"THE SON OF AN OLD FRIEND. --

Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Deming, of New York, who is on a business visit to this city. He is a son of the late General Deming. mentioned in the early history of the church, and whose memory, on account of his friendly offices to the Latter-day Saints in days when they were in deep trouble, is held in respect by them. General Deming was an intimate friend of Gen. D. H. Wells."

"Gen. Minor R. Deming was elected Sheriff of Hancock County, Illinois, in August, 1844. General Deming was an officer of militia, and a citizen previously in no way identified with the Mormon fraternity. He had resided on a farm some miles (14) out of Carthage, was well educated and capable, and we think he was conscientious in his endeavors to do right. But he was extremely conservative in his respect to law and order." -- Gregg's History of Hancock County, Illinois, 1880, page 336. This was written by a political opponent.

"If Mormonism succeeds, Christianity will receive a mortifying blow. The question is. "What ought to be done?" The answer is, "Inform the people." We have looked upon it as a mere delusion, containing the seeds of its own dissolution. But there is order in this fanaticism; there is system in this imposture, and it carried with it an invisible spirit by which the learned and the unlearned are strangely overcome.' -- Baptist Register, of New York.

"Yes, Mr. Register, 'inform the people' that is just what ought to be done, and if Christianity, as now practiced by Christendom, from the Catholic with his beads down to the Millerite with his picture of Daniel's vision, does not receive a 'mortifying blow,' there is no truth in the Bible."

SPRINGFIELD, Pa., Dec. 9. 1884
My father, John N. Miller, settled in Springfield, Erie County, Pa., near Conneaut, Ohio, in 1800. He was an elder of the Presbyterian Church over thirty years, and his father was before him. I have many times heard father say that in 1811 he and Andrew Cochran helped build a forge or furnace for General Keyes at Conneaut, Ohio, and that they boarded with Solomon Spaulding, who had been a preacher, but his wife was not religious. She was high-strung, a frolicker, fond of balls and parties, and drove him out of the ministry. He said he liked Spaulding. While they were at their meals Spaulding would lie on the bed and read to them his manuscripts. Father also frequently read them himself. I have often heard him tell about the Nephites and Zarahemlites before the "Book of Mormon" was published. I well remember D.P. Hurlbut coming to our house about fifty years ago and his telling father that he was taking evidence to expose Mormonism, and hearing him read from the "Book of Mormon." Frequently father would request Hurlbut to stop reading and he would state what followed and Hurlbut would say that it was so in the "Book of Mormon."  He expressed great surprise that father remembered so much of it. Father told him that the "Manuscript Found" was not near all of Spaulding's writings and that probably there would soon be another prophecy out. Father said he had no doubt the historical part of the "Book of Mormon" was Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." John Spaulding, Solomon's brother, lived half a mile from our house and our families were quite intimate. I saw father sign a statement and give Hurlbut. He had statements from Henry Lake, Aaron Wright and Dr. Howard, of Conneaut. Hurlbut stayed two nights with a Mormon woman of very bad character, who lived alone. Several of the lowest families in Springfield became Mormons. Mr. Hartshorn, a Mormon, whose wife was a Methodist, did not go West, but he insisted and she hung herself on the way.
    [Signed]         RACHEL DERBY
    Witnessed by:
    LEE DERBY
    A. B. DEMING.

SEVERAL  COPIES  OF  "MANUSCRIPT  FOUND"
__________

Mr. A, B. Deming, Esq. -- Dear Sir:According to your request I hand you a statement of my recollections of the Mormons, and of the "Manuscript" I saw in Vermont. When the Mormons came to Kirtland, Ohio, I was residing in Chardon, the county seat of Geauga County, Ohio, and Kirtland was then in the same county. I knew Sydney Rigdon while a Baptist, and also after he became a Disciple or Campbellite preacher. I visited Kirtland to satisfy my curiosity, found the Mormons living in improvised quarters and having all things in common. So far as I could gauge they seemed, with a few exceptions, ignorant, credulous and superstitous. I procured a copy of their "Book of Mormon." and read it enough to satisfy me as of its character. A notice was sometime afterwards posted up that one of them would preach at the Court House in Chardon. The town was small then, and with a book in my hand I visited most, if not all, of the Gentiles in the village, the result being that the Mormon preacher had no hearers. That I believe was the only attempt ever made by any of them to preach there, I afterward moved to Painesville, then in the same county, and which by division became the County town of Lake County, and Kirtland also became part of Lake; it was about the same distance from

Painesville as from Chardon. I knew the Smiths, Joseph Jr., his father, and his brother Hyrum slightly, and many of the Mormons; but having satisfied myself as to their pretensions, had little to do with them excepting in efforts to collect debts from them.

In September, 1871, I spent some little time in Middleton, Vt., with my wife and her sister, who were both invalids. We had rooms and board at Hezekiah Haynes'. When he learned we were from the vicinity of Kirtland, O., inquiries were made about the Mormons, and I was then told about what they termed the Wood scrape, and that Mormonism undoubtedly originated in that town, and that Mr. Woodard (I think the name was), the Town Clerk, had a "Manuscript" written by Spaulding, which might throw some light on the subject, as he believed Spaulding's writings and the religious fanaticism of the Woods' gave rise to Mormonism. From him I learned also, that the Hon. Reuben Wood, late of Cleveland, Ohio, one of the clearest headed lawyers and best of Ohio's Judges, was a descendant of the same Wood, of Middleton, and himself read law there. I then became interested to know more about it. Soon afterwards I had occasion to call on the Town Clerk, who was also a shoemaker, for a little of his mechanical skill, and procured from him a sight of the manuscript and the rather reluctant loan of it on my promise to use it carefully and return it to him. As I now remember it was written in a fair, plain hand, upon foolscap; short-cap I think, and there may have been one quire or more or less of it stitched together: it purported to be an account of the journeyings of the ten lost tribes of Israel to America, and what they did and became on this continent, by Solomon Spaulding. I had abundance of leisure in Middleton and kept the document a week or more, and returned it to Mr. Woodard. I did not read all of it. It did not interest me much, and I have no distinct recollection of the story, nor had I then the "Book of Mormon,: having lost mine soon after I used it in Chardon, as before stated. I practiced law in Chardon from 1828 to 1833 or '34 and afterwards in Painesville until 1849.
                  S. S. OSBORN

I was born in Green County, Pa., March 13, 1810. In 1814 my parents moved to the town of Howland, near Warren, Ohio. I attended the Baptist Church, of which my mother was aÊmember. I occasionally heard Sidney Rigdon preach. I moved his household goods from his father-in-law's, Deacon Brook's house in Warren, with an ox-team, to a brick house in Mentor, Ohio, in March, 1828. Rigdon and his wife rode in a one-horse wagon. I heard Rigdon preach a very pompous sermon at the Austintown yearly meeting in 1829, I think. The audience generally expressed their disgust. Alex Campbell and Scott were present. I moved in October, 1835, to Parkman, Geauga County, Ohio, about twenty five miles from Kirtland. It was generally believed at that time that Sidney Rigdon was the author of Mormonism. The first moment I saw and heard Kalloch preach in Union Hall, I thought of Sidney Rigdon, whom he strongly resembles in every respect.
                                        H. H. LUSE.
Witnessed by:
BERTHA LUSE (Daughter),
EDNA LUSE (Daughter).
No. 18 Essex Place, San Francisco, Cal., Oct. 13, 1887.

HILLSDALE COUNTY, State of Michigan.
   Lorenzo Saunders being duly sworn deposes and says: That I reside in Reading, Hillsdale County, State of Michigan; that I was born in the town of Palmyra, Wayne County, State of New York, on June 7, A. D. 1811, and am now seventy-six years of age. That I lived in said town of Palmyra until I was forty-three years of age. That I lived within one mile of Joseph Smith at the time said Joseph Smith claimed that he found the "tablets" on which the "Book of Mormon" was revealed. That I went to the "Hill Cumorah" on the Sunday following the date that Joseph Smith claimed he found the plates, it being three miles from my home, and I tried to find the place where the earth had been broken by being dug up, but was unable to find any place where the ground had been disturbed.

That my father died on the 10th day of October, A. D. 1825. That in March of 1827, on or about the 15th of said month I went to the house of Joseph Smith for the purpose of getting some maple sugar to eat, that when I arrived at the house of said Joseph Smith, I was met at the door by Harrison Smith, Jo's brother. That at a distance of ten or twelve rods from the house there were five men that were engaged in talking, four of whom I knew, the fifth one was better dressed than the rest of those whom I was acquainted with. I inquired of Harrison Smith who the stranger was? He informed me his name was Sidney Rigdo[n] with whom I afterwards became acquainted and found to be Sidney Rigdon. This was in March, A. D. 1827, the second spring after the death of my father. I was frequently at the house of Joseph Smith from 1827 to 1830. That I saw Oliver

when rafting. I have attended many prayer-meetings at his house, evenings. Emma was fine looking, smart, a good singer, and she often got the power. Jo stole his wife, Sunday, while Hale was at church. My wife and I saw him on an old horse with Emma on behind as they passed our house on their way to Bainbridge, N.Y., where they were married.

Jo and his father were all the time telling of hidden things, lead, silver and gold mines which he could see. I called him Peeker. About the spring of 1828, Jo came in front of my house where several men were pitching quoits. I said, "Peeker, what have you found?" He said he had found some metal plates which would be of great use to the world. He had them in a box in a handkerchief which he carried in one hand. I said, "Let me see them." Jo Smith said they must first be sent to Philadelphia to be translated. He said the only man in the world who could translate them lived there. After they were translated the world could see them.  Calvin Smith, whose farm joined mine, said with an oath, he would see them. Jo said if he laid his hands on him he would prosecute him. I told Calvin he better not. Since I have seen the conduct of the Mormons, I have many times regretted that I interfered. Citizens wrote to parties in Philadelphia, where Jo said he had sent the plates and word was returned they had not received them. Jo said they could not be translated in Philadelphia and they had been sent to New York City. Justice N. K. Nobles wrote to New York and could learn nothing about them. Soon I learned that Jo claimed to be translating the plates in Badger's Tavern, in Colesville, three miles from my house. I went there and saw Jo Smith sit by a table and put a handkerchief to his forehead and peek into his hat and call out a word to Cowdery, who sat at the same table and wrote it down. Several persons sat near the same table and there was no curtain between them. Martin Harris introduced himself to me, and said they were going to bring the world from darkness into light. Martin's wife cooked for them, and one day while they were at dinner she put one hundred and sixteen pages, the first part they had translated, in her dress bosom and went out. They soon missed the one hundred and sixteen pages and followed her into the road and demanded them of her. She refused, and said if it was the Lord's work you can translate them again, and I will follow you to the ends of the earth.

