- Master and 
 Mayor, Major-General Bennett, for their Chan- 
 cellor. Sidney Rigdon was appointed Professor of 
 Rhetoric, Belles Lettres, and " Church History," 
 Orson Pratt of Mathematics and English Litera- 
 ture, and Orson Spencer of Languages 7 . The 
 
 6 " Times and Seasons," p. 284. 1 Ibid. p. 631. 
 
 K 4
 
 200 THE PROPHET 
 
 Lieutenant-General and Prophet would doubtless 
 have been appointed President, but for the fact 
 that his ignorance and utter want of literary edu- 
 cation had so long been used as an evidence of the 
 truth of his doctrines, that his appointment to the 
 Presidency of a University would have been too 
 ridiculous even for the Mormons. 
 
 In reference to the Temple and the grand Hotel, 
 Smith was not satisfied with obtaining charters 
 from the Legislature, but produced, in January, 
 1841, an express " revelation " from heaven in 
 their behalf. A portion of this document is as 
 follows 8 : 
 
 " Verily, verily, I say unto you, let all my saints 
 come from afar, and send ye swift messengers, yea, 
 chosen messengers, and say unto them, come ye 
 with all your gold, and your silver, And precious 
 stones, and with all your antiquities ; and all who 
 have knowledge of antiquities that will come may 
 come ; and bring the box-tree, and the fir-tree, 
 and the pine-tree, together with all the precious 
 trees of the earth, and with iron, and with 
 zinc, and with copper, and with brass, and 
 with all your precious things of the earth ; 
 and build a house to my name for the Most High 
 to dwell therein; for there is not a place found 
 upon earth, that he may come and restore again 
 s " Times and Seasons," p. 425.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 201 
 
 that which was lost unto you, or which he hath 
 taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood 
 * * *. And verily I say unto you, let this house 
 be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine 
 ordinances therein unto my people ; for I design to 
 reveal unto my Church things which have been 
 kept hid from the foundation of the world ; things 
 that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of 
 time. And I will show unto my servant Joseph 
 all things pertaining to this house, and the priest- 
 hood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be 
 built." 
 
 In reference to the Hotel, the " revelation " ran 
 as follows 9 : 
 
 " Verily I say unto you, let my servant George, 
 and my servant Lyman, and my servant John 
 Snider, and others, build a house unto my name, 
 such an one as my servant Joseph shall show unto 
 them, upon the place which he shall show unto 
 them also. And it shall be for a house of board- 
 ing, a house that strangers may come from afar to 
 lodge therein * * *. Let it be built unto my 
 name, and let my name be named upon it ; and let 
 my servant Joseph and Ms house have place therein 
 from generation to generation. For this anointing 
 have I put upon his head, that his blessing shall 
 
 9 " Times and Seasons," p. 427. 
 K 5
 
 202 THE PROPHET 
 
 also be put upon the heads of his posterity after 
 him ; and as I said unto Abraham, even so I say unto 
 ray servant Joseph, in thee and in thy seed shall all 
 the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Therefore, let 
 my servant Joseph, and his seed after him, have 
 place in that house from generation to generation, 
 for ever and ever, saith the Lord; and let the 
 name of that house be called the Nauvoo House, 
 and let it be a delightful habitation for man, and a 
 resting-place for the weary traveller, that he may 
 contemplate the glory of Zion and the glory of this 
 corner-stone thereof.' 1 
 
 The money necessary for the erection of the 
 temple was appointed to be raised among all Mor- 
 mons in Europe and America, by tything and con- 
 secration, and to be paid into the hands of Joseph 
 Smith 1 . All were at liberty to consecrate what- 
 ever they would ; but the tything required was a 
 tenth of all that a person possessed at the com- 
 mencement of the edifice, and a tenth of all his 
 increase from that time till the completion of the 
 temple 2 . This remarkable building, as yet un- 
 finished, is a hundred and twenty feet in length by 
 eighty in breadth 3 . At the centre of it is a great 
 baptismal font or laver, eighteen or twenty feet 
 
 1 " Times and Seasons," p. 737, &c. 2 Ibid. 
 
 3 " City of the Mormons," p. 10.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 203 
 
 square, and resting upon the backs of twelve oxen, 
 as large as life, and tolerably well sculptured*. 
 The laver and oxen are of wood, and painted 
 white; but the Mormons assert that they are 
 to be hereafter gilded or covered with plates of 
 gold 5 . At this place baptisms for the dead are 
 celebrated, as well as baptisms for the healing of 
 diseases ; but baptisms for the remission of sins are 
 performed in the Mississippi 6 . 
 
 With regard to the " Nauvoo House," a building 
 plainly designed for the especial benefit of the pro- 
 phet, the necessary money was to be raised by the 
 sale of shares, which the projectors declared would 
 produce a profit of twenty-five per cent, per annum, 
 on account of the immense number of strangers 
 who were expected to come to Nauvoo " to con- 
 template the word of the Lord, and the corner- 
 stone which he had appointed for ZionV The 
 elders were required to preach upon this subject, 
 and to exhort the people to purchase stock, partly 
 by considerations of interest and partly from respect 
 to the " revelation," which commanded the erection 
 of the building ". Their efforts have been strenu- 
 ous ; but hitherto have met with little success, and 
 as only a small amount of stock has been taken, the 
 walls of the building remain incomplete 9 . 
 
 4 " City of the Mormons," p. 16. 5 Ibid. 6 
 
 7 Ibid. p. 13. Ibid. 9 Ibid. p. 17. 
 
 K 6
 
 204 THE PROPHET 
 
 Smith had obtained, while in Kirtland, four 
 Egyptian mummies, which had accompanied him in 
 his flight to Missouri and thence to Illinois. These 
 were now set up in an open case, and exhibited to 
 the wondering spectators, as a king of Egypt with 
 his two wives, and the daughter of another king '. 
 Old Smith, the patriarch, being now dead, his 
 widow, the aged mother of our prophet, frequently 
 took upon herself to recount fabulous histories of 
 these mummies, and to declare the extraordinary 
 " providences " by which they came into her son's 
 hands. The papyrus in which they were enveloped 
 was removed by the appli cation of a backwoods- 
 man's axe, and exhibited as containing the actual 
 handwriting of Abraham, "written with his own 
 hand while in Egypt V Our prophet went so far 
 as to produce a translation of the inscriptions, 
 which he published under the title of the " Book of 
 Abraham" with explanatory cuts taken from the 
 figures of men and animals on the papyrus 3 . 
 
 Soon after the prophet's arrival at Nauvoo, a 
 periodical publication was commenced at that place, 
 entitled the " Times and Seasons." This work 
 appeared once a fortnight, in sixteen pages, 8vo., 
 and was circulated throughout the Mormon con- 
 
 1 Corrill, p. 45. " City of the Mormons," p. 28. 
 
 2 Ibid. p. 28. 3 " Times and Seasons," p. 703.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 205 
 
 gregations in England, the United States, and the 
 British Colonies. For some time, " Don Carlos" 
 Smith, the prophet's brother, was the editor ; but 
 after his death, our indefatigable prophet, General 
 Smith, assumed the publication. The " Times and 
 Seasons'" is edited with a great degree of ingenuity, 
 and acquaintance with the popular theology of the 
 age. It answers all the purposes of an " Eccle- 
 siastical Gazette," a " Missionary Herald," a reli- 
 gious magazine, and a common country newspaper. 
 Within its pages may be seen " Proclamations to 
 the Saints scattered abroad," signed by the trium- 
 virate ; essays in vindication of Mormonism, with 
 laboured evidences of its truth ; together with re- 
 prints of entire acts of the friendly Legislature. It 
 contains also numerous " revelations" from the 
 editor as prophet, obituaries, marriage-notices, and 
 advertisements of farms, shops, and every descrip- 
 tion of quack medicines. There also the curious 
 examiner will find the reports of the Mormon mis- 
 sionaries throughout the world ; orders to the 
 Nauvoo legion, issued by the editor as Lieutenant- 
 General ; choice specimens of Mormon poetry ; and 
 marvellous scraps of news from all quarters. He 
 will not fail to be struck, and perhaps amused, by 
 the appearance in the 38th number, of a long let- 
 ter from Parley P. Pratt to Queen Victoria, in 
 which Her Majesty is solemnly warned to " dis-
 
 206 THE PROPHET 
 
 pense with pride, luxury, extravagance, and ex- 
 cess," and to become an humble believer in Joseph 
 Smith 1 . It may be readily imagined that this 
 publication is a powerful auxiliary in the diffusion 
 and maintenance of the Mormon imposture. 
 
 Having thus considered the principal measures 
 of the prophet, since the period of his last inglorious 
 escape from prison, it may be proper to close this 
 chapter with a brief review of his designs, as 
 gathered from his publications and official an- 
 nouncements. 
 
 Although Smith and his accomplices, in the first 
 instance, aimed chiefly at the acquisition of wealth^ 
 yet as the delusion began to spread, and more 
 became duped than they anticipated, they found 
 an easy opening to the attainment of power 2 , 
 Having experimented freely on the credulity of 
 mankind, their plans assumed a wider range, and 
 at length the prophet determined to pursue a path 
 similar to that of Mahomet, and to attain his end 
 by similar means 3 . The auspicious circumstances 
 under which the Mormons commenced their new 
 settlement at Nauvoo, encouraged him to system- 
 atize his efforts, and to adopt the modes of pro- 
 cedure which seemed to give the best promise of 
 success. Thus he resolved on a concentration of 
 
 1 " Times and Seasons," p. 592. 
 
 2 Harris, p. 43. 3 Ibid.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 207 
 
 his power, and the proclamation was accordingly 
 issued, requiring his hundred thousand adherents to 
 gather as soon as possible in the neighbourhood of 
 Nauvoo, where alone their baptisms for the dead 
 were to be effectual 4 . In this way property was 
 brought into his hands ; while to the continual 
 augmentation of his standing army was added a 
 prospect of indefinite increase *. Following out the 
 same idea, he secured for his troops, as we have 
 seen, the possession of the arms of the State, and 
 kept these fanatical soldiers constantly on drill, in 
 order to prepare them for future service 6 . What 
 is to be the nature of this service may be clearly 
 gathered from many prophecies, in which it is fore- 
 told that all unbelievers will be destroyed, and that 
 all earthly governments will be annihilated by the 
 physical power of the " Saints V In the " Book 
 of Covenants" the Mormons are thus addressed : 
 " With you, saith the Lord Almighty, I will rend 
 the kingdoms V And again, " I have called upon 
 the weak things of the world, those who are un- 
 learned and despised, to thrash the nations by the 
 power of my Spirit ; and their arm shall be my arm, 
 and I will be their shield and their buckler, and I 
 will gird up their loins, and they shall fight man- 
 
 4 K Times and Seasons" for June 1, 1841, p. 426. 
 
 5 Harris, p. 45. Ibid. Ibid. 
 s " Book of Covenants," p. 95.
 
 208 THE PROPHET 
 
 fully for me ; and their enemies shall le under their 
 feet V In the same spirit, Parley P. Pratt asserts 
 that " all who will not hearken to the Book of 
 Mormon shall be cut off from among the people, 
 and that too in the day it comes forth to the Gen- 
 tiles and is rejected by them 1 ." So, also, " Joab, 
 General in Israel," prophesies in the " Times and 
 Seasons 2 :" " I stood on Mount Zion, by the Tem- 
 ple of the Great King, and saw people like great 
 waters, for they were many, gathered from all 
 nations under the whole heavens, and I saw mighty 
 chieftains upon noble steeds, and armies of chariots 
 and horsemen, and strong cohorts of footmen, great 
 and terrible, with spears and banners and the im- 
 plements of war, forming to the sound of the cla- 
 rion. And a great shout was heard in the camp 
 of the saints, and a voice like the sound of a mighty 
 trumpet, saying, ' Go, and possess your inheritance, 
 and avenge the wrongs of your progenitors T and 
 the battle was set in array, and the armies of the 
 saints moved forward, attended by thunder and 
 hail, and fire and storm, conquering and to con- 
 quer. And the armies of the aliens trembled at 
 the voice, like Belshazzar at the hand-writing on 
 
 9 " Book of Covenants," p. 46. 
 
 1 " Voice of Warning," by Parley P. Pratt, p. 186, quoted by 
 Harris, p. 46. 
 
