Through the whole story of their lives, if we may believe their alleged revelations to come from on high, God manifests in the conspirators' behalf a greed for earthly prosperity which would disgrace any decent man who should attempt to gratify it at the expense of a like number of poverty-stricken, ignorant unfortunates.
It is perhaps a work of supererogation, yet I cannot readily resist calling attention to the human side of the conspirators, when they came to fall out, over the division of the spoils. Many, even Brigham Young included, suspected Joseph Smith of misappropriating church money.[178] Brigham, however, had his suspicions allayed, for the Lord actually put money into his trunk.[179] This would, of course, be very convincing evidence that a man might have much money without misappropriating anything, even months later fail with $150,000 of liabilities and practically though a bank established by revelation,[180] should a few no assets, and after only eight months of business.[181]
[Footnote 178: Deseret News, April 8, 1857, p. 36.]
[Footnote 179: 2 Journal of Discourses, 128. 7 Deseret News, 115.]
[Footnote 180: Statement of Warren Parrish, copied in "An Exposure of Mormonism," 10. Messenger and Advocate, January 1837, copied in "Prophet of Palmyra," 134. Deseret News, December 21, 1864, Vol. 14, p. 94, says "under the direction of the Prophet.">[
[Footnote 181: Statement of Warren Parrish, copied in "An Exposure of Mormonism," 11. [The above sentence lacks clearness, but it is verbatim from Mr. Schroeder's article, and I do not feel at liberty to suggest the meaning.—R.]
At one time Cowdery, a witness to the divinity of the Book of Mormon, invited suspicion that he was converting more than his share of the spoils, and the following revelation was the result:
"It is not wisdom in me that he [Cowdery] should be entrusted with the commandments, and the moneys which he shall carry unto the land of Zion, except one go with him who will be true and faithful."[182]
[Footnote 182: Doctrine and Covenants, 6:91.]
The most forceful incident of this sort, however, occurred as the result of jealousy between Rigdon and Smith, which manifests itself in scores of ways all through their lives. When Rigdon on his visit to the Prophet in New York desires to be proclaimed a translator of remaining plates given by the angel to Smith, and as having the same power as Joseph Smith, the former's ambitions are quietly squelched by a revelation from God to Rigdon, saying: "It is not expedient in me that ye should translate any more until ye shall go to Ohio,"[183] but the rest of the plates never were translated.[184]