Misc. 1800s Pamphlets & Articles
on the Spalding-Rigdon Theory


Bacheler, Origen: Mormonism Exposed 1838

Sunderland, L.: Mormonism Exposed & Refuted 1838

Livesay, R.: An Exposure of Mormonism 1838

M'Chesney, J.: Antidote to Mormonism NY, 1838

Robinson, E.: Times and Seasons, Jan. 1840

Parsons, T.: Mormon Fanaticism Exposed, 1841

Adams, G. J.: A Few Plain Facts, 1841

Transcriber's Comments



 
[3]



MORMONISM  EXPOSED,




INTERNALLY  AND  EXTERNALLY.





B Y  O R I G E N  B A C H E L E R.



"There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great
signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the
very elect." MATTH, XXIV. 24.


NEW YORK: PUBLISHED AT 162 NASSAU ST.
Opposite the Park.
February,]                            1838.                            [Price 12 1/2 cts.




[4]


[Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1838, by
 O R I G E N  B A C H E L E R,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of
the State of New York.]






[5]


MORMONISM  EXPOSED.


To make an earnest attack on Mormonism, as if it had any plausible pretensions to credibility, would argue great want of discernment and good sense on the part of the one who might thus assail it. It would be somewhat like a labored attempt to disprove the story of Tom Thumb, or like the attack of Don Quixote on the windmill. When Solomon Spaulding wrote the romance entitled "The Manuscript Found," which has since been metamorphosed by Rigdon, Smith, and others into the "Book of Mormon." he merely intended it as a tale, out of the avails of which he hoped to be able to free himself from pecuniary embarrassment; not once dreaming, that a gang of impostors would befool any human beings into the belief of its authenticity -- at least in the present age. And were it not the fact, that some are thus duped, I should deem it altogether a Quixotic undertaking, to spend one moment's time in noticing the affair in the manner I now do. But as some individuals do really assume sober countenances, and are active in endeavoring to proselyte as many as possible to the belief of this fable; and more especially, as they meet with some success among a particular portion of the community, (as all impostors do;) I feel that it would not be a work of superrerogation, briefly to expose some of the defects and absurdities of the book under consideration, and to display in bold relief the characters of the miscreants who are battening on the ignorance and credulity of those upon whom they can successfully play off this imposture. It is to "break the snare of the fowler," to dissipate the mists of delusion, to draw the line of demarcation between imposture and truth, and to hold up to merited indignation, before the eyes of an insulted community, perhaps the




Pages 6 - 48 of this text have not been transcribed.








MORMONISM



EXPOSED AND REFUTED.





BY LA ROY SUNDERLAND.







NEW YORK:
PIERCY 7 REED, PRINTERS,
No. 7 Theatre Alley.

1838.




[3]




P R E F A C E.



The efforts which are now in operation, in many places, to spread the preculiar views of a sect, generally known by the name of Mormons, or the "Latter Day Saints," as they call themselves, induces us to believe, that it may not be labor lost for us to furnish a few facts upon this subject, for the consideration of the public. Many innocent and well meaning people are frequently embarrassed by attacks from Mormonites, merely because they do not know what the principles advocated by this sect are, and least of all do they know the sandy foundation upon which their claims to infallibility are so confidently rested.

And though it cannot be supposed, that any number of intelligent people are in much danger of being carried away by a delusion so manifestly monstrous and absurd, yet we doubt not but many will be interested in reading the following pages, as they may be, thereby, more than ever convinced of the exceeding wickedness into which man may fall, even when pretending to infallible inspiration, and also, the great value of the Holy Scriptures, which are so necessary to guard us against the seductions of error.

It is not generally known, perhaps, that "Joseph Smith, Jr." the author of the "Book of Mormon," pretends pretends to number, at the present time, in this country; not less than fifty thousand converts. Indeed, if one hundreth part of this number of persons, can be found in any part of this nation, silly enough to believe the blasphemous absurdities set forth in this book, we think it is time something more were done to enforce the claims of God's word against such monstrous libels upon truth and religion, as are put forth in the preaching and publications of this sect. But, one patient reading of this book, would probably suggest to any one the true reason, why more notice has not been taken of it, and more efforts made to expose and confute its pretended claims to inspiration. The meanness of its diction from beginning to end, the




Pages 4 - 48 of this text have not yet been transcribed.




