MODERN SUPERSTITION.-THE MORMONITES.-No. II. We now resume our extracts from the "Episcopal Recorder" of Philadelphia, to expose still further the gross superstition, by which an increasing number of our ignorant countrymen are enthralled, earnestly praying that they may speedily be delivered from the snares of Satan. lay, and subsequently inspired to interpret the writing, by putting two smooth flat stones, which he found in the box, into a hat, and then putting his face therein. This is the claim set up for the book of Mormon, and which has seduced many unstable souls. Had the originator of this fabulous history, called the book of Mormon, kept entirely behind the scenes up to the present period, and had there been no clue by which the authorship of this figment of the imagination could be traced, it would still have been abundantly evident to every intelligent person, that it was the product of some shrewd and designing mind, who cal In developing the history of this imposture, and showing the several steps by which it has won its way to the regard, and gained the confidence of thousands, it becomes necessary to account for the existence of what is denominated the book of Mormon, a volume containing five hundred and eighty-culated to find his advantage in gulling eight duodecimo pages, consisting of fifteen different books, purporting to be written at different times, and by different authors, whose names they respectively bear. The period of time which these historical records profess to cover, is about a thousand years, commencing with the time of Zedekiah, king of Judah, and terminating with the year of our Lord 420. the credulous and superstitious. The people of Palmyra, at the commencement of the printing of this book, only laughed at the ridiculousness of the thing, and wondered at the credulity of Harris. As the publication progressed, and the contents of the book began to be known, the conviction became general that there was an actor behind the scene, moving the machiThis volume has exerted a most im- nery, of far higher intellectual qualiportant influence in giving some plausi-fication than Smith or Harris. Susbility to the claims set up by the ori-picion, in some degree, rested upon a ginators of the Mormon imposture. I man by the name of Cowdery, who am quite confident there never would had been a school teacher, if I mistake have been any permanent converts to not, and was now known to be in some Mormonism, had not this volume been way connected with Smith in preparing ushered into existence. The story of this volume for the press. the golden Bible, like a thousand previous and no less marvellous tales told by Joe Smith, would have long since sunk into oblivion but for the publication of this book. The origin of this volume, how it came into being, is a grave question. It is quite certain, that neither Joe Smith nor Martin Harris had intelligence or literary qualification adequate to the production of a work of this sort. Who then was its author? The Mormons say that it is a revelation from God. They claim for it a Divine character. They say that the successive narratives spread upon the pages of this volume, are the identical records engraven upon the metallic plates to which we have already referred, and which, like the leaves of a book, were deposited in a box, and hid in the earth; that the writing on these plates was in the reformed Egyptian language; that Joseph Smith was directed by an angel to the spot where this sacred deposit I will here insert a document which I have in my hands, and which may tend to throw some light upon the origin and authorship of the book of Mormon, which I found in a little work, entitled " 'Religious Creeds and Statistics." The author gives a brief sketch of Mormonism, and among other things inserts a letter or statement written by Isaac Hale, the father-in-law of Joe Smith, giving some account of his first acquaintance with him. While at Palmyra, I met with a respectable clergyman of the Episcopal Church, who had formerly belonged to the Methodist connexion, that was acquainted with Mr. Hale. He represented him as a distinguished hunter, living near the Great Bend in Pennsylvania. He was professedly a religious man and a very zealous member of the Methodist Church. The letter to which I have referred, is accompanied with a statement, declaring that Mr. Hale resides N whether she could have her property, consisting of clothing, etc. I replied that her property was safe, and at her disposal. In a short time, they returned, bringing with them a Peter Ingersol, and subsequently came to the conclusion that they would move out, and reside upon a place near my re in Harmony, Penn.; appended to the The letter or statement above referred to, is as follows: I first became acquainted with Joseph Smith, jun., in November 1825. He was at that time in the employ of a set of men who were called "money diggers ;" and his occupation was that of seeing, or pretending to see, by means of a stone placed in his hat, and his hat closed over his face. In this way, he pretended to discover minerals and hidden treasure. His appearance at this time was that of a careless young man, not very well educated, and very saucy and insolent to his father. Smith and