WILLIAM HETH WHITSITT: INSIGHTS INTO EARLY MORMONISM

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A Thesis

Presented to

the Faculty of

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

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In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Theology

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by

Bryan Eugene Ready

December 2001

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Copyright © 2001

Bryan Eugene Ready

All Rights Reserved

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DEFENSE SUBMISSION APPROVAL

Student: Bryan Eugene Ready  

Program: Th.M.  

Title: William Heth Whitsitt: Insights into Early Mormonism.  

My signature below indicates that I approve of the submission of the above mentioned manuscript for evaluation by the Seminary Style Reader and External Reader (PhD only) and for defense before this committee.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PREFACE

This work marks a milestone in a fascinating journey in my life. I have been fascinated with the history and theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since I was a teen-ager. As soon as I learned of the existence of Dr. Whitsitt's work on Mormonism, I knew I would have to look into it. I owe a word of thanks to the many people who enabled me to finish this thesis.

I would first like to thank my supervising professor, Dr. James Chancellor. He provided me with a great deal of freedom in formulating the outline for this project. Without his support and willingness to work with me after I moved to Illinois, this project would not have been completed. I would also like to thank Dr. John Dever for his encouragement, along with Dr. Greg Wills and their willingness to take time out of their schedules to serve on my advisory committee. Special thanks is also due to Dale Broadhurst for his feedback and willingness to post so many of the essential source materials that I needed, including the entire Whitsitt biography of Rigdon, on web sites.

Words cannot express my gratitude for the patience of my wife Jennifer and

my children, B. J. and Carrie, who graciously allowed daddy to go back to school (again!), and gave me several hours of (mostly) uninterrupted time at the computer Special thanks

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also needs to be expressed to the members of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Piasa, Illinois for their patience as their new Pastor completed this work.

Finally I must thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In hindsight, it is fascinating to see how He worked everything out for me to complete this project. I owe Him this and so much more. May He receive all of the honor and glory.

Bryan E. Ready    

Shipman, Illinois

December 2001

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Nine years before William Heth Whitsitt published his most famous work, A Question in Baptist History, he quietly finished another manuscript on the life of Sidney Rigdon entitled, Sidney Rigdon, the Real Founder of Mormonism. This work was a fourteen-hundred-page manuscript which marked the culmination of a decade-long study on the origins, leaders, and theology of Mormonism. ¹

According to W. Morgan Patterson, Whitsitt was "fascinated by the ideas, leaders, and documents of Mormonism; and by 1887 he had amassed a huge amount of information on the subject." ² "His curiosity about the Mormon movement seemed almost to be an obsession." ³ Whitsitt did a great deal of meticulous research on this

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Yet, only a handful of scholars are aware that this research exists. With the exception of Richard S. Van Wagoner's book, Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess, and a few web sites on the internet, recent scholarly works dealing with the. origins of the Mormon movement and the life of Sidney Rigdon have no reference to Whitsitt's research. His research is totally missing from contemporary debate on early Mormonism. What Patterson suggests may have been Whitsitt's "magnum opus" ⁴ has quietly faded into obscurity. This disappearance is a travesty. Whitsitt's research provides some valuable insight into the origins of Mormonism. It is hoped that this thesis will bring attention to Whitsitt's work and thrust his ideas squarely into contemporary debates about the origin of Mormonism.

Whitsitt's claim that Sidney Rigdon was the real founder of Mormonism is not a new one. Many others have tried to advance this claim. What is unique about Whitsitt's research is the evidence he uses to support it. He gives evidence that Rigdon participated in Smith" visionary experiences, and he demonstrates the striking similarities between Campbellite theology and early Mormon theology. The purpose of this thesis is to examine critically William Whitsitt's claim and the evidence he gives to support It. This paper will argue that Whitsitt's research is an extremely valuable contribution to the discussion on the origins of Mormonism.

I first heard about Whitsitt's research in Mormonism when I attended the

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Spring Founder's Day Convocation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1994. The speaker was W. Morgan Patterson. His subject was William Heth Whitsitt: The Seminary's Versatile Scholar. It was Patterson's address that sparked my interest in Whitsitt's work. Having studied Mormonism for many years, I thought it would be interesting to read Whitsitt' s contribution to the discussion of Mormonism, and see which scholars [were] aware of his work. I began contacting people who were actively involved in Mormon studies. I received responses from John L. Smith and Sandra Tanner. John L. Smith, a noted Southern Baptist authority on Mormonism, said that he had a copy of Whitsitt's manuscript on the life of Sidney Rigdon and was using it as a source for his forthcoming biography on the life of Sidney Rigdon. Sandra Tanner who is one of the foremost evangelical scholars on Mormonism today, sent me an article she co-wrote with her husband, Jerald Tanner, in 1989. This article links Whitsitt's manuscript with the Cowdery Defence. The Tanners were the first to point out the similarities between the two documents. They also suggest that Whitsitt may have played a role in the forgery of the Defence. An appendix to this paper will examine and refute that claim.

This information ignited my interest in Whitsitt's work and is the motivation for this thesis. At first, the intent of this thesis was simply to examine the similarities between Whitsitt's work and that of the Cowdery Defence, and to defend Whitsitt's name against the Tanners' suggestion that he may have been an accomplice to forgery. But as I began to examine Whitsitt's work on the subject, it became quite evident that his research might well provide valuable insights into the origins of Mormonism. His primary thesis is that Mormonism was actually founded by Sidney Rigdon and that Joseph Smith was

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simply a figurehead employed by Rigdon to lead the movement. Whitsitt argues that Rigdon was not trying to perpetrate a fraud on the gullible. Instead, he saw himself engaged in a well-meaning attempt to restore the original teachings of the Christian Church.

Whitsitt has some extremely strong arguments supporting his position. These arguments need to be heard and addressed by the larger world of scholars engaged in Mormon studies. For if Whitsitt is correct, an alternative understanding of the origin of Mormonism is now available. For years only two alternatives have presented themselves: (1) Joseph Smith, Jr. and the early leaders of Mormonism were frauds intent on deceiving the faithful; or (2) Joseph Smith, Jr. was truly a prophet of God. Whitsitt provides us with a third alternative to this long-standing prophet-fraud dichotomy -- early Mormon leaders were sincere men trying to restore the true Church of Christ. The Book of Mormon was a pseudepigraphal attempt to provide a foundation for their movement. Joseph Smith, Jr. was merely a figurehead employed by Rigdon to lead the movement, but Smith's charisma overpowered the influence of Rigdon and eventually gave him total control of the movement.

Very little contemporary research has been done on Whitsitt's work. As Whitsitt researched the origins of Mormonism in the 1880's, he published many articles on the subject. These articles appeared in newspapers such as the New York Independent and the Western Recorder as well as the 1891 edition of the Concise Dictionary of Religious Knowledge. One of Whitsitt's Western Recorder articles is even mentioned in a pamphlet written by Joseph Smith III, entitled The Spaulding Story Re-Examined. ⁵

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Whitsitt's biography of Rigdon is referred to in an article written by George R. Gibson, entitled, "The Origin of a Great Delusion," published in New Princeton Review. ⁶

After Whitsitt donated his manuscript to the Library of Congress in 1908 there is no mention of his work until the late 1970's, when Dale Broadhurst began his research on the connection between The Book of Mormon and the Spalding Manuscript. Most of Broadhurst's research is available on two web sites he operates -- www.sidneyrigdon.com and www.solomonspalding.com. Included on these web sites is the entire text of Whitsitt's biography of Rigdon. The Broadhurst web sites provide the greatest amount of scholarly analysis of the Whitsitt material that I have found. I have been corresponding with Broadhurst since October 8, 2000. He has indicated to me that, in his opinion, work on Whitsitt's research has been long overdue. Broadhurst is a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The most recent discussion of Whitsitt's study of Mormonism can be found in the aforementioned works by the Tanners, Van Wagoner, Broadhurst, and Patterson.

Currently there are three projects, in addition to my own, which are forthcoming on Whitsitt. One, Whitsitt's biography on Sidney Rigdon is to be published by an associate of Dale Broadhurst. Two, Elaine Ozment of Union College, Barbourville, Kentucky is working on a publication of Whitsitt s "Studies in Mormon Theology." Both of these works are scheduled to be published in 2002. Three, scholarly research is being done on Whitsitt's diaries which are currently sealed and are being held at the University of Richmond. No date has been given as to when this work will be published.

In reality there are very few scholarly resources on the life and work of

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William Whitsitt. In most cases he is only mentioned in connection with the controversy that bears his name. His other writings are virtually ignored. I could find no biography of the man with the exception of a few articles published in the Review and Expositor.

In addition to the Broadhurst sources on the Internet, the archives of the Boyce Library at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary appears to contain the majority of Whitsitt's research on Mormonism. His notes and personal files are in the archives, and the actual books Whitsitt used in his research are found in the Library. An on-line search of Whitsitt's papers listed in the card catalogue of the University of Richmond did not turn up any listings for Mormonism or Sidney Rigdon. An on-line search of the card catalogue of the Library of Congress did not turn up any listings for any manuscripts of which Southern Seminary did not already have copies. Apparently, with the exceptions of possible references in Whitsitt's diaries to which I was denied access, Southern Seminary's Boyce Library has the majority of Whitsitt's notes, writings, and resources on Mormonism. In these papers Whitsitt makes his opinions quite clear, and they were quite adequate for the purposes if this thesis.

The research for this thesis consisted of four phases. First, I examined Whitsitt's notes and personal writings on this subject both unpublished and published and identified Whitsitt's key points.

Second, I examined the few limited works that have referred to Whitsitt's writings on Mormonism and incorporated them into the thesis where appropriate.

Third, I compared and contrasted Whitsitt's arguments with other scholars' understandings of early Mormonism. These scholars include members of the Church of

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Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as well as Evangelical Christian, and secular scholars who are regarded as authorities in the field.

Finally, I organized my arguments and conclusions and present them here in this thesis, that Whitsitt's research is an extremely valuable contribution to the discussion on the origins of Mormonism.

I submit that Whitsitt's work makes five significant contributions to the study of early Mormonism. One, he was the first legitimate scholar to undertake a study of Mormonism. He undertook that study not to "expose" Mormonism, but to understand it. As a result of his study he came to the conclusion that Rigdon was the actual founder of Mormonism. His work deserves to be included in the broader discussion of Mormon origins simply because of its historical significance and his scholarly integrity.

Second, Whitsitt demonstrated it is entirely possible that Rigdon had a connection with Smith prior to his "conversion" in 1830. This argument is presented in chapter three of this thesis.

Third, Whitsitt demonstrated that Campbellite theology can be found in the Book of Mormon even though Joseph Smith had no known connection to Campbell's movement prior to 1830. He demonstrates that those sections of the Book of Mormon which seem to contradict the teachings of Campbell fall exactly in-line with the known beliefs of Sidney Rigdon. These arguments will be discussed in chapter four of this thesis.

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Fourth, as a result of Whitsitt's findings, Rigdon's role in early Mormonism needs to be reevaluated. Perhaps Solomon Spaulding's manuscript played no part in the formation of the Book of Mormon. Whitsitt still presents credible evidence that Rigdon did play a part. The Spaulding-Rigdon theory needs to be reexamined. This point is discussed throughout the thesis, with some final thoughts given in the concluding chapter.

Fifth, Whitsitt's most significant contribution to the study of Mormonism is that Mormonism was founded by sincere, albeit extremely misguided individuals who thought they were doing God's work by restoring authentic Christianity. This point is also discussed throughout the thesis and affirmed in the conclusion.

In order to understand Whitsitt's argument fully and appreciate his contributions, it is necessary to understand the backgrounds which led to their formation. That is the focus of this next chapter.

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CHAPTER 2

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

This chapter will provide a brief overview of the respective histories of the Disciples of Christ ¹ movement and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so that we may understand the context of Whitsitt's claim that Sidney Rigdon was the "real" founder of Mormonism. This chapter will also contain a biographical sketch of Sidney Rigdon, as well as a summary of the Spalding-Rigdon theory. This theory attempts to link Rigdon with the production of the Book of Mormon. The chapter will conclude with a biographical sketch of Dr. Whitsitt.

The Disciples of Christ

The Disciples of Christ trace their origin back to four men -- Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, Waiter Scott, and Barton Stone. ² Each of these men had a vision to see the union of all Christians and the restoration of "primitive" Christianity. Each of

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these men came to the same conclusion about this need independently of one another. Yet they all shared very similar influences. This next: section will discuss these influences. 

