THE ORIGIN OF THE MORMON DELUSION.
The golden Bible--Moral, political, and numercial
importance of the Mormon sect--Views of
Revelation--Causes that have contributed to spread
Mormonism--Martin Harris--Interview with the
author--Transcripts from the golden Bible--Jo Smith,
the Mormon prophet--His early history--First pretended
revelation--His marriage--Chest containing the golden
Bible--Attempts to disinter it--Consequence--Delusion
of Harris--Translation and publication of the _Book of
Mormon_.
The sketch that follows, detailing some facts connected with the rise and
origin of Mormonism, is made up partly of a series of letters written by
the author in 1840 for the columns of the EPISCOPAL RECORDER, a religious
periodical published in Philadelphia, of which he is one of the editors,
and partly of facts and documents that have since come into his hands.
The present chapter contains the substance of the first letter of the
series referred to.
_Palmyra, Aug. 24th._
I proceed to give some account of the rise and origin of the Mormon
delusion, as I am now in the region where this imposture first sprung up.
In the town of Manchester, about six miles from this place, may still be
seen an excavation in the side of a hill, from whence, according to the
assertion of the Mormon prophet, the metallic plates, sometimes called THE
GOLDEN BIBLE, were disinterred. A writer in the NEW YORK EVENING EXPRESS,
who has been recently travelling in the West, remarks that "the Mormons
have assumed a moral and political importance which is but very imperfectly
understood." He then proceeds to add in relation to them that, "associated
on the religious principle, under a prophet and leader, whose mysterious
and awful claims to divine inspiration make his voice to believers like the
voice of God; trained to sacrifice their individuality; to utter one cry;
to think and act in crowds; with minds that seem to have been struck from
the sphere of reason on one subject; and left to wander like lost stars,
amid the dark mazes and winding ways of religious error; these remarkable
sectaries must necessarily hold in their hands a fearful balance of
political power. In the midst of contending parties, a single hand might
turn their influence, with tremendous effect, to which ever side presented
the most potent attraction, and should they ever become disposed to exert
their influence for evil, which may Heaven prevent, they would surround our
institutions with an element of danger, more to be dreaded than an armed
and hundred-eyed police." It is not, however, in reference to their
political, but to their _religious_ influence, that we entertain a degree
of apprehension. This sect has been organized only about ten years, and yet
they profess to number, in their society, _one hundred thousand_ souls.
This undoubtedly is an exaggeration, but it has been stated from a source
upon which reliance can be placed, that there are probably not less than
_sixty thousand_ persons now professing the Mormon faith. It is said also
that they are putting forth the most indefatigable efforts by itinerant
missionaries, both in this country and in Europe, to make proselytes to
their creed. These facts show the importance of spreading upon the columns
of our religious journals from time to time statements that tend to unveil
the trickery and artifice by which this system of imposture was got up and
continues to be perpetuated.
There are two or three reasons why the Mormon delusion has spread so
rapidly, and which will probably continue to give it more or less currency.
One cause is, that it fully and cordially admits the truth of the sacred
Scriptures. Did it discard all previous revelation,--pour contempt upon the
Saviour of the world, and set up an independent claim for a revelation
wholly new, it would have gained comparatively few adherents. But
recognizing the truth and credibility of the sacred Scriptures, and
retaining as it does, many doctrines which are held in common by different
denominations of Christians, and covering its own absurdities with imposing
forms and lofty pretensions, it opens a winning asylum for all the
disaffected and dissatisfied of other persuasions, and contains much that
is congenial to almost every shade of radicalism, or erratic religious
character.
