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MR. BRADEN'S SIXTH SPEECH.
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GENTLEMEN MODERATORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: --
Mormons try to deny that Smith began his course as seer by witching for water with a witch hazel rod, and peeping
for stolen and lost articles and buried treasures. Mrs. Smith in her life of Joe, admits that he did such work.
The editor, apostle Blair, admits that he did. Scores of associates testify to the fact. They try to deny that he
dug for money, and superintended a gang of knaves and dupes in such work. His mother admits that he did. So does
apostle Blair, the editor. Scores testify to his spending years in such work. That great excavations were made
all over the neighborhood and for miles around, extending from Palmyra N.Y. to Harmony, Pa., and Hartwicke, N.Y.
Many of these excavations can be seen to-day. When the gang came to Kirtland they renewed the work of digging for
treasure and living witnesses can be cited who can point out where they dug in Kirtland. Mormonism began in peeping
with a stolen peep-stone, and witching for water with a witch hazel rod and digging for years for buried money. It
began in superstition, lying and fraud attended with thieving, drunkenness and lewdness. The witching for water
was a lying fraud; so was finding the plates and translating. Peeping for lost property and buried treasure with
the stolen peep-stone was a fraud. So was the pretense of finding plates and translating them, Digging for buried
treasures, seen with the stolen peep-stone, was a lying fraud. So was the tale of digging up plates and translating
them with a stolen peep-stone. We, on a former occasion, exposed Joe's lies and contradictory stories about his
plates, and the lies and contradictory stories of all connected with the fraud. We could read Joe's own statement
of his casting the devil our of Newell Knight in New York. Mrs. Smith's yarns of visions, miracles, etc., that
attended their first meetings and their removal to Ohio. One of Joe's unmarried sisters proving to be enciente it
was declared to be an immaculate conception, and a new Messiah would be given to the world. Old citizens of Palmyra
and Manchester testify to hearing such stuff from Martin Harris, David Whitmer and other Mormons. The whole affair
was a strange compound of ignorance, superstition, lying, fraud, trickery, and low cunning, managed by Joe, who was
an infidel, and was imitating his favorite characters, the clerical impostor Stephen Burroughs, and Mohammed. It
would require volumes to record the absurdities, the tricks and lies of all connected with the fraud. The low
absurd character of the pretended supernatural events connected with the origin of Mormonism, shows its low vile
origin, and the low, ignorant character of
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its originators. The most low and absurd superstitions of Southern negroes were eclipsed.
The real originator of Mormonism was Sidney Rigdon, who only intended to use Smith
as his tool, to get the fraud before the world, as a miracle and revelation, through his stolen peep-stone. But
Smith proved to be a deeper schemer than even Rigdon. When Rigdon allowed Joe to go before
the world first, to usher in, and conduct the movement for months, as his prophet, and came in only as a convert,
he gave away his chances to be leader. He often tried in Kirtland, in Missouri, in Nauvoo, to get the
coveted place of leader and make Smith subordinate, but he had put the citadel in Smith's hands and entered only
as a recruit, and Smith was too cunning for him to succeed in ousting him.
Smith always held Rigdon in the position he assumed when he embraced Mormonism openly, that
of a mere convert, and never allowed him to assume his real position, the author of the whole fraud and the one who
intended to be leader, and only intended to allow Smith to act as author and leader for a short time, in
order to start the fraud. Rigdon intended to use Smith as a cat's paw to rake the roasted chestnuts off of the
stove of public censure and criticism; but the cat proved to be a shrewder imp than even the one trying to use him.
He kept the chestnuts and threw to the originator of the scheme, only the shells. Rigdon's whole career in Mormonism
was an apish chattering and quarreling to regain what he had given away.
Since the discussion began I have come in possession of the following facts: James Jeffery
of Churchville, Hartford Co., Maryland, in a statement dictated to Rev. Calvin D. Wilson, in the presence of his
wife, declares:
Forty years ago I was in business in St. Louis. The Mormons then had their temple in Nauvoo, Ill. I had
business transactions with them. I knew Sidney Rigdon. He acted as general manager of the business of the
Mormons (with me). Rigdon told me several tines in his conversations with me, that
there was in the printing office with which he was connected in Ohio, a manuscript of the Rev. Solomon
Spaulding's, tracing the origin of the Indian race from the lost tribes of Israel. This manuscript
was in the office several years. He was familiar with it. Spaulding wanted it published, but had not the
means to pay for the printing. He (Rigdon) and Joe Smith used to look over the manuscript and read it on
Sundays: Rigdon Said Smith took the manuscript and said "I'll print it," and he went off to Palmyra, N.Y.