Early Influences

The writings of John Glas, Robert Sandeman, James Haldane, and John Locke had a profound influence on both the Campbells and Walter Scott. In 1727, John Glas, a minister in the Church of Scotland, became convicted that the Church should not be associated with the state. He left the state church and organized an independent congregation. This congregation adopted the practice of having communion every week, a plurality of elders, and wore only scriptural names, mainly "Church of Christ." ³ In time, Robert Sandeman, Glas' son-in-law, adopted his principles but became much more vigorous in promoting them. Therefore, the resulting churches were referred to as "Sandemanian." ⁴

Sandeman also added to Glas' teachings. Sandeman taught that churches should derive their faith and practice only from what was taught in the Scripture. He taught that God had revealed the entire truth necessary to gain salvation in the Scriptures, and that this truth was intelligible to humans.

Since Sandemanian churches were encouraged to search the Scriptures for their faith and practice, some of them began to embrace beliefs not originally held by Glas

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and Sandeman. These include the practice of baptism by immersion, taking a weekly collection for the poor, feet washing and the practice of closed communion. Some of them also considered private wealth sinful, although they did not actually practice community of goods. ⁵

Even though there were probably only a dozen or two Sandemanian churches in Scotland and England, and fewer than ten in America, their influence spread through the prolific writings of Sandeman. ⁶ Sandeman's writings would also influence the Campbells and Scott.

William Whitsitt, in his book The Origin of the Disciples of Christ, went to great lengths to link Campbell and Scott with Sandemanian teachings. He went so far as to call the Campbellite movement an "offshoot" of Sandemanianism. Disciples of Christ writers Garrison and DeGroot, dismiss this idea but note that,

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congregational form of organization and weekly communion. They were also strong advocates of the restoration of "primitive" Christianity. ⁸

History of the Disciples (through 1832)

Thomas Campbell was a pastor and teacher in the Seceder branch of the Scottish Presbyterian Church in Northern Ireland. ⁹ He became acquainted with the teachings of the Haldanes and Sandeman through the influence of a nearby Scotch Independent church which embodied their principles. ¹⁰ Thomas Campbell moved to America in 1807 because of his health. His family joined him in 1809.

Shortly after his arrival in America, Thomas Campbell joined the Associate Synod of North America which represented all the Seceder churches in America. He was appointed to a Presbytery in Pennsylvania and preached there regularly. Early on the influences he had felt back in Ireland began to play a role in his preaching. Within a few months, Campbell was tried and found guilty of heretical teaching and disorderly procedure by the local Presbytery. Campbell appealed to the Synod who censured the presbytery for their handling of the case. Since tensions between Campbell and the

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⁸ Garrison, An American Religious Movement, 24.

⁹ "The Seceder Presbyterian Church had withdrawn from the Church of Scotland in 1733 in protest against certain aspects of the connection between church and government.... The Seceders in Scotland soon divided into two parties, Burghers and Anti-burghers, (Campbell was Anti-burgher) on the issue as to whether or not the members of their communion could properly subscribe to the oath imposed by law upon any who would become burgesses. The oath was a declaration of adherence to the religion presently professed in this realm." Garrison and DeGroot, The Disciples of Christ, 127; see also, Richard T. Hughes and R. L. Roberts, The Churches of Christ (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001), 191-93.

¹⁰ Garrison and DeGroot, The Disciples of Christ, 128.


 

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Presbytery remained high, he formally severed his ties with both the Synod and Presbytery on October 13, 1808. ¹¹

This break did not keep Campbell from preaching. He had gathered around him a number of sympathizers. In August 1809, he led them to form The Christian Association of Washington (Pennsylvania). Their motto being "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the scriptures are silent, we are silent." ¹²

On September 7, 1809, Thomas Campbell published his Declaration and Address, designed to be a statement of the principles of the Christian Association of Washington. ¹³ This document which would become "one of the most important documents in the history of the Disciples," ¹⁴ called for the unity of all Christians based upon the simple saving essentials of the gospel which most Christians accepted. ¹⁵

During this time frame, Alexander enrolled in a Haldane seminary in Glasgow. In the writings of Haldane, Glas, and Sandeman,

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When Alexander Campbell rejoined his father and read the Declaration, he embraced it enthusiastically. Over the next year and a half, Alexander Campbell spent a great deal of time studying Scripture, in the original Greek and Hebrew, and preaching with his father the message of the Declaration.

On May 4, 1811, the Christian Association of Washington constituted itself a church. Thomas Campbell was chosen as elder, and Alexander Campbell was licensed to preach. The Brush Run church was born. It was the first official church in what would become the Disciples of Christ.

In the Autumn of 1813, having adopted the practice of baptism by immersion, the Brush Run church applied for admission to the Redstone Baptist Association. Despite the objections of some pastors, their membership was approved and they remained in the Association for seventeen years.

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Later that same year Campbell was challenged to a debate by a Rev. W. L. MacCalla, a Presbyterian minister in Augusta, Kentucky. Campbell was accompanied by young Sidney Rigdon, who by this time had become pastor of a church in Pittsburgh. ¹⁷

Through these debates Campbell began developing his ideas on baptism for the remission of sins. ¹⁸

In 1826, the Redstone Association cut off ten churches that were leaning towards Campbell's views. These churches organized the Washington Association the next year. The Mahoning Association in Ohio also became permeated with Campbell's teaching of "the Bible alone."

Campbell enjoyed great success and acceptance in the Mahoning Association. The majority of their churches embraced his reforms. One church, in Hiram, Ohio (later a site of significant events in Merman history) was second only to Campbell's church in acceptance of his reforms. ¹⁹ In 1826, Campbell published his own version of the New Testament. These events in the Mahoning Association and the rise of another young preacher by the name of Walter Scott, would shape the next period of Campbellite history.

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Forrester's influence, Scott began studying the writings of Glas, Sandeman, and Haldane. After Forrester's death, Scott began to lead the little church. In time he concluded that "the central and sufficient fact for Christian faith could be stated in these four words -- 'Jesus is the Christ.'" ²⁰

It was at this point that Scott met Campbell and struck up a friendship. Scott began writing for Campbell's publication, The Christian Baptist. In1826, Scott moved to Steubenville, Ohio to be closer to Campbell. Scott became active in the Mahoning Baptist Association. In 1827, he was elected by the Association to serve as their evangelist among the churches.

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Through the success of Scott's preaching hundreds were converted and the total membership of the churches in the Mahoning Baptist Association doubled in one year. ²³

Eventually Scott came to the conclusion that there was no Scriptural foundation for associations. He suggested the association be dissolved. The dissolution of the Mahoning Baptist Association took place in August 1830. From this point on the "reforming" Baptists would become known as the Disciples/Churches of Christ. In 1832 Barton Stone merged his group with the Disciples, solidifying their base and creating one of the most successful Protestant denominations in the nineteenth-century.

Having summarized the history of the Disciples of Christ up to 1832, we shall turn to the life of Sidney Rigdon, whom Whitsitt sees as the link between Campbellism and Mormonism. In doing so, I would like to quote an analysis of the connection between Campbellism and Mormonism made by two Disciples of Christ writers.

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Sidney Rigdon

Sidney Rigdon was born on February 18, 1793, at Piny Fork, Peter's Creek, St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Little is known about Rigdon's childhood. He desperately wanted to continue his education beyond what he received in the local one-room schoolhouse. His father would not allow it. Since his younger brother was ill and incapable of working on the farm, he was sent to school, while Sidney, having a strong back, was forced to stay and work the farm; although, by his own admission and those of his neighbors he was not very good at it. ²⁵

One significant incident from Rigdon's childhood which should be noted here is described by one of his brothers.

Rigdon biographer Richard S. Van Wagoner speculates that this injury might have precipitated his having "Bipolar Affective Disorder or manic-depressive illness." ²⁷

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Chase seems to imply that he believed Rigdon might have suffered from some sort of personality disorder. He quotes Newel K. Whitney, an early Mormon leader and close friend of Rigdon, who said that Rigdon was "always either in the bottom of the cellar or up in the garret window." ²⁸ It is interesting to note that Whitsitt disputes the idea that Rigdon suffered from mental illness.

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During the summer of 1820, after Rigdon moved to Warren, Ohio in search of his own church to pastor, three significant events occurred in Rigdon's life: (1) He married Phebe Brooks on June 12, 1820; (2) He began a career as an itinerant minister preaching at churches along the Western Reserve; (3) He became a follower of Alexander Campbell.

According to many, Rigdon's greatest contribution to Campbell's movement was his great oratory skills and persuasive rhetoric. ³¹ Alexander Campbell described Rigdon as "the great orator of the Mahoning association." ³² According to early Disciples of Christ historian, Amos Hayden.

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baptismal remission (under Campbell's influence) and the Baptists' rejection of this doctrine was at the crux of the matter. ³⁶ After he resigned, Rigdon joined with Walter Scott's small New Light Presbyterian group which was also meeting in Pittsburgh. Needing a way to support his family he began to work as a journeyman tanner while he served with Scott in the church. In December 1825 he moved his family back to the Western Reserve to serve as a circuit preacher.

In 1826 he was called to pastor in Mentor, Ohio. Once again he was in Campbell's inner circle and Campbell, Rigdon, and Scott preached side by side throughout the area.

Campbell disagreed. one writer notes,

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Rigdon proceeded to set up a small communal church in Kirtland, Ohio. Three months later, in November 1830, Rigdon would be baptized into the Mormon faith. The person instrumental in his conversion was Parley P. Pratt. Pratt had been a Campbellite lay-preacher and close friend of Rigdon. While on a missionary trip to New York, he read a copy of the Book of Mormon and converted. He met Joseph Smith Jr. and was appointed to go on a mission to Missouri. On his way to Missouri, he and his companions stopped to see Rigdon. Rigdon was shortly converted.

Shortly after moving to Ohio, Smith and Rigdon began organizing the church, and experimenting with forms of communalism. The church continued to experiment with communalism sporadically even after they migrated to Utah.

During the next few years Smith and Rigdon would receive revelations dealing with the Priesthood, the three glories of heaven, the establishment of "Zion" in Independence, Missouri, and the construction of their first Temple in Kir[t]land. Smith would also ordain Rigdon as his "first counselor" a position Rigdon would hold until Smith's death.

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and apostate Mormons drug Rigdon and Smith from their homes and tarred and feathered them. The attack left Rigdon with a severe fever, and he was delirious for several days after the event. Perhaps Rigdon was still suffering the effects of his beating (or displaying mental illness) when he wildly declared a few months later at a prayer meeting, "The keys of the kingdom are rent from the Church, and there shall not be a prayer put up in this house this day." ³⁹ The following Sunday, Smith denounced Rigdon's statement and ordered him to surrender his license until he repented. Rigdon surrendered his license, and after he had sufficiently "humbled himself" Smith gave him a new license. It does not appear that this incident had a long-lasting impact on Smith and Rigdon's friendship. Immediately after Rigdon repented, they were back working together on Smith's translation of the Bible.

The Mormons were also having trouble in Missouri. By the end of 1833 the Mormons were expelled from Jackson County. Although Rigdon was not in Missouri at the time, the animosity created by these events would lead directly to the Mormon War of 1838, of which Rigdon was one of the chief catalysts.

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In an effort to raise some much needed capital for the Mormons in Kirtland, Smith, Rigdon, and other church leaders decided to form a bank. But the bank failed to get a charter from the Ohio legislature. So Smith and Rigdon set up an "anti-banking" company which printed currency. In the spring of 1837, a panic struck the country. The company failed, along with several other banks in the area. This economic disaster caused a lot of people to lose faith in Smith and Rigdon. That summer a group of dissidents tried to take over the temple. The police were called in to quiet things down. But Smith and Rigdon were still the prime targets of the animosity. In addition to all of the internal problems in the church, they were also faced with legal problems for running an illegal bank.

On January 12, 1838, Smith and Rigdon would leave Kirtland at night on horseback fleeing from their enemies, creditors, and the law. They would arrive in Far West, Missouri, in March. By the end of the year they would be languishing in the Liberty Missouri, jail.

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for we will carry the seat of war to their own houses, and their own family." ⁴¹ Smith would make the mistake of publishing that speech in a pamphlet. When the non-Mormons read it, the stage was set for war.