[49]



CHAPTER XIV.

Origin of the Book of Mormon.

Since the preceding articles on Mormonism were written, a book has been handed us, which not only unveils the imposition of this whole scheme, but satisfactorily accounts for the origin of the Book of Mormon. It is entitled, "Mormonism Unveiled," by E.D. Howe, published at Painesville, Ohio, in 1834. From the testimony of many unimpeachable witnesses, given in this work, it is proved beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the "Book of Mormon" was originally written by one Solomon Spaulding, who was born in Ashford, Conn., in 1761. He graduated at Dartmouth College, and became a minister of the Gospel, but afterwards left the ministry, and entered into business in Cherry Valley, N.Y., where he failed in 1809. He afterwards removed to Conneaut, Ohio, where it was well known, at the time, that he was engaged in writing a novel, with the avails of which he expected to pay his debts. This work he called "The Manuscript Found," and it purported to be a historical record of the first inhabitants of this country, whom it represented as descendants from the ancient Jews.

The vanity of Spaulding led him often to speak of his book, and to read portions of it to numbers of persons, who testify, as may be seen in the work above named, that, with the exceptions of the quotations from Scripture, the book of Mormon reads very much like the novel of Spaulding which they heard read in 1810. To the existence of such a manuscript, we have the testimony of Mr. John Spaulding, of Crawford Co., Pa., a brother of the man who wrote it, and, also, that of his wife. This fact is also proved by the testimony of Mr. Henry Lake, of Conneaut, Ohio, who was in





50                                 M O R M O N I S M   R E F U T E D.

business with S. Spaulding at the time he wrote that novel; Mr. John N. Miller, of Springfield, Pa., Aaron Wright, Oliver Smith, and Nahum Howard, of Conneaut, Ohio, and A. Cunningham, of Perry, Geauga Co., Ohio, testify to the same fact. These witnesses inform us, that they well remember many of the names and incidents mentioned in Spaulding's manuscript, and they pronounce them the same as those found in the Book of Mormon.

The existence of the above named "Manuscript Found," is further proved by the testimony of S. Spaulding's widow, who says, it was carried to Pittsburgh, Pa., by her husband in 1812, where he died soon after. It was put into the hands of a printer by the name of Lamdin, (who died in 1826,) with whom Sidney Rigdon was very intimate, during his residence in that city. Rigdon obtained the manuscript from Lamdin, and after a few years, spent in rewriting and altering it, it was ushered forth to the world by Joseph Smith, Jr., Rigdon and others, as a revelation from God! Such was the origin of the "Book of Mormon."






Pages 51 - 54 of this text have not yet been transcribed.




By: Livesay, Richard
From: An Exposure of Mormonism... (UK: 1838)

[p. 5]
. . . in Mr. Howe's publication already quoted, it is proved, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the 'Book of Mormon' was originally written by one Solomon Spaulding, who was born in Ashford, Connecticut, in 1761... this work he called 'The Manuscript Found,'...




By: James M'Chesney
From: An Antidote to Mormonism... (New York: 1838)

[p. 19]
...we have heard a Mormon say while preaching, that they expected more revelations... we will venture to say, he can get just such revelations as he desires, as easy as Mahomet did, or as he himself got the 'Book of Mormon,' with this exception, he will have to make it out of new cloth, whereas he had the manuscripts of Solomon Spaulding to assist him in the former case...




