(Communicated  for  the Portage County Democrat.)
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From  the  Unpublished History of the Western Reserve.
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BY  GEN. L. V. BIERCE.
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H I R A M,

Is Town 5, in Range 7. The original proprietors of the township were Col. David [sic - Daniel] Tilden, Daniel Grees, Joseph Metcalf, Levi Case, John Fitch and Joseph Burnham, of Lebanon, Windham County, Connecticut; and William Perkins, of Ashford, in the same County. They were all Freemasons, and while at the Lodge, one evening, Col. Tilden proposed to call their township 'Hiram,' in commemoration of the King of Tyre, which was unanimously agreed to....

In June, 1813, Benjamin Hinckley arrived in town, from Willington, Tolland County, Connecticut, and settled on lot 39, known as the Hinckley farm. He came with a yoke of oxen and a span of horses, and was forty days on the road. When he arrived at Burton, he put his wagon and goods on to a boat, to be rowed down to the Rapids, while he came down the bank with his team. He taught the first school in the township, commencing on the 13th of December, 1813, and closing on the 22d of February, 1814.

The school house stood half a mile south of the Center, on the west half of lot 33, near the north-east corner. There were nineteen scholars -- two Hutchesons, three Johnsons, six Youngs, two Hughes, two Hinckleys, two Dysons, one Hampton, and one Judson. Eight of the scholars only are now living -- Orrin Hutcheson, James Young, Betsy Young, (now wife of Abner Harris) Susan H. Hinckley, (now wife of Ariel Proctor) and John Dyson, living in Hiram; Ann Hinckley, (now wife of Moses Bundy, of Farmington,) and John Young, of Newberry, Geauga County....

He was a Surveyor, and for five years before his death was Justice of the Peace. He set out a row of maple trees, half a mile in length, beside the road next to his farm, which will be a lasting monument of his good taste. He died May 3rd, 1835, at the age of 53.

In 1819 the first military company was organized by the election of Simonds Rider, Captain, Orrin Hutcheson, Lieutenant, Silas Raymond, Ensign, John Tilden, Orderly Sergeant. Previous to this it would appear there was not much military pride in Hiram, except among the Reddings, as Hiel Tinker, Eli Case, Orin J. Messenger, and Benoni Messenger were drafted in time of the war -- but all found they had business in another direction, and did not answer at roll call.

In 1831 Hiram became voted as the chosen locality of the Mormons. Joe Smith had found the golden plates in Palmyra, New York -- translated them into the Book of Mormon -- made his exodus to Kirtland, Ohio, where he had driven one of his stakes, and made many converts. Among the converts were Rev. Ezra Booth and John Johnson, of Hiram. Johnson was a substantial farmer, living on the road from 'Atwater's tavern' to Garrettsville. This offered better prospects of a good living than Kirtland -- and Smith, Rigdon, Cowday [sic], Harris, Whittemore, and other leading Mormons, pulled up their stakes and moved to Hiram. Smith and family took up their abode with Johnson; Rigdon in a log cabin opposite, and others in the vicinity. Here they had a revelation that the Temple was to be located, and the site was pointed out on a hill near the 'Hinckley farm.' Proselytes were flocking in fast, and among them were many Campbellites or Disciples. -- This soon raised opposition, which ripened into open war. Some one bored an auger hole into a log of the house in which Rigdon lived, and filling it with powder, tried to blow it up. -- At length the people resolved to clear the town of them, and raised a company to mob them. One of the Disciples called on John Tilden to help tar and feather the Mormons, who cooly told him there were some Campbellites that deserved it as well as the Mormons, and if he would help him tar and feather them, he would help tar and feather the Mormons. They excused him, but the others went, took Smith and Rigdon out of bed, and covered them with a coat of tar and feathers. The most unfortunate part of it was, that two of Smith's children were in bed with him, sick with the measles. In the affray they took cold and died. The Mormons at once abandoned the idea of making Hiram 'a stake' -- left the town, and returned to back to Kirtland. Their success since that time, until they can defy the whole force of the United States, and have become a nation themselves, is an additional evidence to prove that persecution is not the weapon with which to combat error....


Note 1: Lucius Verus Bierce (1801-1876) was the writer of the above excerpt. The entire article is available here. This item is cited by Richard S. Van Wagoner, on page 115 of his 1994 Sidney Rigdon biography. The article is also tabulated among other similar documents preserved in the Archives of Hiram College. The source of Bierce's information on the plot to blow up Elder Rigdon's home, plans of a Mormon temple at Hiram, and the refusal of John Tilden to participate in the 1832 tar and feathering of Smith and Rigdon very likely came from the Tilden family of Hiram, Ohio. Bierce, who was a prominent Ohio Freemason may have derived his Mormon-specific information from fellow lodge members, who at that period were generally separated from Campbellites such as the Symonds Ryder family of Hiram -- (see notes attached to "A Hill of Zion" in the Sept. 10, 1877 issue of the New York Herald).

Note 2: The Rigdon family moved into the former residence of the John Johnson family, in Hiram Township, Portage Co., Ohio in the fall of 1831 and remained there through March 28th of the following year. It is possible that local residents first attempted to apply pressure on Rigdon, to force him out of Hiram. When those efforts proved ineffective, both he and Joseph Smith were tarred and feathered on the night of March 24th. Smith, at the time, was housed in the John Johnson family's frame house on what is now Pioneer Trail Road, a little distance southwest of Hiram Center. The cabin occupied by the Rigdons was across the road, south of the Johnson house. The 1877 New York Herald article confirms part of the excerpt given above, saying: "At length the people [of Portage County] determined not to let the indignity which they had suffered [from the LDS leaders] go unpunished. Boring holes into Rigdon's cabin they attempted to blow it up by placing in powder to be exploded by the application of a slow match. Failing in this a large mob of people from the adjoining towns came in one night and joining with the Hiramites proceeded to the houses of Smith and Rigdon, and dragging them out from their beds into an open field proceeded to tar and feather feather them. On the next day there was to be a meeting at the house of Smith, at which both the prophet and Rigdon were to speak, but neither of them appeared. The power of the Church had been entirely broken, and within a week Smith and Rigdon departed for Kirtland."

Note 3: For more information on the 1832 assault upon Smith and Rigdon at Hiram, see various items transcribed in association with Rev. B. A. Hinsdale's 1876 booklet, A History of Disciples at Hiram, as well as the on-line series "Sidney Rigdon's Hiram Period."

JUDGE  CRADLEBAUGH  ON  MORMONISM.

One of the Judges of the Territory of Utah is the Hon. John Cradlebaugh of Circleville. He was sent out by Mr. Buvhanan at the time Gov. Cumming went out. The Governor turned Mormon, opposed the Judges in their efforts to ferret out Mormon crimes, and the Judiciary were powerless. The Administration sides with Governor Cumming.

Judge Cradlebaugh lately delivered a lecture at Circleville upon Mormonism. We make an extract:

POLYGAMY.

The little education the children get consists in preparing them for the reception of polygamy. So at variance is that practice with all the instincts of humanity that it has to be pressed upon the people with great assiduity as a part of their religious duty. To prepare the women for the reception of the revolting practice it is necessary to brutalize them by destroying their modesty. The sentiment of loved is ridiculed, cavalier gallantry and attentions are laughed at; the emblematic devices of lovers and the winning kindness that with us they dote on are hooted at in Utah. The lesson they are taught, and that is inculcated above all others, is "increase and multiply," in order that Zion may be filled. The young people are familiarized to indecent exposures of all kinds; the Mormons call their wives their cattle; they choose them pretty much as they choose their cattle; and that great pibk of delicacy, Heber C. Kimball, the next in prominence, as also the next in sin, to Young, calls his women his cows.

A man is not considered a good Mormon that does not uphold polygamy by precept and example, and he is a suspected Mormon that does not practice it. The higher the man is in the church the more wives he has. Brigham Young and Heber Kimball are supposed to have each between fifty and a hundred. The reverend Mormon bishops, apostles, and the presidents of stakes have as many as they desire, and it is a common thing to see these hoary-headed old Turks surrounded by a troop of robust young wives. The common people take as many as they can support, and it is not uncommon to see a house with but two rooms inhabited by a man, his half-dozen of wives, and a proportionate number of children, like rabbits in a warren, and resembling very much the happy family that we read of -- the prairie dog, the owl, and the rabbit. Incest is common. Sometimes the same man has a daughter and her mother for wives at once; some have as wives their own nieces, and Aaron Johnson, of Springville, one of the most influential men in his parts, has in his harem of twelve women no less than five of his brothers' daughters. One Watts, a Scotchman, who is one of the church reporters, is married to his own half-sister. On her arriving in the country he applied for permission to marry her, but Brigham at first refused and settled the matter by taking her into his own harem; but in a few weeks he relented, the seal was broken, and he gave her to Watts.

The ill-assorted children -- the offspring of one father and many mothers -- run about like so many wild animals. The first thing they do, after learning vulgarity, is to wear a leather belt with a butcher-knife stuck in it; and the next is to steal from the Gentiles; then to ride animals; and as soon as they can, "by hook or by crook," get a horse, a pair of jingling Mexican spurs and a revolver, they are then Mormon cavaliers, and are fit to steal, rob, and murder emigrants. The women and girls are coarse, masculine and uneducated, and are mostly drafted from the lowest stages of society. It is but seldom you meet handsome or attractive women among them.

RECEIVING  PROSELYTES.

The missionaries, when sent on missions, if successful, are commanded to bring their proselytes with them to Zion. They are generally taken in large trains, and the arrival of one of these emigrant trains is hailed as a great event. Apparently all business in Zion is closed, and for the next few days large crowds may be seen hanging about the encampment. If some evil sinner from the Gentile world should notice the fact that the saints are not democratic in their attentions, and they hang in large squads about certain camps, and if such a vile sinner was to inquire into the reason of this, he would surely learn that those camps thus favored by the countenance of these pious saints were the camps of widows with young and marriageable daughters. Women that are young and pretty are greedily caught up by the apostles and dignitaries to swell their harems, while the old and ugly are left to care for themselves, or sometimes the prophet forces them on a reluctant husband, that he may avail himself of their labor.

The missionaries are especially charged not to select from the converts until they are brought and put into the fold. Henber Kimball, in delivering a lecture upon that subject to a lot of missionaries about to leave, uses language which I will read:

"I say," he remarks, "to those who are elected to go on missions, go [as] if you never return, and commit what you have into the hands of the Lord -- your wives, children, brethren and property. Let truth and righteousness be your motto. Don't go into the world for anything but to preach the gospel and build up the kingdom of God and gather sheep into the fold. -- You are sent out as shepherds to gather the sheep together, and remember that they are not your sheep -- they belong to him that sends you. Then don't make selection of any before they are put into the fold. You understand what that means."


Note: The above John Cradlebaugh essay was published in John W. Barber's 1861 book, Our Whole Country, in his 1865 book, The Loyal West, and in its 1867 successor, All the Western States and Territories. There is also considerable textual overlap with parts of Cradlebaugh's 1863 address, Utah and the Mormons.

The Reformed Mormon Church -- The Saints Looking Back to
Their First Zion -- Description of the "Temple of the Lord"

We noticed a few days since the fact that a son of "Joe Smith, the notorious Mormon Prophet," had been formally installed at Amboy, Lee County, Illinois, as "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator in Zion," of the Reformed Mormon Church.The new association, of which young Smith is now the head, comprises all those believers in Mormonism who hold the doctrines taught in the infancy of the church, and who repudiate polygamy and most of the other doctrines and practices at present characterizing the Mormons of Utah. The movement once more turns attention to Kirtland, Lake Co., in this State, the site of the original "Land of Zion," and where the "Temple of the Lord"still exists.

It will be remembered that in 1824, Joe Smith "discovered gold plates" in a sandbank near Palmyram N. Y., which he pretended were covered with unreadable inscriptions. Joe had a "prophet stone," by placing which in his hat and keeping his face close to the brim he was enabled to decypher the words, and repeated them to one Martin Harris, who thereupon committed them to paper and thus made the "Book of Mormon." In 1830 a society was formed in the neighborhood, but shortly, in obedience to a "vision," the members, under the lead of Smith, removed to Kirtland, Ohio, which had been designated as the "Land of Zion." The disciples of Mormonism by this time became numerous, and land speculations of an extravagant character were carried on in the neighborhood.

As speedily as possible, the Mormons, or members of the "Church of Christ," commenced building a temple, which they had been instructed by visions to erect. The work was pushed forward rapidly until completion, and in the autumn of 1834, the "Temple of the Lord of Latter Day Saints" was finished, and solemnly dedicated. Some months previous to this event there had been dissensions in the Church, and on the 1st of May, 1834, the members met and voted to change the name of the society from the "Church of Christ" to that of the "Latter Day Saints." A few members opposed this change and protested earnestly against it, affirming that the Book of Mormon strictly enjoins the use of the name "Church of Christ." and none other.

The next step in the history of the Mormon Church in Kirtland was the assumption of the temporal as well as the spiritual power by the "Prophet" Smith. This he was enabled to do through the complicated machinery of Priests, Deacons, Heads of Seventies, and holders of the several offices with which the Mormons system abounded/ These offices were so shrewdly arranged that self interest dictated the consent of their incumbants to the ambitious designs of the "Prophet." As the latter felt his power increasing he continued introducing new doctrines and practices until, in 1836, the doctrine of Polygamy was broached by one Sidney Rigdon, a pettifogging lawyer, who had become connected with the Society. The doctrine was on the eve of receiving the sanction of the Church, when it was swept away for the time by the earnest arguments and fierce denunciations of Elder Rich, one of those who had protested against the Society changing its name. It is said that in spite of the condemnation then put upon it by the Church, both Smith and Rigdon practiced Polygamy in a quiet way.

The land speculations in which the Mormons indulged, in time brought about the usual results in law suits and ill-feeling. They had purchased lands of the original settlers at enormous prices, paying large amounts and giving notes on short time, secured by mortgages for the balance. As a matter of course, these notes were not met at maturity, and the religious feelings of the Mormons were frequently disturbed by such worldly reminders as dunning letters and legal writs. Quarrels sprang up, and in one instance it is alleged that murder was attempted. The "Prophet" being pressed for money by a creditor, Grandison Newell -- who yet lives in Lake county -- hired a "saint" or "avenging angel," as he would now be called, to kill Newell. The "saint," who was named Marvin [sic - Marvel] C. Davis, went to the house of Newell, and three times "drew a bead"on the latter with a loaded rifle, but did not fire. He reported to the Church that the "Lord held the trigger and pulled down the rifle." The result of the intended murder was that Smith and Rigdon were placed under heavy bonds to keep the peace, and that such a hostile feeling grew up between the Mormons of Kirtland and the people of the surrounding country that the "Prophet"and his disciples removed in 1839 [sic -1838] to Illinois.

When this removal took place, a few of the faithful, mostly those who had opposed tye later innovations in doctrine, stood by their posts and refused to leave the Zion which had been assigned them by visions. To their hands therefore was committed the care of the Temple. Of these about a dozen people are left, who remain under the spiritual care of Elder Rich, before mentioned. They have remained faithful to the doctrines of the Church as at first taught, loathe and abhor the corrupt practices and doctrines of the Salt Lake Mormons, and await in patience the regeneration of the Church and its return to the promised Zion. Of this ultimate return to Kirtland they have not the slightest doubt. It has been revealed to them, and cannot, therefore, be doubted.

Kirtland, the "Land of Zion," is a small village very prettily located a few miles south-west of Painesville. the village lies on a bluff, oberlooking a branch of the Chagrin river. It is surrounded by a rolling country, fertile in soil, and attractive in appearance. the village itself is of modest pretensions, being somewhat smaller than when under Mormon rule. The principal object that meets the eye from a distance is the Mormon Temple, which, in comparison with the other buildings, presents a very imposing appearance. This structure is built of stone, in the most substantial manner, and contains two lofty stories besides a large attic, and a deep cellar the whole length of the building. the roof is high, and is surmounted with a cupola, from which a fine view, extending to the lake, can be had.

On entering the church the remarkable dissimilarity between this and all other places of religious worship is at once manifest. At the east and west ends of the room four tiers of peculiarly shaped desks rise over each other, like steps. The body of the room is divided by pews, each capable of holding eight persons (without crinoline). These pews are firmly nailed to the floor, and are furnished with moveable benches for seats. When in proper order, large canvas curtains, hung on rods, depended from the ceiling, so that they could be made to completely divide the body of the church into four parts, and also isolate each single tier of seats at the east and west ends. During certain parts of the services, therefore, four detachments of "high privates" could be lectured simultaneously on different subjects by their teachers, whilst each squad of officers in the desks could perform their peculiar rites without interfering with each other. As soon as open services were to be resumed the cutains could be drawn aside and the whole area of the church again be visible.

The shape of the tiers of desks is peculiar. Each tier holds three persons. The lowest tier is a straight front, whilst that of each of the others is divided into three semicircular parts. At the east end the front of the lower desk is lettered three times P.D.A. (President Deacons' Association). The duties of those holding this office were to assist the higher officers in benevolent works. The desks of the next tier above are lettered P.T.A. (President Teachers' Associasion). The duties of this officer were to search for the poor and needy. The next tier is lettered P.A.P. (President Aaronic Priesthood). Their duties were to travel and teach. The highest tier is lettered B.P.A. (Bishops Priesthood Aaronic). Their duties were to protect the poor and govern the supplies furnished them.

The desks of the west end are similar in shape to those on the east. The first is lettered P.E.M., being seats for the three President [sic - Presiding?] Elders of Melchisidec. The second is lettered M.H.P., for the Melchisidec High Priests. It was from this desk that all regular sermons were delivered. The third desk is lettered P.M.H., meaning the President of the Melchisidec High Priests. Joe Smith used to occupy the middle seat, with Sidney Rigdon at his left and Dr. Williams at his right. It is to this office that young Joe Smith has been elevated. The fourth and upper desk is lettered M.P.C., and they were occupied by the Presidents Melchisidec Council, whose duty it was to receive evidence and make final decision in all differences between members of the church. From their decision there was no appeal. The desks were painted white, ornamented with raised letters of gilded wood. The letters have been stolen but their reaces are yet visible.

The room above is the same size as that below, and is fitted up in a precisely similar manner. The attic has been divided into five large rooms, which has been since used by the people of Kirtland as school rooms. There are numerous peculiarities in the construction of this building which we cannot now afford space to describe. The building has been suffered to go to decay. The windows are broken, the canvas screens gone, the elaborate mouldings and ornamental letters carried off by visitors, and traces of the defacing knives of "relic hunters" are everywhere visible. The few remaining Mormons in Kirtland assemble once a week within its solemn walls, to listen to the teachings of Elder Rich. At times a concert, a lecture, or a town meeting is held there, but "the glory of the temple has departed."

Such is the "Land of Zion" and such the "Temple of the Lord," where the seed of the faithful were to [congregate] to the glory of God and the confusion of the Gentiles. At length it seems that the prayers and wishes of the little remnant are to be fulfilled, and the dilapidated Temple once more to be filled with the glory of the Church. Whilst visiting the village a few weeks since we learned that Mr. Harris, -- one of the old Mormons of that village, who claims to have seen the "plates of gold," to have held converse with angels, and to have seen the Saviour attired in a clean shirt and straight bodied coat, -- had received a message from the Lord to again assemble in Kirtland and build up the City of Zion. We then learned that young Joe Smith was looked to as the Prophet that was to lead the renewed Church to power and glory. From the subsequent installation of that man to the office designated, the natural inference is that the rest of the programme is also to be carried out, and that the star of Kirtland is once more in the ascendant.


Note 1: The "Elder Rich" mentioned by the writer was the early Mormon Seventy, Leonard Rich (1800-1868), whose remains lie in the Kirtland cemetery, alongside his first wife Keziah (1805-1853). Rich was born in Connecticut, but eventually moved to Warsaw twp., Genesee Co., New York, where the 1830 census records that he was living near Peter Rich (age 60-70 and perhaps Leonard's father). Leonard was evidently baptized a Mormon in New York in 1831 or 1832. By 1834 he was in Kirtland and departed from there as a member of the 1834 "Zion's Camp" expedition to Missouri. Rich was one of the subscribers to Warren Parrish's Feb. 5, 1838 letter of denunciation against Joseph Smith. After a brief association with Sidney Rigdon's Pittsburgh group, late in 1845 Rich joined with S. B. Stoddard, Hiram Kellogg, James Bump, and others to form the Kirtland "Church of Christ." Most of these Mormons associated with J. J. Strang the following year: Rich went from that group into David Whitmer's "Church of Christ," and from there (with Zadock Brooks) into another, small organization, in opposition to Joseph Smith III and the 1860 "Reorganization."

Note 2: In August of 1860 the RLDS elders, James Blakeslee and William W. Blair met with the little Kirtland congregation, composed of Zadock Brooks, Russell Huntley, James Twist, Martin Harris, Leonard Rich and others, but (except for Twist and Huntley) did not secure their allegiance to the RLDS Church. Leonard Rich didn't live to see the Kirtland Temple pass into the ownership of the Reorganization (in 1873), a development he would surely have deplored.

Note 3: See also the Ohio Statesman of April 18th, 1860 and the Plain Dealer of May 17, 1859, May 18, 1859, June 20, 1859, June 13, 1860 and Aug. 31, 1860 for related news reports.

Mormons in Ohio --
The Kirtland Temple to be Revived.
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It is well known that shortly after Joe Smith discovered the "gold plates" near Palmyra, N. Y., and organized the now extensive and powerful sect known as the Mormons, he and his followers removed to Kirtland, Lake Co., Ohio, which had been designated as the "Land of Zion," and erected a "Temple of the Latter day Saints," which was completed and dedicated in the autumn of 1834. Here it was that the "Prophet" Smith assumed temporal as well as spiritual power, and as he felt his power increasing he continued introducing new doctrines and practices, until 1836 the doctrine of Polygamy was breached by one Sydney Rigdon, a pettyfogging lawyer, who had become connected with the Society. This was violently opposed by numerous members of the Society, headed by one Elder Rich. The church refused to sanction Polygamy, but, it is said, both Smith and Rigdon practiced it in a quiet way. The land speculations of the Mormons in that vicinity resulted in numerous law suits and quarrels, and these, together with an attempted murder by the Mormons of one Grandison Newell, still a resident of Lake county, created such a hostile feeling between the Mormons and the people of the surrounding country that the "Prophet" Smith and the disciples removed in 1839 to Illinois.

A few of the faithful, including Elder Rich, who had opposed the later innovations in doctrine, refused to leave "Zion," and to their hands, therefore, was committed the care of the Temple. Of these about a dozen people are left, who remain under the spiritual care of Elder Rich, before mentioned. They have remained faithful to the doctrines of the Church as at first taught, loathe and abhor the corrupt practices and doctrines of the Salt Lake Mormons, and await in patience the regeneration of the Church and its return to the promised Zion. Of this ultimate return to Kirtland they have not the slightest doubt. It has been revealed to them, and cannot, therefore, be doubted.

A short time since, a son of the Prophet Joe Smith, was formally installed at Amboy, Lee Co., Illinois, as "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator in Zion," of the Reformed Mormon Church. -- The Mormons of Illinois claim that they have received a message from the Lord to again assemble in Kirtland and build up the city of Zion, and young Joe Smith is looked to as the Prophet who is to lead the renewed church to power and glory --  Cleveland Leader.


Note: In July of 1860 Rich opposed the designation of Joseph Smith III as President of RLDS Church, and organized his own church of seven people in Kirtland.

MORMON WIVES. -- Brother Kimball, in one of his famous Mormon sermons, served the following timely notice on a number of missionaries who were about starting out on a proselyting tour:

"Brethren, I want you to understand that it is not to be as it has been heretofore. The brother missionaries have been in the habit of picking out the prettist women for themselves before they got here, and bringing on the ugliest for us; hereafter you have to bring them all here before taking any of them, and let us all have a fair shake."

The old reprobate then had at least a dozen women whom he called wives.


Notes: (forthcoming)

(For the Plain Dealer.)

The  Mormons.

MR. EDITOR: Having occasion to pass through your beautiful city and country a few days since, I called al Kirtland to see the Temple that was erected a few years since by thst truly singular people, generally called Mormons, and then by them deserted when they removed to Missouri. While there I found an organization of believers in the Book of Mormon, that are advocating principles differet (so far as my knowledge extends) from those entertained by any branch of this people noticed by the public papers. Hence I took pains to elicit from them what I could concerning their religious views, their relation to the institution in Utah, or with the Latter Day Saints now headed by Joseph Smith, Jr. as the successor of his father. And I here forward to you for your valuable paper, some of the statements by them made to me on this subject.

In this organization I met with Elder Martin Harris, Leonard Rich, of Kirtland, and also with a delegation from Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, where they say there are a number of branches to this organization, entertaining the same views with those in Kirtland.

They say they have nothing to do with the institution in Utah, and claim that polygamy and all its kindred institutions are a base apostacy from the teachings of the Book of Mormon. They actually read to me from that book, that the polygamy of David and Solomon was an abomination in the sight of the Lord, and that He commanded them that there should not any man among them have but one wife, and that concubines he shou1d have none. Hence they claim that Brigham and his followers are a base set of apostates.

It will be remembered that Martin Harris was the man who furnished the necessary means to print the first edition of the Book of Mormon, and was one of the six that constituted in 1830 the first organization of this peculiar people. Those now at Kirtlllnd and their associates, say,that they are entirely disconnected from all organization of Latter Day Saints, assigning the following as their reason, to wit That in the first organization the Bible and the Book of Mormon was their guide, and that the name of this church was the Church of Christ; and that the highest office in it was that of Elder. But that in June 1831 through the influence of ambitious men, that came among them, they so far changed their organization as to introduce the office of High Priests and also the Aaronick priesthood, and further that in 1833 they published a code of laws, to which the members were requircd to yield obedience, called the "Book of Commandments;" and that in 1835 they revised and enlarged said laws and published them in a work called the "Book of Doctrine and Covenants,"which book with sundry additions, made from time to time, is the principal standard of all Latter Day Saints. They also state that at a council held in Kirtland on May 3d, 1835, the name of the Clurch was changed to the Church of the Latter Day Saints, which they called a heinous crime in the sight of God, and then proceeded to read from the Book of Mormon a very strong condemnation upon upon any people, if they take upon themselves any name except the name of Christ. They say that just as soon as the name of the Church was changed, Joseph Smith started with his warrior band for Missouri, to fight their enemies; and that disaster and confusiOn have attended all their movements from that time until the present, in fulfillment of the curse pronounced upon them im the book; provided they should make the foregoing changes in their organization.

They say that this system of change that commenced in 1831, was bronght on by ambitious men multiplying offices and officers on a rising scale, until after various remodelings, they finally placed Joseph Smith at the head of their institutions, with an absolute dictatorial power that enabled him in his days, and his successors after him, to lead their followers as they pleased. Hence they claim that the scenes in Missouri, Nauvoo and Salt Lake are in no way chargable to the Church of Christ organized in 1830, but all belong to the church of Latter Day Saints, organized in 1834, and variously remodeled since.

They claim that two years ago this prescnt month, in Kirtland, and soon after in Illinois, some of their present number were commanded by revelation to organize the Church of Christ, and take the Blble and Book of Mormon for their guide; and that since they have effected this organization numbers have been added to them, both from those that formerly believed the Book of Mormon and others, who through their efforts have become believers in the book.

While I was in Kirtland they removed the name of Latter Day Saints from the Temple, and said that they should put the name of Christ in its stead. They were also circularing a subscription far and near to raise means to repair the Temple, which building, I assure you, has been most shamefully defaced by many out of the vast multitudes that curiosity has led to visit it.

Both the members in Kirtlnnd and tbe delegates from the west expressed firm confidence that they should succeed in repairing the Temple, and building up a strong Church in the world, which, they say, will be as renowned for purity and holiness as the Latter Day Saints, commonly called Mormons, are for vice and immorality.

Your correspondent was somewhat surprised to find that most of the people With whom he conversed, in and about Kirtland, expressed a desire that the Mormons should return -- provided that they will live and preach as the majority did when they first came there, in 1830. Time will tell what new wonders this people will bring to pass.

Yours, &c., Z.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Another  Letter  from  "Quails."
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Nauvoo, Illinois.    
Sunday Eve., June 3d, 1860.    

As we prophesied that we might in our yesterday's letter -- written and mailed in Keokuk -- we concluded, on the approach of evening, to turn our steps towards the deserted but famed city of Nauvoo. Taking the cars of the Keokuk, Mount Pleasant & Muscatine Railroad, we proceeded up the river twelve miles to Montrose, a small town on the western bank of the Mississippi, in Iowa, which town -- as a Sucker in our party expressed it -- "wasn't celebrated for being very live or very dead, but only for being opposite Nauvoo."

Taking our carpet sack in hand, we approached a man having a blossoming countenance, and asked if he could direct us to the best hotel.

"I reckon!" was the reply.

"Well, where is it?"

"Do you want some one to tote your traps?"

"No, we want the hotel!"

"Well, you kin go down that way by the levee, or you kin cut across that lot o' weeds and come out on the corner jist above the Post Office, and then cut across and --"

"Hold on!" we exclaimed; "we can find the place quicker without any direction;" and following the crowd, consisting of a hump-backed boy and a yellow dog, we in due time found the hotel. On asking the good lady of the house if we could have supper, she replied:

"I reckon."

"How long first?" we inquired.

"Well, I allow you'll have to wait quite a smart chance of a bit, 'cause I ain't milked yet!"

Apologizing for our seeming haste, and blushing up to the top of our ears at the woman's innocent but novel way of expressing herself, we bided our time, and had a bowl of as good bread and milk as ever cheered the palate of a weary traveler.