 2 Times and Seasons" for Feb. 1, 1842, p. 681.
 
 RETRIEVES HIS MISFORTUNES. 209 
 
 the wall, and they fled like grasshoppers, and were 
 consumed like stubble before the devouring flame. 
 The plains were bleached with the bones of the 
 slain, and the rivers flowed with blood. All were 
 conquered, and the land possessed.' 1 '' 
 
 Prophecies like -the above can hardly be consi- 
 dered ambiguous, when viewed in connection with 
 the actual proceedings of General Joseph Smith. 
 Whatever ambiguity may remain in them, is doubt- 
 less designed to be fully expounded, in the first 
 place, to the people of Missouri 3 . We have seen 
 that, at the founding of Zion, prophecies were 
 uttered of so decisive a nature, that Smith must be 
 considered as pledged to retake his former posses- 
 sions in Jackson County, either by stratagem or by 
 violence 4 . The whole scheme hinges on the re- 
 capture of the New Jerusalem ; and unless this 
 object should be accomplished, Mormonism must 
 prove a failure even in the eyes of its most enthu- 
 siastic votaries 5 . 
 
 It would appear then, that in the case of our 
 prophet, an original cunning led to deceitful mea- 
 sures for the acquisition of money. These mea- 
 sures proving successful, led also to spiritual power, 
 and the possession of this power developed ambi- 
 
 3 Turner, p. 64. * Ibid. 5 Ibid.
 
 210 THE PROPHET, ETC. 
 
 tion. Ambition, thwarted in Missouri, fostered in 
 Illinois, and assisted by a concurrence of circum- 
 stances, ultimately produced in an unscrupulous 
 mind designs of the most summary vengeance, and 
 projects of the most unbounded conquest and 
 spoliation.
 
 THE PROPHET IS LEFT, &C. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN A DANGEROUS 
 PREDICAMENT. 
 
 Estimate of the number of Mormons Smith a source of corrup- 
 tion to his followers His wickedness no argument against 
 Mormonism Evidences of Mormonism Views of other deno- 
 minations Roman Catholics Church of England Presbyte- 
 rians Methodists Irvingites Character of the Mormons 
 Character of the Prophet The Author's visit to Nauvoo The 
 personal appearance of the Prophet His opinion of a Greek 
 Psalter Mormon congregation Smith's fraudulent bank- 
 ruptcy The Prophet plans the assassination of Ex-Governor 
 Boggs He takes many " spiritual wives " Rigdon, Bennett, 
 and others apostatize The prophet is arrested and released 
 He fortifies Nauvoo, and defies the Government Conclusion. 
 
 ALTHOUGH the author of this work has in round 
 terms spoken of the Mormons as amounting to 
 100,000, it has often been questioned whether they 
 have at any time actually attained to that number l . 
 The Mormons themselves claim a population of 
 more than 120,000, while the lowest estimate of 
 others places it at about 60,000 2 . In the absence 
 
 i Turner, p. 3. Clark, p. 217- 2 Clark, p. 217.
 
 212 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN 
 
 of any accurate data, a few facts will now be men 
 tioned, which will render the first estimate not 
 altogether incredible. 
 
 As early as the year 1833, we have seen that the 
 Mormons commenced the erection of a building 
 which cost 40,000 dollars, or nearly nine thousand 
 pounds. Although this amount was never entirely 
 collected, still, as the Mormons are by no means a 
 wealthy people, the subscribers must have been 
 very numerous. We find those of Missouri alone 
 occupying, in 1838, more than an entire county, 
 and covering with their farms an area exceeding 
 four hundred square miles 3 . At their expulsion, 
 five hundred Mormon property-holders sign the 
 abhorred " deed of trust," while in the single town 
 of Far West six hundred guns are surrendered, 
 besides other arms. From twelve to fifteen thou- 
 sand Mormons are driven from their homes in Mis- 
 souri during the ensuing winter. A portion of the 
 Mormons settle in Illinois, and another large por- 
 tion in the adjoining territory of Iowa. At Nauvoo, 
 their principal town in Illinois, the number of 
 dwellings is represented as 1200* in 1841, and in 
 the following year the same place furnishes 1 700 
 fighting men to the Nauvoo Legion; the citizens 
 themselves claiming a population of 10,000 souls 5 . 
 
 3 See " Map of Missouri" 4 " Times and Seasons," p. 624. 
 5 " City of the Mormons," pp. 8. 26.
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 213 
 
 During the present year, it is known that Mormon 
 congregations exist in most parts of the United 
 States and Canada, while in England, a single 
 neighbourhood in Herefordshire has been described 
 as containing 1500 Mormons. To this may be 
 added the statement already quoted from ihe Liver- 
 pool Albion, to the effect, that 5000 Mormons had 
 already emigrated from England, and that an equal 
 number were expected to follow them in a few 
 months. 
 
 Yet, whether the number of Mormons be a 
 hundred and twenty thousand, or a hundred 
 thousand, or only sixty thousand, it is certain 
 that, from the causes already enumerated, the 
 delusion has taken deep root, both in the western 
 and in the eastern hemispheres. Its converts 
 are generally gathered from sectarian bodies, al- 
 though the Church of England has not escaped, 
 and a few have been proselyted from Romanism. 
 These people are not altogether of the lowest class, 
 and they seem to possess at least an average share 
 of intelligence and education. They appear gene- 
 rally to be led to embrace the system by natural 
 weakness, credulity, or superstition ; and it is but 
 fair to infer that many of them may be well-mean- 
 ing and conscientious persons e . Whatever reli- 
 gious principle remains in any of them must be 
 
 6 Turner, p. 8. 
 
 '3
 
 214 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IK 
 
 ascribed to their insignificance as Mormons, since 
 no stretch of charity can induce us to imagine any 
 rectitude of purpose in the men who are most con- 
 versant with the prophet himself 7 . A corrupting 
 influence, in fact, emanates from Smith, as from a 
 demon, which spreads a moral pestilence wherever 
 it extends, making the wicked still worse, and 
 taking from others even the little religion which 
 they previously possessed. The bands of sanguine 
 emigrants who arrive at Nauvoo are compelled very 
 shortly after their arrival to correct their precon- 
 ceived ideas respecting that "earthly paradise." 
 If they are altogether poor and destitute, they are 
 treated by the prophet with the most consummate 
 disdain ; if they have a little money, they are flat- 
 tered and cajoled till they are reduced to poverty, 
 and left to shift for themselves 8 . If they express 
 any disappointment, the prophet and his accom- 
 plices rebuke them in unmeasured terms, and tell 
 them to go home again if they choose, and go to 
 perdition 9 . The faith of some is entirely over- 
 thrown by the strong revulsion of feeling produced 
 by language and conduct so entirely unexpected, 
 and while abandoning Mormonism, the apostates 
 generally reject religion altogether, and fall into 
 Atheism 1 . Others persevere through every dis- 
 
 7 Turner, p. 8. 8 " City of the Mormons," p. 54. 
 
 9 Ibid. p. 54. l Turner, p. 3.
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 215 
 
 couragement, with a faith which seems to gather 
 strength from the rude shocks which it necessarily 
 sustains. The process of moral deterioration goes 
 forward in them with fearful rapidity. Whatever 
 reverence they may have possessed for the Bible, 
 or for sacred ordinances, is soon entirely dispelled, 
 and all seriousness is treated as hypocrisy and 
 affected sanctimony 2 . The worship which they 
 attend is utterly destitute of dignity and de- 
 corum, and they hear the most sacred terms em- 
 ployed by the preachers with the most disgusting 
 levity 3 . They are presented with no motives to 
 humiliation, prayer, or self-denial, and, in fact, 
 with little but bold speculations on divine things, 
 idle assertions of miraculous gifts, exhortations to 
 take stock in the Nauvoo House, and disgraceful 
 proclamations respecting stolen goods 4 . Not un- 
 frequently, in their presence, the prophet and his 
 elders speak disparagingly of the " old fashioned 
 book called the Bible 5 ," and again, by the perverse 
 employment of isolated passages, make Scripture 
 appear to sanction thefts, curses, murders, and all 
 imaginable abominations 6 . 
 
 The wretched dupes cannot avoid seeing much in 
 Smith's character, from which, in a sounder state 
 
 2 " City of the Mormons," p. 18. 3 Ibid. p. 42. 
 
 * Ibid. 5 Ibid. p. 18. 6 Ibid. p. 51.
 
 216 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN 
 
 of mind, they would turn with loathing and disgust. 
 They are taught, therefore, that the evidence of 
 Mormonism does not depend on the character of 
 Smith, but on the secret witness of the Spirit, 
 which proves his revelations to be true 7 . They 
 are made to believe that Smith may be all that the 
 Gentiles report him to be, that he may be a 
 swindler, a liar, a drunkard, a swearer, a murderer, 
 a thief, an adulterer, and still a true prophet of the 
 Most High God *. They are assured that David 
 the Psalmist, although a true prophet, was a most 
 infamous person ; and that after death he went to 
 punishment, according to the words of St. Peter, 
 " David hath not yet ascended into heaven 9 ." That 
 although Smith, in like manner, may become ex- 
 tremely iniquitous, and may even apostatize from 
 Mormonism and go into the lake of fire, the reve- 
 lations given him by the Most High will yet remain 
 obligatory upon the consciences of all mankind *. 
 
 In regard to the evidences of Mormonism, they 
 are further taught to regard the testimony of the 
 twelve witnesses to the Book of Mormon in the pre- 
 sent age, as of at least equal force to the testimony 
 of the twelve apostles to the Christian revelation in a 
 
 7 " City of the Mormons," p. 47. 8 Ibid. 
 
 Smith's Sermon, reported in " Times and Seasons," for 
 June 1st, 1841. 
 
 1 " City of the Mormons," p. 47.
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 217 
 
 remote age 2 . The antiquities existing in different 
 parts of North America are pointed out to them as 
 strongly corroborating the historical portion of the 
 volume in question 3 . They are reminded of the 
 prophet's ignorance, and his want of a good educa- 
 tion, circumstances which demonstrate to their 
 satisfaction, that he could not have been the ori- 
 ginal author of the professed revelations published 
 by him 4 . They are required to consider the vast 
 rapidity with which Mormonism has spread, even 
 in highly civilized countries, through the preaching 
 of illiterate men, as a certain evidence of the Divine 
 favour 5 . If any require direct proof of the inspi- 
 ration of Smith, they are answered by a demand 
 for the direct proof of the inspiration of Isaiah, 
 Jeremiah, or Ezekiel 6 . 
 
 Prophecy also is abundantly used, and Joseph's 
 bough " running over the wall," is made to signify, 
 as we have already hinted, the progenitors of the 
 American Indians crossing the Atlantic Ocean 
 from the land of Israel 7 . " The utmost bounds of 
 the everlasting hills " are said to be necessarily in 
 America, while the expressions " Ephraim's seed 
 shall become a multitude of nations," and "the 
 children of Ephraim shall tremble out of the west" 
 
 2 Turner, p. 253. 3 Times and Seasons," p. 640. 
 
 4 Ibid. p. 643. s Ibid. <> "City of the Mormons," p. 17- 
 
 ? Turner, p. 185. 
 
 L
 
 218 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN 
 
 are declared to indicate the numerous tribes of 
 American Indians, and their position in regard to 
 Jerusalem 8 . The words of Isaiah, " Woe to the 
 land shadowing with wings," are made to apply to 
 North and South America, without reference to 
 the context, " which is beyond the rivers of 
 Ethiopia V The declaration of our Lord, " Other 
 sheep I have which are not of this fold,"" is referred 
 to his intention of descending in America, and pro- 
 claiming salvation to the tribes of Indians l . By a 
 similar perversion of Holy Writ, the verse, " Truth 
 shall spring out of the earth," is made, as before- 
 mentioned, to signify the disinterment of the Book 
 of Mormon at the hill Camorah ; while the angel 
 of the Apocalypse, " flying in the midst of heaven," 
 is the angel who delivered the golden plates to 
 Joseph Smith the money-digger 2 . 
 
 Being thus indoctrinated in the evidences of 
 Mormonism, the proselytes are made to under- 
 stand their position in regard to the different de- 
 nominations of Christians. The Mormon sect is 
 to be regarded as the only true Church upon 
 earth 3 . The Eoman Catholic Church is to be 
 considered as, in many respects, resembling, or 
 
 8 Turner, pp. 186, 187. 9 " City of the Mormons," p. 25. 
 
 1 "Book of Mormon," p. 486. "City of the Mormons," pp. 4?. 76. 
 