In August, there was a skirmish between Mormons and anti-Mormons in nearby Gallatin, Missouri. The non-Mormons were trying to keep the Mormons from voting. This skirmish escalated into mob violence on both sides. After skirmishes between the Mormons and the State Militia, Missouri governor Lillburn Boggs issued his famous extermination order in which he ordered that the Mormons must be driven from the state or exterminated.

In order to prevent further bloodshed, Smith, Rigdon, and other church leaders surrendered at Far West on October 31. They narrowly escaped execution, but instead were charged with treason against the state, murder, burglary, arson, robbery, and larceny. ⁴²

The conditions in the Liberty jail were horrible that winter. It appears that Rigdon went into shock and had "fits" during his imprisonment. ⁴³ According to Chase, Rigdon would later be regarded as the one chiefly responsible for all of the problems the Mormons had in Missouri. ⁴⁴

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Illinois, where the majority of the Mormons were now staying. By the end of that month Smith would lead his people upriver to Commerce, Illinois. This city would come to be known as Nauvoo.

Later that year Smith began to seek redress from the Federal government for the Mormon losses in Missouri. He arranged for a meeting with congress and then sitting president, Martin Van Buren. Smith had appointed Rigdon to go and plead the Mormons' case, but Rigdon was still too sick and could not travel. Smith had to go and he received no help from either the Congress or the President. Chase sees this event as the beginning of the breakdown in the relationship between Smith and Rigdon. ⁴⁵ Over the next few years the influences of Joseph' s brother, Hyrum, and an influential newcomer named, John C. Bennett would push Rigdon out of Joseph's inner circle.

By October of 1843, Smith was ready to be rid of Rigdon. At the October Conference, Smith rejected Rigdon as his First Counselor and wanted to appoint someone else. Rigdon made an impassioned plea in his own defense reminding Smith of their former friendship and how sick he had been since the Missouri incident. Hyrum Smith even spoke in his defense. In the end. Rigdon was sustained First Counselor against Smith's wishes.

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brother Hyrum were murdered in the Carthage, Illinois, jail.

After hearing of Smith's death, Rigdon arrived back in Nauvoo on August 3, 1844. The following Sunday Rigdon preached a sermon saying that God had appointed him Guardian of the church. He wanted them to call a meeting and appoint him Guardian of the Church. After some discussion, the meeting was scheduled for the following Thursday, August 8. Brigham Young arrived back in town on Tuesday, August 6, and the rest is history. Ultimately Rigdon was excommunicated on September 8, 1844.

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There are still some small "churches" which recognize Rigdon's claim to authority in existence today.

In closing this section on Rigdon's life let me quote an observation made by Chase,

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1820-1844

Since the previous section on Sidney Rigdon' s life coincided with much of the early history of the Mormon movement, we will not take the time to reiterate that here. Instead this section will present a broad overview of Latter-day Saint history for this time period and fill in some of the gaps, such as before Rigdon's "Conversion" and significant events in which he did not play a role.

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On September 21, 1823, Smith received another vision. This time from an angel named Moroni. Moroni told him about some gold plates which contained the writings of an ancient nation that once roamed the American continents. When Joseph found the plates, however, he was not allowed to take them because he had "not kept the commandments of the Lord." ⁵⁰ Smith was instructed by Moroni to return to this spot annually until the time had come when Smith would be able to receive the plates. Joseph finally received the plates on September 22, 1827. He then began the process of translating the plates. As he translated, issues began to arise in his mind regarding various ordinances. One of those was Baptism. Smith and his associate Oliver Cowdery, who at that time was serving as his scribe in the translation process, were concerned about the necessity of Baptism. On May 15, 1829, they went out to pray about the subject and received a visitation from John the Baptist, who ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood and instructed them to baptize one another in the nearby river. A few months later the same two men received a visitation from Peter, James, and John who conferred upon them the Melchizedek priesthood.

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On April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith, Jr. organized the "Church of Christ" ⁵¹ in Fayette, New York.

In December of 1830, Smith received a revelation that the small church would move to Kirtland, Ohio. By January 1838 Smith and Rigdon were forced to leave Kirtland. By the end of the year they would be in the Liberty, Missouri jail.

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Bennett also began using Joseph Smith's revelation sanctioning polygamy, to gain sexual favors from women without Smith's permission. Things really came to a head when Smith and Bennett got into a fight over the affections of Sidney Rigdon's nineteen-year-old daughter, Nancy. ⁵³ When Sidney found out about this involvement from Bennett, he angrily confronted Joseph about the issue. Smith in turn was furious with Bennett and excommunicated him on June 23, 1842. ⁵⁴

Bennett wasted no time writing a book that exposed Smith's polygamy and accused him of setting up a kingdom on the Mississippi River. Bennett made a great deal of money selling his book and traveling on the lecture circuit exposing the evils of Mormonism. Bennett's tales fanned the flames of controversy around Smith and played a significant role in setting the stage for Smith's murder.

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After Smith's death, the power struggle ensued. Ultimately the majority of the Mormons followed Brigham Young to the Great Salt Lake Valley where they would finally establish their Zion. 

The Spalding-Rigdon Theory

In order to understand some of the arguments Whitsitt makes, it is necessary to provide a brief overview of what is known as "The Spalding-Rigdon Theory." This "theory" was an attempt to link Rigdon with the authorship of the Book of Mormon. It was originally introduced in 1833 by ex-Mormon Philastus Hurlbut and published in E. D. Howe's Mormonism Unvailed. Whitsitt would use this book as a source in his research.

Hurlbut collected eight affidavits from friends and relatives of a deceased minister named Solomon Spalding, stating that the Book of Mormon contained a great many similarities to an unpublished manuscript of Spalding's, entitled Manuscript Found. This manuscript was written by Spalding in the hopes of getting it published and producing income. It was supposed to be a historical romance detailing how the first settlers came to America. They were Jews who would eventually become the descendants of the American Indians.

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Let me state three points in regard to this theory which are important to this thesis. (1) Sidney Rigdon vehemently denied any connection with Spaulding's Manuscript Found. ⁵⁵ (2) The majority of the contemporary scholars (but by no means all of them) of Mormon history, both members of the Mormon Church and non-members, reject the Spalding-Rigdon theory. However, it should be remembered that, up until the publication of Brodie' s book in 1945, the Spalding-Rigdon theory was the favored explanation of the origin of Mormonism by non-Mormons. (3) Even though Whitsitt was sympathetic to the Spalding-Rigdon theory, he felt that even if it could be proven that Rigdon had absolutely no connection with the Spalding manuscript, his work would still demonstrate that Rigdon was "the real founder of Mormonism," because of the overwhelming amount of Campbellite theology in the Book of Mormon. 

William Heth Whitsitt

Finally, it is appropriate to provide a brief biographical sketch of William Heth Whitsitt. Whitsitt was born on November 25, 1841, near Nashville, Tennessee. In 1857 he enrolled in Union University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He graduated with honors and a Master's Degree in 1861. In 1862, he was ordained to the gospel ministry by his home church, Mill Creek Baptist Church, and served for a time as pastor.

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In 1866, Whitsitt entered the University of Virginia. One year later, after meeting and hearing John A. Broadus, Whitsitt entered the recently reopened Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina. After completing the two-year course of study there, and with the encouragement of Broadus, he traveled to Germany to study for two years at the universities of Leipzig and Berlin.

In 1872 he returned to America and was elected as the sixth member of the faculty of Southern Seminary as assistant professor of ecclesiastical history and biblical introduction. 57 He would eventually teach classes in polemical theology, Greek, and special German reading classes, as well.

In 1873, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity by Mercer University in recognition of his outstanding abilities as a scholar, teacher and preacher. In 1888 three other schools -- William Jewel, Georgetown, and Southwestern would honor him with the degree of Doctor of Laws. ⁵⁸

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Eventually Whitsitt left Louisville and joined the faculty of the University of Richmond in 1901. He taught there until 1909. He died there on January 20, 1911, at the age of 69.

Whitsitt was a remarkable scholar. In the words of W. Morgan Patterson,

A brief perusal of Whitsitt's academic accomplishments demonstrates the validity of Patterson's claim. His literary output also demonstrates a great diversity. In addition to his A Question in Baptist History, in 1880 he published The Life and Times of Judge Caleb Wallace. In 1888 he published The Origin of the Disciples of Christ: A Contribution to the Centennial Anniversary of the Birth of Alexander Campbell. In 1904 he published the genealogy of the Whitsitt family. In 1910 his genealogy of Jefferson Davis was published. This literary output was in addition to all of the various journal and newspaper articles he authored. Of course we cannot forget Sidney Rigdon: The Real Founder of Mormonism, which Patterson designates as Whitsitt's "magnum opus." ⁶⁰ He finished the manuscript on July 4, 1887. The entry in his diary for that day reads, "Wrote the last word of the last chapter of the Biography of Sidney Rigdon at Ten o'clock this morning. To God be all praise and thanksgiving! Amen and Amen. By my calculation

__________
⁵⁹ Patterson, William Heth Whitsitt, 10.

⁶⁰ Ibid., 14.


 

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there are 138 chapters in the volume. Nobody will ever consent to print it." ⁶¹ Patterson notes,

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CHAPTER 3

SIDNEY RIGDON AND THE ORIGIN OF MORMONISM

Most scholars who study the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledge the tremendous influence Sidney Rigdon exerted over the movement after his "conversion" in November 1830. However, the influence of Rigdon and the role he played in this movement prior to his conversion is in dispute. This chapter will examine Whitsitt's claim that Rigdon was the "real founder of Mormonism" by analyzing Rigdon's motivation for producing the Book of Mormon and his role in the movement from the time, according to Whitsitt, that he came into possession of the Spaulding manuscript in the mid-1820's to his eventual "conversion" to the church in 1830. 

Rigdon's Motivation

One of Whitsitt's most valuable contributions to the study of Mormonism is his insight into why the movement began. Whitsitt writes,

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It appears that Rigdon was fixated with the teaching of Campbell and Scott. But they would not go far enough in following their own motto of "Where the Scriptures speak we speak," especially when it came to practices such as spiritual gifts and "holding all things in common." According to Whitsitt, Rigdon believed that if an ancient scripture were to be produced, which explicitly advocated all of the teachings of the "restored" church including spiritual gifts and communalism, he could use it convince Campbell and the world. Since this "Scripture" would not be easily found, Rigdon set out to write one. Whitsitt writes,

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In Whitsitt's mind The Book of Mormon was Rigdon's pseudepigraphal attempt to "establish the truth of the Campbellite confession of faith," ⁵ and convince Campbell of the need for spiritual gifts and Christian communalism. Whether or not it was Rigdon's original intent to start a new church or simply incorporate the Book of Mormon into Campbell's movement is unclear. As early as 1824, Rigdon had begun to take Campbell to task over his omission of spiritual gifts. ⁶ By February 1830, two-months before Smith would organize his Church of Christ, Rigdon had organized a small communal group, independent of Campbell, on a large farm outside of Kirtland, Ohio. ⁷

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and decided to start a church which would reflect the totality of the restored ancient Gospel.

Manuscript Found

Whitsitt traces the origin of the Book of Mormon back to the writings of Solomon Spalding. In 1810, Spalding began writing a manuscript which he intended to publish in order to raise money to pay his debts. Whitsitt believes that he produced at least three distinct works all under the title of "Manuscript Found." The first of these works Whitsitt refers to as "The Honolulu Manuscript." In 1885 this manuscript was rediscovered in Honolulu, Hawaii, among papers which formerly belonged to E. D. Howe. This manuscript is one-hundred-seventy-seven pages long. It tells the story of a group [of] Romans who had set sail for Britain. During their voyage, a violent storm blew them off-course and they landed in North America. According to all who have seen the manuscript it bears absolutely no resemblance to the Book of Mormon. ⁸ Whitsitt concedes this point. However, he goes on to cite Howe who had witnesses claiming Spalding was working on another "Manuscript Found."

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manuscripts to the foreman of Robert Patterson's printing office, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to be considered for publication. Patterson wanted Spalding to pay for the costs of printing the manuscript. Since Spalding could not afford that, the plan was apparently abandoned. ¹⁰

Patterson's firm went bankrupt in 1818 and was reorganized that same year under the name Patterson & Lambdin. The firm operated out of a printing office named Butler & Lambdin. This point is significant. Rigdon, in his later denials of being connected with the Spalding manuscript, said that he did not know Patterson. But he never denied knowing Lambdin. Whitsitt cites two sources which say that Rigdon and Lambdin where good friends and Rigdon spent a great deal of time at the printing office while pastoring in Pittsburgh from 1822-1824. ¹¹ One can only speculate how Rigdon came to possess the manuscript Whitsitt suggests that Lambdin may have given it to him or Rigdon may have bought it.