On the 14th of September, 1844, Sidney Rigdon, who was trying to assume Joe
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Smith's place as President and Prophet, was called by a committee of the Twelve Apostles. In the conversation with them he told them that they dare not reject him. If they did, he would reveal their secrets. On the 15th and 16th Brigham Young and others denounced him for such threats. They rejected him and expelled him September 16th.
In an article in the "Times and Seasons" of May 1st, 1845, reprinted from the Kalamazoo Gazette, and signed E. M. Webb, Rigdon is bitterly denounced for his exposures of Mormonism.
In a conversation with Dr. Silas Sheppard, some time after his return to Pennsylvania from Nauvoo, in response to Dr. Sheppard's request that he would now, since he had, as he declared to Dr. Sheppard, renounced all connection with Mormonism forever, tell him, Dr. Sheppard, the truth, in regard to the Book of Mormon; Rigdon replied, "Dr. Sheppard, my mouth is forever sealed on that subject."
Rigdon lived for long years after this, in ease. His family flourished in business. He wrote much, would talk on all subjects but Mormonism, and died, and as far as the world knows, "gave no sign." Observing neighbors think that he was a pensioner of Mormonism, and that his family have profited largely by selling his papers to the Mormons, or in bribes to keep them a secret.
Now let us collate the facts, I. Rigdon becomes intimate with Mr. Jeffery, while acting for the Mormons in business transactions. II. Rigdon threatens the Mormons in the Fall of 1844, that he would divulge their secrets, if they reject him in his attempt to be President. III. They reject him. IV. On his way back East, and while in St. Louis, he fulfills his threats, and tells Mr. Jeffery that Spaulding's manuscript was taken to a printing office. That he got it from the office. That he and Smith examined it together. That he gave it to Smith to publish. V. About the same time Mormon papers are denouncing him bitterly for his exposures. VI A change comes over the spirit of his dream. He announces that he has renounced Mormonism forever, but that his mouth is forever sealed in regard to matters that he had been freely making public.
The key to the matter is, Rigdon had failed to get a party to follow him. He could make nothing out of Mormonism. He began to tell their secrets as he declared [he] would. Mormon agents visited him. They could not let him talk any more. They offered him two alternatives. Money and silence, or Danite vengeance. Rigdon had sent the Danites on their murderous errands too often not to know what they meant. He took the bribe, and his mouth was forever sealed. He lived in ease, with with no visible means of support. His family have been successful, with no tangible means of success. Rigdon lived on Mormon money, paid to keep him silent. His family have made a good thing out of it, in accepting
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hush money. Rigdon lived for years, an outspoken atheist and infidel, and died one. Like most Mormons who are not dupes, but knaves, he turned infidel, when the fraud was no longer profitable.
Sidney Rigdon was like Joe Smith, a lazy youth noted for his extravagant language, stories and exaggeration and falsehoods. He used to talk skepticism and was noted for his fondness for debate. After he stole the Spaulding manuscript he joined the Baptist church. He told a marvelous experience and afterwards told the Baptist Association when they were trying him that it was all a lie. He manufactured it to get into the church. He began preaching as soon as he joined the church and soon began to plot to oust the old pastor of the church and get his place and came very near ruining the church. Failing in this and having lost the confidence of the Baptists in Pennsylvania, he went to Ohio and joined the church in Warren. After preaching here for two years he returned to Pittsburg. He remained here nearly two years. He was expelled from the Baptist church and preached a short time to his malcontents in the court house. He resumed working at his trade, a tanner, and began to fix up the manuscript he had stolen from the printing office. During this time he resumed his infidelity and talked it openly and freely, as old citizens of Pittsburg and Pennsylvania testify. On a visit to a relative near where the author's father had charge of a stone yard, he used to spend hours in sitting near the author's father and talking his doubts and skepticism,
In 1826, while he was living in Bainbridge Ohio, be was invited to preach the funeral sermon of Warner Goodall in
Mentor by the Baptist church who knew him as brother-in-law of Adamison Bentley, a well known Baptist preacher,
and that he had been a Baptist preacher. He did so and was invited to preach for the church. He laid to one side
his skepticism and preached for them and went with the church into the Disciple movement. As Baptist and Disciple
preacher he was noted for his spread-eagle eloquence and ability to get up revival excitements. He had been hurt
in youth and it left him with a tendency to epileptic spells. He would often, while preaching, especially in revival
excitements, have such spells and see visions and swoon, have trances, etc. This tendency caused his preaching to
be wild, visionary and extravagant. He was regarded as a cunning, ambitious schemer, noted for his extravagant talk
and actions, his exaggerations and untruth, and as destitute of truthfulness and moral principle. His preaching
attracted the visionary and fanatical. He carefully indoctrinated them with his ideas while Smith was getting out
his book. He made a confident of P. P. Pratt who let his brother Orson into the secret, and these four, Smith,
Rigdon and the Pratts, constituted the brains of Mormonism in the start. Two were known to be infidels before they
went into Mormonism, the two originators