 2 Turner, pp. 189, 190. 
 
 3 Harris, p. 46. Pratt's "Voice of Warning," p. 186.
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 219 
 
 rather counterfeiting, the true Church, but still as 
 altogether idolatrous and corrupt 4 . Of this scarlet 
 lady, the Church of England is the eldest daughter, 
 and the sect of Methodists the grand-daughter 5 . 
 The Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans, &e., all 
 stand in their several degrees of relationship to the 
 great " mother of abominations V As to the 
 Church of England in particular, she is merely a 
 Parliament Church, having a form of godliness, 
 but denying the power thereof 7 (i. e. the power to 
 work miracles). Her Bishops and other clergy 
 make " a god of their belly," and regard money as 
 their idol 8 . Her Thirty-nine Articles are " a bun- 
 dle of inconsistencies from beginning to end V 
 Her baptism is an empty ceremony, being admi- 
 nistered by those who have no direct commission l . 
 Her succession, being through Rome, is utterly 
 nugatory and invalid 2 . 
 
 The Scottish Kirk, and the Presbyterians gene- 
 rally, are placed on a similar footing. All their 
 " affected solemnity and long-facedness" (as the 
 Mormons say) are produced by hypocrisy and false 
 doctrines respecting God 3 ; and the Presbyterians 
 
 4 " City of the Mormons," p. 17. 
 
 5 " Times and Seasons," p. 647. " City of the Mormons," p. 40. 
 
 6 " Times and Seasons," p. 647- 
 
 7 " City of the Mormons," p. 40. s Ib. p. 38. 
 9 Ibid. Ib. p. 39. 2 Ibid. 3 Ib. p. 18. 
 
 L 2
 
 220 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN 
 
 throughout the world are represented as agreeing 
 with the Church of England in loving lies more 
 than they love the truth, and in opposing to their 
 utmost the propagation of Mormonism and the 
 efforts of its missionaries *. 
 
 In regard to the Irvingites, the Mormon prose- 
 lytes are taught, that they are " a people who have 
 counterfeited the truth more than any modern 
 sectarians, inasmuch as they have apostles, pro- 
 phets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and angels, 
 besides the gifts of tongues and healing 5 ." All 
 their doctrines and gifts, though closely allied to 
 Mormonism, must yet be considered by the true 
 " Saint" as the work of evil spirits, for the following 
 reasons: 1st, Mr. Irving placed in his "church" 
 first, women, and secondarily, apostles ; whereas, a 
 woman has no authority to organize a church, and 
 apostles are the first in dignity. 2ndly, These 
 women (the Miss Campbells) would speak in a 
 meeting, and rebuke Mr. Irving, in both which 
 respects they acted in opposition to Scripture. 
 Srdly, The Irvingites profess to receive the Spirit 
 without the intervention of proper ordinances ; 
 whereas, the Scriptural way of obtaining the Holy 
 Spirit is by baptism ' and the laying on of hands 7 . 
 
 * " Times and Seasons, " p. 64?. * Ib. p. 746. Ibid. 
 
 7 It may be remarked in this connexion, that a few years 
 
 since, the Mormon missionaries endeavoured to convert an
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 221 
 
 After the above description of the religious 
 teaching communicated to the Mormon converts 
 in Nauvoo, the reader will be prepared to hear that 
 their character as a body is far from enviable. 
 Excepting, of course, many simple and honest indi- 
 viduals, the Mormons at Nauvoo are regarded by 
 their neighbours as thievish and deceitful ; and, as 
 in Missouri, so in Illinois, they are supposed to 
 plunder upon principle, " as the Israelites spoiled 
 the Egyptians." A very respectable person, resid- 
 ing at Montrose, opposite to Nauvoo, declared to 
 the author, that during the three years which had 
 elapsed since the settlement of the Mormons in his 
 vicinity, fourteen robberies, to the amount of two 
 thousand dollars, had been committed upon his 
 property 8 . A similar character is assigned to 
 them by many who have quitted their fellowship 
 in disgust, and have had sufficient courage to 
 denounce them before the world. Nor can it be 
 expected that the morals of the disciples should be 
 
 Irvingite congregation in Upper Canada. As a proof of their 
 religion, they adduced their peculiar apostleship and their mira- 
 cles. On the other hand, the Irvingites were equally well pre- 
 pared with miracles and apostles ; nor did either party succeed 
 in making an impression upon the other. They finally separated, 
 under the mutual conviction that the miracles and apostleship 
 of the opposite party were the work of demons, and with pro- 
 found commiseration for the awful infatuation of the deluded 
 believers. 
 
 8 " City of the Mormons," p. 50. 
 
 L3
 
 222 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN 
 
 greatly superior to those of their master. On the 
 contrary, it might be reasonably anticipated, that 
 the standard of virtue would gradually sink, until 
 it approached the same level as that of the profess- 
 edly inspired and infallible prophet. 
 
 In regard to the prophet himself, it is difficult 
 to imagine a human being more corrupt, or more 
 destitute of redeeming qualities. The. reader of 
 the preceding history can have distinguished little 
 in his character besides unscrupulous audacity, 
 reckless falsehood, low cunning, grovelling vul- 
 garity, daring blasphemy, and grasping selfishness, 
 combined with a genius eccentric in its aims, fertile 
 in its expedients, and mad in its ambition. To 
 the above traits of natural disposition it is neces- 
 sary to add, that, although a married man and the 
 father of a large family, Joseph Smith is notori- 
 ously addicted to several kinds of gross debauchery. 
 He has been often intoxicated ; and has sometimes 
 justified his inebriation by asserting, with charac- 
 teristic invention, " that it was necessary that he 
 should be seen in that condition, to prevent his 
 followers from worshipping him as a god 9 ." He 
 has even acknowledged the fact in his public dis- 
 courses, " in order," as he has affirmed, " that he 
 may set a good example to the elders, and induce 
 them openly to confess their sins V 
 
 9 " City of the Mormons," p. 49. 1 Ibid.
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 223 
 
 In consequence of the immense numbers of Eng- 
 lish Mormons, who passed near Kemper College on 
 their way to the prophet and the temple, the 
 author of this work visited Nauvoo in April 1842, 
 and had the honour of an interview with Joseph 
 Smith and many of his people. Smith is a coarse 
 plebeian person in aspect, and his countenance 
 exhibits a curious mixture of the knave and the 
 clown. His hands are large and awkward, and on 
 one of his fingers he wears a massive gold ring. 
 He has a downcast look, and possesses none of that 
 open and straightforward expression which gene- 
 rally characterizes an honest man. His language 
 is uncouth and ungrammatical, indicating very 
 confused notions respecting syntactical concords. 
 When an ancient Greek manuscript of the Psalms 
 was exhibited to him as a test of his scholarship, 
 he boldly pronounced it to be a " Dictionary of 
 Egyptian hieroglyphics.' 1 '' Pointing to the capital 
 letters at the commencement of each verse, he 
 said, " Them figures is Egyptian hieroglyphics, 
 and them which follows is the interpretation of the 
 hieroglyphics, written in the reformed Egyptian 
 language. Them characters is like the letters that 
 was engraved on the golden plates." He after- 
 wards proceeded to show his papyrus, and to ex- 
 plain the inscriptions ; but probably suspecting 
 that the author designed to entrap him, he sud- 
 
 L4
 
 224 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN 
 
 denly left the apartment, leaped into his light 
 waggon, and drove away as fast as possible. The 
 author could not properly avoid expressing his 
 opinion of the prophet to the assembled Mormons ; 
 and was engaged for several hours in a sharp con- 
 troversy with various eminent dignitaries. As the 
 City Council had passed an ordinance, under which 
 any stranger in Nauvoo speaking disrespectfully of 
 the prophet might be arrested and imprisoned with- 
 out process 2 , the author deemed himself happy in 
 leaving Nauvoo unmolested, after plainly declaring 
 to the Mormons that they were the dupes of a base 
 and blaspheming impostor. During a visit of three 
 days, he had an opportunity of attending their 
 Sunday services, which were held in a grove ad- 
 joining the unfinished temple. About two thou- 
 sand persons were present, and the appearance of 
 the congregation was quite respectable. Many 
 grey-headed old men were there, and many well- 
 dressed females. There were also numerous groups 
 of English emigrants, together with many little 
 children, who had been removed from the privi- 
 leges of their mother Church, and led by their 
 besotted parents into this den of heresy, to imbibe 
 the principles of a delusion worse than paganism. 
 It has since appeared that, at the period of the 
 
 2 Testimony of Bennett, " Louisville Journal," Aug. 3, 1842.
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 225 
 
 author's visit, the prophet was engaged in a scheme 
 of the most fraudulent description 3 . Having pri- 
 vately secured to his family, and consequently to 
 himself, the title to many valuable pieces of pro- 
 perty in Nauvoo, he proceeded, under the new 
 bankrupt act of the United States, to get himself 
 declared insolvent, and thus to deprive his creditors 
 of their undoubted rights. This step was followed 
 by others of a still more reckless and profligate 
 description. Smith had publicly prophesied in 
 1841, in the presence of thousands, that his old 
 enemy Boggs, the ex-governor of Missouri, would 
 die by violent hands within a year. He now offered 
 a reward of five hundred dollars to several of the 
 Danites, if they would assassinate the gentleman 
 in question. One of the terrible band accordingly 
 proceeded more than two, hundred miles, to Inde- 
 pendence, where the ex-governor resided. Smith 
 being asked by Bennett, the mayor, to inform him 
 where this Danite had gone, promptly replied, 
 with a significant nod, that " he was gone to 
 fulfil prophecy." In the course of two months, 
 the Danite returned to Nauvoo ; and on the day 
 following his arrival the news reached that place 
 that the ex-governor had been assassinated. The 
 Danite, who had previously been miserably poor, 
 
 3 Bennett's testimony quoted above, from whence most of the 
 following facts are derived. 
 
 L 5
 
 226 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN 
 
 now appeared in possession of an elegant carriage 
 and horses, and with his pockets filled with gold. 
 The " Nauvoo Wasp," a paper, edited by the pro- 
 phet's brother William, in conveying intelligence 
 of the supposed assassination, gloried in the act ; 
 and, while defending Joseph from any participation 
 in the crime, dared to use these expressions : " It 
 remains to be seen who did the noble deed." 
 
 But this was by no means the worst part of that 
 career of stupendous villainy, upon which the pro- 
 phet had now entered. He had already taught 
 the doctrine, that " the blessings of Jacob were 
 granted to him ;" in consequence of which he 
 asserted that he might indulge, like David and 
 Solomon, in unrestricted polygamy. In conformity 
 with these instructions of their infallible head, 
 many English and American women, whose hus- 
 bands or fathers had been sent by the prophet on 
 distant missions, were induced to become his " spi- 
 ritual wives," " believing it to be the will of Grod." 
 In these iniquitous proceedings he was assisted by 
 several of his " apostles," who had attained emi- 
 nence as successful preachers of Mormonism in 
 England. His audacity however, at length, car- 
 ried him too far, and plunged him into difficulties 
 which all good Christians must hope will prove 
 inextricable. Having attempted to add the daugh- 
 ter of Sidney Eigdon to the number of his " wives,"
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 227 
 
 the father, who had accompanied him without hesi- 
 tation in his long course of imposture, proved that 
 he was not dead to natural affection, by resenting 
 an insult which he ought to have foreseen, and by 
 dissolving his association with the abandoned pro- 
 phet. Bennett, the mayor, had advised Smith to 
 desist from his intemperate course : in consequence 
 of which advice the prophet accused him of being 
 his enemy, and a quarrel ensued, which terminated 
 in the apostasy of the mayor of Nauvoo. Bennett 
 immediately attacked Joseph in the public prints, 
 and exposed his nefarious proceedings in terms of 
 unmeasured severity *. He spoke of him as " a 
 polluted mass of corruption, iniquity, and fraud ; a 
 beast, and false prophet, who must be washed in 
 the laver of the law until his polluted carcass and 
 corrupt soul shall be purified by fire." On the 
 other hand, Smith applied to a person who is said 
 to have witnessed a former murder committed by 
 him, and told him that " Bennett could be easily 
 put aside, or drowned, and no person would be the 
 wiser for it ; and that it ought to be attended to 
 for the benefit of the ' church,' and the sooner the 
 better." Bennett declared that twelve Danites, 
 disguised in female apparel, came subsequently to 
 his residence by night in order to kidnap him ; but 
 
 4 See " Louisville Journal," " Burlington Hawk-eye," " Sanga- 
 mon Journal," " St. Louis' Bulletin," " Warsaw Signal," &c. 
 L 6
 
 228 THE PROPHET IS LEFT IN 
 
 that being well prepared for their reception, he 
 obliged them to retire. 
 