Nauvoo, from Montrose, presents a grand view, as it overlooks the island in the river and being nearly two miles distant, hides from the eye of the traveler in Montrose its many marks of decay. The city stands in an elbow of the Mississippi, and for about three-quarters of a mile from the river the land is dead level some fifteen feet above high water mark, -- the soil of a rich black loam over six feet in depth, and being evidently an alluvial deposit of ages long past. Back from this bend the land gradually but quickly rises to a height of over one hundred feet, and on the top of the highest point stand the magnificent ruins of the Nauvoo Temple. The town is laid out at right angles, in wide streets, and with four acres of land in each block. It was originally intended that each resident should have one acre of land for his own family use -- there thus being four residents to each block, but as the city in its prosperous day became crowded, many of these estates were divided and sold for house lots, with only fifty and sixty feet front. There are at present but three thousand people in Nauvoo -- the majority of these being German and French. The city at one time numbered nearly fifteen thousand. Many of the houses that were formerly the residences of men of wealth, influence and position, are now empty and are rapidly going to decay. Gardens in which fifteen years ago were cultivated the best and rarest vegetables, are now overrun with weeds and filth. Barns that were formerly built for the best stock in the Union, are now wailing with their creaking doors and clattering clapboards, their lost position, and are only the homes of innumerable rats and swallows. The Masonic Hall, built of brick, looks like a deserted horse-barn in its last stages of decay, and although the old Lodge Room is used occasionally by a German musical society for its meetings, it is sadly out of repair, and is only used because no other place can be obtained.

Some twenty rods in a south-easterly course from the Masonic Temple, are the remains of what evidently was formerly a house and store united. It is built of brick, having a back and side wing, with a handsome porch in front, and was no doubt fifteen years ago one of the leading institutions of the place. The old sign -- VARIETY STORE -- is yet upon the building, and above this sign was formerly painted in lively colors some large animal like a tiger, lion or leopard, but Old Time has so worked upon the paint that it is now difficult to tell what the painter intended to represent, although his own name in small black letters, tells us in the lower corner that the work was executed by MARTIN. We shall make a sketch of this house and a number of others before leaving Nauvoo -- for the benefit of future historical painters. The town was originally called Commerce, but on being purchased by the Mormons in 1838, it was baptized Nauvoo. It is so situated that without the aid of the Mormons -- or some such extensive society, united in its efforts -- it can never be anything more than a languishing village.

Its advantages are all summed up in the fact that it has an abundance of the best quality building stone, and its soil is almost unequaled. Its disadvantages are -- the channel of the Mississippi is on the opposite side of the river -- some two miles distant -- and the town standing on the inside of a nine mile elbow of the river, has water on the south, on the west, and on the north, so that all of the vast rich country back of the shoulders of this bend must naturally become tributary to other and nearer towns on the river.

The town has no water powers -- although with great expense, by a plan which no man but Joseph Smith, or some person with such gigantic notions, would ever think of putting into operation, a deep canal might be cut across this bend, and thus tap the Mississippi two miles above, and a power could thus be manufactured which would only be secondary to that of St. Anthony. This plan was suggested by Smith, and if he had lived to the present time in undisturbed possession of this place -- the lowlands would no doubt have now been studded with manufacturers. Smith was murdered in 1844.

The Nauvoo Temple was quarried within two miles of where the ruins now stand, was commenced in May 1841, and was burned October 8th, 1848. The stone is of a peculiar quality and presents an appearance strongly resembling second class Italian marble, being nearly white with occasional streaks of blue and gray. It is composed of hard slate mixed with pebbly sandstone, and numerous shell petrifactions. The Temple stood upon the ground 84 feet front, by 120 feet deep, and was 80 feet to the eaves -- The fire -- which was the wotk of an incendiary -- together with the severe storms peculiar to this section -- have made sad havoc with the noble old structure, and there now only remains standing the front wall -- facing west -- and about twenty feet of each of the side walls -- extending to the back wall of the vestibule. This will no doubt soon tumble, as it is already badly cracked, and perceptibly leans to the east. -- There are six columns in the front wall, about sixty-five feet in height, each column having a carved representation of the old moon at the base, and the bright blazing sun at the top. The style or architecture is unlike anything either in this country or in Europe, and reflects credit on the taste and conception of the architect and builder.

Having now given a history of Nauvoo and its appearance, we will give a report of our debut in this famous place, and our reception. -- We crossed over in a row-boat from Montrose this Sunday morning at nine o'clock, and proceeded at once with a carpet sack in hand to the Mansion House, kept in excellent style by Lewis C. Bidamon, the husband of the late widow of the renowned Joseph Smith. On making ourself known -- not by signs, grips, winks and profanity -- as visitors often attempt to do here -- we were hospitably received, and were soon introduced to the late Mrs. Smith and her three sons -- Joseph, Jr., Alexander and David. It is by the choice of the Mormons in Illinois and Ohio, and many of the best of those in Salt Lake City, that the shoulders of Joseph, Jr., shall wear the mantle of the famous Prophet.

Joseph, Jr., stands five feet eight and a half inches in height, walks with a firm upright step, weighs 165 pounds, is dark complexion, has black hair, dark hazle eyes, a long oblong head, prominent but straight nose, thin face, though not thin in flesh, as the lines from his temples to the edges of his projecting lower jaw are straight and expressive of shrewdness, intellect, self-reliance and an unwavering firmness. We had not been in conversation with this gentleman five minutes before we were firmly impressed with the fact that like Louis Napoleon whom we met in Paris in 1856 he had been greatly umderrated by newspaper writers.Like Louis Napoleon, Mr. Smith feels that he has got to sustain the name of the hero that has gone before him, that he has a destiny to fulfil, and like Louis Napoleon -- unless we err in our judgement -- he will yet astonish the world by his natural energy and self-reliance. Both he and his mother are uncompromising foes to polygamy, and claim that if they ever re-unite the Mormons in their name, that they will only claim the rights and liberties granted to other religious denominations. Mr. Smith was born on the 6th of November, 1832, and will, therefore, be but 28 years of age this coming fall. He lives in a neat little one story dwelling opposite the Mansion House, has three acres of land, facing the river for his garden, has an accomplished wife and one child, a daughter three years of age, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of the citizens generally to such an extent that he was elected Justice of the Peace without opposition. When in connection with this fact it becomes known that the citizens are all opposed to Mormonism, and that there are but two avowed Mormons in Nauvoo, it must be admitted that the compliment is one of no ordinary value or meaning.

Mrs. Bidamon -- nee Smith, is a woman of perhaps sixty years of age, straight as an Indian, has bright piercing eyes, a fluent tongue, and displays that native vigor and energy which, when found in a mother, invariably produce children who make their mark.

Mrs. Smith stated that of the people who went to Utah there were but two classes fools and knaves. Those of the first class, were humbugged into the belief that a reformation would be commenced by the self-constituted leaders who were rotten in morals, reputation and inclination; while those of the latter lived only for their base, wicked passions, and went to Utah with the firm resolve of indulging in those passions regardless of christianity, morality or decency.

Alexander Smith is about eighteen years of age, and somewhat resembles Joseph, Jr., but has not the dignity or force of character of his brother, although we think he will make a smart man.

David Smith is fourteen years old, has a classic but pensive countenance, and is by inclination an artist. In architectural and fancy drawing he would bear no bad comparison to many of our professors.

This letter is already too long, but we cannot close it without one word about masonry. It has been stated that all Mormons were masons. This is untrue. A few of the Mormons were members of eastern lodges. They instituted a Lodge in Nauvoo, and as they commenced work in violation of the laws of the Grand Lodge, their charter was at once withdrawn, and they afterwards introduced a new ritual, interspersed with Mormon obligations, so that the Mormon Secret Society (called Masonic) was as unlike masonry as the monthly meetings of a New York fire company are unlike a Cape Cod Camp Meeting. No person who was a member of one society could work his way into a lodge of the other.

We have just returned from a visit to the Temple in company with Joseph Smith, Jr., and have also strolled about and seen the lions of the town, and will now close this letter.   QUAILS.


Note: Frederick H. Piercy's 1855 book, Route From Liverpool to Great Salt Lake Valley, gives an illustrated glimpse of the Smiths at Nauvoo, a few years prior to that provided by the Herald's correspondent.

Another  Letter  from  "Quails."
_____

Fort Madison, Iowa, June 4, 1860.    

After closing our Nauvoo letter, with sketch book in hand we commenced our trip through the Mormon city to make drawings of such places as interested us. Walking slowly we were overtaken by a company that had just crossed the river from a large passenger steamer at the levee on the Iowa side. Thinking we might perhaps make some rich notes by being an outsider, we replied in expressive signs with our fingers, eyebrows and lips (to questions propounded) that we were deaf and dumb, and could understand only the language of the pencil. In this way the communication was kept up for a few minutes, when one of the company, from Missouri, exclaimed:

"I allow he is the deaf and dumb Indian kept by Joe Smith, Jr., to take care of his wives!"...

"Joe Smith haint got no wives!" said one of the party.

"Yes he has! he's got a pile of 'em!"...

"What's that big building?" inquired a wrinkled old maid of forty, of a boy who was passing.

"That's Masonic Hall," replied the lad, turning a corner and whistling "Jordan is a hard road to travel."

"Well, aint that too bad?" said the old maid, contemplating the old hall with feelings of awe and wonderment. "I spose many a goat had been rid in that buildin!"

"Lots of 'em, I'll warrant!" said a man in spectacles.

"Was the Mormons all masons?" enquired the young Miss.

"Every dog-on one of em!" exclaimed the Missourian. "Every dog-on one of 'em, and there couldn'y nobody join the Mormons that didn't join the masons; and if, when they joined the masons, they didn't say yes to every dog-on question 'twas asked 'em, they had red hot irons run clear through 'em!"

The young maiden leaned languishingly against the vest pattern of the Missouri orator, looked up into his eyes with a wilting expression, and breathed "Oh dear!," while we made some additional dog-on minutes and continued to listen.

..."Come, whoora!" exclaimed the Missourian, "let's every dog-on one of us go down to see Joe Smith, Jr."

"O no!" whispered the maiden; "I'm afraid!"

"'Twon't do any good if we do go!" said the old maid... "I heard a lot of Boston editors, and Thurlow Weed of New York, say last Wednesday that they come clean out from Chicago ro see Joe, and then he wouldn't see 'em!"

"Yes, that's so!" remarked the man in specs, "they say he don't receive anybody but traveling Mormons!"

We thought of Deak's remark the week before, that we looked like a traveling Mormon, and we only concealed a laugh by walking hastily away in the direction of the Temple.

We now close the description of our Nauvoo, visit, and of the large amount of information that we gained thereby, with the remark that although Joe Smith, Jr., and his mother, are the only avowed defenders of Mormonism -- in Nauvoo -- as taught in the Book of Mormon -- viz: free from polygamy -- still when Joseph, Jr., shall sound the trumpet, as he assuredly will ere long, for the true believers to come together and again be united, some of the leading families in the southern part of Illinois -- who are now the least suspected -- will rally with enthusiasm around Joseph's standard.

Since our visit to Nauvoo, we have learned the names of all the leading Mormons from the infancy of the society, and among these we find some of the highest integrity and spotless reputations; people, in short, who for reasons no doubt satisfactory to themselves, have for years kept aloof from the society -- waiting, perhaps for the trumpet of Joseph, Jr....   QUAILS


Notes: (forthcoming)

The  Temple  at  Kirtland.

The few Mormons at Kirtland under the lead of Elder Rich are repairing the Temple -- putting on a new roof, painting the outside, &c. The Temple is three stories high, built of stone and cost $20,000. The Mormons who want to restore it to its pristine spendor are those who refused to follow Jo. Smith to Nauvoo, and who scout at the wife theory of the Mormons in Utah.


Notes: (forthcoming)

New Mormon Excitement.
____

The report that Joe Smith Jr., had summoned the faithful to return to Nauvoo, has raised a great excitement among the people of Hancock County. The people are called upon to hold meetings through the county, and to take immediate and decided measures to counteract the Mormon movement, and the excitement among the people in that region is represented as increasing daily, the public peace being threatened, and another Mormon War, like that of several years ago in the same locality, being almost certain, if the proposed movement of young Joe Smith is carried out.


Note: The above news item relates to Joseph Smith III. His gathering of Saints to Hancock County was so small as to be practically unnoticeable -- and subsequently the RLDS altogether abandoned the literal gathering of Israel upon the American continent as an article of faith. This change in religious policy had earlier been advocated by William Smith: for the Reorganized LDS of the 1860s, it proved to be a successful and peaceful innovation.

From  Utah.

Brigham Young is a greater tyrant than Nicholas of Russia. I am satisfied that his downfall is at hand, for the division has already commenced. In Weber county, near Ogden City, there is a new prophet arisen by the name of Joseph Morris. He has written many books, and says there is a revelation of God against this people. He says that the judgments of God are to come upon this people, Brigham and the authorities of this church, within the year 1861, and that God is going to destroy the wicked leaders of this people. The people around him, almost all, believe in him as a true prophet of God. He lives about 80 miles from this place * * * I am of the opinion that he is the man to bring forth that bloody conflict which the prophet Joseph foresaw, for the Brighamites are already threatening him and his followers with extermination. I believe all the branches of the church where he lives have joined him * * * There is much rumor about the troops leaving Utah. They expect to be ordered to leave every day. Letters came here by the Pony Express, May 29th, that an order was issued in Washington, May 21st, to call the troops into the States from this place, and ever since the Quartermaster has been making preparations to start when the order comes, but it has not arrived. There are thousands of poor people here who wish for the troops to remain until they can obtain teams to take them away, and if the troops leave they will not know what to do. There are many, yes, very many poor families who wish they were out of Utah. No man who knows how poor people suffer in this Territory, but those who experience it... [text of a Morrisite revelation follows]


Note 1: The exact date of the above communication from RLDS Elder Isaac Sheen to the Cincinnati Commercial remains undetermined. The text is taken from a fragment of the original, and from a reprint, published in the July 17, 1861 issue of the Chicago Tribune, which begins with this editorial preface: "The Cincinnati Commercial contains a letter written by Isaac Sheen, from Fort Crittenden (formerly Camp Floyd), Utah, under date of June 18th, from which we learn that the indications and preparations for civil war in Utah are very marked..."

Note 2: See also Elder Sheen's earlier letter, published in the Saturday Evening Post, and another, in the Cincinnatti Comercial, just prior to the formal founding of the RLDS Church.

PHIN.  HOMAN  AND  THE
MORMON  BIBLE.
______

Phin. Homan, the correspondent of the New York Herald, lately drowned near Hilton Head, and well known in Detroit, was at one time a printer, working at Palmyra, and one of the few engaged in printing the first Mormon Bible from the manuscript furnished by Jo Smith. From his connection with the publication, and his intimacy with the Prophet and Harris, the moneyed man of the enterprise, bringing to bear the large amount of shrewdness and intelligence of which he was possessed, he had an inside view of the first start of Mormonism, such as probably no other man ever enjoyed. He ever maintained that the Bible was a work of Smith's own creation, and gave him credit for a good deal more sagacity, and so far as he was concerned, honesty than the outside world was ever disposed to accord to the ill-fated Prophet.


Notes: (forthcoming)

A History of the Organization and Progress of the
Latter Day Saints' Church -- The Mormon Split.

From the Chicago Journal.

There being many newspaper items afloat purporting to set forth the present condition of the Mormon Church, the various secessions, offshoots and outgrowths of the same, together with some of the tenets or dogmas of faith to which they severally hold, I thought with your permission, through the medium of the Journal to make some [statements] which may serve in a measure to correct the ideas which must [in-----ly] have been gathered from the items lately and extensively published. The organization of the church was effected April 6, 1830. At this organization here were six persons, comprising nearly the whole number then in the faith. From this organization in its subsequent spread, has come every party, faction, and organization bearing the commonly received appellation of "Mormon." Propagation of [tenets] began by the laboring of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, who [boldly] advocated the new theories of religion, preaching from the common version of the Bible, and presenting with it, as of divine origin, the Book of Mormon, which is purported to be a history of the early settlers of the country, who came at different periods of time from the far East, one party coming over soon after the dispersion upon the plains of Shinar, and two others from Jerusalem about 600 years before Christ. These ultimately fell into unbelief, creating war among themselves, eventuating in extinction. This history was kept as a national archive, according to their custom. on plates of brass, which plates were confided from generation to generation to persons properly chosen, whose duty it was to inscribe the common history of their people upon them. These plates were so handed down to one [Moroni] the last surviving prophet, who seeing the utter extinction of his people, records the fact and hides the plates, confident of their being found and published abroad among a people who should inhabit this land. The preaching of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery was followed by that of others, who united with them from time to time, until quite a large number of communicants were added to the faith, when a gathering was effected at Kirtland, Ohio. From this place the work of proselyting went on. The building of a temple was completed about the year 1835 [sic - 1836?], at the same time that a settlement was being made in Missouri.

In 1837. owing partly to bad financial operations, partly to defection in the church, and partly to strong intolerant persecutions. the colony at Kirtland was broken up. The settlement already begun in Jackson county, Mo., was, owing to the increase in number, exercising considerable political power. Whether used wisely or unwisely (it matters not now), this power existing gave rise to jealousy. This [resulted] in mutual acts of an offensive [or] defensive character, which resulted in bringing down upon the church, then from 10,000 to 15,000 strong in the State of Missouri, the strong arm of force. The leaders were arrested and cast into jail, from which they were released or escaped, after various terms of confinement, and the whole body of people with scarcely an exception, were driven from the State in the beginning of the winter of 1838. The persecution to which they had been subjected had made many friends for them in the young State of Illinois, and, crossing the Mississippi, they settled to and fro, until a town site was chosen at Commerce, Hancock county, Ill., just at the head of the lower or Des Moines rapids. Here the city of Nauvoo was laid out and became the centre of the church organization. From 1839 to June 26, 1844, the church continued to proselyte with marvelous success. The church had increased from a membership of six to nearly 150,000. Twice had the strong arm of violence driven them from their homes. Twice had they sought new locations. All the time had they kept up their ministerial labors, and the doctrines which they believed were being taught in very many of the countries of the earth.

In June, 1844, Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith, his brother, were killed by a mob while being held in jail awaiting trial for some offence charged against them. There was at that time in the city of Nauvoo and county of Hancock, a large population adhering to the faith, which rapidly increased in the fall of 1845 just prior to the last acts of violence which drove them from the State. It was estimated at 25,000. Subsequent to the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young became the leader of the part of the church which sought to escape from the region where so much had been endured by them; and under his leadership complaints waxed stronger and stronger, until in the summer and fall of 1846 mob violence was again triumphant, and the State of Illinois was forcibly rid of the Saints. What the history of those in Utah has been, I have no personal knowledge. I have [-------] that much has been said and written of them which is not true, while the truth must be bad enough.

Joseph Smith, when he died in 1844, was in the thirty-ninth year of his age, and at his death left a family consisting of one wife, the daughter of Isaac Hale of Harmony, Pa., to whom he was married against the wishes of her [family], [not] much of a crime now, whatever it might have been then, and five children: four boys and a girl. The girl was the daughter of one Joseph Murdock and his wife, who died in Kirtland, Ohio, and is the natural sister of one John Murdock of Salt Lake City, Utah. She was adopted by Joseph and Emma Smith, at the death of her parents [sic - mother?], and has always been one of the family. She is now the wife of Mr. John J. Middleton, a gentleman of worth in the employment of the Pilot Knob Iron Company, of St. Louis, Mo. The boys were Joseph (the writer of this article), Frederick, Alexander and David. There are three left, Frederick dying in September, 1846. Emma Smith, the mother of these boys, left Nauvoo, in common with many others; and, instead of following the fortunes of Brigham Young, went up the Mississippi on the "Uncle Toby," then commanded by Captain Grimes, of Fulton City, now the terminus of the Dixon Air-line Railroad, and in the spring of 1847 she returned to Nauvoo, where, in December, 1847, she was married to Major Lewis Crum Bidamone, and where she still resides.

The writer was born in Kirtland Ohio, November 6, 1832 -- was taken with the family from there to Missouri, thence to Nauvoo, Ill., thence to Fulton, Ill., and back to Nauvoo, where he resided without intermission till January, 1866, when he became a resident of the town of Plano, Kendall Co., Ill. I am aware, Mr. Editor, that these items of family history have only local significance, but I deemed it necessary to relate them. In 1846 and 1847, when Brigham Young and those who followed his leadership were making their way westward, a large number refused to go, and scattered into various regions of the country. This division did not occur in the separation of an organized body of disaffected men, but took place by the dropping out of individuals and families by twos, threes and dozens, and has continued up to the present time. Different individuals attempted from time to time to organize and hold these dispersed people in one body, having in view as claimed by them, a reclaiming of those gone into apostacy (meaning those who led into polygamy) and the gathering together of those remaining in the faith to which they had originally given heed. One after another of these organizations failed, the reasons for which it is not necessary to state. Suffice it to say that in 1852 none existed bearing even a fair semblance to the tenets and practice of the original body.

In 1852 a movement was begun in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, among the fragmentary remnants of these several organizations, together with many who had never held affinity with either, but who were anxious for the organization upon the original basis, which movement resulted in the assembling together at Amboy, Lee County, Ill., in April, 1860, of a large number of these scattered people for the purpose of effecting a permanent organization. The writer then became identified with the movement, and the organization was sufficiently effected to warrant the holding of annual and semi-annual conferences, and the transacting of such business as is called for by the exigencies of the promulgation of doctrinal tenets and the proselyting to the faith.

One of the first and chief objects of this reorganization of the elements of the original church was, and has been, the reclaiming of those who have plunged into error and vice, and the recalling of those who, supposing that there was no other way, followed the lead of ambitious and [unscrupulous ?] men, who flourished for a time and then failed. Another object, from the prosecution of which there has been no cessation, has been, and now is, an open. fearless, hostile and unyielding opposition to the doctrines of polygamy and others of like demoralizing tendencies, held and taught by Brigham Young and his adherents. The cause assigned for the opposition is this: The testimonials of all concur in freeing Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith from the accusation of being the originators and promulgators of that doctrine, and, further that there is no sort of foundation for believing those evil doctrines to have been a part of the doctrines of the original church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.   JOSEPH SMITH.


Notes: (forthcoming)

(From the Painesville Ohio Telegraph)
The  Old  Mormon  Temple  in  Kirtland.

The Old Mormon Temple at Kirtland, Ohio, so famous in the history of Mormonism, is now the property of a wealthy Mormon residing in Cgicago, and was sold, with the land on which it stands, at Sheriff's sale, for the nominal price of $150. Fifteen hundred dollars has been expended in repairs so that the building, although despoiled of its original elegance, may be made to endure, a monument of mistaken zeal of its founders, for many years to come. The houses once owned and occcupied by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon are still standing in the neighborhood, as are, also, some other buildings, whose associations are more or less memorable.

But few of the faithful, however, remain, the most prominent being the venerable Martin Harris.

The temple is situated on the summit of Kirtland Hill, is built of cut stone, and is one of the largest edifices in the State. In its construction, several hundred of the deluded followers of Joe Smith labored for many months, and they had just completed and held one or two meetings within its walls when the prophets and their tribe marched from Kirtland town never to return.

At the foot of the hill lies the beautiful valley through which runs Willoughby River, known as Kirtland Flats. Kirtland consists of two villages, one on the hill near the temple, and the other on the flats. The temple is two and a half miles from Willoughby.


Note: The Cleveland Plain Dealer also reprinted this Painesville item, on the same day, and the Cincinnati Daily Gazette on June 12th featured an edited version.

(For the Geauga Democrat.)
Early  History  of  Auburn

A sketch of the early history of the town of Auburn, in the County of Geauca, and State of Ohio, Written by Wm. Crafts, giving a sketch of his journey here from the State of New York, his purchase, his return home in October, 1815; also of his journey and arrival here, with his family, the following spring, of the year 1816; also something of his pioneer life after arriving here, which is as follows:

I, Wm. Crafts, started on foot, with my pack on my back, from the town of Gorham, county of Ontario and State of New York, on Tuesday, the first dav of August, 1815, for the New Connecticut Western Reserve, in the State of Ohio, for the purpose of buying a piece of wild land to clear up and make me a home. Traveled west to Buffalo. There I saw some of the effects of the war of 1812, the enemy having burnt the place. Some of the chimneys of the houses yet remained standing, and Buffalo looked small and rather desolate; so I passed on, more or less on the beach of Lake Erie, for 25 miles; then, done with the Lake, came on to Erie, Penn.; next came to the town of Conneaut, Ashtabula County, Ohio; from there came to Esq. Jesse Ladd's in the town of Madison, then Geauga County, now Lake. Mr. Ladd then kept tavern. I found him and his famlly to be very good, kind people, and, I being rather unwell, put up with him. Was there, on and off, for about two weeks. Went as far west as Chagrin. now Willouhby; came back and looked up land in Madison; did not get suited; wild land was held, off of the Ridge Road in Madison, at about four dollars per acre, and, as I had not much to buy with, I made up my mind to go south; consequently, as Mr. Ladd was going to Painesville, ten miles, he carried me there with him. Then I took the road for Chardon, our noble County Seat. Found, I think, not more than two or three houses on the way, after I left the old Warren road. Arrived in Chardon about four o'clock in the afternoon. The dwelling houses and Court House were all composed of logs at that time. Not a framed house there. Norman Canfield was digging a well where the tavern is now kept, south of the Court House, and I think he kept there at that time. Captain Edward Paine and others were there, standing about the well, and I inquired how far it was to the next house south, on the newly cut out State Road. They said it was six miles to Judge Stone's; that I could travel the new road through Munson on foot, or ride through on horseback, but teams did not pass. Accordingly, I left, and pursued my journey, and reached Judge Stone's a little after sundown, and glad was I for it seemed a long ways for me to travel without passing a house, and so near night that I did not know but that I should have to stay in the woods. I stayed with Mr. Stone over night; found him to be a really friendly, intelligent man, as he always has been ever since.

The next morning I left, and pursued my journey south. The first house I came to was Samuel Barker's; the next was Lemuel Punderson's grist mill and mill house for the miller to live in, that tended the mill: the next was Lemuel Punderson's dwelling house; the next was Joshua M. Burnett's; the next was Mr. Coe's, near a certain brook. He was a cloth-dresser; had done a small business there, but did not follow it. The next was Benager Bradley's, on the south side of said brook. He was a turner, chair and wheel-maker. The next was Bildad Bradley's. He had sold out to Joshua M. Burnett, and had gone about 20 or 30 rods south of the south line of Newbury, and had built on the then new State Road in the then new township No. 6, in the eighth range of townships, now Auburn, and was the first settler in town.

Now we will date September the first, 1815. The next was the body of a house raised by Mr. John Jackson, which stood a little south of where Gilbert Richards now lives, and on the same side of the road. He (Jackson) and Zadock Reuwee had been in and bought, and had gone back to Massachusetts for their families, and were going to move on that same fall. The next house on the road was Priest Jones', beyond Mantua Corners. There was no building on the corners at that time. So it appears that, in traveling from Chardon to Mr. Jones', in Mantua, Portage County, a distance of 18 or 19 miles, I found but 8 houses on the road, including Judge Stone's, and the distance from Bradley's to Jones' was nearly eight miles without a house.

Now as I am through this description of this long streak of travel, and so few houses,and the distance between them, I must go back and pursue my journey, in order to obtain the object of my pursuit, which was to buy land, and, as I traveled along through this new town, by where Jackson had raised his house, as above stated, I found myself in an extensive windfall, in which grew a solid mass of blackberry briers, very high, and so thick that it seemed as though a wild animal could not get through them, and they hung very full of berries, so that it was fine picking, but I did not like to buy in the windfall, so I went on about one-third of the way across the town, and came into timbered land, traveled across the next or middle third of the town in going south, and liked the land all the way first rate. The nice little streams of livina water, the excellent and great amount of rail and saw timber, the handsome face and laying of the land, all combined, pleased me very much. The last third of the town I liked tolerably well, but not so well as the middle on all accounts. So I passed on the Mantua Corners, took the center road, and went east to Captain Bosworth's and put up for night. I made inquiry of the Captain who owned this land I had passed through in this new town back in Geauga County, and whether it was for sale, and he directed me to go see Judge Amzl Atwater, of Mantua, for information; and, accordingly, I did the next morning. He directed me back to Lemuel Punderson, in Newbury; thought he could tell me all about it, and perhaps had the acrency of it. So I returned back; found such to be the fact. Mr. Punderson had the agency of selling this very land that I liked so well. He went and showed me the land, showed me the bounds. This tract extended from north to south, across the center or middle third of the town, and was nearly two miles in length and one mile in width, containing 1,176 acres of land according to the original survey, and belonged to William Ely, of the city of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, and the State Road ran through it length-wise; consequently, it could be divided with east and west lines across the tract, and make several good farms, which would be situated upon both sides of the road, and the price was two dollars and a half per acre to take a part, or two and a quarter to take the whole tract; and, as I hardly knew where the best selection could be made on the tract for a farm, I concluded to take the whole tract, knowing at the same time I was not able to pay for it, but wishing to secure it, in hopes I could get some acquaintance or relative to come with me from the State of New York, settle on it, and form a neighborhood. So I bargained for it, made a small payment, passed writings, and, returning on foot the same way I came, got home the first of October. I was twenty-six years old the twenty-first day of December following, 1815. -- I was seventy-eight the twenty-first day of December.