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Mormonism began with a back-slidden infidel preacher, Solomon Spaulding. It was taken up, by another back-slidden
infidel preacher, Sidney Rigdon. It was given to the world by an admirer of Payne, an infidel, Joe Smith. Its
leaders have largely [been] infidels, who used the fraud to dupe the silly for gain. When they abandon it, they
go out into infidelity. Rigdon lived a confirmed infidel after he abandoned it, and died an atheist. It is meet
that it
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should be defended in Kirtland by a rehash of infidel attacks on the Bible, when its fraudulent, anti-scriptural character is exposed. We have had bitter infidel attacks on the origin of the Books of the Bible, on the accuracy of its text, on the character of inspired men, on its statements and teachings. This has been applauded by the infidels in the audience. They know their man, they know the work he is doing, he is doing their work. Mormonism and
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infidelity, like Herod and Pilate, make friends to crucify the religion of Christ. My opponent challenged me to debate what he failed to meet in this debate. Will he, as an honest infidel, affirm his attacks on the Bible in debate. I will meet him then under his true colors. It would be out of order to reply to his infidelity, introduced out of order in a debate, in which the Bible is the standard.
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MR. KELLEY'S SEVENTH SPEECH.
GENTLEMEN MODERATORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: -- The audience can readily see the absurdity of my opponent's position
in claiming that the Priesthood was not given to the Christian ministry, and that there never were but two High
Priests of the order of Melchizedek...
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Jackaways; the Jackaways said, "Yes, they dug for money. The large holes are over there in the hill now." But, we asked, who dug? "They;' they did not know who "they" were, but the holes were over there in the hill. What hill? we asked, the hill Mr. Smith lived on? No, not where Mr. Smith lived. How do you know the holes were made while digging for money? They did not know that, but they did know that there were some holes over there that looked as though they had been made by some body digging, but the holes may have been from some other cause. But Chase did say his sister, Sally, had a stone through which she claimed to see things, and he thought that she could. Here is the truth of the matter: it was the opponents of Smith who claimed to see through the stone and not Smith.
This is the "black crow story" duplicated. In this instance we found there was a man by the name of Smith once lived there. That was all. Mr. Smith had the Urim and Thummim and never at any time pretended to use, or that he could use or see things, or divine or locate money, or property or anything else through the stone baby's foot of Sally Chase or anybody else. These are all the scandalous lies and inventions of people.
Take the jumbled mess called affidavits in Howe's book, the work which I have proved beyond question to be composed of false, garbled, perverted passages and statements from our works, deliberately made to deceive by some one, and what have we? A thing from the very manner in which it is written; the contradictions, and the fact that the originals were burned as soon as these pretended copies were put in Howe's book, that will prevent any man accepting them who is honestly criticising the work of Mr. Smith.
Braden only read a small portion of these pretended affidavits. The whole would have floored him without a notice or criticism from me. Peter Ingersoll is made to say entirely too much; he was acquainted with all the hog paths and sheep tracks on the Smith farm; the cows could not be milked without Ingersoll's knowledge; and he finds out that they are hiding their cows in the woods to deceive, and knew about other peoples' cows that were hidden; yet in the same affidavit he says, "I told him (Joseph) I would let him have the money." and he presented Mr. Hale for security. Mr. Hale presented for security, yet he was far away in Pennsylvania and Peter Ingersoll had never saw or heard of him to this time, except through Joseph Smith. But Smith would not take his money, and then Ingersoll is made to say: Smith told him, "I went to Palmyra and met that damned fool Martin Harris, and told him that I had a command to ask the first honest man I met for fifty dollars in money, and he gave it to me.
Then he is made to say: That he saw William after they visited Waterloo and William said, "we do letter there than here; we were too well known to do much
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here." Then take the tale of the frock of sand, the Canada Bible story, raising chests of money to the top of the ground, the old man's water-witching and contortions while Alvin his son witched, notwithstanding Alvin had been dead then at least two years, all in this pretended affidavit. Is there a man under the Sun foolish enough to believe it?
Take Wm. Stafford's pretended statement with regard to the "black sheep story," it is even worse than that of Peter Ingersoll, if possible. His own son Dr. Thomas Stafford says: "I have heard that story, but it is not true. I was living at home at that time. They never stole a black sheep from my father I am sure." Mr. Orlando Saunders who proved to be the best acquainted with the Smith family of any party living anywhere near Manchester or Palmyra, New York, being their near neighbor, says they were honest, industrious and upright, and the only thing that could be said truthfully against them was that they were very poor and worked for a living. And the Presbyterian minister who went around for affidavits did not get a different story from him either.
