A Documentary History of the Book of Mormon 0190699094, 9780190699093

Citation preview

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A Documentary History of the Book of Mormon

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A Documentary History of the Book of Mormon Larry E. Morris

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1 Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and certain other countries. Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America. © Oxford University Press 2019 Material in this product has been licensed from the Joseph Smith Papers Project, © by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.josephsmithpapers.org The products offered by Larry E. Morris are neither made, provided, approved, nor endorsed by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints. Any content or opinions expressed, implied, or included in or with the goods (services) offered by Larry E. Morris are solely those of Larry E. Morris and not those of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by license, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reproduction rights organization. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above. You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer. Library of Congress Cataloging-​in-​Publication Data Names: Morris, Larry E., 1951– author. Title: A documentary history of the Book of Mormon / Larry E. Morris. Description: [New York, N.Y.] : Oxford University Press, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2018021640 | ISBN 9780190699093 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780190699116 (epub) | ISBN 9780190699123 (online resource) Subjects: LCSH: Book of Mormon—History—Sources. | Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805–1844—Sources. Classification: LCC BX8627 .A3 M67 2018 | DDC 289.3/22—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018021640 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed by LSC Communications, United States of America

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For Isaac, Courtney, Justin, and Whitney

My eyes were too dazzled by the glitter of the sea below his feet to see him clearly; I am fated never to see him clearly. . . . He was white from head to foot, and remained persistently visible with the stronghold of the night at his back, the sea at his feet, the opportunity by his side—​still veiled. What do you say? Was it still veiled? I don’t know. For me that white figure in the stillness of coast and sea seemed to stand at the heart of a vast enigma. The twilight was ebbing fast from the sky above his head, the strip of sand had sunk already from his feet, he himself appeared no bigger than a child—​then only a speck, a tiny white speck, that seemed to catch all the light left in a darkened world. . . . And, suddenly, I lost him. . . . —​J oseph Conrad, Lord Jim

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Contents Acknowledgments xix Editorial Method xxi List of Abbreviations xxiii Chronology xxvii Map xxxiii

Introduction 1

1. “He Appeared unto Me Three Times in One Night”: Joseph and the Angel: September 1823–​September 1826 6 First-​Hand Reminiscences 16 1.1. Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830 [D&C 20], Extract 16 1.2. Joseph Smith, History, circa Summer 1832 19 1.3. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, February 1835, Extract 26 1.4. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, March 1835, Extract 29 1.5. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, April 1835, Extract 31 1.6. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, July 1835, Extract 35 1.7. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, October 1835, Extract 41 1.8. Joseph Smith, Journal, November 9, 1835, Extract 50 1.9. Elders’ Journal, July 1838, Extract 52 1.10. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract 53 1.11. Joseph Smith, “Church History,” March 1, 1842, Extract 58 vii

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Accounts from Others 61 1.12. Eli Bruce’s Diary Entry, November 5, 1830 61 1.13. James Gordon Bennett’s Report on “The Mormonites,” 1831, Extract 61 1.14. Lucy Harris’s Testimony, November 29, 1833 67 1.15. Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833 69 1.16. Henry Harris’s Testimony, circa 1833 74 1.17. Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​1847, Extract 75 1.18. Isaac Hale’s Testimony, March 20, 1834 80 1.19. Peter Bauder’s Report of His Interview with Joseph Smith, 1834 83 1.20. Truman Coe’s Description of Mormonism, 1836, Extract 85 1.21. Joseph Curtis’s Reminiscence, circa 1839, Extract 87 1.22. John A. Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts 88 1.23. Orson Pratt’s Account of Joseph Smith’s Early Visions, 1840, Extract 96 1.24. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extract 102 1.25. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 108 1.26. Fayette Lapham’s Report of an Interview with Joseph Smith Sr., 1870 110 1.27. Statement of Joseph and Hiel Lewis, April 30, 1879 117 1.28. Frederick G. Mather’s Interviews, 1880, Extract 122 1.29. William H. Kelley’s Interviews, 1881 131 1.30. Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract 148 1.31. Emily M. Coburn Austin’s Reminiscences, 1882, Extract 150 1.32. William Smith’s Reminiscence, 1883, Extract 153





2. “The Same Heavenly Messenger Delivered Them Up To Me”—​ Joseph and the Plates: September–​December 1827 157 First-​Hand Reminiscence 159 2.1. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract 159 Accounts from Others 161 2.2. Letter of Nathaniel W. Howell and Others to Ancil Beach, January 1832 161 2.3. Barton Stafford’s Testimony, November 3, 1833 162 2.4. Joseph Capron’s Testimony, November 8, 1833 163 2.5. Abigail Harris’s Testimony, November 28, 1833 165 2.6. Peter Ingersoll’s Testimony, December 2, 1833, Extract 166

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2.7. William Stafford’s Testimony, December 8, 1833 169 2.8. Jesse Townsend’s Letter to Phineas Stiles, December 24, 1833 171 2.9. Mary Beman Noble’s Reminiscence, circa 1836 174 2.10. Martha Campbell’s Letter to Joseph Smith, December 1843 175 2.11. Orsamus Turner, “GOLD BIBLE—​MORMONISM,” 1851, Extract 177 2.12. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extracts 180 2.13. Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859 191 2.14. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 197 2.15. Frederick G. Mather’s Interviews, 1880, Extracts 199 2.16. William Smith’s Testimony, 1884, Extracts 202 2.17. William H. Kelley’s Interview with Lorenzo Saunders, 1884, Extract 204 2.18. William H. Kelley’s Interview with Benjamin Saunders, 1884, Extract 207 2.19. Lorenzo Saunders’s Letter to Thomas Gregg, January 28, 1885 210 2.20. Christopher M. Stafford’s Statement, March 23, 1885, Extract 212 2.21. Mrs. M. C. R. Smith’s Statement, March 25, 1885 213 2.22. Isaac Butts’s Statement, circa March 1885 214 2.23. W. R. Hine’s Statement, circa March 1885, Extract 215 2.24. Katharine Smith Salisbury’s Letter to “Dear Sisters,” March 10, 1886 217 2.25. Mrs. S. F. Anderick’s Statement, June 24, 1887 219 2.26. Rhamanthus M. Stocker’s Account, 1887, Extract 221 3. “I Cannot Read a Sealed Book”—​Martin Harris’s Venture to Eastern Scholars: February 1828 224 First-​Hand Reminiscences 229 3.1. Charles Anthon’s Letter to E. D. Howe, February 17, 1834 229 3.2. Charles Anthon’s Letter to Rev. T. W. Coit, April 3, 1841 232 3.3. Letter from Charles Anthon, August 12, 1844 235 3.4. Martin Harris’s Letter to H. B. Emerson, November 23, 1870 236 Accounts from Others 237 3.5. Article in Rochester Advertiser and Daily Telegraph, August 31, 1829 237 3.6. William W. Phelps’s Letter to E. D. Howe, January 15, 1831 238 3.7. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract 240 3.8. David. B. Dille’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, September 15, 1853 241

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3.9. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract 244 3.10. Thomas Colburn’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, May 1855, Extract 245 3.11. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 246 3.12. Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract 247 3.13. Edward Stevenson’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, December 13, 1881, Extract 247 3.14. Anthony Metcalf ’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1888, Extract 248

4. “I Stood Alone, an Unlearned Youth”—​The Translation Begins: April–​June 1828 250 First-​Hand Reminiscences 252 4.1. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract 252 4.2. Joseph Smith’s Letter to James Arlington Bennet, November 13, 1843, Extract 252 Accounts from Others 253 4.3. Letter to the Editor, Brattleboro Messenger, Vermont, November 20, 1830 253 4.4. Ezra Booth’s Letter to Ira Eddy, October 2, 1831, Extract 254 4.5. Nancy Towle’s Account of an Interview with Joseph Smith, October 16, 1831 255 4.6. Minutes of a Conference of the Church of Christ, October 25–​26, 1831, Extract 256 4.7. Nathaniel Lewis’s Testimony, March 20, 1834 257 4.8. Testimonies of Joshua McKune, Hezekiah McKune, Alva Hale, Levi Lewis, and Sophia Lewis, 1834 258 4.9. Mathew Livingston Davis’s Letter to His Wife, Mary, February 6, 1840, Extract 260 4.10. George Peck’s Account of the Origin of the Book of Mormon, 1843, Extract 262 4.11. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract 263 4.12. Iowa State Register Interview with Martin Harris, August 16, 1870, Extract 264 4.13. Chenango Union Interview with Mrs. Doolittle, April 12, 1877 265 4.14. William W. Blair’s Interview with Michael Morse, May 1879 266 4.15. Edward Stevenson’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1881, Extract 269

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5. “I Have Lost My Soul”—​Martin Harris and the Missing Manuscript: Summer 1828 271 First-​Hand Reminiscences 272 5.1. Joseph Smith, Preface to the Book of Mormon, circa August 1829 272 5.2. Joseph Smith, History, circa Summer 1832 273 5.3. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts 274 5.4. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts 275 Accounts from Others 281 5.5. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 281 5.6. James Harvey Reeves’s Account, 1872 282 5.7. Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract 283 5.8. William W. Blair’s Account of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1880 284 Contemporaneous Documents 285 5.9. Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3] 285



6. “It Is Marvelous to Me”—​Interlude: Autumn 1828–​March 1829 287 First-​Hand Reminiscences 291 6.1. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract 291 6.2. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extracts 292 6.3. Martin Harris’s Testimony, September 4, 1870 297 6.4. William S. Sayre’s Letter to James T. Cobb, August 31, 1878, Extract 298 6.5. Emma Smith Bidamon’s Account, February 1879, Extract 299 6.6. David Whitmer Interview, Kansas City Journal, June 5, 1881, Extract 301 Accounts from Others 303 6.7. Edmund C. Briggs’s Report of an Interview with Emma Smith Bidamon, 1856, Extract 303 Contemporaneous Documents 304 6.8. Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4] 304 6.9. Revelation, March 1829 [D&C 5] 305







7. “Days Never To Be Forgotten”—​The Translation: April–​May 1829 309 First-​Hand Reminiscences 310 7.1. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, September 7, 1834, Extract 310

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7.2. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts 313 Accounts from Others 317 7.3. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extracts 317 7.4. Joseph Knight Jr.’s Account, 1862, Extract 318 7.5. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 319 7.6. Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract 320 7.7. Samuel W. Richards’s Report of an Interview with Oliver Cowdery, 1907, Extract 321 Contemporaneous Documents 323 7.8. Book of Mormon, Extract, circa April 1829 323 7.9. Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 6] 324 7.10. Revelation, July 1828/​Spring 1829 [D&C 10] 327 7.11. Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 7] 332 7.12. Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 8] 332 7.13. Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 9] 334 7.14. Book of Mormon, Extract, circa May 1829 335 7.15. Revelation, May 1829 [D&C 11] 338 7.16. Revelation, May 1829 [D&C 12] 340

8. “I Often Sat By and Saw and Heard Them Translate and Write for Hours Together”—​The Translation: June 1829 342 First-​Hand Reminiscences 343 8.1. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts 343 8.2. Elizabeth Whitmer Cowdery’s Statement, February 15, 1870 344 8.3. Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract 345 8.4. David Whitmer’s Address to All Believers in Christ, 1887, Extract 346 Accounts from Others 348 8.5. Abram W. Benton’s Report of a Statement by Oliver Cowdery, March 1831, Extract 348 8.6. Josiah Jones’s Report of an Interview with Oliver Cowdery, 1831 349 8.7. Reuben Miller’s Report of Oliver Cowdery’s Testimony, October 21, 1848 350 8.8. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract 352 8.9. Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith’s Interview with David Whitmer, September 1878, Extract 355

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Contemporaneous Documents 356 8.10. Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 14] 356 8.11. Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 15] 358 8.12. Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 16] 358 8.13. Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 18] 359 8.14. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Hyrum Smith, June 14, 1829 362 8.15. Jesse Smith’s Letter to Hyrum Smith, June 17, 1829 363 8.16. Oliver Cowdery’s “Articles of the Church of Christ,” June 1829 366

9. “An Angel of God Came Down from Heaven”—​The Three Witnesses: Late June 1829 370 First-​Hand Contemporaneous Document 373 9.1. Testimony of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, circa June 1829 373 First-​Hand Reminiscences 374 9.2. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Cornelius C. Blatchly, November 9, 1829 374 9.3. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts 375 9.4. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Phineas Young, March 23, 1846, Extract 377 9.5. Oliver Cowdery’s Statement to Samuel W. Richards, January 13, 1849 378 9.6. Martin Harris’s First-​Hand Accounts of the Angel and the Plates, 1870 380 9.7. Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract 380 9.8. David Whitmer’s Address to All Believers in Christ, 1887, Extract 381 Accounts from Others—​on the Three Witnesses 383 9.9. Lucius Fenn’s Letter to Birdseye Bronson, February 12, 1830, Extract 383 9.10. Observer and Telegraph Articles, November 18, 1830 384 9.11. Vermont Watchman and State Gazette Article, December 14, 1830 388 9.12. Ezra Booth’s Letter to Ira Eddy, October 24, 1831, Extract 388 9.13. John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Extract 389 9.14. John A. Clark’s Letter, August 31, 1840, Extract 391 9.15. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, 1844–​1845, Extracts 392 9.16. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 393

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Accounts from Others—​on Oliver Cowdery 395 9.17. Painesville Telegraph Article, November 16, 1830 395 9.18. Ashbel Kitchell’s Account, 1831 395 9.19. Elizabeth Whitmer Cowdery’s Statement, March 8, 1887 396 Accounts from Others—​on Martin Harris 397 9.20. Painesville Telegraph Article, March 15, 1831 397 9.21. Stephen Burnett’s Letter to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Extract 397 9.22. Simon Smith’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, April 30, 1884 399 9.23. Anthony Metcalf ’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1888, Extract 400 9.24. David H. Cannon’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1922 401 9.25. William Pilkington’s Account of an Interview with Martin Harris, April 3, 1934, Extract 402 Accounts from Others—​on David Whitmer 403 9.26. Diedrich Willers’s Letter to Rev. L. Mayer and D. Young, June 18, 1830, Extract 403 9.27. William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, July 18, 1831 405 9.28. Thomas B. Marsh’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, November 1857 406 9.29. William E. McLellin’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, January 4, 1871 407 9.30. Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer, September 1878, Extract 408 9.31. William E. McLellin’s Letter to James T. Cobb, August 14, 1880 409 9.32. James H. Hart’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer, August 21, 1883, Extract 411 Contemporaneous Document 412 9.33. Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 17] 412



10. “The Appearance of Ancient Work, and of Curious Workmanship”—​ The Eight Witnesses: Late June 1829 415 First-​Hand Contemporaneous Document 422 10.1. Testimony of Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, and Samuel H. Smith, circa June 1829 422

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First-​Hand Reminiscences 423 10.2. Peter Whitmer Jr.’s Journal Entry, December 13, 1831, Extract 423 10.3. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract 424 10.4. John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Extract 425 10.5. Editorial by John Whitmer, March 1836, Extract 425 10.6. Hyrum Smith’s Letter to the Saints, December 1839, Extract 426 10.7. Hiram Page’s Letter to William E. McLellin, May 30, 1847, Extract 427 10.8. John Whitmer’s Letter to Heman C. Smith, December 11, 1876 428 Accounts from Others—​on the Eight Witnesses 429 10.9. Letter to the Free Enquirer, September 3, 1831, Extract 429 10.10. David Marks’s Report of a Visit to the Peter Whitmer Home, 1831 429 10.11. Stephen Burnett’s Letter to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Extract 431 10.12. John Corrill’s History, 1839, Extract 432 10.13. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract 433 10.14. Thomas Ford’s Account, 1854 433 10.15. Luke Johnson’s History, 1864 435 10.16. Diedrich Willers’s Letter to Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson, January 19, 1882, Extract 436 Accounts from Others—​on Joseph Smith Sr. (1771–​1840) 437 10.17. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract 437 10.18. Fayette Lapham’s Report of an Interview with Joseph Smith Sr., 1870 439 Accounts from Others—​on Samuel H. Smith (1808–​1844) 439 10.19. William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, December 11, 1831 439 10.20. Phineas H. Young’s History, 1858 440 10.21. Daniel Tyler’s “Incidents of Experience,” 1883 441 Accounts from Others—​on Hyrum Smith (1800–​1844) 441 10.22. William E. McLellin’s Journal Entries, August 19 and September 10, 1831 441 10.23. Sally Bradford Parker’s Letter to John Kempton, August 26, 1838, Extract 442 10.24. Joseph Fielding’s Letter to Parley P. Pratt, June 20, 1841 443 10.25. Salem Advertiser and Argus Article, April 12, 1843 444

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Accounts from Others—​on Hiram Page (1800–​1852) 444 10.26. William E. McLellin’s Report of Missouri Persecutions, January 4, 1871 444 10.27. Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Report of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract 445 10.28. Andrew Jenson’s Report of an Interview with Philander Page, September 1888 445 Accounts from Others—​on Christian Whitmer (1798–​1835) 446 10.29. Editorial by Oliver Cowdery, December 1836 446 Accounts from Others—​on Jacob Whitmer (1800–​1856) 447 10.30. Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Report of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract 447 10.31. Andrew Jenson’s Report of an Interview with Philander Page, September 1888 448 Accounts from Others—​on Peter Whitmer Jr. (1809–​1836) 448 10.32. Lyman Wight’s Account, May 16, 1882 448 Accounts from Others—​on John Whitmer (1802–​1878) 449 10.33. John Whitmer’s Conference Address, June 7, 1835 449 10.34. Thomas Bullock’s Account, circa 1845 450 10.35. E. C. Brand’s Report of an Interview with John Whitmer, circa 1876 451 10.36. P. Wilhelm Poulson’s Account of an Interview with John Whitmer, July 31, 1878 452 10.37. Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Account of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract 454

11. “Written by the Hand of Mormon”—​Publication of the Book of Mormon: June 1829–​March 1830 456 First-​Hand Contemporaneous Documents 457 11.1. Joseph Smith’s Letter to Oliver Cowdery, October 22, 1829 457 11.2. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Joseph Smith, November 6, 1829 458 11.3. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Joseph Smith, December 28, 1829 460 First-​Hand Reminicenses 462 11.4. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract 462 11.5. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 463 11.6. Thurlow Weed’s Letter to Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson, April 12, 1880 465 11.7. John H. Gilbert’s Account, 1892 467 11.8. Albert Chandler’s Letter to William Linn, December 22, 1898 470

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Accounts from Others 472 11.9. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract 472 11.10. Thomas B. Marsh’s Account, November 1857 478 11.11. Solomon Chamberlain’s Account, circa 1858 480 11.12. Stephen S. Harding’s Letter to Thomas Gregg, February 1882, Extract 482 Contemporaneous Documents 484 11.13. The First Known Published Article Mentioning the Book of Mormon, June 26, 1829 484 11.14. Revelation, circa Summer 1829 [D&C 19] 486 11.15. Article in Paul Pry’s Weekly Bulletin, July 25, 1829 489 11.16. Notice in The Reflector, September 2, 1829 490 11.17. Article in The Gem, September 5, 1829 490 11.18. Articles in The Reflector, September 16–​December 9, 1829 491 11.19. Cornelius C. Blatchly’s Article in Gospel Luminary, December 10, 1829 493 11.20. Agreement with Martin Harris, January 16, 1830 496 11.21. Revelation, circa Early 1830 497 11.22. Cornelius C. Blatchly’s Article in the New-​York Telescope, February 20, 1830 500 11.23. Notice in the Wayne Sentinel, March 19, 1830 502 11.24. Wayne Sentinel Announcement of the Publication of the Book of Mormon, March 26, 1830 503

Notes 505 BIBLIOGRAPHY 551 Index 563

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Acknowledgments

i First and foremost, I must thank Lavina Fielding Anderson, Dan Vogel, and Dean Jessee for their incredible work with key primary documents in early Mormon history. The depth and precision of their research is reminiscent of the work of Donald Jackson and Dale L.  Morgan, whose efforts have been so valuable in my study of Lewis and Clark and the early fur trade. My thanks to Dean, of course, also extends to Ronald K. Esplin and my other former colleagues at the Joseph Smith Papers Project and Church History Library—​especially Mark Ashurst-​McGee, R.  Eric Smith, Reid L.  Neilson, Matthew J.  Grow, Rachel Osborne, Constance Palmer Lewis, Nathan N.  Waite, Kathryn Turner Burnside, Amanda Owens, Ronald O. Barney, Gerrit J. Dirkmaat, Michael Hubbard MacKay, Jenny L. Lund, Mark L. Staker, and the late Linda Hunter Adams. Thanks to the following historians, whose compilations of Mormon documents have been crucial in my research:  Francis W.  Kirkham, Preston Nibley, Milton V. Backman Jr., H. Michael Marquardt, Dale R. Broadhurst, Stan Larson, Samuel J. Passey, John W. Welch, Jan Shipps, Richard L. Anderson, Scott H. Faulring, Matt Roper, Donald Q. Cannon, and Lyndon W. Cook. I appreciate the help of the librarians and archivists at Brigham Young University’s Harold B. Lee Library, Provo, Utah, and the LDS Church History Library in Salt

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Lake City. Both of those institutions also have outstanding digital collections that make remote reseach quite easy and fruitful. Thanks to Melvin C. Johnson, Kevin Barney, Denney Berrett, Ken Olsen, Laura Harris Hales, and Brian C. Hales for their support and their interest in my work. Thanks to Cynthia Read, Drew Anderla, Aiesha Krause-Lee, and Anne Sanow at Oxford University Press and the great production team at Newgen. Last, but as they say, not least, thank you Deborah.

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Editorial Method

i In a key matter of style, this book follows the lead of Paul C. Gutjahr, author of The Book of Mormon: A Biography, who wrote: “Since my book involves a great many Smiths—​including Alvin, Hyrum, William, Samuel, Lucy, Emma, Ethan, Joseph Smith Sr., and Joseph Smith III—​I have chosen to refer to Mormonism’s founding prophet as ‘Joseph’ for the sake of clarity” (1). Document Selection The purpose of this book is to present in a single volume a representative collection of essential documents related to the origin of the Book of Mormon. Given the wealth of material available, a comprehensive compilation would require a half-​ dozen volumes—​at least. Take the case of David Whitmer. Lyndon Cook’s book David Whitmer Interviews includes a total of ninety-​one documents. A few of those, deemed representative, are included here. Similarly, in Early Mormon Documents volume 2, Dan Vogel includes six different accounts of William Pilkington’s interviews with Martin Harris (EMD, 2:350–​67). An extract from one is included here. A good rule of thumb for anyone interested in doing extensive research on a given document is to first check the endnotes in this book and second consult such larger collections as The Joseph Smith Papers and Early Mormon Documents. Several documents, such as affidavits from Isaac Hale and Willard Chase, span the topics of multiple chapters. To retain the tone and context of the author, however, xxi

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Editorial Method

those documents are printed in their entirety in the chapter deemed most appropriate. Internal cross-​references and the index will assist readers in compiling a list of all documents dealing with the First Vision, the printing of the Book of Mormon, and so on. At the same time, other documents, such as Pomeroy Tucker’s Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism and Lucy Mack’s Biographical Sketches, are much too large to be included in a single chapter; relevant excerpts from those books are therefore included in several chapters. In each chapter, documents are listed first by category—​such as First-​Hand Reminiscences and Accounts from Others—​and second, in chronological order. The title of each document includes the date the document was recorded or published, not the date of the incident described. Rules of Transcription Most of the documents in this volume have been previously published. They are produced here as originally printed, with editorial corrections or comments in brackets. For handwritten documents, the following standards (based on Dean Jessee’s “Text Devices” [Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, xx]) apply: All original spelling, punctuation, and capitalization is retained. Crossed out words are designated as written: rather. Angle brackets identify insertions: . Underlined words are designated as written: golden plates. Brackets are used to supply editorial identifications, explanations, corrections: Joseph [Smith]; me[r]‌ited. The end of a page is designated by bracketed numbers: [p. 36].

xxi

Abbreviations

i BC

A Book of Commandments, For the Government of the Church of Christ, Organized According to the Law, on the 6th of April, 1830. Zion, MO: W. W. Phelps, 1833. CCLA Community of Christ Library–​Archives, Independence, Missouri. CHL Church History Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints, Salt Lake City. D1 MacKay, Michael Hubbard, Gerrit J. Dirkmaat, Grant Underwood, Robert J. Woodford, and William G. Hartley, eds. Documents, Volume 1: July 1828–​June 1831. Vol. 1 of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, Richard Lyman Bushman, and Matthew J. Grow. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2013. D2 Godfrey, Matthew C., Mark Ashurst-​McGee, Grant Underwood, Robert J. Woodford, and William G. Hartley, eds. Documents, Volume 2: July 1831–​January 1833. Vol. 2 of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, Richard Lyman Bushman, and Matthew J. Grow. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2013. D&C The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints, Containing Revelations Given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, with Some Additions by His Successors in the Presidency of the Church. Salt xxiii

xxiv i

Abbreviations

Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints, 1981. The 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter-​day Saints: From the Revelations of God. Kirtland, OH: F.G. Williams and Co., 1835) is consistently identified by date. EMD Vogel, Dan, comp. and ed. Early Mormon Documents. 5 vols. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1996–​2003. H1 Davidson, Karen Lynn, David J. Whittaker, Mark Ashurst-​McGee, and Richard L. Jensen, eds. Histories, Volume 1: Joseph Smith Histories, 1832–​ 1844. Vol. 1 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2012. H2 Davidson, Karen Lynn, Richard L. Jensen, and David J. Whittaker, eds. Histories, Volume 2: Assigned Historical Writings, 1831–​1847. Vol. 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2012. HC Joseph Smith Jr. History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints. Edited by B. H. Roberts. 7 vols., 2d ed. rev. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1980. J1 Jessee, Dean C., Mark Ashurst-​McGee, and Richard L. Jensen, eds. Journals, Volume 1: 1832–​1839. Vol. 1 of the Journals series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2008. JSP Jessee, Dean C., Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman, eds. The Joseph Smith Papers. 16 vols. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press,  2008–​. LDS The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints. MRB Jensen, Robin Scott, Robert J. Woodford, and Steven C. Harper, eds. Manuscript Revelation Books. Facsimile edition. First volume of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2009. R1 Jensen, Robin Scott, Robert J. Woodford, and Steven C. Harper, eds. Revelations and Translations, Volume 1: Manuscript Revelation Books. Vol. 1 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011. RLDS Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now named Community of Christ).

xv

Abbreviations

j xxv

Manuscript Revelation Books Beginning in 1830 and over the next several years, Joseph Smith and his associates compiled revelations dictated by Joseph into two manuscript books. Following the standard used in the Joseph Smith Papers, this volume uses “Revelation Book 1” to refer to the manuscript book labeled “Book of Commandments and Revelations” and often called the BCR. Likewise, “Revelation Book 2” refers to the manuscript book labeled “Book of Revelations” and often called the Kirtland Revelation Book, or KRB. For more information see JSP, R1:xxvii–​xxiv, and Robert J.  Woodford, “Introducing A Book of Commandments and Revelations, A Major New Document ‘Discovery,’ ” BYU Studies 48, no. 3 (2009): 7–​17.

xxvi

Chronology

i September 21, 1823

September 22, 1823

Early November 1823

November 19, 1823 September 22, 1824 September 29, 1824

Fall 1824–​Spring 1825

xxvii

An angel later identified as Moroni appears to Joseph Smith three times during the night and informs him of ancient plates deposited nearby. Moroni appears a fourth time; Joseph finds the plates at the Hill Cumorah but is prohibited from taking them. Alvin Smith leads an effort to construct a frame house for the family, then living in a cramped log home. After a brief illness, Alvin dies at age twenty-​five of an overdose of calomel. Joseph makes his first annual visit to the Hill Cumorah. Joseph Smith Sr. runs a paid advertisement in the Wayne Sentinel announcing that he and some of his neighbors have found Alvin’s body undisturbed after rumors circulated that the body had been removed from its place of interment. After revivals in Palmyra, Lucy Mack Smith and her children Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel join the Presbyterian church.

xxviii i

September 22, 1825 October 1825

October–​November 1825 November 1, 1825

November 17, 1825

December 1825

March 20, 1826

September 22, 1826 Fall 1826

November 1826–​January 1827

January 18, 1827

Chronology

Joseph makes his second annual visit to the Hill Cumorah. Josiah Stowell, of Chenango County, New York, hearing that Joseph can “discern things invisible to the natural eye,” hires him to assist in digging for treasure. The Erie Canal officially opens. The Smith family completes the frame house begun by Alvin and moves in. Joseph, Joseph Smith Sr., and three other laborers sign an agreement with Stowell concerning his treasure-​seeking venture near Harmony, Pennsylvania. The Smiths board with Isaac Hale, where Joseph meets Hale’s daughter Emma. Stowell’s company breaks up; Joseph continues working for Stowell on Stowell’s farm near South Bainbridge, New York. The Smith family falls behind in payments and nearly lose their home; Lemuel Durfee buys the land and allows the Smiths to continue living there in exchange for Samuel’s labor. At South Bainbridge, Stowell’s nephew, Peter G. Bridgeman, charges Joseph with being “a disorderly person and an Imposter”; Stowell testifies in Joseph’s favor (with historians disagreeing on whether Joseph was acquitted). Joseph makes his third annual visit to the Hill Cumorah. Joseph and Samuel Lawrence travel to Harmony, where they reportedly search unsuccessfully for a silver mine; Lawrence recommends Joseph to Emma Hale. Joseph works for Joseph Knight in Colesville, New York, and becomes good friends with Newel Knight. Joseph and Emma Hale are married by Zechariah Tarble in South Bainbridge, New York, without Isaac Hale’s permission. About a week later, Joseph and Emma move to Manchester with Josiah Stowell’s help.

xi

Chronology

April 16, 1827

August 1827

September 20, 1827

September 22, 1827

December 1827

February 1828

April–​June 1828

June 14, 1828

June 15, 1828

Early July 1828

Fall 1828

ca. October 1828

j xxix

Samuel Smith begins working for Lemuel Durfee to pay for the Smith family’s continued residence on the farm. Peter Ingersoll goes with Joseph and Emma to Harmony to obtain Emma’s furniture and other possessions and move them back to Manchester. Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight arrive at the Smith home in Manchester, apparently in expectation of Joseph’s receiving the plates on September 22. In the early hours after midnight, Joseph and Emma ride in Joseph Knight’s wagon to the Hill Cumorah; Emma stays near the wagon and prays while Joseph obtains the plates. Alva Hale, Emma’s brother, arrives from Harmony and returns there with Joseph and Emma, who have received financial help from Martin Harris. Harris takes transcript of characters copied from plates to show to scholars in Albany, New York, and New York City. Joseph Smith translates portion of plates, with Martin Harris acting as main scribe (and with Emma Smith and Reuben Hale possibly assisting). Harris takes 116-​page Book of Mormon manuscript to Palmyra, New York, to show to family. Emma Smith gives birth to her and Joseph’s first child—​a boy who is either stillborn or dies shortly after birth. Joseph Smith travels to parents’ home in Manchester and learns that Harris has lost the manuscript; he returns to Pennsylvania; plates are temporarily taken from him. Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer meet in Palmyra, discuss rumors about Joseph Smith and gold plates, and begin investigating the matter. Cowdery begins teaching school in Manchester district and meets Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith.

xxx i

ca. Early 1829

February 1829 March 1829

March 1829 Late March/​Early April 1829

April 5, 1829

April 6, 1829

May 1829

May 15, 1829

ca. June 1, 1829

June 1829

June 11, 1829 June 26, 1829 Late June 1829

Chronology

Cowdery has spiritual experience convincing him of Joseph Smith’s divine calling, though the two have not yet met. Joseph Sr. and Samuel Smith visit Joseph and Emma in Harmony. Lucy Harris files a complaint in Lyons, New York, claiming Joseph Smith is attempting to defraud her husband, Martin; Martin testifies in Joseph’s defense; case is dismissed. Martin visits Joseph and Emma in Harmony. The Smith family is forced to move out of the frame home into the log home now occupied by Hyrum, his wife, Jerusha, and their infant girl, Lovina. Oliver Cowdery arrives in Harmony; he begins acting as Joseph’s scribe two days later, and the translation continues. Joseph signs agreement to purchase land and home from father-​in-​law Isaac Hale, makes down payment of sixty-​four dollars. Joseph Knight travels from his home in Colesville Township, New York, to Harmony with supplies for Joseph and Cowdery. Joseph and Cowdery are visited by a divine messenger who announces himself as John the Baptist; he ordains Joseph and Cowdery and instructs them to baptize each other. David Whitmer arrives in Harmony and helps Joseph and Cowdery move to the Whitmer farm in Fayette Township, New York, where the translation resumes. Joseph and Martin Harris begin visiting printers in the area and reach an agreement with E. B. Grandin. Copyright obtained for the Book of Mormon. Title page of Book of Mormon published in Wayne Sentinel, Palmyra. Three witnesses—​Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris—​testify of seeing the angel and the plates, Fayette Township.

xxi

Chronology

Late June 1829

ca. July 1, 1829 ca. Early August August 25, 1829

Late August 1829

October 4, 1829

December 9, 1829

December 28, 1829 January 2, 13, 22, 1830 Mid-​January 1830

January 16, 1830

ca. February 1830

March 26, 1830 April 6, 1830

j xxxi

Eight witnesses—​Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, and Samuel Smith—​testify of seeing and handling the plates, near the Smith log home in Manchester. Book of Mormon translation completed, Fayette Township. Oliver Cowdery begins making printer’s copy of Book of Mormon manuscript. Martin Harris pledges farm to assure $3,000 payment to Grandin for printing 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon. Hyrum Smith delivers first pages of printer’s copy of manuscript for typesetting, Palmyra; first gathering printed by early September. Joseph moves back to Harmony, leaving Hyrum Smith and Oliver Cowdery to oversee Book of Mormon printing. Abner Cole, editor of Palmyra newspaper The Reflector, announces that he will soon publish excerpts from the Book of Mormon. Cowdery writes to Joseph, informing him that Joseph Sr. will depart for Harmony directly. Cole illegally publishes the Book of Mormon excerpts in The Reflector. Joseph arrives from Harmony, confronts Cole, and demands that he cease publishing unauthorized Book of Mormon selections. Joseph signs agreement stating that he and Martin Harris will equally share proceeds from Book of Mormon sales until debt with Grandin has been paid. Oliver Cowdery and Hiram Page travel to Kingston, Upper Canada, in unsuccessful attempt to sell copyright of Book of Mormon. Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon is now for sale in Palmyra. The Church of Christ is organized.

xxixi

Joseph Smith was born in Sharon, Vermont, in 1805. The family migrated to Lebanon, New Hampshire, by 1812 and then to Palmyra, New York, by the winter of 1816–​1817. In 1819, the Smiths moved to a farm near the border of Palmyra and Manchester townships. In 1827, Joseph reported obtaining the plates at the Hill Cumorah, four miles south of the village of Palmyra. The translation of the Book of Mormon was completed in Harmony, Pennsylvania, and Fayette Township, New York, from 1828 to 1829. By 1831, Joseph’s followers had established settlements in the Kirtland, Ohio, and Independence, Missouri, areas. Joseph and others were imprisoned in Missoui during the winter of 1838–​1839. The Saints fled Missouri and settled in Illinois along the Mississippi River in a town later known as Nauvoo. Joseph Smith was killed in Carthage, Illinois, on June 27, 1844. Map courtesy of Brigham Young University. (For additional maps, see http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​media/​ maps.)

1

Introduction

i On Friday, June 26, 1829, the Palmyra, New  York, newspaper Wayne Sentinel announced that Tucker and Lothrap’s store had received a new shipment of dry goods, groceries, glassware, hardware, cutlery, and hollowware. Not only that, but two drug shops were now open for business—​one operated by doctors Robinson and Loomis and the other by Dr. Eggleston—​with each offering a full and general assortment of drugs, medicine, paints, dyewoods, and dyestuffs. Another article noted that a citizen in Rutland, Vermont, had complained of General Jackson:  “He has been in office a little more than three months, during which time nearly four thousand post-​masters have had their walking papers, merely because they were friendly to the reelection of J. Q. Adams!” Another story apprised readers of a bit of local news: Just about in this particular region, for some time past, much speculation has existed, concerning a pretended discovery, through superhuman means, of an ancient record, of a religious and a divine nature and origin, written in ancient characters, impossible to be interpreted by any to whom the special gift has not been imparted by inspiration. It is generally known and spoken of as the “Golden Bible.” Most people, continued the article, believe the whole matter “a gross imposition, and a grosser superstition.” Rather than ridiculing the unidentified person who 1

2i

A Documentary History of the Book of Mormon

had supposedly discovered the ancient record, however, the Sentinel let the golden Bible speak for itself and published, “as a curiosity,” the title page of the book, which proclaimed its purpose in exalted terms: “to shew unto the remnant of the House of Israel how great things the Lord hath done for their fathers . . . and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.” Less than two months later, the Palmyra Freeman sounded quite a different note: “The greatest piece of superstition that has ever come within our knowledge, now occupies the attention of a few individuals of this quarter. It is generally known and spoken of as the ‘Golden Bible.’ . . . An account of this discovery [‘plates of gold’ and ‘a huge pair of spectacles!’] was soon circulated. The subject was almost invariably treated as it should have been—​with contempt.”1 In 2003, Book magazine included the Book of Mormon in its list of “20 Books That Changed America” ( July/​August 2003). Jerome Kramer, editor of Book, explained that the staff had set out to select the books “that have had the greatest impact on the history of the country: the ones that led to concrete, definable changes in the way Americans live their lives.” In addition, only books published at least a quarter of a century earlier (by 1978) and also published during or after the founding of the United States could qualify. The Book of Mormon deserved inclusion, wrote Kramer, because it “provides the theological underpinning for one of the world’s most vibrant religions.”2 In 2011, Ben Brantley, the chief theater critic for the New  York Times, praised a Broadway musical he described as “blasphemous, scurrilous and more foul-​ mouthed than David Mamet on a blue streak [but] . . . as pure as that of a Rodgers and Hammerstein show.” The name of the production? “The Book of Mormon”—​ even though the musical had little to do with the text of the book itself. Brantley added: “Church founders like Joseph Smith and Brigham Young appear in illustrative sequences, as does Jesus and an angel named Moroni. When delivered in musical-​ comedy style, these vignettes float into the high altitudes of absurdity.” Brantley particularly enjoyed “a spirited, innocently obscenity-​laden” song about Joseph.3 Such alternating reactions to the Book of Mormon—​friendly/​hostile, serious/​ sarcastic—​have happened from the start and will no doubt continue. Parley P. Pratt could not put the book down once he started reading it, preferring reading to eating or sleeping; Mark Twain called it “chloroform in print.” The young school teacher Oliver Cowdery dedicated his life to the Book of Mormon before hearing any of the text or even meeting Joseph; the printing office apprentice John H. Gilbert, who frequently saw Cowdery during the printing process, called the book “a very big humbug.” Respected Palmyra farmer Martin Harris returned from a meeting with Columbia professor of Greek and Latin Charles Anthon convinced that Joseph was

3

Introduction

j3

indeed a prophet; Anthon, who examined characters reportedly copied from the gold plates, reported years later “that it was all a trick, perhaps a hoax.” And so it goes. “True or not, the Book of Mormon is a powerful epic written on a grand scale with a host of characters, a narrative of human struggle and conflict, of divine intervention, heroic good and atrocious evil, of prophecy, morality, and law,” argues Daniel Walker Howe, who adds that the book “should rank among the great achievements of American literature, but it has never been accorded the status it deserves, since Mormons deny Joseph Smith’s authorship, and non-​Mormons, dismissing the work as a fraud, have been more likely to ridicule than read it.”4 Likewise, Jan Shipps contends that whether the Book of Mormon was translated from engravings on metal plates or dictated from “Joseph Smith’s extraordinary mind—​this book functions as a powerful and provocative synthesis of biblical experience and the American dream, and it occupies a position of importance in both the religious and intellectual history of the United States.”5 Certainly, understanding the origin of the Book of Mormon is essential to understanding its significance in American history.6 Furthermore, as Ann Taves points out, “to reconstruct the process through which [ Joseph Smith’s] new church [organized within weeks of the publication of the Book of Mormon] emerged, we need to peel back layers of later interpretation to reconstruct how those involved in the process viewed events and understood their experiences as they unfolded.” This means taking “the earliest sources as our starting point.”7 There are no substitutes for the primary documents, but in the case of the Book of Mormon, the “earliest sources” are not nearly as early as one would hope. As shown by a glance at the table of contents of this volume, a host of crucial Book-​of-​Mormon events took place between September of 1823 and the end of 1827, but not a single document—​no letter, diary entry, legal record, newspaper article, or anything else—​ mentioning the Book of Mormon has survived. Even for the crucial year of 1828, only two documents, neither the original, are extant. It is not until 1829 that contemporaneous documents are plentiful, with the June 26 Wayne Sentinel article having the distinction of sending out the first public notice of the Book of Mormon.8 Even so, the bulk of key documents in this volume are first-​hand accounts from the likes of Joseph Smith, Martin Harris, Lucy Mack Smith, Emma Smith, Isaac Hale, Charles Anthon, and John H. Gilbert, and virtually all of these are reminiscences, some recorded as early as the 1830s and some as late as the 1890s.9 Reminiscences can be quite valuable, but they are also inherently problematic:  How accurate is the writer or teller’s memory? How much has his or her retelling of the event in question been molded by happenings in the interim? Not only that, but the important affidavits collected by Philastus Hurlbut and published by E. D. Howe in

4i

A Documentary History of the Book of Mormon

Mormonism Unvailed (as well as a host of statements subsequently collected by others over the next half-​century) are also remembrances. The upshot is that both defenders and critics of Joseph offered their public assessments of him after the fact—​after he had published the Book of Mormon, organized the Church of Christ, proclaimed himself a prophet, made converts and enemies, and become a controversial figure (especially after scores of newspaper articles—​most of them negative—​ had been published about him). As a result, one looks in vain for “unbiased” accounts of Joseph’s Book-​of-​Mormon activities between September of 1823, when he first told of the gold plates, and March of 1830, when the Book of Mormon was published. Documents recorded on the spot by Joseph and by relatives, neighbors, and acquaintances later to become both friendly and hostile—​these are the kind of early sources one hopes for but rarely finds.10 We therefore proceed with caution and do the best we can in investigating the origins of the “very big humbug” that has been reprinted approximately one hundred and eighty million times. The first standard of this compilation is that everyone—​ from Oliver Cowdery to Lucy Harris to Joseph Knight to Willard Chase to John Whitmer—​is allowed to speak for themselves. (For that reason, when practical, such accounts are reprinted in their entirety, even when only part of the statement relates specifically to the Book of Mormon.) A “layer of interpretation” will not do when such participants have already spoken on their own behalf. In determining what person x said, no statement by person y or z trumps the narrative of x (which seems self-​evident, but needs reiterating). The accuracy or reasonableness of x’s statement is, of course, open to debate. Similarly, accounts written or dictated by the persons themselves take priority over descriptions of what they said as recorded by others (unless the subject approved such a second-​hand account). Documents closest in time, distance, and person to the events always get top priority. True, a given witness may be simply mistaken or lying about a given event. For that reason, all sources are subject to comparison with other sources to check for consistent details and general patterns.11 Again, a second-​hand account from an impartial observer may turn out to be more valuable than a polemical first-​hand assertion, but such examples will be revealed after careful analysis, not by way of presumption. Whether a certain informant is friendly or hostile to Joseph is not a factor in questioning or accepting his or her testimony. In addition, candid expressions such as diary entries and personal letters will generally be valued over memoirs and memoirs over official histories.12 (As mentioned, however, the sticking point here is the lack of diaries and letters on both the friendly and critical sides.) Statements given by a person who implicates him-​or herself in a mistake or wrongdoing are also particularly valuable but understandably rare.

5

Introduction

j5

I echo these sentiments of Terryl Givens: “In a history of a religiously controversial subject, . . . the disputability of the facts is too obvious to bear repeating on every page. I have therefore avoided constructions like ‘Joseph Smith’s alleged vision,’ or ‘the purported visit of Moroni,’ as they would become tiresome and pedantic. . . . My focus in any case has not been on whether the Book of Mormon or the account of it given by Joseph Smith is true.”13 Finally, I endorse what Philip Barlow calls “a method that embraces such values as balance, fairness, openness, integrity, the willingness to be self-​critical, honesty in the attempt to present and follow even difficult or painful evidence, a modesty which respects opposing competent views, an absence of dogmatism, and the ability to produce history which will seem responsible to diverse but intelligent and informed people of good will.”14

1 “He Appeared unto Me Three Times in One Night” Joseph and the Angel: September 1823–​S eptember  1826

i In terms of allowing Joseph Smith to speak for himself, no document is more crucial than his 1832 history. As noted in the Joseph Smith Papers, “the circa summer 1832 history provides the most personal, intimate account of JS’s early visions available and preserves details of those visions not recorded elsewhere.”1 That history states—​by way of an insertion in Frederick G. Williams’s hand—​ that what is now called the First Vision took place “in the 16th year” of Joseph’s age, which technically ran from December 23, 1820, when he turned fifteen, to December 22, 1821. A later history compiled from 1838 to around 1841, however, said the vision occurred “early in the spring of Eighteen hundred and twenty”2—​ when Joseph was fourteen years old.3 The weight of the evidence from Joseph himself therefore dates this vision to either 1821 or 1820, two or three years before the “heavenly vision” involving “an angel of the Lord”—​specifically dated to September 21, 1823. The section of the 1839–​1841 history, now called “Joseph Smith—​History” ( JS—​ H), was canonized by the LDS Church in 1880 as part of a volume of scripture called The Pearl of Great Price. The date of spring 1820 for the First Vision thus gained scriptural status and has subsequently become the date for virtually all Mormons and most non-​Mormons. The irony in the 1839–​1841 history becoming official is that the 1832 account, the earliest and most personal—​and the only one to include Joseph’s handwriting—​is certainly the most valuable of Joseph histories in historiographical terms.4 6

7

“He Appeared unto Me Three Times in One Night”

j7

As to what happened between the First Vision—​of which, Joseph later wrote, “I saw the Lord and he spake unto me”5—​and the appearance of the divine messenger announcing gold plates, there is no sign that Joseph considered his theophany a call to establish a new church or even to preach. Still, he did not remain silent: his 1832 detail that he “could find none that would believe the hevnly vision” was later partly explained: “Some few days after I had this vision, . . . I took occasion to give [a Methodist preacher] an account of the vision [and] was greatly surprised at his behavior, he treated my communication not only lightly but with great contempt, saying it was all of the Devil.”6 Precisely when Joseph’s family heard of the First Vision and what they learned are not clear. In neither the 1832 or 1839–​1841 histories does Joseph mention telling any family members about the First Vision.7 Moreover, Lucy and her son William both had a tendency to conflate the First Vision with the angelic visitation regarding the gold plates.8 So it is not surprising that Lucy and her children Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel began attending the Presbyterian church as late as November 1823.9 What is clear from the histories of both Lucy and William is that the interim between Joseph’s visions was a time of intense labor for the entire family. In the spring of 1823, wrote Lucy, “we commenced making Mapel sugar of which we averaged 1000 lbs per year we then began to make preparations for building a house [on the Manchester farm] . . . [and] we also planted a large orchard and made every possible preparation for ease when advanced age should deprive us of the ability to make those physical exertions which we were then capable of.”10 William offered addition details: “We cleared sixty acres of the heaviest timber I ever saw. We had a good place, but it required a great deal of labor to make it a good place. We also had on it from twelve to fifteen hundred sugar trees, and to gather the sap and make sugar and molasses from that number of trees was no lazy job.”11 That was life on the frontier. Immediately after discussing the family’s sugar-​ making efforts and the large orchard, the preliminary manuscript of Lucy’s history mentions another aspect of frontier life: Let not my reader suppose that because I  shall pursue another topic for a season that we stopt our labor and went trying to win the faculty of Abrac drawing magic circles or sooth saying to the neglect of all kind of business we never during our lives suffered one important interest to swallow up every other obligation but whilst we worked with our hands we endeavored to remember the service of & the welfare of our souls.12 Historians have disagreed as to Lucy’s intent in dictating this passage, which was not included in the published history: Was she acknowledging or denying the Smith

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family’s involvement in such activities?13 Regardless of Lucy’s intent, her very mention of specific folk-​magic practices that sound so foreign to the twenty-​first-​century audience is an apt reminder that as Ronald W. Walker has written, from colonial times to at least the 1830s, Americans—​including the Smith family—​searched for treasure. “There were hundreds and probably thousands of these ‘money diggers,’ all seeking troves of fabled coins, mines, jewels, and other valued prizes.”14 These treasure-​seekers dug from the Mississippi River Valley to the Atlantic Coast, but genuine discoveries were rare. Why did they keep hunting? “Relying on an immemorial but now forgotten world view, the money diggers placed faith in conjuring, elemental spirits, thrice-​spoken dreams, seeric gifts, and enchanted treas­ ure that could slip and rumble through the earth as easily as a fish moving through the deep.”15 During the eighteenth century such beliefs were widespread, even among the upper class. Peter Oliver, born in Boston in 1713 and a 1730 graduate of Harvard College, was named a justice of the peace in 1744 and chief justice of the superior court in 1772. In mid-​century, Oliver found that the divining rod exceeded what he had heard—​it could “locate a single Dollar under ground, at 60 or 70 feet Distance; & to a Quantity of Silver at a Miles Distance.” As late as 1826, the American Journal of Science and Art claimed that “men of the soundest judgment, of large information, and of the most exemplary lives, do not disown the art.”16 Religion and folk culture were particularly closely linked for a host of people living on the frontier—​such as western New York—​in the early 1800s. Many of them, like the Smiths, had migrated west from the east coast with few possessions and little status but with an independent spirit that resisted “enlightened” notions. Such vagabonds may well have been seeking “a new, satisfying, and visionary faith” that viewed the use of diving rods and seer stones as being quite compatible with, rather than contrary to, the Bible. Indeed, such ancient prophets as Adam and Abraham were said to possess “Angellicall Stones.”17 Nor was it unusual for folk and Christian rites to virtually merge, as in a ritual containing this language: “I conjure thee, one summer long [old], hazel rod, by the power of God, by the obedience of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, God and Mary’s own son, who died on the cross, and by the power of God, by the truth of God arose from the dead; God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, who art the very truth thyself, that thou showest me where silver and gold is hidden.”18 Given this context, it comes as no surprise that the Smiths, a religious family who regularly prayed together and were frequently reminded by Lucy to “love God with all their hearts,”19 were involved in treasure-​seeking in the early 1820s. Furthermore, given Joseph’s concern “for the wellfare of [his] immortal soul” and his habit of pondering “many things in [his] heart,” his interest in a folk/​religious world that

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saw the supernatural in nature is no surprise. Palmyra neighbors such as Pomeroy Tucker and Willard Chase said Joseph “manifested a special fancy” for a seer stone and reportedly “could see wonderful things by its aid.”20 Joseph’s spiritualistic activities included searching for lost articles, blessing crops, predicting future events, and exploring for silver or salt.21 In western New York in the 1820s, however, such quests, whether through the use of a stone, diving rod, or other means, were hardly big news. As Quinn notes, “A number of village seers dotted the vicinity of Palmyra, New York, in the first decades of the nineteenth century.” At Rose, twenty-​five miles to the northeast, a local minister’s son held a “peculiar stone” to his eyes, claimed to see into the earth, and led a several diggers in a treasure search; at Rochester, twenty-​two miles to the northwest, two local seers were at work; in 1815, also near Rochester, a young man by the name of Smith (and sometimes confused with Joseph) discovered “a round stone the size of the man’s fist” and led local residents on a search for treasure “after adjusting the stone in his hat.”22 In Joseph’s neighborhood alone, several folks—​both adults and teenagers—​had seer stones; Samuel Lawrence, a well-​known seer who would later be a friend and then foe of Joseph’s was among them.23 William Stafford was said to have a “magic stone,” his son Joshua a white marble “peepstone” with a hole through the center. Willard Chase, seven years older than Joseph and later a Methodist minister, was an active treasure-​seeker and objected when Joseph and Hyrum failed to return a seer stone he had loaned them; Willard’s mother used a seer stone, and his sister, Sally, Palmyra’s most prominent seer until Joseph announced the plates, was well known for her use of a greenish-​colored stone. A schoolfriend of hers said, “[Sally] told me she would place the stone in a hat and hold it to her face, and claimed things would be brought to her view.”24 Over the next few decades, however, as Palmyra citizens were questioned about treasure-​seeking in the area, most of them pointed the finger at Joseph or someone else while neglecting to mention their own involvement. This is quite understandable: science and technology made huge advances in the nineteenth century, particularly from the 1830s to 1860s, and “magical” practices quickly fell into disrepute. Admitting that one had used a stone to seek treasure could make that person look like a simpleton. “Giving his account as a retired physician in 1881,” writes Michael Mackay, “Joshua [Stafford] did not describe himself or his father [William] as a seer or a money digger, but instead carefully stated that others claimed they could see in his seer stone.”25 Even Christian clergymen took care to deny sorcery, despite biblical references that took it seriously. Diedrich Willers, for example, was the minister of the German Reformed Church congregation in Fayette, New  York, attended by at least some of the Whitmer family. After trying unsuccessfully to convince the Whitmers not

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to follow Joseph Smith, Willers wrote to fellow ministers that the Whitmer family was “gullible to the highest degree and even believe in witches”—​this from a man who had to know that the author of Exodus believed in witches when he wrote, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exodus 22:18).26 In a fascinating commentary on Joseph Smith’s treasure-​seeking, historian Alan Taylor writes that to understand beliefs in guardian spirits, divining rods, seer stones, and treasures that move, we must reconstruct the cultural context “where treasure-​seekers were neither fools nor deceivers, where treasure-​seeking was part of an attempt to recapture the simplicity and magical power associated with apostolic Christianity.” Recapturing that context means exorcising “the persistent spirit of Philastus Hurlbut [the Mormon apostate who gathered the Palmyra statements condemning Joseph’s treasure-​seeking activities], whom I am using here to represent the entire nineteenth-​century cult of rationality that so complicates our attempt to understand people in the past who mixed magic with their Christianity. For we today have inherited that cult’s rigid insistence that magic and Christianity are polar opposites when in fact they have usually been inseparable and natural allies.”27 “Indeed,” continues Taylor, “I would argue that Joseph Smith Jr.’s transition from treasure-​seeker to Mormon prophet was natural, easy, and incremental and that it resulted from the dynamic interaction of two simultaneous struggles: first, of seekers grappling with supernatural beings after midnight in the hillsides, and, second, of seekers grappling with hostile rationalists in the village streets during the day.”28 Richard Bushman sounds a similar note: “The treasure-​seeking stones from the magic culture . . . helped Joseph move step by step into his calling.” Scryers of stones searched for the unseen, and Joseph’s experience using a stone to look for lost objects or treasure was an initiation into “seeing” that he transferred to using the stones of the Urim and Thummin to translate the plates.29 Mark Ashurst-​McGee maintains that “in order to understand [ Joseph Smith’s] progression from rodsman to seer to prophet, one must first understand his worldview. The mental universe of early American water witches and village seers forms one of the historical and cultural contexts in which Joseph Smith developed his divinatory abilities.” Ashurst-​McGee reformulates and expands on what he calls “the Taylor-​Bushman theory” by first of all specifying four distinct steps in Joseph’s transition: First, he used a neighborhood girl’s stone to find his own seer stone; second, he used his own stone to find a better one; third, he used the new stone to find a seeric device that resembled a pair of spectacles; and fourth, he used the “spectacles” to tutor himself toward unaided revelation. Joseph progressed from rodsman to village seer to prophet, with each step moving “further from mechanical divination and closer to ecstatic revelation.”30

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Joseph reported that the angel who informed him of the gold plates in 1823 made annual visits until September 22, 1827, when the plates were delivered into Joseph’s care. And while Lucy said that nothing “of very great importance” occurred between Joseph’s first two visions,31 the opposite was true for the four-​ year period that followed. Lucy and Joseph Sr.’s oldest child, Alvin, died on November 19, 1823, less than two months after the angel’s first visit; in October of 1825, the family moved into the comfortable frame home begun by Alvin shortly before his death; in November of 1825, Joseph and his father hired on with Josiah Stowell in a treasure-​seeking venture—​no doubt hoping to catch up on late payments that would soon put the home and farm in jeopardy; in March of 1826, Joseph was charged in South Bainbridge, New York, with being a “disorderly” person—​by supposedly defrauding Stowell; and in January of 1827, Joseph married Emma Hale.32 Moreover, the great majority of Joseph’s treasure-​seeking activities occurred during this same period.33 Given the overlap between the visits of the divine messenger and Joseph’s quest for subterranean wealth (whether manmade or natural), historians have attempted to understand the relationship between the two, with several concluding that Joseph initially told a tall tale of a treasure guardian in a magic world that eventually evolved into a testimony of an angel in a religious world. Take this example from Dale Morgan (written sometime before his death in 1971 but not published until 1986): It was at this difficult moment [after Joseph claimed to have obtained the plates] without a shilling to his name, . . . that Joseph found a stout supporter who became the single most decisive force in shaping his strange career. As in the early stages of a forest fire, when a slight dew, a small shift of wind, or an obstructing stone, may suffice to abort a fire, any of a dozen small adversities might have extinguished Joseph’s incipient church in its first precarious months. The erratic enthusiasm Martin Harris brought to Joseph’s tale of the golden plates was the fitful wind which fanned the smoldering spark of Mormonism into flame. . . . More than any other person, Martin Harris seems to have been responsible for the fact that Joseph’s concept of the golden plates came to have religious content. . . . Men could be moved by their religious beliefs as by no other means, for religious faith dignified and enobled what it touched. . . . Joseph seems to have been quick to see the implication of this truth, and ordered his life accordingly. Not folk magic but religion, should henceforth be his sphere, his plates of gold found to comprise, in all truth, a golden bible.34 “It is my professional opinion,” adds Robert D. Anderson in his 1999 book, “that the story of a guardian angel protecting a gold record began as a fantasy in Smith’s

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mind but, reinforced by the belief of his family and followers, it increasingly became a psychological reality to him.”35 Among others, Ronald V. Huggins and the late Richard S. Van Wagoner reached similar conclusions, published in 2003 and 2016, respectively.36 However, the notion that Joseph’s story of an angel directing him to an ancient Christian document originated, in Huggins’s words, as a “fairly typical preternaturalistic money-​digger’s yarn” reflects a failure of source criticism on several levels. First, while all four authors cite a variety of sources, including some friendly to Joseph (such as Lucy Mack Smith and Joseph Knight), the star witness making the case (in all four instances) for a money-​digger’s yarn is Willard Chase—​Joseph’s Palmyra neighbor, who recorded his 1827 experience in 1833. Chase gets strong support from Fayette Lapham, who recorded his 1830 experience in 1870. While all four historians acknowledge that Chase and Lapham (who had no known contact) both got their information from Joseph Sr.—​not Jr.—​none of them deal with the obvious difficulty that they have privileged Chase and Lapham’s third-​ hand accounts over second-​hand recitals from the likes of Lucy Mack Smith, her son William, Joseph Knight, and Henry Harris—​a nonbelieving neighbor whose statement, like Chase’s, was published in Mormonism Unvailed in 1834.37 At best, the statements of Chase and Lapham represent the views of the senior Smith, not his prophet son, but the quartet of Morgan, Anderson, Huggins, and Van Wagoner offer no reason why they have violated a clear historiographical standard of favoring first-​hand accounts over second-​hand and second-​hand over third-​hand—​all things being equal. Nor do any of the four grant that although Chase talked to Joseph Sr. in 1827 and Lapham apparently in 1830, the two retellings are quite similar and reveal no evolution from money-​digger’s yarn to religious testimony. Second, the various theories that Joseph changed his story of a treasure guardian to one of a divine angel fail to specify the exact difference between the two and ignore Alan Taylor’s salient point that in order to understand the historical context of Joseph’s so-​called money digging, we must reconstruct a world “where treasure-​seekers were neither fools nor deceivers, where treasure-​seeking was part of an attempt to recapture the simplicity and magical power associated with apostolic Christianity.” Chase and Lapham are apparently seen as supporting a folk-​magic context for Joseph’s story of the plates because they mention the following: the site of the buried plates being protected by a spirit or a ghost; the plates disappearing when Joseph tried to pick them up; Joseph being “shocked” or thrown back by a supernatural force; and the guardian instructing Joseph to return the next year with his oldest brother (Alvin) and to wear special clothing.38

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But why should any of these details be disturbing to believers in the Bible, which describes—​ • two angels guarding the tomb of the crucified Christ ( John 20:12); • the resurrected Christ suddenly disappearing after talking with two men encountered on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:31); • Uzzah being struck dead by the Lord for steadying the ark (2 Samuel 6:7);39 and • the Lord instructing Moses to appoint his brother Aaron as a spokesman and make special garments for him (Exodus 7:1, 28:2)? Little wonder that Terryl Givens writes: “The line between angels and guardian spirits, buried plates and buried treasure is a matter of scholarly contention and negotiation.”40 Third, proponents of the “money-​digger’s yarn” theory fail to acknowledge that rather than adding up to something, competing accounts of a treasure guardian mutually exclude each other.41 Pushing his speculation that Joseph’s story of Moroni began as a fantasy, Anderson cites a series of descriptions from Morgan: “The angel/​ guardian is described variously as a ‘little old man with a long beard,’ a ‘large, tall man dressed in an ancient suit of clothes covered with blood,’ a ‘Spaniard . . . with his throat cut,’ a ‘Quaker . . . dressed in the plainest of clothes,’ ‘the spirit of one of the Saints that was on this continent . . . previous to Columbus,’ and finally an angel.”42 But this is hardly “the same spirit” repeatedly entering into Joseph’s story, as Morgan claims, but instead a string of incompatible depictions that muddies the water. The most serious flaw of source criticism in this regard, however, is the failure to concede that the total absence of primary documents related to the Book of Mormon between 1823 and 1827 puts any historian in a bind. “Ultimately,” writes Mark Ashurst-​McGee, “the treasure-​g uardian thesis is unfalsifiable and therefore—​ in a sense—​falls outside the domain of history into the realm of belief.”43 That also means, of course, that an “angel-​first” thesis is similarly unfalsifiable. Conclusions about what story Joseph first told and how that story may have changed over the next few years reach beyond the documentary evidence. At the same time, ample documentation is available to carefully analyze how Joseph’s 1839–​1841 history—​the one now included in the LDS canon—​differs from accounts provided both before and after by a variety of sources. Details mentioned by both Chase and Lapham figure prominently in this analysis, which covers the accounts of thirteen sources, all of whom heard the story from Joseph himself or from Joseph Sr. or Martin Harris between 1823 and 1830:44

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• The plates disappearing when Joseph tried to pick them up a second time. This is confirmed by critic John A.  Clark and by friendly sources Joseph Knight Sr., William Smith, and Lucy Mack Smith but not included in the 1839–​1841 history. • Joseph being “shocked” or thrown back by a supernatural force. This is confirmed by critics Joseph and Hiel Lewis (who made a joint statement) and by friendly sources Oliver Cowdery, William Smith, and Lucy Mack Smith but not included in the 1839–​1841 history. • The guardian instructing Joseph to return the next year with someone else. This is confirmed by critics Henry Harris, Joseph and Hiel Lewis, and John A. Clark and by neutral neighbor Lorenzo Saunders and by friendly source Joseph Knight Sr. but not included in the 1839–​1841 history.45 Two other crucial elements of Joseph’s story not mentioned in the previous discussion of the Chase and Lapham reports must also be considered: • Did Joseph relate his experience in terms of having a divine commission? • Did he describe an angel or heavenly personage? Quite predictably, both of these features are strongly supported by the 1839–​ 1841 history and all the friendly sources (Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Knight Sr., Joseph Knight Jr., William Smith, and Lucy Mack Smith). What may be surprising is that the mention of a divine commission is confirmed by critics Henry Harris, John A.  Clark, and Fayette Lapham and by neutral neighbor Lorenzo Saunders, and that the mention of an angel is confirmed by critics Henry Harris and John A. Clark and by neutral neighbors Orlando, Benjamin, and Lorenzo Saunders. These two elements thus get stronger confirmation than any of the other details. The textual evidence thus indicates that the most common scenario reported by the thirteen sources goes something like this: Joseph claimed that an angel appeared to him in the midst of a prayerful setting and announced that Joseph had been commissioned by God to bring forth an ancient record; the plates disappeared after Joseph first removed them from the stone box; a shock prevented him from removing the plates a second time; and the angel instructed him to bring someone with him to obtain the plates. Clearly, Morgan, Anderson, Huggins, Van Wagoner, and other like-​minded historians argue convincingly that the narrative of the angel and the plates changed considerably over time. And while the question of whether it changed dramatically during the 1820s is a moot issue, the wealth of sources available from 1829 onward

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show that crucial elements of the story are conspicuously missing from the 1839–​ 1841 history. What are we to make of all this? “When Smith told his life’s history, his understanding at that later time shaped the story of his extraordinary visions,” write H.  Michael Marquardt and Wesley P. Walters. “Magical incantations, guardian spirits, treasures in hills, use of a special stone for secular and religious purposes—​these were all de-​emphasized while the story became conflated and simplified. Supernatural encounters were amplified and polished to accommodate more orthodox views.”46 That point is well taken, but things are not quite that simple. “In 1971, after years of careful research, [Dean C.] Jessee published his article ‘The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,’ showing that none of the extant manuscripts behind the printed history were in Smith’s handwriting,” note the editors of Foundational Texts of Mormonism. “Nor were they in the handwriting of a single scribe taking down Smith’s oral dictation. Instead the history was written by more than a dozen different scribes and clerks.” The history—​compiled by people who knew Joseph well and witnessed many of the events depicted in the text—​remains a valuable resource. “Nevertheless, it must be used cautiously and critically with an understanding of its own origin, authorship, and production history.”47 The upshot (as described in 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note) is that Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, George W.  Robinson, and James Mulholland were all involved in producing the section of Joseph’s history that covers the period from his birth on December 23, 1805 to September 30, 1830. Mulholland produced the earliest extant document in the last half of 1839, but the 1838 document he worked from has been lost. We don’t know what kind of discussions, if any, were held on “de-​emphasizing” elements of the story of the angel and the plates “to accommodate more orthodox views.” Nor do we know the degree of Joseph’s involvement in whatever process took place. Going a layer deeper, we run into a fascinating anomaly:  Although keeping a history of the church was vitally important to Joseph, he found it quite difficult to express himself in writing and was often reluctant to discuss sacred experiences. Ironically, in the section of an 1832 letter to William W. Phelps written in Joseph’s own hand, he explained quite eloquently his difficulty in writing: “Oh Lord God deliver us in thy due time from the little narrow prison almost as it were a totel darkness of paper pen and ink and a crooked broken scattered and imperfect language.”48 The official history of the church and Joseph’s so-​called journals were both written “by committee,” a circumstance that has left subsequent historians in the challenging position of dealing with what Ron Barney calls “lacunae in this record” and “a conspicuous dearth of significant documentation.” The story of the angel and the plates

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is only one of multiple areas in which claims of what Joseph said, thought, or even “wrote” are tenuous and likely to lead researchers toward pitfalls and detours. Joseph, for example, had an aversion or at least a lack of interest in having his sermons recorded and distributed. “When considered together,” writes Barney, “these matters suggest clues to Smith’s personality that must temper demands for him being a person preoccupied with chronicling his experiences in order to give him credibility as an authentic religious personality.”49 Luckily, a number of diverse folks took an interest in the origin of the Book of Mormon and made a record of what they discovered. The thirty-​two documents in this chapter, recorded or published between 1830 and 1883, are presented to offer valuable assistance in the noble objective described by Ann Taves of reconstructing how those involved in the founding of Mormonism “viewed events and understood their experiences as they unfolded.”50 First-​H and Reminiscences 1.1  Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830 [D&C 20], Extract Source Note “The Mormon Creed,” Painesville Telegraph, Painesville, Ohio, April 19, 1831, p. 4. Editorial Note This is the earliest extant document produced by Joseph Smith—​other than the Book of Mormon itself—​that mentions the “holy angel” associated with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. At the first conference of the Church of Christ, held on June 9, 1830, in Fayette Township, Seneca County, New York, Joseph read the “Articles and Covenants [which were] received by unanimous voice of the whole congregation, which consisted of most of the male members of the Church.”51 The copy read by Joseph at that conference is no longer extant. Indeed, “the dating of the first completed draft of Articles and Covenants is uncertain.” Joseph quite possibly began drafting an original document as early as June 1829, when Oliver Cowdery wrote his “Articles of the Church of Christ,” apparently intended to guide believers before the organization of the church (see 8.16 Oliver Cowdery’s “Articles of the Church of Christ,” June 1829).52 When John Whitmer copied this document into Revelation Book 1—​likely during the spring or summer of 1831—​he assigned the date of April 10, 1830.53 Nor is it clear which of the extant copies of this document is the earliest. The Painesville Telegraph version and the copy in Revelation Book 1 were apparently

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created about the same time, but “differences between the two indicate that the former was based on an earlier copy.” The JSP therefore features the Telegraph version.54 Other early extant copies include a May 1831 version in the handwriting of Symonds Rider, a circa June 1831 version in the handwriting of Sidney Gilbert, and a January 12, 1832 version in Zebedee Coltrin’s diary (in the handwriting of John Whitmer).55 The Painesville Telegraph ran this bracketed introduction to “The Mormon Creed,” which included not only the Articles and Covenants but two other scriptural texts as well: Revelation, April 16, 1830 [D&C 22] and Revelation, circa August 1830 [D&C 27]: [The following document was obtained from the hand of Martin Harris, one of the original proprietors of the “Golden Bible” speculation. We publish it as one of the curiosities of the day. What use, or whether any, is made of it in this vicinity, we know not. It was probably prepared for the latitude of New York, where creeds & confessionals were not quite so unpopular as in Ohio. We believe, therefore, it has been cautiously kept from the eyes of most of the followers of St. Jo. in this vicinity. In this business the commandments and revelations of Heaven, are very easily made to yield to circumstances.—​Ed. Tel.] The Articles and Covenants are included in the Book of Commandments as Chapter 24, in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants as Section 2, in the 1981 LDS D&C as Section 20, and in the 2004 Community of Christ Doctrine and Covenants as Section 17. Document Transcript The articles and covenants of the Church of Christ agreeable to the will and commandments of God. The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being 1830  years since the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the 4th month, and on the 6th day of the same, which commandments were given to Joseph Smith, jun. who was called of God and Ordained an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church, and also to Oliver Cowdery, who was also called of God an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church, and ordained under his hand, and this according to the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be all glory both now and ever—​amen. For after that it truly was manifested unto the first elder that he had received remission of his sins, he was entangled again in the vanities of the world,56 but after truly

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repenting, God visited him by an holy angel,57 whose countenance was as lightning, and whose garments were pure and white above all whiteness, and gave unto him commandments which inspired him from on high, and gave unto him power, by the means of which was before prepared that he should translate a book; which book contains a record of a fallen people, and also the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and also to the Jews, proving unto them that the holy scriptures be true, and also that God doth inspire men and call them to his holy work in these last days, as well as in days of old, that he may be the same God forever—​amen. Which book, given by inspiration, is called the Book of Mormon, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and declared unto the world by them. Wherefore, having so great witnesses, by them shall the world be judged, even as many as shall hereafter receive this work, either to faith and righteousness, or to the hardness of heart in unbelief to their own condemnation. For the Lord God hath spoken it, for we elders of the church have heard and bear record to the words of the glorious Majesty on high, to whom be glory forever and ever—​Amen. Wherefore, by these things, we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God. the Maker of heaven and earth, and all things that in them is, and that he is all power, and all wisdom, and all understanding, and that he created man male and female after his own image and in his own likeness created he them, and that he gave unto the children of men a commandment that they should love and serve him the only being whom they should worship; but by the transgression of these holy laws, men became sensual and devlish, and became fallen man—​wherefore the Almighty God gave his only begotten Son, as is written in those scriptures which hath been given of him, that he suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them, that he was crucified and died and rose again the third day, and that he ascended into heaven to sit down on the right hand of the Father, to reign with almighty power according to the will of the Father, that as many as would believe and were baptized into his holy name and endured in faith to the end should be saved; yea, even as many as were before he came in the flesh, from the beginning, which believed in the words of the holy prophets, which were inspired by the gift of the Holy Ghost, which truly testified of him in all things, as well they which should come after, which should believe in the gifts and calling of God by the Holy Ghost which beareth record of the Father and of the Son, which Father and the Son, and the Holy Ghost is one God, infinite and eternal, without end.—​Amen. And we know that all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ, and worship the Father in his name, and endure in faith on his name to the end, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God. And we know that justification through the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is just and true. And we also

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know that sanctification through the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is just and true to all those who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength. But there is a possibility that men may fall from grace, and depart from the living God, therefore let the church take heed, and pray always, lest they enter into temptations; yea, and he that is sanctified also. And we know that these things are true and agreeable to the revelations of Jesus Christ which was signified by his angel unto John, neither adding nor diminishing to the prophecy of his book; neither to the holy scriptures; neither to the revelations of God which shall come hereafter by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, neither by the voice of God, neither by the ministering of angels. And the Lord God hath spoken it—​and honor, power, and glory be rendered to his holy name both now and ever.—​Amen. And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism, behold whosoever humbleth himself before God and desireth to be baptized, and comes forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnesseth unto the church that they truly repent of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him unto the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received the gift of Christ unto the remission of their sins, then shall they be received unto baptism into the church of Christ.58 1.2  Joseph Smith, History, circa Summer 1832 Source Note Joseph Smith, History, circa Summer 1832; handwriting of Frederick G. Williams and Joseph Smith; six pages; in Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, Joseph Smith Collection, CHL, in JSP, H1:10–​16. The text written in Joseph Smith’s hand appears in boldface type. Editorial Note The history is reprinted here in its entirety. See JSP, H1:3–​10 for extensive information on the physical artifact itself and the historical setting for the text. This seminal document includes Joseph’s first account of the First Vision and his first detailed account of the visit of the angel announcing the gold plates. The JSP concludes that this history was likely recorded between July 20, when Frederick G. Williams said he began writing for Joseph, and September 22, when a revelation—​Revelation, September 22–​23, 1832 [D&C 84]—​prompted Joseph to assign a new meaning to “holy priesthood.”59 This history “of the life of Joseph Smith Jr.” and “account of his marvilous experience” was thus recorded not long after what had been a tumultuous three-​month

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period for Joseph but particularly for his wife, Emma. That spring, Emma, twenty-​ seven years old, and Joseph, twenty-​six, and their eleven-​month-​old adopted twins, Julia and Joseph Murdock Smith, were staying at the John Johnson home in Hiram, Ohio. ( Joseph and Emma had adopted the twins when their own twins, Louisa and Thaddeus—​born on April 30, 1831, the same day as Julia and Joseph—​died three hours after their birth.) Late on the night of Saturday, March 24, 1832, Joseph and Emma were caring for the twins, both suffering from the measles, with Joseph and baby Joseph in one room and Emma and Julia in another when Emma heard a noise at the window but ignored it. Minutes later, a mob “burst open the door,” and Joseph was awakened by Emma “scream[ing] murder.”60 The gang of forty or fifty men, which included both hostile neighbors and Mormon converts, “overpowered the struggling, kicking Joseph and staggered into the yard with him.” One man choked Joseph until he blacked out. “Joseph regained consciousness to see Sidney Rigdon on the ground where the men had dragged him by the heels over the frozen earth. Joseph assumed he was dead. Fearing the same fate, he pleaded for his own life.”61 The men dragged Joseph into a field, then argued among themselves. One man urged the others to keep Joseph off the frozen ground; another said they should kill him; a third proposed castration. They finally settled on what most had apparently planned from the start—​a traditional tar and feathering.62 One of the mobbers had blocked the door of John and Elsa Johnson’s bedroom, preventing John from helping Joseph before the men carried him off. John finally freed himself and ran after the attackers with his rifle in hand. Elsa tried to calm Emma and assisted with the sick infants. Eventually, Joseph, naked and covered with tar, appeared at the door of the work kitchen, where “the sisters of the neighborhood had collected” to help Emma, who mistook the tar on Joseph’s body for blood, assumed he had been “crushed to pieces,” and fainted. While some of Emma’s friends tried to revive her, someone got a blanket for Joseph, allowing a covering as he staggered into the house.63 “Throughout the night,” write Emma’s biographers, “friends softened the tar with lard and scraped it from Joseph’s battered body. The next morning Emma watched as he calmly delivered his usual Sunday sermon from the front steps of the Johnson home.” Over the next several days, Julia recovered while young Joseph faltered, dying on Thursday, March 29. “Emma grieved alone for the dead child” because on Sunday, April 1, Joseph, Newel K. Whitney, Peter Whitmer, and Jesse Gause departed for a church conference in Independence, Missouri.64 Emma and Julia’s whereabouts during the days after the tar and feathering of Joseph and Sidney are unknown, but after Joseph left, he contacted Emma by letter and suggested that she and Julia stay with Newel K.  Whitney’s wife,

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Elizabeth Ann (caring for four or five children and an elderly aunt herself ), because the Johnson house was no longer safe. The Whitney home was in Kirtland, thirty miles from Hiram, and when Emma arrived there, Elizabeth Ann—​who had not been forewarned and knew nothing of Emma’s homelessness—​was sick, and her aunt turned Emma away. Emma and Julia thus spent the months of April through June being shuttled among three different households, including that of Joseph Sr. and Lucy (living in a home owned by Frederick G. Williams), who were just as oblivious of Emma’s precarious situation as Elizabeth Ann Whitney. Lucy did not learn the details until after Joseph’s death, when she was writing her history.65 “[Emma] said nothing of the mortifying circumstance [of being turned away at the Whitney home] least it should injure feelings,” wrote Lucy. “She was then young and being naturally ambitious her whole heart was occupied in the work of the Lord and . . . [whatever] her hands found to do she did with her might and did not ask the selfish question Shall I be benefited any more than any one else.”66 Joseph, Newel Whitney, and Sidney Rigdon had reached Independence on April 24. After a two-​week stay, they departed for Kirtland on May 6. Normally, they could have completed the 800-​mile journey by the end of May, but they were delayed in Greenville, Indiana, when Newel broke his foot and leg in a stagecoach accident. Emma, Elizabeth Ann Whitney, and others learned of the accident when Rigdon arrived in Kirtland on May 26.67 On May 29 or later, Martin Harris left Kirtland and arrived in Greenville by June 2, apparently traveling by stagecoach because he made the three-​hundred-​mile trip in just a few days. He brought a letter from Elizabeth Ann Whitney to her husband and updated Joseph and Newel on happenings in Kirtland, informing them their families were well—​meaning that he, like others, was unaware of Emma’s trying circumstances—​and also telling them of the death of Mary Smith, the two-​year-​old daughter of Hyrum and Jerusha.68 On June 6, in Greenville, Joseph wrote a letter to Emma. One excerpt shows that he was already reflecting on the themes he would treat in detail in the 1832 history: My Situation is a very unpleasant one although I will endeavor to be Contented the Lord assisting me I have visited a grove which is Just back of the town almost every day where I can be secluded from the eyes of any mortal and there give vent to all the feelings of my heart in meditation and praiyr I have Called to mind all the past moments of my life and am left to mo[u]‌rn and Shed tears of sorrow for my folly in Suffering the adversary of my Soul to have so much power over me as he has but God is merciful and has fo[r]

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given my Sins and I  r[e]joice that he Sendeth forth the Comferter unto as many as believe and humbleeth themselves before him.69 Joseph also said he was grieved to hear that “Hiram had his little Child” and that while he and Emma could “in Some degree simpathise” with Hyrum, all had to be reconciled to their lots and “Say the will be done.” Joseph, also unaware of Emma and Julia’s plight—​and apparently unaware that Emma was then three or four months pregnant—​next added that Sister Whitney had written a “very chearing” letter to Newel. “Being unwell at that time and filled with much anxiety,” he continued, “it would have been very consoling to me to have received a few lines from you but as you did not take the trouble I will try to be contented with my lot knowing that God is my friend in him I shall find comfort.”70 Little wonder that when Joseph and Newel finally arrived in Kirtland the last week of June, Joseph found Emma “very disconsolate.”71 In early October, weeks after Joseph and Frederick G.  Williams had produced the 1832 history—​and in the midst of Joseph’s work on his revision of the Bible—​he and Newel K. Whitney once again departed Ohio, this time traveling to New York City, Boston, and elsewhere to proselytize and buy merchandise. They returned to Kirtland on November 6, “immediately after” Emma gave birth to Joseph Smith III.72 Document Transcript A History of the life of Joseph Smith Jr. an account of his marvilous experience and of all the mighty acts which he doeth in the name of Jesus Ch[r]‌ist the son of the living God of whom he beareth record and also an account of the rise of the church of Christ in the eve of time according as the Lord brought forth and established by his hand he receiving the testamony from on high seccondly the ministering of Angels thirdly the reception of the holy Priesthood by the ministring of—​Aangels to adminster the letter of the Law and in ordinencs, forthly a confirmation and reception of the high Priesthood after the holy order of the son of the living God power and ordinence from on high to preach the Gospel in the administration and demonstration of the spirit the Kees of the Kingdom of God confered upon him and the continuation of the blessings of God to him &c—​—​ I was born in the town of Charon [Sharon] in the of Vermont North America on the twenty third day of December AD 1805 of goodly Parents who spared no pains to instruct me in christian religion[.]‌at the age of about ten years my Father Joseph Smith Seignior moved to Palmyra Ontario County in the State of New  York and being in indigent circumstances were

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obliged to labour hard for the support of a large Family having nine children and as it required their exertions of all that were able to render any assistance for the support of the Family therefore we were deprived of the bennifit of an education suffice it to say I was mearly instructtid in reading and writing and the ground of Arithmatic which const[it]uted my whole literary acquirements. At about the age of twelve years my mind become seriously imprest [p. 1] with regard to the all importent concerns of for the wellfare of my immortal Soul which led me to searching the scriptures believeing as I  was taught, that they contained the word of God thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of differant denominations led me to marvel excedingly for I discovered that fall (1827). Peter Ingersol and I met him (Rigdon) in the Road between Palmyra and Inger=sols. I never saw him any more until he came to Palmy=ra to preach the Mormon Bible. . . . Q. Did you ever see the Smiths dig yourself or [others?] for money? A. I never saw them digging for money. I saw them dig in a hill, said to be for that purpose; that young Joe could look in his peep stone and see a man sitting in a gold chair. Old Joe said he was king i.e. the man in the chair; a king of [p. 7] one of the Nephites or Lamanites who was shut in their the time of one of their big battles. This digging was a mile from Smiths. Don’t know as there was ever anything in the cave. The cave was on our place. This was in 1826. The cave had a door to it. We tore it off and sunk it in a pit of water where they got dirt to cover a cole [coal] pit. . . . Q. Did you ever hear Joe give an account of finding the plates? A. Yes. He made the statement in gave the account in my father’s house. He said he was in the woods at prayer and the angel touched him on the shoulders and he arose, and the angel told him where the plates were and he [p.  9] could take his oldest Brother with him in a year from that time and go and get them. But his oldest Brother died before the year was out. At the end of the time he went to the place to get the plates the angel asked where his Brother was. I told him he was dead. The angel told him there would be an other appointed. Joseph chose Samuel Lawrence. But he did not go. Q. What kind of a woman was Joseph’s wife? A. Joseph’s wife was a pretty woman; as pretty a woman as I  ever saw. When she came to the Smiths she was very much disappointed and used to come to our house and sit down and cry. Said she was deceived and got into a hard place. Joe

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said in our house to my mother, the angel said he must get married him a wife and take her and go and [p. 10] and get the plates. Sam Lawrence took him over into Pennsylvania and introduced him to Emma Hale. I  don’t know as Joe had ever been in Pennsylvania before, but him and Sam Lawrence was had been deviling around—​no telling where they had gone. Joe told Sam Lawrence that there was a silver mine over in Pennsylvania—​told him if he would he might share in it with him; but behold he wanted an introduction to Emma Hale is the way it turned out. Sam Lawrence told me so. After he was married and brought his wife home, the angel told him he must procure a black horse to go and get the plates. He come one night to get my Brothers black horse and went off and said he got the plates. He borrowed the horse. [p. 11] . . . Q. Did you know Oliver Cowdery? A. Yes. I was well acquainted with Cowdery. He took a school near us, taught three or four days, then got an other teacher to take his place and he went over to write for Joe. I never knew anything against Cowdery. He was a peaceable fellow. The first I knew he was baptizing. . . . [p.14]67 2.18  William H. Kelley’s Interview with Benjamin Saunders, 1884, Extract Source Note William H. Kelley’s interview with Benjamin Saunders, circa September 1884, 20–​ 30, “Miscellany,” CCLA, in Vogel, EMD, 2:137–​39. Editorial Note Benjamin Saunders (also “Sanders”) was born in New York in 1814. He became a carpenter, and in the 1830s he bought fourteen acres of land and built a house and barn in the Palmyra area. Benjamin and his wife, Ruth, had two sons—​Henry and Carlton. In the early 1850s the Saunders sold out and moved to Michigan, apparently making that move with Benjamin’s older brother Lorenzo and his family. The 1870 census for Cambria, Michigan, listed Benjamin, fifty-​five, farmer; Ruth, fifty-​ two, housekeeper; and Carlton, nineteen, farm worker, with real estate valued at $1,400 and personal property valued at $350. Ten years later, Benjamin and Ruth were living in the same location, with his vocation now listed as carpenter.68 Benjamin and Ruth’s final days were marked by upheaval and controversy. On December 19, 1893, in the Hillsdale County town of Bankers, a young woman by the name of Viola Stevens died under suspicious circumstances. According to Ruth, then

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seventy-​five, Viola had come to the Saunders’ home about a month earlier and had told Ruth “that she was in a delicate condition and that she had been taking powerful drugs and using instruments to produce an abortion and expected to be sick soon, and wanted Mrs. Saunders to board and care for her until she recovered.” After remaining for a week, Viola had left for several days and then returned. A few days after that, she became ill and died. A Detroit newspaper reported: “The prosecuting attorney is having a very thorough investigation made of the case.”69 On December 27, a coroner’s inquest concluded that “Viola Stevens came to her death through a criminal operation performed by Mrs. Saunders, procured by Remus Abbott and Ira Wright. . . . Wright is in jail, and the others will be arrested tonight.” The next day, Benjamin Saunders died at age seventy-​nine. A week later, additional witnesses testified before the coroner, and the case against the accused was said to be “very strong.” Eight months after that, the last article about Ruth ran in the newspaper: “Mrs. Ruth Saunders, of Bankers, who was under indictment with others for the crime of manslaughter in causing the death of Viola Stevens by a criminal operation last winter, died this morning. The case was set for trail at the present term of court. The case created much interest at the time, which the death of Mrs. Saunders has tended to revive.”70 Document Transcript [The Smiths] were coopers trade by trade. Did not like to make steady busines[s]‌ of it. Big hearty fellows. Their morals were good. The old man sometimes would drink until he felt quite happy at our log rollings and raisings; but he was not quarrelsome. he was not a bad man. would attend regularly to his business. It was rulable for people to drink at those times[.] The Smiths were no worse than others, and not as bad as some, but still they would take a drink. also in haying and harvest [p. 20] I knew young Joseph just as well as I  did my own brothers. went to the Same school together with the younger boys. He was older Joseph was older some what than I was and [mated?] with larger boys. We used to coon hunt together ie with Wm. and Carlos. Mother Smith was a pretty good old lady. Noe one could go back on her I dont think who knew her. Do you think she would steel [steal]? No. I don’t think any of them would steel [steal]. [Without?] the boys might get into a water mellon patch [p. 21] or something like that, as many of the boys did. Jo would do it more for mis=chief than any thing else I have done that myself. It was not considered stealing, in those days. Did you ever See young Joe drunk? No. Did you ever See any of the boys drunk. No. Were they profane? No. Not very much. Was quite clear from that. I heard from tell my Mother and Sister how he procured the plates. He

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said he was directed by an angel where it was. [p. 22] He went in the night to get the plates. When he took the plates there was something down near the box that looked some like a toad that rose up into a man which forbid him to take the plates. He found a big pair of Spectacles . As he went home some one tried to get the plates away from him. He said he kn=ock[ed] the man down and got away. Had two or three skirmishes on the way. I saw his hand all sweled up and he said it was done in [p. 23] hitting the enemy. He told his story just as earnestly as any one could. He seemed to be=lieve all he said. Did you believe him? No. Did not look consistent to my idea. Mother Smith was not the neatest house keeper but she made bread and was a good cook. She was a fair house keeper. There was a big family of them and they all lived to home. [p. 24] . . .71 Do you remember of ever Seeing Sidney Rigdon in that neighborhood pre=vious to 1830. I dont remember of seeing him at all. Not at any time. Cant be positive about it. They held meetings at their house. I  was there when they first bapt=ized. Oliver Cowdery did the baptizing. Old brother was baptized at that time and I think old Mrs. Rockwell.72 Rigdon was not there that I have any remembrance of. Was you acquainted with Harris? Yes. [p. 27] what kind of a man was he? He was a pretty good man. Stood as well as any body in that Town, until he joined the Mormons. What did not he do that was bad then? Not any thing only as against himself. He bound him=self to pay for the pr=inting of the Mormon Bible and he never recovered his loss. Morally he was just the same that he was before he joined them[.]‌ Did you know oliver Cowd[e]‌r[y]? I know him [p. 28] by sight. His reputation was good. Was you acquainted with Dr. P[hilastus]. Hulburt? He came to me but he could not get out of me what he wanted; so [he] went others.73 Did you ever see Joseph use the peep stone? No. I have seen Sally (Sarah) Chase peep or look in her seer Stone a many a time. she would look for any thing. I have had it in my hand. It was a blu=ish stone about the Size of my thumb. She had it fit in to a paddle like fit in very nicely. [p. 29] My oldest Brother had some Cattle stray away. She claimed she could see them but they were found right in the opposite direction from where she said they were. They were a good family in sickness. The old man stood by my Father when he pre breathed his last. Joseph did had but little education. They were big stout men but never was quarrelsom. would put up with any thing and every thing rather than have a quarrel. [p. 30]74

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2.19  Lorenzo Saunders’s Letter to Thomas Gregg, January 28, 1885 Source Note Shook, True Origin of the Book of Mormon, 134–​35. Editorial Note Thomas Gregg, “the founder of eight nineteenth-​century newspapers in and near western Illinois (including the Warsaw Message), the author of The History of Hancock County, and especially of The Prophet of Palmyra,” was born in Ohio on December 14, 1808. He was a man “of modest achievements in journalism, literature, politics, and horticulture in western Illinois for nearly half of the nineteenth century.”75 The 1850 census of Hancock County, Illinois, lists Gregg, a printer, forty-​two; his wife, Sarah Lawrence, housekeeper, forty-​three; and their daughters Eva, five, Mary, three, and Stella, one. Thirty years later, Thomas, now identified as an editor, and Sarah were living in Monte Bello, also in Hancock County.76 Gregg died February 11, 1892, in Hamilton, Hancock County, at the age of eighty-​three. For forty years Gregg gathered information on the Mormons that informed his works History of Hancock County (1880) and The Prophet of Palmyra (1890). His biographer acknowledges that Gregg despised “the whole system of Mormonism” but notes Gregg’s 1843 statement that the remedy to the Mormon question “must be a peaceful one—​a remedy that will not interfere with the Majesty and Supremacy of the Law!”77 On January 19, 1885, Gregg, who had heard of Lorenzo Saunders from John H. Gilbert, wrote to Saunders requesting an interview by letter. “A main point I wish to investigate,” he wrote, “is as to how the Spaulding Manuscript got into Smith’s hands previous to 1829 when the B. of M. was first printed.”78 Saunders responded with the following letter.79 Document Transcript READING, January 28, 1885. MISTER GREGG, Dear Sir. I received your note ready at hand and will try (to) answer the best I can and give all the information I can as respecting Mormonism and the first origin. As respecting Oliver Cowdery, he came from Kirtland in the summer of 182680 and was about there until fall and took a school in the district where the Smiths lived and the next summer he was missing and I didn’t see him until fall and he came back and

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took our school in the district where we lived and taught about a week and went to the schoolboard and wanted the board to let him off and they did and he went to Smith and went to writing the Book of Mormon and wrote all winter. The Mormons say it want wrote there but I say it was because I was there. I saw Sidney Rigdon in the Spring of 1827,81 about the middle of March. I went to Smiths to eat maple sugar, and I saw five or six men standing in a group and there was one among them better dressed than the rest and I asked Harrison Smith who he was (and) he said his name was Sidney Rigdon, a friend of Joseph’s from Pennsylvania. I  saw him in the Fall of 1827 on the road between where I lived and Palmyra, with Joseph. I was with a man by the name of Jugegsah (spelling doubtful, C. A. S.). They talked together and when he went on I asked Jugegsah (spelling doubtful, C. A. S.) who he was and he said it was Rigdon. Then in the summer of 1828 I saw him at Samuel Lawrence s just before harvest. I was cutting82 corn for Lawrence and went to dinner and he took dinner with us and when dinner was over they went into another room and I didn’t t see him again till he came to Palmyra to preach. You want to know how Smith acted about it. The next morning after he claimed to have got (the) plates he came to our house and said he had got the plates and what a struggle he had in getting home with them. Two men tackled him and he fought and knocked them both down and made his escape and secured the plates and had them safe and secure. He showed his thumb where he bruised it in fighting those men. After (he) went from the house, my mother says, “What a liar Joseph Smith is; he lies every word he says; I know he lies because he looks so [p. 134] guilty; he can’t see out of his eyes; how dare (he) tell such a lie as that.” The time he claimed to have taken the plates from the hill was on the 22 day of September, in 1827, and I went on the next Sunday following with five or six other ones and we hunted the side hill by course and could not find no place where the ground had been broke. There was a large hole where the money diggers had dug a year or two before, but no fresh dirt. There never was such a hole; there never was any plates taken out of that hill nor any other hill in that county, was in Wayne county. It is all a lie. No, sir, I never saw the plates nor no one else. He had an old glass box with a tile (spelling doubtful, C. A. S.) in it, about 7x8 inches, and that was the gold plates and Martin Harris didn’t know a gold plate from a brick at this time. Smith and Rigdon had an intimacy but it was very secret and still and there was a mediator between them and that was Cowdery. The Manuscripts was stolen by Rigdon and modelled over by him and then handed over to Cowdery and he copied them and Smith sat behind the curtain and handed them out to Cowdery and as fast as Cowdery copied them, they was handed over to Martin Harris and he took them to Egbert Granden, the one who printed them, and Gilbert set the type. I  never knew any of the twelve that claimed to have seen the plates except Martin Harris and the Smiths. I knew all of the Smiths, they had not much learning, they was poor

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scholars. The older ones did adhere (spelling doubtful, C. A. S.) to Joseph Smith. He had a peep stone he pretended to see in. He could see all the hidden treasures in the ground and all the stolen property. But that was all a lie, he couldn’t see nothing. He was an impostor. I now will close. I don’t know as you can read this. If you can, please excuse my bad spelling and mistakes. Yours With Respect, From LORENZO SAUNDERS.83 2.20  Christopher M. Stafford’s Statement, March 23, 1885, Extract Source Note Arthur B. Deming, Naked Truths About Mormonism 1, no. 2 (April 1888), 1. Editorial Note Christopher M. Stafford was born in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, on May 26, 1808. In 1830 he married Emily S. Rockwell, the older sister of Orrin Porter Rockwell, loyal friend of Joseph Smith and member of Brigham Young’s 1847 pioneer company. By 1832, Christopher and Emily had made their home in Auburn, Geauga County, Ohio, where they would live for the rest of their lives. Christopher made his living as a farmer, and he and Emily had eight children. Emily died in 1883, five years after her brother Orrin. Christopher died on January 12, 1892, at age eighty-​three.84 Document Transcript [ Joseph Smith] 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

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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 [p.167] long in a hill about two miles north of where he claimed to find the plates. I have been in it. Some people surmised it was intended for counterfeiting. Jo was away much of the time summers. He claimed to have a revelation that Manchester, N.Y., was to be destroyed and all the Mormons must leave for Kirkland, O. Orrin Rockwell and wife wanted my wife, their daughter, to go to Missouri. We came to Auburn, Geauga Co., O., Dec. 2, 1831, and have since resided here. Orrin Porter Rockwell made us a visit on a fine horse (I doubt if he owned it). Soon after Governor Boggs was shot. Prophet Jo told Mrs. Risley, of Manchester, a cripple, he could heal her and she joined the Mormons. Jo failed to heal her and she never walked. [Signed] C. M. STAFFORD. 2.21  Mrs. M. C. R. Smith’s Statement, March 25, 1885 Source Note Deming, Naked Truths About Mormonism 1, no. 2 (April 1888), 1. Editorial Note Caroline Rockwell Smith was the younger sister of Emily Rockwell Stafford and the older sister of Orrin Porter Rockwell. She was baptized by David Whitmer and married Horton Smith, of Hamden, Vinton County, Ohio, in 1834. The 1860 Census offers this glimpse of the Smith family: Horton, forty-​nine, a farmer, with real estate valued at $6,450 and personal property at $1,100; Caroline, forty-​eight; Laura, twenty-​four; Sibbyll, twenty-​one; Eliza, seventeen; Samuel H., eighteen; Rollen, thirteen; and Orin, nine. Horton died in 1865 and Caroline in 1887.85 Document Transcript 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

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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 and a young doctor in Palmyra set it so one leg was shorter than the other and it always troubled him so he could not work at farming. [Signed] MRS. M. C. R. SMITH. 2.22  Isaac Butts’s Statement, circa March 1885 Source Note Deming, Naked Truths About Mormonism 1, no. 1 ( January 1888), 2. Editorial Note Isaac Butts was born in Palmyra on January 4, 1807. As noted in his statement, he moved to Ohio in 1818, but returned to Palmyra two different times, residing there for two years each time. He married Cynthia Woods (1811–​1887) in 1829 in Auburn, Geauga County, Ohio. The 1850 census listed Isaac, a forty-​four-​year-​old farmer with real estate valued at $1,800; Cynthia, thirty-​nine; Olive, twenty; Lorette, nineteen; Mehitable, seventeen; Corlintha, fifteen; Charles, eleven; and Sarah, ten. Isaac died on July 15, 1888, in Newbury, Ohio, at age eighty-​one.86 Document Transcript I was born in Palmyra, N.Y., near where old Jo Smith settled, January 4, 1807. I attended school with Prophet Jo. His father taught me to mow. I worked with old and young Jo at farming. I have frequently seen old Jo drunk. Young Jo had a forked witch-​hazel rod with which he claimed he could locate buried money or hidden things. Later he had a peep-​stone which he put into his hat and looked into it. I have seen both. Joshua Stafford, a good citizen, told me that young Jo Smith and himself