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might have had access to it. His third source could better be described as a peculiarity in the Book of Mormon. Namely, at the end of the Book of Mormon, evil prevails. The righteous Nephites are totally destroyed by the wicked, unrighteous Lamanites. Whitsitt writes that if this book were written by an individual seeking to advance the claims of Christianity it is highly unlikely that the unrighteous group would have prevailed. However, if the individual writing this book was antagonistic toward religion, as Spalding was toward the end of his life, such an ending would be logical. ¹² 

Rigdon's First Redaction

Rigdon admitted that he spent a lot of time in "Bible study" during his time in Pittsburgh. Rigdon biographer Van Wagoner quotes a later interview of Rigdon which says, "He thoroughly reviewed the Scriptures, and reached down to their profoundest depths. Dissatisfied with all ordinary interpretations, he began a series of new and original explanations of doctrine, of history and of prophecy." ¹³

Whitsitt asserts that a great majority of this study involved editing Spalding's work and inserting the new Campbellite theology. He writes,

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taken from the plates of Nephi." This work contained the first thirteen of the fifteen books listed in the current Book of Mormon. Book number fourteen, "Ether," was a separate work of Spalding that he incorporated into the Book of Mormon.

In the context of the story in the Book of Mormon, there are four separate sets of plates -- The plates of Brass, The Plates of Ether, The Plates of Mormon, The Plates of Nephi. However a preface to the Book of Mormon reveals that there are two sets of the plates of Nephi -- the Small Plates and the Large Plates. The small plates contain the first six books of the current Book of Mormon. Whitsitt argues that these "plates" were actually Spalding's original work rewritten by Rigdon to reflect Campbell's theology. Why did Rigdon stop after the first six books? Whitsitt speculates,

Current editions of the Book of Mormon include this interesting explanation of the plates.

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Whitsitt suspects that the seventh book "Words of Mormon" was originally the preface to Spalding's work, which Rigdon rearranged to suit his purpose. ¹⁷ Rigdon continued his insertions throughout the next six books from "Mosiah" to "Mormon."

The book of "Ether" in Joseph Smith's edition of the Book of Mormon also appears to have been an abridgment of Spalding's original. Whitsitt points out two interesting points that make it highly unlikely that this work was translated by Moroni, as the text implies. First, apparently Mormon had already hid these plates in the hill Cumorah before he entrusted his work to Moroni. ¹⁸ Second, where did Moroni get the plates on which he engraved the abridgment? In Mormon 8, he complains that he does not have very many plates left, only enough to finish the work of his father (Mormon chapters 8 & 9). This shortage of plates raises the question as to how and on what, the books of Ether and Moroni were engraved. Whitsitt believes the book of "Moroni" was an addendum of Rigdon to summarize and conclude the work. ¹⁹

Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith

As Rigdon progressed on the manuscript, he probably realized that no one would believe that he had discovered and translated this ancient scripture. Especially since the only extant manuscripts were in his handwriting. Whitsitt believed that he began looking for an amanuensis to transcribe the work.

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locating that which was hidden to the naked eye. Knowledge of Joseph's skill soon spread throughout the countryside of New York. Whitsitt writes, "The public prints now and then gave accounts of a mysterious character in Western New York who was given to money-digging. Rigdon conceived the idea of involving his assistance." ²⁰

According to Joseph Smith, on September 21-22, 1823 he received four visits from the angel Moroni. During these visits, the angel described to him the contents of the plates and told [him] where they were located.

According to Whitsitt, this "angel," originally named "Nephi" in Smith's earliest versions of the story, was Rigdon. ²¹ Whitsitt writes that after the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Redstone Association in early September 1823, Rigdon journeyed up to New York to meet with Smith.

After the meeting, Rigdon left to accompany Campbell for his debate in Kentucky. In the intervening months, Whitsitt presumes that Rigdon kept in contact with Joseph through correspondence and possibly an annual meeting every September.

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When Smith showed up for the annual meeting in 1825 without his brother Alvin, the angel told him he would need to find someone else and bring that person with [him] next year When Joseph showed up in 1826, again without a companion, Rigdon was upset. Whitsitt speculates that Joseph's inability to find a suitable partner might have been a significant factor in his marriage to Emma Hale.

Smith and Hale eloped in January 1827. Emma makes this interesting comment about their wedding,

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On September 21, 1827, Rigdon gave the redacted Spaulding manuscript to Smith.

It is likely that Rigdon was content to let Smith and his new bride transcribe the manuscript. Rigdon's next meeting with Joseph Smith probably occurred in July 1828, after learning that Martin Harris, Joseph Smith's amanuensis, had been entrusted with the first 116 pages of the transcription and had lost them. Sidney traveled to Harmony, Pennsylvania where Smith was residing. From there they traveled up to Palmyra, New York to check on Harris. Lucy Mack Smith, in her biography of her son, Joseph: relates an interesting story of a "stranger" who accompanied Joseph on this trip. ²⁶

Whitsitt points out that this really should not have been a problem if Smith had only been transcribing the manuscript. He could simply start over again. However, Whitsitt believes Smith added his own comments to the Rigdon manuscript. For instance 2 Nephi 3:6-21 contains a prophecy of a great seer named Joseph.

It appears that Rigdon and Smith decided to stop their project for a little while to let things calm down. Whitsitt writes,

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Eventually another amanuensis of Smith, Oliver Cowdery, would re-transcribe the lost 116 pages and Smith simply renamed them first and second Nephi, instead of Lehi. This would prevent anyone from producing the lost pages and finding inconsistencies between the two manuscripts.

Whitsitt also points out another significant event which occurred in conjunction with the lost 116 pages -- Joseph Smith received his first "revelation." ²⁸ Whitsitt calls this "an accident which produced a prophet." ²⁹ He goes on to write,

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"John the Baptist"

On November 18, 1827, two months after Rigdon had given Smith the manuscript, Walter Scott preached his first sermon on the long lost "ancient gospel" of baptism for the remission of sins in New Lisbon, Ohio. Contemporaries of Rigdon said he was immediately infatuated with this idea and spent a great deal of time studying the subject. In 1828, Rigdon visited Scott and discussed the subject in detail. It is likely that Rigdon felt compelled to include this information in the Book of Mormon. Whitsitt writes, "He could not think of permitting a treasure that sat so near his heart to be neglected in the pages of the Book of Mormon; it was above everything... that the "ancient gospel" should make its appearance there." ³²

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D&C 35:4 as further evidence that Rigdon was John the Baptist. "Behold thou wast sent forth, even as John to prepare the way before me" Whitsitt also suggests that the office to which Smith and Cowdery were actually ordained was that of Elder, which was common to the Campbellite movement.

Sidney Rigdon Becomes a Mormon

On April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith established his church of Christ in Manchester, New York with six members. ³⁵ What role Rigdon had in its formation is unclear. The title "Church of Christ" is unmistakably Campbellite in origin and probably reflects the influence of Rigdon.

51    

Possibly in an attempt to communicate with Smith over his failure to bring him to Ohio, Rigdon dispatched Parley P. Pratt, a young Campbellite minister under Rigdon's guidance, on a mission to New York. During this trip Mr. Pratt happened upon a copy of the Book of Mormon, which had been in print since March of that year He read the entire five-hundred-eighty-eight-page book, then went to the Smith home near Manchester, where he met with Hyrum, Joseph's older brother. Hyrum took him to meet Cowdery in Fayette, and Pratt was subsequently baptized on September first of that year and ordained an Elder in the church. Later that month he finally got to meet with Joseph Smith, who had been in Harmony, Pennsylvania when Pratt arrived. Pratt immediately began preaching his new faith. His first convert was his younger brother Orson. Whitsitt writes,

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When presented with a copy of the Book of Mormon, Rigdon spurned it publicly, but he agreed to read the book. In the meantime he allowed Cowdery and Pratt to preach to his congregation. After they finished, he encouraged his congregation to "prove all things" and think about what the two missionaries had said to them. Eventually Rigdon would receive his own "revelation as to the truth of Mormonism. ⁴¹ In the meantime Pratt, Cowdery and associates would baptize one hundred and twenty-seven people in the first three weeks of their work there. ⁴² Finally, on November 8, 1830 Sidney Rigdon and his wife Phoebe were baptized by Oliver Cowdery. Whitsitt writes,

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revelation commanding that the young church "should assemble together at the Ohio." ⁴⁵ Rigdon arrived back in Ohio in mid-January 1831. Joseph Smith and his family arrived on February 1, 1831. Joseph and his Church of Christ were finally in the "west" and enjoying the success that Rigdon had long envisioned. Rigdon had paid a terrible price, he would never be regarded as the leader of the movement. Still, next to Joseph Smith, Rigdon would be the most influential leader of the Mormon movement for the next decade.

Rigdon's Foreknowledge of the Book of Mormon

Another interesting fact that Whitsitt points out is Rigdon's apparent foreknowledge of the Book of Mormon. Whitsitt cites three witnesses, Darwin Atwater, Adamson Bentley and Alexander Campbell, who said Rigdon told them about a book, soon to be published that would describe the original inhabitants of America. ⁴⁶ Rigdon told Darwin Atwater about the book as early as January 1827.

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Yet they make no mention of them. They say that they first heard about this book from Rigdon. 

Critique

55    

work like the Book of Mormon, and establish a movement nearly identical to Campbell's.

One might compare this framework to a modem day murder case where a prosecutor has a victim, and the murder weapon, with the alleged murderer's fingerprints on the gun. Still the prosecutor must demonstrate that the defendant had motive and opportunity. So the prosecutor uses circumstantial evidence to prove that he did. In Whitsitt's mind the "smoking gun" was the overt Campbellite theology found in the Book of Mormon. He further detected Rigdon's "fingerprints" all over that "gun." So Whitsitt's speculative writings attempt to piece together circumstantial evidence that Rigdon did indeed have "motive" and "opportunity." Although the weight of the evidence will always rest on the murder weapon and the fingerprints found thereon. I think Whitsitt made his case. Two of his stronger points will be discussed below. 

Pseudepigrapha

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camp two, Anti-Mormons who sought to expose Mormonism as a fraud. There was virtually no middle ground. What Whitsitt did was provide a third option to this prophet-fraud dichotomy which needs to be seriously examined.

Throughout my experience of studying the early history of Mormonism, there has been one question in my mind that I have had a hard time answering. It is a question that Christian apologists have often asked in defense of the rise of early Christianity; namely, why would someone suffer and die for something they knew was a fraud? The leaders of early Mormonism were beaten, tarred and feathered, and imprisoned. They were driven from their homes on more than one occasion. Some were even killed. Granted, they brought a lot of this "persecution" on themselves, but why would they go through it if they knew they were perpetrating a fraud? I think Whitsitt provides the answer to this question. Whitsitt's answer is so significant and offers such a different perspective that any future discussion of the origins of Mormonism which does not include Whitsitt's assertion will be incomplete. 

Impersonations

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We must remember that when we read "official" histories of the Latter-day Saints, they have been sanitized, revised, mythologized, and canonized. More than 4,000 changes have been made to the Book of Mormon since it was published in 1830. Likewise, there have been significant changes to the Doctrine and Covenants, (revelations being altered and a whole section of the book deleted) as well as Joseph Smith's History of the Church, which he began writing in 1838. Events in the church's history have been rearranged in order to present a smoother and more flowing picture of their origin. I would like to look at one instance in particular, the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood, and show how this event might be indicative of what happened with Rigdon.

According to official accounts, Peter, James, and John, appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery sometime in the spring or early summer of 1829 and conferred upon them the Melchizedek priesthood. ⁵¹ However, as Historian D. Michael Quinn points out, contemporary sources say this event happened later. He quotes Joseph Smith's account of a church conference held in June 1831 below.

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As a matter of fact, the first account of the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood did not occur until the 1835 publication of the and Doctrine and Covenants when verses were added to previous revelations published in the 1833 Book of Commandments. Peter, James, and John are still no where to be found. It is only in the 1840's that we find any reference to this apostolic trio. ⁵³ Quinn, a Mormon, believes that Peter, James, and John did restore the priesthood to Smith in early July 1830. Yet if you take Smith's statement, that the Melchizedek Priesthood was given "for the first time" in 1831. There is no mention of Peter, James, and John, until the 1840's; one wonders if the apostles had anything to do with the matter. It is likely that they were just a literary device designed to convey heavenly authority on Smith and Cowdery to restore this priesthood.