Another cause which has contributed to the rapid spread of this imposture,
is, that it appeals strongly to the love of the marvellous,--to that thirst
and anxiety, so rife with a certain class of mind, to know more than God
would have us know,--to find some discovery that will carry us farther than
revelation,--to get some one to come back from the grave, and tell us what
is in eternity,--to see with our own eyes a miracle, and obtain some new
glimpse of the invisible world. There is manifestly existing in a certain
order of men, in every part of the world, and in every period of time, a
strong propensity of this sort. What but this propensity would have given
such potent and almost irresistible influence to _Joan d' Arc_, who, from
an ostler maid in an obscure country inn in France, by claiming heavenly
inspirations, and pretending to see visions, and to hear divine voices
calling her to re-establish the throne of France, and to expel the foreign
invaders, rose to such surprising eminence and power, as to be the very
pivot upon which the destinies of the whole nation turned!--as to be
invested with the military conduct of the French army,--directing and
raising sieges,--inspiring the troops with invincible courage, and
spreading disaster and defeat through all the ranks of the British army, so
that the Duke of Bedford, after all the previous success and triumph of the
English arms at Verneuil and Orleans, and with all his tact and ability,
could scarcely keep any footing in France? What but this deep-rooted
propensity could have prepared men to have received the dreams, and
reveries, and pretended revelation of Emanuel Swedenborg, or of Ann Lee; or
to have yielded up their reason to a belief in the clairvoyance of animal
magnetism? And not to multiply instances abroad, what but such a propensity
as the one to which we have now referred, attracted the New Jerusalemites
around _Jemima Wilkinson_, and gave her so much power over a large
community of men and women? What but this, opened the way for the monstrous
claims set up by the execrable _Mathias_, who drew after him, as by the
power of enchantment, and subjected to his dictum, whole families,--persons
of education and refinement, and among the number, several men of
intelligence, respectability and fortune? It is to this same principle,
this anxious desire to look deeper into the hidden mysteries of the
invisible world, than any mortal has hitherto been privileged to do, that
the originators of this "cunningly devised fable" of Mormonism have
appealed. While they admit the truth and credibility of the sacred
Scriptures, they profess to have obtained an additional revelation, by
which new illumination is shed over every page of the sacred word,--all
controversies settled, and the obscurity that hitherto hung over many
religious subjects dispelled. They profess to bring to light a historical
and religious record, written in ancient times, by a branch of the house of
Israel that peopled America, from whom the Indians are descended. This
record, which, engraven upon metallic plates, lay deposited in the earth
for many centuries, not only corroborates and confirms the truth of holy
writ, but also opens the events of ancient America, as far back at least as
the flood. They pretend that this record "pours the light of noon-day upon
the history of a nation whose mounds and cities, and fortifications, still
repose in grand but melancholy ruins, upon the bosom of the western
prairies." The Mormons not only claim this new revelation, but profess to
have still among them the gift of prophecy and miracles. They contend that
miracles and revelations from heaven, are as necessary now, and as
important to the salvation of the present generation, as they were in any
former period, and that they alone possess this privilege of immediate and
constant intercourse with heaven.
But that which has given vastly the greatest strength to Mormonism is the
violent persecution which its disciples have suffered in the West, and
especially in Missouri. Nothing can be more impolitic, or unjust, or
farther removed from the spirit of the gospel, than to oppress and
persecute any set of men on account of their religious tenets; and
certainly nothing can give them more strength or rapid growth than such a
procedure.
The Mormons first located themselves, as a body, in Kirtland, Geanga Co.,
Ohio. Some difference arose among their leaders on account of certain
banking operations which they attempted, and they separated, and a portion
of them went to Independence, Jackson Co., Mo. The people in the
neighbourhood of that location became unfriendly to them, and drove them
away by force, subjecting them to great sufferings and loss of property.
They were at last entirely and forcibly expelled from the state of
Missouri. They afterward purchased the town of Commerce, said to be a
situation of surpassing beauty, at the head of the lower rapids on the
Illinois shore of the Mississippi river. The writer to whom I have already
referred, and who has revisited these western Mormons this present summer,
remarks:--"The name of the place where they now reside, they have recently
changed to Nauvoo, the Hebrew term for fair or beautiful. Around this
place, as their centre, they are daily gathering from almost every quarter:
and several hundred new houses, erected within the last few months, attest
to the passing traveller the energy, industry, and self-denial with which
the community is imbued. They have also obtained possession of extensive
lands on the opposite side of the river, in that charming portion of Iowa
Territory, known as the 'Half Breed Reservation;' and there upon the
rolling and fertile prairies they are rapidly selecting their homes and
opening their farms. As the traveller now passes through those natural
parks and fields of flowers which the hand of the Creator seems to have
originally planted there for the inspection of his own eye, he beholds
their cabins, dotted down in most enchanting perspective, either on the
borders of the timbers, or beside the springs and streams of living water
which are interspersed on every hand."