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dug for money in his orchard and elsewhere nights. All the money digging was done nights. I saw the holes in the orchard which were four or five feet square and three or four feet deep. Jo and others dug much about Palmyra and Manchester. I have seen many of the holes. The first thing he claimed to find was gold plates of the “Book of Mormon,” which he kept in a pillowcase and would let people lift, but not see. I came to Ohio in 1818, and became acquainted with Sydney Rigdon in 1820. He preached my brother’s funeral sermon in Auburn, O., in May, 1822. I returned to Palmyra twice and resided there about two years each time. Many persons whom I knew in New York joined the Mormons and came to Kirtland. They told me they saw Sidney Rigdon much with Jo Smith before they became Mormons, but did not know who he was until they came to Kirtland. [Signed.] ISAAC BUTTS. South Newbury, Geauga Co, O. 2.23  W. R. Hine’s Statement, circa March 1885, Extract Source Note Deming, Naked Truths About Mormonism 1, no. 1 ( January 1888), 2. Editorial Note William Riley Hine was born in Broome County, New York, in 1803. He married Clarissa Clara Stewart (1805–​1877) in Broome County, New York, in 1822. They had nine children; they apparently resided in Broome County until at least 1830 but had moved to Mason, Geauga County, Ohio, by 1834. The 1860 census lists William, a fifty-​six-​year-​old farmer, with real estate valued at $3,000 and personal property at $1,000 (increasing to $4,500 and $3,000 respectively, by 1870); Clarissa, fifty-​five; William Riley Jr., twenty-​four; Sophia, twenty-​two; and Loren, fifteen. William Jr. served in the Union Army in 1864 and 1865. The 1880 census shows William as a widower, with his forty-​eight-​year-​old daughter, Electa Thiring, and her son nineteen-​year-​old son, Eldred, living with him. William Sr. died on February 21, 1889, at Chester, Geauga County, Ohio, at age eighty-​six.87 Document Transcript Jo Smith claimed to be a seer. He had a very clear stone about the size and shape of a duck’s egg, and claimed that he could see lost or hidden things through it. He said he saw Captain Kidd sailing on the Susquehanna River during a freshet, and that he buried two pots of gold and silver. He claimed he saw writing cut on the rocks in an unknown language telling where Kidd buried it, and he translated it through

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his peep-​stone. I have had it many times and could see in it whatever I imagined. Jo claimed it was found in digging a well in Palmyra, N.Y. He said he borrowed it. He claimed to receive revelations from the Lord through prayer, and would pray with his men, mornings and at other times. His father told me he was fifteen years old. I called him half-​witted. He was miserably clad, coarse and awkward. He had men who did the digging and they and others would take interests. Some would lose faith and others would take their places. They dug one well thirty feet deep and another seventy-​five at the foot and south side of the Aquaga Mountain, but found no salt. . . . Jo became known all over New York and Pennsylvania. Sometimes his brothers were with him. Isaac Hale, a good Methodist, lived seven miles below me on the river. I often stopped with him 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.88 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.89 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

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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. 2.24  Katharine Smith Salisbury’s Letter to “Dear Sisters,” March 10, 1886 Source Note Saints’ Herald 33 (May 1, 1886), 260. Editorial Note Katharine Smith Salisbury Younger, one of Joseph’s younger sisters, was born on July 28, 1813 in Lebanon, Grafton County, New Hampshire. She was thus fourteen years old when Joseph obtained the plates in 1827. She was baptized by David Whitmer at Seneca Lake, New York, on June 9, 1830, and migrated to Kirtland, Ohio, in May of 1831. On June 8, 1831, Sidney Rigdon performed the wedding ceremony for Katharine and Wilkins Jenkins Salisbury. They had eight children: Elizabeth, Lucy, Solomon Jenkins, Alvin, Don Carlos, Emma C., Loren, and Frederick. The Salisburys settled in Chardon, Ohio; they moved to Far West, Missouri, in May of 1838. After being driven out of Missouri during the winter of 1838–​1839, Katharine and Wilkins moved first to McDonough County and then Hancock County, Illinois. They remained in Illinois when the main body of Saints went west; Wilkins died of typhoid fever on October 28, 1853. Katharine married Joseph Younger on May 3, 1857. She joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints—​presided over by her nephew, Joseph Smith III—​in 1873 but stayed in touch with friends and relatives in Utah. She died at age eighty-​six on February 2, 1900, at Fountain Green, Hancock County, Illinois. The letter reproduced here was published in the Saints’ Herald, a monthly publication of the Reorganized Church.90 Document Transcript FOUNTAIN GREEN TOWNSHIP, Hancock Co., Ill., March 10th. Dear Sisters:—​Seeing the invitation in the “Home Column” for both the aged and young to contribute to sustaining it, and wishing to lend a helping hand towards carrying on the great work which has been commenced in these last days, I desire before I pass away, to place my testimony on record. I have been a member of this church, ever since its first organization on the 6th day of April, 1830. I am the only surviving sister of the martyrs Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and will soon be 73 years

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old. I can testify to the fact of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and also to its truth, and the truth of the everlasting gospel as contained therein. I well remember the trials my brother had, before he obtained the records. After he had the vision, he went frequently to the hill, and upon returning would tell us, “I have seen the records, also the brass plates and the sword of Laban with the breast plate and interpreters.” He would ask father why he could not get them? The time had not yet come, but when it did arrive he was commanded to go on the 22d day of September 1827 at 2 o’clock. We had supposed that when he should bring them home, the whole family would be allowed to see them, but he said it was forbidden of the Lord.91 They could be seen only by those who were chosen to bear their testimony to the world. We had therefore to be content until they were translated and we could have the book to read. Many times when I have read its sacred pages, I have wept like a child, while the Spirit has borne witness with my spirit to its truth. Brothers and Sisters, who have obeyed the gospel and are members of the church of Jesus Christ, you have greater reason to be thankful than all the rest of the world, because the Lord has given you the gospel in its plainness, also revelations for the government of his church, and opened your eyes that you could see the truth, and touched your hearts with a desire to do his will and fi1led you with peace and love one for another? After the records were translated and the book printed, we often met together and held prayer meetings. Some of our neighbors would come to these meetings and ask us mockingly, if we expected with our little band to convert the world and make them to believe the golden bible? Thank the Lord, the truth did go forth and the gospel was preached in power and demonstration of the Spirit, to the converting of hundreds and thousands, who are today rejoicing in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free, and of the heavenly gifts of the gospel. I was one of the number who met in the first conference held in these last days, when the church was first organized. We only numbered thirty, but we were a happy little band. It was a great day of rejoicing for us, and a number were added to the fold by baptism. My brother William and myself are all who are left now, and we shall soon pass away, but while I can I will bear my testimony to the truth of the latter day work, both spiritual and temporal. I know that it is true. I saw its rise and saw its fall. Saw the sheep scattered without a shepherd, but thank God, after the dark days I have seen it rise again, and the shepherd whom the Lord has raised up is calling the sheep together, and may the work roll on till the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and all Israel is gathered home. And now, dear sisters, go on in the good cause you have begun. Train up your children in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it. Beware of pride. It was pride and seeking after the vain things of the world that

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caused the Nephites’ fall. Be humble and the Lord will bless you all. I  may write again, for I have only told in part what I wish to say. Your sister in the gospel, KATHARINE SALISBURY. 2.25  Mrs. S. F. Anderick’s Statement, June 24, 1887 Source Note Deming, Naked Truths About Mormonism 1, no. 1 ( January 1888), 2. Editorial Note Much of what is known about Mrs. Anderick is included in her statement and in the two brief letters to A. B. Deming that follow it. See Vogel, EMD, 2:207, for additional information. Document Transcript I was born in New York State near the Massachusetts line, May 7, 1809. In 1812 my parents moved to a farm two miles from the village, and in the township of Palmyra, New York. In 1823 mother died, and I went to her sister’s, Mrs. Earl Wilcox, where I lived much of the time until December, 1828, when I went to live with father who had again married and settled on a farm on the Holland Patent, twenty miles west of Rochester, New York. Uncle Earl’s farm was four miles south of Palmyra village, and his house was nearly opposite old Jo Smith’s, father of the Mormon prophet. Old Jo was dissipated. He and his son Hyrum worked some at coopering. Hyrum was the only son sufficiently educated to teach school. I attended when he taught in the log schoolhouse east of uncle’s. He also taught in the Stafford District. He and Sophronia were the most respected of the family, who were not much thought of in the community. They cleared the timber from only a small part of their farm, and never paid for the land. They tried to live without work.92 I have often heard the neighbors say they did not know how the Smiths lived, they earned so little money. The farmers who lived near the Smiths had many sheep and much poultry stolen. They often sent officers to search the premises of the Smiths for stolen property, who usually found the house locked. It was said the creek near the house of the Smiths was lined with the feet and heads of sheep. Uncle’s children were all sons, and they played with Smith’s younger children, I  associated much with Sophronia Smith, the oldest daughter, as she was the only girl near my age who lived in our vicinity. I often accompanied her, Hyrum, and young Jo Smith, who became the Mormon prophet, to apple parings and parties. Jo was pompous, pretentious and active at

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parties. He claimed, when a young man, he could tell where lost or hidden things and treasures were buried or located with a forked witch hazel. He deceived many farmers, and induced them to dig nights for chests of gold, when the pick struck the chest, someone usually spoke, and Jo would say the enchantment was broken, and the chest would leave. Willard Chase, a Methodist who lived about two miles from uncle’s, while digging a well, found a gray smooth stone about the size and shape of an egg. Sallie, Willard’s sister, also a Methodist, told me several times that young Jo Smith, who became the Mormon prophet, often came to inquire of her where to dig for treasures. She told me she would place the stone in a hat and hold it to her face, and claimed things would be brought to her view. Sallie let me have it several times, but I never could see anything in or through it. I heard that Jo obtained it and called it a peep-​stone, which he used in the place of the witch hazel. Uncle refused to let Jo dig on his farm. I have seen many holes where he dug on other farms. When Jo joined the Presbyterian Church,93 in Palmyra village, it caused much talk and surprise, as he claimed to receive revelations from the Lord. He also claimed he found some gold plates with characters on them, in a hill between uncle’s and father’s, which I often crossed. Several times I saw what he claimed were the plates, which were covered with a cloth. They appeared to be six or eight inches square. He frequently carried them with him. I heard they kept them under the brick hearth. He was from home much summers. Sometimes he said he had been to Broome County, New York, and Pennsylvania. Several times while I was visiting Sophronia Smith at old Jo’s house, she told me that a stranger who I saw there several times in warm weather and several months apart, was Mr. Rigdon.94 At other times the Smith children told me that Mr. Rigdon was at their house when I did not see him. I did not read much in the “Book of Mormon” because I had no confidence in Jo. Palmyra people claimed that Jo did not know enough to be the author of the “Book of Mormon,” and believed that Rigdon was its author. I was acquainted with most of the people about us, and with Martin Harris. On my way to California I stopped in Salt Lake City from July, 1852, until March, 1853. I received much attention from Mormon ladies because I was acquainted, and had danced with their prophet. [Signed.] Mrs. S. F. ANDERICK. [Seal] Witnessed by: MRS. I. A. ROGERS (Daughter) OSCAR G. ROGERS (Grandson). Subscribed and sworn before F. S. Baker, Notary Public for Monterey County, California, June 24, 1887. SAN FRANCISCO, Cal. | Dec. 21, 1887. |

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A. B. DEMING, Esq., Oakland, Cal.—​Dear Sir: Mrs. S.F. Anderick, of whom you inquire, is a member of my church. She is a most estimable Christian woman, and is possessed of more than average intellectual ability and culture. She is careful in her speech and reliable in judgement; sound in mind and of unimpeachable veracity. Her testimony would be first-​class in any court of justice upon any subject with which she might be conversant. Respectfully, G.W. IZER, Pastor Simpson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, San Francisco, Cal. 435 BUCHANAN STREET. S. F. Cal. A. B.  DEMING, Esq.—​Dear Sir: I  am personally acquainted with Mrs. S.  F. Anderick, and have been for two years. She lives on this street, one block from my residence. I have often met her in church, in society and in her home. I am certain that she is remarkably well preserved, and is sound in mind. She is a woman of intelligence, and of high moral and Christian character. Always sincerely, C. H. FOWLER, Bishop of the M. E. Church. 2.26  Rhamanthus M. Stocker’s Account, 1887, Extract Source Note Stocker, Centennial History of Susquehanna County, 554–​56. Editorial Note Rhamanthus Menville Stocker was born in Salem, Wayne County, Pennsylvania on October 5, 1848. He graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He taught grade school in Pennsylvania for several years. After moving to the town of Honesdale, he was admitted to the county bar in 1886 and practiced at the law office of Waller and Bentley. He became best known, however, for his authorship of Centennial History of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania (1887) and History of the First Presbyterian Society of Honesdale (1908). Stocker was also involved in the newspaper business and served as the editor of the Wayne County Herald. In 1893 he married Honesdale native Maretta Brown (1871–​1956); they had one son, Mortimer, who was born in 1895. “Throughout the 1880s and early 1890s Stocker continued in the practice of law in Honesdale, and was remarked by the Twentieth Century Bench and Bar of Pennsylvania as preparing ‘his cases carefully and manages whatever business that is entrusted to his care with fidelity.’ Stocker continued to operate his farm in Honesdale during this time period

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and in 1883 was a delegate to the Judicial Conference of Wayne and Pike County, Pennsylvania.”95 Stocker became superintendent of the Honesdale Water Company in 1895. He continued to write newspaper articles. Little more is known of Stocker’s life after 1911, except his service as US Postmaster at Honesdale, an office he held until his death. On April 21, 1917, he died at age sixty-​four at his home. Document Transcript Mrs. Eliza Winters Squires, now living in Oakland borough [formerly Harmony], was often at Smith’s house and much in Mrs. Smith’s company. The young women were on very intimate terms, and very many times did Mrs. Smith tell her young friend about the finding of the “golden plates” or the “golden Bible.” Mrs. Smith said that it was found in the woods, near Palmyra, N. Y. That according to revelations that Smith received, they proceeded. They went on horseback into the woods. At a certain place her horse stopped, and Smith then told her to go no farther. But he continued until after getting out of her sight, when his horse put its nose against a tree; and here he alighted, and at the roots of this tree, a little beneath the surface, he found the “golden Bible.” Putting it underneath his waist-​coat, he returned to the place where he had left his wife, and, concealing it under the hearthstone in the house at Palmyra until they removed to Oakland, he brought it her in a barrel [p. 554] of beans and hid it in a pit he made in the woods on the side-​hill above the house. It was written in an unknown language; hence its translation became necessary in the manner in which it was done. Mrs. Smith was mainly in sympathy with her husband, and firmly believed all he told her respecting he things that were revealed to him. . . . [p. 555] From the testimony of several persons now living in Oakland it appears that on several occasions Smith was led to acknowledge that he was a deceiver, and that his pretended revelations had no foundation. Mrs. Squires says that Mrs. Harris destroyed about one hundred pages of her husband’s manuscript, and that Smith dare not attempt another translation of it for fear that it would not conform with the first translation. . . . Joseph Flowler McCune, now residing in Windsor, Broome County, N.  Y., boarded in this neighborhood and attended school at Hickory Grove while Smith was engaged in translating the Bible, and was quite often in Smith’s house. Mr. McCune states that Reuben Hale acted as scribe a part of the time. He says Smith’s hat was a very large one, and what is commonly called a “stove-​pipe.” The hat was on

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the table by the window and the stone in the bottom or rather in the top of the hat. Smith would bend over the hat with his face buried in it so that no light could enter it, and thus dictate to the scribe what he should write. It is said by those now living here, who were in this locality during Smith’s operations, that at first Smith made no pretensions touching religion, nor was anything said about the golden Bible; but that he was able to point out the places where treasures could be found was his first pretension.96 To some he represented that the gold and silver was in the form of coin in an iron chest, to others that it was in bars, and to others that it was in the richest kind of ore.97

3 “I Cannot Read a Sealed Book” Martin Harris’s Venture to Eastern Scholars: February 1828

i “Of the many important and little understood events of early Church history, certainly the consultation of Martin Harris with Professor Charles Anthon1 in New York City in February 1828 regarding the Book of Mormon is one of the most important and intriguing,” writes Stanley B.  Kimball. “It is also one of the earliest events of the Restoration which can be assessed rationally and tested.” In short, Joseph Smith’s story of the gold plates had aroused enough curiosity and cupidity in the Palmyra area that he and Emma were compelled to move to Harmony, Pennsylvania, in order for Joseph to commence the translation. Shortly thereafter, Martin Harris visited Harmony, “secured a handwritten copy of some of the characters2 on the plates, took them to New York City for the evaluation of men of learning, and returned to relate the following story to Joseph Smith: I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor [Anthon, who] stated that the translation was correct [and] gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation . . . was also correct. I . . . was just leaving the house, when Mr. [Anthon] called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates . . . where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him. He then . . . took [the certificate] and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates 224

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to him, he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed. . . . He replied, “I cannot read a sealed book.” Kimball thus offers a succinct and apt synopsis of an episode that has long been “familiar in Mormon lore.”3 Assessing and testing the event, however, turns out to be no simple task because Martin Harris and Charles Anthon gave such different accounts. Taking a close look at the earliest sources therefore becomes especially important. The first report has a surprising origin and includes unexpected details. “The greatest piece of superstition that has ever come within our knowledge, now occupies the attention of a few individuals of this quarter,” announced the Palmyra Freeman on August 11, 1829, only a year and a half after the Harris–​Anthon encounter and weeks before the Book of Mormon went to press. “It is generally known and spoken of as the ‘Golden Bible.’ ” An honest and industrious farmer, continued the Freeman, was among the believers in the “golden” story—​his name was Martin Harris, and he was “so blindly enthusiastic . . . that he took some of the characters interpreted by Smith, and went in search of some one besides the interpreter, who was learned enough to English them.” None of the learned men could interpret the characters, however, not even “Professor Mitchell,4 of New York” (see 3.5 Article in Rochester Advertiser and Daily Telegraph, August 31, 1829). The editor of the Palmyra Freeman, Jonathan Hadley, did not say whether he got his information about Martin Harris from Harris himself, Joseph Smith, or someone else. Nevertheless, other sources confirm that Harris wanted someone who could English—​ or translate the characters (not merely confirm them as authentic). Hadley’s mention of Samuel “Mitchell” is also significant because, as Michael MacKay notes, “Of the potential translators with whom Harris met, Samuel Mitchill was likely the one in whom Harris placed the most hope.”5 If that is true, Harris had made a wise judgment. The emphasis on Anthon notwithstanding, as the greatest naturalist of his day, Mitchill was far more important in supporting Harris than has been previously supposed.6 The next mention of Harris’s quest also comes from a surprising source—​ Howe’s Mormonism Unvailed. In a letter to Howe, William W.  Phelps, at that time not yet a member of the Church of Christ, wrote: “When the plates were said to have been found, a copy of one or two lines of the characters, were taken by Mr. Harris to Utica, Albany and New York; at New York, they were shown to Dr. Mitchell, and he referred to professor Anthon who translated and declared them to be the ancient shorthand Egyptian” (3.6 William W. Phelps’s Letter to E. D. Howe, January 15, 1831). Phelps does not specify his source, but clearly implies it was Harris himself. (Phelps had definitely talked to both Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon by this

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time.) Phelps features Mitchill prominently (like Hadley), adding that Mitchill was the one who sent Harris to Anthon—​making this the earliest document to mention Anthon. Moreover, this is also the earliest document to mention the Egyptian language. Howe echoed Phelps’s comment when he wrote that “Mormon preachers . . . have frequently declared that the engravings upon the plates were, by some of our leaned men . . . pronounced to be ‘reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics,’ or ‘ancient short hand Egyptian’ ” (3.1 Charles Anthon’s Letter to E.  D. Howe, February 17, 1834). This detail has become firmly entrenched in both anti-​Mormon and pro-​Mormon literature. Joseph Smith’s official history, reportedly quoting Martin Harris, said “Professor Anthony [Anthon] stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian” (3.7 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract), a claim repeated by the likes of Lucy Mack Smith and David Whitmer. As Michael MacKay astutely points out, however, “When Joseph first arrived in Harmony [in December of 1827], he evidently did not claim to know the language inscribed on the plates.” The first reference to the Egyptian language came in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon—​when the prophet Moroni mentioned “the characters, which are called among us reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech” (p. 538). Joseph likely did not translate this portion until May of 1829. In addition, “None of the accounts about the angelic visits claim that the language was identified by the angel Moroni, even though Joseph included a lengthy discussion about Moroni’s visits in his histories.”7 In February of 1828, therefore, Harris had no way of knowing that the characters on the plates would later be described as reformed Egyptian, and he had no reason at all to bring up the subject. If anyone mentioned ancient Egyptian, it would have to have been Anthon, but he begins his first letter on his meeting with Harris by vehemently denying that he ever “pronounced the Mormonite inscription to be ‘reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics.’ ” Not only that, but Anthon examined the paper presented by Harris closely enough to remember that it included “Greek and Hebrew letters, crosses and flourishes, Roman letters inverted or placed sideways, . . . arranged in perpendicular columns, and the whole [ending] in a rude delineation of a circle divided into various compartments, decked with various strange marks, and evidently copied after the Mexican Calendar given by Humboldt” (3.1 Charles Anthon’s Letter to E. D. Howe, February 17, 1834).8 Certainly Harris came away from his interviews with Mitchill and Anthon convinced that the characters were authentic and that his full support of Joseph’s mission was justified. Nevertheless, the detail that the characters were “reformed Egyptian”

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is anachronistic and seems to be a case of Harris’s memory of the meetings being molded by subsequent events. On September 1, 1831, seven and a half months after Phelps wrote his letter to Howe, a newspaper article written by James Gordon Bennett made another reference linking the Anthon transcript to ancient Egyptian: Harris with several manuscripts in his pocket, went to the city of New York, and called upon one of the Professors of Columbia College for the purpose of shewing them to him. Harris says that the Professor thought them very curious, but admitted that he could not decypher them. Said he to Harris, “Mr. Harris you had better go to the celebrated Doct. Mitchell and shew them to him. He is very learned in these ancient languages, and I have no doubt will be able to give you some satisfaction.” “Where does he live,” asked Harris. He was told, and off he posted with the engravings from the Golden Plates to submit to Doc. Mitchell—​Harris says that the Doctor received him very “purlitely,” looked at his engravings—​made a learned dissertation on them—​compared them with the hieroglyphics discovered by Champollion in Egypt—​and set them down as the language of a people formerly in existence in the East, but now no more. (1.13 James Gordon Bennett’s Report on “The Mormonites,” 1831, Extract) The published article gives the impression that Bennett may have talked to Harris, but Bennett’s journal entry of a few weeks earlier makes it clear that this is third-​hand account—​Bennett got his information from Charles Butler, identified by Leonard Arrington as “the lawyer-​philanthropist from whom Martin Harris attempted to borrow money to pay for printing the Book of Mormon.” The journal entry, which also shows that the mention of “Champollion in Egypt” was likely Bennett’s embellishment, reads as follows: He [Harris] told him [Butler] he [Harris} carried the engravings from the plates to New York—​showed them to Professor Anthon who said that he did not know what language they were—​told him to carry them to Dr. Mitchell—​ Doctor Mitchell examined them—​ and compared them with other hieroglyphics—​thought them very curious—​and they were the characters of a nation now extinct which he named—​Harris returned to Anthon who put some questions to him and got angry with Harris.9 Because of the third-​ hand status of this report and Samuel Mitchill’s failure to leave a record of his meeting with Harris, it is impossible to know

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if Mitchill said anything about ancient Egyptian. Even if Butler’s mention of “hieroglyphics” is accurate, Mitchill could have used the term to refer to ancient writing in general. The first Mormon record of the Harris-​Mitchill-​Anthon episode was included in Joseph Smith’s 1832 history, created about one year after Bennett’s article was published. It reads as follows, with Joseph’s handwriting in bold: the Lord appeared unto him [Martin Harris] in a vision and shewed unto him his marvilous work which he was about to do and do and immediately came to Suquehannah and said the Lord had shown him that he must go to new York City some of the characters so we proceeded to coppy some of them and he took his Journy to the Eastern Cittys and to the Learned read this I pray thee and the learned said I cannot but if he would bring the blates [plates] they would read it but the Lord had forbid it and he returned to me and gave them to translate and I said I said cannot for I am not learned but the Lord had prepared spectticke spectacles for to read the Book therefore I commenced translating the characters and thus the Propicy [prophecy] of Isiaah was fulfilled which is writen in the 29 chaptr concerning the book[.] (1.2 Joseph Smith, History, ca. Summer 1832) This retelling is significant because it is the first and only version recorded by Joseph himself and also because it is the first to describe the incident in the context of a prophecy in Isaiah 29. The Isaiah connection is also stressed in Joseph’s 1839–​1841 history but with a changed focus:  in the 1832 version the unnamed “Learned” man said he could not read the characters, but in the 1839–​1841 version, “Professor Anthony” affirmed that the translation offered by Harris (not mentioned in any previous account) was correct but added that he could not read a sealed book.10 Although Harris was reportedly well versed in the Bible, when asked by Anthony Metcalf around 1874 if he realized he may have been mentioned in the prophecy from Isaiah, Harris said he had not realized it but that Joseph mentioned it after his return. (3.14 Anthony Metcalf ’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1888, Extract). Ongoing research by a number of historians shows the declaration by the late Stanley B. Kimball that the story of Martin Harris and the eastern scholars “raises a great many important questions which need careful examination”11 is just as true now as when it was first uttered almost fifty years ago.

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First-​H and Reminiscences 3.1  Charles Anthon’s Letter to E. D. Howe, February 17, 1834 Source Note Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 270–​72. Editorial Note The following notice ran in an Akron, Ohio, newspaper in November of 1885: “Eber D. Howe, aged 87, pioneer printer and publisher, died at his home in Painesville, O., Tuesday night [November 10]. He came to Cleveland in 1819 and founded the Cleveland Herald, the first number appearing Oct. 19 without a single subscriber. In 1822 he established the Painesville Telegraph.”12 Born in Clifton Park, Saratoga County, New York, on June 9, 1798, Eber Dudley Howe served in the War of 1812 before launching his newspaper career. He married Sophia Hull (1800–​1866) in June of 1823. Howe was an abolitionist who provided his home as a station on the Underground Railroad. Howe’s older sister Harriet (1796–​1856) was baptized into the Church of Christ in 1832 and helped make clothing for workmen and the veil of the Kirtland Temple. She became disaffected from the church and died in Akron. Howe’s wife, Sophia, was baptized by 1834. She donated freely to the church. Howe, who is not known to have joined the church, published anti-​Mormon articles in the Painesville Telegraph from 1831 to 1835. Howe published the first major anti-​Mormon book, Mormonism Unvailed, in 1834. With Doctor Philastus Hurlbut, a key contributor to Unvailed, he promoted the Spaulding theory of the genesis of the Book of Mormon.13 Howe offered this explanation of his contact with Charles Anthon: It is asserted in the Mormon Bible, that the engravings upon the plates, were in the “Reformed Egyptian.” In conformity to this, the Mormon preachers, and others of the sect, have frequently declared that the engravings upon the plates were, by some of our leaned men, who had a specimen shown them, pronounced to be “reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics,” or “ancient short hand Egyptian.”—​Among others, Professor Anthon, of New York, was frequently mentioned as giving such an opinion. This act of deception and falsehood is only one among hundreds of others, equally gross, which are resorted to by these im[p. 269]postors, to gain proselytes. It being calculated to have considerable weight, when fully believed, we took the liberty in inform Mr. Anthon

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of the vile use that was made of his name, in this country; and to request of him a statement of the facts respecting it. The following is his reply:14

Document Transcript New York, Feb. 17, 1834 Dear Sir—​I received this morning your favor of the 9th instant, and lose no time in making a reply. The whole story about my having pronounced the Mormonite inscription to be “reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics” is perfectly false. Some years ago, a plain, and apparently simple-​hearted farmer, called upon me with a note from Dr. Mitchell of our city, now deceased, requesting me to decypher, if possible, a paper, which the farmer would hand me, and which Dr. M. confessed he had been unable to understand. Upon examining the paper in question, I  soon came to the conclusion that it was all a trick, perhaps a hoax. When I asked the person, who brought it, how he obtained the writing, he gave me, as far as I can now recollect, the following account: A “gold book,” consisting of a number of plates of gold, fastened together in the shape of a book by wires of the same metal, had been dug up in the northern part of the state of New York, and along with the book an enormous pair of “gold spectacles”! These spectacles were so large, that, if a person attempted to look through them, his two eyes would have to be turned towards one of the glasses merely, the spectacles in question being altogether too large for the breadth of the human face. Whoever examined the plates through the spectacles, was enabled not only to read them, but fully to understand their meaning. All this knowledge, however, was confined at that time to a young man, who had the trunk containing the book and spectacles in his sole possession. This young man was placed behind a curtain, in the garret of a farm [p. 270] house, and, being thus concealed from view, put on the spectacles occasionally, or rather, looked through one of the glasses, decyphered the characters in the book, and, having committed some of them to paper, handed copies from behind the curtain, to those who stood on the outside. Not a word, however, was said about the plates having been decyphered “by the gift of God.” Every thing, in this way, was effected by the large pair of spectacles. The farmer added, that he had been requested to contribute a sum of money towards the publication of the “golden book,” the contents of which would, as he had been assured, produce an entire change in the world and save it from ruin. So urgent had been these solicitations, that he intended selling his farm and handing over the amount received to those who wished to publish the plates. As a last precautionary step, however, he had

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resolved to come to New York, and obtain the opinion of the learned about the meaning of the paper which he brought with him, and which had been given him as a part of the contents of the book, although no translation had been furnished at the time by the young man with the spectacles.15 On hearing this odd story, I changed my opinion about the paper, and, instead of viewing it any longer as a hoax upon the learned, I  began to regard it as part of a scheme to cheat the farmer of his money, and I communicated my suspicions to him, warning him to beware of rogues. He requested an opinion from me in writing, which of course I declined giving, and he then took his leave carrying the paper with him. This paper was in fact a singular scrawl. It consisted of all kinds of crooked characters disposed in columns, and had evidently been prepared by some person who had before him at the time a book containing various alphabets. Greek and Hebrew letters, crosses and flourishes, Roman letters inverted or placed sideways, were arranged in perpendicular col[p. 271]umns, and the whole ended in a rude delineation of a circle divided into various compartments, decked with various strange marks, and evidently copied after the Mexican Calendar given by Humboldt, but copied in such a way as not to betray the source whence it was derived. I am thus particular as to the contents of the paper, inasmuch as I have frequently conversed with my friends on the subject, since the Mormonite excitement began, and well remember that the paper contained any thing else but “Egyptian Hieroglyphics.”16 Some time after, the same farmer paid me a second visit. He brought with him the golden book in print, and offered it to me for sale. I declined purchasing. He then asked permission to leave the book with me for examination. I declined receiving it, although his manner was strangely urgent. I adverted once more to the roguery which had been in my opinion practised upon him, and asked him what had become of the gold plates. He informed me that they were in a trunk with the large pair of spectacles. I advised him to go to a magistrate and have the trunk examined. He said the “curse of God” would come upon him should he do this. On my pressing him, however, to pursue the course which I had recommended, he told me that he would open the trunk, if I would take the “curse of God” upon myself. I replied that I would do so with the greatest willingness, and would incur every risk of that nature, provided I could only extricate him from the grasp of rogues. He then left me. I have thus given you a full statement of all that I know respecting the origin of Mormonism, and must beg you, as a personal favor, to publish this letter immediately, should you find my name mentioned again by these wretched fanatics. Yours respectfully, CHAS. ANTHON. E. D. Howe, Esq. Painesville, Ohio

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3.2  Charles Anthon’s Letter to Rev. T. W. Coit, April 3, 1841 Source Note Clark, Gleanings by the Way, 233–​38. Editorial Note When the Reverend Dr. Thomas Winthrop Coit, Rector of Trinity Church, New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York, learned that Mormons in his area were claiming support from Charles Anthon for some of their beliefs, he contacted Anthon about the matter and received the following letter in reply.17 Document Transcript New York, April 3, 1841.

REV. AND DEAR SIR: I have often heard that the Mormons claimed me for an auxiliary, but as no one until the present time has even requested from me a statement in writing, I have not deemed it worth while to say anything publicly on the subject.18 What I do know of the sect relates to some of the early movements; and as the facts may amuse you, while they will furnish a satisfactory answer to the charge of my being a Mormon proselyte, I proceed to lay them before you in detail. Many years ago, the precise date I do not now recollect, a plain looking countryman called upon me with a letter from Dr.  Samuel L.  Mitchell, requesting me to examine, and give my opinion upon a certain paper, marked with various characters, which the Doctor confessed he he could not decypher, and which the bearer of the note was very anxious to have explained. A very brief examination of the paper convinced me that it was a mere hoax, and a very clumsy one too. The characters were arranged in columns, like the Chinese mode of writing, and presented the most singular medley that I ever beheld. Greek, Hebrew, and all sorts of letters, more or less distorted, either through unskilfulness, or from actual design, were intermingled with sundry delineations of half moons, stars, and other natural objects, and the whole ended in a rude representation of the Mexican zodiac. The conclusion was irresistible, that some cunning fellow had prepared the paper in question, for the purpose of imposing upon the countryman who brought it, and I told the man so without any hesitation. He then proceeded to give me a history of the whole affair, which convinced me that he had fallen [p. 233] into the hands of some sharper, while it left me in great astonishment at his own simplicity.

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The countryman told me that a gold book had been recently dug up in the western or northern part (I forget which), of our state, and he described this book as consisting of many gold plates, like leaves, secured by a gold wire passing through the edge of each, just as the leaves of a book are sewed together, and presented in this way the appearance of a volume. Each plate, according to him, was inscribed with unknown characters, and the paper which he handed me, a transcript of one of these pages. On my asking him by whom the copy was made, he gravely stated, that along with the golden book there had been dug up a very large pair of spectacles! so large in fact that if a man were to hold them in front of his face, his two eyes would merely look through one of the glasses, and the remaining part of the spectacles would project a considerable distance sideways! These spectacles possessed, it seems a very valuable property, of enabling any one who looked through them, (or rather through one of the lenses,) not only to decypher the characters on the plates, but also to comprehend their exact meaning, and be able to translate them!! My informant assured me that this curious property of the spectacles had been actually tested, and found to be true. A young man, it seems, had been placed in the garret of a farm-​house, with a curtain before him, and having fastened the spectacles to his head, had read several pages in the golden book, and communicated their contents in writing to certain persons stationed on the outside of the curtain.19 He had also copied off one page of the book in the original character, which he had in like manner handed over to those who were separated [p. 234] from him by the curtain, and this copy was the paper which the countryman had brought with him. As the golden book was said to contain very great truths, and most important revelations of a religious nature, a strong desire had been expressed by several persons in the countryman’s neighbourhood, to have the whole work translated and published. A proposition had accordingly been made to my informant, to sell his farm, and apply the proceeds to the printing of the golden book, and the golden plates were to be left with him as security until he should be reimbursed by the sale of the work. To convince him more clearly that there was no risk whatever in the matter, and that the work was actually what it claimed to be, he was told to take the paper, which purported to be a copy of one of the pages of the book, to the city of New York, and submit it to the learned in that quarter, who would soon dispel all his doubts, and satisfy him as to the perfect safety of the investment. As Dr. Mitchell was our “Magnus Apollo” in those days, the man called first upon him; but the Doctor, evidently suspecting some trick, declined giving any opinion about the matter, and sent the countryman down to the college, to see, in all probability, what the “learned pundits” in that place would make of the affair. On my telling the bearer of the paper that an attempt had been made to impose on him, and defraud him of his property, he requested me to give him my opinion in writing

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about the paper which he had shown to me. I did so without any hesitation, partly for the man’s sake, and partly to let the individual “behind the curtain” see that his trick was discovered.20 The import of what I wrote was, as far as I can now recollect, simply this, that the marks in the paper appeared to be merely an imitation [p. 235] of various alphabetical characters, and had, in my opinion, no meaning at all connected with them.21 The countryman then took his leave, with many thanks, and with the express declaration that he would in no shape part with his farm or embark in the speculation of printing the golden book. The matter rested here for a considerable time, until one day, when I had ceased entirely to think of the countryman and his paper, this same individual, to my great surprise, paid me a second visit. He now brought with him a duodecimo volume, which he said was a translation into English of the “Golden Bible.” He also stated, that notwithstanding his original determination not to sell his farm, he had been induced eventually to do so, and apply the money to the publication of the book, and had received the golden plates as a security for repayment. He begged my acceptance of the volume, assuring me that it would be found extremely interesting, and that it was already “making a great noise” in the upper part of the state. Suspecting now that some serious trick was on foot, and that my plain looking visitor might be in fact a very cunning fellow I declined his present, and merely contented myself with a slight examination of the volume while he stood by. The more I declined receiving it however, the more urgent the man became in offering the book, until at last I told him plainly, that if he left the volume, as he said he intended to do, I should most as assuredly throw it after him as he departed. I then asked him how he could be so foolish as to sell his farm and engage in this affair; and requested him to tell me if the plates were really of gold. In answer to this latter inquiry, he said that he had never seen the plates them[p. 236]selves, which were carefully locked up in a trunk, but that he had the trunk in his possession. I advised him by all means to open the trunk and examine the contents, and if the plates proved to be of gold, which I did not believe at all, to sell them immediately. His reply was, that if he opened the trunk the “curse of heaven would descend upon him and his children.” “However,” added he, “I will agree to open it, provided you will take the ‘curse of Heaven’ upon yourself for having advised me to the step.” I told him I was perfectly willing to do so, and begged he would hasten home and examine the trunk, for he would find he had been cheated. He promised to do as I recommended, and left me, taking his book with him. I have never seen him since. Such is a plain statement of all that I know respecting the Mormons. My impression now is, that the plain looking countryman was none other than the prophet Smith himself, who assumed an appearance of great simplicity in order to entrap me, if possible, into some recommendation of his book. That the prophet aided me by his inspiration, in interpreting the volume, is only one of the many amusing falsehoods

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which the Mormonites utter relative to my participation in their doctrines. Of these doctrines I know nothing whatever, nor have I ever heard a single discourse from any one of their preachers, although I have often felt a strong curiosity to become an auditor, since my friends tell me that they frequently name me in their sermons, and even go so far as to say that I am alluded to in the prophecies of Scripture! If what I have here written shall prove of any service in opening the eyes of some of their deluded followers to the real designs of those who profess to be the apostles [p. 237] of Mormonism, it will afford me a satisfaction, equalled, I have no doubt only by that which you yourself will feel on this subject. I remain very respectfully and truly, your friend, CHAS. ANTHON.

3.3  Letter from Charles Anthon, August 12, 1844 Source Note Cygnus, “A Fact in the Mormon Imposture,” New  York Observer, May 3, 1845, in Jennings, “The Man Behind the Letters,” 166. Editorial Note “The recipient of Anthon’s letter was most likely the Episcopal reverend William E. Vibbert, rector of St. James Church in Fair Haven, Connecticut.”22 Document Transcript [August 12th, 1844] Rev. and [Dear] Sir,—​The Mormon story is a complete falsehood. A  person called upon me many years ago and showed me a pretended transcript of a page of the Golden Bible, desiring me at the same time to favor him with a translation. It required but a single glance to perceive that the whole affair was a sheer and very clumsy imposition. The paper contained in one or two parallel columns rude imitations of Hebrew and Greek characters together with various delineations of sun, moon, stars, &c. The man who handed me the scrawl had previously taken it to Dr. Mitchill and had been referred by that gentleman to me. He stated that he was about to engage in the affair of the Golden Book and (if my memory serve me right) intended to sell his farm and appropriate the proceeds to the publication of the volume. I told him very frankly that the whole matter was a hoax and cautioned him against being cheated out of his property.

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You will perceive from this what a monstrous lie the Mormons are uttering when they say that I promised to decipher the piece of writing in question—​if the original records were brought to me. I told the man at once that he was imposed upon and that the writing was mere trash.23 What Dr. Mitchill may have said I know not. Of one thing however I am very sure, that I never professed to be acquainted with the vast number of languages of which the Mormons speak and would deserve to be laughed at if I thought that any other language than Gibberish were required to obtain a knowledge of the contents of the paper that was handed to me. Yours truly, CHAS. ANTHON. 3.4  Martin Harris’s Letter to H. B. Emerson, November 23, 1870 Source Note Millennial Star 39 ( January 1, 1877): 5. Originally published in the Saints’ Herald, October 15, 1875, 630. Editorial Note Several of Martin Harris’s acquaintances described him as an honest, industrious, and sincere but eccentric individual, and his long history with Mormonism bears out such a description. Born in Easton, Washington County, New York, on May 18, 1783, he moved with his parents to Swift’s Landing, New York (later Palmyra), in 1793. He married his first cousin, Lucy Harris, in 1808; he served in the War of 1812 in the New York militia. He “became landowner of some 320 acres at Palmyra. Reportedly investigated Quakers, Universalists, Restorationists, Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians.”24 “Martin Harris and his wife were the first beyond Joseph’s family to be interested in the new work.”25 Harris is remembered for a surprising variety of events—​giving the Prophet fifty dollars to help him and Emma move to Pennsylvania; taking a transcript of Book of Mormon characters to three scholars in 1828 (the topic of this chapter); serving as Joseph’s first long-​term scribe weeks later; convincing Joseph to allow him to take the 116-​page manuscript of that translation—​and soon losing, and never recovering, the document; being called “a wicked man” in the earliest of Joseph’s revelations for which a text has survived (see 5.8 Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3]); defending Joseph when Lucy Harris accused him of fraud; being the first person outside the Smith family to quote the text of the Book of Mormon to others; redeeming himself

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and becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon; financing the publication of the Book of Mormon by selling 151 acres of his farm; selecting and ordaining (along with Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer) the first Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1835; being excommunicated from the church in 1837 and rebaptized in 1842; joining in the religious movements of both James J. Strang and William E. McLellin; refusing to go west to Utah with his second wife, Caroline Young, and their children in 1856; acting as self-​appointed guide and caretaker of the deserted Kirtland Temple; finally migrating to Utah in 1870 at age eighty-​ seven; accepting rebaptism as a sign of his devotion; and bearing a final testimony of the Book of Mormon shortly before his death on July 18, 1875.26 Document Transcript Smithfield, Utah, Nov. 23, 1870 Mr. Emerson, Sir:27 I received your favor. In reply I will say concerning the plates, I do say that the angel did show to me the plates containing the Book of Mormon. Further, the translation that I carried to Prof. Anthon was copied from these same plates; also, that the Professor did testify to it being a correct translation.28 I do firmly believe and do know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God; for without I know he could not had that gift; neither could he have translated the same. I can give if you require it one hundred witnesses to the proof of the Book of Mormon. I defy any man to show me any passage of Scripture that I am not posted on or familiar with. I will answer any question you feel like asking to the best of my knowledge, if you can rely on my testimony of the same. In conclusion I can say that I arrived in Utah safe, in good health and spirits, considering the long journey I am quite well at present and have been, generally speaking, since I arrived. With many respects I remain your humble friend MARTIN HARRIS Accounts from Others 3.5  Article in Rochester Advertiser and Daily Telegraph, August 31, 1829 Source Note “Golden Bible.” Rochester Advertiser and Daily Telegraph (New York) (August 31, 1829). Reprinted from Palmyra Freeman, August 11, 1829.

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Editorial Note This article includes the first-​known mention of Martin Harris’s taking the transcript of the Book of Mormon characters to various scholars. See the introduction to this chapter for further information. Document Transcript “GOLDEN BIBLE” The Palmyra Freeman says—​The greatest piece of superstition that has ever come within our knowledge, now occupies the attention of a few individuals of this quarter. It is generally known and spoken of as the “Golden Bible.” Its proselytes29 give the following account of it In the fall of 1827, a person by the name of Joseph Smith, of Manchester, Ontario county, reported that he had been visited in a dream by the spirit of the Almighty and informed that in a certain hill in that town, was deposited this Golden Bible, containing an ancient record of a divine nature and origin After having been thrice thus visited, as he states, he proceeded to the spot, and after penetrating “mother earth” a short distance, the Bible was found, together with a huge pair of spectacles! He had been directed, however, not to let any mortal being examine them, “under no less penalty” than instant death! They were therefore nicely wrapped up and excluded from the “vulgar gaze of poor wicked mortals!” It was said that the leaves of the bible were plates of gold, about 8 inches long, 6 wide, and one eighth of an inch thick, on which were engraved characters or hyeroglyphics. By placing the spectacles in a hat, and looking into it, Smith could (he said so, at least,) interpret these characters. An account of this discovery was soon circulated. The subject was almost invariably treated as it should have been—​with contempt. A few, however, believed the “golden” story, among whom was Martin Harris, an honest and industrious farmer of this town, (Palmyra). So blindly enthusiastic was Harris, that he took some of the characters interpreted by Smith, and went in search of some one besides the interpreter, who was learned enough to English them; but all to whom he applied (among the number was Professor Mitchell, of New York) happened not to be possessed of sufficient knowledge to give satisfaction! Harris returned, and set Smith to work at interpreting the Bible. He has at length performed the task, and the work is soon to be put to press in Palmyra.30 Its language and doctrine are said to be far superior to those of the book of life!!!31 3.6  William W. Phelps’s Letter to E. D. Howe, January 15, 1831 Source Note Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 273–​74.

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Editorial Note William Wines Phelps was born on February 17, 1792, in Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey. He married Sally Waterman on April 28, 1815, in Smyrna, Chenango County, New York. He was the editor of both the Western Courier and the anti-​ Masonic newspaper Lake Light. He moved to Canandaigua, New York, in 1828 and there published another anti-​Masonic newspaper called the Ontario Phoenix.32 Phelps obtained a copy of the Book of Mormon in 1830 and met Joseph Smith on December 24 of that year. Less than three weeks later, he received a letter from E. D. Howe that included, in Howe’s words, “some enquiries touching the origin of Mormonism.” Phelps responded with the letter reprinted here. To his credit, Howe published the letter even though he knew by that time that Phelps had become “a very important personage among” the Mormons.33 Phelps, who was baptized in Kirtland on June 16, 1831, later “edited The Evening and the Morning Star, prepared and printed revelations for the Book of Commandments, helped with the compilation of the Doctrine and Covenants, acted as scribe for Joseph Smith in translating the book of Abraham, and assisted Emma Smith in compiling and printing the Church’s first hymnbook. [He] also wrote several hymns, including ‘The Spirit of God,’ ‘Now Let Us Rejoice,’ ‘Redeemer of Israel,’ and ‘Praise to the Man.’ ”34 Phelps was appointed counselor/​assistant president to David Whitmer, president of the church in Missouri, in 1834. He was excommunicated from the church on March 17, 1838; he reconciled in July of 1840 and was rebaptized in 1841. He moved to Nauvoo by December of 1841. He acted as a clerk to Joseph Smith and assisted Willard Richards in writing Joseph’s history; he also assisted John Taylor in editing Times and Seasons and Nauvoo Neighbor. He migrated to Utah in 1848 and died in Salt Lake City on March 7, 1872.35

Document Transcript Canandaigua, Jan. 15, 1831. Dear Sir—​Yours of the 11th, is before me, but to give you a satisfactory answer, is out of my power. To be sure, I am acquainted with a number of the persons concerned in the publication, called the “Book of Mormon.”—​Joseph Smith is a person of very limited abilities in common learning—​but his knowledge of divine things, since the appearance of his book, has astonished many. Mr. Harris, whose name is in the book, is a wealthy farmer, but of small literary acquirements; he is honest, and sincerely declares upon his soul’s salvation that the book is true, and was interpreted by Joseph Smith, through a pair of silver spectacles, found with the plates. The places

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where they dug for the plates, in Manchester, are to be seen. When the plates were said to have been found, a copy of one or two lines of the characters, were taken by Mr. Harris to Utica, Albany and New York; at New York, they were shown to Dr. Mitchell, and he referred to professor Anthon who translated and declared them to be the ancient shorthand Egyptian. So much is true. The family of Smiths is poor, and generally ignorant in common learning. I have read the book, and many others have, but we have nothing by which we can positively detect it as an imposition, nor have we any thing more than what I have stated and the book itself, to show its genuineness. We doubt—​supposing, if it is false, it will fall, and if of God, God will sustain it. I had ten hours discourse with a man from your state, named Sidney Rigdon, a convert to its doctrines, and he declared it was true, and he knew it by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was again given to man in preparation for the millennium: he appeared to be a man of talents, and sincere in his profession. Should any new light be shed on the subject, I will apprise you. Respectfully, E. D. Howe, Esq. W. W. PHELPS. 3.7  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract Source Note “Joseph Smith, History” [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:238–​44. Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript By this timely aid [from Martin Harris] was I  enabled to reach the place of my destination in Pennsylvania, and immediately after my arrival there I commenced copying the characters of all the plates. I copyed a considerable number of them and by means of the Urim and Thummin I translated some of them which I did between the time I arrived at the house of my wife’s Father in the month of December, and the February following. Some time in this month of February the aforementioned Mr Martin Harris came to our place, got the characters which I had drawn off of the plates and started with them to the City of New York. For what took place relative to him and the characters I refer to his own account of the circumstances as he related them to me after his return which was as follows. “I went to the City of

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New York and presented the Characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Anthony [Charles Anthon] a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthony stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian.36 I then shewed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldeak, Assyriac, and Arabac, and he said that they were true characters. He gave me a certificate certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct.37 I took the Certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr Anthony called me back and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an Angel of God had revealed it unto him. He then said to me, let me see that certificate, I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it [to] him when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as ministring of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him, he would translate them. 38 I left him and went to Dr Mitchel [Samuel Mitchill] who sanctioned what Professor Anthony had said respecting both the Characters and the translation.” 3.8  David. B. Dille’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, September 15, 1853 Source Note “Additional Testimony of Martin Harris (One of the Three Witnesses) To the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon,” Millennial Star, 12 (August 20, 1859): 545–​46. Editorial Note This article is prefaced by the following statement: “From a manuscript found in the Millennial Star Office, written by Elder D. B. Dille.” David Buel Dille, born April 5, 1812—​“farmer, stonemason, wheelwright, assessor, politician”—​was born at Euclid, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, the son of David Dille and Mary Sailor. He married Harriet Lucretia Welch on March 16, 1837, in Euclid. “He was baptized by Elder Bushrod W.  Wilson and gathered with the Saints at Nauvoo in 1842. He was endowed in the Nauvoo Temple on January 1, 1846. He traveled in the James Pace Wagon Company (David Bennett’s Division) to Salt Lake City, arriving 15 September 1850.”39

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“I come with a good fit-​out,” Dille later wrote. “I had two wagons three yokes of oxen and four cows one good mare. Plenty of clothing and Provisions[.]‌24 miles this Side of Missouri my wife Harriet dide with the Colara [cholera] .  .  .  . Our Company Buried Eight in the Same place. . . . Harriet Lucretias youngest daughter Mary died not far from Fort-​Bri[d]ger. we got into Salt Lake City in good Season.”40 Dille practiced plural marriage and took four wives in addition to Harriet. He was called on a mission to Great Britain and served from 1853 to 1857. Leaving Utah with forty-​five cents in his pocket, David traveled west with two other missionaries, Willard G. McMullin and Charles R. Dana, and stopped in Euclid, Ohio, to visit David’s brothers and sisters. “Knowing that Martin Harris lived nearby, and ‘having business” with him, Elder Dille went [thirteen miles east] to Kirtland to see the seventy-​year-​old Book of Mormon witness. While yet a non-​Mormon, Dille had worked on the Kirtland Temple with his brother Samuel Dille, both of whom had been hired by the Mormons as stonecutters.”41 According to David’s autobiography, Martin Harris was pleased to hear about his mission and said, “Just let me go with you to England, I see you can preach. You do the preaching and I will bear testimony to the Book of Mormon, and we will convert all England.”42 Dille died in Idaho on January 1, 1887, at age seventy-​four, forty-​one years to the day after receiving his endowments in the Nauvoo Temple. Document Transcript September 15th, 1853. Be it known to all whom this may concern that I, David B. Dille, of Ogden City, Weber county, Salt Lake, en route to Great Britain, having business with one Martin Harris, formerly of the Church of Latter-​day Saints, and residing at Kirtland, Lake county, Ohio, did personally wait upon him at his residence, and found him sick in bed; and was informed by the said Martin Harris that he had not been able to take any nourishment for the space of three days. This, together with his advanced age, had completely prostrated him. After making my business known to Mr. Harris, and some little conversation with him, the said Martin Harris started up in bed, and, after particularly inquiring concerning the prosperity of the Church, made the following declaration:—​“I feel that a spirit has come across me—​the old spirit of Mormonism; and I begin to feel as I used to feel; and I will not say I won’t go to the Valley.” Then addressing himself to his wife, he said—​“I don’t know but that, if you will get me some breakfast, I will get up and eat it.”

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I then addressed Mr. Harris relative to his once high and exalted station in the Church, and his then fallen and afflicted condition. I afterwards put the following questions to Mr. Harris, to which he severally replied with the greatest cheerfulness:—​“ What do you think of the Book of Mormon? Is it a divine record?” Mr. Harris replied and said—​“I was the right-​hand man of Joseph Smith, and I know that he was a Prophet of God. I know the Book of Mormon is true.” Then smiting his fist on the table, he said—​“And you know that I  know that it is true. I know that the plates have been translated by the gift and power of God, for His voice declared it unto us; therefore I know of a surety that the work is true. For,” continued Mr. Harris, “did I not at one time hold the plates on my knee an hour and a half, whilst in conversation with Joseph, when we went to bury them in the woods, that the enemy might not obtain them? Yes, I  did. And as many of the plates as Joseph Smith translated, I handled with my hands, plate after plate. Then describing their dimensions, he pointed with one of the fingers of his left hand to the back of his right hand and said, “I should think they were so long, or about eight inches, and about so thick, or about four inches; and each of the plates was thicker than the thickest tin.” I then asked Mr. Harris if he ever lost 3,000 dollars by the publishing of the Book of Mormon? Mr. Harris said—​“I never lost one cent. Mr. Smith paid me all that I advanced, and more too.” As much as to say he received a portion of the profits accruing from the sale of the book. Mr. Harris further said—​“I took a transcript43 of the characters of the plates to Dr. Anthon, of New York. When I arrived at the home of Professor Anthon, I found him in his office and alone,44 and presented the transcript to him, and asked him to read it. He said, if I would bring the plates, he would assist in the translation. I told him I could not, for they were sealed. Professor Anthon then gave me a certificate certifying that the characters were Arabic, Chaldaic, and Egyptian.45 I then left Dr. Anthon, and was near the door, when he said, “How did the young man know the plates were there?” I said an angel had shown them to him. Professor Anthon then said, “Let me see the certificate!”[p. 545]—​upon which, I took it from my waistcoat pocket and unsuspectingly gave it to him. He then tore it up in anger, saying there was no such things as angels now, it was all a hoax. I then went to Dr. Mitchell with the transcript, and he confirmed what Professor Anthon had said.” Mr. Harris is about 58 years’ old, and is on a valuable farm of 90 acres, beautifully situated at Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio.

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3.9  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, 113–​15. Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial  Note. Document Transcript When Joseph had had a sufficient time to accomplish the journey, and transcribe some of the Egyptian characters, it was agreed that Martin Harris should follow him and that he (Martin) should take [p.113] the characters to the East, and, on his way, he was to call on all the professed linguists, in order to give them an opportunity to display their talents in giving a translation of the characters. When Mrs. Harris heard of what her husband had in contemplation, she resolved to accompany him; but he, concluding that it would be better to go without her, left quite suddenly without her knowledge, in company with my son Hyrum. Mrs. Harris soon missed her husband, and came to me for the purpose of ascertaining if I  knew where he was. I  told her what he had said concerning his leaving, suppressing, however, his remarks pertaining to herself. On hearing this, she became highly exasperated, and charged me with planning the whole affair. I protested against it, asserting that I had nothing to do with the plan, nor the execution of it. Furthermore, that the business of a house, which was the natural cares of a woman, was all that I attempted to dictate, or interfere with, unless it was by my husband’s or son’s request. Mrs. Harris then observed that she had property, and knew how to take care of it, which she would convince me of. “Now, stop” said I, “do you not know that we have never asked you for money or property? and that if we had been disposed to take advantage of your liberality, could we not have obtained at least, two hundred and seventy dollars of your cash?” She answered in the affirmative, notwithstanding she went home in a great rage, determined to have satisfaction for the treatment which she had received. In a short time Mr. Harris returned, and his wife’s anger kindled afresh at his presence, insomuch that she prepared a separate bed and room for him, which room she refused to enter. A young man by the name of Dikes, had been paying some attention to Miss Lucy, Martin Harris’s oldest daughter. To this young man Mr. Harris was quite attached, and his daughter Lucy was by [p. 114] no means opposed to him; but Mrs. Harris,

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of course, was decidedly upon the negative. However, just at this crisis, a scheme entered her brain which materially changed her deportment to Mr. Dikes. She told him, if he would manage to get the Egyptian characters from Mr. Harris’s possession, and procure a room in Palmyra for the purpose of transcribing them, and then bring her the transcript, that she would consent to his marriage with her daughter Lucy. To this, Mr. Dikes cheerfully consented, and suffice it to say he succeeded to her satisfaction, and thus received the promised reward.46 When Mr. Harris began to make preparations to start for Pennsylvania the second time, with the view of writing for Joseph, his wife told him that she had fully decreed in her heart to accompany him. Mr. Harris, having no particular objections, informed her that she might do so; that she might go and stay one or two weeks, and then he would bring her home again, after which he would return, and resume his writing for Joseph. To this she cheerfully agreed. But Mr. Harris little suspected what he had to encounter by this move. The first time he exhibited the characters before named, she took out of her pocket an exact copy of the same; and told those present, that “Joe Smith” was not the only one who was in possession of this great curiosity, that she had the same characters, and, they were quite as genuine as those shown by Mr. Harris. This course she continued to pursue, until they arrived at Joseph’s. 3.10  Thomas Colburn’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, May 1855, Extract Source Note St. Louis Luminary, May 5, 1855, in Black and Porter, “Rest Assured,” 35. Editorial Note Thomas Colburn was born in Wayne County, New York, on August 3, 1801. He was baptized into the Church of Christ on April 15, 1832. He met Martin Harris by 1834, when both of them marched in Zion’s Camp. Colburn arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1848 with Heber C. Kimball’s company of pioneers. He was called on a mission in 1853 and arrived in Great Britain in November of that year. He served there until May of 1854 and completed his two-​year mission in the United States. At a conference held in St. Louis in October of 1854, Elders Thomas Colburn and W. W. Rust “were called to find the ‘lost sheep’ in the northeastern states. In an attempt to fulfill that assignment, Colburn and Rust journeyed to Kirtland, where they ‘found a few that called themselves Saints, but very weak, many apostates,’ among whom was Martin Harris. It seemed natural for [Elder Colburn] to search out an old friend.

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Colburn had a ‘lengthy interview’ with Martin. He sent news of their discussion to Elder Erastus Snow, editor of the St. Louis Luminary.”47 Thomas Colburn died on May 3, 1887.48 Document Transcript At first [Martin Harris] was down on polygamy, but before we left he informed me that he never should say a word against it. He confessed that he had lost confidence in Joseph Smith; consequently, his mind became darkened, and he was left to himself; he tried the Shakers, but that would not do; then he tried Gladden Bishop, but no satisfaction; [he] had concluded he would wait until the Saints returned to Jackson Co., and then he would repair there. He gave us a history of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon; his going to New York and presenting the characters to Professor Anthon, etc. He concluded before we left that “Brigham was Governor,” and that the authorities were there, and that he should go there as soon as he could get away. 3.11  Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract Source Note Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism,  41–​45. Editorial Note See 1.25 Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript He [Martin Harris] accordingly procured from Smith some resemblances of antique characters or hieroglyphics [p. 41] purporting to be exact copies from the plates; which together with the translation in his possession,49 he carried to New York City, where he sought for them the interpretation and bibliographical scrutiny of such scholars as Hon. Luther Bradish, Dr. Mitchell, Profession Anton, and others.50 All the gentlemen applied to were understood to have scouted the whole pretence as too depraved for serious attention, while commiserating the applicant as the victim of fanaticism or insanity.51 Harris, nevertheless, stood firm in his position, regarding these untoward results merely as “providing the lack of wisdom” on the part of the rejectors, and also as illustrating the truth of his favorite quotation, that “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.” This was always his self-​convincing argument in reply to similar adversity in his fanatical pursuit.

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[Tucker next introduces and quotes Anthon’s 1834 letter extensively.] Harris appears not to have presented the “translation” with the hieroglyphics to Professor Anthon, or if so, the immaterial fact had left too slight an impression for his recollection at the time of writing the above statement. The pursuer after knowledge returned home, confirmed rather than shaken in his belief; for he had taken the sensible conclusions of the “learned men” he had seen by the rule of contraries, declaring in a boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an unlearned man as he was, to “confound worldly wisdom.” He had apparently become seized with the Golden Bible mania beyond redemption. 3.12  Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract Source Note Kansas City Journal, Missouri, June 5, 1881, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 64. Editorial Note See 1.31 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript “Smith made facsimiles of some of the plates, and sent them by Martin Harris to Profs. An[th]on and Mitchell, of New York City, for examination. They pronounced the characters reformed Egyptian, but were unable to read them.”52 3.13  Edward Stevenson’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, December 13, 1881, Extract Source Note “One of the Three Witnesses. Incidents in the Life of Martin Harris,” Deseret Evening News, December 13, 1881. Editorial Note Edward Stevenson was born on May 1, 1820, at the British colony at Gibraltar. He emigrated with his family to the United States in 1827 and was baptized while living in Pontiac, Michigan. He married Nancy Areta Porter on April 7, 1845, in Nauvoo, Illinois; they received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple on February 2, 1846.

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He arrived in Salt Lake City on October 2, 1847, as part of an artillery company led by Charles C. Rich. Stevenson served ten missions, one of which was to Gibraltar, where he organized a branch of ten members. He went to Kirtland, Ohio, in 1870, accompanied Martin Harris to Utah, and baptized him in the Endowment House on September 17, 1870. Stevenson was appointed to the First Council of the Seventy on October 7, 1894. He practiced plural marriage and fathered twenty-​seven children by four of his seven wives. He was seventy-​six years old when he died in Salt Lake city on January 27, 1897.53 Document Transcript [While in Des Moines, Iowa, during the summer of 1870] Bro. [Martin] Harris bore a strong testimony as to viewing the plates, the angel’s visit, and visiting Professor Anthony [Anthon], with characters from the plates, who after giving him a certificate, etc., as to the correctness of the characters, asked him to fetch the plates for him to see. Martin said that they were sealed, and that an angel had forbidden them to be exhibited. Mr. Anthony then called for the certificate, tore it up and consigned it to the waste basket, saying, angels did not visit in our days, etc. 3.14  Anthony Metcalf ’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1888, Extract Source Note A. Metcalf, Ten Years Before the Mast, 71. Editorial Note Anthony Metcalf was born in Westwick, Yorkshire, England on December 11, 1827. He was baptized in March of 1852 and married Mary Reeder (1835–​1916) on April 14, 1853. They eventually had eleven children. Anthony and Mary migrated to Utah in 1853, arriving in Salt Lake City as part of Cyrus H. Wheelock’s company of pioneers. Metcalf gradually grew disillusioned with Mormonism, especially after he learned of Mormon involvement in the Mountain Meadows Massacre and after he was severely criticized for inviting a “Josephite” missionary (representing the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) to stay at his home. He was active in the Reorganized Church for some time but ended his association with both churches by 1881. In his search for truth he contacted both David Whitmer and Martin Harris. Although Metcalf remembered his interview with Harris as taking place “in the winter of 1875–​6,” that was inaccurate because Harris had died on July 10, 1875. The

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interview possibly occurred during the winter of 1873–​1874. Metcalf died in Malad City, Idaho, at age sixty on November 20, 1888, the same year Ten Years Before the Mast was published.54 Document Transcript Harris told me about his trip to New York and what Prof. Anthon told him. He (Anthon) said the characters were translated correctly.55 After Harris had told the professor how the plates had been found, the professor said that it was his opinion that he (Harris) was being duped by sharpers, and advised Harris to take care of himself. I asked him if he knew what the prophet Isaiah had said about that event. He said, “No,” but that Joseph Smith had shown that chapter to him after his return.

4 “I Stood Alone, an Unlearned Youth” The Translation Begins: April–​J une 1828

i In terms of understanding how the Book of Mormon was translated, “the primary witness . . . is the translator himself,” write Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C.  Walker. “But Joseph Smith’s procedural descriptions are too brief and general to be of much help.”1 James E. Lancaster concurs, adding that throughout his life, Joseph followed a pattern of “never revealing details of his method of translation and always stressing the divine aspects of the process.”2 Of the multitude of questions left unanswered by Joseph, one of the first naturally asked is this: Did he use the “spectacles” or the seer stone to translate? Neither the revelations dictated by March of 1830 (when the Book of Mormon was published) nor Joseph’s 1832 history mentions any instrument at all. Not only that, but the answer later given by Joseph—​“ Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I  translated the record by the gift, and power of God”3—​obscures rather than clarifies the matter because Joseph “euphemistically used ‘Urim and Thummim’ to include both the Nephite interpreters [spectacles] and the seer stone.”4 The use of the term “Urim and Thummim” is further problematic because the apparatus consisted of both the breastplate and the spectacles that could be attached to the breastplate. According the Edward Stevenson, Martin Harris said “that the Prophet possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he then used the seer stone” (4.15 Edward Stevenson’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1881, Extract). William Smith explained one reason why the seer stone was convenient when he said the spectacles 250

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were “much too large for Joseph and he could only see through one at a time using sometimes one and sometimes the other” and that his eyes grew tired as a result.5 Joseph’s official history described the Urim and Thummim as “two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate.” Since Joseph left no record of the process of using the Urim and Thummim and no one ever claimed to witness such, we don’t know how the translator used the stones in connection with the plates or if the plates were even required. What we do know is that after mid-​June of 1828, when Joseph and Harris completed two months’ of translation, Joseph is not known to have used the spectacles again to translate—​for his 1829 work with Oliver Cowdery he used the seer stone exclusively.6 In 1828, when Harris acted as Joseph’s scribe, the commandment was still in force that no one beside Joseph be allowed to see the plates, Urim and Thummim, or other objects preserved in Moroni’s cache. A curtain or screen was therefore used to separate the two men, a detail first mentioned in The Reflector, a Palmyra newspaper, on March 29, 1831. “Harris declares, that when he acted as amanuenses, and wrote the translation, as Smith dictated, such was his fear of the Divine displeasure, that a screen (sheet) was suspended between the prophet and himself.” Three years later, E. D. Howe offered a similar description: [Martin Harris] says he wrote a considerable part of the book, as Smith dictated, and at one time the presence of the Lord was so great, that a screen was hung up between him and the Prophet; at other times the Prophet would sit in a different room, or up stairs, while the Lord was communicating to him the contents of the plates. He does not pretend that he ever saw the wonderful plates but once, although he and Smith were engaged for months in deciphering their contents.7 Once Joseph switched from the spectacles to the seer stone, a screen was no longer necessary, which Harris made quite evident in his recollection of how he once tested the translation process by replacing Joseph’s stone with another. As to the translation process, one interview with Harris yielded this portrayal: “By aid of the seer stone, sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet and written by Martin, and when finished he would say, ‘Written,’ and if correctly written, that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place, but if not written correctly it remained until corrected, so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates, precisely in the language then used” (4.15 Edward Stevenson’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1881, Extract).8 About two months after he had made his visit to the scholars in the East, the zealous Martin Harris, who had apparently left his farm duties to someone else, was back in

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Harmony eager to assist Joseph with the translation. But, reported an acquaintance of Harris, “Joseph had given it up, on account of the opposition of his wife and others.” The determined Harris would not hear of it: “I have not come down here for nothing, and we will go on with it” (4.4 Ezra Booth’s Letter to Ira Eddy, October 2, 1831). And so they did. First-​H and Reminiscences 4.1  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract Source Note Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:244. Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Mr Harris having returned from this tour [to see Charles Anthon and the other scholars] he left me and went home to Palmyra, arranged his affairs, and returned again to my house about the twelfth of April, Eighteen hundred and twenty eight, and commenced writing for me while I translated from the plates, which we continued untill the fourteenth of June following, by which time he had written one hundred and sixteen of manuscript on foolscap paper. 4.2  Joseph Smith’s Letter to James Arlington Bennet, November 13, 1843, Extract Source Note “Letter: President Joseph Smith to James Arlington Bennet,” Smith, History of the Church, 6:74. Editorial Note James Arlington Bennet (1788–​1865) was born in New York and eventually became the “proprietor and principal of the Arlington House, an educational institution on Long Island.” He made contact with John C. Bennett (no relation, note the different

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spelling) around 1841 and through Bennett’s influence, James Arlington was named inspector-​general of the Nauvoo Legion on April 12, 1842, and later that same month received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Nauvoo. “An apparent unscrupulous opportunist, Bennet had fantasies which included fame as an author, governor of Illinois, general of the Nauvoo Legion, and successor to Joseph Smith. Bennet did join the Church in 1843, but his motives were not founded on faith.”9 On October 24, 1843, Bennet had written Joseph Smith a letter in which he “described his recent baptism by Brigham Young as a ‘glorious frolic in the clear blue ocean,’ assured [ Joseph Smith] of his undeviating friendship, and announced his intention to run for the office of governor of Illinois.” In his response, “crafted over the next few days with the assistance of William W. Phelps, [ Joseph] rebuked Bennet for his lack of respect for things sacred and declined to aid Bennet in his objective of obtaining political office in Illinois.”10 Document Transcript The boldness of my plans and measures can readily be tested by the touchstone of all schemes, systems, projects, and adventures—​truth; for truth is a matter of fact; and the fact is, that by the power of God I translated the Book of Mormon from hieroglyphics, the knowledge of which was lost to the world, in which wonderful event, I stood alone[,]‌an unlearned youth, to combat the worldly wisdom and multiplied ignorance of eighteen centuries, with a new revelation, which (if they would receive the everlasting Gospel,) would open the eyes of more than eight hundred millions of people, and make “plain the old paths,” wherein if a man walk in all the ordinances of God blameless, he shall inherit eternal life; and Jesus Christ, who was, and is, and is to come, has borne me safely over every snare and plan laid in secret or openly, through priestly hypocrisy, sectarian prejudice, popular philosophy, executive power, or law-​defying mobocracy, to destroy me.11 Accounts from Others 4.3  Letter to the Editor, Brattleboro Messenger, Vermont, November 20, 1830 Source Note “Communication.” Brattleboro Messenger, November 20, 1830. Document Transcript Mr. Editor,—​I have gotten some additional information respecting the Book of Mormon, which I send you for insertion in your paper, if you see fit. It is contained

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in an extract, which I have just taken from a letter, written from a town in the State of New York, where, as I had been previously told, this Jos. Smith has resided some years, and from which he set out, with an attendant, in pursuit of the gold plates, which he found, as they say, about one hundred and fifty miles from the place of starting. The letter is dated Oct. 18th, 1830, and the extract is as follows: “You have probably heard of the Gold Bible taken from the earth by Joseph Smith, the money-​digger. This he has translated from the Egyptian reformed language12 to English, by a pair of stone spectacles (provided by an angel) and a dark hat before his eyes. The books have been printed, and J. S. and Mr. N—​s are engaged in peddling the same. The society are increasing. Eighteen have been baptized in a day. H. P.13 and wife have been baptized, & are very strong in the faith. The girls are under conviction. The leaders pretend to cast out devils and work miracles, heal the sick, &c. We have seen none of their miracles here, except N. N. I heard say in meeting, that he had had the devil cast out.” I just add, that I  have been almost in contact with these peddlers in different parts of this county, having my information from them only through most credible second hand informers, who state that they said, they knew the book, and the manner in which it is said to have been found, was true; or that they did not believe it, but knew it. They are said to be respectable men. The wife of one of them, though immersed formerly by an Elder in this county, has been immersed or baptized again into this new system. I only state facts, and leave the judicious and pious to their own reflections. CLERICUS. P. S. There was a little error in the former piece. You mistook my L for an S in the word Lamanites.14 4.4  Ezra Booth’s Letter to Ira Eddy, October 2, 1831, Extract Source Note Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 182–​83; first published in the Ohio Star, Ravenna, Ohio, October 20, 1831. Editorial Note Ezra Booth was born on February 14, 1792 in Newtown, Fairfield County, Connecticut. He was “admitted on trial” to the Methodist ministry on September 4, 1816, and “admitted into full connection and elected a deacon in [the] Methodist church” on August 8, 1818 at Steubenville, Ohio. He married Dorcas Taylor (1800–​ 1887) on November 10, 1819; they had one daughter, Almeda (1823–​1875). Ezra was a Methodist minister in Mantua, Ohio, when he was baptized into the Church of

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Christ in 1831. He was ordained a high priest by Lyman Wight and called on a mission to Missouri with Isaac Morley in June of 1831 but “silenced from preaching as an Elder” three months later and subsequently excommunicated. Beginning in September of 1831, he wrote nine letters denouncing Mormonism that were published in the Ohio Star and later in Mormonism Unvailed.15 An Ohio newspaper ran the following obituary in January of 1873:  “Mr. Ezra Booth died at his residence in this town, on Sunday last, January 12, in consequence of injuries received from an accident a few days since. . . . He was the founder of the first Methodist Church in Wheeling, W. Va. He was for some years a travelling preacher, his circuit embracing all of the Western Reserve, east of the Cuyahoga river. The death of Mr. Booth is lamented by all who knew him.”16 Document Transcript Joseph Smith, Jun., Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, may be considered as the principals in this work; and let Martin Harris tell the story, and he is the most conspicuous of the four.—​He informed me, that he went to the place where Joseph resided, and Joseph had given it up, on account of the opposition of his wife and others; but he told Joseph, “I have not come down here for nothing, and we will go on with it.”17 4.5  Nancy Towle’s Account of an Interview with Joseph Smith, October 16, 1831 Source Note Nancy Towle, Vicissitudes Illustrated, in the Experience of Nancy Towle (Charleston: Printed for the authoress, by James L. Burger, 1832), 144–​45, emphasis omitted, in H. Michael Marquardt, Interviews of Joseph Smith, 1830–​1844, https://​ user.xmission.com/​~research/​family/​interviewsofjs.pdf, used by permission. Editorial Note “In October 1831 Nancy Towle, an evangelist, and Elizabeth Venner visited Kirtland, Ohio. The ladies were entertained by Elizabeth Godkin Marsh. Mrs. Marsh was born in Ireland and was thirty-​one years old. She, with her husband Thomas B Marsh, had previously lived in Boston, Massachusetts. Towle came to investigate the sect and spoke to a number of church members including William W. Phelps, Martin Harris, Sidney Rigdon, and Joseph Smith. Towel’s brief interview with Joseph Smith occurred on October 16, 1831.”

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Document Transcript Ques[tion]. “Mr. Smith,—​Can you, in the presence of Almighty God, give your word by oath—​that, an Angel from Heaven, shewed you the place, of those Plates:—​ and that, you took the things, contained in that Book, from those plates: and at the direction of the Angel, you returned the Plates, to the place, from whence you had taken them?” Ans[wer]. “I will not swear at all!” Upon this, being about to leave the place, he turned to some women and children in the room; and lay his hands upon their heads; (that they might be baptized of the Holy Ghost;) when, Oh! cried one,* to me, “What blessings, you do lose!—​No sooner, his hands fell upon my head, than I felt the Holy Ghost, as warm-​water, go over me!” But I was not such a stranger, to the spirit of God, as she imagined; that I did not know its effects, from that of warm water! and I turned to [ Joseph] Smith, and said “Are you not ashamed, of such pretensions? You, who are no more, than any ignorant, plough-​boy of our land! Oh! blush, at such abominations! and let shame, cover your face![”] He only replied, by saying, “The gift, has returned back again, as in former times, to illiterate fishermen.” So he got off, as quick as he could. He recollected himself, wherefore, and returned to pass the compliment of ‘Good-​by.’ A goodnatured, low-​ bred sort of a chap: and that seemed to have force enough, to do no one, any harm. Another, of their Elders threatened, to put us off the ground; and that he would have no more such blasphemy there. I said, “Sir, you need not trouble yourself to do that; we will go without: we were invited to this place, by the woman of the house; and did not think of being carried out, by any other person.” * E[lizabeth]. M[arsh]. formerly of Boston: but born in Ireland. 4.6  Minutes of a Conference of the Church of Christ, October 25–​26, 1831, Extract Source Note Minutes, Orange Township, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, October 25–​26, 1831, Minute Book 2, 13; handwriting of Ebenezer Robinson, in JSP, D2:84. This is an 1838 copy of Oliver Cowdery’s original minutes, which are no longer extant. Editorial Note This conference was held in the home of Serenus Burnett; those present included twelve men previously ordained to the high priesthood, seventeen elders, four

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or five priests, three teachers, four deacons, and “a large congregation” of other members of the church. To this point, Joseph Smith had apparently not recorded the history of the origin of the Book of Mormon. At a conference in April of 1834 he “gave a relation of obtaining and translating the Book of Mormon,” but the conference minutes offer no details.18 (See Kirtland High Council Minutes, April 21, 1834, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​minutes-​and-​ discourse-​21-​april-​1834/​2.) For the account that was finally published (even then containing few details), see 1.11 Joseph Smith, “Church History,” March 1, 1842, Extract. Document Transcript Br. Hyrum Smith said that he thought best that the information of the coming forth of the book of Mormon be related by Joseph himself to the Elders present that all might know for themselves. Br. Joseph Smith jr. said that it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the book of Mormon, & also said that it was not expedient for him to relate these things &c. 4.7  Nathaniel Lewis’s Testimony, March 20, 1834 Source Note Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 266–​67. Editorial Note Nathaniel Lewis was born on May 27, 1768, in Wells, Rutland County, Vermont. Elizabeth Lewis, mother of Emma Hale, was his older sister. Nathaniel married Sara Hart Cole on February 11, 1790, in Wells. About that same year, Nathaniel and Sarah and Isaac and Elizabeth Hale migrated to Pennsylvania to the Great Bend of the Susquehanna River. “Nathaniel Lewis bought a place on the south side of the river, where he resided for a number of years. . . . Elder Nathaniel Lewis is identified as ‘the pioneer Methodist of what is now Oakland.’ He was ordained a deacon in 1807.”19 By 1845, Nathaniel and Sarah and several family members, including Levi, Joseph, and Hiel Lewis and their families, had migrated to Lee County, Illinois. Sarah died there in 1852 and Nathaniel on October 27, 1860.20 For more information on Nathaniel Lewis, see 1.27 Statement of Joseph and Hiel Lewis, 1879 Editorial Note.

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Document Transcript Elder Lewis also certifies and affirms in relation to Smith as follows: “I have been acquainted with Joseph Smith Jr. for some time:  being a relation of his wife, and residing near him, I  have had frequent opportunities of conversation with him, and of knowing his opinions and pursuits. From my standing in the Methodist Episcopal Church, I  suppose he was careful how he conducted or expressed himself before me. At one time, however, he came to my house, and asked my advice, whether he should proceed to translate the Book of Plates (referred to by Mr. Hale) or not. He said that God had commanded him to translate it, but he was afraid of the people: he remarked, that he was to exhibit the plates to the world, at a certain time, which was then about eighteen months distant. I told him I was not qualified to give advice in such cases. Smith frequently said to me that I should see the plates at the time appointed. After the time stipulated, had passed away, Smith being at my house was asked why he did not fulfil his promise, [p. 266] show the Golden Plates and prove himself an honest man? He replied that he, himself was deceived, but that I should see them if I were where they were. I reminded him then, that I stated at the time he made the promise, I was fearful “the enchantment would be so powerful” as to remove the plates, when the time came in which they were to be revealed. “These circumstances and many others of a similar tenor, embolden me to say that Joseph Smith Jr. is not a man of truth and veracity; and that his general character in this part of the country, is that of an impostor, hypocrite and liar. NATHANIEL C. LEWIS.” 4.8  Testimonies of Joshua McKune, Hezekiah McKune, Alva Hale, Levi Lewis, and Sophia Lewis, 1834 Source Note Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 267–​69. Editorial Note Brothers Joshua McKune (birth and death dates unknown) and Hezekiah McKune (1801–​1884) were sons of Joseph McKune, who moved his family to the Harmony, Pennsylvania, area in 1810. They were also sons-​in-​law of Nathaniel and Sarah Lewis—​Joshua married Esther Lewis (1793–​1878), and Hezekiah married Elizabeth Lewis (1811–​1899).21

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Alva Hale, one of Emma Hale’s older brothers, was born in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, in 1795. “In 1828 he came with a team and wagon to bring Emma and Joseph back to Harmony where he reportedly served briefly as Joseph’s scribe. By 1843 Alva [and his wife, Clara] had settled near Sublette, Lee County, Illinois. Joseph III, who visited him in the 1860s with Emma, mentions three children: Eunice, Jesse, and William.”22 Alva died on April 18, 1881.23 Levi Lewis was born in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, on November 9, 1796; he was thus ten years older than his brother Joseph and almost twenty years older than his brother Hiel. He died on September 28, 1857, in Amboy, Illinois.24 Document Transcript We subjoin the substance of several affidavits, all taken and made before Charles Dimon Esq. by credible individuals, who have resided near to, and been well acquainted with Joseph Smith Jr.—​illustrative of his character and conduct, while in this region. Joshua M’Kune states, that he “was acquainted with Joseph Smith Jr. and Martin Harris, during their residence in Harmony, Pa., and knew them to be artful seducers;”—​That they informed him that “Smith had found a sword, breast-​plate, and a pair of spectacles, at the time he found the gold plates”—​that these were to be shown to all the world as evidence of the truth of what was contained in those plates,” and that “he (M’Kune) and others should see them at a specified time.” He also states that “the time for the exhibition of the Plates, &c. has gone by, and he has not seen them.” “Joseph Smith, Jr. told him that (Smith’s) first-​born child was to translate the characters, and hieroglyphics, upon the Plates into our language at the age of three years; but this child was not permitted to live [p. 267] to verify the prediction.” He also states, that “he has been intimately acquainted with Isaac Hale twenty-​four years, and has always found him to be a man of truth, and good morals.” HEZEKIAH M’KUNE states, that “in conversation with Joseph Smith Jr., he (Smith) said he was nearly equal to Jesus Christ; that he was a prophet sent by God to bring in the Jews, and that he was the greatest prophet that had ever arisen.” ALVA HALE, son of Isaac Hale, states, that Joseph Smith Jr. told him that his (Smith’s) gift in seeing with a stone and hat, was a gift from God,” but also states “that Smith told him at another time that this “peeping” was all d—​-​d nonsense.25 He (Smith) was deceived himself but did not intend to deceive others;  —​that he intended to quit the business, (of peeping) and labor for his livelihood.” That afterwards, Smith told him, he should see the Plates from which he translated the

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book of Mormon,” and accordingly at the time specified by Smith, he (Hale) “called to see the plates, but Smith did not show them, but appeared angry.” He further states, that he knows Joseph Smith Jr. to be an impostor, and a liar, and knows Martin Harris to be a liar likewise. LEVI LEWIS states, that he has “been acquainted with Joseph Smith Jr. and Martin Harris, and that he has heard them both say, adultery was no crime. Harris said he did not blame Smith for his (Smith’s) attempt to seduce Eliza Winters &c.;”—​Mr. Lewis says that he “knows Smith to be a liar;—​that he saw him (Smith) intoxicated at three different times while he was composing the Book of Mormon, and also that he has heard Smith when driving oxen, use language of the greatest profanity. Mr. Lewis also testifies that he heard Smith say he (Smith) was as good as Jesus Christ;—​that it was as bad to injure him as it was to [p. 268] injure Jesus Christ.” “With regard to the plates, Smith said God had deceived him—​which was the reason he (Smith) did not show them.” SOPHIA LEWIS, certifies that she “heard a conversation between Joseph Smith Jr., and the Rev. James B. Roach, in which Smith called Mr. R. a d—​-​d fool. Smith also said in the same conversation that he (Smith) was as good as Jesus Christ;” and that she “has frequently heard Smith use profane language. She states that she heard Smith say “the Book of Plates could not be opened under penalty of death by any other person but his (Smith’s) first-​born, which was to be a male.” She says she “was present at the birth of this child, and that it was still-​born and very much deformed.” 4.9  Mathew Livingston Davis’s Letter to His Wife, Mary, February 6, 1840, Extract Source Note “Mathew [L.] Davis’ Description of the Prophet, and a Report of his Washington Discourse,” Smith, History of the Church, 4:78–​80. Editorial Note Mathew Livingston Davis was born in New York about 1771 (the same year Joseph Smith Sr. was born). He married Sarah Eyres on April 10, 1796, in Boston. His second wife, the person addressed in this letter, was named Mary (maiden name and marriage date not known). He apparently had children by both wives. The 1800 census listed Davis as having two slaves, but several subsequent censuses note three “free colored persons” living in the household. Davis was a close friend and later a biographer of Aaron Burr and was present when Burr fatally wounded Alexander Hamilton in a duel on July 11, 1804. In the 1790s, Davis was editor of the Evening

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Post. He was later a correspondent for the London Times and the Morning Courier. At the time he wrote this letter he was a correspondent for the New York Enquirer.26 “Mathew L.  Davis, of New  York, long known from his connection with politics and public affairs, died on Friday night [ June 21] at the residence of his son, in Manhattanville,” wrote the Buffalo, New York, Daily Republic on June 24, 1850. “He never recovered from a stroke of paralysis which he sustained some years since in Washington. He had been seriously ill for several months.” Document Transcript Washington, 6th February, 1840. My Dear Mary:—​I went last evening to hear “Joe Smith,” the celebrated Mormon, expound his doctrine. I, with several others, had a desire to understand his tenets as explained by himself. He is not an educated man; but he is a plain, sensible, strong minded man. Everything he says, is said in a manner to leave an impression that he is sincere. There is no levity, no fanaticism, no want of dignity in his deportment. He is apparently from forty to forty-​five years of age [actually thirty-​four], rather above the middle stature, and what you ladies would call a very good looking man. In his garb there are no peculiarities; his dress being that of a plain, unpretending citizen. He is by profession a farmer, but is evidently well read. . . . During the whole of his address, and it occupied more than two hours, there was no opinion or belief that he expressed, that was calculated, in the slightest degree, to impair the morals of society, or in any manner to degrade and brutalize the human species. There was much in his precepts, if they were followed, that would soften the asperities of man towards man, and that would tend to make him a more rational being than he is generally found to be. There was no violence, no fury, no denunciation. His religion appears to be the religion of meekness, lowliness, and mild persuasion. Towards the close of his address, he remarked that he had been represented as pretending to be a Savior, a worker of miracles, etc. All this was false. He made no such pretensions. He was but a man, he said; a plain, untutored man; seeking what he should do to be saved. He performed no miracles. He did not pretend to possess any such power. He closed by referring to the Mormon Bible, which he said, contained nothing inconsistent or conflicting with the Christian Bible, and he again repeated that all who would follow the precepts of the Bible, whether Mormon or not, would assuredly be saved. Throughout his whole address, he displayed strongly a spirit of charity and forbearance. The Mormon Bible, he said, was communicated to him, direct from heaven. If there was such a thing on earth, as the author of it, then he (Smith) was

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the author; but the idea that he wished to impress was, that he had penned it as dictated by God. I have taken some pains to explain this man’s belief, as he himself explained it. I have done so because it might satisfy your curiosity, and might be interesting to you, and some of your friends. I have changed my opinion of the Mormons. They are an injured and much-​abused people. . . . Remember me to Sarah and the boys. Kiss the dear baby for me. Affectionately your husband, M. L. Davis. P. S.—​I omitted to say, he does not believe in infant baptism, sprinkling, but in immersion, after eight years of age. To Mrs. Mathew L. Davis, 107 Henry Street, New York. 4.10  George Peck’s Account of the Origin of the Book of Mormon, 1843, Extract Source Note The Methodist Quarterly Review, 1843, Vol. 25, Third Series, Vol. 3, 112–​13. Editorial Note George Peck was born in Middlefield, Otsego County, New  York, on August 8, 1797. He died on May 20, 1876, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He married Mary Myers (1798–​1881) on June 10, 1819 in Pennsylvania. They had two children—​George Myers Peck (1820–​1887) and Mary Helen Peck Crane (1827–​1891).27 Peck “began preaching in 1816, and rapidly rose to leadership in the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was principal of Cazenovia seminary in 1835–​ ’9, editor of the ‘Methodist Quarterly Review’ in 1840–​48, and of the New York ‘Christian Advocate’ in 1848–​52. He was a member of every general conference from 1824 till 1872, and was also a delegate to the first evangelical alliance in London in 1846, taking an active part in its deliberations. One of his contemporaries says of him: ‘I view him as one of the most remarkable men of our times—​one whose genius and piety are indellibly stamped on the ecclesiastical polity and wonderful growth of the church—​whose wise counsels and herculean labors are interwoven in its development for the past fifty years.’ ”28 Document Transcript Our object is not to argue the matter with our “Latter-​day Saints,” . . . but to give the reader a sketch of the facts which our authors have authenticated, and of the results at which we have arrived.

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The principal actor in the Mormon imposture is Joe Smith, an ignorant, fanatical, and licentious renegade, who, in connection with his father, was impelled by a money-​digging mania to visit the mountains of northern Pennsylvania to prosecute his calling—​that of discovering secret treasures in the earth by peeping at a stone in a hat! Here he married Emma Hale, of Harmony, Susquehannah county, without the consent, and contrary to the wishes, of her parents and friends. Smith’s character is proved to have been grossly immoral by the affidavits of his father-​in-​law, brother-​in-​ law, his wife’s uncle, and a cousin; besides a long list of respectable names in the state of New-​York where he was raised. . . . When Joe first broached the grand hoax of “the golden Bible,” it was talked of solely as a money-​making project. In a conversation with Rev. N. Lewis, about three years since, he informed us, that the first that he heard of the matter was a sort of vague representation from Joe and Em, that they knew of something that when carried out would make them and all their friends rich. And when the story came out about the “gold plates,” and the “great spectacles,” he (Lewis) asked Joe if any one but himself could translate other languages into English by the aid of his miraculous spectacles? On being answered in the affirmative, he proposed to Joe to let him make the experiment upon some of the strange languages he found in Clarke’s Commentary, and stated to him if it was even so, and the experiment proved successful, he would then believe the story about the gold plates. But at this proposition Joe was much offended, and never undertook to convert “uncle Lewis” afterward. 4.11  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, 115–​17. Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial  Note. Document Transcript As soon as [Lucy Harris] arrived [at Joseph and Emma’s home in Harmony, Pennsylvania, where Martin Harris had already arrived], she informed [ Joseph] that her object in coming, was to see the plates, and that she would never leave until she had accomplished it. Accordingly, without delay, she commenced ransacking every nook and corner about the house chests, trunks, cupboards, etc.; consequently, Joseph was under the necessity of removing both the breast-​plate and the Record from the house, and secreting them elsewhere. Not finding them in the [p.  115]

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house, she concluded that Joseph had buried them, and the next day she commenced searching out of doors, which she continued to do until about two o’clock p. m. She then came in rather ill-​natured; after warming herself a little, she asked Joseph’s wife if there were snakes in that country in the winter. She replied in the negative. Mrs. Harris then said, “I have been walking round in the woods to look at the situation of your place, and as I turned round to come home, a tremendous black snake stuck up his head before me, and commenced hissing at me.” The woman was so perplexed and disappointed in all her undertakings, that she left the house and took lodgings during her stay in Pennsylvania with a near neighbor, to whom she stated that the day previous she had been hunting for the plates, and that, after a tedious search, she at length came to a spot where she judged, from the appearance of things, they must be buried; but upon stooping down to scrape away the snow and leaves, in order to ascertain the fact, she encountered a horrible black snake which gave her a terrible fright, and she ran with all possible speed to the house. While this woman remained in the neighborhood, she did all that lay in her power to injure Joseph in the estimation of his neighbors telling them that he was a grand impostor, and, that by his specious pretentions, he had seduced her husband into the belief that he ( Joseph Smith) was some great one, merely through a design upon her husband’s property. When she returned home, being about two weeks after her arrival in Harmony, the place where Joseph resided, she endeavored to dissuade her husband from taking any further part in the publication of the Record; however, Mr. Harris paid no attention to her, but returned and continued writing. Immediately after Martin Harris left home for Pennsylvania, his wife went from place to place, and from house to house, telling her grievances, and [p. 116] declaring that Joseph Smith was practicing a deception upon the people, which was about to strip her of all that she possessed, and that she was compelled to deposit a few things away from home in order to secure them. So she carried away her furniture, linen, and bedding; also other moveable articles, until she nearly stripped the premises of everything that could conduce either to comfort or convenience, depositing them with those of her friends and acquaintances, in whom she reposed sufficient confidence to assure her of their future safety. [end of ­chapter 24] 4.12  Iowa State Register Interview with Martin Harris, August 16, 1870, Extract Source Note Iowa State Register, Des Moines, August 16, 1870.

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Editorial Note Accompanied by Edward Stevenson, Martin Harris was on his way from Kirtland, Ohio, to Salt Lake City when this interview took place. On Martin Harris, see 3.4 Martin Harris’s Letter to H. B. Emerson, November 23, 1870, Editorial Note. Document Transcript A few days since we acknowledged a call at our sanctum, from Martin Harris, who was on his way from Ohio to take up his residence at Salt lake City, to spend the remainder of his days with the “chosen people.” Mr. Harris was now in his 88th year, though still quite vigorous and sprightly, and he is Mormon, soul and body. He, as he claims, and as Mormons claim, together with two others, Oliver Cowdery deceased, and David Whitmer, now an apostate living in Missouri, were the divinely appointed witnesses to the Book of Mormon. The old gentleman evidently loves to relate the incidents with which he was personally connected, and he does it with wonderful enthusiasm. In September, 1828, as the story goes, Joseph Smith, directed by an angel, proceeded to a spot about 4 miles from Palmyra, New York, and upon the point of a hill, extending northward, dug up a very solid stone chest within which were the tablets of gold, inscribed with the characters which no man could read. Joseph Smith was the first to handle the tablets, and Martin Harris, one of the appointed witnesses, the second.29 Mr. Harris describes the plates as being of thin leaves of gold, measuring seven by eight inches, and weighing altogether, from forty to sixty lbs. There was also found in the chest, the urim and thummim, by means of which the writing upon the plates was translated, but not until after the most learned men had exhausted their knowledge of letters in the vain effort to decipher the characters. It had been revealed to Joseph Smith that the writing upon the tablets contained a history of the aborigines of this country down to the time of Columbus’ discovery, and after, all human means had failed to secure a translation, Smith was commissioned to undertake the task. By means of the urim and thummim “a pair of large spectacles,” as Mr. Harris termed them, the translation was made, and Mr. Harris claims to have written, of the translations as they were given by Smith, “116 solid pages of cap.” The remainder was written by others. 4.13  Chenango Union Interview with Mrs. Doolittle, April 12, 1877 Source Note “Early Days of Mormonism,” Chenango Union, Norwich, New York, April 12, 1877.

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Document Transcript The Binghamton Republic publishes some personal recollections of Mrs. Doolittle, a lady seventy-​five years old, who is now visiting with her son-​in-​law, Chief of Police Johnson, of that city. She was personally acquainted with the first wife of Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, Miss Emma Hale, whom he married near Susquehanna, Pa. From her statement it appears that Joe came to the neighborhood of Susquehanna to dig for gold, and made several excavations for that purpose, but it never was known that his labors in that direction were rewarded. While thus employed he became acquainted with Miss Hale, whose parents opposed the proposed marriage, and the young people eloped to Windsor, where they were married. They returned and settled down upon a farm adjoining the lands of Mr. Hale and Mr. McKune. There was already a small house upon the farm, a story and a half frame building, and Joe put on a small addition. The farm and the house is now the property of Benjamin McKune, a grand-​son of Joseph McKune. This same McKune farm is again becoming somewhat famous in consequence of preparations to bore into it for oil a short distance from the prophet’s first domicile. While Joe was upon his farm he had the Mormon Bible. Whether he professed to find it before or after marriage Mrs. Doolittle does not remember. Her grandfather was once privileged to take in his hands a pillow-​case in which the supposed saintly treasure was wrapped, and to feel through the cloth that it had leaves. From the size and the weight of the book, Mr. McKune supposed that in dimensions it closely resembled an ordinary Bible in the print of those days. Further up the river they have also reminiscences of Joe Smith, which continue Mrs. Doolittle’s narrative. In the town Afton, Chenango County, not far from the Broome County line, is a small lake nestled in the hills, and a portion of it is in sight of the Albany & Susquehanna Railroad. It is said that Joe Smith baptized his first Mormon converts there; and it is claimed that the Mormon Church was really begun there, instead of being founded at Manchester, Ontario County, the home of the Smith family, and where the first printed copies of the Mormon or Golden Bible were distributed about ten or twelve years after the prophet’s first appearance in Susquehanna County to dig for money. 4.14  William W. Blair’s Interview with Michael Morse, May 1879 Source Note Letter, William W. Blair to Editors, May 22, 1879, Saints’ Herald 26, June 15, 1879, 190–​91.