This Gilbert tried to get his brother, Lorenzo Saunders, who was only 9 years of age in 1830, to swear that he saw Sidney Rigdon at Smith's in 1827, and he refused to make the statement; and yet, Braden has reported it in this discussion as though it was true and that he had his affidavit to this effect. I have noticed invariably one thing during this discussion and that is that a story never loses in size after it reaches Braden's hands, and although it is but a mere rumor, he tells it with all the avidity and positiveness that belongs to the statement of facts.
Then there is the long pretended statement of Willard Chase which condemns itself if he would read it all, and so of Parley Chase, David Stafford, Henry Harris, Abigail and Lucy Harris, Joshua Stafford. This Stafford family were whales to testify, they, like Howe, were mad because some of their relations were Latter Day Saints, and they wanted to do something lest the people might think they were leaning that way. That would be such a disgrace, you know. Then there is Nichols, Capron, Stoddard, Ford, Th. P. Baldwin, yes, their disinterested judge, mixed in with these slanderers of Mr. Smith's family; when the same man just before the removal of the family from New York went and persuaded the old lady Smith to come to his house and take care of and nurse his wife through a long sickness. Then to cap the climax Braden introduces his 51 witnesses, this Baldwin being one, and makes them all say: "Martin Harris was a man who had a handsome property and in matters of business his word was considered good." Yet he has continually assaulted this same man's character throughout this controversy. They did not like Harris' religion, and that was all that could be said against him, but as all of the
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others of these wicked, false, corrupt and slanderous statements they are made to say" "they were considered." so and so.
The following is the statement set out by Braden's 51 witnesses"
And in reference to all with whom we were acquainted; that have embraced Mormonism from this neighborhood; we are compelled to say that they were very visionary, and most of them destitute of moral character, and without influence in this community; and this may account why they were permitted to go on with their impositions undisturbed."
Did you ever hear such wise conclusions? Because they were destitute of moral character and influence they
were permitted to go on undisturbed; but if they had had a good moral character and a good
influence that neighborhood would have disturbed them. Well, think myself they would have been, if these
51 men ever signed that statement. This is on the same ground that the Campbellites over about Hiram put their
claim for disturbing Smith and Rigdon with tar and feathers, I suppose.
Their own history states Rigdon had a good moral influence. Next I turn to his new
witness, Jeffries, who got acquainted with Rigdon in 1844, when Rigdon did business for the Mormons in Nauvoo, so
he says; but Rigdon did not do the business for them neither in 1844, 1843 or any other time when they were
in Nauvoo. He was in poor health when at Nauvoo and did but little of anything then, except act as Postmaster, and
in 1844 he lived in Pittsburg, and was in charge of the church in Pittsburg in the year 1844.
He never told Jeffries such thing at any time, and never at any time in his life claimed
or pretended to claim he ever knew anything about Joseph Smith until after October, 1830. I have read to
you his own published letters over his own signature; not what his enemies said about him, and he lived and died
firm in the faith, claiming that he was the proper head of the church after the death of the other two Presidents,
as he was the second counselor to the President.
Braden can not, as he states, bring old citizens of Kirtland who will testify to his stuff. I have challenged him
from the first to do so, and he has not put a single one on the stand. He called in one of his own men, a
Campbellite preacher, Mr. Moss, who lives far away from Kirtland, and that did him no good. I have lived in Kirtland
for nearly a year, and I have yet to meet the first old citizen who knows anything against the honesty of Rigdon,
Harris, Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery or David Whitmer, and I have made it a point to talk with all I have met on
this subject; and only last evening when we had made the statement that he could prove so and so about these men,
an old gentleman who was never in any way connected with the Saints, came to me and said, "It is a falsehood. He
can't do it. I have lived here for fifty years and was acquainted with those men, and he slanders them." There
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are men here who have heard these stories and who can repeat them, but what evidence is this? I have heard stories too, ever since I was ten years old, about Joseph Smith and others, and usually they have been proven to be false. If Braden is telling the truth about what he can prove here about these men, why does he have to call his audience, -- who do not agree with me in religion, "Danites and clackers," because they repudiate these false and slanderous assertions?