The other portion that remain in Ohio, have erected a stone temple in
Kirtland, of splendid appearance and singular construction. The first floor
is a place of worship, with four pulpits at each end; each pulpit
calculated to hold three persons. These pulpits rise behind and above one
another, and are designed for different grades of ministers according to
their rank in office. These are the two principal settlements of these
people, although there are small societies of them found in almost every
part of the United States. In some instances not only members but ministers
of orthodox churches have been led to leave their own churches, and
identify themselves with the Mormons.
It is time that I should acquaint you with some facts that came to my
personal knowledge full thirteen years ago, connected with the rise of this
imposture.
It was early in the autumn of 1827 that Martin Harris called at my house in
Palmyra, one morning about sunrise. His whole appearance indicated more
than usual excitement, and he had scarcely passed the threshold of my
dwelling, before he inquired whether he could see me alone, remarking that
he had a matter to communicate that he wished to be strictly confidential.
Previous to this, I had but very slight acquaintance with Mr. Harris. He
had occasionally attended divine service in our church. I had heard him
spoken of as a farmer in comfortable circumstances, residing in the country
a short distance from the village, and distinguished by certain
peculiarities of character. He had been, if I mistake not, at one period, a
member of the Methodist Church, and subsequently had identified himself
with the Universalists. At this time, however, in his religious views he
seemed to be floating upon the sea of uncertainty. He had evidently quite
an extensive knowledge of the Scriptures, and possessed a manifest
disputatious turn of mind. As I subsequently learned, Mr. Harris had always
been a firm believer in dreams, and visions, and supernatural appearances,
such as apparitions and ghosts, and therefore was a fit subject for such
men as Smith and his colleagues to operate upon. On the occasion just
referred to, I invited him to accompany me to my study, where, after having
closed the door, he began to draw a package out of his pocket with great
and manifest caution. Suddenly, however, he stopped, and wished to know if
there was any possibility of our being interrupted or overheard? When
answered in the negative, he proceeded to remark, that he reposed great
confidence in me as a minister of Jesus Christ, and that what he had now to
communicate he wished me to regard as strictly confidential. He said he
verily believed that an important epoch had arrived--that a great flood of
light was about to burst upon the world, and that the scene of divine
manifestation was to be immediately around us. In explanation of what he
meant, he then proceeded to remark that a GOLDEN BIBLE had recently been
dug from the earth, where it had been deposited for thousands of years, and
that this would be found to contain such disclosures as would settle all
religious controversies and speedily bring on the glorious millennium.
That this mysterious book, which no human eye of the present generation had
yet seen, was in the possession of Joseph Smith, jr., ordinarily known in
the neighbourhood under the more familiar designation of _Jo Smith_; that
there had been a revelation made to him by which he had discovered this
sacred deposit, and two transparent stones, through which, as a sort of
spectacles, he could read the Bible, although the box or ark that contained
it, had not yet been opened; and that by looking through those mysterious
stones, he had transcribed from one of the leaves of this book, the
characters which Harris had so carefully wrapped in the package which he
was drawing from his pocket. The whole thing appeared to me so ludicrous
and puerile, that I could not refrain from telling Mr. Harris, that I
believed it a mere hoax got up to practice upon his credulity, or an
artifice to extort from him money; for I had already, in the course of the
conversation, learned that he had advanced some twenty-five dollars to Jo
Smith as a sort of premium for sharing with him in the glories and profits
of this new revelation. For at this time, his mind seemed to be quite as
intent upon the pecuniary advantage that would arise from the possession of
the plates of solid gold of which this book was composed, as upon the
spiritual light it would diffuse over the world. My intimations to him, in
reference to the possible imposition that was being practiced upon him,
however, were indignantly repelled. He then went on to relate the
particulars in regard to the discovery and possession of this marvellous
book. As far as I can now recollect, the following was an outline of the
narrative which he then communicated to me, and subsequently to scores of
people in the village, from some of whom in my late visit to Palmyra, I
have been able to recall several particulars that had quite glided from my
memory.