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Editorial Note William W. Blair was born in Holly, New York, on October 11, 1828. He grew up on a farm near Amboy, Illinois, later owning and operating a mercantile store in East Paw, Illinois. He married Elizabeth Doty in 1849; they had seven children. In 1851, Blair converted to a restorationist movement led by Joseph Smith’s younger brother William Smith, who baptized him. Within a year, however, grew disillusioned with Smith’s teachings, and when missionaries of the newly formed Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints contacted him in 1856, he felt prompted to join with them. “The group fiercely opposed polygamy, and believed that Joseph Smith III, son of the original prophet, would eventually lead them. Blair was baptized April 7, 1857, and ordained a High Priest the next day. Within a year he was an Apostle.” Other than Joseph Smith III, who was president of the RLDS Church from 1860 until his death in 1914, no one had more influence in the church during this time than Blair. He was a counselor to Joseph Smith III from 1873 to 1896; edited several publications and helped publish Joseph Smith’s revision of the Bible; and performed missionary work from California to Massachusetts, making “hundreds of converts across Iowa from persons connected with the original Latter Day Saint church or its offshoots.” Blair was one to speak his mind directly, and his conservative interpretations of scripture “often embroiled him in controversies. He even occasionally found himself at odds with Joseph Smith III, who was generally more open to diverse expressions of the faith and tried to lead the church with a combination of patience and firmness.” The two men remained cordial, however, and Smith kept a photo of Blair prominently displayed in his home. Blair died suddenly on April 18, 1896, as he was returning from a church conference to his home in Lamoni, Iowa.30 Blair’s letter reprinted here tells of Michael Bartlett Morse (1806–​1893), who was married to Tryal Hale (1806–​1860), Emma’s younger sister. Michael and Tryal had twelve children, three of whom were apparently Emma Morse Bosworth (1831–​ 1860), Lemuel Webb Morse (1837–​1936), and Alva Fairchild Morse (1842–​1918). Joseph Smith III, who visited the Morse family with Emma, recalled children named Lorenzo and Bartlett and several daughters.31 For more information on the Morse family, see 1.28 Statement of Joseph and Hiel Lewis, 1879. Document Transcript Sandwich, Illinois, May 22d, 1879 Editors Herald:  When at Amboy a few days since, I  learned from Mr. Michael Morse, brother-​in-​law of Joseph the Seer, (he having married a Miss Hale, sister to Sr. Emma), some valuable facts in respect to Joseph the Seer and his work. It should

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be premised that Mr. Morse is not, and has never been a believer in the prophetic mission of Joseph. He states that he first knew Joseph when he came to Harmony, Pa., an awkward, unlearned youth of about nineteen years of age. This was in 1825. Joseph was then in the employ of a Mr. Stowell, a man of some wealth, of mature age, and an active professor of religion. Joseph and others were employed by him to dig for a silver deposit, said to have been made at some time long previous. Joseph and others of the company boarded at a Mr. Isaac Hale’s, whose daughter Emma he subsequently married. He states that the sons of Mr. Hale seemed opposed [p. 190] to and at enmity with Joseph from the first, and took occasions to annoy and vex him, and that at one of these times, when out fishing, Joseph threw off his coat and proposed to defend himself. He states that Joseph told him that he found the gold plates, from whence it is claimed the Book of Mormon was translated, in a stone box. (Some of late have said that Joseph at first professed to have found them in an iron box). He further states that when Joseph was translating the Book of Mormon, he, (Morse), had occasion more than once to go into his immediate presence, and saw him engaged at his work of translation. The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph’s placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating, word after word, while the scribe—​ Emma, John Whitmer,32 O. Cowdery, or some other, wrote it down. Bro. Caldwell enquired as to whether Joseph was sufficiently intelligent and talented to compose and dictate of his own ability the matter written down by the scribes. To this Mr. Morse replied with decided emphasis, No. He said he [Morse] then was not at all learned, yet was confident he had more learning than Joseph then had. Bro. Caldwell enquired how he (Morse) accounted for Joseph’s dictating the Book of Mormon in the manner he had described. To this he replied he did not know. He said it was a strange piece of work, and he had thought that Joseph might have found the writings of some good man and, committing them to memory, recited them to his scribes from time to time. We suggested that if this were true, Joseph must have had a prodigious memory—​ a memory that could be had only by miraculous endowment. To this Mr. Morse replied that he, of course, did not know as to how Joseph was enabled to furnish the matter he dictated. In speaking of Mr. Isaac Hale and his daughter Emma, he said Mr. Hale always claimed that he was converted from deism to faith in Christ as the Savior, by a secret prayer of Emma’s, when she was but seven or eight years old, which he accidentlally

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[accidentally] overheard when just entering into the woods to hunt. In the course of her prayer she besought the Lord in behalf of her father, and the force and efficacy of that prayer entered into his heart with such power as to lead him to faith in Christ the Lord. We are glad to be able to say that the Amboy Saints are in the faith and love of Christ. We had large and attentive audiences to hear us, and we look for a goodly increase in that branch at no distant day. W. W. BLAIR. 4.15  Edward Stevenson’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1881, Extract Source Note “One of the Three Witnesses. Incidents in the Life of Martin Harris.” Deseret Evening News, December 13, 1881. Editorial Note See 3.13 Edward Stevenson’s Account of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1881, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript [In a meeting in Salt Lake City on September 4, 1870] Martin Harris related an instance that occurred during the time that he wrote that portion of the translation of the Book of Mormon, which he was favored to write direct from the mouth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He said that the Prophet possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he then used the seer stone. Martin explained the translating as follows: By aid of the seer stone, sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet and written by Martin, and when finished he would say, “Written,” and if correctly written, that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place, but if not written correctly it remained until corrected, so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates, precisely in the language then used. Martin said, after continued translation they would become weary and would go down to the river and exercise by throwing stones out on the river, etc. While so doing on one occasion, Martin found a stone very much resembling the one used for translating, and on resuming their labor of translation, Martin put in place the stone that he had found. He said that the Prophet remained silent unusually and intently gazing in darkness, no traces of the usual sentences appearing. Much surprised, Joseph exclaimed, “Martin! What

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is the matter? All is dark as Egypt.” Martin’s countenance betrayed him, and the Prophet asked Martin why he had done so. Martin said, to stop the mouths of fools, who had told him that the Prophet had learned those sentences and was merely repeating them, etc.33 Martin said further that the seer stone differed in appearance entirely from the Urim and Thummim that was obtained with the plates, which were two clear stones set in two rims, very much resembled spectacles, only they were larger. Martin said there were not many pages translated while he wrote; after which Oliver Cowdery and others did the writing.

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i “Three interrelated characteristics loom large in every account of Martin Harris: substantial agricultural prosperity, limited formal education, and a restless religious curiosity,” writes Alan Taylor. “He was an honest, hard-​working, astute man honored by his townsmen with substantial posts as fence-​viewer and overseer of highways but never with the most prestigious offices: selectman, moderator, or assemblyman.” In earlier generations, a well-​to-​do farmer like Harris would have held the highest of stations, but the agents of an “explosive cultural change” were the “newly arrived lawyers, printers, merchants, and respectable ministers who clustered in villages and formed a new elite committed to ‘improving’ their towns and their humbler neighbors.” Committed to both commercial growth and moral reform, these agents of change took the prestigious posts previously reserved for Harris and his sort. “Utterly self-​confident in their superior rationality and access to urban ideas, the village elites disdained rural folk notions as ignorant, if not vicious, superstitions that obstructed commercial and moral ‘improvement.’ Through ridicule and denunciation, the village middle class aggressively practiced a sort of cultural imperialism that challenged the folk beliefs held by farmers like Martin Harris.” Despite Harris’s modest wealth—​certainly comparable to that of the new elite—​he found himself alienated not only from lawyers but also the professional clergy. He was a devout believer in the scriptures, but a village minister—​take John A. Clark as a prime example—​“could tell from Harris’s ‘disputatious’ arguments for ‘visionary’ religion that this was a country man who preferred reading his Bible to 271

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attending learned sermons.” The inevitable upshot was that Harris “tried to defend his beliefs by proving to himself and others that the village elites’ ridicule was misplaced, that the supernatural world of angels, spirits, and demons was every bit as ‘real’ and subject to scientific understanding as the natural world, that indeed the supernatural was just that extension of the natural that men did not yet fully comprehend but could and would if they were willing to ‘experimentally’ explore the spiritual dimension.”1 Taylor’s explication illuminates not only Harris’s journey to the “learned” men eastward but also his loss of “one hundred and sixteen pages of manuscript on foolscap paper.” First-​H and Reminiscences 5.1  Joseph Smith, Preface to the Book of Mormon, circa August 1829 Source Note Joseph Smith, “Preface,” Book of Mormon, typeset circa August 1829, officially published March 1830, [iii]–​iv.2 Editorial Note As described throughout this chapter, the 116 pages were lost in June or July of 1828. By the time this page was typeset a little more than a year later, Joseph had dictated two revelations mentioning the loss (5.8 Revelation, July 1828 [D&C  3] and 7.10 Revelation, July 1828/​Spring 1829 [D&C 10], but this was the first time the number of pages was specified. Whether the page count of 116 was an approximation based on the page numbering of the Printer’s Manuscript is unclear. The preface was included in the first 16-​page gathering—​or signature—​of the Book of Mormon, which was likely printed by mid-​September 1829. “The preface is thus [ Joseph Smith’s] first autobiographical account to appear in print, as well as the first publication of any portion of his revelations.”3 Document Transcript PREFACE. To the Reader—​ As many false reports have been circulated respecting the following work, and also many unlawful measures taken by evil designing persons to destroy me, and also the work, I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God,

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and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi,4 which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some person or persons have stolen and kept from me, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again—​and being commanded of the Lord that I  should not translate the same over again, for Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work: but behold, the Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing: therefore thou shalt translate from the plates of Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have translated, which ye have retained; and [p. [iii]] behold ye shall publish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words. I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil. Wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, I have, through his grace and mercy, accomplished that which he hath commanded me respecting this thing. I would also inform you that the plates of which hath been spoken, were found in the township of Manchester, Ontario county, New-​York. The Author. [p. iv] 5.2  Joseph Smith, History, circa Summer 1832 Source Note Joseph Smith, History, circa Summer 1832; handwriting of Frederick G. Williams; in Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, Joseph Smith Collection, CHL, in JSP, H1:15–​16. Editorial Note See 1.2 Joseph Smith, History, circa Summer 1832, Editorial Note. Document Transcript and it came to pass that after we had translated 116 pages that [Martin Harris] desired to carry them to read to his friends that peradventur he might convince them of the truth therefore I inquired of the Lord and the Lord said unto me that he must not take them and I spake unto him (Martin) the word of the Lord [p. 5] and he said

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inquire again and I inquired again and also the third time and the Lord said unto me let him go with them only he shall covenant with me that he will not shew them to only but four persons and he covenented withe Lord that he would do according to the word of the Lord therefore he took them and took his journey unto his friends to Palmire [Palmyra] Wayne County & State of N York and he brake the covenent which he made before the Lord and the Lord suffered the writings to fall into the hands of wicked men and Martin was chastened for his transgression and I also was chastened also for my transgression for asking the Lord the third time wherefore the Plates was taken from me by the power of God and I was not able to obtain them for a season and it came to pass after much humility and affliction of Soul I obtained them again5 5.3  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts Source Note Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:244–​45, 252. Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Some time after Mr Harris had began to write for me, he began to tease me to give him liberty to carry the writings home and shew them, and desired of me that I would enquire of the Lord through the Urim and Thummin if he might not do so. I did enquire, and the answer was that he must not. However he was not satisfied with this answer, and desired that I should enquire again. I did so, and the answer was as before. Still he could not be contented but insisted that I should enquire once more. after After much solicitation I again enquired of the Lord, and permission was granted him to have the writings on certain conditions, which were, that he shew them only to his brother. Preserved Harris, his own wife [Lucy Harris Harris], his father [Nathan Harris], and his mother [Rhoda Lapham Harris], and a Mrs [Mary (Polly) Harris] Cobb, a sister to his wife. In accordance with this last answer I required of him that he should bind himself in a covenant to me [p. 9] in the most solemn manner that he would not do otherwise than had been directed. He did so. He bound himself as I required of him, took the writings and went his way. in the most solemn manner that he would not do otherwise than had been directed. He did so. He bound himself as I required of him, took the writings and went his way.

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Notwithstanding however the great restrictions which he had been laid under, and the solemnity of the covenant which he had made with me, he did shew them to others and by stratagem they got them away from him, and they never have been recovered nor obtained back again untill this day. In the mean time while Martin Harris was gone with the writings, I went to visit my father’s family at Manchester. I  continued there for a short season and then returned to my place in Pennsylvania. Immediately after my return home I  was walking out a little distance, when Behold the former heavenly messenger appeared and handed to me the Urim and Thummin again (for it had been taken from me in consequence of my having wearied the Lord in asking for the privilege of letting Martin Harris take the writings which he lost by transgression) and I enquired of the Lord through them and obtained the folowing revelation. [The text for section thirty of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants was inserted here; see 5.9 Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3]] After I  had obtained the above revelation, both the plates, and the Urim and Thummin were taken from me again, but in a few days they were returned to me.6  . . . [p. 11] [These asterisks refer to a four-​page insertion in the handwriting of James Mulholland containing the text of Doctrine and Covenants 36, 1835 edition (7.10 Revelation, July 1828/​Spring 1829 [D&C 10]).] 5.4  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Preliminary Manuscript, [p. [3]‌, bk.  7]–​[p. [4], bk.  7], in Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 414–​15; Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, 117–​24. Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial  Note. Document Transcript Biographical Sketches (1853) Martin Harris, having written some one hundred and sixteen pages for Joseph, asked permission of my son to carry the manuscript home with him, in order to let his wife read it, as he hoped it might have a salutary effect upon her feelings.

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Joseph was willing to gratify his friend as far as he could consistently, and he inquired of the Lord to know if he might do as Martin Harris had requested, but was refused. With this, Mr. Harris was not altogether satisfied, and, at his urgent request, Joseph inquired again, but received a second refusal. Still, Martin Harris persisted as before, and Joseph applied again, but the last answer was not like the two former ones. In this, the Lord permitted Martin Harris to take the manuscript home with him, on condition that he would exhibit it to none, save five individuals whom he had mentioned, and who belonged to his own family. [p. 117] Mr. Harris was delighted with this, and bound himself in a written covenant of the most solemn nature, that he would strictly comply with the injunctions which he had received. Which being done, he took the manuscript and went home. Joseph did not suspect but that his friend would keep his faith, consequently, he gave himself no uneasiness with regard to the matter. Shortly after Mr. Harris left, Joseph’s wife became the mother of a son, which, however, remained with her but a short time before it was snatched from her arms by the hand of death. And the mother seemed, for some time, more like sinking with her infant into the mansion of the dead, than remaining with her husband among the living. Her situation was such for two weeks, that Joseph slept not an hour in undisturbed quiet. At the expiration of this time she began to recover, but as Joseph’s anxiety about her began to subside, another cause of trouble forced itself upon his mind. Mr. Harris had been absent nearly three weeks, and Joseph had received no intelligence whatever from him, which was altogether aside of the arrangement when they separated. But Joseph kept his feelings from his wife, fearing that if she became acquainted with them it might agitate her too much. In a few days, however, she mentioned the subject herself, and desired her husband to go and get her mother to stay with her, while he should repair to Palmyra, for the purpose of learning the cause of Mr. Harris’s absence as well as silence. At first Joseph objected, but seeing her so cheerful, and so willing to have him leave home, he finally consented. He set out in the first stage that passed for Palmyra, and, when he was left to himself, he began to contemplate the course which Martin had taken, and the risk which he ( Joseph) had run in letting the manuscript go out of his own hands—for it could not be obtained again, in case Martin had lost it through transgression, except by the power of God, which [p. 118] was something Joseph could hardly hope for—and that, by persisting in his entreaties to the Lord, he had perhaps fallen into transgression, and thereby lost the manuscript. When, I say, he began to contemplate these things, they troubled his spirit, and his soul was moved with fearful apprehensions. And, although he was now nearly worn out, sleep fled from his eyes, neither had he

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any desire for food, for he felt that he had done wrong, and how great his condemnation was he did not know. Preliminary Manuscript (1844–​1845) in the first place was the consideration of the calling which he had received at the hand of God many years previous to a thing unlooked for by the people of the generation in which he lived he cast his eyes abroad upon the age present upon the earth and reflected that he stood alone an unlearned youth opposed to all the casuistry and learning and ingenuity of the combined world. Whose buisness was to tear open the bowels of the Earth and drag to light the precious things of the Earth beneath and then extend his search up to the throne of God and bring down the precious of Heaven above into the midst of the sons of men despite all their preconceived opinions and prejudices which were so great that in order to gratify a pride of popularity and sustain a fashionable religion they would and did and even before this had sought to take away his life to prevent the truth from coming forth and their own opinions receive injury thereby—​But this he did not regard this or while he was sure of the strong support of of the Omnipotent arm arm of the Almighty ruler of men and every other power which was and is and is to come—​there remained another Item of consideration of tenfold weight and more vital importance than any of these. He had not now that feeling of justification which assured him of the especial favor of God for he awfully feared that he had ventured too far in vouching for the safety of the manuscript after it was out of his possession and should this be the case the consequence which must ensue was inevitable that which was he would not be permitted to retain the plates untill he should be able to translate it them and perhaps he might never have the priviledge of touching a finger to the work which untill now he had been the blessed instrument in the hands of God of bring to the knowledge of mankind nor was this the worst [p. 3] apprehension that disturbed his mind the hot displeasure of the Almighty would be kindled against him for turning aside from the injuctions which was laid upon him and and calling upon his heavenly Father to grant him an indulgence that was not according to instructions of the Angel of the Lord. for it now appeared to him upon reflection that he had acted hastily & in an inconsiderate manner and that he had regarded man more than his maker. Whilst these thoughts accompanied by ten thousand others which naturally fell into their train passed in rapid succession through his brain there was but small opportunity of rest and little relish for refreshment consequently he neither ate nor sleeped while on the rout

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Biographical Sketches (1853) Only one passenger was in the stage besides himself: this man observing Joseph’s gloomy appearance, inquired the cause of his affliction, and offered to assist him if his services would be acceptable. Joseph thanked him for his kindness, and mentioned that he had been watching some time with a sick wife and child, that the child had died, and that his wife was still very low; but refrained from giving any further explanation. Nothing more passed between them upon this subject, until Joseph was about leaving the stage; at which time he remarked, that he still had twenty miles further to travel on foot that night, it being then about ten o’clock. To this the stranger objected, saying, “I have watched you since you first entered the stage, and I know that you have neither slept nor eaten since that time, and you shall not go on foot twenty miles alone, this night; for, if you must go, I will be your company. Now tell me what can be the trouble that makes you thus dispirited?” Joseph replied, about as before—that he had left his wife in so low a state of health, that he feared he should not find her alive when he returned; besides, he had buried his first and only child but a few days previous. This was true, though there was another trouble lying at his heart, which he dared not to mention. The stranger then observed, “I feel to sympathize with you, and I fear that your constitution, which is evidently not strong, will be inadequate to support you. You will be in danger of falling asleep [p. 119] in the forest, and of meeting with some awful disaster.” Joseph again thanked the gentleman for his kindness, and, leaving the stage, they proceeded together. When they reached our house it was nearly daylight. The stranger said he was under the necessity of leading Joseph the last four miles by the arm; for nature was too much exhausted to support him any longer, and he would fall asleep as he was walking along, every few minutes, towards the last of this distance. On entering our house, the stranger remarked that he had brought our son through the forest, because he had insisted on coming, that he was sick, and needed rest, as well as refreshment, and that he ought to have some pepper tea to warm his stomach. After thus directing us, relative to our son, he said, that when we had attended to Joseph he would thank us for a little breakfast for himself, as he was in haste to be on his journey again. When Joseph had taken a little nourishment, according to the directions of the stranger, he requested us to send immediately for Mr. Harris. This we did without delay. And when we had given the stranger his breakfast, we commenced preparing breakfast for the family; and we supposed that Mr. Harris would be there, as soon as it was ready, to eat with us, for he generally came in such haste when he was sent for. At eight o’clock we set the victuals on the table, as we were expecting him every moment. We waited till nine, and he came not—till ten, and he was not there—till eleven,

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still he did not make his appearance. But at half past twelve we saw him walking with a slow and measured tread towards the house, his eyes fixed thoughtfully upon the ground. On coming to the gate, he stopped, instead of passing through, and got upon the fence, and sat there some time with his hat drawn over his eyes. At length he entered the house. Soon after which we sat down to the table, Mr. Harris with the rest. He took up his knife and [p. 120] fork as if he were going to use them, but immediately dropped them. Hyrum, observing this, said “Martin, why do you not eat; are you sick?” Upon which, Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples, and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, “Oh, I have lost my soul! I have lost my soul!” Joseph who had not expressed his fears till now, sprang from the table, exclaiming, “Martin, have you lost that manuscript? have you broken your oath, and brought down condemnation upon my head as well as your own?” “Yes; it is gone,” replied Martin, “and I know not where.” “Oh, my God!” said Joseph, clinching his hands. “All is lost! all is lost! What shall I do? I have sinned—it is I who tempted the wrath of God. I should have been satisfied with the first answer which I received from the Lord; for he told me that it was not safe to let the writing go out of my possession.” He wept and groaned, and walked the floor continually. At length he told Martin to go back and search again. “No,” said Martin, “it is all in vain; for I have ripped open beds and pillows; and I know it is not there.” “Then must I,” said Joseph, “return with such a tale as this? I dare not do it. And how shall I appear before the Lord? Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of the Most High?” I besought him not to mourn so, for perhaps the Lord would forgive him, after a short season of humiliation and repentance. But what could I do to comfort him, when he saw all the family in the same situation of mind as himself; for sobs and groans, and the most bitter lamentations filled the house. However, Joseph was more distressed than the rest, as he better understood the consequences of disobedience. And he continued pacing back and forth, meantime weeping and grieving, until [p. 121] about sunset, when, by persuasion, he took a little nourishment. The next morning, he set out for home. We parted with heavy hearts, for it now appeared that all which we had so fondly anticipated, and which had been the source of so much secret gratification, had in a moment fled, and fled for ever. [end of ­chapter 25] I will now give a sketch of the proceedings of Martin Harris during the time he was absent from Joseph. After leaving Joseph, he arrived at home with the manuscript in safety. Soon after, he exhibited the manuscript to his wife and family. His wife was so pleased with it,

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that she gave him the privilege of locking it up in her own set of drawers, which was a special favor, for she had never before this allowed him even the privilege of looking into them. After he had shown the manuscript to those who had a right, according to his oath, to see it, he went with his wife to visit one of her relatives, who lived some ten or fifteen miles distant. After remaining with them a short time, he returned home, but his wife declined accompanying him back. Soon after his return, a very particular friend of his made him a visit, to whom he related all that he knew concerning the Record. The man’s curiosity was much excited, and, as might be expected, he earnestly desired to see the manuscript. Martin was so anxious to gratify his friend, that, although it was contrary to his obligation, he went to the drawer to get the manuscript, but the key [p. 122] was gone. He sought for it some time, but could not find it. Resolved, however, to carry his purpose into execution, he picked the lock, and, in so doing, considerably injured his wife’s bureau. He then took out the manuscript, and, after showing it to this friend, he removed it to his own set of drawers, where he could have it at his command. Passing by his oath, he showed it to any good friend that happened to call on him. When Mrs. Harris returned, and discovered the marred state of her bureau, her irascible temper was excited to the utmost pitch, and an intolerable storm ensued, which descended with the greatest violence upon the devoted head of her husband. Having once made a sacrifice of his conscience, Mr. Harris no longer regarded its scruples; so he continued to exhibit the writings, until a short time before Joseph arrived, to any one whom he regarded as prudent enough to keep the secret, except our family, but we were not allowed to set our eyes upon them. For a short time previous to Joseph’s arrival, Mr. Harris had been otherwise engaged, and thought but little about the manuscript. When Joseph sent for him, he went immediately to the drawer where he had left it, but, behold it was gone! He asked his wife where it was. She solemnly averred that she did not know anything respecting it. He then made a faithful search throughout the house, as before related. The manuscript has never been found; and there is no doubt but Mrs. Harris took it from the drawer, with the view of retaining it, until another translation should be given, then, to alter the original translation, for the purpose of showing a discrepancy between them, and thus make the whole appear to be a deception. It seemed as though Martin Harris, for his transgression, suffered temporally as well as spiritually. The same day on which the foregoing circumstance took place, a dense fog spread itself over his fields, [p. 123] and blighted his wheat while in the blow, so that he lost about two-​thirds of his crop, whilst those fields which lay only on the opposite side of the road, received no injury whatever.

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I well remember that day of darkness, both within and without. To us, at least, the heavens seemed clothed with blackness, and the earth shrouded with gloom. I have often said within myself, that if a continual punishment, as severe as that which we experienced on that occasion, were to be inflicted upon the most wicked characters who ever stood upon the footstool of the Almighty—if even their punishment were no greater than that, I should feel to pity their condition. Accounts from Others 5.5  Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract Source Note Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism,  45–​47. Editorial Note See 1.25 Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript As might have been anticipated, Harris’s wife became exceedingly annoyed and disgusted with what she called her husband’s “craziness.” She foresaw, as she thought, that if he incurred the printing liability, as he had avowed to her his purpose of doing, the event would be the ruin of herself and family. [p. 45] Thus exercised, she contrived, in her husband’s sleep, to steal from him the particular source of her disturbance, and burned the manuscript to ashes. For years she kept the incendiarism a profound secret to herself, even until after the book was published. Smith and Harris held her accountable for the theft, but supposed she had handed the manuscript to some “evil-​designing persons” to be used somehow in injuring their cause. A feud was thus produced between the husband and wife, which was never reconciled. Great consternation now pervaded the Mormon circles. The reappearance of the mysterious stranger at Smith’s was again the subject of inquiry and conjecture by observers, from whom was withheld all explanation of his identity or purpose. It was not at first an easy task to convince the prophet of the entire innocency of his trusted friend Harris in the matter of this calamitous event, though mutual confidence and friendship were ultimately restored. The great trouble was, the lost translations could not be replaced, or at least such apparently was the difficulty. It might be supposed that, with his golden plates and spectacles before him, and with the benefit of

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the divine aid as he claimed, the prophet could easily have supplied a duplicate; and so he doubtless would have done had he really been the translator or original author of the composition. To explain his inability to reproduce the missing pages, he said he had received [p. 46] a revelation of the Lord’s displeasure for his imprudence in placing them in Harris’s hands, and on this account forbidding his rewriting the same; and another reason for this interdiction was, that his enemies had obtained possession of the manuscripts, and altered them with a view of “confounding him” and embarrassing his great work of enlightenment and salvation! He and Harris were undoubtedly led to suppose that the lost manuscripts remained in existence, and might somehow be used for the object assigned. 5.6  James Harvey Reeves’s Account, 1872 Source Note [ James H. Reeves], “Old Newspapers—​No. 24,” Palmyra Courier, May 24, 1872, in Vogel, EMD, 2:342. Editorial Note James Harvey Reeves was born on September 5, 1802, in Palmyra, New York. He married Cordelia Ann Adams (1811–​1900) on March 12, 1829. They had six sons and two daughters and apparently spent most if not all their married life in Arcadia (now Newark), a hamlet about nine miles east of Palmyra. On June 26, 1879, the couple celebrated their fiftieth anniversary, with the invitation to the event requesting no gifts. James died on October 19, 1880. “The announcement of the death of Mr. James Harvey Reeves is painful news to a very large circle of relatives and friends,” wrote a local newspaper. “He has resided in this town many years, and was held by all who knew him in the highest esteem. He was a prominent member of the Presbyterian church and was for a long time one of its leading elders.”7 Given his lifelong experience in Ontario and Wayne Counties, Reeves had ample opportunity to become well acquainted with Martin Harris and his wife Lucy. Like his fellow Palmyra native Pomeroy Tucker (born twenty-​six days before Reeves), however, Reeves complicated the historical record by failing to identify his sources. Document Transcript The cunning foibles of Joe Smith so preyed upon the superstitious mind of Martin [Harris] that he became his most efficient tool, and in June 1828, consented to a contract with Smith in which he was to secure the pay of the printing the Book of

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Mormon.8 With this consenting the trouble of Martin began. Had it not been for this, I might have closed the record here, there would have been much less notoriety attached to Palmyra as the birth-​place of Mormonism, and Martin Harris might have lived and died on his farm instead of becoming an alien from his native place, a wanderer without a home, or, if not living, filling an unknown grave. But Martin became infatuated with the idea of a new church as described by Joe, and the promise of being an apostle, led him on, contrary to the advice of his friends and the pleadings of his wife who denounced the whole affair as a piece of “ridiculous nonsense.” Prior to the printing of the Book, and while Martin was considering the proposition made by Smith in which he was to be paid $1.25 for the books and the first cost would only be about 60 cents, Martin was permitted to take home a portion of the manuscript to read, and during the long winter evenings9 he would sit by the great open fire-​ place and study his new text, stopping now and then to pour a little inspiration into the ear of Aunt Dolly, who usually answered by telling him to “shut up.” This farce became so obnoxious to the good wife, that finally she determined to end it, and. accordingly, one night when Martin was dreaming that “he dwelt in marble halls,” Aunt Dolly rose quietly and taking the roll of manuscript, went to the fire-​place and laid it between the charred logs, and ere the morning came, it had ascended in smoke through the throat of the great chimney. The next morning Martin sought for the manuscript telling his wife the most fearful consequences would follow its loss; to which she turned a deaf ear, refusing to give any clue to the whereabouts of the paper. This was the final point of their separation, which was mutually adjusted the following summer and a portion of the farm set off and deeded to her exclusively. Martin believed that she had the manuscript or had given it to some other person, which was also the opinion of Smith and his followers, and this suspicion was embodied in the preface of the Mormon Bible, as a safeguard against any future contingency that might arise therefrom. 5.7  Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract Source Note Kansas City Journal, Missouri, June 5, 1881, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews,  62–​63. Editorial Note See 1.31 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract, Editorial Note.

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Document Transcript [Question from reporter] “Were the plates under the immediate control of Smith all the time?” “No, they were not. I will explain how that was. When Joseph first received the plates he translated 116 pages of the book of ‘Lehi,’ with Martin Harris as scribe. When this had been completed they rested for a time, and Harris wanted to take the manuscript home with him to show to his family and friends. To this Joseph demurred, but finally ASKED THE LORD if Harris might be allowed to take it. The answer was ‘no.’ Harris teased Joseph for a long time and finally persuaded him to ask the Lord a second time, pledging himself to be responsible for its safe keeping. To this second inquiry the Lord told Joseph Harris might take the manuscript, which he did, showing it to a great many people, but through some carelessness allowed it to be stolen from him. This incurred the Lord’s displeasure, and he sent an angel to Joseph demanding the plates, and until Joseph had thoroughly repented of his transgressions would not allow him to have the use of them again. When Joseph was again allowed to resume the translation the plates were taken care of by a messenger of God, and when Joseph wanted to see the plates this messenger was always at hand. The 116 pages of the book of ‘Lehi,’ which were stolen were never recovered, nor would the Lord permit Joseph to make a second translation of it.”10 5.8  William W. Blair’s Account of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1880 Source Note The Saints’ Herald, May 12, 1888, 297; first published as a footnote in Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations (Plano, IL: Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1880), 131. Editorial Note For information on Blair, see 4.15 William W. Blair’s Interview with Michael Morse, May 1879, Editorial Note. Document Transcript “In 1860, when conversing with Martin Harris, in Kirtland, Ohio, in respect to the Book of Mormon and the prophetic mission of Joseph the Martyr, he in reply to direct inquiries told me that he obtained the one hundred and sixteen pages of

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manuscript of the Book of Mormon from Joseph, and took them to his home, where he read them in the evenings to his family and some friends, and that he put them in his bureau in the parlor, locking both bureau and parlor, putting the keys of each in his pocket, and so retired for the night, after which he never saw them. He seemed to be still conscience-​smitten for permitting them to be stolen. He reaffirmed his testimony, in substance, as found in connection with that of O.  Cowdery and D. Whitmer, in respect to the divinity of the Book of Mormon.”11

Contemporaneous Documents 5.9  Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3] Source Note Chapter II, Book of Commandments, 7–​9; the earliest extant version of this revelation was copied into Revelation Book 1, pp. 1–​2, by John Whitmer circa March 1831. See JSP, D1:6–​9, for a transcript of the Revelation Book 1 version along with related commentary and annotation.12 Editorial Note This is the first revelation dictated by Joseph Smith for which a text has survived. (By contrast, the earliest extant copy of any of Joseph’s revelations is Revelation, March 1829 [D&C 5], which was copied by Oliver Cowdery around April of 1829.)13 As noted in 5.3 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts, Joseph said this revelation was obtained through the Urim and Thummim after Martin Harris had lost the manuscript he and Joseph had produced from April to June of 1828. Other details of the historical context of this document are discussed throughout this chapter. Document Transcript CHAPTER II. 1 A Revelation given to Joseph, in Harmony, Pennsylvania, July 1828, after Martin had lost the Manuscript of the forepart of the book of Mormon, translated from the book of Lehi, which was abridged by the hand of Mormon, saying: THE works, and the designs, and the purposes of God, can not be frustrated, neither can they come to nought, for God doth not walk in crooked paths; neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said: Therefore his paths are strait and his course is one eternal round.

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2 Remember, remember, that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men: for although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet, if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at nought the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will, and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him. 3 Behold, you have been intrusted with these things, but how strict were your commandments; and remember, also, the promises which were made to you, if you did not transgress them; and behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men: for behold, you should not have feared man more than God, although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words, yet you should have been faithful and he would have extended his arm, and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble. [p. 7] 4 Behold thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall, but remember God is merciful: Therefore, repent of that which thou hast done, and he will only cause thee to be afflicted for a season, and thou art still chosen, and wilt again be called to the work; and except thou do this, thou shalt be delivered up and become as other men, and have no more gift. 5 And when thou deliveredst up that which God had given thee sight and power to translate, thou deliveredst up that which was sacred, into the hands of a wicked man, who has set at nought the counsels of God, and has broken the most sacred promises, which were made before God, and has depended upon his own judgment, and boasted in his own wisdom, and this is the reason that thou hast lost thy privileges for a season, for thou hast suffered the counsel of thy director to be trampled upon from the beginning. 6 Nevertheless, my work shall go forth and accomplish my purposes, for as the knowledge of a Savior has come into the world, even so shall the knowledge of my people, the Nephites, and the Jacobites, and the Josephites, and the Zoramites, come to the knowledge of the Lamanites, and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites, which dwindled in unbelief, because of the iniquities of their fathers, who have been suffered to destroy their brethren, because of their iniquities, and their abominations: and for this very purpose are these plates preserved which contain these records, that the promises of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to his people; and that the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers, and [p. 8] that they might know the promises of the Lord, and that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ, and be glorified through faith in his name; and that through their repentance they might be saved: Amen.

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i The period from the autumn of 1828 to March 1829 was an interregnum of sorts because Joseph Smith was occupied providing for his family and made no significant progress with the translation. As Joseph Knight wrote, Joseph “Could not translate But little Being poor and nobody to write for him But his wife and she Could not do much and take Care of her house and he Being poor and no means to live But work” (1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​1847, Extract). In another sense, however, this period proved quite significant—​largely because a young man by the name of Oliver Cowdery arrived on the scene. In September 1828 he likely knew nothing of any gold plates, but by the end of March 1829, he was well on his way to becoming the cofounder of Mormonism. When the rehabilitation of Martin Harris and the curiosity of newcomer David Whitmer are figured into the equation, this seven-​month interval looks anything but routine. Around early September of 1828, Joseph Sr. and Lucy had arrived home from their visit to Harmony to find their daughter Sophronia and son Samuel “lying at the point of Death,” so sick that Hyrum (now married) “had left his own house, and quitted business, in order to take care of them during our absence” (6.2 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract).1 Sophronia and Samuel were still recovering when a man named Lyman Cowdery contacted Hyrum, who was one of the trustees of the school district, and applied to teach school. Hyrum met with the other trustees, and they hired Cowdery and settled on the terms. But something had come up, and Lyman was unable to fulfill 287

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his assignment. He assured the trustees that his twenty-​two-​year-​old brother Oliver could do the job. Hyrum and the others found Oliver qualified and offered him the position. Oliver had barely begun teaching when he started to hear rumors about Joseph Smith and the gold plates. Neighbors had known about the “gold Bible” for more than a year, and some of them had ransacked a Smith shed in search of the plates in September 1827, not long after Joseph obtained them. Oliver quite possibly heard a variety of tales about the plates from both his students and their parents. About this same time—​quite possibly in October 1828—​twenty-​three-​year-​old David Whitmer made a business trip from his home in Fayette Township to Palmyra (thirty miles away). David later recalled that while in Palmyra, he “stopped with one Oliver Cowdery.” The details of how the two young men met are unknown, but they quickly struck up a friendship, taking a mutual interest in the rumors circulating about Joseph Smith. Whitmer’s reminiscences of more than five decades later indicate that he visited Palmyra more than once (or remained there for some time) and had multiple conversations with Cowdery, who “said he was acquainted with the Smith family, and he believed there must be some truth in the story of the plates, and that he intended to investigate the matter” (6.6 David Whitmer Interview, Kansas City Journal, June 5, 1881). The exact sequence of events is not known (because Lucy didn’t mention Cowdery’s friendship with Whitmer and Whitmer didn’t mention Cowdery’s living with the Smiths), but Cowdery eventually began boarding with the Smith family and their children—​Samuel (“Harrison”), twenty; William (“Bill”), seventeen; Katharine, fifteen; Don Carlos (“Carlos”), twelve; and Lucy, seven (Sophronia, twenty-​five, had married Calvin Stoddard several months earlier). Until recently, little has been known about Joseph Smith’s comings and goings during this period, but the discovery of a contemporaneous store ledger kept by his brother-​in-​law David Hale has changed that. We now know that Joseph was digging a well in September, threshing buckwheat and plowing in October, husking corn in November, and chopping wood in January. The ledger reveals that Joseph and Emma lived on the edge of poverty but still paid their debts. There was little opportunity for translating an ancient record.2 Likely prompted by his talks with Whitmer, Cowdery asked Joseph Sr. about the plates. Lucy recalled that Oliver asked several times but found out very little. Joseph Sr. was likely reluctant to discuss his son’s experiences because of the hostility of several of the neighbors—​and the frenzy shown by some of them to steal the plates. About this same time, Whitmer was conducting his own investigation and apparently even talked to some of the same neighbors. He and Cowdery agreed to stay in contact and share any information they obtained about the gold plates.

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Around mid-​January 1829, Joseph Sr. and Samuel made a trip to Harmony to visit Joseph and Emma. They presumably traveled most of the 130 miles on foot, enduring harsh conditions during midwinter in upstate New York. Joseph Knight wrote that they stopped to visit him on their way to Harmony. “I told him they had traviled far enough I would go with my sley and take them Down [to Harmony] to morrow,” wrote Knight (1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​1847). While Joseph Sr. and Samuel were staying in Harmony, Joseph dictated a revelation directed to his father, one particularly beloved by Mormon missionaries ever since that proclaims, “a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men” (6.8 Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4]). This revelation apparently prompted Joseph Sr. to confide in Cowdery after arriving back in Manchester around the end of February, a theory quite consistent with Lucy’s observation that Oliver waited a long time before hearing “a sketch of the facts relative to the plates.” Not long after, according to Lucy’s history, Cowdery returned from school one day “in quite a lively mood” and said he said he had been in a “deep study all day and it had been put into his heart that he would have the [privilege] of writing for Joseph.” After praying about the matter, Oliver announced that as soon as the school term ended in March, he intended to travel to Pennsylvania to help Joseph with the translation (6.2 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract). Along with telling the Smith family of his decision, Cowdery also informed Whitmer, apparently when the two saw each other in Palmyra. “Cowdery told me he was going to Harmony, Pa.—​whither Joseph Smith had gone with the plates on account of persecutions of his neighbors—​and see him about the matter,” Whitmer said (6.6 David Whitmer Interview, Kansas City Journal, June 5, 1881). About this same time, in March of 1829, the Smith family found themselves about to be evicted from the two-​story frame home they had occupied for more than three years, the home Alvin had begun to construct with the hope of providing a “nice pleasant room for father and mother to sit in,” with “everything arranged for their comfort.” According to Lucy’s history, “We now felt more keenly than ever the injustice of the measure which had placed a landlord over us on our own premises, and who was about to eject us from them” (6.2 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract). Soon, at least ten people attempted to get comfortable in a crude log home designed for less than half that number. Within days, a former friend compounded the family’s tribulation by charging Joseph with fraud. According to Lucy Smith, Martin Harris’s wife (also named Lucy) claimed the entire story of gold plates was merely a ruse devised to exploit Martin’s relative wealth. From Martin’s perspective, however, his estranged wife and others were simply trying to pressure him to bear false witness against Joseph. In Martin’s

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words, they “Rose up & united against the Work gathering testimony against the Plates & Said they had testimony enough & if I did not Put Joseph in Jail & his father For Deception, they Would me” (6.3 Martin Harris Testimony, 1870). At a hearing held before a Lyons magistrate, three witnesses (not identified by Lucy) testified: the first reported hearing Joseph say that the box that supposedly used to hold the plates had held nothing but sand; the second claimed Joseph had said the box contained lead; the third “declared, that he once inquired of Joseph Smith what he had in that box, and Joseph Smith told him that there was nothing at all in the box, saying, that he had made fools of the whole of them, and all he wanted was, to get Martin Harris’s money away from him.” Not surprisingly the next witness was Lucy Harris herself, who proclaimed her belief that Joseph was out to defraud her husband and had never possessed any gold plates. Before hearing any other witnesses, the magistrate then called Martin Harris to the stand. “I can swear,” Martin reportedly said, “that Joseph Smith never has got one dollar from me by persuasion since God made me. I did once, of my own free will and accord, put fifty dollars into his hands, . . . And as to the plates which he professes to have, gentlemen, if you do not believe it, but continue to resist the truth, it will one day be the means of damning your souls.” Disgusted with this frivolous suit, the magistrate reportedly tore up the recorded testimony and dismissed the case (6.2 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract). Nor did Lucy Harris succeed in keeping her husband away from Joseph Smith. Martin and a man by the name of Rogers promptly left for Harmony. Rogers had apparently attended the hearing and wanted to see if Joseph really had gold plates. Only later did Martin discover that Rogers had pledged to give Lucy Harris $100 if he verified that the plates were real. After his loss of the 116 pages eight months earlier, Martin had returned to his home in disgrace, even being called a “wicked man” in a revelation dictated by Joseph in July of 1828 (5.9 Revelation, July 1828 [D&C  3]). Now, however, Martin resolved to do better, and when he and Rogers reached Harmony, Martin asked Joseph to inquire of the Lord. The revelation that followed (6.9 Revelation March 1829 [D&C 5]) warned Martin to humble himself and then spoke of “the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things [the plates].” In addition, Martin was promised that if he were humble, the Lord would “grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see.” The rejuvenated Harris, still accompanied by the mysterious Rogers, next headed north by stagecoach. Clearly encouraged by the revelation, Martin told his fellow passengers that Joseph Smith “had found a gold bible & stone in which

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he looked & was thereby enabled to translate the very ancient chara[c]‌ters.” Saying he had just visited Joseph, Martin explained that Joseph “was poor & was living in a house which had only one room” and that “Smith had a sheet put up in one corner & went behind it from observation when he was writing the bible.” Martin added that Joseph “would not let him see the bible but let him feel of it when it was covered up” (6.4 Letter, William S. Sayre to James T. Cobb, August 31, 1878). Along with Martin and Rogers, the coach likely carried three or four others, as well as a load of mail. Strong leather springs offered reasonable comfort, but passengers were still “kept in constant motion,” as one traveler recalled about stagecoach rides, “jolting and bumping about in high style, all taking it in good humour, and enjoying our laugh in turn, as each came in contact with his neighbour’s head.”3 In the midst of this constant jostling, at least one passenger listened attentively as Martin Harris—​one of the first missionaries of the Book of Mormon—​told of the gold Bible, an apt portent of the April–​June period about to follow, the most monumental three months in the history of Mormonism. First-​H and Reminiscences 6.1  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract Source Note Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:266, 268. Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript I did not however go immediately to translating, but went to laboring with my hands upon a small farm which I had purchased of my wife’s father, in order to provide for my family.4 In the month of February, Eighteen hundred and twenty nine my father came to visit us5 at which time I received the following revelation for him. [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 31 [D&C 4] inserted here.] The following I applied for at the request of the aforementioned Martin Harris and obtained. [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 32 [D&C 5] inserted here.]

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6.2  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extracts Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches, 1853, 124–​30, 132–​35. Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial  Note. Document Transcript For nearly two months after Joseph returned to his family, in Pennsylvania, we heard nothing from him, and becoming anxious about him, Mr. Smith and myself set off to make him a visit. When we came within three-​quarters of a mile of the house, Joseph started to meet us, telling his wife, as he left, that father and mother were coming. When he met us, his countenance wore so pleasant an aspect, that I was convinced he had something agreeable to communicate with regard to the work in which he was engaged. When I entered, the first thing which attracted my attention was a red morocco trunk, lying on Emma’s bureau, which Joseph shortly informed me contained the Urim and Thummim, and the plates. And, in the evening, he gave us the following relation of what had transpired since our separation:—​[p. 124] “On leaving you,” said Joseph, “I returned immediately home. Soon after my arrival, I commenced humbling myself in mighty prayer before the Lord, and, as I was pouring out my soul in supplication to God, that if possible I might obtain mercy at his hands and be forgiven of all that I had done contrary to his will, an angel stood before me, and answered me, saying, that I had sinned in delivering the manuscript into the hands of a wicked man, and, as I had ventured to become responsible for his faithfulness, I would of necessity have to suffer the consequences of his indiscretion, and I must now give up the Urim and Thummim into his (the angel’s) hands.” “This I did as I was directed, and as I handed them to him, he remarked, ‘If you are very humble and penitent, it may be you will receive them again; if so, it will be on the twenty-​second of next September.’ ” Joseph then related a revelation which he received soon after the angel visited him. A part of which is as follows: [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 30:3–​5 and part of verse 6 (D&C 3:3–​16) inserted here; Preliminary Manuscript includes all of verse 6.] For the sake of brevity, I have omitted part of this revelation, but the reader will find it in the Doc. and Cov., sec. xxx. I will now return to Joseph’s recital.

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“After the angel left me,” said he, “I continued my supplications to God, without cessation, and on the twenty-​second of September, I  had the joy and satisfaction of again receiving the Urim and Thummim,6 with which I have again commenced translating, and Emma writes for me, but the angel said that the Lord would send me a scribe, and I trust his promise will be verified. The angel seemed pleased with me when he gave me back the Urim and Thummim, and he told me that the Lord loved me, for my faithfulness and humility.” A few months after Joseph received them, he inquired of the Lord, and obtained the following revelation:—​ [Excerpt of the text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 36:1 [D&C 10:1–​13] inserted here.] While on this visit, we became acquainted with Emma’s father, whose name was Isaac Hale; also his family, which consisted of his wife, Elizabeth, his sons, Jesse, David, Alva, Isaac Ward, and Reuben; and his daughters, Phebe, Elizabeth, and  A—​—​. They were an intelligent and highly respectable family. They were pleasantly situated, and lived in good style, in the town of Harmony, on the Susquehannah river, within a short distance of the place where Joseph resided. The time of our visit with them, we passed very agreeably, and returned home relieved of a burden which was almost insupportable, and our present joy far overbalanced all our former grief. [p. 127; end of ­chapter 27] When Mr. Smith and myself arrived at home, we found Samuel and Sophronia very sick; indeed, they were so low that Hyrum had left his own house, and quitted business, in order to take care of them during our absence. They continued sick a length of time—​Samuel did not altogether recover for a number of months.7 Soon after we returned from Harmony, a man by the name of Lyman Cowdery8 came into the neighborhood, and applied to Hyrum, (as he was one of the trustees) for the district school. A meeting was called, and Mr. Cowdery was employed. But the following day, this Mr. Cowdery brought his brother Oliver9 to the trustees, and requested them to receive him instead of himself, as circumstances had transpired which rendered it necessary for him to disappoint them, or which would not allow of his attending to the school himself; and he would warrant the good conduct of the school under his brother’s supervision.10 All parties being satisfied, Oliver commenced his school,11 boarding for the time being at our house. He had been in the school but a short time, when he began to hear from all quarters concerning the plates,12 and as soon began to importune Mr. Smith upon the subject, but for a considerable length of time did not succeed in eliciting any information. At last, however, he gained my husband’s confidence, so far as to obtain a sketch of the facts relative to the plates.13

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Shortly after receiving this information, he told Mr. Smith that he was highly delighted with what he had heard; that he had been in a deep study upon the subject all day, and that it was impressed [p. 128] upon his mind, that he should yet have the privilege of writing for Joseph. Furthermore, that he had determined to pay him a visit at the close of the school which he was then teaching. On coming in on the following day, he said, “The subject upon which we were yesterday conversing seems working in my very bones, and I can not, for a moment, get it out of my mind; finally, I have resolved on what I will do. Samuel, I understand, is going down to Pennsylvania to spend the spring with Joseph; I shall make my arrangements to be ready to accompany him thither, by the time he recovers his health; for I have made it a subject of prayer, and I firmly believe it is the will of the Lord that I should go. If there is a work for me to do in this thing, I am determined to attend to it.”14 Mr. Smith told him that he supposed it was his privilege to know whether this was the case, and advised him to seek for a testimony for himself, which he did, and received the witness spoken of in the Book of Doc. and Cov. sec.viii.15 From this time, Oliver was so completely absorbed in the subject of the Record, that it seemed impossible for him to think or converse about anything else. As the time for which we had agreed for the place was now drawing to a close, we began to make preparations to remove our family and effects to the house in which Hyrum resided. We now felt more keenly than ever the injustice of the measure which had placed a landlord over us on our own premises, and who was about to eject us from them.16 This I thought would be a good occasion for bringing to Oliver’s mind the cause of all our present privations, as well as the misfortunes which he himself was liable to if he should turn his back upon the world, and set out in the service of God. “Now, Oliver,” said I, “see what a comfortable home we had here, what pains each child we have has taken to provide for us everything neces[p. 129]sary to make old age comfortable, and long life desirable. Here, especially, I  look upon the handiwork of my beloved Alvin; who even upon his death-​bed, and in his last moments, charged his brothers to finish his work of preparing a place of earthly rest for us; that, if it were possible, through the exertions of the children, our last days might be our best days. Indeed, there is scarcely anything which I here see, that has not passed through the hands of that faithful boy, and afterwards, by his brothers, been arranged precisely according to his plan, thus showing to me their affectionate remembrance, both of their parents, and of the brother whom they loved. All these tender recollections render our present trial doubly severe, for these dear relics must now pass into the hands of wicked men, who fear not God and regard not man. And upon what righteous principle has all this been brought about? Have they ever lifted

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a finger to earn any part of that which they now claim? I tell you they have not. Yet I now give up all this for the sake of Christ and salvation, and I pray God to help me to do so, without a murmur or a tear. In the strength of God, I say, that from this time forth, I will not cast one longing look upon anything which I now leave behind me. However, in consequence of these things, Oliver, we can not make you comfortable any 1onger, and you will be under the necessity of taking boarding somewhere else.”17 “Mother,” exclaimed the young man, “let me stay with you, for I  can live in any log hut where you and father live, but I can not leave you, so do not mention it.” . . . [p. 130]18 About the first of August, Samuel returned home, bringing us news of Joseph’s success.19 This intelligence produced in Martin Harris a great desire to go down to Pennsylvania to see how they were prospering. This being made known to his wife, she resolved to prevent him from going, also to bring Joseph into difficulty, which would perhaps hinder him from ever accomplishing the work in which he was engaged.20 To this end, she undertook to prove, that Joseph never had the Record which he professed to have, and that he pretended to have in his possession certain gold plates, for the express purpose of obtaining money. Accordingly, she mounted her horse, flew from house to house through the neighbourhood, like a dark spirit, making diligent inquiry wherever she had the least hopes of gleaning anything, and stirring up every malicious feeling which would tend to subserve her wicked purpose. Having ascertained the number and strength of her adherents, she entered a complaint against Joseph, before a certain magistrate of Lyons.21 She then sent word to Lyman Cowdery, requesting him to come thither, prepared to go post haste to Pennsylvania, (provided the decision should be given against Joseph,) to assist the officers in securing and confining him in prison.22 This call, Lyman Cowdery answered immediately, and all things seemed going on prosperously with Mrs. Harris. She made affidavit to many things herself, and directed the officers whom to subpoena. Among the number was her husband, who was a principal witness in the case. When the day of trial came on, the neighbours came and informed us, that the witnesses had gone to Lyons with the declared intention to obtain a [p. 132] verdict against Joseph, if it could be done by swearing. Immediately after our friends left, Hyrum came in, and I asked him what could be done. “Why, mother,” said he, “we can do nothing, except to look to the Lord; in him is all help and strength; he can deliver from every trouble.” I had never neglected this important duty, yet, seeing such confidence in my son, strengthened me in this hour of trial. Not being accustomed to lawsuits of this character, I trembled for the issue, for this was the first time a suit had ever been preferred

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before a court against any of my family. I retired to a secluded place, and poured out my whole soul in entreaties to God, for the safety of my son, and continued my supplication for some time; at length the spirit fell upon me so powerfully, that every foreboding of ill was entirely removed from my mind, and a voice spoke to me, saying, “not one hair of his head shall be harmed.” I was satisfied. I arose, and repaired to the house. I had never before in my life experienced such happy moments. I sat down and began to read, but my feelings were too intense to allow me to do so. My daughter in law, Jerusha, came into the room soon after this, and when she turned her eyes upon me, she stopped short, and exclaimed, “why! mother! what is the matter? I never saw you look so strangely in my life.”23 I told her, that I had never felt so happy before in my life, that my heart was so light, and my mind so completely at rest, that it did not appear possible to me that I should ever have any more trouble while I should exist. I then informed her in relation to the witness which I l had received from the Lord. In the evening the proceedings of the court were rehearsed to us, which were as follows:—​ The witnesses, being duly sworn, the first arose and testified, that Joseph Smith told him that the box which he had, contained nothing but sand; and [p. 133] he, Joseph Smith, said it was gold, to deceive the people.24 Second witness swore, that Joseph Smith had told him that it was nothing but a box of lead, and he was determined to use it as he saw fit. Third witness declared, that he once inquired of Joseph Smith what he had in that box, and Joseph Smith told him that there was nothing at all in the box, saying, that he had made fools of the whole of them, and all he wanted was, to get Martin Harris’s money away from him, and that he (witness) was knowing to the fact that Joseph Smith had, by his persuasion, already got two or three hundred dollars.

Next came Mrs. Harris’s affidavit, in which she stated, that she believed the chief object which Joseph Smith had in view, was to defraud her husband out of all his property, and that she did not believe that Joseph Smith had ever been in possession of the gold plates which he talked so much about. The magistrate then forbid the introduction of any more witnesses, until Martin Harris should be sworn. Martin being called upon, testified with boldness, decision, and energy, to a few simple facts. When he arose, he raised his hand to heaven, and said, “I can swear, that Joseph Smith never has got one dollar from me by persuasion, since God made me. I did once, of my own free will and accord, put fifty dollars into his hands, in the presence of many witnesses, for the purpose of doing the work of

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the Lord. This, I can pointedly prove; and I can tell you, furthermore, that I have never seen, in Joseph Smith, a disposition to take any man’s money, without giving him a reasonable compensation for the same in return. And as to the plates which he professes to have, gentlemen, if you do not believe it, but continue to resist the truth, it will one day be the means of damning your souls.”25 After hearing this testimony the magistrate told [p. 134] them they need not call any more witnesses, but ordered them to bring him what had been written of the testimony already given. This he tore in pieces before their eyes,26 and told them to go home about their business, and trouble him no more with such ridiculous folly. And they did go home, perfectly discomfited. 6.3  Martin Harris’s Testimony, September 4, 1870 Source Note MS. “Salt Lake City Sept 4, Sunday morning Testamoney of Martin Harris Written by my hand from the Mouth of Martin Harris.” Edward Stevenson Papers, CHL, handwriting of Edward Stevenson, transcription by Larry E. Morris. Editorial Note “Considerable interest has been felt by our people in the arrival in this city, of Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon,” announced the Salt Lake City Deseret Evening News on Wednesday, August 31, 1870. “He arrived here at 7,30 p.m. yesterday, in the company of Elder Edward Stevenson.” In February of that year, fifty-​four-​year-​old Stevenson had visited eighty-​six-​year-​old Harris in Kirtland, Ohio, and had convinced him to come West. On the Sunday after their arrival, September 4, Stevenson and Harris both spoke in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. As Martin spoke, Stevenson carefully recorded his remarks. In the section prior to this extract, Martin spoke of his search for the true church and his baptism by Oliver Cowdery. For background information on Stevenson, see 3.13 Edward Stevenson’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, December 13, 1881, Extract. Document Transcript Previous to my being baptised I  became A  Witness of the Plates of the Book of Mormon in 1829 in March the People Rose up & united against the Work gathering testimoney against the Plates & Said they had testimony Enough & if I did not Put Joseph in Jail 27 for Deseption, they Would me So I went from Waterloo 25 mls South East of Palmyra to Rogerses Suscotua [Seneca?] Co.

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N. Y. & to Harmoney, Pensylvania 125 & found Joseph.28 Rogers29 unknown to me had agreed to give my wife 100 Dollars if it was not A Deseption & had Whet his Nife to cut the covering of the Plates as the Lord had forbid Joseph exhibiting them openly Martin’s Wife had hefted them & felt them [the gold plates]30 under cover as had Martin &31 6.4  William S. Sayre’s Letter to James T. Cobb, August 31, 1878, Extract Source Note Letter, William S. Sayre to James T. Cobb, August 31, 1878, Theodore A. Schroeder Papers, Archives, Wisconsin State Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin, in Vogel, EMD 4:144–​45. Editorial Note William Strong Sayre (1803–​1880) moved to South Bainbridge, New York, in 1827 and the next year began practicing law in Bainbridge, where he established a solid reputation. In this letter, which was written in Bainbridge, he is responding to a letter from Salt Lake City journalist James T.  Cobb, who was researching early Mormon history.32 In this section of his letter, Sayre describes his apparent meeting with Martin Harris, whom he calls “Richards.” Document Transcript was in the Spring (April) 1829—​I was traveling in the Stage between this place & Geneva [,]‌Ontario Co.. which is within a few miles of Palmira, & a man whose name, to the best of my recollection, was Richards,33 got into the Stage house when on rout & Said he resided at Palmira, & had been to Quages, which was in the town of Colesville a few miles from South Bainbridge village to see Jos[eph] Smith, who had resided in Palmira, & had found a gold bible & stone in which he looked & was thereby enabled to translate the very ancient chara[c]ters which found in the bible. He Said Smith was poor & was living in a house which had only one room & Smith had a sheet put up in one corner & went behind it from observation when he was writing the bible. He said Smith kept the bible hid or covered up & put it in a hat & had the Stone which found in Palmira & look[e]d through it & then wrote what he read in the bible.34 He Said would not let him see the bible but let him feel of it when it was covered up.

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Smith read to him a good deal of the bible & he repeated to those in the Stage verse after verse of what Smith had read to him; & I afterwards remembered Some of the names when I read the Mormon bible.35 An other gentleman in Stage who knew Richards, Said he [Richards] was a man of Some property & had lent Smith money, & he had been trying to get pay. That he was Crazy on the subject of religion36 & Smith had duped him into a belief that [there] was a prospect [of return] & [that he] had found [that] the books history [was] on the lost tribes of Israel. This gentleman said he did not believe that Jos[eph] was capable of composing any thing, but that Jo’s father37 was a man of some education & cunning & shr[ewd], & he thought he was at the bottom of the matter, & had made the bible & was duping others through Joe, & that there were cheating Richards out of his money.38 6.5  Emma Smith Bidamon’s Account, February 1879, Extract Source Note “Last Testimony of Sister Emma,” The Saints’ Herald, October 1, 1879, 289–​90. Editorial Note Joseph Smith III, forty-​six, conducted this interview with his mother, seventy-​four-​ year-​old Emma Hale Smith Bidamon, in February of 1879. “These questions, and the answers she had given to them, were read to my mother by me, the day before my leaving Nauvoo for home, and were affirmed by her,” wrote Joseph III, who had been Prophet-​President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints since 1860. “Major Bidamon stated that he had frequently conversed with her on the subject of the translation of the Book of Mormon, and her present answers were substantially what she had always stated in regard to it.”39 Emma’s statements about the translation are corroborated by several other sources; at the same time, her denials that Joseph Smith practiced plural marriage (not included in this extract) are contradicted by a number of reliable witnesses. Document Transcript Question. Who were scribes for father when translating the Book of Mormon? Answer. Myself, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and my brother Reuben Hale. Question. Was Alva Hale one? Answer. I think not. He may have written some; but if he did, I do not remember it.

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Question. What of the truth of Mormonism? Answer. I know Mormonism to be the truth; and believe the Church to have been established by divine direction. I have complete faith in it. In writing for your father I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us.40 Question. Had he not a book or manuscript from which he read, or dictated to you? Answer. He had neither manuscript nor book to read from. Question. Could he not have had, and you not know it? Answer. If he had had anything of the kind he could not have concealed it from me. Question. Are you sure that he had the plates at the time you were writing for him? Answer. The plates often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen tablecloth, which I had given him to fold them in. I once felt of the plates, as they thus lay on the table, tracing their outline and shape. They seemed to be pliable like thick paper, and would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book. Question. Where did father and Oliver Cowdery write? Answer. Oliver Cowdery and your father wrote in the room where I was at work. Question. Could not father have dictated the Book of Mormon to you, Oliver Cowdery and the others who wrote for him, after having first written it, or having first read it out of some book? Answer. Joseph Smith (and for the first time she used his name direct, having usually used the words, “your father” or “my husband”) could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-​worded letter, let alone dictate a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, and was present during the translation of the plates, and had cognizance of things as they transpired, it is marvelous to me, “a marvel and a wonder,” as much so as to anyone else. Question. I  should suppose that you would have uncovered the plates and examined them?

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Answer. I did not attempt to handle the plates, other than I have told you, nor uncover them to look at them. I was satisfied that it was the work of God, and therefore did not feel it to be necessary to do so; Major Bidamon here suggested:  Did Mr. Smith forbid your examining the plates? Answer. I do not think he did. I knew that he had them, and was not specially curious about them. I moved them from place to place on the table, as it was necessary in doing my work. Question. Mother, what is your belief about the authenticity, or origin, of the Book of Mormon? Answer. My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity—​I have not the slightest doubt of it. I am satisfied that no man could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired; for, when acting as his scribe, your father would dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or after interruptions, he could at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him. This was a usual thing for him to do. It would have been improbable that a learned man could do this; and, for one so ignorant and unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible. 6.6  David Whitmer Interview, Kansas City Journal, June 5, 1881, Extract Source Note Kansas City Journal, Missouri, June 5, 1881, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews,  60–​61. Editorial Note Between 1869 and his death in January 1888, David Whitmer was interviewed about his experience as a witness of the Book of Mormon dozens of times by journalists and other interested parties. As Lyndon Cook writes, Whitmer “was friendly, unpretentious, and sincere, yet a man of vigorous opinions. Even a non-​Mormon visitor, who viewed the witness with considerable skepticism, was moved to admit that this chief witness ‘believes what he says.’ His responses to interviewers, if at first somewhat reluctant, were neither feigned nor didactic.

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Because he had been misrepresented by at least one reporter . . . [he] made a habit of having others present when he was interviewed by strangers.”41 The following interview is particularly valuable because it covers so much of Whitmer’s experience with Mormonism and because he read it carefully when it was published and made corrections in a letter to the editor written on June 13, 1881. David Whitmer was seventy-​six years old at the time of the interview. To the end of his life, Whitmer was firm in his conviction that although Joseph Smith was a fallen prophet, he really had translated gold plates delivered by an angel. For more information on David Whitmer, see 1.30 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript I first heard of what is now termed Mormonism in the year 1828. I  made a business trip to Palmyra, N.Y., and while there stopped with one Oliver Cowdery.42 A great many people in the neighborhood were talking about the finding of certain gold plates by one Joseph Smith, jr., a young man of that neighborhood. Cowdery and I, as well as others, talked about the matter, but at the time I paid but little attention to it, supposing it to be only THE IDLE GOSSIP of the neighborhood. Cowdery said he was acquainted with the Smith family, and he believed there must be some truth in the story of the plates, and that he intended to investigate the matter. I had conversations with several young men who said that Joseph Smith had certainly gold plates, and that before he attained them he had promised to share with them, but had not done so, and they were very much incensed with him.43 Said I, “How do you know that Joe Smith has the plates?” They replied: “we saw the plates44 in the hill that he took them out of just as he described it to us before he obtained them.” These parties were so positive in their statements that I began to believe there must be some foundation for the stories then in circulation all over that part of the country. I had never seen any of the Smith family up to that time, and I began to inquire of the people in regard to them, and learned that one night during the year 1827, Joseph Smith, jr., had a vision, and an angel of God appeared to him and told him where certain plates were to be found and pointed out the spot to him, and that shortly afterward he went to that place and found the plates which were still in his possession. After thinking over the matter for a long time, and talking with Cowdery, who also gave me a history of the finding of the plates, I went home, and after several months Cowdery told me he was going to Harmony, Pa.—​whither Joseph Smith had gone with the plates on account of persecutions of his neighbors—​and see him about the

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matter. He did go, 45 and on his way stopped at my father’s house and told me that as soon as he found out anything either TRUTH OR UNTRUTH he would let me know.46 Accounts from Others 6.7  Edmund C. Briggs’s Report of an Interview with Emma Smith Bidamon, 1856, Extract Source Note Elder Edmund C. Briggs, “A VISIT TO NAUVOO IN 1856,” Journal of History 9, no. 1 ( January, 1916): 454. Editorial Note The editor’s introduction to this article explains a key part of the historical context: “In 1856 manifestations were received by the church reorganizing in Wisconsin to send faithful messengers to Joseph Smith, the son of the Martyr, to testify to him of what they knew and verily believed [about lineal succession in the presidency]; and Edmund C.  Briggs and Samuel H.  Gurley were designated as such messengers.”47 Briggs and Gurley were missionaries for a restorationist movement that would later become the RLDS Church. The group opposed plural marriage and believed that Joseph Smith had set apart his oldest son, Joseph Smith III, as his successor. The two elders thus journeyed to Nauvoo in December of 1856 specifically to deliver this message. When they approached twenty-​four-​year-​old Joseph III, however, he “rebuffed their offer, telling them he needed to feel a personal call before fellowshipping with any of the movements.”48 Briggs and Gurley also visited Emma and her second husband, Lewis C. Bidamon, at the Mansion House in Nauvoo and conducted the interview featured here. Briggs’s account of the interview was not published until 1916, three years after his death, and it is not known when he composed the article. Regardless, he documented his and Gurley’s experience in Nauvoo quite carefully, listing specific dates, days of the week, locations, and names, and quoting contemporaneous letters verbatim. Not only that, but his record of Emma’s comments is quite consistent with the interview conducted by Joseph III in 1879 (see 6.5 Emma Smith Bidamon’s Account, February 1879, Extract) and with details of the translation offered by David Whitmer and Martin Harris.

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Speaking of Emma, Briggs also noted, “While she talked to us the tears flowed from her large, bright eyes like rain, and I  could see in every act affection for Joseph.”49 Document Transcript When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote a part of it, as he dictated each sentence, word for word, and when he came to proper names he could not pronounce, or long words, he spelled them out, and while I was writing them, if I made any mistake in spelling, he would stop me and correct my spelling, although it was impossible for him to see how I was writing them down at the time. Even the word Sarah he could not pronounce at first, but had to spell it, and I would pronounce it for him. When he stopped for any purpose at any time he would, when he commenced again, begin where he left off without any hesitation, and one time while he was translating he stopped suddenly, pale as a sheet, and said, “Emma, did Jerusalem have walls around it?” When I answered “Yes,” he replied, “Oh! I was afraid I had been deceived.” He had such a limited knowledge of history at that time that he did not even know that Jerusalem was surrounded by walls. Contemporaneous Documents 6.8  Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4] Source Note Chapter III, Book of Commandments, 9; the earliest complete, extant version of this revelation, entitled “A revelation from the Lord unto Jos[page damaged] AD 1829,” was copied between circa December 1830 and spring 1831 by Edward Partridge. If the Partridge version was copied in the spring of 1831, it was created about the same time as the version copied into Revelation Book 1 by John Whitmer. However, the final page is missing in the Whitmer version. See JSP, D1:9–​13, for a transcript of the Partridge version along with related commentary and annotation.50 Editorial Note John Whitmer included the following heading when he copied this revelation into Revelation Book 1: “A Revelation to Joseph the Father of the Seer he desired to

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know what the Lord had for him to do & this is what he Received as follows.”51 The extant text in Revelation Book 1 is virtually identical to that shown below, which is from the 1833 Book of Commandments. Although Revelation Book 1 originally gave 1828 as the date this revelation was received, that was later changed to February 1829, a date consistent with the reminiscences of both Joseph Knight and Joseph Smith. Document Transcript CHAPTER III. 1 A Revelation given to Joseph, the father of Joseph, in Harmony, Pennsylvania, February, 1829. saying: NOW, behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men, therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day: Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work, for behold, the field is white already to harvest, and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in52 store that he perish not, but bringeth salvation to his soul, and faith, hope, charity, and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualifies53 him for the work. 2 Remember temperance, patience, humility, diligence, &c., ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you: Amen. 6.9  Revelation, March 1829 [D&C 5] Source Note Chapter III, Book of Commandments, 9; the earliest extant version of this revelation is a three-​page document in the handwriting of Oliver Cowdery, Newel K.  Whitney Papers, BYU. (Pages 3–​10 of Revelation Book 1, which apparently included John Whitmer’s copy of this revelation, are missing.) An analysis of Cowdery’s handwriting indicates that he created this document in April of 1829, shortly after he arrived in Harmony, Pennsylvania, to assist Joseph Smith with the translation. That creation date would make this the earliest extant version of any of Joseph Smith’s revelations. Significant differences between Cowdery’s version and the Book of Commandments version featured here indicate that Revelation Book 1 (the apparent source of the Book of Commandments version) may not have consistently represented the earliest versions of Joseph’s revelations.54 See JSP, D1:13–​ 19, for a transcript of the Cowdery version along with related commentary and annotation.

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Editorial Note Martin Harris likely arrived in Harmony in mid-​March because he was occupied with charges brought against him in Lyons, New York, earlier in the month. (See 6.2 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extracts, and 6.3 Martin Harris Testimony, September 4, 1870.) Also, he brought an acquaintance with him by the name of Rogers, who hoped to prove Joseph’s account of the plates a fraud. As far as is known, this was the first time Martin and Joseph had seen each other since the previous July, when Martin visited the Smith home in Manchester with the shocking news that he had lost the 116-​page Book of Mormon manuscript. Document Transcript CHAPTER IV. 1 A Revelation given to Joseph and Martin, in Harmony, Pennsylvania, March, 1829, when Martin desired of the Lord to know whether Joseph had, in his possession, the record of the Nephites. BEHOLD, I  say unto you, that my servant Martin has desired a witness55 from my hand, that my servant Joseph has got the things56 of which he has testified, and borne record that he has received of me. 2 And now, behold, this shall you say unto him: —​I the Lord am God, and I have given these things unto my servant Joseph, and I have commanded him that he should stand as a witness of these things, nevertheless I  have caused him that he should enter into a covenant with me, that he should not show them except I command him, and he has no power over them except I grant it unto him; and he has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift. 3 And verily I say unto you, that wo shall come unto the inhabitants of the earth, if they will not hearken unto my words, for, behold, if they will not believe my words, they would not believe my servant Joseph, if it were possible that he could show them all things. O ye unbelieving, ye stiffnecked generation, mine anger is kindled against you! 4 Behold, verily I say, I have reserved the things of which I have spoken, which I have intrusted to my servant, for a wise purpose in me, and it shall be made known unto future generations:  But this generation shall have my words, yea and the testimony of three of my servants57 shall go forth with my words unto this generation; yea, three shall know of a surety that these things are true, for I will give them power, that they may behold and view these things

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as they are, and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation. And the testimony of three witnesses will I send forth and my word, and behold, whoso ever believeth in my word, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit, and they shall be born of me, and their testimony shall also go forth. 5 And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old. 6 And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto satan, for he reigneth and hath much power at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation:  and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them. Behold I tell you these things even as I also told the people of the distruction of Jerusalem, and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified. 7 And now I command my servant Joseph to repent, and walk more uprightly before me, and yield to the persuasions of men no more; and that he be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded him; and if he doeth this, behold I grant unto him eternal life, even if he should be slain. 8 And now I speak again concerning the man58 that desireth a witness: behold I say unto him, he exalteth himself and doth not humble himself sufficiently before me, but if he will go out and bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desireth to know: an[d]‌then he shall say unto the people of this generation, behold I have seen the things and I know of a surety that they are true,59 for I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man. And I  command him that he shall say no more unto them, concerning these things, except he shall say, I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God.60 9 And these are the words which he shall say.—​But if he deny this he will break the covenant which he has before covenanted with me, and behold he is condemned. And now except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done, which are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith in me, behold I say unto him, he shall have no such views, for I will grant unto him no

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views of the things of which I have spoken. And if this be the case, I command him that he shall do no more, nor trouble me any more concerning this matter. 10 And if this be the case, behold I  say unto you, Joseph, when thou hast translated a few more pages, thou shalt stop for a season,61 even until I command thee again: then thou mayest translate again. And except thou do this, behold thou shalt have no more gift, and I will take away the things which I have intrusted with thee. 11 And now, because I foresee the lying in wait to destroy thee: Yea, I foresee that if my servant humbleth not himself, and receive a witness from my hand, that he will fall into transgression; and there are many that lie in wait to destroy thee from off the face of the earth: And for this cause, that thy days may be prolonged, I have given unto thee these commandments; yea, for this cause I have said, stop and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I  have commanded thee; and if thou art faithful in keeping my commandments, thou shalt be lifted up at the last day:—​Amen.

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i At the end of March 1829, Oliver Cowdery received his teacher’s pay of $65.50, possibly in a lump sum. He likely departed for Pennsylvania on Tuesday, March 31, stopping in Lyons to make a $13.00 payment on a debt he and his brother Lyman owed to grocer David Adams.1 Next he traveled south to Seneca Falls, east to Waterloo, and south again to Fayette Township, where he stayed with the Whitmers—​and met fourteen-​year-​old Elizabeth Ann, whom he would marry almost four years later. Oliver trekked on, averaging twenty to twenty-​five miles a day, despite the mud and muck caused by the wet spring weather of alternating rain, freeze, and thaw. Just as the sun was setting on Sunday, April 5, he made his way through the wooded hills near the Susquehanna River and found the home where Joseph and Emma lived. The next day, Oliver assisted—​and likely contributed a good deal of his pay—​as Joseph signed an agreement to purchase a thirteen-​acre parcel of land that included a house and barn from Isaac Hale.2 On Tuesday, April 7, Joseph and Oliver got started on the translation.3 “Oliver was by far the best scribe that worked on the Book of Mormon manuscripts,” states Royal Skousen. “His penmanship is excellent . . . [his] copywork is actually quite good; it is very difficult to produce errorless copy, especially when copying from a manuscript [as Oliver did in producing the printer’s copy].”4 Based on his analysis of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, Skousen adds these conclusions: The original manuscript was written from dictation; Joseph Smith was working with at least twenty to thirty words at a time; 309

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Joseph could see the spelling of names; the scribe repeated back the text to Joseph; and the word chapter and the corresponding chapter numbers were not part of the revealed text.5 Joseph and Oliver translated in Harmony until the end of May, then relocated to the Whitmer farm in Fayette Township, New York, where they completed the translation by the end of June. When time spent working, traveling, receiving visitors, recording revelations, and such is factored in, about fifty-​seven days remain for translating, which means the two young men worked at a furious pace—​producing about ten words a minute for eight hours a day to record the 269,510 words in the Book of Mormon.6

First-​H and Reminiscences 7.1  Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, September 7, 1834, Extract Source Note “Letter I,” Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, October 1834, 1:13–​16. Editorial Note See 1.3 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W.  Phelps, February 1835, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Norton, Medina co., Ohio, Sabbath Evening, September 7, 1834. DEAR BROTHER,—​ Before leaving home, I  promised, if I  tarried long, to write; and while a few moments are now allowed me for reflection aside from the cares and common conversation of my friends in this place, I  have thought that were I  to communicate them to you, you might, perhaps, if they should not prove especially beneficial to yourself, by confirming you in the faith of [p. 13] the gospel, at least be interesting, since it has pleased our heavenly Father to call us both to rejoice in the same hope of eternal life. And by giving them publicity some thousands who have embraced the same covenant, may learn something more particular upon the rise of this church, in this last time. And while the grey evening is fast changing into a settled darkness, my heart responds with the happy millions who are in the presence of the Lamb, and are past the power of temptation, in rendering thanks, though feebly, to the same Parent. . . .

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On Friday, the 5th, in company with our brother JOSEPH SMITH jr. I  left Kirtland for this place (New Portage,) to attend the conference previously appointed. To be permitted once more to travel with this brother, occasions reflections of no ordinary kind. Many have been the fatigues and privations which have fallen to my lot to endure for the gospel’s sake, since 1828, with this brother. Our road has frequently been spread with the “fowler’s snare,” and our persons sought with the eagerness of the Savage’s ferocity, for innocent blood, by men either heated to desperation by the insinuations of those who professed to be “guides and way-​marks” to the kingdom of glory, or the individuals themselves!—​This, I confess, is a dark picture to spread before our patrons, but they will pardon my plainness when I assure them of the truth. In fact, God has so ordered, that the reflections which I am permitted to cast upon my past life, relative to a knowledge of the way of salvation, are rendered “doubly endearing.” Not only have I been graciously preserved from wicked and unreasonable men, with this our brother, but I have seen the fruit of perseverance in proclaiming the everlasting gospel, immediately after it was declared to the world in these last days, in a manner not to be forgotten while heaven gives me common intellect. And what serves to render the reflection past expression on this point is, that from his hand I received baptism, by the direction of the angel of God—​the first received into this church, in this day. Near the time of the setting of the sun, Sabbath evening, April 5th, 1829, my natural eyes for the first time beheld this brother. He then resided in Harmony, Susquehanna county Penn. On Monday, the 6th, I assisted him in arranging some business of a temporal nature, and on Tuesday the 7th, commenced to write the book of Mormon. These were days never to be forgotten—​to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated, with the Urim and Thummim, or, as the Nephites would have said, “interpreters,” the history or record called “The book of Mormon.” [p. 14] To notice, in even few words, the interesting account given by Mormon, and his faithful son Moroni, of a people once beloved and favored of heaven, would supersede my present design: I shall therefore defer this to a future period, and, as I said in the introduction, pass more directly to some few incidents immediately connected with the rise of this church, which may be entertaining to some thousands who have stepped forward, amid the frowns of bigots and the calumny of hypocrites, and embraced the gospel of Christ. No men in their sober senses, could translate and write the directions given to the Nephites, from the mouth of the Savior, of the precise manner in which men should build up his church, and especially, when corruption had spread an uncertainty over all forms and systems practiced among men, without desiring a privilege of showing

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the willingness of the heart by being buried in the liquid grave, to answer a “good conscience by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” After writing the account given of the Savior’s ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent, it was easily to be seen, as the prophet said would be, that darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. On reflecting further, it was as easily to be seen, that amid the great strife and noise concerning religion, none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the gospel. For, the question might be asked, have men authority to administer in the name of Christ, who deny revelations! when his testimony is no less than the spirit of prophecy? and his religion based, built, and sustained by immediate revelations in all ages of the world, when he has had a people on earth? If these facts were buried and carefully concealed by men whose craft would have been in danger, if once permitted to shine in the faces of men, they were no longer to us; and we only waited for the commandment to be given, “Arise and be baptized.” This was not long desired before it was realized. The Lord, who is rich in mercy, and ever willing to answer the consistent prayer of the humble, after we had called upon him in a fervent manner, aside from the abodes of men, condescended to manifest to us his will. On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity, the voice of the Redeemer spake peace to us, while the vail was parted and the angel of God came down clothed with glory, and delivered the anxiously looked for message, and the keys off the gospel of repentance!—​What joy! what wonder! what amazement! While the world were racked and distracted—​while millions were groping as the blind for the wall, and while all men were resting upon uncertainty, as a general mass, our eyes beheld—​our ears heard. As in the “blaze of day;” yes, more—​above the glitter of the May Sun beam, which then shed its brilliancy over the face of nature! Then his voice, though mild, pierced to the center, and his words, “I am thy fellow-​servant,” dispelled every fear. We listened—​we gazed—​we admired! ‘Twas the voice of the angel from glory’twas a message from the Most High! and as we heard we rejoiced, while his love enkindled upon our souls, and we were wrapt in the vision of the Almighty! Where was room for doubt? No where: uncertainty had fled, doubt had sunk, no more to rise, while fiction and deception had fled forever! But, dear brother, think, further think for a moment, what joy filled our out hearts and with what surprise we must have bowed, (for who would not have bowed [p. 15] the knee for such a blessing?) when we received under his hand the holy priesthood, as he said, “upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer this priesthood and this authority, which shall remain upon earth, that the sons of Levi may yet offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness!” I shall not attempt to paint to you the feelings of this heart, nor the majestic beauty and glory which surrounded us on this occasion; but you will believe me

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when I say, that earth, nor men, with the eloquence of time, cannot begin to clothe language in as interesting and sublime a manner as this holy personage. No; nor has this earth power to give the joy, to bestow the peace, or comprehend the wisdom which was contained in each sentence as they were delivered by the power of the Holy Spirit! Man may deceive his fellow man; deception may follow deception, and the children of the wicked one may have power to seduce the foolish and untaught, till naught but fiction feeds the many, and the fruit of falsehood carries in its current the giddy to the grave; but one touch with the finger of his love, yes, one ray of glory from the upper world, or one word from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eternity, strikes it all into insignificance, and blots it forever from the mind! The assurance that we were in the presence of an angel; the certainty that we heard the voice of Jesus, and the truth unsullied as it flowed from a pure personage, dictated by the will of God, is to me past description, and I shall ever look upon this expression of the Savior’s goodness with wonder and thanksgiving while I am permitted to tarry, and in those mansions where perfection dwells and sin never comes, I hope to adore in that DAY which shall never cease!7 . . . I must close for the present: my candle is quite extinguished, and all nature seems locked in silence, shrouded in darkness, and enjoying that repose so necessary to this life. But the period is rolling on when night will close, and those who are found worthy will inherit that city where neither the light of the sun nor moon will be necessary! “for the glory of God will lighten it, and the Lamb will be the light thereof.” O. COWDERY. To W. W. Phelps, Esq. P. S. I shall write you again on the subject of the Conference. O. C. 7.2  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts Source Note Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:276, 284, 286, 292–​98, 304. Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript On the fifth day of Aprile Eighteen hundred and twenty nine Olver Cowdery came to my house, untill when I had never seen him. He stated to me that having been

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teaching school in the neighborhood where my father resided, and my being one of those sent to the school, he had went to board for a season at my father’s house, and while there the family related to him the circumstance of my having received the plates, and accordingly he had came to make enquiries of me. Two days after the arrival of Mr Cowdery (being the seventh of April) I commenced to translate the book of Mormon and he commenced to write for me, which having continued for some time I enquired of the Lord through the Urim and Thummin and obtained the following revelation. [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 8 (7.9 Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 6]) inserted here.] After we had received this revelation he (Oliver Cowdery) stated to me that after he had gone to my father’s to board, and after the family communicated to him concerning my having got the plates, that one night after he had retired to bed, he called upon the Lord to know if these things were so, and that the Lord had manifested to him that they were true, but that he had kept the circumstance entirely secret, and had mentioned it to no being, so that after this revelation having been given, he knew that the work was true, because that no mortal being living knew of the thing alluded in the revelation but God and himself. During the month of April I continued to translate, and he to write with little cessation, during which time we received several revelations. A difference of opinion arising between us about the account of John the Apostle, mentioned in the new testament, John, twenty first chapter and twenty second verse, whether he died, or whether he continued; We we mutually agreed to settle by the Urim and Thummin, and the following is the word which we received. [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 33 (7.11 Revelation April 1829 [D&C 7]) inserted here.] Whilst continuing the work of translation during this month of April; Oliver Cowdery became exceedingly anxious to have the power to translate bestowed upon him and in relation to this desire the folowing revelations were obtained. [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 34 (7.12 Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 8]) and 35 (7.13 Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 9]) inserted here.] We still continued the translation, when in the ensuing month (May, Eighteen hundred and twenty nine) we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins as we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed praying and calling upon the Lord, a Messenger from heaven, descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying unto us; “Upon you my fellow servants in the name of Messiah

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I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministring of angels and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and this shall never be taken again from the earth, untill the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.” He said this Aaronic priesthood had not [p. 17] the power of laying on of hands, for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on hereafter and he commanded us to go and be baptized, and gave us directions that I  should baptize Oliver Cowdery, and afterward that he should baptize me. and that I should be called the first elder of the Church and he the second. Accordingly we went and were baptized, I baptized him first, and afterwards he baptized me, after which I laid my hands upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronick priesthood, and afterward he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same priesthood, for so we were commanded. The messenger who visited us on this occasion and conferred this priesthood upon us said that his name was John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the new Testament, and that he acted under the direction Peter, James, and John, who held the keys of the priesthood of Melchisedeck, whi[c]‌h priesthood he said should in due time be conferred on us. It was on the fifteenth day of May, Eighteen hundred and twenty nine that we were baptized; under and ordained under the hand of that Messenger. Immediately upon our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized we experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I  baptized Oliver Cowdery than the Holy Ghost fell upon him and he stood up and prophecied many things which should shortly come to pass: And again so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the Spirit of Prophecy, when standing up I prophecied concerning the rise of this church, and many other things connected with the Church and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our Salvation. Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the Scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us, in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before thought of. In the meantime we were forced to keep secret the circumstances of our having been baptized, and having received this priesthood; owing to a spirit of persecution which had already manifested itself in the neighborhood. We had been threatened with being mobbed, from time to time, and this too by professors of

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religion, and their intentions of mobbing us, were only counteracted by the influence of my wife’s father’s family (under Divine Providence) who had became very friendly to me and were opposed to mobs; and were willing that I should be allowed to continue the work of translation without interruption: And therefore offered and promised us protection from all unlawful proceedings as far as in them lay. After a few days however, feeling it to be our duty, we commenced to reason out of the scriptures, with our acquaintences and friends, as we happened to meet with them. About this time my brother, Samuel H. Smith cam◊ came [p. 18] to visit us. We informed him of what the Lord was about to do for the children of men; and to reason with him out of the Bible: We also showed him that part of the work which we had translated, and labored to persuade him concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ which was now about to be revealed in it’s fulness. He was not however very easily persuaded of these things, but after much enquiry and explanation, he retired to the woods, in order that by secret and fervent prayer he might obtain of a merciful God, wisdom to enable him to judge for himself: The result was that he obtained revelation for himself sufficient to convince him of the truth of our assertions to him and on the [blank]8 day of that same month in which we had been baptized and ordained; Oliver Cowdery baptized him, And he returned to his father’s house greatly glorifying and praising God, being filled with the Holy Spirit. Not many days afterwards, my brother Hyrum Smith came to us to enquire concerning these things, when at his earnest request, I enquired of the Lord through the Urim and Thummin, and received for him the following [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 37 (7.15 Revelation, May 1829 [D&C 11]) inserted here.] About the same time came an old Gentleman to visit us, of whose name I wish to make honorable mention; Mr Joseph Knight Senr. of Colesville, Broom[e]‌County, Penn; who having heard of the manner in which we were occupying our time, very kindly and considerately brought us, a quantity of provisions, in order that we might not be interrupted in the work of translation, by the want of such necessaries of life: and I would just [p. 20] mention here (as in duty bound) that he several times brought us supplies (a distance of at least thirty miles) which enabled us to continue the work when otherwise we must have relinquished it for a season. Being very anxious to know his duty as to this work, I enquired of the Lord for him, and obtained as follows. [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 38 (7.16 Revelation, May 1829 [D&C 12]) inserted here.]

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Accounts from Others 7.3  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extracts Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches, 1853, 130–​31. Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​ 1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial Note. Document Transcript In April, Samuel and Mr. Cowdery set out for Pennsylvania.9 The weather, for some time previous, had been very wet and disagreeable—​raining, freezing, and thawing alternately, which had rendered the roads almost impassable, particularly in the middle of the day. Notwithstanding, Mr. Cowdery was not to be detained, either by wind or [p. 130] weather, and they persevered until they arrived at Joseph’s. Joseph had been so hurried with his secular affairs, that he could not proceed with his spiritual concerns so fast as was necessary for the speedy completion of the work; there was also another disadvantage under which he laboured, his wife had so much of her time taken up with the care of her house, that she could write for hm but a small portion of the time. On acount of these embarrassments, Joseph called upon the Lord, three days prior to the arrival of Samuel and Oliver, to send him a scribe, according to the promise of the angel; and he was informed that the same should be forthcoming in a few days. Accordingly, when Mr. Cowdery told him the business that he had come upon, Joseph was not at all surprised. They sat down and conversed together till late. During the evening, Joseph told Oliver his history, as far as was necessary for his present information, in the things which mostly concerned him. And the next morning they commenced the work of translation, in which they were soon deeply engaged. One morning they sat down to their work, as usual, and the first thing which presented itself through the Urim and Thummim, was a commandment for Joseph and Oliver to repair to the water, and attend to the ordinance of Baptism. They did so, and as they were returning to the house, they overheard Samuel engaged in secret prayer. Joseph said, that he considered this as a sufficient testimony of his being a fit subject for Baptism; and as they had now received authority to baptize, they spoke to Samuel upon the subject, and he went straightway to the water with them, and

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was baptized. After which, Joseph and Oliver proceeded with the work of translation as before. [p. 131; end of ­chapter 28.] 7.4  Joseph Knight Jr.’s Account, 1862, Extract Source Note “Joseph Knight [ Jr.] autobiographical sketch, . . . 1862. Copy made in the Historian’s Office by clerk Thomas Bullock and signed by Joseph Knight, Jr. Includes Bullock’s annotation ‘Joseph Knight’s incidents of history from 1827 to 1844. Compiled from loose sheets in J. K’s possession, Augt. 16, 1862,’ ”10 CHL, p.1; transcription by Larry E. Morris. Editorial Note Joseph Knight Jr. was born on June 21, 1808, in Halifax, Windham County, Vermont, to Joseph Knight Sr. and Polly Peck. The family moved Broome County, New York, in 1811. Joseph Jr. was baptized into the Church of Christ by Oliver Cowdery on June 28, 1830, at Colesville, New York. He moved with the Colesville branch to Ohio in May of 1831 and to Jackson County, Missouri, in July of that year. He married Betsey Covert (1808–​1850) on March 22, 1832, in Kirtland, Ohio. They moved to Clay County, Missouri, in 1833, to Far West, Missouri, in 1837, and to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1840. Joseph Jr. was a captain in a pioneer company making its way through Iowa in 1846. “During 1847, Joseph and Betsey’s family consisted of five children from ages three to fourteen. Family tradition says that three of them died during the winter of 1847–​48 [in Winter Quarters, Nebraska]: Orpha Florialla, Joseph James, and newborn Ellen Rebecca.”11 Joseph served as a bishop at Winter Quarters. He took a plural wife, Adeline Johnson, in November of 1847. The Knight family arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on September 9, 1850. Betsey died that same year (whether before or after reaching Utah is not known). Joseph married two additional wives in 1852—​ Abba Weldon and Mary Woolerton (1826–​1904). Joseph and Mary had three sons. Joseph Knight Jr. died on November 3, 1866, in Salt Lake City. He was fifty-​eight years old.12 Document Transcript My father bought three other farms and hired many hands; in 1827 [1826] he hired Joseph Smith; Joseph and I  worked together and slept together:  my Father said Joseph was the best hand he ever hired, we found him a boy of truth, he was about

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21 years of age. I think it was in November he made known to my Father and I, that he had seen a vision, that a personage had appeared to him and told him there was a gold book of ancient date buried, and if he would follow the directions of the Angel he could get it, we were told it in secret; I being the youngest son, my two older brothers did not believe in such things; my Father and I believed what he told us, I think we were the first after his father’s family; he went to see for them, but did not go as he was told so he could not get them; as my Father has given the particulars I will skip over; at last he got the plates, and rode in my Father’s wagon and carried them home. I left my Father, purchased a building spot adjoining my Father’s and began to work for myself, and nearly ready to build a large house. Joseph had commenced to translate the plates, he told my Father he wanted fifty dollars; my Father could not raise it; he then came to me, the same day I sold my house lot and sent him a one horse wagon. Father and I often went to see him and carry him something to live upon: at last Oliver Cowdery came to write for him,, then he got along faster, after many trials and troubles he got it wrote off: by this time my Mother and many of my relations believed; the book of Mormon was printed the church was organized April 6, 1830 with six members, my Father was not there. 7.5  Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract Source Note Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism,  48–​49. Editorial Note See 1.25 Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript The loss of the first translations checked for a time the progress of Mormon events. But Smith, Harris, and their abiding associates were seemingly undismayed. Some six months passed when the announcement was given out that a new and complete translation of the Book of Mormon had been made by the prophet, which was ready for the press. In the interim the stranger before spoken of had again been seen at Smith’s; and the prophet had been away from home, may-​be to repay the former’s visits. The bearing of these circumstances upon any important question can only be left to reeasonable conjecture in reference to the subsequent developments. The second manuscripts, like the first, were in Cowdery’s handwriting.

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The work of translation this time had been done in the recess of a dark artificial cave, which Smith had caused to be dug in the east side of the forest-​hill near his residence, now owned by Mr. Amos Miner.13 At least such was one account given out by the Mormon fraternity; though another version was, that the prophet continued to pursue his former mode of translating behind the curtain at his house, and only went into the cave to pay his spiritual devotions and seek the continued favor of Divine Wisdom. His stays in the cave varied from fifteen minutes to an hour or over—​the entrance meanwhile being guarded by one or more of his disciples. This ceremony scarcely attracted the curiosity of outsiders, though it was occasionally witnessed by men and boys living near the scene. This excavation was at the time said to be one hundred and sixty feet in extent, though that is probably an exaggeration. It had a substantial door of two-​ inch plank, secured by a corresponding lock. From the lapse of time and natural causes the cave has been closed for years, very little mark of its former existence remaining to be seen. 7.6  Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract Source Note Kansas City Journal, Missouri, June 5, 1881, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 61. Editorial Note See 1.31 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript After [Oliver Cowdery] got [to Harmony, Pennsylvania] he became acquainted with Joseph Smith, and shortly after, wrote to me telling me that he was convinced that Smith had the records and that he (Smith) had told him that it was the will of heaven that he (Cowdery) should be his scribe to assist in the translation of the plates. He went on and Joseph translated from the plates and he wrote it down. Shortly after this Cowdery wrote me another letter in which he gave me a few lines of what they had translated, and he assured me that he knew of a certainty that he had a record of a people that inhabited this continent, and that the plates they were translating gave a complete history of these people. When Cowdery wrote me these things and told me that he had revealed knowledge concerning the truth of them I showed these letters to my parents, and brothers and sisters.

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7.7  Samuel W. Richards’s Report of an Interview with Oliver Cowdery, 1907, Extract Source Note Statement by Samuel Whitney Richards, May 21, 1907, in Richards’ handwriting, Samuel W. Richards Papers, CHL, 1–​3; transcription by Larry E. Morris. Editorial Note Samuel Whitney Richards was born on August 9, 1824, in Richmond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, to Phinehas Richards and Wealthy Dewey. He was a younger brother of Franklin Dewey Richards (who was ordained an apostle in 1849 and served in the Quorum of the Twelve until his death in 1899). Samuel was baptized when he was fourteen years old and gathered to Nauvoo with his family in 1842. He knew Joseph and Hyrum Smith and worked as a carpenter on the Nauvoo Temple. He served a mission to Indiana in 1844. He married Mary Haskin Parker (1825–​1860) on January 29, 1846. They had five children. He departed on his first foreign mission—​to England—​in July of that same year, returning in May of 1848. He returned to England twice, serving as a mission president both times. He spent sixteen years performing missionary work and died in Salt Lake City on November 26, 1909, two and a half years after recording the statement featured here.14 Richards’s interview with Cowdery took place in January of 1849. Document Transcript While here [Winter Quarters] I was visited by Oliver Cowdery and wife on their way to visit the wife’s brother then [p.  1] living in Jackson County Mo. before starting for the Mountains in the spring to settle with the Saints, now locating in Salt Lake Valley. Just before the time of their arrival at my home a very severe snow storm comenced, and they were very glad when they called for shelter to find they were with those of their own faith in what is called Mormonism. The storm was severe and continued as to stop travel, and they spent over two weeks with us at our then home. This was not lost time to either [of ] us. He soon learned of my past life and I of his. Our time was almost entirely spent in getting acquainted with each others past history. I was surprised to see the bright recollection he seemed to have of his early experience with the prophet Joseph, especially as relating to the translation of the Book of Mormon, some of which I will here relate.

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He represents Joseph as sitting by a table with the plates before him, and he reading the record with the Urim & Thummim. Oliver, his scribe, sits close beside to hear and write every word as translated. This is done by holding the translators over the words of the written record, and the translation appears distinctly in the instrument, which had been touched [p. 2] by the finger of God and dedicated and consecrated for the express purpose of translating languages.15 This instrument now used fully performed its Mission. Every word was made distinctly visible even to every letter, and if Oliver did not in writing spell the word correctly it remained in the translator until it was written correctly. This was the Mystery to Oliver, how Joseph being compar[a]‌tively ignorant could correct him in spelling, without seeing the word written, and he would not be satisfied until he should be permitted to have the gift to translate as well as Joseph. To satisfy Oliver, Joseph with him went to the Lord in prayer until Oliver had the gift by which he could translate, and by so doing learned how it was that Joseph could correct him even in the spelling of words. Any one acquainted with the Book of Mormon can well see the necessity of such a provision; as the Book is full of names of Persons, Places, and names of strange entirely unusual in our ordinary English language. After this experience Oliver was quite satisfied to write what was given him, and make the corrections required. The entire record written as the Book of Mormon was thus brought forth to the world, not by the learning of Man, but by the Gift and power of God, and is Truth [.]‌  [p. 3] This interview with Brother and sister Cowdery was one of entire freedom and familiarity, although we had never Met before; and his experience in connection with the prophet Joseph, when the ministrations of Angels were frequent in restoring Priesthood, and the Keys of Knowledge by which Man might be in future, in constant communication with God and Angel, for the establishment of an Everlasting Government upon the earth, made it all a most devinely and sacred interview to me. Before his leaving it was arranged that he should return in the spring in time to join the early emigration to the Valley of Salt Lake, where he had said he was going to give his time and services to the church, and they desired it of him he would go the ends of the Earth and tell world of things that no other person then living could tell, of the Ministrations of God to man in the early history of this great and last dispensation of God to man. Certainly to me his testimony was of the spiritual and abiding nature never to be forgotten. Oliver never returned; he was taken to join the throng above—​to the society of Joseph, and others of sacred memory to him. [s]‌S. W. Richards.