We have a Justice of the Peace here in Kirtland, and if you want to make your contest on that kind of evidence, we will set an hour for the bringing of testimony to-morrow, and bring our witnesses and have them sworn. I am ready to present witnesses with you on these points. But the Kirtland bank, that was a failure, he says. Was it the only one in Ohio at that time that failed? No, there were dozens. It was in the time of the "wild cat" banking system in Ohio and other states and the hard times which came on in 1836 and 1837-8, property sunk in values, and the banks went under everywhere. In the State of Illinois, where my father lived, a man could not get cash for labor at any price and formerly well to do men could not meet their taxes even. In this time the Kirtland bank went with the others, except it did not swindle the poor. Besides the hard times being against the Kirtland bank, there was also an organized opposition to it by those opposed to the religion of the Saints, which tended to much more cripple it. The Saints when they came here paid good prices for whatever they bought; mortgaged their farms and lands thus bought to secure the balance of the purchase price on them in many instances, and the hard times coming on, they were forced to sacrifice their places and pay their debts; this they did, and he thinks it was awful wicked. Does the subsequent history of these people show that they could not succeed in business as well as other people? Notwithstanding the fact that their properties were taken from them by mobs, and they were driven from their homes, the history shows they were equal to all the emergencies, and in knowledge, wealth, honesty, integrity of heart, and the true worship of God, they were the peers of any other people.
Smith and Rigdon left Kirtland in 1837, because continually harassed by mobs and conspirators, who were using every means possible to injure them in person and property. These conspirators even went so far as to persuade other men into their work who were honest in their intentions, but who did not realize the object and base purposes of the conspirators until afterwards. Crimes were permitted and charged to the Saints when they were perpetrated by their enemies; and years after, right here in Kirtland, one of these enemies upon a profession of religion in a protracted meeting, confessed to being the person who stole a plow in the interest of their gang and
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which was laid to one of the Saints, and they even perjured themselves to convict an innocent man, and made him suffer the penalty because of his religion. A tool chest was stolen from one Hinds and laid to the Saints, but a search warrant found it in a loft of the minister who was working up this mob. All this evidence comes from Braden's side. The Saints had to guard
the Temple night and day while they were erecting it, and suffered untold wrongs and outrages by a people who ought to have been their friends. For this, they hold no malice however, knowing that the men who did it, were as a rule deceived and put up to the terrible work by a few unprincipled leaders, who were always far out of danger in the back ground. It was like it was in the time of Jesus and the Apostles. The self-constituted clergy and priests urged the populace to blood and vengeance and hence, Jesus says: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."
Braden charged this terrible work to infidels, last night. How could he so insult
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your good senses as to so deliberately misrepresent that tragedy? It was the chief priests and rulers, who urged the people on: the only avowed disbeliever in the Bible known to be present was Pilate; and he persisted, "that he found no fault in Jesus," and those pious priests (?) cried out: "Away
with this man and give us Barabbas!" But Pilate spoke to them urging again the release of Jesus; and these pious hypocrites cried out, "Crucify him!" "Crucify him!" Our infidel friends have enough sins of their own to answer for, without piling upon them the terrible crimes of religious bigots. But my opponent ensnares himself whichever way he turns. He is a man walking in darkness, although supposed to be learned after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. He has no word of God to be a lamp to his feet and guide to his pathway, because he denies the office work of the oil, the unction, -- the Holy Spirit -- that throws light upon this word and gives the proper understanding.
Time called.
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MR. BRADEN'S SEVENTH SPEECH.
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GENTLEMEN MODERATORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: -- In the discussion of this question I have investigated, as duty
demanded, the character of Mormonism, and of its originators and authors. I read the testimony of persons of the
highest character. Unable to meet it, there was introduced last night the lying abuse of an infidel blackguard.
It was read by a similar character. His Danite band of similar characters greeted it with their accustomed Danite
yells. It is what infidelity deals in. The Book of Doctrines and Covenants declares that the Saints will be equal
with Christ. It is blasphemy. Joe took from the Book of Mormon his fool prophecy in regard to himself, and with
transcendent blasphemy, put it in the Bible as the words of the Almighty. I did not quote the passage about
"inheritance by blood," nor refer to it in quoting the Book of Doctrines and Covenants. I referred to two passages
preaching a crusade against the Missourians. He says Moses and Elias are angels. Where does the Bible say so?
Angels assumed the form of men and were called men. Thw angel in Revelations did not say "I am one of the prophets,"
but "a fellow servant of the prophets." Mrs Chase had a peep-stone. That is one of Granny Smith's lies, and she
says it was Chase's daughter not his wife. As he was a minister,
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neither is true. Gabriel and Elijah are the same. Chapter and verse for it, if you please.