By: Ebenezer Robinson and/or Don Carlos Smith
From: Times and Seasons IL, (Vol. 1:3, January, 1840)

[p. 43]
...In this No. will be seen an article which we copy from the New York 'Era,' signed P.P. Pratt; it's in contradiction to the foolish simple priest fabricated tale that has been going the rounds, charging Sidney Rigdon with the crime of making the Book of Mormon, out of the romantic writings of one Solomon Spaulding &c. We can mingle our testimony with that of Elder Pratt's, we concur in his statement; we can assure the public that from our own personal knowledge, Elder Pratt has given a plain statement of facts.

We also subjoin the copy of a letter written by one Mr. Haven from Mass, to his daughter in Quincy, Ill. which shows to a demonstration, that Mrs. Davidson did not write the letter, and that it was written, signed and circulated by priests, upon her credit; the reason for getting it up, to put down the truth, and this was the last resort; this having failed, we think both priests and people will hereafter sit in silence upon this subject...





From: Tyler Parsons'Mormon Fanaticism Exposed, (Mass.: 1841)
Taken from a debate between Tyler Parsons and Elder Freeman Nickerson.

[p. 6]
...the reader will learn to judge of its [the Book of Mormon's] pretenses, whether they are divine or romantic, novel and vain; written by Solomon Spaulding to believe in as a revelation from God...

[p. 10]
...This prophecy of Lehi, from the 1st to the 5th chapter, of itself, proves to my mind that it was got up by some novel writer for the purpose of wealth, as a sacred novel, and has been diverted, perhaps, by designing, crafty men -- not Jo Smith -- men not positively known, perhaps Rigdon

[p. 15]
...Any person that has ever read the historical romance of Solomon Spaulding, the manuscript from which the subject matter of this book was taken, would be placed in a better situation to understand this romance. The many episodes . . . explain with a greater variety the sentiments that Spaulding intended to convey in his novel... The writer
[p. 16]
well knew the propensity of ignorance and credulity to believe impossibilities rather than plain truth. Spaulding was a clergyman, and well knew that any plan or any history that pretends to approve of the Old and New Testament. and especially should it pretend to be more than paramount to it in its marvellous features, it would create an interest among the superstitious part of the community...

[p. 17]
...The character of the contending parties of religionists in the seven first chapters of Alma... are a fair picture of the religious disputes in the State of New York at the time Solomon Spaulding wrote this manuscript...

[p. 31]
...Solomon Spaulding, the originator of the novel, undoubtedly intended by the closing account to show why, in his novel views, the far west had become freed of its ancient people. Therefore he well knew how to give the exterminating blow by wars. It appears by this account there were about four millions of people...

[p. 95]
...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 ground-work of the 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 Jo Smith, are evidently parts of the work added to Mr. Spaulding's manuscript . . . I infer that these [christianized] parts were added to the original document of Mr. Spaulding by Jo Smith, Cowdery, Rigdon, or some of the fraternity...

[p. 97]
...This was the expedient to which they resorted, in order to avoid replacing the lost [116] pages. Had these pages, however, been transcribed verbatim from Mr. Spaulding's manuscript, they would undoubtedly have reproduced them, and urged the act of their being able to do so as a still farther 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, Smith and Rigdon, had all more or less to do in combining these additional parts with Mr. Spaulding's work.

The origin of this work of Mr. Spaulding, to which I refer, and which unquestionably forms the entire ground-work of the Book of Mormon, is thus described by Mrs. Davidson...

 


From: George J. Adams' A Few Plain Facts..., (Bedford, England, 1841)
Reprinted in:
John E. Page's The Spaulding Story Concerning the Origin of the Book of Mormon, (Pittsburgh: 1843)


London
June 7, 1841

Dear Bro. Adams --

I have just arrived in this place from Bedford, and hasten with all possible speed, to redeem, the promise I made you before I left this morning.

As you were advised and directed by the Conference in Bedford to republish an edition of a certain tract written by Benjamin Winchester, of America, in reply to the gross and impious falsehood published by our enemies, saying that the Book of Mormon was manufactured by Sidney Rigdon out of the writings of one Solomon Spalding: this tale has been published in America, and circulated throughout that vast republic; but it has been met by the defenders of the cause of truth, and refuted to the shame, confusion, and disgrace of all those who were concerned in giving it publicity; and it is only necessary to give publicity to the documents in our possession to paralyze and blast forever the influence and character of that falsehood in this country, which bears such a striking resemblance to that which was circulated about the Savior, that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept," In fact the two are brothers. They were born of the same parents. The devil begat them; and very pious priests brought them forth.