his father, with several other money diggers, boarded at my house while they were employed in digging for a mine that they supposed had been opened and worked by the Spaniards, many years since. Young Smith gave the money diggers great encouragement at first; but when they had arrived, in digging, to near the place where he had stated an immense treasure would be found, he said the enchantment was so powerful, that he could not see. They then became discouraged, and soon after dispersed. After these occurrences, young Smith made several visits at my house, and at length asked my consent to marry my daughter Emma. This I refused, and gave him my reasons for so doing; some of which were, that he was a stranger, and followed a business that I could not approve. He then left the place. Not long after this, he returned; and while I was absent from home, carried off my daughter into the state of New York, where they were married without my approbation or consent. After they had arrived at Palmyra, New York, Emma wrote to me, inquiring Smith stated to me, that he had given up what he called "glass looking," and that he expected to work hard for a living, and was willing to do so. Soon after this, I was informed they had brought a wonderful book of plates down with them. I was shown a box, in which it is said they were contained, which had, to all appearance, been used as a glass box, of the common sized window glass. I was allowed to feel the weight of the box, and they gave me to understand, that the book of plates was then in the box; into which, however, I was not allowed to look. I inquired of Joseph Smith, jun., who was to be the first that would be allowed to see the book of plates. He said it was a young child. After this, I became dissatisfied, and informed him, that if there was any thing in my house of that description, which I could not be allowed to see, he must take it away; if he did not, I was determined to see it. After that, the plates were said to be hid in the woods. About this time, Martin Harris made his appearance upon the stage; and Smith began to interpret the characters or hieroglyphics, which he said were engraven upon the plates, while Harris wrote down the interpretation. It was said that Harris wrote down one hundred and sixteen pages, and lost them. Soon after this happened, Martin Harris informed me that he must have a greater witness, and said that he had talked with Joseph about it; Joseph informed him that he could not or durst not show him the plates, but that he (Joseph) would go into the woods where the book of plates was, and that after he came back, Harris should follow his track in the snow, and find the book, and examine it for himself. Harris informed me afterwards, that he followed Smith's directions, and could not find the plates, and was still dissatisfied. The next day after this happened, I went to the house where Joseph Smith, jun. lived, and where he and Harris were engaged in their translation of the book. Each of them had a written piece of paper which they were comparing, and some of the words were -"My servant seeketh a greater witness, but no greater witness can be given to him." There was also something said about "three that were to see the thing," (meaning, I supposed, the book of plates ;) and that, "if the three did not go exactly according to orders, the thing would be taken from them." I inquired whose words they were, and was informed by Joseph or Emma, (I rather think it was the former,) that they were the words of Jesus Christ. I told them then, that I considered the whole of it a delusion, and advised them to abandon it. The manner in which he pretended to read and interpret, was the same as when he looked for the money diggers, with the stone in his hat, and his hat over his face, while the book of plates was at the same time hid in the woods! After this, Martin Harris went away, and Oliver Cowdery came and wrote for Smith, while he interpreted, as above described. This is the same Oliver Cowdery whose name may be found in the book of Mormon. Cowdery continued a scribe for Smith, until the book of Mormon was completed, as I supposed, and understood. Joseph Smith, jun. resided near me for some time after this, and I had a good opportunity of becoming acquainted with him, and somewhat acquainted with his associates. And I conscientiously believe, from the facts I have detailed, and from many other circumstances, which I do not deem it necessary to relate, that the whole book of Mormon, (so called,) is a silly fabrication of falsehood and wickedness, got up for speculation, and with a design to dupe the credulous and unwary, and in order that its fabricators might live upon the spoils of those who swallowed the deception. ISAAC HALE. I shall have occasion hereafter to refer to the loss of the one hundred and sixteen pages spoken of by Harris, and to the manner in which they were lost; as this fact will not only tend to illustrate Harris's character, but to throw some farther light upon the sinuous track which was pursued to palm off the book of Mormon as a Divine revelation. Whether Smith. and Cowdery were acting alone at the time referred to by Mr. Hale, or were then deriving their illumination from Rigdon, I have no means of