"Baptism for the dead" is quoted. Baptism is in the likeness of the burial and resurrection of Christ, a type of
it. In imitation of it. Paul says, "that the dead rise your baptism shows." It is in imitation of the dead, or
death and resurrection of Christ. Its resurrection from the water proves that the dead are resurrected. It is
"baptize in imitation of the dead," or death of Christ. The language in Matthew speaks of three things in each
case. Salvation of good trees, salvation of the wheat, and baptism in the Spirit. All these are for the good. Evil
trees, burning chaff and baptism in fire. All for the evil. "You" includes both classes, just as when it is said
God will reward every man according to his works. If Joe Smith knew enough to translate, he could do so. As he was
an ignoramus, the talk about his translating and correcting revelation is blasphemous nonsense. Emma Smith, as her
language is reported by Joe III in "Life of Joseph the Seer," does declare she saw the plates and handled them,
covered with a cloth. None but the three were to see the plates in the way they did. It does not say so, and is
a paltry dodge. Jacob and others saw God's representatives. Hosea says Jacob wrestled with an angel.
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Isaiah says it was an angel that led Israel in the wilderness. "No man hath seen God at any time."
He cannot find in the Bible such a tricky, selfish, jealous talk as we cited from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. My opponent shows his ignorance in assuming that "cut off" means death. In one case a person was cut off for seven days. It means separate from the congregation, excommunication, and some times put to death. He shows his infidel ignorance in saying there was one small window in the ark. Genesis says the word used means a system of windows. Gilbert said there were no capital letters at the beginning of sentences. He said nothing about capitals in any other place.
We know all about God that he can know -- what God has revealed. We know more, for we do not bury it and obscure it under Joe Smith's materialism and lying revelations. He finds persons who were priests and officiated as priests outside of the Aaronic priesthood, and assumes they were Melchezedek priests because they were not Aaronic priests. That is like assuming that a man must be an Irishman because he is not an American. He might be a Dutchman. Let him prove they were Melchezedek priests. There was Melchezedek and there was another -- Christ. Only Melchezedek and Christ.
We have already exposed the violence and intolerance exhibited by Mormonism. It began in abuse of all who would not accept the fraud, and has since been carried on by violence, denunciation and vilification of all who oppose it. It began with abuse of all who opposed it in New York. This was carried to violence and plotting assassination in Kirtland. It culminated in the Danite band, and assassination in Missouri, and Nauvoo. Smith was notoriously quarrelsome when intoxicated.
Mormon pilgrims to New York can have pointed out to them, by citizens of Manchester, the tree to which he tied his father, when he flogged him. He was taken to Painesville while in Kirtland and tried for assault on his brother-in-law, Calvin Stoddard. He told a dupe of his by the name of M. C. Davis, that it was the will of the Lord that Grandison Newell should be removed. His Danite, with a young man who lived in Smith's family, went to obey the revelation. The Danite tool took, aim at Newell in the bosom of his family, when his better nature revolted at the horrid crime, this murderous villainous, impostor had sent him to do, and Newell was spared. On another occasion he sent three thugs under the leadership of one Bump, to waylay Newell, and murder him as he returned from Painesville. They lay in wait with loaded guns for hours. Providentially, Newell took another road, and escaped Joe's fiendish hate again
The spirit that actuated him in Kirtland can be seen in another fact. Mr. William Smith one morning visited a Mormon
neighbor by the name of Cluff. He
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observed a pike setting behind the door. On inquiry he found that Mormons had been provided with these murderous
weapons...
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One of the idiotic tomfooleries of Kirtland was speaking in different tongues. This idiotic farce is still kept up by the Re-organized. It was practiced in the convention last Spring. Mr. Higbee, once a Mormon Elder, tells how David Patton, a Mormon emissary, commanded him to arise and speak in tongues. He faltered. "Speak as
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you list." ordered Patton. He then gabbled words that Patton called a tongue. Others gabbled in the same manner. Reynolds Cahoon gave them this rule: "Make some sound, continue to make sounds, the Lord will make a language of it." Persons would frequently sing in this gibberish in a drawl or whine, they called a tune. They said these songs would be sung when the lost tribes appeared in Missouri. One of the women who spoke in the convention in Kirtland last Spring, drawled out, "Ah-Pish-e-Ta," "Ah-Pish-e-Ta," those four syllables over and over. That's the work of the Spirit of God. Another eye witness tells of this scene. A number of Elders and Priests assembled in a room in Kirtland. Smith exhorted them to exercise faith, and some would see the Lord in person. He declared the time was coming when no one would be allowed to preach unless they had seen the Lord. About as sensible as my opponent's claim that all Mormon preachers are called as Aaron was called, and that they have miraculous power. Soon he said to Rigdon, "Sidney, you have seen the Lord." Sidney mounted Ahasuerus's horse and shouted, "I saw the image of a man pass before my face, whose locks were white and whose countenance was exceeding fair, even surpassing all beauty...