Before I proceed to Martin's narrative, however, I would remark in passing,
that Jo Smith, who has since been the chief prophet of the Mormons, and was
one of the most prominent ostensible actors in the first scenes of this
drama, belonged to a very shiftless family near Palmyra. They lived a sort
of vagrant life, and were principally known as _money-diggers_. Jo from a
boy appeared dull and utterly destitute of genius; but his father claimed
for him a sort of second sight, a power to look into the depths of the
earth, and discover where its precious treasures were hid. Consequently
long before the idea of a GOLDEN BIBLE entered their minds, in their
excursions for money-digging, which I believe usually occurred in the
night, that they might conceal from others the knowledge of the place where
they struck upon treasures, Jo used to be usually their guide, putting into
a hat a peculiar stone he had through which he looked to decide where they
should begin to dig.
According to Martin Harris, it was after one of these night excursions,
that Jo, while he lay upon his bed, had a remarkable dream. An angel of God
seemed to approach him, clad in celestial splendor. This divine messenger
assured him, that he, Joseph Smith, was chosen of the Lord to be a prophet
of the Most High God, and to bring to light hidden things, that would prove
of unspeakable benefit to the world. He then disclosed to him the existence
of this golden Bible, and the place where it was deposited--but at the same
time told him that he must follow implicitly the divine direction, or he
would draw down upon him the wrath of heaven. This book, which was
contained in a chest, or ark, and which consisted of metallic plates
covered with characters embossed in gold, he must not presume to look into,
under three years. He must first go on a journey into Pennsylvania--and
there among the mountains, he would meet with a very lovely woman,
belonging to a highly respectable and pious family, whom he was to take for
his wife. As a proof that he was sent on this mission by Jehovah, as soon
as he saw this designated person, he would be smitten with her beauty, and
though he was a stranger to her, as she was far above him in the walks of
life, she would at once be willing to marry him and go with him to the ends
of the earth. After their marriage he was to return to his former home, and
remain quietly there until the birth of his first child. When this child
had completed his second year, he might then proceed to the hill beneath
which the mysterious chest was deposited, and draw it thence, and publish
the truths it contained to the world. Smith awoke from his dream, and,
according to Harris, started off towards Pennsylvania, not knowing to what
point he should go. But the Lord directed him, and gained him favour in the
eyes of just such a person as was described to him. He was married and had
returned. His first child had been born, and was now about six months old.
But Jo had not been altogether obedient to the heavenly vision. After his
marriage and return from Pennsylvania, he became so awfully impressed with
the high destiny that awaited him, that he communicated the secret to his
father and family. The money-digging propensity of the old man operated so
powerfully, that he insisted upon it that they should go and dig and see if
the chest was there--not with any view to remove it till the appointed
time, but merely to satisfy themselves. Accordingly they went forth in the
stillness of the night with their spades and mattocks to the spot where
slumbered this sacred deposit. They had proceeded but a little while in the
work of excavation, before the mysterious chest appeared; but lo! instantly
it moved and glided along out of their sight. Directed, however, by the
_clairvoyance_ of Jo, they again penetrated to the spot where it stood, and
succeeded in gaining a partial view of its dimensions. But while they were
pressing forward to gaze at it, the thunder of the Almighty shook the spot,
and made the earth to tremble--a sheet of vivid lightning swept along over
the side of the hill, and burnt terribly around the place where the
excavation was going on, and again, with a rumbling noise, the chest moved
off out of their sight. They were all terrified and fled towards their
home. Jo took his course silently along by himself. On his way homeward,
being alone and in the woods, the angel of the Lord met him, clad in terror
and wrath. He spoke in a voice of thunder: forked lightnings shot through
the trees, and ran along upon the ground. The terror which the appearance
of the divine messenger awakened, instantly struck Smith to the earth, and
he felt his whole frame convulsed with agony, as though he were stamped
upon by the iron hoofs of death himself. In language most terrific did the
angel upbraid him for his disobedience, and then disappeared. Smith went
home trembling and full of terror. Soon, however, his mind became more
composed. Another divine communication was made to him, authorizing him to
go alone by himself and bring the chest and deposit it secretly under the
hearth of his dwelling, but by no means to attempt to look into it. The
reason assigned by the angel for this removal, was that some report in
relation to the place where this sacred book was deposited had gone forth,
and there was danger of its being disturbed. According to Harris, Smith now
scrupulously followed the divine directions. He was already in possession
of the two transparent stones laid up with the GOLDEN BIBLE, by looking
through which he was enabled to read the golden letters on the plates in
the box. How he obtained these spectacles without opening the chest, Harris
could not tell. But still he had them; and by means of them he could read
all the book contained. The book itself was not to be disclosed until
Smith's child had attained a certain age. Then it might be published to the
world. In the interim Smith was to prepare the way for the conversion of
the world to a new system of faith, by transcribing the characters from the
plates and giving translations of the same. This was the substance of
Martin Harris' communication to me upon our first interview. He then
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
upright marks joined by a horizontal line, that might have been taken for
the Hebrew character He. My ignorance of the characters in which
this pretended ancient record was written, was to Martin Harris new proof
that Smith's whole account of the divine revelation made to him was
entirely to be relied on.