 The apostasy of Rigdon, Bennett, Robinson, 
 Orson Pratt (brother of Parley), and other Mor- 
 mons of distinction, might have discouraged a per- 
 son less determined than our prophet. But he still 
 felt himself secure, and believed that, however over- 
 whelming the proofs of his habitual perpetration of 
 the blackest crimes, the " democratic"" authorities 
 of Illinois would not dare to punish him, or venture 
 to throw away the benefit of his immense political 
 influence at the approaching elections 5 . He knew, 
 likewise, that the faith of the great body of his 
 followers remained unshaken; and that the apo- 
 stasy of Rigdon had left him the sole commander 
 of perhaps a hundred thousand Mormons. On 
 Sunday, the 21st of June, he addressed his nume- 
 rous congregation as usual, and taking for his sub- 
 ject the doctrine of consecration, required all his 
 followers "to come forward and consecrate all 
 their property to the Lord, by placing it at the 
 Apostles' feet V On the 4th of July, the anni- 
 versary of American Independence, we find him at 
 the head of the Nauvoo Legion, reviewing his 
 troops, and exhibiting their manoeuvres to a large 
 number of admiring visitors 7 . 
 
 6 " Louisville Journal," Aug. 3, 1842. Ibid. 
 
 7 "Burlington Hawk-eye" of July 7, 1842.
 
 A DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. 229 
 
 It appears, however, by later intelligence, that 
 the governor of Missouri ultimately demanded the 
 prophet for trial, at the hands of the governor of 
 Illinois ; and that the latter, finding public opinion 
 on his side, issued a warrant for his apprehension. 
 Joseph was accordingly arrested ; but the muni- 
 cipal authorities of Nauvoo immediately granted a 
 writ of habeas corpus, and he was released. The 
 governor ordered the re-arrest of the culprit, de- 
 claring the habeas corpus to be a nullity, and offer- 
 ing a reward of 200 dollars for his apprehension. 
 The Mormons had prepared for this crisis; and 
 having fortified Nauvoo with the cannon of the 
 State, defied the authorities with impunity; and 
 expressed their determination to fight to the last, 
 in defence of their prophet and their faith. 
 
 In this predicament we are compelled to leave 
 the hero of our narrative. The reader will, no 
 doubt, join with the author in a sincere and hearty 
 wish that the supremacy of law may be finally vin- 
 dicated, that the local government may be in some 
 measure redeemed from the disgrace which it has 
 justly incurred, and that an example may speedily 
 be made of the iniquitous being who has outraged 
 revelation and reason, set heaven and earth at de- 
 fiance, and forfeited, at least, all claim to mercy at 
 the hands of man.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON . 
 
 THE Book of Mormon consists, as already stated, 
 of fifteen separate books, professing to have been 
 written at different periods by various authors, 
 whose names they respectively bear. These authors 
 are represented as belonging to the same people, 
 and as being inspired by Jehovah to write a faith- 
 ful record of events as they occurred. The record 
 was engraved on metallic plates, and deposited by 
 the author in the same ark of testimony which 
 contained the plates handed down to them by their 
 predecessors. 
 
 The first book is denominated the Book of 
 Nephi, and contains seven chapters. It opens 
 with an account of Lehi, the father of Nephi, who 
 
 1 In drawing up this abridgment of the Book of Mormon, the 
 author has derived much assistance from an analysis of the work 
 in question, by the Rev. J. A. Clark, D.D. of Philadelphia.
 
 232 APPENDIX. 
 
 appears as the grand hero of the story. Lehi 
 resided in Jerusalem in the first year of Zedekiah, 
 king of Judah, and was a person of great piety 
 and devotion. Being greatly alarmed by the words 
 of the prophets, who declared that Jerusalem would 
 be destroyed, he went forth and prayed unto the 
 Lord in behalf of his people. While in the act of 
 prayer, a pillar of fire descended upon a rock 
 before him, and a voice addressed him from the 
 midst of the flame. Terrified by this divine mani- 
 festation, he went home and cast himself upon his 
 bed, whence he was suddenly carried away in a 
 vision, and saw God sitting on his throne, sur- 
 rounded by numberless angels. He beheld One 
 descending from heaven, followed by twelve others 
 of surpassing brightness, and the first gave him a 
 book which contained awful predictions respecting 
 Jerusalem. After this vision, Lehi himself became 
 a prophet, and predicted the overthrow of the Holy 
 City, on account of which he was persecuted by the 
 Jews, who sought to destroy him. Upon this the 
 Lord spoke to him in a dream, and commanded 
 him to take his family, and depart into the wilder- 
 ness. He immediately obeyed, left his house, his 
 land, and his precious things ; and taking his wife 
 Sariah, and his sons, Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and 
 Nephi, arrived at the borders of the Red Sea, 
 where he pitched his tent in a valley by a stream of
 
 APPENDIX. 233 
 
 water. His two eldest sons were quite unbelieving, 
 and murmured against him because he had led 
 them out of Jerusalem to perish in the wilderness. 
 But Nephi was piously disposed, and persuaded his 
 brother Sam to believe in the words of Lehi their 
 father. In consequence of his piety, the Lord 
 revealed to Nephi, that he should be led to a land 
 of promise, and be made a ruler and a teacher over 
 his brethren. 
 
 After this, Lehi had another vision, in which 
 he was commanded to send back Nephi and his 
 brethren to Jerusalem, to obtain " the record of the 
 Jews, and also a genealogy of Ms forefathers, en- 
 graven upon plates of brass" In obedience to this 
 command, the four youths proceeded to Jerusalem, 
 where they cast lots to decide who should proceed 
 to the house of Laban, and ask for the records in 
 his possession. The lot fell upon Laman, the eldest, 
 who met with a rough reception at the hands of 
 Laban, and was obliged to flee for his life without 
 attaining the object of his wishes. The two elder 
 brothers now determined to return to their parents ; 
 but Nephi, resolving to persevere, persuaded them 
 to go with him to the late residence of their father, 
 and to collect his precious things, in order to pre- 
 vail upon Laban, by the offer of them, to surrender 
 the plates of brass. Laban was pleased with the 
 exhibition of their wealth, and determined to slay
 
 234 APPENDIX. 
 
 them in order to obtain it. They fled into the 
 wilderness, and hid themselves in a cave, where the 
 two elder brothers began to punish Nephi and Sam 
 for leading them into difficulty. An angel imme- 
 diately appeared and rebuked them, enjoining them 
 to return to Jerusalem, and not to desist from their 
 enterprise ; for that the Lord would deliver Laban 
 into their hands. Notwithstanding this divine ad- 
 monition, the two elder brothers went towards 
 Jerusalem with reluctance, and on reaching the 
 walls of the city, refused to proceed any farther. 
 Nephi, however, offered to go again to the house of 
 Laban, and proposed that his brothers should con- 
 ceal themselves without the walls until his return. 
 Favoured by the darkness of the night, he stole 
 carefully into the city, directing his steps towards 
 the house of Laban. As he approached the dwel- 
 ling, he found a man stretched on the ground in a 
 state of intoxication, who, on examination, proved 
 to be Laban himself. He was armed with a sword, 
 the hilt of which was " of pure gold, and the work- 
 manship exceeding fine." Nephi drew the sword 
 from its scabbard, and, prompted by the Spirit, 
 conquered his feelings of repugnance, took Laban 
 by the hair of his head, and decapitated him with 
 his own sword. He then dressed himself in La- 
 ban's garments, girded himself with his armour, 
 and went to the treasury of the deceased. The
 
 APPENDIX. 235 
 
 servant who kept the keys, mistaking Nephi for his 
 master, readily took the plates of brass and carried 
 them without the walls. On discovering his mis- 
 take, he was much terrified ; but, being persuaded 
 to accompany the adventurers, the whole party 
 returned to the tent of Lehi in the wilderness. 
 
 Lehi now examined the records engraved upon 
 the plates of brass, and found that they contained 
 the five books of Moses, a record of the Jews ter- 
 minating with the commencement of the reign of 
 Zedekiah, and many of the prophecies of Jeremiah. 
 He also found a genealogy of his fathers, from 
 which he learned that he was a descendant of 
 Joseph. Lehi was now filled with a spirit of pro- 
 phecy, and foretold that these plates of brass should 
 go forth " unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, 
 and people, which were of his seed. Wherefore, 
 he said, that these plates of brass should never 
 perish ; neither should they be dimmed any more 
 by time." 
 
 After this, Nephi and his brethren went to Jeru- 
 salem again by revelation, and persuaded one Ish- 
 mael and his family to return with them into the 
 wilderness. On the way, Nephi's two elder bro- 
 thers sought to slay him, but he was miraculously 
 delivered out of their hands. Soon afterwards 
 Lehi had a vision, which he described to his two 
 elder sons, for whom he feared exceedingly. This
 
 236 APPENDIX. 
 
 vision presented an allegorical representation. A 
 man appeared dressed in a white robe, who stood 
 before Lehi, and bade him to follow him. Lehi 
 was then conducted by his supernatural guide 
 through a dark and dreary wilderness. After tra- 
 velling for many hours, he began to offer up 
 prayers, and was immediately conducted into a 
 spacious field, where he beheld " a tree whose fruit 
 was desirable to make one happy." As soon as he 
 had partaken of the fruit, " his soul was filled 
 with exceeding great joy," and he desired that his 
 family should partake of it also. As he cast his 
 eyes round about, he beheld a river which ran near 
 the tree of delicious fruit. At the head of the 
 stream he perceived his wife and his two younger 
 sons, whom he invited to come and partake of the 
 fruit, and accordingly they came. At length he 
 discovered his two elder sons ; but was unable to 
 induce them to approach the tree. Then he be- 
 held a rod of iron extending along the bank of the 
 river, leading to the tree, and also " a straight and 
 narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron 
 even to the tree ; and it also led by the head of 
 the fountain unto a large and spacious field, as if 
 it had been a world." Here Lehi saw " number- 
 less concourses of people, many of whom were 
 pressing forwards, that they might obtain the path 
 which led unto the tree by which he stood. As
 
 APPENDIX. 237 
 
 soon as they entered the narrow path, they en- 
 countered a great mist of darkness," so that many 
 lost their way, while others caught hold of the iron 
 rod, and pressing through the mist, finally arrived 
 at the light in which the tree stood, and partook of 
 the delicious fruit. After tasting it, they looked 
 around, and some appeared to be ashamed. Lehi 
 then beheld on the other side of the river a spa- 
 cious building filled with gaily dressed people, who 
 mocked those who were partaking of the fruit, in 
 consequence of which many fell away and were lost. 
 He saw multitudes pressing towards the tree, and 
 multitudes feeling their way to the spacious build- 
 ing. Many were drowned in the fountain, many 
 were lost from view, wandering in strange roads, 
 and Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit. 
 
 After relating this vision, Lehi prophesied in 
 relation to the Messiah, and told very distinctly 
 what is recorded of him in the New Testament. 
 Nephi became very anxious to see the tree de- 
 scribed by his father, and at length the same vision 
 was repeated to him with an interpretation. The 
 Spirit enabled him to behold also Jerusalem, then 
 Nazareth, and " in the city of Nazareth, a virgin 
 exceeding fair and white." And then he saw the 
 heavens open, and an angel came down and said, 
 " The virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, 
 after the manner of the flesh." Again Nephi
 
 238 APPENDIX. 
 
 looked and beheld the virgin bearing a child in her 
 arms, and the angel said to him, " Behold the 
 Lamb of God, yea, even the eternal Father ! 
 Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy 
 father saw f Nephi replied, " Yea, it is the love 
 of God? Afterwards he saw the Son of God 
 going forth among mankind. He beheld his mira- 
 cles, the scenes that followed his crucifixion, and 
 the whole history of Christianity up to the date of 
 the publication of the Book of Mormon. The 
 Roman Catholic Church was described to him as 
 " that great and abominable church, and the devil 
 was the founder of it." The tree seen in the 
 vision was interpreted to be the love of God in 
 Christ, the rod of iron leading to it was the word 
 of God, the mist and darkness were the tempta- 
 tions of the devil, the large and spacious building 
 was the pride and vain imaginations of the chil- 
 dren of men. 
 