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affidavit that it is true. I will furnish the statements of Abel Chase and Lorenzo Saunders. I will not manufacture evidence and tell what a dozen witnesses told me. Think of the infinite impudence of E. L. Kelley's attacking men who have been judges of State Courts, Congressmen, leading business men, the best citizens of Palmyra and Manchester, men whose shoes he is not fit to clean. It is as impudent as the conduct of himself and brother. On Sunday morning two Danites made a raid on several old peoplein Manchester. They refused to give their names, tell who or what they were, or their business. They asked questions, sneered at the answers, laughed over them, disputed them, insulted the ones on whom they had forced their impudent presence, and bulldozed generally; and then went off and manufactured a report, that the persons interviewed declare under solemn oath to be a tissue of dilberate falsehoods. Such
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is the character of the course of Kelley the witness and Kelley the pettifogger for Mormonism. It is in keeping with his client's character.
In regard to Jeffery's evidence, we have this to say. Mormon history shows that Rigdon lived in Nauvoo and not
in Pittsburg in 1843, until late in the year. That he did lead in Mormon business. That in Sept. 1844, he was
in Nauvoo, trying to take Smith's place. That he told the apostles, September 14th, 1844, that if they did not
place him in Smith's place, he would tell the secrets of Mormonism. They rejected him. In the Mormon official
organ appeared bitter denunciations of Rigdon for exposing Mormonism. It was precisely at this time that Jeffery
declares he told him what he narrates in his testimony. Every fact in Mormon history in regard to the matter
corroborates Jeffery's statement. Kelley's statement[s] in his attempt to set it to one side are flat contradictions
of Mormon publications.
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MR. KELLEY'S CLOSING SPEECH.
GENTLEMEN MODERATORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: -- I appear before you this time to conclude my work of the debate...
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Has my opponent showed a single thing wherein we differed from the doctrine of Christ?
All of you must say no. He has been all the time telling stories on Smith, Rigdon, Whitmer, et al.,
and raking around in the dust of the Spaulding story. But that story is done. I have traced that tale
to its very seat. I found the manuscript for him, showed him it was placed in the hands of one of his first
citizens," Hulburt; that it was then put into the hands of another of his first citizens," Howe; that then
these two "first citizens" had said it did not read as they expected and they did not use it; that afterwards they
tried to make out it was not the one, in order to protect their "statements" of certain parties; that they were
foiled in this because the one they had was the one on parchment which purported on its face to have been "Found
in a Cave;" that Howe and Hulburt promised to return
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this to Mrs. Spaulding which, had they done, it would have forever prohibited them from claiming it was not the
right one, and that they broke their promise and destroyed it; but they kept their statements from trumped up
persons who were bent on sinking the Book of Mormon and published them. That satisfies me on the Spaulding
tale forever.
I have not only showed you all of this
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and the identity in faith, practices, ordinances, organization and work of the church, but that we were in fact
sowing the word of God which Jesus promised should bring forth fruit "some an hundred fold, some sixty and some
thirty." I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your every courtesy and attention. (Applause).
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C E R T I F I C A T E.
I hereby certify that I have corrected and prepared the foregoing speechs of myself without access to, or
consoltation with those of Mr. Braden since the debate. Have read the proofs of the same furnished by the
publishers, and that they have been set forth as delivered in the discussion of the respective propositions.
E. L. KELLEY.
MR. BRADEN'S EIGHTH SPEECH.
GENTLEMEN MODERATORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: --
We will merely notice the frantic effort of my opponent to set to one side the evidence that Joe Smith was author
of the revelation on polygamy. The facts are these: In the first number of the official organ of the Re-organized
Mormon faction there appeared -- I. A statement in the first and leading editorial written by Zenos H. Gurley, that
Joseph was the author of that revelation and was slain for his conduct in the matter. Gurley was one of the
Re-organizers, was a leader, and is to-day. II. A statement by Isaac Sheen, one of the Re-organizers, and a
leader, one of the editors, that Smith said that he was the author of it and said that it caused all of his
troubles, and would cost him his life. Kelley says Sheen retracted it. I deny it. He cannot furnish one scrap
of proof. III. Another statement by W. H. Marks, another Re-organizer and editor, that while Smith was prophet
and his influence was omnipotent in the church, polygamy prevailed to such an extent that Marks declared the only
way to purify the church was to dis-organize it; that Smith became alarmed and come to Marks, whom he had been
denouncing as an apostate for opposing polygamy, to get him to help stay the tide of infamy, believing that public
feeling would drive Mormons and polygamy out of the country. These declarations stood unchallenged fifteen years.
Now Mormons are trying to lie out of them.