So how does this explanation apply to Rigdon? Whitsitt contends that Rigdon baptized Smith and Cowdery and ordained them "Elders" on May 15, 1829, near Harmony, Pennsylvania. According to a chronology of Rigdon's life, published in Fawn Brodie's No Man Knows My History, there is a gap of possibly one month and a half between May and July 1829, where Rigdon's whereabouts are unaccounted for. It is therefore possible that Rigdon could have been with Smith and Cowdery in Pennsylvania.

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Commandments. Joseph writes about the reason for this silence "we were forced to keep secret the circumstances of having received the Priesthood and our having been baptized, owing to a spirit of persecution which had already manifested itself in the neighborhood." ⁵⁴ One wonders if explanation was really the case?

Notice that official accounts say that Smith and Cowdery were ordained into the Aaronic priesthood, while Whitsitt says they were ordained to the office of Elder. Today, the office of "Elder" is associated with the Melchizedek Priesthood, but Quinn points out that originally the office of "Elder" was associated with the Aaronic Priesthood. ⁵⁵

Book of Mormon witness, David Whitmer, makes an interesting statement regarding Rigdon and the priesthood in his booklet An Address to all Believers in Christ,

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into this event was correct. It was Rigdon who baptized Smith and Cowdery, and ordained them as Elders, not as John the Baptist, but simply as Rigdon. Over the years, due to the perceived need to have an angel present for a heavenly stamp of approval, Rigdon's role was transformed into John the Baptist's. This explanation would also give further credence to Whitsitt's insight into D&C 35:4, quoted above.

The same thing can be said in regards to Rigdon and the angel Moroni. Brodie's chronology of Rigdon's life shows a gap of one month and a half between August 23, and October 9, 1827 where Rigdon's whereabouts are unaccounted. On September 22, 1827, Smith received the plates from the angel Moroni. If Whitsitt's assertion that Rigdon wrote the book of Moroni is correct, then identifying him as the "angel" (the Greek word for "messenger") Moroni was a logical thing to do. The fact that this "angel" was originally referred to as "Nephi," also seems to demonstrate some fluidity in regards to the angel's identity.

Obviously, we may never know for sure what happened in those early years of Mormonism. Whitsitt's insights, though speculative at times, do provide some logical explanations which deserve to be explored and included in future discussions of Mormon origins.

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CHAPTER 4

SIDNEY RIGDON AND THE CAMPBELLITE INFLUENCE OF
EARLY MORMON THEOLOGY AND PRACTICE

Whitsitt was convinced that the Book of Mormon and Mormon theology betrayed a Campbellite origin. He writes, "That conclusion is capable of demonstration beyond any reasonable question." ¹ In his mind, Sidney Rigdon was the primary agent in the creation of both. Whitsitt traced virtually everything in Mormon theology, from the anthropomorphic nature of God and the priesthood, to the three levels of heaven back to the influence of Rigdon. But given Smith's skill for revelation, and his knowledge of the Bible it would be difficult to prove Rigdon was the source for all of these ideas.

What can be demonstrated is the heavy Campbellite influence found in the Book of Mormon and early Mormon theology. Since Rigdon was a major figure in the Campbells' movement, and Smith had no known connection to Campbell prior to Parley Pratt joining his church in the Summer of 1830, Rigdon's innocence can be postulated in the areas of the heaviest Campbellite influence.

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text of the Book of Mormon itself. This chapter will also examine Whitsitt's understanding of Rigdon's motivation to write the Book of Mormon, critique Whitsitt's findings, and briefly discuss what Whitsitt sees as Rigdon's influence in some other important Mormon beliefs. 

Sidney Rigdon and the Campbellite Influence in the Book of Mormon.

Christology

In 1821, after "brooding" upon the works of Glas, Locke, Sandeman, Haldane, and the Bible, Walter Scott came to the conclusion that the Christian faith could be summarized in the statement "Jesus is the Christ." ³ Scott felt this phrase was so significant that he had it written in chalk above the door to his academy. ⁴

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Gentile that Jesus is the Christ." The specific phrase, "Jesus is the Christ," occurs four times in the Book of Mormon -- Moroni 7:44; Mormon 5:14; and twice in 2 Nephi 26:12. Scott even acknowledged the similarity between his teachings and the usage of that phrase in the Book of Mormon. ⁵ No doubt Rigdon was influenced by Scott while they served together at the church in Pittsburgh.

The Book of Mormon does seem to accomplish its purpose -- to prove that Jesus is the Christ. The prophecies of the Nephite prophets give far more detail into the birth, ministry death, and resurrection of Jesus that do their Palestinian counterparts. Whitsitt writes,

He goes on to write that the Book of Mormon "succeeded in this enterprise to admiration." ⁷  

The Ancient Gospel

On the 18th of November 1827, Mr. Walter Scott stood up at New Lisbon, Ohio and introduced the long lost "ancient gospel" of baptism for the remission of sins. Scott stressed five points which were essential to the preaching and acceptance of the gospel.

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A few months later, Rigdon visited Scott in Warren, Ohio and was soon so impressed with Scott's "discovery" he began preaching it far and wide. Whitsitt writes that Rigdon felt this discovery was so important he had to include it in the Book of Mormon,

According to Whitsitt,

Rigdon had already given the manuscript to Smith. So it would be necessary for him to make some additions to the manuscript. Whitsitt writes that these additions can be found in the books of Third Nephi through Moroni, as well as the last three chapters of Second Nephi. ¹⁰ Compare Scott's formula to the following verses.

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That last reference listed above comes from, what Whitsitt calls, an "appendix" to Second Nephi -- chapters thirty-one through thirty-three. Second Nephi, chapter thirty concludes with the statement "And now, my beloved brethren I make an end of my sayings." Whitsitt believes that verse marked the end of the original book. When Rigdon learned of Scott's "discovery" he went back and added chapters thirty-one through thirty-three as an appendix to the book. These chapters deal almost exclusively with the topics of baptism and the Holy Spirit, and have no apparent connection with the preceding chapters.

It is possible that the author of the Book of Mormon derived his ideas on remission of sins from the Bible. Indeed the Bible does use that terminology.

¹⁴ 2 Nephi 31:17b.


 

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Significantly, the Sandemanians, Campbellite, and Mormons also share other similarities which are not found anywhere else. Before we turn our attention there, compare Scott's formula above to the fourth Article of Faith in Mormon Scriptures.

The similarities between the two formulas are obvious. Whitsitt writes, "Mormons have incorporated every one of the Campbellite five points and added one from the Baptists -- laying on of hands." ¹⁸  

Other Sandemanian Similarities,

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"the fellowship;" refusing to call Sunday "the Sabbath;" and the intellectual nature of faith. ¹⁹ Whitsitt would add the belief in baptism for the remission of sins to this list. Mormonism shares these teachings with the exception of two -- calling the weekly offering "the fellowship," and Mormons refer to Sunday as the Sabbath. I will discuss two of these shared teachings in more detail -- the observance of the Lord's supper and the intellectual nature of faith.  

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Thus, in the Book of Mormon we find another Sandemanian/Campbellite distinction. It teaches Baptism is efficacious but the Lord's Supper is not.

The Intellectual Nature of Faith.

Campbell would later summarize this view of faith by saying, "evidence alone produces faith, or testimony is all that is necessary to faith." ²²

Based upon this view of faith, Campbell came to the conclusion that it was only through the words of Scripture that the Holy Spirit could convict people of their sins. According to Whitsitt this belief was called the "Word alone system." ²³ Whitsitt notes this similarity in the Book of Mormon.

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Compare also these references

Nomenclature

It is common knowledge that the title "Church of Christ" was commonly used by churches affiliated with Campbell. ²⁷ Campbell was insistent upon "the necessity far a rigidly scriptural name for the church, as an organization to wear." ²⁸ Whitsitt notes that the Book of Mormon takes a similar view. "Like nearly all Disciple literature the Book of

__________
²⁴ Ibid.; cf. Mosiah 17:2.

²⁵ Mosiah 2~1:30.

²⁶ Alma 5:10-12.

²⁷ Garrison, An American Religious Movement, 90; see also, William Whitsitt, "Notes on Mormonism," part 3 (1885-1887, AMs, Special Collections, Boyce Library, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky), 17.

²⁸ Joseph Welles White, "The Influence of Sidney Rigdon upon the Theology of Mormonism, "(M.A. Thesis, University of Southern California, 1947), 107.


 

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Mormon is amusingly strenuous touching the business of nomenclature." ²⁹ Take, for example, the following verses.

Whitsitt goes on to note that the Nephite church almost always bears one of two titles, "Church of God' and "Church of Christ." ³² "Church of Christ" is used exclusively after Christ appears to the Nephites in Third Nephi. The title "Church of Christ" is repeated seven times in the Book of Mormon. It should also be noted that the phrase "Church of Christ" is not found in the Bible. When Sidney Rigdon formed his own splinter group in 1844, it was also called "The Church of Christ." ³³  

Apostasy

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The author of the Book of Mormon also believed the church had apostatized.

Opposition to Paid Clergy/Distinction Between Teachers and Preachers

The author of the Book of Mormon continued to follow Campbell's lead in describing the appropriate roles of preachers and teachers. For instance, Campbell was opposed to a paid clergy. ³⁷ So was the author of the Book of Mormon.

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Whitsitt notes that Campbell sometimes uses a particular "phrase" when he denounces paid clergymen. This phrase is also found in the Book of Mormon.

Campbell also seems to have drawn a distinction between the roles of preachers and teachers, He believed that almost anyone could preach, but teaching was a special gift from God, Whitsitt writes,

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Whitsitt sees this similarity as a further evidence of a connection between Campbell/Rigdon and the Book of Mormon.

One final note, after the appearance of Christ in Third Nephi, the author of the Book of Mormon consistently refers to the leaders of the church as "Elders." ⁴⁶ This title was also used by the Campbellites.  

Spiritual gifts

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Whereas Campbell believed that the giving of spiritual gifts ceased with the death of the Apostles, Sidney Rigdon argued that "along with the primitive gospel, supernatural gifts and miracles ought to be restored." ⁴⁷ Whitsitt writes, "Mr. Rigdon confidently affirmed that Christianity would never be 'restored' until the power of speaking with tongues and working all kinds of miracles was also restored." ⁴⁸ The Book of Mormon not only affirms the use of spiritual gifts, it condemns those who do not practice them.

Communalism and Theocracy

The idea of holding all things in common, of which Rigdon was so fond of, is also found in the Book of Mormon.

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Whitsitt credits Rigdon for introducing this idea into Mormon theology. Rigdon believed that the New Testament taught communism/communalism (cf. Acts 2:44-45), and that it should be 'restored,' Campbell held that communism/communalism was not an 'essential.' ⁵³

Undeterred by Campbell's opposition, Rigdon began experimenting with communalism in February of 1830 when he organized six families on the farm of Isaac Morley to covenant with each other to renounce private property and share all goods. By October 1830 the group numbered more than 100 individuals. ⁵⁴

Rigdon's penchant for communalism would later evolve into a quest he shared with Smith to build "Zion" on the American continent and set up a theocracy. Mormon writer Van Wagoner notes,

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Whitsitt writes,

Whitsitt is convinced that the majority of the troubles that the Mormons faced were not a result of their theology, but their communal/theocratical practices. He writes,

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One can argue that the potential for the Mormon theocracy was alluded to in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon promises that the Lord is going to reestablish "Zion." ⁶¹ It also pronounces a blessing on those who "seek to bring forth Zion." ⁶² "Zion" in Mormon theology is equivalent with the Kingdom of God on Earth. The practice of "holding all things in common" is included in the idea of "Zion." The reader will recall that Smith and Rigdon's goal was to establish "Zion" in Missouri. 

Other areas

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It is true that Smith began working on this "translation" several months before he "met" Rigdon in December 1830. However, if Whitsitt's belief, that the two were already working together in collusion, is true, then it is possible that it was Rigdon's idea to produce their own version.

Whitsitt points out two significant similarities between Campbell's edition and that of Rigdon/Smith's. One, both use the word, "Testimony" in the titles of the Gospels, for example, "The Testimony of Matthew" as opposed to "The Gospel of Matthew." ⁶⁴

Campbell always preferred the usage of the word "testimony" when referring to the Gospels. Two, both do away with special pronouns addressing deity. ⁶⁵

Baptism for the dead. Although Whitsitt credits Smith for teaching Baptism for the dead, he reminds us that it was the "literalizing" principle" of Campbell through Rigdon, "where the Scriptures speak we speak that laid the foundation for Baptism for the dead, I Corinthians 15:7 was all of the foundation they needed.  