 After this vision, Nephi returned to his father's 
 tent, where he found his brethren disputing about 
 the allegorical sense of the vision of their father 
 Lehi. He was prepared to enlighten them, and, in 
 reply to their inquiries, he gave them a full exposi- 
 tion, in the course of which he informed them that 
 the river of the vision represented the filthy and 
 awful gulf which separates the wicked from the 
 tree of life.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Laman and Lemuel now humbled themselves 
 before the Lord, and soon afterwards the four sons 
 of Lehi were married to the daughters of Ishmael. 
 Immediately afterwards, Lehi received a command 
 to strike his tent and take his journey into the wil- 
 derness. On arising in the morning, he beheld 
 upon the ground before his door a round brass ball 
 of curious workmanship. " Within the ball were 
 two spindles, and the one pointed the way whither 
 they should go into the wilderness V They tra- 
 velled four days toward the south-east, and encoun- 
 tered many trials, at which the elder brothers mur- 
 mured, while Nephi was uniformly submissive. 
 The brass ball was their guide, pointing out the 
 way, and exhibiting changing inscriptions on its 
 sides, which gave them all necessary intelligence 
 from time to time, according to their faith and 
 diligence ; Ishmael died in the wilderness, where 
 they sojourned for the space of eight years. At 
 length they pitched their tents by the sea-shore, in 
 a land which they called Bountiful, because of the 
 fruits and wild honey which abounded there. After 
 many days Nephi went up to the top of a moun- 
 
 2 A Mormon elder being taunted with the anachronism in- 
 volved in this allusion to the compass, gravely replied, that the 
 instrument in question was mentioned in the Bible. Being asked 
 for the passage, he pointed to Acts xxviii. 13. " We fetched a 
 rompass and came to Rhegium."
 
 240 APPENDIX. 
 
 tain, by divine monition, where the Lord com- 
 manded him to construct a ship to carry his people 
 to the promised land. He commenced the con- 
 struction of his ship in the face of much opposi- 
 tion and of many difficulties, being quite ignorant 
 of the art of shipbuilding, and at the same time 
 being ridiculed by his brethren, who would not 
 believe in his competency for the undertaking. But 
 the Lord helped him, so that ultimately his bre- 
 thren desisted from their opposition, and assisted 
 him in completing the vessel. When the work 
 was finished, they loaded the ship with fruits, 
 meat, seeds, honey, and other provisions obtained 
 in the wilderness, and embarked on their voyage. 
 After they had proceeded some distance, Nephi's 
 elder brothers began to be once more rebellious, 
 and having bound him with cords, treated him with 
 great cruelty. They took upon themselves the 
 management of the ship ; but, to their consterna- 
 tion, the compass refused to work, and in the midst 
 of their perplexity, an adverse gale arose, which 
 drove them back from their course, and soon 
 increased to a terrible tempest. At length, when 
 on the verge of destruction, they repented of their 
 wickedness and released the unfortunate Nephi, 
 who forthwith resumed the command. The com- 
 pass again began to work, and, at the prayer of 
 Nephi, the storm ceased, and there was a great 
 5
 
 APPENDIX. 241 
 
 calm. After this the voyage advanced favourably, 
 and in due time the pilgrims safely landed on the 
 shores of America, where they found beasts of 
 every useful kind, and abundance of gold, silver, 
 and copper. By divine command, Nephi made 
 metallic plates soon after his arrival, on which he 
 recorded the peregrinations of his party, and all 
 the prophecies which he had received concerning 
 the future destinies of his people, and of the human 
 race. These plates were to be kept for the in- 
 struction of the people of the land, and for other 
 purposes known to the Lord. 
 
 The second book of Nephi opens with an ac- 
 count of Lehi's death. Previously to the event he 
 called his children and grandchildren around him, 
 reminded them of God's goodness in bringing them 
 to the promised land, and gave to each a patriarchal 
 blessing, accompanied by predictions in reference 
 to their future destinies. To his youngest son 
 Joseph (who, like his brother Jacob, was born 
 after the departure of the family from Jerusalem,) 
 he predicted that a seer named Joseph should be 
 raised up in the latter days, " whose name should 
 be called after the name of his father." This won- 
 derful seer [Joseph Smith] should out of weakness 
 be made strong, and all that should seek to destroy 
 him would be confounded. Lehi having spoken to 
 all his household, according to the feelings of his 
 
 M
 
 242 APPENDIX. 
 
 heart, died and was buried, soon after which event, 
 Laman and Lemuel again sought to destroy Nephi. 
 He fled into the American wilderness, taking with 
 him his own family, his brother Sam, and his 
 younger brothers, Jacob and Joseph, and their 
 families. He also took with him the plates of 
 brass, and the miraculous compass by which they 
 had been directed through the wilderness and across 
 the ocean. Being thus separated, they became the 
 heads of various tribes. The Nephites soon grew 
 into a numerous people, and Jacob and Joseph 
 being consecrated priests, they built a temple " like 
 unto Solomon's, and the workmanship thereof was 
 exceeding fine." As for the descendants of Laman 
 and Lemuel, they became the red men of the Ame- 
 rican continent. " As they were white and ex- 
 ceeding fair and delightsome, that they might not 
 be enticing to the Nephites, therefore the Lord 
 God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon 
 them."" Nephi adds, that on account of the curse 
 of God upon them, " they did become an idle 
 people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek 
 in the wilderness for beasts of prey." 
 
 In this book are also introduced " the words of 
 Jacob the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto 
 the people of Nephi." He predicts the incarnation 
 of the Holy One of Israel, and the restoration of 
 the Jews on their coming to the knowledge of
 
 APPENDIX. 243 
 
 their Redeemer. In regard to the Gentiles he 
 foretels, that if they repent, and fight not against 
 Zion, and do not unite with the Roman Catholic 
 Church, they shall be saved. Nephi then takes up 
 the subject, and transcribes several chapters from 
 Isaiah by way of corroboration. These are fol- 
 lowed by a long harangue, setting forth the theo- 
 logy of the New Testament, and afterwards by a 
 prediction of the appearance of a great prophet, 
 and of a wonderful book which he shall bring to 
 light. The Book, of course, is the Golden Bible, 
 and the prophet Joseph Smith. " Therefore," he 
 continues, " at that day when the book shall be 
 delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, 
 the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, 
 that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be 
 that three witnesses shall behold it by the power 
 of God, besides him to whom the book shall be 
 delivered ; and they shall testify to the truth of 
 the book, and the things therein." This is evi- 
 dently contrary to what actually happened, since 
 have seen that eight witnesses, besides the three, 
 testified that they had seen the golden plates. To 
 elude the difficulty, a saving clause is added in the 
 following words : " And there is none other which 
 shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will 
 of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the 
 children of men." The reason is also here as- 
 M 2
 
 244 APPENDIX. 
 
 signed, why the plates are not spread before the 
 learned; it is to teach them humility. An un- 
 learned man is chosen to transcribe the words of 
 the book, that the learned may read them. The 
 learned refuse to read the characters, unless they 
 can see the plates whence they are taken. This 
 God will not permit. He has no need of learned 
 men, and is able to do his own work. He will 
 therefore make use of the unlearned to bring these 
 hidden things to light. The prophet, though an 
 unlearned man, will be competent through the 
 power of God, not only to transcribe, but to trans- 
 late the book. It is easy to see the application of 
 this prophecy to Professor Anthon of New York, 
 and to Martin Harris with his scrawl of mysterious 
 characters. 
 
 Nephi then predicts, that in the latter days 
 various conflicting churches shall arise, each of 
 which shall claim divine authority for itself, while 
 all shall agree in denying the existence of miracles. 
 " They shall also say, ' A Bible, a Bible, we have 
 got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.' 
 .... Thou fool, that shalt say, ' A Bible, we 
 have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. 1 
 Have ye obtained a Bible, save it were by the 
 Jews ? Know ye not that there are more nations 
 than one? Know ye not that I the Lord your 
 God have created all men, and that I remember
 
 APPENDIX. 245 
 
 they which are upon the isles of the sea ; and that 
 I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth be- 
 neath ; and I bring forth my word unto the chil- 
 dren of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the 
 earth? .... Wherefore, because ye have a 
 Bible, ye need not suppose that it contains all my 
 words ; neither need ye to suppose that I have not 
 caused more to be written ; for I command all men, 
 both in the east and in the west, and in the north 
 and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that 
 they shall write the words which I speak unto 
 
 them Behold, I speak unto the Jews and 
 
 they shall write it, and I shall also speak unto the 
 Nephites, and they shall write it, and I shall also 
 speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, 
 which I have led away, and they shall write it ; and 
 I shall also speak unto all the nations of the earth, 
 and they shall write it." 
 
 Nephi afterwards predicts the ultimate conver- 
 sion of the American Indians to Christianity 
 through the influence of Mormonism, and foretels, 
 that soon after this event they will change their 
 colour, and become " a white and delightsome peo- 
 ple." The Jews shall be converted and gathered 
 in, and the Lord shall commence his work among 
 all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring 
 about the restoration of his people upon the earth. 
 
 The next book in course is the Book of Jacob, 
 M 3
 
 246 APPENDIX. 
 
 one of the younger brothers of Nephi. This book 
 gives an account of the ordaining of Jacob by Ne- 
 phi, to be priest over the people, and the particulars 
 of Nephi's death. It contains several specimens 
 of Jacob's sermons, which appear to have been 
 directed against the increasing immorality of his 
 people. He told them that in many respects they 
 had sunk below the level of their brethren the 
 Lamanites, and that, unless they repented, their 
 skins would be darker than those of the red men 
 at the day of judgment. After some years, a 
 Nephite, named Sherem, began to preach that 
 there would be no Christ. A miracle having been 
 wrought upon the person of this heretic, he con- 
 fessed that he had been deceived by the devil, after 
 which he became speechless and gave up the ghost. 
 In consequence of this awful event, the love of God 
 was restored among the Nephites, and they devised 
 many means, all of which proved unavailing, for the 
 restoration of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the 
 truth. The red men continued to delight in wars and 
 bloodshed, and cherished a lasting hatred against 
 their brethren. In consequence of their enmity, the 
 Nephites fortified their land with armies, " trusting 
 in the God and the rock of their salvation. 11 Jacob, 
 when he saw that he must soon go down to the grave, 
 committed the sacred plates to his son Enos, and left 
 him his successor in office over the people of Nephi.
 
 APPENDIX. 247 
 
 The Book of Enos is short, as also are the two 
 following books of Jarom and Omni, containing 
 little, except an account of the transmission of the 
 plates from one generation to another, till the time 
 of King Benjamin, about 320 years after the flight 
 of Lehi from Jerusalem. During the latter part 
 of this period, many wars took place between the 
 Nephites and Lamanites ; so that Mosiah, then 
 king, was warned to emigrate with his people into 
 a new region called Zarahemla. Here the Ne- 
 phites discovered a people who had originally emi- 
 grated from Jerusalem, at the time when Zedekiah 
 was carried captive to Babylon, and who, like the 
 family of Lehi, had been miraculously conveyed 
 over the mighty ocean. They united with the 
 Nephites, and formed one nation with them, over 
 which Mosiah reigned until his death, when he 
 transmitted the kingdom to his son Benjamin. The 
 Lamanites, at this period, are described to be "a 
 wild, ferocious, and blood-thirsty people, wandering 
 about in the wilderness with a short skin girded 
 about then- loins, and with their heads shaven ; and 
 their skill was in the bow, and the scimitar, and the 
 axe. And many of them did eat nothing, save it 
 was raw meat." 
 