At the time our enemies say that Mr. Rigdon was engaged in fabricating the Book of Mormon, I was a student under him. He was then a minister in the Christian Baptist Church in America, and I was calculating to engage in the same calling, being a member of the same church. I was intimately acquainted with him, and with his family, for a number of years; and a good part of that time I was a boarder in his family, particularly in 1829.

If Mr. Rigdon had been engaged in a work of that kind, I am certain that he would have, either directly or indirectly, given me a hint of it. But such an intimation he never gave me in any shape or manner.

I am confident that Mr. Rigdon never had access to the manuscript of Mr. Spalding; but even allowing that he might (which my own thoughts will not allow for a moment) have seen the manuscript, he lacked the disposition to make the use of it which his enemies accuse him of; for all people know, who know any thing about Mr. Rigdon, and are willing to confess the truth, that he would conscientiously stand as far from such a base forgery "as Lot stood from Sodom in its evil day." Mr. Rigdon never writes a romance upon any subject; but if he had been in possession of the same conscience-seared, heaven-daring hardihood that the very pious Mr. Spaulding was, he might possibly [have] reduced sacred and eternal things to a romance to get gain, as Mr. Spaulding did, his own friends being witnesses.

Forgery, deception, and romance formed no part of the principles which Mr. Rigdon taught me during the time that I was under his tuition; and I must say, that I should not have been more surprised if they accused the Lord Bishop of London of the same things which they charge against Mr. Rigdon.

While the said Mr. Hurlburt was a member of our church, and an elder also, it fell to my lot to travel with him to preach the gospel; and it was at my instance that a charge was preferred against him before the Council of the church for an attempt at seduction and crime. He was expelled; and from personal knowledge I am prepared to say, that Mr. Winchester and Mr. Rigdon have told the truth concerning him, and the character which he sustains.

In the spring of 1832 I preached in New Salem, Ohio the place where Rev. Mr. Spaulding resided at the time he wrote his romance. I raised up a branch of the Church at that place, and baptized many of Mr. Spaulding's old neighbors, but they never intimated to me that there was any similarity between the Book of Mormon and Mr. Spaulding's romance; neither did I hear such an intimation from any quarter, until the immoral Hulbert, a long time after, in connection with some very pious ministers, such, perhaps, as Mr. Storrs and Mr. Austin, brought forth the idea. I then went to these neighbors of Mr. Spaulding, and enquired of them if they knew anything about his writing a romance; and if so, whether the romance was anything like the Book of Mormon. They said that Mr. Spaulding wrote a book, and that they frequently heard him read the manuscript; but that any one should say that it was like the Book of Mormon, was most surprising, and must be the last pitiful resort that the devil had.

One man testifies that Mr. Joseph Smith repeated the contents of the Book of Mormon by looking at a white stone, and a scribe wrote them down, and this in Harmony, Susquehannah Co., Pa. Another testifies that Mr. Rigdon formed it out of Mr. Spaulding's romance, in Pittsburgh or in Ohio, some two or three hundred miles from where Mr. Smith is said to have done it -- "So their witnesses agree not together." "Confusion among the Babel reporters,"

I now close this letter with a warning to all whom it may concern, in the name of Jesus Christ, my Master, that whoever has published the Spaulding falsehood, either from the press or from the pulpit, that they repent of their sin, and correct their error through the same medium by which they have committed it, lest their garments be found spotted with the blood of souls when God shall judge the secrets of all hearts by that MAN whom he hath ordained.

With sentiments of high esteem, I have the honor to subscribe myself, your brother in Christ Jesus. Amen

ORSON HYDE

 



Transcriber's Comments

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