Endowments. The first ordinance conducted in the Kirtland temple was a foot-washing ceremony This ceremony is another aspect of Sandemanian theology that Rigdon learned while serving with Walter Scott at his church in Pittsburgh. This ceremony was the precursor to the later temple ceremonies that Smith developed after he joined the Masons. 

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not here. It is obvious that Rigdon was adamantly opposed to polygamy. He condemns it in the Book of Mormon. Whitsitt credits Rigdon for inserting the revelation on monogamy in the early editions of the D&C while Smith was away. He speculates that allowing the revelation on eternal marriage was a compromise between Rigdon and Smith, with Rigdon thinking that the marriage was to be in effect after death. Smith evidently had other plans and was more than willing to enjoy the advantages of multiple partners on this side of the grave.

Whitsitt credits Rigdon for keeping polygamy under cover in Nauvoo. Joseph wanted to make it public and practice it openly but Rigdon would not let him. When Smith tried to remove Rigdon as his counselor, Rigdon made a successful appeal and was sustained in spite of Joseph's wishes. ⁶⁶ 

Swedenborg. Whitsitt traces the origin of a great many Mormon doctrines to the teachings of Emmanuel Swedenborg. Among these are, polygamy, the three heavens, the eternal nature of matter, anthropomorphism, and polytheism. ⁶⁷ Since it is impossible to determine whether it was Smith or Rigdon who introduced these teachings into Mormonism, this position will not be discussed further. The possible influence of Swedenborg on Mormonism would be an interesting research topic for future scholars to pursue.

In concluding the above section, it is rather obvious that there are some significant similarities between the theology of the Campbellites and early Mormonism. It can be argued that these similarities came as a result of Rigdon' s influence after he converted

__________
⁶⁶ Whitsitt, Sidney Rigdon, 1159ff.

⁶⁷ lbid., 595ff.


 

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to Mormonism in 1830. Since many of these beliefs can be found in the Book of Mormon, then it can be argued that the author of the Book of Mormon was familiar with the teachings of Campbell and Scott. Whitsitt would say that person was Sidney Rigdon This next section will argue that point.

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A Pious Fraud

It is clear that the internal evidence of the Book of Mormon indicates a distinct Campbellite influence. In Whitsitt's mind this influence could have come from none other than Rigdon. Still, one must ask the question, "Why would Rigdon desire to create such a book?" Whitsitt believes that it was Rigdon's intention to create a "pious fraud" along the lines of the pseudepigraphal writings of the post-apostolic era, in order to prove the tenets that he, Campbell, and Scott were proclaiming. Whitsitt writes, "He (Rigdon) wanted it (The Book of Mormon) to demonstrate that 'the Christian religion had been preached in this country during the first century, just as they were at the moment preaching it on 'The Western Reserve.'" ⁶⁹

Whitsitt gives the following reasons for his belief that the Book of Mormon is a pious fraud.

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Whitsitt also does not begrudge Rigdon the success of his work in constructing a pious fraud. He writes,

Critique

Whitsitt was the first writer to demonstrate the significant Campbellite influences in Mormon theology. He was not the last. The Story of the Mormons, by William Linn, published in 19[02]; George Arbaugh's Revelation in Mormonism published in 1932; and Joseph White's 1947 thesis, "The Influence of Sidney Rigdon upon the Theology of Mormonism," are three examples of writers who echoed Whitsitt's arguments even though they were unfamiliar with his writings.

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Jan Shipps argues that the similarities between Mormon and Campbellite theology are "more apparent than real." Campbell deduced his arguments from the Scriptures in a "completely 'rational' fashion." Whereas, the foundation for the Mormon faith is found in the revelation of new Scripture which must be accepted on non-rational grounds. ⁷² However, if one accepts Whitsitt's notion that the Book of Mormon was Rigdon's attempt to canonize Campbell's teachings, then the similarities are indeed real.

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Vogel goes on to dismiss the idea that smith may have been influenced by Campbell via Rigdon. He writes,

The first and third arguments listed above can be dismissed easily if one believes that Rigdon was the author of the Book of Mormon and had access to Smith prior to his "conversion." However, the second argument, that Joseph Smith was exposed to this theological milieu through his parents, does have some merit. Virtually all of Smith's biographers mention the fact that his parents especially his father, were inclined to the "seeker" movements whose theological positions were mentioned above.

Do these arguments provide a sufficient explanation for the theology of the Book of Mormon or is Whitsitt's explanation more convincing? Before I answer that question let me pose a few more.

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theology present in Smith's revelations prior to his official meeting with Rigdon. ⁸⁰ Yet the Book of Mormon is full of it.

Why does the Book of Mormon condemn the baptism of infants (Moroni 8:9 et al.), but Joseph Smith later received a revelation that said John the Baptist was baptized as an infant (D&C 84:28); and also a revelation that children should be baptized at age eight (D&C 68:25)? Whitsitt argues that this inconsistency indicates Smith was influenced by Methodist teaching, of which Smith, himself admitted being partial to, and the revelation to baptize children at age eight was a compromise between Smith and Rigdon.

If Rigdon did not have a hand in compiling the Book of Mormon, how do you explain 2 Nephi 3:18, which predicts that Smith will have a spokesman?

It is true that Rigdon and Campbell disagreed on some issues -- especially communalism and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Why does the Book of Mormon always reflect Rigdon's views and not those of Campbell?

Why does the Book of Mormon contain Walter Scott's idea of Baptism for the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost?

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Admittedly, some of Whitsitt's connections are tenuous. However, the overwhelming theological similarities cannot be easily dismissed. Let us not forget the other writers who have came to the same conclusion independent of Whitsitt.

What of Whitsitt's assertion that the last three chapters of 1 Nephi were an appendix and four of the last five books of the Book of Mormon were the books Rigdon edited the most. It seems that the preponderance of the Campbellite theology can be found in those books and sporadically in the books of Mosiah and Alma. The rest of the Book of Mormon seems to be suspiciously devoid of any Campbellite theology. Not only that but some verses seem contradictory.

Take the following verses for instance.

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Notice that all of these verses describe baptism "unto repentance." None of them say anything about a "remission" of sins, or the gift of the Holy Spirit. It almost indicates that there were not one, but two theological positions at work the Book of Mormon. Whitsitt would suggest that this discrepancy is a result of Rigdon changing his views after hearing of Scott's discovery. It could also demonstrate that two separate editors were involved in the work. Either way, there does seem to be evidence that the final editor was trying to reconcile these two views in the later books. "And Nephi did cry unto the people in the commencement of the thirty and third year; and he did preach unto them repentance and remission of sins." ⁸⁵

Still, if one regards the Book of Mormon to be a nineteenth-century production, then they must also acknowledge that there are theological inconsistencies in it of which the above is just one example. These inconsistencies point to two possible scenarios: One, as Whitsitt points out, Rigdon got a manuscript, added to it, changed his mind but could not change the whole manuscript so he simply added additional material. Two, a multiplicity of authors, with differing theological viewpoints, performing separate redactions upon the manuscript were working in collusion. For if one author was working subsequent to the other he could have easily changed the other's work. Both of these scenarios can support the idea that Rigdon was the "real founder of Mormonism."

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Mormon theology has been preserved almost entirely as :e formed and left it." ⁸⁶

In conclusion, the vast majority of scholars will admit that Sidney Rigdon exerted a tremendous amount of influence over the theology of early Mormonism. Van Wagoner writes,

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CONCLUSION

The purpose of this thesis was to examine critically William Whitsitt's claim that Sidney Rigdon was the "real founder of Mormonism," and to argue that Whitsitt's research is an extremely valuable contribution to the understanding of the origins of Mormonism. I went on to identify his most significant contributions. One, his was the first scholarly treatment of Mormonism. ¹ Two, Whitsitt demonstrated that Rigdon likely had a connection with Smith prior to his "conversion" in 1830. Three, Whitsitt demonstrated that Campbellite theology can be found in the Book of Mormon. Four, as a result of Whitsitt's findings, Rigdon's role in early Mormonism needs to be reevaluated, and the Spaulding-Rigdon theory needs to be reexamined. Five, Whitsitt's most significant contribution is that Mormonism was founded by sincere, albeit extremely misguided, individuals who believed they were restoring authentic Christianity. Let me summarize my arguments.

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accounts and internal evidence in the Book of Mormon, that Rigdon had foreknowledge of that book, and the book seemed to contain a prediction of his role in the movement as well. ² Whitsitt also demonstrates that Rigdon had motive and opportunity to edit the book.

Whitsitt demonstrates that the Book of Mormon does contain Campbellite theology. He notes that the Campbellite beliefs regarding nomenclature, the "order of salvation," beliefs in baptism and the Lord's Supper, the role of clergy, and the intellectual nature of faith are all found in the Book of Mormon. He demonstrates that the Book of Mormon contains Rigdon's beliefs in the areas of spiritual gifts and communalism. Whitsitt points out the theological inconsistencies in the Book of Mormon and argues that those inconsistencies resulted from Rigdon's two redactions of the book, before and after Scott's "discovery." He also used textual evidence to prove that the Book of Mormon contains later interpolations, such as the appendix to 2 Nephi and the last five books in the Book of Mormon.

Based upon these findings it is indeed necessary that Rigdon's role be re-evaluated and the Spalding-Rigdon theory be reexamined. I will discuss the validity of possible objections to this assertion in the next section.

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idea one hundred and twenty years ago, and from a non-Mormon perspective it is still a novel idea today. Any future scholarship on Mormon origins which does not include this perspective will be incomplete.

Critique

In this section I will respond to two major criticisms of Whitsitt's claim. I will also offer some criticisms of my own.  

Spalding-Rigdon

Although Whitsitt insisted that his work could stand on its own merits even if the Spalding-Rigdon theory was totally debunked; since he relied on that theory to provide a framework for his own, many people will dismiss Whitsitt's work as a rehash of the Spalding-Rigdon theory. As we have already noted, "The weight of scholarly studies since Fawn Brodie's seminal 1945 No Man Knows My History biography of Joseph Smith has all but eliminated the Spalding theory and Rigdon's complicity." ³ One wonders if scholars have relied too heavily on Brodie's assessment of the Spalding theory?

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where the Spalding-Rigdon theory started, are too similar to be authentic. Four, there was probably only one Manuscript Found written and that manuscript was the one discovered in Honolulu, Hawaii which did not match the Book of Mormon. Five, there is no proof that Rigdon ever lived in Pittsburgh prior to 1822 and he had no access to the manuscript. Six, there were only two people ever claimed that they saw Rigdon meeting with Joseph Smith prior to his conversion in 1830. And these two men made their statements fifty years after the fact. ⁴

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witnesses. Five, Whitsitt demonstrates that it was possible for Rigdon to have accessed the manuscript after he moved to Pittsburgh in 1822. Six, there were other eyewitnesses linking Rigdon and Smith besides these two gentlemen. ⁷ For a full rebuttal of Brodie's arguments see Broadhurst's article on-line. ⁸

In lieu of the Spalding-Rigdon theory, Brodie postulated that Smith and Cowdery wrote the Book of Mormon by using the Bible and another book entitled View of the Hebrews. And indeed there are some similarities between the Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews. According to Van Wagoner,

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Ethan Smith's writings just the opposite appears to be true, ¹⁰ It could very well be that Spalding wrote his manuscript based on View of the Hebrews. Add to this idea, an assertion made by Dale Broadhurst that Spalding may have had a connection with Thomas and Alexander Campbell.

It is quite evident that the Spalding-Rigdon theory, though not currently popular with scholars, is still tenable. And one needs only to log-on to one of Broadhurst's web sites, SolomonSpalding.com or SidneyRigdon.com to see the hundreds of books, newspaper articles, and papers which support the theory. Since that theory may still have some validity to it, scholars have no reason to dismiss Whitsitt's findings simply because of his limited reliance upon it.  

Rigdon's Denials

Perhaps the biggest obstacle Whitsitt's work has to overcome is Rigdon's constant denial that he had anything to do with the writing and publication of the Book of Mormon.

__________
¹⁰ Ibid., 465.

¹¹ Dale Broadhurst, to Bryan Ready, 19 April 2001, E-mail.