 At length we arrive at the Words of the great 
 and famous prophet Mormon, from whom the re- 
 nowned sect of Mormons derives its name. This 
 M 4
 
 248 APPENDIX. 
 
 prophet lived nearly a thousand years after the emi- 
 gration of Lehi from Jerusalem, and about four 
 hundred years after the coming of Christ. Mor- 
 mon, while yet a child, received a command in rela- 
 tion to the sacred plates, and ultimately he obtained 
 the precious deposits, which contained the record of 
 all the generations of his fathers down to his own 
 time. From these plates, he made an abridged 
 record, which, in connection with the record of his 
 own times, constitutes the Book of Mormon. He 
 was, in fact, an Ezra, who compiled and arranged 
 the entire canon of sacred writings. He lived at 
 an eventful period, when the Nephites had fallen 
 into a fearful apostasy, and he survived them all, 
 except twenty-four persons. He was afterwards 
 slain, together with the whole of this feeble rem- 
 nant, with the solitary exception of his son Moroni, 
 who lived to tell the mournful tale, and to deposit 
 the sacred plates under the hill where Joseph Smith 
 found them. Mormon took his name from the 
 place where the first American Church was 
 founded, and where the first candidates for ad- 
 mission to the Church were baptized, about two 
 hundred years before the Christian era. 
 
 We have traced the history of the Lamanites 
 and Nephites down to the period of king Benjamin, 
 between three and four hundred years from the 
 period of Lehi's flight from Jerusalem. Zara-
 
 APPENDIX. 249 
 
 hernia, the new residence of the nation, was the 
 scene of many great events in their history. Ben- 
 jamin not only fought bravely, but exerted himself 
 with a zeal worthy of the sweet Psalmist of Israel 
 to establish true religion among the people. He 
 punished the false Christs and false prophets who 
 had arisen; he encouraged the holy prophets in 
 speaking the word of God with power and au- 
 thority, and he reigned over his nation in righte- 
 ousness and equity. In his old age he assembled 
 the Nephites, and exhorted them powerfully, de- 
 claring, that the time was near at hand when the 
 Lord God Omnipotent would descend from heaven, 
 and dwell in a tabernacle of clay among the chil- 
 dren of men. Having thoroughly instructed them 
 in the doctrines of repentance and faith, the multi- 
 tude "fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord 
 had come upon them, and they viewed themselves 
 in their carnal state, even less than the dust of the 
 earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, 
 saying, ' Oh, have mercy, and apply the atoning 
 blood of Christ, that we may receive forgiveness of 
 our sins, and that our hearts may be purified : for 
 we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who 
 created heaven and earth, and all things, who shall 
 come down among the children of men.' And it 
 came to pass that after they had spoken these 
 words, the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and 
 M 5
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 they were filled with joy, having received a remis- 
 sion of their sins, and having peace of conscience, 
 because of the exceeding faith which they had in 
 Jesus Christ which should come, according to the 
 words which King Benjamin had spoken to them." 
 
 King Benjamin having seen all his people, except 
 the little children, enter into covenant with God to 
 keep his commandments, resigned the throne to his 
 son Mosiah II., and died three years afterwards, 
 " four hundred and sixty years from the time that 
 Lehi left Jerusalem." Mosiah walked in the ways 
 of the Lord, and cultivated the earth with his own 
 hands, that he might not be burdensome to his 
 people, and that he might do according to that 
 which his father had done. 
 
 In the fifth Book of Mosiah an episode is intro- 
 duced. It has been already stated, that the Ne- 
 phites had left their first residence and emigrated 
 to the land of Zarahemla. Some of their number, 
 however, desired to go back to the land where they 
 formerly dwelt. The first party that went for this 
 purpose met with no success, by reason of internal 
 dissensions. The second attempt, under a leader 
 named Zeniff, resulted in their making a settle- 
 ment in that land, and building a city called Lehi- 
 Nephi. No intercourse was kept up by this colony 
 with its parent country, and the result of the enter- 
 prize remained unknown in Zarahemla until the
 
 APPENDIX. 251 
 
 reign of Mosiah. At that period sixteen strong 
 and mighty men under the command of Ammon 
 were permitted by King Mosiah to go to the land 
 of Lehi-Nephi to inquire concerning their brethren. 
 After travelling forty days through the wilderness, 
 they came to a hill near the land of Shilom, where 
 they pitched their tents. Ammon then took three 
 of his brethren and proceeded into the land of 
 Nephi, where, encountering the king of the people, 
 they were seized and committed to prison. On 
 the second day they were brought before his ma- 
 jesty for examination, when, to their surprise and 
 delight, the king informed them that he was Lirahi, 
 the son of Noah, the son of Zeniff. Ammon then 
 made knov/n his country and the reasons of his 
 pilgrimage, upon which Limhi greatly rejoiced, re- 
 leased his fellow Nephites from their bonds, and 
 treated them with the greatest hospitality. He 
 sent to the hill near Shilom, and brought the re- 
 maining twelve of the deputation into the city, where 
 he invoked their aid, and that of the Nephites 
 generally, to the deliverance of himself and his 
 nation from bondage to the Lamanites. The next 
 day he assembled the people at the Temple, where 
 he made an oration on the subject of their oppres- 
 sion by the Lamanites, after which he announced 
 the character of his visitors, and caused Ammon to 
 rehearse before the multitude the history of the 
 M 6
 
 252 APPENDIX. 
 
 Nephites in the land of Zarahemla. The assembly 
 was then dismissed, and soon afterwards Limhi 
 brought forth the plates which contained the record 
 of his people from the time they left the land of 
 Zarahemla. Ammon, being permitted to examine 
 them, interpreted them in substance as follows : 
 
 Zeniff, the founder of this nation, after leaving 
 Zarahemla, travelled a long way through the wil- 
 derness, and, having wandered many days, arrived 
 at the land of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom. They 
 found the country in possession of the Lamanites, 
 but obtained by treaty the privilege of occupying 
 the land. The Lamanites allowed them to build 
 cities and make improvements for twelve years, 
 after which, they sought to enslave them, but were 
 defeated in every attempt until the death of Zeniff. 
 This vigorous monarch was succeeded by his son 
 Noah, who proved to be a depraved, extravagant, 
 and oppressive king. He was fond of splendid 
 architecture ; and, besides ornamenting the temple, 
 he built a gorgeous palace and a lofty tower, from 
 which he could overlook the territories of the La- 
 manites. The people were fast sinking into cor- 
 ruption, when a prophet, named Abinadi, was raised 
 up, who reproved them for their iniquities, and 
 openly denounced the judgments of God against 
 them. This fearless and independent course excited 
 the displeasure of the people and their king, who de- 
 5
 
 APPENDIX. 253 
 
 termined to slay the man of God. Abinadi escaped, 
 and after two years, returning in disguise, again re- 
 proved them, and declared the vengeance of heaven 
 upon Noah and his subjects. The people bound 
 him and brought him before the king, who com- 
 mitted him to prison, and afterwards caused him to 
 be brought up for examination. He was not inti- 
 midated, but enforced his bold commands by re- 
 peating to the king and his prophets the command- 
 ments of the decalogue. This exasperated them 
 beyond all bounds, and they sought to destroy him 
 on the spot ; but he calmly defied their efforts, and 
 declared, that they could have no power over him 
 until he had finished his message. Accordingly, 
 he proceeded, and preached respecting the coming 
 of Christ and the method of salvation, teaching 
 " that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, 
 which is the very Eternal Father." The king now 
 commanded the priests to take him and destroy 
 him, and notwithstanding the pleadings of the 
 youthful Alma, a descendant of Nephi, he remained 
 steadfast in his wicked purpose. Abinadi succeeded 
 in effecting his escape, but was retaken and sen- 
 tenced by the king to death on the charge of main- 
 taining the divinity of the future Messiah. The 
 prophet not only refused to recant his principles, 
 but declared his readiness to suffer martyrdom in 
 their defence. The king was impressed by his
 
 254 APPENDIX. 
 
 words, and was about to release him, when the 
 priests, who were wicked, and derided the idea of a 
 future Messiah, succeeded in causing him to be put 
 to death by burning. 
 
 Alma now avowed himself a firm believer in the 
 doctrines of Abinadi, which he taught privately 
 through fear of the king. Many believed his 
 words and resorted with him " to a place which 
 was called Mormon, 11 which received its name from 
 the king, and was in a neighbourhood infested by 
 wild beasts. In Mormon, there was a fountain of 
 pure water, adjoining a thicket of underwood, in 
 which Alma hid himself in the day-time from the 
 emissaries of the king. Here he instructed his 
 followers in the doctrines of Christ, and baptized 
 them by immersion in the waters of Mormon. 
 About two hundred and four persons were thus 
 baptized, " were filled with the grace of God, and 
 were called the Church of God, or the Church of 
 Christ from that time forward." Alma ordained 
 one priest to every fifty of his converts, and re- 
 quired this priesthood to maintain themselves with- 
 out dependence on their flocks. The record then 
 proceeds to say, " All this was done in Mormon, 
 yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that 
 was near the waters of Mormon ; yea, the place of 
 Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mor- 
 mon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them
 
 APPENDIX. 255 
 
 who there came to the knowledge of their Re- 
 deemer, yea, how blessed are they, for they shall 
 sing to his praise for ever." 
 
 Alma and his proceedings at Mormon were soon 
 discovered by the king's agents, and, being de- 
 nounced as a rebel, an army was sent to destroy 
 him and his converts. The believers, who now 
 amounted to four hundred and fifty souls, were 
 apprized of the king's designs and departed into 
 the wilderness for safety. The wickedness of the 
 people of Lehi-Nephi was not long unpunished, for 
 the Lamanites came upon them and reduced them 
 to a state of vassalage. They were still allowed to 
 keep up the shadow of a government, and Limhi 
 was permitted to succeed Noah in the kingdom. 
 They were not only made tributary to the La- 
 manites, but repeated efforts were made by that 
 people to cut them off, in consequence of which 
 they were always in a warlike posture. Their 
 former priests, whom Limhi had driven into the 
 wilderness, became a regular banditti, and often 
 came into their land, and plundered their grain and 
 precious things. When Ammon and his party 
 were seized by the forces of Limhi, they were sup- 
 posed to be one of these marauding bands. Having 
 thus explained to Ammon the cause of the treat- 
 ment which he had received before his story had 
 been told, Limhi proceeded to relate, that a short
 
 256 APPENDIX. 
 
 time before, a small party had been sent by him to 
 search for the land of Zarahemla. Failing in their 
 object, they accidentally discovered a land which 
 was covered with dry bones and other remains, indi- 
 cating that a populous nation had once existed 
 there. They found, also, the records of the extinct 
 race engraved on twenty-four plates of pure gold, 
 but in a language which neither Limhi, nor Ammon, 
 nor any of the people could understand. Ammon, 
 however, informed Limhi, that the king of Zara- 
 hemla had a gift from God, whereby he could inter- 
 pret such engravings. He added " he hath where- 
 with he can look and translate all records that are 
 of ancient date, and it is a gift of God. And the 
 things are called interpreters ; and no man can 
 look in them, except he be commanded, lest he 
 should look for that he had not ought, and he 
 should perish." Ammon greatly magnified the 
 office of such a looker in the following beautifully 
 grammatical words : " Whosoever is commanded 
 to look in them, the same is called seer. A seer is 
 a revelator, and a prophet also. A seer can know of 
 things which has past, and also of things which is to 
 come : and a gift which is greater can no man have. 1 ' 
 Limhi was filled with joy on learning these glad 
 tidings ; and it will appear in the sequel that he 
 was fully gratified in his desire to learn the history 
 of the extinct race. At present, however, his
 
 APPENDIX. 257 
 
 great object was to extricate his people with the 
 help of Aramon, from their bondage to the cruel 
 Lamanites. " And it came to pass that they could 
 find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, 
 except it were to take their women and children, 
 their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and to 
 depart into the wilderness." They watched their 
 opportunity, and fled away secretly in the night, 
 together with their gold and silver and precious 
 things, just as Joseph Smith, after the lapse of 
 centuries, escaped from his creditors at Kirtland. 
 They travelled through the wilderness for many 
 days, the Lamanites pursuing them in vain, and 
 ultimately arrived at the land of Zarahemla, where 
 they joined the people of Mosiah and became his 
 subjects. 
 
 In the meanwhile various adventures had befallen 
 Alma, and the believers who accompanied him into 
 the wilderness. After leaving the land of Lehi- 
 Nephi, they travelled eight days through the dense 
 forests, until they came to " a very beautiful and 
 pleasant land, a land of pure water." Here they esta- 
 blished themselves, and, after the manner of modern 
 Mormons, proceeded with great industry to culti- 
 vate the ground, and to erect houses. They offered 
 to make Alma their king: but he declined the 
 honour, and, like his successor Joseph Smith, was 
 content with his theocratical authority as prophet.
 