Dr. Seymour came along and she gave them to him to read, and told him not to let them go. Dr. Seymour lived one and a half miles from me. He read most of it to me when my daughter Irene was born; he read them to his patients about the country. It was a description of the mounds about the country and similar to the "Book of Mormon." I doubt if the one hundred and sixteen pages were included in the "Book of Mormon." After I came to Kirtland, in conversation with Martin Harris, he has many times admitted to me that this statement about his wife and the one hundred and sixteen pages, as above stated, is true. I heard a man say who was a neighbor to the Mormon Smith family, in Palmyra, N.Y., that they were thieves, indolent, the lowest and meanest family he ever saw or heard of. Hyrum was the best of the family. Many letters were received from Palmyra, stating the bad character of the Smith's. Calvin Smith and I, while burning brush, found a hole which, when cleaned out, was fifteen feet deep; it was covered with poles which had been split with tomahawks; a tree near by was marked each side for seventy feet. Gun barrels and various Indian implements were found later near by. The hole was within twenty rods of Jo's salt digging. Newel Knight, who lived a few miles from me was brought before Justice N. K. Nobles as a witness for reporting Prophet Jo Smith had cast three devils out of him. Knight testified the first was as large as a wood chuck, the second was as large as a squirrel, the third about the size of a rat. Noble inquired what became of them. Knight said that they went out at the chimney. Jo was discharged. Noble told me later that it made his heart ache to hear the puppy swear. This occurred during the pretended translation of the plates. I met Prophet Jo's father on the dock at Fairport, O., in July, 1831. He inquired if I came on in the Mormon faith, I replied that I did: a crowd soon gathered about us. One of them asked what my faith was. I said the Mormons were the damd'st set of liars and scoundrels I ever knew. My reply caused a shout from many on the dock. We all took a drink.

I rented Claudius Stannard's farm and stone quarry, two miles south of the temple in Kirtland. (Before I rented the quarry, a combination had been formed not to let the Mormons have any stone). I quarried and sold the Mormons the stone used in the construction of the temple, except a

few of the large ones which came from Russell's quarry. Prophet Jo and his father frequently talked over with me their experience along the Susquehanna. Jo could scarcely read or write when he lived in New York. He had a private teacher in Kirtland and obtained a fair education. While the temple was building the workmen lived in temporary buildings. Prayer meetings were held mornings by the workmen for the success of the work before beginning their labors. One day while I was at the Flats, a meeting was held in which the Spiritual Wife Doctrine was discussed. Rigdon said if he had got to go into it he might as well begin. He put Emma, Jo Smith's wife, on the bed and got on himself. Jo became angry. It was in everybody's mouth for miles about Kirtland.

When I first saw Emma on the streets in Kirtland, she threw her arms around me and I think kissed me, and inquired all about her father's family. I brought her letters and took some later to Mr. Hale from her. Jo told Emma he had a revelation about the plates, but that he could not obtain them until he had married her. I became acquainted with D. P. Hurlbut before he left the Mormons. He courted Dr. Williams' beautiful daughter, and told her he had a revelation to marry her; she told him when she received a revelation they would be married. Everybody about Kirtland believed he had left the Mormons because she refused him. Other Mormons and Black Pete claimed to receive revelations to marry her. I was often in Hurlbut's company, and once while fishing with him on Lake Erie, after he had left the Mormons, he told me he was going to ferret out Mormonism and break it up; I replied you had better break up a nest of yellow jackets. I told him I knew the Mormons in New York State would as soon swear to a lie as to the truth. Later I told Hurlbut to write to Isaac Hale, Jo's father-in-law, and he did.

Hale's reply is published in Howe's "Book on Mormonism." I heard Hurlbut lecture in the Presbyterian Church in Kirtland. He said he would, and he did prove that the "Book of Mormon" was founded on a fiction called "Manuscript Found," written by Solomon Spaulding, at Conneaut, Ohio, in the early part of the century. He said Spaulding was consumptive and could not work, and wrote stories to procure a living. He said he had seen Mrs. Spaulding, and she said a good share of the "Book of Mormon" was the same as "Manuscript Found," which was written by her husband, Solomon Spaulding. Spaulding's brother asked him, as he was an educated man, why he wrote in old style. He said his title was "Manuscript Found" and therefore he wrote it in old style. Hurlbut said Spaulding tried to obtain money to pay for printing it. While traveling he slept in the woods nights, took cold and finally died. Sydney Rigdon stole the copy left with the printer in Pittsburgh. Hurlbut had a copy of Spaulding's "Manuscript Found" with him. He and others spoke three hours. Hurlbut read Hale's letter in the lecture. Martin Harris said Hale was old and blind and not capable of writing it. I stated that Hale was called the greatest hunter on the Susquehanna, and two years before had killed a black deer and a white bear, which many hunters had tried to kill, also that he was intelligent and knew the Scriptures. The night the meteors fell in 1833, the Mormons sent men on horseback for miles about Kirtland to arouse the people. They got me up at three o'clock A.M., they claimed it was the fore-runner of some wonderful event, and it was said and believed. Prophet Jo said there would be no more stars seen in the heavens. All the time I was in Kirtland many persons were becoming disgusted with Mormonism, and many left them and exposed their secrets. Squire J. C. Dowen lived half a mile from me, he was physically and mentally a capable man. His reputation as a citizen was very good. This statement was read to me and my daughter before being signed. I heard Hurlbut lecture before, and after he saw Spaulding's widow.
                                 W. R. HINE  X.
      Witnessed by:
      A. B. DEMING
Chester, Geauga County, Ohio. 

recently married, had the power and was lying on the bed talking Injun. I saw Isaac Fellows run his riding whip under her clothing. She kicked and sent him six or eight feet. He got up and said "I swear she has got the power." The young men had a laugh at his expense. Young men came from miles about the country for amusement. I have seen at the close of Mormon meetings one go into the water and others bring him pieces of rails and sticks which he would baptize. Others would get on stumps and preach in unknown tongues. Preaching to the Lamanites or Indians was a hobby at the start. I have been awakened and gone to my window nights and seen them on stumps preaching.

Their prayer-meetings were very informal, chiefly exhorting, prophesying and debating, in which the Gentiles often took part. But little reverence was manifested, blackguard and boisterous laughter were of frequent occurrence, until their meetings were held in the temple. As many as twenty Campbellites were baptized in a night by Mormon elders. They would stand in the water and exhort the people to come and have their sins washed away. Rigdon was generally too lazy to baptize. The early Mormon meetings are correctly described in the following extract from '"Martindale's Theological Dictionary," edition 1823, page 302, article French Prophets: --

"They had strange fits which came upon them with tremblings and faintings as in a swoon, which made them stretch out their arms and legs, and stagger several times before they dropped down. They struck themselves with their hands, they fell on their backs, shut their eyes and heaved with their breasts. They remained awhile in trances and coming out of them with twitchings, uttered all that came into their mouths. They said they saw the heavens open, the angels, paradise and hell. Those who were just on the point of receiving the spirit of prophesy dropped down, not only in their assemblies, crying out for mercy, but in the fields and in their own houses. When the prophets had for awhile been under agitations of body; they began to prophesy. The burden of their prophesy was 'Amend your lives, repent ye, the end of all things draws nigh.' The hills rebounded with their loud cries for mercy, and imprecations against the priests and church."

The Mormons denounced all the religious denominations as priestcraft in their preaching. The Lamanites in three years would come and help them exterminate the Gentiles and blood would flow down the streets. They claimed to receive revelations from God concerning temporal as well as spiritual affairs through Jo Smith. Other Mormons claimed to receive revelations, but theirs were not binding unless in accordance with prophet Jo's word of wisdom. They claimed to have a revelation to build the temple of stone, then another revoking the first, that it was to be built of brick. Thomas Hancock got drunk and melted down the kiln. They again claimed to receive another revelation to build it of stone, which they did. Orson Hyde, one of their first twelve apostles, said in a sermon in Conneaut, O., that those who did not embrace Mormonism, God would smite them with a curse and their flesh would consume away from their bones, their eyes would hang out of their heads, and their bodies would be covered with maggots from head to foot. One woman said loud enough for all to hear "WH-O-O-A-H! then I shall be maggoty." I heard Oliver Cowdery say the saints would live one thousand years. They all claimed it. Jo and Rigdon claimed they could heal all diseases and perform miracles, cast out devils and raise the dead. Brigham Young claimed to have the same power in Kirtland.

Warner Doty, aged about 25, pretended he caught a revelation in the air which was a commission for him to preach Mormonism to foreign nations. His uncle, Nathan Goodell, said he wrote it to fool him. Doty had a fever. The Mormons took charge and watched with him day and night. His mother became alarmed and called Dr. Brainard, who told her it was too late, altogether too late. The watchers had been instructed when the fever turned to send for Jo and Rigdon. They came and laid their hands on him and pronounced him healed and told his mother he would recover because they had received a revelation that he was to preach to foreign nations. Doty soon died, being the first Mormon to die in Kirtland. Rev. Elijah Ward preached his funeral sermon from Job 36:18, "Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." Jo and Rigdon were present and writhed under the sermon. The Mormon leaders made strenuous efforts to convert me. Whenever a new priest of extra ability came he was sent to convert me. Elder Gould, it was said, had been expelled by the Free-will Baptists because he had seduced seven women in one church he

was pastor of, including one preacher's wife; he was bad before he joined the Mormons and worse after. He was sent to convert me. I was painting my brother's house. He first read a chapter or two from the Bible in the unknown tongue, and then stated he could convince anybody of the truth of Mormonism who had a mind capable of feeling the force of his argument. My brother's wife said I had better spend time to have him do it. It would be of infinite value to me. I objected to neglecting my work. My brother said he would give me the time. I told Gould I had not a mind susceptible of the force of his arguments. He said I had. I told him it was not good manners in me to dispute him. He asked if I believed the Scriptures. I told him I did. He inquired if I possessed the signs of those who believed, to heal the sick, cast out devils, and raise the dead. I replied I had all I lived for. He retorted, I see the devil in your eye. I asked him if he had any signs. He said he had. You say I have a devil, I adjure you to cast him out. He replied, I had more than Mary Magdalene. You say I have a devil and that you have the power to cast him out, and I adjure you to. But instead of casting him out, you blackguard me. I said you are in danger, I am a stronger man than you. I have read of seven sons of one Sceva who undertook to cast out a devil in the name of Jesus, etc. I laid down my paint pot and brush and started for him. He fled. My brother's wife censured me. Brigham Young came soon after and preached in the ball-room of the Brick Tavern at the Flats. My brother sent word for me to come and hear him. He took no text and claimed to be inspired, and said a woman in New York told him every word he spoke was a text. He said not all received revelations, but he did. He claimed he had the power to perform miracles, related various exploits he had done, and sang in the unknown tongue. He had much more ability than Joe Smith. 

Orson Pratt, while preaching in Conneaut, said God had recently told him the "Book of Mormon" was true. A Methodist exhorter who had been expelled, inquired of Pratt when it was God told him. Pratt replied, "The previous Tuesday." The exhorter said Pratt was mistaken, for he saw God Friday night, and God told him he had not seen Pratt at all. This silenced Pratt, and the meeting was closed with uproarous laughter.