 

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According to Rigdon's son Wycliffe, Rigdon told him,

Wycliffe went on to comment,

In another statement, cited by Van Wagoner, Rigdon declares,

Rigdon's denials do raise some questions. If Rigdon did not even know "that there was such a book in existence as the Book of Mormon" prior to receiving it from Parley Pratt, how does one account for his foreknowledge of the Book of Mormon as attested to by Atwater, Campbell, and the others? Broadhurst writes,

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Whitsitt also points out that when Howe published his book and suggested that Rigdon was connected to the Book of Mormon manuscript, Rigdon did not make any public denials. That responsibility was left up to Parley Pratt who published a booklet in response to Howe, entitled, Mormonism Unveiled. ¹⁵

Still, as his son Wycliffe points out, "What object had he in concealing the fact any longer if he did write it?" A possible answer to this question may be found in a letter I read in the Seminary archives. This letter was addressed to Dr. Whitsitt. It was written by C. H. Moore, an attorney in Clinton, Illinois, who claimed to have known Rigdon "very well while he was in Mentor and Kirtland," Ohio. In this letter, Mr. Moore writes that "Rigdon in his quarrel with Taylor, Young, Kimball and others, immediately after Joe Smith was murdered, threatened them with telling the whole story, they dared him to do it, with dark [hints] as the consequences." ¹⁶ Perhaps Rigdon maintained his denials out of fear for his own safety.

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claimed that Mormonism was founded by "apostate Campbellites." ¹⁷ It was not until later that he singled out Rigdon. Therefore, if Rigdon was not involved in the project, one needs to look no further than to Parley Pratt. Pratt was a Campbellite lay-preacher and disciple of Rigdon's who shared his views. Pratt's overnight conversion to Mormonism in the summer of 1830 has already been alluded to in this thesis. It is obvious that he was in on the planning. If Rigdon was not the primary agent, maybe Pratt was? However, the strongest evidence still points to Rigdon.  

My Criticisms

During my study of Whitsitt's work, I have identified four major weaknesses.

One, his lack of primary source materials. With the exception of his copies of the Mormon Scriptures, most of his sources were secondary works compiled by later authors. Whitsitt, himself, was frustrated with his lack of primary source materials. Excerpts from his diary show that he was constantly searching for books on Mormonism. Given that he was far removed from Utah, they were hard to come [by]. Those works which he did find were expensive. So Whitsitt had to make do with what he had. To his credit he did not follow his sources blindly, his diary shows that he read these books very critically and was not afraid to mention when he thought one of the authors was mistaken.

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references from the Book of Mormon which Whitsitt cites as evidence of Campbellite theology, because I just could not see it in the text. I do not know if the problem is mine since I am not as familiar as Whitsitt was of Campbell's teaching, or as expertly trained in source criticism, or if Whitsitt occasionally slipped into eisegesis instead of exegesis.

Three, the inflammatory epithets Whitsitt gives m the subjects he is writing about. He calls them coward, simpleton, knave, ignoramus, boob, mad, vulgar, arrogant, and stupid. He refers to the theology and practice of Mormonism as "stupid nonsense," "a cancer," and "freakish." Whitsitt does not reserve this vocabulary for Mormons alone; he also applies the same terminology, at times, to Campbellites, and even Baptists. One would not expect to find this type of language in a scholarly work; and the presence of such language in his writings will cause many who read his work today to dismiss him as another writer with a vendetta against Mormonism.

Fourth, verbosity. His manuscript on Rigdon is over fourteen hundred pages long. Whitsitt wrote that "It was so full of detail that it will never go." ¹⁸ He repeats many of the same details over and over again. The work probably could be shortened by a third with proper editing.

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In spite of these weaknesses, Whitsitt does provide some extremely fascinating insights into the origin of Mormonism. In addition to those already mentioned in this thesis, Whitsitt comments on the events behind the founding of the church taking place in Manchester not Fayette, New York; the geography of the Book of Mormon being set in a Central and South American setting as opposed to the contemporary theory of his day that it took place in North America; Whitsitt asserts that if the people in Independence, Missouri had not driven out the Mormons, the movement might have disintegrated because there was a tremendous amount of rivalry between Mormon settlements in Missouri and Ohio; Whitsitt believes that Joseph Smith was the originator of the Adam-God doctrine; he provides an interesting analysis of the evolution of the Mormon Priesthood; he writes that the goal of the Mormon theocracy was to overthrow the governments of the state and the country.

Ultimately, the strength of this work is that its author was a consummate scholar. It contains references to more than fifty works. Whitsitt admitted in his journal that he had read the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants more than twenty times. ¹⁹ Though some may disagree with its arguments, no one can dispute the amount of tedious, time-consuming research found within its pages. This leads me to one final question -- Why did Whitsitt undertake this study of Mormonism?

Whitsitt's Motivation

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drew many Baptists into his movement, including some relatives of Whitsitt, and Broadhurst thinks that Whitsitt may have taken this defection personally.

I really do not believe this defection was a factor. Although it is obvious that Whitsitt regarded the Campbells and Scott as being somewhat foolish, I do not think he had a personal vendetta against them or any of their followers. For example, he writes in the Preface to his second edition of Origin of the Disciples of Christ.

Consider also, this reference to the Campbellites in Whitsitt's unpublished personal writings,

Whitsitt went on to note, without rancor, that his sister was a Campbellite.

Whitsitt's daughter, Mary Whitehead gives the following explanation for her father's venture into Mormonism. She writes that, after researching the origins of the Baptists,

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Indeed the Western Recorder and other newspapers of that day frequently featured articles on the Mormons in Utah and polygamy. It was during this time that anti-polygamy legislation was being hotly debated in the United States Senate. It is likely that Whitsitt, finding no legitimate scholarly works on the origin of Mormonism, decided to write one himself. Whitsitt writes,

As a result, Whitsitt's research led him to do a critical source analysis of the Book of Mormon. It was,

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It is clear then that Whitsitt began this study, not out of a personal vendetta but to fill a need. Dr. Elaine Ozment's statement best summarizes this discussion. "As far as I have been able to determine, this was the first serious study of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints. Others were trying to discredit the new faith: WHW was trying to understand it." ²⁷ 

The Origin of Mormonism

William Whitsitt did provide some extremely valuable insights into the origin of Mormonism. He was a sincere and competent scholar who undertook the first serious study of the Mormon faith. He studied the faith thoroughly. He consulted all of the resources available to him. In the end, he drew his conclusions, not from the words of other people, but from his own study of the Mormon Scriptures. He detected in that study references to distinct Campbellite theology, which led him to the conclusion that Sidney Rigdon was the "real founder of Mormonism."

Through his study, he came to the conclusion that, Mormonism did not begin in the mind of Sidney Rigdon or even the theology of Campbell and Scott. Mormonism traces its origin to what Whitsitt calls "the disease of literalism."

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Though we might not agree with all of Whitsitt's assessment, one wonders if his words might have been a little prophetic.

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APPENDIX

WILLIAM WHITSITT AND THE COWDERY "DEFENSE"

Shortly after hearing W. Morgan Patterson's address on Whitsitt, I wrote to Jerald and Sandra Tanner, noted evangelical scholars in early Mormon history, and asked them if they were aware of Whitsitt's work on Rigdon. In reply, they sent me a copy of the October 1989 edition of the Salt Lake City Messenger, a newsletter the Tanners publish periodically.

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The writer of the Cowdery Defence seems to make a similar statement.

The Tanners give Whitsitt credit for developing the idea that Rigdon impersonated John the Baptist in this vision. Based on this similarity between the two documents, the Tanners feel that whoever wrote the Cowdery Defence was aware of Whitsitt's manuscript.

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disputes the fact that Oliver Cowdery was re-baptized into the Mormon Church in 1848. It is supposed to be the confession of an individual who impersonated Cowdery at his re-baptism. The reasons the Tanners give for believing that Whitsitt forged these documents can be summarized as follows.

First, they point to the Rigdon-John the Baptist connection which we have already discussed. Second, whoever forged the documents used Myth of the Manuscript Found by George Reynolds and T. B. H. Stenhouse's Rocky Mountain Saints as sources in both forgeries. Whitsitt also used these sources. ⁶ Third, the Tanners write,

Fourth, Whitsitt lived in close proximity to R. B. Neal the publisher of the only extant copies of the Cowdery "Defence." Neal lived in Grayson, Kentucky. They go on to suggest that Neal might have been in on the forgery as well. ⁸

Although the Tanners admit that someone else might have used Whitsitt's ideas in a forgery, they conclude their indictment against Whitsitt by writing,

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In fact, they do not have a puzzle, not to mention enough pieces to accuse Whitsitt of forgery. One finds many flaws in the Tanner's arguments.

First, they give Whitsitt credit for inventing the idea that Rigdon impersonated John the Baptist. However, other writings, which pre-date Whitsitt's work, seem to imply the same thing. Whitsitt used many of these works as sources in his research.

Pomeroy Tucker (a source used by Whitsitt) writes,

A revelation received by Smith and Rigdon even compares Rigdon to John the Baptist.

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Mormonism Unvailed was the first "anti" Mormon book ever published and was frequently quoted in the nineteenth-century. Noted historian Hubert Howe Bancroft even cites Howe in his History of Utah, 1540-1886. ¹³

Second, a close examination of the Cowdery Defence shows that the writer emphatically denied the notion that Rigdon played a role in the vision of John the Baptist. "Elder Sidney Rigdon... had no part in the transactions of that day." ¹⁴ The Tanners argue that this statement is just a subtle reference meant to suggest the idea that Rigdon might have been involved here. However, another reading of that text could be that the writer was simply trying to reinforce the idea that Rigdon was indeed the Latter Day Saints' John the Baptist, as their own Scripture seems to declare. In other words, Rigdon fulfilled the prophecy so well that he even sounded like the original John the Baptist.

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sources name this "stranger" as Rigdon. ¹⁶ If one believes that Rigdon was the one responsible for composing the Book of Mormon manuscript and giving it to Joseph Smith, it does not take a vivid imagination to consider that he may indeed have impersonated the angel Moroni. Indeed, historian Dale Broadhurst, a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, writes that when he had first heard of the "mysterious stranger" (incidents) "...retold from Lucy Mack Smith's history, one of my first remarks to the Mormon friend who had related that account was: 'I'd guess the stranger must have been the angel Moroni or one of the Three Nephites."' ¹⁷ Broadhurst also has posted on the internet, a pamphlet pre-dating Whitsitt's work, which asserts that Rigdon played the role of the angel Moroni. ¹⁸

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like saying I forged the Salamander Letter simply because I read the same books as Mark Hoffman.

Fifth, according to the Tanners, the reason the forger produced these documents was to bolster the "Spalding theory" and that Whitsitt "was a very strong believer in the Spalding theory." ¹⁹ This belief is totally inaccurate. Whitsitt reiterated many times in his writings that, although his research complemented the "Spalding theory," his fundamental theses had nothing to do with it. Whitsitt writes, in a letter discussing the results of his research,

Regarding Whitsitt's being "strongly committed to the position that no angels came from heaven to bring the Book of Mormon or to restore either priesthood," ²¹ one could respond that the majority of orthodox Christians are likewise committed.

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on this topic, but in examining Whitsitt's correspondence, I have not seen any which includes Neal; and I am not aware of any other researcher finding such a connection.

It is possible that Whitsitt was aware of Neal's work. The Library of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Louisville, Kentucky has two of Neal's tracts (one being a reprint of the Cowdery Defence). It is also possible that Neal was aware of Whitsitt's work. Whitsitt published his theories in articles which appeared in the Concise Dictionary of Religious Knowledge and Gazetteer; The [New York City] Independent; the Western Recorder, and even lectured on them in some of his classes. Obviously any number of people had access to these articles; to link Whitsitt and Neal as co-conspirators in a forgery scheme, with such sketchy evidence, is irresponsible.

Indeed, a letter Whitsitt received from Charles Hodges, an agent for the Associate Press, discusses an incident where a man going by the name of Samuel S. Partello plagiarized Whitsitt's writings in an article printed February 3, 1886, in the Chicago Daily News. After being notified by Whitsitt of the plagiarism, the editor wrote an article in a subsequent edition of the paper confirming Whitsitt's charge. ²² Perhaps Partello is the forger of the two documents.