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Contemporaneous Documents 7.8  Book of Mormon, Extract, circa April 1829 Source Note 1830 Edition of the Book of Mormon, 153–​54; Mosiah 1:1–​8 in the 1981 LDS edition. Editorial Note This section of the Book of Mormon, the beginning of the Book of Mosiah, was quite possibly the first section dictated by Joseph Smith early in 1829, when he once again began translating after Martin Harris’s loss of the 116 pages. Although about 28 percent of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon has been recovered, the extant fragments do not include any of the Book of Mosiah. It is therefore impossible to know which scribe recorded the section featured here. Oliver Cowdery was most likely the scribe—​indeed, nearly all the extant portions of the original manuscript are in his hand. 16 The earliest extant text for this extract is therefore the Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, circa August 1829–​circa January 1830. While punctuation has been added to the Printer’s Manuscript, and other minor changes have been made, there are no significant differences between the Printer’s Manuscript and the version featured here—​nor are there significant differences between the 1830 Book of Mormon and the 1981 LDS version.17 Document Transcript THE BOOK OF MOSIAH. CHAPTER I. AND now there was no more contention in all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people which belonged to king Benjamin, so that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his days. And it came to pass that he had three sons; and he called their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies, which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which was delivered them by the hand of the Lord.—​And he also taught them concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, saying, My sons, I would that ye should remember, that were it not for these plates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at

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this present time, not knowing the mysteries of God: for it were not possible that our father Lehi could have remembered all these things, to [p. 153] have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates: for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians, therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time. I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, which know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct. O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true; and also, that these records are true. And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers, from the time they left Jerusalem, until now; and they are true; and we can know of their surety, because we have them before our eyes. And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land, according to the promises which the Lord made unto our fathers. And many more things did king Benjamin teach his sons, which are not written in this book. 7.9  Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 6] Source Note Chapter V, Book of Commandments, 14–​17, typeset between November 1 and December 31, 1832. This is the earliest extant version of this revelation because the copy made in Revelation Book 1 by John Whitmer is no longer extant. Editorial Note The precise date this revelation was dictated to—​and likely transcribed by—​Oliver Cowdery is not known. David Whitmer, however, shed light on the historical context when he said: “When Oliver Cowdery went to Pennsylvania he promised to write me what he should learn about [the Book of Mormon], which he did. He told me Joseph had told him his secret thoughts and all he had meditated about going to see him, which no man on earth knew, as he supposed, but himself.”18 This confirmed the account in Joseph’s history. (See 7.2 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract.)

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Additional background information can be found in the introduction to this chapter. See also JSP, D1:34–​37. Document Transcript CHAPTER V. 1 A Revelation to Oliver, given in Harmony, Pennsylvania, April, 1829, when employed a scribe for Joseph, while translating the book of Mormon. A GREAT and marvelous work is about to come forth unto the children of men: behold I am God, and give heed unto my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-​edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow:—​ Therefore give heed unto my words. 2 Behold the field is white already to harvest, therefore whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God: Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God; therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you. 3 Now as you have asked, behold I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion: seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold he that hath eternal life is rich. 4 Verily, verily I say unto you, even as you desire of me, so shall it be unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation. Say nothing but repentance unto this generation; keep my commandments and assist to bring forth my work according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed. [p. 14] 5 Behold thou hast a gift, and blessed art thou because of thy gift. remember it is sacred and cometh from above; and if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous: therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, convince them of the error of their ways. Make not thy gift known unto any, save it be those which are of thy faith.—​Trifle not with sacred things. If thou wilt do good, yea and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.

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6 Verily, verily I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done, for thou hast inquired of me, and behold as often as thou hast inquired, thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time. 7 Behold thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me, and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things, that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth; yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God, that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart: I tell thee these things as a witness unto thee, that the words or the work which thou hast been writing is true: 8 Therefore be diligent, stand by my servant Joseph faithfully in whatsoever difficult circumstances he may be, for the word’s sake. Admonish him in his faults and also receive admonition of him. Be patient; be sober; be temperate; have patience, faith, hope and charity. [p. 15] 9 Behold thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires, therefore, treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will incircle thee in the arms of my love. 10 Behold I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto my own and my own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. 11 Verily, verily I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things; did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter?—​What greater witness can you have than from God? And now behold, you have received a witness, for if I have told you things which no man knoweth, have you not received a witness? And behold I grant unto you a gift if you desire of me, to translate even as my servant Joseph. 12 Verily, verily I say unto you, that there are records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people; and now I command you, that if you have good desires, a desire to lay up treasures for yourself in heaven, then shall you assist in bringing to light, with your gift, those parts of my scriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity. 13 And now behold I give unto you, and also unto my servant Joseph, the keys of this gift, which shall bring to light this ministry; and in the mouth of two or three witnesses, shall every word be established. 14 Verily, verily I  say unto you, if they reject my words, and this part of my gospel and ministry, bles [p.  16]sed are ye, for they can do no more unto

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you than unto me; and if they do unto you, even as they have done unto me, blessed are ye, for you shall dwell with me in glory: but if they reject not my words, which shall be established by the testimony which shall be given, blessed are they; and then shall ye have joy in the fruit of your labors. 15 Verily, verily I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as touching one thing, behold there will I be in the midst of them: even so am I in the midst of you. Fear not to do good my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap: therefore, if ye sow good, ye shall also reap good for your reward: 16 Therefore fear not little flock, do good, let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my Rock, they cannot prevail. Behold I do not condemn you, go your ways and sin no more: perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you: look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not: behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet: be faithful; keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven: Amen. [p. 17] 7.10  Revelation, July 1828/​Spring 1829 [D&C 10] Source Note Chapter IX, Book of Commandments, 22–​27, typeset between November 1 and December 31, 1832. This is the earliest complete, extant version of this revelation because the first part of the copy made in Revelation Book 1 by John Whitmer is no longer extant. Editorial Note Although assigning the date of spring 1829 to this revelation, the Joseph Smith Papers project acknowledges that assigning any date “is problematic because the earliest extant versions of the text are dated inconsistently and because the content fits multiple historical contexts.”19 Moreover, the passage mentioning Martin Harris at the beginning of the revelation—​“ because you [ Joseph] delivered up so many writings, which you had power to translate, into the hands of a wicked man [Harris], you have lost them”—​is quite similar to that in a July 1828 revelation—​“when thou deliveredst up that which God had given thee sight and power to translate, thou deliveredst up that which was sacred, into the hands of a wicked man” (5.9 Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3]). In March of 1829, however, a revelation promised a repentant Harris that if he would “humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart,” he would become one of three witnesses to whom God would show the plates (6.9

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Revelation March 1829 [D&C 5]). Therefore, it would have been quite illogical for Harris, who had indeed humbled himself—​and would become one of the special witnesses—​to once again be called a wicked man in April or May of 1829. Two key factors weigh in favor of an 1828 dating: this revelation was inserted into the section of Joseph’s history (5.3 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract) dealing with 1828 events, and the history specifically states that this revelation was received “a few days” after another revelation definitely received in 1828 (5.9 Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3]). At the same time, Joseph’s history created lasting confusion by retaining the May 1829 date from the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. Further confusion arises because most of the latter parts of this revelation reflect language from 1829 revelations (6.8 Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4] and 6.9 Revelation, March 1829 [D&C 5]) and from Book of Mormon passages likely translated in May of 1829. According to the Joseph Smith Papers, “A potential solution to these complexities is to consider the featured text a composite of two revelations, one from 1828 and the other 1829.”20 True, that solution is not without problems of its own, but as Max H. Parkin and Elden J. Watson and others have urged, it is the best possible solution21 and is the one adopted for this volume. Document Transcript CHAPTER IX. 1 A Revelation given to Joseph, in Harmony, Pennsylvania, May, 1829, informing him of the alteration of the Manuscript of the fore part of the book of Mormon. NOW, behold I say unto you, that because you delivered up so many writings, which you had power to translate, into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them, and you also lost your gift at the same time, nevertheless it has been restored unto you again: therefore, see that you are faithful and go on unto the finishing of the remainder of the work as you have begun. Do not run faster than you have strength and means provided to translate, but be diligent unto the end, that you may come off conquerer; yea, that you may conquer satan, and those that do uphold his work. 2 Behold they have sought to destroy you; yea, even the man in whom you have trusted, and for this cause I said, that he is a wicked man, for he has sought to take away the things wherewith you have been intrusted; and he has also sought to destroy your gift, and because you have delivered the writings into his hands, behold they have taken them from you: therefore, you have delivered them up; yea, that which was sacred unto wickedness. And behold, satan has put it into their hearts to alter the words which you have caused to be written, or which you have translated, which have gone

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out of your hands; and behold I say unto you, that because they have altered the words, they read contrary from that which you translated and caused to be written; and on this wise the devil has sought to lay a cunning [p. 22] plan, that he may destroy this work; for he has put it into their hearts to do this, that by lying they may say they have caught you in the words which you have pretended to translate. 3 Verily I say unto you, that I will not suffer that satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing, for behold he has put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God; for behold they say in their hearts, We will see if God has given him power to translate, if so, he will also give him power again; and if God giveth him power again, or if he translate again, or in other words, if he bringeth forth the same words, behold we have the same with us, and we have altered them: Therefore, they will not agree, and we will say that he has lied in his words, and that he has no gift, and that he has no power: therefore, we will destroy him, and also the work, and we will do this that we may not be ashamed in the end, and that we may get glory of the world. 4 Verily, verily I say unto you, that satan has great hold upon their hearts; he stirreth them up to do iniquity against that which is good, that he may lead their souls to destruction, and thus he has laid a cunning plan to destroy the work of God; yea, he stirreth up their hearts to anger against this work; yea, he saith unto them, Deceive and lie in wait to catch, that ye may destroy: behold this is no harm, and thus he flattereth them and telleth them that it is no sin to lie, that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him, and thus he flattereth them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to hell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare; and thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men. [p. 23] 5 Verily, verily I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to decieve, because he supposeth that another lieth to decieve, for such are not exempt from the justice of God.22 6 Now, behold they have altered those words, because satan saith unto them, He hath decieved you, and thus he flattereth them away to do iniquity, to tempt the Lord their God. 7 Behold I say unto you, that you shall not translate again those words which have gone forth out of your hands; for behold, they shall not lie any more against those words; for behold, if you should bring forth the same words, they would say that you have lied; that you have pretended to translate, but that you have contradicted your words; and behold they would publish this, and satan would harden the hearts of the people, to stir them up to anger

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against you, that they might not believe my words: thus satan would overpower this generation, that the work might not come forth in this generation: but behold here is wisdom, and because I show unto you wisdom, and give you commandments concerning these things, what you shall do, show it not unto the world until you have accomplished the work. 8 Marvel not that I said unto you, here is wisdom, show it not unto the world, for I said, show it not unto the world, that you may be preserved. Behold I do not say that you shall not show it unto the righteous; but as you cannot always judge the righteous, or as you cannot always tell the wicked from the righteous: therefore, I say unto you, hold your peace until I shall see fit to make all things known unto the world concerning the matter. 9 And now, verily I say unto you, that an account of those things that you have written, which have [p. 24] gone out of your hands, are engraven upon the plates of Nephi; yea, and you remember, it was said in those writings, that a more particular account was given of these things upon the plates of Nephi. 10 And now, because the account which is engraven upon the plates of Nephi, is more particular concerning the things, which in my wisdom I would bring to the knowledge of the people in this account: therefore, you shall translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi, down even till you come to the reign of king Benjamin, or until you come to that which you have translated, which you have retained; and behold, you shall23 publish it as the record of Nephi, and thus I will confound those who have altered my words. I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil. 11 Behold they have only got a part, or an abridgment of the account of Nephi. Behold there are many things engraven on the plates of Nephi, which do throw greater views upon my gospel: therefore, it is wisdom in me, that you should translate this first part of the engravings of Nephi, and send forth in this work. And behold, all the remainder of this work, does contain all those parts of my gospel which my holy prophets; yea, and also my disciples desired in their prayers, should come forth unto this people. And I said unto them, that it should be granted unto them according to their faith in their prayers; yea, and this was their faith, that my gospel which I gave unto them, that they might preach in their days, might come unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and also, all that had become Lamanites, because of their dissensions. [p. 25] 12 Now this is not all, their faith in their prayers were, that this gospel should be made known also, if it were possible that other nations should possess this land; and thus they did leave a blessing upon this land in their prayers, that whosoever should believe in this gospel, in this land, might have eternal life;

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yea, that it might be free unto all of whatsoever nation, kindred, tongue, or people, they may be. 13 And now, behold, according to their faith in their prayers, will I bring this part of my gospel to the knowledge of my people. Behold, I do not bring it to destroy that which they have received, but to build it up. 14 And for this cause have I said, if this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them. Now I do not say this to destroy my church, but I  say this to build up my church:  therefore, whosoever belongeth to my church need not fear, for such shall inherit the kingdom of heaven: but it is they who do not fear me, neither keep my commandments, but buildeth up churches unto themselves, to get gain; yea, and all those that do wickedly, and buildeth up the kingdom of the devil; yea, verily, verily I say unto you, that it is they that I will disturb, and cause to tremble and shake to the centre. 15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God: I came unto my own, and my own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. I am he who said other sheep have I which are not of this fold, unto my disciples, and many there were that understood me not. 16 And I will show unto this people, that I had [p. 26] other sheep, and that they were a branch of the house of Jacob; and I will bring to light their marvelous works, which they did in my name; yea, and I will also bring to light my gospel, which was ministered unto them, and behold they shall not deny that which you have received, but they shall build it up, and shall bring to light the true points of my doctrine: Yea, and the only doctrine which is in me; and this I do, that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention:  Yea, satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention, concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures, and do not understand them: therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery, for behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts: Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely. 17 Behold this is my doctrine: whosoever repenteth, and cometh unto me, the same is my church: whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me: therefore, he is not of my church. 18 And now, behold whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my Rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. 19 And now, remember the words of him who is the life and the light of the world, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God: Amen. [p. 27]

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7.11  Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 7] Source Note Chapter VI, Book of Commandments, 18; the earliest extant version of the text was copied into Revelation Book 1, 15–​16, by John Whitmer around March of 1831. Editorial Note According to Joseph Smith’s history, a difference of opinion arose between him and Cowdery “about the account of John the Apostle, mentioned in the new testament, John, twenty first chapter and twenty second verse, whether he died, or whether he continued.” They mutually agreed to settle the matter “by the Urim and Thummin,” and received the following revelation (7.2 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca 1841, Extracts). This and the two revelations that follow are listed here in the same order given in Joseph’s history—​which is different from the order used in the Joseph Smith Papers (JSP, D1:44–​50). Document Transcript CHAPTER VI. 1 A Revelation given to Joseph and Oliver, in Harmony, Pennsylvania, April, 1829, when they desired to know whether John, the beloved disciple, tarried on earth. Translated from parchment, written and hid up by himself.24 AND the Lord said unto me, John my beloved, what desirest thou? and I said Lord, give unto me power that I may bring souls unto thee.—​And the Lord said unto me: Verily, verily I say unto thee, because thou desiredst this, thou shalt tarry till I come in my glory: 2 And for this cause, the Lord said unto Peter:—​If I  will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? for he desiredst of me that he might bring souls unto me: but thou desiredst that thou might speedily come unto me in my kingdom: I say unto thee, Peter, this was a good desire, but my beloved has undertaken a greater work. 3 Verily I say unto you, ye shall both have according to your desires, for ye both joy in that which ye have desired. [p. 18] 7.12  Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 8] Source Note Chapter VII, Book of Commandments, 19–​20; the earliest extant version of the text was copied into Revelation Book 1, 12–​13, by John Whitmer around March of 1831.

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Editorial Note According to Joseph Smith’s history, as he and Cowdery translated during April of 1829, the latter “became exceedingly anxious to have the power to translate bestowed upon him and in relation to this desire the folowing revelations were obtained” (7.2 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts). The two revelations in question were the one featured here and the one that follows (7.13 Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 9]). See JSP, D1:44–​47 and 48–​50, respectively, for more information on these two revelations. Document Transcript CHAPTER VII. 1 A Revelation given to Oliver, in Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829. OLIVER, verily, verily I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, which is your God and your Redeemer, even so sure shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient, which contain those parts of my scripture of which have been spoken, by the manifestation of my Spirit; yea, behold I will tell you in your mind and in your heart by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. 2 Now, behold this is the Spirit of revelation:—​behold this is the Spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red sea on dry ground: therefore, this is thy gift; apply unto it and blessed art thou, for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies, when, if it were not so, they would slay you and bring your soul to destruction. 3 O remember, these words and keep my commandments. Remember this is your gift. Now this is not all, for you have another gift, which is the gift of working with the rod;25 behold it has told you things: behold there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands,26 for it is the work of God; and therefore whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that will I grant unto you, that you shall know. 4 Remember that without faith you can do noth [p. 19]ing. Trifle not with these things. Do not ask for that which you ought not. Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records, which have been hid up, which are sacred, and according to your faith shall it be done unto you. 5 Behold it is I that have spoken it, and I am the same which spake unto you from the beginning:—​ Amen.

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7.13  Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 9] Source Note Chapter VIII, Book of Commandments, 20–​21, typeset between November 1 and December 31, 1832.This is the earliest complete, extant version because the last section of text is missing from the copy in Revelation Book 1. Editorial Note See 7.12 Revelation, April 1829–​B [D&C 8], Editorial Note. Document Transcript CHAPTER VIII. 1 A Revelation given to Oliver, in Harmony, Pennsylvania, April, 1829. BEHOLD I  say unto you, my son, that, because you did not translate according to that which you desired of me, and did commence again to write for my servant Joseph, even so I would that you should continue until you have finished this record, which I have intrusted unto you: and then behold, other records have I, that I will give unto you power that you may assist to translate. 2 Be patient my son, for it is wisdom in me, and it is not expedient that you should translate at this present time. Behold the work which you are called to do, is to write for my servant Joseph; and behold it is because that you did not continue as you commenced, when you begun to translate, that I have taken away this privilege from you. Do not murmur my son, for it is wisdom in me that I have dealt with you in this manner. 3 Behold you have not understood, you have supposed that I  would give it unto you, when you took [p. 20] no thought, save it was to ask me; but behold I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right, I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you: therefore, you shall feel that it is right; but if it be not right, you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought, that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong: therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred, save it be given you from me. 4 Now if you had known this, you could have translated:  nevertheless, it is not expedient that you should translate now. Behold it was expedient when you commenced, but you feared and the time is past, that it is not expedient now: for, do you not behold that I have given unto my servant Joseph sufficient strength, whereby it is made up? and neither of you have I condemned.

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5 Do this thing which I  have commanded you, and you shall prosper. Be faithful, and yield to no temptation. Stand fast in the work wherewith I have called you, and a hair of your head shall not be lost, and you shall be lifted up at the last day: Amen. [p. 21]27 7.14  Book of Mormon, Extract, circa May 1829 Source Note 1830 Edition of the Book of Mormon, 493–​96; 3 Nephi 19 in the 1981 LDS edition. Editorial Note According to Joseph Smith’s history, he and Oliver Cowdery were continuing the work of translation in May of 1829, when “on a certain day,” they “went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins,” as they “found mentioned in the translation of the plates” (7.2 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca 1841, Extract). Cowdery was even more explicit, noting that he and Joseph’s concern about baptism came about “after writing the account given of the Savior’s ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent” (7.1 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, September 7, 1834, Extract). The Savior’s ministry among the Book of Mormon people is described in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, pages 472–​510 (3 Nephi 9–​28 in the 1981 LDS version), and the section featured here depicts particularly dramatic events associated with baptism that easily could have motivated Joseph and Cowdery to pray about the matter. Except for minor corrections of spelling and grammar, the 1830 Book of Mormon and the 1981 LDS version follow the Printer’s Manuscript quite closely. Not only that, but an extant fragment of the original manuscript includes several lines of the section featured here, and those lines closely correspond to the Printer’s Manuscript.28 Document Transcript THE BOOK OF NEPHI. CHAPTER IX. And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ascended into Heaven, the multitude did disperse, and every man did take his wife and his children, and did return to his own home. And it was noised abroad among the people immediately, before it was yet dark, that the multitude had seen Jesus, and that he had ministered unto them, and that he would also show himself on the morrow unto the multitude; yea, and even all the night it was noised abroad concerning Jesus; and insomuch did they

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send forth unto the people, that there were many, yea, an exceeding great number did labor exceedingly all that night, that they might be on the morrow in the place where Jesus should shew himself unto the multitude. And it came to pass that on the morrow, when the multitude was gathered together, behold Nephi and his brother, whom he had raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son, whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his brother, and Kumen, and Kumenonhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah: Now these were the names of the disciples whom Jesus had chosen. And it came to pass that they went forth [p. 493] and stood in the midst of the multitude. And behold, the multitude was so great, that they did cause that they should be separated into twelve bodies. And the twelve did teach the multitude; and behold, they did cause that the multitude should kneel down upon the face of the earth, and should pray unto the Father, in the name of Jesus. And the disciples did pray unto the Father also, in the name of Jesus. And it came to pass that they arose and ministered unto the people. And when they had ministered those same words which Jesus had spoken—​nothing varying from the words which Jesus had spoken—​behold, they knelt again, and prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus; and they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them. And when they had thus prayed, they went down unto the water’s edge, and the multitude followed them. And it came to pass that Nephi went down into the water, and was baptized. And he came up out of the water, and began to baptize. And he baptized all they whom Jesus had chosen. And it came to pass when they were all baptized, and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. And behold, they were encircled about as if it were fire; and it came down from heaven, and the multitude did witness it, and do bear record; and angels did come down out of heaven, and did minister unto them. And it came to pass that while the angels were ministering unto the disciples, behold, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and ministered unto them. And it came to pass that he spake unto the multitude, and commanded them that they should kneel down again upon the earth, and also that his disciples should kneel down upon the earth. And it came to pass that when they had all knelt down upon the earth, he commanded his disciples that they should pray. And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God. And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he saith, Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me, that I have chosen them out of the world. Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in

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their words. Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost, because they believe in me, and thou seest that they believe in me, because thou hear [p. 494]est them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them. And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all they which shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire. And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them, as they did pray unto him, and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance, and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof. And Jesus saith unto them, Pray on, nevertheless they did not cease to pray. And he turned from them again, and went a little way off, and bowed himself to the earth; and he prayed again unto the Father, saying: Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those which I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them which shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me. Father, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given unto me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them. And it came to pass that when Jesus had spake these words, he came again unto his disciples, and behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon then again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus. And it came to pass that he went again a little way off, and prayed unto the Father; and tongue cannot speak the words which he prayed, neither can be written by man the words which he prayed. And the multitude did hear, and do bear record, and their hearts were open, and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed. Nevertheless, so great and marvellous were the words which he prayed, that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered by man. And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying, he came again to the disciples, and saith unto [p.  495] them, So great faith have I  never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not shew unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief. Verily I  say unto you, there are none of them that have seen so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great things as ye have heard.

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7.15  Revelation, May 1829 [D&C 11] Source Note Chapter X, Book of Commandments, 28–​30, typeset between November 1 and December 31, 1832.This is the earliest extant version because the version copied into Revelation Book 1 by John Whitmer is missing. Editorial Note According to Joseph Smith’s history, “Not many days [after Samuel Smith was baptized in May of  1829], my brother Hyrum Smith came to us to enquire concerning these things, when at his earnest request, I enquired of the Lord through the Urim and Thummin, and received for him the following [revelation:]” (7.2 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts). Document Transcript CHAPTER X. 1 A Revelation given to Hyrum, in Harmony, May, 1829. A GREAT and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men: behold I am God and give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-​edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow: therefore, give heed unto my word. 2 Behold the field is white already to harvest, therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God; yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God: therefore, if you will ask of me, you shall receive; if you will knock, it shall be opened unto you. 3 Now as you have asked, behold I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion. Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich; behold he that hath eternal life is rich. 4 Verily, verily I say unto you, even as you desire of me, so shall it be done unto you; and, if you desire you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation. Say nothing but repentance unto this generation. Keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed.

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5 Behold thou hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift, if thou wilt desire of me in faith, with an honest [p. 28] heart, believing in the power of Jesus Christ, or in my power which speaketh unto thee: for behold it is I that speaketh: behold I am the light which shineth in darkness, and by my power I give these words unto thee. 6 And now, verily, verily I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good: Yea, to do justly; to walk humbly; to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. 7 Verily, verily I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy, and then shall you know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which is pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive. 8 Behold I command you, that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called: wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my Rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine; and then behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith, shall it be done unto you. 9 Keep my commandments; hold your peace; appeal unto my Spirit:  Yea, cleave unto me with all your heart, that you may assist in bringing to light those things of which have been spoken: Yea, the translation of my work: be patient until you shall accomplish it. 10 Behold this is your work, to keep my commandments: Yea, with all your might, mind, and strength: seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongues be loosed; then, if you desire you shall have my Spirit, and my word: Yea, the power of God unto the [p. 29] convincing of men: but now hold your peace; study my word which hath gone forth among the children of men; and also study my word which shall come forth among the children of men; or that which you are translating:  Yea, until you have obtained all which I  shall grant unto the children of men in this generation; and then shall all things be added thereunto. 11 Behold thou art Hyrum, my son; seek the kingdom of God and all things shall be added according to that which is just. Build upon my Rock, which is my gospel; deny not the Spirit of revelation, nor the Spirit of prophecy, for wo unto him that denieth these things: therefore, treasure up in your hearts until the time which is in my wisdom, that you shall go forth: Behold I  speak unto all who have good desires, and have thrust in their sickles to reap.

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12 Behold I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God: I am the life and the light of the world: I am the same which came unto my own, and my own received me not: but verily, verily I say unto you, that as many as receiveth me, them will I give power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on my name: Amen. [p. 30] 7.16  Revelation, May 1829 [D&C 12] Source Note Chapter XI, Book of Commandments, 31, typeset between November 1 and December 31, 1832.This is the earliest extant version of the text, which is not found in Revelation Book 1 or the index to that volume. Editorial Note See 1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​ 1847, Editorial Note. Document Transcript CHAPTER XI. 1 A Revelation given to Joseph (K.,) in Harmony, Pennsylvania, May, 1829, informing him how he must do, to be worthy to assist in the work of the Lord. A GREAT and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men:  behold I  am God, and give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-​edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow: therefore, give heed unto my word. 2 Behold the field is white already to harvest, therefore whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God: Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God: therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you. 3 Now as you have asked, behold I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.

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4 Behold I speak unto you, and also to all those who have desires to bring forth and establish this work, and no one can assist in this work, except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be intrusted to his care. 5 Behold I  am the light and the life of the world, that speaketh these words: therefore, give heed with your might, and then you are called: Amen. [p. 31]

8 “I Often Sat By and Saw and Heard Them Translate and Write for Hours Together” The Translation: June 1829

i Around the first of June, David Whitmer, equipped with two horses and a wagon, made the trip of a little over one hundred miles to Harmony, Pennsylvania, where he helped Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery move to the Whitmer farm in Fayette Township, New  York. The day after their arrival, Joseph and Cowdery resumed the translation, which they completed by July 1. Cowdery was still the principal scribe, but John and Christian Whitmer both assisted in that role. In 1897, Oliver B. Huntington conversed with eighty-​eight-​year-​old Sarah Heller Conrad, who had lived with the Whitmers as a hired girl during the summer of 1829. She remembered seeing Joseph and Oliver and others “come down from translating room several times when they looked so exceedingly white and strange that she inquired of Mrs. Whitmer the cause of their unusual appearance.” Reluctant to discuss the matter at first, Mrs. Whitmer finally “told her what the men were doing in the room above and that the power of God was so great in the room that they could hardly endure it.”1 June 1829 was also the month that the three witnesses claimed to see the angel and the plates; the eight witnesses claimed to see and handle the plates; and Joseph and others began preparing for the printing of the Book of Mormon, all covered in succeeding chapters.

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First-​H and Reminiscences 8.1  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts Source Note Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:306–​8, 312–​14. Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Shortly after commencing to translate, I became acquainted with Mr Peter Whitmer [Sr.] of Fayette, Seneca County New York, and also with some of his family. In the beginning of the month of June, his son, David Whitmer came to the place where we were residing, and brought with him a two horse waggon, for the purpose of having us accompany him to his father’s place and there remain untill we should finish the work. He proposed that we should have our board free of charge, and the assistance of one of his brothers to write for me, as also his own assistance when convenient. Having much need of such timely aid in an undertaking so arduous, and being informed that the people of the neighborhood were anxiously the awaiting the opportunity to enquire into these things; we accepted the invitation and accompanied Mr Whitmer to his father’s house, and there resided [p. 21] untill the translation was finished, and the copyright secured. Upon our arrival, we found Mr Whitmer’s family very anxious concerning the work, and very friendly towards ourselves. They continued so, boarded and lodged us according to proposal, and John Whitmer, in particular, assisted us very much in writing during the remainder of the work. In the meantime, David, John, and Peter Whitmer Jr became our zealous friends and assistants in the work; And being anxious to know their respective duties, and having desired with much earnestness that I should enquire of the Lord concerning them, I did so, through the means of the Urim and Thummin and obtained for them in succession the folowing Revelations.

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[Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 39 (8.10 Revelation June 1829 [D&C 14]), 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 40 (8.11 Revelation June 1829 [D&C 15]), and 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 41 (8.12 Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 16]) inserted here.] We found the people of Seneca County in general friendly and disposed to enquire into the truth of these strange matters which now began to be noised abroad: Many opened their houses to us in order that we might have an opportunity of meeting with our friends for the purposes of instruction and explanation. We met with many from time to time, who were willing to hear us, and wishful to find out the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, and apparently willing to obey the Gospel when once fairly convinced and satisfied in their own minds; and in this same month of June, my brother Hyrum Smith, David Whitmer, and Peter Whitmer Jr were baptized, the two former by myself; the latter by Oliver Cowdery—​ From this time forth many became believers, and were baptized, whilst we continued to instruct and persuade as many as for information. 8.2  Elizabeth Whitmer Cowdery’s Statement, February 15, 1870 Source Note Letter, William E.  McLellin to “My Dear Friends,” February 1870, McLellin Collection, CCLA, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 233–​34. Editorial Note Elizabeth Ann Whitmer Cowdery was born in Fayette, Seneca County, New York, to Peter and Mary Musselman Whitmer on January 22, 1815. She was the younger sister of Christian, David, Jacob, John, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. She was baptized into the Church of Christ on April 18, 1830. Elizabeth was seventeen years old when she married Oliver Cowdery on December 18, 1832, in Jackson County, Missouri. (Oliver was twenty-​six.) Elizabeth and Oliver had six children, but only one, Maria Louise, born August 21, 1835, survived adolescence. After Oliver’s death on March 3, 1850, in Richmond, Missouri, Elizabeth and Maria remained there, living in a room in the Peter and Mary Whitmer home. After Maria married physician Charles Johnson (1825–​1906) on September 7, 1856, Elizabeth lived with them, first in Southwest City, Missouri, then El Paso County, Colorado, and eventually back to Southwest City. Maria and Charles did not have any children. Elizabeth joined the RLDS Church sometime after 1860. Elizabeth died in Southwest City on January 7, 1892, shortly before what would have been her seventy-​seventh birthday. Maria, only fifty-​six, died two days later.2

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In the letter that includes Elizabeth Whitmer Cowdery’s statement, William E. McLellin reported visiting David Whitmer in Richmond, Missouri, several days earlier. After summarizing his meeting with Whitmer, McLellin wrote that he “had a great deal of talk with widow [Elizabeth Whitmer] Cowdry, and her amiable daughter [Maria]. She is married to a Dr Johnson, but has no children. [Elizabeth] gave me a certificate, And this is the copy” (233). Document Transcript Richmond, Ray Co., Mo. Feb 15, 1870 —​ —​ —​I cheerfully certify that I was familiar with the manner of Joseph Smith’s translating the Book of Mormon. He translated the most of it at my Father’s house. And I often sat by and saw and heard them translate and write for hours together. Joseph never had a curtain drawn between him and his scribe while he was translating. he would place the director in his hat, and then place his face in his hat, so as to exclude the light, and then [read the words?] as they appeared before him. 8.3  Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract Source Note Kansas City Journal, Missouri, June 5, 1881, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews,  61–​62. Editorial Note See 1.31 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Soon after [receiving a letter from Oliver Cowdery in Pennsylvania about the progress of the translation] I received another letter from Cowdery, telling me to come down to Pennsylvania and bring him and Joseph to my father’s house, giving me a reason therefore that they had received a commandment from God to that effect. I went down to Harmony, and found everything just as they had written me. The next day after I got there they packed up and we proceeded on our journey to my father’s house where we arrived in due time, and the day after Smith commenced upon the translation of the remainder of the plates.3 I, as well as all of my father’s

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family, Smith’s wife, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris were present during the translation.4 The translation was by Smith and THE MANNER AS FOLLOWS: He used a stone of a chocolate color, nearly egg-​shape and perfectly smooth, but not transparent, called a seer stone, which was furnished him when he commenced translating again after losing the 116 pages. He put the stone in his hat and putting his face in his hat so as to exclude the light and before his eyes would appear what seemed to be parchment, on which would appear the characters of the plates in a line at the top and immediately below would appear the translation, in English, which Smith would read to his scribe, who wrote it down exactly as it fell from his lips. The scribe would then read the sentence written, and if any mistake had been made the characters would remain visible to Smith until corrected, when they faded from sight to be replaced by another line.5 The translation at my father’s occupied about one month, that is from June 1 to July 1, 1829. 8.4  David Whitmer’s Address to All Believers in Christ, 1887, Extract Source Note Whitmer, Address to All Believers in Christ, 11, 12, 30. Editorial Note David Whitmer’s seventy-​five-​page pamphlet An Address to all Believers in Christ “is a humble appeal to bring believing Christians to Mormonism and to unite the scattered believers of the original faith,” writes Lyndon Cook. “It is poorly organized and sentimentalized—​not so much a detailed record as almost obsessive ruminations of a few themes—​but it does sum up both Whitmer’s views and his nature. It confirms the details of his participation in the Restoration as he perceived them, but it is a sweeping rejection of Joseph Smith and the church after 1834.”6 Document Transcript I testify to the world that I am an eye-​witness to the translation of the greater part of the Book of Mormon. Part of it was translated in my father’s house in Fayette, Seneca County, N. Y. Farther on I give a description of the manner in which the book was translated. When the Spaulding story was made known to believers in the book, they called for the Spaulding manuscript, but it could not be found; but recently,

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thanks to the Lord, the original manuscript has been found and identified. It has been placed in the library of Oberlin college, Oberlin, Ohio, for public inspection. All who have doubts about it being the original Spaulding manuscript, can satisfy themselves by visiting Oberlin and examining the proofs. The manuscript is in the hands of those who are not believers in the Book of Mormon. They have kindly allowed the believers in the book to publish a copy of the manuscript, with the proofs that it is the manuscript of Solomon Spaulding. There is no similarity whatever between it and the Book of Mormon. Any one who investigates this question will see that the Spaulding manuscript story is a fabrication concocted by the enemies of the Book of Mormon, in order to account for the origin of that book. Neither Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris or myself ever met Sydney Rigdon until after the Book of Mormon was in print. I  know this of my own personal knowledge, being with Joseph Smith, in Seneca County, N. Y., in the winter of 1830, when Sydney Rigdon and Edward Partridge came from Kirtland, Ohio, to see Joseph Smith, and where Rigdon and Partridge saw Joseph Smith for the first time in their lives. The Spaulding manuscript story is a myth; there being no direct testimony on record in regard to Rigdon’s connection with the manuscript of Solomon Spaulding. . . . I will now give you a description of the manner in which the Book of Mormon was translated. Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English.7 Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man. . . . At times when Brother Joseph would attempt to translate, he would look into the hat in which the stone was placed, he found he was spiritually blind and could not translate. He told us that his mind dwelt too much on earthly things, and various causes would make him incapable of proceeding with the translation. When in this condition he would go out and pray, and when he became sufficiently humble before God, he could then proceed with the translation. Now we see how very strict the Lord is; and how he requires the heart of man to be just right in His sight, before he can receive revelation from him.

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Accounts from Others 8.5  Abram W. Benton’s Report of a Statement by Oliver Cowdery, March 1831, Extract Source Note A. W.  B., “MORMONITES,” Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate (Utica, New York) 2, no. 15 (April 9, 1831): 120. Editorial Note In his reminiscence about early Mormon history, Joseph Knight wrote:  “But along toards fall [1830] Joseph and Oliver Cowdray and David Whitmore [Whitmer] and John Whitmore Came from Harmony in Pennsylvany to my house on some Buisness. And some of the Vagabonds found they ware there and they made a Catspaw of a young fellow By the name of Docter Benton in Chenengo County to sware out a warrent against Joseph for as they said pertending to see under ground” (1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​1847). As Dan Vogel points out, the “A. W.  B” who authored this article was quite likely the same man mentioned by Knight, Abram W. Benton (1805–​1867) a South Bainbridge, New York, physician who practiced in that community until about 1838, when he moved to Illinois. In his article about the Mormonites, Benton discussed the 1826 court examination of Joseph Smith as well as the first of two July 1830 court hearings, all held in the South Bainbridge/​Colesville, New York, area.8 As Benton’s account shows, Joseph’s “inspirations” were discussed at the first 1830 hearing—​ something not known to have happened at the 1826 examination. For more information on these legal proceedings, see Walters, “Joseph Smith’s Bainbridge, N. Y., Court Trials.” Document Transcript In order to check the progress of delusion, and open the eyes and understandings of those who blindly followed [ Joseph Smith], and unmask the turpitude and villany of those who knowingly abetted him in his infamous designs; he was again arraigned before a bar of Justice, during last Summer, to answer to a charge of misdemeanor. This trial led to an investigation of his character and conduct, which clearly evinced to the unprejudiced, whence the spirit came which dictated his inspirations. During the trial it was shown that the Book of Mormon was brought to light by the same

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magic power by which he pretended to tell fortunes, discover hidden treasures, &c. Oliver Cowdry, one of the three witnesses to the book, testified under oath, that said Smith found with the plates, from which he translated his book, two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows. That by looking through these, he was able to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates. So much for the gift and power of God, by which Smith says he translated his book. Two transparent stones, undoubtedly of the same properties, and the gift of the same spirit as the one in which he looked to find his neighbor’s goods. 8.6  Josiah Jones’s Report of an Interview with Oliver Cowdery, 1831 Source Note W. S. “HISTORY OF THE MORMONITES,” MORMON BIBLE.—​No. V., The Evangelist (Carthage, Ohio) 9, no. 6 (1 June 1841):134. Editorial Note As Milton V. Backman Jr. notes, “Josiah Jones, a resident of Kirtland at the time of the introduction of Mormonism to Ohio, wrote in 1831 one of the earliest accounts of the rise of the Restored Church in the Western Reserve.”9 Walter Scott, editor of The Evangelist, identified the author (without explaining the initials “W. S”) and offered this introduction to the article: “The following respecting this imposture, is a document that will explain itself. It was written by brother Josiah Jones, formerly of Kirtland, the seat of Mormonism in Ohio, but now of Carthage, and a member of respectable standing in the church here. He was one of the faithful few belonging to the church of Kirtland, who refused to follow Rigdon when he made a surender of himself and his flock to the Mormons” (132). Document Transcript A few days after these men [Oliver Cowdery, Parley P.  Pratt, Peter Whitmer Jr., and Ziba Peterson] appeared again, a few of us went to see them and Cowdery was requested to state how the plates were found, which he did. He stated that Smith looked into or through the transparent stones to translate what was on the plates. I then asked him if he had ever looked through the stones to see what he could see in them; his reply was that he was not permitted to look into them. I asked him who

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debarred him from looking into them; he remained sometime in silence; then said that he had so much confidence in his friend Smith, who told him that he must not look into them, that he did not presume to do so lest he should tempt God and be struck dead. 8.7  Reuben Miller’s Report of Oliver Cowdery’s Testimony, October 21, 1848 Source Note “Last Days of Oliver Cowdery,” Deseret News, April 13, 1859. Editorial Note “On Sunday, 12 November 1848, apostle Orson Hyde, president of the Quorum of the Twelve and the Church’s presiding official at Kanesville-​Council Bluffs, Iowa, stepped into the cool waters of Mosquito Creek near Council Bluffs and took Mormonism’s estranged Second Elder by the hand to rebaptize him,” writes Scott H. Faulring.10 The “estranged Second Elder” was Oliver Cowdery, the first “Mormon” to be baptized, who had been excommunicated from the church ten years and seven months earlier, to the day. Two men played key roles in the events leading to Cowdery’s arrival in Iowa—​Phineas Young (1799–​1879), Cowdery’s friend and brother-​in-​law, and Reuben Miller (1811–​1882), “a reclaimed church leader from [ James J.] Strang’s movement and Cowdery’s Wisconsin neighbor, [who had] generously offered to outfit a team for the Second Elder and his family to use to go west.”11 “One of the spectacular events of Latter-​day Saint history unfolded as Oliver Cowdery [accompanied by his wife, Elizabeth Ann Whitmer Cowdery; their thirteen-​year-​old daughter, Maria Louise; and Phineas Young] walked into a conference session in progress at Council Bluffs [on October 21, 1848] and was personally escorted to the stand by his friend Orson Hyde,” adds Richard L. Anderson. “No one [among those who heard Cowdery’s testimony given after Hyde introduced him] seems to have been more impressed than Reuben Miller, who at the same meeting had made his own public reconciliation with the Church.”12 Miller based the article featured here on journal entries he made the same day that Cowdery spoke at the Council Bluffs conference (Reuben Miller, Journal, October 21, 1848, Reuben Miller journals, 1848–​149, CHL, in Vogel, EMD 2:493–​45).

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Document Transcript Last Days of Oliver Cowdery. At a special Conference at Council Bluffs, Iowa, held on the 21st day of October, in the year 1848, brother Oliver Cowdery, one of the three important witnesses to the truth of the Book of Mormon, and who had been absent from the Church, through disaffection, for a number of years, and had been engaged in the practice of law, was present and made the remarks here annexed. Br. Orson Hyde presided at the said conference. Br. Reuben Miller, now Bishop of Mill Creek Ward, was also present at the time and noted what he said, and has furnished us what he believes to be a verbatim report of his remarks, which we take pleasure in laying before our readers: —​ “FRIENDS AND BRETHREN:—​ My name is Cowdery, Oliver Cowdery. In the early history of this Church I stood identified with her, and one in her councils. True it is that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance; not because I was better than the rest of mankind was I called; but, to fulfill the purposes of God, he called me to a high and holy calling. “I wrote, with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by the means of the Urim and Thummim, or, as it is called by that book, ‘Holy interpreters.’ I  beheld with my eyes, and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was transcribed. I also saw with my eyes and handled with my hands the ‘holy interpreters.’ That book is true. Sidney Rigdon did not write it; Mr. Spaulding did not write it. I wrote it myself as it fell from the lips of the Prophet. It contains the everlasting gospel, and came forth to the children of men in fulfillment of the revelations of John, where he says he saw an angel come, with the everlasting gospel to preach to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. It contains principles of salvation; and if you, my hearers, will walk by its light and obey its precepts, you will be saved with an everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God on high. Brother Hyde has just said that it is very important that we keep and walk in the true channel, in order to avoid the sand bars. This is true. The channel is here. The Holy Priesthood is here. “I was present with Joseph when an holy angel from God came down from heaven and conferred on us, or restored, the lesser or Aaronic Priesthood, and said to us, at the same time, that it should remain upon the earth while the earth stands. “I was also present with Joseph when the higher or Melchisedek Priesthood was conferred by the holy angel from on high. This Priesthood we then conferred on each other, by the will and commandment of God. This Priesthood, as was then declared, is also to remain upon the earth until the last remnant of time. This holy

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Priesthood, or authority, we then conferred upon many, and is just as good and valid as though God had done it in person. “I laid my hands upon that man—​yes, I  laid my right hand upon his head—​ [pointing to brother Hyde] and I  conferred upon him this Priesthood, and he holds that Priesthood now. He was also called through me, by the prayer of faith, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.[”] In the early part of November following, as br. Miller relates, br. Hyde called a High Council, in the Tabernacle, to consider the case of br. Cowdery; having been cut off by the voice of a High Council, it was thought that, if he was restored, he should be restored by the voice of a similar body. Before this body br. Cowdery said:—​ “Brethren, for a number of years I have been separated from you. I now desire to come back. I wish to come humbly and to be one in your midst. I seek no station; I only wish to be identified with you. I am out of the Church. I am not a member of the Church; but I wish to become a member of it. I wish to come in at the door. I know the door. I have not come here to seek precedence. I come humbly and throw myself upon the decisions of this body, knowing as I do, that its decisions are right and should be obeyed.” Br. Geo. W. Harris, President of the Council, moved that br. Cowdery be received. Considerable discussion took place in relation to a certain letter which, it was alleged, br. Cowdery had written to David Whitmer. Br. Cowdery again rose and said:—​ “If there be any person that has aught against me, let him declare it. My coming back and humbly asking to become a member through the door, covers the whole ground.—​I acknowledge this authority.” Br. Hyde moved that br. Oliver Cowdery be received into the Church by baptism, and that all old things be dropped and forgotten. Seconded and carried unanimously. We are informed by Elder Phineas H. Young, who was present at his death, that Oliver Cowdery died in Richmond, Missouri, at 4 o’clock a.m., March 3, 1849 [actually 1850]. Elder Young says, “his last moments were spent in bearing testimony of the truth of the gospel revealed through Joseph Smith and the power of the holy Priesthood which he had received through his administration.” 8.8  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches, 1853, 135–​37.

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Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial  Note. Document Transcript We will now return to Pennsylvania where we left Joseph and Oliver busily engaged in translating the Record. After Samuel left them, they still continued the work as before, until about the time of the proceedings that took place in Lyons, New York. Near this time, as Joseph was translating by means of the Urim and Thummim, he received instead of the words of the Book, a commandment to write a letter to a man by the name of David Whitmer, who lived in Waterloo, requesting him to come immediately with his team, and convey himself and Oliver to his own residence, as an evil-​ designing people were seeking to take away his ( Joseph’s) life, in order to prevent the work of God from going forth to the world. The letter was written and delivered, and was shown by Mr. Whitmer to his father, mother, brothers, and sisters, and their advice was asked in regard to the best course for him to take in relation to the matter. His father reminded him that he had as much wheat sown upon the ground as he could harrow in two days, at least; besides this, he had a quantity of plaster of paris to spread, which must be done immediately, consequently he could not go, unless he [p.  135] could get a witness from God that it was absolutely necessary. This suggestion pleased David, and he asked the Lord for a testimony concerning his going for Joseph, and was told by the voice of the Spirit to go as soon as his wheat was harrowed in. The next morning, David went to the field, and found that he had two heavy days’ work before him. He then said to himself that, if he should be enabled, by any means, to do this work sooner than the same had ever been done on the farm before, he would receive it as an evidence, that it was the will of God, that he should do all in his power to assist Joseph Smith in the work in which he was engaged. He then fastened his horses to the harrow, and instead of dividing the field into what is, by farmers, usually termed lands, drove around the whole of it, continuing thus till noon, when, on stopping for dinner, he looked around, and discovered to his surprise, that he had harrowed in full half the wheat. After dinner he went on as before, and by evening he finished the whole two days’ work.

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His father, on going into the field the same evening, saw what had been done, and he exclaimed, “There must be an overruling hand in this, and I think you would better go down to Pennsylvania as soon as your plaster of paris is sown.” The next morning, David took a wooden measure under his arm and went out to sow the plaster, which he had left, two days previous, in heaps near his sister’s house, but, on coming to the place, he discovered that it was gone! He then ran to his sister, and inquired of her if she knew what had become of it. Being surprised she said, “Why do you ask me? was it not all sown yesterday?” “Not to my knowledge,” answered David. “I am astonished at that,” replied his sister, “for the children came to me in the forenoon, and begged of me to go out and see the men sow plaster in the field, saying, that they never saw anybody sow plaster so fast in their lives. I accordingly went, [p. 136] and saw three men at work in the field, as the children said, but, supposing that you had hired some help, on account of your hurry, I went immediately into the house, and gave the subject no further attention.” David made considerable inquiry in regard to the matter, both among his relatives and neighbors, but was not able to learn who had done it. However, the family were convinced that there was an exertion of supernatural power connected with this strange occurrence. David immediately set out for Pennsylvania, and arrived there in two days, without injuring his horses in the least, though the distance was one hundred and thirty-​five miles [actually closer to one hundred miles]. When he arrived, he was under the necessity of introducing himself to Joseph, as this was the first time that they had ever met. I will observe, that the only acquaintance which existed between the Smith and Whitmer families, was that formed by Mr. Smith and myself, when on our way from Manchester to Pennsylvania to visit Joseph, at which time we stopped with David over night and gave him a brief history of the Record. When Joseph commenced making preparations for the journey, he inquired of the Lord to know in what manner he should carry the plates. The answer was, that he should commit them into the hands of an angel, for safety, and after arriving at Mr. Whitmer’s the angel would meet him in the garden and deliver them up again into his hands. Joseph and Oliver set out without delay, leaving Emma to take charge of affairs during her husband’s absence. On arriving at Waterloo, Joseph received the Record according to promise. The next day, he and Oliver resumed the work of translation, which they continued without further interruption until the whole work was accomplished. [p. 137; end of ­chapter 8]

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8.9  Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith’s Interview with David Whitmer, September 1878, Extract Source Note “Report of Elders Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith,” Millennial Star, 40 (December 9, 1878): 772–​73. Editorial Note In 1878, apostles Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith traveled east to visit church historical sites. On their way, they stopped in Richmond, Missouri, to interview David Whitmer, then the last surviving witness of the Book of Mormon. The interviews took place on September 7 and 8, 1878. Document Transcript [David Whitmer:] Before I knew Joseph, I had heard about him and the plates from persons who declared they knew he had them, and swore they would get them from him. When Oliver Cowdery went to Pennsylvania, he promised to write me what he should learn about these matters, which he did. He wrote me that Joseph had told him his (Oliver’s) secret thoughts, and all he had meditated about going to see him, which no man on earth knew, as he supposed, but himself, and so he stopped to write for Joseph. Soon after this, Joseph sent for me (D. W.) to come to Harmony to get him and Oliver and bring them to my father’s house. I did not know what to do, I was pressed with my work. I had some 20 acres to plow, so I concluded I would finish plowing and then go. I got up one morning to go to work as usual and, on going to the field, found between five and seven acres of my ground had been plowed during the night. I don’t know who did it; but it was done just as I would have done it myself, and the plow was left standing in the furrow. This enabled me to start sooner. When I arrived at Harmony, Joseph and Oliver were coming toward me, and met me some distance from the house. Oliver told me that Joseph had informed him when I started from home, where I had stopped the first night, how I read the sign at the tavern, where I stopped the next night, etc., and that I would be there that day before dinner, and this was why they had come out to meet me; all of which was exactly as Joseph had told Oliver, at which I was greatly astonished. When I was returning to Fayette, with Joseph and Oliver, all of us riding in the wagon, Oliver and I on an old-​fashioned, wooden, spring seat and Joseph behind us; while traveling along in a clear open place, a very pleasant,

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nice-​looking old man suddenly appeared by the side of our wagon and saluted us with, “Good morning, it is very warm,” at the same time wiping his face or forehead with his hand. We returned the salutation, and, by a sign from Joseph, I invited him to ride if he was going our way. But he said very pleasantly, “No, I am going to Cumorah.” This name was something new to me, I did not know what Cumorah meant. We all gazed at him and at each other, and as I looked around inquiringly of Joseph, the old man instantly disappeared, so that I did not see him again. [ Joseph F. Smith:] Did you notice his appearance? [David Whitmer:] I should think I did. He was, I should think, about 5 feet 8 or 9 inches tall and heavy set, about such a man as James Vancleave there, but heavier; his face was as large, he was dressed in a suit of brown woolen clothes, his hair and beard were white, like Brother Pratt’s, but his beard was not so heavy. I also remember that he had on his back a sort of knapsack with something in, shaped like a book. It was the messenger who had the plates, who had taken them from Joseph just prior to our starting from Harmony.13 Soon after our arrival home, I saw something which led me to the belief that the plates were placed or concealed in my father’s barn. I frankly asked Joseph if my suppo[p. 772]sition was right, he told me it was. Some time after this, my mother was going to milk the cows, when she was met out near the yard by the same old man (judging by her description of him) who said to her: “You have been very faithful and diligent in your labors, but you are tired because of the increase in your toil; it is proper therefore that you should receive a witness that your faith may be strengthened.” Thereupon he showed her the plates. My father and mother had a large family of their own; the addition to it, therefore, of Joseph, his wife Emma, and Oliver very greatly increased the toil and anxiety of my mother. And although she had never complained, she had sometimes felt that her labor was too much, or at least she was perhaps beginning to feel so. This circumstance, however, completely removed all such feelings and nerved her up for her increased responsibilities. Contemporaneous Documents 8.10  Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 14] Source Note Chapter XII, Book of Commandments, 32–​33, typeset between November 1,1832 and early 1833. This is the earliest extant version of this revelation because the copy made in Revelation Book 1 by John Whitmer is no longer extant.

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Editorial Note As Joseph Smith’s history states, “David, John, and Peter Whitmer Jr became our zealous friends and assistants in the work; And being anxious to know their respective duties, and having desired with much earnestness that I should enquire of the Lord concerning them, I did so, through the means of the Urim and Thummin and obtained for them in succession the folowing Revelations” (8.1 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts). Document Transcript CHAPTER XII. 1 A Revelation given to David, in Fayette, New-​York, June, 1829. A GREAT and marvelous work is about to come forth unto the children of men: behold I am God, and give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-​edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow: therefore, give heed unto my word. 2 Behold the field is white already to harvest, therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God: Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God: therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you. 3 Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion.—​Keep my commandments in all things, and if you keep my commandments, and endure to the end, you shall have eternal life; which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God. 4 And it shall come to pass, that if you shall ask the Father in my name, in faith believing, you shall receive the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance, that you may stand as a witness of the things of which you shall both hear and see; and also, that you may declare repentance unto this generation. 5 Behold I  am Jesus Christ the Son of the living God, which created the heavens and the earth; a light which cannot be hid in darkness: wherefore, I must bring forth the fulness of my gospel from the [p. 32] Gentiles unto the house of Israel. And behold thou art David, and thou art called to assist: Which thing if ye do, and are faithful, ye shall be blessed both spiritually and temporally, and great shall be your reward: Amen.

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8.11  Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 15] Source Note Chapter XIII, Book of Commandments, 33, typeset circa early 1833. This is the earliest extant version of this revelation because the copy made in Revelation Book 1 by John Whitmer is no longer extant. Editorial Note See 8.10 Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 14], Editorial Note. Document Transcript CHAPTER XIII. 1 A Revelation given to John, in Fayette, New-​York, June, 1829. HEARKEN my servant John, and listen to the words of Jesus Christ, your Lord and your Redeemer, for behold I speak unto you with sharpness and with power, for mine arm is over all the earth, and I will tell you that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone: for many times you have desired of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you. 2 Behold, blessed are you for this thing, and for speaking my words which I have given you, according to my commandments: 3 And now behold I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you, will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen. [p. 33] 8.12  Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 16] Source Note Chapter XIV, Book of Commandments, 34, typeset circa early 1833. This is the earliest extant version of this revelation because the copy made in Revelation Book 1 by John Whitmer is no longer extant. Editorial Note See 8.10 Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 14], Editorial Note.

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Document Transcript CHAPTER XIV. 1 A Revelation given to Peter, in Fayette, New-​York, June, 1829. HEARKEN my servant Peter, and listen to the words of Jesus Christ, your Lord and your Redeemer, for behold I speak unto you with sharpness and with power, for mine arm is over all the earth, and I will tell you that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone: for many times you have desired of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you. 2 Behold, blessed are you for this thing, and for speaking my words which I have given you, according to my commandments: 3 And now behold I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you, will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen 8.13  Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 18] Source Note Chapter XV, Book of Commandments, 34–​39, typeset circa early 1833. This is the earliest extant version of this revelation because the copy made in Revelation Book 1 by John Whitmer is no longer extant. Editorial Note As noted, David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery first met in 1828 in Palmyra, New  York, becoming good friends as they independently investigated rumors involving Joseph Smith and the gold plates (6.6 David Whitmer Interview, Kansas City Journal, June 5, 1881). That friendship led directly to the translation of the Book of Mormon being completed at the Peter Whitmer home in Fayette, New  York, in June of 1829. This is the earliest extant document mentioning both David and Oliver, who figured so prominently in the founding of Mormonism. The bond between David and Oliver was further strengthened in 1832, when Oliver married David’s younger sister Elizabeth. In April of 1838, the two were excommunicated from the church within one day of each other. In 1850, David was present when Oliver died.

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Document Transcript CHAPTER XV. 1 A Revelation to Joseph, Oliver and David, making known the calling of twelve disciples in these last days, and also, instructions relative to building up the church of Christ, according to the fulness of the gospel: Given in Fayette, New-​ York, June, 1829. NOW behold, because of the thing which you have desired to know of me, I give unto you these words: 2 Behold I have manifested unto you, by my [p. 34] Spirit in many instances, that the things which you have written are true: 3 Wherefore you know that they are true; and if you know that they are true, behold I  give unto you a commandment, that you rely upon the things which are written; for in them are all things written, concerning my church, my gospel, and my rock. 4 Wherefore if you shall build up my church, and my gospel, and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. 5 Behold the world is ripening in iniquity, and it must needs be, that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance, both the Gentiles, and also the house of Israel: 6 Wherefore as thou hast been baptized by the hand of my servant, according to that which I have commanded him: 7 Wherefore he hath fulfilled the thing which I commanded him. 8 And now marvel not that I have called him unto mine own purpose, which purpose is known in me: 9 Wherefore if he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments, he shall be blessed unto eternal life, and his name is Joseph. 10 And now Oliver, I  speak unto you and also unto David, by the way of commandment: 11 For behold, I command all men every where to repent, and I speak unto you, even as unto Paul mine apostle, for you are called even with that same calling with which he was called. 12 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God: 13 For behold the Lord your God suffered death [p. 35] in the flesh: wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. 14 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him on conditions of repentance.

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15 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth. 16 Wherefore you are called to cry repentance unto this people. 17 And if it so be that you should labor in all your days, in crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul only unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father? 18 And now if your joy will be great with one soul, that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy, if you should bring many souls unto me? 19 Behold you shall have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation: 20 Ask the Father in my name in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost which manifesteth all things, which is expedient unto the children of men. 21 And if you have not faith, hope and charity, you can do nothing. 22 Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil. 23 Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness, and as many as repent, and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved. 24 Behold Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved: [p. 36] 25 Wherefore all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day: 26 Wherefore if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father. 27 And now behold, there are others which are called to declare my gospel, both unto Gentile and unto Jew: Yea, even unto twelve: 28 And the twelve shall be my disciples, and they shall take upon them my name: 29 And the twelve are they which shall desire to take upon them my name, with full purpose of heart: 30 And if they desire to take upon them my name, with full purpose of heart, they are called to go into all the world to preach my gospel unto every creature: 31 And they are they which are ordained of me to baptize in my name, according to that which is written; and you have that which is written before you: 32 Wherefore you must perform it according to the words which are written. 33 And now I speak unto the twelve: 34 Behold my grace is sufficient for you: You must walk uprightly before me and sin not. 35 And behold you are they which are ordained of me to ordain priests and teachers to declare my gospel, according to the power of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and according to the callings and gifts of God unto men:

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36 And I Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it. 37 These words are not of men, nor of man, but of me: [p. 37] 38 Wherefore you shall testify they are of me, and not of man; for it is my voice which speaketh them unto you: 39 For they are given by my Spirit unto you: 40 And by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power, you could not have them: 41 Wherefore you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words. 42 And now behold I give unto you, Oliver, and also unto David, that you shall search out the twelve which shall have the desires of which I have spoken; and by their desires and their works, you shall know them: 43 And when you have found them you shall show these things unto them. 44 And you shall fall down and worship the Father in my name: 45 And you must preach unto the world, saying, you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ: 46 For all men must repent and be baptized; and not only men, but women and children, which have arriven to the years of accountability. 47 And now, after that you have received this, you must keep my commandments in all things: 48 And by your hands I  will work a marvelous work among the children of men, unto the convincing of many of their sins, that they may come unto repentance; and that they may come unto the kingdom of my Father: 49 Wherefore the blessings which I give unto you are above all things. 50 And after that you have received this, if you keep not my commandments, you cannot be saved [p.  38] in the kingdom of my Father. Behold I  Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, and your Redeemer, by the power of my Spirit, have spoken it. Amen. 8.14  Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Hyrum Smith, June 14, 1829 Source Note Letter, Oliver Cowdery to Hyrum Smith, June 14, 1829, Letterbook copy, Joseph Smith, Letterbook, 1:5–​6, CHL, in Richard L.  Anderson and Scott H.  Faulring, Documentary History of Oliver Cowdery, forthcoming. Joseph Smith copied this letter into his letterbook sometime in late 1832 or early 1833. The original is no longer extant. Editorial Note As noted, Hyrum Smith visited Joseph and Oliver Cowdery in Pennsylvania in late May of 1829, shortly after Samuel Smith had been baptized. Hyrum sought the

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Lord’s direction, and Joseph dictated a revelation specifically for him (7.2 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract; 7.15 Revelation, May 1829 [D&C 11]). “Hyrum’s late arrival in the month, and [ Joseph] and Cowdery’s prompt move thereafter, probably account for his not being baptized until after the relocation to Fayette.”14 Hyrum, who had apparently returned to Manchester, New  York, after his visit to Pennsylvania, was baptized in Seneca Lake by Joseph—​likely within days of receiving this letter. Document Transcript Fayette June the 14 1829 Dear Brother Hyram These few lines I write unto you feeling anxious for your steadfastness in the great cause of which you have been called to advocate and also feeling it a duty to write to you at every oppertunity remember the worth souls is great in the sight of God behold the Lord [p. 5] your god suffered death upon the cross after the maner of the flesh wherefore he suffered the pains of all men that all men might repent and come unto him and he and he hath risen again from the dead that he might bring all men unto him upon conditions of repentance and how great is his Joy in the soul that repents and behold he commandeth all men to every where to repent and not only [be] baptised and not only men but women [and] children which have arrived to the years of acountibility stir up the minds of our friends aganst the time we come unto you that then they may be willing to take upon them the name of Christ for that is the name by which they shall be called at the Last day and if we know not not not the name by which we are called I  we shall be found on the [left] hand I have many things to write but if the Lord will I shall shortly come unto you Please till Mrs15 Rockwell that those shose fit well and I received them as from the Lord tell him that whatever he does in the cause of Zion he will in no wise loose his reward Now m[a]‌y the Grace of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ be and abide with you all Amen this from your Broh Oliver A fellow labourer in the cause of Zion Oliver  Cowdry Hyram Smith P S give my love to who anxiously inquire after my prosperity &c. 8.15  Jesse Smith’s Letter to Hyrum Smith, June 17, 1829 Source Note Letter Jesse Smith to Hyrum Smith, June 17, 1829, Letterbook copy, Joseph Smith, Letterbook, 2:59–​61, CHL.

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Editorial Note Jesse Smith, who was three years older than his brother Joseph Smith Sr., was born in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts, on April 20, 1768. He married Hannah Peabody on January 20, 1793. He died on March 16, 1853, in St. Lawrence County, New York. “One of the strangest witnesses to early Latter-​day Saint conviction is Jesse Smith, the hostile brother of Joseph Smith, Sr.,” writes Richard L. Anderson. “Hyrum had written letters to his grandfather’s family similar to Mother Smith’s 1831 letter to her brother, announcing that God had ‘sent forth a revelation in these last days, and this revelation is called the Book of Mormon.’ Although Joseph’s immediate family believed, his grandfather’s family was divided, with the oldest son Jesse as bitter minority leader.”16 With a tone as harsh as any anti-​Mormon tract, Jesse unwittingly made a significant contribution to Mormon history—​not only is this is the earliest extant letter dealing with the Book of Mormon, it includes such details as the “gold book,” the “Angel of the Lord,” “divine revelation,” and “spectacles” that enabled Joseph “to decypher hieroglyphics.” Document Transcript Stockholm June 17th 1829 Mr Hiram [Hyrum] Smith Once as I thot my promising Nephew, You wrote to my Father long ago, that after struggling thro various scenes of adversity, you and your family, you had at last been taught the very salutary lesson that the God that made the heavens and the earth w[o]‌uld at onc[e] give success to your endeavours, this if true, is very well, exactly as it should be—​but—​alas what is man when left to his own way, he makes his own gods, if a golden calf, he falls down and worship’s before it, and says this is my god which brought me out of the land of Vermont—​if it be a gold book discovered by the necromancy of infidelity, & dug from the mines of atheism, he writes that the Angel of the Lord has revealed to him the hidden treasures of wisdom & knowledge, even divine revelation, which has lain in the bowels of the earth for thousands of years is at last made known to him, he says he has eyes to see things that are not, and then has the audacity to say they are; And this Angel of the Lord (Devil it should be) has put me in possession of great wealth, gold and silver and precious stones so that I shall have the dominion in all the land of Palmyra.—​ In a subsequent letter you write that you learn from your Grandfather’s letter that uncle Jesse [Smith] thinks you are carrying on a work of deception, in this he and you are right, Uncle Jesse did, and still does think the whole pretended discovery,

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not a very deep, but a very clear and foolish deception, a very great wickedness, unpardonable, unless you are shielded by your ignorance. Again you say, if you are decieved God is your deciever, Blasphemous wretch—​how dare you utter such a sentence, how dare you harbor such a thot—​aye, you never did think so, but being hardened in iniquity, you made use of the holy name of Jehovah! for what, why to cover your nefarious designs & impose on the credulity of your Grandfather, one of the oldest men on the earth, Blackness of darkness! [p. 59] You say you have God for a witness—​to prove the truth of what you write miserable creature, not to say perjured villain, how dare you thus trifle, in taking the name of God in vain, nay far worse than vain—​that God with whom you thus trifle, is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity he cannot look on sin with any degree of approbation or complacency it is true he passeth by iniquity transgression and sin in his redeemed ones, he sees their shield, and for his sake recieves them to favour, but to such as make lead books, and declare to the world that they are of the most fine gold, calling on the great & dreadful name of the most High to witness the truth of their assertions, He says “depart from me ye that work iniquity,” and again “these shall go away into everlasting punishment, they shall be cast into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” these are the angels that tell where to find gold books.—​—​ Your Grandfather is sorely disappointed he would not have listened a moment to your foolery, had he been forty years younger, he would have discovered barefaced falsehood in every line of your statement, nor would he as it is, but they say there must be one fool in the play, your good, pious & methodistical uncle Ashael [Smith] induced his father to give credit to your tale of nonsense, your abominable wickedness.—​but now the poor old man just dropping into the grave is in tears day and night as David, mourning as did David over Absolam, who fell in rebellion against God & man, my poor old father is in deep mourning, not for his younger son, he sleeps in the dust, his ashes are not disturbed by your horrible deeds, he was taken from this evil, he mourns for his numerous family, not because wild beasts have torn him in pieces, but because he has destroyed himself & associated so much with thieves and robbersmurderers etc etc Your father would not be implicated in this place, but for the message he sent by the hands of a fool to my brother Saml [Smith] this fellow says that you and your father are in this business very deep the fellow also believes all to be a fact, this to be sure, for no one unless predisposed to believe a lie would have heard a syllable from either of you on the subject, he says your father has a wand or rod like Jannes & Jambres who withstood Moses in Egypt—​that he can tell the distance from India to Ethiopia or another fool story, many other things alike ridiculous.

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You state your Father cannot write by reason of a nervous affection this is a poor excuse, worse than none, he can dictate to others and [p. 60] they can write, he can If he knows not what to write, he can get your Brother’s spectacles he would then be as able to write dictate a letter, as Joe is to decypher hieroglyphics, if more should be wanting he can employ the same scoundrel of a scribe, and then not only the matter but manner and style would be correct. My compliments to your Father and Mother, tell them I  wish them to review through years past, and say if they have done well in not writing to me these many years, tell them the time has been when they were glad to see me, but I am suspicious that the length of time since we last parted, has in some measure obliterated me from their memory, so that they would not now be pleased to recieve a visit from me, If they will write me that I may know their affairs and how they do, I will give them a history of the family concern &c I write this at the request of my Father not for your sake you have not written to me, the story is that the gold book proved to be never wrote lead, that the Authority have taken it & Joe is under bonds to appear before his betters, so let it be. Jesse Smith. Mr Hiram Smith Palmyra N.Y. Wayne County.17 8.16  Oliver Cowdery’s “Articles of the Church of Christ,” June 1829 Source Note Articles of the Church of Christ, copied between circa February and April of 1830 by Oliver Cowdery (original created in June 1829 no longer extant), CHL, in Faulring, “Examination of the 1829 ‘Articles of the Church of Christ,’ ” 76–​79. Editorial Note In a revelation dictated weeks before Oliver Cowdery drafted this document, he was told: “Wherefore if you shall build up my church, and my gospel, and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you” (8.13 Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 18]). “Oliver incorporated procedures and ordinances gleaned from the Book of Mormon, supplemented by modern revelation, of commentary of his own origination, to write his Articles of the Church of Christ,” observes Scott H. Faulring. The 1829 document “was simply a preliminary attempt to compile a governing document, but it lacked the organizational details needed to administer to the needs of the Church.”18 The document that did accomplish that purpose was called “Articles

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and Covenants” and became chapter XXIV of the Book of Commandments, section 2 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, and D&C 20. Document Transcript A commandment from God unto Oliver how he should build up his church and the manner thereof—​ Saying Oliver listen to the voice of Christ your Lord and your God and your Redeemer and write the words which I shall command you concerning my Church my Gospel my Rock and my Salvation. Behold the world is ripening in iniquity and it must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance both the Gentiles and also the House of Israel for behold I command all men every where to repent and I speak unto you even as unto Paul mine apostle for ye are called even with that same calling with which he was called Now therefore whosoever repenteth and humbleth himself before me and desireth to be baptized in my name shall ye baptize them And after this manner did he command me that I should baptize them Behold ye shall go down and stand in the water and in my name shall ye baptize them And now behold these are the words which ye shall say calling them by name saying Having authority given me of Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen And then shall ye immerse them in the water and come forth again out of the water and after this manner shall ye baptize in my name For behold verily I say unto you that the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are one and I am in the Father and the Father in me and the Father and I are one. And ye are also called to ordain Priests and Teachers according to the gifts and callings of God unto men and after this manner shall ye ordain them Ye shall pray unto the Father in my name and then shall ye lay your hands upon them and say In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a Priest or if he be a Teacher I ordain you to be a Teacher to preach repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ by the endurance of faith on his name to the end Amen And this shall be the duty of the Priest He shall kneel down and the members of the Church shall kneel also which Church shall be called The Church of Christ and he shall pray to the Father in my name for the church and if it so be that it be built upon my Rock I will bless it And after that ye have prayed to the Father in my name ye shall preach the truth in soberness casting out none from among you but rather invite them to come And the Church shall oft partake of bread and wine and after this manner shall ye partake of it The Elder or Priest shall minister it and after this manner shall he do he shall kneel with the Church and pray to the Father in the name of Christ and then shall ye say O God the Eternal Father [p. 1] we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ

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to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it that they may et in remembrance of the body of thy Son and witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son and always remember him and keep his commandments which he hath given them that they may always have his spirit to be with them Amen And then shall ye take the cup and say O God the Eternal Father we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it that they may do [it] in remembrance of the blood of thy Son which was shed for them that they may witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father that they do always remember him that they may have his spirit to be with them Amen And now behold I give unto you a commandment that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily when ye shall minister it for whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul Therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him nevertheless ye shall not cast him out from among you but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father in my name and if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized in my name then shall ye receive him and shall minister unto him of my flesh and blood but if he repenteth not he shall not be numbered among my people that he may not destroy my people For behold I know my sheep and they are numbered nevertheless ye shall not cast him out of your Synagogues or your places of worship for unto such shall ye continue to minister for ye know not but what they will return and repent and come unto me with full purpose of heart and I shall heal them and ye shall be the means of bringing Salvation unto them Therefore keep these sayings which I have commanded you that ye come not under condemnation for wo unto him whom the Father condemneth—​ And the church shall meet together oft for prayer and sup[p]‌lication casting out none from your places of worship but rather invite them to come And each member shall speak and tell the church of their progress in the way to Eternal life And there shall be no pride nor envying nor strifes nor malice nor idoletry nor witchcrafts nor whoredoms nor fornications nor covetiousness nor lying nor deceits nor no manner of iniquity and if any one is guilty of any or the least of these and doth not repent and show fruits mee ts for repentance they shall not be numbered among my people that they may not destroy my people [p. 2] And now I speak unto the Church Repent all ye ends of the Earth and come unto me and be baptized in my name which is Jesus Christ and endure to the end and ye shall be saved Behold Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father and there is none other name given whereby men can be saved Wherefore all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father for in that name shall they be called at the last at Wherefore if they know not the name by which they

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are called they cannot have place in the Kingdom of my Father Behold ye must walk uprightly before me and sin not and if ye do walk uprightly before me and sin not my grace is sufficient for you that ye shall be lifted up at the last day Behold I am Jesus Christ the Son of the liveing God I am the same which came unto my own and my own received me not I am the light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not these words are not of men nor of man but of me Now remember the words of him who is the first and the last the light and the life of the world And I Jesus Christ your Lord and your God and your Redeemer by the power of my Spirit hath spoken it Amen And now if I have not authority to write these things judge ye behold ye shall know that I  have authority when you and I  shall be brought to stand before the judgment seat of Christ Now may the [manuscript torn] [grace] of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be and abide with you all and [manuscript torn] [finally] save you Eternally in his Kingdom through the Infinite atonement which is in Jesus Christ Amen—​ Behold I  am Oliver I  am an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Behold I have written the things which he hath commanded me for behold his word was unto me as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could forbear no longer Amen—​ Written in the year of our Lord and Saviour 1829—​ A true Copy of the articles of the Church of Christ &c.

9 “An Angel of God Came Down from Heaven” The Three Witnesses: Late June 1829

i The ever-​i ntriguing Martin Harris is such a prominent player in the origin of the Book of Mormon that at times he threatens to overshadow Joseph Smith. And while Harris naturally took center stage in the cases of the learned professor of the East and the disappearance of the 116 pages, it is somewhat surprising—​ given the strong personalities of both Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer—​that Harris garners so much attention in discussions and debates centering on the three witnesses.1 Harris complicates matters for two reasons, argues Dan Vogel. “First, the three witnesses did not experience the vision together, for Harris’s experience occurred separate from David Whitmer’s and Oliver Cowdery’s. Hence Harris’s testimony should be treated as an independent statement lacking the verification of the simultaneous experience of the other witnesses implied in the Testimony of Three Witnesses.” Second, despite the mention of “our eyes” in the official statement, “Harris seems to have repeatedly admitted the internal, subjective nature of his visionary experience.”2 As proof of this, Vogel cites a lengthy list of instances where interrogators of Harris claimed he said he saw the plates with “spiritual eyes” or with “spiritual vision.” But, of course, whether Harris by such expressions meant internal or subjective—​Vogel’s words, not Harris’s—​is itself part of the great debate. It might be argued that interviewers of Harris gave different reports, depending on whether they were believers or skeptics. Stephen Burnett, a convert rapidly losing 370

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his faith, said Harris saw the plates the way one might “see” a city through a mountain; the young believer William Pilkington said Harris saw the angel and the plates just as sure as he saw the sun shining. A plea can also be offered that just as Harris’s experience must be treated independently of Cowdery’s and Whitmer’s the reverse is also true. Neither of them gave any indication that they considered the event internal or subjective. Whitmer, the most interviewed witness, gave a typical account when he told Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith that he saw the plates and other artifacts just as plainly as he saw a nearby bed, striking it emphatically with his hand.3 But such back-​and-​forth easily devolves into a dispute where both sides—​although they will never agree on the existence of gods or angels—​somehow tacitly and mutually assume a similar epistemological hierarchy regarding supernatural events, that is, that seeing plates with “natural eyes” is somehow superior to seeing them with “spiritual eyes.” Why?4 The ironic thing is, most critics—​both nineteenth-​century and modern—​who interpret Harris’s mention of “spiritual eyes” to mean he likely imagined the plates are the same people who do not believe in heavenly visions or visitations in the first place and are unfazed by Whitmer’s unequivocal account of seeing the plates with physical eyes. Martin Harris’s apparent difficulty in defining his epiphany ought to point both skeptics and apologists in a different direction—​that of acknowledging, in the words of Grant Underwood, that “the question of the ultimate origin of a purported revelation is ultimately beyond the scope of academic analysis;”5 that, as James D. Tabor puts it, “we can evaluate what people claimed, what they believed, what they reported, and that all becomes part of the data, but to then say, ‘A miracle happened,’ . . . goes beyond our accessible methods [as historians of religion].”6 Regardless of how Harris “saw” the angel and the plates, his experiencing what he did in a supernatural setting excludes it from historical understanding because seeing angels and hearing the voice of God are not part of normal human life, which is exactly what history deals with. Even if Harris, Whitmer, and Cowdery had seen the plates together and agreed that their joint experience was absolutely objective, it wouldn’t make any difference. To qualify as historical, an experience must be empirically accessible, at least theoretically, to any competent witness. But would someone hiding in the woods have experienced the same thing that Joseph, Cowdery, and Whitmer—​or Joseph and Harris—​did? Considering Martin’s reported need to continue in prayer before he could see the vision, even believers would be unlikely to claim the hideaway would have experienced the same event.7

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“The fact is,” continues Tabor, “we do not exclude religious experience in investigating the past—​far from it. We actually embrace it most readily. What people believe or claim to have experienced becomes a vital part of our evidence. . . . Good history is never the enemy of proper faith.”8 In terms of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon, the best historians can do is accurately and fully report what Harris, Whitmer, and Cowdery claim to have experienced and provide the historical context and any corroboration for such claims, while carefully documenting any evidence of fraud, collusion, hallucination, and the like. Since the ultimate source of miracles and revelations goes beyond the accessible methodology, historians have no need to proselytize readers to their own personal religious belief or lack thereof. The question inevitably comes up:  Are Harris, Whitmer, and Cowdery eyewitnesses of the angel and the plates? That depends. In the historical sense, no, because angels fall outside the realm of empirical experience. Whether they are eyewitnesses in the religious sense, however, is a different issue. Certainly, their testimony deserves the same kind of scrutiny as that described by Peter—​and which also involved three witnesses: I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I  will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:13–​18,  NRSV.) Joseph Smith’s history may have offered the perfect introduction to a study of the three witnesses when it related his experience with Harris: “I now . . . went in pursuit of Martin Harris, who I found . . . fervently engaged in prayer . . . [and who] requested me, to join him in prayer, that he also might realize the same blessings . . . we accordingly joined in prayer, and ultimately . . . the same vision was opened to our view; at least it was again to me” (9.3 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract, emphasis added).

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First-​H and Contemporaneous Document 9.1  Testimony of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, circa June 1829 Source Note The Testimony of Three Witnesses, 1830 Edition of the Book of Mormon, [589]. Earliest extant version is part of the printer’s copy of the Book of Mormon, in Cowdery’s handwriting, created circa February 1830; original document created between June 1829 and early 1830. Editorial Note “In looking at the actual language of the three-​witness statement,” writes Royal Skousen, “it becomes very clear that nearly every phrasal and clausal expression can be found within the Book of Mormon text itself. In fact, many are virtually identical.”9 Given Oliver Cowdery’s writing abilities, his familiarity with the Book of Mormon manuscript, and parallels between his 1829 letters and the witness testimony, a number of scholars have concluded that Cowdery was the likely author.10 Unless further evidence is discovered, however, that conclusion remains speculative. Document Transcript THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come, that we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, his brethren, and also of the people of Jared, which came from the tower of which hath been spoken; and we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety, that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shewn unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an Angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true; and it is marvellous in our eyes: Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to

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be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things.—​ And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgement seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen. OLIVER COWDERY, DAVID WHITMER, MARTIN HARRIS. [p. [589]]11 First-​H and Reminiscences 9.2  Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Cornelius C. Blatchly, November 9, 1829 Source Note Letter, Oliver H.  P. Cowdery to Cornelius C.  Blatchly, November 9, 1829, Gospel Luminary 2, no.  49 (December 10, 1829):  194, in the Juvenile Instructor (blog), August 21, 2012, http://​juvenileinstructor.org/​1829-​mormon-​discovery​brought-​to-​you-​by-​g uest-​erin-​jennings. Editorial Note This letter includes the first published account of the experience of the three witnesses—​and the only known description of the event offered by Oliver Cowdery. (While Cowdery testified a number of times of seeing the angel, he did not offer specific details.) Cowdery wrote this letter in response to one written by Blatchly, who published Cowdery’s letter interspersed with his personal commentary. (For Blatchly’s article containing this letter and his subsequent article, see 11.19 Cornelius C. Blatchly’s Article in Gospel Luminary, December 10, 1829, and 11.22 Cornelius C. Blatchly’s Article in the New-​York Telescope, February 20, 1830, respectively.) Document Transcript Palmyra, Wayne, co., N. Y., Nov. 9th, 1829. Sir;—​You wrote to Mr. Harris, some time since, respecting the book of Mormon, of which he was concerned in the publication.—​ Your first inquiry was, whether it was proper to say, that Joseph Smith Jr., was the author? If I rightly understand the meaning of the word author, it is, the first

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beginner, or mover of any thing, or a writer. Now Joseph Smith Jr., certainly was the writer of the work, called the book of Mormon, which was written in ancient Egyptian characters,—​which was a dead record to us until translated. And he, by a gift from God, has translated it into our language. Certainly he was the writer of it, and could be no less than the author. This record which gives an account of the first inhabitants of this continent, is engraved on plates, which have the appearance of gold; and they are of very curious workmanship. The reason stated in a prophecy written before the coming of Christ in the flesh, why the record should not be shown to all the world, at the time of its coming forth to the children of men is that the book should be sealed, by the power of God. The prophecy also states there shall also be a revelation sealed in the book, which will reveal all things from the foundation of the world to the end thereof. And because of the iniquity of the world, at the time of its coming forth; it shall be hid from the eyes of the world; that the eyes of none shall behold it, (save it be that three witnesses shall behold it by the power of God) besides him, to whom the book should be delivered. And none other should see it, only a few,—​if it should be wisdom in God. And after that which was not sealed, was translated, the book should again be hid-​ up, unto the Lord, that it might not be destroyed; and come forth again, in the own due time of him, who knows all things unto the children of men. You also wished Mr. Harris to inform you respecting his seeing this book, whether there could not possibly have been some juggling at the bottom of it. A few words on that point may suffice.—​ It was a clear, open beautiful day, far from any inhabitants, in a remote field, at the time we saw the record, of which it has been spoken, brought and laid before us, by an angel, arrayed in glorious light, ascend out of the midst of heaven. Now if this is human juggling—​judge ye. Yours with much esteem, OLIVER H. P. COWDERY. P. S. I write this at the request of Messrs. Harris, and others. The edition of this work now printing will not possibly be finished before the first of next February 1830. 9.3  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extracts Source Note Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 183–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:314, 316–​20.

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Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript In th[e]‌course of the work of translation, we ascertained that three special witnesses were to be provided by the Lord, to whom he would grant, that they should see the plates from which this work (the Book of Mormon) should be translated, and that these witnesses should bear record of the same; as will be found, recorded, Book of Mormon First edition Page [blank] and second edition Page [blank]. Almost immediately after we had made this discovery, it occurred to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and the aforementioned Martin Harris (who had came to enquire after our progress in the work) that they would have me enquire of the Lord, to know if they might not obtain of him to be these three special witnesses; and finally they became so very solicitous, and teazed me so much, that at length complied, and through the Urim and Thummin, I obtained of the Lord for them the folowing Revelation. [p. 23] [Text of 1835 Doctrine and Covenants 42 (9.33 Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 17]) inserted here.] Not many days after the above commandment was given, we four, viz Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and myself, agreed to retire into the woods, and try to obtain by fervent and humble prayer, the fulfilment of the promises given in this revelation; that they should have a view of the pl[a]‌t[es] &c[,] we accordingly made choice of a piece of woods convenient to Mr Whitmer’s house, to which we retired, and having knelt down, we began to pray in much faith, to Almighty God to bestow upon us a realization of those promises. According to previous arrangement, I commenced by vocal prayer to our Heavenly Father and was folowed by each of the rest in succession; we did not yet however obtain any answer or manifestation of the divine favour in our behalf. We again observed the same order of prayer each calling on and praying fervently to God in rotation; but with the same result as before. Upon this our second failure, Martin Harris proposed that he would withdraw himself from us, believing as he expressed himself that his presence was the cause of our not obtaining what we wished for: He accordingly withdrew from us, and we knelt down again, and had not been [p. 24] many minutes engaged in prayer when presently we beheld a light above us in the air of exceeding brightness, and behold, an angel stood before us; in his hands he held the plates which we had been praying for these to have a view of: he turned over the leaves one by one, so that we could see them, and discern the engravings thereon distinctly: He addressed himself to David Whitmer, and said, “David, blessed is the Lord, and he that keeps all his

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commandments:” when immediately afterwards we heard a voice from out of the bright light above us, saying “These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God; the translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear.” I now left David and Oliver, went in pursuit of Martin Harris, who I found at a considerable distance fervently engaged in prayer; he soon told me however that he had not yet prevailed with the Lord, and earnestly requested me, to join him in prayer, that he also might realize the same blessings which we had just recieved: we accordingly joined in prayer, and ultimately obtained our desires, for before we had yet finished, the same vision was opened to our view; at least it was again to me, and I once more beheld, and seen, and heard the same things; whilst at the same moment, Martin Harris cried out, apparently in an ecstasy of Joy “’Tis enough, ’tis enough; mine eyes have beheld, mine eyes have beheld,” and jumping up he shouted, Hosanna, blessing God; and otherwise rejoiced exceedingly. Having thus through the mercy of God, obtained these glorious manifestations, it now remained for these three individuals to fulfil the commandment which they had received, viz: to bear record of these things; in order to accomplish which, they drew up and subscribed the following document. [The text of “Testimony of Three Witnesses” (1837 edition of the Book of Mormon [620]) inserted here.] 9.4  Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Phineas Young, March 23, 1846, Extract Source Note Letter, Oliver Cowdery, Tiffin, Ohio, to Phineas H. Young, Nauvoo, Illinois, March 23, 1846, CHL; transcription by Larry E. Morris. Editorial Note After Oliver Cowdery was excommunicated from the church in 1838, he was severely criticized by both Mormon faithful (for supposedly betraying the church) and anti-​Mormons (for being so closely associated with Joseph Smith in the first place). Cowdery, meanwhile, returned with his family to Ohio, living first in Kirtland and then Tiffin, where he practiced law until 1847. By 1842, his friend and brother-​in-​ law Phineas H. Young (married to Cowdery’s sister Lucy) had visited him at least three times. “These visits were the first steps taken to redeem Cowdery from estrangement,” notes Scott H.  Faulring. “Reporting that Oliver was alive and well, Phineas wrote his brother Brigham and the Twelve [in a December 1842 letter] informing them that Oliver’s ‘heart is still with his old friends.’ ” About that same

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time, Cowdery even volunteered to travel to New Orleans to prepare a legal defense for the leader of a group of British converts named John Snyder who had been charged with mutiny.12 Over the next few years, Cowdery appeared more and more likely to return to the church. As the following excerpt from a letter to Phineas reveals, however, part of the reason for Cowdery’s delay was his concern for his reputation—​he was determined that false rumors triggered by his excommunication not damage his “testimony,” and the one indispensable testimony he had declared during his nine-​year comradeship with Joseph Smith was his joint statement with David Whitmer and Martin Harris. Document Transcript And that I may not be misunderstood, let me here say, that I have only sought, and only asked, that my character might stand exonerated from those charges which imputed to me the crimes of theft, forgery, etc.—​those which all my former associates knew to be false. I do not, I have never asked, to be excused, or exempted from an acknowledgment, of any actual fault or wrong,—​for of these there are many; which it always was my pleasure to confess. I have cherished a hope, and that one of my fondest, that I might leave such a character, as those who might believe in my testimony, after I should be called hence, might do so, not only for the sake of the truth, but might not blush for the private character of the man who bore that testimony. I have been sensitive on this subject, I admit; but I ought to be so—​you would be under the circumstances, had you stood in the presence of John, and our departed brother Joseph, to receive the Lesser Priesthood—​ and in the presence Peter, to receive the Greater, and looked down through time, and witnessed the effects these two must produce. You would feel what you have never felt, were wicked men conspiring to lessen the effects of your testimony on man, after you should have gone to your long sought rest. 9.5  Oliver Cowdery’s Statement to Samuel W. Richards, January 13, 1849 Source Note “Oliver Cowdery’s Last Letter,” Deseret News, March 26, 1884. Editorial Note Samuel W.  Richards described the historical context of this statement in this prefatory note:

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Editor Deseret News: I take the liberty to hand you the accompanying communication, written by Oliver Cowdery, as a direct testimony of the facts therein set forth to myself personally, at the time indicated by the date affixed. At that time he, with his family, was spending a few days with me at my then residence in Missouri, as he was on his way to visit David Whitmer and family in Richmond, Mo., prior to his contemplated departure for Salt Lake City, that coming spring, to spend the remainder of his days with, and in laboring for the Church. As he was about to take his leave, after several days of most interesting and familiar conversation with me, he penned, with his own hand in my presence, the testimony and statement herewith, which I deem worthy of record. SAML. W. RICHARDS See also 7.7 Samuel W. Richards’ Report of an Interview with Oliver Cowdery, 1907, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript While darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the people; long after the authority to administer in holy things had been taken away, the Lord opened the heavens and sent forth his word for the salvation of Israel. In fulfillment of the sacred Scripture the everlasting Gospel was proclaimed by the mighty angel, (Moroni) who, clothed with the authority of his mission, gave glory to God in the highest. This Gospel is the “stone taken from the mountain without hands.” John the Baptist, holding the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood; Peter, James and John, holding the keys of the Melchisedek Priesthood, have also ministered for those who shall be heirs of salvation, and with these ministrations ordained men to the same Priesthoods. These Priesthoods, with their authority, are now, and must continue to be, in the body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints. Blessed is the Elder who has received the same, and thrice blessed and holy is he who shall endure to the end. Accept assurances, dear Brother, of the unfeigned prayer of him, who, in connection with Joseph the Seer, was blessed with the above ministrations, and who earnestly and devoutly hopes to meet you in the celestial glory. OLIVER COWDERY. To Elder Samuel W. Richards, January 13th, 1849.

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9.6  Martin Harris’s First-​Hand Accounts of the Angel and the Plates, 1870 Editorial Note Each of these statements is excerpted from texts reprinted in earlier chapters, as referenced. Document Transcripts Previous to my being Baptised I  became A  Witness of the Plates of the Book of mormon in 1829 (6.3 Martin Harris’s Testimony, September 4, 1870). I will say concerning the plates, I do say that the angel did show to me the plates containing the Book of Mormon (3.4 Martin Harris’s Letter to H.  B. Emerson, November 23, 1870). 9.7  Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract Source Note Kansas City Journal, Missouri, June 5, 1881, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews,  63–​64. Editorial Note See 1.31 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript [Reporter:] When did you see the plates? [David Whitmer:] It was in the latter part of June, 1829. Joseph, Oliver Cowdery and myself were together, and the angel showed them to us. We not only saw the plates of the book of Mormon, but he also showed us the brass plates of the book of Ether and many others. They were shown to us in this way. Joseph and Oliver and I were SITTING ON A LOG when we were overshadowed by a light more glorious than that of the sun. In the midst of this light but a few feet from us appeared a table upon which were many

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golden plates, also the sword of Laban and the directors. I saw them as plain as I  see you now, and distinctly heard the voice of the Lord declaiming that the records of the plates of the Book of Mormon were translated by the gift and the power of God. [Reporter:] Who else saw the plates at this time? [David Whitmer:] No one. Martin Harris, the other witness, saw them the same day and the eight witnesses, Christian Whitmer, Hiram Page, Jacob Whitmer, Joseph Smith, sr., Peter Whitmer, jr., Hyram Smith, Jno. Whitmer and Samuel H. Smith saw them next day. [Reporter:] Did you see the angel? [David Whitmer:] Yes, he stood before us. Our testimony as recorded in the Book of Mormon is absolutely true, just as it is written there. [Reporter:] Can you describe the plates? [David Whitmer:] They appeared to be of gold, about six by nine inches in size, about as thick as parchment, a great many in number and bound together like the leaves of a book by massive rings passing through the back edges. The engraving upon them was very plain and of very curious appearance. Smith made facsimiles of some of the plates, and sent them by Martin Harris to Profs. Anson and Mitchell, of New  York city, for examination. They pronounced the characters reformed Egyptian, but were unable to read them. 9.8  David Whitmer’s Address to All Believers in Christ, 1887, Extract Source Note Whitmer, Address to All Believers in Christ, 8, 27, 29, 32, 44. Editorial Note See 8.3 David Whitmer’s Address to All Believers in Christ, 1887, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript It is recorded in the American Cyclopedia and the Encyclopedia Britannica, that I, David Whitmer, have denied my testimony as one of the three witnesses to

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the divinity of the Book of Mormon; and that the other two witnesses, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, denied their testimony to that Book. I will say once more to all mankind, that I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof. I also testify to the world, that neither Oliver Cowdery or Martin Harris ever at any time denied their testimony. They both died reaffirming the truth of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon. I  was present at the death bed of Oliver Cowdery, and his last words were, “Brother David, be true to your testimony to the Book of Mormon.” He died here in Richmond, Mo., on March 3d, 1850. Many witnesses yet live in Richmond, who will testify to the truth of these facts, as well as to the good character of Oliver Cowdery. The very powers of darkness have combined against the Book of Mormon, to prove that it is not the word of God, and this should go to prove to men of spiritual understanding, that the Book is true. . . . Then let no man judge hastily as to my authority, lest he judge wrongly and continue in error; but go to God in prayer and fasting, and find out the truth, for the Holy Ghost will guide you into all truth. If you believe my testimony to the Book of Mormon; if you believe that God spake to us three witnesses by his own voice, then I tell you that in June, 1838, God spake to me again by his own voice from the heavens, and told me to “separate myself from among the Latter Day Saints, for as they sought to do unto me, so should it be done unto them.” . . . Of course I do not mean to place one book ahead of the other. I am also called to bear witness that the Bible is true. The angel who declared unto us that the Book of Mormon was true, also declared unto us that the Bible was true. They are both the Word of God, and as it is prophesied, they both shall be one. . . . In June, 1829, the Lord called Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and myself as the three witnesses, to behold the vision of the Angel, as recorded in the fore part of the Book of Mormon, and to bear testimony to the world that the Book of Mormon is true. I was not called to bear testimony to the mission of Brother Joseph Smith any farther than his work of translating the Book of Mormon, as you can see by reading the testimony of us three witnesses. . . . There are now heirs of salvation upon earth, and I tell you of a truth that angels do minister unto them in these days. I hope the reader now understands this matter, viz: that no one who is seeking for truth honestly and without prejudice, will refuse to investigate the Book of Mormon because of Joseph Smith’s errors. The teachings of the Book of Mormon are pure and holy, for it is the religion of Christ, set forth in plainness and simplicity.