Billy Hibbard, a Methodist minister of uncommon strength of mind, a powerful debater and very eccentric who preached in New York and Vermont, while traveling along the Hudson River, found a Methodist Church which had nearly been broken up by the Mormon preachers. He told the pastor as the Mormons claimed to receive everything by revelation, it could not be met by argument, but must be by ridicule. He requested the privilege of preaching against Mormonism in his church. The appointment was made for a week-day evening, and the house was crowded. Hibbard showed many of the inconsistencies in the "Book of Mormon." The audience frequently laughed and he would reprove them for their levity at such solemn truths. He closed his discourse by reading from the "Book of Mormon," "and behold, it came to pass that the devil laughed," and he said how important to know that the devil laughed. This convulsed the audience with laughter and they went home laughing. They were no longer troubled with Mormonism.

Jo Smith stopped with my brother, N. K. Whitney, some weeks, when he moved his family to Kirtland, where I became acquainted with him. He was a large, uncouth man, much more animal than intellectual, which was characteristic of the entire Smith family. He was dull, slow of comprehension, and lacked tact. He told me on the hill in Kirtland he could answer any question on the Bible. I inquired who was the father of Melchisedek's children; he hesitated, then said he had forgotten. I asked him who was the mother; he could not tell. I proposed a dozen or more Scripture questions he could not answer. He was naturally a coward and dishonest, a numbhead; money and lust were his controlling principles. I told Jo the "Book of Mormon" did not agree with the Bible. He desired to know where. I replied the Bible says that Jesus was the only begotten Son of God. The "Book of Mormon" says Christ is the Son of the only begotten Son of God, which makes Christ the grandson of God. Jo claimed it was the printer's fault.

Jo's peep stone was called the Urim and Thummim. Mormon elders and women often searched the bed of the river for stones with holes caused by the sand washing out, to peep into. N. K. Whitney's wife had one. I took it to search for a cot I had lost from my injured finger. She said it was wicked to trifle with sacred things. There was much talk about Mormons

digging for hidden treasures soon after their arrival in Kirtland.

D. P. Hurlbut had been a Mormon and was expelled. Hurlbut lectured against Mormonism, and Jo Smith had him arrested, he claimed for threatening his life. Jo testified in court that Hurlbut was expelled for base conduct with lude women, but had been restored again before Jo knew the charges, which were afterwards received from New York State. Jo Smith was on the witness stand at Chardon (the county seat of Geauga County) three or four hours. He testified he had no arms, and that his house was not guarded. I was a witness and supposed I was called to testify about the firing of guns in Kirtland which had brought together the Mormon men under arms several times; they were in constant fear of being mobbed. I was asked if I believed Jo Smith, the Mormon prophet, was a man of truth and veracity. I told them I was not sworn to tell what I believed. After considerable debate by the counsel, the Judges decided it was a proper question. I said I did not, for Jo knew he had sworn to things which he was well aware I knew were not true. Jo had told me a short time previous, while I was painting my brother's store (he at that time was living in the dwelling part of it), that he had a sword and pistol, and that his house was guarded by six men every night. He told me their names. Hurlbut was placed under $200 bonds to keep the peace. 

The day after Hurlbut's trial in Chardon, while in my brother's store, Jo Smith and many of his followers came in; Jo began to abuse me for testifying as I did. He asked me the reasons why I would not believe him under oath. I replied that he lied so like all possessed. He said that he believed I lied when I swore as I did. I told him he lied about the charges against Hurlbut, for Orson Hyde came into the store right after excluding Hurlbut and accidently dropped the charges on the floor, and I picked them up and had them, and they were not as he testified. He lied about having fire-arms, and the house being guarded. I asked him if he was a prophet of the Lord. He replied he was. I said, "Blessed are they who trust in the Lord, and nothing shall offend them;" he being very angry all the time. I inquired if he had the gift of healing; he said he had. I told him if he would perform one miracle I would become a convert to his faith. He said I would construe it some other way. I replied he could perform the miracle on himself. I see you have a lying tongue and a short memory, and if you will cure that I will embrace the faith.

The conversation began in the morning and lasted two hours. Jo shook his fist in my face, raved around violently, and threatened to whip me. My brother ordered us to stop talking, that he would not have such conversation in his store. Jo said he must free his mind. I told him to go ahead, I would take care of N. K. Jo's language was out of character. Rigdon began talking; I told him he ought to have better manners than to speak when his master was speaking. Two weeks previous Jo laid his hands on me and called me his spiritual brother, and prophesied that in two weeks I would embrace the faith, do miracles, and perform various wonders. Jo said I must never speak to him again. I said I should not reject a spiritual brother because he swore to a lie. The store was full of Mormons and I was the only Gentile, but I was not afraid of them.

Col. John Morse hitched his horse near the temple, while it was being built; the Mormons complained it was in the way; some words passed between them. Jo Smith called Morse a "dirty, lousy, stinkin' Presbyterian." Morse told Jo he lied. He attended the church but was not a member. Jo pretended that he was going to whip him, and he would strike his fists past his head and then on the other side. Some time after N. K. Whitney told Jo he must apologize to Morse or his conduct would greatly injure the church. Jo finally did.

A lady told a relative of Heber Kimball, that Jo Smith, when a young man, stole chickens, was a great hand to fight, and was a wicked young man. He replied, "I wish you would not say anything more against the prophet, for when I get to Heaven I shall be his son, for my mother was sealed to him as a spiritual wife before he died."

Harvey Morse said a Mormon who worked for him said he knew Jo Smith in New York, when he was seventeen, and that he used to rob hen roosts and fight, and he was a very bad young man. Morse said, "Yet you believe God has committed to him a great trust?" He answered, "Yes." I should have supposed God would have chosen an honest young man.

Squire Butler, who kept the lighthouse at Fairport, Ohio, told Jo Smith that he was astonished that a man of his appearance would attempt to palm off on the public a book which contained

so many absurdities as the "Book of Mormon." Jo replied, "I am astonished that a man of your intelligence don't know that the more absurdities there is connected with it, the more ready the people are to embrace it."

Martin Harris was an exceedingly credulous man, his every thought was a revelation to him. He wanted to ride with me to Painesville. I told him he might if he would not speak on Mormonism. This he agreed to but I had frequently to check him. He was a perpetual talker. He claimed he had a revelation when he first came to Kirtland for him to go to Missouri, and obtain an Lamanite Indian squaw for a wife to aid them in propagating Mormonism. Martin told me soon after Joseph, the prophet, left Kirtland, that, two years before, he had told him that as his wife had left him he needed a woman as other men. Jo named two who lived at his house who would accommodate him. Jo usually had several women at his house. All the time Martin was in Kirtland boys eight years and older would gather about him and dispute with, and annoy him in various ways. Martin claimed to be Elijah and when greatly annoyed would curse them. The boys would say, "Go up old bald head, now fetch on your bears."  

The last years of his stay in Kirtland he suffered extreme poverty and would have been much better off in the poor-house. I told my nephew, Bishop Orson F. Whitney, from Salt Lake City, when he visited me and other leading Mormons, it was a disgrace for them to permit Martin who was one of the three witnesses and had spent his estate in promulgating Mormonism, to suffer as he did. Soon after they took him to Utah, where he lived a few years and died, aged ninety-three. I was well acquainted with Grandison Newel., before and after the Mormons arrived in Kirtland. He was a go-ahead fellow and carried through what he undertook. He was a public-spirited man and tried to break down Mormonism by legal prosecution. Jo Smith claimed he had a revelation that Newel must be killed. I heard M. K. Davis say he went up to Newel's house, and when he stepped out of the door, before going to bed, he tried to raise his rifle and shoot him but he had not the strength. Newel told me when he was coming home from Painesville one night, he was in deep thought and his team passed the road where he should turn off, he continued on to the next road and escaped being murdered as men were waiting to kill him on the road he usually came from Painesville. A leading Mormon who left them and became a Baptist minister, told me that any man who knew the secrets of Mormonism and apostatized, they would put him out of the way. He much feared his life would be taken.

Old Bosley, an unusually mean and wicked man, was ordained to scourge apostate Mormons and Gentiles. The Mormon leaders brought to Kirtland a wretched set, then swindled and foresook them. Those who remained generally became infidels, atheists or spiritualists. Oliver Granger was the eldest of seven sons of whom I never heard anything good. Their father was a local preacher and a good man. Oliver became president of the Kirtland Stake of Zion after Jo Smith left, and had charge of the bank the latter part of its existence. He furnished his brother Julius and others large amounts of Mormon money, and they bought many horses, harnesses, wagons, cattle and anything they could but with it at high prices. They bought much from the Germans in Southern Ohio. Julius Granger brought considerable of the property to Willoughby and sold it at auction. 

The Mormons taught their followers the saints were to possess all things. Foraging among the Gentiles they called sucking the milk of the Gentiles. Mr. Lumareux, who came to Kirtland from Canada intending to remain a Mormon, told his son he expected to find a pious and godly people here, but they were very ungodly, there was much religion but no grace. Every Mormon man when baptized became a priest, some were made elders. Jo sat in the temple with the Melchisdec Priesthood. The Campbellites denounced other sects for sectarianism. Rigdon and the Mormons charged them as being the same. I heard one of the leading Mormons say in Kirtland, he was not going to have a narrow contracted kingdom in heaven, that he should preside over; he wanted more angels than he could raise from one woman. Jacob Bump, who did the stonework of the temple, while standing near it told me that a Mormon took some straw from that wagon which stood nearby, burnt and extinguished part of it and threw it into the temple to give the impression the other buildings were not burned by Mormons. He said, "I can put my hand on the man who did it."

I was informed that Jo Smith, son of the Mormon prophet, said at the Mormon Conference, held in Kirtland in 1883, that he was born in the dwelling

part of Whitney's store; he was born in a house put up for his father on Isaac Morley's farm. His mother had hard labor and the blood went to her head which became black. The prophet became frightened and sent to Willoughby for Dr. Card, and told the messenger to run his horse. The doctor came and bled her and delivered the son. I saw Dr. Card at the Flats on his return home, who informed me and laughed heartily about Jo's revelation that the Mormons should not employ physicians. One of their mid-wives, old Mrs. Birdsley, told me of Jo's inconsistency in calling Dr. Card, and came near leaving them for it. Meetings were held for blessing and cursing. At one held in the temple, an elder said Jo's mother, who was old, would have another son, the patriarch said "Amen." Mother Smith said he was a devilish fool. I visited my brother on business in Nauvoo, Ill., in 1843. General training occurred while I was there, and Jo Smith was commanding general. He rode a large horse and six of his spiritual wives rode smaller horses, three each side abreast, and they formed a pyramid.

