_From Bibliotheca Sacra_.
Rev. C. M. Hyde, D.D., of the North Pacific Missionary Institute,
contributes an article to the Boston _Congregationalist_, in which
he gives a history of the manuscript from the beginning and of the
attempts made by Hurlburt, Howe and others to connect it with the
Book of Mormon, and thus concludes his lengthy and interesting
contribution:
The story has not the slightest resemblance in names, incidents or
style to anything in the Book of Mormon. Its first nine chapters
are headed: Introduction; An Epitomy of the Author's Life, and of
his Arrival in America; An Account of the Settlement of the Ship's
Company; Many Particulars respecting the Natives; A Journey to the
N. W.; A Description of the Ohohs; Description of the Learning;
Religion; An Account of the Baska, Government and Money.
There is no attempt whatever to imitate Bible language, and to
introduce quotations from the Bible, as in the Book of Mormon. On
the contrary, Rev. Solomon Spaulding seems to have been a man who
had no very high regard for the Bible. There are two manuscript
leaves in the parcel of the same size and handwriting as the other
171 pages of manuscript. A few sentences will show the views of
the writer. "It is enough for me to know that propositions which
are in contradiction to each other can not both be true, and
that doctrines and facts which represent the Supreme Being as
a barbarous and cruel tyrant can never be dictated by infinite
wisdom. * * * But, notwithstanding I disavow my belief in the
divinity of the Bible, and consider it as a mere human production,
designed to enrich and aggrandize its authors, yet casting aside
a considerable mass of rubbish and fanatical rant, I find that it
contains a system of ethics or morals which cannot be excelled on
account of their tendency to ameliorate the condition of man." It
would seem improbable from such avowed belief that Rev. Solomon
Spaulding was an orthodox minister, who wrote the Book of Mormon in
Biblical style, while in poor health, for his own amusement. The
statement is more probable that he wrote this Manuscript Found,
with {347} the idea of making a little money, if he could find some
one to print it for him.
It is evident from an inspection of this manuscript, and from the
above statements that who ever wrote the Book of Mormon, _Solomon
Spaulding did not_.
The manuscript is now in the possession of Professor James H.
Fairchild, or rather of Oberlin College, Ohio, of which he is
President. It was sent there to be deposited in the college
library, by Mr. L. L. Rice, of Honolulu, Sandwish Islands, among
whose papers it was found at that place. Mr. Rice lived formerly
in Ohio, and in 1839-40 he and his partner bought the Painesville,
Ohio, _Telegraph_, of E. D. Howe, and in the transfer of type,
presses, stock, etc., there was a large collection of books,
manuscripts, etc., among them the manuscript in question. E.D. Howe
was the publisher of a book against Mormonism, called "Mormonism
Unveiled," and obtained the "Manuscript Found" from the notorious
"Dr." D. P. Hurlburt, who obtained it from Mrs. Davidson, Solomon
Spaulding's widow, who had remarried. Hurlburt never returned it.
The reason assigned to Mrs. Davidson for its non-publication as an
_expose_ of the Book of Mormon was, that when examined it was found
not to be what had been expected. One has only to glance through it
to see the propriety of that conclusion.
When Mr. Rice moved to Honolulu this manuscript, with other
literary rubbish that had not been destroyed, was taken with
him. It was not until Prof. Fairchild, being on a visit to Mr.
Rice, questioned him concerning any old papers he might have in
his possession relating to anti-slavery matters, that in looking
for them this manuscript was turned up. It bore the following
endorsement:
"The writings of Solomon Spaulding proved by Aron Wright, Oliver
Smith, John N. Miller and others. The testimonies of the above
gentlemen are now in my possession.
(Signed), D.P. HURLBURT.
The chain of evidence is complete. There can be no doubt that this
is the long lost "Manuscript Found," about which there has been so
much speculation. Mr. Rice and Professor Fairchild both examined it
critically, compared it with the Book of Mormon, and came to the
conclusion that there was not the slightest connection between the two
books, and no similarity whatever in matter, purpose, narrative, names,
language, style, or anything else. The manuscript looks old and {348}
faded, has 170 odd pages, small quarto, and was tied up, with a string
in a coarse paper wrapper.