My next business was to make ready to move to Ohio with my family the following winter, and, in order to do this, it became necessary for me to marry my second wife, and I did marry the Widow Hayes on the 9th day of January, 1816; she being nearly 4 years younger than I was, and had had the misfortune to lose her companion, as I also had mine. We were left, each of us, with a little son, a little over three years old, and with only 21 days difference in their ages. This done, it was a great step towards getting ready for the journey. I could not get any one to agree to come here and buy the land and make a settlement, as I wished, but my brother-in-law, Mr. Amaziah Keyes, of Palmyra, Ontario County, was favorable to coming, but had not sold but let his son Joseph come with me to help me, a youngster of about 17 or 18 years old, and he agreed to come out the June following, and see how he liked, and John Crafts, another nephew of mine, about the same age, came with us. I calculated to come by sledding. but, as it was a cold, frozen winter and but very little snow, I could not; waited for snow until the 16 th day of February, 1816; then started with an ox team and wagon, and drove a cow with us. The ground being frozen, we drove on well until we got nearly to Buffalo, when it began to rain and thaw. Got this side of Buffalo, and, having nowhere else to drive, we drove on to the ice, the water on the ice being nearly to the cattle's knees. It looked dangerous, but other people drove there, and we drove there until night, when we drove off the ice and put up at Barker's tavern, eight miles this side of Buffalo. The weather changed that night, and it was very cold. The next morning, we took the ice road again, with no water in the way, and drove on cheerfully. I was driving the team myself, noticed the track was beat in a circular form on my left; looked straight forward, and could see where they turned out: it appeared to be glare ice to drive straight ahead. Not being used to the lake, and drivincg on the ice and my team being well shod, I thought I would drive straight ahead, and not make this turn, and, as I was driving along rather carelessly, the first I knew the ice was cracking all around the wheels of my wagon. I looked forward, and, to my great astonishment, there was a terrible air-hole, and the water was roiling and boiling like a pot. I hawed on to the beaten track very suddenly, and, through the mercy of God, we escaped being drowned in the lake. We drove on till night, put up at Cash's tavern, 25 miles this side of Buffalo. We had now done driving on the lake. The weather changed again, so that the next morning it was thawing, raining and snowing, so that we remained there till after noon: then I yoked up my team, and drove on in company with some movers who were going into Pennsylvania. We drove through what was called the four mile woods, and came to Cattaraugus Creek. It was thawing all the while, but the ice and frost bore us up through the roads. The water ran swiftly down the creek on the lee. There were men at work cutting out the ice in the scow or boat, to ferry people across. We asked them if we could cross safely on the ice. They said we could if we drove in a certain direction, one team at a time. We drove in the water up to the cattle's knees, but crossed safely. It was night, and we all put up at Brownell's tavern on the other side of the creek. The next morning was very clear and warm. -- Brownell observed I had the advantage of those other teams, for I had wheels and they had runners. We left those teams there, and saw no more of them; pursued our journey till we came to Erie, Pennsylvania. Had a freezing and thawing, breaking up time, all the way from the time we left the creek above mentioned, till we came to the end of our journey. Could not travel more than ten or fifteen miles a day.

We left Erie, and came on to Conneaut, Ashtabula County, Ohio; from there to Madison, Geauga County; there we put at my old fiiend Ladd's; from there to Painesville, ten miles; from there to John Murray's, four miles. There we put up for the niaht, there being no tavern, but we fell in good hands. I left my family and team there at Murray's, and came on to Mr. Punderson's, in Newbury, to hire a team and man to go and put on forward of mine, and help me through the woods to the end of my journey. I hired a man by the name of Burke. He took his team and went out with me; got there in the afternoon. I was desirous to go on, and we put on our teams, and started; had left the old Warren road, got about two miles into the woods towards Chardon, and I discovered something out of order about the wagon; stopped the team, and behold, the tire being thin, it was broken on the hind wheel, and the felloe knocked off. It was evening. The moon shone very bright, but we could not go any farther. Therefore we had to return back to the last house we had left, which was two miles through the woods in the evening, so we turned our team and cow forward. Burke took one of the little boys and I the other. The older boys having come out with me were at Punderson's. My wife took as much bed clothing as she could well carry, for they had not much bedding at the house where we were going. So back we went, stayed there over night, went next moming to my wagon, took off my broken wheel, and carried it to Murray, requesting him to get repaired, borrowed one of him, and put it on to the waaon. It suited well, and we started; got to Chardon that day, and put up for night. The next morning we started, drove through Burton and part of Newbury, and finally to Mr. John Jackson's, in our noble new town, now called Auburn, this being the end of our journey, until we could build a house to go into, and, on Tuesday, the 12th of March, 1816, the next day, we looked out a house spot, and rested a little from our journey, which wanted only four days of a month to perform, in the very worst kind of traveling. The day following, which was Thursday, we commenced cutting our house timber, and the next Thursday, a week, we moved into it, and there we remained, without upper floor, door or table, till we had four acres chopped, cleared off and planted, on the east side of the road about the house, and five acres chopped on the west side of the road for wheat, which took till July. Then, while the brush was drying, I took my team, went to Burton, bought one hundred feet of lumber, made a table and door, put up shelves against the house, hewed chestnut plank for the lower and upper floors, and began to feel at home. Our nearest neighbors south were John Harrnon, Reed & Messenger, in Mantua, which was three miles. They had moved in since I was in, the fall before. Our nearest neighbors north were two miles, to Mr. Jackson's, the place where we stopped. Those were our neighbors the first season, except some men who kept house without their wives.

Our two little boys, that we brought in with us, grew up to manhood years ago, and are still living. Daniel M. Crafts, my son, was 55 years old the 15th day of September or October, 1867; lives in Troy, about a mile east of me. Chester G. Hayes is my wife's son. He was 55 years old the 4th day of October, 1867; is proprietor of the hotel at Auburn Corners; about one-third of a mile west of me. We have had six children since we moved into this town, three sons and three daughters, whose names are as follows: Jeremiah Crafts was born on the 28th day of October, 1816, he being the first child born in this town. Edward Crafts and Hosea Crafts are the boy's names. Almira, Harriet, and Eveline are the girls' names. Harriet we buried many years ago. Edward is on the old farm, and the others not far off, with the exception of Almira. She is gone to the State of Illinois. Thus it appears we have lived here more than a half century, have reared up a family, gone through all the hardships and privations incident to the settling of a new country, and, through the blessing of our Heavenly Father, we still live and are able to take care of ourselves.

Now I have finished what I have to write respecting my own history, for the present, but shall allude to it agaln occasionally, as I proceed with the progress of the settlement of the town. When I moved into town, Bildad Bradley had taken down his house and moved it on to the next lot west, because he could not hold the land on the road. There he lived to the great age of 85 years, and died about two years ago, his wife having died some years previous. John Jackson & Zadock Reuwee moved in town with their families, and Rensselaer Granger, a young man, came in with Mr. Jackson as his hired man. Jackson built a frame barn in the fall of 1816, this being the first frame in town. These three families settled in the north part of the town, I think on what was called the Mills Tract. Wm. Crafts' family was the fourth, and settled on the Ely Tract, as before stated. Perhaps it will be well for me to note some of the tracts of land in this town. as I shall have occasion to allude to them in reference to the settlers. And, first, the south third of the town with lines running from east to west across the town, was called the Atwater Tract, the owner living [in the] East, which was not for sale for many years after the town commenced settling. The middle third was owned by different individuals, as follows: Commencing with Solomon Cowles' Tract of 1,177 acres, bounded on the east line of the town; next the Ely Tract of 1,176 acres; next the Kirtland Tract of 2,400 acres. On this tract is the center of the town. Next the Root Tract of 1,000 acres; next the Miller Tract of 1,000 acres, extending to the west line of town. The north third was owned by Judce Mills and others. I cannot tell who they all were. And now a little concerning myself. -- As I was not successful in gettincy men to come from the East, and, taking this Ely Tract with me, as I wished, after I had been in town awhile, I made a proposition to Mr. Punderson to rescind the bargain we made the fall before, on the following terms: First that I would reserve 200 acres on the south end of the tract for Mr. Keyes, as he had sent his son in with me; next, I would take for myself 400 acres, the north line of which is 32 rods, north of the center of the east and west center road, now runninc, through the town of Auburn, this road not being laid out, it brought the four corners on my farm, which is now called Auburn Corners. Punderson having agreed to the above proposition, we took up our first agreement and made a new one. Shortly after this, Mr. David Smith and Mr. Morgan Orton came in from the State of Connecticut, and bought of Punderson the remainder of the Ely Tract. Smith, I think, bought 100 acres on the north-east corner, on the east side of the road. Orton's lay in an L, that opposite D. Smith's on the west side of the road, and that joining Wm. Crafts' on both sides of the road. About the same time Ethan Brewer came in from Massachusetts. and bought west on the Root Tract, near where May's Mill now stands. With no laid out road, only a foot-path which led to Aurora, the above named all commenced laboring and planting for the purpose of raising provision in this town, in the spring, of 1816. Nothing had been raised before. Orton was not married. Smith and Reuwee kept bachelors' hall at this time, but I think in October, the same fall of 1816, they bought on their wives from the East: then we began to think we had neighbors. Benjamin Woods came in from Palmyra, New York, I think in the month of November, 1816, and moved in Ellhu Mott. He settled in Newbury. Mr. Woods came down to our town with Punderson, looked west on the Root Tract, but wanted to buy on the road, as there was no other road in town. I told him I thought Morton Orton would sell, and went with him to Orton. They soon made a bargain, and Woods returned home to Palmyra, but came back here late the same fall, and brought four men with him, whose names are as follows: Charles Hinkley, Amasa Turner, Philip Ingler and James Benjamin. These men all came to look for land. Mr. Woods, although considerably advanced in years, was very ambitious. He cut, split, hewed and raised a log house in a short time, and then returned. On the 19th of February, '17. Mr. Woods, Charles Hinkley, and Amasa Turner all arrived here with their families, with ox teams, by sledding. Mr. Woods soon put his house in order and moved in. Hinkley and Turner bought north on the Mills Tract, built their houses and moved in. The fore part of the month of March following, (in '17,) Amaziah Keyes and John Cutler came in with their families. Keyes bought and built his house on the south end of the Ely Tract, which I reserved for him. Cutler bought west, at the center of the Kirtland Tract, built and settled there: had a hired man by the name of David Walker, who afterwards married and settled in Newbury. These five families, I think, were all that settled in town in the spring of 1817.

The two towns of Auburn and Bainbridge being set together to organize and do town business, as a town, on the first Monday of April, 1817, we rallied all the forces we could n both towns, and met at Ethan Brewer's in Auburn. We organized. Enos Kingslely, of Bainbridge, acted as Clerkm and we elected Ethan Brewer, of Auburn, Justice of the Peace, he being the first Justice in town. The names of some of the electors from Bainbridge are as follows: Two brothers by the name of Smith. George and Robert, David McConoughey and son Porter, Gamaliel Kent and sons, Mr. Henry and sons, and some more, but I cannot recollect their names. I will now proceed with the settlement. Geo. W. Antisdale came on from Farmington, Ontario County, New York, in June, 1817. and bought on the Kirtland Tract, as did also Pardon Wilber, and Joseph Bartholomew bought on the Root Tract. Benjamin Woods went East, and moved on Lewis Finley and John Bosworth. In the fall of the same year, (1817,) Bosworth settled on the south-west corner of Woods' land, on the Ely Tract. He was a professor of religion and member of the Baptist Church an exhorter, and frequently carried on meetings when there was no minister present. His son Luther soon married. and settled east of the State road, and towards the northeast corner of the town. Lewis Finley settled north-west, I think on the Mills Tract. Pardon Wilber and Bartholemew moved in late in the fall of the same year, (1817,) with their families, built houses on the land they bought, as above stated, and moved in. George W. Antisdale, Roger W. Antisdale, his brother, Arnold Harrington and Abraham Gilmore all moved in with their families in February, 1818. The Antisdales settled on the Kirtland Tract. Harrington and Gilmore settled, I think, on the south part of the Root Tract. George W. Antisdale was a man somewhat in years, and had a large famlly, his oldest son being nearly of age, and had a hired man. He commenced business, but was taken sick and died within two years after coming in. His wife married again, lost her second husband, and is still living in the town of Troy, an old lady of 85 years of acre. Elliot Crafts and Jeremiah White came in the spring of 1818, from Ontario, N. Y., bought, built, returned back, and moved in with their families in the fall of the same year. About this time, Austin Richards moved in from Massachusetts, with his family, bought and settled in the north part of the town, on the Mills Tract. A little previously to this time, (1818,) Daniel Wheelock, Lorin Snow and John Morey, all young men, came in from Massachusetts, and afterwards married and settled in this town. Rensselaer Granger, Jackson's hired man, as before stated, also married and settled in this town, raised a family, buried his wife, sold his farm, and has gone to Michigan, and married again. Luther Bosworth, who married and settled in this town, as before stated, also buried his wife, married again, and has moved to Michigan.

Philip Ingler, I liked to forgot, moved in about this time, (1818,) with his family, and settled at the center of the town. He could procure wild meat in the woods, for he was a great hunter. He afterwards moved to Auburn Corners, where he lost his life in the. following manner: He was a man that sometimes drank a little too much, perhaps, for his own good. Whether that was the case with him at this time, we don't know. He was in Mantua, as Amasa Turner's who lived there at that time, and kept tavern; started for home near night, Got into Auburn woods, on the Atwater Tract, and somehow got out of the way of travel on the turnpike road, with his knees in the ditch, and his elbows on the bank. There he was, with a black coat on, his back towards the road, asleep, and his little dog about him. David Eggleston was coming home from Mantua that evening. I think it was in October. It was a comfortable evening, and the moon shone bright. He got along to where Mr. Ingler lay, with his back rounded up towards the road, and his dog guarding him and growling. Eggleston took him to be a bear, went back to Turner's, got a young man by the name of Robinson to load his rifle with two balls, and come with him to kill this supposed bear. They came alone up, found Mr. Ingler quietly asleep in the same position he was when Eggleston left him, and, without further reflection, consideration or deliberation, Robinson drew up, pulled, and his gun snapped; overhauled, pulled actain, and his gun went off, the two balls entering the back of Mr. Ingler. He rolled over, and exclaimed, "O God!" and expired. The above statement I suppose to be correct. I was not there myself, and did not see it, but had it from others, and suppose it is true. I helped lay out Mr. Ingler myself, found the two balls entered his back about midway, near the backbone. One came out above or below the collar bone, I do not remember which. The other we did not find. Thus died Mr. Ingler, in a lamentable way, to the sorrow and grief of his wife, friends and neighbors.

(Concluded next week.)


Notes: (forthcoming)

(For the Geauga Democrat.)
Early  History  of  Auburn
(Concluded.)

About this time, ('18 or '19,) Ephraim Wright came in from Farmington, Ontario County, N. Y., and bought out John Cutler at the Center, who moved away West; moved back into Newbury, lost his wife, married acyain, settled, and lived there till he died, a few years ago. Wright moved in with his family about the time, as above stated; lived there at the Center, till about the year 1835, and sold out to Captain Gilbert Hinkley, brother to Charles Hinkley, and father to Charles D. Hinkley and Jerome Hinkley, both now living in Auburn. Captain Hinkley moved into Auburn with his family, which was quite numerous, lived there till 1844, and died. His wife is still living with her son Charles, an old lady of about 80 years of age. Wright moved to Michigan, bought, and lived there until a few years ago. He lost his wife, married again, and still lives there; has reached the great age of nearly or quite 80 years. He was a wonderfully smart man with an axe. Jonathan P. Bartholomew, I think, came in from the State of New York, in the year 1819. He was a young man, and a blacksmith by trade. He bought a small place, I think on the Root Tract; went back, married and moved in. He worked in his shop and on his place. As he was an early settler, and the first blacksmith in town, and the inhabitants were very few and scattering, he had not constant employment in his shop. His intention was, as soon as convenient, to buy land enough for a farm, so as to make farming his principal business for a livelihood; accordingly, when the Atwater Tract came for sale, he sold where he was, and bought a lot of a hundred acres; moved on to it, cleared all that was necessary, built a large two story house, frame barn, and all other necessary buildings; worked very hard on his farm and in his shop; raised a large family. Three of his sons, I think, were in the army during the late war. He was taken sick and died about the close of the war. One of his sons lives on the farm with his mother, the widow; two others live in this town, and the rest have gone West. Roswell Rice was also a blacksmith by trade, and son-in-law to Amaziah Keyes. He moved into town in June, 1819; bouaht four acres on one of the corners now called Auburn Corners; built a house and shop, worked there a few years, sold and moved to Mantua, as that was as old settled town, and a better place for his business. He worked at his trade, and remained there a considerable number of years, till his father and mother Keyes died; then he bought out the heirs of the estate, and moved back to Auburn; settled on the old farm, gave up working at his trade, and carried on dairying till he died, the 11th day of February, 1861. His wife also died the 31st of December, 1863.

Henry Canfield moved in, I think, with his family, in the fall of the year 1820; built and moved on to the land he had previously bought, and which I think is situated on the south-east corner of the Root Tract, and through which runs a creek called Bridge Creek, and on which was a mill-seat. Mr. Canfield's intention was to build a saw-mill on his land when he bought, which he did, and got it running, I think, late in the fall of the year 1822. This was the first mill in town. We were all very thankful to have a saw-mill, for we needed one very much. Mr. Canfield was a good carpenter, and a very industrious man. He built a frame house and barn, made improvements, and run his mill for several years, and then sold to his brother, William Canfield, who lived in the State of New York; but, some time during the time above stated, he met with a very bad accident. He was at a log raising, went to step over a log, had got his left foot over and his right foot up, so that the toe of his boot was nearly or quite at the center of the log. At that instant, another log rolled against his heel, and jammed his foot up endwise, and injured his ankle. This hurt was of such a nature that it could not be cured. His foot never came in good shape again. He had a shoe or boot made and shaped on purpose for it, and used to walk with a cane. Notwithstanding this misfortune, some of his boys becoming men-grown to help him, and he being ambitious, he bought a mill-seat at the Cuyahooa Rapids, in the town of Hiram, Portage County, built a dam across the river and a saw-mill, and was doing business successfully, when he was charged with flowing the marsh lands up the river, and a suit was commenced against him. He stood the test, and came off conqueror, but, as he was alone to fight so many, and as there was so much prejudice acainst him on account of his mill-dam being there, he sold and moved on to the State Road in Mantua. He lived there a number of years, and at length moved back into Auburn, and settled on the Atwater Tract. His house was burned 10 or 12 years ago, but he built again, and lives there to this day. His foot, ankle and leg growing more and more affected, and more and more painful, until the injury terminated in a running sore, and affected the whole limb to his knee, his sufferings were so great that it seemed as though he could not live under them. At length he sent to Cleveland for a surgeon, who, on examination, concluded to amputate it, with this view, that, if he died under the operation, death would be preferable to so much suffering, and he might possibly live; and he took it off above the knee, dressed it, and it was a long time setting well; but, at last, it has healed up sound, and the old gentleman, who has reached almost 80 years of age, is out of pain and patient under his misfortune. His wife, an old lady, died the 16th of last December, aced 80 years. Thus I have given you a faint description of the sufferings of this unfortunate man, which afflicted him, I think, for more than thirty years.

Elijah Canfield, next brother younger to the above mentioned Canfield, came into town, when or soon after he bought 50 acres of land near where the mill was built; went on to it, and lives on it to this day. He had only one child, Wm. Canfield, who bought the mill property of his brother Henry, as above stated; sold to a man by the name of Jude May, and May turned the water out of its natural course through a ditch, which he cut through the bank on the west side of the creek, and erected a saw-mill and grist-mill, which are in running order to this day.

Samuel Moore, of Mantua, was married to Betsey Keyes, by Ethan Brewer, Esq., at the bride's father's, in Auburn, about the 25th of November, 1817, they being the first couple married in town. Morgan Orton, who sold his farm to Benjamin Woods, as above stated, bought again west, on the Kirtland Tract, on the center road. The said Orton was married to Rebecca Moore, by the Rev. Elder Humphrey of Burton, at William Craft's in Auburn, in the winter of '19. This, I think, was the second marriage in town. Mr. Orton was a very industrious, hard-laboring man. After marriage, he moved on to his new farm of more than two hundred acres, made a good clearing, sold part of his farm to his brother-in-law, Harris, helped Harris build a saw-mill on a branch of Bridge Creek, above mentioned, which was on his farm; built a frame barn, was getting along well, but sold again, and moved back on the Ely Tract on the State Road, it being part of that which David Smith bought in the spring of 1816; built a frame house and bam, had a good orchard, and all well improved, sold again about ten or twelve years ago, and moved West to Iowa, bought land there, built a frame house, was improving and getting along well, when he was taken sick and died, about two vears ago. Thus I have written a little of the history of this hard-laboring man, who perhaps bought and sold too often for his own good.

John Crafts and Joseph Keyes, who came with me, when I moved here, soon married and settled in this town. John married East, in New York, brought his wife here, settled on a small farm of fifty acres on the Kirtland Tract, labored there a few years, and was taken sick and died. He was the first adult person buried in town. Willis Woods and Joseph Keyes married sisters by the name of Colvin, in this town. Keyes lived here many years, but not lives in the town of Burton; moved there 8 or 10 years ago; has grown old, but he and his wife are still able to take care of themselves. Willis Woods, oldest son of Benjamin Woods, was well settled on the State Road, on part of the land which his father bought of Morgan Orton, on the Ely Tract; cleared up his farm, set out a good orchard, built a frame house and barn, sold out many years ago, for about $14. per acre, moved to the State of Michicran, bought wild land, and was chopping in the woods when killed by accident by the fall of a tree. Thus ended the life of this unfortunate man, in consequence of the imprudent course he took, as we think, in movina away; but some say men's bounds are set, and they cannot pass them.

As Ethan Brewer was the first Justice of the Peace in town, I will now proceed to notice some of the others, as they were elected. John Jackson was next elected after Brewer. He held the office one or two terms; was taken sick and died. David Smith was our first Postmaster. He was elected Justice of the Peace is succession to Jackson, but, being an old man, did not like the office, and resigned. Pardon Wilbur, I think, was next elected. He held the office a term or two, and the next elected was Charles Hinkley. He also held the office one or two terms, and I think the next in was George Wilbur, son of Pardon Wilbur. He did not hold the office, I think, more than one term. The next was Austin Richards. He was re-elected, served many years, and gave good satisfaction. The next was David Smith, Jr., son of David Smith, above mentioned. He also served many years, generally well approved.

I will now proceed to say something about the schools in town. We have built five school-houses in school-district No. 2, on and near Auburn Corners, three of which were log and two frame houses. The first was built on the road north of the Corners, in the fall of 1818, and school kept in it the followina winter, ('19,) by Charles Hodkins. This was the first school kept in town. The next was a split and hewed log house, built on the south-east corner, where Mayhew's store now stands. This house was burned. How it took fire we do not know. The next was a log house by the edge of the woods west of the Corners. This house was built there for the accommodation of the people at the Center. The district being divided a few years after, those people built them a frame house at the Center, and we also built us a frame house on the center road, about one-third of a mile east of the Corners. These four houses were built voluntarily and by subscription. The school-house now in use, west of the Corners, was built by a tax, the law making it necessary. All this time, there were other districts formed and school-houses built all over town, as the people required.

I will now say something in regard to the ministerial labors, and by whom performed, in the early history of this town. For the first two or three years, we had not much preaching, only occasionally a missionary passing through world give us a discourse, till about '20 or 21. Elder Plympton, then a young man of great energy, held meetings frequently at the center of the town. There was a great stir amone, the people. Some professed to have their sins remitted, and be made happy in the Lord. He was a Methodist minister. About this time, there was a Baptist minister by the name of Abbott, who preached to the people, and I think established a church of the close communion Baptist order. There were also other Baptist and Methodist ministers preaching occasionally in log school-houses and in private houses, wherever the people could best be convened. Soon after this time, a Methodist minister moved his family into town, by the name of William Brown. He labored faithfully. There was a great revival. The people, many of them, became converted, and he established a church. This Methodist church built a meeting house at the center of the town. Shortly after this, there was a church organized and established in town, called the Disciple Church. They also built a meeting house at the center of the town. In about the year 1835 or 1836, there was a Free-will Baptist Church organized and established in town. They also built a little west of Auburn Corners. The Methodist and Baptist churches, beina, somewhat diminished, they both held meetings at the Baptist house, each one every other week, alternately. Thus I have given a short sketch of the rise, progress and declension of professed Christian churches in this town, from their early settlement to the present time.

I will now record something of the fatal effects of the burning of houses. On or near the last of November, 1817, Zadock Reuwee's house was burned. Mr. Reuwee was not at home. Mrs. Reuwee left her house, and her child of about two years old asleep, all safe, as she supposed, and went north, perhaps half or three-fourths of a mile, to a neighbor's house, of an errand; stayed but a few minutes. On her return home, she, to her astonishment, discovered her house was on fire. She made all possible speed, reached the scene, and some others got there about the same time, but, alas; they were too late. Neither house nor child could be saved. The bones of this child were buried at the center of the town. Elder Seward, of Aurora, performed the funeral services. This was the first funeral in town. A few years after, another scene of a like kind occurred. Cornelius Bowerman built a house in the north-east part of the town, where it was all new; had chopped and heaped brush all about as was usual in those days. When it became dry, in the spring of the year, he went out to burn brush. Mrs. Bowerman, to be very careful, went out to watch the house outside, that it should not take fire, and all her family were out except her youngest child, about a year old, which was in the house asleep, and it appears the fire blew under the house, and set it afire on the inside. They discovered the smoke, or something was not right, ran and opened the door, and the flames burst out. The child could not be saved, but perished in the flames, to the sorrow and grief of parents and friends. Walter McLouth, a man of a family, and somewhat in years, lived on the center road, west of the center of Auburn; was in bed on the 9th of April, 1843. His house took fire in the night, and he and two children, one of his own and another that lived with him, all perished in the flames. His wife and three children were saved. A man by the name of Johnson lived west of the State Road, of the Atwater Tract. About the year 1846 or 1847, he had a house burned with two children in it. The particulars I cannot tell. There was also a man by the name of King, who lived on the State Road, on the Atwater Tract, who, about the year '50, had a house burned with two children in it. About the year 1840, Erastus Eggleston had a little boy, who fell off the high log the kettles hung against into a kettle of boiling sap, and was scalded to death.

Now, as I have finished this short history of the first settlement of the town of Auburn, I will notice some of the deaths of the first settlers. Bildad Bradley and his wife died, as before mentioned. The exact time of their deaths is not given. John Jackson died January 13th 1824. His wife died August 3rd, 1861. Zadock Reuwee died August 25th, 1842. His wife is still living. William Crafts and his wife and the widow Reuwee are the only three now living of the heads of the first four families that settled in town. Charles Hinkley died on the 25th of March, 1842. His wife died on the 31st of July, 1866. Amaziah Keyes died on the 10th of February, 1824. His wife died Nov. 12th, 1840. Roswell Rice died on the 11th of February, 1861. His wife died on the 31st of December, 1863. Pardon Wilbur sold here in Auburn, and moved to Chardon, and died there many years ago; I cannot give the date. His wife is still living. Austin Richards also sold and moved to Chardon, and died there on the 14th of January, 1867, aged 77 years. His wife is still living. David Smith died Nov. 19th 1852, aged 89 years. His wife died Nov. 22d, 1854, alged 82 years. Benj. Woods died Feb. 27th 1853, aged 83 years. His wife died January 28th, 1834, aged 62 years. William Crafts mother, an old lady, when she came into town, died December 17th, 1832, aged nearly 88 years. Mrs. Everett was also an old lady when she came into town, and drew a pension. She died November 6th, 1861, aged 94 years, 8 months, and 24 days. Oliver Snow died on the 5th of August, 1841, aged 93 years. His wife died on the 24th of December, 1836, aged 85 years. Moses Maynard died on the 16th of October, 1865, aged 98 years and three months. His wife is still living being now 90 years old. Ethan Brewer sold here, as we understand, and moved to Wisconsin.

AUBURN, Feb. 1868.


Notes: (forthcoming)

THE  SON  OF  THE  PROPHET.
_____

Extraordinary Encounter between a Son of
Joe Smith and Brigham Young.
_____

Salt Lake City, July 18.      

I have had many trials in my short life of my powers of control over my passionate temper; but never in my short life did I have need of strength more than I did yesterday.

David gave you an account of our trip and arrival. We met many who were anxious to see us, and hear us; and asked us if we were going to speak in the tabernacle. We of course did not know, but were desirous of so doing; and to leave no stone unturned in our favor, David, myself, John Smith, Samuel Smith, George A. Smith, and John Henry Smith, (George A.'s son,) called on President Young yesterday morning, and I plainly stated our mission, and asked for the use of the tabernacle to speak to this people.

My statement, that we differed from them in principles and points of doctrine, called forth some questions, all of which I endeavored to answer in calmness, with respect and courtesy to all present. President Young then favored us with an account of how the marriage ceremony became inserted in the Book of Covenants, directly in opposition to all father could say on the matter. I told him we did not come to argue the matter there; that our reasons for differing were many -- and among them, the fact that the principle he was endeavoring to sustain was contrary to all the former revelations of God; and that, in this view of the matter, we could not accept the testimony of any man or set of men that came in opposition to God's holy words in the Book of Covenants and Book of Mormon.

Brigham then took me to task about what I had said in the garden three years ago, and denied that the Twelve ever did anything to embarrass mother in any way; but, to the contrary, that they had done everything in their power to help her in her time of trouble. I, of course, differed with him, and told him so; and then he called mother "a liar -- yes, the damnedest liar that lived:" said that she tried to poison father, that she stole Uncle Hyrum's portrait and large ring.