The women had black ostrich feathers in their hats, and made a grand appearance. They were called his body-guard. I was told there was considerable jealousy among his harem as to who should accompany him on his parade. I was told the Mormon women used as obsene language as the men. I heard some from them. Emma Smith told my brother's wife that Jo was very angry when he was informed I was in Nauvoo. He said I would never get away from Nauvoo, that they would make cat-fish bait of me. I sent word to Jo that my eye was upon him. W. W. Phelps told Jo they had better not molest me, that it would react on them. I had met Emma on a steamboat on the Mississippi, and inquired of her how Jo was. She said he was sound in limb, wind, and -----. I was told that at Jo's funeral Emma made faces at his spiritual wives, and called them "bitches" in their presence. She said they need not make so much fuss about him, it was none of their business. Heber C. Kimball said, while preaching in Nauvoo, on women's long dresses, some said Queen Victoria wore them. What in hell has Queen Victoria to do with women here? 

My brother did not wish to leave Kirtland, but Jo's father, called the patriarch, told him it would not be well for him not to. I endeavored to persuade him to leave them at Nauvoo and return to Kirtland. He said he would like to, and promised me he would. The Mormons threatened him, so he dared not leave. He went to Utah. I was told by a Mormon who left them, but retained his faith in the "Book of Mormon," that the Kirtland Safety Society Bank bills were used as currency in Utah, and the church authorities ordered my brother to counter-sign as many bills as gold-dust was deposited to redeem them. Because he would not violate his instructions and counter-sign more, he was poisoned by the Mormons at a conference and lunch which he attended. He fell on the street, and died soon after being taken home, September, 1850, aged fifty-five. His successor was appointed before he was poisoned, such I believe was the case. His daughter, Mrs. Belle Sears, while visiting me in October 1883, informed me that she knew three of prophet Jo Smith's wives who were then living in Salt Lake City. My brother's wife was very credulous. She became a Disciple under Rigdon's preaching, and followed him into Mormonism. My brother seldom attended church, and knew but little of theology. He was a thorough and successful businessman, worth, when he became a Mormon, from twenty to thirty thousand dollars. He was immediately made a bishop and president of the Aaronic priesthood. They blessed him, and said he was to ride in a carriage ironed off with pure gold. He lost heavily by Jo's bank. I was intimately acquainted with the late Squire John C. Dowen for over fifty years. We often visited each other. He was a good and able magistrate, a highly respected citizen of unquestioned truth and veracity.     S. F. WHITNEY.
    Witnessed by:
       Z. J. WHITNEY (Wife),
       A. B. DEMING.

Subscribed and sworn to before me, at Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio, this sixth day of March, 1885.
       A. P. BARBER,
        Justice of Peace. 

         TREASURER'S OFFICE,
         SALT LAKE CITY, April 2. 1886.
DEAR UNCLE: Your friend, Mr. A. B. Deming. the bearer of this, has called upon meand also met my mother. As he has kindly offered to carry this brief note to you, I write while he is waiting. He will also seeBelle Sears, at my suggestion, and bring you word from her. We were all very sorry to hear, from Belle's mother, by letter, that you were again troubled with your old enemy, the cancer. Mr. Deming was surprised when I spoke of it, he thinking that you were entirely recovered from it. We will hope you may. All is well with us at home. I often think of you and my other dear relatives in Ohio, and of the pleasant hours passed in your society. Kindly remember me to your wife, to cousins S. F. Jr., Charles, Susan, to dear cousin Nell, Fred and all the rest, whom we both know without naming, in Kirtland, the Plains, Cleveland, Painesville, etc. I was, and am, favorably impressed with your friend, Mr. Deming, who seems to entertain a high respect for you and yours. Mrs. Wells, Belle's mother, wrote me from Cleveland that she had visited you and Nellie. She came as far homeward as Atchison, Kansas, and then returned to Washington on business.

Give my best regards to all friends and relatives and accept for yourself the assurance of my warm personal esteem.
               Yours affectionately,
                                  ORSON F. WHITNEY.

My parents settled on Mentor Road, four miles west of Painesville, Ohio, in 1810, when I was six weeks old. I well remember when Elder Rigdon came and lived opposite our house in 1827. He was very poor, and when he had much company would send his children to he neighbors to borrow knives, forks, dishes and also for provisions. Father kept his horse and cow gratis.

Rigdon was a very lazy man, he would not make his garden and depended on the church for garden supplies. He would sit around and do nothing. He was away much of the time, and sometimes claimed he had been in Pittsburgh, Pa. I was quilting at his house until 1 o'clock at night the day the four Mormons came to convert Rigdon. I heard some of their conversation in the adjoining room. Orson Hyde boarded at our house and attended a select school, also to Rigdon who taught some evenings.

My parents joined the Cambellite Church, in Mentor, during Eld. Adamson Bentley's protracted meetings, I think, in 1828. Mrs. Rigdon was an excellent woman, and never complained of their poverty.
    [Signed.]     Mrs. Sophia Munson.
    Witnessed by:
        A. B. DEMING.
    Mentor, Ohio, February, 1885. 

We publish the following letter from Mr. L. L. Rice, who in the providence of God, unknowingly held the notorious "Manuscript Found" for nearly fifty years just as it came into his hands, with the printing office he purchased from the Mormon-eater, E. D. Howe. It will be seen he indorses the printed copy as being correct, "and well preserving the character of the original." His views in respect to the labors of President Joseph Smith in Utah and Idaho last year are just and sensible.

                  HONOLULU, Feb. 21, 1886.
Mr. W. W. Blair: I received from yourself, or some one connected with your establishment, as I suppose, ten copies of the "Manuscript Found," printed in good style, and well preserving the character of the original. I have disposed of them all "where they would do the most good," as the phrase is, except a single copy I have preserved for my own use. I very much want another copy, to send to a friend in New York. You will further greatly oblige me if you will send a copy of it by mail, addressed to James A. Briggs. Esq., 177 Washington Street, Brooklyn, New York.

I have read with great interest, in the Saints' Herald, the accounts of President Smith's tour of Utah, etc., to propagate Anti-Polygamic Mormonism. It seems to me his mission augurs the way in which the polygamous Mormons are bound to relieve themselves of their present difficulties.
            Very truly, etc.       L. L. RICE .

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          OAKLAND, CAL, July 12, 1887.
        Pres. Jas. H. Fairchild, OBERLIN COLLEGE -- Dear Sir:  Please inform me soon if the title of the Rice-Spaulding Manuscript in your possession is correctly printed in the Lamoni Mormon edition. Please state wherein it differs and oblige, sincerely yours,
           A. B. DEMING. 

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         Oberlin, July 19, 1887.
A. B. DEMING -- Dear Sir: The original Spaulding Manuscript in our Library has no title. The first page is simply headed "Introduction," and the last page contains the certificate of D. P. Hurlbut and others that the Manuscript is Solomon Spaulding's. The title, "Manuscript Found," prefixed to the Lamoni edition, is the work of the publishers. The paper in which the manuscript was wrapped when Mr. Rice first brought it to me in Honolulu, had inscribed on it, in pencil mark, "Manuscript Story," as I thought in the handwriting of Mr. Rice himself, but was not sure.
        Yours very truly,
           Jas. H. Fairchild. 

In another letter, dated August 2, 1887, he says: "The words, 'Manuscript Story -- Conneaut Creek,' are still on the paper in which the manuscript was wrapped when Mr. Rice first showed it to me in Honolulu, written with a pencil. Mr. Rice says these words were on the paper when he received it. If you can obtain evidence that Rigdon was at Smith's house in 1827 or 128, you will disprove the account of Rigdon's conversion to Mormonism, at Mentor, as given in Howe's book, and also the statement in Pratt's pamphlet, in the library of the Cleveland Historical Society, that he first introduced Smith and Rigdon to each other after the Mormons began preaching in Ohio. You will prove that a distinct effort was made in those early days to cover up the previous acquaintance of Smith and Rigdon. You will prove that the conversion of Rigdon at Mentor was a device for deception, planned in advance.
        Yours very truly,
           Jas. H. Fairchild.

---

     504 North Highland Ave.
       E. E., Pittsburgh, Pa.,
           Nov. 11, 1887.
Mr. A. B. DEMING -- Sir: Your letter of November I received two days since. My father left no papers on this subject, but I distinctly recollect his saying that Sidney Rigdon showed him the Spaulding Manuscript as a literary curiosity left in the office to be published if it was thought it would pay. When father saw the "Book of Mormon" he said it was Rigdon's work, or he had a hand in it; I do not remember his words entirely, so many years have elapsed, but that was the import.      Respectfully,
       MARY W. IRVINE.

     WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 31, 1887,
  A. B. DEMING, San Francisco, Cal. --
Dear Sir: I have carefully read the Rice-Spaulding manuscript you gave me. It is not the "Manuscript Found," which I have often seen. It contained the words "Lehi, Lamoni, Nephi" and was a much larger work.       Respectfully,
            M. S. MCKINSTRY.

up evidence and documents to prove that Mormonism was a delusion. He had much of the evidence that he had collected with him. Now I am very sure he had the identical story that you have printed with him. I remember about the ancient fort at Conneaut Creek, the mound, and the statement of finding the manuscript about the Indians. I have no doubt that Hurlbut, as he says, gave the story to Mr. E. D. Howe. But I believe he had also with him, and we had before us in that investigation, the original "Manuscript Found" written by Rev. Solomon Spaulding. I have said and believed for more than fifty years that I have seen and had in my hands the original "Manuscript Found" from which the Mormon Bible was made .

I have no doubt we had the "Manuscript Found" before us, that we compared it with the Mormon Bible, that the style in which the "Manuscript Found" was written was the same as that of the Mormon Bible. The names -- peculiar -- were the same, not to be forgotten. The names Lehi, Nephi, Maroni, etc., and the expression "and it came to pass" often repeated. This manuscript did not go to Mr. Howe. What did Hurlbut do with it? Some few years ago I wrote to him and asked him who had it -- what he did with it. He did not answer my letter. He received it, as it was not returned to me. Dr. Hurlbut died in Ohio two years ago last June. He is silent now, the grave closed over him. Of Dr. Hurlbut and this "Manuscript Found" the Rev. D. R. Austin, of Munson, Mass, writes in a letter to Rev. Dr. Clark, June 28, 1841. "He, Dr. Hurlbut, stated some time after he had received it, the Manuscript, he had made four hundred dollars out of it."   Whether Dr. H. sold the Manuscript in question or not, it is certain he did not give it to Howe with the other documents, and the Manuscript Story is not the "Manuscript Found" of Spaulding. Was there more than one Manuscript of Spaulding? John N. Miller writes in 1833, as follows: "In 1811 I was in the employ of Henry Lake and Solomon Spaulding at Conneaut. I boarded and lodged in the family of Spaulding for several months. I was soon introduced to the Manuscript of Spaulding and perused it as I had leisure. He had written two or three books or pamphlets on different subjects, but that which particularly drew my attention was one which he called "Manuscript Found." I have recently examined the "Book of Mormon" and found in it the writings of Solomon Spaulding from beginning to end." Several of the witnesses who knew Spaulding intimately and well and heard him read, and had read themselves, the "Manuscript Found," certify that they recognized the names of the Manuscript in the "Book of Mormon." They are positive; they admit of no doubt. The statements of Mr. Robert Patterson, of Pittsburgh, Pa., the son of Mr. R. Patterson, the printer with whom Spaulding left his "Manuscript Found," in his history of the "Book of Mormon" shows how the Rev. Sidney Rigdon was mixed up with it. 