 258 APPENDIX. 
 
 He consecrated priests and teachers, and selected 
 none but just men for ecclesiastical offices, in con- 
 sequence of which, "they did watch over their 
 people, and did nourish them with things pertain- 
 ing to righteousness." Their secluded retreat was 
 at length discovered by the roving tribes of La- 
 manites, who immediately subjected them to a 
 bondage that was peculiarly oppressive. They 
 succeeded at length in escaping from the hands of 
 their enemies, and fled to the land of Zarahemla, 
 where king Mosiah received them with joy, shortly 
 after the arrival of Ammon, with king Limhi and 
 his people. 
 
 All the people of Nephi were now assembled 
 together, with the original inhabitants of Zara- 
 hemla, the people of Limhi, and the people of 
 Alma. Before this great convocation, Mosiah read 
 the records of Zeniff and of Alma, which produced 
 great amazement and joy. Alma followed with ex- 
 hortations to repentance, faith, and baptism ; after 
 which he went into the water and baptized Limhi 
 and all his people, " after the manner he did his 
 brethren in the waters of Mormon, yea, and as 
 many as he did baptize did belong to the Church of 
 God ; and this because of their belief on the words 
 of Alma. And it came to pass that king Mosiah 
 granted unto Alma, that he might establish 
 Churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla,
 
 APPENDIX. 259 
 
 and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers 
 over every Church. Now this was done because 
 there was so many people that they could not all 
 be governed by one teacher ; neither could they all 
 hear the word of God in one assembly ; therefore 
 they did assemble themselves together in different 
 bodies called Churches, every Church having their 
 priests and teachers, and every priest preaching the 
 word according as it was delivered to him by the 
 mouth of Alma ; and thus, notwithstanding there 
 being many Churches, they were all one Church, 
 yea, even the Church of God; for there was 
 nothing preached in all the Churches, except it 
 were repentance and faith in God. And now 
 there were seven Churches in the land of Zara- 
 hemla ; and the Lord did pour out his Spirit upon 
 them, and they were blest, and prospered in the 
 land." There were, however, many of the rising 
 generation who " did not believe the tradition of 
 their fathers," and " would not call upon the 
 Lord their God." Among the number were the 
 sons of the king, and also a son of Alma, who bore 
 the name of his father. While this young Alma 
 was going about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking 
 to destroy the Church, an angel appeared to him by 
 the way, and, descending in a cloud, spoke to him 
 in a voice of thunder which caused the earth to 
 shake upon which he stood. He instantly fell to
 
 260 APPENDIX. 
 
 the ground, being struck dumb and senseless. He 
 continued in this state for two days and two nights, 
 and then rose up a converted man, and became a 
 most zealous preacher of righteousness. Four of 
 the king's sons were also converted and became 
 zealous preachers. Having obtained their father's 
 approbation, " they took their journey into the 
 wilderness, to go up and preach the word unto the 
 Lamanites." We shall in due time hear what was 
 the result of their efforts ; but years passed away 
 without any intelligence being received from them. 
 The king was growing old, and had no one upon 
 whom he could confer the kingdom. He therefore 
 committed the records of his people for transmis- 
 sion to the younger Alma, having previously trans- 
 lated the records of the extinct people found by the 
 subjects of Limhi, " by the means of those two 
 stones which was fastened into the two rims of a 
 bow." These miraculous spectacles came ultimately, 
 as we have seen, into the hands of Joseph Smith. 
 The records thus translated are called the Book of 
 Ether, and were placed by Mormon nearly at the 
 end of the book called by his name, and conse- 
 quently out of their chronological order. The sub- 
 stance of them is as follows : 
 
 The people who inhabited the desolated country, 
 were the descendants of Jared and his brother, 
 who were among those engaged in building the
 
 APPENDIX. 261 
 
 tower of Babel. When Jared and his brother saw 
 that God was confounding the language of the 
 builders, they cried to him for mercy, in conse- 
 quence of which their language was not confounded, 
 and with their friends and families, they were di- 
 rected to the new abode where Providence designed 
 them to dwell. By divine monition, they went into 
 the valley of Nimrod, north of Babel, where they 
 collected flocks and herds, together with swarms 
 of bees and seeds of every kind. The Lord then 
 appeared in a cloud, and led them to the sea-side, 
 where they dwelt in tents during four years 1 . 
 After that time the Lord commanded them to 
 build barges to convey them over the ocean. " And 
 they were small, and they were light upon the 
 water, like unto the lightness of a fowl upon the 
 water; and they were built after a manner that 
 they were exceeding tight, even that they would 
 hold water like unto a dish ; and the length thereof 
 was the length of a tree ; and the door thereof, 
 when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish. And 
 it came to pass that the brother of Jared cried 
 unto the Lord, saying : O Lord, I have performed 
 
 1 A different account is given in page 424, where, speaking of 
 the devil, the Book of Mormon says : " That same being who 
 put it into the hearts of the people to build a tower sufficiently 
 high that they might get to heaven, led on the people which came 
 from that tower into this land."
 
 262 APPENDIX. 
 
 the work which thou hast commanded me, and I 
 have made the barges according as thou hast di- 
 rected me. And, behold, O Lord, in them there 
 is no light, whither shall we steer. And also we 
 shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save 
 the air that is in them, therefore we shall perish. 
 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared, Be- 
 hold, thou shalt make a hole in the top thereof, 
 and also in the bottom thereof; and when thou shalt 
 suffer for air, thou shalt unstop the hole thereof 
 and receive air. And if it so be that the water 
 come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole 
 thereof, that ye may not perish in the flood. And 
 it came to pass that the brother of Jared did so, 
 according as the Lord had commanded. And he 
 cried again unto the Lord, saying, Lord, behold, 
 I have done even as thou hast commanded me ; and 
 I have prepared the vessels for my people, and 
 behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, 
 wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water 
 in darkness ? And the Lord said unto the brother 
 of Jared, What will ye that I shall do, that ye may 
 have light in your vessels ? For behold, ye cannot 
 have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces ; 
 neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not 
 go by the light of the fire ; for, behold, ye shall be 
 as a whale in the midst of the sea ; for the moun- 
 tain waves shall dash upon you.' 1 '' " And it came to
 
 APPENDIX. 263 
 
 pass, that the brother of Jared (now the number 
 of the vessels was eight) went forth unto the mount 
 which they call the mount Shelem, because of its 
 exceeding height, and did moulten out of a rock 
 sixteen small stones, and they were white and clear 
 like unto transparent glass." These stones, being 
 touched by the finger of God, became like so many 
 stars to enlighten the passengers in the dark 
 barges. Jared and his party now placed their 
 animals and provisions on board, and soon after- 
 wards embarked on their voyage. A furious tem- 
 pest ensued, in the course of which the barges were 
 often buried in the depths of the sea, but no storm 
 could hurt them, " the vessels being tight like unto 
 a dish." After being thus driven for three hun- 
 dred and thirty-four days, " they did land upon 
 the shore of the promised land." Here they be- 
 came mighty nations ; they built cities ; they cul- 
 tivated the arts, and finally, on account of their 
 wickedness, became exterminated by dreadful wars 
 among themselves. And it came to pass, that 
 when they had all fallen by the sword, save it were 
 Coriantumr and Shiz, behold Shiz had fainted with 
 loss of blood. And it came to pass, that after he 
 had smote off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised up 
 on his hands and fell, and after that he had struggled 
 for breath, he died. And it came to pass, that
 
 264 APPENDIX. 
 
 Coriantumr fell to the earth, and became as if he 
 had no life."" 
 
 We have now reached the five hundred and 
 ninth year after the flight of Lehi. Here the book 
 of Mosiah ends, giving an account of the termina- 
 tion of the reign of kings, and the commencement 
 of a kind of republican government under judges. 
 Alma was appointed chief judge, being also high 
 priest by the ordination of his father, who soon 
 afterwards died at the age of eighty -two. Mosiah 
 also died in the thirty-third year of his reign, and 
 the sixty-third year of his age. 
 
 The Book of Alma follows the Book of Mosiah, 
 and occupies 186 pages of the Book of Mormon. 
 It is principally filled with details of the events 
 which happened under the reigns of the early 
 judges, of the wars and contentions among the peo- 
 ple, of the efforts of Alma and others to establish 
 the Church, and of a war between the Nephites and 
 the Lamanites. Soon after Alma was raised to the 
 judgment-seat, Nehor, a very large and powerful 
 man, was brought before him on two charges of 
 heresy and one of murder. The first charge was, 
 that he had declared u unto the people that every 
 priest and teacher had ought to become popular; 
 and that they ought not to labour with their own 
 hands, but that they had ought to be supported by
 
 APPENDIX. 265 
 
 the people."" The second charge was, that he had 
 " testified unto the people that all mankind should 
 be saved at the last day, and that they need not 
 fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their 
 heads and rejoice; for the Lord had created all 
 men, and had also redeemed all men ; and in the 
 end all men should have eternal life." This heretic 
 had also slain one Gideon, an orthodox preacher, 
 who had withstood him with arguments. Being 
 found guilty on all three charges, he was caused to 
 acknowledge, " between the heavens and the earth," 
 that his doctrines were false ; and afterwards, on 
 the hill Manti, he was put to an ignominious death. 
 His doctrines, nevertheless, had taken root, and, 
 about five years afterwards, one Amlici, a cunning, 
 shrewd man, of the same opinions, arose and tried to 
 pervert the people. He " drew away much people 
 after him, even so much that they began to be very 
 powerful ; and they began to endeavour to estab- 
 lish Amlici to be a king over the people." The ques- 
 tion whether he should be a king, was decided by 
 popular vote, and he was defeated. His adherents, 
 however, gathered themselves together, and an- 
 ointed him king, in consequence of which a civil 
 war ensued. The Amlicites were routed in a battle, 
 in which they lost 12,532 souls, while the Nephites 
 bewailed the slaughter of 6562 of the orthodox 
 party. The surviving Amlicites fled to the La- 
 
 N
 
 266 APPENDIX. 
 
 raanites, and joined them in an invasion of Zara- 
 hemla. Another battle ensued, in which Alma 
 and Amlici having met in single combat, the latter 
 was slain, and the Lamanites and Amlicites were 
 totally defeated. Several engagements followed, in 
 which the orthodox Nephites were uniformly victo- 
 rious, and a season of universal prosperity to their 
 church was the consequence. They began to grow 
 proud of their wealth and greatness, and very 
 shortly, envying, malice, and contention grew up 
 among them. Alma, in order to check their in- 
 creasing depravity, resigned his judicial authority 
 to Nephihah, and went forth as high-priest, devoting 
 himself wholly to the business of preaching. Many 
 specimens of his sermons are given, which are gene- 
 rally similar in their manner and matter to the 
 exhortations of itinerant preachers among the 
 modern Methodists and Baptists. He prophesied 
 also respecting the speedy coming of the Messiah, 
 proclaimed with boldness the doctrine of regene- 
 ration by baptism, and freely quoted the New Tes- 
 tament long before the writers of the New Testa- 
 ment were born. Great effects attended his preach- 
 ing generally, but when he reached the city of 
 Ammonihah, he could make no impression upon 
 the minds of the people, who even reviled him, spit 
 upon him, and cast him out of their city. As he 
 was departing in despair, an angel appeared and
 
 APPENDIX. 267 
 
 commanded him to return to Ammonihah and make 
 a second attempt. Returning privately to the city, 
 he was met by a man named Amulek, to whom 
 the angel had also appeared, and who hospitably 
 entertained him at his own house. Amulek, being 
 converted to the faith, went forth with him to 
 preach the word, but the lawyers opposed them, 
 and stirred up the people to persecute them, toge- 
 ther with those who believed their doctrines. Ac- 
 cordingly, several of their converts were burned at 
 the stake ; the Holy Scriptures also were brought 
 forth and committed to the flames. Alma and 
 Amulek were tormented in prison, and, finally, on 
 the twelfth day, the chief judge, and lawyers, and 
 priests, came to them and smote them cruelly. The 
 valiant confessors then cried unto the Lord, and 
 immediately an earthquake ensued, so severe that 
 the prison walls fell and crushed their tormentors. 
 Alma and Amulek came forth in safety, and soon 
 afterwards had the satisfaction of converting Zee- 
 zrom, the most distinguished of the lawyers, who 
 became their powerful auxiliary. Alma, having 
 seen a great religious change among the people, 
 returned to his home at Zarahemla, accompanied 
 by his friend Amulek. Soon afterwards the armies 
 of the Lamanites invaded the land, and utterly 
 destroyed the city of Ammonihah with its in-
 
 268 APPENDIX. 
 
 habitants, but were finally expelled with great 
 slaughter. 
 