He also said many other things, too numerous to mention. I cannot write all that was said. George Q. Cannon, John Taylor, Joseph F. Smith, Daniel Wells, Joseph Young, Phineas Young, Brigham Young, Jun., and several others, besides those who went with us, were present at the interview. At the close, Young shook hands with us, and wished us God's blessing in all righteous and good works, positively refusing to let us have the use of the Tabernacle.

He said we had not the spirit of our father; but we possessed the spirit of our mother -- that we had not God enough to make us a name, or to bring [upon] us any persecution. We told him that as to the persecution, we were thankful we had none seriously; as to the name -- time, that was said to prove all things would prove whether this were so or not.

After our interview, we returned to John's, and I vented my anger in biting my food and swallowing it; but was nervous all the rest of the day, perhaps from indigestion, as it did not set well on my stomach. -- Salt Lake Herald.


Note: The remainder of Joseph Smith III's letter (not published in the above reprint) can be read in the RLDS History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 532.

FROM  LITTLE  MOUNTAIN.

Little Mountain, August 6.    

Editors Plain Dealer: -- ... Five miles to the south looms up the Mormon Temple at Kirtland, the first substantial edifice, I believe, ever built in this country by these peculiar people. The Temple is kept in most excellent repair by the Society in whose control it yet remains, and I am informed by the seedy old Saint who has it in charge, that his brother Saints believe the day not far distant when they will again gather within its walls as they did in the days past. many residents of the village have lively and painful recollections of the two shining lights of Mormonism, Brigham Young and Joe Smith, whose memories are not held in the most profound respect, and whose absence at Salt Lake is not regretted. Visits to the Temple from this place are of frequent occurence, and from these visits the Saints derive a thrifty income. No charge is made for seeing the building, which is cheerfully shown to the applicant, and the uses of its curiously constructed interior fully explained, after which you are conducted to a small ante-room, and requested to sign your names in a book kept for that purpose. You are then shown some books and pamphlets relating to the history of the church. These, of course, are for sale, and without being asked, you soon find yourself the purchaser of a lot of trash at fearfully high war prices, when you thank the gray haired old Saint for his kindness, and retire in good order.

The drive between the Mountain and Kirtland is a beautiful one, as are, in fact, all the drives in the surrounding country; and these are of themselves a source of great pleasure to the sojoutner here.   G.


Notes: (forthcoming)

The Des Moines (Iowa) Register has had a call from Martin Harris, who was on his way from Ohio to Salt Lake City, to spend the remainder of his days with "the chosen people." Mr. Harris is now in his 88th year, though still quite vigorous and sprightly, and he is Mormon, soul and body. He, as he claims; and as Mormons claim together with two others, Oliver Cowdry, deceased, and David Whitmore, now an apostate, living in Missouri, were the divinely appointed witnesses to the Book of Mormon. The old gentleman evidently loves to relate the incidents with which he was personally connected, and he does it with wonderful enthusiasm. In September, 1828, as the story goes, Joseph Smith, directed by an angel proceeded to a spot about four miles from Palmyra., N. Y., and upon the point of a hill, extending northward, dug up a very solid Stone chest, within which were the tablets of gold inscribed with characters which no man could read. Joseph Smith was the first man to handle the tables, and Martin Harris, one of the appointed witnesses, the second, Mr. Harris describes the plates as being thin leaves of gold, measuring seven by eight inches, and weighing altogether from forty to sixty pounds. There was also found in the chest the urim and thummim, by means of which the writing upon the plates was translated, but not until after the most learned men had exhausted their knowledge of letters in the vain effort to dicipher the characters. Soon after the finding of these plates of gold, Mr. Harris sold his farm, of which he owned a large one, and consecrated himself to the new religion, to which he has adhered tenaciously throughout a long life, and still adheres to its tenets, and advocates its genuineness with all the earnestness of an enthusiast. He believed in the visitations of angels in bodily form, for he has seen and conversed with them, as he thinks and is satisfied.


Notes: (forthcoming)

AN  ORIGINAL  SAINT.
_____

One of the Men Who Saw the Angel
Giving Joe Smith the Book of Mormon.

(see original article in Deseret News

Notes: (forthcoming)

LIFE   AND  CHARACTER  OF
ELDER  SYMONDS  RYDER.
______

A Funeral Sermon Preached in Hiram, Ohio, Aug. 3d, 1870.
______

BY B. A. HINSDALE.
______

And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. Gen. xv: 15.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season. Job v: 20.

Nothing has occurred in the history of this community for many years so fertile in suggestion, as the event which has called us together.

In the first place, an old man has passed to his reward; and in all societies, whether civil or savage, this is an event of peculiar interest. He is an unnatural man who will not stand reverently before an old man's bier, or who will not with tender hand aid in carrying him to his burial. Here lies one who has attained to the age of nearly eighty years -- who was but three years younger than the American Government. Not many men are left to us whose recollections go back to the closing years of the great life of Washington -- to the time when Adams, Jefferson, and Hamilton were in the fullness of their strength; not many who read in the newspapers the history of the wars of the French Revolution; not many are the lives that have spanned the eventful period reaching from the time when the first Napoleon was an unknown subaltern in the French army, to the time when the third Napoleon is marshaling his troops for the great struggle with Germany.

In the second place, the man whom we bury to-day was an object of interest in himself. He was no ordinary man; his was no tame or common life. What he was in himself, the relation in which he so long stood to this community and especially to this church, make the present an occasion of unusual interest and solemnity.

We have not assembled to-day to lament and weep. Lamentation and tears do not suit this occasion. This man's work was done -- his life was fully rounded up -- no fitter time for his departure could have been chosen. As men of character, power and large experience leave this world for the better abode, those who gather to pay the last honor to their remains, to sympathize with those who are more especially bereaved, should study the lessons that lie along the pathway of their lives. Hence on the present occasion my remarks will depart somewhat widely from the usual type of funeral sermon; I shall present the leading facts in the life of the deceased, and offer such reflections as they naturally suggest.

HIS EARLY HISTORY.

SYMONDS RYDER was born in Hartford, Windsor Co., Vermont, on the 20th of November, 1792. He was of Puritan stock, being a lineal descendant of a Ryder who came over in the Mayflower. His father, who had moved from Cape Cod to Vermont, was a man of considerable influence and property, but falling into some evil practices, he lost his fortune and social position. The decay of his father's fortune threw young Symonds wholly upon his own resources. At the age of fifteen he entered the service of Elijah Mason, the father of Carnot and John Mason, long citizens of this town; the father, also, of Mrs. Charles Raymond and Mrs. Zeb Rudolph, who are present with us to-day. So soon as he had attained his majority, having served Mason six years, Ryder started for the West. His entire property consisted of the clothes he wore, the horse he rode, and a little money in pocket -- all together amounting to one hundred and thirty-three dollars. It is worth remarking that he passed through the village of Buffalo on the 28th of December, 1813, the evening before it was burned by the British. [added to 1877 reprint: "The next day the fleeing population overtook him, while yet in sight of their burning homes. He arrived in Hiram, January 6, 1814."] What directed his footsteps to Hiram, I have not learned; probably it was the fact that other settlers from the same section of Vermont were here before him. At all events, he found himself here in the middle of the winter of 1813-14. He purchased some land, and set to work to create a home in the forest. After clearing a part of the land, and either building or making preparations to build a house, in the winter of 1814-15, he returned to Vermont.

Here it is proper to notice the relation which he now stood to his father's family. This consisted of father and mother and seven children -- three sons and four daughters. As he was the eldest of the children, the headship of the family virtually devolved upon him. This responsibility developed his powers, and prepared him in advance for the heavy work of his future home. Gathering the family about him, he started a second time for the West; now to plant his father and mother, brothers and sisters, in the new home which he had partially prepared for them. Here, in due time, the Ryder family found themselves in Hiram, surrounded by the wilderness, surrounded too, by old acquaintances; for Hiram was a Vermont colony.

In his efforts to restore the fortunes of his family, he was supported by his younger brother, Jason, long a deacon of the church. When their new home was finally planted, knowing that the hearts of the parents go out to the younger children, Symonds said to Jason, "You take the house, one half of the land, and take care of the old people. I will commence anew for myself. This proposition was cheerfully acceded to, and the elder brother a second time gave himself to planting a home in the wilderness. In 1818, he married Mehetabel Loomis, who struggled up the rugged steeps of life side by side with him for more than fifty years; who survives her husband, and is here to-day to weep over his bier.

Beyond this point I can not trace father Ryder's history in detail. His labors were those incident to a new and growing country; his responsibilities those that belong to a first generation of citizens. He grew up with the community -- he enjoyed its confidence; and, although adverse to the arts of the mere politicians, he served his fellow-citizens in public capacities when they called for his services. In his contract with Mason, he had stipulated that he should receive three months' schooling each winter. By assiduous application, he prosecuted his studies further and more thoroughly than was then usual in the common schools of Vermont. Accordingly, in the early history of Hiram, he was, perhaps, the best educated man in the township, and was, of course, well fitted for the public duties which his townsmen called him to discharge.

HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE.

His early teachings and impressions of religion were of the severe puritanical sort which prevailed in New England during the last century. His nature was susceptible to religious ideas, and he recognized the necessity of religion as a conservative influence on society. Before he became a Christian, he expressed his desires to see some church kept up in the town. He disagreed with the prevailing denomination, and was rather inclined to Universalism. In tracing his religious history, it is necessary, first of all, to understand the state of the Reformation when he became a Christian.

In the first quarter of this century the Baptists had formed associations of churches in many parts of the West for mutual help and the spread of the Gospel. There was one called the "Redstone Association," having its center in Pittsburg, and including many churches of Pennsylvania and Virginia. To this the two Campbells belonged. Another, organized in 1820, called the "Mahoning Baptist Association," consisted, at first, of ten, but subsequently, of about twenty Baptist Churches in Northeastern Ohio. About this time the Campbells took their first decisive steps in the way of reform. In 1824, Alexander Campbell, with thorty other members of the Brush Run Church, which belonged to the "Redstone, Association," took letters of dismissal and formed a new church at Wellsburg, Va. This was the second church of the Reformation, and it joined itself to the Mahoning Association, in which some progress had been made in the dissemination of the new views. In 1830 this Association was formally dissolved, and immediately the yearly meeting of Disciples took its place.

One of the oldest churches of the Mahoning Association was the Church of Bethesda, in Nelson, Portage Co., founded in 1808. The reformed views effected a lodgment among the members of this church early in 1824, and after a series of struggles to reconcile differences of opinion on the question of creeds, and on some points of doctrine, seventeen members were excommunicated for heresy. The heretics represented the largest share of the intelligence and piety of the Bethesda Church; moreover, but eight votes were cast for the exscinding resolution. They were citizens of Nelson, Hiram, and Mantua; and being devoted to the Bible and the religion of the New Testament, they met successively for worship on Lord's days in these townships. In those meetings they studied the Word, and strengthened each other by prayer and exhortation. There was at first no man among them of sufficient age and experience in public speaking to warrant his election to the office of Elder or Overseer. But Darwin Atwater, John Rudolph and his two sons, John and Zeb, (and we have reason for gratulation that the first one and last two are with us to-day), were leading members. The little band continued to meet and increase in numbers, though without any regular and formal organization. They were occasionally visited by evangelists and preachers, who had adopted the advanced views of Campbell and Scott, whose preaching, together with the reading of the Christian Baptist, kept them informed of the progress of the new movement.

At several meetings of the Mahoning Association, Alexander Campbell and his father, the venerable Thomas Campbell, were present. In 1827, Walter Scott was appointed by the Association as an evangelist, and during the ensuing year he added more than a thousand to the church, and greatly extended and strengthened the Reformation. One of the fruits of his labors was the addition to the list of reform preachers of Marcus Bosworth, of Trumbull Co. In June, 1828, Bosworth preached in Hiram. Symonds Ryder heard the sermon, and at its conclusion, called Zeb Rudolph aside, and asked his opinion of the views submitted. The subject was briefly talked over, and they agreed to meet on the following Saturday to consider the matter further. It is worth remarking, however, that at this interview he expressed himself as being better satisfied with this presentation of the Gospel than with any other that he had heard. This is not the place to discuss the merits of the "Plan of Salvation" as it was conceived and presented by Walter Scott and his co-laborers in 1827, considered as a contribution to theology, or as an attempt to restore primitive Christianity. Suffice it to say, it presented something tangible to the hearer, and appealed powerfully to the objective mind.

On the Saturday appointed, it so happened that Thomas Campbell was to preach in Mantua, and on his way to the meeting Rudolph called on his friend Ryder, early in the morning. He found him with the New Testament in his hand, studying the theme of Bosworth's discourse. On the following day Ryder went to hear Mr. Campbell, who preached in the barn of Jotham Atwater. The venerable preacher read the two first chapters of Genesis and the last chapter of Revelations -- chapters which give the history of the creation of man, and an account of the New Jerusalem. He then remarked -- holding the intervening portion of the Bible between his thin hands -- that had it not been for sin there would have been no need for any other revelation than the three chapters he had read; all the rest was to unfold the scheme of redemption. He said that in his earlier years he had often wished he had lived in the days of the Jews, that he might offer his sacrifice at the altar, and know by the direct assurance of God that his offering was accepted. Then, quoting from the sixth of Jeremiah, the words: "Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls," he proceeded to unfold the law of Pardon as taught in the Gospel, and concluded with an invitation to sinners to obey. Before the first line of the hymn was sung through, Symonds Ryder went forward to confess his Master, and the same day was baptized in the Cuyahoga River by Reuben Ferguson, of Windham.

The accession to the cause of a man of Symonds Ryder's age, influence, and force of character was the signal for a more systematic organization; and before one year had elapsed, the hitherto floating band of worshipers was divided into two churches. One of these was the Mantua church at Mantua; the other the Hiram-Nelson, at Hiram. Of the Hiram church, brother Ryder was chosen and ordained the first overseer. This church continued to maintain its joint character till 1835, when the Nelson element withdrew and formed a separate organization at Garrettsville. So far as I have been able to ascertain, the Mantua and Hiram-Nelson churches were the first which were established in this part of the Western Reserve distinctly and avowedly on the basis of the Bible alone.

From the moment Bro. Ryder obeyed the Gospel, he expressed himself satisfied with the views taught by the Disciples on all points save one. He read in the New Testament of the gift of the Holy Spirit; and, in his mind, it was in some way associated with the laying on of hands, and with some special spiritual illumination. The words, "These signs shall follow them that believe," seemed to him not yet to have been comprehended or realized. For years, this mystery of the Word was the subject of frequent thought and conversation. I have been careful to state this fact, because it furnishes the key to a remarkable episode in his life.

In the latter part of 1830, the founders of Mormonism began to effect a lodgment in Northern Ohio. Sidney Rigdon, a preacher among the Disciples, of great eloquence and power, had joined them, and commenced preaching their doctrine. Whatever we may say of the moral character of the author of Mormonism, it can not be denied that Joseph Smith was a man of remarkable power -- over others. Added to the stupendous claim of supernatural power, conferred by the direct gift of God, he exercised an almost magnetic power -- an irresistible fascination -- over those with whom he came in contact. Ezra Booth, of Nelson, a Methodist preacher of much more than ordinary culture, and with strong natural abilities, in company with his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and some other citizens of this place, visited Smith at his home in Kirtland, in 1831. Mrs. Johnson had been afflicted for some time with a lame arm, and was not at the time of the visit able to lift her hand to her head. The party visited Smith partly out of curiosity, and partly to see for themselves what there might be in the new doctrine. During the interview, the conversation turned on the subject of supernatural gifts, such as were conferred in the days of the apostles. Some one said, "Here is Mrs. Johnson with a lame arm; has God given any power to men now on the earth to cure her?" A few moments later, when the conversation had turned in another direction, Smith rose, and walking across the room, taking Mrs. Johnson by the hand, said in the most solemn and impressive manner: "Woman, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command thee to be whole," and immediately left the room.

The company were awe-stricken at the infinite presumption of the man, and the calm assurance with which he spoke. The sudden mental and moral shock -- I know not how better to explain the well attested fact -- electrified the rheumatic arm -- Mrs. Johnson at once lifted it up with ease, and on her return home the next day she was able to do her washing without difficulty or pain.

In addition to this striking occurrence the Mormon Bible professed to be a continuation of the revelations which God had made to the Jews and their descendants. Two questions of great historic interest, which appealed strongly to the imagination of all students of sacred and profane history, it professedly solved. It gave a history of the lost tribes of Israel; and it accounted for the red men of the new world -- the mound-builders of Mexico, and of the great valley of the Mississippi. The revelations made to these wandering Israelites, it was claimed, had been preserved for the saints of the latter day, who should inhabit the new wilderness of the West, and upon whom God would pour out his Spirit in fullness and power. Ezra Booth became a convert and an elder, May, 1831. Coming to Hiram in the same month, he attended church, and at the conclusion of Elder Ryder's sermon, sought and obtained permission to make an address, in which he stated in the strong, clear language of impassioned enthusiasm, the ground of his new faith, and the inspiring hopes which it gave him. A deep impression was made upon the minds of many who heard him. Elder Ryder was himself staggered; and "lest haply he should be found even to fight against God," he sat in silence, neither approving nor disapproving. Determined, however, to know the truth and follow it wherever it might lead, he made a journey to Kirtland, and heard for himself. On his return, he seemed for a short time to have rejected the claims of Mormonism; but in the month of June, he read in a newspaper an account of the destruction of Pekin, in China, and he remembered that six weeks before, a young Mormon girl had predicted the destruction of that city. Shortly after this, he openly professed his adhesion to the Mormon faith; but he and Ezra Booth, who were most intimate friends, promised that they would faithfully aid each other in discerning the truth or the falsity of the new doctrine.

Booth was soon commissioned to go to Missouri to explore the new land of promise, and lay the foundations of the new Zion. Ryder was informed, that by special revelation he had been appointed and commissioned an elder of the Mormon church. His commission came, and he found his name misspelled! Was the Holy Spirit so fallible as to fail even in orthography? Beginning with this challenge, his strong, incisive mind and honest heart were brought to the task of re-examining the ground on which he stood. His friend Booth had been passing through a similar experience, on his pilgrimage to Missouri, and, when they met about the 1st of September, 1831, the first question which sprang from the lips of each was -- "How is your faith?" and the first look into each other's faces, gave answer that the spell of enchantment was broken, and the delusion was ended. They turned from the dreams they had followed for a few months, and found more than ever before, that the religion of the New Testament was "the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." A large number of the citizens of Hiram had given in their adhesion to the doctrines of Smith and Rigdon, but the efforts of Ryder and Booth went far to stay the tide and lead back those who had been swept away on its current.

It may seem strange that a man of father Ryder's strong mind and honest heart, could even temporarily have fallen into the Mormon delusion. Let us not fail to remember, however, that Mormonism in Northern Ohio, in 1831, was a very different thing from Mormonism in Utah, in 1870. It then gave no sign of the moral abomination which is now its most prominent characteristic. Besides, it was a formative period in religious history: new ideas were fermenting in the minds of men; and, considering the facts before stated, it is not inexplicable that so strong a nature should have given way to the fanaticism. It is greatly to his credit that he so soon discovered its true character, and had the honesty to say to the community that he had been deluded. He did not, like so many others who found that their faith had been trifled with, renounce religion. He immediately returned to the church, but in contrition and meekness. His conduct showed plainly that he felt he had in some degree forfeited the confidence of the brethren. Had he been repelled as an apostate, his heart might have broken, or he might have drifted off into godlessness. But the brethren treated him kindly -- he regained confidence, took his old place in the church, and labored for its welfare with increased energy. Counting from the date of his election as overseer, for a full third of a century he was the strong tower of the church -- its defender, teacher, preacher, and, till 1852, its only elder. In addition to his work in Hiram, he labored extensively in other fields. He was well known to most of the churches in northeastern Ohio.

HIS LATER LIFE AND RELATIONS TO THE HIRAM CHURCH.

Here the facts are less striking, and they must be passed over in silence. They are familiar to many of you. You remember the giving way of his constitution -- his retirement from public duty -- his confinement at home -- his terrible suffering from disease -- his happy faith -- his triumphant and blessed death.

Here I should speak more particularly of father Ryder's relations to the church, especially with reference to one point. As he was an influential citizen at the time of his conversion, he was justly regarded as an important acquisition to the cause. He took from the beginning, the leading position. The brethren were few in number, and poor in goods. He served the church, as was his duty, with little or no reward. The more the church grew, the more it seemed to need him. He was first the eldest brother, then the father, finally the patriarch. What followed was natural: he did too much for the church; the church did too little for themselves. Their sense of satisfied dependence, together with his thrifty maxims, led to illiberal contributions for the support of the Gospel, and to inefficient business management. A mistake was made, into which almost all the old churches fell: no suitable provision was made for a new and different age. The church failed to discern the signs of the times. He, too, failed to discern them; or discerning them, gave no warning; or, the warning being given, it was not heeded. At all events, the church was not educated up to the wants of the coming time, and its force is weakened, and its usefulness impaired to this hour.

HIS CHARACTER.

I pass on to present a hastily prepared analysis of his character. I shall seek to speak of him as he was. This is the only course he would approve if he could be consulted; for he was of the Cromwellian class, whose motto is, "Paint me as I am."

First of all, his physical constitution.

His large frame, powerful muscular organization, and great power of endurance, furnished the physical basis of his long and laborious life. If this were, as is sometimes falsely charged, an age of physical degeneracy, it were the more worth remarking that Father Ryder never could have done his work as a citizen and a Christian without his great vital power. The picture of him that I shall carry through life is the one which he stamped upon my mind when he was about sixty years of age. I was then a young student, and he alternated with the Principal of the school in the preaching. I remember him as he stood in this pulpit -- rather in the pulpit in the midst of whose ashes this pulpit was reared -- hale of body and vigorous of mind, scourging popular errors and follies, and exhorting to righteousness, temperance, and preparation for the judgment to come. It seemed that nature had stored up in his strong body force enough to supply the vital mechanism for a century. He lived, indeed, to a good old age. Nevertheless, I find myself asking, why did he not attain to the age of one hundred years? Two facts are a sufficient answer to the question. He was one of the most laborious men of that generation which bore off upon its broad shoulders, as Sampson did the gates of Gaza, the heavy forest which covered this land -- the generation that made possible that home in which we live to-day -- the generation which performed the most wonderful work of the kind that history has witnessed; for in no age, and in no country, has the face of nature been so suddenly transformed as in the Northern States of the American Union. He was also identified with a religious work, somewhat akin to the other, and no whit less laborious. To this he gave his time, his energy, and, no doubt several years of natural expectancy of life. If the pioneers gave us the homes in which we dwell, no less did these pioneers of religious reform give us the churches in which we worship.

In the second place, his mental characteristics.

Father Ryder's mind, also, was organized on a large plan. He lacked only the discipline of study and the culture of the schools, to fit him for prominence in any community where the fortunes of life might have called him. I say he lacked only these; for his logical cast of mind, great common sense, and simplicity of character would have fortified him against the warpings and effeminacy which the schools sometimes engender. I have mentioned his logical cast of mind. Every thing was brought to the test of reason and common sense. His own life was ruled by his judgment, not by his sentiments or emotions. Besides, his mind was eminently honest and practical. He followed the convictions of his reason; he brought things to the test of utility.

All these intellectual traits showed themselves in his preaching; fact and induction always furnished the staple of his discourse. Religion, with him, was a thing of conviction; something that rooted itself in the understanding. It was not an effervescence of sentiment, or a tumult of passion. Hence he had no confidence in sensational religion, or in sensational preaching. He feared the influence on the Church, of high religious excitement. "Let us have no excitement here!" he cried, almost in the tone of command, when in a great congregation that throbbed with religious feeling, one of his sons came to confess Christ. "Let us have no excitement here," and the tension of his own frame, and the tears that coursed down his cheeks, showed how deeply he was himself moved. If he allowed the logical faculty to reign too absolutely in the realm of religion -- as was no doubt true -- it must be remembered that this was a natural result of his own mental constitution, and of his early religious training. The practical character of his mind was also seen in his preaching. In his preaching he was in the habit of dealing with a class of themes that receive too little attention in the pulpit. He brought religion into the store, the shop, the field, the granary, and the kitchen. He thought it had something to do with the manufacture of wagons, the weighing of sugar, the measuring of grain, the cording of wood. Industry, economy, honest dealing, the obligation to pay debts when due -- those old-fashioned virtues formed the theme of constant discourse. A very competent judge has expressed the opinion that the marked honesty and thrift of the citizens of Hiram are largely due to his teachings and example: Here again, in his later years, he no doubt committed some excesses. His mind revolted at the exhibition of what he thought the extravagance, wastefulness, indolence, and recklessness of the new generation, and his honest nature poured itself out in warning and rebuke. No doubt he exaggerated the vices of the new time; but much of his admonition was called for, and the remainder can be pardoned when we remember that it is a rare occurrence for one to see and understand two generations.

His preaching was always plain in style and sometimes almost sparse. His illustrations were not drawn from the fields of elegant literature; with these he was not acquainted; nor would they have answered his purpose. He chose those that he used from the world with which he was acquainted. If they sometimes offended good taste -- as they often did -- they commonly answered his purpose. If his speech was sometimes harsh and rude. it was the expression of an honest heart. Brethren and citizens, I can pardon something to an honest man. Such a man, if he be in earnest, will inevitably make some false strokes. But God needs him. nevertheless. An invaluable member of any community or of any church, is the man who will tell the stern, unadorned truth. There are plenty of men who deal out the cordial of compliment -- who spread thick the butter of flattery -- who use the salve of conventional hypocrisy -- plenty who will prophesy unto the people "smooth things." But when you find a man who will tell you the unvarnished truth, cherish him as you would the apple of your eye, though his words are sometimes harsh and his rebukes uncalled for. Elijah of Gilead, the Tishbite prophet, with his sheepskin mantle, long black hair floating in the wind, and his unwelcome words, was thought very uncultured and impolite by the soft-spoken Samaritan courtiers, but how much better for them -- especially how much better for Ahab and Jezebel, if he had been heeded rather than the oily-mouthed prophets of Baal!

In the third place, his moral and religious character.

The basis of his moral character was integrity. So far as known to me, no man has ever charged him with a deflection from the strict line of right. He never had a lawsuit in his life; dying, he leaves no enemy. This was largely owing to the fact that he always so regulated his life that he could be straightforward and honest. He never allowed the situation to become his master. He was so careful in making contracts; so wary of promising when it was questionable whether he could perform; so prompt in meeting his engagements, that it was always easy for him to be upright and honest. He understood thoroughly that it is possible for a man to commit himself to a logic of events that is sure to embarrass and perhaps destroy him. A fact will illustrate this characteristic: For several years he was the Treasurer of the College. For a man in his circumstances at that time, this was a very considerable responsibility. He carried the institution money in one end of a wallet, his own in the other. He never used the College-funds in his own business; never changed a large bill in one end for smaller ones of equal value in the other. Most men will smile at this refinement of scrupulousness; but let me say to all -- especially to the young men present -- this sort of men never become unknown debtors to the money-drawers of their employers, or defaulters to the public treasury.

To sum up in a few words, Symonds Ryder had character. He did not drift on the current; he set currents in motion. He did not rest on the sentiment of the community; he formed sentiment for the community. He was not the creature of circumstances; he made them bow to him. As a citizen and a Christian, he had root in himself. Of course he had a will; a man of his stamp always has; without it, character is impossible. His will may have run into excess; no doubt it did; but it was the inevitable play of a powerful and indispensable faculty. A man who was never firm even to obstinacy, never plain even to severity, never truthful even to unkindness, could not have done his work.

THE LESSON OF HIS LIFE.

There is one lesson still to be gleaned. So long a life has a sermon in itself. The duty of living for old age.

From the census tables of this and other countries we can calculate the chances of human life. In 1860 there were in the United States about ninety thousand persons who had attained to the age of eighty years -- or thirty-three to ten thousand. The statistics of other nations exhibit a similar ratio. To adopt the imagery employed by Addison in the "Vision of Mirtza," of every ten thousand persons who start to cross the bridge which spans the swiftly swelling stream of time, only thirty-three pass so many arches as to make four score years.

But history teaches us that the average of human life is lengthening. Nor are we left in doubt as to the reason: fevers are becoming less frequent and less murderous, plagues do not desolate cities as in the middle ages; men wear better clothing, live in better houses; eat better food: in a word, they live more as God intended they should live. In the Bible an abundance of old men is made an evidence of peace and prosperity -- a sign of God's presence with his people. "There shall yet old men dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age." This language points to contentment, peace, and godliness. 'Behold the days... come that there shall not be an old man in thine house forever." This points to scenes of violence, bloodshed, and sin, intransigence, lust, ungoverned passion consumes the oil that should fill the [---- ---], industry, temperance, godliness is the flame. "The fear of the Lord prolongeth days; but the years of the wicked shall be shortened." "For as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall enjoy the work of their hands." Accordingly, "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Hence the relative number of old men in any community is a good measure of that community's physical, mental and moral health.

"The hoary head is the crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." This is a description of the old age of the father whom to-day we commit to his rest. We do not weep or shed unnecessary tears; we rejoice that he lived so long, and lived so well. His usefulness was past. The age was calling for a different type of men, when increasing infirmities compelled him to retire from the field. We judge him by his generation -- not by ours. He has gone to his fathers in peace; he is buried in a good old age. He has come to his grave in full age, like a shock of corn cometh in his season. God grant that we may do our work as well as he did his; then we may go to our graves in equal peace.


Note 1: An abbreviated version of the above biographical sketch of Symonds Ryder was reprinted in A. S. Hayden's History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, pp. 245-59.