determining. It is highly probable, however, that they then had access to a copy of the manuscript written by Mr. Spaulding, of which we shall soon speak, and this copy was undoubtedly obtained through the agency of Rigdon. The true authorship of what constitutes the basis of the book of Mormon, unquestionably belongs to Mr. Spaulding. I do not, however, believe that the book of Mormon is an exact copy of Mr. Spaulding's "Historical Romance," as Mrs. Davidson very properly denominates it. No intelligent or well-educated man would have been guilty of so many anachronisms and gross grammatical errors as characterize every part of the book of Mormon. While Mr. Spaulding's Historical Romance is unquestionably the groundwork of this volume, the christianized character of the work, the hortatory clauses about salvation through the blood of Christ, and the adaptation of the whole to meet the peculiar religious views of Martin Harris, and to tally with the pretended discovery of Joe Smith, are evidently parts of the work added to Mr. Spaulding's manuscript. In farther corroboration of this idea, I will just advert to two facts. First, in this record, some portions of which were professedly written six hundred years before the appearance of our Saviour, the various dramatis persona seem as familiar with the events of the New Testament, and all the doctrines of the gospel, as any preacher of the present day. Now no intelligent and welleducated man would be guilty of such a solecism as that of putting into the mouth of a Jew, who lived four hundred years before the birth of Christ, a flippant discourse about things, as though they were then familiarly known, when they did not occur till some five hundred years afterwards. Hence I infer that these parts were added to the original document of Mr. Spaulding, by Joe Smith, Cowdery, Rigdon, or some of the fraternity. Another reason, leading me to the opinion that considerable alterations were made in the document referred to, stands in connexion with the fact to which I have already adverted -the loss of the one hundred and six- | again; and being commanded of the teen pages, which were never replaced. Lord that I should not translate the same These pages were lost in the following over again, for Satan had put it into way. Harris brought home the manu- their hearts to tempt the Lord their script pages, and locked them up in his God, by altering the words, that they house, thinking them quite safe. But did read contrary from that which I his wife, who was not then, nor ever translated and caused to be written; and afterwards became a convert to Mormon- if I should bring forth the same words ism, took the opportunity, when he again, or in other words, if I should was out, to seize the manuscript, and translate the same over again, they would put it into the hands of one of her neigh- publish that which they had stolen, and bours for safer keeping. When the Satan would stir up the hearts of this manuscript was discovered to be missing, generation, that they might not receive suspicion immediately fastened upon this work: but behold, the Lord said Mrs. Harris: she, however, refused to unto me, I will not suffer that Satan give any information in relation to the shall accomplish his evil design in this matter, but simply replied: "If this be thing: therefore thou shalt translate a Divine communication, the same being from the plates of Nephi, until ye come who revealed it to you can easily replace to that which ye have translated, which it." Mrs. H. believed the whole thing ye have retained; and behold, ye shall to be a gross deception, and she had publish it as the record of Nephi; and formed a plan to expose the deception in thus I will confound those who have the following manner. Taking it for altered my words. I will not suffer that granted that they would attempt to repro- they shall destroy my work: yea, I will duce the part she had concealed, and that show unto them that my wisdom is greater they could not possibly do it verbatim, than the cunning of the devil.” she intended to keep the manuscript until the book was published, and then put these one hundred and sixteen pages into the hands of some one who would publish them, and show how they varied from those published in the book of Mormon. But she had to deal with persons standing behind the scene, and moving the machinery that were too wily thus to be caught. Harris was indignant at his wife beyond measure; he raved most violently, and it is said actually beat Mrs. H. with a rod; but she remained firm, and would not give up the manuscript. The authors of this imposture did not dare to attempt to reproduce this part of the work; but Joe Smith immediately had a revelation about it, which is inserted in the preface of the Book of Mormon as follows: "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, and caused to be written one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plate of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some person or persons have stolen and kept from me, notwithstand-heartily. ing my utmost exertions to recover it This was the expedient to which they resorted in order to avoid replacing the lost pages. Had those pages, however, been transcribed verbatim from