RIGDON  AND  THE  MORMON  BIBLE

The Rev. John Winter, D. D., says in Pittsburgh in 1822 and 1823, when Rigdon was the pastor of the Baptist Church there, he was well acquainted with Rigdon and upon one occasion when in Rigdon's study R, took from his desk a large Manuscript and said in substance: 'A Presbyterian minister, Spaulding, whose health had failed, brought this to the printer to see if it would pay to publish it. It is a romance of the Bible.' To confirm this, Mrs. Mary W. Irvine, a daughter of Dr. Winter, writes: "I have frequently heard my father speak of Rigdon's having Spaulding's Manuscript, and that he had gotten it from the printers to read it as a curiosity." Rev. J. A. Bonsall a step-son of Dr. Winter indorses the above statement. Mr. Z. Rudolph, the father of Mrs. President Garfield, knew Sidney Rigdon very well, and has stated that during the winter previous to the appearance of the "Book of Mormon," Rigdon was in the habit of spending weeks away from his home, going no one knew where. Rigdon at this time made his visits to Jo Smith at Palmyra, N. Y. At last the "Book of Mormon" was published at Palmyra and then this renegade Baptist and Campbellite turns up as the first regular Mormon preacher in Palmyra. Sidney Rigdon was the mysterious stranger at various times in Palmyra. The Rev. Adamson Bentley, to my own personal knowledge a man of very high character and a brother-in-law of Rigdon, in writing Rev. Walter Scott, an old and cherished champion of Rigdon says: "I know that Sidney Rigdon told me that there was a book coming out, the manuscript of which had been found engraved on golden plates, as much as two years before the Mormon Book made its appearance, or had been heard of by me." The Rev. Alexander Campbell, one of the very able and learned men of his day, who had great reputation, says:

I was born in Manchester, Ontario Co., N.Y., May 26, 1808. I well remember about 1820, when old Jo Smith and family settled on one hundred acres one mile north of our house. The north line of his farm was the boundary line between Manchester, Ontario Co., and Palmyra, Wayne Co.; N.Y. The village of Palmyra was about two miles north of Jo's house. Old Jo claimed to be a cooper but worked very little at anything. He was intemperate. Hyrum worked at cooperage. Alvin was the oldest son and worked the farm and was the stay of the family. He died a few years after they came. I exchanged work with Jo but more with his brother Harrison, who was a good, industrous boy. I did not enjoy my meals at the Smith's, they were so filthy. Jo got drunk while we were haying for my uncle, Wm. Stafford; also at a husking at our house, and stayed overnight. I have often seen him drunk. Jo was the laziest one of the family, and a dull scholar, as were all the Smiths except Harrison and Catherine. I attended school with them, also Bill and Carlos.

Oliver Cowdery taught one winter. Catherine's reputation for virtue was not good. Jo claimed he could tell where money was buried, with a witch hazel consisting of a forked stick of hazel. He held it one fork in each hand and claimed the upper end was attracted by the money. I heard my stepfather, Robert Orr, say he had been digging for money one night. Some of my neighbors also said they were digging for money nights. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Rockwell, said that Prophet Jo Smith told her there was money buried in the ground and she spent considerable time digging in various places for it. I never knew of her finding any. Jo Smith told me there was a peep-stone for me and many others if we could only find them. Jo claimed to have revelations and tell fortunes. He told mine by looking in the palm of my hand and said among other things that I would not live to be very old.

When he claimed to find gold plates of the Mormon Bible no attention was paid to them or him by his neighbors. Some time after Jo had men dig on a tunnel forty or fifty feet long in a hill about two miles north of where he

While visiting my uncle, Jacob Wiggins, in Western, Oneida Co., N.Y., I attended a Mormon meeting in a schoolhouse about three miles north of Rome, N.Y. The preacher spoke about twenty minutes and then introduced a woman who would speak in the unknown tongue. She said, "Feel of me low, feel of me lee, feel of me li." A man by the door got up and said, "By --- I can interpret it: Feel of my toe, feel of my knee, feel of my thigh. That is what she means," and left the room. He was under the influence of liquor. It caused so much laughter it stopped the meeting. My uncle always laughed when I asked him about the unknown tongue. My uncle knew the interpreter. I was informed by three or four creditable parties who were at a public house in the town of Pittsford, Ontario Co., N.Y., that a stranger stayed over night and died as was supposed. A doctor was called and another stranger soon came. He said he was a Mormon and could bring the dead to life. The hotel keeper requested him to restore the man to life. The doctor inquired if he could if the man's head was cut off. The Mormon replied he could. The doctor took an ax and said he would cut off his head. The pretended dead man rose up and said, "For God's sake don't cut off my head." I have no doubt the above is true, knowing the persons well who informed me. But few persons about Palmyra and Manchester became Mormons. Jo, the prophet, pretended to tell fortunes for pay. He could read the character of men readily and could tell who he could dupe.
  [Signed] JOSEPH ROGERS.
  [Seal]

  Witnessed by:
    HELEN ROGERS (Daughter).
  Los Gatos, Cal, May 16, 1887.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of May, A.D., 1887.   JOHN F. TOBIN,
            Notary Public.

I was born in Belchertown, Mass., May 1, 1812. When I was five or six years old my parents moved to Manchester, N.Y., one mile from the Mormon Smith family, and I attended school with their children. There was considerable digging for money in our neighborhood by men, women and children. I never knew of their finding any. I saw a large hole dug on Nathaniel Smith's farm, which was sandy. I saw Joshua Stafford's peep-stone which looked like white marble and had a hole through the center. Sallie Chase, a Methodist, had one and people would go for her to find lost and hidden or stolen things.  My mother was one of the first Mormon converts. Father copied the "Book of Mormon" for the printer, or part of it. I heard Martin Harris say that the first part of the "Book of Mormon" was stolen and that he thought his wife took it and it was not printed in the "Book of Mormon." Father joined the Mormons after my parents went West. Catherine Smith, sister of the prophet, showed me in their house a chest with lock where the plates were kept, but they feared they would be stolen, and then she took up four bricks in the hearth and said they had been buried there. Jo Smith's mother doctored many persons in Palmyra. My sister, with whom mother died in California, was opposed to her being a Mormon. I hope sometime it will be known whether Mormonism is true or not. My brother, Orrin Porter Rockwell, made me a visit in 1844 or '45. When ten years old he broke his leg

at Isaac Morley's. Order was observed until they got the power and began to talk in unknown tongues. Some called it talking Injun. The women were usually laid on the beds. Lucy Stanton was a leader in the power business. I saw Warner Doty, a young man of fine physique, when lying on the floor on his back, spring up 7 feet and catch hold of the beams overhead. Black Pete a low cunning illiterate negro used to get the power and writhe around in various contortions on the floor. At times he would run over the hills and say he saw holes of fire. White women would chase him about. Mormon preachers often quoted from the prophet Joel: "The young men shall see visions and the old men dream dreams." It was announced that on a certain Sunday in the summer of 1832, they would heal the sick and lame and revive the dead. Thousands came, many from a distance. I attended, and heard Rigdon say there would be no preaching to-day. He dismissed an audience of several thousand on the hill back of the house, who were greatly disappointed and expressed much indignation. I then went to see the dead child in the house now occupied by Mrs. Carroll. It was lying on a bed. I felt of its face and hands which were warm and pliable. I thought it was under the influence of opium. It did not breathe. It was about two years old and belonged to Mr. Gould, who had lately come from the East. I heard it was buried the following Wednesday. I was well acquainted with Martin Harris, who was often at my house for days at a time. I have questioned him much about the plates from which the "Book of Mormon" purports to have been translated. He never claimed to have seen them with his natural eyes, only spiritual vision. He said it was impossible for the prophet Joseph to get up the "Book of Mormon," for he could not spell the word Sarah.  He had him repeat the letters of the word. He was a very illiterate man. He claimed he would be one of the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation and would not die but would be translated. He often urged me to be baptized and become one of them. I have heard Mormons talk in unknown tongues and Jo Smith interpret. It was of no importance. N. K. Whitney's wife was a vehement exhorter. My wife was employed by Newel several years to ornament chairs, and boarded in his family. Newel first introduced Jethro Wood's iron plows in Northern Ohio. He was a very enterprising business man. My father was made a stockholder in the Mormon bank without his knowledge. After it failed I paid to have his name changed to Harrison to avoid litigation. I was one of the appraisers of the Temple in Kirtland about 1856. It was sold to satisfy a judgment held by Newell.       Kirtland, Dec. 16, 1884.
  [Signed]   REUBEN P. HARMON,
      Witnessed by: A. B. DEMING
      GRANVILLE HARMON (son)"

Revelation on Eternity of the Marriage Covenant, including the Plurality of Wives. Given through Joseph Smith the Seer, in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, July 12, 1843,

1. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having ¹ many wives and concubines:
2. Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter:
3. Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them ² must obey the same.
4. For behold, I reveal unto you a ³ new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that ⁴ covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can ⁵ reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
5. For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall ⁶ abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were ⁷ instituted from before the foundation of the world.
6. And as pertaining to the ⁸new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof ⁹must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God. 
7. And verily I say unto you, that the ¹⁰ conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and ¹¹ sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.

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¹ vers. 3, 34, 37-40, 61-63. Gen. 16, 21:3, 18-21, 25:6. Chapters 29, 30. 33:5-7, 37:2. Exod. 21:7-11, 22:16. Lev. 18:18. Num 12:1,. Deut. 17:14-18, 21:10-17, 22:28, 29, 25:5-10,. Judges 1:16, 4:11, 8:29-32. See also chapters 6 and 7, 10:14, 12:8, 9, 13, 14. ISam 1:1,2, 25:42,43, 27:3, 30:5, 8,. IISam. 2:1-4, 3:2-5, 14, 16, 5:13, 23, 12:8, 15:16. 16:21, 22, 19:5. IChron. 2:18, 19, 46, 48., 3:1-9, 4:5, 7:4, 14, 8:8, 9, 14:3, 28:5. IIChron. 11:21, 13:21, 24:2,3. Isaiah 4:1. Hosea 1:2, 10:11,12. Luke 20:27-36. ICor 11:11. ITim 3:2, 12. Rev. 21:12.
² vers. 4, 5, 13-18, 27.
³ vers. 3, 5, 13-18, 27, 31:2,3,4.
⁴ vers. 6, 13-18, 27.
⁵ 131:1-4.
⁶ 88:38,39.
⁷ vers. 11, 28, 63.
⁸ see 3.
⁹ see 4.
¹⁰ 88:38,39.
¹¹ vers. 19, 46, 47.

8. Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
9. Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name?
10. Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed?
11. And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by ¹² law, even as I and my Father ¹³ ordained unto you, before the world was?
12. I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto you this commandment, that no man shall come unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my law, saith the Lord.
13. And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall ¹⁴ not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God.
14. For whatsoever things ¹⁵ remain are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed.
15. Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their ¹⁶ covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world. 
16. Therefore, when they are ¹⁷ out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.
17. For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever.
18. And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that ¹⁸ covenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power -- then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.
19. And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the ¹⁹ new and everlasting covenant, and it is ²⁰ sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, upon whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this Priesthood; and it shall be said unto them -- Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths -- then shall it be written in the Lamb's Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall ²¹ pass by the angels, and the Gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads,which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. 
20. Then shall they be ²² Gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because ²³ all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be Gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.
21. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye ²⁴ abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.
22. For ²⁵ strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation

---

¹² vers. 5, 63.
¹³ 41: 15. see ¹².
¹⁴ vers. 14-18.
¹⁵ vers. 15-27.
¹⁶ vers. 16, 17.
¹⁷ all commandments must be promptly attended to in this world, or they will ne invalid and of no effect in the world to come.
¹⁸ vers. 7, 46, 47.
¹⁹ see ².
²⁰ vers. 7, 46, 47.
²¹ vers. 16-18, 20.
²² 17-19, 37. John 10:34, 35. Rev. 14:1, 32:4.
²³ 50:26-28.
²⁴ 131: 1-4.
²⁵ II Nep. 9:41. 31:9, 17, 18, 33:9. Alma 37:44, 45. Hela. 3:28, 30. III Nep. 14:13, 14.

and continuation of ²⁶ the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.
23. But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive ²⁷ your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also.
24. This is eternal lives, to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law.
25. Broad is the gate, and ²⁸ wide the way that leadeth to the deaths; and many there are that go in thereat; because they receive me not, neither do they abide in my law.
26. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man ²⁹ marry a wife according to my word, and they are ³⁰ sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the ³¹ new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood -- yet ³² they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be ³³ destroyed in the flesh, but shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God.
27. The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye ³⁴ commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my ³⁵ new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in no wise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord.
28. I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee the law of my Holy Priesthood, as was ordained by me and my Father before the world was. 
29. Abraham received all things, whatsoever he received, by revelation and commandment, by my word, saith the Lord, and ³⁶ hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon his throne.
30. Abraham received promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit of his loins -- from whose loins ³⁷ ye are, namely, my servant Joseph -- which were to continue so long as they were in the world; and as touching Abraham and his seed, ³⁸ out of the world they should continue; both in the world and out of the world should they continue as innumerable as the stars; or, if ye were to count the sand upon the seashore ye could not number them.
31. This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham; and by this law is the continuation of the works of my Father, wherein he glorifieth himself.
32. Go ye, therefore, and do the ³⁹ works of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be saved.
33. But if ye enter not into my law ye cannot receive the promise of my Father, which he made unto Abraham.
34. God commanded Abraham, and Sarah ⁴⁰ gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.
35. Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it.
36. Abraham was commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.
37. Abraham received concubines, and they bear him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness, because they were ⁴¹ given unto him, and he abode in my law; as Isaac also and Jacob did none other things than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other things than which they were commanded, they have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but ⁴² are Gods.
38. David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they ⁴³ received not of me. 

---

²⁶ continuation of posterity in the eternal world. vers. 30, 31. Numbers 16:22. Hab. 12:9.
²⁷ John 14:2,3.
²⁸ III. Nep. 14:13. Matt. 7:13.
²⁹ ver. 19.
³⁰ vers. 7, 19, 20.
³¹ see ³.
³² vers. 19, 23.
³³ vers. 41-43, 54, 63, 64.
³⁴ after having received so great light, if a person murders, there is no forgiveness. 42:18, 79.
³⁵ see ³.
³⁶ ver. 37. Luke 13:28.
³⁷ II Nep. 3:7, 11, 12, 14-17.
³⁸ vers. 19, 31-37.
³⁹ John 8:39.
⁴⁰ Gen. 16, 25:12-18.
⁴¹ Gen 15:16.
⁴² 133:55. See ²².
⁴³ vers 7, 19, 39.

39. David's wives and concubines were ⁴⁴ given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall ⁴⁵ not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord.
40. I am the Lord thy God, and I gave unto thee, my servant Joseph, an appointment, and restore all things; ask what ye will, and it shall be given unto you according to my word.
41. And as ye have asked concerning adultery -- verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man ⁴⁶ receiveth a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and if she be with another man, and I have not appointed unto her by the holy anointing, she hath committed adultery and shall be destroyed. 
42. If she be not in the new and everlasting covenant, and she be with another man, she has committed adultery.
43. And if her husband be with another woman, and he was under a vow, he hath broken his vow and hath committed adultery.
44. And if she hath not committed adultery, but is innocent and hath not broken her vow, and she knoweth it, and I reveal it unto you, my servant Joseph, then shall you have power by the power of my Holy Priesthood, to take her, and give her unto him that hath not committed adultery, but hath been faithful; for he shall be made ruler over ⁴⁷ many.
45. For I have conferred upon you the keys and power of the Priesthood, wherein I restore ⁴⁸ all things, and make known unto you all things in due time.
46. And verily, verily, I say unto you, that whatsoever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you ⁴⁹ bind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens; and whosoever sins you ⁵⁰ remit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you ⁵¹ retain on earth shall be retained in heaven.
47. And again, verily I say, whomsoever you bless I will bless, and ⁵² whomsoever you ⁵³ curse I will curse, saith the Lord; for I, the Lord, am thy God. 
48. And again, verily I say unto you, my servant Joseph, that whatsoever you give on earth, and to whomsoever you ⁵⁴ give any one on earth, by my word and according to my law, it shall be visisted with blessings and not cursings, and with my power, saith the Lord, and shall be without condemnation on earth and in heaven.
49. For I am the Lord thy God, and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I ⁵⁵ seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a ⁵⁶ throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father.
50. Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you; go, therefore, and I make a way for your escape, as I accepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac.
51. Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to prove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice;
52. And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive ⁵⁷ all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.
53. For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been faithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him. 
54. And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law.
55. But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant

---

⁴⁴ 7, 19, 38. IISam. 12:8.
⁴⁵ IISam. 12:11, 15:16, 16:20-23, 20:3.
⁴⁶ vers. 4-7, 19.
⁴⁷ Luke 19:15-26.
⁴⁸ Acts 3:21. Isaiah 4:1.
⁴⁹ Matt. 18:18.
⁵⁰ Matt. 16:19. John 20:23.
⁵¹ John 20:23.
⁵² 124:93. ⁵³ 124:93. ⁴⁴ ver. 39.
⁴⁵ ver. 23.
⁴⁶ vers. 19, 37.
⁴⁷ ver. 65.

Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an ⁵⁸ hundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and land, wives and children, and crowns of eternal lives in the eternal worlds.
56. And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid forgive my servant Joseph his trespass; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I; the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to rejoice.
57. And again, I say, let not my servant Joseph put his property out of his hands, lest an enemy come and destroy him; for Satan seeketh to destroy; for I am the Lord thy God, and he is my servant; and behold, and lo, I am with him, as I was with Abraham, thy father, even unto his exaltation and glory.
58. Now, as touching the law of the Priesthood, there are many things pertaining thereunto.
59. Verily, if a man be called of my Father, as was Aaron, by mine own voice, and by the voice of him that sent me, and I have endowed him with the keys of the power of this Priesthood, if he do anything in my name, and according to my law and by my word, he will not commit sin, and I will justify him.
60. Let no one, therefore, set on my servant Joseph; for I will justify him; for he shall do the sacrifice which I require at his hands for his transgressions, saith the Lord your God.
61. And again, as pertaining to the law of the Priesthood: if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then he is justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are ⁵⁹given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.
62. And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, ⁶⁰ he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.
63. But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has ⁶¹ committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth according to my commandment, and to fulfil the ⁶² promise which was given by my Father ⁶³ before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be glorified. 
64. And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, if any man have a wife, who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the ⁶⁴ law of my Priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she believe and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord your God, for I will destroy her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my law.
65. Therefore, it shall be lawful in me, if she receive not this law, for ⁶⁵ him to receive all things whatsoever I, the Lord his God, will give unto him, because she did not believe and administer unto him according to my word; and she then becomes the transgressor; and he is exempt from the law of Sarah, who administered unto Abraham according to the law; when I commanded Abraham to take Hagar to wife.
66. And now, as pertaining to this law, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you, hereafter; therefore, let this suffice for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega. Amen.

---

⁵⁸ Mark 10:28-30.
⁵⁹ ver. 48.
⁶⁰ 19, 20, 43.
⁶¹ ver. 41.
⁶² Titus 1:2.
⁶³ that is, the souls, or spirits of men to be born in heaven. Ver. 19, 30.
⁶⁴ ver. 52.
⁶⁵ ver. 55.
⁶⁶ vers. 34-37. 

Emma Smith, wife of the prophet, Jo Smith, burnt the original and first written revelation on Patriarchal Marriage by throwing it in the fire but Brother Kingsbury, one of Joseph's scribes, had previous to this, made a complete copy, hence preserving it for reference. President Brigham Young held the principle of Patriarchal Marriage, commonly called polygamy, so sacred a principle and that the human family in this corrupt generation so incompetent to practice it according to the true principle of Celestial Marriage that he in public in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City said if they were not very careful how they entered into it that it would damn nineteen out of twenty that went into it, so testified to me by many truthful elders among whom was Elder Robert Campbell, Sheerer and S. J. Sudbury and William Joseph Smith a patriarch. Brigham Young himself told me that he sealed three wives to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple. Eliza Snow, the poetness now living in Salt Lake City, and Patriarch David Fullmer's sister, was one of Jo Smith's wives in this city, and two or three more are yet alive in this Territory whose names I cannot call to mind. 
    [Signed]       Robert Henry Ford.
    Salt Lake City, March 26, 1886.
N. B.   I have heard him repeat such sentiments myself many times.
                       R. H. F.

Witnessed by:
    A. B. DEMING (of Chicago).
    ALBERT WALTERS (of Harlan, Ia).