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Accounts from Others—​o n the Three Witnesses 9.9  Lucius Fenn’s Letter to Birdseye Bronson, February 12, 1830, Extract Source Note Letter, Lucius Fenn to Birdseye Bronson, February 12, 1830, William Robertson Coe Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, in Holland, “Mormon Americana,” 387–​88. Editorial Note This letter was written in Covert, New York, a hamlet near the west side of Cayuga Lake about twenty-​five miles south-​southeast of the Peter Whitmer farm. Although the narrative of the Book of Mormon it relates is somewhat garbled, it is an important historical artifact because several details are accurate and because “it is the oldest known contemporary evidence, other than newspaper notices, of the rumors that preceded the appearance of the Book of Mormon itself.”13 Not only that, but other than the testimony of the three witnesses itself (which would not appear in the published Book of Mormon for another six weeks) this letter includes the first-​known reference to an angel appearing to three men. Document Transcript there is something that has taken place lately that is mysterious to us it is this there has been a bible found by 3 men but a short distance from us which is something remarkable we think. There was it is said an angel appeared to these 3 men and told them there was a bible concealed in such a place and if one of them would go to that place he would find it he went and found as the angel said it was in a stone chest what is most to be wondered at is this that the man that found it could not read at all in the English language but he read [read?] this bible and nobody else cannot it has been concealed there for fourteen hundred years it is written on a kind of gold leaf it is the same that our is only there is an addition to it they are a printing it in Palmyra it is expected that it will come out soon so that we can see it speaks of the Millennium day and tells when it is a going to take place and it talks that the man that is to find this bible his name as Joseph and his fathers name as Joseph. Some people think that it is all a speculation and some think that something is going to take place different from what has been for my part I do not know how it will be but

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it is something singular to me, as it respects religion there has been considerable of an attention paid to it this winter between these lakes and there has been considerable many as we humbly hope have been [renewed?] by the grace of God there is a general solemnity upon the people generally in these parts and we hope that there will be a greater outpouring of the spirit than ever . . .  9.10  Observer and Telegraph Articles, November 18, 1830 Source Note Observer and Telegraph, Hudson, Ohio, November 18, 1830; two separate articles—​ the first an editorial and the second a letter from “A. S.,” with an excerpt from the Book of Mormon attached. Document Transcript THE GOLDEN BIBLE We should be slow to believe that any set of men would accept to play off upon the community, so barefaced a deception as that which our correspondent speaks; and equally slow to believe, that any could be found so credulous as to be duped and led astray by it,—​did we not know, that men are the same depraved beings that ever they were; did we not know, that it is a crime which Heaven has laid to the charge of our fallen race, that they “seek out many inventions”—​that “they go astray as soon as they be born speaking lies.” While unruly passion sways the empire of the heart, and guilt draws its film over the moral vision, and a cloud of ignorance darkens the intellect, it would be strange if men should go straight forward in the narrow path. It would be strange if, in their bewilderment, they did not listen to the cry, “lo here, and lo there.” So it has been in all ages of the world—​and so it will continue to be, until the minds of men are enlightened, and their hearts warmed by the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Since commencing this article, we have received information, which goes to corroborate the statements made in the communication of our correspondent, and also furnishes several additional particulars. The Elder referred to, is the famous Campbellite leader, who has made so much noise on the Reserve for a few months past. He has finally concluded to receive the new Revelation, and has actually been baptized, (now for the third time.) “The common stock family” mentioned in the communication, is a club of Campbellites, who have all things common. It is said that they hold their meetings till late at night, and afterwards retire to the river, and baptize by the score. They profess to have the power of working miracles. Having given out that they would perform a miraculous cure upon a person who was sick, an assembly collected to witness the experiment, when lo, there was a

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want of faith, and until this difficulty could be removed, the miracles must remain unwrought;—​the old lady continues sick to this day. They are now on their way to the Western Indians, for whose benefit the new Revelation was especially designed. The Indians, as fast as they are converted are to become white men. This is one of the absurdities which have been broached, and we see in it the finger of an overruling Providence. The sagacious Indian, when he sees, that in spite of their incantations, he is an Indian still, will not suffer himself to be any further befooled. THE GOLDEN BIBLE, or, Campbellism Improved. Mr. Isham.—​For several days past, four individuals, said to have formerly resided in the State of New-​York, have appeared in the northern part of Geauga County, assuming the appellation of Disciples, Prophets, and Angels. Some among us, however, are led to believe that they are nothing more than men, and impostors. They are preaching and teaching a species of Religion we are not all prepared to embrace; for we are convinced it does not accord with our old-​fashioned Bible. These men have brought with them copies of a Book, known in this region by the name of the “Golden Bible,” or, as it is learned on its title-​page, “The Book of Mormon.” They solemnly affirm, that its contents were given by Divine inspiration; was written by prophets of the Most High from a period of 600 years before, to that of some hundred years after our blessed Saviour’s advent; was deposited by Divine command below the surface of the ground, in or near the township of Palmyra, Ontario Co. N. Y.; that an Angel appeared to a certain Joseph Smith residing in that place, who, they say, was a poor, ignorant, illiterate man, and made no pretensions to religion of any kind;—​[original text illegible] . . . of this sacred deposit, and directed him forthwith to dig up and bring to light this precious record and prophecy. They affirm that the said Smith obeyed the heavenly messenger, when lo! a new Revelation—​the Golden Bible was discovered! According to the narrative given by one of these disciples—​Oliver Cowdery—​at their late exhibition in Kirtland, this pretended Revelation was written on golden plates, or something resembling golden plates, of the thickness of tin—​7 inches in length, 6 inches in breadth, and a pile about 6 inches deep. None among the most learned in the United States could read, and interpret the hand-​writing, (save one, and he could decipher but a few lines correctly,) excepting this ignoramus, Joseph Smith, Jr. To him, they say, was given the spirit of interpretation; but he was ignorant of the art of writing, he employed this Oliver Cowdery and others to write, while he read, interpreted, and translated this mighty Revelation. It appears from the testimony of these men, that while this process was going on, some of their mischievous, meddlesome neighbors, having a miserly disposition, stole some of their plates of gold before they gave them sufficient time to translate them,

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and as they have not yet been recovered, they fear a part of this great Revelation will be lost to our race. There were other plates among them, they say, which contained secrets which are not yet to be revealed. These escaped from them by some mysterious dispensation of Providence, they know not how, or in what region they are secreted, but as they are to be forthcoming at the proper time, to some future generation, they appear to manifest no particular uneasiness with regard to them. To convince the world that this record and prophecy is a Divine Revelation, three men, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris, have subscribed their names to an article in this “Book of Mormon,” solemnly declaring that they saw an Angel come down from heaven, who showed them those plates, and made known to them it was given by inspiration, and “they know of a surety it is true,” &c. &c. This new Revelation, they say is especially designed for the benefit, or rather for the christianizing of the Aborigines of America; who, as they affirm, are a part of the tribe of Manasseh, and whose ancestors landed on the coast of Chili 600 years before the coming of Christ, and from them descended all the Indians of America. You are, perhaps, by this time ready to say, Surely this great hue and cry about a book of this character, in unworthy of public notice; none possessed of the holy Scriptures, will be found so weak as to be led to embrace this delusion. But sir, could you but see the multitude that follow those pretended Disciples, and know the number they have baptized each night, (many of whom ‘tis said have now been immersed for the third time;) were you to be informed, that a certain Elder hesitated in deciding whether to reject or receive the new Revelation, and that the “social Union,” or as it is more familiarly called in its vicinity, the “common stock family,” have gone into the water again in token of embracing it; and consider that their great object in bending their way to the West is to convert the Indians to the new faith, among many of whose tribes Christian Missionaries are faithfully, and through the blessing of God, successfully laboring,—​I say in view of this—​in view of the worth of souls, liable to be deluded and lost, will you not as a Herald of the Cross of Christ, raise the note of alarm, in your widely circulating paper? I take the liberty of sending you a Chapter in the new Bible. Though it be called a new Revelation, you will perceive, whoever the author may have been, that it is the same that is held forth by a certain denomination which has sprung up in our day. It is maintained that this is not a new Gospel, but that it explains the New Testament. Yours, &c. A. S. 2d. Book of Nephi, Chap. 12th. And now, I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things which I know must surely come to pass, neither can I write but a few words of my brother Jacob. Wherefore, the

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things which I have written, sufficeth me, save it be a few words concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I  shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying. For my soul delighteth in plainness: for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding: for he speaketh to their language, unto their understanding. Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you, concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world. And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water. And now I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men, that according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping the commandments; wherefore after that he was baptized with water, the holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove. And again: it sheweth unto the children of men the straitness of the path and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he hath set the example before them. And he saith unto the children of men, Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus, save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? And the Father saith, Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my beloved Son. And also, the voice of the Son came unto me saying, He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism; yea, by following your Lord and Saviour down into the water, according to his word; behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongues of Angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. * * *—​and after this, should you deny me, it would have been better if ye had not known me. * * * —​for the gate by which ye should enter, is repentance, and baptism by water, and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire, and the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path —​yea, ye have entered in by the Gate.14

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9.11  Vermont Watchman and State Gazette Article, December 14, 1830 Source Note “Fanatics,” Vermont Watchman and State Gazette, Montpelier, 25, no. 12, December 14, 1830. Document Transcript FANATICS.—​Oliver Cowdry, David Whitmer and Martin Harris, have lately commenced preaching near Painesville, Ohio, stating that they had a new revelation which they call a codicil to the New Testament, and ever to have been written by the finger of God. They say that the world is to come to an end within 15 years: that is the incorrigible are all to be cut off. They have joined one Elder Rigdon, once a Baptist, next a Campbelite, and now a disciple of the new revelation. He and part of his flock, about 100, have been baptized in it, and are going or have gone west for a country, they know not where, west of the Mississippi, where they say is a Holy Spirit, and there they are to establish a New Jerusalem, into which will be gathered all the natives, who they say are descendants of Manasseh. They are led by the spirit and will know the ground when they place their feet upon it.15 9.12  Ezra Booth’s Letter to Ira Eddy, October 24, 1831, Extract Source Note “Mormonism—​No. III.” Letter, Ezra Booth to Rev. I. Eddy, October 24, 1831, Ohio Star, Ravenna, October 27, 1831. Editorial Note See 4.5 Letter, Ezra Booth to Ira Eddy, October 2, 1831, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript [ Joseph] Smith is the only person at present, to my knowledge, who pretends to hold converse with the inhabitants of the celestial world. It seems from his statements, that he can have access to them, when and where he pleases. He does not pretend that he sees them with his natural, but with his spiritual eyes; and he says he can see them as well with his eyes shut, as with them open. So also in translating.—​The subject stands before his eyes in print, but it matters not whether his eyes are open or shut; he can see as well one way as the other.

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You have probably read the testimony of the three witnesses appended to the Book of Mormon. These witnesses testify, that an angel appeared to them, and presented them the golden plates, and the voice of God declared it to be a Divine Record. To this they frequently testify, in the presence of large congregations. When in Missouri, I had an opportunity to examine a commandment given to these witnesses, previous to their seeing the plates. They were informed that they should see and hear those things by faith, and then they should testify to the world, as though they had seen and heard, as I see a man, and hear his voice: but after all, it amounts simply to this; that by faith or imagination, they saw the plates and the angel, and by faith or imagination, they heard the voice of the Lord. Smith describes an angel, as having the appearance of “a tall, slim, well built, handsome man, with a bright pillar upon his head.” The Devil once, he says, appeared to him in the same form, excepting upon his head he had a “black pillar,” and by this mark, he was able to distinguish him from the former. It passes for a current fact in the Mormonite church, that there are immense treasures in the earth, especially in those places in the State of N. Y. from whence many of the Mormonites emigrated last spring: and when they become sufficiently purified, these treasures are to be poured into the lap of their church; and then, to use their own language, they are to be the richest people in the world. These treasures were discovered several years since, by means of the dark glass, the same with which Smith says he translated most of the Book of Mormon.—​Several of those persons, together with Smith, who were formerly unsuccessfully engaged in digging and searching for these treasures, now reside in this county, and from themselves I received this information. Yours, affectionately. EZRA BOOTH. 9.13  John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Extract Source Note “The Book of John, Whitmer kept by Comma[n]‌d,” ca. 1838–​ca. 1847, handwriting of John Whitmer, ninety-​six pages, CCLA, in JSP, H2:37. Editorial Note John Whitmer was born in Pennsylvania on August 27, 1802, to Peter Whitmer and Mary Musselman. He was evidently baptized by Oliver Cowdery in Seneca Lake in June of 1829, the same month he assisted Joseph Smith as a scribe for the translation of the Book of Mormon and testified with seven others to seeing and handling the plates. He was appointed church historian around March 8, 1831, and copied

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several revelations into Revelation Book 1 that same year. In producing his history of the church, Whitmer combined narrative with a variety of such documents as revelations, petitions, and letters.16 Whitmer married Sarah Maria Jackson on February 10, 1833, in Jackson County, Missouri. The next year he was appointed an assistant to his younger brother David in the Missouri church presidency. He helped establish the Saints at Far West but was excommunicated at Far West on March 10, 1838.17 Although Whitmer left Far West after his excommunication, he returned after the Saints were driven from Missouri and lived in Far West until his death on July 11, 1878. An event in John Whitmer’s life that has gone largely unnoticed—​and one he did not mention in his history—​occurred on July 23, 1833, when the Saints in Jackson County were suffering severe persecution at the hands of local residents. Oliver Cowdery later described the scene: Early in the day, the mob again assembled to the number of about 500, many of them armed with rifles, dirks, pistols, clubs and whips; one or two companies riding into town bearing the red flag, raising again the HORRID YELL—​They proceeded to take some of the leading elders by force declaring it to be their intention to whip them from fifty to five hundred lashes apeice, to demolish their dwelling houses, and let their negroes lose to go through our plantations and lay open our fields for the destruction of our crops. Whereupon John Corrill, John Whitmer, W.  W. Phelps, A.  S. Gilbert, Edward Partridge, and Isaac Morely, made no resistance, but offered themselves a ransom for the church, willing to be scourged or die, if that would appease [the mob’s] anger toward the church.18 Unmoved by the six individuals’ willingness to give their lives for their friends and families, the mobbers rebuffed the offer and insisted they would whip or scourge “every man, woman, and child . . . until [the Mormons] were driven out of the country.”19 Document Transcript Permit me here to remark, that David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris, were the three Witnesses, whose names are attached to the Book of Mormon according to the prediction of the Book, who knew and seen, for a surity, into whose presence the anger [angel] of God came and showed them the Plates, the ball, the directors, &c. . . . these witnesses [including the eight witnesses] names go forth also of the truth of this work in the last days. To the convincing or condemning of this generation in the last day. [p. 25]

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9.14  John A. Clark’s Letter, August 31, 1840, Extract Source Note Clark, Gleanings By the Way, 257. Editorial Note See 1.22 John A. Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts. Editorial Note. Document Transcript To know how much [Martin Harris’s] testimony is worth I  will state one fact. A  gentleman in Palmyra,20 bred to the law, a professor of religion, and of undoubted veracity, told me that on one occasion, he appealed to Harris and asked him directly, —​“Did you see those plates?” Harris replied, he did. “Did you see the plates, and the engravings on them with your bodily eyes?” Harris replied, “Yes, I saw them with my eyes,—​they were shown unto me by the power of God and not of man.” “But did you see them with your natural, —​your bodily eyes, just as you see this pencil-​case in my hand? Now say no or yes to this.” Harris replied, —​“Why I did not see them as I do that pencil-​case, yet I saw them with the [p. 256] eye of faith; I saw them just as distinctly as I see any thing around me, —​though at the time they were covered over with a cloth.” This was the way that Harris saw the plates, Cowdery, another of the witnesses, was one of the prime actors in getting up this “cunningly devised fable.” Whether Whitmer, the third witness, was a deceiver, or one of the deceived, I am unable to say, but he and four of his brothers were among the earliest avowed converts to Mormonism. And as he was thus privileged because he assisted to bring forth the work, there can be but little doubt that he bore the same relation to it that Cowdery did. The declaration in the testimony “that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon,” show but too well what sort of jugglery to blind people’s eyes, this certificate is. They seem themselves not to have been satisfied with the testimony; and therefore, although it was expressly revealed that only three should see the plates, and that it should be established by the witness of three, yet they immediately subjoin the testimony of eight additional witnesses. . . . This is signed by Hiram Page, Jo Smith’s father, —​two of his brothers, and four of the Whitmers, brothers of the Whitmer, who was one of the three witnesses. They were all persons deeply interested in the success of this imposture, and expecting to make their fortunes by it.

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9.15  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, 1844–​1845, Extracts Source Note Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, 138–​39; Smith, Preliminary Manuscript, [p. [1]‌, bk. 9], in Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 455. Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial  Note. Document Transcript Biographical Sketches (1853) As soon as the Book of Mormon was translated, Joseph despatched a messenger to Mr. Smith, bearing intelligence of the completion of the work, and a request that Mr. Smith and myself should come immediately to Waterloo. The same evening, we conveyed this intelligence to Martin Harris, for we loved the man, although his weakness had cost us much trouble. Hearing this, he greatly rejoiced, and determined to go straightway to Waterloo to congratulate Joseph upon his success. Accordingly, the next morning, we all set off together, and before sunset met Joseph and Oliver at Mr. Whitmer’s. The evening was spent in reading the manuscript, and it would be superfluous for me to say, to one who has read the foregoing pages, that we rejoiced exceedingly. It then appeared to those of us who did not realize the magnitude of the work, as if the greatest difficulty was then surmounted; but Joseph better understood the nature of the dispensation of the Gospel which was committed unto him. The next morning, after attending to the usual services, namely, reading, singing and praying, Joseph arose from his knees, and approaching Martin Harris with a solemnity that thrills through my veins to this day, when it occurs to my recollection, said, “Martin Harris, you have got to humble yourself before God this day, that you may obtain a forgiveness of your sins. If you do, it is the will of God that you should look upon the plates, in company with Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer.” In a few minutes after this, Joseph, Martin, Oliver and David, repaired to a grove, a short distance from the house, where they commenced calling upon [p. 138] the Lord, and continued in earnest supplication, until he permitted an angel to come down from his presence, and declare to them, that all which Joseph had testified of concerning the plates was true. When they returned to the house it was between three and four o’clock p.m. Mrs. Whitmer, Mr. Smith and myself, were sitting in a bedroom at the time. On coming

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in, Joseph threw himself down beside me, and exclaimed, “Father, mother, you do not know how happy I am: the Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself. They have seen an angel, who has testified to them, and they will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said, for now they know for themselves, that I do not go about to deceive the people, and I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear, and it rejoices my soul, that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world.” Upon this, Martin Harris came in: he seemed almost overcome with joy, and testified boldly to what he had both seen and heard. And so did David and Oliver, adding, that no tongue could express the joy of their hearts, and the greatness of the things which they had both seen and heard. Their written testimony, which is contained in the Book of Mormon, is as follows:—​ [Text of “THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES” inserted here.]21 Preliminary Manuscript (1844–​1845) Martin Harris particularly seemed altogather unable to give vent to his feelings in words he said I have now seen angel from Heaven who has of a surety testified of the truth of all that I have heard concerning the record and my eyes have beheld him I have also looked upon the plates and handled them with my hands and can testify of the same to the whole world. But I have received for myself a witness that words cannot express that no tongue can describe & I bless God in the sincerity of my soul that he has condescended to make me even me a witness of the greatness of his work and designs in behalf the children of men. Oliver and David also joined with him in solemn praises to God for his goodness and mercy. 9.16  Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract Source Note Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism, 68–​69, 71, 74–​75. Editorial Note See 1.25 Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript SMITH’S first “command” limiting to his eye alone the mortal sight of the metallic records, except on the penalty of “instant death” denounced against the daring of any other human being, failed in its apparent purpose. It was treated as

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“Joe’s nonsense” outside of the immediate circle of his small band of followers, as were all his stories of visions and of the “golden” book. Hence a modification of the revelation seemingly became necessary to secure the public acceptance of this miraculous spiritual dispensation. Exactly when this change was reached, did not generally transpire, or at least it is not within remembrance, though for months antecedent to the publication of the book the conclusive “testimony of witnesses” to the actual sight and veritable existence of “the plates which contained the rec­ ord,” was verbally [p. 68] proclaimed by Smith and others in corroboration of the prophetic pretension. This circumstance explains the otherwise apparent inconsistency of the following allegations of eleven witnesses, which are appended to the printed volume: [Text of “The Testimony of Three Witnesses,” and “And Also The Testimony of Eight Witnesses,” 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, [p. [589]], [p. [590]], respectively, inserted here.] How to reconcile the act of Harris in signing his name to such a statement, in view of the character of honesty which has always been conceded to him, could never be easily explained. In reply to uncharitable suggestions of his neighbors, he used to practise a good deal of his characteristic jargon about “seeing with the spiritual eye,” and the like. As regards the other witnesses associated with Harris, their averments in this or any other matter could excite no more surprise than did those of Smith himself. . . . Another theory in regard to the plates and hieroglyphics claimed to be found by Smith may possibly be explained in this way. In the list of American antiquities found in the Western country, and preserved in the museums of antiquarians, are what are called glyphs, consisting of curious metallic plates covered with hieroglyphical characters. Professor Rafinesque, in his Asiatic Journal for 1832, describes similar plates found by him in Mexico, being “written from top to [p. 74] bottom like the Chinese, or from side to side indifferently, like the Egyptians and the Demotic Libyan.” A number of these remains were found a few years ago in Pike County, Illinois, described as “six plates of brass of a bell shape, each having a hole near the small end, with a ring through all of them, and clasped with two clasps. The ring and clasps appeared to be iron, very much oxidated. The plates first appeared to be copper, and had the appearance of being covered with characters. A cleansing by sulpheric acid brought out the characters distinctly.” [See the discussion of the Kinderhook Plates in ­chapter 10.] Smith may have obtained through Rigdon (the literary genius behind the screen) one of these glyphs, which resemble so nearly his description of the book he pretended to find on Mormon Hill. For the credit of human character, it is better at any rate to presume this, and that the

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eleven ignorant witnesses were deceived by appearances, than to conclude that they willfully committed such gross moral perjury before high Heaven, as their solemn averments imply. Accounts from Others—​o n Oliver Cowdery 9.17  Painesville Telegraph Article, November 16, 1830 Source Note “The Golden Bible,” Painesville Telegraph, Ohio, November 16, 1830. Document Transcript Some two or three years since, an account was given in the papers, of a book purporting to contain new revelations from Heaven, having been dug out of the ground, in Manchester in Ontario Co. N.Y. The book, it seems, has made its appearance in this vicinity.—​It contains about 600 octavo pages, which is said to be translated from Egyptian Hieroglyphics, on metal plates, by one Smith, who was enabled to read the characters by instruction from Angels. About two weeks since some persons came along here with the book, one of whom pretends to have seen Angels, and assisted in translating the plates. He proclaims destruction upon the world within a few years,—​holds forth that the ordinances of the gospel, have not been regularly administered since the days of the Apostles, till the said Smith and himself commenced the work—​and many other marvellous things too numerous to mention. In the neighboring township of Kirtland, we understand that twenty or thirty have been immersed into the new order of things; many of whom had been previously baptised.—​The name of the person here, who pretends to have a divine mission, and to have seen and conversed with Angels, is Cowdray. We understand that he is bound for the regions beyond the Mississippi, where he contemplates founding a “City of Refuge” for his followers, and converting the Indians, under his prophetic authority. 9.18  Ashbel Kitchell’s Account, 1831 Source Note Journal of Ashbel Kitchell, Shaker Museum, Old Chatham, New  York, cited in Anderson, “Impact of the First Preaching,” 209. See also, Lawrence R.  Flake, “A Shaker View of a Mormon Mission,” BYU Studies 20, no, 1 (1979): 1–​6.

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Editorial Note Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Ziba Peterson, and Parley P.  Pratt left Manchester, New York, late in October of 1830 and departed on their mission. Near Cleveland, Ohio, they taught and baptized approximately 130 converts, including Sidney Rigdon. Likely in November, Cowdery, Rigdon, Pratt, and Leman Copely visited a Shaker community in North Union, near Kirtland. Ashbel Kitchell was the leader of the group of Shakers. Document Transcript Late in the fall a member of that [Mormon] society came to our house to visit the [Shaker] Believers. His name was Oliver Cowdery. He stated that he had been one who assisted in the translation of the golden Bible, and had seen the angel, and also had been commisioned by him to go out and bear testimony that God would destroy this generation. By his request we gave liberty for him to bear his testimony in our meeting. But finding he had nothing for us, we treated him kindly and labored to find out their manner of spirit. He appeared meek and mild. 9.19  Elizabeth Whitmer Cowdery’s Statement, March 8, 1887 Source Note Elizabeth Ann Cowdery to David Whitmer, March 8, 1887, in The Return, December 1892, 7. Editorial Note See 8.8 Statement of Elizabeth Whitmer Cowdery, February 15, 1870, Editorial Note. Document Transcript My husband, Oliver Cowdery, bore his testimony to the truth and divine origin of the Book of Mormon, as one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon; as to his standing on doctrine he stood where he did when he preached the first sermon; that was preached in the last days in the Church of Christ in 1829 [1830], when the Bible and the Book of Mormon alone were the guide to the faith of the church. From the hour when the glorious vision of the Holy Messenger revealed to mortal eyes the hidden prophecies which God had promised his faithful followers should come forth in due time, until the moment when he passed away from earth. He always without one doubt or shudder of turning affirmed the divinity and truth of the Book of Mormon.

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Accounts from Others—​o n Martin Harris 9.20  Painesville Telegraph Article, March 15, 1831 Source Note “Martin Harris . . .,” Painesville Telegraph, Ohio, March 15, 1831. Document Transcript Martin Harris, another chief of Mormon imposters, arrived here last Saturday from the bible quarry in New-​York. He immediately planted himself in the bar-​room of the hotel, where he soon commenced reading and explaining the Mormon hoax, and all the dark passages from Genesis to Revelations. He told all about the gold plates, Angels, Spirits, and Jo Smith.—​He had seen and handled them all, by the power of God! Curiosity soon drew around thirty or forty spectators, and all who presumed to question his blasphemous pretensions, were pronounced infidels. He was very flippant, talking fast and loud, in order that others could not interpose an opinion counter to his. Every idea that he advanced, he knew to be absolutely true, as he said, by the spirit and power of God. In fine, the bystanders had a fair specimen of the Mormon slang, in this display of one of their head men. The meeting was closed, by a request of the landlord that the prophet should remove his quarters, which he did, after declaring, that all who believed the new bible would see Christ within fifteen years, and all who did not would absolutely be destroyed and dam’d.22 9.21  Stephen Burnett’s Letter to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Extract Source Note Letter, Stephen Burnett to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Joseph Smith Papers, Letterbook 2, 64–​66, CHL. Editorial Note Stephen Burnett (December 15, 1813–​February 14, 1885)  was born in Trumbull County, Ohio. He was baptized into the Church of Christ by John Murdock on November 21, 1830, in Warrensville, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He was ordained a teacher by June 3, 1831; an elder on October 11, 1831; and a high priest on October 25, 1831. He married Lamira Gardner on January 5, 1832. He served missions to New Hampshire and other eastern states from 1832–​1834 and was president of the church conference in Bath, New Hampshire in the summer of 1833. As the letter featured

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here shows, he had become deeply disillusioned with the church by 1838. Parts of the letter not included here also indicate that the Kirtland financial crisis of 1837 was a key factor in his alienation from Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon. After leaving the church, Burnett was the treasurer of Orange Township in 1841. He moved to Vincennes, Indiana, in 1852 and rejoined the Campbellites by late 1853, serving as an elder in the local congregation. He was a member of the board of trustees for Vincennes University, director of the County Fair Association, and president of the Fourth Missionary District of the Disciples of Christ (Campellite), in 1873.23 Lyman E. Johnson (October 24, 1811–​December 20, 1859) had been baptized by Sidney Rigdon in February of 1831 and served in the Quorum of Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1838. He was excommunicated on April 13, 1838, two days before this letter was written, although Burnett was likely unaware of that. Johnson never rejoined the Mormons but remained friendly with them.24 Document Transcript I have reflected long and deliberately upon the history of this church & weighed the evidence for & against it—​loth to give it up—​but when I came to hear Martin Harris state in a public congregation that he never saw the plates with his natural eyes only in vision or imagination, neither Oliver [Cowdery] nor David [Whitmer] & also that the eight witnesses never saw them & hesitated to sign that instrument for that reason, but were persuaded to do it, the last pedestal gave way, in my view our foundations was sapped & the entire superstructure fell a heap of ruins, I therefore three weeks since in the Stone Chapel gave a full history of the church since I became acquainted with it, the false preaching & prophecying etc of Joseph together with the reasons why I took the course which I was resolved to do, and renounced the Book of Mormon with the whole scene of lying and deception practiced by J. S & S. R in this church, believing as I verily do, that it is all a wicked deception palmed upon us unawares . . . Harris arose & said he was sorry for any man who rejected the Book of Mormon for he knew it was true, he said he had hefted the plates repeatedly in a box with only a tablecloth or a handkerchief over them, but he never saw them only as he saw a city through a mountain. And said that he never should have told that the testimony of the eight was false, if it had not been picked out of air but should have let it passed as it was—​Now br Johnson if you have any thing to say in favour of the Book of Mormon I should be glad to hear it.—​ . . . there are in Kirtland Esqrs [Cyrus] Smalling, [ Joseph] Coe, Harris and others who still believe the Book of Mormon &c but discard Joseph & Mr Coe proposed

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an investigation of the subject, and Parish took up on the negative, but I have not heard how they got along with it, I am well satisfied for myself that if the witnesses whose names are attached to the Book of Mormon never saw the plates as Martin admits that there can be nothing brought to prove that any such thing ever existed for it is said on the 171 page of the book of covenants that the three should testify that they had seen the plates even as J S Jr & if they only saw them spiritually or in vision with their eyes shut—​J S Jr never saw them in any other light way & if so the plates were only visionary and I am well satisfied that the 29 & 37 Chaps of Isai[a]‌h & Ezek[i]el together with others in which we depended to prove the truth of the book of Mormon have no bearing when correctly understood but are [p. 65] entirely irrevelent—​but if any man differs from me I can adopt the language of Josephus, he is at liberty to enjoy his opinions without any blame from me—​25 9.22  Simon Smith’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, April 30, 1884 Source Note Letter, Simon Smith to Herald, April 30, 1884, Saints Herald 31 (May 24, 1884), 324. Document Transcript CAMERON, Missouri, April 30th, 1884. Dear Herald:—​ Whereas several of the brethren when at last conference, Stewartsville Mo., desired me to write again for your columns the last testimony of Martin Harris, Sen., respecting the divine origin and coming forth of the Book of Mormon; I now again state: That on the 5th day of July, 1875, I visited him at Clarkston, Cache county, Utah Territory, and as it was expected that he would not recover from his sickness, I asked him several questions concerning the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, &c. 1st. Can you still testify of seeing the angel of God and the plates the Book of Mormon was translated from. His answer was, “Yes, I can; for I saw the angel come down from heaven; and he laid the plates before me, and I saw them: and I also heard the voice of God from heaven, commanding me to bear record of the things that I saw, and what is written of the three witnesses in the fore part of the Book of Mormon is true, and I dare not deny it, lest the power of God should consume me.” He also said, “I know not why the Lord has permitted me to live so long, only to testify of the truth of the Book of Mormon; and I now tell you these things, that it might be told to others.” He also said, “I was Joseph Smith’s scribe, and wrote for him a great deal; for he was such a poor writer, and could not

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even draw up a note of hand as his education was so limited. I also wrote for him about one third of the first part of the translation of the plates as he interpreted them by the Urim and Thummim. And I  paid the printer about three thousand dollars for the first edition of the Book of Mormon.” And whereas some parties have said that the said Martin Harris, Sen., denied his testimony as recorded in the said Book of Mormon, on his death-​bed, I felt it a duty when I first heard of the report, on the 13th inst., at Stewartsville, Mo., to go before a Justice of the Peace, and make an affidavit to the contrary, which I did on the 14th inst., to confute such a false statement, and defend the man in his dying moments, and in the integrity of his soul, testifying to the last, to what he had seen, heard, and knew to be true. 9.23  Anthony Metcalf ’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1888, Extract Source Note A. Metcalf, Ten Years Before the Mast,  70–​71. Editorial Note See 3.13 Anthony Metcalf ’s Account of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1888, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Martin Harris, who was one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, was living in Smithfield, Cache Valley, with his son Martin. I called to see him and he gave me his history from his youth up. This occurred in the winter of 1875–​6.26 Following is the history as related to me, including all his connections with Joseph Smith, the pretended prophet and the founder of the Mormon church:  He told me all about the translating of the Book of Mormon, and said he had give $5,000 towards its publication. He said “I never saw the golden plates, only in a visionary or entranced state. I wrote a great deal of the Book of Mormon myself, as Joseph Smith translated or spelled the words out in English. Sometimes the plates would be on a table in the room in which [p. 70] Smith did the translating, covered over with cloth. I was told by Joseph Smith that God would strike him dead if he attempted to look at them, and I believed it. When the time came for the three witnesses to see the plates, Joseph Smith, myself, David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, went into the woods to pray. When they had all engaged in prayer, they failed at that time to

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see the plates or the angel who should have been on hand to exhibit them. They all believed it was because I was not good enough, or, in other words, not sufficiently sanctified. I withdrew. As soon as I had gone away, the three others saw the angel and the plates. In about three days I went into the woods to pray that I might see the plates. While praying I passed into a state of entrancement, and in that state I saw the angel and the plates.” 9.24  David H. Cannon’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1922 Source Note David H. Cannon, “History of the Cannon Family,” presentation given at a meeting of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers in St. George, Utah, on February 19, 1922, http://​www.sedgwickresearch.com/​cannon/​dhcannon.htm. Editorial Note “David Henry Cannon was born on 23 April 1838 in Liverpool, England. His parents were George and Ann Quayle Cannon, both from the Isle of Man (an island between England and Ireland.) His parents were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints on February 11, 1840 by his uncle, the Apostle (and later Church president), John Taylor.” David served a mission to California in 1856. On February 15, 1859, he married Wilhelmina L.  Mousley. In 1860, he was called on another mission, this one to the Manchester Conference in England. He met and talked to Martin Harris on his way to England. On his return from England, David, only twenty-​three years old, took charge of an emigrating company and found jobs for several of those pioneers setting poles for the Western Union Telegraph Company. The group arrived in Salt Lake City on August 16, 1861. Less than two months later, David and his family were called to the Dixie Mission to help settle the St. George area. He “was a bishop, a high counselor, and a member of the stake presidency for many years which required traveling to visit the wards and branches throughout southern Utah and southern Nevada. And then after the building and dedication of the St. George Temple David H. served first as an assistant to then temple president Wilford Woodruff, then as an assistant to temple president John D.T. McAllister and finally on 28 August 1893 David H. Cannon received a letter from the President of the Church calling him to be President of the St. George Temple. He served diligently in this calling for over 30 years and had many faith-​promoting experiences.”27 Cannon died on December 27, 1924 and was buried in the St. George City Cemetery.

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Document Transcript While East [in 1860] I had some time on my hands so I went to Kirtland and called on Martin Harris, who was one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. He took me into the Kirtland Temple and I read to him his Testimony as contained in the Book of Mormon, and I asked him if there was any possibility of him having been deceived in regard to the visitation of an Angel. He testified to me in all solemnity, although not a member of the church at that time, that the angel did appear with the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, and testified that they contained a history of the ancient inhabitants of this continent and that they had been translated by the gift and power of God. There was a feeling accompanied his testimony, when he bore it, that I have never experienced either before or since in any man that I ever heard bear testimony. 9.25  William Pilkington’s Account of an Interview with Martin Harris, April 3, 1934, Extract Source Note William Pilkington Affidavit, April 3, 1934, 4–​6, typescript, CHL, in Vogel, EMD, 2:355–​56. Editorial Note William Pilkington Jr. was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England on November 13, 1860, and died in Smithfield, Cache County, Utah, on June 25, 1942. He married Margaret Alice Farrell (1862–​1920) on October 4, 1883, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. They had seven sons and three daughters. Pilkington moved to Utah with his parents in the fall of 1874 and was soon hired out to live with and work for Martin Harris, then living with his son Martin Harris Jr. Pilkington wrote that he heard Harris’s testimony concerning the Book of Mormon “scores of times,” including a deathbed testimony—​with fourteen-​year-​ old William holding up Harris’s right arm—​g iven on July 9, 1875, the day before Harris died.28 Document Transcript His whole being became Electrified and it seemed that a changed man stood before me. It was no longer a man with an Imagined grievance. It was a man with a message, a man with Noble Conviction in his Heart, Inspired of God, and indowed with a

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Divine Knowledge. He said, Just as sure as you see the Sun shining, Just as sure am I that I stood in [p. 4] the presence of an Angel of God with Joseph Smith, and saw him hold the Gold Plates in his Hands. I also saw the Urim and Thummim, The Breastplate, and the Sword of Laban. I saw the Angel descend from Heaven. The Heavens were then opened and I heard the voice of God declare, that every thing the Angel had told us was True, and that the Book of Mormon was Translated correct. I was commanded by Gods Voice to testify to the whole World what I had seen and heard. I cried out in my Esticy, Tis Enough; Tis Enough; Mine Eyes have beheld of the glories of God. Hosanna; Hosanna; Hosanna; To God and The Lamb and I fell on my face on the ground. The next thing I knew the Prophet was helping me up. I said Brother Harris, This is Electrifying to me to have the priviledge of conversing with a man that has stood and talked with angels of the Lord, it is grand to hear you Bare your Testimoney. I asked him, Did you, or Either one of the other Witnesses ever at any time deny your Testimoney as recorded in the Preface of the Book of Mormon? He answered, No! No one of the Three Witnesses to the Authenticity of The Book of Mormon ever at any time deny his testimoney. They all Died reaffirming it with their last Breath; His voice throbbed with sincerity and the conviction of his message. He was then the real Martin Harris whose burning Testimoney, no Power on Earth could Quench. He said again, he spent his money freely for the [p. 5] Church, I was the first scribe for Joseph Smith in the Translating of the Book of Mormon. Accounts from Others—​o n David Whitmer 9.26  Diedrich Willers’s Letter to Rev. L. Mayer and D. Young, June 18, 1830, Extract Source Note Letter, D. W. to Reverend Brethren, June 18, 1830, Diedrich Willers Collection, the John M. Olin Library, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, in Quinn, “The First Months of Mormonism,” 324, 326–​27. Editorial Note According to D. Michael Quinn, Willers was born at Walle, near Breman, Germany, on February 6, 1798, and served with the Prussian army at the Battle of Waterloo. He

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emigrated to the United States in 1819, studied for the ministry in Pennsylvania, and arrived in “Seneca County, New York, in 1821, where he was ordained to the ministry of the Reformed Church of the United States (German Reformed Church). His ministry was to the Christ Church congregation in Bearytown . . . and also to the Zion congregation in West Fayette.” Willers received his Doctor of Divinity degree in 1870, serving as pastor of the Christ Church congregation until 1882. He died on May 13, 1883. Willers knew the Peter Whitmer family—​“On April 5, 1822, shortly after his own arrival in Fayette, Willers received the Whitmers as communicants in the Reformed Church.”29 At the end of his letter, Willers includes the testimonies of both the three and eight witness from the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon. Document Transcript [Bearytown, Fayette, New York] June 18, 1830 Reverend Brethren The greatest fraud of our time in the realm of religion is certainly Joseph Smith, the alleged translator of a book entitled: The Book of Mormon, an account written by the hand of Mormon .  .  .  . [Text of title page of 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon inserted here (except for author and publisher information).] 1) The history of the origin of the book. In the month of July [in  1829], Joseph Smith made his appearance in Seneca County, in the neighborhood of Waterloo, about 6 miles from my hometown. There a certain David Whitmer claimed to have seen an angel of the Lord, so Smith proceeded to his house, in order to complete the translation of the above work himself. According to the reports, only there could he work—​where men who have had association with the other world also reside. This is the eleventh place where he had worked on the translation of his work and where men saw angels. He asserted that the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and made it known that in the neighborhood of Palmyra there were golden plates in the earth, upon which was described the doings of a Jewish prophet’s family, associated with many not yet fulfilled prophecies. The Angel indicated that the Lord destined him to translate these things into English from the ancient language, that under these plates were hidden spectacles, without which he could not translate these plates, that by using these spectacles, he (Smith) would be in a position to read these ancient languages, which he had never studied, and that the Holy Ghost would reveal to him the translation in the English language. Therefore, he (Smith) proceeded to Manchester township, Ontario County, and found everything as described, the

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plates buried next to the spectacles in the [p. 326] earth, and soon he completed the translation of this work. Upon receiving this report, I hurried immediately to Whitmer’s house to see this man, in order to learn the actual source of this story and to find out how it might be possible to nip this work in the bud. However, I received the reply from Whitmer’s father that Smith had already departed to take his translation to press. I tried to expose the clumsy deception to this man, and he was silent about Smith’s pretension, which is such that it is not worthy of refutation.30 9.27  William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, July 18, 1831 Source Note William E. McLellin Journal I, July 18, 1831–​November 20, 1831, CHL, in Shipps and Welch, Journals of William E. McLellin, 29. Editorial Note William E. McLellin was born January 18, 1806, in Smith County, Tennessee. His father, Charles McLellan, was born around 1776. McLellin’s mother’s name is not known—​nor did he mention her in his writings—​leading some to speculate that she was dead or out of the home for much of his life. He married a woman name Cynthia Ann (maiden name unknown) on July 30, 1829. McLellin was baptized into the Church of Christ by Hyrum Smith on August 20, 1831, in Jackson County, Missouri. He was ordained a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles on February 15, 1835. By September of that year, he had been disfellowshipped and then reinstated. The mercurial McLellin wrote a letter of withdrawal in August of 1836 but was again sustained as a member of Twelve in September of 1837 in Kirtland, Ohio. “On May 11, 1838, he was excommunicated. Later he tried to start a church of his own, which failed, after which he took up the practice of medicine. He died in Missouri in 1883.”31 Document Transcript At this time I was living in Paris, Illinois. Teaching school—​ This morning I heard very early that two men (who said they were traveling to Zion which they said was in upper Missouri. They had also a book with them which they sd was a Revelation from God. calling it the book of Mormon) were to preach 2½ miles below Paris at N. W. Nunally’s. I taught school until 12 o’clock. I saddled Tom and rode there with speed, Anxious to see and hear these

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quear beings. Their names were Harvy Whitlock & David Whitmer—​The people were assembled in a beautiful sugartree grove. Mr Whitlock arose and gave some particulars respecting the book and some reasons why he believed it to be a divine revelation. Spoke some of the Signs of the times then he expounded the Gospel the plainest I  thot that I  ever heard in my life, which astonished me. D[avid] Whitmer then arose and bore testimony to having seen an Holy angel who had made known the truth of this record to him. all these strange things I pondered in my heart.32 9.28  Thomas B. Marsh’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, November 1857 Source Note History of Thos. Baldwin Marsh. (Written by himself in Great Salt Lake City, November 1857.), Deseret News, March 24, 1858. Editorial Note Thomas Baldwin Marsh was born on November 1, 1800, in Acton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Godkin on November 1, 1820, in New York City. He joined the Methodist church in Boston. and moved to Palmyra, New York, by September of 1830. He moved to Kirtland, Ohio, in May of 1831 and to Jackson County, Missouri, in November of 1832. Marsh was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 26, 1835, in Kirtland, and sustained as president of the quorum a week later.33 Early in 1838, Marsh was a “major instigator” in the excommunications of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, William W. Phelps, and John Whitmer. Within months, however, Marsh found himself in conflict with Joseph Smith. “Believing that Joseph should not have allowed the ‘cream’ trial [where Thomas’s wife, Elizabeth, had been reprimanded for unfairly taking cream from the daily milkings she shared with Lucinda Harris], and being persuaded that the Prophet had directed extralegal activities in Daviess County, Thomas Marsh lost what faith he had left . . . and with Orson Hyde he left Far West on 22 October [1838].”34 Document Transcript After making preparation, I started from Far West [in October of 1838] and moved three miles out of town, ostensibly for the purpose of settling, and soon moved off

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to Clay county, and from thence to Richmond, Ray county, where I saw David, John and Jacob Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, who had all apostatized. I enquired seriously of David if it was true that he had seen the angel, according to his testimony as one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon. He replied, as sure as there is a god in heaven, he saw the angel according to his testimony in that book. I asked him, if so, why he did not stand by Joseph? He answered, in the days when Joseph received the Book of Mormon, and brought if forth, he was a good man and filled with the Holy Ghost, but he considered he had now fallen. I  interrogated Oliver Cowdery in the same manner, who answered similarly.35 9.29  William E. McLellin’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, January 4, 1871 Source Note William E.  McLellin, “W. E.  McLellan’s Book, January 4, 1871,” in Larson and Passey, William E. McLellin Papers, 254. Editorial Note See 9.27 William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, July 18, 1831, Editorial Note. Document Transcript In 1833, when mobbing reigned triumphant in Jackson Co. Mo. I and O. Cowdery [fled] from our homes, for fear of personal violence on Saturday the 20th day of July. The mob dispersed, agreeing to meet again on the next Tuesday. They offered eighty dollars reward for any one who would deliver Cowdery or McLellan in Independence on Tuesday. On Mond[ay] I slipped down into the Whitmer’s settlement, and there in the lonely woods I  met with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery. I  said to them, “brethren I  never have seen an open vision in my life, . . . [page 2] Is that book of Mormon true”? Cowdery looked at me with solemnity depicted in his face, and said, “Brother William, God sent his holy Angel to declare the truth of the translation of it to us, and therefore we know. And though the mob kill us, yet we must die declaring its truth.” David said, “Oliver has told you the solemn truth, for we could not be deceived. I most truly declare declare to you its truth!!” Said I, boys I believe you. I can see no object for you to tell me falsehood now, when our lives are endangered.36

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9.30  Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer, September 1878, Extract Source Note “Report of Elders Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith,” Millennial Star, 40 (December 9, 1878):771–​72. Editorial Note See 8.9 Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith’s Interview with David Whitmer, September 1878, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript [Orson Pratt:] Do you remember what time you saw the plates? [David Whitmer:] It was in June, 1829—​the latter part of the month, and the Eight Witnesses saw them, I think, the next day or the day after (i.e. one or two days after). Joseph showed them the plates himself, but the angel showed us (the Three Witnesses) the plates, as I suppose to fulfill the words of the book itself. Martin Harris was not with us at this time; he obtained a view of them afterwards (the same day). Joseph, Oliver and myself were together when I saw them. We not only saw the plates of the Book of Mormon but also the brass plates, the plates of the Book of Ether, the plates containing the records of the wickedness and secret combinations of the people of the world down to the time of their being [p. 771] engraved, and many other plates. The fact is, it was just as though Joseph, Oliver and I were sitting just here on a log, when we were overshadowed by a light. It was not like the light of the sun nor like that of a fire, but more glorious and beautiful. It extended away round us, I cannot tell how far, but in the midst of this light about as far off as he sits (pointing to John C. Whitmer, sitting a few feet from him), there appeared as it were, a table with many records or plates upon it, besides the plates of the Book of Mormon, also the Sword of Laban, the Directors—​ i.e., the ball which Lehi had—​and the Interpreters. I saw them just as plain as I see this bed (striking the bed beside him with his hand), and I heard the voice of the Lord, as distinctly as I ever heard anything in my life, declaring that the records of the plates of the Book of Mormon were translated by the gift and power of God. [Orson Pratt:] Did you see the angel at this time?

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[David Whitmer:] Yes; he stood before us. Our testimony as recorded in the Book of Mormon is strictly and absolutely true, just as it is there written. 9.31  William E. McLellin’s Letter to James T. Cobb, August 14, 1880 Source Note Letter, W. E. McLelland M.D. to Mr. J. T. Cobb, August 14, 1880, New York Public Library, New York City, in Porter, “William E. McLellan’s Testimony,” 1–​3.37 Editorial Note “In 1880 James T. Cobb, a graduate of Dartmouth and Amherst colleges and a resident of Salt Lake City, was making an attempt to establish the falsity of the Book of Mormon through an extensive examination of its origins,” writes Larry C. Porter. “Among those to whom he directed letters of inquiry was William E. McLellan, whose close association with Joseph Smith and the witnesses of the Book of Mormon in the early years of the Church made him an appropriate subject for correspondence.”38 See also 9.27 William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, July 18, 1831, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Independence Mo. Aug. 14th 1880. Mr. J. T. Cobb. Yours of Aug. 9th lies before me, and has been carefully read and considered. I did not answer your former letter because I did not think I could do any good by it, and I now have doubts as to any good resulting, but I’ll comply with your request. I am “opinionated.” When I thoroughly examine a subject and settle my mind, then higher evidence must be introduced before I change. I have set to my seal that the Book of Mormon is a true, divine record and it will require more evidence than I have ever seen to ever shake me relative to its purity. I have read many “Exposes.” I have seen all their arguments. But my evidences [p. 1] are above them all! I have no faith in Mormonism, as an ism, even from its start, neither have I in Latter day Saintism from its start—​through all its developments. I have no confidence that the church organized by J. Smith and O. Cowdery was set up or established as it ought to have been. And the further its run its run still farther from the true way—​farther from the plain simplicity of that Divine record, the Book of M. I don’t know that I am surprised at a thinking man for rejecting L.D.S.ism at its now developed in any and all branches of what is called Mormonism. But when

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a man goes at the Book of M.  he touches the apple of my eye. He fights against truth—​against purity—​against light—​against the purist, or one of the truest, purist books on earth. I have more confidence in the Book of Mormon than any book of this wide earth! And its not because I don’t know its contents, for I have probably read it through 20 times. I have read it carefully through within a year, and made many notes on it. It must be that a man does not love purity when he finds fault with the Book of Mormon!! Fight the wrongs of L.D.S.ism as much as you please, but let that unique, that inimitable book alone. I have but little confidence in the purity of a man’s life or in his principles of action after becoming acquainted with that Book, and then fight or oppose its divine excellency! Hence, you may know what I think of your course!! When I  first joined the church in 1831, soon I  became acquainted with all the Smith family and the Whitmer family, heard all their testimonies, which agreed in the main points; and I believed them then and I believe them yet. But don’t believe the many stories (contradictory) got up since, for I individually know many of them are false. My advice to you is cease your opposition and strife against the Book, and fight against wrong doing in professors: for you might just as well fight against the rocky mountains as the Book!! David Whitmer has lost his thumb on his right hand several years ago, and cannot write. And he would not be willing to write much to a man who fights the Book of M. which he knows to be true. I saw him June 1879, and heard him bear his solemn testimony to the truth of the book—​as sincerely and solemnly as when he bore it to me in Paris, Ill. in July 1831.39 I believed him then and still believe him. You seem to think he and I ought to come out and tell something—​some darkness relative to that book. We should lie if we did, for we know nothing against its credibility or divine truth. I can but hope you will alter your course and use your talents, energy and all your exertions in behalf of the truthfulness of that glorious volume!! With profound respect for truth, purity & holiness I subscribe myself a lover of all that is true and wholesome. I as ever. W. E. McLelland M.D. P.S. Like you I want to add a few words. I never had but one letter from you until this one. You seem to think S. Rigdon the bottom of all M.ism. Many people know better. He never heard of the work of Smith & Cowdery, until C. and P. P. Pratt brought the Book to him in Mentor, O. True enough, I have but little confidence in S. Rigdon, but I know he was more the tool [p.2] of J. Smith than his teacher and director. He was docile in J. S. hands to my knowledge.

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I left the church in Aug. 1836, not because I disbelieved the Book or the (then) doctrines preached or held by the Church, but because the Leading men to a great extent left their religion and run into and after speculation, pride, and popularity! Just like the Israelites and the Nephites often did. I quit because I could not uphold the Presidency as men of God; and I never united with Joseph and party afterward!! I have often examined all the reasons you assign, but they have but little bearing on my mind. I know a man can sit down and find crookedness in almost any thing by prying closely with it. In that light you are to work at the Book, and M.ism. Your life like all other exposers will be spent in vain, and worse than in vain. Then spend your time and energy at something more worthy of a lover of truth. Great events are just a little ahead of us. Great things are on hand today, but they will increase. Again I say I have no faith in any party or faction of L.D.S.ism any where in the world. I live alone outside all churches. I most firmly believe that the Lord will establish the Church of Christ shortly, and then if they will accept me, I’ll unite with them!!! Thus I look for power from God to be displayed among his ministers. And then the Book of M. will be a kind of standard for faithful. But I’ll close hoping you may yet come to see the truth. Give my respects to J. F. Smith. W. E. M. 9.32  James H. Hart’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer, August 21, 1883, Extract Source Note James H. Hart Interview (1), August 21, 1883, Richmond, Missouri, James H. Hart Notebook, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews,  95–​96. Editorial Note The extract of Hart’s interview featured here depicts David Whitmer’s experience of testifying of the Book of Mormon before a mob. Ronald E. Romig describes the historical context of that event: “Apparently, David Whitmer’s resolve [to testify of the Book of Mormon even under threat of death] was soon put to the test [in July of 1833]. Either in Kaw Township, or perhaps after having ventured to Independence to assist church leaders, David was seized by old settlers. Then, they attempted to force him to recant his testimony.”40 David responded as described in the featured document. John Greene recorded this description of the confrontation: The commanding officer then called twelve of his men, and ordered them to cock their guns and present them at the prisoner’s breasts, and to be ready to

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fire when he gave the word,—​he addressed the prisoners, threatening them with instant death, unless they denied the book of Mormon and confessed it to be a fraud; at the same time adding, that if they did so, they might enjoy the privileges of citizens. David Whitmer, hereupon, lifted up his hands and bore witness that the Book of Mormon was the Word of God.41

Document Transcript I met David Whitmer and his son David and had a pleasant conversation with them. He (David Whitmer, Senior) said persons want to know about the presentation of the plates to himself and other witnesses—​but there was a glory attending it that no one could describe. David Whitmer said, “I have been visited by thousands of people, believers and unbelievers, men and ladies of all degrees, sometimes as many as 15 in one day, and have never [p. 95] failed in my testimony. And they will know some day that my testimony is true. I had a mob of from four to five hundred surrounding me at one time, demanding that I should deny my published statement in the Book of Mormon; but the testimony I bore the mob made them tremble before me. I heard the voice of the Angel just as stated in said Book, and the engravings on the plates were shown to us, and we were commanded to bear record of them; and if they are not true, then there is no truth, and if there is no truth there is no God; if there is no God then there is no existence. But there is a God, and I know it. When we were first told to publish our statement, we felt sure the people would not believe it, for the Book told of a people who were refined and dwelt in large cities; but the Lord told us that He would make it known to the people, and people should discover the ruins of the lost cities and abundant evidence of the truth of what is written in the Book.” Contemporaneous Document 9.33  Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 17] Source Note Untitled revelation copied into Revelation Book 2 by Frederick G. Williams, not before November 25, 1834, Revelations Collection, CHL, in JSP, D1:83–​85. John Whitmer copied this revelation into Revelation Book 1 circa March of 1831, but that

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page was removed from the book and is no longer extant. For unknown reasons, this revelation was not included in the Book of Commandments (but was included, with no significant changes, in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants as section 42). “Some language used in the version copied into Revelation Book 2 does not fit an 1829 context, suggesting that version was modified from the original, although the degree of modification cannot be known.”42 Editorial Note In June of 1829, Oliver Cowdery was twenty-​two years old, David Whitmer, twenty-​ four, and Martin Harris, forty-​six. Within a few days after Joseph’s dictating this revelation, they reported being the first individuals to see the gold plates Joseph had been talking about since the autumn of 1823. Over the next fifty-​eight and a half years, their combined experience would include everything from fellowship and leadership in the church founded by Joseph to alienation and excommunication, with none of the three seeing Joseph in the final years of his life. But in terms of this revelation’s injunction to Cowdery, Whitmer, and Harris to testify of the things they had seen, none of the three ever faltered. Document Transcript A Revelation to Oliver [Cowdery] and David [Whitmer] and Martin [Harris] given Fayett sineca co [Fayette, Seneca County] New York given previous to them having a view of the plates &c. Behold I say unto you that you must rely upon my word which if you do with full purpose of heart you shall have a view of the plate and also the brestplate the sword Urim, and Thumim of Laban the Urim and Thummim given to the brother of Jared upon the mount when he talked with the Lord face to face and the marveelus directors which was given to Lehi while in the wilderness on the borders of the red sea and it is by your faith that you shall obtain a view of them even by that faith which was had by the prophets of old and after that you have obtained faith and have seen them with your eyes you shall testify of them by the power of God and this you shall do that my servant Joseph Smith Jr may not be distroyed that I may bring about my rightous purposes unto the children of men in this work and ye shall testify that ye have seen them even as my servant Joseph Smith jr has seen them for it is by my power that he has seen them and it is because he had faith and he has translated them even that part which I have commanded him and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true wherefore you have received the same power and the same faith

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and the same gift like unto him and if ye do these last commandments of mine [p. 119] which I have given you the gates of hell shall not prevail against you for my grace is sufficient for you and ye shall be lifted up at the Last day and I Jesus Christ your Lord and your God have spoken it unto you that I  might bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men Amen—​—​[3/​4 page blank] [p. 120]43

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10 “The Appearance of Ancient Work, and of Curious Workmanship” The Eight Witnesses: Late June 1829

i The statement of Cowdery, Whitmer, and Harris, which spoke of the voice of God and an angel coming down from heaven with plates, was on one hand impressive confirmation of what Joseph Smith had been claiming all along, but on the other, a pronouncement propelled beyond the scope of academic analysis by those very “nonempirical” details. The statement of the four Whitmer brothers, Hiram Page, and the three Smiths was quite a different matter—​saying nothing about a divine voice or an angelic visitor. “As many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon”—​that was the deposition of the eight neatly summed up. One of the key conundrums of Mormon historiography is the issue of how to handle (no pun intended) the “plates of gold upon which there was engravings which was engraven by Maroni & his fathers.” Whether or not the experience of the eight was empirical—​that is, accessible at least in theory to any competent observer—​has become a matter of controversy. Given this circumstance, the best we can do is dispassionately account for the relevant statements from (or attributed to) the four Whitmers, one Page, and three Smiths and apply sound source criticism in evaluating those statements. Such a quest yields a number of intriguing conclusions, including the following: • The testimony of the eight fails to provide details on the historical context of the event. 415

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• While statements about seeing the plates from the Three Witnesses (and Mary Whitmer) involve miraculous events and are therefore religious (and not empirical), accounts from Emma Smith, William Smith, Martin Harris and others about handling the plates are clearly empirical. The assertions of the eight, however, do not fall cleanly into either category because several of the eight sometimes conflated their experience as a witness with their experience as a devoted believer. • Because the eight may have examined counterfeit plates, their affirmations must be rigorously critiqued and not prematurely dismissed on the assumption that they must have simply imagined seeing and hefting the plates. • Crucial questions about the nature of the experience of the eight arise from remarks reportedly made by Martin Harris in 1838 and John Whitmer in 1839. Answering the question of what kind of event the eight reported is thus considerably nuanced. Nonetheless, persistent and thorough source criticism demonstrates that the weight of evidence supports the argument that the experience was indeed empirical and thus subject to full historical explication. As for the deficiencies of the original statement, Dan Vogel writes: “As a historical document, the Testimony of Eight Witnesses is disappointing. It fails to give historical details such as time, place, and date. Neither does it describe the historical event or events, but simply states that the eight signatories, collectively, have seen and handled the plates.” Not only that, but “Joseph Smith’s History is vague about events behind the Testimony of Eight Witnesses” and fails to “describe the historical setting in which the eight men saw the plates.” Finally, “subsequent statements by the eight witnesses shed very little light on the historical event behind their Testimony.”1 At the same time, the historical value of the eight’s testimony can hardly overstated. Consider the following: • The testimony meets three of the most important standards of source criticism by being a first-​hand document produced close to the time of the event itself and signed by multiple witnesses. • The statement itself is strictly empirical, “reads like a legal document,” and “describes a sensory experience that involved both sight and touch as the witnesses handled and lifted the plates.”2 • Although a host of crucial Book-​of-​Mormon events occurred between September 1823 and June 1828, not a single document mentioning the Book of Mormon has survived. Furthermore, the sole extant sources from July 1828

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to May 1829 are the Book of Mormon text itself and revelations dictated by Joseph. The testimonies of the three and eight witnesses are thus among the first documents produced by anyone else. In terms of scholarly analyses of the testimony of the eight, Fawn Brodie set a precedent of sorts. After concluding that the three witnesses were likely “not conspirators but victims of Joseph’s unconscious but positive talent at hypnosis,” she reprints the testimony of the eight. Then, without mentioning any of the subsequent statements of these men (such as those included in this chapter), Brodie suggests—​“One of the most plausible descriptions of the manner in which Joseph Smith obtained these eight signatures was written by Thomas Ford, Governor of Illinois, who knew intimately several of Joseph’s key men after they became disaffected and left the church”—​and follows up with a long quote from Ford.3 Brodie thus bypasses first-​hand accounts from the witnesses themselves, as well as second-​hand reports—​both pro and con—​from known sources, in favor of Ford’s hearsay evidence. As an examination of Ford’s retelling (10.14 Thomas Ford’s Account, 1854) shows, Ford does not identify his informants, much less call them “intimate” acquaintances. These unnamed individuals—​whose background, motives, and honesty remain shrouded—​reportedly heard Joseph confess that he duped the witnesses, and they passed their second-​hand information to Ford, making his third-​ hand and anonymous, essentially a rumor. Ford next lumps the eight witnesses with the three and prefaces his “plausible description” with the disclaimer that “the most probable account of these certificates is, that the witnesses were in the conspiracy, aiding the imposture.” Brodie also offers a disclaimer. “Yet,” she writes, after quoting Ford, “it is difficult to reconcile this explanation with the fact that these witnesses, and later Emma and William Smith, emphasized the size, weight, and metallic texture of the plates. Perhaps Joseph built some kind of makeshift deception.” Between them, Ford and Brodie thus offered a medley of explanations for the testimony of the eight witnesses, including conspiracy, browbeating, and counterfeit plates. Apparently, neither of them had settled on a conclusion. And while relying on hearsay evidence like Ford did was common among historians in the mid-​1800s, one would expect more careful source criticism from Brodie, writing in the mid-​ twentieth century and trained at the University of Chicago. A contemporary and friend of Brodie’s was Dale L. Morgan, on his way to becoming a legendary researcher—​as well as a gifted writer. He assisted Brodie with No Man Knows My History and had years to consider her conclusions as he labored on his own book on early Mormon history. “It is a singular tragedy for Mormon historiography,” writes John Phillip Walker, “that Morgan did not finish what would

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have been his masterpiece.”4 The section of Morgan’s manuscript dealing with the eight witnesses, ­chapter 4, added nothing significant to Brodie’s analysis (although it was still in draft form when Morgan died). Next, again like Brodie, he included a lengthy quote from Ford and used Ford as his sole nineteenth-​century source (other than the testimony of the eight itself.5 The influence of Brodie and Morgan has hardly waned. In the posthumously published Natural Born Seer (2016), Richard S. Van Wagoner quotes the testimony of the eight and then moves immediately to the same excerpt from Ford used by Morgan, which makes up most of his brief dismissal of the eight.6 In recent years, two other sources have been used along with or in place of Ford to explain how the eight came to sign their statement: Stephen Burnett and Theodore Turley. (See 10.11 Stephen Burnett’s Letter to Lyman E.  Johnson, April 15, 1838, Extract, and 10.34 Thomas Bullock’s Account, ca. 1845, respectively.) Burnett had been a faithful member of the church since his baptism in 1830. By early 1838, however, in Kirtland, Ohio, Burnett’s faith faltered as he engaged in discussions with Luke S.  Johnson, John Boynton, Warren Parrish, Martin Harris, Cyrus Smalling, and Joseph Coe—​all alienated from Joseph Smith. In his letter, Burnett wrote: “When I came to hear Martin Harris state in a public congregation that he never saw the plates with his natural eyes only in vision or imagination, neither Oliver [Cowdery] nor David [Whitmer] & also that the eight witnesses never saw them & hesitated to sign that instrument for that reason, but were persuaded to do it, the last pedestal gave way, in my view our foundations was sapped & the entire superstructure fell a heap of ruins.”7 Burnett’s claim of what Martin Harris said was at least partially confirmed by a letter written by Parrish three months later: “Martin Harris, one of the subscribing witnesses, has come out at last, and says he never saw the plates, from which the book purports to have been translated, except in vision, and he further says that any man who says he has seen them in any other way is a liar, Joseph not excepted.”8 In her paper about the “materialization” of the plates, Ann Taves cites both Burnett’s and Parrish’s comments about Martin Harris and adds: “Although Harris’ testimony apparently caused considerable consternation, Parrish noted that it was supported by the revelation Smith received in June 1829 . . . which indicated that the three witnesses would see the plates, ‘as my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., has seen them,’ ” meaning that “Joseph himself only saw the plates through the power of God in faith.”9 Most discussions of the materiality of the plates, continues Taves, whether by insiders or outsiders, “seem to presuppose that we are talking about materiality in the ordinary sense of the term.” It appears, however, that the material presence of the plates “remains under the control of supernatural entities that

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have the power to manifest or withdraw [the plates] as they see fit.” Indeed, as confirmed in the June 1829 revelation mentioned earlier (9.33 Revelation, June 1829 [D&C 17])—​which was directed specifically to Cowdery, Whitmer, and Harris—​stressed that the Three Witnesses had to rely on the word of God “with full purpose of heart” in order to see the plates. Given what Taves calls the “magical realism” of the plates, it naturally follows that those who saw them did so “directly in vision.”10 One can certainly sympathize with the disillusionment of both Parrish, who had served as a scribe for Joseph Smith, and Burnett. Given Martin Harris’s prominent role in the founding of the church—​and his status as a Book of Mormon witness—​ the two dissenters understandably put a good deal of stock in his comments. What must be pointed out, however—​and what Taves fails to mention—​is that Harris had no business speaking for the eight witnesses, who deserve the right to speak for themselves. Moreover, in stating that, according to Burnett, “Harris allegedly testified . . . that neither the three nor eight witnesses had seen ‘the plates with his natural eyes only in vision or imagination,’ ”11 Taves misrepresents what Burnett wrote. His actual words were these: “I came to hear Martin Harris state in a public congregation that he never saw the plates with his natural eyes only in vision or imagination, neither Oliver [Cowdery] nor David [Whitmer] & also that the eight witnesses never saw them.” Rather than clarifying the experience of the eight, this assertion only muddies the water. Did the eight witnesses (according to Harris) see the plates at all—​whether in body, vision, or imagination? Apparently following Vogel’s lead, Taves speculates that Harris likely meant to say (or Burnett meant to write) that the eight never saw the plates except in vision.12 The text itself says differently, however, with words quite consistent with what Martin Harris told Joel Tiffany: “The plates were kept from the sight of the world, and no one, save Oliver Cowdrey, myself, Joseph Smith, jr., and David Whitmer, ever saw them.” (2.13 Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859.)13 Lastly, although Taves acknowledges that “the eight testified that the plates, which ‘we did handle with our hands & we also saw the engraving thereon,’ had ‘the appearance of gold,’ ” she concludes that they saw the plates in vision without citing any supporting evidence from the eight themselves. Not only that, but she makes no mention whatsoever of the individual accounts of the eight witnesses included in this chapter. Her effort to build “on a review of the evidence for the materiality of the plates”14 thus falls short. The late Grant Palmer, who wisely avoids citing Ford and covers the eight more extensively than Brodie, Morgan, Van Wagoner, or Taves, nevertheless relies heavily on Burnett’s third-​hand report and on the reported account of Theodore Turley,

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especially Turley’s claim that John Whitmer said, “I handled those plates; there were fine engravings on both sides . . . they were shown to me by a supernatural power.” According to Palmer, “this added detail of how [ John Whitmer] saw indicates that the eight probably did not observe or feel the actual artifact.”15 Turley’s supposed quote deserves a close look. The account cited by Palmer, as well the one included in this book, is taken from the History of the Church, which in turn is based on a handwritten document listed as “Theodore Turley memoranda, circa 1845 February” and held in the Church History Library. This “memoranda” depicts an incident that took place in Far West, Missouri, on April 5, 1839 (by coincidence, ten years to the day after Joseph and Cowdery met for the first time), when church member Turley encountered John Whitmer and seven other men. Whitmer was apparently a bystander as some of the other men began to taunt Turley about how one of Joseph’s revelations had failed. When Turley responded he addressed Whitmer specifically. Next, according to the History of the Church: “Whitmer asked, ‘Do you hint at me?’ Turley replied, ‘If the cap fits you, wear it; all I know is that you have published to the world that an angel did present those plates to Joseph Smith.’ Whitmer replied: ‘I now say, I handled those plates; there were fine engravings on both sides. I handled them;’ and he described how they were hung, and ‘they were shown to me by a supernatural power;’ he acknowledged all.”16 While this published version seems straightforward enough, the original memoranda tells a different story. First, the original “memoranda” was not written by Turley but by Thomas Bullock, making this a third-​hand document—​with the account going from Whitmer to Turley to Bullock. Moreover, the document, labeled “Theodore Turley’s Memorandums,” in Bullock’s hand, includes no date, offers no information about possible interaction between Turley and Bullock; and does not contain Turley’s signature. We simply don’t know if Bullock copied from an earlier manuscript, if he acted as scribe as Turley dictated, if he created the document by himself after Turley left, or any other possible scenario. What we do know is that Bullock’s use of the first-​person “I,” for Turley was changed by Willard Richards to the second person “he.” As for Whitmer’s supposed statement that the plates were shown to him by a supernatural power, a comparison of the two version is instructive. The published version reads as follows: “I now say, I handled those plates; there were fine engravings on both sides. I handled them;” and he described how they were hung, and “they were shown to me by a supernatural power;” he acknowledged all.

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The original as follows: “I now say I  handled those plates. there was fine engravings on both sides. I handled them.” and he described how they were hung and they were shown to me by a supernatural power. he acknowledged all.17 As shown, this is not a careful transcription. First, in the passage and he described how they were hung and they were shown to me by a supernatural power, the narration makes an unnatural shift from the second person “he” to the first-​person “me.” Next, the original includes no quotation marks around the critical phrase they were shown to me by a supernatural power. (The quotation marks were added in preparation for publication by Willard Richards.) Whether Turley intended to be quoting Whitmer directly or paraphrasing Whitmer is not clear. Nor is it clear what Whitmer meant if he indeed said, they were shown to me by a supernatural power. He may have been simply confirming his belief in what Turley had just said: “an angel did present those plates to Joseph Smith.” In this regard, it should be noted that, in August of 1878, one month after John Whitmer’s death, Myron H.  Bond recorded a conversation with Whitmer that occurred the previous winter. Bond wrote that Whitmer mentioned “the ancient writing that was upon the plates, which he ‘saw and handled,’ and which, as one of the scribes, he helped to copy, as the words fell from Joseph’s lips, by supernatural or almighty power.”18 This represents an instance of Whitmer using the word supernatural to describe a purely empirical event—​Joseph looking at the seer stone inside the hat while dictating—​that was believed to be inspired, throwing the meaning of Whitmer’s possible use of the word during the encounter with Turley further into doubt. Concluding that Whitmer effectively told Turley the experience of the eight witnesses took place in a miraculous setting (like the experience of the three) thus goes beyond the evidence. Moreover, in any case, John Whitmer cannot be assumed to be speaking for the other seven witnesses. Each of them must speak for himself. It is also worth reiterating that the three key accounts cited by critics to explain the experience of the eight witnesses—​from Thomas Ford, Stephen Burnett, and Thomas Bullock—​are all third-​hand documents, with no corroboration from first-​ or second-​hand sources. As such, they do not have the historiographical authority to override sources from the witnesses themselves or others who talked directly to the witnesses. What, then, does the testimony of the eight witnesses tell us about Joseph Smith? The testimony, supplemented by the individual witnesses’ lifelong

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confirmations—​whether explicit or tacit—​offer solid support for one thing and one thing only: “that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken.” “What emerges as alone indisputable is the fact that Joseph Smith does possess a set of metal plates,” writes Terryl Givens. “Dream-​visions may be in the mind of the beholder, but gold plates are not subject to such facile psychologizing.”19 The presence of plates having the appearance of ancient work and of curious workmanship in turn leads to another conclusion: Joseph Smith had either executed an elaborate fraud or he really had been led to an ancient record by an angel of the Lord. Fraud, of course, would mean counterfeit plates, so the question comes up immediately: Could the eight witnesses have been fooled by fake plates? “In April 1843, some alleged New World antiquities were presented to Joseph Smith for his opinion,” writes Stanley B. Kimball. “The six small, bell shaped brass plates with strange engravings were reported to have been excavated in Kinderhook, Illinois, about 70 miles south of Nauvoo.” Eventually, all the plates except one disappeared. It is now held by the Chicago Historical Society. “From the plates’ alleged discovery until 1981, many scholarly arguments were made for and against their genuineness. . . . There now appears no reason to accept the Kinderhook plates as anything but an unsuccessful frontier hoax designed to embarrass Joseph Smith.”20 The forgers of the Kinderhook plates proved conclusively that creating a convincing set of “ancient plates” in early nineteenth-​century America was not at all out of the question. As Vogel states, “The plates were either ancient or modern.”21 “Many modern readers will acknowledge Joseph’s sincerity in his more ordinary revelations,” adds Richard Bushman, but, “with the gold plates, we cross into the realm of deception or psychotic delusion. . . . There is no hiding behind the marvelous workings of the human spirit in explaining the plates. Either something fishy was going on, or Joseph did have a visitor from heaven.”22 First-​H and Contemporaneous Document 10.1  Testimony of Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, and Samuel H. Smith, circa June 1829 Source Note And Also the Testimony of Eight Witnesses, 1830 Edition of the Book of Mormon, [590]. Earliest extant version is part of the printer’s copy of the Book of Mormon, in Cowdery’s handwriting, created circa February 1830; original document created between June 1829 and early 1830.

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Editorial Note As with the testimony of the three witnesses, the authorship of this statement is unknown. The two testimonies are quite different, however, because that of the three draws heavily on Book of Mormon language while this one sounds legalistic and distances itself from Joseph Smith by referring to him as “the said Smith.”23 Document Transcript AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jr. the Author and Proprietor of this work, has shewn unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated, we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record, with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shewn unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety, that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen: and we lie not, God bearing witness of it. CHRISTIAN WHITMER, JACOB WHITMER, PETER WHITMER, JR. JOHN WHITMER, HIRAM PAGE, JOSEPH SMITH, SEN. HYRUM SMITH, SAMUEL H. SMITH. [p. [590]]24 First-​H and Reminiscences 10.2  Peter Whitmer Jr.’s Journal Entry, December 13, 1831, Extract Source Note “Peter Whitmer [ Jr.] journal, 1831, December,” one page, in Peter Whitmer Jr.’s handwriting, CHL; transcription by Larry E. Morris.

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Editorial Note Peter Whitmer Jr., born on September 27, 1809, was a tailor. He was baptized by Oliver Cowdery in June of 1829 in Seneca Lake. He was one of the original six members of the church. Peter subsequently “took an active part with the Saints in Jackson County and still later in Clay County.” He died on September 22, 1836, “and was buried by the side of his brother Christian, who died about ten months previous. He had been consumptive for a number of years previous to his demise. He left a wife and three children, all daughters, one of them being born after his death.” In October of 1830 he was called on a mission to the Lamanites with Oliver Cowdery, Parley P.  Pratt, and Ziba Peterson. “They started for the West soon afterwards, and had an eventful journey, frought with many hardships and much suffering. In Kirtland, Ohio, they raised up a large branch, after which they traveled one thousand miles through mud and snow, mostly on foot, to Jackson County, Missouri, where they arrived in the early part of 1831.”25 This document offers a brief overview of that mission. Lyman Wight was among those in Ohio who heard Peter Whitmer Jr. testify of seeing the plates. (See 10.32 Lyman Wight’s Account, May 16, 1882.) Document Transcript 1830 the word of the Lord came unto me by the Prophet Joseph Smith on the tenth month saying Peter thou shalt go with thy Brother Oliver to the Lamanites we started on the same month to the west to the tribe of Bufolow and there we declared the Book of mormon from thence to the state of Ohio there we decla[r]‌ed the fulness of the gospel and had much sucksess 10.3  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract Source Note Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:314, 322. Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note.

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Document Transcript Soon after these things had transpired [ Joseph Smith’s experiences with Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer and with Martin Harris] the following additional tes[t]‌imony was obtained.26 [The text of “Testimony of Eight Witnesses” (1837 edition of the Book of Mormon [621]) inserted here.] 10.4  John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Extract Source Note “The Book of John, Whitmer kept by Comma[n]‌d,” ca. 1838–​ca. 1847, handwriting of John Whitmer, ninety-​six pages, CCLA, in JSP, H2:37. Editorial Note See 9.13 John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Editorial Note. Document Transcript And also other witnesses even eight Viz. Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, John Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr. Hyram [Hiram] Page, Joseph Smith [Sr.], Hyram [Hyrum] Smith, and Samuel H.  Smith. are the men to whom Joseph Smith Jr showed the plates, these witnesses [including the three witnesses] names go forth also of the truth of this work in the last days. To the convincing or condemning of this generation in the last days. [p. 25] 10.5  Editorial by John Whitmer, March 1836, Extract Source Note John Whitmer, “ADDRESS To the patrons of the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate,” Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate 2, No. 6 (March 1836): 286–​87. Editorial Note “It becomes my duty to inform you, that in consequence of other business, and other duties which call my immediate attention,” wrote John Whitmer, soon to move from Kirtland, Ohio, to Clay County, Missouri, “my labors in the editorial department of this paper must cease for the present.” Before handing editorial duties over to Oliver

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Cowdery, Whitmer took the opportunity to reflect on his experience as believer in Mormonism. See also 9.13 John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Editorial Note. Document Transcript It may not be amiss in this place, to give a statement to the world concerning the work of the Lord, as I have been a member of this church of Latter Day Saints from its beginning; to say that the book of Mormon is a revelation from God, I have no hesitancy; but with all confidence have signed my name to it as such; and I hope, that my patrons will indulge me in speaking freely on this subject, as I am about leaving the editorial department—​Therefore I desire to testify to all that will come to the knowledge of this address; that I have most assuredly seen the plates from whence the book of [p. 286] Mormon is translated, and that I have handled these plates, and know of a surety that Joseph Smith, jr., has translated the book of Mormon by the gift and power of God, and in this thing the wisdom of the wise most asuredly has perished: therefore, know ye, O inhabitants of the earth, wherever this address may come, that I have in this thing freed my garments of your blood, whether you believe or disbelieve the statements of your unworthy friend and well-​wisher. 10.6  Hyrum Smith’s Letter to the Saints, December 1839, Extract Source Note Letter, Hyrum Smith “to the Saints scattered abroad,” December 1839, Times and Seasons 1, no 2 (December 1839), 20, 23. Editorial Note “We started on, though I  was quite sick,” wrote Hyrum Smith’s missionary companion, William E. McLellin, on September 15, 1831. “About noon I felt so much worse that I  lit from my horse in the prairie and lay down on my great coat and blanket and gave up to shake again. . . . I opened my mind to bro. H[iram] We immediately bowed our hearts to him. bro H. arose and laid his hands upon me. But marvelous for me to relate that I was instantly healed And arose and pursued my journey in health with vigor.”27 Born on February 9, 1800, Hyrum Smith was almost six years older than his younger brother Joseph. He married Jerusha Barden on November 2, 1826, in Manchester, New York. He was baptized by Joseph in June of 1829 at Seneca Lake. After being one of the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon, he, along with Oliver

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Cowdery and Martin Harris, assisted in its publication. He was one of the six original members when the church was organized on April 6, 1830. Jerusha died on October 13, 1837, leaving behind five children, including an eleven-​day-​old baby girl, Sarah. Hyrum was appointed a counselor in the First Presidency on November 7, 1837; he married Mary Fielding on December 24, 1837, in Kirtland. They had two children—​Joseph F. Smith (1838–​1918), the sixth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints, and Martha Ann (1841–​1923). Joseph, Hyrum, and others were imprisoned in Missouri from November 1838 until April 1839, when they were allowed to escape. On June 24, 1844, Joseph and Hyrum were again together when they were jailed at Carthage, Illinois. On June 27, a mob with painted faces stormed the jail and killed both men.28 Document Transcript Having given my testimony to the world of the truth of the book of Mormon, the renewal of the everlasting covenant, and the establishment of the Kingdom of heaven, in these last days; and having been brought into great afflictions and distresses for the same, I thought that it might be strengthening to my beloved brethren, to give them a short account of my sufferings, for the truth’s sake, and the state of my mind and feelings, while under circumstances of the most trying and afflicting nature. [p. 20] . . . I had been abused and thrust into a dungeon, and confined for months on account of my faith, and the “testimony of Jesus Christ.” However I thank God that I felt a determination to die, rather than deny the things which my eyes had seen, which my hands had handled, and which I had borne testimony to, wherever my lot had been cast; and I can assure my beloved brethren that I was enabled to bear as strong a testimony, when nothing but death presented itself, as ever I did in my life. My confidence in God, was likewise unshaken. 10.7  Hiram Page’s Letter to William E. McLellin, May 30, 1847, Extract Source Note Letter, Hiram Page to “Bro. William” [William E. McLellin], May 30, 1847, Ensign of Liberty 1 ( January 1848): 63. Editorial Note Hiram Page was born in 1800 in Vermont. He married Catherine Whitmer on November 10, 1825, apparently in Fayette, Seneca County, New  York. He was

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baptized into the Church of Christ by Oliver Cowdery on April 11, 1830, at Seneca Lake. “As a student of folk medicine, Page used his personal seer stone to receive insight regarding the newly organized Church. In an 1830 revelation (D&C 28), the Prophet Joseph Smith declared that Hiram had been deceived and that his ideas were false. After much deliberation, Church members sustained Joseph’s leadership, and Hiram Page and his associates acknowledged their error.”29 Page moved to Ohio in 1831 and to Missouri in 1832. He helped found Far West, Missouri, in 1836. He left the church and relocated to Ray County, Missouri, in 1838. He briefly joined William E.  McLellin’s Church of Christ in 1848. He died near Excelsior Springs, Missouri, on August 12, 1852.30 Document Transcript In the next place, you want to know my faith relative to the book of Mormon, and the winding up of wickedness. As to the book of Mormon, it would be doing injustice to myself, and to the work of God of the last days, to say that I could know a thing to be true in 1830, and know the same thing to be false in 1847. To say my mind was so treacherous that I had forgotten what I saw. To say that a man of Joseph’s ability, who at that time did not know how to pronounce the word Nephi, could write a book of six hundred pages, as correct as the book of Mormon, without supernatural power. And to say that those holy Angels who came and showed themselves to me as I was walking through the field, to confirm me in the work of the Lord of the last days—​three of whom came to me afterwards and sang an hymn in their own pure language; yea, it would be treating the God of heaven with contempt, to deny these testimonies, with too many others to mention here. 10.8  John Whitmer’s Letter to Heman C. Smith, December 11, 1876 Source Note Letter, John Whitmer to H. C. Smith Esq., December 11, 1876, CCLA, in Vogel, EMD, 5:244. Editorial Note Heman C. Smith (1850–​1919), the grandson of Lyman Wight, was baptized into the RLDS Church on October 7, 1862, and ordained an apostle on March 30, 1888. See also 9.13 John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Editorial Note.

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Document Transcript Far West, December 11th [18]76 H. C. Smith Esq. Dear Sir: Your letter came to hand, and your requests considered. First. As for giving all particulars that I know of the Book of Mormon, could not be written on one sheet of paper; therefore, permit me to be brief. Second. From what you have written, I  conclude you have read the Book of Mormon, together with the testimonies that are thereto attached; in which testimonies you read my name subscribed as one of the Eight witnesses to said Book. That testimony was, is, and will be true henceforth and forever. Respectfully yours John Whitmer Accounts from Others—​o n the Eight Witnesses 10.9  Letter to the Free Enquirer, September 3, 1831, Extract Source Note W. O.  [William Owen], “Mormon Bible,” Free Enquirer, New  York, September 3, 1831. Document Transcript The plates from which Smith, the author translates his book are said to be in his possession. Ten persons say they have seen them and hefted them, three declare that an angel of God appeared to them and showed them to them, and told them that God had given Smith power to be able to read them, understand them, and translate them. The names of those persons are signed to the certificates in the book. 10.10  David Marks’s Report of a Visit to the Peter Whitmer Home, 1831 Source Note The Life of David Marks, To the 26th Year of His Age. Written by Himself. Limerick, ME: Office of the Morning Star, 1831, 340, 341.

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Editorial Note The year after David Marks’s death, The General Baptist Repository, and Missionary Observer offered this tribute: Elder David Marks, a distinguished and useful Free Will Baptist minister, in the United States, departed this life at Oberlin, Ohio, Dec. 1st, 1845, in the forty-​first year of his age. . . . Mr. Marks was converted to God when he was ten years of age, and attributed his early conversion to the earnest prayers of his pious mother. At the age of fifteen he began to preach, and became exceedingly popular. His labours in preaching were very extreme, and surpassed his physical strength, so that his powers were enfeebled. He often was speaking from three to seven hours a day for many years. The first ten years of his ministry he was mainly sustained by his own extra industry, and yet he travelled more than 42,000 miles, and his labours extended from the Ohio to the Penobscott, chiefly in unoccupied places or among destitute churches.  .  .  . He possessed high spirituality of temper, was zealous in the highest degree, and his labours were almost incredible.  .  .  . But disease had too firmly fastened upon him. When sensible his end was nigh, he wished to write a farewell address to his brethren of the Free Will Baptist body: but it was suggested that it would be easier for him to speak it, and obtain the services of a stenographer to report it. This was done, Nov. 6th. Afterwards, Nov. 13th, he was carried to Oberlin chapel, and addressed the congregation for about half an hour as a dying man. Professor Finney told the audience he feared Mr. Marks would not survive his effort. His last days were spent in holy rapture, and at length he died in triumph. His disease was dropsy.31

Document Transcript During the week following, I  journeyed about one hundred and fifty miles, and suffered much from a tedious storm. Sabbath, March 28 [1830], I preached twice to a small assembly in Geneva. Next day, we attended a meeting in Fayette, and tarried at the house of Mr. Whitmer.32 Here we saw two or three of his sons, and others to the number of eight, who said they were witnesses of a certain book just published, called the “Golden Bible,” or “Book of Mormon.” They affirmed, that an angel had showed them certain plates of metal, having the appearance of gold, that were dug out of the ground by one Joseph Smith; that on these plates was written a history of the ten tribes of Israel which were lost, and revelations to different prophets that

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arose among them. They stated the writing could be read by no person, except by the said Smith; and, that the Lord had inspired him to translate and publish the book, that none, but twelve chosen witnesses, had been allowed to see these plates, and that now they were “hid up unto the Lord.” They further stated, that twelve apostles were to be appointed, who would soon confirm their mission by miracles and, that if any one read their bible and did not believe, they would be given up and lost for ever. These eight, we understood, were in company with Smith and three others. . . . When I was in Ohio . . . I wished to read [the Book of Mormon], but could not, in good conscience, purchase a copy, lest I should support a deception; so they lent me one, and I read two hundred and fifty pages; but was greatly disappointed in the style and interest of the work. For, so far from approaching the sublimity of the inspired writers, they would bear no comparison with the Apocrypha, or the Alcoran. Indeed the style is so insipid, and the work so filled with manifest imposture, that I could feel no interest in a further perusal. It contained several extracts from the Scriptures; and, with a little variation, Christ’s sermon on the mount. From all the circumstances, I thought it probably had been written originally by an infidel, to see how much he could impose on the credulity of men, and to get money. 10.11  Stephen Burnett’s Letter to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Extract Source Note Letter, Stephen Burnett to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Joseph Smith Papers, Letterbook 2, 64–​65, CHL. Editorial Note This letter is discussed in the introduction to this chapter. For a larger excerpt from the letter and information on Burnett and Johnson, see 9.21 Stephen Burnett’s Letter to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Extract. Document Transcript When I  came to hear Martin Harris state in a public congregation that he never saw the plates with his natural eyes only in vision or imagination, neither Oliver [Cowdery] nor David [Whitmer] & also that the eight witnesses never saw them & hesitated to sign that instrument for that reason, but were persuaded to do it, the last pedestal gave way, in my view our foundations was sapped & the entire superstructure fell a heap of ruins. . . ., I am well satisfied for myself that if the witnesses whose

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names are attached to the Book of Mormon never saw the plates as Martin admits that there can be nothing brought to prove that any such thing ever existed. 10.12  John Corrill’s History, 1839, Extract Source Note John Corrill, Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, (Commonly Called Mormons;) Including an Account of Their Doctrine and Discipline; with the Reasons of the Author for Leaving the Church (St. Louis: For the Author), 1839,  11–​12. Editorial Note Born at Worcester County, Massachusetts, on September 17, 1794, John Corrill was baptized into the Church of Christ on January 10, 1831, in Kirtland, Ohio. He was ordained a high priest in June of 1831 and appointed second counselor to Bishop Edward Partridge. In 1833 in Jackson County, Missouri, Corrill was one of the six men who offered to be whipped, scourged, or even killed to save the rest of the Saints from a mob. (See 9.13 John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Extract.)33 By 1838, however, writes Kenneth H. Winn, “Corrill’s growing disaffection from Mormonism both angered and frightened Smith. . . . Today nearly all historians turn aside Joseph Smith’s fury at Corrill and acknowledge Corrill’s integrity, decency, and ability to hold fast to principle when the passion around him ran high.”34 Corrill was excommunicated from the church on March 17, 1839, and died on September 26, 1842, in Adams County, Illinois. Document Transcript The Book of Mormon and its origin. This was the first production of [ Joseph] Smith after his call to the prophetic office. As to the origin of the Book, I made every diligent inquiry, and from all I could learn, I became satisfied that Smith was the author, and I never have been able to trace it to any other source. As to its being a Revelation from God, eleven persons besides Smith bore positive testimony of its truth. After getting acquainted with them, I was unable to impeach their testimony, and consequently thought that it was as consistent to give credit to them as to credit the writings of the New Testament, when I had never seen the authors nor the original copy. . . . In the course of the translation, these plates were shown to eleven persons, by the special command of God: three of whom had it manifested and shown to them by

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an Angel from Heaven, who declared the truth of the Book, and the other eight saw the plates and handled them; and all were commanded to bear testimony to the world, of the truth of what they had seen and handled, which they did, and published their testimony in the end of the Book. 10.13  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches, 1853, 140–​41. Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial  Note. Document Transcript The following day [after the experience of the three witnesses], we returned [from the Peter Whitmer farm in Fayette Township, New  York, to the Smith home in Manchester], a cheerful, happy company. In a few days, we were followed by Joseph, Oliver and the Whitmers, who came to make us a visit, and make some arrangements about getting the book printed. Soon after they came, all the male part of the company, with my husband, Samuel and Hyrum, retired to a place where the family were in the habit of offering up their secret devotions to God. They went to this place, because it had been revealed to Joseph that the plates would be carried thither by one of the ancient Nephites.35 Here it was, that those eight witnesses, whose names are recorded in the Book of Mormon, looked upon them and handled them. Of which they bear record in the following words:—​ [Text of “THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES” inserted here.]36 After these witnesses returned to the house, the angel again made his appearance to Joseph, at which time Joseph delivered up the plates into the angel’s hands. The ensuing evening, we held a meeting, in which all the witnesses bore testimony to the facts, as stated above; and all of our family, even to Don Carlos, who was but fourteen years of age, testified of the truth of the Latter-​day Dispensation—​that it was then ushered in. 10.14  Thomas Ford’s Account, 1854 Source Note Thomas Ford, A History of Illinois, 256–​58.

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Editorial Note Thomas Ford was born in Pennsylvania on December 5, 1800. The family went west by 1804, and Ford spent the rest of his youth in Illinois, Kentucky, and St. Louis. He married Frances Hambaugh on June 12, 1828. He was a prominent judge in Illinois throughout the 1830s and served on the Illinois Supreme Court from 1841 to 1842. He was governor of Illinois from 1842 to 1846. Ford was in the Nauvoo/​ Carthage Illinois area when Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed. “Despite his promises of protection and a fair trial, Governor Ford allowed the Smiths to be imprisoned by their enemies without bail and without a hearing on a wholly new charge of treason for having declared martial law in Nauvoo. Stating that he had to ‘satisfy the people,’ the Governor ignored clear warnings of danger and disbanded most of the troops. He then left the hostile Carthage Greys to guard the jail and took the most dependable troops with him to Nauvoo.”37 He and his party were on their way from Nauvoo to Carthage when they learned of the deaths of the two men. Ford died on November 3, 1850; his History of Illinois was thus published posthumously. This document is discussed in the introduction to this chapter. Document Transcript And the prophet was not without his witnesses. Oliver Cowdney, Martin Harris, and Daniel Whiteman, solemnly certify “that we have seen the plates which contain the records; that they were translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us, wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true; and we declare with words of soberness that an angel of God came down from heaven and brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates and the engravings thereon.” Eight other witnesses certify that “Joseph Smith, the translator, had shown them the plates spoken [p. 256] of, which had the appearance of gold; and as many of the plates as the said Smith had translated, they did handle with their hands, and they also saw the engravings thereon, all of which had the appearance of ancient work and curious workmanship.” The most probable account of these certificates is, that the witnesses were in the conspiracy, aiding the imposture; but I have been informed by men who were once in the confidence of the prophet, that he privately gave a different account of the matter. It is related that the prophet’s early followers were anxious to see the plates; the prophet had always given out that they could not be seen by the carnal eye, but must be spiritually discerned; that the power to see them depended upon

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faith, and was the gift of God, to be obtained by fasting, prayer, mortification of the flesh, and exercises of the spirit; that so soon as he could see the evidences of a strong and lively faith in any of his followers, they should be gratified in their holy curiosity. He set them to continual prayer, and other spiritual exercises, to acquire this lively faith by means of which the hidden things of God could be spiritually discerned; and at last, when he could delay them no longer, he assembled them in a room, and produced a box, which he said contained the precious treasure. The lid was opened; the witnesses peeped into it, but making no discovery, for the box was empty, they said, “Brother Joseph, we do not see the plates.” The prophet answered them, “O ye of little faith! how long will God bear with this wicked and perverse generation? Down on your knees, brethren, every one of you, and pray God for the forgiveness of your sins, and for a holy and living faith which cometh down from heaven.” The disciples dropped to their knees, and began to pray in the fervency of their spirit, supplicating God for more than two hours with fanatical earnestness; at the end of which time, looking again into the box, they were now persuaded that they saw the plates. I leave it to philosophers to determine whether the fumes of an enthusiastic and fanatical [p. 257] imagination are thus capable of blinding the mind and deceiving the senses by so absurd a delusion. 10.15  Luke Johnson’s History, 1864 Source Note “HISTORY OF LUKE JOHNSON. [BY HIMSELF.]” History of Brigham Young, Latter-​day Saints’ Millennial Star 26, No. 53 (December 31, 1864): 835. Editorial Note Luke Johnson, born on November 3, 1807, in Pomfret, Windsor County, Vermont, was the older brother—​and fellow apostle—​of Lyman E.  Johnson. Luke was baptized by Joseph Smith on May 10, 1831, in Hiram, Ohio. Over the next two years, he served missions to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky. He married Susan Harminda Poteet on November 1, 1833. He served in the Quorum of Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1837. He was disfellowshipped on September 3, 1837, but reinstated to the Twelve a week later. He was excommunicated in 1838. “In 1846, [Luke] arrived in Nauvoo and petitioned for rebaptism. This was granted, and Orson Hyde performed the ordinance on March 8.” Luke arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 as part of Brigham Young’s original pioneer company. He served as a bishop before his death on December 8, 1861.38

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Document Transcript At a Conference in Orange, Cuyahoga co., Ohio [on October 25,  1831], I  was ordained a High Priest by Joseph Smith. At this Conference the eleven witnesses to the Book of Mormon, with uplifted hands, bore their solemn testimony to the truth of that book, as did also the Prophet Joseph. 10.16  Diedrich Willers’s Letter to Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson, January 19, 1882, Extract Source Note Letter, Diedrich Villers [alternate spelling of Willers] to Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson, January 19, 1982, in Mrs. Ellen E.  Dickinson, New Light on Mormonism (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1885), 250–​51. Editorial Note In announcing the publication of New Light on Mormonism, a Boston periodical offered this information on Dickinson: Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson, the authoress of New Light on Mormonism, is the widow of William H. Dickinson, a well-​known lawyer of New York City. She was born in Syracuse, N. Y., and is of direct English and Scotch descent. Her father, Royal Stewart, was a lawyer, and her mother, Sarah Sabine, was the daughter of William Harvey Sabine, one of the original owners and founders of Syracuse. . . . Mr. Sabine bore a commission as captain in the War of 1812, as also did James Stewart, Mrs. Dickinson’s paternal grandfather. Mrs. Dickinson has been a contributor to newspapers and magazines for several years, and has published a volume on Stories for Children, and two collections of illustrated leaflets for Christmas, Wayside Flowers and The Wreath.39 On Willers, see 9.26 Diedrich Willers’s Letter to Rev. L. Mayer and D. Young, June 18, 1830, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript When I  came to Seneca County as pastor of a number of congregations of the (German) Reformed Church, in April, 1821, I found among the members of a remote congregation . . . a plain, unassuming farmer of the name Peter Whitmer, a native of Pennsylvania, of the class of settlers known as Pennsylvania Germans. He

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was a quiet, unpretending, and apparently honest, candid, and simpleminded man. On the fifth day of April, 1822, at my first confirmation services of a class after instruction in the Heidelberg Catechism, I find among the names of the thirty-​eight young persons then confirmed by me those of John Whitmer, Christian Whitmer, and Jacob Whitmer. My recollection is, that I baptized one or more of the Whitmer family as adults, according to the custom of the Reformed Church. I may state here, that I never met or had any acquaintance with Joseph Smith, Hiram Page, Cowdrey, or Sidney Rigdon, nor, in fact, with any of the persons connected with them, except the Whitmers and the Jolly family. I am informed . . . that the five persons of the name Whitmer, whose names appear in the “Testimony of three witnesses” and the “Testimony of eight witnesses,” appearing at the end of the Mormon Bible, to wit:  the three above-​named, Christian, John, and Jacob Whitmer, and Peter Whitmer, Jr., and David Whitmer were all sons of Peter Whitmer, Sr. Hiram Page, who is described to me as an itinerant botanic or root doctor, married a daughter of Peter Whitmer. . . . When it became known to me that Peter Whitmer and his family were becoming the dupes of Smith and his co-​workers, I called upon Mr. Whitmer, in order to remonstrate with him and to warn him of the errors and delusions and the false doctrines promulgated by these men. My conversation, however, apparently made no impression upon him, his only reply to my arguments being the repeated quotation in the German language of the words: “Jesus Christ, yesterday, to-​day, and forever.” As an illustration, to show how easily the Whitmers were duped, it is related, that by some contrivance of Smith and his associates a wooden image or representation was placed in a tree in a field where one of Whitmer’s sons was engaged in ploughing, and that when interrogated as to whether he had not seen an angel, he answered in the affirmative. “Then,” said Smith, “this is the place where the ‘Book of Mormon’ must be completed, since the angel has already appeared eleven times, and it has been revealed to me that at the place of the twelfth appearing of the angel, the book must be completed.” Hence Whitmers’, in West Fayette, became the resort of Smith and his fellow-​impostors during the progress of this work. Accounts from Others—​o n Joseph Smith Sr. (1771–​1 840) 10.17  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches, 1853, 165.

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Editorial Note Early in the autumn of 1830, writes Donna Hill, “a Quaker called at the Smith home and demanded payment from Joseph Sr. for a note of fourteen dollars, which he had bought from Joseph’s creditor. Joseph Sr. offered him all he had, which was six dollars, with a promise for the remainder, and Lucy was willing to give him her gold beads, but the man said that unless Joseph paid the whole debt at once he would go to jail.” The Quaker even offered to forgive the debt if the Smiths would burn up their copies of the Book of Mormon. “This Joseph Sr. refused, and he was taken into custody by a constable who was standing by.”40 Joseph Sr. was held in Canandaigua—​ about seven miles south-​ southwest of Manchester. Joseph Sr.’s recital featured here was related to Lucy by way of Samuel Smith. Document Transcript “Immediately after I left your mother, the men by whom I was taken commenced using every possible argument to induce me to renounce the Book of Mormon, saying, ‘how much better it would be for you to deny that silly thing, than to be disgraced and imprisoned, when you might not only escape this, but also have the note back, as well as the money which you have paid on it.’ To this I made no reply. They still went on in the same manner till we arrived at the jail, when they hurried me into this dismal dungeon. I  shuddered when I  first heard these heavy doors creaking upon their hinges; but then I thought to myself, I was not the first man who had been imprisoned for the truth’s sake; and when I should meet Paul in the paradise of God, I could tell him that I, too, had been in bonds for the gospel which he had preached. And this has been my only consolation. “From the time I entered until now, and this is the fourth day, I have had nothing to eat, save a pint basin full of very weak broth; and there (pointing to the opposite side of the cell) lies the basin yet.” Samuel was very much wounded by this, and, having obtained permission of the jailor, he immediately went out and brought his father some comfortable food. After which he remained with him until the next morning, when the business was attended to, and Mr. Smith went out into the jail yard to a cooper’s shop, where he obtained employment at coopering, and followed the same until he was released, which was thirty days. He preached during his confinement there every Sunday, and when he was released, he baptized two persons whom he had thus converted. [p. 165]

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10.18  Fayette Lapham’s Report of an Interview with Joseph Smith Sr., 1870 Source Note See 1.26 Fayette Lapham’s Report of an Interview with Joseph Smith Sr., 1870. Editorial Note See 1.26 Fayette Lapham’s Report of an Interview with Joseph Smith Sr., 1870, and 10.17 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract, Editorial Notes. Document Transcript In answer to our question, as to what it was that Joseph had thus obtained, [ Joseph Smith Sr.] said it consisted of a set of gold plates, about six inches wide, and nine or ten inches long. They were in the form of a book, half an inch thick, but were not bound at the back, like our books, but were held together by several gold rings, in such a way that the plates could be opened similar to a book. Accounts from Others—​o n Samuel H. Smith (1808–​1 844) 10.19  William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, December 11, 1831 Source Note William E.  McLellin Journal I, December 11, 1831, CHL, in Shipps and Welch, Journals of William E. McLellin, 65. Editorial Note See 9.27 William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, July 18, 1831, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Sunday 11th We attended our appointment. A large assembly collected. I opened the meeting and spoke about 2½ hours on the Covenants, the evidences of the book of Mormon, and of Zion and Jerusalem, the two places of the gatherings in the last days and of The nature of the two gatherings on Zion and Canaan and of the glories of the Millenniel reign and closed by speaking the glories of the gospel and exortation.