THE  BIRTHPLACE  OF  MORMONISM.
_____

Early History of the Great Imposture -- Sidney Rigdon -- the First Mormon
Meetings -- Jo Smith at Kirtland -- The Wonderful Stone -- The Negro Mormon --
Mysterious Disappearance of the Darsy Mormon -- the First Mormon Temple --
The Fraud of the Mormon Bible -- Solomon Spaulding's Romance Stolen by the
Mormons and Converted into a Bible -- Exodus of the Mormons from Kirtland.

(Correspondence of the Washington Star.)

PAINESVILLE, O., October 13, 1870.    

This town, of about four thousand inhabitants, is the county seat of Lake County, with only eight towns, and is twenty-nine miles east of Cleveland, on the line of the Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula Railroad. It is an old town, was settled prior to 1800, and takes its name from one of its pioneer settlers, General Edward Paine.... It is the county

WHERE THE MORMONS,

Who have become numerous enough now to form a State, first commenced to preach, as a sect, their peculiar doctrines. Some account of them will be interesting. Sidney Rigdon, a very eloquent, captivating speaker a little prior to 1830 made his appearance among the wealthy farms of Mentor township and commenced to preach as a Baptist minister. He drew largely, and soon organized a church. In the course of events, however, Parson Rigdon became a Campbellite disciple, or, as the denomination now call themselves, a Christian. But, notwithstanding this change of base, affairs with Rigdon and his flock went on most agreeably; the parson keeping his hearers reminded that the signs of the times presaged some wonderful event, but precisely or approximately what, the preacher did not seem to know any more than his people. Thus much for the first transactions of Rigdon in the county.

In the fall of 1830 probably, Parley P. Pratt, Oliver Cowdery, David [sic] Whitmer and Mr. Peterson came to Kirtland, in this county, and commenced to preach Mormonism. The first meetings were held at "Kirtland Flats," and finally they were held in what was called the Larned school house, on the road from Kirtland to Chardon. These four men were were the John the Baptist of the prophet Joseph Smith, who came to Kirtland, I think, the following spring of 1831. Meantime, (during the winter of '30-'31,) Rigdon went down to visit

THE  PROPHET  "JOE."

At Manchester, near Palmyra, New York. Joe commenced his operations there with a wonderful stone with which he could discover deposits of money and forsee events and he had a number of credulous creatures constantly digging for money by night, but who never got possessed of any treasure. Rigdon returned to his Mentor flock, having found the marvelous event which he had been foreshadowing for some time in the vaguest manner possible -- it was nothing less nor more than a new prophet, a new revelation, indeed a new dispensation. To carry his church with the wealth of its members over to Mormonism was Rigdon's next essay but in this, with a few exceptions, he failed, but he became the Great High Priest of the embryo sect. Joe himself came on to Kirtland, the New Jerusalem, in the spring of 1831. Speedily the hills, valleys and the creeks of Kirtland assumed scriptural names; and the work of proselyting for the new church began in earnest. They had a darky when they first began, who used to have the old time religious "power" and performed many "monkey shines." Some times he would start out of the meeting and run with all speed away into the street across lots and perch himself on a big stone or stump, and begin to preach in modern king's English. The Mormons soon saw that such kind of aid would not serve them and some of them started, I believe, with him down the Ohio, and the darky disappeared so mysteriously that the opinion exists among the Gentiles of Lake County that he went to glory with the most effective wishes of his Mormon companions.

The Mormon membership grew rapidly, for the weak minded and the scheming were alike drawn into their fold. To the first class the Book of Mormon was a wonderful revelation, and there was a kind of common fellowship and social equality among the Mormon people that suited the common people, and Mormonism waxed wonderfully. The common sense and honest Gentiles, as the outside world were called by the Mormons, could not but regard the whole Mormon creed and organization as a wicked deception, as a cheat, and they dirided both; and sometimes they were a conspicuous in manifesting their contempt for them in the Mormon meetings, even going so far as to disturb them. These acts the Mormon leaders denominated persecutions. Such is the character or credulity, such the superstition of a portion of humanity that the grossest representations and the strangest anomalies, caricatures of religion, and frauds on the same may be made to grow and prosper by opposition, and thus Mormonism grew and has ever grown.

Early in the starting of Mormonism, the duty of making the property of individuals the property of all, or of the leaders, was inculcated; indeed, compliance with this injunction was so forced by threats of exculsion in as many cases as it was practicable to do it.

HOW  THE  MORMONS  RAN  A  BANK

As the membership increased, land in and adjacent to the New Jerusalem rose in price, and soon it was bought or bargained for at enormous prices. Then came next the necessity, in the Mormon view of the case, for money and the "Kirtland Safety Fund Bank" was the creation of that necessity. The whole country round about, as far as practicable, was flooded with it. [And then] legal measures found the way into the interior of this institution, and its [strong] boxes had silver enough only to cover the bars of lead in said boxes. The bank [busted].

THE  FIRST  MORMON  TEMPLE

In the course of events a temple became a need also. Contributions were made for that object, voluntary and forced, and one was built of stone, [has a] steeple, and the walls outside are plastered, and the plastering is as firm, apparently, as the walls that it covers. There are only two stories in the edifice. Twenty-four pulpits have been set within, twelve to the Aaronic and twelve to the Melchisedec priesthood, and on the front of each pulpit are appropriate gilt letters. Rolled up against the ceiling in both stories are curtains that can be used to separate each audience room into sundry apartments. Outside, high up in front on the edifice, is a large square panel, in which was an inscription in gilt letters reading thus: "House of the Lord, built by the Church of the Latter Day Saints, 1834." I believe that this inscription was somewhat abridged by some of the Mormons who remained behind, or returned after the grand exodus of the Mormon people, leaving out, I think, the words " Church of the." In regard to the

ORIGIN  OF  THE  MORMON  BIBLE

Eber D. Howe, the founder of the Painesville Telegraph, nearly fifty years ago, and Dr. Storm Rosa, in their book entitled "Mormonism Unvailed," show conclusively that it is the altered writings of Solomon Spalding, called "The Manuscript Found" -- a work of fiction. This manuscript was placed in the possession of some printers in Pittsburg by Spalding, but was not printed by them in Spalding's life time. They show, also, that Rigdon was in Pittsburg before he came to Mentor to preach Campbellism, and that he was about the printing office where the manuscript was left by Spalding, for some time. The manuscript disappeared from the printing office, with no explanation to Spalding's friends by the proprietors of the office. It is supposed, therefore, that the changes in the manuscript were made by Rigdon, and that when he was preaching of some wonderful event to come, to his Mentor people, he was foreshadowing the Mormon fraud, planned principally by himself. Martin Harris claims to have paid for printing the Bible. Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer claim to have been witnesses of the delivery of the plates containing the Mormon Bible to the prophet, for this is what they say: "We declare with words of soverness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and brought and laid before our eyes that we beheld and saw the plates and the engraving thereon."

Harris, whom I know personally, is a simple-minded, unsophistical, garrulous old man. He talks with remarkable readiness upon certain portions of the Scripture, and the Mormon interpretations thereof, for he has practiced it a lifetime. This fall he was taken from Kirtland by one of the elders to Salt Lake City.

The leaders of the Mormons when in Kirtland were unmitigated rascals, but the common people were honest and well disposed, but a sadly deluded people.

THE  MORMONS  LEFT  KIRTLAND

In 1837. The leaders were subjected to so many legal prosecutions that the place became unendurable to them. The most prominent adversary that they had was Grandison Newell, then of Mentor, an honest, straightforward man, who had an utter detestation for all delusions, secular and eccesiastical, (the Mormons had conspired against his life) and he followed Joe with a purpose and an activity that knew no cessation, and legal prosecutions followed, one after another, until the prophet was forced to bring out a new revelation, and the faithful started on the tiresome journey to Jackson County, Missouri, for another New Jerusalem.

The Temple is now owned by a Mormon named Huntly, living in Wisconsin. It has been "desecrated" as a temple by being used for school purposes, but stands as a monument of human folly and religious fanaticism.   L. S. A.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Brigham Young returned to Salt Lake City on Friday. The Mormons deny indignantly that he has sought to evade the process of the Court or Grand Jury. They say he will obey the summons as a witness or submit even to a warrant of arrest, but will not yield to imprisonment.

---

A rich tin mine has been discovered in Utah. while this is a most valuable discovery, in view of the immense amount of tin used in various ways, and its consequent scarcity, it is also valuable as an additional menas, by attracting hardy Gentiles to Utah, of undermining the polygamous despotism of Brigham Young.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Reminiscences  of  Joseph  Smith.

"Gris," who is scattering his "Injun meal" around the State of New York, writes from Palmyra to the Cincinnati Times thusly:

Palmyra will be ever distinguished in history -- more so than her ancient namesake though she had a thousand Zenobias -- as having been the spot where originated both Mormonism and Spiritualism. Jo. Smith was raised here, as were the Fox girls. There are plenty of people in Palmyra who remember the visionary, lazy and shiftless Jo. Smith, who was constantly hunting up imaginary gold mines and shirking genuine work. He could dig for buried treasures, but hated to dig for an honest living.

Many anecdotes are related of him. Here is one I heard last night: When a young man he was employed by one Durfey to assist in haying. In Durfey's pantry stood two bottles quite similar in appearance, one containing whisky, (an article quite common in those days, but now entirely out of the market, benzine taking its place,) and the other a medicine known as "No. 6."

There are some of your readers who remember "No. 6." It was a fiery, peppery compound that no family in New York State was without thirty years ago, and if it had no other merit it was certainly warming. I remember being dosed with it when I was a boy, and the smart it caused me inside, and I sometimes think that is what makes me smart now.

Jo Smith had a palate for good whisky, although he would prefer that it wouldn't cost him anything. He knew of the whiskey bottle in the pantry, and resolved to have a smack at it, for Durfey kept it rather close. So one night, after the house was in repose, Jo stole out of bed and creeping softly down-stairs, from his room in the loft, sought the pantry. Shirtly after, the family was aroused by the tremendous rattling of the bucket down the well, which stood near the house, attended by a fearful coughing and spitting on the part of some one in the vicinity. It was one of the old fashioned wells you don't see on exhibition at the fairs and can't buy at the family supply stores any more. They ain't peddled around the country, nor put up as prizes in gift lotteries. This well worked with a windlass and a chain, and when the iron-bound, moss-covered bucket was allowed to go down on the run, as sailors say, bumping against the curbing, it made it very lively for the windlass, and this was the racket that woke up the Durfey family. Out of bed they all sprang at once, and ran to the well, where they found the founder of Mormonism in his shirt tail, working the windlass with might and main, hauling up the bucket.

"Why, Jo! what's the matter?" cried old man Durfey, as he recognized his hired man.

With a quick shake of the head, as much as to say, "Don't speak to the man at the wheel," and caughing furiously, Jo seized the dripping bucket as it reached the top of the curb, and resting it on the edge applied his eager mouth to the rim and drank, and drank, and drank, the cooling liquid fairly hissing as it went down his burning throat. Durfry declared to his dying day Jo never let up so long as there was a drop in the bucket, and he believed he would have drunk the well dry if they hadn't restrained him. All there was about it, Jo had mistaken the "No. 6" for the whiskey.

Four miles from Palmyra is Bible Hill or Gommorrah [sic], where Smith professed to have found the stone tablets from which he translated the Mormon Bible. He was a long time securing a printer for his Bible, as he had no money, and it takes money to print even Bibles. He made a jiurney to Rochester, and endeavored to get Thurlow Weed, then publishing a paper there, to print it, but without success. Jo might have been a tobacco chewer, for what I know, but in that case he couldn't use the Weed.

It was only by making a proselyte of one Martin Harris, a smple-minded young farmer, who lived a mile north of Palmyra, and whom he induced to mortgage his farm, that he was enabled to raise the necessary funds in order to get his Bible to press in time for the early trains. Harris was much influenced by one Calvin Stoddard, Stoddard held off for some little time, but was won through a trick played upon him one night by a couple of boys, just for the fun of the thing. It is just such trifling events that produce momentous events. Had it not been for the mad freak of those two boys, out on a lark, Smith might not have got his Bible out, Mormonism would have been unheard of, polygamy unknown (thereby depriving a number of very excellent and worthy women of a husband), and the world ignorant of a Brigham Young. There would have been no Salt Lake City, no "Artemus Ward Among the Mormons," no Anna Dickinson among the "Whited Sepulchres," no sending troops and their consequent supplies to Utah, no hafalutin in Congress about the "twin relic of barbarism," and no opportunity or occasion for this letter.

One of those boys who succeeded in manufacturing so much American history on a night's frolic, was afterward Governor Harding, of Utah, singular enough; and his comrade now was Tucker, who wouldn't have been out at the unseemly hour, probably, had it not been for the family propensity for being too late to get his evening meal.

Knowing that Calvin Stoddard was being urged by Jo. Smith to embark with him in the Bible business, it occurred to the boys to play a trick on Calvin. Accordingly they went to Stoddard's house at a late hour of the night, and one of them gave a mysterious rap on his bedroom window.

"Who's there?" cried Stoddard, in a voice of evident alarm.

"I am a spirit sent by the Lord," replied a supernatural voice, "to command you, Calvin Stoddard, to gird up your loins, go forth and preach the new revelation found by my prophet, Joseph Smith, to all the world!"

The next day, bright and early, Calvin was out preaching in the streets of Palmyra. When Martin Harris was induced to mortgage his farm, the money was obtained, and in 1831, I believe, the first Mormon Bible was printed. E. B. Grandin, publisher of the Wayne Sentinel, was the printer. The first edition was 3,000 copies. The building still stands where the printing was done, and it is pointed out to the curious stranger. What is known as the Mormon farm -- the one Martin Harris disposed of to raise the money -- is frequently visited by people. It is at present owned by a Mr. Chapman, a very clever gentleman, whom I have met here. It was originally sold, under the mortgage, to Thomas Lakey, father of Carl Lakey, one of the editors of the Palmyra Courier.

Martin Harris is still alive, and nearly ninety years old. He was ruined by his speculation in Bibles. He went with Jo Smith to Ohio, and remained there until recently, when he removed to Utah, where he now lives. He visited Palmyra about two years ago, old and poor.

Jo Smith played on the credulity of Calvin Stoddard frequently to keep the Smith family supplied with meat. He occupied a cave in Bible Hill, where he pretended to translate the tablets and offer up sacrifices. When the family was out of meat, Smith would signify to Stoddard that a particularly fine lamb or sheep, already dressed, would be required at the cave that day, to be sacrificed to the Lord, and the simple Calvin would bring it, not seeing the absurdity of making a sacrifice of dressed meat.


Note 1: Compare the above "No. 6 medicine" story to a similar version, related in Thomas L. Cook's 1930 Palmyra and Vicinity, page 219. This account was previously narrated by Cook in a 1928 issue of the Palmyra Wayne County Journal.

Note 2: For more on the man-made "cave" in Miner's Hill, see the Rochester Times-Union of April 25, 1974.

HIRAM.

Sauntering about in the southern portions of our town, it has been my fortune frequently to meet with the old residents who came here when an ax and a strong arm were the most useful implements and their only fortune. 'Tis their delight to tell us of bear hunts and all that, but the most interesting of their themes, to us, is Mormonism. They point us to the house where Joe Smith lived one winter; where they held their meetings; the two Mormon graves out on the hill. Then, two, they tell us of their going to Smith's house one night and giving him a nice coat and feathers -- and how high the excitement ran. When they became thus enthusiastic telling their tales of earlier days, we almost wish that we, too, had lived to see and know the deeds of which we hear so much, but doubtless the young of forty years hence will feel the same desires to realize the scenes we now behold, and we know that each age must be satisfied with its own experience... N.
HIRAM, Sept. 6.


Note: Possibly the "two Mormon graves out on the hill" mentioned by the correspondent, were those of two young members of the Mormon John Johnson family. Explorations conductd on the old Johnson farm indicate the presence of two childrens' graves near the edge of the east property line.

END OF A CELEBRATED CHARACTER.

The Founder of the Campbellites and the Author
of the "Book of Mormon."

The Albany Evening Times of December 21st, contains an interesting summary of the life and labor of a Pittsburgher 'eccentric' Sidney Rigdon, who, it appears is dying at Friendship, Allegheny county, New York. The Times says:

This man, although attracting, at the present time, but little public attention, has had an eventful public career. He was really the founder of what is known as the Campbellite Christian faith, He was urging the non-sectarian idea of Christianity when Campbell first sought to give it a place in the world as an organized church. Mr. Rigdon finally lost faith in the religion of his adoption, abandoned the pulpit, devoted himself to journalism and the study of geology. In the latter he was he was astonishingly proficient. While thus engaged the pretended revelations of Joe Smith attracted the public attention. They were not long in finding a defender in Sidney Rigdon, and the "Golden Bible," or the book of Mormon, we have no doubt, is the product of his mind and pen. He became an active Mormon and went with Smith to Kirtland, Ohio, and thence to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he ranked in the church only second to Smith. When the polygamy: revelation came, Rigdon promptly declined to accept it as part of his faith and left the Mormon city for his old home at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

For many years past he has resided at Friendship, Allegheny county in this state, with his children, who are settled there. He is a man far advanced in years, And one who, in his relations with the world, has, probably, no enemy. With all his erratic changes and adventures in connection with religious matters, he has been a profound thinker, a ready and graceful writer, and a man of enlarged and varied information. It was difficult to suggest a subject of any importance, with which he was not remarkably familiar, and which he could not make himself extremely interesting in discussing.

What his religious faith has been during the late years of his, we do not think his most intimate friends have any means of knowing. His lips have been a sealed book upon that subject. That Joe Smith could never have succeeded in organizing the Mormon church, or giving to the world the Book of Mormon without the aid of Sidney Rigdon we do not believe. It was his clear and comprehensive mind that brought that form out of chaos, whether for good or evil is for the future to determine. In all his private relations we believe his life has been singularly blamless, and unexceptionable.


Notes: (see next article, below)

SYDNEY  RIGDON.
________

Personal  Recollection  of  One  of  the  Founders  of  Mormonism.
________

In anticipation of the death of Sydney Rigdon, which has since occurred, the Dubuque Times publishes the following reminiscences of his career:

Sydney Rigdon, for so many of these later years entirely lost to public view, was born in Alleghany county, Pa., Feb, 19, 1793; consequently is now a few weeks less thau eighty years old. When a boy he learned the printer's trade, and at the age of nineteen we find him in a printing office at Pittsburg. Solomon Spaulding (born at Ashford, Ct., 1761, a graduate of Dartmouth college, a minister for four years, a merchant at Cherry Valley, N. Y., for some time, removing thence to Conneaut, O., in 1809, to Pittsburg in 1812, to Amity, Pa., in 1814, and dying there in 1816), among a number of novels possessing so little merit that he could find no publisher for them, in 1810, 1811 and 1812 wrote a romance pretending to show that the Indians of America were the descendants of the "Lost Tribes" of Israel -- which was placed in the printing office where young Rigdon was working, and which, years afterward, came out -- certain religious doctrines being interpolated here and there -- as the Mormon Bible. The portion of Rigdon's life which is identical with Mormonism we touch lightly, as it is not our purpose to repeat what can be found elsewhere. Suffice it to say, Rigdon helped Jo Smith organize the first Mormon church, at Manchester, N. Y., April 6th, 1830; led the little body of believers to Kirtland, O., in 1831; the two were mobbed, tarred and feathered on the night of March 22, 1832; received Brigham Young as a convert late the same year; started a bank. Smith President, Rigdon Cashier, which broke in January, 1838, and the twain fled to Missouri; after much wrangling and finally civil war, settled at Nauvoo, Ill., April 6, 1841, and laid the corner stone of the Mormon temple there; July 12, 1843, the revelation of polygamy came; this, Rigdon declares he never accepted; but a riot with citizens resulted, June, 1844, in which Jo. Smith was shot dead; Rigdon aspired to become head of the church, but Young was selected; Rigdon rebelled, was cut off from communion with the faithful, and formally "delivered to the devil to be buffeted in the flesh for a thousand years." He accordingly returned to Pittsburg, and finally drifted to Friendship, Allegany County, N. Y., where the writer hereof found him about 1848. His daughter married Mr, Hatch, the first principal of the then newly erected Friendship Academy. In the debating school connected with that academy, the writer was the youngest member; and Rigdon, when present, which was not infrequently the case, was usually invited to take part. He was remarkably proficient in the sciences for that date -- especially astronomy and geology. His arguments were always unique, bizarre, startling. Something that everyone would have sworn could have no possible connection with the subject under consideration, would be, first anyone knew, brought into the field of argument with a rebound that demolished all opponents. Doubtless there was much sophistry there; but that lyceum didn't contain the reasoner who could expose it. He was at least as familiar with the Bible as any man we ever met. The ordinary, unsuspicious, half fledged, and therefore supercilious theologians in that vicinity used sometimes to thoughtlessly, on first acquaintance, "catch up" some careless remark of the rough, unshaven countryman, and "pitch into" his positions. Then he would let drop onto their bewildered heads texts enough to amount to five or ten and twenty chapters of Scripture, as the case might seem to demand, compel or betray them into positions they never thought of taking before, and then saunter off to his home by "the creek" with the most innocent air, as if utterly unconscious that he had left his assailant inextricably entangled and standing on his head. What his own religious views were, no one was ever shrewd enough to elicit from him. We have heard him argue everything, from Catholicism, via the strictest Calvinism, to the loosest Mormonism. He was gentlemanly, though sometimes scathingly sarcastic, temperate, not profane nor obscene; kind, so far as came convenient, with his character for honesty and morality untarnished. It seems to us that with a little intenser and differently directed ambition, a higher and more positive purpose, and a feeling that it was worth the while to carry out that purpose. Sydney Rigdon might have been one of the great men of the century. But with a half majestic and half careless calmness not to be ruffled by anything that this world or any other, could give or take away, he has lived a long, eventful and useless life.


Notes: (see next article, below)

DEATH  OF  SIDNEY  RIGDON.

The death of Sidney Rigdon, one of Joe Smith's associates in the establishment of Mormonism, is announced. He was born in St. Clair township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1793. "The Book of Mormon," which Joe Smith pretends to have discovered through a Divine revelation, was claimed immediately after its publication as a work of Rev. Solomon Spalding, written by him during a residence in Ohio in 1810-11-12. Mr. Spalding's widow, in a statement published in Boston in 1839, declared that in 1812 the manuscript was placed in a printing office in Pittsburgh with which Sidney Rigdon was connected. Rigdon, she charged, copied the manuscript, and the fact of his having made such a copy was known to many persons in the office. Subsequently the original manuscript was returned to Mr. Spaulding, who died in 1816, leaving it in the possession of his widow, by whom it was preserved until after the publication of "The Book of Mormon," when she sent it to Conneaut, where it was publicly compared with Joe Smith's pretended revelation. Soon after getting possession of his copy, Rigdon quitted the printing office and began preaching certain new doctrines peculiar to himself, and very similar to those afterward incorporated in "The Book of Mormon." He did not make much progress, however, until 1829, when he became acquainted with Joe Smith. It is asserted that Smith obtained a copy of Spalding's manuscript through Rigdon's agency, and that he read it from behind the blanket to his amanuensis, Oliver Cowdery, making such additions and alterations as suited the purposes of Rigdon and himself. Immediately after the publication of The Book of Mormon, the fraud was detected, and the true nature of the work made known by Mr. Spalding's widow and many of his relatives and friends. In spite of this disclosure, however, Smith and Rigdon had the impudence to stick to the story of the revelation, and succeeded in getting converts to the new religion. At first they had rather hazy ideas as to the nature and design of the church they were about to establish, and were rather inclined to teach that the millennium was close at hand; that the Indians were to be speedily converted; and that America was to be the final gathering place of the Saints, who were to assemble at New Zion or New Jerusalem, somewhere in the interior of the continent. They soon managed to surround themselves with enough converts to constitute the Mormon Church, which was first regularly organized at Manchester, N. Y., April 6, 1830. Smith, directed by a revelation, led the whole body of believers to Kirtland, Ohio, in January, 1831. Here converts were rapidly made, and a wider field being necessary, Smith and Rigdon went out in search of a suitable locality upon which to establish themselves. They fixed upon Independence, Jackson, Mo., and Smith dedicated a site for a new temple. Rigdon continued to act with Smith, and to follow all the fortunes and misfortunes of the Mormon Church until the death of the prophet, when he aspired to be his successor. Upon Brigham Young, however, descended the mantle of Joe Smith and Rigdon becoming contumacious, was cut off from the communion of the faithful, was cursed, and was solemnly delivered over to the devil, "to be buffeted in the flesh for a thousand years." This ended Rigdon's connection with Mormonism; and after being thus driven out of the church which he did so much to found, he fell out of public notice and was heard of no more.


Note: This is an encyclopedia excerpt -- see also the Defiance Democrat of Feb. 15th, for this same mistaken report of Rigdon's early demise.

Death of Sidney Rigdon.

The death of Sidney Rigdon, one of Joseph Smith's associates in the establishment of Mormonism is announced. He was born in St. Clair township, Alleghany county, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1793. "The Book of Mormon" which Smith pretends to have discovered through a divine revelation, was claimed immediately after its publication as the work of Rev. Solomon Spalding, written by him during a residence in Ohio in 1810-11-12. Mr. Spalding's widow, in a statement published in Boston in 1839, declared that in 1812 the manuscript was placed in a printing office in Pittsburgh with which Sidney Rigdon was connected. Rigdon, she charged, copied the manuscript, and the fact of his having made such a copy was known to many persons in the office. Subsequently the original manuscript was returned to Mr. Spaulding, who died in 1816, leaving it in the possession of his widow, by whom it was preserved until after the publication of "The Book of Mormon," when she sent it to Conneaut, where it was publicly compared with Joe Smith's pretended revelation. Soon after getting possession of his copy, Rigdon quitted the printing office and began to preach certain new doctrines peculiar to himself, and very similar to those afterward incorporated in "The Book of Mormon." He did not make much progress, however, until 1829, when he became acquainted with Joe Smith. It is asserted that Smith obtained a copy of Spaulding's manuscript through Rigdon's agency, and that he read it from behind the blanket to his amanuensis, Oliver Cowdery, making such additions and alterations as suited the purpose of Rigdon and himself. Immediately after the publication of "The Book of Mormon," the fraud was detected, and the true nature of the work made known by Mr. Spaulding's widow and many of his relatives and friends. In spite of this disclosure, however, Smith and Rigdon had the impudence to stick to the story of the revelation, and succeeded in getting converts to the new religion. At first they had rather hazy ideas as to the nature and design of the Church they were about to establish, and were rather inclined to teach that the millennium was close at hand; that the Indians were to be speedily converted; and that America was to be the final gathering place of the Saints, who were to assemble at New Zion or New Jerusalem, somewhere in the interior of the continent. They soon managed to surround themselves with enough converts to constitute the Mormon Church, which was first regularly organized at Manchester, N. Y., April 6, 1830. Smith, directed by a revelation, led the whole body of believers to Kirtland, Ohio, in January, 1831. Here converts were rapidly made, and a wider field being necessary, Smith and Rigdon went out in search of a suitable locality upon which to establish themselves. They fixed upon Independence, Jackson county, Mo., and Smith dedicated a site for a new temple. Rigdon continued to act with Smith, and to follow all the fortunes and misfortunes of the Mormon Church until the death of the prophet, when he aspired to be his successor. Upon Brigham Young, however, descended the mantle of Joe Smith and Rigdon becoming contumacious, was cut off from the communion of the faithful, was cursed, and was solemnly delivered over to the devil, "to be buffeted in the flesh for a thousand years." Thus ended Rigdon's connection with Mormonism; and after being thus driven out of the Church which he did so much to found, he fell out of public notice and was heard of no more.


Note 1: It must have created a strange feeling in the old man, when Sidney Rigdon heard reports of his own death in the first weeks of 1873. Besides the article reprinted in the Defiance Democrat, other, similar notices and obituaries appeared throughout the American press. One notable example was the Rigdon death notice published in the columns of the RLDS Saints' Herald of Jan. 15, 1873 which was prefaced by the editorial warning: "We cannot vouch for the truth of the statement that Mr. Rigdon is dead." The New York Herald of Dec. 26, 1872 presented a somewhat more reliable report regarding the aged Mormon: "Sidney Rigdon, the reputed author of Joe Smith's Mormon Bible, has been stricken with paralysis at his home in Alleghany county, N. Y."

Note 2: President Rigdon lingered on for another three and a half years following his stroke of November, 1872, before passing on to his great (?) reward. It is a telling fact that little was recalled by the 1870's of his many contributions to Mormonism -- other than that he had been accused of stealing the basis for the Book of Mormon, from the writings of Solomon Spalding.

                               For the Telegraph.

SOLOMON  SPALDING  AND  THE  BOOK  OF  MORMON.
_______

Mr. Editor:
I was reading quite lately in the papers the oft repeated story of the origin of the Book of Mormon. I have long believed that it was substantially true. It is said it was written by one Solomon Spalding a disabled or retired Congregational minister, as a sort of romance founded on the evidence afforded that our country had once been inhabited by a race of people more civilized, and distinct, from the Indian tribes found on its discovery by Columbus. It being a popular theory about that time, these were the lost tribes of Israel, and the probable Mound Builders.