Mr. Spaulding's manuscript, they would undoubtedly have reproduced them, and urged the fact of their being able to do so, as a still further proof of their Divine inspiration. But on the supposition that there was considerable new matter mingled up with Mr. Spaulding's sketches, it would be impossible for them to produce the one hundred and sixteen pages, just as they were before, and they would therefore naturally devise some expedient to relieve themselves from the necessity of reproducing those pages. In all probability, Cowdery, and Smith, and Rigdon, had all more or less to do in combining these additional parts with Mr. Spaulding's work. OLD HUMPHREY ON ALMSHOUSES. I AM fond, ay very fond of almshouses, let them be erected upon what plan they may. Whether built in a straight line, a crescent, a circle, or a square; whether stone, brick, cemented, or stuccoed, so that they are almshouses for the widow and the aged, I like them No sooner do I see a square or an The old folks that live in almshouses are all favourites with me. As I see them go in and out, whether I speak with them or not, I give them my blessing. Some of them look cheerful, and then they have credit with me for carrying grateful hearts in their bosoms. Others look a little cross, but who can tell what cares may oc oval stone in the front of small houses | I would not even kill a caterpillar in inscribed, "Dame Dorothy Hunt, of an almshouse garden; by and by he Bocking in Essex, bequeathed by will will be a butterfly, and pay with interest the sum of five hundred pounds for the by his liveliness and beauty for the leaf erection of almshouses;" or, "These that he has eaten. twelve almshouses were built and endowed A.D. 1721, at the sole cost of Mr. Samuel Harwars, draper and citizen of London ;" or, "Mrs. Agnes Aldershaw, spinster, of Whitby in Yorkshire, erected these almshouses for the reception of sixteen poor women;" or, "The six almshouses belonging to the worshipful company of Girdlers, were rebuilt by the said company;" or, in-casion this? they must be borne with. deed any other description of a similar kind, my heart yearns towards the inmates of the place, and I make a pause and call back to my memory some whom I knew of the excellent of the earth, who once inhabited almshouses, but who now, as I humbly hope and trust, are inhabitants of "a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens," 2 Cor. v. 1. Christian charity "is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;-beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things," 1 Cor. xiii. 5.7. We must not be severe to mark the infirmities of those whose trials may exceed our own. Again I say that I like almshouses, and I like heartily, too, the good old souls who founded them, in spite of the uncouth, antiquated statuary, that does its best to make them look awful and forbidding. The long curlyhaired wigs and flowing gowns of the up dresses of the dames and spinsters, are a little freezing in their influence, and yet I love even these antiquated effigies. It is not orthodox, and consistent with God's holy word, to put up a prayer for the dead; but it is orthodox and consistent with God's holy word to think kindly of them, and to encourage the hope, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, that their works of charity were the effect of a lively faith in God's mercy, and a love for the Saviour of sinners, as well as of a desire to be the friend of the friendless, and to add to the comfort of such as stand in need of assistance and support. Even now I can see poor widow Winn in her old arm chair, thanking God for the load of coals which has been just stocked up in her coalhole. Widow Nokes, too, as truly lowly-citizen founders, and the prim, starchedminded and grateful a creature as ever soaked a hard crust in a cup of tea. She is before me, and I, seated on the side of her little bedstead with a friend, am reading to her from her dog's-eared Bible the fortieth chapter of Isaiah. "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Andrew Hollins with his lame arm, and Michael Arrowsmith sitting in the sun, on the bench by the almshouse door, with his crutches beside him, are present to my memory. Weak as they were in body, they were both mighty in the Scriptures, and strong in the faith of Jesus Christ and him crucified. Thus it is that when saints are sent for to heaven, they leave behind them in their example a token of remembrance on the earth that tends to the glory of the Redeemer. Yes! yes! I like almshouses, especially those of the humbler sort. I like the gardens before the doors, and regard with a friendly feeling the spinach and cabbage plants, the marygolds and sweet margery, the gilly flowers and sweet williams that grow in them. It is an easy thing to say that the founders of almshouses have more desire to get reputation for their charity than to afford comfort to the partakers of their bounty; but is it wise, is it just, is it kind, is it Christian-like thus to attach bad motives to good deeds without a knowledge that will justify such a harsh opinion? Human nature is full of infirmity, and almshouse founders are no more free from pride, vanity, and ambition than their neighbours; but let us not leap to the con |