TABLE OF CONTENTS
[Part I.
ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.]
[Schroeder-Roberts' Debate.]
Foreword.
The Appearing of Moroni.
The Book of Mormon.
Description of the Nephite Record.
[
THE ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.]
By Theodore Schroeder.
Solomon Spaulding and his first manuscript.
Spaulding's rewritten manuscript.
Erroneous theories examined.
How about Sidney Rigdon?
Rigdon's prior religious dishonesty.
Rigdon had opportunity to steal the manuscript.
Rigdon's only denial analyzed.
Rigdon and Lambdin in 1815.
Rigdon exhibits Spaulding's manuscript.
Rigdon foreknows the coming and contents of the Book of Mormon.
From Rigdon to Smith via P. P. Pratt.
Rigdon visits Smith before Mormonism.
The conversion of Parley P. Pratt.
Rigdon's miraculous conversion.
The plagiarism clinched.
For the love of gold, not God.
Concluding comment.
[
THE ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.]
By Brigham H. Roberts.
Justifications for replying to Mr. Schroeder.
Preliminary considerations.
Various classes of witnesses.
Conflicting theories of origin.
Mr. Schroeder's statement of his case.
The facts of the Spaulding manuscript.
The task of the present writer.
The enemies of the Prophet.
"Dr." Philastus Hurlburt.
Rev. Adamson Bently, et al.
The "second" Spaulding manuscript.
The failure of Howe's book.
The Conneaut witnesses.
E. D. Howe discredited as a witness.
The Davidson statement.
Alleged statement of Mrs. Davidson, formerly the wife of Solomon Spaulding.
The Haven-Davidson interview.
Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson's repudiation of the Davidson statement.
Reverend John A. Clark and the Davidson statement.
Mutilation of the Haven-Davidson interview.
Mr. Schroeder and the Davidson statement.
Why Mr. Schroeder discredits the Spaulding witnesses.
The connection of Sidney Rigdon with the Spaulding manuscript.
Of Rigdon's alleged "religious dishonesty."
Rigdon's opportunity to steal Spaulding's manuscript.
Did Rigdon exhibit the Spaulding manuscript.
Did Rigdon foreknown the coming and contents of the Book of Mormon?
Alexander Campbell and the Book of Mormon in 1831.
"The Angel of the Prairies."
The supposed meetings of Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon before the publication of the Book of Mormon.
Of the conversion of Pratt and Rigdon.
The denials of Rigdon.
The real origin of the Spaulding theory.
The motive for publishing the Book of Mormon.
Concluding remarks.
[Part II.
RECENT DISCUSSION OF MORMON AFFAIRS.]
Foreword.
[I.
AN ADDRESS.
By the Presidency of the Church. ]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the world.
[II.
REVIEW OF ADDRESS TO THE WORLD. ]
By the Ministerial Association.
Foreword.
Review.
[
III.
ANSWER TO MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION'S REVIEW. ]
By B. H. Roberts.
Foreword.
Answer.
[Part III.
JOSEPH SMITH'S DOCTRINES VINDICATED. ]
Foreword.
[I.
THE FIRST MESSAGE OF MORMONISM VINDICATED.]
Joseph Smith's first vision.
"Creeds are an abomination."
God's first message confirmed.
Reform in Protestantism.
What Mormonism affirms.
Immortality of man.
[II.
OTHER DOCTRINES OF JOSEPH SMITH VINDICATED BY THE COLLEGES.]
I. Men the Avatars of God.
II. The Existence of a Plurality of Divine Intelligences—Gods.
[Part IV.
MISCELLANEOUS DISCOURSES. ]
[I.
THE SPIRIT OF MORMONISM; A SLANDER REFUTED. ]
Introductory.
People judged by their laws.
The calling of Sidney Rigdon.
A few days with the Prophet—Prayerfulness.
Woman's place in Mormonism.
God's Herald of the Resurrection and Human Brotherhood—Woman.
Unjust criticism answered.
By their works they shall be judged.
[II.
ERRONEOUS IMPRESSIONS ABOUT THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS—SOME THINGS THEY DO NOT BELIEVE.]
Catholic belief.
Faith in the Godhead.
Erroneous reports.
Revelation quoted.
Belief in revelation.
Inspired utterances.
Revealed word.
God's word is Truth.
Testimony borne.