 We have next an episode, describing the adven- 
 tures of Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni, the 
 four sons of Mosiah, who had gone as missionaries 
 among the Lamanites. After an absence of four- 
 teen years, they returned and related the following 
 story : 
 
 When they first reached the land of the Laman- 
 ites, they were seized and made slaves in the ser- 
 vice of several chiefs. Ammon was made a shep- 
 herd under King Lamoni, in which situation he 
 exhibited his prowess by defeating, with his single 
 arm. an entire band of hostile shepherds, who 
 sought to scatter his flock. When his valour was 
 described to the king, the latter concluded that 
 Ammon was the Great Spirit in human form, and 
 showed him the greatest reverence. Ammon de- 
 clared that he was merely a man, and forthwith 
 preached and prophesied with such power, that the 
 king fell to the ground and remained in a trance 
 like a dead person for the space of three days. At 
 length he arose in an ecstasy, and began to declare 
 the heavenly wonders which he had seen, and to 
 prophesy respecting the advent of the Messiah. 
 A great revival ensued, and scenes took place simi- 
 lar to the enthusiastic manifestations of modern
 
 APPENDIX. 269 
 
 times, the king, the queen, and all their servants 
 falling down insensible, and then reviving to shout 
 praises, and to declare that they had seen angels, 
 and conversed with them. The converted persons 
 were named Anti-Nephi-Lehies, and seem to have 
 abandoned their wild Indian habits and to have 
 adopted the Quaker principle of non-resistance. 
 Ammon succeeded in delivering his brothers from 
 bondage ; and the four missionaries proceeded 
 through the land, establishing numerous churches, 
 baptizing thousands of converts, and consecrating 
 priests and teachers in the true Mormon fashion. 
 Soon the fiercer tribes of unconverted Lamanites 
 made war upon the believers, who appeared to be 
 on the verge of extermination. Instead of defend- 
 ing themselves, they buried their swords and other 
 weapons, and suffered a thousand and five of their 
 people to be butchered. Their patience finally 
 moved the Lamanites to mercy, and more than a 
 thousand of the latter were converted : thus abund- 
 antly compensating for those who had been slain. 
 They were, however, attacked by other tribes of 
 their Lamanitish brethren, and, adhering to their 
 principles of non-resistance, they ultimately, at the 
 suggestion of the four missionaries, emigrated to 
 the land of Zarahemla. The four brethren asked 
 permission for their converts to settle in that 
 country, which was readily granted to them by the
 
 270 APPENDIX. 
 
 religious and benevolent Alma ; and they were 
 called the people of Ammon. 
 
 Subsequently to this event, the Lamanites in- 
 vaded the territory of the Nephites, and, after 
 tremendous slaughter on both sides, were driven 
 out and scattered. Peace ensued, and the people, 
 observing the law of Moses with strictness, con- 
 tinued to increase in numbers and prosperity. 
 Soon afterwards an antichrist arose, named Kori- 
 hor, who was miraculously struck dumb by Alma, 
 and his infidel doctrines nipped in the bud. A 
 sect of Unitarian " dissenters," named Zoramites, 
 also appeared, who refused to observe the laws of 
 Moses, rejected the traditions of the fathers, and 
 established separate synagogues and a liturgical 
 form of worship. These " dissenters" finally joined 
 their forces with the Lamanites, and made war 
 against the orthodox Nephites. They were totally 
 defeated, and Zerahemnah, the captain of the 
 Unitarian heretics, being scalped by the orthodox 
 party, his scalp was exposed in triumph on the 
 point of a spear. 
 
 Alma, about this time, assembled his sons, He- 
 laman, Shiblon, and Corianton, and gave them long 
 lectures, in which he expounded the prophecies, 
 foretold the descent of Christ in America, and laid 
 down several of the doctrines of Mormonism. To 
 Helaman he committed all the sacred plates, the
 
 APPENDIX. 271 
 
 mystic stones (or Urim and Thummim), and the 
 compass which guided Lehi through the wilderness 
 and across the ocean. He foretold to him, also, 
 that in four hundred years after the appearance of 
 Christ, the Nephites would dwindle in unbelief, and 
 finally become extinct. After uttering this pro- 
 phecy, he disappeared, like Moses; and nothing 
 was known concerning his death or burial. 
 
 Helaman and his brethren succeeded their father 
 as high-priests, and were soon annoyed by a pre- 
 tender, who desired to found a monarchy and 
 abolish true religion. Moroni, the commander of 
 the Nephite armies, hoisted a flag of liberty, and 
 rallied around him the believers in a future Mes- 
 siah, who were now called Christians. The pre- 
 tender, being defeated, fled among the Lamanites, 
 and became their king ; after which, he invaded 
 the territory of the Nephites. The latter, how- 
 ever, under Moroni, had erected many forts and 
 mounds of earth, from which they defended them- 
 selves successfully against their enemies, and in- 
 flicted prodigious slaughter upon them. After this 
 they sallied forth, and carried the war into the ter- 
 ritory of the Lamanites, where they destroyed all 
 the strongholds, and returned in triumph. 
 
 A class of political dissenters now arose, who 
 threatened to weaken the Nephite republic. Mo- 
 roni, like a true Danite, marched against them,
 
 272 APPENDIX. 
 
 and put four thousand to death. About the same 
 time, the pretender invaded the Nephite territory 
 at the head of his Lamanites, but was secretly 
 assassinated by a Nephite ; in consequence of 
 which his army was dispersed. Many wars of a 
 similar nature followed at various intervals. The 
 Nephites were generally victorious ; and ultimately 
 purchased by their efforts a protracted peace, dur- 
 ing which they multiplied and became exceedingly 
 strong. They even sent out emigrants in ships to 
 other countries ; and Corianton, the son of Mosiah, 
 was among the adventurers. Helaman, Moroni, 
 and Shiblon died, and the sacred plates were com- 
 mitted to a son of Helaman of the same name. 
 
 The Book of Helaman details melancholy ac- 
 counts of dissensions and wars, and strange alter- 
 nations of prosperity and adversity to the Church. 
 A son of Helaman, named Nephi, who was now 
 chief judge, imitated the example of Alma, and, 
 resigning his civil office, became a great prophet 
 and preacher, performing miracles and mighty 
 wonders, in company with his brother Lehi. He 
 even went to the Lamanites, and was so successful 
 in converting them, that he arrested the tide of 
 war, and restored peace to the land. He reclaimed 
 many dissenting Nephites ; and in proof of his 
 faith and holiness, the earth shook, the heavens 
 opened, and angels came down at his voice. After
 
 APPENDIX. 273 
 
 Nephi, rose up Samuel, a Laraanite, who predicted 
 that Christ would come into the world in five 
 years, and that on the day of his birth there would 
 be no night, although the sun would go down as 
 usual. Another sign was to attend his death, 
 namely, three whole days of darkness, in which 
 there were to be thunderings and lightnings, earth- 
 quakes, and the rending of rocks and hills. Thirty- 
 three years were to elapse between these two tre- 
 mendous signs, which were to be the period of the 
 Messiah's earthly existence. 
 
 The five years spoken of by Samuel had nearly 
 expired, and the unbelievers, who were now nume- 
 rous among the people, had determined on slaying 
 the Christians, if the prophecy should fail of accom- 
 plishment. At length the suspense of both par- 
 ties was removed by the appearance of the first 
 sign. There was an entire night without darkness, 
 although the sun went down as usual. The people, 
 therefore, knew that Christ had come into the 
 world. Nephi, the son of the last-mentioned 
 Nephi, went forth among them, and baptized 
 immense multitudes for the remission of sins. The 
 converted Lamanites now became as white as the 
 Nephites, and great signs and wonders were 
 wrought by the hand of Nephi. At the end of 
 thirty-three years, in the six hundred and thirty- 
 fourth year after the flight of Lehi from Jerusalem,
 
 274 APPENDIX. 
 
 the awful signs appeared which had been foretold 
 as accompanying the death of Christ. There was 
 a great tempest and terrible thunder, the earth 
 shaking as if it were about to fall in pieces. Vivid 
 lightning ran along the ground ; cities were over- 
 turned and buried in the midst of the sea ; a terri- 
 ble darkness continued for three days ; and there 
 was great howling and weeping among the people. 
 The voice of Christ was heard amid the tempest, 
 denouncing woes upon sinners, and offering grace 
 and salvation to all who would repent and believe. 
 
 After these signs had disappeared, a great multi- 
 tude of Nephites were gathered together, convers- 
 ing upon what they had seen, when "they heard 
 a voice, as if it came out of heaven ; and they cast 
 their eyes round about, for they understood not the 
 voice which they heard ; and it was not a harsh 
 voice, neither was it a loud voice ; nevertheless, 
 being a small voice, it did pierce them that did 
 hear to the centre . . . yea, it did pierce them to 
 the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn. 
 And it came to pass, that again they heard the 
 voice, and they understood it not ; and again, the 
 third time, they did hear the voice, and did open 
 their ears to hear it ; and their eyes were towards 
 the sound thereof; and they did look stedfastly 
 towards heaven from whence the sound came ; and 
 behold ! the third time they did understand the
 
 APPENDIX. 275 
 
 voice which they heard ; and it saith unto them, 
 Behold my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, 
 in whom I have glorified my name, hear ye him ! 
 
 " And it came to pass, as they understood, they 
 cast their eyes up again towards heaven, and 
 behold ! they saw a Man descending out of heaven ; 
 and he was clothed in a white robe, and he came 
 down and stood in the midst of them ; and the 
 eyes of the whole multitude was turned upon him, 
 and they durst not open their mouths even one to 
 another, and wist not what it meant ; for they 
 thought it was an angel that had appeared unto 
 them. 
 
 " And it came to pass, that he stretched forth 
 his hand, and spake unto the people, saying, 
 Behold ! I am Jesus Christ, of which the prophets 
 testified, that should come into the world; and 
 behold, I have drank out of that bitter cup which 
 the Father hath given me, and have glorified the 
 Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in 
 the which I have suffered the will of the Father in 
 all things, from the beginning." 
 
 There were several occasions on which the Mes- 
 siah is said to have appeared subsequently ; at 
 which times he is blasphemously represented as 
 teaching Anabaptist and Mormon doctrines, be- 
 sides repeating the instructions and performing 
 the miracles of the New Testament. With equally
 
 276 APPENDIX. 
 
 audacious blasphemy he is described as instituting 
 the sacraments, ordaining twelve apostles, and, 
 finally, ascending into heaven. All were now bap- 
 tized in the name of the Trinity ; and the whole of 
 the Nephites, with most of the Lamanites, became 
 converted. For more than 150 years, America 
 was almost a paradise ; for there were no conten- 
 tions, envyings, strifes, tumults, lyings, murders, or 
 uncleanness. About the commencement of the 
 third century of the Christian era, the love of many 
 began to wax cold, and iniquity once more 
 abounded, till the wicked became exceedingly more 
 numerous than the people of God. Terrible wars 
 ensued between the Nephites and Lamanites, which 
 are duly recorded by the prophet Mormon. The 
 Nephites, in their degenerate state, had lost the 
 favour of God, and were slaughtered in prodigious 
 numbers by their enemies. The prophet Mormon 
 refused to head their artnies, on account of their 
 wickedness and abominations. At length, about 
 the year 400, their scattered forces were collected 
 at the hill Camorah, where they hoped to gain some 
 advantage over the Lamanites. A dreadful battle 
 ensued, in which two hundred and thirty thousand 
 Nephites were slain, twenty-four persons alone 
 escaping, with Mormon and his son Moroni. Mor- 
 mon was severely wounded, and soon afterwards was 
 slain with his companions, Moroni alone surviving
 
 APPENDIX. 277 
 
 to tell the dreadful tale. To him the sacred re- 
 cords had been entrusted ; and, faithful to his 
 charge, he deposited them in the hill Camorah, 
 whence, after an interval of 14-27 years, they were 
 disinterred by the prophet Joseph Smith. 
 
 THE END.
 
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