I would hope that the Tanners would print an addendum to their article which would clear Whitsitt's name of forgery charges. Such a retraction is necessary for three reasons. One, as Broadhurst points out,

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Two, the Tanners are widely respected in their field. By their labeling Whitsitt as a forger, other scholars will be less likely to examine his significant contributions to the understanding of early Mormonism. Indeed, it appears that the Tanners have failed to examine his ideas seriously as well. Third, they have maligned Whitsitt's character and owe his family an apology.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Primary Works

Books

Bancroft, Hubert Howe. History of Utah, 1540-1886. Appendix 4. San Francisco: The History Company, 1890.

Book of Commandments. Zion (Independence, MO): W. W. Phelps & Co., 1833; reprint, Independence, MO: Herald House, 1972.

The Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1986.

Brodie, Fawn [McKay]. No Man Knows My History. 2nd ed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1971.

Bushman, Richard L. Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism, Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1984.

Campbell, Alexander. Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell. Cincinnati Ohio: H. S. Bosworth, 1861. (on-line). Accessed 18 September 2001. Available from http:www.mun.ca.rels/restmov/texts/acamp/metc/METCOO.HTM; Internet.

Church History in the Fulness of Times. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1993.

Doctrine and Covenants. Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981.

Fletcher, Jesse C. The Southern Baptist Convention: A Sesquicentennial History. Nashville, TN: Breadman & Holman, 1994.

Garrett, Leroy. The Stone-Campbell Movement. Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Co., 1981.

Garrison, Winfred E. An American Religious Movement. St. Louis, MO: The Bethany Press, 1945.

Garrison, Winfred E., and Alfred T. DeGroot. The Disciples of Christ: A History. Rev. ed. St. Louis, MO: The Bethany Press, 1958.

Hayden, A. S. Early History of the Disciples In the Western Reserve, Ohio. Cincinnati: Chase and Hall, 1875. (on-line). Accessed 18 September 2001. Available from http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/ahayden/ehd/EHD00A.HTM; Internet.

Hinckley, Gordon B. Truth Restored. Salt Lake City: Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979.

Hughes, Richard T., and C. Leonard Allen. Illusions of Innocence. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.

Hughes, Richard T., and R. L. Roberts. The Churches of Christ. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001.

Marquardt, H. Michael, and Wesley P. Waiters. Inventing Mormonism. Salt Lake City: Smith Research Associates, 1994.

Patterson, Robert. Who Wrote the Book of Mormon? Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882. (on-line). Accessed 21 September 2001 Available from http://www.solomonspalding.com/docs/1882PatA.htm; Internet.

Quinn, D. Michael. The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power. Salt Lake City: Smith Research Associates, 1994.

Richardson, Robert. Memoirs of Alexander Campbell. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1868. (on-line). Accessed 18 September 2001. Available from http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/rrichardson/mac/MAC100.HTM; Internet.

Shields, Steven. Divergent Paths of the Restoration. 4th ed., rev. Los Angeles: Restoration Research, 1990.

Shipps, Jan. Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1985.

Smith, Joseph Jr. The Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1982.

__________ The Papers of Joseph Smith. Ed. Dean C. Jesse. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989.

Smith, Lucy. Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and his Progenitors for Many Generations. Liverpool: S. W. Richards, 1853. In New Mormon Studies (CD-ROM). Salt Lake City: Smith Research Associates, 1998.

Tucker, Pomeroy. Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1867.

Van Wagoner, Richard S. Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess. Salt Lake City: Signature Books. 1994. In New Mormon Studies (CD-ROM). Salt Lake City, Smith Research Associates, 1998.

Vogel, Dan. Religious Seekers and the Advent of Mormonism. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988. In New Mormon Studies (CD-ROM). Salt Lake City: Smith Research Associates, 1998.

Whitsitt, William Heth. Origin of the Disciples of Christ. 2nd ed. New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1888.

Pamphlets

Eaton, Mrs. Horace. The Origin of Mormonism. New York: W.E.C. Of Home Missions, 1881. (on-line). Accessed 20 September 2001. Available from http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/l881Eatn.htm; Internet.

Smith, Joseph III. The Spaulding Story Re-Examined. Lamoni, Iowa: Harold Steam Press, 1883.

Tanner, Jerald, and Sandra Tanner. A Critical Look. Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1967.

Whitmer, David. An Address to All Believers in Christ. Richmond, MO: David Whitmer, 1887. Reprint, Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1990.

Articles

Bennett, James Gordon. "Mormonism-Religious Fanaticism -- Church and State Party." New York City Morning Courier and Enquirer, 31 August 1831. (on-line). Accessed 21 September 2001. Available from http://home1.gte.net/dbroadhu/RESTOR/Lib/Ben1831a.htm; Internet.

Broadhurst, Dale R. "The Changing World of Tannerism." (article on-line). Accessed 21 September 2001. Available from http://sidneyrigdon.com/wht/WhitRev1.htm; Internet.

__________ "Tannerism -- Reality or Shadow?" (article on-line). Accessed, 12 October 2001. Available from http://solomonspalding.com/tanrpg/TanrRev1.htm; Internet.

Gibson, George. "The Origin of a Great Delusion." The New Princeton Review 61 (July- November 1886): 201-222

Keller, Karl. "'I Never Knew a Time When I Did not Know Joseph Smith': A Son's Record of the Life and Testimony of Sidney Rigdon." Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 1 no. 4 (1966): 41. In New Mormon Studies (CD-ROM). Salt Lake City, Utah: Smith Research Associates, 1998.

Pollard, E. B. "The Life and Work of William Heth Whitsitt." The Review and Expositor 9 (1912): 163.

Rigdon, John Wickliffe. "The Life and Testimony of Sidney Rigdon." Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 1 no. 4 (1966): 41. In New Mormon Studies [CD-ROM]. Salt Lake City, Utah: Smith Research Associates, 1998.

Tanner, Jerald and Sandra Tanner. "Mormon and Anti-Mormon Forgeries." Salt Lake City Messenger. No. 73. Oct. 1989.

Whitsitt, William Heth. "Mormonism." In The Concise Dictionary of Religious Knowledge and Gazetteer, ed. Samuel Macauley, 2nd ed. New York: The Christian Literature Company, 1891.

Theses and Dissertations

Chase, Daryl. "Sidney Rigdon -- Early Mormon." M.A. diss., The University of Chicago, 1931.

White, Joseph Welles. "The Influence of Sidney Rigdon upon the Theology of Mormonism. " M.A. Thesis, University of Southern California, 1947.

Unpublished Materials

Hodges, Charles, Galveston, Texas, to William H. Whitsitt, Louisville, Kentucky, ALS, 26 February 1886. Scrapbook 1885-1887. Special Collections, Boyce Library, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.

Moore, C. H., Clinton, Illinois, to William Heth Whitsitt, Louisville, Kentucky, 18 May 1886. ALS. Special Collections, Boyce Library, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville.

Patterson, W. Morgan, William Heth Whitsitt: the Seminary's Versatile Scholar, 1994 TMs. Special Collections, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville.

Reynolds, George. Letter to William H. Whitsitt. Salt Lake City, Utah. 1882. Special Collections, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville.

Whitehead, Mary Whitsitt Whitehead. "Ancestry of William Heth Whitsitt." TMs. Special Collections, Boyce Library, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville.

William H. Whitsitt, Louisville, Kentucky, to James H. Fairchild, Oberlin College, Ohio, L, Feb. 16, 1886. (on-line). Accessed 16 April 2001. Available from http://sidneyrigdon.com/wht/WhitRev1.htm; Internet.

__________, Louisville, Kentucky, to Dr. Worthington C. Ford, Washington D. C., 28 August 1908. (on-line). Accessed 21 September 2001. Available from http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/wht/l891WhtC.htm; Internet.

__________, "Excerpts -- Diary of William Heth Whitsitt." TD (photocopy), Mary Whitsitt Whitehead, ed. June 16, 1887. Special Collections, Dr. Elaine Ozment, Corbin, Kentucky.

__________, Notes on Mormonism. 1885-1887. Special Collections, Boyce Library, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville.

__________, Scrapbook of Clippings on Mormonism. 1885-1887. Special Collections, Boyce Library, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville.

__________, Sidney Rigdon: The Real Founder of Mormonism. 1886. rev. 1891. TMs. (on-line). Accessed 25, September 2000. Available from http://sidneyrigdon.com/wht/1891WhtB.htm; Internet.

__________, Sidney Rigdon: The Real Founder of Mormonism. 1886. rev. 1891. TMs. Special Collections, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville. Microfilm.

__________, Studies in Mormon theology. 1885-1887 AMs. Special Collections, Boyce Library, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville.

Secondary Works

Arbaugh, George. Revelation in Mormonism. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1932.

Arrington, Leonard J., and Davis Bitton. The Mormon Experience: A History of the Latter-day Saints. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979.

Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, An expose' of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland & Whiting, New York: Bradbury, Soden, & Co., 1842.

Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, The City of the Saints, and Across the Rocky Mountains to California. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1862.

Cowdery, Wayne L., Howard A. Davis, and Donald R. Scales. Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon? Santa Ana, CA: Vision House Publishers. 1977.

Gunnison, John Williams. The Mormons or Latter-day saints in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo, & co., 1852.

Howe, E. D. Mormonism Unvailed. Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press, 1834. (on-line). Accessed 21 September 2001. Available from http://www.solomonspalding.com/docs/1834howb.htm; Internet.

Kidder, Daniel P. Mormonism and the Mormons. [NYC: Lane & Sandford, 1842] (on-line). Accessed 25, September 2000. Available from http:/home1.gte.net/dbroadhu/RESTOR/Lib/Kid1842a.htm; Internet.

Marchant, Byron. Mormon Roots. Salt Lake City, UT: Metamorphosis Publishing. 1994, (on-line). Accessed 25, September 2000. Available from http://dbroadhu.freeyellow.com/Roots1.htm; Internet.

Newell, Linda, and Valeen Avery. Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith. 2nd ed. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1994.

Ostling, Richard N. and Joan K. Ostling. Mormon America. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1999.

Remy, Jules. A Journey to Great Salt Lake City. London: W. Jeffs, 1861.

Roberts, B. H. Studies of the Book of Mormon. Ed. Brigham D. Madsen. 2nd ed. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1992.

Smith, Ethan. View of the Hebrews. Poultney, VT: Smith and Shute, 1825.

Spaulding, Solomon. Manuscript Found. Ed. Kent P. Jackson. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University, 1996.

Tullidge, Edward W. Life of Joseph the Prophet. New York: Tullidge & Crandall, 1880.

Pamphlets

Cowdery, Oliver, Defence in a Rehearsal of my Grounds for Separating Myself from the Latter Day Saints Reprint. Cleveland, OH: Utah Gospel Mission, 1927.

Articles

Broadhurst, Dale. "An Introduction to William Whitsitt." (article on-line). Accessed 25 September 2000. Available from http://www.wics.net/dbroadhu/srp1/ssrv006b.htm; Internet.

Dickinson, Ellen E. "Solomon Spaulding's Manuscript Found." The (N. Y. C.) Independent, Jan. 7, 1886. (on-line). Accessed 25, September 2000. Available from http://home1.gte.net/dbroadhu/RESTOR/Lib/Whit 1891.htm; Internet.

Whitsitt, William H. "Lecture on Mormonism." Western Recorder. October 26, 1882. (on-line). Accessed 25, September 2000. Available from http://home1.gte.net/dbroadhu/RESTOR/Lib/Whit1891.htm; Internet.

__________, "The Honolulu Manuscript and the Book of Mormon." The (N. Y. C.) Independent, Oct. 1, 1885. (on-line). Accessed 25, September 2000. Available from http://home1.gte.net/dbroadhu/RESTOR/Lib/Whit1891.htm; Internet.

Unpublished Materials

__________, Mid-term Exam. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. January 6, 1886. (on-line). Accessed 25, September 2000. Available from http://home1.gte.net/dbroadhu/RESTOR/Lib/Whit1891.htm; Internet.

Broadhurst's Commentary

Bryan Ready's 2001 Thesis
Chapter 1

(under construction)

Broadhurst's Commentary

Bryan Ready's 2001 Thesis
Chapter 2

(under construction)

Broadhurst's Commentary

Bryan Ready's 2001 Thesis
Chapter 3

(under construction)

Broadhurst's Commentary

Bryan Ready's 2001 Thesis
Chapter 4

(under construction)

Broadhurst's Commentary

Bryan Ready's 2001 Thesis
Chapter 5

(under construction)

Broadhurst's Commentary

Bryan Ready's 2001 Thesis
Appendix, etc.

(under construction)