This manuscript, it is said, either before or after Mr. Spalding's death, was taken to a printing office at Pittsburg, where Sydney Rigdon got hold of it and with Joseph Smith and others, published it as found in a miraculous manner in Palmyra, New York. This Mr. Spalding, it is said, lived at an early day at Conneaut, and had a forge or trip hammer in the valley on the creek. This was confirmed to the present writer some years ago by the late Col. Robert Harper, of Harpersfield. He said, when a young man, he spent some time at Conneaut, and well remembered Mr. Spalding and his wife. He spoke of him as somewhat singular, living in a long, low, shanty-like building of boards. In one end was his forge, while in the other he lived with his wife, and kept a kind of grocery store. He said, in common with other young men, he often spent his evenings there. He distinctly remembered one night -- they had been playing cards for amusement; when about to leave he needed something to wrap up his cards, when Mrs. Spalding brought to him a leaf of some manuscript. Upon making some remark about the propriety of his using it, she remarked it was only a piece of the Doctor's novel. This led him to ask if her husband was writing a novel; when she said yes; upon the first inhabitants who lived upon this continent. And upon examination he found this to be the character of the scrap of the manuscript she had given him. All this in connection with what has been published before, and the fact of such remarkable remains in the neighborhood of Conneaut, leads to the probable conclusion that Solomon Spalding wrote the Book of Mormon in substance at least, & probably while living at Conneaut.

I have written in the hope that there were persons still living at Conneaut, or in the vicinity, that knew Mr. Spalding; who can confirm the above, and more than this, can affirm they knew Mr. Spalding to be the author of the book, such as it is.

If there are any such persons, I think it would be promotive of the truth to publish it; at least it would serve to preserve and establish a historical fact. Therefore I am prompted to ask that all such communications shall appear in your columns, or in the Conneaut paper, from which no doubt you would cheerfully copy. Hoping that both the editor of the TELEGRAPH and Conneaut Reporter will feel an interest in the matter, I am yours truly,
                  H. HOLLIS.
  Greencastle, Indiana.



Note: This article in the Telegraph was followed up two weeks later with some recollections of "Dr. Daniel M. Spencer, a resident of Kingsville."

The Book of Mormon.
_______

A correspondent of the Ashtabula Telegraph, writing from Greencastle, Indiana says in support of the belief that one Solomon Spalding who once lived in Conneaut was the author of the Book of Mormon, that the late Col. Robert Harper, when a young man was frequently at the said Spalding's, in Conneaut; that Harper told him (the correspondent) that he, Harper, had seen a page of manuscript, admitted by Spalding's wife to have been written by him, remarking farther that her husband was engaged upon a novel, the subject of which was the first inhabitants of this continent, &c. The correspondent seeks farther information upon this subject.

Not long after the appearance of the Book of Mormon, Dr. Daniel M. Spencer, a resident of Kingsville, in a conversation of our hearing, and at our father's house, in this town, said that he was well acquainted with Spalding when he lived in Conneaut; had been at his house often and had read manuscripts written by Spalding; that the matter contained in said manuscripts was touching the lost tribes of Israel, their wanderings and final settlement on this continent; that he saw and read the pages of Spalding's fanciful writings at different times and read much of them. He declared that not only the subject matter of Spalding's novel was incorporated in the Book of Mormon, but much of it was a literal transcript, to the best of his knowledge, after reading the contents of both. His declarations were made when Mormonism first made its monstrous pretensions when the public mind was stirred upon the subject and they made a very formidable impression upon our mind. Dr. Spencer had a decided taste for antiquarian research and speculation, and those who knew him will not wonder that he was interested in Spalding's vagaries about the "lost tribes," Mound Builders &c. -- As the correspondent suggests, some of the older citizens of Conneaut must have some knowledge upon this subject not yet made public.


Note: Two such "older citizens," implicitly solicited above, did eventually come forth with their recollections, published in the newspapers a few years later. See the 1885 account provided by William H. Leffingwell, and the less convincing 1901 reminiscence of Mrs. Diadama Chittenden. Jasper Jesse Moss, a Disciples of Christ Elder, also provided some similar details in 1878-80.

The Painesville Advertiser says that a few days ago, the old Mormon temple in Kirtland, near Painesville, was sold to Joe Smith, the leader of the anti-polygamy Mormons. The sale of the old building has made considerable excitement in Kirtland, as it is generally supposed that the branch of the Mormon people who are now settled in Illinois mean to return to their early settlement. There has been much of late to assure one in the expectation, and we think we can safely predict that the walls of the curious old temple will soon echo the words of Mormon priests, and that the quiet people of Kirtland will again have a topic of universal interest, not only to themselves, but to the world at large. Joe Smith, who purchased the temple, is the son of one of the leading Mormons, Joe Smith, the prophet, or the author of the pretended revelation.


Notes: (forthcoming)

The  Abdication  of  Brigham  Young.

When, forty-three years ago, Joseph Smith began to preach a new doctrine to the people of western new York, he predicted that the millennium was near at hand, and that the final gathering of the Saints would be somewhere in the interior of the continent, in the city of New Zion or the New Jerusalem. Directed, as he pretended, by revelation, in the spring of 1831 he led the whole body of believers to Kirtland, Ohio, where a temple was built and a community formed. The Divine finger had pointed the prophet to this spot as that on which the city of the New Jerusalem was to be founded and the redeemed assembled.

Either Smith had misinterpreted the revelation, or the revealer did not know his own mind, for a few years later, in 1838 or 1839, a bank which Smith had established at kirtland failed, and the prophet and his partner in business, Sidney Rigdon, fled, hotly pursued by creditors, to Missouri, where some of the Mormons had settled, and where those who had remained at Kirtland for the most part speedily followed. this was, however, out of the frying-pan into the fire. The Missouri Mormons had already become involved in quarrels with their neighbors; a civil war was imminent, and was only suppressed after the militia of the State had been called out, and Smith and Rigdon arrested.

The Mormons, in the meantime, had crossed the Mississippi into Illinois by thousands, and were presently joined by Rigdon, released on habeas corpus, and Smith, who broke jail. They settled in Carthage [sic - Hancock] County, where a large tract of land had been given them, and laid the foundation of the city of Nauvoo. Smith pretended to have had a new revelation commanding him to pitch his tent there. Nauvoo grew rapidly, and Smith, by a shrewd sale of lots, realized a fortune of more than a million dollars. By revelation, also, he was commanded to assemble the Saints there from all quarters of the world, build a temple, and construct a hotel for the Smith family, [where] they were to "have place from generation to generation, for ever and ever."

But Smith was again disappointed. The Saints, profiting by their experience in Missouri, had not set themselves in opposition to the civil law; but they had introduced the practice of polygamy, and Smith and the Elders of the Church became so eager for "spiritual wives" that a row was raised about it. Smith was publicly denounced by several women, through a newspaper which the husbands of one or two outraged women had established in Nauvoo. Smith and his followers attacked the office, destroyed the presses and material, and razed the building. A warrant was issued for Smith, which he refused to obey, and the constable who attempted to serve it was driven out of the city. The militia were called out, and the Mormons armed themselves. Finally the Smiths (Joseph and Hyrum) surrendered and were lodged in the Carthage jail. Soon after a mob attacked it, overpowered the guard, and shot both Smiths. This was in 1844...


Notes: (forthcoming)

NEW  NORTHERN  OHIO  NOVEL.
_____

"The Portrait; a Romance of the Cuyahoga,"
by Hon. A. G. Riddle.
_____

At last we have the advance sheets of Mr. Riddle's second Northern Ohio novel, and are able to speak understandingly of its character and merits...

The time of the story covers the period between 1830 and 1845, and the scene is mainly laid in Mantua township of Portage county, with changes to Kirtland, Warren, Canfield, and intermediate points....

One noticeable feature of the book is the familiarity with rural life, the keen love of nature, and the ability of picturing country scenery in a few happily chosen sentences everywhere manifest... [the characters] we suspect to be actual portraits, and our Mantua readers can tell if our surmise is correct. There can be no mistake about "Squire Lyman, of Ravenna;" the "lawyer by the name of Carter, at Canton or Massilon," with whom the young hero studied law; or the "Mr. Andrews of Cleveland," whose speech at the trial of Jo Smith at Chardon for attempting to murder Newell made such an impression; or the Darwin Atwater of Mantua, through whose sermons the boy "heroically kept awake"...

[Joseph Smith, the Mormon] "Prophet," as he appeared to his dupes and as he was known to confidants, is shown. Brigham Young appears on the scene, the following being a picture of the present head of the Mormon Church as he first became known to the Mormon community:

In June, among others, there arrived from the East a young man by the name of Young, son of a farmer, with a fair English education, -- a young man of fine person, genial, handsome face, and pleasing manners and address. He soon manifested an unusually shrewd managing mind, with a great capacity to win confidence, and grow upon men. He had a natural aptitude for affairs, and things on his hands instinctively went right; obstacles disappeared in his presence, and order and method waited upon his footsteps. He contented himself with modestly doing what came to hand, unconscious of his own powers, perhaps, and was educated by circumstances and opportunity, which always attend the lives of the naturally shrewd. Not long was the modest young brother Brigham among the saints, as they meekly styled themselves, before he attracted the notice of the Prophet, who was quick to discern the qualities of men, and who was not slow to avail himself of the executive talents of the young convert. Brigham was no zealot or fanatic, and he was quick to see the needs of the new situation. Nor was he unfruitful in expedients. Under his hand a much-needed police was organized, a commissariat, established, shops opened, and employment found for the idle. The domain was laid off into building lots, with regular streets and alleys, and the relations of the new community put on a more decent footing with their curious neighbors. * * *

Brigham soon developed a talent for speaking -- somewhat rare among the followers of the Prophet -- was called, and ordained an elder, and coming rapidly forward, was finally set apart for missionary service. He early strengthened himself by a judicious marriage with a young woman of a good family, a resident of Kirtland, and outside of the church of the saints.

Jo Smith himself is thus pictured, as he appeared at a meeting in Mantua:

The prophet was then about twenty-five years of age, and nearly six feet in height; rather loosely but powerfully built, with a perceptible stoop in his shoulders. The face was longish, not badly featured, marked with blue eyes, fair blond complexion, and very light yellowish flaxen hair. His head was not ignoble, and carried with some dignity; and on the whole, his person, air, and manner should have been noticeable in a gathering of average men. He was attired in a neat fitting suit of blue, over which he wore an ample cloak of blue broadcloth, which he threw back, exposing his neck and bosom, -- all with a simple and natural manner.

A fit match to the description of the Mormon meeting at Mantua addressed by Jo Smith and Sidney Rigdon, is the striking picture of a camp-meeting of the Disciples, held in the Aurora woods, with the grand figure of Alexander Campbell towering up in the midst, and thrilling and swaying the vast assemblage with his fervid and impassioned eloquence. Another companion picture is that of the Giddings anti-slavery meeting near Warren. in 1845....


Notes: (forthcoming)

PIONEER  HISTORY.
________

EARLY  SETTLEMENT  OF  HIRAM.
________

CHARLES  H.  RYDER.
________

THE ROYAL FAMILY IN ZION.
____

(Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.)
_____

Expected Death of Brigham Young -- Who
Will Succeed Him? -- Possible Changes.

Death of One of the Authors of
the Mormon Bible.

Martin Harris, of the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," has just departed life, at Clarkson, Utah, at the advanced age of ninty two years. Mr. Harris first appeared in print in the year 1830, at which time, in company with Oliver Coudery and David Whitmer, he subscribed to the solemn affirmation which appears on the title-page of the Mormon Bible.

Joseph Smith, the Palmyra impostor, having noticed Harris' relish for religious wonders, and his capacity for receiving and retaining all the bosh that folly and knavery could furnish, took it into his head to use Harris in the matter of getting up a new religion. Harris had seen the devil in a dug-way near Palmyra, and his contact with that distinguished personage had so improved his swallowing apparatus that Joe Smith's angels, revelations, golden Bible, sword of Laban, &c., went down in a single gulp. He had been something of a Friend, then a Wesleyan, then a Baptist, afterward a Presbyterian, and, if not halted by the Mormon fraud, he would, in all probability, have gone the round through all existing sectaries. Having advanced fifty dollars and accepted the position of a scribe to Joseph, he found himself fully committed to the "fullness of the Gospel," and earnestly proclaimed whatever foolishness or blasphemy Joe might put into him. Mrs. Harris, knowing her husband's credulity and Smith's trickery, did all she could to stop the expenditure of money, but Smith not only plied Harris with "revelations," but explained the certainty of making a speck out of the publication of the manuscripts. An edition of five thousand would cost, say, $3,000. Joseph had a revelation that the books would sell for $1.25 each, and he went on to assure his victim that there was a chance to clear $3,250. Mrs. Harris objected. Harris explained the gain to be derived from the investment; she railed at his folly, and, getting hold of the manuscript, burned "the more history part" of Lehi. Harris quarreled with and beat her; they separated, and Smith got his Golden Bible printed at the expense of Harris. Any other knave than Joe Smith would have been backed out by the burning of Lehi by Mrs. Harris, but, as Joe told Ingersoll, "he had the fools into it, and he proposed to put it through." So with promises of advancement to Harris, he had a "revelation" that his father (old man Smith) should help sell the Bibles. But the old man was arrested with a basket full of Bibles, and to pay costs he had "to cut" on the Lord's price ($1.25) and sell the lot for eighty cents apiece! This interfered with "prior revelations" given in favor of Harris, and troubles increasing, Smith, Harris, Coudery, and the Whitmers cleared out for Kirtland, Ohio. Here the "Twelve Apostles" were appointed -- Harris being left out; but as he still had some money, a little honesty, and increased capacity for credulous business, Smith smoothed him with new promises and daily revelations. In 1833, the Mormons in Jackson County, Missouri, having excited the wrath of the Jacksonians by their immoralities and fanatical insolence, were ordered out of the State. On learning this, Joe Smith, Harris, and perhaps two hundred others started for Missouri to "redeme Zion." On the way they ran into the cholera; and, notwithstanding Harris was saved, in articulo mortis, by Divine interposition, twenty of the Saints turned their toes to the lilies, in spite of Joseph's "laying on of hands." In Missouri Bishop Partridge succeeded in getting old Harris to advance twelve hundred dollars more to purchase land, on which to establish Zion -- Zion never to be removed! Too many birds of a feather having got together, Joseph found his hands full in trying to settle the difficulties which beset the church without and within. Many of the Saints were whipped, jailed, and shot for bad conduct, and some of the chiefest among the Apostles turned against the Prophet. Coudery and Whitmer, two of the witnesses, were "cut off" for lying, theiving, counterfeiting, &c., and the brethren mooted it openly that Joseph was bad -- real bad. Some of the sisters said so, and Coudery believed it. Coudery with Whitmer were turned over to Satan. Poor Harris, who had helped Joseph to get up the Mormon business, lost three thousand dollars in the Bible investment, and had recently lent the Lord twelve hundred dollars to fix the foundations of Zion, did not escape the troubles which excessive piety had brought upon the brethren. In company with Parish, who had been charged with swindling, Harris was kicked out of the camp of Israel. His earnestness and ignorance had served Joseph to their fullest extent, his money was gone, and he was named among the "negroes with white skins," and the Prophet posted him publicly as a "lackey," one "so far beneath contempt that to notice him would be a sacrifice too great for a gentleman like himself (Smith) to make!"

Packing his valise, he cut sticks for Kirtland, where he lived until 1870, when he went to Utah and ended a miserable life, raving in his last delirium over the Book of Mormon -- witnesses, facts, and fictions of the most deplorable fraud recorded in history. Never was credulity or avarice more useful in a bad way. or knavery more successful than in the lives of Joe Smith and Martin Harris.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Ann Eliza  vs.  Brigham.

Mrs. Ann Eliza Young, familiarly spoken of as Ann Eliza, ex-consort of Brigham Young, will lecture tomarrow night in Thoms' Hall, under the direction of the Boston Lecture Bureau. As Mrs. Young's divorce and alimony case before the Utah courts has long been a matter of legal vexation, and is now put to the consideration of the Cabinet solons, a brief notice to the aforesaid may not be inappropriate.

As is well known the Mormon fraud was originally projected by Joe Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and two or three others, near Palmyra, in Western New York. At first gotten up as a money-making scheme, it was soon turned to account as a religious dispensation by Sidney Rigdon and Parley P. Pratt, two of the most unprincipled adventurers that ever lived upon the credulity of mankind. Rigdon and Pratt invited Smith, Cowdery & Co. to come over to Kirtland, Ohio, where an opportunity to fleece the unsuspecting had already been improved by these two, Messrs. Rigdon and Pratt.

Although the proof is not direct, yet Mr. Tucker, who printed the first Mormon Bible, has produced a sufficency of evidence to show that Rigdon was the originator of the imposition, and Smith, Cowdery, Harris and Pratt, the accomplices to bring the play upon the boards. Public sentiment and the affidavits of near one hundred citizens of Palmyra and Manchester raised the temperature above living conditions for Smith & Company in this State, in the year 1830. Kirtland is in Lake county, and one may search in vain to find a more amusing, long-drawn imposture than the pioneer Mormon knaves practiced upon the people of that town and neighborhood. The real story of Miss Ann Eliza begins at this place (Kirtland), as it was here that her parents met and married. The father (Webb) had been converted in New York, and coming to Ohio fell in with a charming young school-teacher, sixteen years of age, who, under the pious declamation of Brigham Young, experienced a change of heart, became a Mormon, married Mr. Webb, and ultimately became the mother of Ann Eliza. While at Kirtland, Joseph Smith, the Lord's Anointed, had a revelation, which commanded him not to work -- which suited the Prophet amazingly, and he closed on every thing that smacked of labor. He also had a revelation instructing the people to build him a house, and the good Saints built him a house. To accomodate the brethren, just to accomodate them, Joseph and Sidney started a mill, from the funnels of which they took the flour, leaving the chaff to those less dainty than themselves. They also started a church store, in conducting which some misunderstandings occurred that led to the application of tar and feathers to these two worthies. After diverse purifications, they induced the brethren to "cast in" their currency, with which they started a bank, Rigdon being the President, and Joseph the Prophet, Cashier. The bank-notes were beautifully engraved, countersigned by Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, and backed by assurance from Heaven; they went right out, and the good things of the earth, houses, lands, cassimeres and silks, biscuits and honey, came right in -- to Joseph and Sidney. All at once, Jones of Pittsburg, came in with a carpet-sack full of Kirtland bills; whereupon Sidney and Joseph informed Jones that their banking was conducted on Divine principles; they put out their notes and took in whatever they could lay their hands on -- just to accomodate the people. As to Pittsburg notions of exchange and redemption, they knew little, and cared less, and, with a glance at Jones' satchel, informed him that "they didn't redeem!" Immediately thereafter the Bank of Kirtland collapsed; and Joseph and Sidney were, for awhile, necessarily absent. Previously they had let the contract for a "Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," which Temple, the first of Mormon edifices, was duly completed, and is still standing. The building was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies, in which divers wonders, miracles, tongues and gifts of the spirit were indulged particularly the latter. Several of the Apostles got drunk, according to their own account, which, instead of raising them to a higher plane, only led to the exasperation of all the Gentiles and to the apostasy of many of the better sort of the brethren and sisters, Time would fail in giving even a short account of Kirtland Mormonism, its kanvery, foolery and wickedness; apostasy set in. Gentile persecution increased, and, with Joseph in the lead, the Saints cleared out for Independence, Missouri, the Mormon Zion -- "Zion never to be removed" according to one of the Prophet's revelations. Here, as in fact it has been everywhere else, their pious fantastics did not commend the Saints to their neighbors, and, after being invited out of the State, the people of Jackson and other counties put them out. The Lord's geography as to Zion having proved inaccurate, a revised revelation pointed to Nauvoo, Illinois, where the Mormon faithful, among whom were the parents of Ann Eliza "gathered," as the phrase is in the sacred records. In this city Ann Eliza Webb, our own Ann Eliza, was born on the 13th of September, 1844. Previous to this time their pious peculiarities had brought the Saints into many troubles.

Dr. McLellen and Mrs. Smith became accidently cognizant of sundry amorous derelictions on the part of the Prophet. Cowdery told the naughty story and was turned out of the Church on the charge of "lying, counterfeiting, and talking about Joseph;" Rigdon got mad because some brother didn't treat Nancy just right; Brigham Young got into trouble with Martha Brotherton; Joseph, the Prophet, wanted to kiss Mrs. Pratt, which raised a rumpus in the camp of Israel; then Miss Law told what she knew, the Apostles began to; some of the sisters began to cry, in that general melee Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed June the 27th, 1844. Sidney Rigdon claimed the Prophet's place, but Brigham, being a better looking man, having less principle and more pluck, handed Sidney over to the buffeting of the devil, took the Church reins into his own hands, and led the Saints to Utah.

Under such circumstances, in such company, was Ann Eliza born. Persons who are inclined to speak unkindly of Mrs. Young would, perhaps, do the better part by considering these facts. Born of polygamous parents, and shut out from every opportunity to learn the deplorable condition in which she was compelled to live, are a part of the excusing facts to stay unkind judgment as to this woman, and as to those who would cast the first stone, it might be a profitable exercise to compare their own advancement, made in the light of Christian civilization with the acknowledged moral excellence of Mrs. Ann Eliza Young, as evidence by word and action since escaping from Utah's degradation. Shut out from the world by impassable mountains and deserts; knowing no better life; sacrificed by father and mother and brother in a marriage with a man she did not love, she lived only to learn the reality of all a woman's sufferings. But the little light afforded by Gentile rule came; and, first perceptions of right awakened, her soul revolted at the unhallowed practices of those around her, and on the first opportunity she fled to tell the "Story of a Ruined Life;" to devote herself to the emancipation of the enslaved women of Utah, and combat the most monsterous delusion of this or any other age. Mrs. Young is good looking, a pleasant speaker, and her missionary efforts will no doubt commend her to the good wishes of our community.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Rumpus  in  the  Camp  of  Israel.
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(under construction)

Notes: (forthcoming)

MORMONISM.
______

ISAAC ERRETT -- Dear Sir: In the STANDARD of March 25th is quite a lengthy article headed "Rumpus in the Camp of Israel," in which the writer (whoever he is) makes many statements void of truth...

(under construction)

Notes: (forthcoming)

MORMON  LITERATURE.
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In reply to a correspondent who desires to be informed as to the history of the Mormons, we give the following references, to direct inquirers along the line of authors whose works are most frequently referred to us. Books will be mentioned in order of the dates of publication; those marked * are rare or scarce. The names of those from whom the principal Mormon works may be obtained will also be given.

1830. -- * "First edition of the Mormon Bible, Joseph Smith, Author and Proprietor, Grandin, Palmyra, New York. This first edition is the one on which Smith and Harris thought to make $3,250.

Some time before its publication, Mrs. Harris destroyed one hundred and sixteen pages of the manuscript! Smith's explanation of the missing pages was given in the preface; but the explanation was worse than the loss of Nephi, and now that preface is omitted in the editions of Brigham Young and the Josephite Bible venders at Plano, Ill.

1831. -- * In the Evangelical Inquirer (bound with Scott's Evangelists). the letter of Thos. Campbell to Sidney Rigdon. Mr. Rigdon joined the Mormon Church in 1830 (before he had read the Smith Bible through), and at once defied the world! Thos. Campbell sent a communication to the Dayton [sic, Painesville?] Telegraph -- and a copy to Rigdon, per Messrs. Moor and Goddell. Rigdon tore up Campbell's letter and declined all public discussion! (Letter and propositions in Howe.)

1831. -- Millennial Harbinger, in which Alexander Campbell gives a ten page notice of Smith and the Mormon Bible, exposing to the satisfaction of every Biblical scholar and all common sense readers, the shallowness of the imposture, its falsities, contradictions, absurdities and wickedness. Campbell's refutation may be replied to but can not answered; it subverts the very foundations of Mormonism, and shows that Smith and his associates were the most impudent of knavish atheists. (Mil. Harbingers at this office.)

1834. -- * Howe's "Mormonism Unvailed." Very scarce -- only to be found in private libraries or occasionally at Woodward's, 78 Nassau St., N. Y. This book is ably written. It contains particular accounts of the Smiths while residents of New York; the affidavits of the people of Palmyra and Manchester against Smith and his confederates; their advent into Ohio; Kirtland Mormonism; the doings of Rigdon, Cowdery and Harris; the letter of Thos. Campbell, and a series of letters from Ezra Booth (reprinted from the Ohio Star.)

1839. -- * Pamphlet by John Corrill. This can only be obtained from Woodward, or the pamphlet antiquarians. Corrill was a good writer; he gives an explicit account of his conversion in 1830; experiences as an elder; his discovery of the fraud -- and his apostasy from the Mormon faith in 1839.

This pamphlet corroborates largely the expose of Howe; and convincingly shows up the aims and ends of Smith and Rigdon -- money PLACE, POWER!

1842. -- * Mormonism in All Ages by Prof. Turner, of Illinois College. This is a historical, scriptural and philosophical expose of Mormonism; and contains a startling biographical chapter on the Mormon leaders. This book contains, also, square yards of undeniable facts, and the extracts are from the publications of Smith himself. Turner had a copy of Smith's "Book of Commandments," which the Church suppressed. Throughout the work there is a "flow and force" that kills Mormons and Mormonism; and although scarce, it is worth hunting up and reading in every community afflicted with Mormon preachers. It may be had from second-hand book dealers in the principal cities, or of Woodward, 78 Nassau.

1842-44. -- "Peter Cartwright's Autobiography," to be had in any Methodist community, or from the booksellers generally. This contains an interesting interview between Cartwright and Smith; and gives in unvarnished terms the Prophet's characteristics, knavery, profanity, lewdness and general badness,

1844. -- Brown's "History of Illinois." High-handed proceedings of the Nauvoo Mormons; killing of Smith, etc. To be had from booksellers, St. Louis, Chicago.

1844. -- * Ford's "Hist. of Illinois," This is scarce and valuable. It contains Gov. Ford's official relations with the Mormons; shows up their disregard for law, and their frequent attempts to make a bad theocracy override the sovereignty and laws of the State and general government; it gives the details of Smith's assassination at Carthage, and establishes the fact that the Mormons were not driven from Illinois "for righteousness' sake!"

1844. -- * Rigdon's "Messenger and Advocate" (bound pamphlets). Scarce. This is seldom to be found. It is Rigdon's last, wild effort to beat Brigham Young and establish himself as Pope of the Mormons! It contains substantial proof against Smith as a polygamist; and gives almost positive proof that Rigdon, instead of being a convert to Mormonism, was himself a confederate of Smith in planning the scheme and writing the Mormon Bible!

1846-54. -- * Pamphlets, by Van Duzen and wife, disclosing the lewd mysteries given by Smith, in 1841-42-43, and performed by Young and Apostles in the Temple at Nauvoo, 1845-5. (To be had possibly from Woodward, 78 Nassau.)

1850. -- "Mackey's Work" (London). A valuable work and well done. This shows the Mormon Sermon as delivered in England; the working of miracles, "casting three hundred and eighteen devils out of one woman!" Also, Smith's political papers; his nomination for the Presidency; together with Kane's Essay, and the well authenticated narratives of travelers through the Nauvoo Camp. (Robt. Clarke & Co., Cin.).

1852. -- Lieut. Gunnison, U. S. A., A valuable work, now republished at Philadelphia. This contains incontrovertible arguments against Smith and the Nauvoo apostles as polygamists and law breakers. It is said Gunnison lost his life for writing this book.

1852-3. -- "Mormons at home," by Mrs. B. G. Ferris, wife of the Secretary of Utah. This woman went to Utah before polygamy was proclaimed; she knew nothing of the Mormons before entering Salt Lake Valley, but discovered, in less than six months, that whatever may be charged as to Mormon lewdness, apostolic duplicity, deplorable degradation and general badness, is but a mild expression of bad facts. (To be had from booksellers).

1856. -- "Hall's Pamphlet," on Mormon counterfeiting, infanticide, polygamy and things worse. For writing this pamphlet, Hall's life was threatened; he expressed a fear that Mormon emissaries would accomplish their purpose, and left Cincinnati for Washington City -- to give information to the authorities as to the designs of Mormon leaders. He has never been heard of since; inquiry fails to elicit any information concerning him!"

1857. -- "Fifteen Years Among the Mormons," by Ettie Coray Smith; republished by Belknap. This exposes the polygamy of Smith at Nauvoo; Young's complicity in several Utah murders, and the heart-rending details of Mountain Meadows Massacre, (concerning which, Gunter's Bill, now before Congress). Good book, to be had from dealers generally.

1857. -- "Mormonism, Leaders and Designs," by Elder John Hyde. The author was converted in England, went as Missionary to France; thence to Salt Lake by the way of Nauvoo. Finding himself wickedly deceived, he left and published his experiences.

The book is, by Mormon confession, more than an expose of bad character. It commences on Smith's "learning of the Jews in the language of the Egyptians," and shows that the Book of Mormon is not a translation from golden plates, or any thing else; but a rehash of the Spaulding novel, supplemented by bad plagiarisms from the New Testament, in which even the errors of King James; translation are incorporated!: (To be had from Woodward, New York).

1867-68-70. -- "The Prophet and Harem," by Mrs. Judge Waite; "Utah and the Mormons," by J. H. Beadle; "Origin of Mormonism," by Pomeroy Tucker; "Rocky Mountain Saints," by Elder Stenhouse. These works may be obtained from Perry & Morton, Vine street, Cincinnati, O. Mrs. Waite's "Prophet and Harem" gives a political history of Utah, together with the good, bad and indifferent particulars of the "Young" family. It is a good book, correct and reliable.

The work by Beadle, (Commercial's correspondent) is voluminous on all points from Palmyra to Salt Lake City, and may be relied on as particularly exact. The large work, by Stenhouse, contains all that is necessary for any one to know about Mormonism.

It contains Smith's broadest draw upon human credulity, a translation of the Book of Abraham, with parallel columns by Remy and Brenchley of Paris.