My father was an architect and builder. He was the first and only architect in Cleveland for some years. Most of the older residences on the north side of Euclid Avenue he designed and built, also many of the best houses in Painesville. He built Grandison Newell's residence about two miles northeast of Kirtland Flats, now occupied by Mr. Beals, my brother-in-law. C. W. Hurd learned the business with my father and was his successor in Cleveland. He was the architect of the Case Block Opera House, City Hall and many other prominent buildings. When riding with my father to Cleveland, I made some inquiries about the Mormon Temple at Kirtland. He said, "My son, I verily believe the plans for the Temple originated in my own brain." The Mormon leaders came to me and obtained all in information they could, as to what I thought would be advisable for such a building. Soon after, they went on and built it, they claimed, by revelation. If they were inspired, it must have been by the devil for I never was paid fir it. John A. Eddy learned the carpenter trade with my father, and married my sister. He told me that Jo Smith announced in a Mormon meeting; at such a time he would walk on the water.   Grandison Newell and your father paid me one dollar a night to watch and see what the Mormons did. The night before the walking was to be, Jo Smith, Rigdon, Brigham Young, and William Aldrich worked half the night and drove forked stakes in the river in the form of a horseshoe, the ends being on one bank and in deep water. They placed green sycamore slabs which would sink in the water on the crotched stakes which were eight or more inches under water, altogether between two and three hundred feet long. After they left, I removed one of the slabs near the center. According to appointment, prophet Jo Smith came with several hundred Mormons and Jo addressed them. He said they could walk on the water if they only had faith. Jo arrayed in a long white robe, walked some distance, turned and walked backward, and where the slab had been removed, went in all over. He got to shore by the aid of the limb of a tree. Jo said at once to the audience, "Oh ye of little faith, if you had faith as large as a grain of mustard seed, I could remove mountains."
    [Signed]       F. J. GOLDSMITH

   Witnessed by:
    CARRIE A. GOLDSMITH
    (Daughter),
    ABIGAIL J. GOLDSMITH
    (Daughter).

Sworn to and subscribed before me, the undersigned, J. P. by F. J. Goldsmith, this 8th day of May, A. D. 1885.
                    D. CLINTON HILL,
Justice of the Peace for Painesville, Lake County, Ohio.

My parents became Mormons in Bolton, New York. Father sold one of his farms and fortunately could not sell the other at the time. Our family started for Missouri with four good horses, two wagons. On our arrival in Kirtland, Prophet Jo Smith told father he had a revelation from Jesus Christ that he must stay in Kirtland and build up Zion. He said, "Money I [want and] money I must have." Father

Morley's farm and claimed to have all things in common. I attended Rigdon's preaching and heard him urge the church to put their property in the common fund and have all things common. I have heard Mrs. Mann and other members of Rigdon's church say that weeks before he joined the Mormons, he took the Bible and slapped it down on the desk and said that in a short time it would be of no more account than an old almanac; that there was to be a new Bible, a new Revelation, which would entirely do away with this. It caused the church to distrust him and but few followed him into Mormonism. It was said that Jo and Rigdon ordered the poor Mormons, who had no money, to work five days on the Temple and one for their families. There was much suffering among them. It was commonly reported and believed that Jo Smith told his followers that they were the Saints and were to possess all things, and that they could take anything they chose from the Gentiles. 

Mr. McWhithey, who was a Mormon and pretty well off, frequently visited me. I have heard him for hours at a time tell his experience with the Mormons. They urged him repeatedly to put his property in the Lord's treasury to help build the Temple, but he declined. Jo Smith said they would all know it was the work of the Lord when the Temple was dedicated. He said he attended a service which lasted from 10 A. M. until 4 P. M., and there was another service in the evening. The Lord's Supper was celebrated and they passed the wine in pails several times to the audience, and each person drank as much as he chose from a cup. He said it was mixed liquor, and he believed the Mormon leaders intended to get the audience under the influence of the mixed liquor, so they would believe it was the Lord's doings. He said they had a white dove which they intended to have light on Jo, the prophet, but it became entangled in the twine and the scheme failed. When the liquor was repassed, Mr. McWhithey told them he had endowment enough, and said he wanted to get out of the Temple, which was densely crowded. He retained his property.

The Mormons claimed they established the Kirtland Safety Society Bank by direct revelation from heaven. Martin Harris, who furnished the money to pay for publishing the "Book of Mormon," worked off and on for fifteen or twenty years for me. His judgement about farming was good. When we had finished hoeing the corn he would raise his hands toward the field and pronounce a blessing and say he was sure of a good crop with his blessing. One night he went upstairs to bed without a light, but soon came down and said the devil had stirred his bed. My wife went upstairs with the light and found that the bed was all right; Martin said the devil had made it all right. There was a pile of bedding we supposed he had felt of instead of the bed. One night he fell down-stairs; he said the devil came to his bed and he had a tussel with him and the devil threw him downstairs. Every wrong he attributed to the devil. Martin claimed he would renew his age and be translated like Enoch. He said people would provide for his wants, because he was a prophet of the Lord. When old and unable to work he frequently came to my house, and would follow my wife about the house and talk Mormonism to her several days at a time. When she could endure it no longer, she would ask him if the Lord told him to marry Caroline Young, his second wife, who left him and went to Utah. He always became angry at that and would leave. Martin, when closely questioned about the plates from which the "Book of Mormon" purports to have been taken, would say he saw the plates by the eye of faith. He often compared himself to Enoch, Elijah, Paul and other Bible persons. I never doubted that he was insane on Mormonism. My wife said she taught school in Mentor, and boarded with Preserved Harris, when Martin first came to Ohio. One night he talked Mormonism and all went to bed. She finally slipped into her room and shut the door. Martin kept on walking and talking Mormonism until late in the night.
    [Signed]     STEPHEN H. HART.

  Witnessed by:
       A. B. DEMING.
    Mentor, Ohio, Nov., 1884.

I was born in North Killingworth, Conn., June 21, 1807, and was married at Otisco, N. Y., in 1835. In 1835 I moved to Mentor, O. My husband went to mill and did most of his trading in Kirtland, where on one occasion he saw a family when they drove up and inquired [for] the prophet, who

I removed from Oneida County, N.Y., to Kirtland, O., and bought a farm near Squire Dowen, my brother-in-law, in 1833. Myself and wife attended Hurlbut's lecture on Mormonism at the Presbyterian Church at the Center. He said he had been to New York and obtained a copy of the fiction written by Solomon Spaulding called "Manuscript Found." He read from it and the same from the "Book of Mormon," the historical part of which he said was taken from Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." Martin Harris got up and contradicted something Hurlbut said. Another man arose and said he knew Hurlbut was right.  The Mormon leaders told their followers they would rather they would steal than beg from the Gentiles. I suffered from their thefts. Mrs. Steadman told me that the Mormon preachers told her in New York that if she would come to Kirtland, she would see her dead children. She came and was greatly disappointed in not seeing them. She said the church where she came from had more religion than the whole Mormon church. Zebina Smith exchanged his farm in Monson, Geauga County, O., for building lots in Nauvoo, Ill. He failed to obtain them, then his wife died and he returned to Monson and worked as a day laborer. His neighbor, Mr. Young, who made the same exchange and could not obtain the lots he had bargained for in Nauvoo, returned and demanded his farm The man said it had passed out of his hands. Young threatened to kill him and his farm was deeded back. Mr. Wetherbee,

I was born in Whitesborough, Oneida County, New York, Nov. 14, 1804, and settled in Willoughby, Ohio, in June, 1834. I married John Gould's daughter Harriet. Her father had been thirty years a Free-will Baptist minister in New York, and knew Jo Smith there. He became a Mormon and moved to Kirtland in the spring of 1832. I have often heard my wife and her parents tell about Joseph, the prophet, attempting to restore to consciousness their child which they claimed had been drugged. The child was buried. Jo Smith advocated having spiritual wives. One night he got into a second story window, with a ladder, of a house south of the Temple. He was not well received, and it caused much talk about the town. Jo claimed he had the right to, by revelation. Father Gould told me Mr. Parish said Jo Smith bought a farm in Mentor and agreed to pay $1,000 the next day. Mr. Parish went up stairs and obtained the Mormon money, returned and handed it to Jo to put in a package for his brother Hyrum to take to Mentor in the morning. Hyrum returned and demanded $100 saying Parish gave him but $900. Parish insisted he gave Jo $1,000. Jo had some trouble with his brother Bill who was present when Parish paid Jo the $1,000. Bill said he saw Jo put $100 in his pocket. Jo's hired man said when Jo came home the night before, he told his wife he had $100 more than he thought he had. Parish made so much fuss about it Jo owned up that he took it. Jo would bargain for farms and offer more than people asked for them. He employed Amasa Bonney to buy horses with Mormon money. I saw an old farmer when he came to Kirtland with seven fine horses for Bonney, who placed them in Johnson's tavern stable. He went to the bank and obtained his pay in Mormon money. He soon learned that it was worthless and returned and demanded the horses, but was refused. He cried. Father Gould said Bonney ought to go to the penitentiary. The horses were sent East and sold for good money. Oliver and Julius Granger would do anything for money, Julius would meet immigrants coming to Kirtland and induce them to change their good money for Mormon. 

I worked for Grandison Newell considerable. He used to drive about the country and buy up all the Mormon money possible, and the next morning go to the bank and obtain the specie. When they stopped payment he prosecuted them and closed the bank. After the fire I heard Jacob Bump say they had boxes of lead with a little specie on the top. He said Jo Smith told him to dig under the west corner of the bank and they would claim it was robbed. He said he refused. About fifty persons were present from Willoughby the morning after the fire.

The week before Jo left for Missouri meetings were held in the temple about every day. I attended several. I heard John F. Boynton say that the prophet Jo had secretly instructed him and others who were to go out as missionaries, that if the world's people molested them to knock them over and throw them over a log. He said he could not endure such instructions. Jo ordered him ejected, which was done. Mr. Parish said substantially the same and others did who were also put out. One Sunday night I saw Jo, Hyrum and their father with Rigdon in the west pulpit. Father Gould stood ten feet from them and denounced Mormonism for three-fouths of an hour. None were ejected that night, Jo and Rigdon left on horseback by a back road the same night. Mr. Gould told me Monday about a dozen men who had renounced Mormonism watched for Jo and Rigdon in the bushes with guns to shoot them, but they did not pass that way. Mr. Gould said the Mormons would obey any order Jo Smith gave. There was any amount of stealing done by the Mormons from Gentiles about the country. They claimed it was right.
    [Signed]     JAMES THOMPSON.

  Witnessed by:
      H. M. MCFARLAND, Jr.
Sworn and subscribed before me this 7th day of February, 1885.
           D. CLINTON HILL, 
Justice of the Peace in and for Painesville, Lake County, Ohio.