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Brother Saml [Samuel Smith] arose and bore testimony to the truth of what had been said, and of the book of Mormon. 10.20  Phineas H. Young’s History, 1858 Source Note History of Brigham Young, Deseret News, February 3, 1858. Editorial Note Phineas Howe Young (1799–​1879) was baptized into the Church of Christ in April of 1832, the same month as his brothers Joseph and Brigham (and possibly the same month as Lorenzo Dow Young, whose month of baptism in 1832 is unknown). He married Lucy Pearce Cowdery, half-​sister of Oliver Cowdery, on September 28, 1834, in Kirtland, Ohio. He served missions to Canada, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and the Michigan Territory. He was a member of Brigham Young’s original 1847 pioneer company. He served as bishop of the Salt Lake City Second Ward from 1864 to 1871 and died in Salt Lake.41 For more on Young, see 9.4 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Phineas Young, March 23, 1846, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript In April, 1830, . . . I stopped at the house of a man by the name of Tomlinson . . . [when] a young man came in, and walking across the room to where I was sitting, held a book towards me, saying, “There is a book, sir, I wish you to read”; the thing appeared so novel to me that for a moment I hesitated, saying “Pray, sir, what book have you?” “The Book of Mormon, or as it is called by some, the Golden Bible.” “Ah, sir, then it purports to be a revelation.” “Yes,” said he, “it is a revelation from God.” I took the book, and by his request looked at the testimony of the witnesses. Said he, “If you will read this book with a prayerful heart, and ask God to give you a witness, you will know of the truth of this work.” I told him I would do so, and then asked him his name. He said his name was Samuel H. Smith. “Ah,” said I, “you are one of the witnesses.” “Yes,” said he, “I know the book to be a revelation from God, translated by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, and that my brother Joseph Smith, jun., is a Prophet, Seer and Revelator.”

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10.21  Daniel Tyler’s “Incidents of Experience,” 1883 Source Note Daniel Tyler, “Incidents of Experience,” Scraps of Biography (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1883), 23. Editorial Note Daniel Tyler (1816–​1905) was born in Cayuga County, New  York, and was baptized on January 16, 1833. “The day following his marriage to Ruth Welton, they were forced to leave Nauvoo. Arriving at Council Bluffs, Iowa, he enlisted in the Mormon Battalion on 16 July 1846. Tyler’s book, A Concise History of the Mormon Battalion in the Mexican War 1846–​47, published during President John Taylor’s administration, has become the standard account of the battalion’s march to California during the Mexican War. Following a year’s service to his country, he arrived in Salt Lake City 16 October 1847.” He later served as president of the Swiss-​German mission and eventually settled in Beaver, Utah, where served as a patriarch.42 Document Transcript In the Spring of 1832, Elders Samuel H. Smith and Orson Hyde . . . came to our neighborhood and held a few meetings. Elder Smith read the 29th chapter of Isaiah at the first meeting and delineated the circumstances of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, of which he said he was a witness. He knew his brother Joseph had the plates, for the prophet had shown them to him, and he had handled them and seen the engravings thereon. His speech was more like a narrative than a sermon. Accounts from Others—​o n Hyrum Smith (1800–​1 844) 10.22  William E. McLellin’s Journal Entries, August 19 and September 10, 1831 Source Note William E.  McLellin Journal I, December 11, 1831, CHL, in Shipps and Welch, Journals of William E. McLellin, 33, 39.

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Editorial Note See 9.28 William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, July 18, 1831, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Friday [August] 19th . . . A rare circumstance occurred while attending family prayr which convinced me that the Elders had the power of deserning spirits. It affected me so that my weakness was manifest. I took Hiram the brother of Joseph and we went into the woods and set down and talked together about 4 hours. I inquired into the particulars of the coming forth of the record, of the rises of the church and of its progress and upon the testimonies given to him &c. . . . Saturday [September] 10. we attended our appointment. A numerous concourse of people attended,—​I think about 500—​If ever I felt small and felt my dependence on God, now was the time. . . . But I arose with confidence in Elijah’s God and gave them a brief history of the book of Mormon, of its coming forth &c, Then reasoned upon and expounded prophecy after prophecy and scripture after scripture . . . . Bro. H[iram] Then arose and bore testimony to the truths which they had heard and gave them his evidence of the truth of the book. 10.23  Sally Bradford Parker’s Letter to John Kempton, August 26, 1838, Extract Source Note Letter, Sally Parker to Mr. John Kempton, August 26, 1838, Delaware County Historical Society, Ohio, in Johnson, “Sally Parker’s Weave,” 115. Editorial Note Sally Parker’s letter, intended for both her sister, Hannah Bradford Kempton, and her brother-​in-​law, John Kempton, is printed in its entirety in BYU Studies (as detailed in the bibliography of this volume). As noted by BYU Studies, however, this document presents a particular challenge because Parker’s “lack of capitalization, punctuation, standardized spelling and appropriate verb tenses . . . [make] deciphering her vocabulary and syntax difficult.” BYU Studies therefore features both the original text and an edited transcription that “strives to maintain the integrity of Sally’s intent while increasing readability.”43 The edited version is featured here. See that same BYU Studies article for background on Sally Parker and the letter itself.

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Document Transcript I have not heard but one sermon since we have been in the place and that by Hyrum Smith. As he was moving to Missouri he tarried with us a little while. His discourse was beautiful. We were talking about the Book of Mormon, [of ] which he is one of the witnesses. He said he had but two hands and two eyes. he said he had seen the plates with his eyes and handled them with his hands and he saw a breast plate and he told how it was made. It was fixed for the breast of a man with a hole in [the] stom­ ach and two pieces upon each side with a hole through them to put in a string to tie it on, but that was not so good gold as the plates for that was pure. Why I write this is because they dispute the Book so much.44 10.24  Joseph Fielding’s Letter to Parley P. Pratt, June 20, 1841 Source Note Latter-​Day Saints’ Millennial Star 2, no. 4 (August 1841): 52. Editorial Note Joseph Fielding was born on March 26, 1797, in Honeydon, Bedfordshire, England. He and his sister Mercy migrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1832 and were later joined by their sister Mary. In 1836, all three were baptized after hearing Mormon missionary Parley P. Pratt preach. They then joined the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, where Mary was married to widower Hyrum Smith on December 24, 1837. “Along with six others, Joseph Fielding was the first to take the restored gospel to England in 1837.” Joseph, who died in Utah in 1863, had just returned on another mission to England when he wrote the letter featured here.45 Document Transcript I visited Kirtland, the place where the Saints were, and conversed with brother Joseph Smith, and with his father and mother, and with many of the Saints. Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon, gave me a particular description of the plates and the Urim and Thummim, &c. My sister [Mary] bears testimony that her husband [Hyrum Smith] has seen and handled the plates, &c; in short I see no reason that any one can have for rejecting this work.

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10.25  Salem Advertiser and Argus Article, April 12, 1843 Source Note Salem Advertiser and Argus, Massachusetts, April 12, 1843, in Anderson, Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses, 147. Document Transcript We have seen Hiram Smith, a brother of Jos., and heard him preach, and conversed with him about his religion, its origin and progress; and we heard him declare, in this city in public, that what is recorded about the plates, &c. &c. is God’s solemn truth.46 Accounts from Others—​o n Hiram Page (1800–​1 852) 10.26  William E. McLellin’s Report of Missouri Persecutions, January 4, 1871 Source Note William E.  McLellin, “W. E.  McLellan’s Book, January 4, 1871,” in Larson and Passey, William E. McLellin Papers, 254–​55. Editorial Note See 9.29 William E. McLellin’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, January 4, 1871, Editorial Note. Document Transcript One circumstance I’ll relate of one of these eight witnesses. While the mob was raging in Jackson Co. Mo. in 1833 some young men ran down Hiram Page in the woods one of the eight witnesses and commenced beating and pounding him with whips and clubs. He begged, but there was no mercy. They said he was a damned Mormon, and they meant to beat him to death! But finally one [of ] them said to him, if you will deny that damned book, we will let you go. Said he, how can I deny what I know to be true? Then they pounded him again. When they thought he was about to breathe his last they said to him Now what do you think of your God, when he don’t save you:  Will [Extant fragment ends here.]

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10.27  Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Report of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract Source Note “Sayings of John C. Whitmer,” The Saints’ Herald, October 13, 1888. Reprinted from the Deseret News, September 13 and 17, 1888. Editorial Note John Christian Whitmer, the son of Jacob Whitmer and Elizabeth Schott, was born in Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri, on February 9, 1835. His father, Jacob, and three of his uncles—​Christian, John, and Peter—​were among the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon, and his uncle David among the three. John C. married Mary Fletcher Grant (1835–​1920) on March 23, 1856. They had several children. He died on August 28, 1894 in Richmond, Missouri, where he spent virtually his entire life.47 Andrew Jenson, Edward Stevenson, and Joseph S.  Black interviewed John C. Whitmer on September 12, 1888 in Richmond. Document Transcript Toward evening we went on foot about one and a half miles south of Richmond to the house of John C. Whitmer, the only living son of Jacob Whitmer. He is the presiding elder of the so-​called Whitmerites and is a respectable farmer, fifty-​three years of age. he received us kindly and gave us some information that is highly appreciated in regard to the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon and others. . . . John C. Whitmer testified as follows concerning the witnesses: I was closely connected with Hiram Page in business transactions and other matters, he being married to my aunt. I knew him at all times and under all circumstances to be true to his testimony concerning the divinity of the Book of Mormon.

10.28  Andrew Jenson’s Report of an Interview with Philander Page, September 1888 Source Note The Historical Record 7, nos. 8–​10 (October 1888): 614.

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Editorial Note Philander Alma Page, the son of Hiram Page and Catherine Whitmer, was born in Kirtland, Ohio, on October 31, 1832. He apparently spent virtually all of his life in Richmond, Missouri, and died there on December 27, 1919.48 Andrew Jenson was born on December 11, 1850, in Torslev, Denmark. His parents joined the LDS Church in 1854, and he was baptized on February 2, 1859. The family emigrated to Utah in 1866. Jenson was set apart as an assistant church historian on April 16, 1891, and “became the most traveled Church historian ever. His journals contain details about early Church history that would have otherwise been lost. His many historical works, including Historical Record, Biographical Encyclopedia, Church Chronology, Encyclopedic History of the Church, and others, laid a foundation upon which many subsequent historians have built.”49 Jenson died in Salt Lake City on November 18, 1941. Jenson conducted this interview with Page either shortly before or after the interview with John C. Whitmer. (See 10.26 Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Report of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract.) Document Transcript To the writer of this article Philander Page testified in September, 1888, as follows: “I knew my father to be true and faithful to his testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon until the very last. Whenever he had an opportunity to bear his testimony to this effect, he would always do so, and seemed to rejoice exceedingly in having been privileged to see the plates and thus become one of the Eight Witnesses.” Accounts from Others—​o n Christian Whitmer (1798–​1 835) 10.29  Editorial by Oliver Cowdery, December 1836 Source Note “The Closing Year,” Latter-​day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, December 1836, 426. Editorial Note Christian Whitmer, the eldest son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman, was born on January 18, 1798, in Pennsylvania. He married Anne Schott on February 22, 1825, and earned a living as a constable and later as a shoemaker. He was one of scribes for the Book of Mormon. He and Anne were baptized by Oliver Cowdery

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on April 11, 1830. “He passed through all the scenes of persecution and mobbings which took place in [Missouri] until he, in connection with the rest of the Saints, was driving out of Jackson County in November, 1833.” For several years before his death, “he suffered considerably from lameness, having an ugly sore on one of his legs, which was the direct cause of his early death.”50 Document Transcript Among those who have gone home to rest, we mention the names of our two brothers-​ in-​law, Christian and Peter Whitmer, jr. the former died on the 27th of November 1835, and the other the 22nd of September last, in Clay county, Missouri. By many in this church, our brothers were personally known: they were the first to embrace the new covenant, on hearing it, and during a constant scene of persecution and perplexity, to their last moments, maintained its truth—​they were both included in the list of the eight witnesses in the book of Mormon, and though they have departed, it is with great satisfaction that we reflect, that they proclaimed to their last moments, the certainty of the former testimony: The testament is in force after the death of the testator. May all who read remember the fact, that the Lord has given men a witness of himself in the last days, and that they, have faithfully declared it till called away. Accounts from Others—​o n Jacob Whitmer (1800–​1 856) 10.30  Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Report of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract Source Note “Sayings of John C. Whitmer,” The Saints’ Herald, October 13, 1888. Reprinted from the Deseret News, September 13 and 17, 1888. Editorial Note Jacob Whitmer was born on January 27, 1800, in Pennsylvania. He was a shoemaker and farmer. He married Elizabeth Schott (1803–​1876) on September 29, 1825, in Seneca County, New York. He was baptized by Oliver Cowdery in Seneca Lake on April 11, 1830. He moved to Ohio in 1831, to Jackson County, Missouri, by 1833, and to what became Caldwell County, Missouri, by 1836. He withdrew from the church in 1838, settled near Richmond, Missouri, and died there on April 21, 1856.51

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John C. Whitmer was the only living son of Jacob Whitmer when he gave this interview. See 10.26 Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Report of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript John C. Whitmer testified as follows concerning the witnesses: . . . “My father, Jacob Whitmer, was always faithful and true to his testimony to the Book of Mormon, and confirmed it on his death-​bed.” 10.31  Andrew Jenson’s Report of an Interview with Philander Page, September 1888 Source Note The Historical Record 7, nos. 8–​10 (October 1888): 614. Document Transcript To the writer of this article Philander Page testified in September, 1888, as follows:  .  .  .  “I can also testify that Jacob, John and David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery died in full faith in the divinity of the Book of Mormon. I was with all these witnesses on their death-​beds and heard all bear their last testimony.” Accounts from Others—​o n Peter Whitmer Jr. (1809–​1 836) 10.32  Lyman Wight’s Account, May 16, 1882 Source Note Letter, Heman C. Smith to Joseph Smith III, May 16, 1882, The Saints’ Herald, June 15, 1882, 192. Editorial Note “Lyman Wight was born in 1796 to Levi and Susanna Wight in Fairfield, Connecticut. The future Missouri militia colonel served as a teenager in the War of 1812, and later he and his wife, born Harriet Benton, settled, by 1826, in the Western reserve, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. They joined the communitarian movement of Sydney Rigdon, an ex-​Baptist minister and convert of Alexander Campbell,

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in 1829.” Wight was baptized on November 14, 1830, and served as a missionary or local leader throughout the 1830s. He was prominent in Missouri Danite activities in 1838 and was imprisoned with Joseph Smith and others. He was ordained a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles on April 8, 1841. “Known as the ‘Wild Ram of the Mountains,’ Lyman Wight was a rebellious apostle . . . who led his polygamous community to the Republic of Texas in 1845.” Wight was excommunicated on December 3, 1848, and died in Dexter, Texas, on March 31, 1858.52 Heman C.  Smith, a grandson of Wight, copied the text featured here from Wight’s journal. Document Transcript “When I had my goods about half loaded, there came along four men, namely: P. Pratt, O. Cowdery, P. Whitmer and Ziba Peterson, and brought with them the Book of Mormon, which they wished to introduce to us. I desired they would hold on until I got away, as my business was of vital importance, and I did not wish to be troubled with romances, nor idle speculations. But nothing daunted, they were not to be put off, but were as good natured as you please. Curiosity got uppermost, and I concluded to stop for a short time. We called a meeting, and one testified that. he had seen angels, another that he had seen the plates, and that the gifts were back in the Church again, &c. The meeting became so interesting that I did not get away till the sun was about an hour high at night, and it was dark before I arrived at my new home. But I amused myself by thinking that the trouble was over, and that I should not see them again for a long time, supposing they would start the next morning for the western boundaries of the state of Missouri. But in this I was very much disappointed. But to describe to you the scenes of the next seven weeks in which one scene would be as interesting as another, would fill quite a large volume; I shall therefore content myself by saying; that they brought the Book of Mormon to bear upon us; and the whole common stock family was baptized; and during the seven weeks they tarried they succeeded in building up a church of one hundred and thirty members; myself and family were baptized by P. Pratt on the 14th day of November 1830.” Accounts from Others—​o n John Whitmer (1802–​1 878) 10.33  John Whitmer’s Conference Address, June 7, 1835 Source Note [Oliver Cowdery], “New Portage Conference,” Latter-​day Saints Messenger and Advocate 1 ( June 1835): 143.

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Editorial Note For information on John Whitmer, see 9.13 John Whitmer, History, 1831–​circa 1847, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript Elder John Whitmer took the lead in the services of the afternoon, and gave a short relation of the facts connected with the translation of the book of Mormon. On reflecting how many foolish reports are in circulation on this subject, and how many there are who are vain enough to believe them, I could not but wish that such were present, while Elder Whitmer was delivering his address. A thousand things may be conjectured, but when a man declares openly, candidly, and seriously, of what he has seen, hefted and handled with his own hands, and that in the presence of a God who sees and knows the secrets of the heart, no man possessed of common reason and common sense, can doubt, or will be so vain as to dispute. Such is the fact that a record of that description does exist, for it has been seen, and such is the fact, that the Lord himself bears witness of it, for thousands testify of the same—​there is neither lack of human or divine testimony: Then who so blind as not to see? And who so deaf as not to hear? 10.34  Thomas Bullock’s Account, circa 1845 Source Note History of the Church, 3:306–​8. Editorial Note The compilers of The History of the Church used Bullock’s notes (“Theodore Turley memoranda, circa 1845,” CHL) to write this narrative, featured here because it is much more readable than the notes. Both versions of the document are discussed at length in the introduction to this chapter. The event described took place in 1839. Document Transcript Friday, April 5.—​Brothers Kimball and Turley arrived at Far West. This day a company of about fifty men in Daviess county swore that they would never eat or drink, until they had murdered “Joe Smith.” Their captain, William Bowman, swore, in the presence of Theodore Turley, that he would “never eat or drink, after he had seen Joe Smith, until he had murdered him.”

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Also eight men—​Captain Bogart, who was the county judge, Dr. Laffity, John Whitmer, and five others—​came into the committee’s room [i.e. the room or office of the committee on removal] and presented to Theodore Turley the paper containing the revelation of July 8, 1838,53 to Joseph Smith, directing the Twelve to take their leave of the Saints in [p. 306] Far West on the building site of the Lords House on the 26th of April, to go to the isles of the sea, and then asked him to read it. Turley said, “Gentlemen, I am well acquainted with it.” They said, “Then you, as a rational man, will give up Joseph Smith’s being a prophet and an inspired man? He and the Twelve are now scattered all over creation; let them come here if they dare; if they do, they will be murdered. As that revelation cannot be fulfilled, you will now give up your faith.” Turley jumped up and said, “In the name of God that revelation will be fulfilled.” They laughed him to scorn. John Whitmer hung down his head. They said, “If they (the Twelve) come, they will get murdered; they dare not come to take their leave here; that is like all the rest of Joe Smith’s d—​n prophecies.” They commenced on Turley and said, he had better do as John Corrill had done; “he is going to publish a book called ‘Mormonism Fairly Delineated;’ he is a sensible man, and you had better assist him.” Turley said, “Gentlemen, I presume there are men here who have heard Corrill say, that ‘Mormonism’ was true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and inspired of God. I now call upon you, John Whitmer: you say Corrill is a moral and a good man; do you believe him when he says the Book of Mormon is true, or when he says it is not true? There are many things published that they say are true, and again turn around and say they are false?” Whitmer asked, “Do you hint at me?” Turley replied, “If the cap fits you, wear it; all I know is that you have published to the world that an angel did present those plates to Joseph Smith.” Whitmer replied: “I now say, I handled those plates; there were fine engravings on both sides. I handled them;” and he described how they were hung, and “they were shown to me by a supernatural power;” he acknowledged all. Turley asked him, “Why is not the translation now [p. 307] true?” He said, “I could not read it [in the original] and I do not know whether it [i.e., the translation] is true or not.” Whitmer testified all this in the presence of eight men. 10.35  E. C. Brand’s Report of an Interview with John Whitmer, circa 1876 Source Note “Visit of E. C. Brand to John Whitmer,” February 18, 1875, CCLA, in Vogel, EMD, 5:250, 242–​43.

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Editorial Note “This statement is apparently in the hand of E. C. Brand and appears at the end of the letter of John Whitmer to Mark H. Forscutt, 5 March 1876.”54 Document Transcript I visited Mr John Whitmer at his residence at Far West, Caldwell Co., Mo., on the 18th of February, 1875. He also bore his testimony to me concerning the truth, and declared that his testimony, as found in the “Testimony of Eight Witnesses,” in the Book of Mormon, is strictly true. He showed me a facsimile of the characters of the plates, copied from the plates in the handwriting of Joseph Smith. Both of these men (David and John) are respectable, and looked up to as truthful, honorable men, in the vicinity where they live. The above is a brief and correct statement of my interview with them. 10.36  P. Wilhelm Poulson’s Account of an Interview with John Whitmer, July 31, 1878 Source Note “Death of John Whitmer,” Deseret News, August 14, 1878. Editorial Note The Deseret News introduced the letter as follows: “The following letter contains several items that will prove interesting to the Latter-​day Saints. We publish it without knowing anything personally of the incidents related by the writer. The testimony of John Whitmer, however, is prefixed to the Book of Mormon in connection with that of the other witnesses, and remains unimpeached and unimpeachable.”55 Document Transcript OVID CITY Idaho, July 31 1878. Editors Deseret News: I received to-​day a letter from Miss Sarah Whitmer at Far West, Missouri, in which she informs me about the death of her father, John Whitmer, Esq., one of the eight witnesses to the plates from which the book is translated. She writes: “I seat myself to a painful task this morning to inform you of the death of my dear father, who departed earthlife, the 11th day of this month ( July). Father’s disease was

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congestion of the lungs, heart and stomach. He died very easy. I have the great consolation in knowing that he was prepared to meet his God. He asked only a few days before his death when I thought you would come. He always felt so very anxious only to see you again. I visited Richmond directly after the storm and it was a sad-​looking sight to behold. Uncle David (David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses,) has about recovered from his injuries and is out once more on the street.” So far from Sarah Whitmer’s letter, I visited this last one of the eight witnesses in April this year, at his fine residence at Far West. On John’s farm is located the foundation of Far West Temple, and the cornerstone is laid of gray sand-​stone. A short distance from John Whitmer’s residence we discover the house in which the Prophet Joseph Smith dwelt with his family, and in the adjoining county is the beautiful valley, Adam-​ondi-​Ahman. John Whitmer received me as a dear father would receive a son, and answered readily all my questions. I said: I am aware that your name is affixed to the testimony in the Book of Mormon, that you saw the plates? He —​It is so and that testimony is true. I —​Did you handle the plates with your hands? He —​I did so! I —​Then they were a material substance? He —​Yes, as material as anything can be. I —​They were heavy to lift? He —​Yes, and as you know gold is a heavy metal, they were very heavy. I —​How big were the leaves? He —​So far as I recollect, 8 by 6 or 7 inches. I —​Were the leaves thick? He —​Yes, just so thick, that characters could be engraven on both sides. I —​How were the leaves joined together? He —​In three rings, each one in the shape of a D with the straight line towards the center. I —​In what place did you see the plates. He —​In Joseph Smith’s house; he had them there. I —​Did you see them covered with a cloth? He —​No. He handed them uncovered into our hands, and we turned the leaves sufficient to satisfy us. I —​Were you all eight witnesses present at the same time?

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He —​No. At that time Joseph showed the plates to us, we were four persons, present in the room, and at another time he showed them to four persons more.56 John Whitmer was about 77 years of age. He told me that he should not live and see the coming of Christ nor the restoration of Zion in Jackson County, Mo. That Joseph Smith gave him once the following blessing: “Thou shall live to good old age, and shall walk over the ashes of all thy enemies. Then you shall sleep with your fathers and meet the Lord when he cometh in the clouds.” Now, said John Whitmer, I have lived to a good old age, and I have walked over the ashes of every single one of all my enemies. We say farewell to one of those who wrote part of the Book of Mormon from the dictation of the Prophet’s voice and one of the eight witnesses. He was firm as a rock in his faith, and when Joseph Smith, living in Plano, sent word to John Whitmer to reaffirm his testimony, his answer was: “I have never recalled it, and I have nothing to reaffirm.” In regard to joining the Church, he said: “I have a testimony within me, that testimony I got when I was raised up as a witness—​that testimony has never left my bosom, it is by me to this day, and I am in the very place where I have to be, according to the Book of Mormon, which is the law that came out from Zion, which center stake is never to be taken away from here, in Jackson County, Mo.” He had a firm and most absolute faith in the restoration and triumph of Zion on this continent and the building of temples in Independence and Far West, Mo. John Whitmer was in possession of copies from the plates, with the translation below, and showed that to me and also of other valuable records. I shall correspond with Sarah Whitmer, and hope she will be willing, with the permission of David Whitmer, to restore those documents to the Church. Yours truly, P. Wilhelm Poulson, M. D. 10.37  Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Account of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract Source Note “Sayings of John C. Whitmer,” The Saints’ Herald, October 13, 1888. Reprinted from the Deseret News, September 13 and 17, 1888.

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Editorial Note For more information on this interview, see 10.25 Jenson, Stevenson, and Black’s Report of an Interview with John C. Whitmer, September 12, 1888, Extract. Document Transcript “Of my Uncle John (Whitmer) I will say that I was with him a short time before he died at Far West, Missouri, when he confirmed to me what he had done so many times previously that he knew the Book of Mormon was true.”

11 “Written by the Hand of Mormon” Publication of the Book of Mormon: June 1829–​M arch 1830

i Discussing events that occurred in April and May of 1830, Joseph Smith’s official history states: The Book of Mormon (“The Stick of Joseph in the hands of Ephraim”) had now been published for some time, and as the ancient Prophet had predicted of it; “It was accounted as a strange thing.”1 No small stir was created by its appearance; great opposition, much persecution followed the believers of its authenticity; but it had now come to pass that, Truth had sprung out of the earth; and Righteousness had looked down from Heaven, so we feared not our opponents, knowing that we had both Truth and righteousness on our side; that we had both the Father and the Son, because we had the doctrines of Christ and abided in them; and therefore continued to preach and to give information to all who were willing to hear.2 Predictably, the most zealous believer in the authenticty of the “Truth” that had “sprung out of the earth,” the man who had given Joseph $50 to facilitate the translation of the “strange thing,” Martin Harris, was the same individual who had made publication possible. At least as early as February 1828, when he called on Professor Charles Anthon, Harris had been preoccupied with publication. Speaking of Harris, Anthon recalled, “The farmer added, that he had been requested to contribute a sum of money towards the publication of the ‘golden 456

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book,’ the contents of which would, as he had been assured, produce an entire change in the world and save it from ruin. So urgent had been these solicitations, that he intended selling his farm and handing over the amount received to those who wished to publish the plates” (3.1 Charles Anthon’s Letter to E.  D. Howe, February 17, 1834). Approximately a year and a half after talking to Anthon, Harris followed through with his intent to contribute a sum toward publication by covering the entire amount E. B. Grandin required to print five thousand copies: $3,000. On August 25, 1829, Harris signed an indeture to Grandin that required “Harris to impart essentially all of the property to which he had a legal right. Printing began in September 1829.” By early 1832, Harris had officially lost the pledged property.3 Among them, Joseph Smith, the three witnesses, and the eight witnesses made up a quorum of twelve. Of those individuals, only one reached the promised land of the Great Basin where the Saints found refuge: Martin Harris. On his deathbed in Smithfield, Utah, in July of 1875, ninety-​two-​year-​old Harris recounted to young Willie Pilkington the scene of Charles Anthon pronouncing the Book of Mormon characters authentic Egyptian; the Book of Mormon manuscript being stolen from him; the appearance of the angel and the heavens being opened, with the voice of God declaring the record to have been translated correctly. Nor did he forget the 151 acres: “I mortgaged my Farm to pay for the first publication of 5000 copys of the Book of Mormon.”4 First-​H and Contemporaneous Documents 11.1  Joseph Smith’s Letter to Oliver Cowdery, October 22, 1829 Source Note Letter, Joseph Smith to Oliver Cowdery, October 22, 1829, Joseph Smith, Letterbook, 1:9, handwriting of Frederick G.  Williams, CHL, in Jessee, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, 251–​52. Editorial Note After negotiating a contact with Egbert B.  Grandin to print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon, Joseph instructed Oliver Cowdery to make a second copy of the manuscript “as insurance against loss of the original. Then, leaving [Cowdery] . . . to supervise the publication with strict instructions for protecting the manuscript, Joseph returned to his home in Pennsylvania. On 22 October, less than three weeks after arriving there, he wrote the following letter to Cowdery.”5

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Document Transcript Harmony—​Oct. 22d 1829 Respected Sir I would in form you that I  arrived at home on sunday morning the 4th. after having a prosperous Journey, and found all well the people are all friendly to except a few who are in opposition to evry thing unless it is something that is axactly like themselves and two of our most formadable persacutors are now under censure and are cited to a tryal in the church for crimes which if true are worse than all the Gold Book business. we do not rejoice in the affliction of our enimies but we shall be glad to have truth prevail there begins to be a great call for our books in this country the minds of the people are very much excited when they find that there is a copy right obtained and that there is really [a]‌book, about to be printed I have bought a horse of Mr. [ Josiah] Stowell and want some one to come after it as soon as convenient Mr. Stowell has a prospect of getting five or six hundred dollars he does not know certain that he can get it but he is a going to try and if he can get the money he wants to pay it in immediately for books we want to hear from you and know how you prosper in the good work, give our best respects to Father & Mother and all our brothers and Sisters to Mr. [Martin] Harris and all the company concerned tell them that our prayers are put up daily for them that they may be prospered in evry, good word and work and that they may be preserved from sin here and and from the consequence of sin hereafter and now dear brother be faithful in the discharge of evry duty looking for the reward of the righteous and now may God of his infinite mercy keep and preserve us spotless untill his coming and receive us all to rest with him in eternal repose through the attonement of Christ our Lord Amen Joseph Smith Jr Oliver H Cowdery6 11.2  Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Joseph Smith, November 6, 1829 Source Note Letter, Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith, November 6, 1829, Joseph Smith, Letterbook, 1:6–​ 8, handwriting of Joseph Smith, in Anderson and Faulring, Documentary History of Oliver Cowdery, forthcoming. Editorial Note Oliver Cowdery had begun creating the printer’s copy of the Book of Mormon manuscript in August of 1829. In his postscript to this letter, he mentioned that in his task of copying the manuscript he had just reached “alma commandment to his

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son”—​a reference to the section of the Book of Mormon containing the prophet Alma’s instructions to his three sons—​found on pages 323–​40 in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon (Alma, ­chapters 36–​42 in the 1981 LDS edition). By the time he wrote this letter, Cowdery had thus copied approximately 56 percent of the original manuscript. Document Transcript November the 6th 1829 Brother Joseph Smith Jr. I received your leter yesterday bearing date Oct. 22d I had long time expectted to hear from you and had often enquired at the post office for a letter and of course it was gladly received by us all we rejoice to hear that you are well and we expect also rejoice to hear that you have a prospect of obtaining some mony and we further rejoice that you are at rest from your percesuters and we rejoice [p. 6] and the most to learn of your faithfulness in christ my dear Brother when I think of the goodness of christ I feel no desire to live or stay here upon the shores of this world of iniquity only to to serve him my maker and be if posible an instriment in his hands of doing some good in his cause with his to assist me when I consider and try to realize what he has done for me I am astonished and amaised why should I not be for while I was rushing on in sin and crouding my way down to that awful gulf he yet strove with me and praised be his holy name [=]‌ name he has redeemed my soul from endless torment and wo not for any thing that I have me[r]ited or any worthyness there was in me for there was none but it was in and through his own mercy wraught out by his own infinite wisdom by prepareing from all Eternity a means wherefore man could be saved on conditions of repentance and faith on that infinite attonement which was to be mad[e] by a great and last sacrifce which sacrfice was the death of the only begotten of the Father yea the eternal Father of Heaven and of Earth that by his reserection all the Family of man might be braught back into the presance of God if therefore we follow christ in all things whatsoever he commadeth us and are buried with him by baptism into death that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Eternal Father even so we also should walk in newness of life and if we walk in newness of life to the end of this probation at the day of accounts we shall be caught up in clouds to meet the Lord in the air but I need not undertake to write of the goodness of God for his goodness is unspeakable neither tell of the misteries of God for what is man that he can comprehend and search out the wisdom of deity for great is the misteries of Godliness therefore my only motive in this writing is to inform you of my prospects and hopes and my desires

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and my longing to be freed from sin and to rest in the Kingdom of my Savior and y my redeemer when I [p. 7] begin to write of the mercys of god I know not where to stop but time and paper fails I would inform that Hyram [Hyrum Smith] and Martin [Harris] went out to fayette last week they had a Joyful time and found all in as good health as could be expected Martin thinks of comeing to the South in the course of two or three weeks and will callculate to tak take back that horse the printing goes rather Slow yet as the type founder has been sick but we expect that the type will be in and Mr. Granden still think we will finish printing by the first of febuary we all send respects to yourself and Emma [Smith] My dear Brother I cannot hardly feel to close this letter as yet without informing you that we received one from Mr. Marsh7 from Boston Masacuchusetts dated the 25th Oct. he informs us that he wishes to hear from us and know of our wellfare he says he has talked consideable to some respecting our work with freedom but others could not because they had no ears. my great desire is that we may be faithful and obedient and humble children of Christ here that we may meet together in his Kingdom of Eternal Glory to go no more out to spend an Eternity where the wicked cese from troubling and the humble and penitent child in christ finds rest I remain with much Esteem and profound respect your Brother and compaion in tribulation and persecution in the Kingdom of patience and hope of a Glorious reserrection in Christ our Savior and redeemer. Amen. Oliver Cowdry Joseph Smith Jr. P S I have Just got to alma commandment to his son in coppying the manuscrip we are all in tolerable healh here but my Father health is poor8 11.3  Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Joseph Smith, December 28, 1829 Source Note Letter, Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith, December 28, 1829, Joseph Smith, Letterbook, 1:4–​5, handwriting of Joseph Smith, CHL. Editorial Note In this letter, which was written on Monday, December 28, 1829, Cowdery tells Joseph that Joseph Sr. “is going directly to your country.” It has long been presumed that Joseph Sr.’s reason for going to Harmony was to inform Joseph that Abner Cole,9 editor the Palmyra newspaper The Reflector (which Cole printed under the pseudonym “O. Dogberry, Esq.”), was illegally publishing portions of the Book of

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Mormon. Such a presumption was backed up by Lucy Mack Smith’s history, which states that Hyrum and Cowdery went to Grandin’s printing office on a Sunday because Hyrum had a sense of uneasiness. Once at the office, they encountered Cole and saw the Book of Mormon extracts he had printed (11.9 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract). By this theory, the conflict with Cole would have happened on Sunday, December 27. Cowdery’s letter itself, however, complicates the picture because it says nothing about Cole. Both the tone and the text of the letter make it “highly unlikely that it was written the morning after Cowdery and Hyrum Smith ‘contended with [Cole] a long time to dissuade him from his purpose.’ ”10 For several reasons, it is more likely that Cowdery and Hyrum found Cole in Grandin’s office the Sunday after Cowdery wrote his letter—​January 3, 1830. The previous day, Cole had printed his first excerpt, the first three pages of The First Book of Nephi (1 Nephi 1:–​2:3), and that issue of the paper was thus available for Cowdery and Hyrum to discover (not true on Sunday, December 27). By this scenario, Joseph Sr., who had not yet left for Harmony (and whose original intent for going had nothing to do with Cole) now had every reason to rush to Harmony as fast as possible. As the Joseph Smith Papers team discovered, “Lucy Smith’s account provides additional evidence that the initial confrontation with Cole occurred in January rather than in December”11 because Lucy’s history states that Joseph and his father returned from Harmony the Sunday following the conflict with Cole and that the day they arrived in Palmyra “the weather was so extremely cold, that they came near perishing before they arrived at home” (11.9 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract). “Lucy Smith’s reference to the bitter cold makes a mid-​January journey by [ Joseph Smith] much more likely than one occurring a week after 27 December, since the weather was quite mild in the area until 7 January, when a sudden and intense cold front hit.”12 By this proposed chronology, Cowdery and Hyrum encountered Cole on Sunday, January 3, 1830; Joseph Sr. made a fast trip to Harmony and returned with Joseph Jr.;13 and Joseph had his own encounter with Cole on Sunday, January 10. All of this is compatible with Cole’s printing his first extract on January 2; Cole’s backing down—​at least somewhat—​on Wednesday, January 13, when The Reflector acknowledged the copyright of the Book of Mormon;14 and Joseph’s being in the area to sign an agreement with Martin Harris and dictate a revelation about selling the copyright to the Book of Mormon in Canada. (See 11.20 Agreement with Martin Harris, January 16, 1830, and 11.21 Revelation, ca. Early 1830, respectively.)

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Document Transcript Manchester December 28th AD 1829. Brother Joseph Smith Jr—​ It may Seam Supe[r]‌fluous for me to write as Father [p. 4] is going directly to your country but knowing that if a few lines from you under my hand is as gladly recived by you as one from you would at all times be by me I cannot in duty to my feelings let this oppertunity u[n]improved Your great anxiety will probably be to know of the progress of the work in the which we are engaged and possibly our Souls wellfare al[l] of which Father can make known unto you it may look rather Strange to you to find that I have So Soon become a printer and you may cast in you mind what I Shall become next but be asured my cahngeing [changing] business has not in any degree I trust taken my mind from meditateing upon my mission which I have been called to fulfill nor of changing Slacking my diligence in prayr and fasting but but Some times I feel almost as though I could quit time and fly away and be at rest in the Bosom of my Redeemer for the many deep feelings of Sorrow and the many long Struglings in prayr of Sorrow for the Sins of my fellow beings and also for those whose pretend to be of my faith almost as it were Seperateth my spirit from my mortal body do not think by this my Brother that I am would find give you to understand that I am freed from Sin and temptations no not by any means that is what I would that you should undersstand is my anxiety at some times to be at rest in King in the Paradice of my God is to be freed from sin temptation &c. You have our prayrs and our best wishes Yours in Christ, Amen Oliver Cowd[e]‌r y Joseph Smith Jr P S we send our respects to Emma &c—​15 First-​H and Reminicenses 11.4  Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract Source Note Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:352–​54, 358. Editorial Note See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract, Editorial Note.

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Document Transcript Mean time our translation drawing to a close, we went to Palmyra, Wayne County, N. Y: Secured the Copyright; and agreed with Mr Egbert Grandon [Grandin] to print five thousand Copies, for the sum of three thousand dollars. I wish also to mention here, that the Title Page of the Book of Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates, which contained the record which has been translated; and not by any means the language of the whole running same as all Hebrew writing in general; and that, said Title Page is not by any means a modern composition either of mine or of any other man’s who has lived or does live in this generation. Therefore, in order to correct an error which generally exists concerning it, I give below that part of the Title Page of the English Version of the Book of Mormon, which is a genuine and literal translation of the Title Page of the Original Book of Mormon, as recorded on the plates. [Title page from 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon inserted here.] (The remainder is of course, modern) 11.5  Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract Source Note Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism, 4, 50–​54. Editorial Note See 1.25 Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract, Editorial Note. Document Transcript In claiming for the statements herein set forth the character of fairness and authenticity, it is perhaps appropriate to add in this connection, that the locality of the malversations resulting in the Mormon scheme, is the author’s birthplace; that he was well acquainted with “Joe Smith,” the first Mormon prophet, and with his father and all the Smith family, since their removal to Palmyra from Vennont in 1816, and during their continuance there and in the adjoining town of Manchester; that he was equally acquainted with Martin Harris and Oliver Cowdery, and with most of the earlier followers of smith, either as money-​diggers or Mormons; that he established at Palmyra, in 1823, and was for many years editor and proprietor of the Wayne Sentinel, and was editorially connected with that paper at the printing by its press of the original edition of the “Book of Mormon” in 1830; that in the progress of the work he performed much of the reading of the proof-​sheets, comparing the

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same with the manuscript copies, and in the mean time had frequent and familiar interviews with the pioneer Mormons, Smith, Cowdery, and Harris; that he was present at the repeated consultations and negotiations between these men and Mr. Grandin in relation to the printing of the book, and united with the latter in the friendly admonitions vainly seeking to divert Harris from his persistent fanaticism in that losing speculation. [p. 4] . . . In June, 1829, Smith and the prophet, his brother Hyrum, Cowdery the scribe, and Harris the believer, applied to Mr. Egbert B. Grandin, then publisher of the Wayne Sentinel at Palmyra (now deceased), for his price to do the work of one edition of three thousand copies. Harris offered to pay or secure payment if a bargain should be made. Only a few sheets of [p. 50] the manuscript, as a specimen, with the title-​page, were exhibited at this time, though the whole number of folios was stated, whereby could be made a calculation of the cost. Mr. Grandin at once expressed his disinclination to entertain the proposal to print at any price, believing the whole affair to be a wicked imposture and a scheme to defraud Mr. Harris, who was his friend, and whom he advised accordingly. This admonition was kindly but firmly resisted by Harris, and resented with assumed pious indignation by the Smiths, Cowdery taking little or no part in the conversation. Some further parleying followed, Harris resolutely persisting in his deafness to the friendly expressions of regard from Mr. Grandin, and also from several other well-​disposed neighbors happening to be present at the interview, who vainly united in the effort to dissuade him from his purpose. Afterward, however, it was thought Harris became for a time in some degree staggered in his confidence; but nothing could be done in the way of printing without his aid, and so the prophet persevered in his spell-​binding influence and seductive arts, as will be seen, with ultimate success. Further interviews followed, Grandin being earnestly importuned to reconsider his opinion and determination. He was assured by Harris, that if he refused to do the work, it would be procured elsewhere. And the subject was temporarily dropped, except that Grandin complied with Harris’s [p. 51] request for an approximate estimate of the cost of the proposed edition. Immediately thereafter, the same Mormon party, or a portion of them, applied to Mr. Thurlow Weed, of the Anti-​Masonic Inquirer at Rochester, from whom they met a similar repulse. Mr. Weed’s own words in regard to the manuscript and the printing proposal are: “After reading a few chapters, it seemed such a jumble of unintelligible absurdities, that we refused the work, advising Harris not to mortgage his farm and beggar his family.” Mt. Elihu F. Marshall, a book publisher, also at Rochester, was the applied to, and he gave his terms for the printing and binding of the book, with his acceptance of the proffered mode of security for the payment.

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Whereupon the “saints” returned to Palmyra, and renewed their request to Mr. Grandin, reassuring him that the work was to be done at any rate, and pleading that they would be saved much inconvenience and cost of travel to have the printing done at Palmyra, where they lived, especially as the manuscripts were to be delivered and the proof-​sheets examined daily by them at the printing-​office. It was upon this statement of the facts, and in this view of the case, that Mr. Grandin, on taking the advice of several discreet, fair-​minded neighbors, finally reconsidered his course of policy, and entered into contract for the printing and binding of five thousand [p. 52] copies of the Book of Mormon at the price of $3,000, taking Harris’s bond and mortgage as offered in security for payment. the contract was faithfully and satisfactorily fulfilled by both parties, and the book in its entire edition as bargained for was completed and delivered early in the summer of 1830. In the beginning of the printing the Mormons professed to hold their manuscripts as “sacred.” and insisted upon maintaining constant vigilance for their safety during the progress of the work, each morning carrying to the printing-​office the installment required for the day, after withdrawing the same at evening. No alteration from copy in any manner was to be made. These things were “strictly commanded,” as they said. Mr. John H. Gilbert, as printer, had the chief operative trust of the type-​setting and press-​work of the job. After the first day’s trial he found the manuscripts in so very imperfect a condition, especially in regard to grammar, that be became unwilling further to obey the “command” and so announced to Smith and his party; when, finally, upon much friendly expostulation, he was given a limited discretion in correcting, which was exercised in the particulars of syntax, orthography, punctuation, capitalizing, paragraphing, etc. Many errors under these heads, nevertheless, escaped correction, as appear in the first edition of the printed book. Very soon, too—​after some ten days—​the constant vigilance by the [p.53] Mormons over the manuscripts was relaxed by reason of the confidence they came to repose in the printers. Mr. Gilbert has now in his possession a complete copy of the book in the original sheets, as laid off by him from the press in working. 11.6  Thurlow Weed’s Letter to Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson, April 12, 1880 Source Note Letter, Thurlow Weed to Mrs. Ellen E.  Dicksinson, April 12, 1880, New Light on Mormonism (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1885), 260–​61.

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Editorial Note Thurlow Weed (1797–​1882) was a prominent newspaperman and politician who helped form the Whig Party in New York. He worked for several upstate New York newspapers and became a leader in the Anti-​Masonic Party by 1828. “When the Masons forced him out of his management of the Rochester Telegraph, he started an anti-​Masonic campaign paper but soon realized that anti-​Masonry was not a strong enough issue for a national party. Hence he became active with the Whig organization. His paper, the Albany Evening Journal, founded in 1830 to support anti-​Masonry, became a leading Whig organ.”16 Weed eventually became a strong supporter of President Abraham Lincoln, who sent Weed to England to promote Union causes. Weed retired from both politics and the newspaper business in 1863. (On Dickinson, see 10.16 Diedrich Willlers’s Letter to Mrs. Ellen E.  Dickinson, January 19, 1882, Extract, Editorial Note.) Document Transcript New York, April 12, 1880. In 1825, when I was publishing the Rochester Telegraph, a man introduced himself to me as Joseph Smith, of Palmyra, N. Y., whose object, he said, was to get a book published. He then stated he had been guided by a vision to a spot he described, where, in a cavern, he found what he called a golden Bible. It consisted of a tablet18 which he placed in his hat, and from which he proceeded to read the first chapter of the “Book of Mormon.”19 I listened until I  became weary of what seemed to me an incomprehensible jargon. I  then told him I  was only publishing a newspaper, and that he would have to go to a book publisher, suggesting a friend who was in that business. A few days afterward Smith called again, bringing a substantial farmer with him named Harris. [p. 260] Smith renewed his request that I should print his book, adding that it was a divine revelation, and would be accepted, and that he would be accepted by the world as a prophet. Supposing that I  had doubts as to his being able to pay for the publishing, Mr. Harris, who was a convert, offered to be his security for payment. Meantime, I had discovered that Smith was a shrewd, scheming fellow, who passed his time at taverns and stores in Palmyra, without business, and apparently without visible means of support. He seemed about thirty years of age, was compactly built, about five feet eight inches in height,20 had regular features, and would impress one favorably in conversation. His book was afterward published in Palmyra. I  knew the publisher, but cannot at this moment remember his name. The first Mormon newspaper was published at 17

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Canandaigua, New York, by a man named Phelps, who accompanied Smith as an apostle to Illinois, where the first Mormon city, Nauvoo, was started. (Signed) THURLOW WEED. 11.7  John H. Gilbert’s Account, 1892 Source Note “Memorandum, made by John H. Gilbert Esq, Sept 8th. 1892,” typescript, Palmyra Kings Daughters Free Library, Palmyra, New  York, in Marquardt and Walters, Inventing Mormonism, 212–​16. (See Ricks, Parry, and Hedges, Disciple as Witness, 400–​5, for a typographical facsimile of Gilbert’s original text.) Editorial Note “Major John Gilbert died last evening [actually January 26], aged 93 years,” read the Buffalo Evening News on January 28, 1895. “Major Gilbert was know from one end of the United States to the other as the man who set up and corrected the proofs of the first Mormon Bible.” The article added that Gilbert was born in Columbia County in 1802, “and when a lad of about 16 years removed from [Palmyra] to Canandaigua, learning the trade of a compositor on the old Repository. . . . Prominent Mormons from Utah have made trips [to Palmyra] for the purpose of interviewing Mr. Gilbert.” Gilbert’s memorandum is an unusually good source. Royal Skousen’s analysis of Gilbert’s text involved fragments of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, the printer’s copy, “about one hundred copies of the 1830 edition, an original proof sheet of the 1830 title page, and a complete set of unbound sheets of the 1830 edition (sometimes called the ‘uncut sheets’) that Gilbert saved.” From his exhuastive evaluation of the evidence, Skousen concluded that “Gilbert’s memory is very accurate, even at 90 years of age and 63 years after the fact.”21 Document Transcript I am a practical printer by trade. I have been a resident of Palmyra, N.Y., since about the year 1824, and during all that time have done some type-​setting each year. I was aged ninety years on the 13th day of April 1892, and on that day I went to the office of the Palmyra Courier and set a stick-​ful of type. My recollection of past events, and especially of the matter connected with the printing of the “Mormon Bible,” is very accurate and faithful, and I have made the following memorandum at request, to accompany the photographs of “Mormon Hill,” which have been made for the purpose of exhibits at the World’s Fair in 1893.

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In the forepart of June 1829, Mr. E. B. Grandin, the printer of the “Wayne Sentinel,” came to me and said he wanted I should assist him in estimating the cost of printing 5000 copies of a book that Martin Harris wanted to get printed, which he called the “Mormon Bible.” It was the second application of Harris to Grandin to do the job,—​Harris assuring Grandin that the book would be printed in Rochester if he declined the job again. Harris proposed to have Grandin do the job, if he would, as it would be quite expensive to keep a man in Rochester during the printing of the book, who would have to visit Palmyra two or three times a week for manuscript, &c. Mr. Grandin consented to do the job if his terms were accepted. A few pages of the manuscript were submitted as a specimen of the whole, and it was said there would be about 500 pages. The size of the page was agreed upon, and an estimate of the number of ems in a page, which would be 1000, and that a page of manuscript would make more than a page of printed matter, which proved to be correct. The contract was to print and bind with leather, 5000 copies for $3,000. Mr. Grandin got a new font of Small Pica, on which the body of the work was printed. When the printer was ready to commence work, Harris was notified, and Hyrum Smith brought the first installment of manuscript, of 24 pages, closely written on common foolscap paper—​he had it under his vest, and vest and coat closely buttoned over it. At night Smith came and got the manuscript, and with the same precaution carried it away. The next morning with the same watchfulness, he brought it again, and at night took it away. This was kept up for several days. The title page was first set up, and after proof was read and corrected, several copies were printed for Harris and his friends. On the second day—​Harris and Smith being in the office—​I called their attention to a grammatical error, and asked whether I  should correct it? Harris consulted with Smith a short time, and turned to me and said: “The Old Testament is ungrammatical, set it as it is written.” After working a few days, I said to Smith on his handing me the manuscript in the morning; “Mr. Smith, if you would leave this manuscript with me, I  would take it home with me at night and read and punctuate it.” His reply was, “We are commanded not to leave it.” A few mornings after this, when Smith handed me the manuscript, he said to me:—​“If you will give your word that this manuscript shall be returned to us when you get through with it, I will leave it with you.” I assured Smith that it should be returned all right when I got through with it. For two or three nights I took it home with me and read it, and punctuated it with a lead pencil. This will account for the punctuation marks in pencil, which is referred to in the Mormon Report, an extract from which will be found below.

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Martin Harris, Hyrum Smith and Oliver Cowdery were very frequent visitors to the office during the printing of the Mormon Bible. The manuscript was supposed to be in the handwriting of Cowdery. Every Chapter, if I remember correctly, was one solid paragraph, without a punctuation mark, from beginning to end. Names of persons and places were generally capitalized, but sentences had no end. The character or short &, was used almost invariably where the word and, occurred, except at the end of a chapter. I  punctuated it to make it read as I  supposed the Author intended, and but very little punctuation was altered in proof-​reading. The Bible was printed 16 pages at a time, so that one sheet of paper made two copies of 16 pages each, requiring 2500 sheets of paper for each form of 16 pages. There were 37 forms of 16 pages each,—​570 pages in all. The work was commenced in August 1829, and finished in March 1830,—​seven months. Mr. J. H. Bortles and myself done the press work until December taking nearly three days to each form. In December Mr. Grandin hired a journeyman pressman, Thomas McAuley, or “Whistling Tom,” as he was called in the office, and he and Bortles did the balance of the press-​work. The Bible was printed on a “Smith” Press, single pull, and old fashioned “Balls” or “Niggerheads” were used—​composition rollers not having come into use in small printing offices. The printing was done in the third story of the west end of “Exchange Row,” and the binding by Mr. Howard, in the second story the lower story being used as a book store, by Mr. Grandin, and now—​1892—​by Mr. M. Story as a dry-​goods store. Cowdery held and looked over the manuscript when most of the proofs were read. Martin Harris once or twice, and Hyrum Smith once, Grandin supposing these men could read their own writing as well, if not better, than any one else; and if there are any discrepancies between the Palmyra edition and the manuscript these men should be held responsible. Joseph Smith, Jr. had nothing to do whatever with the printing or furnishing copy for the printers, being but once in the office during the printing of the Bible, and then not over 15 or 20 minutes. Hyrum Smith was a common laborer, and worked for any one as he was called on. Cowdery taught school winters—​so it was said—​but what he done summers, I do not know. Martin Harris was a farmer, owning a good farm, of about 150 acres, about a mile north of Palmyra village, and had money at interest. Martin,—​as every body called him,—​was considered by his neighbors a very honest man; but on the subject of Mormonism, he was said to be crazy. Martin was the main spoke in the wheel of Mormonism in its start in Palmyra, and I may say, the only spoke. In the fall of 1827, he told us what wonderful discoveries Jo Smith had made, and of his finding plates

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in a hill in the town of Manchester, (three miles south of Palmyra,)—​also found with the plates a large pair of spectacles, by putting which on his nose and looking at the plates, the spectacles turned the hyroglyphics into good English. The question might be asked here whether Jo or the spectacles was the translator? Sometime in 1828, Martin Harris, who had been furnished by someone with what he said was a fac-​simile of the hyroglyphics of one of the plates, started for New York. On his way he stopped at Albany and called on Lt. Gov. Bradish,—​with what success I  do not know. He proceeded to New  York, and called on Prof. C.  Anthon, made known his business and presented his hyroglyphics. [Excerpt from Anthon’s 1834 letter to E. D. Howe quoted here] Martin returned from his trip east satisfied that “Joseph” was a “little smarter than Prof. Anthon.” Martin was something of a prophet:—​He frequently said that “Jackson would be the last president that we would have; and that all persons who did not embrace Mormonism in two years would be stricken off the face of the earth.” He said that Palmyra was to be the New Jerusalem, and that her streets were to be paved with gold. Martin was in the office when I  finished setting up the testimony of the three witnesses,—​(Harris—​Cowdery and Whitmer) I said to him,—​“Martin, did you see those plates with your naked eyes?” Martin looked down for an instant, raised his eyes up, and said, “No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.” 11.8  Albert Chandler’s Letter to William Linn, December 22, 1898 Source Note Letter, Albert Chandler to William Alexander Linn, December 22, 1898, Linn, The Story of the Mormons (New York: Macmillan, 1902), 48–​49. Editorial Note Albert F.  Chandler was born in Cayuga County, New  York, in 1814 and died in Coldwater, Michigan, in 1903. According to Linn, “Mr. Chandler moved to Michigan in 1835, and has been connected with several newspapers in that state, editing the Kalamazoo Gazette, and founding and publishing the Coldwater Sentinel. He was elected the first mayor of Coldwater, serving several terms.”22 William Alexander Linn was born in 1846 and died in 1917. “He was graduated at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., in 1864, at Yale in 1868, and in 1883 was admitted to the New York bar. From 1868 to 1891 he was engaged in newspaper work, during part of that time being on the staff of the New York Tribune, and was managing editor of the Evening Post, 1891–​1900, resigning to devote himself to literary work. . . .

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He has published ‘The Story of the Mormons’ (1902); ‘Horace Greeley’ (1903); and ‘Rob and His Gun’ (1902).”23 Document Transcript “My recollections of Joseph Smith Jr. and of the first steps taken in regard to his Bible have never been printed. At the time of the printing of the Mormon Bible by Egbert B. Grandin of the Sentinel I was an apprentice in the bookbindery connected with the Sentinel office. I helped to collate and stitch the Gold Bible, and soon after this was completed, I changed from book-​binding to printing. I learned my trade in the Sentinel office. “My recollections of the early history of the Mormon Bible are vivid to-​day. I knew personally Oliver Cowdery, who translated the Bible, Martin Harris, who mortgaged his farm to procure the printing, and Joseph Smith Jr., but slightly. What I knew of him was from hearsay, principally from Martin Harris, who believed fully in him. Mr. Tucker’s ‘Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism’ is the fullest account I have ever seen. I doubt if I can add anything to that history. “The whole history is shrouded in the deepest mystery. Joseph Smith Jr., who read through the wonderful spectacles, pretended to give the scribe the exact reading of the plates, even to spelling, in which Smith was wofully deficient. Martin Harris was permitted to be in the room with the scribe, and would try the knowledge of Smith, as he told me, saying that Smith could not spell the word February, when his eyes were off the spectacles through which he pretended to work. This ignorance of Smith was proof positive to him that Smith was dependent on the spectacles for the contents of the Bible. Smith and the plates containing the original of the Mormon Bible were hid from view of the scribe and Martin Harris by a screen. “I should think that Martin Harris, after becoming a convert, gave up his entire time to advertising the Bible to his neighbors and the public generally in the vicinity of Palmyra. He would call public meetings and address them himself. He was enthusiastic, and went so far as to say that God, through the Latter Day Saints, was to rule the world. I heard him make this statement, that there [p. 48] would never be another President of the United States elected; that soon all temporal and spiritual power would be given over to the prophet Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints. His extravagant statements were the laughing stock of the people of Palmyra. His stories were hissed at, universally. To give you an idea of Mr. Harris’s superstitions, he told me that he saw the devil, in all his hideousness, on the road, just before dark, near his farm, a little north of Palmyra. You can see that Harris was a fit subject to carry out the scheme of organizing a new religion.

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“The absolute secrecy of the whole inception and publication of the Mormon Bible estopped positive knowledge. We only knew what Joseph Smith would permit Martin Harris to publish, in reference to the whole thing. “The issuing of the Book of Mormon scarcely made a ripple of excitement in Palmyra. ALBERT CHANDLER.”

Accounts from Others 11.9  Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract Source Note Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches, 1853, 1401–​51. Editorial Note See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​1845, 1853, Extracts, Editorial  Note. Document Transcript After these witnesses [the eight witnesses] returned to the house, the angel again made his appearance to Joseph, at which time Joseph delivered up the plates into the angel’s hands. The ensuing evening, we held a meeting, in which all the witnesses bore testimony to the facts, as stated above; and all of our family, even to Don Carlos, who was but fourteen years of age, testified of the truth of the Latter-​day Dispensation—​that it was then ushered in. In a few days, the whole company from Waterloo, went to Palmyra to make arrangements for getting the book printed; and they succeeded in making a contract with one E. B. Grandin, but did not draw the writings at that time. The next day the company from Waterloo returned home, excepting Joseph, and Peter Whitmer, Joseph remaining to draw writings in regard to the printing of the manuscript, which was to be done on the day following. When Joseph was about starting for Palmyra, where the writings were to be executed, Doctor M’Intyre came in and informed us, that forty men were collected in the capacity of a mob, with the view of waylaying Joseph on his way thither; that they requested him (Doctor M’Intyre) as they had done once before, to take command of the company, and, that upon his refusing to do so, one Mr. Huzzy, a hatter of Palmyra, proffered his services, and was chosen as their leader. [p. 141]

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On hearing this I besought Joseph not to go; but he smiled at my fears, saying, “never mind, mother, just put your trust in God, and nothing will hurt me to day.” In a short time he set out for Palmyra. On his way thither, lay a heavy strip of timber, about half a mile in width, and, beyond it, on the right side of the road, lay a field belonging to David Jacaway. When he came to this field, he found the mob seated on the string of fence running along the road. Coming to Mr. Huzzy first, he took off his hat, and good-​naturedly saying, “Good morning, Mr. Huzzy,” passed on to the next, whom he saluted in like manner, and the next, and so on till he came to the last. This struck them with confusion, and while they were pondering in amazement, he passed on, leaving them perched upon the fence, like so many roosting chickens, and arrived at Palmyra without being molested. Here he met Mr. Grandin, and writings were drawn up between them to this effect: That half of the price for printing was to be paid by Martin Harris, and the residue by my two sons, Joseph and Hyrum.24 These writings were afterwards signed by all the parties concerned. When Joseph returned from Palmyra, he said, “Well, mother, the Lord has been on my side to-​day, the devil has not overpowered me in any of my proceedings. Did I not tell you that I should be delivered from the hands of all my enemies! They thought they were going to perform great feats; they have done wonders to prevent me from getting the book printed; they mustered themselves together, and got upon the fence, made me a low bow, and went home, and I’ll warrant you they wish they had stayed there in the first place. Mother, there is a God in heaven, and I know it.” Soon after this, Joseph secured the copyright; and before he returned to Pennsylvania, where he had left his wife, he received a commandment, which was, in substance, as follows:—​ First, that Oliver Cowdery should transcribe the [p.  142] whole manuscript. Second, that he should take but one copy at a time to the office, so that if one copy should get destroyed, there would still be a copy remaining. Third, that in going to and from the office, he should always have a guard to attend him, for the purpose of protecting the manuscript. Fourth, that a guard should be kept constantly on the watch, both night and day, about the house, to protect the manuscript from malicious persons, who would infest the house for the purpose of destroying the manuscript. All these things were strictly attended to, as the Lord commanded Joseph. After giving these instructions, Joseph returned to Pennsylvania. [end of c­ hapter 31] Oliver Cowdery commenced the work immediately after Joseph left, and the printing went on very well for a season, but the clouds of persecution again began to gather. The rabble, and a party of restless religionists, began to counsel together, as to the most efficient means of putting a stop to our proceedings. About the first council of this kind was held in a room adjoining that in which Oliver and a young man by the name of Robinson were printing. Mr. Robinson,

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being curious to know what they were doing in the next room, applied his ear to a hole in the partition wall, and by this means overheard several persons expressing their fears in reference to the [p. 143] Book of Mormon. One said, “it was destined to break down every thing before it, if not put a stop to,” and, “that it was likely to injure the prospects of their ministers,” and then inquired, whether they should endure it. “No, no,” was the unanimous reply. It was then asked, “how shall we prevent the printing of this book?” Upon which it was resolved by the meeting, that three of their company should be appointed to go to the house of Mr. Smith, on the following Tuesday or Wednesday, while the men were gone to their work, and request Mrs. Smith to read the manuscript to them; that, after she had done reading it, two of the company should endeavour to divert her attention from it to some other object, while the third, seizing the opportunity, should snatch it from the drawer, or wherever it should be kept, and commit it immediately to the flames. “Again,” said the speaker, “suppose we fail in this, and the book is printed in defiance of all that we can do to the contrary, what means shall we then adopt? Shall we buy their books and allow our families to read them?” They all responded, “No.” They then entered into a solemn covenant, never to purchase even a single copy of the work, or permit one member of their families to buy or read one, that they might thus avert the awful calamity which threatened them. Oliver Cowdery came home that evening, and, after relating the whole affair with much solemnity, he said, “Mother, what shall I do with the manuscript? where shall I put it to keep it away from them?” “Oliver,” said I, “I do not think the matter so serious after all, for there is a watch kept constantly about the house, and I need not take out the manuscript to read it to them unless I choose, and for its present safety I can have it deposited in a chest, under the head of my bed, in such a way that it never will be disturbed.” I then placed it in a chest, which was so high, that when placed under [p. 144] the bed, the whole weight of the bedstead rested upon the lid. Having made this arrangement, we felt quite at rest, and, that night, the family retired to rest at the usual hour, all save Peter Whitmer, who spent the night on guard. But as for myself, soon after I went to bed I fell into a train of reflections which occupied my mind, and which caused sleep to forsake my eyelids till the day dawned, for, when I meditated upon the days of toil, and nights of anxiety, through which we had all passed for years previous,in order to obtain the treasure that then lay beneath my head; when I thought upon the hours of fearful apprehensions which we had all suffered on the same account, and that the object was at last accomplished, I could truly say that my soul did magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiced in God my Savior. I felt that the heavens were moved in our behalf, and that the angels who had power to put down the mighty from their

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seats, and to exalt those who were of low degree, were watching over us; that those would be filled who hungered and thirsted after righteousness, when the rich would be sent empty away; that God had helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his promised mercy, and in bringing forth a Record, by which is made known the seed of Abraham, our father. Therefore, we could safely put our trust in him, as he was able to help in every time of need. On the fourth day subsequent to the afore-​mentioned council, soon after my husband left the house to go to his work, those three delegates appointed by the council, came to accomplish the work assigned to them. Soon after they entered, one of them began thus:—​ “Mrs. Smith, we hear that you have a gold bible; we have come to see if you will be so kind as to show it to us?” “No, gentlemen,” said I, “we have no gold bible, but we have a translation of some gold plates, which have been brought forth for the purpose of making known to the world the plainness of the gospel, and also to give a history of the people which formerly inhabited [p. 145] this continent.” I then proceeded to relate the substance of what is contained in the Book of Mormon, dwelling particularly upon the principles of religion therein contained. I  endeavored to show them the similarity between these principles, and the simplicity of the gospel taught by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. “Notwithstanding all this,” said I, “the different denominations are very much opposed to us. The Universalists are alarmed lest their religion should suffer loss, the Presbyterians tremble for their salaries, the Methodists also come, and they rage, for they worship a God without body or parts, and they know that our faith comes in contact with this principle.” After hearing me through, the gentlemen said, “Can we see the manuscript, then?” “No, sir,” replied I, “you cannot see it. I have told you what it contains, and that must suffice.” He made no reply to this, but said, “Mrs. Smith, you and the most of your children have belonged to our church for some length of time, and we respect you very highly. You say a good deal about the Book of Mormon, which your son has found, and you believe much of what he tells you, yet we cannot bear the thoughts of losing you, and they do wish—​I wish, that if you do believe those things, you would not say anything more upon the subject—​I do wish you would not.” “Deacon Beckwith,” said I, “if you should stick my flesh full of faggots, and even burn me at the stake, I would declare, as long as God should give me breath, that Joseph has got that Record, and that I know it to be true.” At this, he observed to his companions, “You see it is of no use to say anything more to her, for we cannot change her mind.” Then, turning to me, he said, “Mrs.

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Smith, I see that it is not possible to persuade you out of your belief, therefore I deem it unnecessary to say anything more upon the subject.” “No, sir,” said I, “it is not worth your while.” He then bade me farewell, and went out to see Hyrum, when the following conversation took place between them. Deacon Beckwith.  “Mr. Smith, do you not think that you may be deceived about that Record, which your brother pretends to have found?” Hyrum. “No, sir, I do not.” Deacon Beckwith. “Well, now, Mr. Smith, if you find that you are deceived, and that he has not got the Record, will you confess the fact to me?” Hyrum. “Will you, Deacon Beckwith, take one of the books, when they are printed, and read it, asking God to give you an evidence that you may know whether it is true?” Deacon Beckwith. “I think it beneath me to take so much trouble, however, if you will promise that you will confess to me that Joseph never had the plates, I will ask for a witness whether the book is true.” Hyrum. “I will tell you what I will do, Mr. Beckwith, if you do get a testimony from God, that the book is not true, I will confess to you that it is not true.” Upon this they parted, and the Deacon next went to Samuel, who quoted to him, Isaiah, Lvi:  9–​11:  “All ye beasts of the field, come to devour; yea, all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber; yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.” Here Samuel ended the quotation, and the three gentlemen left without ceremony. [p. 147; end of ­chapter 32] The work of printing still continued with little or no interruption, until one Sunday afternoon, when Hyrum became very uneasy as to the security of the work left at the printing office, and requested Oliver to accompany him thither, to see if all was right. Oliver hesitated for a moment, as to the propriety of going on Sunday, but finally consented, and they set off together. On arriving at the printing establishment, they found it occupied by an individual by the name of Cole, an ex-​justice of the peace, who was busily employed in printing a newspaper. Hyrum was much surprised at finding him there, and remarked, “How is it, Mr. Cole, that you are so hard at work on Sunday?” [See 11.3 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Joseph Smith, December 28, 1829.]

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Mr. Cole replied, that he could not have the press, in the day time during the week, and was obliged to do his printing at night, and on Sundays. Upon reading the prospectus of his paper, they found that he had agreed with his subscribers to publish one form of “Joe Smith’s Gold Bible” each week, and thereby furnish them with the principle portion of the book in such a way that they would not be obliged to pay the Smiths for it. His paper was entitled, DOGBERRY PAPER ON WINTER HILL. In this, he had thrown together a parcel of the most vulgar, disgusting prose, and the meanest, and most low-​lived doggerel, in juxtaposition with a portion of the Book of Mormon, which he had pilfered. At this perversion of common sense and moral feeling, Hyrum was shocked, as well as indignant at the dishonest course which Mr. Cole had taken, in order to possess himself of the work. “Mr. Cole,” said he, “what right have you to print the Book of Mormon in this manner? Do you not know that we have secured the copyright?” “It is none of your business,” answered Cole, “I have hired the press, and will print what I please, so help yourself.” “Mr. Cole,” rejoined Hyrum, “that manuscript is sacred, and I forbid your printing any more of it.” “Smith,” exclaimed Cole, in a tone of anger, “I don’t care a d—​n for you: that d—​d gold bible is going into my paper, in spite of all you can do.” Hyrum endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose, but finding him inexorable, left him to issue his paper, as he had hitherto done; for when they found him at work, he had already issued six or eight numbers, and had managed to keep them out of our sight. On returning from the office, they asked my husband what course was best for them to pursue, relative to Mr. Cole. He told them that he considered it a matter with which Joseph ought to be made acquainted. Accordingly, he set out himself for Pennsylvania, and returned with Joseph the ensuing Sunday. The weather was so extremely cold, that they came near perishing before they arrived at home, nevertheless, as soon as Joseph made himself partially comfortable, he went to the printing office, where he found Cole employed, as on the Sunday previous. “How do you do, Mr. Cole,” said Joseph, “you seem hard at work.” “How do you do, Mr. Smith,” answered Cole, dryly. Joseph examined his DOGBERRY PAPER, and then said firmly, “Mr. Cole, that book, [the Book of Mormon] and the right of publishing it, belongs to me, and I forbid you meddling with it any further.” At this Mr. Cole threw off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and came towards Joseph, smacking his fists together with vengeance, and roaring out, “Do you want to fight, sir? do you want to fight? I will pub[p. 149]lish just what I please. Now, if you want to fight, just come on.”

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Joseph could not help smiling at his grotesque appearance, for his behavior was too ridiculous to excite indignation. “Now, Mr. Cole,” said he, “you had better keep your coat on—​it is cold, and I am not going to fight you, nevertheless, I assure you, sir, that you have got to stop printing my book, for I  know my rights, and shall maintain them.” “Sir,” bawled out the wrathy gentleman, “if you think you are the best man, just pull off your coat and try it.” “Mr. Cole,” said Joseph, in a low, significant tone, “there is law, and you will find that out, if you do not understand it, but I shall not fight you, sir.” At this, the ex-​justice began to cool off a little, and finally concluded to submit to an arbitration, which decided that he should stop his proceedings forthwith, so that he made us no further trouble. Joseph, after disposing of this affair, returned to Pennsylvania, but not long to remain there, for when the inhabitants of the surrounding country perceived that the work still progressed, they became uneasy, and again called a large meeting. At this time, they gathered their forces together, far and near, and organizing themselves into a committee of the whole, they resolved, as before, never to purchase one of our books, when they should be printed. They then appointed a committee to wait upon E. B. Grandin, and inform him of the resolutions which they had passed, and also to explain to him the evil consequences which would result to him therefrom. The men who were appointed to do this errand, fulfilled their mission to the letter, and urged upon Mr. Grandin the necessity of his putting a stop to the printing, as the Smiths had lost all their property, and consequently would be unable to pay him for his work, except by the sale of the books. And this they would never be able to do, for the people would not purchase them. This information caused Mr. Grandin to stop printing, and we were again [p. 150] compelled to send for Joseph. These trips, back and forth, exhausted nearly all our means, yet they seemed unavoidable. When Joseph came, he went immediately with Martin Harris to Grandin, and succeeded in removing his fears, so that he went on with the work, until the books were printed, which was in the spring of eighteen hundred and thirty. [end of ­chapter 33] 11.10  Thomas B. Marsh’s Account, November 1857 Source Note “History of Thomas Baldwin Marsh (Written by himself in Great Salt Lake City, November 1857),” History of Brigham Young, Deseret News, March 24, 1858.

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Editorial Note “Thomas Baldwin Marsh was born in Acton, near Boston, Massachusetts, on November 1, 1800, to James and Mary (“Molly”) Law Marsh,” write William Shepard and H. Michael Marquardt. “When he was seven years old, his mother died and his father moved to Westmoreland, New Hampshire. Unhappy there, Thomas took the drastic step of running away from home at age fourteen, getting as far as Chester, Vermont, where someone hired him as a farmhand.” Thomas eventually moved to New  York, where he married Elizabeth Godkin on his twentieth birthday. After Thomas’s father died in 1822, he and Elizabeth moved to Boston.25 For more on Thomas B. Marsh, see 9.28 Thomas B. Marsh’s Report of an Interview with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, November 1857, Editorial Note. Document Transcript I withdrew from all sects [after joining and then leaving the Methodist church in the mid-​1820s], and being about to leave Boston my old class leader wished me to take a good certificate, but I informed him I did not want it. I had a measure of the spirit of prophecy and told him that I expected a new church would arise, which would have the truth in its purity. He said to me, you no doubt mean to be a leader in that new sect. I told him I had no such intesntions. he said, he prayed that the Lord would make me a firebrand in the midst of that new religious body, as reformation was necessary. . . . I believed the Spirit of God dictated me to make a journey west. I  started in company with one Benjamin Hall, who was also led by the Spirit. I went to Lima, Livingston County, New York, where I staid some three months, and then left for home. I called on my return at Lyonstown, on a family, whose names I do not recollect. On leaving there next morning the lady enquired if I had heard of the Golden Book found by a youth named Joseph Smith. I informed her I never heard anything about it, and became very anxious to know concerning the matter. On enquiring, she told me I could learn more about it from Martin Harris, in Palmyra. I returned back westward and found Martin Harris at the printing office, in Palmyra, where the first sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon had just been struck off, the proof sheet of which I  obtained from the printer and took with me. As soon as Martin Harris found out my intentions he took me to the house of Joseph Smith, sen., where Joseph Smith, jun. resided, who could give me any information I might wish. Here I found Oliver Cowdery, who gave me all the information concerning the book I desired. After staying there two days I started for Charleston, Massachusetts, highly pleased with the information I had obtained concerning the new found book.

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After arriving home and finding my family all well, I  showed my wife the sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon which I  had obtained, with which she was well pleased, believing it to be the work of God. From this time for about one year I corresponded with Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith, Jun., and prepared myself to move west. 11.11  Solomon Chamberlain’s Account, circa 1858 Source Note Solomon Chamberlain Autobiography, cira 1858, CHL, in Porter, “Solomon Chamberlain,” 315–​17. Editorial Note On April 16, 1862, the Deseret News announced that Solomon Chamberlain had died three weeks earlier, on March 26, at age seventy-​six. The article continued, “Father Chamberlain had been a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints almost from the beginning; he was among the number that were driven from Jackson county, Mo., in 1833, and the history of his persecutions and drivings would embrace all the sufferings and trails through whith the saints have been called to pass in the last days. He was full of faith, and lived and died a saint, respected by all who knew him.” Document Transcript I was born July 30th 1788, of goodly parents in Old Canaan Connecticut. My fathers name was Joel Chamberlain born in Tolland, Connecticut. Sarah Dean his wife born in same state, by her he had six sons and three daughters. When I was about 20 years old, which would be about the year 1808. I went to the house of Philip Haskins and took one of his daughters to wife, by the name of Hope Haskins, of goodly parents. by her I had one son, and two daughters. . . . About the time that Joseph Smith found the gold record, I began to feel that the time was drawing near, that the Lord would in some shape or other, bring forth his Church. I  made some inquiry thro the country where I  traveled if there was any strange work of God, such as had not been on the earth since the days of Christ. I could hear of none, I was living about 20 miles east of where the gold record was found, on the Erie Canal. I had occasion to go on a visit into upper Canada. I took boat for Lockport, when the boat came to Palmyra, I felt as if some genii or good Spirit told me to leave the boat, this was a few miles from where the record was found. After leaving the boat, the spirit manifested to me, to travel a South course, I did so for about 3 miles, I had not as yet heard of the gold bible (so called) nor

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any of the Smith family. I was a stranger in that part of the Country, a Town where I never before had set my foot, and knew no one in the Town. It was about sun down, and my guide directed me to put up for the night, which I did to a Farm house, in the morning the people of the house asked me if I had heard of the Gold Bible, when they said “Gold Bible” there was a power like electricity went from the top of my head to the end of my toes, This was the first time I ever heard of the gold Bible. I was now within half a mile of the Smith family where Joseph lived. from the time I left the boat until now, I was wholly led by the Spirit or my Genii. The women spoke considerable of the gold bible that Joseph Smith had found. When she mentioned gold Bible, I felt a shock of the power of God go from head to foot, I said to myself, I shall soon find why I have been led in this singular manner. I soon made my way across lots, to Father Smith’s and found Hyrum walking the floor, As I entered the door, I said, peace be to this house. He looked at me as one astonished, and said, I hope it will be peace, I then said, Is there any one here that believes in visions or Revelation he said Yes, we are a visionary house. I said, Then I will give you one of my pamphlets, which was visionary, and of my own experience. They then called the people together, which consisted of five or six men who were out at the door. Father Smith was one and some of the Whitmer’s. They then sat down and read my pamphlet. Hyrum read first, but was so affected he could not read it, He then gave it to a man, which I learned was Christian Whitmer, he finished reading it. I then opened my mouth and began to preach to them, in the words that the angel had made known to me in the vision, that all Churches and Denominations on the earth had become corrupt, and no Church of God on the earth but that he would shortly rise up a Church, that would never be confounded nor brought down and be like unto the Apostolic Church. They wondered greatly who had been telling me these things, for said they we have the same things wrote down in our house, taken from the Gold record, that you are preaching to us. I said, the Lord told me these things a number of years ago, I then said, If you are a visionary house, I wish you would make known some of your discoveries, for I think I can bear them. They then made known to me that they had obtained a gold record, and just finished translating it here. Now the Lord revealed to me by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost that this was the work I had been looking for. Here I stayed 2 days and they instructed me, in the manuscripts of the Book of Mormon. After I had been here two days, I went with Hyrum and some others to Palmyra printing office where they began to print the Book of Mormon, and as soon as they had printed 64 pages, I took them with their leave and pursued my journey to Canada, and I preached all that I knew concerning Mormonism, to all both high and low, rich and poor, and thus you see this was the first that ever printed Mormonism was preached to this generation. I did not see any one in traveling for 800 miles, that had ever heard of the Gold Bible (so called).

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I exhorted all people to prepare for the great work of God that was now about to come forth, and it would never be brought down nor confounded. 11.12  Stephen S. Harding’s Letter to Thomas Gregg, February 1882, Extract Source Note Letter, Stephen S. Harding to Thomas Gregg, February 1882, Thomas Gregg, The Prophet of Palmyra (New York: John B. Alden, 1890), 40–​41, 42–​43, 47–​48. Editorial Note Stephen Selwin Harding (1808–​1891) was born in Palmyra, New  York. He was a cousin of Pomeroy Tucker and knew Joseph Smith as a boy. He emigrated with his family to Ripley County, Indiana, in 1820. Although he had only nine months of formal schooling, he began teaching school at age sixteen and studied law in Indiana, where he was licensed to practice in March of 1828. That fall, he traveled to New Orleans, came into contact with slavery for the first time, and became a passionate abolitionist. He married Avoline Sprout of Chautauqua County, New York, on October 31, 1830. He was nominated twice for lieutenant governor of Indiana on the Liberty Party ticket but was defeated both times.26 Harding “practiced law in Indiana before Abraham Lincoln named him governor of Utah Territory in 1862. Conciliatory toward the Mormons at first, he soon became critical of church leaders and the practice of polygamy. The Mormons successfully petitioned for his removal. He served as chief justice of Colorado Territory until forced out of office for alleged incompetence and immorality.” He practiced law in Indiana until his retirement in 1881.27 On Gregg, see 2.19 Lorenzo Saunders’s Letter to Thomas Gregg, January 28, 1885, Editorial Note. Document Transcript “Upon my return to Palmyra, and learning that Martin Harris was the only man of any account, as we say in the West, among all of his near associates, it was but natural that I should seek an early interview with him. I found him at the printing office of the Wayne Sentinel in Palmyra, where the Book of Mormon was being printed. He had heard several days before of my arrival in the neighborhood, and expressed great pleasure at seeing me. A moment or two after, I was introduced to Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Smith, Sen., and then to the young ‘Prophet’ himself.

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“Here was a most remarkable quartette of persons. I  soon learned that at least three of them were in daily attendance at the printing-​office, and that they came and went as regularly as the rising and setting of the sun. I have the authority of Martin Harris himself, who stated that some one hundred and fifty pages, more or less, of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon had been stolen, lost, or destroyed, by some evil-​minded person, and that the angel of the Lord had appeared to young Joseph and informed him that the devil had appeared in the form of a man or woman, and had possessed himself of the sacred MS.; and Joseph had been commanded by the angel to thenceforth always have at least three witnesses to watch over it when in the hands of the printers. This was the reason given me at the time by Harris, why at least three persons should bring the MS. to the office immediately after sunrise, and take it away before sunset in the evening. After my introduction to Cowdery and the Smiths, I entered into conversation with them—​especially with Cowdery and the father of the prophet. But young Joe was hard to be approached. He was very taciturn, and sat most of the time as silent as a Sphynx, seeming to have no [p. 38] recollection of ever having seen me when fishing in Durfee’s mill-​pond. This young man was by no means of an ordinary type. He had hardly ever been known to laugh in his childhood; and would never work or labor like other boys; and was noted as never having had a fight or quarrel with any other person. But notwithstanding this last redeeming trait, he was hard on birds’ nests, and in telling what had happened would exaggerate to such an extent, that it was a common saying in the neighborhood: ‘That is as big a lie as young Joe ever told.’ . . . “I spent an hour or two with E.  B. Grandin and Pomeroy Tucker, proprietor and foreman of the Sentinel. From these gentlemen I learned many particulars that were new to me. I expressed a desire to read the manuscript then in process of being printed; but was informed by them that that was hardly possible, inasmuch as a few sheets only at a time were used as copy in the hands of the printers; and that probably Cowdery and Smith would have no objection to reading it to me, if I would give them an opportunity without interfering with their duties at the office. “It was now noon, and I  went home with my cousin (Mr. Tucker) to dinner. On returning to [p. 40] the office, I found Harris, Cowdery, and the Smiths had remained, substituting a lunch for a regular dinner. My intimacy with them was renewed, and Harris talked incessantly to me on the subject of dreams, and the fearful omens and signs he had seen in the heavens. Of course I became greatly interested, and manifested a desire to hear the miraculous MS. read; and it was agreed that I should go out with them to the house of the elder Smith, and remain over night. In the mean time, I remarked that but one at a time left the printing office, even for a short period. . . .

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“It was now time to begin the reading of the manuscript, and we retired to the room we had occupied. . . . Cowdery commenced his task of reading at the table, the others sitting around. The reading had proceeded for some time, when the candle began to spit and splutter, sometimes almost going out, and flashing up with a red-​ blue blaze. Here was a phenomenon that could not be mistaken. To say that the blaze had been interrupted by the flax shives that remained in the tow wicking, would not do; but Martin Harris arrived at a conclusion ‘across lots:’ ‘Do you see that,’ said he, directing his remark to me and the old lady, who sat beside him. ‘I know what that means; it is the [p. 42] Devil trying to put out the light, so that we can’t read any more.’ ‘Yes,’ replied the old lady; ‘I seed’im! I seed’im! as he tried to put out the burnin’ wick, when the blaze turned blue.’ . . . “In the meantime the printing of the Book of Mormon was proceeding. There was abundant evidence that the proof sheets had been carefully corrected. The printing was done on a lever press of that period; and when a sufficient number of pages for the entire edition of five thousand copies had been completed, the type had to be distributed. This was a slow process in comparison with what is done in a jobbing office of to-​day. Mr. Tucker, the foreman, had just received from Albany a font of new type, and had set up with his own hands the title page of the Book of Mormon, and preparations were now ready for the first impression. About this time the prophet’s father also came in. He, too, had evidently heard of my dream, and shook my hand most cordially. Mr. Grandin and two or three typos were present, as if curious in seeing the first impression of the title page. Tucker took up the ink-​balls and made the form ready; then laying the blank sheet upon it, with one pull at the lever the work was done; then taking the impression, looked at it a moment, passed it to Cowdery, who scanned it carefully, and passed it to the [p. 47] prophet himself, who seemed to be examining every letter, and without speaking gave it into the hands of his father and Harris. It was then returned to Tucker. Of course we all looked at it with more or less curiosity, and the work was pronounced excellent. Tucker, who was my cousin, then handed it to me, saying: ‘Here, Steve, I’ll give this to you. You may keep it as a curiosity.’ I thanked him, and put it carefully in my pocket.” Contemporaneous Documents 11.13  The First Known Published Article Mentioning the Book of Mormon, June 26, 1829 Source Note Wayne Sentinel, Palmyra, New York, June 26, 1829.

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Editorial Note This document offers a glimpse of the essential role played by the title page—​ created by Moroni according to Joseph Smith28—​in the early history of the Book of Mormon. Apparently typeset for the purpose of obtaining a copyright, the title page became the first printed Joseph Smith document when it was created early in June of 1829. Richard Ray Lansing, clerk of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, filed a copy of the printed title page in Utica, New York, on June 11, 1829. “Lansing completed an official copyright form that same day and included a handwritten copy of the title page.”29 Two weeks later, the title page was once again reproduced in the text featured here, the first known article mentioning the Book of Mormon.30 Yet another printing of the title page came in December (11.22 Cornelius C. Blatchly’s Article in the New-​York Telescope, February 20, 1830). Document Transcript Just about in this particular region, for some time past, much speculation has existed, concerning a pretended discovery, through superhuman means, of an ancient rec­ ord, of a religious and a divine nature and origin, written in ancient characters, impossible to be interpreted by any to whom the special gift has not been imparted by inspiration. It is generally known and spoken of as the “Golden Bible.” Most people entertain an idea that the whole matter is the result of a gross imposition and a grosser superstition. It is pretended that it will be published as soon as the translation is completed. Meanwhile we have been furnished with the following, which is represented to us as intended for the title page of the work—​we give it as a curiosity:—​ “The Book of Mormon, an account, written by the hand of Mormon upon plates, taken from the plates of Nephi—​ “Wherefore it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, written to the Lamanites, which are a remnant of the house of Israel: and also to Jew and Gentile; written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation; written and sealed and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed.—​to come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—​sealed up by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—​the interpretation thereof by the gift of God: an abridgment taken from the book of Ether. “Also, which is a record of the people of Jared, which were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to Heaven; which is to shew unto the remnant of the house of Israel how great

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things the Lord hath done for their fathers: and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever:  and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations. And now, if there by fault, it be the mistake of men:  wherefore condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of Christ.—​By JOSEPH SMITH, Junior, Author and Proprietor”31 11.14  Revelation, circa Summer 1829 [D&C 19] Source Note Revelation to Martin Harris, circa summer 1829, CHAPTER XVI, Book of Commandments,  39–​42. Editorial Note Although John Whitmer copied this revelation into Revelation Book 1 around March of 1831, the pages containing the first part of the text were removed and are no longer extant. The version featured here is thus the earliest complete, extant version. Because the location of Manchester, New York, and the date of March 1830 are in parentheses, they are not believed to have been part of the original text. Furthermore, because a key part of the revelation instructs Martin Harris to “pay the printer’s debt,” Joseph Smith likely dictated the text sometime after he and Harris first contacted E. B. Grandin—​the printer—​in June and before August 25, when Harris mortgaged his farm as security for payment of the printing of the Book of Mormon.32 Document Transcript CHAPTER XVI. 1 A  commandment of God and not of man to you, Martin [Harris], given (Manchester, New York, March, 1830,) by him who is eternal: YEA, even I, I am he, the beginning and the end: Yea, Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord, the Redeemer of the world: 2 I having accomplished and finished the will of him whose I am, even the Father: 3 Having done this, that I might subdue all things unto myself: 4 Retaining all power, even to the destroying of satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment, which I shall pass upon the inhabitants thereof, every man according to his works, and the deeds which he hath done.

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5 And surely every man must repent or suffer, for I God am endless: 6 Wherefore, I revoke not the judgments which I shall pass, but woes shall go forth, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth: 7 Yea, to those who are found on my left hand, nevertheless, it is not written, that there shall be no end to this torment; but it is written endless torment. 8 Again, it is written eternal damnation:  wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it [p. 39] might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name’s glory: 9 Wherefore, I will explain unto you, this mystery, for it is mete unto you, to know even as mine apostles. 10 I speak unto you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest. 11 For behold, the mystery of Godliness how great is it? for behold I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand, is endless punishment, for endless is my name: 12 Wherefore—​ Eternal punishment) is God’s punishment:)

Endless punishment is God’s punishment:

13 Wherefore, I command you by my name, and by my Almighty power, that you repent:  repent, lest I  smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore: 14 How sore you know not! 15 How exquisite you know not! 16 Yea, how hard to bear you know not! 17 For behold, I God have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer, if they would repent, but if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I: 18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, both body and spirit: 19 And would that I might not drink the bitter cup and shrink: 20 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I  partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men: 21 Wherefore, I command you again by my Al [p. 40]mighty power, that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at tbe [the] time I withdrew my Spirit. 22 And I command you, that you preach nought but repentance; and show not these things, neither speak these things unto the world, for they can not bear meat, but milk they must receive:

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23 Wherefore, they must not know these things lest they perish: 24 Wherefore, learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit and you shall have peace in me, Jesus Christ by the will of the Father. 25 And again: I command you, that thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife. 26 Nor seek thy neighbor’s life. 27 And again:  I command you, that thou shalt not covet thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing of the book of Mormon, which contains the truth and the word of God, which is my word to Gentile, that soon it may go to the Jew, of which the Lamanites are a remnant; that they may believe the gospel, and look not for a Messiah to come which has already come. 28 And again: I command you, that thou shalt pray vocally as well as to thyself: 29 Yea, before the world as well as in secret; in public as well as in private. 30 And thou shalt declare glad tidings; yea, publish it upon the mountains, and upon every high place, and among every people which thou shalt be permitted to see. 31 And thou shalt do it with all humility, trusting in me, reviling not against revilers. [p. 41] 32 And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior and remission of sins by baptism and by fire; yea, even the Holy Ghost. 33 Behold this is a great and the last commandment which I  shall give unto you: 34 For this shall suffice for thy daily walk even unto the end of thy life. 35 And misery thou shalt receive, if thou wilt slight these counsels: Yea, even destruction of thyself and property. 36 Impart a portion of thy property; Yea, even a part of thy lands and all save the support of thy family. 37 Pay the printer’s debt. 38 Release thyself from bondage. 39 Leave thy house and home, except when thou shalt desire to see them. 40 And speak freely to all: Yea, preach, exhort, declare the truth, even with a loud voice; with a sound of rejoicing, crying hosanna! hosanna! blessed be the name of the Lord God. 41 Pray always and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing: 42 Yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth, and corruptibleness to the extent thereof.

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43 Behold, canst thou read this without rejoicing, and lifting up thy heart for gladness; or canst thou run about longer as a blind guide; or canst thou be humble and meek and conduct thyself wisely before me: 44 Yea, come unto me thy Savior. Amen. [p. 42] 11.15  Article in Paul Pry’s Weekly Bulletin, July 25, 1829 Source Note Chronicler. “From the Golden Bible:  Chronicles Chapter I,” Paul Pry’s Weekly Bulletin (Rochester, New York) 1, no. 12 (25 July 1829): 1–​2, italics in original. Document Transcript FROM THE GOLDEN BIBLE. CHRONICLES—​CHAPTER 1. And it came to pass, in these days that the people became sore against Horace, the publican, forasmuch as he had offended them by taking into favor Israel, the darkey paramour, and whom the people had cast off on account of his wickedness. Now this Israel, who is a man of considerable cunning and deceit, had lost the favor of the people, by his abomination; yet nevertheless, he aspired to be one of the counsellors and lawgivers of the land. Moreover, he had offended the people by his baseness, and they arose against him in their might and crushed him. And he communed with himself saying—​Surely I have merited this, for I have published lies and scandal against them, and they have reason to be offended with me, but I will be avenged against them. Are there not my friends Joseph the dealer in fine linens, and Wanton, the Physician? Surely they will not forsake me. Beside, there is a Chad, the money-​lender, who has the handling of the monies of the children of Margaret his wife, by Samuel the Miser. This Chad, now, is a man large in stature, and whom the Lord in his wisdom had not thought proper to endow with any other qualities than those of an Ass:  Howbeit he found favor in the eyes of Margaret, and he took her to be his wife. And Israel went unto Chad, and fell down and humbled himself before him, and said unto him—​O Chad! thou art the man to whom the FREEMEN of this

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land look up [1]‌for counsel and advice; I beseech you to assist me for I am in trouble. And Chad extended his jaws, and behold there came forth a noise as the braying of an ass; and he said, Arise, Israel, and relate to me the cause of thy troubles, And Israel arose and fell upon Chad’s neck, and kissed him, and said, My ambition is the cause of all my trouble. Were it not that in order to secure my end, I  have abused, villified, and slandered the people, might I  not have now been respected? But did not they first give me cause, by publishing dark TRUTHS about me, which cut me to the heart sore, and spurred and gored me on? And have they not put me down, and as a vile worm trodden me under foot? And Chad once more extended his jaws, and said—​Yea, all these things are true; thou hast slandered the people, and your trouble is merited; but I will endeavor to bear thee up against them. Moreover we will cry persecution, & will endeavor to varnish and build up your dark character by destroying that of some of your alleged persecutors. And Israel went out from the presence of Chad, well pleased; and he lifted up his eyes and beheld Joseph and Wanton afar off, coming towards him. And he thought unto himself—​Verily, I am injuring them by sojourning in this land, and he avoided them, for their sight troubled him. And he went unto his abode, and wept bitterly.33 CHRONICLER 11.16  Notice in The Reflector, September 2, 1829 Source Note The Reflector (Palmyra, New York) 1, no. 1 (2 September 1829): 2. Document Transcript The Gold Bible, by Joseph Smith Junior, author and proprietor, is now in press and will shortly appear. Priestcraft is short lived. 11.17  Article in The Gem, September 5, 1829 Source Note “Golden Bible,” The Gem:  A Semi-​Monthly Literary and Miscellaneous Journal (Rochester, New York) (5 September 1829): 70.

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Document Transcript GOLDEN BIBLE. A man by the name of Martin Harris was in this village a few days since endeavouring to make a contract for printing a large quantity of a work called the Golden Bible. He gave something like the following account of it. “In the autumn of 1827 a man named Joseph Smith of Manchester, in Ontario County, said that he had been visited by the spirit of the Almighty in a dream, and informed that in a certain hill in that town was deposited a Golden Bible, containing an ancient record of divine origin. He states that after the third visit from the same spirit in a dream he proceeded to the spot, removed earth, and there found the bible, together with a large pair of spectacles. He had also been directed to let no mortal see them under the penalty of immediate death, which injunction he steadfastly adheres to. The treasure consisted of a number of gold plates, about 8 inches long, 6 wide, and one eighth of an inch thick, on which were engraved hieroglyphics. By placing the spectacles in a hat and looking into it, Smith interprets the characters into the English language.[”] Harris states that he went in search of some one to interpret the hieroglyphics, but found that no one was intended to perform that all important task but Smith himself. Smith has interpreted the whole, and it is now in press in Palmyra, Wayne Co. The subject attracts a good deal of notice among a certain class, and as it will be ere long before the public, we shall endeavor to meet it with the comment it may deserve.—​Ed. Gem.34 11.18  Articles in The Reflector, September 16–​December 9, 1829 Document Transcripts September 16, 1829, p. 10 The Book of Mormon is expected to be ready for delivery in the course of one year. —​Great and marvellous things will “come to pass” about those days. September 23, 1829, p. 14 We understand that the Anti-​Masons have declared war against the Gold Bible.—​ Oh! how impious. The number of the Gold Bible Apostles is said to be complete. Jo Smith Jr. is about to assign to each, a mission to the heathen. We understand that Abraham Chaddock intends to build the first house in Harris’ NewJerusalem.