Tucker's "Origin of Mormonism" is the best in print. The author was editorially connected with Grandin, who printed the first edition of the Mormon Bible, in 1830; he was well acquainted with the Smiths, Cowdery and Harris; he accumulated the evidence that Rigdon was the "mysterious stranger" who aided Smith, 1828-9-30, in getting up the imposture; and his statements, upon personal observation, are corroborated by the best citizens of Palmyra and Manchester.

1875. -- "My Life in Bondage," by Ann Eliza Young. This book is now being read throughout the nation, and, as thirty thousand copies were sold in four months, it is likely that the authoress will, in history, hold her place with reference to Mormonism and its overthrow, as Mrs. Stowe and "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to American slavery. The parents of Ann Eliza (as she is called), Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Webb, embraced Mormonism at Kirtland, Ohio, in the beginning; they suffered through the Missouri persecutions and went overland in the exodus of 1847. Ann Eliza was born in Nauvoo; her parents were sincere in their acceptance of "celestial marriage," and are, today, witnesses to the earnest labors of their child, who by voice and pen is doing so much to dispel the delusion which blighted their lives!

Tucker's book shows the beginning of Mormonism; Mrs. Young's late work shows its maturity, and we are glad to say, promises its speedy destruction!


Notes: (forthcoming)

America Discovered by the Welsh.
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There is a curious interest in the various evidences brought forward in behalf of the discovery of America before Columbus, and the present volume furnishes interesting food for thought in its industrious presentation of the claims of the Welsh, whose connection with this continent is placed as early as 1170. In his introduction, the author, Rev. Benjamin F. Bowen, tells a story which illustrates the confusion of ideas in regard to the early settlers of this country. A clergyman learning that Mr. Sabin, the antiquarian, would give a large price for an Indian Bible, brought him a Welsh one, which, in his ignorance, he supposed to be the real thing. It appears that the two languages bear a marked resemblance to each other. The origin of the Welsh is traced to the banks of the Euphrates and Tigris, and the evidence of their occupancy of various parts of the earth is set forth. Being a migratory race, dwelling in the British Islands in the time of Homer, and with strong seafaring propensities, their voyaging to America with the facilities afforded by the ocean currents is regarded as not unreasonable. The voyages of Prince Madoc are then recounted with other evidence illustrating his claims to the discovery. Narratives by the Rev. Morgan Jones and the Rev. Charles Beatty, who traveled in this country in the middle of the last century, are given to show that some tribes of Indians spoke Welsh. The western mounds are then traced to the Welsh, whose migrations to that region are dwelt upon; the dispersion of these Welsh Indians is narrated, and the names connected with them are cited in support of the author's theory. The experiences of various prominent persons are brought forward in this behalf; the Welsh blood and characteristics being traced among various tribes and peoples on this continent, while claims of the Welsh in connection with the revolution and as associated with eminent public characters of the latter days, are set forth. The book will be read with interest by persons desirous of ubvestigating the subject, whatever may be their conclusion as to the strength of the evidence contained in it. -- St. Azziz.


Note: The book mentioned above was Rev. B. F. Bowen's 1876 America Discovered by the Welsh, (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippencott & Co.)

Death  of  Joe  Smith's  Successor.

From the Pittsburgh Gazette.

On Friday last there died at Friendship, Allegheny County, N. Y., Sidney Rigdon, in the eighty-fourth year of his age. He was a person who had a peculiar history, and one not without interest to Pittsburgers. He was born near Piney Fork, this county, and reached maturity near the place of his birth. When about twenty-five years old he entered the ministry in the Baptist Church, and was for some time pastor at the First Baptist Church, corner of Third and Grant streets. Becoming dissatisfied with the faith, he, with Alexander Campbell and a Mr. Church of this city formed the "Campbellite" or "Christian" Church, which at one time had a considerable number of adherents in this section of the country. Some time after he went to Ohio and organized a congregation according to the new faith. While there he met Elder Parley Pratt, of the Mormon Church, in debate, and becoming worsted, joined the Mormons, and took his congregation with him. They went to Courtland [sic - Kirtland?], Ohio, where a Mormon congregation was organized. Then they were forced to go to Western Missouri, and, finally, by persecutions, were driven to Nauvoo. There Mr. Rigdon stayed until within six or seven months of Joe Smith's death, when, becoming dissatisfied with polygamy, he returned to Pittsburg. Hearing of Smith's death, and that he was appointed his successor, Mr. Rigdon returned to Nauvoo. On the day appointed for choosing Smith's successor, Mr. Rigdon told the congregation that if he was elected he would not only prohibit polygamy, but expel every one who practiced it. He then asked the audience if they desired to have him for President that each man hold up his right hand. Not a hand was raised. Brigham Young then told the audience that he was Smith's successor, and if elected he would carry out his ideas. He was unanimously elected. Mr. Rigdon again returned to Pittsburg, and tried to establish a church. Not succeeding, he moved to the Genesee Valley, N. Y., and has there remained up to the time of his death, a period of about thirty years. After abandoning his religious ventures, he devoted himself to the study of geology, and supported himself, in a great measure, by lecturing upon that science. He is said to have been much respected in his community as a law-abiding, conscientious citizen.


Notes: (forthcoming)

DEATH  OF  SIDNEY  RIGDON.
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This somewhat notorious man died recently, at Friendship, Allegany county, N. Y., in the eighty-fourth year of his age. He was a native of Western Pennsylvania; entered the ministry of the Baptist church when a young man, and, in Pittsburgh, gained considerable reputation as a pulpit orator. Leaving the Baptists, he came among the Disciples when they were a feeble folk, and was for a time the associate of Alexander Campbell and Walter Scott. Mr. Campbell, however, never fully gave him his confidence, but looked upon him as a man of restless ambition who sought to conceal his motives under an affected zeal for reformation. Mr. C. several times told us that he never would feel that Mr. Rigdon was frank and candid with him, as a co-worker ought to be. We had it, long ago, from the oldest members of the church in Pittsburgh, that Rigdon, while with them, did his best to convert them to communism and to the doctrines that miracles and new revelations ought to be found in the church. It is thus evident that, at that time, he was concocting the Mormon scheme, and this, in connection with what was afterwards ascertained of the existence of Mr. Spalding's manuscript in a Pittsburgh printing office where Rigdon could have access to it, early satisfied us that he had much to do in the creation of the Mormon imposture. In Ohio, he was somewhat known among our churches, but his success in leading away the disciples when he went over publicly to Mormonism, was not what he anticipated. He afterwards figured largely among the Mormons at Kirtland, O., in Missouri, and at Nauvoo, Ill. Failing to obtain the leadership after the death of Joseph Smith, he next attempted, we believe, the organization of a separate church; but faiing in this, went into retirement, spending the rest of his days mostly in the Genesee valley, N. Y. From his neighbors we have several times learned that he was a quiet citizen, much esteemed for his social virtues, and altogether reticent concerning his Mormon adventures. It is said he devoted himself mainly to the study of Geology and to lecturing on that science. Whether he has left anything behind him, revealing to the inside history of Mormonism; we do not know; but presume from his persistent reticence during life, that he has carried his secret knowledge with him to the grave. He was wrecked through an insane ambition. Let all self-seekers take notice.


Notes: (forthcoming)

PIONEER  MORMON  DEAD.
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We gave last week a brief notice of the death of Sidney Rigdon. His connection with Mormonism was such that it is of historical importance to preserve a record of his life and character, and we are able to give, from trustworthy sources, a fuller statement of the main facts in his career than will probably appear in any other paper, and such as will furnish desired information to the public.

Sidney Rigdon, the establisher of Mormonism, is dead -- laid away in the quiet of his last sleep, in the village graveyard, at Friendship, Alleghany county, New York. Mr. Rigdon was born in Pennsylvania, 1793, and died July 14th, in the eighty-fourth year of his age . The death of this man is an item of interest in Mormon history. To his exertions the Latter-day Saints may rightly attribute the establishment of their church, and at his grave the anxious inquirer may cease to inquire concerning the strange secrecies of his life and stranger mysteries which envelop the origin of the Mormon Bible.

Until his twenty-sixth year, Sidney Rigdon lived in and around the city of Pittsburg, and later about the year 1822, he had charge of the Baptist church in that city. In 1824 a union was effected between this body and the church to which Walter Scott ministered -- a portion of the former, however, dissenting and forming a separate Baptist church.

He thus became identified with the Reformation as plead for by Alexander Campbell, and in 1827 he appears in northeastern Ohio as co-laborer with Walter Scott. At this time he was favorably known for his scriptural learning, his advocacy of church reforms, the fluency and force of his pulpit oratory, and for an ambition which, at times, so uncontrollably possessed him as to put the man beside himself. Among the religious notions which he sought to propagate among the Disciples, may be mentioned the following: first Communism; and second, Miracles and Gifts of the Spirit; and third, New Revelations. These were, a few years later, the salients of all the Mormon sermons. They were obnoxious to the Disciples and were cautiously introduced. In association with Alexander Campbell, and Walter Scott, he for a time indulged his ambition in being ranked as third man in the Reformation. In the year 1827, however, Walter Scott received an appointment from the Mahoning Association, which for the time seemed to bar the way to the gratification of Mr. Rigdon's ambition, and he left, nothing much being heard of him beyond the village of Mentor, and a few other points on the Reserve until the year 1830, when he appeared as the front speaker and ablest defender of Joseph Smith and Mormonism. The Book of Mormon was printed by Grandin, at Palmyra, in 1830; and certainly before Rigdon had time to read it or examine into its authenticity, he appeared in the Hall of the Young Men's Association, Palmyra, where he preached a strong sermon from Nephi, ch. iv. This effort was not well received; but he remained in the neighborhood a short time, and, assisted by Smith and Cowdery, baptized a few converts. Returning to Mentor, near Kirtland, Ohio, Mr. Rigdon and Parley P. Pratt commenced the advocacy of the new religion with such seeming earnestness that many were at once converted; the Smiths came over from Palmyra, and a church was established; many persons of means were induced to cast in their all for the upbuilding of the Lord's cause and the advance of the Millennium. Smith had no plot nor plan; Rigdon furnished the brains, Pratt the eloquence, and Harris the money, to carry important measures through. For a while things went on swimmingly, Smith and Rigdon had frequent revelations; there was a babbling of divers tongues; the community was inundated with religious fanaticism.

The imposture well under way, Smith and Rigdon gave a bread-and-butter phase to their proceedings. Revelations were always ready to purpose, and a mill was built -- a church mill.

Joseph and Sidney fattened on the choicest grindings, the people taking the bran; property sites were marked, Joseph and Sidney taking generally the corner lots. Soon the pious priests were tarred and feathered for bad conduct. They also started a bank, put out stacks of bills, lined their pockets, became full-handed and impudent. When Jones came in with a carpet-bag full of Kirtland bills, Rigdon cooly informed him that they didn't redeem! Finding themselves duped and swindled, many of the best members apostatized and applied to the courts for redress. This put the prophet-bankers upon the wing -- Smith and Rigdon escaping between two days with a sheriff's posse at their heels! Emboldened by their success, they went to the most audacious lengths in Missouri; Smith became defiant, and Rigdon indulged in the most inflammatory speech-making. In his well known "Salt Sermon," he not only advised casting out, but treading under foot, all who should dissent from the plans of Joseph and himself; and in one of his orations, delivered on the Fourth of July, he defiantly proclaimed a war of extermination against that people who should deny their Mormon rights or meddle with their concerns!

Much of the trouble in Missouri was caused by Rigdon's flow of fight and fury; and after being opposed, whipped, jailed, and threatened with extermination, the Saints were chased from the State into Illinois -- where they built Nauvoo. After quieting his nerves and recovering somewhat from the scourgings inflicted by the Missouri mobs, Rigdon penned his famous Memorial to the Pennsylvania Assembly, asking that honorable body to take some action in behalf of the exiled saints.

Relief could scarcely be expected on such a presentation; the writer certainly had little ground for expectation; but it was what the irate apostle wanted -- a good opportunity to display his drastic grammar, and put permently before the people a tirade upon the unregenerate Missourians.

At Nauvoo, Rigdon was postmaster, lawyer, philosopher and saint! A visitor there in 1843 thus describes him:

"Sidney Rigdon, one of the Counselors, prophet seer and revelator, is forty-two years of age, five feet nine inches high, weighs one hundred and sixty five pounds (before his avoirdupois was reduced by Missouri persecutions his weight was two hundred and twelve pounds). He is a mighty man in Israel, of varied learning, and extensive and laborious research. There is no divine in the West more deeply learned in biblical literature and the world's history than he. His oratory is fervidly eloquent, his language chaste, and his reasoning conclusive. Any city would be proud of such a man. By his proclamation thousands have heard the glad tidings and obeyed the word of God; but he is now in the 'sere and yellow leaf,' and his silvery locks fast ripening for the grave."

On laying the corner stone of the Nauvoo Temple, Rigdon was orator of the day; and before an immense concourse of people he delivered the great speech of his life -- a masterly performance in all the force and accomplishments of natural and acquired oratory. As before remarked, Rigdon's abilities were of the versatile sort; and soon after the dedication of the Temple site, we find him in the municipal court of Nauvoo, leading counsel for the defendant, Joe Smith, who was arrested by Higbee on the charge of slander -- in which all the parties appeared to more or less disadvantage in the roles of liars, defamers, seducers and adulterers.

This and other trials uncovered a swamp of immoralities in the Nauvoo Church; and, whatever the versatile abilities of Rigdon, it plainly appeared that as prophet, seer, revelator and orator, he had not been very successful in the inculcation and establishment of sound morality.

The charges made by one writer (Mayhew), that Rigdon was an advocate of spiritual wifeism, are undoubtedly false. It can only be said that he may have been non-committal, and that Smith presumed beyond legitimate presumption when he attempted the seduction of one of Rigdon's relatives. It is known that a coldness ensued between Smith and his chief counselor because of this affair.

When Smith was killed (1844) Rigdon put in at once for the vacant place, he being the next eligible person according to rank and revelation. Others aspired to Smith's place -- among whom [was] Brigham Young. This designing man made good use of his recent successes, and put prominently forward before the Assembly the coldness between Joseph and Sidney. He charged the great Counselor with designing a split in the church, waning in faith, and declared his revelations to be from the devil -- and never from God!

Young was successful in his attack on Rigdon; the latter's friends were intimidated, and, with less than a hundred adherents he could only rant and rave in prophetic folly, assert a new revelation in support of his claims, and threaten to tell, if his demands were not agreed to. This threat to tell it all only threw him into lower contempt. Brigham Young openly jeered, informing the Assembly that if Sidney Rigdon ever attempted an expose, he would cut his own head off at the first stroke!"

Brigham knew exactly what he was saying. He knew that Rigdon could expose only by exposing himself as the original designer of the imposture, or as a private power behind Smith in the inculcation of communism and polygamy! On motion, Rigdon was excommunicated -- "handed over to the buffetings of Satan for a thousand years;" and the people said, Amen!

In worst disgrace the fallen Counselor left Nauvoo for Pittsburg, where he published for awhile the Messenger and Advocate -- and through his sub writers, Savary, Pry, Gregg, [Beal] and others, attempted to blast the Nauvoo theocracy and raise himself to the head of the Mormon Church. He was signally unsuccessful, and in 1846-7, he moved to Friendship, Allegany Co., New York, where he resided until his death.

For thirty years he has been reticent, refusing to discourse at all upon his Mormon adventures.

He was approached by the messengers of Young and Plano Joseph, but he refused to converse or answer any communication which in any way would bring him into public notice in connection with the Mormon Church of to-day. It was his daily custom to visit the Post Office, get the daily papers, read and converse upon the chief topics of the day. He was a genial companion, a good citizen, and respected by all who knew him. He often engaged in a friendly dispute with the local ministers, and always came out first best on New Testament doctrinal matters.

Patriarchal in appearance, and kindly in address, he was often approached by citizens and strangers, with a view of obtaining something of the unworded mysteries of his life; but citizen or stranger and persistent reporter, all alike failed in eliciting any information as to his knowledge of the Mormon imposture, the motives of his early life, or the religious faith, fears and hopes of his declining years. Once or twice he spoke excitedly, in terms of scorn, of those who attributed to him the manufacture of the Mormon Bible; but beyond this, nothing. Hos library was small; he left no manuscripts, and refused persistently to have a picture of himself taken. It can only be said that he was a compound of ability, versatility, honesty, duplicity and mystery.

The Masonic fraternity conducted the services over his lifeless body, and a kind of community followed Rigdon and his untold secrets to the quiet of an unmarked grave.


Note: The above obituary was written by Standard Editor, Isaac Errett (who came from the Pittsburgh congregation expelled by Rigdon in 1823), with input from Disciple sources familiar with the church at Mentor and with Sidney Rigdon's last days at Friendship. For more Rigdon obituaries see the western New York papers for July, 1876 as well as the July 18th issue of the Pittsburgh Telegraph.

THE SAINTS.
________

Their Troubles In this Vale of Tears --
Crickets and Other Bugs Till They
Can't Rest -- The Sort of Citizen that the
Average Mormon Is.

Special Correspondence of the LEADER.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH,    
February 1, 1877.    

Elder Orson Pratt, the Historian of the Mormon Church, gave me to-day some very interesting statements concerning the Latter Day Saints. It appears that their greatest afflictions have been caused by crickets, grasshoppers and Gentiles. The crickets -- large as a man's thumb -- came down from the mountains and destroyed some of their crops, and left many of their people destitute. Again in 1863, the grasshopper, like the Chinaman, individually harmless but collectively a scourge, destroyed the crops of the Saints and Gentiles alike in nearly the whole territory. Still later came the ungodly Gentile with his mining tools and unsaintly ways familiarly culling the great prophet and leader, Old Brig., inquiring with mock solicitude after his mother-in-law, and in a thousand ways pushing the iron into the Society soul. All social and political questions resolve themselves into Mormon and anti-Mormon, and are often fought out in a Jesuitical and unscrupulous manner. The fertile soil of these valleys has enabled the Saints to prosper, but the rich ores in the mountains will be their ruin as a Church.

If the mining interests had been developed ten years earlier, the Mormon question would have been settled before this. So far as I have observed, the average Mormon is industrious and stupid, with a blind faith in his leaders, giving one-tenth of his earnings without a murmur to the Church. A majority of them appear to be foreigners, and are scattered in settlements in nearly every part of Utah. Eider Pratt informed me that they number about one hundred and fifty thousand, and have been anxiously waiting for the constitutional privileges of a State, an advantage that the Mormons would have turned to good account for their interest had Utah been made a State ten years ago. There are two buildings, perhaps three, in Salt Lake of peculiar interest to the visitor:

First -- the Tabernacle, like an immense oblong wooden bowl bottom up, on great pillars or abutments. It is 230 feet long by 130 feet wide, and will comfortably seat 12,000 people. No Brooklyn disaster can befall an audience of Latter Day Saints, for the numerous doors between the stone piers will let thirteen thousand people out of the building in less than two minutes.

The second building of interest to the gaping Gentile is the Palace of Amelia, built for Brigham's favorite wife. It is nearly completed, and is not surpassed in elegance by any house on Euclid avenue. The third building of interest is Brigham's home -- a long house with its porches and cozy nooks -- suggestive of comfort and happiness.

With awe-struck wonder the Puritanic traveler will gaze at that paternal roof, with its vast combinations of wifely and natural interests, its overwhelming mother-in-law exigencies and possibilities. Mr. Babbates' calculating and difference engine is nowhere in figures to that house with its nineteen wives and seventy children, with their heterogeneous emotions.

   KARL.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Joe  Smith’s  Bible.

(Troy Times, March 31.)

According to an item which is taking the rounds of the press one of the rarest books printed in the nineteenth century is the first edition of the "Book of Mormon," published at Palmyra, N. Y., in 1830, and it is stated that the historian Macaulay tried in vain for years to procure a copy of it. The Buffalo Historical Society possesses a copy of the so-called Mormon Bible, presented to it several years ago by one of our citizens, and we presume it would not be very difficult to procure another in the town where it was printed. The first Mormon prophet resided in or near Palmyra, and pretended that he transcribed the Book of Mormon from inscriptions on metal plates which he found on a hill near the village, as revealed to him in a vision. But poor "Joe Smith," as he was then called, was regarded as a careless, lazy, dissolute fellow, and it was a long time before he could persuade anybody to take enough stock in his "new departure" to pay for printing the book. At last, however, the work was undertaken, more to "fill up time" in the slack business of a country printing office than with any expectation that the proprietor would realize a fair profit on the job. The printer who did all the press work on the book, we believe, is still living at Palmyra, and he undoubtedly preserved a specimen of his handiwork, according to the custom of those days. A note of inquiry addressed to the postmaster at Palmyram N. Y., would probably result in putting the writer in communication with a person who could supply an authentic copy of the very first sheets of the original "Book of Mormon."

(Buffalo Commercial.)

The Mormon Bible was printed at the office of the Wayne Sentinel, Palmyra, by Egbert Grandin, at that time the temporary publisher of the paper named. Pomeroy Tucker, however, was the owner of the establishment, which was conducted under his active supervision. Both Mr. Grandin and Mr. Tucker are dead. The proof sheets of the original Mormon Bible were read by Mr. Tucker. There are few copies of this first edition now extant. A copy preserved by Mr. Tucker is now in possession of his son, H.O.R. Tucker, of the Troy Times. Its mechanical execution is excellent. The publication was not undertaken to "fill up time in the slack business of a country printing office," but the job was paid for at a fair profit; a deluded follower of Joe Smith, (Martin Harris, of Macedon, Wayne county,) mortgaging his farm to raise the means for that purpose. The venerable Major John Gilbert, still living at Palmyra, did the press work. We very much doubt whether copies of the first edition of the "Book of Mormon" could now be obtained at Palmyra or elsewhere. The only authentic account of the origin and progress of Mormonism is contained in a volume published by Appleton & Co. some ten years ago, of which the late Pomeroy Tucker was the author. It presents in detail the facts, incidents and personages connected with the rise of this stupendous imposture, the author himself residing in the same town with Joe Smith, and knowing all about his proceedings and methods of deception.


Notes: (forthcoming)

GARFIELD  AT  HOME.
________

AN  INTERVIEW  WITH   THE STATESMAN  IN  HIS  RURAL  RETREAT.
________

Croquet and Finance -- The Persistent Delusion of Cheap Money --
The Struggle in Ohio With the Heresy...
________

Special Correspondence to the Cincinnati Gazette.

Mentor, Lake Co., O. July 13.    

Mentor is a town in the New England sense only -- that is, a political division of thickly settled country, with here and there enough houses in a group to make a small hamlet. Having been directed here to find General Garfield's home, I started around the depot confidently looking for a city of some thousands, and found myself confronted by space. On the other side was a hotel, around it grain fields, and further along a few houses. Being informed that the General lived two miles out on the Ridge road, I walked off through as pretty a rural region as can be found in a level country....

To me this is a region of great historic incident, and I only regret that I can not steal a week from politics to dig up some local reminiscences. It seems like familiar ground. Many a time and oft in the "experience meetings" in Utah I have heard old Mormons tell of their trials here -- known in their history as the "third general persecution" -- and more than one old Mormon lady has described to me the beauty of her early home on the Reserve. Two miles from here Sidney Rigdon founded his little society, composed of dissenters from the "Disciples," and in due time led the whole society bodily into Mormonism. Here the Church was first regularly organized with about a hundred members, and a little way up the road stands the only temple the "Saints" ever completed, now owned by the "Josephites," and considerately shown to visitors at fifteen cents a head. Near by are the ruins of the old house in which Joe Smith and three elders received the revelation regarding a community of goods; not far off the house where Joe lived when he was mobbed and tarred and feathered, and in an adjacent cabin "Father Whitmer wrestled all night with the Devil," and finally threw him in a fair stand up ("under holds"). Here the parents of Ann Eliza Young were united in marriage by Joe Smith himself; and here the "Kirtland Safety Society Bank" was organized "by the command of God, and under the laws of Ohio." I have in my possession a pretentiously executed bill which says that the above bank "will pay bearer one dollar," the illusive promise being signed by "Jos Smith, President,"and "Sidney Rigdon, Cashier." Along the road from Mentor and Kirtland lived the worst anti-Mormons in the district, and the saints once put it to vote in their assembly whether they should not burn every house along the way. The proposition was defeated by two majority, and not to change the subject suddenly, some two miles on the way, and a mile and a half from Kirtland, I found the farm house, which is now the residence of Gen. Garfield....   HANSON


Note 1: Unfortunately Mr. Hanson neglected to supply the journalistic linkage between General Garfield and his residence in the old Warren Corning home, where some of the early 1830s anti-Mormon meetings were held. It was here that D. P. Hurlbut reportedly exhibited both the "Roman story" of Solomon Spalding and the "Manuscript Found," written by the same author.

Note 2: Hanson makes it sound as though Joseph Smith was living in Kirtland at the time of his 1832 tar and feathering. In fact, he was then living several miles away, in Hiram, in adjacent Portage County.

We publish to-day a recent sermon delivered by Brigham Young, in which he refers to an incident in the life of Oliver Cowdery, who he says went with Joe Smith to the "hill Cumorac," [sic] "when it opened and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room," where they found the "sword of Laban" unsheathed, and on it was written these words: "This sword will never be sheathed again until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and Christ." This man Cowdery was the most intelligent of all the men connected with the Mormon imposture, and it is now generally believed was the real author of the Mormon Bible. After the Nauvoo affair he left the Mormons and came back to Ohio. He located at Tiffin and practiced law there for several years, when he removed to Wisconsin. Subsequently we heard that he rejoined the Mormons and we do not know whether he is alive or dead, While a resident of Seneca county he was very secluded and retiring in his habits, and it was then said that he was fearful of the "Avenging Angels" of the Mormons, as they threatened his life for deserting them. It was alleged while residing in Tiffin, with his family, that he never would go on the streets after dark and changed his place of sleeping from one room to another every night. He was very moody and it was asserted he deeply regretted his connection with the Mormon Church, and confidentially said he possessed too many of the secrets of the Mormon leaders to make his life safe. He was considered a good lawyer, but had no gift for public speaking. We have not observed his name mentioned for many years, in the papers until we noticed it in this report of of Young's Conference discussions at Farmington.

---

There was nothing unusual or dramatic in the death of the Mormon prophet. "Such," says a dispatch to the New York Herald, was his weakness that nothing, not even the least incident, rendered the death bed of Brigham Young noteworthy. During eighteen hours previous to his death he was unconscious except at intervals of perhaps a minute in length, and then he answered questions which were asked without making any voluntary inquiry. On Tuesday evening and during most of the day the Lion House was approached by scores of visitors, but some of Brigham Young's own wives were prevented from seeing him. Many of his younger children were not aware of his approaching death and all except a few of the younger members of his family were denied admission to his bedside. If he gave utterance or made any last request it has been carefully concealed, He is said to have died quietly after a long period of silence and quiet breathing. One ghastly feature of Mormonism is illustrated by the fact that some of Brigham's wives, relegated to hovels and unable yesterday to view the remains of their departed suzerain, were hanging around the doors of the Lion House. Crape was placed on the doors of the Lion House and the Bee Hive at four o'clock and the cooperative stores and all mercantile establishments owned by Mormons in the city were closed at once. There has been no general demonstration of regret. Indeed, there is a noticeable lack of excitement.


Note: The relevant passage in the 1877 Brigham Young discourse was: "Oliver Cowdery went with the Prophet Joseph when he deposited these plates. Joseph did not translate all of the plates; there was a portion of them sealed, which you can learn from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says that when Joseph and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room. He says he did not think, at the time, whether they had the light of the sun or artificial light; but that it was just as light as day. They laid the plates on a table; it was a large table that stood in the room. Under this table there was a pile of plates as much as two feet high, and there were altogether in this room more plates than probably many wagon loads; they were piled up in the corners and along the walls. The first time they went there the sword of Laban hung upon the wall; but when they went again it had been taken down and laid upon the table across the gold plates; it was unsheathed, and on it was written these words: "This sword will never be sheathed again until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and his Christ." I tell you this as coming not only from Oliver Cowdery, but others who were familiar with it, and who understood it just as well as we understand coming to this meeting... Carlos Smith was a young man of as much veracity as any young man we had, and he was a witness to these things. Samuel Smith saw some things, Hyrum saw a good many things, but Joseph was the leader."

The Springfield Republican publishes some facts concerning the origin of the Mormon Bible that are interesting but not new. There never was any doubt that it was a modification of the MS. story written by the Rev. Solomon Spaulding, in Bible phraseology, and purporting to be an account of the lost tribes of Israel, some fo which settled in America. Spaulding, we believe, was a Presbyterian minister, and settled over a congregation in Ashtabula County. The story was written for his own amusement and the entertainment of his neighbors. Whether Joe Smith or Sidney Rigdon copied it we do not know, but the revision and adaptation of it to the uses which it was finally put were the work of Rigdon, who was intellectually and by education much the superior of Smith. Rigdon took the MS. to Pittsburg where it was printed. There are people yet living in Ashtabula, we presume, who are familiar with the circumstances attending the origin of the Book of Mormon, and who listened to the reading of its original by the author himself.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Brigham  Young.
______

Brigham Young, who died on the 29th ult. of inflammation of the bowels, was born in Vermont, June 1, 1801. His father was a small farmer, and Brigham enjoyed very few advantages in the way of education. While yet quite a biy he was apprenticed and learned the trade of a painter and glazier. During his early youth he developed strong religious proclivities and united with the Baptist Church, and it is even said occasionally preached about the country as he traveled working at his trade.