          KIRTLAND, Feb. 5, 1838. To the editor of the [Painesville Republican] Sir: I have taken the liberty to send you a synopsis of the leading features of the characters of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon, who were styled leaders of the Mormon Church, and if if you are disposed and think it would be of service to the public, you are at liberty to publish it. I have for several years past been a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, commonly called Mormon, belonging to the Quorum of Seventy High Priests, and an intimate acquaintance of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon, the modern prophets, and have had an opportunity of ascertaining, to as great an extent, perhaps, the real character of these men as any other individual. I have been Smith's private secretary, called to fill this high and responsible station by revelation, which I wrote myself as it dropped from the lips of the prophet, and although contrary to my natural inclinations, I submitted to [it] fearing to disobey or [treat] lightly the commands of the [Almighty]. I have kept his journals and, like [Baruch], the ancient scribe, have had the honor of writing the history of one of the prophets. I have attended him in the private councils, in the secret chambers, and in public exhibition.   I have performed a pilgrimage with him, not to Mecca, but to Missouri, a distance of 1,000 miles, for the redemption of Zion, in company with about 100 others, called the Camp of Israel. When we arrived in Clay County, adjoining Jackson Jackson County, Mo., in which Zion was located by revelation, and from which our brethren had been driven, we were informed through the prophet that God had revealed to us that we need not cross over and fight as we had expected, but that God had accepted our sacrifice as he did that of Abraham, ours being equal to his when he offered up his son; therefore we were sealed up unto eternal life in the name of Jesus Christ as a reward for our suffering and obedience. I have sat my his side and penned down the translation of the Egyptian hieroglyphics, as he claimed to receive it by direct inspiration from Heaven. I have listened to him with feelings of kindness, when he declared that the audible voice of God instructed him to establish a Banking Anti-banking institution, which like Aaron's rod, should swallow up all other banks (the bank of Monroe, Michigan, excepted), and grow and flourish and spread from the rivers to the ends of the earth, and survive when all others should be laid in ruins.   I have been astonished to hear him declare that we had $60,000 in specie in our vaults, and $600,000 at our command, when we had not to exceed [$1,000] and could not command any more; also that we had but about $10,000 of our bills in circulation, when he as the cashier of the institution, knew that there was at least $150,000. Knowing their extreme poverty when they commenced this speculation, I have been not a little surprised to hear them assert that they were worth from $100,000 to $400,000 in cash, and in less than ninety days after become insolvent without any change in their business affairs. But such has been the audacity of these boasting blasphemers, that they have assumed the authority to curse or to bless, to damn or to save not only this church but this entire generation, and that they hold their destinies in this world and that which is to come. And such has been their influence over this church in this place, that they have [filched] the moneys from their pockets and obtained their earthly substance for the purpose of establishing a bank, and various wild speculations, in order that they might aggrandize themselves and families, until they have reduced their followers to wretchedness and want.   For the year past their lives have been one continued scene of lying, deception and fraud, and that to, in the name of God. But this I can account for in my own mind. Having a knowledge of their private characters and sentiments, I believe them to be confirmed infidels who have not the fear of God before their eyes, notwithstanding their high pretensions to holiness, and frequent correspondence with the angels of Heaven, and the revelations of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost. What avails the claims of such men to holiness of heart, when their examples do violence to the system of morality, to say nothing about religion.   What more favorable ideas can one entertain whose has heard them say, "Man has no more agency than a wheel-barrow, and consequently is not accountable, and in the final end of all things, no such principle will exist as sin." This language, independent of many abominations that might be named, such as the prophet's fighting four pitched battles at fisticuf, within four years, one with his own natural brother, one with his brother-in-law, one with Ezra Thair, and one with the Baptist priest, speaks volumes. Their management in this place has reduced society to a complete wreck. The recent outrage committed here, viz. the burning of the printing establishment, I have no doubt was nothing more nor less than carrying into effect Smith's and Rigdon's last revelation that they had before they took their leave of this place between two days.In fact the lying, fighting, stealing, running away, etc., that have been carried on among us are only reducing their theory to practice, and in some instances they have not only taught the theory, but have set the example themselves.

And I am fully convinced that their precepts and examples, both in public and in private, are calculated to corrupt the morals of their votaries and cast a shade over their characters, which, like the twilight of evening will soon settle

into the gloom of midnight darkness, and had it not been arrested in its mad career, would have transmitted into succeeding generations a system of hereditary tyranny and spiritual despotism unparalleled in the annals of the Christian Church, the Church of Rome excepted. But they have fled in a night; "they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; the wicked fleeth when no man pursuth." The printing establishment, book bindery, etc., was formerly the property of Smith and Rigdon; it had been sold the day previous to its being set on fire, by virtue of two executions obtained against them of $1,000 each, for issuing banking paper contrary to law.   The establishment had fallen into the hands of those who have late remonstrated against the wickedness of the above-named individuals; and had it not been sacrificed upon the altar of reckless fanaticism, it would no doubt at this time have been speaking the truth, as an atonement for an ill-spent life. A well grounded conviction of this fact was evidently one reason why Smith and Rigdon obtained a revelation to abscond, and that the press must not at all hazards be suffered to be put in requisition against them; also that God would destroy this place by fire; for its wickedness against its prophets, and that his servants are swift messengers of destruction, by whose hands he avenges himself upon his enemies. This accounts for the outrage.   This is but a preface to the catalogue of their iniquities that might be enumerated. But the most astonishing thing after all is, that men of common sense and common abilities should be so completely blinded to dispense entirely with the evidence of their senses and tamely submit to be led by such men, and to continue such glaring inconsistencies; and at the same time to be made to believe that they have God for their author, and the happiness and well-being of mankind for their end and aim. But the magic charm is broken at last; superstition and bigotry have begun to lose their influence and unclench their iron grasp from this devoted people who have "been led like lambs to the slaughter, and as a sheep is dumb before her shearers," so have we not dared to open our mouths. However, justice seems to be in pursuit of the workers of iniquity and sooner or later will overtake them: they will reap a just and sure retribution for their folly. This then is the conclusion of the whole matter: They lie by revelation, swindle by revelation, cheat and defraud by revelation, run away by revelation, and, if they do not mend their ways, I fear that they will at last be damned by revelation.
    [Signed]     W. F. PARISH.

This is to certify that we are personally acquainted with said Parish, Smith and Rigdon, and that the above is a statement of facts according to our best recollection.
    LUKE JOHNSON.
    JOHN F. BOYNTON.
        (Two of the 12 Apostles),
    SYLVESTER SMITH.
    LEONARD RICH.
        (Formerly presidents of the Seventies).  

PRES'T. J. SMITH JR. Dear Brother as it is difficult to obtain a personal interview with you at all times By reason of the multitude of Business in which you are engaged you will Excuse my saying in writing what I would otherwise say By word of mouth. Haveing Long Pondered the Path in which we as a people have been led in regard to our temporal management, I have at Length Become fully convinced that the whole scene of Speculation in which we have been Engaged is of the Devil; I allude to the covetous Extortionary Speculating Spirit which has reigned in this place for the Last vseason, which has given rise to Lying deceiving and takeing the advantage of ones Nabour and In Short to Every Eavle work: 

And Being as fully convinced that you and President Rigdon; Both by presept and Example have Been the principle means In Leading this people astray in these particulars and haveing myself Been Led astray and Caught in the same snare By your Example and By false Prophesying and preaching from your mouths; yes haveing done many things Rong and plunged myself and family and others well nigh in to distruction, I have awoke to an awful sense of my situation and now resolve to retrace my steps, and to get out of the mare and make restitution, as far as I can. And now Dear Brother If you are still determined to pursue this wicked course untill yourself and the Church shall sink down to hell; I Beseach you at least to have mercy on me and my family and others who are Bound with me for those certain 3 lots which you sold to me at the Extortionary price of $2,000 which never cost you $1.00; for if It stands against me it will [ruin] Myself and a helpless family as well as those Bound with me for yesterday Pres't Rigdon came to me and Informed me that you had drawn the money from the Bank on the obligation you held against me and

BY ONE OF THE PARTY, WHOSE NAME IS WITHELD FOR PRUDENTIAL REASONS.
________

I saw the Mormons drive away my cow, horse, and hogs, also my neighbor's stock, when living in Illinois. They claimed there were the Lord's people and had the best right to it. I was a member of the Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois, Regiment, who were called out before Jo Smith surrendered to Governor Ford. Before the Governor ordered us to disband, there had been much talk about our going to Carthage and disposing of the Smiths. All believed justice could not be obtained bt process of law. Captain John Head, who had been a Texas ranger, was the first who proposed going to Carthage; then several persons addressed the men, urging them on. About 150 started for Carthage, the county seat of Hancock County, under the leadership of Captain Head. Before we began our journey, while in camp near Warsaw, we all took an oath not to divulge the names of those engaged in the affair and to always stand together. More anti-Mormons joined us on the way and the oath was again taken. Higby, Foster and the Laws were of the party. We arrived at Carthage jail late in the afternoon, June 27, 1844. The guard of eight or ten men feigned a resistence and withdrew 100 or more yards from the jail, towards the Court House. We had been informed that they would not oppose us. Sledges were obtained from a blacksmith shop near by (Colonwl Freeman's), and the front door was battered down; some of the party rushed upstairs. I heard some firing upstairs. I was about fifty or sixty fwwt from the well, which was a few feet east of the jail. I saw Jo Smith jump from the window.   He was shot before and after he jumped, while in the air. I suppose more than fifty shots were fired at him. I saw the bullet holes; some went through him. I saw a young man stab him with a butcher knife and say, "You was the cause of my father's death!" Some of the party said it was Governor Boggs' son of Missouri, whom Porter Rockwell shot on orders from Jo Smith. All was done within ten minutes from the time they commenced at the door. We advised Captain Head and other leaders of the party to disguise themselves. They hurridly left Carthage by the Warsaw road. Before we left Warsaw for Carthage, we had been informed the guard would offer only a slight resistence. We accomplished what we went for, for our country's good. 

I came to California from Iowa in 1847. Captain Head commanded our company of 110 men and 60 wagons. We intended to remain in Salt Lake City one week and rest our teams. We arrived friday. I met two families who were my neighbors in Illinois, and who knew I had fought the Mormons in Nauvoo. I made several exchanges with them Saturday. Sunday we heard A. W. Babbit preach in the Tabernacle and he closed his sermon by saying that he thought it would be mutually beneficial for the Mormons to exchange vegetables for dry goods and groceries, and said we would be well treated except those who had been concerned in the killing of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. They would not be hurt. They would be killed so quick it would not hurt them. Captain Head and the narrator, who commanded the company, ordered the cattle brought in Sunday evening, and we started at 9 o'clock in the evening and went 150 miles, where we rested one week, and finally got through all right. I know of several men who were killed by Mormons while on their way to California, in 1849, because they were supposed of being concerned in the killing of the Smiths. Also I knew two who were killed by Mormons in California. I heard two men say, who were present at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, that Jo Smith said the Holy Ghost would come down in the form of a dove, when he called him. Jo called many times. Then a voice from upstairs said the rat had eaten the Holy Ghost. The men said they had seen the dove come when called for by Jo Smith a number of times before, but did not know how it was accomplished. The men had

"The acts of his life exhibit a character as incongrous as it is remarkable. If we can credit his own words and the testimony of eye-witnesses, he was at the same time the vicegerent of God, and a tavern keeper; a prophet of Jehovah and a base libertine; a minister