Memoir of Mormons [pp. 641-655]

After many preparatory visions, the sacred plates Nephi-the books of Jacob, Enos, Jarom, Ornni,were at last conmmitted to this Moses of the Latter the words of Mormton-and the books of Mosiah,
Day Covenant. With them he received a pair of
spectacles, consisting of two transparent stones,
set in a bow, by the aid of which he was to inter pret the records. This instrument was called
" Trim and Thummiim:" and its use by "Joseph"
was supposed to settle decisively the long contro versy, touching the nature and office of these mnys terious jewels, among tile Jewish priesthood. The
plates were of gold, seven or eight inches square,
not quite as thick as common tin, bound together
like a book, and secured by three rings running
through one side, or edge, of the plates. The book
was six inches thick. The plates were covered
with Egyptian* characters, and were found restitng
on a breast-plate, and enclosed in a stone box, se cured with cement. Some of the plates were
sealed up, others were open.
The work of translation was commenced, but
was now and then suspended, by reason of sundry
backslidings on the part of Joseph, which are not
explained. At such times, he and his fellow-work er, Oliver Cowdery, were admonished that the pow er was withheld from them, on account of the di vine displeasure. In the book of Doctrine and:
Covenants, are contained several revelations, con nected with this matter, given in the years 1828
and 1829. It appears from one of them, that Joe
had delivered the translation, so far as it went, to
some faithless friend. The latter refused to return
it; and tempted Joe, by challenging him to test the
genuineness of the first translation, by the produtction of a second. But Joseph was relieved from
this dilemma, by a command, which dispensed with
the trying ordeal. He was forbidden to touch the
plates already translated; and was directed to proceed with the plates of Nephi, which would furnish a more particular account of the same matters, and would thus confound the wicked devices
of the infidel.
An edition of 1,200 copies, of the "Book of
Mormon," was published in Palmyra, New York,
in 1830. It is presumed to be the same, in substance, with that afterwards published in 1841, at
Liverpool, in England, under the auspices of Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Parley P.
Pratt. The latter contains the 1st and 2nd Books of
* After their establishment at Nauvoo, Joe procured some
Egyptian mummies, and caused several sheets of papyrus,
covered with hieroglyphics, to be framed with glass, like
pictures. His mother, then almost in herdotage, kept these
as an exhibition, and explained to visiters, who always
paid a small gratuity, the history of "King Pharaoh, and
his wife, and da'ter," (being the mummies there present,)
and their connexion with the children of Israel, and the
Latter Day Saints: all of which she derived from the sacred papyrus. Her accounts would sometimes have astonished, if not edified, the learned historians of Europe and
Asia.
Zeniff, Alma, Helaman, Nephi (the second,) Mor tnon, Ether, and Moroni. The whole is a prosy
and awkward imitation of the Old Testament in
subject matter and style; abounding in bad gram mar, verbose trifling, puerile conceits, stolen inci dents, and palpable anachronismns.
But there is another history of the Book of Mor monoi, hichl proceeds from Gentile authority. Mrs.
Matilda Davison, of Mason, Massachusetts, whose
character is vouched fior by two witnesses, a cler gyman and the head of an academy in that place,
published, in 1839, a narrative to this effect. Her
first husband was the Rev. Solomon Spaulding, a
Congregational minister, with whom she lived, in
New Salem, Ohio, about the year 1812. He regarded with curiosity the antiquities found in that
State, antid indulged in speculations about their origin.
At length, hlie conceived the idea of writing a Scriptural romance, taking up the lost tribes of Israel, removing them to this continent, and deducing for
them an imaginary history. The Book of Mormon
was the result. As he proceeded, he read portions
of his work to his wife and friends, who felt an interest in his labors, and remembered many of the
strange names that occurred in it. From New Salem, he removed to Pittsburgh, Pa. There a Mr.
Patterson, editor of a paper, became acquainted
with the production, which was entitled " Manuscript Found." ie retained it for a considerable
titye, and even proposed to Spaulding to publish it;
which, however, was declined. It was returned to
the author; who, afterwards, removed to Amity,
Pa., and died in 1816.
At the time when the manuscript was in the hands
of Mr. Patterson, Sidney Rigdon was emnployed by
him in his printing office, arid had ample opportunities to read and copy the work. In the year 1828,
Rigdon was engaged at his trade in Palmyra: and,
at this very juncture, the public began to hear rumors of the golden plates discovered by Joe Smith.
Rigdon became, soon after, one of his most zealous and able coadjutors, assisted in the translation,
and continued to be a leader in all their affairs, only
inferior to Joe himnself, until a short time before
Joe's death in 1844.
The people of New Salem, in the year 1834,
were surprised to hear certain passages read from
the Book of Mormon by a female preacher, which
they recognized as parts of Mr. Spaulding's manuscript. His own brother was one of the audience.
A public meeting was held: a committee appointed
to visit Mrs. Spaulding, (now Mrs. Davison) and
compare the new revelation with the old romance.
It was done accordingly, and the identity of the
two fully established.
The Mormons, of course, declare this account of
the " Golden Bible" to be only a device of the
Arch-Enemy himself. But the circumstances of
Memoir of the Mormons.
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