One thing is here to be noticed, that the statements of the originators of
this imposture varied, and were modified from time to time according as
their plans became more matured. At first it was a gold Bible--then golden
plates engraved--then metallic plates stereotyped or embossed with golden
letters. At one time Harris was to be enriched by the solid gold of these
plates, at another they were to be religiously kept to convince the world
of the truth of the revelation--and, then these plates could not be seen by
any but three witnesses whom the Lord should choose. How easy it would be,
were there any such plates in existence, to produce them, and to show that
Mormonism is not a "cunningly devised fable." How far Harris was duped by
this imposture, or how far he entered into it as a matter of speculation, I
am unable to say. Several gentlemen in Palmyra, who saw and conversed with
him frequently, think he was labouring under a sort of monomania, and that
he thoroughly believed all that Jo Smith chose to tell him on this subject.
He was so much in earnest on this subject, that he immediately started off
with some of the manuscripts that Smith furnished him on a journey to New
York and Washington to consult some learned men to ascertain the nature of
the language in which this record was engraven. After his return he came to
see me again, and told me that, among others, he had consulted Professor
Anthon,[2] who thought the characters in which the book was written very
remarkable, but he could not decide exactly what language they belonged to.
Martin had now become a perfect believer. He said he had no more doubt of
Smith's commission, than of the divine commission of the apostles. The
very fact that Smith was an obscure and illiterate man, showed that he must
be acting under divine impulses:--"God had chosen the foolish things of the
world to confound the wise, and the weak things to confound the mighty; and
base things of the world, and things which are despised--yea, and things
that are not to bring to nought--things that are--that no flesh should
glory in his presence:" that he was willing to "take of the spoiling of his
goods" to sustain Smith in carrying on this work of the Lord; and that he
was determined that the book should be published, though it consumed all
his worldly substance. It was in vain I endeavoured to expostulate. I was
an unbeliever, and could not see afar off. As for him, he must follow the
light which the Lord had given him. Whether at this time Smith had those
colleagues that unquestionably afterwards moved, unseen, the wheels of this
machinery, I am unable to say. Even after Cowdery and Rigdon were lending
the whole force of their minds to the carrying out of this imposture, Jo
Smith continued to be the ostensible prominent actor in the drama. The way
that Smith made his transcripts and translations for Harris was the
following. Although in the same room, a thick curtain or blanket was
suspended between them, and Smith concealed behind the blanket, pretended
to look through his spectacles, or transparent stones, and would then write
down or repeat what he saw, which, when repeated aloud, was written down by
Harris, who sat on the other side of the suspended blanket. Harris was told
that it would arouse the most terrible divine displeasure, if he should
attempt to draw near the sacred chest, or look at Smith while engaged in
the work of decyphering the mysterious characters. This was Harris's own
account of the matter to me. What other measures they afterwards took to
transcribe or translate from these metallic plates, I cannot say, as I very
soon after this removed to another field of labour where I heard no more of
this matter till I learned the BOOK OF MORMON was about being published. It
was not till after the discovery of the manuscript of Mr. Spaulding, of
which I shall subsequently give some account, that the actors in this
imposture thought of calling this pretended revelation the BOOK OF MORMON.
This book, which professed to be a translation of the golden Bible brought
to light by Joseph Smith, was published in 1830--to accomplish which Martin
Harris actually mortgaged his farm.
In addition to the facts with which I myself was conversant in 1827 and
1828, connected with the rise of Mormonism, I have been able to lay hold of
one or two valuable documents, and to obtain several items of intelligence,
by which I shall be enabled to continue this sketch of the rise and origin
of this singular imposture. To my mind there never was a grosser piece of
deception undertaken to be practised than this.
FOOTNOTES:
[2] In the following chapter the reader will find an account of this
interview.