In the discussion of this question we tested Mormonism by its teachings in regard to the eight freat elements of
Christianity...
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We exposed the materialistic, sensualist nature of the teachings of Mormonism in regard to the Millennium, and the final
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reward for the righteous. Rigdon in his gross literalizing of the figurative teaching of the Bible, made nonsense out of them, and taught the most absurd, extravagant, and gross materialistic ideas of the Millennium and future life. Sensible Mormons gide the[s]e ideas, as they do his gross literal material teaching in regard to God...
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We next assailed the name. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch, by the apostles, a true reading declares, Mormons were called Latter-day Saints at Kirtland, by Rigdon. The Holy Spirit called the congregations "Churches of God," "Churches of Christ." Mormons called their monstrosity with its officers as numerous as the devils cast out of the man in the tombs "The Re-organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." We have exposed the Book of Mormon. We have traced its origin in Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." Proved by Rigdon himself that he took it from the office, where Spaulding sent it to be printed. That he remodelled it into a pretended revelation by putting into it portions of the Bible and his own notions. We have proved that he gave it to Smith to publish to the world as a pretended revelation, dug from the earth and translated by his stolen
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peep-stone. That he was seen at Smith's and was absent often when engaged in this work. That he preached its ideas and prepared his congregations, converts, and certain preachers to receive it. That he predicted its coming. That Pratt went from him to Smith, and came back to him. We have exposed that transparent fraud, his pretended conversion. We have exposed the Rigdonisms on every page...
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the purity or the text of the Bible. That has been done in this debate. Any decent infidel would denounce as an ignoramus a person who would make such charges as have been made in this debate. When the vile character of the prophet and leaders have been exposed, it eclipses Ingersoll in his infidel attacks on the character of the Bible personages. Every unfair mis-representation and sneer of infidelity has been repeated here. When its pretended miracles are exposed, it assails with more than infidel falsehood those of the Bible. That has been done in this debate. Sneers have been thrown out about "Jonah swallowing the whale." Yet this infidel system is the "Fullness of the Gospel." Its organization is the only true Church of God now on earth. Its infidel emissaries have the miraculous power of Spirit, -- can work miracles -- give revelations, and those who believe the Bible, and defend it, are apostles from the Bible; because they do not accept the lying frauds of these infidels. Infidelity recognizes its ally wherever Mormonism rears its head. There is never a debate with Mormonism, that infidelity in the place does not hurrah for Mormonism.
Mormonism had its origin in a scheme of a backslidden doubting preacher, to deceive the world, in pretending that he had dug a manuscript from the earth and translated it; that he might get money out of it. Some think that his stupid plagiarism of Bible style was intended as a deliberate caricature of the Bible. This intended fraud was stolen by a back-slidden sceptical preacher who blasphemously plagiarized the the ideas and language of the Bible to re-model it into a pretended revelation, to make a "big thing out of it." It was given to the world by an infidel, an admirer of Paine, who was duping the superstitious and ignorant
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with pretences to witch for water, peep for lost treasures, etc. It has displayed its infidelity and hostility to the Bible all through its course. If an error of Mormonism was exposed it retorted with an infidel attack on the Bible. It assails the Bible to revenge the exposure that friends of the Bible have made of its fraudulent character. When we point out that it is destitute of the evidence that an inspired book should have, it re-hashes infidel falsehoods that the books of the Bible are no better. It asserts, in the face of all history, that the Books of the New Testament were composed two or three hundred years after Christ.
Mormonism is a hodge-podge of Mosaism, Mahommedanism, Methodism, Episcopalianism, Catholicism, Campbellism, Rigdonism, Smithism and Prattism. Infidelity, Mesmeric Power and Devilism. Imfidelity was its father, ignorance and superstition was its mother, and like Milton's whoredom of Satan and Sin, the monstrous progeny has been death.
All who accept the Bible and believe that the Scriptures are given by inspiration, and are profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, and that by the Scriptures all children of God are
made perfect, and thoroughly furnished unto all good works, will reject this monster Mormonism. All who accept Jesus
as the only Divine Prophet, source of all teaching, their only Divine King, source of all law, will reject the
backslidden, doubting Solomon Spaulding, the unprincipled, infidel Sidney Rigdon, the scoundrelly infidel pretender
of Manchester, Joe Smith, with his stolen peep-stone. They will accept the one God, one Lord, one Spirit, one faith,
one baptism, one hope, one body, one name of the religion of Christ.
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C E R T I F I C A T E.
I hereby certify that my speechs appear in this book just as I furnished them to the printer, without any
restrictions whatever. I read all the proofs myself, and my speechs are printed just as I directed, without any
change or restriction.
CLARK BRADEN.
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Elder E. L. Kelley