[III.
THE THINGS OF GOD GREATER THAN MAN'S CONCEPTION OF THEM. ]
Divine things misjudged.
Marvelous work and a wonder.
The New Jerusalem.
Restoration of Israel.
Lost tribes in the north.
Israel now gathering.
Purposes of God will not fail.
[IV.
MORMONISM AS A BODY OF DOCTRINE.]
Introductory.
Mormon view of the universe.
Philosophy of Mormonism.
Source of moral evil.
The place and mission of Christ in Mormon doctrine.
[V.
PEACE.]
The blessedness of peace.
The God of Battles.
Justice the basis of peace.
[VI.
THE MYSTERIOUS HARMONIES OF THE GREAT REPUBLIC.]
Introduction.
The miracle of American achievements.
The inspiration of the founders of the American Constitution.
The unique things in American government.
Part I.
Origin of the Book of Mormon.
SCHROEDER-ROBERTS DEBATE.
Published with the consent and by courtesy of the
NATIONAL AMERICAN SOCIETY,
David I. Nelke, President.
FOREWORD.
The following debate on the "Origin of the Book of Mormon," came about in the following manner: The writer saw in the Salt Lake Tribune two numbers of Mr. Schroeder's article and observing the general trend of the argument felt that a prompt reply should appear in the same publication, that it might be read by the same people who would read Mr. Schroeder's article. A letter was accordingly addressed to the Tribune, to ascertain if that paper would publish a reply to Mr. Schroeder. The Editor answered that the Tribune was reproducing the article from the American Historical Magazine, published in New York, and that perhaps its publishers would be pleased to receive a reply to Mr. Schroeder. If the publishers of the Historical Magazine accepted such an article, the Tribune would then be willing to reproduce it, if the Deseret News, the Mormon Church organ, would agree to publish Mr. Schroeder's article.
This suggested a too complicated arrangement to suit the writer, hence he dropped the matter with the Tribune, and took it up with the publishers of the American Historical Magazine, who gave place to his answer to Mr. Schroeder in current numbers of that publication, 1908-9. And the writer has heard nothing from the Tribune or Mr. Schroeder since.
At the conclusion of the article on the "Origin of the Book of Mormon," the Historical Magazine Company, Mr. David I. Nelke, President, announced their willingness to publish in Americana,—which in the meantime had succeeded the American Historical Magazine a detailed history of the "Mormon Church," if the writer would prepare it.
The History has been running in Americana now for more than two and a half years, and will continue until the History of the Church is completed up to date.
* * * * * *
And now a word as to the origin of the Book of Mormon before presenting the discussion. It will be an advantage to the reader if he has before him Joseph Smith's account of the origin of the Book of Mormon. For our present purpose the account the Prophet gives in his statement to Mr. John Wentworth, of Chicago, of the origin of the Book of Mormon is, on account of its brevity and comprehensiveness, most suitable. After detailing the events of his first vision, received in the Spring of 1820, and the intervening three years, the Prophet comes to the Book of Mormon part of his narrative:
THE APPEARING OF MORONI.
"On the evening of the 21st of September, A. D. 1823, while I was praying unto God and endeavoring to exercise faith in the precious promises of scripture, on a sudden a light like that of day, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance and brightness, burst into the room,—indeed the first sight was as though the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance producing a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment a personage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than that with which I was already surrounded. This messenger proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled; that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the gospel in all its fulness to be preached in power unto all nations, that a people might be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious dispensation.
THE BOOK OF MORMON.
"I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of this country and shown who they were, and whence they came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws, governments; of their righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people, was made known to me; I was also told where were deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the ancient prophets that had existed on this continent. The angel appeared to me three times the same night and unfolded the same things. After having received many visits from the angels of God unfolding the majesty and glory of the events that should transpire in the last days, on the morning of the 22d of September, A.D. 1827, the angel of the Lord delivered the records into my hands.
DESCRIPTION OF THE NEPHITE RECORD.
"These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold; each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction and much skill in the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument, which the ancients called 'Urim and Thummim,' which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate. Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift and power of God.