In 1832 he was ordained an Elder of the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints," having been converted to the Mormon faith a short time previously, and began his peculiar and celebrated career as a preacher in the Mormon settlement at Kirtland, Ohio. Since that time he has been closely indentified with the rise, spread, and interior history of this religion, being for most of the time practically the "Church" itself.

The church had already been started as an organization in Manchester, N. Y., and in 1831 reemoved, with all its members, to Kirtland, Ohio, under the leadership of Joseph Smith. At the period of Young's ascension, the government of the church consisted of a Presidency, of which Smith, Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams were the incumbants. His telents and shrewdness speedily made him prominent, and in February, 1835, a further step in the organization was made by the institution of twelve apostles, and he was ordained one of the twelve and sent forth with the other apostles. His field of labor was the Eastern States, and he was signally successful in making converts.

In 1836 a large and costly temple, which had been for three years in process of building, was consecrated at Kirtland, and 1837 Orson Hyde and Heber C. Kimball were sent as missionaries to England. In 1838, the bank at Kirtland having failed, Smith and Rigdon fled to Missouri in the night, hotly pursued by their creditors.

The Prophets were soon surrounded by the faithful in Missouri, and the colony throve of a while notwithstanding the enmity of the Missourians. This broke out at last in a fiece contest, and the Saints to the number of 15,000 took refuge in Illinois. The town of Nauvoo was started under a charter from the Legislature of Illinois. When the revelation of celestial marriage became public, a great deal of indignation was felt even in Nauvoo, and serious disturbances took place, the result of which was that Smith and his brother Hyrum were thrown into prison at Carthage, Ill., where they were murdered by a mob June 27, 1844.

Smith's death caused great agitation and confusion among his followers, but the Council of the twelve apostles unanimously elected Brigham Young, and from that day to the day of his death the history of Brigham Young and the history of Mormonism are one.

In 1845 the Legislature of Illinois revoked the charter of Nauvoo, and the Saints determined to emigrate beyond the Rocky Mountains. In February, 1846, the first emigrants cross the ice-bound Mississippi, stopped a while in Iowa, and then marched under strict discipline across the great wilderness. BRigham Young arrived in the Salt Lake Valley July 24, 1847, and the main body of the Mormons in the fall of 1848.

Salt Lake City was soon founded, an emigration fund established, and settlers poured in from all over the world. In 1850 the Government admitted the new Territory under the name of Utah, and commissioned Brigham Young as Governor and Indian Agent. District Judges were also appointed by the Federal authority, but these were regarded with great dislike by the President of the church and the Saints generally, and were finally driven out of the country in 1851.

Brigham Young was now suspended from his office of Governor and Col. Steptoe appointed in his stead. He arrived in Utah in 1854, but found it prudent to withdraw from the country. The Mormon President said boldly at this time; "I am and will be Governor, and no power can hinder me until the Lord Almighty says" 'Brigham, you need not be Governor any longer.'" During the ensuing year collisions between the church and Federal officials became so frequent that the whole of the latter were forced to leave the Territory. A new Governor, Alfred Cummings, was appointed in 1857, as also a new Superintendent of Indian Affairs; beisdes a force of 2,500 was sent under Gen. Harney to enforce obedience to the national laws. Brigham Young attacked the supply trains anmd forced the expedition to winter at some distance from Salt Lake. Early next year negotiations were had, and the Mormons submitted to teh Federal authority.

A nominal regard for the supreme authority of the General Government has been maintained ever since the time alluded to, but there was and is but one law or authority recognized by the Mormons, and that is the church, through its hierarchy.

Brigham Young was assisted in the Presidency by Daniel C. Wells and Heber C. Kimball, with twelve apostles and two bodies of the priesthood, but, while the doctrines of the church give some authority, as a matter of fact everything and everybody over the length and breadth of the great Territory of Utah has bowed to the iron will of Brigham Young.

There are many dark and bloody pages in the history of the Mormon occupation of Utah, the most terrible and notorious of the list being the Mountain Meadow massacre, for which John D. Lee suffered death but a little while ago. The general history of that deed is so fresh in the minds of the people that it is unnecessary to speak of the details beyond the implication of Brigham Young in the crime. It is more than probable that had Brigham lived, the onus of that massacre would have been fixed upon him legally, even as he has borne it morally for many years. Evidence in the hands of the authorities is said to fix upon him beyond peradventure the instigation of the whole fiendish job, and there has been a growing determination on the part of the Government lately to bring him to justice.

Yest despite all that is charged against him there is a side to the late prophet's character which demands some attention. He found the greater part of the country occupied by his people as a wilderness, without rain, without verdure. He introduced a comprehensive system of irrigation, which has changed that wilderness, for the most part, to a garden. The public works of his capital are creditable, and the natural prosperity of the Mormons as a community is not only wonderful in itself, but still more wonderful in that it is so much due to this one man's perseverence, ability and unconquerable will.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Finding  the  Original  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.

From the Indianapolis Journal.

About ten days ago Elders Orson Partt and J. F. Smith of the Mormon Church arrived in the town of Richmond, Mo., and sought out the residence of one David Whitmer, who is said to be the only living witness of the translation of the Book of Mormon, and the custodian of the original manuscript as taken down by Oliver Cowdery. The object of the elders' visit was to secure the manuscript for deposit in the archives of the Mormon Church, but Whitmer declined to surrender it. It has been in his custody nearly fifty years, and he declared his intention of holding it until the proper time arrives for its surrender to those entitled to receive it. The Richmond Conservator says that while refusing to surrender the manuscript he willingly produced and exhibted it to his visitors. They unhesitatingly pronounced it the original copy of the Book of Mormon, Elder Pratt being familiar with the handwriting of Oliver Cowdry, the writer. They offered Whitmer any price he might ask for the volume, but, finding him resolute, left him with the request that he continue to take good care of it, so that the Church might receive it at the proper time. The Conservator states that "the book is in a splendid state of preservation, the ink as bright as if wrilten yesterday, and it is inscribed on large paper, unruled, in a small hand, clearly written close to the edges, top and bottom, making over 500 pages."


Notes: (forthcoming)

The  Original  Book  of  Mormon.

From the Richmond, [Mo.], Conservator.

Elders Orson Pratt and J. F. Smith, two high dignitaries in the Mormon Church, arrived in Richmond, on Saturday inquired for David Whitmer, "the only living witness of the translation of the Book of Mormon, and the custodian of the original manuscript as taken down by Oliver Cowdry." The visitors were directed to Mr. Whitmer's residence, and on meeting him, announced the object of their visit, which was to secure the manuscript for keeping in the archives of the church at Salt Lake City. Mr. Whitmer declined to give up the book on any terms. He has had it for nearly half a century, and regarded himself as the proper custodian of it. He intended to hold it until the proper time shall arrive for its surrender to those entitled to receive it, while he will give it up. While refusing to give up the volume, he readily brought it forth and exhibited it to his visitors. They promptly pronounced it the original copy of the Book of Mormon. Elder Pratt being familiar with the handwriting of Oliver Cowdry, the writer. They offered Whitmer any price he might ask for the volume, but finding him resolute, left him after a pleasant visit of one hour with the request that he continue to take good care of it, so that the church might receive it at the proper time. The book is in a splendid state of preservation; the ink as bright as if written yesterday, and it is inscribed on large paper, unruled, in a small hand, clearly written close to the edges, top and bottom, making over 500 pages. It is the original Book of Mormon taken down from the lips of the Prophet.


Notes: (forthcoming)

A  New  Origin  for  Mormonism

The origin of Mormonism has generally been traced to Solomon Spalulding's biblical romance, which purported to throw light on the first settlement of the American continent, and to its use as a "revelation" by Sidney Rigdon, who found the work at Pittsburg. A correspondent of the Boston Advertiser, Mr. Daniel Dorchester, of Natick, Mass., thinks that the germs of the delusion date further back. He says that his uncle, the late Laban Clark, D.D., of Middletown, Ct., while traveling as a Methodist itinerant in Rutland County, Vt., in 1801, found a current belief that certain persons in that vicinity were doing wondrous things with a divining or St. John's rod, as it was called. Women had been enabled by its influence to walk with ease in the night over ledges almost impassable even by day. Gold deposits had been discovered by their use, and it was expected that, according to Isaiah, God would cause his people, in the latter days, "to pass under the rod," when the latter day glory should be ushered in; that this was soon to take place; that their rods were the seals with which the 144,000 were to be sealed by the servants of God; that the lost tribes of Israel were to be gathered by them from their scattered condition, and that vast numbers of the present inhabitants of this country were Israelites, but had lost their pedigree, and knew not that they were of the house of Jacob. By these rods they would be designated and brought into the New Jerusalem, soon to be built in this country.

By experiment Mr. Clark became convinced that the rods used by those who believed in them were moved about by the unconscious nervous force of the holder. He afterwards found reason for thinking that a gang of counterfeiters headed by a man named Wingate had promulgated the rod theory to cover up its own manufactures in the woods and as a means of extorting money from dupes. Wingate's plots were cut short by his arrest. Nearly thirty years later, Mr. Clark heard that Joe Smith had found his golden Bible while hunting for minerals with his rod. Some time after, when in Ohio, he met with a Mr. Booth, formerly a Mormon, and learned from him the striking similarities btween the rod manipulations of Smith and Wingate. This supposition was strengthened by the fact that Smith's mother and the "revelator" Sidney Rigdon [sic - Oliver Cowdery?] were both from Rutland County, the scene of Wingate's imposture. The connection certainly appears probable, since the delusion of which Dr. Clark learned in Vermont was for a time quite wide-spread.


Note: The above item was reprinted in the weekly Gazette of June 25th: the Dorchester letter it cites was published in the Boston Daily Advertiser of June 11, 1879. For a reprint of Dirchester's letter, see the Christian Standard of July 26th.

"ST.  JOHN'S  ROD."
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The Counterfeiter Wingate and Genesis of Mormonism
Facts Hitherto Unpublished.
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I have long intended to give to the publications some well attested facts in regard to the origin of Mormonism, antedating its usually recognized beginnings, but have hitherto neglected it. These facts exist in a thoroughly reliable form, and came into my possession directly from an eye and ear witness -- a man of superior intelligence, caution and discrimination. My uncle, the Rev. Laban Clark, D. D., founder of the Wesleyan University, in whose family it was my privilege to spend nearly four years, entered the Methodist ministry in the autumn of 1800, and for a number of years traveled large circuits in Vermont. Mr. Clark was a very acute observer, of superior practical judgment, and possessed a very accurate memory. The following statement has been compiled from data several times repeated to me in personal conversations, and from a manuscript sketch prepared by him about twenty years before his death, and is believed by those who knew Mr. Clark well to be worthy of the fullest confidence.

In the year 1801 Mr. Clark traveled in the western part of Vermont, visiting the settlements from Bennington county to the Missisquoi Bay, and even the adjoining settlements in Lower Canada. In the latter part of the Autumn, while in St. Albans, he heard of a man from Rutland who had passed through that section relating marvelous accounts of wonderful things accomplished near Rutland by persons who had found "St. John's Rod." Several families in St. Albans were much excited by the story. Dr. Clark pacified the people, and advised them to pay no attention to such marvels. About the first of November he attended a quarterly meeting in Salisbury, Vt., where, to his surprise, the story of "the rods" met him in a new form. A number of men had obtained rods by which they claimed to be able to find roots and herbs curing all diseases. Several persons were in attendance at this quarterly meeting who had been to "the rod men" and obtained syrups, salves, etc. Mr. Clark was very incredulous and treated the story as a hoax. Sometime in December he visited Poultney, Vt., where he found quite a stir among the people, from a report that two young women had been following the rods during a cold night, when the ground was covered with snow, with no other garments than were usually worn in the house, and that they had passed over rocks and ledges difficult for men to pass in the day-time. The next evening his appointment was at Mr. D.'s, in Middletown, Vt. After closing the meeting he learned that Mr. D.'s daughter was one of the young women who had been led by "the rods" through the snow, etc., that Mr. D. was a strong believer in the efficacy of "the rods," and that they would work in his hands.

When the people retired Mr. Clark inquired into the strange affair. Mr. D. seemed willing to communicate. He seriously believed that the rods possessed a mysterious power; that marvelous things could be accomplished by them; that, according to Isaiah, God would cause his people, in the latter days, "to pass under the rod," when the latter day glory should be ushered in; that this was soon to take place; that their rods were the seals with which the 144,000 were to be sealed by the servants of God; that the lost tribes of Israel were to be gathered by them from their scattered condition, and that vast numbers of the present inhabitants of this country were Israelites, but had lost their pedigree, and knew not that they were of the house of Jacob. By these rods they would be designated and brought into the New Jerusalem, soon to be built in this country. At this stage of the conversation Mr. Clark asked to be permitted to see Mr. D.'s rod. After a short absence he returned with it, and lifting it up, said: "If Mr. Clark is a Jew let the rod point toward him." It moved and twisted in his hands and pointed toward Mr. Clark.

"Well," said Mr. Clark, "If I am a Jew, I should like to know what tribe I belong to. Ask if I am of the tribe of Naphtali." He did so, but the rod would not move. Mr. Clark then said: "Try Zebulon." He did so, but it moved not. Mr. Clark said: "On the whole, I think that I belong to the tribe of Joseph." He put the question and the rod directly came down with apparent force. "I thought so," said Mr. Clark, "for my father's name was Joseph." Mr. Clark then understood the mystery of the working of the rod -- that it moved "as the imagination of the mind affected the nervous action." After hearing all that Mr. D. had to say, Mr. Clark believed the whole affair a delusion.

In four weeks Mr. Clark visited this place again, where he was to preach in the evening. About the middle of the afternoon Mr. D. came to the house where Mr. Clark was stopping. His appearance being very dejected and melancholy, Mr. Clark inquired after his family, and what could be the matter. With a heavy sigh he replied: "Oh, the judgments of God are abroad in the earth!" "What do you mean?" said Mr. Clark. Mr. D. replied: "We have appointed to-morrow as a day of fasting and prayer, and want you to be with us." Mr. Clark answered: "I dare not; I am afraid of you. I do not know what you have connected with it." The next morning, finding some gentlemen of character and standing going to the meeting, Mr. Clark concluded to go. Reaching the place about noon, he found Mr. W., an aged New Light minister, had been lecturing in the forenoon on the prophecies, and was to preach again in the afternoon. He spoke from Rev. xv 4, dwelling chiefly on the words, "Thy judgments are made manifest." He was excited, incoherent and indefinite. Mr. Clark consented to preach in the evening. While at Mr. D.'s house, for tea, Mr. Clark noticed unusual movements, and, on leaving the house, saw a paper on the door with these words: -- "Christ our passover was sacrificed for us;" but made no inquiries about it. He preached a practical discourse that evening, to a large audience, telling them that he had no new revelation to bring. As soon as his sermon was closed there were strange movements in the outer room. Several men commenced to work with rods, and to run to and fro. Mr. Clark out on his overcoat and prepared to go to Mr. D.'s for the night, but was persuaded to remain with the people. Very soon they were all ordered out of the house, and they took up a line of march, some crying, some sighing, and others saying, "I never expected to see such things." They were conducted to an old house that had been fitted up as a school-house. A fire had been made, and all entered with much confusion. Some were alarmed, and none more so than the old minister. At his request Mr. Clark called the people to order, prayed with them, and recommended religious conversion. But the "rod-men" said that their rods had given them to understand that there would be an earthquake that night. This was what had agitated the minds of the people. They spent the whole night in that place, Mr. Clark quieting the people and directing their minds to healthful themes until the morning dawned.

Returned to Mr. D.'s, Mr. Clark noticed that their crockery had been placed in the middle of the floor, to prevent its being broken by the earthquake. Soon two of the leading "rod-men" came in, and said they had found out their mistake -- that the fasting indicated by the rods was not in view of an earthquake, but was the fast to be regularly observed on the fourteenth day of the first month until the Jews go into the New Jerusalem, and the Latter Day glory shall be ushered in. Mr. Clark heard their story with a silent reserve, concluding that the last error was worse than the first; but that [it] would enable them to keep up the delusion and carry out some plan of mischief. He began to suspect that there was some person out of sight who was the leading spirit of their operations, and that the others were victims of duplicity.

Owing to a change in the plan of the circuit, it was eight weeks before Mr. Clark visited Mr. D.'s again. In March he found only a small attendance at his meeting, and at its close the people quietly retired, none of the family even making an allusion to the former affairs. But Mr. Clark's suspicions were fully aroused that his friend D. was liable to be made the victim of some villainous attempt upon his credulity, and he resolved if possible to deliver him from the snare. Taking him aside, Mr. Clark asked him how they were succeeding with their rods. With much animation, he answered: "We are doing wonders. The rods have power over all enchantments. There are large quantities of silver and gold concealed in the earth. much of which is under enchantment, which the rods can remove, so that it can be easily obtained." He further said that "the rods, in the hands of certain individuals, had power to move silver and gold invisibly in the earth, and that they were collecting it into a common field, where they would be able to get it in any quantity that should be wanted." He went on to say that "the glorious day was fast approaching in which great work would be performed; that the Latter Day saints were about to be gathered; that they would build a holy city, the New Jerusalem, somewhere in this country, and, they would have gold enough to pave the streets." Mr. Clark asked if the gold and silver were in coin or in its native state. He said it was "both one and the other." Mr. Clark then inquired if they had any man who understood the art of refining gold. He answered: "Yes, we have a man who is well skilled in the art, but he keeps himself secreted in the woods." Mr. Clark asked if he knew his name. He replied, "Yes, his name is Wingate."

Mr. Clark then became satisfied that Wingate was the moving agent in the whole affair, and discovered at once the nature and design of the operations. He knew of Wingate's movements in the northern part of the State, and after a little reflection, concluded to open the eyes of Mr. D. Addressing him seriously, he said:

"I fear there is counterfeiting going on, and that you will be drawn into it, and will be ruined in character and property."

He started with a shudder. Mr. Clark then said:

"I think I can tell you how you can detect it in season to escape, if you are watchful. If my fears are well founded they will call on you and others for a sum of money, and they will want it in specie."

Mr. D. replied, "They have done it already."

"And did you furnish it?" inquired Mr. Clark.

Mr. D. replied evasively.

Mr. Clark then addressed him secretly, warning him to put away his rod and quit those people or he would be a ruined man. Mr. Clark took leave of Mr. D. for another four weeks' tour around his circuit, but with many anxious thoughts for the welfare of that family.

The name of Wingate convinced Mr. Clark that the whole affair of the rods, and the scheme of building up the New Jerusalem, was gotten up for the purpose of aiding a set of counterfeiters; for a few years before a man of that name was detected in the act of making counterfeit dollars by two young men of his acquaintance in the town of Bradford, Vt. The implements and the coin he was making were taken and held by the town authorities, but Wingate escaped into New Hampshire. Further inquiries satisfied him that it was the same man who was deceiving the people in the vicinity of Poultney and Middletown. On his next visit to Mr. D.'s, Mr. Clark had the pleasure of knowing that he had rescued his friend from the delusion and the snare of the counterfeiters.

These are the simple facts of what Mr. Clark saw and heard, as carefully detailed by him. Soon after Wingate and his adherents were detected in their counterfeiting operations, Wingate was arrested and put into the Rutland jail, and the gang was dispersed.

About 1827 or 1828 Mr. Clark heard the story of Joe Smith's finding the "Golden Bible," while hunting for minerals with his rod. It at once brought to his mind Wingate's rods, but without suspicion of any connection between the two parties. Mr. Clark says:

"I viewed it as a specimen of the same kind of imposition and knavery, but the scene of Smith's operations being at a distance from that of Wingate's, I paid little attention to it. When the Mormons commenced building in Ohio, and sent out men to preach the doctrine of the Latter Day Saints, and that they were about to build a temple where the saints were to be gathered, I could not resist the conviction that there must be some connection between their movements and what I had known about thirty years before in Vermont. In 1838 I visited Ohio, where I met Mr. Ezra Booth, who had been acquainted with Joe Smith and had traveled with him until convinced of his knavery and blasphemous pretensions. From him I learned the striking similarity of Smith's methods and those of the 'rod-men' in Vermont. Subsequently I saw in the papers a notice of the death of Smith's mother, stating that she had formerly resided in Rutland county, Vt., and I also learned from the Rev. Tobias Spicer, who had resided in Poultney, that Sidney Rigdon, Smith's high-priest and revelator, was from Rutland county, and must have been acquainted with Wingate's doctrine of the Latter Day Saints, the gathering of the lost tribes of Israel, his method of obtaining gold, etc. Having, to my satisfaction, ascertained that the Smiths and Rigdon families were from the neighborhood where I had witnessed Wingate's imposition, I have no doubt that the seeds of Mormonism were sown by that notorious counterfeiter. Rigdon was in Pittsburgh about 1823-4, where he professed to be studying this new Bible for three years, but was in fact studying Spaldin's 'found manuscript,' and translating Smith's 'Golden Bible.'"

Such is the clear and unvarnished account of the remote beginnings of that monstrous system of Mormon imposture, as related by the Rev. Dr. Laban Clark. Believing that it will contribute something toward a fuller exhibit of the history of Mormonism and its essence, I herewith commit it to the public. -- Rev. Daniel Dorchester, in Boston Advertiser.


Note 1: The Rev. Daniel Dorchester III (1827?-1907?) and the Rev. Laban Clark (1778-1868) are both listed as Methodist ministers in Nathan Bangs' 1841 History of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Vol. III (1816-1828) In bk. 5, chp. 9, of that volume Rev. Bangs lists Clark as a preacher in the New York Conference and Dorchester as a preacher in the New England Conference of the Church -- later Pastor at Natick, MA (apparently the same Rev. Daniel Dorchester who served as US Superintendent of Indian Schools in 1889-4). Rev. Dorchester's account in the Boston Advertiser was reported and reprinted in several other 1879 newspapers besides the Christian Standard. The Aug. 15, 1879 issue of the Saints' Herald reprinted a summary of Dorchester's account, taken from the Chicago Alliance of June 21, 1879, along with a rebuttal (published a few days later in the same paper) written by RLDS Elder T. E. Stafford. Stafford argues: "neither Mr. Dorchester nor the Rev. Mr. Clark is aware of what constitutes Mormonism... [which] never knew anything about St. John's rod." Evidently Stafford was unaware of the Book of Commandments section in which the Lord confirms Oliver Cowdery's gift of working with just such a divining rod -- a skill he and/or his father probably acquired while living in Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont.

Note 2: See the May 28, 1828 issue of the Vermont American for more information on the rodsmen and strange events centered upon Middletown at the turn of the century. The account given there does not mention the "Wingate" (Paine Wingate?) spoken of by Rev. Clark, but instead calls the hidden director of the divining rod believers "Mugwump." Barnes Frisbie first associated the name of Mr. Wingate with proto-Mormonism in his 1867 book, History of Middletown, Vermont. Because Frisbie mixes his own information on a man called "Winchell" with information from derived from Rev. Laban Clark (he was also Daniel Dorchester's uncle) about a man named "Wingate," Historian Michael Quinn later accepted Frisbie's notion that Wingate was the same person as Winchell. The names of both men have also been confused with "Walters the Magician," an alleged associate of the Joseph Smith, Sr. family during the Smiths' money-digging days. According to John L. Brooke, author of The Refiner's Fire, these three men (Justus Winchell, Paine/Payne Wingate, and Luman Walters) were actually three different individuals.

Note 3: That accumulations of buried precious metals moved about underground was a common belief in New England and New York prior to 1830. Several reports in newspapers from this era speak of buried treasures moving about under the earth, and thus eluding seizure by treasure hunters. In some of these reports the buried gold and silver was said to have slipped about, under the ground, having been propelled by supernatural means -- apparently by guardian spirits, the powers of divining rods, etc. Joseph Smith, Sr. reportedly believed in such "slippery treasures." See also the following excerpts from the Book of Mormon: "And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again" (Mormon 1:18, LDS) "And behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them... Yea, in that day ye shall say: O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us... Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land... for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them." (Heleman 13:31-36, LDS)

THE  ORIGIN  OF  MORMONISM.
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The Divining Rod -- How it Works in Some Hands --
Searching far Kidd's Money -- The Spaulding Document.
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BY HENRY REED.

It is a strange idea, that to which allusion is made in an editorial of the Gazette of June 25, entitled "A New Origin for Mormonism." Joseph Smith might have found the golden plates from which the "book" was translated -- as Dousterswivel, in Sir Walter Scott's Antiquary, found water -- by the use of the divining rod; but, if such was the fact, it was because Joseph know beforehand where to try for the plates, as Dousterswivel knew where to try for the water.

The divining rod is an implement of unknown antiquity. It is probably older than any traces remain of its employment; and there are at this day persons of some pretensions to science who are, from what they consider evidence of their own senses, firm believers in its efficiency. If -- as Mr. Herbert Spencer affirms in the introduction to his course of philosophy -- there is in every error an element of truth, there must be some foundation for this belief; and the question wherein lies this foundation is one not altogether destitute of interest.

The divining rod is most frequently used for the discovery of water; and there is no denying, that, in many instances, water has been found in the places where it seemed to indicate its existance. But as search is seldom made for water, by the use of the diving rod, except in localities where there are other reasons for suspecting its presence, the instances of apparent success through its instrumentality must, until the contrary is shown, be set down as coincidences.

The characteristic circumstance in the phenomena of the divining rod would seem to be the fact that it "works" in some hands and does not work in others. That, in the hands of some, the index of the implement does appear, to the holder, to be drawn forcibly from its perpendicular, while in those of others, under precisely the same circumstances, no such tendency is perceptible, is not without withholding all faith in human veracity -- to be denied. Now if there were really a mutual attraction between the divining rod and some exterior substance or element, this difference would not occur; at least there is no known warrant for its occurence. From wherein, then, does it arise?

Modern science seems to afford the answer. Between the muscles of voluntary and the muscles of involuntary motion the distinction is not absolute. Under the influence of particular physical conditions, the former, in persons In whom the imagination predominates, exert forces of which the indIvidual is altogether unaware. From special states of mind, of which the party may be entirely unconscious, there results special muscular activities and inactivities; the latter often taking the form of decrepitudes which, originating in no physical infirmity, baffle the efforts of the most experienced for their removal.

The person in whose hands tbe divining rod "works," while doing his utmost, with his conscious will and one set at muscles, to keep the staff of the instrument in an upright position, is resisted by a more potent automatic volition of which he is unconscious, which has, under its command, another set of muscles, by which the strength of the first is subdued and overome. The final cause, it may be, of this capacity for a duplicate and antagonistic manifestation exists in the fact that there are two brains, each capable, under special conditions, of acting independently of the other, while there can be consciousness of the operations of only one of them at a time.

Ordinarily there is little art in the construction of a divining rod; any green branch that divides equally being employed. But for special purposes there are special recipes, savoring of the relics of magical ideas and practices. I remember one that was constructed for the express purpose of searching for "Kidd's money," on the islands of East River, near the city of New York, in which inquest several persons whom I knew were engaged. An old sailor, who was supposed to have been a pirate, had died in the poorhouse, leaving behind him a parcel of marks, called by courtesy, a map, which another old sailor, who had not been a pirate, had studied out until he thought he could identify the island and give, on the spot, the bearings of the place where the treasure was deposited. A traditional rule the latter had for the construction of the mystical implement which was to assist in the discovery. This was a fork of witch hazel, which, in its natural position, divided north and south, so that the sun passed over the point of intersection, and which had been cut at sqme particular lunar aspect or planetary conjunction. The stock was about a hand's breadth in length and an inch in thickness, and the branches each about an inch long and half an inch in diameter; fastened to each of which was a thin slip of whalebone ahout eighteen inches in length. The stock had been boted and charged -- as I was informed -- with a variety of ingredients, among which, I remember, loadstone, "hellstone" (probably sulphur) and quicksilver,

The individuals who were to make use of this formidable talisman left the village between two days, partly to avoid the ridicule of the skeptical, and partly to escape the frowns of the pious, who looked upon such enterprises as dealing with the evil one; also, between two weeks -- that being regarded as the most auspicious moment for beginning the adventure. It may be satisfactory to the curiosity of some to add that, so far as heard from, the only dividend declared was of the expenses of the expedition.

From whatever quarter the Book of Mormon may have come, no person of much critical acuteness will attach any credit to the Solomon Spaulding theory of its origin. No scholar -- and Spalding is represented a man of considerable erudition -- writing a romance of the "ten lost tribes," would have written it in that manner. The notion that the American Indians were descendants of the Israelitish clans which seceded from the House of David under Jeroboam was, at the date of the appearance of the Book of Mormon, very prevalent in the United States; and many books and pamphlets were written, newspaper articles primed, and sermons preached, to give credibility to the idea of such relationship. Any one of these may have served as a hint, if hints were necessary, for the undertaking. Smith's announcement of the discovery of the golden plates and the crystal spectacles was as early as 1823, whereas his acquaintance with Rigdon, who is supposed to have copied the Spaulding romance, did not commence until 1829; so that the revelation was, to say the least, projected before Smith could have had any knowledge of the production from which its substance has been putatively derived. That, to some extent, in the way of names, he may have made use of the Spaulding manuscript, is not improbable: but the Book of Mormon bears, palpably, the evidence that it was produced for the purpose for which it is used, and by those who had such purpose distinctly in view in its production. In short, the end of its creation was not literary, as was the case with the Spaulding Chronicle, but dogmatic and practical. And, however amenable it may be to the rules of literary criticism, there is no denying the skill and knowledge of human nature with which it was adapted to the service for which it was employed. Besides this, although the Spaulding document was sent to a committee at Conneaut for the express purpose of being compared with the book, the silence that ensued, and the mysterious disappearance of the manuscript, are tolerably strong evidence that the expected identity was not demonstrated by the comparison.


Notes: (forthcoming)