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Some few evenings since, a man in the town of Mendon, had a loud call to go and preach the doctrines contained in the Gold Bible, under heavy denunciations. September 30, 1829, p. 17, Extract OUR OWN AFFAIRS. “BEWARE OF SECRET ASSOCIATIONS.”  We take the above quotation from the head of the editorial column, in the “PALMYRA FREEMAN,” and since we are informed that the DEVIL can quote scripture whenever it suits his purpose, we acknowledge that our astonishment is somewhat lessened. But where did the grave editor of the Freeman find this “solemn warning?” Has he been permitted to examine the hidden mysteries of “the Book of Mormon?” It appears hung up in double and treble capitals, with double comma’s, to prove, (as we suppose,) its authenticity; but the truth of it is, the quotation is not genuine, and probably originated in the muddy brain of Oliver Heartwell, who, we are informed, “dreamed strange dreams and saw visions,” about the time he was carrying on a Literary correspondence with John Q. Adams. Be that as it may, we acknowledge we are a little surprised at the silence of the editorial fraternity, in general, on this subject, and can only account for it on the supposition that they considered it a forgery so palpable, that it needed no exposure; but this is entirely a mistaken opinion. Many an honest Anti-​Mason has read the above quotation, and really supposed that those identical words fell from the hallowed lips of the venerable father of his country;—​for such, and such alone, we now write: and in the first place, let us read what was said by “the first and best of men,” in his farewell to his constituents, and judge if the veracious editor of the FREEMAN has not, in his hurry of business, put his “saddle on the wrong horse.” It is our duty to detect fraud and falsehood wherever it may be found, and we intend to do it fearlessly. September 30, 1829, p. 18 The “Gold Bible” is fast gaining credit; the rapid spread of Islamism was no touch to it! September 30, 1829, p. 18 An Extract.—​MEN OF UNDERSTANDING.—​“ This title distinguished a denomination which appeared in Flanders and Brussels, in the year 1511. They owed their origin to an illiterate man whose name was Egidus Cantor, and to William of Henderison, a Carmilite Monk.—​They pretended to be honoured with celestial visions; denied that any could arrive at a perfect knowledge of the

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Holy Scriptures without the extraordinary succours of a divine illumination, and declared the approach of a new revelation from heaven, more perfect than the Gospel of Christ.” How does this tally with the pretensions of Jo Smith Jr. and his followers—​ha? October 7, 1829, p. 22 The “New-​Jerusalem Reflector” states that the building of the TEMPLE OF NEPHI is to be commenced about the beginning of the first of the year of the Millennium. Thousands are already flocking to the standard of Joseph the Prophet. The Book of Mormon is expected to astonish the natives!! December 9, 1829, p. 57 GOLD BIBLE. A work bearing this cognomen is now in the Press; as much curiosity has been excited in this section of the country on the subject, and as the work Itself will not be ready for delivery for some months to come,—​at the solicitation of many of our readers we have concluded to commence publishing extracts from it on or before the commencement of the second series.35 11.19  Cornelius C. Blatchly’s Article in Gospel Luminary, December 10, 1829 Source Note Cornelius C. Blatchly, “The New Bible,” Gospel Luminary 2, no. 49 (December 10, 1829), 194, brackets in original, in Juvenile Instructor (blog) http://​juvenileinstructor. org/​1829-​mormon-​discovery-​brought-​to-​you-​by-​g uest-​erin-​jennings. Editorial Note “Less than two years before his death, Blatchly, then a recently disowned Orthodox Quaker, wrote to Martin Harris inquiring about the soon-​to-​be published Book of Mormon,” writes Erin Jennings, who discovered and published this article. “Blatchly’s inquiry was prompted in part by his reading of the Title Page, which early believers circulated to advertise the forthcoming book. Cowdery’s reply, dated 9 November 1829, is possibly the earliest extant account of his role as one of the three witnesses to the gold plates.” Cowdery also discussed “the translation and printing of the Book of Mormon along with an interesting if idiosyncratic defense of Joseph

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Smith as ‘Author’ as used on the Title Page of the 1830 edition.” (See 9.2 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to Cornelius C. Blatchly, November 9, 1829.) Document Transcript For the Gospel Luminary. THE NEW BIBLE, Written on plates of Gold or Brass. This is said to be written in Egyptian, and an inspired translation of this wonderful record, by Joseph Smith, who styles himself the author, is now in the press, to be ready for subscribers the commencing part of next year:—​ Copies of the title page, and other means, have been taken to sell next year this wonderful translation. Wishing success to the affair, if it could be substantiated by indisputable evidences and witnesses, I wrote to those concerned in, and witnesses to the facts and circumstances; and requested them to educe and publish to the world the clearest and strongest evidences possible. For Deists, Atheists, and Infidels to Christianity on one hand; and sectarianism, phariseism, bigotry and Orthodoxy on the other, would attack, oppose and examine the witnesses and testimonies with the utmost severity; and rightly would they do so. For why, should the world be duped, gulled, or imposed on. Those, who take such means to make and sell their books to a wondering community, ought to afford incontrovertible truths. But what is the answer to so rational a solicitation? You shall have it readers in their own words, after they had been digesting it for many weeks:—​and judge ye, if it is satisfactory. “Palmyra, Wayne, co., N. Y., Nov. 9th, 1829. Sir;—​You wrote to Mr. Harris, some time since, respecting the book of Mormon, of which he was concerned in the publication.”—​ “Your first inquiry was, whether it was proper to say, that Joseph Smith Jr., was the author? If I rightly understand the meaning of the word author, it is, the first beginner, or mover of any thing, or a writer. Now Joseph Smith Jr., certainly was the writer of the work, called the book of Mormon, which was written in ancient Egyptian characters,—​which was a dead record to us until translated. And he, by a gift from God, has translated it into our language. Certainly he was the writer of it, and could be no less than the author.” I was sorry they could not perceive, how improper it was, that the translator, should assume authorship of the Egyptian book of Mormon; written it seems, by the real author in hieroglyphics. Hooker explains, (says Dr. Samuel Johnston,)

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author to be the first beginner or mover of any thing. But Joseph Smith is not the first beginner, or mover of the book of Mormon; or he is. And if he is, he must be an imposter. But if he is not: then he is not the author, or first beginner; but the translator, or last copyist, or translator of a golden leaved book, written ages ago, in Egyptian symbolical pictures, or hieroglyphics. Dryden explains Author, to be the efficient, that produces any thing: the first writer of any thing. Was J. Smith Junr., the first writer of the book of Mormon? If he was not, why does he call himself the author? as though the book of Mormon was a fiction of his own invention? We may as well say, that the copyists of the scriptures of truth, were the authors of the writings of Moses, the prophets and apostles, as to say (if Joseph Smith Junr., speaks truly,) that Joseph is the author of Mormon, written ages ago, on golden plates or leaves. The letter continues to say,—​“ This record which gives an account of the first inhabitants of this continent, is engraved on plates, which have the appearance of gold; and they are of very curious workmanship.” What a pity it is the golden leaves of about 30 lbs., (as I have heard,) cannot be examined and attested by more than three or four persons? But say they—​ “The reason stated in a prophecy written before the coming of Christ in the flesh, why the record should not be shown to all the world, [i. e. only to three or four, it seems] at the time of its coming forth to the children of men is that the book should be sealed, by the power of God.” The two witnesses, the two candle sticks, or olive branches are (I believe,) revelation and reason: or divine and rational truth. Are we to be unjustly deprived of rational testimony in this case, by preventing men and women of virtue and veracity, from seeing and attesting to these plates of brass or gold? Yes, they answer, “that the book may be sealed by the power of God.” A book which is written by the power of God is sealed, to all those, who have not this power, even while they read, hear, or posess the writing. “For the things of God, knoweth no man but the spirit of God.” Spiritual things being always sealed or hidden from those, who have not spiritual discernment; the gospel being always hid to them, who are lost;—​or are in a wicked state; why then should plates written in hieroglyphics, (which they incorrectly call Egyptian characters) be kept out of sight? who could interpret them, when seen? Of if they could,—​could they, unless in God’s spirit, understand them without special revelation to unseal them? It appears, therefore, a very unreasonable thing to deprive mankind of good, sufficient and incontrovertible testimony, of evidence that shall silence bigoted pharisees, sectarian heretics, sneering and sapient infidels, Jews, Mahommedans or pagans. Such an ancient, curious, and most precious golden relic of primitive ages, I should judge, would be estimable beyond conception, and would be preserved, with the greatest care by good or wise beholders, from any violence or rudeness; But they say—​

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“The prophecy also states there shall also be a revelation sealed in the book, which will reveal all things from the foundation of the world to the end thereof. And because of the iniquity of the world, at the time of its coming forth; it shall be hid from the eyes of the world; that the eyes of none shall behold it, (save it be that three witnesses shall behold it by the power of God) besides him, to whom the book should be delivered. And none other should see it, only a few,—​if it should be wisdom in God.” These I understand are the three, that were favored with a sight of it by the angel from heaven, in a clear day, and in an open field. By this it would seem, that the book came from heaven. The letter farther says:—​ “And after that which was not sealed, was translated, the book should again be hid-​up, unto the Lord, that it might not be destroyed; and come forth again, in the own due time of him, who knows all things [coming] unto the children of men.” “You also wished Mr. Harris to inform you respecting his seeing this book, whether there could not possibly have been some juggling at the bottom of it. A few words on that point may suffice.—​ “It was a clear, open beautiful day, far from any inhabitants, in a remote field, at the time we saw the record, of which it has been spoken, brought and laid before us, by an angel, arrayed in glorious light, [who] ascend [descended I suppose] out of the midst of heaven.” “Now if this is human juggling—​judge ye.” Yours with much esteem, OLIVER H. P. COWDERY. “P. S. I write this at the request of Messrs. Harris, and others. The edition of this work now printing will not possibly be finished before the first of next February 1830.” I am thankful for their esteem, and replying, and from their saying “Judge ye”—​I presume they expected I  and my friends should read and judge. And I  think the public ought to judge too; on so important a matter as a new bible; as wondrous as the Koran of Mahomet, and requiring the most incontrovertible facts, circumstances and proofs. The above statement appear to me to be far from being of this character. CORNELIUS C. BLATCHLY. 11.20  Agreement with Martin Harris, January 16, 1830 Source Note Joseph Smith, Agrement with Martin Harris, January 16, 1830, handwriting of Oliver Cowdery with Joseph Smith’s signature, one page, Simon Gratz Autograph Collection, 1517–​1925, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in JSP, D1:108.

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Editorial Note This agreement has long been assumed to have been enacted between Joseph Smith Sr. and Martin Harris, probably because the “Jr.” after Joseph Smith’s name actually looks more like “Sr.” and because a note in an unknown hand on the reverse side of the original document identifies Joseph Sr. as the signer (an identification that itself could have resulted from misreading “Jr.” as “Sr.”) After careful analysis, however, the Joseph Smith Papers editors concluded that Joseph Jr. signed the document—​a conclusion consistent with historical evidence because Joseph Jr. was in Palmyra in mid-​January to confront Abner Cole about illegally publishing extracts of the Book of Mormon. Document Transcript I hereby agree that Martin Harris shall have an equal privilege with me & my friends of selling the Book of Mormon of the Edition now printing by Egbert B. Grandin until enough of them shall be sold to pay for the printing of the same or until such times as the said Grandin shall be paid for the printing the aforesaid Books or copies. Joseph Smith Jr Manchester January the 16th 1830 Witness Oliver HP Cowdery 11.21  Revelation, circa Early 1830 Source Note Revelation, circa early 1830, titled “23 Commandment AD 1830” and copied into Revelation Book 1, pp.  30–​31, handwriting of John Whitmer with revisions by Oliver Cowdery, William W. Phelps, Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, John Whitmer, and an unidentified scribe, CHL, in JSP, D1:111–​12.36 Editorial Note This revelation directed Joseph Smith “and others to obtain the copyright for the Book of Mormon ‘upon all the face of the Earth’ and appointed four men, Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Knight Sr., Hiram Page, and Josiah Stowell, to travel to Kingston, Upper Canada, to secure a copyright for the four provinces of Canada.”37 David Whitmer, Hiram Page, William E. McLellin and others mentioned this revelation—​ often called the “Canadian copyright revelation”—​in their writings and said the text had been recorded. McLellin, for example, called it a false revelation and said he had read a copy in the possession of Martin Harris.38 Although the revelation became

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the subject of a good deal controversy over the years, none of those debating the issue actually had a copy of the text. This changed in 2009, when a photographic facsimile and color-​coded transcription were included in the facsimile edition of the Manuscript Revelation Books volume in the Revelations and Translations series of the Joseph Smith Papers.39 In 1887, David Whitmer offered this explanation: When the Book of Mormon was in the hands of the printer, more money was needed to finish the printing of it. We were waiting on Martin Harris who was doing his best to sell a part of his farm, in order to raise the necessary funds. After a time Hyrum Smith and others began to get impatient, thinking that Martin Harris was too slow and under transgression for not selling his land at once, even if at a great sacrifice.40 Brother Hyrum thought they should not wait any longer on Martin Harris, and that the money should be raised in some other way. Brother [p. 30] Hyrum was vexed with Brother Martin, and thought they should get the money by some means outside of him, and not let him have anything to do with the publication of the Book, or receiving any of the profits thereof if any profits should accrue. He was wrong in thus judging Bro. Martin, because he was doing all he could toward selling his land. Brother Hyrum said it had been suggested to him that some of the brethren might go to Toronto, Canada, and sell the copy-​right of the Book of Mormon for considerable money: and he persuaded Joseph to inquire of the Lord about it. Joseph concluded to do so. He had not yet given up the stone. Joseph looked into the hat in which he placed the stone, and received a revelation that some of the brethren should go to Toronto, Canada, and that they would sell the copy-​right of the Book of Mormon.41 Whitmer also said that the revelation was received in January 1830 and that Cowdery and Page—​and presumably Knight and Stowell—​reached Kingston by crossing the ice on Lake Ontario, only possible that winter between January and early March.42 “But when we got there,” wrote Page, “there was no purchaser neither were they authorized at Kingston to buy rights for the provence; but little York was the place where such buisaness had to be done, we were to get 8000 dollars[.]‌ we were treated with the best of respects by all we met with in Kingston—​by the above we may learn how a revlation may be received and the person receving it not be benafited.”43 Page had summed up the situation pretty well. In 1829, authors and printers in Canada were not registering copyrights for their books—​not even in Toronto (then

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known as “little York”), so going there would not have changed things. British copyright law offered protection for British subjects living in Canada “only if a copy of the work was physically registered with Stationers Hall in London, a difficult proposition for most Canadian authors.”44 “Hiram page and Oliver Cowdery  .  .  .  failed entirely to sell the copy-​right, returning without any money,” wrote Whitmer, adding that he, Joseph Smith, and John and Jacob Whitmer were all present at the Peter Whitmer home when Page and Cowdery returned from Canada. “We asked Joseph how it was that he had received a revelation from the Lord for some brethren to go to Toronto and sell the copy-​right, and the brethren had utterly failed in their undertaking. Joseph did not know how it was, so he enquired of the Lord about it, and behold the following revelation came through the stone: ‘Some revelations are of God: some revelations are of man: and some revelations are of the devil.’ ”45 “Although the thought that Joseph Smith could have been temporarily deceived by a lying vision may be unsettling to some,” writes Stan Spencer, “it need not be. Being called of God does not make one infallible or immune to the deceptions of Satan.”46 Document Transcript 23 Commandment AD 1830 A Revelation given to Joseph Oliver [Cowdery] Hyram [Hiram Page] Josiah [Stowell] & Joseph Knight [Sr.] given at Manchester Ontario C[ounty] New York Behold I the Lord am God I Created the Heavens & the Earth & all things that in them is wherefore they are mine & I sway my scepter over all the Earth & ye are in my hands to will & to do that I can deliver you out of evry difficulty & affliction according to your faith & dilligence & uprightness Before me & I have covenanted with my Servent that earth nor Hell combined against him shall not take the Blessing out of his hands which I have prepared for him if he walketh uprightly before me neither the spiritual nor the temporal [p. 30] Blessing & Behold I also covenanted with those who have assisted him in my work that I  will do unto them even the same Because they have done that which is pleasing in my sight (yea even all save M◊◊tin only47 it be one only) Wherefore be dilligent in Securing the Copy right of my Servent work upon all the face of the Earth of which is known by you unto unto my Servent Joseph & unto him whom he willeth accordinng as I shall command him that the faithful & the righteous may retain the temperal Blessing as well as the Spirit[u]‌al & also that my work be not destroyed by the workers of iniquity to their own distruction & damnation when they are fully ripe & now Behold I say unto you that I have covenanted & it Pleaseth me that Oliver Cowderey Joseph Knight

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Hyram Page & Josiah Stowel shall do my work in this thing yea even in securing the right & they shall do it with an eye single to my Glory that it may be the means of bringing souls unto me Salvation through mine only Begotten Behold I am God I have spoken it & it is expedient in me Wherefor I say unto you that ye shall go to Kingston seeking me continually through mine only Begotten & if ye do this ye shall have my spirit to go with you & ye shall have an addition of all things which is expedient in me.48 & I grant unto my servent a privelige that he may sell through you speaking after the manner of men for the four Provinces if the People harden not their hearts against the enticeings of my spirit & my word for Behold it lieth in themselves to their condemnation & or to their salvation Behold my way is before you & the means I will prepare & the Blessing I hold in mine own hand & if ye are faithful I will pour out upon you even as much as ye are able to Bear & thus it shall be Behold I am the father & it is through mine only begotten which is Jesus Christ your Redeemer amen [p. 31] 11.22  Cornelius C. Blatchly’s Article in the New-​York Telescope, February 20, 1830 Source Note Cornelius C. Blatchly, “Caution Against the Golden Bible,” New-​York Telescope 6, no. 38 (20 February 1830): 150, italics in original. Editorial Note After Blatchly received sixteen printed pages from the Book of Mormon (then still at press), he wrote this article as a follow-​up to his commentary on the Book of Mormon published in December of 1829. (See 11.19 Cornelius C. Blatchly’s Article in Gospel Luminary, December 10, 1829.) Document Transcript CAUTION AGAINST THE GOLDEN BIBLE. The editor of the Palmyra Freeman declared in his paper of August 11th, as follows:-​ -​“The Golden Bible is the greatest piece of superstition that has ever come within the sphere of our knowledge.” In the Investigator, No. 12, Dec. 11, I  published, by way of caution, a letter of Oliver H.P. Cowdry, in answer to my letter to Joseph Smith, Jun. Martin Harris, and David Whitmore—​the believers in said bible of gold plates—​which they affirm they have miraculously, or supernaturally beheld. I sought for evidences, and such as could not be disputed, of the existence of this bible of golden plates. But the answer

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was—​the world must take their words for its existence; and that the book would appear this month. The editor of the Palmyra Freeman, their neighbor, adds to the above, that “in the fall of 1827, Joseph Smith, of Manchester, Ontario county, reported he had been visited in a dream by the spirit of the Almighty, and informed, that in a certain hill, in that town, was deposited this Golden Bible, containing an ancient record of a divine nature and origin. After being thrice visited thus, as he states, he proceeded to the spot, and found the bible, with a huge pair of spectacles. He had been directed, however, not to let any mortal being examine them [i.e. the plates and the stone-​ eyed spectacles] under no less penalty than instant death!! It was said that the leaven of the bible were plates of gold, about eight inches long, six inches wide, and one-​ eighth of an inch thick. [i.e. 8 plates are one inch thick, 8 long and 6 wide.] On these plates were characters, or hieroglyphics, engraved.” The whole of the plates are said to weigh about thirty pounds; which would be in gold near eight thousand dollars, beside the value of the engraving. One of Joseph Smith’s proselytes, is, continues the Palmyra Freeman, “Martin Harris, an honest and industrious farmer of Palmyra.” He is said to have shown some of these characters to Professor Samuel L.  Mitchell, of this city, who could not translate them. Martin Harris returned, and set Joseph Smith to the business of translating them: who, “by placing the spectacles in a hat and looking into them, Joseph Smith said he could interpret these characters.” The editor of the Palmyra Freeman describes Joseph Smith as not being very literate: and that his translation is pronounced, “by his proselytes, to be superior in style, and more advantageous to mankind than our holy bible!” I have this month received sixteen pages of this work, from page 353 to 368 inclusive. I cannot perceive any superiority of style in this specimen; nor any evidence that this bible is not a book of Joseph Smith’s own manufacture. His title page professed that he was the author of it; and this declaration is evidenced by its style. For in these sixteen pages, I noticed “yea” was repeated 34 times; and even 21 times in two pages. The words, “It came to pass,” is repeated 56 times in 16 pages, and even ten times on one page. “Now” and “behold,” are reiterated near the commencement of sentences, full thirty times apiece, and more, in these sixteen pages. Consequently these four things are repeated 162 times on the ear-​drum, while speaking of the war of the Nephites and Lemanites, in the day of Moroni, and reign of the judges, according to the Book of Alma. Thus, in page 359, it is written—​“Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni—​yea, the devil would never have no power over the hearts of the children of men: [never to have no power, is ever to have some power.] Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah; yea,

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and even the other sons of Mosiah; yea, and also, Alma and his sons.” Whether this style is equal to our scripture style, the reader can judge. Again, in pages 353 & 4, it reads thus: “And those who died in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must needs suppose.” That a weak faith ends this sentence, is manifest. Again, page 353, is written—​“And there was but few which denied the covenant of freedom.” Was should have been were.—​Again: “And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year, was [were] very frequent.” Again, in the next page—​“And it came to pass that they would not, or the MORE part, would not obey,” &c. The following is the title page of the Golden Bible, as published in the Palmyra Freeman:  [Title page of the 1830 Book of Mormon inserted here.] Thus we are informed that this Book of Mormon was written [i.e. engraved] by the hand of Mormon, on plates taken from the plates of Nephi;—​wherefore it is [not a transcript, but what a strange conclusion] an abridgement of the record of Nephi, &c. If so, why is it not called the record of Nephi? But what is also strange, this record is “written by way of commandment, and also [and or also is here useless] by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation;” [what an uncommon record of past and known events to the Nephites!] “sealed and hid up unto the Lord; sealed up by the hand of Moroni—​an abridgement taken from the book of Ether.” [Instead of being hid up, it was hid down in the earth of a hill, or in a stone reservoir. It was first said to be an abridgement of the record of Nephi, but it is now said to be an abridgement taken from the book of Ether.] “Also which is a record of the people of Jared, &c. to teach Jew and Gentile, that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.” But lastly, Joseph Smith, jun. declares he is the author of this book of Mormon, this record of Nephi, this book of Ether, this record of Jared’s people, who were scattered at the building of the tower of Babel; this convincing work, which is to convert Jew and Gentile to believe that Jesus is the eternal God. Surely our missionaries should take notice of this! “Now if there be fault, it be the mistake of men,” says J.S. This title page is another specimen of superior style, in which one is soon lost—​and wonders what J. Smith means; or how can all that is written by the author be true! These facts are given to caution people not to spend their money uselessly for a book, that is more probable a hoax—​or a money-​making speculation—​or an enthusiastic delusion, than a revelation of facts by the Almighty. C.C. BLATCHLY. 11.23  Notice in the Wayne Sentinel, March 19, 1830 Source Note Wayne Sentinel (Palmyra, New York), March 19, 1830.

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Document Transcript We are requested to announce that the “BOOK OF MORMON” will be ready for sale in the course of next week. 11.24  Wayne Sentinel Announcement of the Publication of the Book of Mormon, March 26, 1830 Source Note Wayne Sentinel (Palmyra, New York), March 26, 1830. Document Transcript THE BOOK OF MORMON. AN account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates, taken from the plates of Nephi. Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the Record of the People of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites; written to the Lamanites, which are a remnant of the House of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile; written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of Prophecy and of Revelation. Written, and sealed up, and hid up unto the LORD, that they might not be destroyed; to come forth by the gift and power of GOD unto the interpretation thereof, sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the LORD, to come forth in due time by the way of Gentile, the interpretation thereof by the gift of GOD, an abridgment taken from the Book of Ether. Also, which is a Record of the People of Jared, who were scattered at the time the LORD confounded the language of the people when they were building a tower to get to Heaven Which is to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel how great things the LORD hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the LORD, that they are not cast off forever; and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting Himself unto all nations. And now, if there be fault, it be the mistake of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of GOD, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of CHRIST. BY JOSEPH SMITH, JUNIOR, Author and Proprietor. The above work, containing about 600 pages, large Duodecimo, is now for sale, wholesale and retail, at the Palmyra Bookstore, by HOWARD & GRANDIN. Palmyra, March 26, 1830.49

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i Introduction 1. Article reprinted in the Rochester Advertiser and Daily Telegraph, August 31, 1829. 2. Free Republic, http://​www.freerepublic.com/​focus/​f-​news/​943385/​posts. The complete list is as follows: Common Sense, Thomas Paine, 1776; A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft, 1792; The Book of Mormon, 1830; The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass, 1845; The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, 1848; Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1852; Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman, 1855; On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin, 1859; The Interpretation of Dreams, Sigmund Freud, 1899; The Clansman, Thomas Dixon Jr., 1905; The Jungle, Upton Sinclair, 1906; The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, John Maynard Keynes, 1936; The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, 1939; Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison, 1952; Howl and Other Poems, Allen Ginsberg, 1956; Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, 1957; Silent Spring, Rachel Carson, 1962; The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan, 1963; The Autobiography of Malcom X, Malcom X, with Alex Hailey, 1965; All the President’s Men, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, 1974. The year after the “20 Books” article was published, Doubleday, by arrangement with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints, published the first official trade edition of the Book of Mormon, with an initial print run of 100,000 copies. “Doubleday Religion Division Vice President Michelle Rapkin . . . said the rising profile of the LDS Church, combined with an explosion in religious book titles in recent years, spurred the publisher to seek publishing rights” (Deseret News, November 11, 2004). 3.  New  York Times, http://​www.nytimes.com/​2011/​03/​25/​theater/​reviews/​the-​book-​of-​ mormon-​at-​eugene-​oneill-​theater-​review.html. 4. Howe, What Hath God Wrought, 314. 5. Shipps, “Prophet Puzzle,” 33–​34.

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6. Harold Bloom, who calls Joseph Smith “an authentic religious genius [who] surpassed all Americans, before or since, in the possession and expression of what could be called the religion-​ making imagination,” sees things differently, saying, “the genesis of the Book of Mormon is not my concern (though I assume that magical trance-​states were involved, so that we can dismiss the literalism both of golden plates and of conscious charlatanry)” (Bloom, The American Religion, 96–​97,  86). 7. Taves, Revelatory Events, 20. 8. Several contemporaneous documents referring to the Smith family or Joseph in particular between 1823 and 1827 are extant, such as medical, financial, and legal records and newspaper articles, but none of them mentions the Book of Mormon. 9. Several revelations dictated between 1828 and 1830, the preface to the first edition of the Book of Mormon, the testimonies of the three and eight witnesses, and a few letters are all valuable contemporaneous sources, but these tend to focus on specific events and don’t attempt to “tell the story” the way memoirs do. 10. William Smith, one of Joseph’s younger brothers, specifically mentioned that the attitude of the neighbors conspicuously changed after the fact. When an interviewer said to William, “It is said that Joseph and the rest of the family were lazy and indolent,” William responded: “We never heard of such a thing until after Joseph told his vision, and not then by our friends. . . . We never knew we were bad folks until Joseph told the vision” (William Smith Interview with E. C. Briggs, 1893, cited in Vogel, EMD, 1:512). 11. See Walker, Turley Jr., and Leonard, Massacre at Mountain Meadows, xv. 12. See Vogel, EMD, 1: xv–​xvi. 13. Givens, By the Hand of Mormon, vii, emphasis in original. 14. Barlow, Mormons and the Bible, xvi. Chapter 1 1. JS History, ca. Summer 1832, JSP, H1:10. 2. JS History, vol. A-​1, JSP, H1:212 (Draft 2). 3. Subsequent histories dictated or approved by Joseph follow a similar pattern of situating the First Vision in 1820 or 1821: In Letter III, written in December 1834, Oliver Cowdery specified “the 15th year of [ Joseph’s] life” (JSP, H1:52); Joseph’s journal entry of November 9, 1835, said he “was about fourteen years old” (JSP, H1:116); “Church History”—​sometimes called the “Wentworth Letter”—​published in the Times and Seasons on March 1, 1842, also stated he was “about fourteen years of age” (JSP, H1:492); and an interview with Joseph published in the August 29, 1843, issue of the Pittsburgh Gazette repeated, “about fourteen years old” (cited in Brown, Pillar of Light, 192). In addition, although Joseph “did not write it, assign it, or supervise its creation,” Orson Pratt’s A Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions, published in Scotland in 1840, said Joseph was “somewhere about fourteen or fifteen years old” (JSP, H1:519, 522). Pratt’s was the first published account of the First Vision, and Joseph quoted extensively from it in “Church History,” 1842. 4. Much has been written about the differences among Joseph’s various retellings of the First Vision. For a good introduction to the voluminous literature on the subject, see the following (in order of publication): Jessee, “The Early Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision”; Hill, “The First Vision Controversy”; Harper, Joseph Smith’s First Vision; Larson, “Another Look at Joseph

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Smith’s First Vision”; Barney, “Joseph Smith and the Conspicuous Scarcity of Early Mormon Documentation.” 5. JS History, ca. Summer 1832, JSP, H1:12–​13. 6.  JS History, vol. A-​1, JSP, H1:216 (Draft 2). Oliver Cowdery identified this preacher as George Lane (JSP, H1:53). 7.  The canonized version of Joseph Smith’s history includes a redaction made by Willard Richards in December 1842—​and subsequently not included in the version of the history that had begun running in the Times and Seasons in March 1842 (JSP, H1:221n55). In its published form, Richards’s redaction reads as follows: “When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up against the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, ‘Never mind, all is well—​I am well enough off.’ I then said to my mother, ‘I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.’ It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?” ( JS-​H 1:20). Lucy apparently did not find Joseph’s ambiguous remark particularly memorable because she did not mention it in her memoir; nor did it prevent her from affiliating with the Presbyterian church. 8. See Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 335–​36, and Vogel, EMD, 1:495–​96, respectively. 9. JSP, H1:209n44. Lavina Fielding Anderson notes that Lucy, Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel joined the Presbyterian church between the fall of 1824 and the spring of 1825 (Lucy’s Book, 171). 10. Anderson, Preliminary Manuscript, Lucy’s Book, 322–​23. 11. William Smith Interview with E. C. Briggs, 1893, Vogel, EMD, 1:512. 12. Anderson, Preliminary Manuscript, Lucy’s Book, 323. 13.  D.  Michael Quinn, for example, writes that “drawing magic circles for the treasure-​ quest  .  .  .  was an occult tradition that Joseph Sr.’s widow, Lucy, eventually acknowledged in a passing comment while dictating her family’s history.” He later adds: “Unlike later apologists, she did not attempt to disassociate Joseph Sr. and Jr. from those occult practices. She simply acknowledged them as part of her family’s spectrum of activities, which included Bible-​reading, hard work on the farm, and religious dreams and visions” (Quinn, Early Magic World View, 47, 66). Samuel Brown, on the other hand, maintains “that hers was an attempted denial is clear from both close attention to the text and to the third of the practices she listed. The third activity to which Lucy alludes makes quite clear that she was disclaiming involvement in folk rites. “Soothsaying,” a pejorative term for predicting the future . . . is not a word that a Protestant (or sectarian ex-​Protestant) would use to describe her own or her family’s activities.” Further, argues Brown, “in a Bible-​drenched culture” like the one Lucy lived in, “soothsaying recalled capital crimes within the Hebrew Bible. . . . Had Lucy Smith been endorsing such behaviors, she would almost certainly have described them as ‘prophecy’ or ‘seerhood.’ ” Brown concludes: “To be clear, in Lucy’s framing, it is the visions of Joseph Smith Sr. and Joseph Smith Jr. that are the antecedent for ‘the welfare of our souls,’ not the rites from which she was trying to distance her family” (Brown, “Reconsidering Lucy Mack Smith’s Folk Magic Confession,” 4, 11n14). See also Hamblin, “That Old Black Magic,” and Vogel, Making of a Prophet, 35–​36, 79. 14. Walker, “American Treasure Hunting,” 430. 15. Walker, “American Treasure Hunting,” 430–​31. 16.  Cited in Walker, “American Treasure Hunting,” 441–​42; additional background from Gibson, The Coming Revolution.

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17. Walker, “The Palmyra Seer,” 479; Quinn, Early Magic World View, 40. 18. Cited in Walker, “American Treasure Hunting,” 441. 19.  Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 54; see also William Smith interview with E.  C. Briggs, Vogel, EMD, 1:512. 20. Tucker, Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism, 29–​20. Vogel sees 1822 as the most likely year that Joseph began using this stone (Vogel, EMD, 3:95n32). Ann Taves works with the assumption that “Smith may well have ‘seen things’ in his seer stone while treasure seeking and while translating” (Taves, Revelatory Events, 33n3). See also Spencer, “Seers and Stones.” 21. Walker, “The Palmyra Seer,” 465–​67. 22. Quinn, Early Magic World View,  40–​41. 23.  On Samuel Lawrence, see 1.15 Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833, and 1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​47, Extract. See also Troll, “Samuel Tyler Lawrence”; Vogel, EMD, 1:331n147; and Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 836–​37. 24. Quinn, Early Magic World View, 41; Mackay, Seer Stones, 141. 25. Mackay, Seer Stones, 141. As for scientific and technological advances, consider this list of individuals and the year of one of their key achievements: Georg Ohm, 1827; Michael Faraday, 1831; Cyrus McCormick, 1831; Charles Babbage, 1835; Samuel Colt, 1836; Samuel Morse, 1837; Louis Daguerre, 1838; Christian Doppler, 1842; Charles Darwin, 1859; Louis Pasteur, 1861; Richard Gatling, 1862; Gregor Mandel, 1865; Alfred Nobel, 1866. 26.  Diedrich Willers to Reverend Brethren, June 18, 1830, Quinn, “The First Months of Mormonism,” 333; the translation used by Vogel reads that the Whitmers were “superstitious to the highest degree so that they believe even in witches” (Vogel, EMD, 5:278). 27. Taylor, “Context of Joseph Smith’s Treasure Seeking,” 141–​42. 28. Taylor, “Context of Joseph Smith’s Treasure Seeking,” 143–​44. 29. Bushman, “Joseph Smith as Translator,” 79. 30. Ashurst-​McGee, “Pathway to Prophethood,” iii–​iv, 26–​27. See also, in order of publication, the entire issue of BYU Studies 24, no. 4 (1984)—​produced while the Hoffman forgeries were still in question—​Marquardt and Walters, Inventing Mormonism, 63–​115; Givens, By the Hand of Mormon, 155–​84; Vogel, Making of a Prophet, 35–​52; Gardner, The Gift and Power, 65–​90; and Van Wagoner, Natural Born Seer, 121–​72. 31. Smith, Biographical Sketches, 78. 32. On Alvin Smith’s death, see Smith, Biographical Sketches, 87–​90, and Bushman, Beginnings of Mormonism, 65–​68. On Joseph Sr. and Jr.’s employment by Josiah Stowell and the 1826 hearing, see Marquardt and Walters, Inventing Mormonism, 67–​75, 222–​230; Quinn, Early Magic World View, 47–​60; Bushman, Beginnings of Mormonism, 68–​76; Madsen, “Joseph Smith’s 1826 Trial”; Walters, “Joseph Smith’s Bainbridge Court Trials”; JSP, D1:345–​52; Vogel, EMD, 4:239–​71, and the Morning Star, Limerick, Maine, November 16, 1832, http://​contentdm.lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​ compoundobject/​collection/​B OMP/​id/​1369/​rec/​16. The various records related to Joseph’s 1826 court examination make no mention of the Book of Mormon and thus are not included in this volume. 33.  Dan Vogel lists the following locations and dates for Joseph’s treasure quests:  Palmyra/​ Manchester, New York—​1822–​25, and 1827; Harmony, Pennsylvania—​November 1825; Chenango and Broome Counties, New York—​November 1825–​March 1826; and Colesville, New York—​fall of 1826 to January 1827. (Vogel, “Joseph Smith’s Early Treasure Quests.”) 34. Walker, Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism, 272–​75.

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35. Anderson, Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith, 72. 36.  See Huggins, “From Captain Kidd’s Treasure Ghost to the Angel Moroni,” and Van Wagoner, Natural Born Seer, 231–​39. 37. See 1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​45, 1853, Extract; 1.32 William Smith’s Reminiscence, 1883, Extract; 2.15 William Smith’s Testimony, 1884, Extract; 1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​47; and 1.16 Henry Harris’s Testimony, ca. 1833. 38. Chase (but neither Lapham or any of the neighbors whose statements were published in Mormonism Unvailed) mentioned one detail distinctly belonging to the magical world when he said that something like a toad assumed the appearance of a man and struck Joseph on the side of the head. 39. Suggested in Givens, By the Hand of Mormon, 15. 40. Givens, By the Hand of Mormon, 17. 41. Ashurst-​McGee, “Angel or Treasure Guardian,” 64. 42. Anderson, Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith, 72; Walker, Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism, 266, 380n16–​n20. 43. Ashurst-​McGee, “Angel or Treasure Guardian,” 65. 44. Those thirteen sources, along with the year they reported that they first heard the story and the titles of their various accounts in this volume (in parentheses) are as follows: Lucy Mack Smith, 1823 (1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​45, 1853, Extract); William Smith, 1823 (1.32 William Smith’s Reminiscences, 1883, Extract; 2.15 William Smith’s Testimony, 1884, Extract); Lorenzo Saunders 1823 (2.16 William H. Kelley’s Interview with Lorenzo Saunders, 1884, Extract; 2.18 Lorenzo Saunders’s Letter to Thomas Gregg, January 28, 1885); Joseph Knight Sr., 1826 (1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​47); Joseph Knight Jr., 1826 (7.4 Joseph Knight Jr.’s Account, 1862, Extract); Willard Chase, 1827 (1.15 Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833); Benjamin Saunders, 1827 (2.17 William H. Kelley’s Interview with Benjamin Saunders, 1884, Extract); Orlando Saunders, 1827 (1.29 William H. Kelley’s Interviews, 1881); John A. Clark, 1827–​28 (1.22 John A. Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts); Joseph and Hiel Lewis, 1828 (1.27 Statement of Joseph and Hiel Lewis, April 30, 1879); Oliver Cowdery, 1829 (1.3 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, February 1835, Extract; 1.4 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, March 1835, Extract; 1.5 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, April 1835, Extract; 1.6 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W.  Phelps, July 1835, Extract; 1.7 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, October 1835, Extract); Henry Harris, 1828–​1829 (1.16 Henry Harris’s Testimony, ca. 1833); and Fayette Lapham, 1830 (1.26 Fayette Lapham’s Report of an Interview with Joseph Smith Sr., 1870). See Morris, “ ‘I Should Have an Eye Single to the Glory of God’ ” for a comprehensive treatment of this issue. 45. For extensive speculation on these factors, the timing of Joseph’s visits to the hill, rumors of Alvin Smith’s body being disturbed, and how all of that possibly corresponds to the folklore of the day, see Quinn, Early Magic World View, 158–​65. 46. Marquardt and Walters, Inventing Mormonism, 198. 47. Ashurst-​McGee, Jensen, and Howcroft, Foundational Texts of Mormonism, 3–​4. See also Vogel, ed., History of Joseph Smith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints. 48. Letter, Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps, November 27, 1832, Jessee, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, 287. Part of this letter—​but not the section quoted here—​was canonized as D&C 85. 49. Barney, “The Scarcity of Early Mormon Documentation,” 376–​77.

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50. Taves, Revelatory Events, 20. 51. Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, 1. 52. JSP, D1:117, 369. 53. JSP, R1:60. 54. JSP, D1:116, 117. 55.  JSP, D1:404. Marquardt’s Joseph Smith’s Revelations features the Coltrin version (see pp. 58–​63). 56. Possibly a reference to Joseph’s involvement in treasure-​seeking after experiencing the First Vision. 57. As with Joseph’s 1832 history, the angel is not identified. 58.  This paragraph adds requirements for baptism beyond those mentioned in the Book of Mormon (JSP, D1:123n62). Joseph’s 1839–​41 history states that during the summer of 1830, Oliver Cowdery wrote him concerning those new requirements and said, “I command you in the name of God to erase those words that no priestcraft be amongst us.” Joseph immediately wrote back, asking by what authority Cowdery made such a demand. When Joseph subsequently visited Cowdery at the Peter Whitmer home in Fayette Township, New York, he found that several members of the Whitmer family agreed with Cowdery. Christian Whitmer eventually convinced Cowdery and the others that Joseph’s addition was “reasonable and according to scripture” (JSP, H1:424–​26). 59. JSP, D1:9–​10; see JSP, D2:289–​304 for an introduction to and the transcript of Revelation, September 22–​23, 1832 [D&C 84]. 60.  George A.  Smith, Sermon, November 14, 1864, and Luke Johnson, “History of Luke Johnson,” cited in Staker, Hearken, O Ye People, 349, 350. 61. Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 42. 62. Staker, Hearken, O Ye People, 351–​52. 63. Staker, Hearken, O Ye People, 353. 64. Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 43; HC, 1:264–​65. 65. Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma,  43–​44. 66. Anderson, Preliminary Manuscript, Lucy’s Book, 565. 67. JSP, D2:247n265. 68. JSP, D2:249n270, 252n275. 69.  Letter, Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, June 6, 1832, in Joseph’s hand, JSP, D2:249–​51, 251n272. 70. Letter, Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, June 6, 1832, JSP, D2:251. 71. JSP, D2:249n269. 72. JSP, D2:427; HC, 1:295. According to Dan Vogel, “The History was begun in the midst of challenges to Smith’s authority, primarily initiated by Bishop Edward Partridge in Missouri, which evoked Smith’s introduction of the office of president of the high priesthood” (Vogel, EMD, 1:26). 73. Insertion in the hand of Frederick G. Williams. 74. While not explicitly mentioning a physical shock or the plates disappearing, this passage strongly implies that either or both might have happened; the 1839–​41 history by contrast simply states, “I made an attempt to take them out but was forbidden by the messenger and was again informed that the time bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would untill four years from that time” (JSP, H1:232–​34). See the introduction to this chapter.

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75. JSP, H1:38. 76.  In a strange case of a published original serving as the source for a handwritten text, Frederick G. Williams copied these letters into Joseph Smith’s 1834–​36 history, apparently beginning late in 1835 (JSP, H1:55, 39). 77. One of the documents in Cowdery’s possession was apparently Joseph’s 1832 history (JSP, H1:40n40). 78. Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, October 1834, 13. 79. In Letter VI, Cowdery identified this personage as Moroni, the same individual who hid up the ancient record. 80.  This is the second known Mormon source that identifies Moroni as the angel who appeared to Joseph Smith and told him of the plates. The first had been published earlier that year in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants 50:2 (D&C 27:5). This was an expanded version of Revelation ca. August 1830, published as Chapter XXVIII in the Book of Commandments, which made no mention of the angel. For more information, see JSP, D1:164–​ 66 and volume 4 of the Documents series, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​ revelation-​circa-​august-​1835-​dc-​27. 81. Mormon c­ hapter 6 in the 1981 LDS edition of the Book of Mormon. 82. As mentioned in the introduction to this chapter, several other sources both hostile and friendly mention a similar detail, but Joseph’s 1839–​41 history does not. 83. This brief dialogue between Joseph and the angel is almost a verbatim match for the corresponding section of Joseph’s 1832 history. 84. Quite likely a reference to descriptions of the Smith family in Howe’s Mormonism Unvailed. 85.  Up to 1835, this was the most detailed information provided by a Mormon source on Joseph’s employment by Josiah Stowell. 86. See 1.18 Isaac Hale’s Testimony, March 20, 1834. 87. A reference to the 1826 court proceeding in South Bainbridge, New York, in which Joseph was charged with disorderly conduct in relation to his employment with Stowell. See the introduction to this chapter for more information. 88. JSP, J1:94; Vogel, EMD, 1:43. 89. JSP, J1:90–​91. 90. As with Joseph’s 1832 history, the angel is not identified. 91. Joseph’s 1839–​41 history indicates, by contrast, that in 1823 he did not expect to obtain the plates until 1827. 92. Joseph thus reaffirms the mention in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, 50:2, of “Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the book of Mormon” as well as the identification of Moroni in 1.7 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, October 1835, Extract. 93. JSP, D1:129. 94. Jessee, “Reliability of Joseph Smith’s History,” 29. 95. JSP, J1:260. 96. JSP, H1:195; Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 439–​41. Mulholland’s work makes up all but two pages of Draft 2 of the 1838–​ca. 1841 history and is reprinted in JSP, H1:204–​458. 97. Possibly a reference to Joseph’s treasure-​seeking activities after experiencing the First Vision. 98. This is the earliest extant text identifying Nephi as the angelic messenger. “A later redaction in an unidentified hand changed ‘Nephi’ to ‘Moroni’ and noted that the original attribution was a ‘clerical error.’ ” Nevertheless, based on this text, the name Nephi was repeated in the Times

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and Seasons, April 15, 1842, 3:753–​54, and in the LDS Millennial Star, August 1842, 3:53–​54 (JSP, H1:223n56). As noted earlier in this chapter, the angel had previously been identified as Moroni in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, 50:2; in a letter written by Cowdery (1.7 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, October 1835); and in an editorial published by Joseph Smith (1.9 Elders’ Journal, July 1838, Extract). Surprisingly enough, the first known identification of Moroni appeared in 1834 in Howe’s Mormonism Unvailed, 92, 277. D. Michael Quinn argues that Joseph intentionally substituted Nephi for Moroni (Quinn, Early Magic World View, 199). 99. James Mulholland wrote this insertion on a slip of paper pinned to this page of the manuscript. On the opposite side of the slip, he added another asterisk and wrote: “I mentioned to President Smith that I considered it necessary that an explanation of the place where the box was deposited would be required in order that the history be satisfactory. J, M.” (JSP, H1:233n60). 100. Alvin Smith died on November 19, 1823. Joseph’s report that he had been instructed to bring Alvin with him on the next visit to the hill stirred neighborhood gossip, and on September 29, 1824, one week after Joseph’s first annual visit, Joseph Sr. ran an ad in the Wayne Sentinel denying rumors that Alvin “had been removed from the place of his interment.” 101. Lucy Smith’s history states: “A short time before the house was completed, a man, by the name of Josiah Stoal, came . . . with the view of getting Joseph to assist him in digging for a silver mine. He came for Joseph on account of having heard that he possessed certain keys [his use of a seer stone], by which he could discern things invisible to the natural eye” (Smith, Biographical Sketches, 91–​92, bracketed insertion added). 102.  One of Don Carlos’s daughters, Josephine Donna (Ina), became California’s first poet laureate, known as Ina Coolbrith (Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 1110). 103. Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 880. 104. Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 102–​3, 3. 105. Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 103. 106. JSP, H1:489, 503–​7; letter, Joseph Smith to Israel Daniel Rupp, June 5, 1844, cited in JSP, H1:505–​6. 107. Vogel, EMD, 3:3–​4. Morgan’s widow, Lucinda Pendleton Morgan Harris, became a plural wife to Joseph Smith. (See Joseph Smith’s Polygamy, http://​josephsmithspolygamy.org/​plural-​ wives-​overview/​lucinda-​pendleton-​harris; Compton, In Sacred Loneliness, 43–​54.) 108. Like Willard Chase and Fayette Lapham, Bruce got his information from Joseph Sr. rather than from Joseph himself. Unlike the other two, however, Bruce related a story that was strictly religious. Bruce was the last of the three to meet Joseph Sr. but the first to record his experience—​ three years before Chase and thirty-​seven years before Lapham. 109. Arrington, “James Gordon Bennett’s Report,” 353–​54. 110. Arrington, “James Gordon Bennett’s Report,” 363, 364. 111. A reference to Sidney Rigdon. Rumors circulated that Rigdon was involved in producing the Book of Mormon, but scholars now generally agree that Rigdon was introduced to Mormonism in October or November of 1830 and first met Joseph Smith in December of that year. (See Vogel, The Making of a Prophet, 536, 546–​47.) 112.  There are no other accounts of anything like this happening to Emma Smith. Vogel suggests that this might be a distorted retelling of Martin Harris’s loss of the 116 pages (Vogel, EMD, 3:289n15; on Harris’s loss of the manuscript, see ­chapter 5).

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113. See the introduction to ­chapter 3 for more on this description of Martin Harris’s visits with Charles Anthon and Samuel Mitchill. 114. James, “Lucy Harris,” 51. 115. Well-​documented information about Lucy Harris is hard to come by. She is buried in the Palmyra, New  York, Cemetery, but her modern headstone (https://​www.findagrave.com/​memorial/​150025857/​lucy-​harris) lists no date for her death and birth dates for her children that differ from those listed in Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 823. In addition, the summer of 1836 is given as the year of Lucy Harris’s death in James, “Lucy Harris,” 55; Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 824; and JSP, H1:596, but 1837 is given in Jessee, Autobiographical and Historical Writings, 490, and Vogel, EMD, 2:34. 116.  On Martin Harris’s mistreatment of his wife, see 1.22 John A.  Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts. As Dan Vogel points out, similar reports came from The Reflector in 1830 and G. W. Stoddard in 1833, neither of which identifies the source of that information (Vogel, EMD, 2:234, 29). 117. A revelation dictated during the summer of 1829 warned Harris not to covet his neighbor’s wife. See 11.14 Revelation, ca. Summer 1829 [D&C 19]. 118. Smith, Biographical Sketches, 102; Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 170, 810. 119. Palmyra Courier, March 17, 1871, cited in Vogel, EMD, 2:64. 120. See MacKay and Frederick, Joseph Smith’s Seer Stones, 29–​44, for a comprehensive discussion of where Joseph Smith found his seer stones. 121. Chase’s mention of a toad opens a labyrinth that inevitably leads to questions about the validity of third-​hand and late reports, folk magic, and the so-​called Salamander letter purportedly discovered by document collector-​turned-​forger-​and-​murderer Mark Hoffman in 1984. A few points are worth initial consideration—​first a reminder that Chase is a third-​hand source because he got his information from Joseph Sr., not Jr. Second, Chase did not say that a toad interacted with young Joseph but “something like a toad, which assumed the appearance of a man.” What could Chase possibly have meant by that qualification? Third, Benjamin Saunders backed up Chase’s account by saying that when Joseph “took the plates there was something down near the box that looked some like a toad that rose up into a man which forbid him to take the plates”—​which Saunders heard directly from Joseph himself (2.17 William H. Kelley’s Interview with Benjamin Saunders, 1884, Extract). Saunders’s report is certainly late—​fifty-​seven years after the event in question—​and it must also be remembered that he may well have heard the story from Chase, his brother-​in-​law, over the years. At the same time, Saunders was relatively free of bias toward the Smith family and several of his memories about them are corroborated by early sources. See the following: Vogel, EMD, 1:xiii–​xiv, 2:64–​74; Quinn, Early Magic World View, 148–​54; Ashurst-​McGee, “Angel or Treasure Guardian?” 45–​62; Anderson, “The Alvin Smith Story”; and Roberts, “ ‘The Truth Is the Most Important Thing.’ ” 122. On Samuel Lawrence, see the introduction to this chapter. 123. Unlike most of the Palmyra neighbors who gave statements, Chase was careful to specify his sources; in this case the source now changes from Joseph Sr. to Jr. 124. Chase now turns to hearsay evidence. 125. Vogel, EMD, 2:75. 126. Henry Harris is a stronger source than Willard Chase for these reasons: he got his information directly from Joseph (while Chase got his key information from Joseph Sr.); he had his principal interview with Joseph after Martin Harris took the characters to Mitchill and Anthon but

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before the translation began (about March of 1828, less than a year after Chase talked to Joseph Sr.); he recorded his statement about the same time as Chase; and several of his details are confirmed by other early sources. 127. JSP, J2:115. 128. Jessee, “Joseph Knight’s Recollection,” 30. 129. Broome County Republican, May 5, 1831, cited in Hartley, Stand By My Servant, 5. 130.  Confirmed by Lucy Mack Smith, William Smith, Willard Chase, John A.  Clark, and Fayette Lapham. 131. Confirmed by Willard Chase, Lorenzo Saunders, and Fayette Lapham. 132. Confirmed by Henry Harris and the Lewis brothers. 133. On Samuel Lawrence, see the introduction to this chapter. 134. A fascinating illustration of Joseph’s sharp sense of humor. 135.  Although Alvah Beman (1775–​1837) was a rodsman who had previously been involved with Lawrence and the Smiths in treasure-​seeking, Knight is likely mistaken about his role in this episode. Other sources confirm that he actually helped Joseph protect the plates. See 2.9 Mary Beman Noble’s Reminiscence, ca. 1836; 2.12 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract; and 4.3 Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859. The name is variously spelled “Beman,” “Beaman,” and “Beeman.” See also Vogel, EMD 1:340n151; Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 800; and Quinn, Early Magic World View, 39. 136. These details strongly support the thesis that Joseph did not initially expect to translate the plates himself. See MacKay, “ ‘Git Them Translated.’ ” 137. On Martin Harris’s meetings with Mitchill and Anthon, see ­chapter 3. 138. The conflict with Isaac Hale is also mentioned in 6.1 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract. 139. See Staker and Jensen, “David Hale’s Store Ledger,” for more on Joseph and Emma’s difficult circumstances during the winter of 1828–​29. 140. Lucy Mack Smith did not mention Joseph Sr. and Samuel’s visit to Joseph and Emma in January and February of 1829, but it is well documented in 6.1 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, and 6.8 Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4]. 141. Knight thus indicates that he and his wife may have visited Joseph and Emma sometime after Martin Harris departed in March and before Oliver Cowdery arrived on April 5. The revelation mentioned by Joseph Knight was likely the March revelation directed to Martin Harris (6.9 Revelation, March 1829 [D&C 5]). 142. Joseph and Polly Peck Knight were quite similar in age to Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith, with Joseph Knight being one year younger than Joseph Sr. and Polly being one year older than Lucy. Polly died on August 6, 1831, and Joseph Smith preached her funeral sermon the next day. “I can say a worthy member sleeps in Jesus till the resurrection,” his history stated ( Jessee, Papers of Joseph Smith, 1:361). The same day as the funeral, Joseph dictated a revelation (now D&C 59) that “assured heavenly rewards for the obedient who would die in Zion—​prompted, perhaps, by the death . . . of Polly Peck Knight” (JSP, D2:31). 143. Black, “Isaac Hale,” 94. 144. Black, “Isaac Hale,” 94–​96; Ostler, “Early Church History Sites,” 29–​32. 145. Ostler, “Early Church History Sites,” 42–​43; JSP, D1:167–​71. 146. Ostler, “Early Church History Sites,” 43–​44.

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147.  A  reference to Joseph and his father’s employment by Josiah Stowell. See 1.7 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, October 1835, Extract. 148. Joseph and Emma were married in South Bainbridge, New York, on January 18, 1827. 149. See 2.6 Peter Ingersoll’s Testimony, December 2, 1833. 150. Hale’s memory was quite accurate—​these are clearly references to a revelation dictated by Joseph for Martin Harris in March of 1829. See 6.9 Revelation, March 1829 [D&C 5]. The manuscripts Joseph and Harris were comparing are no longer extant, so it is impossible to know if they included the exact phrases quoted by Hale. 151. Covenant of Oliver Cowdery and Others, October 17, 1830, JSP, D1:204. 152. Romig, Eighth Witness,  84–​85. 153. Several of Bauder’s details about the origin of the Book of Mormon can be confirmed by a number of other sources, both friendly and hostile. And although Bauder may have interviewed Joseph shortly after Fayette Lapham interviewed Joseph Sr. (which Vogel concludes took place in early October of 1830 at the latest [see EMD, 1:456]), Bauder includes no mention of bleeding ghosts, magic, enchanted treasure, or the like. The unique thing about Bauder’s account is his mention of Joseph’s revision of the Bible. 154. Backman, “Truman Coe’s Description of Mormonism,” 347. 155.  A  footnote in the original publication reads as follows:  “We understand that this same Joseph Smith is now held in bail to appear before the next court for public assault on a respectable citizen in Kirtland.—​Ed. Ob.” This is apparently a reference to a case involving Grandison Newell, who, on April 21, 1835, charged Joseph with conspiring to kill him. The charges were eventually dismissed on June 5, 1837. Thanks to Mark Staker for his identification of Newell, who was later involved in Kirtland financial controversies and was awarded ownership of the Kirtland Temple between 1859 and 1862. See the following: http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​ person/​grandison-​newell, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​event/​js-​discharged-​in-​grandison​newell-​case, http://​mormonpolygamydocuments.org/​wp-​content/​uploads/​2015/​01/​JS1707.pdf, https://​byustudies.byu.edu/​content/​mormon-​political-​involvement-​ohio, https://​byustudies. byu.edu/​content/​kirtland-​safety-​society-​and-​fraud-​grandison-​newell-​legal-​examination. 156. Several of these details are confirmed by other early sources. See the introduction to this chapter. 157. As Dan Vogel points out, this is similar to the description given by David Whitmer. See 8.3 David Whitmer’s Address to All Believers in Christ, Extract. 158. Dan Vogel convincingly argues that the visit took place in 1834. See EMD, 1:35–​37. 159. Edward Stevenson (born May 1, 1820, and thus about a year and a half younger than Curtis) was also present and recorded this account in 1894: “The young Prophet further said that in 1823, three years after his first vision, while praying in his father’s house . . . when suddenly the house was filled with light brighter than the noon-​day sun, in the midst of which there stood an angel, who said he was sent from the presence of God, as a messenger to him. The angel instructed him regarding a marvelous work that God was about to bring to pass, and that he, Joseph, [p. 444] was the one who was selected to be God’s servant and mouthpiece to bring about and establish the great and marvelous work” (Stevenson, “How I Became a Mormon,” 444–​45). 160. McIntosh, History of Wayne County, 148, 110, 172. Thanks to Dan Vogel for identifying this source. 161. Although Clark said this conversation occurred in the fall of 1827, this reference to the transcript of Book of Mormon characters that Harris took to scholars in the east shows that the

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encounter must be dated to February of 1828 (when Harris got the transcript from Joseph) or later. See ­chapter 3. 162. Lucy Mack Smith’s preliminary manuscript states that on the evening before Joseph was visited by the angel, the family sat “till quite late conversing upon the subject of the diversity of churches that had risen up in the world and the many thousand opinions in existence as to the truths contained in scripture” (1.24 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844–​45, 1853, Extract). In her subsequent description, however, Lucy tends to conflate the First Vision and the appearance of the angel announcing the gold plates. 163.  The garbled nature of this part of Clark’s account raises the question of how well he remembered his conversations with Harris or whether Harris described such a distorted sequence of events, which seems less likely. Joseph and Emma’s first child was either stillborn or died the same day as birth, June 15, 1828, several months after Joseph obtained the plates. Not only that, but Joseph talked freely with his family about the angel and the plates beginning with the angel’s first visit in September of 1823. 164. On Martin Harris’s treatment of his wife, see 1.14 Lucy Harris’s Testimony, November 29, 1833; on the loss of the 116 pages, see ­chapter 5. 165. Although Clark relies on his conversations with Harris for most of his narrative, he has resorted to neighborhood rumors at this point. 166. JSP, H1:618. 167. JSP, J1:354; JSP, H1:517–​20. 168.  In relating the visit of the angel, Pratt quotes liberally from Oliver Cowdery’s letters, extracts of which are included in this chapter. 169. “Pratt’s Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions proved to be one of the more influential Mormon tracts to come out of this period. The first American edition was printed in New York in 1841, and reprints appeared in Europe, Australia, and the United States.” JSP, H1:519. 170. Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 2. 171. Howcroft, “A Reexamination of Lucy Mack Smith’s History,” 323–​26. For a diagram of the incredibly complex nature of the authorship of the history, see page 314 of Howcroft’s article. 172. JSP, H1:629. 173. Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 796. 174. Cited in Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 796. 175. Lucy’s apparent conflation of the First Vision with the first visit of Moroni indicates that she never did hear a detailed account of the First Vision from Joseph himself. Don Enders argues in a forthcoming book that Joseph did not immediately share his First-​Vision experience with his family. Indeed, concludes Enders, there is no evidence that Joseph told Lucy he had seen and talked with the Lord. Certainly she never claimed to have heard such a recital from him (Barney, “The Scarcity of Early Mormon Documentation,” 388–​90). 176. In Joseph’s history, the angel only once instructs Joseph to tell his father. See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract. 177. As mentioned in the introduction to this chapter, several other sources, both hostile and friendly, mention a similar detail, but Joseph’s 1839–​41 history does not. 178. This is one of several instances where Lucy’s history has apparently confused the chronology of events. Although the document specifically claims this incident took place at the time of Joseph’s first annual visit to the hill—​September 22, 1824—​Joseph’s 1832 history strongly implies and a letter from Oliver Cowdery definitely asserts that the actual date was September 22,

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1823. See 1.2 Joseph Smith, History, ca. Summer 1832, and 1.7 Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, October 1835, Extract, respectively. In addition, Lucy’s narrative shortly after relates the death of Alvin Smith, saying he died in November of 1824 (Smith, Biographical Sketches, 87–​ 90), when the actual date was November 19, 1823. 179. Tucker died on June 30, 1870, two days before this notice of his death was published. 180.  Donald L.  Enders, “Pomeroy Tucker,” in Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 1259. 181. Presumably a reference to Sidney Rigdon, rumored after the publication of Mormonism Unvailed in 1834 to have conspired with Joseph Smith in producing the Book of Mormon, though historians now generally see no evidence that the two met before December 1830. 182. Like Lucy Mack Smith, Tucker has conflated the First Vision with the first visit of the angel announcing the gold plates. 183. Likely a reference to Palmyra neighbors who had been involved with Joseph and his father in treasure-​seeking. 184. US Federal Census, 1850; US Federal Census, 1870, New York Wills and Probate Records, 1659–​1999; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 185.  Apparently a somewhat garbled version of Willard Chase’s account. See 1.15 Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833. 186.  In late 1824 or early 1825, Lucy Mack Smith and her children Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel joined the Presbyterian church but neither Joseph or his father followed suit. 187. This sounds distinctly like an account given by the Lewis brothers. See 1.27 Statement of Joseph and Hiel Lewis, April 30, 1879. 188. As mentioned in the introduction to this chapter, other sources related similar details. 189. Willard Chase, Lorenzo Saunders, and Joseph Knight also mention the angel’s requirement that Joseph bring his oldest brother, Alvin, with him. 190.  For Lucy Smith’s account of how Joseph fought off attacks from hostile neighbors to safely retrieve the plates from their hiding place, see 2.12 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract. Lapham’s account has replaced those neighbors with devils. 191. Of course, the person who took the characters transcript to various scholars was Martin Harris, not Joseph. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that Joseph Sr. told Lapham that either Joseph or Harris took the transcript to George Crane because neither of them is known to have mentioned that name in connection with Harris’s visits to Bradish, Anthon, and Mitchill. The most likely source of this information was Pomeroy Tucker, who wrote:  “Among others, Mr. George Crane, of the adjoining town of Macedon, a Quaker of intelligence, property, and high respectability (now deceased), was called upon by Smith with several foolscap quires of these so-​called translations, for his perusal and opinion, and also for his pecuniary aid to get the work through the press” (Tucker, Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism, 36–​37). 192.  Lapham has confused the eleven witnesses with the twelve apostles, who were called in 1835. 193. Lapham’s account of the loss of the 116 pages is reasonably accurate. 194.  Although garbled, this summary of Book of Mormon events gets a number of details right. 195. Cited in Blackman, History of Susquehanna County, 103. 196. Cited in Porter, “A Study of the Origins,” 47. 197. Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 271–​72.

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198. Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 273. Newell and Avery add that “The deaths of her younger sister and her namesake coming so soon after they were reunited must have been especially difficult for Emma.” 199. US Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861–​1865; Find A Grave Index; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 200. Letter from Hiel Lewis, September 29, 1879, Salt Lake City Daily Tribune, October 17, 1879, 2. This letter was apparently directed to James T. Cobb, “a Salt Lake City newspaperman who collected statements about Mormon origins” (Vogel, EMD, 4:318). Joseph Smith and Martin Harris translated from April 12 to June 14, 1828; Emma lost her first child on June 15; after caring for her for several days, Joseph departed for New York to check on the status of the manuscript borrowed by Martin Harris. See Vogel, EMD 4:299–​321, for the various statements of Joseph and Hiel Lewis. 201. The Lewis brothers thus place Joseph in the Harmony, Pennsylvania, area by 1824 because Oliver Harper was murdered on May 11 of that year. Scholars disagree on whether Joseph was likely in the area that early, with Quinn and Marquardt and Walters arguing in favor of the proposition and Vogel and Bushman arguing against it. See Quinn, Early Magic World View, 47–​58; Marquardt and Walters, Inventing Mormonism, 63–​70; Vogel, The Making of a Prophet, 68–​73; and Bushman, Rough Stone Rolling, 48–​52, respectively. On Isaac Hale’s role in the trial of Jason Treadwell, convicted and hanged for Harper’s murder, see Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma,  6–​7. 202.  This entire paragraph is apparently based on a hearsay account in Blackman, History of Susquehanna County, 579–​80, and assumes an association between Oliver Harper and Joseph Smith. 203. Several sources included similar details. See the introduction to this chapter. 204. See 1.2 Joseph Smith, History, ca. Summer 1832. 205. Lapham offered a similar detail. See 1.26 Fayette Lapham’s Report of an Interview with Joseph Smith Sr., 1870. 206. Nathaniel Lewis was Joseph and Hiel’s father. He had a similar negative opinion of Joseph but said nothing about a bleeding ghost. And while the Lewis brothers claimed that Joseph Smith did not say anything about God or revelations, Nathaniel Lewis reported that Joseph said he had been commanded by God to translate the plates. See 4.8 Nathaniel Lewis’s Testimony, March 20, 1834. 207. There are other late sources claiming that Joseph Smith attended a Methodist class but no substantial evidence that he joined the Methodist church. See Vogel, EMD, 4:305n28. 208. Emma Smith Bidamon had died on April 30, 1879. 209.  Francis D.  “Frank” Moulton was a successful Brooklyn businessman who in 1875 got caught up in the notorious Beecher–​Tilton Scandal, a national sensation in which the prominent clergyman, social reformer, and author Henry Ward Beecher was accused of committing adultery with Elizabeth Tilton, wife of his good friend Theodore Tilton. Moulton was a friend of Tilton, but his wife, Emma, was a devoted member of Beecher’s congregation. Tilton sued Beecher and after Moulton testified at the trial, the May 25, 1875, Brooklyn Daily Eagle called him a “conspirator and perjurer.” 210. Mather thus repeats and expands on much of the hearsay printed in Blackman’s History of Susquehanna County in 1873; the narrative, however, has Joseph Smith married, living in Harmony, and making converts in 1824, years before any of those things happened. See 1.27 Statement of Joseph and Hiel Lewis, April 30, 1879.

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211. See 4.14 Chenango Union Interview with Mrs. Doolittle, April 12, 1877. 212. See 4.9 Testimonies of Joshua McKune, Hezekiah McKune, Alva Hale, Levi Lewis, and Sophia Lewis, 1834. 213. Margaret A. Weissenburger, “The Kelley Family Legacy,” typescript, 1994, from the website http://​yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/​B OOK_​Kelley_​Family_​Legacy.pdf; RLDS records at Ancestry.com. 214. Vogel, EMD, 2:81. 215.  Oliver Cowdery was rumored to have been in New  York as early as 1822 and to have served as a scribe for William Morgan, who disappeared and was apparently murdered in 1826 after revealing Masonic secrets. However, there is no record of Cowdery arriving in New York from his home state of Vermont until the fall of 1827. See Morris, “The Conversion of Oliver Cowdery,”  15–​17. 216.  On the Chase family, see the introduction to this chapter and 1.15 Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833. 217. See Rossell, “Gold Plates Caves and the Fabrication of the Fabulous.” 218. See also the statements of Saunders’s younger brothers—​2.16 William H. Kelley’s Interview with Lorenzo Saunders, 1884, Extract; 2.17 William H.  Kelley’s Interview with Benjamin Saunders, 1884, Extract; and 2.18 Lorenzo Saunders’s Letter to Thomas Gregg, January 28, 1885. 219. On Willard Chase, see the introduction to this chapter and 1.15 Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833. 220. On Gilbert, see 11.7 John H. Gilbert’s Account, 1892. 221. On Tucker, see 1.25 Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract. 222. On the Stafford family, see 2.3 Barton Stafford’s Testimony, November 3, 1833; 2.7 William Stafford’s Testimony, December 8, 1833; and 2.19 Christopher M.  Stafford’s Statement, March 23, 1885. 223.  Apparently a reference to the Kinderhook Plates, which were ultimately shown to be counterfeit. See the introduction to ­chapter 10 for more information. 224. Minutes of meetings at Far West, Missouri, February 5–​9, 1838, Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, 139, bracketed insertion added. 225. Minutes of the “High Council of Zion met in Far-​West on Friday April 13th 1838,” Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, 177. 226. Letter, David Whitmer to John Murdock, April 13, 1838, Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, 177. 227.  Porter, “A Study of the Origins,” 83; additional background information from JSP, H1:581, 605. 228. Porter, “A Study of the Origins,” 89n123. 229. Joel K. Noble, a justice of the peace in Colesville, also mentions the sacrifice of a dog. See Joel K. Noble to Jonathan B. Turner, March 8, 1842, Vogel, EMD, 4:109. 230. On the prophecy in Isaiah 29, see ­chapter 3. 231. One account of the casting out of devils involved Newel Knight, Emily’s brother-​in-​law. See Bushman, Beginnings of Mormonism, 153–​54. 232. Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 1140. 233. Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 875; additional background information from JSP, H1:630–​31. 234.  The move to the farm likely occurred in 1819. See the Joseph Smith Papers timeline, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​reference/​events#1824.

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235. Oliver Cowdery identified Lane as the clergyman Joseph talked to about the First Vision (JSP, H1:53). 236.  Lavina Fielding Anderson notes that Lucy, Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel joined the Presbyterian church between the fall of 1824 and the spring of 1825 (Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 171). 237.  Like Lucy Mack Smith, William has conflated the First Vision with the first visit of Moroni. 238. According to Joseph’s history, this conversation took place between him and his father. See 1.10 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract. 239. William Smith is not known to have been present for any part of the translation; it is not clear how he obtained this information. See 8.2 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract. 240. See also 2.15 William Smith’s Testimony, 1884, Extract. Chapter 2 1. Orson Pratt’s account, in JSP, H1:530. 2. See 2.6 Peter Ingersoll’s Testimony, December 2, 1833, Extract; 2.8 Jesse Townsend’s Letter to Phineas Stiles, December 24, 1833; and 2.12 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract. 3. Vogel, EMD, 3:11–​14. 4. Apparently Abraham Fish, a Manchester neighbor of the Smiths who provided financial support for treasure-​seeking in the area. “When Lemuel Durfee’s estate was inventoried [in January 1830], it included a note signed by Joseph Sr. and by Abraham Fish with an ‘x’ for $36.50 plus interest” (Marquardt and Walters, Inventing Mormonism, 131). 5. Cook, Palmyra and Vicinity, 222. Thanks to Dan Vogel for identifying this source. 6.  On Joseph Sr.’s drinking, see 1.29 William H.  Kelley’s Interviews, 1881, Bushman, Rough Stone Rolling, 42; on Joseph Jr.’s drinking, see 1.29 William H. Kelley’s Interviews, 1881; 2.8 Jesse Townsend’s Letter to Phineas Stiles, December 24, 1833; 2.19 Christopher M. Stafford’s Statement, March 23, 1885; Vogel, The Making of Prophet, 87, 90, 91; and Bushman, Rough Stone Rolling, 53, 7. Vogel, EMD, 2:24. 8. On Samuel Lawrence, see the introduction to ­chapter 1. 9.  This was a common complaint against the Smith family, which was frequently called “lazy,” “indolent,” or “shiftless” by unfriendly neighbors. As Donald L. Enders points out, however, “land and tax records, farm account books and correspondence, soil surveys, horticultural studies, archaeological reports, historic building surveys, and interviews with agricultural historians . . . which generally have not been part of the scholarly reconstructions of the origin period of Mormon history,” present a quite different picture. For example, the Smiths cleared 60 acres of land, and horticultural studies show that approximately 100 trees per acre grew in the area. The Smiths thus cut down about 6,000 trees, a large percentage of which measured from 4 to 6 feet in diameter. In addition, the 1830 tax records for Manchester Township show that for the 176 farms of more than 50 acres, the average value per acre was $13, the same value listed for the Smith farm. Of those 146 farms, 42 lay in what could be called the Smith neighborhood. Twelve of the neighborhood farms were assessed at values greater than the Smith farm (ranging from $14 to $18 per acre). Five, including the Smith farm, were valued at $13 per acre, and 25 were valued lower, including Joseph Capron’s farm, which was valued at $10 per acre (Enders, “Farmers of the Genesee,” 214, 19, 20–​21).

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10. Vital Records of Western New York, 1809–​1850; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 11. This account is of limited value because Abigail Harris talked to Joseph’s parents rather than Joseph himself and because many of her details cannot be corroborated by other sources. 12. Michigan, Death and Burials Index, 1867–​1995; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. See Vogel, EMD, 2:39–​40, for more information on Ingersoll. 13. See 1.18 Isaac Hale’s Testimony, March 20, 1834. 14.  Alva Hale confirmed this detail. See 4.9 Testimonies of Joshua McKune, Hezekiah McKune, Alva Hale, Levi Lewis, and Sophia Lewis, 1834. 15. This account is flatly contradicted by Lucy, William, and Katharine Smith, among others. See 2.12 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract; 2.15 William Smith’s Testimony, 1884, Extract; and 2.23 Katharine Smith Salisbury’s Letter to “Dear Sisters,” March 10, 1886. Dan Vogel speculates that Joseph may have “told Ingersoll the story privately in an effort to discourage those who repeatedly attempted to take the plates from him” (Vogel, EMD, 2:44n14). Ingersoll told a similar story at a March 1829 court hearing in which Lucy Harris charged Joseph with defrauding her husband. (See 6.2 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract.) Pomeroy Tucker, a critic of Joseph Smith and a Palmyra native who had opportunity to know Ingersoll reasonably well, confirmed that Ingersoll gave such testimony and also included details not acknowledged by Ingersoll himself when he wrote: “Peter Ingersoll, a respectable citizen of Palmyra, who had believingly taken some part in Smith’s money-​digging operations, and was at first inclined to put faith in his ‘Golden Bible’ pretension, declared under oath, that ‘Smith told him the whole story was a hoax; that he had found no such book; but that as he had got the d—​d fools fixed, he was bound to carry out the fun’ ” (Tucker, Rise, Origin and Progress of Mormonism, 128). 16. See 1.15 Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833. 17. See 2.1 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract; 2.8 Jesse Townsend’s Letter to Phineas Stiles, December 24, 1833; and 2.12 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract. 18. Cook, Palmyra and Vicinity, 217. 19.  Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism, 24. Tucker also claimed that William Stafford was one of the “pioneer Mormon disciples,” but that was not true (38–​39). 20. Cook, Palmyra and Vicinity, 222. 21. See Rossell, “Gold Plates Caves and the Fabrication of the Fabulous.” 22.  Stafford’s inexact chronology makes it impossible to know if Joseph Sr. made some of these statements before becoming one of the eight witnesses in June 1829 and some after. Indeed, Stafford shows no awareness of the elder Joseph’s role as a witness. 23. Backman, Joseph Smith’s First Vision, 67, 69; compiled records from the New York Post at Ancestry.com. 24. Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism, 287. 25. See 2.1 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract; 2.6 Peter Ingersoll’s Testimony, December 2, 1833, Extract; and 2.12 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract. 26. A footnote in the original reads as follows: “Mr. Townsend, at the date of this letter, had not learned of the connection of Rigdon and the Spalding manuscript with this matter.” On Martin Harris’s claim to have seen the plates with “spiritual eyes,” see the introduction to c­ hapter 9. 27. See 1.14 Lucy Harris’s Testimony, November 29, 1833.

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28. Alvah Beman’s helping Joseph protect the plates is confirmed in 2.12 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscence, 1853, Extract, and in 4.3 Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859. See also 1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​47, Extract. 29. Biography of Mary Adeline Beman at Ancestry.com; biography of Alvah Beman at http://​ www.josephsmithpapers.org/​person/​alvah-​beman-​beaman?highlight=Alvah%20Beman%20 (Beaman); biography of Joseph Bates Noble at http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​person/​ joseph-​bates-​noble. 30. Porter, “A Study of the Origins,” 88n97. 31. Chenango Union, May 2, 1877, cited in Porter, “A Study of the Origins,” 71. 32. Porter, “A Study of the Origins,” 71; Porter, “Josiah Stowell,” in Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 1194–​95. 33. If true, this would make Stowell the first person other than Joseph to handle the plates. According to a Colesville, New  York, court record, Josiah Stowell testified in the case “The people, vs. Joseph Smith, jr.” on June 30, 1830. The complainant was Samuel Dickerson. Joseph was accused of being “guilty of a breach of the peace . . . by looking through a certain stone to find hid[den] treasures.” After being sworn before Justice of the Peace Joel K. Noble, Stowell said “that about two years since, witness was at Palmyra, and saw prisoner; that prisoner told witness that the Lord had told prisoner that a golden Bible was in a certain hill; that Smith, the prisoner, went in the night, and brought the Bible, (as Smith said;) witness saw a corner of it; it resembled a stone of a greenish caste; should judge it to have been about one foot square and six inches thick.” As for the outcome of the trial, “Joseph Smith, jr. was discharged; he had not looked in the glass for two years to find money, &c.,—​hence it was outlawed” (“Mormonism,” Morning Star, Limerick, Maine, November 16, 1832, http://​contentdm.lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​compoundobject/​collection/​ BOMP/​id/​1369/​rec/​16). See also the introduction to ­chapter 10. 34.  The Joseph Smith Papers, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​letter-​ from-​martha-​campbell-​19-​december-​1843/​4. 35. Koch, “Henry O’Reilly and Orsamus Turner.” 36. Turner, Phelps and Gorham’s Purchase, 400n. 37. Koch, “Henry O’Reilly and Orsamus Turner.” 38. Anderson, “Confirmation of the First Vision,” 378. 39. Vogel, EMD, 3:47. 40. A footnote in the original reads as follows: “To soften the use of such an expression, the reader should be reminded that apprentices in printing offices have since the days of Faust and Guttenberg, been thus called, and sometimes it was not inappropriate.” 41. Turner thus rejects the so-​called Spaulding theory, a speculation promoted by Howe in Mormonism Unvailed that Joseph relied on the writings of Solomon Spaulding (1761–​1816) as the source text for the Book of Mormon. As Rex C. Reeve Jr. has written, “Howe published testimonies from Spaulding’s friends and family members claiming that most of the main incidents in the Book of Mormon originated with Solomon Spaulding; that proper names found in the Book of Mormon . . . were the exact names found in Spaulding’s manuscript; and that Spaulding wrote in a scriptural style.” The trouble was, Spaulding’s manuscript had been lost, so these allegations could not be verified. “After the 1884 discovery of the Spaulding manuscript, critics of the Book of Mormon added several elements to the Spaulding theory,” with some claiming the discovered text was not the document in question and others arguing that Spaulding later revised the manuscript

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to include Book of Mormon names and phrases (Rex C. Reeve Jr., “Spaulding Theory,” in Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​Day Saint History, 1172–​73). 42.  Although Rigdon can hardly be called the author of the Book of Commandments, he did make significant contributions to the production of that volume. See Underwood, “Joseph Smith’s Revelations.” 43. Apparently a description of the Book of Mormon characters transcript taken by Martin Harris to three different scholars. See ­chapter 3. 44. At this point in the Preliminary Manuscript, an “X” is drawn through several lines that describe how a gun was fired at Joseph “one evening about twilight” when he was fourteen years old. Joseph “sprang to door threw it open and fell upon the floor with fright.” No trace of a gunman was found, “but we found the balls that were discharged from his piece the next day in the head & neck of a cow that stood opposite the wagon in a dark corner” (Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 374). 45. Knight’s deliberate attempt to be at the Smith home at this time implies that he understood the significance of the date of September 22 and was hoping to be on the scene when Joseph received the plates. If that is true, as is now commonly assumed, it would make no sense for Knight to be attempting to leave before even talking to Joseph. 46. Lucy thus became the first person to confirm that Joseph had physical artifacts linked with the visits of the angel. 47.  The confidential friend was Martin Harris. However, Willard Chase claimed he heard about the plates from Joseph Sr. in June of 1827. See 1.15 Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833. 48. See 1.15 Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833. 49. Dale Morgan speculated that this conjuror was Luman Walters, who reportedly searched for treasure with Joseph Smith Sr. (Walker, Dale Morgan, 368n3). See also Quinn, Early Magic World View, 116–​35. 50.  Lucy’s preliminary manuscript clarifies that this was the house of Samuel Lawrence (Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 381). See the introduction to ­chapter 1 for more on Lawrence. 51.  Lucy, who had earlier handled the spectacles, now handled the breastplate that was the other part of what was later called the Urim and Thummim. 52. The spelling of Braman in Lucy’s history was a typographical error; the spelling should have been Beaman (Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 391n135). Other sources, however, also have the spellings of Beman or Beeman. Alvah Beman’s helping Joseph protect the plates is confirmed in 2.9 Mary Beman Noble’s Reminiscence, ca. 1836, and in 2.13 Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859. See also 2.9 Mary Beman Noble’s Reminiscences, ca. 1836 and 1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​47, Extract. 53. See 2.1 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract; 2.6 Peter Ingersoll’s Testimony, December 2, 1833, Extract; and 2.8 Jesse Townsend’s Letter to Phineas Stiles, December 24, 1833. 54. Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com; 1870 US Federal Census, Albany Ward 10, Albany County, New York. 55. On Alva Beman (also spelled Beaman and Beeman), see 1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​47. 56.  Joseph and Emma were married on January 18, 1827; Emma was twenty-​two, Joseph twenty-​one.

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57. A footnote in the original reads as follows: “The best attainable definition of the very ancient Urim and Thummim is quite vague and indistinct. An accepted biblical lexicographer gives the meaning as ‘light and perfection,’ or the ‘shining and the perfect.’ The following is quoted from Butterworth’s Concordance: ‘There are various conjectures about the Urim and Thummim, whether they were the stones in the high-​priest’s breast-​plate, or something distinct from them; which it is not worth our while to inquire into, since God has left it a secret. It is evident that the Urim and Thummim were appointed to inquire of God by, on momentous occasions, and continued in use (as some think) only till the building of Solomon’s Temple, and all conclude that this was never restored after its destruction.’ ” 58. A footnote in the original reads as follows: “Philologically, ‘Mormon’ is probably synonymous with mormo, which, according to Webster, signifies ‘bugbear—​false terror.’ At least, this definition is sufficiently appropriate.” 59.  On Orlando Saunders, see the introduction to ­chapter  1 and 1.29 William H.  Kelley’s Interviews, 1881. 60. Van Camp was born in 1827 and thus relies on hearsay evidence for this account. 61. See 2.11 Orsamus Turner, “GOLD BIBLE—​MORMONISM,” 1851, Extract. 62. As in his other accounts, William here conflates the First Vision with the visit of the angel announcing the gold plates. 63. See 2.4 Joseph Capron’s Testimony, November 8, 1833. 64. Cook, Palmyra and Vicinity, 234. 65. 1860 US Federal Census, Wheatland, Hillsdale County, Michigan. 66. Portrait and Biographical Album of Hillsdale County, Michigan, 1888, 446. Thanks to Dan Vogel for identifying this source. 67. On Lorenzo Saunders, see the introduction to ­chapter 1. 68. Cook, Palmyra and Vicinity, 234; 1870 and 1880 US Federal Census for Cambria, Hillsdale County, Michigan. 69. Detroit Free Press, December 20, 1893. 70. Detroit Free Press, December 28, 1893; January 4, 1894; and September 6, 1894. 71. See Vogel, EMD, 2:138, for information on text from an early draft of this interview. 72.  Sarah Jane Witt Rockwell, wife of Orrin Porter Rockwell Sr., and mother of Emily, Caroline, and Orrin Porter Rockwell. 73. A clear indication that Doctor Philastus Hurlbut, who collected several affidavits published in Howe’s Mormonism Unvailed, was careful in selecting witnesses hostile to Joseph Smith. 74. On Benjamin Saunders, see the introduction to ­chapter 1. 75. Kimball, “Meet the Author of The Prophet of Palmyra,” 182, 183. 76. 1850 and 1880 US Federal Census, Hancock County, Illinois. 77. Hallwas, Thomas Gregg, 47, cited by Kimball, “Meet the Author,” 183. 78. Shook, True Origin of the Book of Mormon, 132–​33. 79.  A  notarized statement affirmed that Shook’s transcriptions were “verbatim copies (excepting spelling, punctuation and capitalization) of the originals now in the possession of the American Anti-​Mormon Association” (Shook, True Origin of the Book of Mormon, 135). 80.  Oliver Cowdery came from Vermont but is not known to have arrived in New  York until 1827. 81. Scholars now generally agree that Sidney Rigdon did not met Joseph Smith until December of 1830.

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82. A footnote in the original reads as follows: “He probably means plowing corn, as this was too early in the season for the other.” 83.  Lorenzo Saunders gave Arthur B.  Deming a statement quite similar to this one on July 21, 1887—​it was published in Naked Truths About Mormonism 1, no. 1 ( January 1888), 2. One interesting difference is that in the statement to Deming, Saunders added: “That I saw Oliver Cowder writing, I suppose the ‘Book of Mormon’ with book and manuscripts laying the table before him; that I went to school to said Oliver Cowdery and know him well.” Saunders did not say when this happened, but if it took place before late March of 1829, when Cowdery departed the Palmyra/​Manchester area to assist Joseph with the translation, Cowdery could have been preparing to teach school. If it happened during the summer of 1829—​the earliest time Cowdery could have returned (and was no longer teaching school)—​Cowdery may have been copying the Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon. The orignal manuscript of the Book of Mormon was completed in Harmony, Pennsylvania, and Fayete, New York, before Cowdery returned to the Smith home. As for the question of whether Cowdery composed the original manuscript (or copied it from another source), Royal Skousen has concluded from his examination of the document that “errors in the original manuscript . . . are based on the scribe mishearing what Joseph Smith dictated rather than visually copying form another manuscript” (Skousen, “Translating the Book of Mormon,” 67). For the complete text of Lorenzo Saunders’s statement to Deming, see Anderson, Joseph Smith’s Reputation Reexamined, 162–​63; Vogel, EMD, 2:212–​14; or http://​ sidneyrigdon.com/​dbroadhu/​CA/​natruths.htm#010088-​2d2. 84. 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 US Federal Census, Auburn, Geauga County, Ohio; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 85.  Jesse, Papers of Joseph Smith, 1:510; 1860 US Federal Census, Hamden, Vinton County, Ohio; Vogel, EMD, 2:199. 86. 1860 US Federal Census, Auburn, Geauga County, Ohio; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry. com 87. 1860, 1870, and 1880 US Federal Census, Munson, Geauga County, Ohio; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com; Vogel, EMD, 4:181. 88. Apparently a misconstrued account of Martin Harris’s taking the transcript of the Book of Mormon characters to three different scholars. 89. Apparently an instance of Joseph and Oliver translating not only in public but in a tavern, although as Dan Vogel notes, Joseph did not mention any translation locations besides Harmony and Fayette Township. Joseph could also have been dictating a revelation to Oliver (Vogel, EMD, 4:185n24). For another example of Joseph possibly translating in a public setting, see 11.6 Thurlow Weed’s Letter to Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson, April 12, 1880. 90. JSP, H1:643; Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 861–​62. 91. Herbert S. Salisbury (1870–​1964), grandson of Katharine Smith Salisbury Younger (and son of Don Carlos Salisbury), left a record of conversations with his grandmother about the Book of Mormon. He wrote the following on June 30, 1945: “Catherine Smith Salisbury, told me she was present at home when her brother, Joseph Smith, came in nearly exhausted, carrying the package of gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. He was carrying the package clasped to his side with his left hand and arm, and his right hand was badly bruised from knocking down at least three men who had leaped at him from behind bushes or fences as he ran until out of breath. She said he entered the house running and threw himself on a couch panting from his extraordinary exertion. She told me Joseph allowed her to ‘heft’ the package but not to

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see the gold plates, as the angel had forbidden him to show them at that period. She said they were very heavy” (Herbert S. Salisbury reminiscences, 1945, typsescript, CHL). In 1954, Salisbury added: “Catherine Smith Salisbury then told me that while dusting up the room where the Prophet had his study she saw a package on the table containing the gold plates on which was engraved the story of the Book of Mormon. She said she hefted those plates and found them very heavy like gold and also rippled her fingers up the edge of the plates and felt that they were separate metal plates and heard the tinkle of sound that they made” (The Messenger [Berkeley, California], October 1954, CHL. The narrative that Katharine “rippled her fingers up the edge of the plates,” however, is problematic for a number of reasons. First, no date is given for the incident, and Katharine does not hint at it in her other statements. Second, Salisbury was eighty-​three years old when he was interviewed by Isaac B. Ball on August 31, 1954, and told Ball that he had this particular conversation with Katharine in his “45th year,” which would have begun in 1914. Katharine, however, died in 1900, so the accuracy of Salisbury’s memory is immediately thrown into question. Third, Salisbury’s first-​hand 1945 reminiscence says nothing about an instance of handling the plates that occurred when Katharine was cleaning house. Fourth, the residence Katharine would have been cleaning was the frame home on the Smith farm in Manchester. From what is known about Joseph and Emma’s final weeks in that house (from September to November or December of 1827, when they moved to Pennsylvania), it is quite unlikely—​given the efforts of hostile neighbors to find the plates and Joseph’s efforts to hide them—​that Joseph would have left the plates on a table. Fifth, this account is remarkably similar to one (discussed earlier in this paper) related by Emma Smith in an interview with Joseph Smith III. Both accounts mention feeling the edge of the plates, perceiving separate leaves, and hearing the metallic sound created when the leaves were thumbed. Not only that, but Joseph III wrote that his mother “would lift and move them [the plates] when she swept and dusted the room,” and Katharine reportedly said she handled the plates “while dusting up the room.” Such similarity in detail makes one wonder if Katharine actually told of Emma’s experience initially but that over the interim of several decades, Salisbury mistakenly attributed it to his grandmother rather than his great-​aunt. 92. See 2.4 Joseph Capron’s Testimony, November 8, 1833, Editorial Note. 93.  In late 1824 or early 1825, Lucy Mack Smith and her children Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel joined the Presbyterian church but neither young Joseph nor his father joined. 94. As discussed in ­chapter 1, Rigdon is believed to have first met Jospeh Smith in December of 1830. 95.  From the website, http://​politicalstrangenames.blogspot.com/​2011/​07/​rhamanthus-​ menville-​stocker-​1848-​1917.html; background information from the same source. 96. This was no doubt true when Joseph first arrived in Pennsylvania and was employed as a village seer by Josiah Stowell. 97.  Although Squires and McCune were apparently interviewed more than fifty years after the events in question, both of their accounts include details consistent with a variety of earlier sources. Chapter 3 1.  Charles Anthon (1797–​1867) was born in New  York City to parents who were devout members of the Trinity Church. He graduated from Columbia College in 1815 and was admitted

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to the bar in 1819. By 1820, however, he was named an adjunct professor of Greek and Latin at Columbia College. In 1830 “the head Master [of Columbia Grammar School for boys] was Professor Charles Anthon who dressed in pearl colored tight fitting trousers. He was something of a martinet, and is said to have breakfasted on twelve hard-​boiled eggs and taken his morning exercise in flogging the boys” (E. Clowes Chorley, The Centennial History of Saint Bartholomew’s Church in the City of New York: 1835–​1935 [New York: n.p., 1935), 8, cited in Jennings, “The Man Behind the Letters,” 168). Anthon was full professor at Columbia from 1830 to 1867 and wrote a number of classical textbooks (JSP, H1:581). 2. Although the “Caractors” document once owned by David Whitmer and now in the possession of the Community of Christ was long believed to have been the same manuscript taken by Martin Harris to eastern scholars, “the document clearly developed in a much more complex manner—​having itself been copied from another ‘characters’ document” (MacKay, Dirkmaat, and Jensen, “The ‘Caractors’ Document,” 134; see also JSP, D1:353–​67). 3. Kimball, “Anthon Transcript,” 325–​26. 4. Samuel Latham Mitchill (1764–​1831) was a lawyer, surveyor, author, poet, physician, professor, and, at the time of Harris’s visit in 1828, the most prominent natural scientist in America. “A Quaker from birth who was ‘rather short and inclining to corpulency,’ full faced with a large double chin and ‘a pleasant open countenance,’ Mitchill  .  .  .  was regarded by presidents and paupers, farmers and fishermen as one of America’s greatest minds and scholars. . . . Eager to learn from everyone, no matter what his or her station in life, he was as gracious as Anthon was abrupt, loved and revered by those he taught” (Bennett, “Wise Men of the East,” 195; JSP, H1:611). 5.  MacKay, “Git Them Translated,” Brigham Young University, Religious Studies Center, https://​rsc.byu.edu/​archived/​approaching-​antiquity-​joseph-​smith-​and-​ancient-​world/​g it-​ them-​translated-​translating#_​edn1. 6. Bennett, “Wise Men of the East,” 216. 7. MacKay, “Git Them Translated.” 8. Regarding the “characters” document that he saw, John A. Clark wrote that Martin Harris “carefully unfolded a slip of paper, which contained three or four lines of characters, as unlike letters or hieroglyphics of any sort, as well could be produced were one to shut up his eyes and play off the most antic movements with his pen upon paper. The only thing that bore the slightest resemblance to the letter of any language that I had ever seen, was two uprights marked joined by a horizontal line, that might have been taken for the Hebrew character |-​|” (1.22 John A. Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts). Whether this was the same document seen by Anthon is unknown. Orsamus Turner offered another description: “Harris exhibited to an informant of the author, the manuscript’s title page. On it were drawn, rudely and bunglingly, concentric circles, between above and below which were characters, with little resemblance to letters; apparently a miserable imitation of hieroglyphics the writer may somewhere have seen” (2.11 Orsamus Turner, “GOLD BIBLE—​MORMONISM,” 1851, Extract). 9. Arrington, “James Gordon Bennett’s Report,” 354, 355. 10. In discussing this difference between the two recitals, Vogel concludes that “the 1838 account placed the words from Isaiah: ‘I cannot read a sealed book’ into Anthon’s mouth” to make it conform with the prophecy (Vogel, The Making of a Prophet, 115–​16). 11. Kimball, “The Anthon Transcript,” 326. 12. Summit County Beacon, Akron, Ohio, November 18, 1885.

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13. JSP, J1:414–​15; Jessee, Papers of Joseph Smith, Journal, 555. On the Spaulding theory, see 2.11 Orsamus Turner, “GOLD BIBLE—​MORMONISM,” 1851, Extract. 14. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 269–​70. 15. This is consistent with Joseph Smith’s 1832 history, which states that Harris took copies of the characters with him to New York City but says nothing about Harris taking a translation. To the contrary, the 1832 history indicates that Joseph did not commence translating until after Harris’s return (JSP, H1:15). 16. See the introduction to this chapter. 17. Clark, Gleanings by the Way, 232. On Clark, see 1.22 John A. Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts, Editorial Note. 18. Anthon had apparently forgotten about the letter he wrote to Howe seven years earlier. 19. The claim that Joseph had already translated several pages of the Book of Mormon runs contrary to Anthon’s 1834 letter to Howe as well as to Joseph’s 1832 history. Although Joseph Knight (1.17 Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History, 1833–​1847, Extract) said that Emma Smith and her brother acted as scribes for Joseph during the winter of 1827–​1828, he did not specify—​and likely did not know—​whether that was before or after (or both) Harris’s meetings with the scholars. Nor did Emma herself mention specific dates (6.5 Emma Smith Bidamon’s Account, February 1879, Extract). It is also worth noting that Anthon did not claim that Harris had brought any of the translated text with him. 20. This claim directly contradicts Anthon’s telling Howe that he “declined giving” Harris “an opinion from me in writing,” and at least partially supports Harris’s statement that Anthon gave him a written opinion but later tore it up. 21. Harris could have taken this to mean that although the characters were genuine, Anthon could not interpret them, which would have made perfect sense if Harris further believed divine inspiration was necessary to do so. In any case, given the controversy that followed, there is little doubt that whatever Anthon said in his written statement, both he and Harris had motivation to recount the contents in a way that would cast each of them in the most favorable light possible. 22. Jennings, “The Man Behind the Letters,” 166. Erin B. Jennings discovered this letter and published it in 2012. 23. Anthon had taken a considerably milder tone when he said in his 1841 letter to Coit that the “paper appeared to be merely an imitation of various alphabetical characters.” 24. JSP, H1:597. 25. Anderson, Book of Mormon Witnesses, 5. Such a statement must be viewed cautiously because neither Harris nor members of the Smith family said exactly when Harris first became a supporter, while Joseph Knight and some members of his family definitely did so by the fall of 1826. 26. JSP, H1:596; Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 486–​70. 27. Although assumed by Harris to be a man, H. B. Emerson was actually Hanna B. Emerson (Anderson, Investigating the Witnesses, 176n13). 28. Dan Vogel offers a crucial insight into this statement: “At first, it may appear that Harris here supports the claim in Joseph Smith’s 1839 History that Anthon was shown, in addition to the Book of Mormon characters, a translation of them, which Anthon denied. . . . However, Harris apparently uses the term ‘translation’ in the sense of ‘transcription.’ This is made clear when he begins by stating that the ‘translation’ that he had taken to Anthon ‘was copied from these same plates’ ” (Vogel, EMD, 2:336n2).

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29. A reprint of part of this article a few days later identified the informant as Martin Harris. See 11.17 Article in The Gem, September 5, 1829. 30. This statement was quite accurate: printing of the Book of Mormon began in late August or early September. 31.  From BYU Library Digital Collections, http://​contentdm.lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​ compoundobject/​collection/​B OMP/​id/​176/​rec/​1. 32. JSP, H1:617. 33. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 273. See the introduction to this chapter for more information. 34. Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 917. 35. JSP, H1:617–​18. 36. As the editors of the Joseph Smith Papers state, “The origin of the Harris account quoted here is unknown. In none of the earlier accounts of this episode was there an indication that Harris took a copy of [ Joseph Smith’s] translation of the characters to Anthon or Mitchill” (JSP, H1:245n75). Moreover, Anthon denied that Harris had a translation, and Joseph’s 1832 history says nothing about Harris taking a translation with him and strongly indicates that Joseph did not commence his translation until after Harris returned (1.2 Joseph Smith, History, ca. Summer 1832). Statements from Lucy Mack Smith, Pomeroy Tucker, and others that appear to confirm this claim are much more likely using Joseph’s official history as their source, resulting in a circular argument for anyone citing them as support for Harris. The key detail that Harris “presented the Characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor [Anthon]” thus stands uncorroborated. 37. As noted, Anthon acknowledged in his 1841 letter to Coit that he gave Harris a written statement of some sort. Harris may have misreported Anthon’s claim that the characters were transcribed correctly by saying they were translated correctly. 38. In the Mormon culture, this declaration attributed to Anthon has been understood to be a dramatic fulfillment of Isaiah 27:11—​“And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed.” Joseph Smith had recognized this connection when he wrote in his 1832 history that Harris “took his Journy to the Eastern Cittys and to the Learned read this I pray thee and the learned said I cannot” (1.2 Joseph Smith, History, ca. Summer 1832). However, Joseph’s 1832 history remained virtually unknown for more than 130 years while the version featured here was widely published before being canonized in 1880. On a related note, a section of the Book of Mormon likely translated by Joseph in June of 1829 bears close similarities to Isaiah 29, with the passage in question reading as follows: “But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book, Take these words which are not sealed, and deliver them to another, that he may shew them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say, Bring hither the book, and I will read them: and now, because of the glory of the world, and to get gain, will they say this, and not for the glory of God. And the man shall say, I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed. Then shall the learned say, I cannot read it” (Book of Mormon, 1830 edition, p. 111 [2 Nephi 27:15–​18]). 39. Black and Porter, “Rest Assured,” 31n1. 40. Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel records at Ancestry.com. 41. Black and Porter, “Rest Assured,” 32. 42. Diary of David B. Dille, 1886, CHL.