"In this important and interesting book the history of ancient America is unfolded, from its first settlement by a colony that came from the Tower of Babel, at the confusion of languages, to the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian era. We are informed by these records that America in ancient times had been inhabited by two distinct races of people. The first was called Jaredites and came directly from the Tower of Babel. The second race came directly from the City of Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ. They were principally Israelites, of the descendants of Joseph. The Jaredites were destroyed about the time that the Israelites came from Jerusalem, who succeeded them in the inheritance of the country. The principal nation of the second race fell in battle towards the close of the fourth century [A.D.]. The remnant are the Indians that now inhabit this country. This book also tells us that our Savior made His appearance upon this continent after His resurrection; that He planted the gospel here in all its fulness, and richness, and power, and blessing; that they had apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists; the same order, the same priesthood, the same ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings, as were enjoyed on the Eastern continent; that the people were cut off in consequence of their transgressions; that the last of their prophets who existed among them was commanded to write an abridgment of their prophecies, history, etc., and to hide it up in the earth, and that it should come forth and be united with the Bible for the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days."
The book issued from the press sometime in the month of March, 1830. [A]
[Footnote A: For a more detailed account of the origin of the Book of Mormon, see the writer's work, "New Witnesses for God," Vol. II, chs. iv and viii.]
From the first appearance of Joseph Smith's account of the origin of the Book of Mormon, there was felt the need of a counter theory of origin. The first to respond to this "felt" need was Alexander Campbell, founder of the "Disciples" or "Christian" Church. He assigned the book's origin straight to Joseph Smith, whom he accused of conscious fraud in "foisting it upon the public as a revelation." This in 1831. Then came the Spaulding theory of origin by Hurlburt, Howe, et al., 1834; for which Mr. Campbell repudiated his first theory of the Joseph Smith authorship. In 1899 Lily Dougall in "The Mormon Prophet," advanced her theory of the Prophet's "self delusion," "by the automatic freaks of a vigorous but undisciplined brain." This was supplemented in 1902 by Mr. I. Woodbridge Riley's theory of "pure hallucination, honestly mistaken for inspired vision; with partly conscious and partly unconscious hypnotic powers over others." [B]
[Footnote B: Both the Dougall and Riley theories are considered in Vol. I. of Defense of the Faith and the Saints, pp. 42-62; and the older theories of the origin in New Witness for God, Vol. III, chas. xliv, xlv.]
Mr. Schroeder, however, will have none of these later theories; and although the finding of the Rev. Mr. Spauldings' "Manuscript Found," by Professor Fairchild of Oberlin College, in 1884—details of which are given in the debate gave a serious set back to that theory, Mr. Schroeder deems the Spaulding theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon the only tenable counter theory advanced, and assuming the existence of another Spaulding manuscript not found, and not likely to be found, he proceeds with his argument; to which I make answer, with what success the reader must judge.
B. H. ROBERTS.
Salt Lake City, October, 1911.
THE ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.
BY THEODORE SCHROEDER
[I.]
Every complete, critical discussion of the divine origin of the Book of Mormon naturally divides itself into three parts:—first, an examination as to the sufficiency of the evidence adduced in support of its miraculous and divine origin; second, an examination of the internal evidences of its origin,[1] such as its verbiage, its alleged history, chronology, archaeology, etc.; third, an accounting for its existence by purely human agency and upon a rational basis, remembering that Joseph Smith, the nominal founder and first prophet of Mormonism, was probably too ignorant to have produced the whole volume unaided. Under the last head, two theories have been advocated by non-Mormons. By one of these, conscious fraud has been imputed to Smith, and by the other, psychic mysteries have been explored[2] in an effort to supplant the conscious fraud by an unconscious self-deception.
[Footnote 1: Valuable contributions to this study are Lamb's "Golden Bible" and a pamphlet by Lamoni Call classifying two thousand corrections in the inspired grammar of the first edition of the Book of Mormon.]
[Footnote 2: The best effort along this line is Riley's "The Founder of Mormonism." To me the conclusions are very unsatisfactory, because so many material considerations were overlooked by that author.]
In 1834, four years after its first appearance, an effort was made to show that the Book of Mormon was a plagiarism from an unpublished novel of Solomon Spaulding. For a long time this seemed the accepted theory of all non-Mormons. In the past fifteen years, apparently following in the lead of President Fairchild of Oberlin College,[3] all but two of the numerous writers upon the subject have asserted that the theory of the Spaulding manuscript origin of the Book of Mormon must be abandoned, and Mormons assert that only fools and knaves still profess belief in it.[4] With these last conclusions I am compelled to disagree.
[Footnote 3: President Fairchild, in the New York Observer for February 5, 1885, that being immediately after his discovery of the Oberlin Manuscript, says: "The theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon in the traditional manuscript of Solomon Spaulding will probably have to be relinquished. * * * Mr. Rice, myself, and others compared it with the Book of Mormon, and could detect no resemblance between the two in general or detail. * * * Some other explanation of the origin of the Book of Mormon must be found, if an explanation is required." (Reproduced in Whitney's "History of Utah," 56. Talmage's "Articles of Faith," 278.)
Ten years later Mr. Fairchild is not so brash in assuming the Oberlin Manuscript to be the only Spaulding Manuscript, and he certifies only that the Oberlin Manuscript "is not the original of the Book of Mormon." (Letter dated Oct. 17, 1895, published in vol. lx., Millennial Star, p. 697, Nov. 3, 1898. Talmage's "Articles of Faith," 279.)
Fairchild's Latest Statement.—In 1900 President Fairchild wrote the Rev. J. D. Nutting as follows:
"With regard to the manuscript of Mr. Spaulding now in the library of Oberlin College, I have never stated, and know of no one who can state, that it is the only manuscript which Spaulding wrote, or that it is certainly the one which has been supposed to be the original of the Book of Mormon. The discovery of this MS. does not prove that there may not have been another, which became the basis of the Book of Mormon. The use which has been made of statements emanating from me as implying the contrary of the above is entirely unwarranted.
"JAMES H. FAIRCHILD">[
[Footnote 4: The Deseret News editorially says this on July 19, 1900: "The discovery of the manuscript written by Mr. Spaulding, and its deposit in the library at Oberlin College, O., * * * has so completely demolished the theory once relied upon by superficial minds that the Book of Mormon was concocted from that manuscript, that it has been entirely abandoned by all opponents of Mormonism except the densely ignorant or unscrupulously dishonest."
And this on May 14, 1901:
"It is only the densely ignorant, the totally depraved and clergymen of different denominations afflicted with anti-Mormon rabies who still use the Spaulding story to account for the origin of the Book of Mormon.">[
In setting forth my convictions and the reasons for them, I have undertaken nothing entirely new, but have only assigned myself the task of establishing as an historical fact what is now an abandoned and almost forgotten theory. This will be done by marshaling in its support a more complete array of the old evidences than has been heretofore made and the addition of new circumstantial evidence not heretofore used in this connection.
It will be shown that Solomon Spaulding was much interested in American antiquities; that he wrote a novel entitled the "Manuscript Found," in which he attempted to account for the existence of the American Indian by giving him an Israelitish origin; that the first incomplete outline of this story, with many features peculiar to itself and the Book of Mormon, is now in the library of Oberlin College, and that while the story as rewritten was in the hands of a prospective publisher, it was stolen from the office under circumstances which caused Sidney Rigdon, of early Mormon fame, to be suspected as the thief; that later Rigdon, on two occasions, exhibited a similar manuscript which in one instance he declared had been written by Spaulding and left with a printer for publication. It will be shown further that Rigdon had opportunity to steal the manuscript and that he foreknew the forthcoming and the contents of the Book of Mormon; that through Parley P. Pratt, later one of the first Mormon apostles, a plain and certain connection is traced between Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, and that they were friends between 1827 and 1830. To all this will be added very conclusive evidence of the identity of the distinguished features of Spaulding's "Manuscript Found" and the Book of Mormon. These facts, coupled with Smith's admitted intellectual incapacity for producing the book unaided, will close the argument upon this branch of the question, and it is hoped will convince all not in the meshes of Mormonism that the Book of Mormon is a plagiarism. To those Mormons whose minds are untainted by mysticism, who have the intelligence to weigh evidence and the courage to proclaim convictions opposed to accepted church theories—to such Mormons, though not convinced that the evidence here reviewed amounts to a demonstration, it must be that this essay will yet furnish even to them a more believable and more probable theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon than the one which involves a belief in undemonstrable miracles as well as matters entirely outside of all other experience of sane humans. Certainly the theory here advanced requires for its belief the acceptance of less of improbable assumption than does any other explanation offered. With this statement of what it is expected to accomplish we may proceed to review the evidence in detail.