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43.  In this retelling, Harris apparently takes care to say transcript and says nothing of a translation. 44. “This fact is important because there were no witnesses to the event from which we might glean more information” (Kimball, “The Anthon Transcript,” 332). 45. In his 1834 and 1841 letters, Anthon described the document as containing Greek, Hebrew, and Roman letters. 46. “Harris’s document was surreptitiously copied by his future son-​in-​law Flanders Dyke in 1828 at the behest of Lucy Harris. It is unknown how many copies could have been made from Dyke’s transcription” (MacKay, Dirkmaat, and Jensen, “The ‘Caractors’ Document,” 136). 47. Black and Porter, “Rest Assured,” 35. 48. Background information from Early Mormon Missionaries, https://​history.lds.org/​missionary/​individual/​thomas-​colburn-​1801?lang=eng. 49. Tucker mistakenly believed that Martin Harris visited Charles Anthon after receiving permission from Joseph to take the 116 pages to the Palmyra area to show to family members. As noted, however, Harris saw Anthon and others in February of 1828, before Joseph and Martin produced the 116 pages (from April to June of 1828). 50. Tucker’s book thus became the first source to mention Bradish and the only one to mention Bradish, Mitchill, and Anthon. Luther Bradish (1783–​1863), “diplomat, statesman, and student of languages,” traveled to the West Indies, South America, and Great Britain as a young man, served in the War of 1812, and “during the years 1820–​26 . . . was sent by John Quincy Adams, U.S. Secretary of State, to Asia as a semi-​official agent on a special mission to the Sublime Porte in Constantinople concerning an American trade treaty with the Ottoman Empire.” After his return to the United Sates, Bradish was elected to the New York state assembly, serving from 1827 to 1830 (Kimball, “The Anthon Transcript,” 328–​29). The other reference to Bradish came from John H. Gilbert, who wrote: “Sometime in 1828, Martin Harris, who had been furnished by someone with what he said was a fac-​simile of the hyroglyphics of one of the plates, started for New York. On his way he stopped at Albany and called on Lt. Gov. Bradish,—​with what success I do not know. He proceeded to New York, and called on Prof. C. Anthon, made known his business and presented his hyroglyphics” (11.7 John H. Gilbert’s Account, 1892). 51. Tucker apparently based this conclusion solely on Anthon’s 1834 letter, not from anything Martin Harris reported. 52. When David Whitmer displayed his “Caractors” document for a newspaper reporter from the Omaha Herald in 1886, the reporter wrote that Martin Harris “was dispatched to New York with this copy of the gold plate, which he presented to Prof. Anthon with a request for the learned linguist to read it, in fulfillment of a prophecy of Isaiah, which is here literally applied and which reads: ‘And the word of the Lord has become unto them as the leaves of a book which are sealed, and which is delivered unto him that is learned, saying: read this, I pray thee, and he saith, I cannot for it is sealed,’ etc.” (Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 198–​99). Whitmer mentioned the same prophecy to others but did not claim that Anthon said he could not read a sealed book. In 1887, while once again referencing ­chapter 29 of Isaiah, David Whitmer wrote that when Martin Harris presented the Book of Mormon characters to Professor Anthon, “the learned professor, although a great linguist could not read the language of the Nephites” (Whitmer, Address to All Believers, 11).

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53. Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 1192; LDS Church History websites, https://​history.lds.org/​missionary/​individual/​edward-​stevenson-​1820?lang=eng, and https://​ history.lds.org/​overlandtravel/​companies/​291/​edward-​stevenson-​company. 54.  Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com; Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel records at Ancestry.com; Metcalf, Ten Years Before the Mast, 43–​69; Vogel, EMD, 2:346. 55. Metcalf ’s brief report does not provide enough detail to determine if Harris said that he took a translation from Joseph that Anthon approved, or if Harris said translated when he meant transcribed, as with his letter to Emerson (3.4 Martin Harris’s Letter to H. B. Emerson, November 23, 1870). Chapter 4 1. Van Wagoner and Walker, “ ‘The Gift of Seeing,’ ” 87. 2. Lancaster, “The Translation of the Book of Mormon,” 97. 3. 1.11 Joseph Smith, “Church History,” March 1, 1842, Extract. 4. Lancaster, “The Translation of the Book of Mormon,” 110, bracketed explanation added. In discussing the translation of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith is not known to have mentioned his seer stone. For valuable insights into the translation process, see Spencer, “Seers and Stones.” 5. William Smith Interview with J. W. Peterson and W. S. Pender, 1890, Vogel EMD, 1:508. 6. Emma Smith wrote, “Now the first that my translated, [the book] was translated by the use of the Urim and Thummim, and that was the part that Martin Harris lost, after that he used a small stone, not exactly, black, but was rather a dark color” (letter, Emma Smith Bidamon to Emma Pilgrim, March 27, 1870, Vogel, EMD, 1:532). As noted, Martin Harris clarified that both the Urim and Thummim and the seer stone were used during his work with Joseph in the spring of 1828. 7. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 14. Charles Anthon, John A. Clark, and Pomeroy Tucker also mentioned a curtain or screen (3.1 Charles Anthon’s Letter to E. D. Howe, February 17, 1834; 1.22 John A.  Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts; and Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism, 36). 8. See ­chapter 7 for a further discussion of Joseph’s apparently reading words while using the seer stone. 9. Cook, “James Arlington Bennet and the Mormons,” 247. 10. JSP, J3:127n568. 11. The Joseph Smith Papers transcription of this letter, which differs only slightly from the version printed here, can be found at http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​letter-​ to-​james-​arlington-​bennet-​13-​november-​1843/​2. 12. This was one of the earliest references to “reformed Egyptian,” first mentioned in the Book of Mormon, published just eight months before. See the introduction to c­ hapter 3. 13. Apparently a reference to Oliver Cowdery, who sometimes used the initials “H. P.” He was still single at the time and did not marry Elizabeth Whitmer until December 18, 1832. 14.  BYU Harold B.  Lee Library Digital Collections, http://​contentdm.lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​ compoundobject/​collection/​B OMP/​id/​205/​rec/​1. 15.  JSP, D2:450; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com; 1850 US Federal Census, Mantua, Portage County, Ohio. 16. Northern Ohio Journal, Painesville, January 25, 1873.

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17. Neither Joseph nor Harris mentioned this incident. 18. JSP, D2:78, 84n74. 19. Porter, “A Study of the Origins,” 46–​47. 20. Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 21. Vogel, EMD, 4:325, 327. 22. Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 821. 23. Alva Hale headstone, Prairie Repose Cemetery, Amboy, Illinois. 24. Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 25. Peter Ingersoll confirmed this detail. See 2.6 Peter Ingersoll’s Testimony, December 2, 1833, Extract. 26. 1800, 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 US Federal Census records; Joseph Smith Papers biography of Mathew Livingston Davis, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​person/​matthew-​livingston-​ davis; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com; BYU Religious Studies Center website, https://​ rsc.byu.edu/​archived/​words-​joseph-​smith-​contemporary-​accounts-​nauvoo-​discourses-​prophet-​ joseph/​1840/​5-​february. 27.  Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com; Find A  Grave website, https://​www.findagrave. com/​memorial/​44357277/​george-​peck. 28. Wilson and Fiske, eds., Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 4:694. 29. This is not true because Josiah Stowell, William Smith, Joseph Smith Sr., Lucy Mack Smith, and Katharine Smith all reportedly handled the plates when Joseph first brought them to the Smith house in Manchester in September of 1827. 30.  Biographical Dictionary of Iowa, University of Iowa, http://​uipress.lib.uiowa.edu/​bdi/​ DetailsPage.aspx?id=33. 31.  Find a Grave website, https://​www.findagrave.com/​memorial/​107284687/​michael-​ bartlett-​morse; Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 822. 32. Blair may have mistakenly included the name of John Whitmer on his own initiative—​ although Whitmer assisted with the translation at the Whitmer home in Fayette Township, New York, he is not known to have ever been present at the Harmony translation—​or even to have met Joseph Smith by that time. 33. The seer stone was so important to Joseph—​and he was so familiar with it—​that one must wonder if he really could have been fooled in this manner. With his sharp sense of humor, Joseph may have simply been going along with Harris’s charade. Chapter 5 1. Taylor, “Context of Joseph Smith’s Treasure Seeking,” 144–​45. 2. For the version of the preface in the Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, see the Joseph Smith Papers website, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​printers-​ manuscript-​of-​the-​book-​of-​mormon-​circa-​august-​1829-​circa-​january-​1830/​1. 3. JSP, D1:93; background from JSP, D1:92–​93, 93n359, 93n360. 4. On the Book of Lehi, see https://​rsc.byu.edu/​archived/​coming-​forth-​book-​mormon/​lost-​ 116-​pages-​story-​what-​we-​do-​know-​what-​we-​don-​t-​know-​and-​what, and https://​gregkofford. com/​products/​the-​lost-​116-​pages. 5. See 6.2 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract. 6. See 6.2 Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extract.

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7.  1860, 1870, and 1880 US Federal Census records, Arcadia, Wayne County, New  York; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com; public member photos and scanned documents at Ancestry.com. 8.  Charles Anthon, among others, confirmed that as early as February of 1828, Harris was making plans to finance the printing of the Book of Mormon (3.1 Charles Anthon’s Letter to E. D. Howe, February 17, 1834). 9. Of course, Harris took the manuscript back to Palmyra in June of 1828 and lost it within weeks. 10. Whitmer did not meet Joseph or Harris until June of 1829; he thus could have obtained this information from either or both of them. 11. See also 1.22 John A. Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts. 12. See volume 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of the Joseph Smith Papers (JSP, R2) for photographic facsimiles of the Book of Commandments (1833) and the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (1835). See the facsimile edition of Manuscript Revelation Books of the Joseph Smith Papers (JSP, MRB) for photographic facsimiles and detailed, color-​coded transcriptions of the original documents in Revelation Book 1 and Revelation Book 2; see volume 1 of the Revelations and Translations series of the Joseph Smith Papers (JSP, R1) for detailed, color-​ coded transcriptions of the original documents in Revelation Book 1 and Revelation Book 2. 13. JSP, D1:6, 6n21, 9. Chapter 6 1. See also Robinson Account Book, 1828, Vogel, EMD, 3:438–​39. 2. See Staker and Jensen, “David Hale’s Store Ledger.” 3. Cited in Haydon, Upstate Travels, 50. 4. The store ledger kept by David Hale, Emma Smith’s older brother, shows that Joseph was indeed busy providing for himself and Emma through the fall and winter, involved in such labor as digging and constructing a well, drawing hay, and husking corn. (See Staker and Jensen, “David Hale’s Store Ledger.”) 5. Joseph Knight wrote that Joseph Sr. and Samuel stopped at his house in January and spent the night and that he took them by sleigh to Harmony the next day. This specific mention of January and Joseph Smith’s mention of February indicate that Joseph Sr. and Samuel reached Colesville on January 31, 1829. 6. This is another instance of Lucy apparently confusing the chronology of events. Neither of Joseph’s histories say anything September 22. The 1832 history is quite vague about how much time passed before the plates were returned:  “wherefore the Plates was taken from me by the power of God and I was not able to obtain them for a season and it came to pass after much humility and affliction of Soul I obtained them again” (5.2 Joseph Smith, History, ca. Summer 1832). Joseph’s official history indicates the plates were returned in July: “After I had obtained the above revelation [5.8 Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3]], both the plates, and the Urim and Thummin were taken from me again, but in a few days they were returned to me” (5.3 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract). In addition, as Dan Vogel mentions, “Circumstantial evidence indicates that Lucy returned to Manchester in early September” (Vogel, EMD, 5:411). 7. A local physician, Dr. Robinson, visited the sick family members on September 11 and billed Joseph Sr. for medicine given to Samuel, who went by “Harrison” (Robinson Account Book, Vogel, EMD, 3:439). Lucy’s Preliminary Manuscript notes that Joseph’s older sister, Sophronia,

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“lay very sick for 2 months in which time she was dreadfully salivated by the Dr. who attended her.” This was a medical treatment that used mercury to produce an abnormal flow of saliva (Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 431, 431n194). 8. Lyman Cowdery, one of Oliver Cowdery’s older brothers, was born on March 12, 1802, in Wells, Vermont. 9. Oliver Cowdery was born October 3, 1806, in Wells, Vermont. He and Lucy Mack Smith were third cousins, but there is no indication that either of them was aware of that connection. Oliver’s father, William, was a literate man who apparently emphasized his children’s education. Vermont records show that Oliver attended school regularly during the early 1820s. See Morris, “Cowdery’s Vermont Years and the Origins of Mormonism.” Oliver’s whereabouts during the mid-​1820s have become a matter of controversy. Cowdrey, Davis, and Vanick (Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon?, 1237–​82) speculate that Oliver arrived in New York around 1822, became involved in the printing business, conspired with Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to produce the Book of Mormon, and even served as a scribe to William Morgan, a former Mason who threatened to reveal Masonic secrets and was apparently murdered as a result. There are no documents from the 1820s supporting such claims, however, only late reminiscences. See Matthew Roper’s detailed response in “The Mythical ‘Manuscript Found.’ ” On the other hand, David Persuitte (Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon) argues that Oliver stayed in Poultney, Vermont, until 1825—​long enough to become friends with Poultney minister Ethan Smith, obtain a copy of his book View of the Hebrews and a hypothetical, unpublished romance also written by Ethan Smith, and deliver both to Joseph Smith (who supposedly used them to produce the Book of Mormon). See Morris, “Oliver Cowdery’s Vermont Years,” 118–​21, for a discussion of these claims. 10. Lyman Cowdery had apparently accepted a county position as a lawyer, as explained later in this document. 11. Based on their examination of Manchester school records, Richard L. Anderson and Scott Faulring concluded that Oliver started teaching sometime in October 1828. Anderson and Faulring, Documentary History of Oliver Cowdery, forthcoming. 12.  See 6.6 David Whitmer Interview, Kansas City Journal, June 5, 1881, Extract, for David Whitmer’s explanation of how he and Oliver both heard about Joseph Smith’s obtaining gold plates and decided to investigate. 13. It is likely but not certain that Joseph Sr. decided to tell Cowdery more about the plates after a February 1829 revelation directed specifically to him said, “if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work” (6.8 Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4]). 14.  No record of Oliver describing this experience himself has been found. According to Joseph Smith, the “Lord appeared unto a young man by the name of Oliver Cowdry and shewed unto him the plates in a vision and also the truth of the work” (1.2 Joseph Smith, History, ca. Summer 1832). 15. See 7.9 Revelation, April 1829 [D&C 6]. 16.  Although the Smith family had made payments on the property with hopes of eventually buying it, they never did hold the deed. When they were unable to keep up their payments, Lemuel Durfee Sr. had purchased the property on December 20, 1825, and had allowed the Smiths to occupy it, paying much of their rent through labor. The lease ended three years after the purchase, on December 20, 1828, but the Smiths continued to live in the two-​story frame home that Alvin Smith had helped construct before his death in 1823. By March of 1829, however, new tenants were ready to move into the frame home, and Lucy was worried about moving everyone

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back into the log cabin now occupied by Hyrum and his family. A Palmyra resident described the cabin as a “small, one-​story, smoky log-​house,” explaining that it was “divided into two rooms, on the ground-​floor, and had a low garret, in two apartments” and that a bedroom wing constructed of sawed logs was later added (Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress, 13). The cabin, barely capable of housing one family, was about to house Joseph and Lucy and their four children and Oliver, as well as Hyrum and his wife, Jerusha, and their eighteen-​month-​old daughter, Lovina, with another child just months away. 17. See Porter, “A Study of the Origins,” 36–​37, for the details of the loss of the Manchester property. 18. At this point in the narrative, Lucy’s history devotes a few paragraphs to the first meeting between Joseph and Oliver and their subsequent concern about the ordinance of baptism (discussed in ­chapter 7). 19. Lucy is mistaken about Samuel returning from Harmony in August because Joseph and Oliver themselves left Harmony around the first of June to complete the translation at the Whitmer home in Fayette Township, New York. By August Joseph and Oliver were in Manchester preparing for the Book of Mormon to be printed. Samuel therefore had no reason to remain in Harmony that long. 20. Although Martin’s wife, Lucy, had originally offered to help finance the work of translation, she had quickly grown hostile to her husband’s involvement. Now she stepped up her opposition after learning that Martin had made plans to visit Joseph and Emma in Harmony. 21. Because Lucy mistakenly claimed that Samuel returned from Harmony in August, she subsequently infers that the hearing in Lyons occurred in the late summer or autumn of 1829. Martin Harris, however, specifically stated that he was threatened with jail time in March. (See 6.3 Martin Harris Testimony, 1870.) 22. Lucy thus implies that Lyman Cowdery, who eventually became a probate judge in Ontario County, may have already started practicing law in the area and held an official position. His accepting such a station could explain why he was unable to fulfill the teaching assignment he had applied for and initially accepted in the autumn of 1828. Oliver would have been well aware of this sequence of events, but whether he attended the hearing—​or whether he talked to Lyman about the case—​is unknown. The historical record is also silent on whether Oliver met Martin Harris at this time. 23. Lucy Mack Smith’s close interaction with Hyrum and his wife, Jerusha, indicates that she and the others members of the Joseph Sr. family had already moved into the log cabin by the time the March hearing took place. 24.  This witness may have been Peter Ingersoll, a Manchester neighbor hired by Joseph in August 1827 to take him and Emma to Harmony to move Emma’s furniture back to Manchester. In an affidavit given to E. D. Howe in 1833, Ingersoll said Joseph “made me his confident and told me what daily transpired in the family of Smiths. One day he came, and greeted me with a joyful countenance.—​Upon asking the cause of his unusual happiness, he replied in the following language: ‘As I was passing, yesterday, across the woods, after a heavy shower of rain, I found, in a hollow, some beautiful white sand, that had been washed up by the water. I took off my frock, and tied up several quarts of it, and then went home. On my entering the house, I found the family at the table eating dinner. They were all anxious to know the contents of my frock. At that moment, I happened to think of what I had heard about a history found in Canada, called the golden Bible; so I very gravely told them it was the golden Bible. To my surprise, they were credulous enough

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to believe what I said. Accordingly I told them that I had received a commandment to let no one see it, for, says I, no man can see it with the naked eye and live. However, I offered to take out the book and show it to them, but they refuse to see it, and left the room.’ Now, said Jo, ‘I have got the damned fools fixed, and will carry out the fun.’ Notwithstanding, he told me he had no such book, and believed there never was any such book, yet, he told me that he actually went to Willard Chase, to get him to make a chest, in which he might deposit his golden Bible. But, as Chase would not do it, he made a box himself, of clap-​boards, and put it into a pillow case, and allowed people only to lift it, and feel of it through the case’ ” (2.6 Peter Ingersoll’s Testimony, December 2, 1833, Extract). Members of the Smith family, however, offered quite different accounts. (See, for example, 2.16 William Smith’s Testimony, 1884, Extract, and 2.24 Katharine Smith Salisbury’s Letter to “Dear Sisters,” March 10, 1886.) 25.  Lucy’s detailed account of the hearing, which she got second-​hand from an unnamed source, is consistent with Martin Harris’s much more succinct statement that “in March the People Rose up & united against the Work gathering testimony against the Plates & Said they had testimony enough & if I did not Put Joseph in Jail & his father For Deception, they Would me” (6.3 Martin Harris Testimony, September 4, 1870). In addition, Pomeroy Tucker confirmed that Peter Ingersoll “declared under oath, that ‘Smith told him the whole story was a hoax’ ” (Tucker, Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism, 128). 26. A number of researchers, including the current editor, have searched Lyons records unsuccessfully for any trace of this March 1828 hearing involving Martin Harris. Of course, the magistrate’s tearing up the court record is one possible reason why no record has been found. 27. While Lucy Mack Smith did not mention accusations made against Joseph Sr. at the hearing, the mysterious man by the name of Rogers, who accompanied Martin Harris to Harmony shortly after the hearing, reported that Joseph Sr. was part of the conspiracy to defraud Martin. (See 6.5 Letter, William S. Sayre to James T. Cobb, August 31, 1878.) 28. Black and Porter write, “We believe that Martin is essentially saying that he went 25 miles from Palmyra southeast to Waterloo, Seneca County, which is the correct distance and direction, and then from Waterloo to Harmony, Pennsylvania, which is close to 100 miles more or a total of 125 miles traveled overall” (Black and Porter, “Rest Assured,” 27n93). 29.  As Dan Vogel points out, the identity of Rogers remains a mystery (EMD, 2:332n4). Whoever he was, Rogers hoped to prove the story of gold plates a hoax, but he presumably returned to Palmyra without any further evidence in favor or against the reality of the plates. 30. In his 1859 interview with Joel Tiffany, Martin said that his wife and daughter visited the Smith home and that “when they came home, I questioned them about them [the plates]. My daughter said, they were about as much as she could lift. They were now in the glass-​box, and my wife said they were very heavy. They both lifted them” (2.13 Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859). 31.  The document abruptly ends at this point, indicating that part of the original has been lost. 32. Vogel, EMD, 4:143. 33. Dan Vogel speculates rather convincingly that Sayre remembered the name “Richards,” when Martin’s companion was actually named “Rogers,” and that Sayre then reversed the identities of Harris and “Richards” (Vogel, EMD, 4:145n8). 34. Despite Sayre’s difficulty remembering names, several of his details about the translation of the Book of Mormon are corroborated by other sources.

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35. If this claim by Sayre is true, this would make him the first known outsider to hear passages from the Book of Mormon recited. 36. If Rogers viewed Martin Harris as an eccentric, he was hardly alone. Several others reached a similar conclusion. 37. Martin Harris also mentioned Joseph Smith Sr., saying, “If I did not Put Joseph in Jail & his father For Deception, they Would me” (6.4 Martin Harris Testimony, September 4, 1870). 38.  Rogers was thus echoing the main charge Lucy Harris had reportedly made at the hearing: that Joseph was trying to defraud Martin. 39.  The Saints’ Herald, October 1, 1870, 290. Emma had married Lewis C.  Bidamon in December 1847, three and a half years after Joseph’s martyrdom in Carthage, Illinois. 40. David Whitmer, among others, offered a similar account, with even more detail: “[ Joseph] did not use the plates in the translation, but would hold the interpreters to his eyes and cover his face with a hat, excluding all light, and before his eyes would appear what seemed to be a parchment, on which would appear the characters of the plates in a line at the top, and immediately below would appear the translation in English, which Smith would read to his scribe, who wrote it down exactly as it fell from his lips” (8.2 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 5, 1881, Extract). Joseph himself, however, never confirmed such method of translation. 41. Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, xxii. 42. Whitmer does not say what month in 1828 he met Cowdery, but the latter is known to have been in the area as early as August 11 because he and his brother Lyman signed a note for twenty-​two dollars to Lyons grocer David Adams on that day (MS, Hugh Jameson Docket Book [ January 1, 1828–​July 21, 1829], 309, source courtesy of Richard L. Anderson and Scott Faulring). 43.  In his 1859 interview with Joel Tiffany, Martin Harris made a similar statement:  “The money-​diggers claimed that they had as much right to the plates as Joseph had, as they were in company together. They claimed that Joseph had been traitor, and had appropriated to himself that which belonged to them” (4.3 Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859). See the introduction to ­chapter 1 for Joseph Smith’s use of a seer stone in treasure-​seeking activities. 44.  In his June 19, 1881, letter to the editor of the Kansas City Journal, David Whitmer corrected this word to read place (Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 71). 45.  Cowdery departed Manchester for Harmony around the end of March 1829, after the school term had ended. He possibly stopped in Lyons on March 31 to make a payment on a debt he and Lyman owed to David Adams, and he definitely arrived in Harmony on April 5. By this timetable, Oliver likely stopped at the Whitmer home in Fayette Township on April 1, where Cowdery saw his future wife, David’s younger sister Elizabeth, for the first time. 46.  Whitmer and Cowdery continued to correspond during April and May of 1829 while Joseph and Cowdery worked on the translation. (See 7.6 Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer, June 1, 1881, Extract.) 47. Briggs, “Visit to Nauvoo,” 446. 48. Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 1001. Three years later, however, after consulting with his mother and with former Nauvoo state president William Marks, Joseph III did feel such a call, and in April of 1860, he and Emma traveled to Amboy, Illinois. “I come not here of my self, but by the influence of the spirit,” Joseph III said at a conference held the day they arrived. “For some time past I have received manifestations pointing to the position which I am about to take. . . . I have come in obedience to a power not my own, and shall be dictated by

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the power that sent me.” The next day, April 6, Joseph III was ordained prophet-​president of the RLDS Church by William Marks, Zenas Gurley, Samuel Powers, and William W. Blair (Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 270–​71). 49. Briggs, “Visit to Nauvoo,” 454. 50. See JSP, R2 for photographic facsimiles of the Book of Commandments (1833) and the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (1835). See JSP, MRB for photographic facsimiles and detailed, color-​coded transcriptions of the original documents in Revelation Book 1 and Revelation Book 2; see JSP, R1 for detailed, color-​coded transcriptions of the original documents in Revelation Book 1 and Revelation Book 2. 51. JSP, R1:11. 52. The Partridge version has “his store” rather than “in store”; this section is missing from the Whitmer version. 53. The Partridge version has “constitutes” rather than “qualifies”; this section is missing from the Whitmer version. 54. JSP, D1:13–​16. 55. Whether this desire for a witness had anything to do with Rogers’s hoping to catch Joseph in a lie is not clear. 56. The 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (32:1) replaced “things” with “plates.” 57. This is the first mention of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon—​Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris. See c­ hapter 9. In the text of the Book of Mormon that Joseph Smith and Cowdery produced from April to June 1829, there are two additional mentions of the Three Witnesses—​one in 2 Nephi 27:12 and one in Ether 5:2–​4. 58. Martin Harris. 59. Martin indeed became one of the Three Witnesses. Interestingly, as of March 1829, Joseph Smith had not yet met either Oliver Cowdery or David Whitmer. 60. Martin clearly took this scripture to heart. “Here we inquired of Mr. Harris,” reported Joel Tiffany. “How did the Lord show you these things!” He replied, “I am forbidden to say anything how the Lord showed them to me, except that by the power of God I have seen them” (2.13 Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859). 61. Emma and her brother Reuben Hale and Samuel Smith had all possibly acted as scribe for Joseph in recent months, and, given William Sayre’s account of Martin enthusiastically repeating passages from the Book of Mormon dictated by Joseph, Martin himself likely assisted with the translation after he arrived in mid-​March. Chapter 7 1.  Lucy Mack Smith’s memoir states that Samuel “Harrison” Smith traveled with Cowdery, but David Hale’s Harmony store ledger makes it clear that Samuel had remained in the area after arriving with Joseph Sr. in late January or early February. “Harrison stayed at Joseph’s through spring planting and helped Joseph get the work done on the property so he could focus on translating the record. . . . [David Hale’s] ledger confirms that Harrison Smith stayed in Harmony and helped Joseph finally get out of debt to his brother-​in-​law. On March 20, Joseph spent half a day chopping trees for 25 cents while his brother worked for a day and a half for 81 cents” (Staker and Jensen, “David Hale’s Store Ledger,” 39). 2. See JSP, D1:28–​34.

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3. Morris, “Conversion of Oliver Cowdery,” 32–​37. 4. Skousen, “Oliver Cowdery as Book of Mormon Scribe,” 54–​55. 5. Skousen, “Translating the Book of Mormon,” 67–​85. 6. Welch, “Miraculous Translation,” 77–​117; Toone, “Timeline of Joseph Smith’s Translation.” 7. A footnote in the original reads as follows: “I will hereafter give you a full history of the rise of this church, up to the time stated in my introduction; which will necessarily embrace the life and character of this brother. I shall therefore leave the history of baptism, &c. till its proper place.” 8.  This blank space was later filled in with “twenty fifth,” which was apparently written by Thomas Bullock, who began clerking for Joseph Smith on June 16, 1844 (eleven days before Joseph’s death), and was Willard Richards’s chief scribe for Joseph Smith’s history in 1845 (JSP, H1:299n107). 9. As discussed in the introduction to this chapter, the best evidence indicates that Samuel was already in Harmony when Cowdery departed. 10. CHL catalog. 11. Hartley, Stand By My Servant Joseph, 400. 12.  JSP, H1:604; Hartley, Stand By My Servant Joseph, 458–​72; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 13.  Joseph Smith is not known to have done any translation in the Palmyra/​Manchester area. Tucker has likely confused a treasure-​seeking site with a translation site. See 2.17 William H. Kelley’s Interview with Lorenzo Saunders, 1884, Extract, and Rossell, “Gold Plates Caves and the Fabrication of the Fabulous.” 14.  Early Mormon Missionaries, https://​history.lds.org/​missionary/​individual/​samuel-​ whitney-​richards-​1824?lang=eng; Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 15. The mention of “translators” is apparently a reference to the spectacles of the Urim and Thummim. Joseph Smith is not known to have used the spectacles in the presence of Cowdery or any other scribe. 16. JSP, D1:38n79. See Skousen, Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, vi, 5–​6, 13–​16, for a discussion of the extant portions of the original manuscript and the scribes involved. As for the order in which the various sections of the Book of Mormon were translated, see Welch, Opening the Heavens, 77–​117. 17.  The Printer’s Manuscript is available at http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​ summary/​printers-​manuscript-​of-​the-​book-​of-​mormon-​circa-​august-​1829-​circa-​january-​1830/​1. 18.  Orson Pratt/​Joseph F.  Smith Interview with David Whitmer, September 7–​8, 1878, in Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 26. 19. JSP, D1:38. 20. JSP, D1:39. 21.  See Parkin, “A Preliminary Analysis of the Dating of Section 10,” 68–​84, and Watson, “Approximate Book of Mormon Translation Timeline.” 22. The first five verses are more closely linked to events of 1828 while the remainder of the revelation fits an 1829 context. 23. The extant portion of this text in Revelation Book 1 begins here, with the word Shall (JSP, R1:12). 24.  John Whitmer’s introduction in Revelation Book 1 reads as follows:  “A Revelation to Joseph & Oliver concerning John the Beloved Deciple who leaned on his Saveiours breast given

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in Harmony Susquehannah County Pennsylvania,” with “April 1829” added by Oliver Cowdery (JSP, MRB:16–​17). 25. In Revelation Book 1, John Whitmer originally wrote, “the gift of working with the sprout,” which Sidney Rigdon changed to “the gift of working with the rod” (JSP, R1:15). A subsequent change was made in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (34:3), which reads, “the gift of Aaron,” a change retained in the 1981 LDS version (8:6). 26. In Revelation Book 1, John Whitmer originally wrote, “that can cause this rod of Nature, to work in your hands,” which Sidney Rigdon changed to “that can cause this rod to work in your hands” (JSP, R1:15). The editors of the Book of Commandments replaced Whitmer’s wording—​ “that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands.” A subsequent change was made in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (34:3), which reads, “that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you” (34:3), a change retained in the 1981 LDS version (8:7). 27. Richard Anderson and Scott Faulring write that Oliver Cowdery “probably attempted to use the Urim and Thummim, but we do not know whether he also used texts such as the ancient plates or a sheet of paper with Book of Mormon characters copied on it. It is possible that [Cowdery] used such a sheet, since JS was forbidden to show the plates unless the Lord commanded it.” (Anderson and Faulring, Documentary History of Oliver Cowdery, forthcoming.) 28. See Skousen, Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, 521; the 1830 Book of Mormon, 495; 3 Nephi 19:25–​28 of the 1981 LDS version; and the Printer’s Manuscript at http://​www. josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​printers-​manuscript-​of-​the-​book-​of-​mormon-​circa-​ august-​1829-​circa-​january-​1830/​1#full-​transcript. Chapter 8 1. Cited in Welch, Opening the Heavens, 165. 2. JSP, H1:590; Romig, “Elizabeth Ann Whitmer Cowdery”; Baugh, “Separated from Oliver in Death.” 3. David Whitmer made corrections to this part of the interview in a June 19, 1881, letter to the Kansas City Journal, and the featured text has been revised accordingly (Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 62, 71–​72). 4. In his June 19, 1881, letter to the Kansas City Journal, David Whitmer offered this explanation: “I did not wish to be understood as saying that those referred to as being present were all the time in the immediate presence of the translator, but were at the place and saw how the translation was conducted.” 5. David Whitmer made further corrections to this part of the interview in the June 19, 1881, letter to the Kansas City Journal and in a November 18, 1882, letter to S. T. Mouch, and the featured text has been revised accordingly (Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 62, 72, 72n8, 241–​42). 6. Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, xxiv. 7. This is similar to the account given by Truman Coe. See 1.20 Truman Coe’s Description of Mormonism, 1836, Extract. 8. Vogel, EMD, 4:94. 9. BYU Studies 12, no. 3 (1972), 306–​7. 10. Faulring, “Return of Oliver Cowdery,” 117. 11. Faulring, “Return of Oliver Cowdery,” 141.

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12. Anderson, “Reuben Miller,” 277. Among those present when Cowdery spoke were George A. Smith (1817–​75) and William M. Frampton (1831–​1906). “[Cowdery’s] testimony produced quite a sensation among the gentlemen present who did not belong to the church, and it was gratefully received by the Saints,” wrote Smith (letter, George A. Smith to Orson Pratt, October 31, 1848, cited in Anderson, “Reuben Miller,” 277). In a reminiscence penned almost fifty-​three years after the event, Frampton remembered: “Brother Cowdery looked upon the people for a short time without speaking, his manner caused deep attentionthen in a distinct and very impressive voice, said ‘My name is Cowdery, Oliver Cowdery, in an early day I was identified with this Church in her councils, I wrote the Book of Mormon, Spaulding did not write it, Sidney Rigdon did not write it, I wrote it (with the exception of a few pages) with this right hand, (extending his hand) as the inspired words fell from the lips of Joseph Smith, Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and his mission will prove a savior of life unto life or death unto this generation! I received the Pries[t]‌hood in connection with Joseph Smith from the hands of the Angel, I  conversed with the Angel as one man converses with another. He laid his hand on my head, and later with Joseph received the Melchisedeck Priesthood’ ” (letter, William M. Frampton to John E. Booth, September 15, 1901, typescript, CHL. 13. The “messenger who had the plates” would presumably be Moroni, although Whitmer did not say as much. Neither Joseph nor Cowdery made any mention of this incident. Moreover, Whitmer did not mention it in his own writings. Edward Stevenson, who also heard the story from Whitmer, gave contrary accounts, saying in 1887 that, according to Whitmer, Joseph Smith “said their visitor was one of the three Nephites to whom the Savior gave the promise of life on earth until He should come in power,” but reporting in 1889 that Joseph “said to the brethren that the mysterious stranger was Moroni with the plates of gold” (Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 216, 218). 14. JSP, D1:53. 15. Likely a scribal error, as noted by Anderson and Faulring, since subsequent language refers to “he” and “him.” 16. Anderson, “The Mature Joseph Smith and Treasure Seeking,” 525–​26. 17. “Letterbook 2,” p. 59, The Joseph Smith Papers, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​ summary/​letterbook-​2/​64. 18. Faulring, “Examination of the 1829 ‘Articles of the Church of Christ,’ ” 66–​67, 74. Chapter 9 1. More surprisingly, statements by Harris have also triggered controversy regarding the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon. See the introduction to ­chapter 10. 2. Vogel, EMD, 2:254–​55. 3. In an 1887 letter to Anthony Metcalf, David Whitmer wrote: “In regards to my testimony of the visitation of the angel . . . I have this to say: Of course we were in the spirit when we had the view, for no man can behold the face of an angel, except in a spiritual view, but we were in the body also, and everything was as natural to us, as it is at any time” (Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, 247). 4.  If gods and angels do not exist, one might ask the skeptic, what difference does it make whether Harris claimed to see with natural or spiritual eyes? Believers, on the other hand, whether Mormon or Christian of any stripe, might consider a different question:  Does attempting to

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minimize or negate Harris’s talk of spiritual eyes make sense in light of the manifestations described by both Paul and Joseph Smith? Apparently obliquely referring to himself, Paul wrote: “I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—​whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person—​whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows—​was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat” (2 Cor. 12:2–​4, NRSV). Echoing Paul, an entry in Joseph’s journal depicts an experience in the Kirtland Temple: “The heavens were opened upon us and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell,—​I saw the transcendant beauty of the gate that enters, through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto circling flames of fire, also the blasing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son,—​I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the apearance of being paved with gold—​I saw Father Adam, and Abraham, and Michael and my father and mother [who were still living], my brother Alvin that has long since slept” ( Joseph Smith, Journal, January 21, 1836, in Warren Parrish’s hand, JSP, J1:167–​68, later canonized as D&C 137:1–​5). 5. Underwood, “Joseph Smith’s Revelations,” 107. 6.  Tabor, “Do Historians of Religion Exclude the Supernatural?” Taking quite a different tack than Underwood or Tabor, Ann Taves argues, “we can study a central religious claim—​the claim that suprahuman entities guide the formation of new spiritual paths through a revelatory process—​historically” (Taves, Revelatory Events, xi–​xii). Taves draws so heavily on cognitive psychology and social science, however, that whether the result is “historical” is open to debate. See ­chapter 10 for a discussion of Taves’s treatment of the plates. 7.  The biblical accounts of Saul’s vision support the notion that Saul/​Paul’s experience was not objective:  the first report states that those with him “heard the voice but saw no one,” while the second says they “saw the light but did not hear the voice” (Acts 9:7, 22:9, respectively, NRSV). 8. Tabor, “Do Historians of Religion Exclude the Supernatural?” 9. Skousen, “Who Authored the Three-​Witness Statement?” 10. JSP, H1:321n129. 11. This version of the document has been punctuated and organized into discrete sentences; otherwise, it follows the printer’s copy quite closely. Likewise, the 1981 LDS version follows this version quite closely. 12. Faulring, “Return of Oliver Cowdery,” 119–​21. The trip to New Orleans turned out to be unnecessary because Snyder was released not long after Cowdery made the offer. 13.  William Mulder and A.  Russell Mortensen, Among the Mormons:  Historic Accounts by Contemporary Observers, 27. 14. BYU Harold B. Lee Library Digital Collections, Special Collections, https://​contentdm. lib.byu.edu/​digital/​search/​collection/​B OMP/​mode/​a ll/​searchterm/​Observer%20and%20 Telegraph. 15. BYU Harold B. Lee Library Digital Collections, Special Collections, http://​contentdm. lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​compoundobject/​collection/​B OMP/​id/​285/​rec/​3. 16. JSP, H2:357, 9. 17. See Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, 146–​49. 18. Evening and Morning Star, December 15, 1833, 228–​29. 19. Evening and Morning Star, December 15, 1833, 229.

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20.  This third-​hand, anonymous report from the so-​called professor of religion stands as a perfect example of Alan Taylor’s claim that the new elite of merchants, printers, lawyers, and especially ministers attacked the folk—​and biblical—​beliefs of people like Harris. (See the introduction to ­chapter 5.) 21. Whether the 1830, 1837, or 1840 edition of the Book of Mormon was used as the source is not clear because the text does not match any of them perfectly. 22. BYU Harold B. Lee Library Digital Collections, Special Collections, http://​contentdm. lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​compoundobject/​collection/​B OMP/​id/​506/​rec/​13. 23.  Joseph Smith Papers, Interim Content, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​person/​ stephen-​burnett. 24. JSP, H1:602. 25. “Letterbook 2,” pp. 64–​66, The Joseph Smith Papers, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​ paper-​summary/​letterbook-​2/​69. 26. Martin Harris died on July 10, 1875. 27. “A summary of the life of David H. Cannon (1838–​1924),” http://​www.davidhcannon.org. 28. Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com; Pilkington papers, CHL. 29. Quinn, “The First Months of Mormonism,” 317–​18, 323. 30. Dan Vogel’s treatment of Willers’s letter includes a translation by Neal Chandler, which Vogel states “corrects and improves on [Quinn’s] translation” (Vogel, EMD, 5:270–​78). For the excerpt of the letter featured here, there are no significant differences between the two translations. 31. Porter, “William E. McLellan’s Testimony,” 1; background information from JSP, H1:609–​ 10, and Porter, “The Odyssey of William Earl McLellin,” in Shipps and Welch, Journals of William E. McLellin, 291. 32. For William E. McLellin’s 1880 reminiscence of this event, see 9.31 William E. McLellin’s Letter to James T. Cobb, August 14, 1880. 33. JSP, H1:608. 34. Cook, “I Have Sinned Against Heaven,” 396. 35. Marsh sought readmittance to the church in January of 1857 and was rebaptized on July 16 of that year in Florence, Nebraska. He migrated to Utah within months and settled in Spanish Fork and later Ogden, where he died in January of 1866 (JSP, H1:608). 36. McLellin also wrote: “I visited David Whitmer [born January 7, 1805] after he was more than 65 years of age, and he solemnly declared to me ‘I saw the Angel of God, I heard his voice, hence I know of a truth!’ ” (Larson and Passey, William E. McLellin Papers, 253, bracketed insertion added). 37.  Larry Porter and a number of other scholars previously used the spelling “McLellan”—​ quite understandable because that is the spelling on the man’s headstone. Moreover, as shown in the letter featured here, he sometimes spelled his name “McLelland.” In 1994, however, Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, editors of McLellin’s journals settled on “McLellin,” frequently used by the man himself, and that spelling become the standard. 38. Porter, “William E. McLellan’s Testimony,” 1. 39. A reference to the first time McLellin heard David Whitmer bear his testimony of the Book of Mormon. See 9.27 William E. McLellin’s Journal Entry, July 18, 1831. 40. Romig, Eighth Witness, 220. 41. John Greene, Facts Relative to the Explusion of the Mormons, 17, cited in Romig, Eighth Witness, 220–​21.

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42. JSP, D1:82. See JSP, R1:474–​76, for a color-​coded transcription of the text. 43.  “Revelation, June 1829–​E [D&C  17],” p.  119, The Joseph Smith Papers, http://​www. josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​revelation-​june-​1829-​e-​dc-​17/​1. Chapter 10 1. Vogel, EMD, 3:464. David Whitmer, by contrast, offers extensive details about his experience of seeing the angel and the plates with Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and the historical setting of that event. Vogel does point out, however, that David Whitmer and Lucy Mack Smith indicate that the experience of the eight took place in a small grove on the Smith farm in Manchester, New York, likely on Thursday, June 25, or a week later on July 2, 1829. 2. JSP, D1:387. 3. Brodie, No Man Knows My History, 77, 79. 4. Walker, Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism, 217. 5. This gives the appearance that Morgan simply copied Brodie’s work, but he may well have been the one who brought the Twain and Ford cites to Brodie’s attention. 6. Van Wagoner, Natural Born Seer, 359–​61. 7. Letter, Stephen Burnett to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Joseph Smith Papers, Letterbook 2, 64, CHL. 8. Letter, Warren Parrish to E. Holmes, August 11, 1838, The Evangelist 6 (Oct. 1, 1838), 226, Carthage, Ohio), from https://​user.xmission.com/​~research/​central/​parrishletters.pdf. 9. Taves, “History and the Claims of Revelation,” 190. An important detail not discussed by Taves is this—​while the revelation in question, as well as others, emphasized the importance of the faith of the Three Witnesses, none of the revelations dictated by Joseph Smith made any mention of the eight. The sole scriptural reference to the eight apparently came in the Book of Mormon: “And there is none other [besides the three] which shall view it [the ancient record] save it be a few, according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men.” (1830 Book of Mormon, 110 [2 Nephi 27:13].) 10.  Taves, “History and the Claims of Revelation,” 188, 190. As for the plates that William Smith, Martin Harris, Emma Smith, and others claimed to handle in an empirical setting, Taves speculates that Joseph first saw them “in vision” and subsequently “made one or more objects to represent what he saw: initially, perhaps, a box containing something heavy and then later, an object with leaves.” (“History and the Claims of Revelation,” 192n13.) 11. Taves, “History and the Claims of Revelation,” 190. 12. Taves, “History and the Claims of Revelation,” 190n10. 13. Parrish’s letter is not helpful in this regard because it did not mention the eight witnesses specifically. 14. Taves, “History and the Claims of Revelation,” 186. 15. Palmer, Insider’s View, 205, 206; 10.34 Thomas Bullock’s Account, ca. 1845. 16. 10.34 Thomas Bullock’s Account, ca. 1845. 17. Transcription by Larry E. Morris 18. Vogel, EMD, 5:251, italics added. 19. Givens, By the Hand of Mormon, 40, 42. 20.  Stanley B.  Kimball, “Kinderhook Plates,” in Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​ day Saint History, 614. See also Brian M.  Hauglid, “Did Joseph Smith Translate

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the Kinderhook Plates?” https://​rsc.byu.edu/​archived/​no-​weapon-​shall-​prosper/​ did-​joseph-​smith-​translate-​kinderhook-​plates 21. Vogel, Making of a Prophet, xi. 22. Bushman, Believing History, 269. 23. JSP, D1:386–​87. 24. This version of the document has been punctuated and organized into discrete sentences; otherwise, it follows the printer’s copy quite closely. The 1981 LDS version likewise follows this version quite closely—​except for describing Joseph Smith as the translator of the work rather than the author and proprietor. 25. [Andrew Jenson], The Historical Record 7, nos. 8–​10, October 1888, 611–​12. 26. Joseph’s history thus relies entirely on the testimony of the eight and offers no additional details. 27. Shipps and Welch, Journals of William E. McLellin, 40. 28. JSP, H1:626–​27; Anderson, Lucy’s Book, 866–​68. 29. Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 886. 30. JSP, H1:614. 31.  The General Baptist Repository, and Missionary Observer, Vol. VIII—​ New Series (London: Sherwood, Gilbert, & Piper, 1846), 94. 32.  Marks thus arrived at the Whitmer home a few days after the Book of Mormon was published and a few days before the Church of Christ was organized. 33. JSP, H2:324–​25, 147n75. 34. Kenneth H. Winn, “ ‘Such Republicanism as This’: John Corrill’s Rejection of Prophetic Rule,” in Launius and Thatcher, Differing Visions, 45. 35. As discussed in the introduction to this chapter, this detail is quite significant in Taves’s theory of the materialization of the plates. 36. Whether the 1830, 1837, or 1840 edition of the Book of Mormon was used as the source is not clear because the text does not match any of them perfectly. 37. Bentley, “Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith”; additional background from Joseph Smith Papers, interim content, http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​person/​thomas-​ford. 38. Shepard and Marquardt, Lost Apostles, 205; background information from JSP, H1: 601–​2. 39. The Literary World, Boston, June 27, 1885, 227. 40. Hill, Joseph Smith, 118. Hill’s account is based on Smith, Biographical Sketches, 160–​61. 41. JSP, H1:642–​43. 42. Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 1264–​65. 43. Johnson, “ ‘The Scriptures Is a Fulfilling,’ ” 110. 44. Apparently, a reference to negative statements made by Stephen Burnett and others after they reportedly heard Martin Harris say he never saw the plates except in vision and the eight witnesses didn’t see them at all. See 9.21 Stephen Burnett’s Letter to Lyman E. Johnson, April 15, 1838, Extract. 45. Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 374. 46. Recalling a speech he heard in 1844, Angus Cannon said, “When I was but ten years of age, I heard the testimony of the Patriarch Hyrum Smith, one of the eight witnesses, to the divinity of the Book of Mormon and the appearance of the plates from which it was translated (Salt Lake Stake Historical Record, January 25, 1888, cited in Anderson, Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses, 146).

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47. Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 48. Ancestry family trees at Ancestry.com. 49. Garr, Cannon, and Cowan, Latter-​day Saint History, 569–​70. 50. [Andrew Jenson], The Historical Record 7, nos. 8–​10, October 1888, 610; additional background from JSP, H1:637. 51. JSP, H1:637–​38. 52. Johnson, Polygamy on the Pedernales, 9, 2; JSP, H1:640. 53. A footnote in the original reads as follows: “See Doctrine and Covenants, sec. cxviii.” 54. Vogel, EMD, 5:250. 55. On August 16, 1878, the Columbia Statesman (Missouri) ran the following obituary: “Mr. John Whitmer died at Far West on the 11th, July, 1878, aged 77 years. he came to Caldwell in 1836, to look out a home for the Mormons, who had been driven out of Jackson county. He selected Far West, which selection was confirmed by Joe Smith in a vision, and Far West soon became a flourishing town of over two thousand people. When they were driven from Missouri by the state militia in 1838–​9, Mr. Whitmer remained at Far West and has since been a highly respected and law-​abiding citizen. Mr. Whitmer was one of the eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon or Mormon Bible, but like many other families of the sect, he ‘kicked’ against polygamy.” 56. Poulson does not say whether he recorded his interview with John Whitmer at the time of the interview (April of 1878), four months later, in August (when he submitted it to the Deseret News), or sometime in-​between. In addition, he gives no indication that Whitmer approved Poulson’s transcription. These are important points because the information that the experience of the eight took place in the Smith home, with four of the men present at one time and four others at another time, is not corroborated by any other source. Other parts of the interview are confirmed by statements from both John Whitmer and some of the other witnesses. Chapter 11 1. See Ezekiel 37:19 and Hosea 8:12. 2. Joseph Smith, History, [ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841], in Joseph Smith History, 1838–​1856, vol. A-​1, CHL, in JSP, H1:386. 3. JSP, D1:87–​88. Harris had previously deeded eighty acres to his wife, Lucy, which left at least 151 acres under his control. “Grandin sold the mortgage in October 1830 for $2,000 cash to his wife’s great-​uncle, Thomas Rogers II, a transaction that may have been part of a larger financial deal. When Harris’s property was eventually sold, Rogers collected the full $3,000 from the buyer, Thomas Lakey” (JSP, D1:88n336, 88n338). 4. William Pilkington affidavit, April 3, 1934, Vogel, EMD, 2:355. 5. Jessee, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, 251. 6.  For an image of the original document and the Joseph Smith Papers’ transcription, see http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​letter-​to-​oliver-​cowdery-​22-​october-​1829/​ 1. (That transcription and additional commentary are also available in JSP, D1:94–​97.) 7. This letter is no longer extant, but Marsh described his experience when he wrote his life history. See 11.10 Thomas B. Marsh’s Account, November 1857. 8.  For an image of the original document and the Joseph Smith Papers’ transcription, see http://​www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​letter-​from-​oliver-​cowdery-​6-​november-​ 1829/​1. (That transcription and additional commentary are also available in JSP, D1:98–​101.)

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9. On Wednesday, December 9, 1829, Cole had announced that The Reflector would soon begin publishing extracts from the Book of Mormon. (See 11.18 Articles in The Reflector, September 16–​December 9, 1829.) On Tuesday, December 22, Cole had followed up with this notice: “ ‘Gold Bible’ next week. ‘Bard of Visions’ rejected.” 10. JSP, D1:102. 11. JSP, D1:102. 12. JSP, D1:103. 13. Joseph Sr. could not have made the round trip to Harmony and back—​at least 250 miles—​ on foot in a week. If Lucy’s claim of a one-​week trip is accurate, Joseph Sr. must have gone by horseback or caught rides along the way. (Going by stage coach was unlikely given the family’s financial situation.) Lucy’s history, however, offers no explanation. 14. Cole printed his final excerpt from the Book of Mormon, taken from the book of Alma (1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, 342–​44 [Alma 43:22–​40]) on January 22, 1830. In June and July of 1830, The Reflector launched a hostile parody of the Book of Mormon that Cole called “The Book of Pukei.” For more on Cole, see Andrew H. Hedges, “The Refractory Abner Cole,” in Parry, Peterson, and Ricks, Revelation, Reason, and Faith; Wadsworth, “Copyright Laws and the 1830 Book of Mormon”; and Jensen, “Abner Cole and the The Reflector.” 15. “Letter from Oliver Cowdery, 28 December 1829,” 4–​5, The Joseph Smith Papers, http://​ www.josephsmithpapers.org/​paper-​summary/​letter-​from-​oliver-​cowdery-​28-​december-​1829/​1. 16. Encyclopædia Britannica, https://​www.britannica.com/​biography/​Thurlow-​Weed. 17. Weed later told Dickinson his encounter with Joseph Smith must have happened two or three years after 1825. The actual year, of course, was 1829. 18. Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language offers this definition of “tablet”: “noun. A small table or flat surface. 1. Something flat on which to write, paint, draw or engrave.” 19. For another instance of Joseph possibly translating in a public setting, see 2.23 W. R. Hine’s Statement, ca. March 1885. 20. Joseph stood a little over six feet and likely weighed around 180 pounds. 21. Skousen, “John Gilbert’s 1892 Account,” 385, 398. 22. Linn, Story of the Mormons, 49n1. 23.  The Encyclopeida Americana, 1920, https://​en.wikisource.org/​wiki/​The_​Encyclopedia_​ Americana_​(1920)/​Linn,_​William_​Alexander. 24. On August 25, 1829, Martin Harris accepted full responsibility for the cost of printing the Book of Mormon by signing an indenture to Egbert G. Grandin (JSP, 79n295). 25. Shepard and Marquardt, Lost Apostles, 31. 26.  Lilly Library, Bloomington, Indiana, http://​www.indiana.edu/​~liblilly/​lilly/​mss/​index. php?p=harding. 27. Utah History To Go, http://​historytogo.utah.gov/​people/​governors/​territorial/​harding. html. 28. See 11.4 Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839–​ca. 1841, Extract. 29. JSP, D1:63–​64. 30.  For a discussion of possible earlier publications referencing the Book of Mormon, see Roper, “Early Publications on the Book of Mormon,” 40. 31.  BYU Harold B.  Lee Library Digital Collections, http://​contentdm.lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​ compoundobject/​collection/​B OMP/​id/​188/​rec/​1.

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32. JSP, D1:85–​89. 33.  BYU Harold B.  Lee Library Digital Collections, http://​contentdm.lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​ compoundobject/​collection/​B OMP/​id/​101/​rec/​2. Although the printing of the Book of Mormon did not begin until late August or early September of 1829, rumors about the “Golden Bible” were making their way throughout the area as early as July, as shown in this parody of the Book of Mormon published in Rochester, New York—​about twenty-​four miles from Palmyra. Similar articles were published in Paul Pry’s Weekly Bulletin on August 8 and August 29. 34. Part of this article is reprinted from an earlier Rochester newspaper article. See 3.5 Article in Rochester Advertiser and Daily Telegraph, August 31, 1829. 35.  BYU Harold B.  Lee Libtary Digital Collections, http://​contentdm.lib.byu.edu/​cdm/​ search/​collection/​B OMP/​, italics in originals. 36. See JSP, MRB:30–​33, for a photographic facsimile and detailed, color-​coded transcription of the original document; see JSP, R1:26–​28 for a detailed, color-​coded transcription of the original document. 37. JSP, D1:108. 38. See McLellin’s letters to John L. Traughber, February 19, 1877, and May 7, 1877, in Larson and Passey, William E. McLellin Papers, 503, 504, respectively. 39. See JSP, MRB:30–​33. John Whitmer recorded the text on pages 30–​31 of Revelation Book 1, which was in the possession of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-​day Saints until being released to the Joseph Smith Papers team. 40. As Vogel points out, the notion that Harris had to sell his farm to complete the printing of the Book of Mormon “contradicts John Gilbert’s statement that there were no delays over finances. Moreover, Harris had until 25 February 1831 before his note to Grandin was due” (Vogel, Making of a Prophet, 482). 41. Whitmer, Address to All Believers in Christ,  30–​31. 42. Vogel, Making of Prophet, 483. 43. Letter, Hiram Page to William E. McLellin, February 2, 1848, cited in JSP, D1:110n443. 44. JSP, D1:110n439. 45.  Whitmer, Address to All Believers in Christ, 31. A  revelation dictated in March of 1831 [D&C 46] used similar language, urging believers to do all in “Holyness of heart . . . that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits or doctrines of Devils or the commandments of men for some are of men & others of Devils” (JSP, D1:282). 46. Spencer, “Seers and Stones,” 55. See also Ehat, “ ‘Securing’ the Prophet’s Copyright in the Book of Mormon.” 47. A reference to Martin Harris. “Although this was crossed out at the time of original inscription by John Whitmer, it is possible he was faithfully copying text crossed out in the manuscript he was copying from” (JSP, D1:111n449). Hiram Page later wrote that preparations for the trip to Canada were “made in a sly manor so as to keep Martin Harris from drawing a share of the money” (letter, Hiram Page to William E. McLellin, February 2, 1848). 48. At this point in Revelation Book 1, Sidney Rigdon inserted “amen.” An unidentified scribe, possibly Rigdon, crossed out the rest of the text, apparently indicating that section should be deleted from the printed revelation. (See JSP, MRB:32–​33.) Ultimately, however, this revelation was omitted entirely from the Book of Commandments. David Whitmer claimed that Joseph

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disavowed the revelation at a November 1, 1831, council held to consider printing the revelations, but the conference minutes do not include any such discussion (JSP, D1:110, 110n441). 49. Just as the first published notice of the Book of Mormon included the title page (11.13 The First Known Published Article Mentioning the Book of Mormon, June 26, 1829), the first mention of the volume’s publication precisely nine months later did the same.

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563

Index

i Note: Joseph Smith is referred to by his initials ( JS). Adams, Cordelia Ann, 282 Adams, David, 309, 537n42, 537n45 Adams, John Quincy, 1, 492, 530n50 Anderick, Mrs. S. F., 219–​21 Anderson, Lavina Fielding, 507n9 Anderson, Richard L., 178, 350, 364, 534n11, 540n27 Anderson, Robert D., 11–​14 Anthon, Charles, 2–​3, 224–​27, 246, 252, 456–​57, 517n191, 526–​27n1, 527n4, 527n8 letters of, 229–​36, 247, 470 reports from others about, 75, 78, 93, 102, 228, 237, 240–​41, 243, 246, 248–​49, 528nn18–​20,  528n28 Arrington, Leonard, 62, 227 “Articles of the Church of Christ,” 16, 366, 369 Articles and Covenants, 16, 17 Ashurst-​McGee, Mark, 10, 13 Austin, Emily M. Coburn, 150 Baker, S. F., 220 Baker, Smith, 129–​30 Ball, Isaac B., 526n91

563

Barlow, Philip, 5 Barney, Ronald O., 15–​16 Bates, Irene, 102 Bauder, Peter, 83–​84, 515n153 Beach, Ancil, 161, 162 Beckwith, Deacon, 475–​76 Beman, Alvah, 159, 174, 187, 193, 195, 514n135, 522nn28–​29,  523n52 Bennet, James Arlington, 252–​53 Bennett, David, 241 Bennett, James Gordon, 61–​62, 66, 227–​28 Benton, Abram, 348 Benton, Harriet, 448 Benton, Nathaniel S., 62 Bidamon, Emma Smith, 159, 184, 239, 288 accompanies JS to Hill Cumorah to obtain plates, xxix, 157–​58, 182 births and deaths of children, xxix, 20, 22, 58–​59,  276 as Book of Mormon scribe, xxix, 293, 299–​300,  304 cares for Lucy Mack Smith in Lucy’s final years, 103

564 i

Index

Bidamon, Emma Smith (cont.) death of sister Tryal, 118 deaths of parents, 58, 257 homeless during summer of 1832, 21–​22 and JS’s tar and feathering, 20 meets and marries JS, 11, 25, 71, 121, 515n148 moves to Harmony, PA, with JS in December 1827, xxix, 224, 236, 259 praised by others, 21, 49, 127, 216 relatives of opposed to JS, 81–​83, 119, 123, 151, 156, 159–​60, 175, 207, 216, 263, 268 and reports that JS was instructed by angel to bring her when obtaining plates, 77, 121 tells of handling plates, 300, 416–​17 visits family in 1860 with JS III, 118, 267 Bishop, Gladden, 246 Black, Joseph S., 445, 447, 448, 454, 455 Black, Susan Easton, 80 Blackman, Emily C., 129 Blair, William W., 118, 266–​69, 284, 532n32 Blatchly, Cornelius C., 374, 485, 493–​94, 496, 500, 502 Bloom, Harold, 506n6 Book of Mormon. See also gold plates contains fullness of the gospel, 45, 203 copyright for, xxx, xxxi, 343, 461, 463, 473, 477, 485, 497–​500 lost 116 pages of, xxix, 25, 79, 82, 95, 115, 180, 214, 216, 236, 251–​52, 269–​70, 271–​86, 290, 306, 319, 323, 346, 370, 471, 483, 517n49, 518n200, 530n49, 531n6 preface to, 272–​73, 283, 403, 506n9, 532n2 Printer’s Manuscript of, xxxi, 272, 309, 323, 335, 373, 422, 458, 467, 488, 525n83, 532n2, 539n17, 540n28, 542n11, 545n24 publication of, xxx, xxxi, 2, 3, 53, 62, 65, 66, 75, 80, 94–​95, 109, 131, 137, 140–​44, 146, 156, 162, 210–​11, 230, 243, 456, 460–​61, 478, 483–​86, 497, 503, 530n50, 546n3, 547n17, 547n24, 548n4, 548n40 reception of, 1–​2, 484–​86, 489–​96, 500–​3 title page of, xxx, 2, 141, 180, 385, 404, 463–​64, 467–​68, 484–​85, 493–​94, 501–​2,  549n49 Booth, Danford (David), 131, 133, 135, 146 Booth, Ezra, 254–​55, 388–​89 Booth, John E., 541n12 Bortles, J. H., 469 Boynton, John, 418

Bradish, Luther, 114, 246, 470, 517n191, 530n50 Brand, E. C., 451–​52 Brantley, Ben, 2 breastplate. See Urim and Thummim Bridgeman, Miriam, 175 Bridgeman, Peter C. xxviii Briggs, Edmund C., 303–​4 Bronson, Birdseye, 383 Brown, John, 147 Brown, Maretta, 221 Brown, Samuel, 507n13 Bruce, Eli, 61, 512n108 Brush, Samuel, 129 Bryant, William (and wife), 131–​34 Bullock, Thomas, 318, 420, 421, 450, 539n8 Burnett, Serenus, 256 Burnett, Stephen, 370, 397–​98, 418–​19, 421, 431, 545n44 Bushman, Richard L., 10, 422, 518n201 Butler, Charles, 62, 227–​28 Butt, Isaac, 214–​15 Campbell, Alexander, 448 Campbell, Martha, 175–​77 Campbell, Nancy Ellen, 131 Campbellites, 384, 385, 398 Cannon, Angus, 545n46 Cannon, David H., 401 Capron, Joseph, 163–​65, 520n9 Chaddock, Abraham, 491 Chamberlain, Solomon, 480 Chandler, Albert, 470, 472 Chandler, Neal, 543n30 Chapin, Henry, 161, 162 Chase, Abel, 131, 137, 139–​40 Chase, Clark, 200 Chase, Mason, 192, 196 Chase, Sally, 136, 145, 188, 209, 214 Chase, Willard, 9, 12–​14, 69, 73, 80, 90, 144, 168, 183, 188, 198, 201, 220, 509n44, 512n108, 513n121, 513n123, 513n126, 523n47, 536n24 “Church History,” 58–​59, 96, 506n3 Clark, John A., 14, 88–​89, 232, 271, 391, 509n44, 514n130, 515n161, 516n163, 516n165, 527n8, 531n7 Cobb, James T., 141–​42, 298, 409, 518n200 Cobb, Mary (Polly) Harris, 274 Coe, Joseph, 398, 418 Coe, Truman, 85, 540n7

56

Index Colburn, Thomas, 245–​46 Cole, Abner, xxi, 460–​61, 476–​78, 497, 547n9, 547n14 Cole, Sarah, 117, 257 Collington, George, 129 Coray, Martha and Howard, 103 Corrill, John, 390, 432, 451 Cowdery, Elizabeth Ann Whitmer, 309, 344, 350, 396 Cowdery, Lucy Pearce, 440 Cowdery, Lyman, 133–​34, 287, 293, 295, 309, 534nn8–​10, 535n22, 537n42, 537n45 Cowdery, Oliver, 79–​81, 96, 161–​62, 209, 237, 297, 317, 347, 363, 389–​90, 410, 424, 428, 446, 460, 471 and “Articles of the Church of Christ,” 16–​17,  366 assists with printing of Book of Mormon, xxxi, 426–​27, 457–​61, 464, 469, 473–​74, 482–​83,  484 attempts to translate plates, 333, 540n27 baptizes JS, 315 as Book of Mormon scribe, xxx, 53, 79, 83, 86, 140, 148, 162, 173, 180, 211, 216, 251, 268, 270, 299–​300, 313–​19, 323, 335, 342, 345–​47, 514n141, 525n83, 537n45 and “Canadian copyright revelation,” xxxi,  497–​99 and conflict with JS, 510n58 and Cornelius Blatchly, 374–​75, 493–​96, 500 and David Whitmer, xxix, 148–​49, 288–​89, 302–​3, 309, 320, 345, 352, 355, 379, 534n12, 537n37, 537n46 deathbed testimony of, 448 excommunication of, 201 as a founder of Mormonism, 93, 138, 144, 179, 255, 287, 409, 463 and JS’s revelations, 332, 359, 413, 534n13 marriage to Elizabeth Ann Whitmer, 344 as missionary, 84, 349, 396, 424, 449 ordained by John the Baptist, 315 and questions about baptism, 335 as recorder and clerk, 256, 285, 305, 319, 324, 422, 496–​97, 540n24 reportedly saw plates in vision before meeting JS, 25, 531n13 as school teacher, xxix, 95, 133–​34, 146, 162, 173, 179, 210–​12, 287, 293, 309

j 565

tells of JS’s experiences, 14, 26–​50, 310–​13, 100, 506n3, 507n6, 509n44, 511n77, 511n79, 512n98, 516n168, 516n178, 520n235 and Thomas B. Marsh, 479–​80 and William E. McLellin, 407, 444 and William Morgan, 519n215, 534n9 as witness of the gold plates, xxx, 152, 265, 285, 321–​22, 349, 350–​52, 370–​86, 388, 391–​92, 395–​400, 406–​7, 413, 415, 418, 420, 425, 431, 449, 538n57, 538n59, 541n12 Cowdery, William, 460, 534n9 Crane, George, 114, 517n191 Crane, Mary Ellen Peck, 262 Cumorah. See Hill Cumorah Curtis, Joseph, 87, 515n159 Davis, Mathew Livingston, 260–​61 Dille, David B., 241–​42 directors (Book of Mormon artifact, also called Liahona, ball, or gold ball), 113, 115–​16, 381, 390, 408, 413 Doolittle, Methetable, 127, 265–​66 Durfee, Lemuel, xxviii, xxix, 520n4, 534n16 Dyke (Dykes/​Dikes), Flanders, 244–​45, 530n46 Eddy, Ansel D., 161 Eddy, Ira, 254, 388 Eggleston, Dr., 1 Egyptian language, 60, 94, 101, 188, 192, 199, 225–​31, 240–​41, 243, 244–​45, 247, 254, 324, 349, 375, 381, 394, 395, 457, 494–​95,  531n12 eight witnesses, xxxi, 342, 381, 390–​91, 394, 398, 404, 408, 415–​23, 425–​26, 429, 430–​31, 433–​34, 437, 444, 445–​47, 452, 457, 472, 506n9, 521n22, 541n1, 544n1, 544n9, 544n13, 545n26, 545n44, 545n46, 546nn55–​56. See also Page, Hiram; Smith, Hyrum; Smith, Joseph Sr.; Smith, Samuel; Whitmer, Christian; Whitmer, Jacob; Whitmer, John; Whitmer, Peter Jr. Emerson, H. B., 236–​37, 528n27 Enders, Donald L., 109, 516n175, 520n9 Faulring, Scott H., 350, 362, 366, 377, 534n11, 537n42, 540n27, 541n15 Fenn, Lucius, 383 Fielding, Joseph, 443 Fielding, Mary. See Smith, Mary Fielding

566 i

Index

Fielding, Mercy. See Smith, Mercy Fielding First Vision, 6, 7, 19, 50, 53, 59, 96, 104, 156, 506n3, 506n4, 510n56, 511n97, 515n159, 516n162, 516n175, 517n182, 520n235, 520n236, 524n62 Foabs, Joshua, 150 Ford, Thomas, 417–​19, 421, 433–​34, 544n5 Freemasonry, 61, 67, 109, 114, 133, 134, 177, 239, 464, 466, 491–​92, 519n215, 534n9 Gause, Jesse, 20 Gilbert, Algernon Sidney, 17, 390 Gilbert, John H., 2, 131, 140, 141, 143, 144, 210–​11, 465, 467, 530n50, 548n4 Givens, Terryl, 5, 13, 422 gold ball. See directors gold plates. See also Book of Mormon angel reveals location of, xxvii, 24, 51–​52, 53, 55–​57, 59–​60, 99, 200, 401 attempts to steal, 60–​61, 160, 288 burial site of, 42–​44, 53, 57 characters copied from, xxix, 25, 66, 74–​75, 90, 93, 102, 114, 188, 224, 225, 228, 238, 240–​49, 381, 452, 457, 501, 513n126, 515n161, 517n191, 523n43, 525n88, 527n2, 527n8, 528n15, 528n21, 528n23, 528n28, 529nn36–​37,  530n52 contents of, 24, 37, 52, 55, 60, 99, 155, 179–​80, 200, 375, 402, 495 descriptions of, 60, 94, 100–​1, 114, 194, 199, 203–​4, 211, 220, 223, 238, 243, 265–​66, 300, 376, 381, 385, 415, 423, 439, 453, 491, 501, 522n33 JS attempts to obtain, xxvii, 12, 14–​16, 24–​25, 37, 44–​45, 52, 70, 77, 108, 155, 181, 274, 510n74 JS’s firstborn child to translate, 73, 82, 91–​92, 259, 260 JS obtains, xxix, 11, 25, 29, 34, 52–​53, 60, 86, 101, 156–​58, 160, 193–​94, 217, 257, 272–​73,  274 JS returns to angel, 160, 472 JS translates, 25–​26, 52–​53, 60, 84, 86, 92, 121, 124, 162, 204, 230–​36, 238, 257, 272–​73, 346, 349, 375, 395, 485, 491, 494, 495, 501, 537n40 temporarily taken from JS, xxix, 25, 274, 275, 284

Grandin, Egbert B., xxx, xxxi, 62, 80, 109, 141, 211, 457, 460, 461, 463–​65, 468–​69, 471–​73, 478, 483, 484, 486, 497, 503, 546n3, 547n24, 548n40 Grant, Mary Fletcher, 445 Gregg, Thomas, 210, 482, 509n44 Gurley, Samuel H., 303 Gurley, Zenas, 118, 538n48 Hadley, Jonathan, 225–​26 Haggard, Mrs., 68 Hale, Alva, xxix, 82, 120, 190, 197, 258–​59, 293, 299, 521n14 Hale, David, 117, 118, 288, 293, 514n139, 533n4, 538n1 Hale, Elizabeth (daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Lewis), 118 Hale, Elizabeth Lewis, 58, 117, 257, 293 Hale, Emma. See Bidamon, Emma Smith Hale, Isaac, xxviii, xxx, 25, 49, 80–​81, 83, 117, 119–​21, 123–​24, 126, 127, 128–​29, 159, 167–​68, 193, 216, 257, 258–​60, 266, 268, 293, 309, 511n86, 514n138, 515n150, 518n201 Hale, Isaac Ward, 118, 293 Hale, Jesse, 118, 293 Hale, Phebe, 293 Hale, Reuben, xxix, 119, 222, 293, 299, 538n61 Hale, Tryal. See Morse, Tryal Hale Hale, William, 120 Hall, Benjamin, 479 Harding, Stephen S., 482 Harper, Oliver, 120, 127, 518nn201–​2 Harper, Robert, 128 Harris, Abigail, 165, 166, 521n11 Harris, Caroline Young, 237, 242 Harris, George W., 352 Harris, Henry, 12, 14, 74, 75, 509n44, 513n126, 514n132 Harris, Lucinda Pendleton Morgan, 406, 512n107 Harris, Lucy (daughter of Martin Harris, married name Dykes/​Dikes),  244–​45 Harris, Lucy (wife of Martin Harris), xxx, 67, 68, 95, 128, 165, 173, 180, 189, 196, 214, 216, 222, 236, 244–​45, 263–​64, 275, 279–​81, 283, 289–​91, 295, 298, 513nn115–​17 Harris, Martin, 21, 133, 138–​40, 142, 144, 146, 161, 165–​66, 200–​1, 209, 211, 220, 255, 259, 287, 347, 458, 493–​96, 500, 523n27

567

Index assists in publication of Book of Mormon, xxx, xxxi, 62, 66, 80, 86, 94, 162, 179, 211, 243, 456–​57, 460, 464–​66, 468–​69, 471–​73, 478, 483–​84, 491, 498, 533n8, 546n3, 547n24, 548n40 and Book of Mormon characters, xxix, 2, 66, 78, 89–​90, 102, 224–​49, 456, 470, 501, 513n113, 513n126, 515n161, 517n191, 523n43, 525n88, 527n2, 527n4, 527n8, 528n15, 528nn19–​21, 529nn36–​38, 530n43, 530n46, 530nn49–​53,  531n55 as Book of Mormon scribe, xxix, 82–​83, 86, 93, 114, 119, 180, 251–​69, 299, 303, 346, 348–​49,  532n33 and the eight witnesses, 416, 418–​19, 431–​32, 541n1, 545n44 final testimony of, 402–​3, 457 as a founder of Mormonism, 63, 66–​67, 124, 255,  463–​64 and “Gold Bible Company,” 74–​75 honesty of, 138, 142, 173, 179, 225, 236, 238, 239, 260, 271, 394, 469, 501 and JS’s revelations, 17, 290–​91, 306, 327–​28, 486–​88, 497–​500, 514n141, 515n150, 548n47 and loss of Book of Mormon manuscript, xxix, 25, 79, 82, 115, 180, 214, 216, 236, 251–​52, 269–​70, 271–​86, 290, 306, 319, 323, 346, 370, 471, 483, 517n49, 518n200, 530n49, 531n6 and March 1829 hearing in which Lucy Harris accused JS of fraud, 289–​91, 295–​97, 535nn21–​22, 536nn25–​27 move to Utah and final years, 248, 265, 295 provides financial help to JS, xxix, 73, 159, 160, 169, 173 relationship with wife, Lucy Harris, 67–​69, 95, 165, 173, 180, 189, 214, 244–​45, 275, 279–​81, 283, 289–​90, 295, 513nn116–​17 religious enthusiasm of, 11, 95, 129, 142, 144, 179, 225, 236, 238, 299, 394, 469, 471 to share in proceeds of Book of Mormon sales, xxxi, 461, 496–​97 tells of JS’s experiences, 91–​92, 158, 192–​97, 250, 479, 482–​83, 516n163, 537n43 visited by Lucy Mack Smith, 188–​90 visits JS in Pennsylvania in 1829, 295–​96, 297–​98, 306, 514n141

j 567

as witness of the gold plates, xxx, 194, 370–​73, 375, 380–​94, 397–​402, 408, 413–​14, 415–​16, 434, 443, 470, 538n57, 538n60, 541n4 Harris, Martin Jr., 400, 402 Harris, Peter, 68, 165 Harris, Preserved, 195, 274 Hart, James H., 411 Heartwell, Oliver, 492 Hill Cumorah, xxvii–​xxvix, 38–​39, 42–​43, 47–​48, 57, 88, 104, 131, 150, 155, 157, 181, 200–​1, 203, 356. See also Mormon Hill Hine, William Riley, 215 Howard, Mr., 469 Howcroft, Sharalyn, 102 Howe, Daniel Walker, 3 Howe, Eber D., 3, 144, 146, 225–​27, 229, 231, 238–​40, 251, 528n18, 528n20, 535n24 Howell, Nathaniel W., 161, 162 Hubbell, Walter, 161, 162 Huggins, Ronald V., 12, 14 Hurlbut, Doctor Philastus, 3, 10, 146, 229, 524n73 Huzzy, Mr., 472 Indians, 39, 52, 84, 99, 109, 113, 117, 123, 385, 395. See also Lamanites Ingersoll, Peter, xxix, 82, 166, 169, 196, 206, 521n12, 521n15, 532n25, 535n24, 536n25 Ingersoll, Robert G., 147 Jackson, Andrew, 1, 470 Jackson, Sarah Maria, 390 Jackways ( Jackway/​Jackaway) family, 131, 142–​45,  473 Jacob (Book of Mormon figure), 386 Jacob (Old Testament figure), 31–​34, 46, 312, 331, 335 James (New Testament figure), 54, 98, 315, 379 Jameson, Hugh, 537n42 Jenkins, Lewis, 161 Jennings, Erin B., 235, 493, 528n22 Jennings, Samuel, 69 Jenson, Andrew, 445, 446, 447, 448, 454 Jessee, Dean C., 15, 53 John (New Testament figure), 19, 28–​29, 314–​15, 332, 351, 379, 539n24 Johnson, Adeline, 318 Johnson, Charles, 344 Johnson, Chief of Police, 266

568 i

Index

Johnson, Dr., 345 Johnson, John and Elsa, 20–​21 Johnson, Judge, 130 Johnson, Luke S., 418, 435 Johnson, Lyman E., 397, 398, 418, 431 John the Baptist (New Testament figure), xxx, 315,  378–​79 Jones, Josiah, 349 Kelley, Edmund, 131 Kelley, William H., 131, 204, 207, 519n218 Kellogg, Mrs. Evans S., 122 Kimball, Heber C., 245, 450 Kimball, Stanley B., 224–​25, 228, 422 Kitchell, Ashbel, 395–​96 Knight, Joseph Jr., 14, 318, 509n44 Knight, Joseph Sr., xxviii, xxix, xxx, 12, 14, 75, 76, 81, 129, 130, 151, 157–​58, 181–​82, 185–​86, 287, 289, 305, 316, 348, 497–​99, 509n44, 514n135, 514n141, 514m135, 514n141, 514n142, 517n189, 523n45, 528n19, 528n25, 533n5 Knight, Newel, xxviii, 150, 519n231 Kramer, Jerome, 2 Lamanites, 84, 254, 286, 324, 330, 373, 424, 485, 488, 503. See also Indians Lancaster, James E., 250 Lane, George, 154, 507n6, 520n235 Lansing, Richard Ray, 485 Lapham, Fayette, 12, 13, 14, 89, 110–​11, 439, 509n38, 509n44, 512n108, 514n130, 514n131, 515n153, 517n190, 517n191, 517n192, 517n193, 518n205 Lapham, Jonathan, 75 Lawrence, Samuel, xxviii, 9, 71, 77, 164, 193, 206–​7, 211, 508n23, 513n122, 514n135, 523n50 Lehi (Book of Mormon figure), 34, 39, 273, 284, 285, 324, 408, 413 Lewis, Elizabeth. See Lewis, Elizabeth Hale Lewis, Jenkins, 161 Lewis, Joseph and Hiel, 14, 117, 118, 119, 122, 257, 509n44, 514n132, 517n187, 518n201, 518n206 Lewis, Joseph and Rachel, 118 Lewis, Levi, 120, 258, 259–​60 Lewis, Nathaniel, 81, 117–​21, 257–​58, 263, 519n206 Lewis, Sarah, 117, 258

Lewis, Sophia, 120, 258, 260 Liahona. See directors Lincoln, Abraham, 466, 482 Linn, William, 470 Loomis, Dr., 1 MacKay, Michael, 9, 225, 226 Marks, David, 118, 537n48 Marks, William, 118, 537n48 Marquardt, H. Michael, 15, 479, 510n55, 518n201 Marsh, Elizabeth Godkin, 255, 406, 479 Marsh, Harriet, 130 Marsh, James and Mary, 479 Marsh, Thomas B., 255, 406, 460, 478–​79, 543n35, 546n7 Marshall, Elihu, 464 Mason, Margaret, 191 Mather, Frederick G., 122–​23, 199, 518n210 McAllister, D. T., 401 McAuley, Thomas, 469 M’Intyre, Dr., 472 McKune, Benjamin (Sheriff ), 124, 127, 266 McKune, Hezekiah, 120, 258 McKune, Joseph, 124, 127, 258, 266 McKune, Joshua, 120, 122, 258 McKune, Sallie, 127–​29 McLellin, William E., 237, 344–​45, 405, 407, 409, 426, 427–​28, 439, 441, 444, 497, 543n32, 543n36, 543n37, 543n39 Metcalf, Anthony, 228, 248–​49, 400, 531n55, 541n3 Millikin, Lucy Smith. See Smith, Lucy Mitchill, Samuel L., 66, 75, 225–​28, 230, 232–​33, 235–​36, 238, 240, 241, 243, 246, 247, 381, 501, 513n113, 513n126, 517n191, 527n4, 529n36, 530n50 money digging. See Smith, Joseph, treasure seeking of Morgan, Dale L., 11–​14, 417–​19, 423n49, 544n5 Morgan, William, 61, 133, 134, 177–​78, 512n107, 519n215, 534n9 Mormon (Book of Mormon figure), 39, 180, 273, 285, 404, 485, 502, 503 Mormon Hill, 137, 178–​79, 199, 394, 467. See also Hill Cumorah Mormonism Unvailed, 4, 12, 67, 69, 74, 80, 162, 163, 165, 166, 169, 225, 229, 238, 254, 255, 257, 258, 509n38, 511n84, 512n98, 517n181, 522n41, 524n73

569

Index Mormonite/​Mormonites, 61, 84, 161–​62, 166, 172–​73, 226, 230–​31, 235, 348, 349, 389 Moroni (Book of Mormon figure), 2, 5, 24, 39, 226, 311, 379, 485 appears to JS, xxvii, 200, 203, 415, 516n105, 530n237 buries plates, 42–​43, 251, 485, 502, 503 early identifications of, 35, 53, 511n79, 511n80, 511n92, 511n98 reportedly seen in form of “mysterious stranger,” 356, 541n13 as treasure guardian, 13 Moroni, Captain (Book of Mormon figure), 501 Morse, Alva Fairchild, 267 Morse, Bartlett, 267 Morse, Emma, 118, 267 Morse, John, 130 Morse, Lemuel Webb, 267 Morse, Lorenzo, 267 Morse, Michael, 118, 266–​68 Morse, Samuel, 508n25 Morse, Tryal Hale, 118, 267 Moulton, Frank, 124, 518n209 Mulholland, James, 15, 53, 275, 511n96, 512n99 Myers, Mary, 262 Nephi (Book of Mormon figure), 34, 55, 180, 273, 324, 330, 335–​36, 373, 386, 428, 461, 485, 493, 502, 503 Nephites, 31, 34–​35, 38–​39, 42, 50, 219, 250, 286, 306, 311, 411, 433, 501 Noble, Joel K., 216, 519n229, 522n33 Oliver, Peter, 8 Page, Hiram, xxxi, 381, 391, 415, 422, 423, 425, 427–​28, 437, 444–​46, 497–​500, 548nn43–​44 Page, Philander, 445–​46, 448 Parker, Mary Haskin, 321 Parker, Sally Bradford, 442 Parrish, Warren, 50, 418–​19, 544n13 Peck, Benjamin, 130 Peck, George, 262 Peck, Polly, 318 Peter (New Testament figure), 104, 315, 332, 372, 378, 379 Peterson, J. W., 531n5 Peterson, Ziba, 349, 396, 424, 449

j 569

Phelps, William W., 15, 26, 29, 31, 35, 41, 59, 67, 149, 225–​27, 238–​40, 253, 255, 310, 313, 390, 406, 467, 497 Phillips, Wendell, 147 Pilkington, Elizabeth, 103 Pilkington, William, 371, 402, 457 Porter, Larry C., 150, 409, 536n28, 543n37 Porter, Nancy Areta, 247 Poulson, P. Wilhelm, 452, 454, 546n56 Powers, Samuel, 118, 538n48 Pratt, Orson, 96, 102, 146, 355, 356, 371, 408, 506n3, 516nn168–​69, 541n12 Pratt, Parley P., 84, 146, 204, 349, 396, 410, 424, 443, 449 Quinn, D. Michael, 9, 403, 507n13, 508n26, 512n98, 518n201, 543n30 Ramsdell, Jacob, 111 Reeves, James Harvey, 282 Rich, Charles C., 248 Richards (mistaken reference to Martin Harris), 298–​99,  536n33 Richards, Samuel W., 321–​22, 378–​79 Richards, Willard, 239, 420–​21, 507n7, 539n8 Rigdon, Sidney, 15, 20–​21, 53, 62, 64–​65, 93, 130, 141, 144, 146, 175, 179, 204, 206, 209, 211, 215, 217, 220, 225, 240, 255, 347, 349, 351, 388, 394, 396, 398, 410, 437, 448, 497, 512n111, 517n181, 521n26, 523n42, 534n9, 540nn25–​26, 541n12, 548n48 Robinson, Anson R., 199 Robinson, Dr., 1, 533n7 Robinson, Ebenezer R., 256 Robinson, George W., 15 Robinson, Mr., 473–​74 Rogers (traveling companion of Martin Harris), 290–​91, 297–​98, 306, 536n27, 536n29, 536n33, 537n36, 537n38, 538n55 Rogers, Lucy, 109 Rogers, Mrs. I. A., 220 Rogers, Oscar G., 220 Rogers, Thomas II, 546n3 Romig, Ronald E., 83, 411 Rust, W. W., 245 Salisbury, Herbert S., 525–​26n91 Salisbury, Katharine Smith (sister of JS), 5, 159, 217, 219, 288, 521n15, 525–​26n91, 532n29, 535n24

570 i

Index

Saunders, Benjamin, 14, 207, 509n44, 513n121, 519n218, 524n74 Saunders, Lorenzo, 14, 141–​42, 204–​5, 210, 212, 509n44, 514n131, 517n189, 519n218, 524n67, 525n83 Saunders, Orlando, 14, 127–​39, 131, 141, 200, 509n44, 524n59 Saunders, Ruth, 208 Sayre, William S., 298, 536nn33–​34, 537n35, 538n61 Schott, Anne, 446 Schott, Elizabeth, 445, 447 seer stone(s). See also Urim and Thummim part of early American folk/​religious belief, 8–​10 used by JS, 9–​10, 250–​51, 268–​70, 346–​47, 421, 508n20, 512n101, 513n120, 531n4, 531n6, 531n8, 532n33, 537n43 used by JS’s contemporaries, 9, 209, 428 Shipps, Jan, 3, 543n37 Skinner, Jacob I., 125, 127–​28 Slade, Clark, 150 Smalling, Cyrus, 398, 418 Smith, Alvin (brother of JS), xxvii, xxviii, 11–​12, 57, 69, 105–​6, 138, 155, 167, 217, 289, 294, 508n32, 509n45, 512n100, 513n121, 517n178, 517n189, 534n16, 542n4 Smith, Calvin, 216, 289 Smith, Caroline Rockwell, 213–​14 Smith, Don Carlos (brother of JS), 58, 288, 433, 472, 512n102 Smith, Don Carlos (son of JS), 58 Smith, Horton, 213 Smith, Hyrum (brother of JS), xxvii, xxx, xxxi, 136–​39, 140, 145, 185, 203, 219, 244, 257, 279, 287–​88, 294–​95, 321, 344, 405, 460, 476, 535n16, 535n23 and Abner Cole, 461, 476–​77 death of, 87, 102, 153, 202, 217, 434 and deaths of family members, 21–​22, 58 and Jesse Smith, 363–​66 joins Presbyterian church, 7, 154 and JS’s revelations, 316, 338–​39 and Oliver Cowdery, 287–​88, 293, 362–​63 and the printing of the Book of Mormon, 461, 464, 468–​69, 473, 493 and seer stone, 9, 193 and Solomon Chamberlain, 481 as witness of the gold plates, 156, 422–​23, 425, 426–​27, 433, 441–​43, 545n46

Smith, Jerusha T. Barden, xxx, 21, 58, 296, 363–​66, 426–​27, 535n16, 535n23 Smith Jesse (uncle of JS), 363–​66 Smith, Joseph Jr. (abbreviated as JS in this index). See also Book of Mormon; Bidamon, Emma Smith; eight witnesses; gold plates; Hale, Isaac; Knight, Joseph Sr., Moroni; Mormonism Unvailed; Rigdon, Sidney; seer stone(s); Smith, Joseph Sr.; Smith, Lucy Mack; Stowell, Josiah; three witnesses; Urim and Thummim affected with sickness as a boy, 48 appearance of angels to, 7, 16, 18–​19, 22, 24, 51–​53, 54, 56–​57, 59–​60, 160, 181, 275, 292, 312–​13, 314–​15, 351, 356, 373, 375, 376, 379, 380–​82, 393, 403, 407, 408–​9, 412, 496, 511n80, 511n83, 511n98, 541n12, 544n1 befriended by Joseph Knight family, xxviii, xxix, 75–​80, 316, 318–​19 births and deaths of children, xxix, 20, 22, 58–​59,  276 commanded not to show the plates, 306 conflict with Abner Cole, 477–​78 conflict with Oliver Cowdery, 510n58 correspondence of, to James Arlington Bennet, November 13, 1843, 252; to Oliver Cowdery, October 22, 1829, 457; from Oliver Cowdery, November 6, 1829, 458; from Oliver Cowdery, December 28, 1829, 460 has a gift to translate, 306 meets and marries Emma Hale, 11, 25, 71, 121, 515n148 revelations dictated by, 285, 304, 305, 324, 327, 332, 334, 335, 338, 340, 356, 358, 359, 412, 486, 497 tar and feathering of, 20 tempted by or warned of Satan, 24, 25, 45–​47, 54–​56, 273, 307, 328–​31, 335, 473, 486, 499 treasure seeking of, xxviii, 8–​13, 15, 37, 43–​44, 48–​49, 58, 63–​65, 69, 71, 73, 81, 84, 86, 90–​91, 107, 110, 112–​13, 119–​21, 124–​29, 143, 145, 161–​67, 170–​73, 175, 178, 180, 193, 195, 199–​201, 203, 206, 212–​15, 220, 223, 263, 349, 389, 507n13, 508n20, 508n23, 510n56, 511n97, 512n101, 514n135, 515n153, 517n183, 520n4, 521n15, 522n33, 523n49, 537n43, 539n13 Whitmers as early supporters of, 343, 357

571

Index Smith, Joseph III (son of JS), 22, 103, 118, 153, 217, 259, 267, 299, 303, 448, 526n91, 537–​38n48 Smith, Joseph F. (son of Hyrum Smith), 355–​56, 371, 408, 427 Smith, Joseph Murdock (son of JS), 20 Smith, Joseph Sr. (father of JS), xxx, xxxi, 69, 77, 88, 103, 108, 135, 144, 165, 181, 185, 203, 214, 365, 458, 460–​61, 463, 497, 514n140, 520n4, 520n6, 521n22, 523n49, 533n7, 536n27, 537n37, 547n13 biographical information for, 103 and Eli Bruce, 61, 512n108 and Fayette Lapham, 12, 110, 439, 515n153, 517n191 imprisoned for unpaid debt, 61, 438 instructs JS to follow directions of angel, 52, 57, 88, 104–​5 JS dictates revelation for, 289, 304–​5 and Oliver Cowdery, xxix, 288, 314, 534n13 poverty of, 22, 56, 57 relocates from Vermont to Palmyra, New York, 22, 154 and rumors that Alvin Smith’s grave had been disturbed, xxvii, 512n100 treasure seeking of, xxviii, 11, 76, 81, 90–​91, 175, 178, 200, 216, 263, 507n13, 508n32 visits JS and Emma early in 1829, 79, 289, 533n5, 538n1 and Willard Chase, 12, 513n121, 513n126, 423n47 as witness of the gold plates, xxxi, 381, 422, 425, 437–​39, 443 Smith, Julia (daughter of JS), 20–​22 Smith, Katharine. See Salisbury, Katharine Smith Smith, Lucy (sister of JS), 288, 507n9 Smith, Lucy Mack (mother of JS) and the appearance of the angel to JS, 104–​8 biographical information for, 103 and Book of Mormon characters, 244–​45 cares for sick children and neighbors, 138, 144, 209, 287, 293, 534n7 conflates First Vision with appearance of angel, 7, 516n162 and eight witnesses, 433 and encounter with Presbyterian officials,  475–​76 family memoir of, 102–​3 and Joseph Smith Sr.’s imprisonment for nonpayment of a debt, 438

j 571

and JS and Emma’s move to New York in 1827,  190–​91 and JS’s obtaining the plates, 182–​88 and Lucy Harris, 188–​90, 244–​45, 295–​97 and Martha and Howard Coray, 103 and printing of the Book of Mormon, 472–​75,  476 Smith, Martha Ann, 427 Smith, Mary Bailey, 58 Smith, Mary Fielding, 58, 427 Smith, Mercy Fielding, 58, 443 Smith, Samuel Harrison (brother of JS), 58, 138, 158, 206, 211–​12, 288, 322, 507n9, 533n7, 538n1 Smith, Sophronia (sister of JS), xxvii, 7, 219–​20, 287–​88, 293, 507n9, 517n186, 533n7 Smith, unnamed daughter of JS (born 1831), 20 Smith, unnamed son of JS (born 1828), 276 Smith, unnamed son of JS (born 1831), 20 Smith, unnamed son of JS (born 1842), 58 Smith, William (brother of JS), 14, 153, 159, 202, 250, 267, 288, 416–​17, 506n10, 509n44, 514n130, 521n15, 532n29, 544n10 Spaulding, Solomon, 94, 141, 148, 179, 202, 204, 210, 229, 346–​47, 351, 521n26, 522n41, 528n13, 541n12 spectacles. See Urim and Thummim Spencer, Stan, 499 Squires, Elizabeth Winters, 128–​29, 222, 260, 526n97 Stafford, Barton, 162–​63, 169 Stafford, Christopher M., 212, 213 Stafford, Emily Rockwell, 213 Stafford, Dr. John, 131, 144, 145, 163, 169 Stafford, Joshua, 9, 213–​14 Stafford, Nelson, 169 Stafford, William, 9, 163, 169, 171, 212, 521n19, 521n22 Stanley, Horace, 103 Stevens, Viola, 207–​8 Stoddard, Calvin, 288 Stoddard, Sophronia Smith. See Smith, Sophronia Stowell, Josiah, xxvii, xxix, 11, 48, 57, 76–​77, 81, 120, 130, 157, 159, 160, 175–​77, 181–​82, 185–​86, 268, 458, 497–​99, 508n32, 511n85, 511n87, 512n101, 515n147, 522n33, 526n96, 532n29 sword of Laban, 218, 381, 403, 408, 413

572 i

Index

Tarble, Zechariah, xxviii, 160 Taves, Ann, 3, 16, 418–​19, 508n20, 542n6, 544nn9–​10,  545n35 Taylor, Alan, 10, 12, 271–​72, 543n20 Taylor, Dorcas, 254 Taylor, John, 239, 401, 441 Taylor, Thomas H., 131, 135, 146–​48 Thompson, Mercy Fielding. See Smith, Mercy Fielding Thompson, Robert B., 58 Thorne, Reverend C. C., 131, 134, 138, 148 three witnesses, xxx, 93, 149, 192, 201, 204, 237, 241, 247, 269, 297, 307, 326, 327, 342, 349, 370, 372, 373, 374–​75, 381–​82, 383, 389–​91, 396, 399, 400, 403, 407, 408, 416, 417–​19, 423, 425, 433, 437, 443, 453, 457, 470, 483, 493, 496, 538n57, 538n59, 544n9. See also Cowdery, Oliver; Harris, Martin; Whitmer, David Tiffany, Joel, 191–​92, 419, 536n30, 537n43, 538n60 Treadwell, Jason, 127, 518n201 Turley, Theodore, 418–​21, 450–​51 Tyler, Daniel, 441 Urim and Thummim. See also seer stone(s) mentioned by David Whitmer, 404 mentioned by JS, 10, 25, 52–​53, 55, 57, 60, 88, 160, 228, 240, 250–​51, 274–​75, 285, 314, 316, 332, 338, 343, 357, 376 mentioned by Lucy Mack Smith, 183–​84, 186–​87, 292–​93, 317, 353 mentioned by Martin Harris, 196, 250, 265, 269–​70, 400, 403, 443, 470 mentioned by Oliver Cowdery, 29, 42, 311, 321–​22,  351 mentioned by others, 2, 71, 73, 78–​79, 86, 90, 92, 93, 101, 114, 116, 121, 128, 156, 180, 183, 198–​201, 204, 209, 230–​31, 233, 238, 239, 254, 259, 263, 281, 364, 366, 471, 491, 501 mentioned in a revelation, 413 Van Wagoner, Richard S., 12, 14, 250, 418–​19 Venner, Elizabeth, 255 Vogel, Dan, 61, 74, 178, 348, 370, 416, 419, 422, 508n20, 508n26, 508n33, 510n72, 512n112, 513n116, 515n153, 515nn157–​58, 518n201, 521n15, 525n89, 527n10, 528n28, 533n6, 536n29, 536n33, 543n30, 544n1, 548n40

Walker, John Phillips, 417 Walker, Ronald W., 8 Walker, Steven C., 250 Walters, Luman, 523 Walters, Wesley P., 15, 518n201 Weed, Thurlow, 464, 465–​67, 547n17 Wentworth Letter. See “Church History” Wheelock, Cyrus H., 248 Whitlock, Harvy, 406 Whitmer, Christian, xxxi, 342, 344, 381, 422–​23, 425, 437, 445, 446, 447, 481, 510n58 Whitmer, David, 83, 96, 146, 153, 213, 217, 226, 237, 287, 396, 407, 453, 454 and Address to All Believers in Christ, 346, 381 and Book of Mormon characters, 527n2, 530n52 and Book of Mormon translation, xxx, 303, 342–​43, 353, 537n40 and “Canadian copyright revelation,” 497–​98, 548–​49n48 deathbed testimony of, 448 excommunication of, and final years, 149, 201, 204, 265 helps JS and Oliver Cowdery move to Fayette, New York, 302–​3, 342, 353–​54, 355–​56, 541n13 interviews with, 148, 247–​48, 283, 301–​2, 320, 345, 355–​56, 380–​81, 407, 408, 411, 444, 537n44, 540nn3–​5 and JS’s revelations, 324, 344, 359, 376, 413 and Oliver Cowdery, xxix, 148–​49, 288–​89, 302–​3, 309, 320, 345, 352, 355, 379, 534n12, 537n37, 537n46 as president of the church in Missouri, 149, 239 and William E. McLellin, 345, 410, 444, 543n36, 543n39 as witness of the gold plates, xxx, 152, 194, 265, 370, 383, 386, 388, 390, 392, 400, 403–​4, 406, 407, 408–​9, 410, 411–​12, 419, 425, 437, 448, 538n57, 538n59, 541n3, 543n36, 544n1 Whitmer, Elizabeth Ann. See Cowdery, Elizabeth Ann Whitmer Whitmer, Jacob, xxxi, 344, 381, 407, 422–​23, 425, 437, 445, 447–​48, 499 Whitmer, John, 149, 344, 348, 357, 406–​7, 499, 546n55 as church historian and scribe, 16–​17, 84, 268, 285, 304–​5, 324, 327, 332, 338, 342, 343, 356, 358, 359, 389–​90, 412, 425, 486, 497, 532n32, 539n24, 540nn25–​26, 548n39, 548n47 deathbed testimony of, 448

573

Index as witness of the gold plates, xxxi, 381, 416, 420, 421, 422–​23, 425–​26, 428–​29, 437, 445, 546nn55–​56 Whitmer, John Christian, 408, 445, 447 Whitmer, Mary Musselman, 344, 356, 389, 446 Whitmer, Peter Jr., xxxi, 342, 344, 381, 422–​23, 425, 437, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 472, 474 Whitmer, Peter Sr., 84, 343, 344, 359, 383, 389, 404, 429, 433, 436, 437, 446, 499, 510n58 Whitney, Elizabeth Ann, 21–​22 Whitney, Newel K., 20–​22 Wight, Lyman, 255, 424, 428, 448–​49 Willers, Diedrich, 9–​10, 403–​4, 436, 508n26, 543n30

j 573

Williams, Frederick G., 6, 19, 21–​22, 273, 412, 457, 510n73, 511n76 Williams, Samuel, 111 Willson, Jared, 161, 162 Wilson, Bushrod W., 241 Young, Brigham, 212, 246, 253, 377, 435, 440 Young, D., 403 Young, Joseph, 440 Young, Lorenzo Dow, 440 Young, Phineas H., 350, 352, 377–​78, 440 Younger, Katharine Smith Salisbury. See Salisbury, Katharine Smith