BANCROFT
LIBRARY
O-
THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
MORMONISM EXPOSED
AND REFUTED
OR
TRUE AND FALSE RELIGION
CONTRASTED
FORTY YEARS' EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATION
AMONG THE MORMONS
BY
WILLIAM KIRBY,
Editor of ' 'BIBLE INVESTIGATOR"
DONIPHAN, KANSAS
NASHVILLE, TENN.:
GOSPEL ADVOCATE PUBLISHING Co.
1893.
DEDICATED TO
AI.L BIBI.E INVESTIGATORS
BY THE AUTHOR.
COPYRIGHT, 1893, by WM. KIRBY.
BANCROFT
LIBRARY
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Author's Remarks to the Reader 5-18.
CHAPTER II.
Early Life and Conversion of the Author 19-26.
CHAPTER III.
First Contact with the Mormons 27-43.
CHAPTER IV.
Experience in Joining the Church , 44-56.
CHAPTER V.
Experience and Observation in England 57~77-
CHAPTER VI.
From Liverpool to New Orleans on Board of Ship 78-119.
CHAPTER VII.
From New Orleans to Kansas City Cholera No Heal-
ing 120-146.
CHAPTER VIII.
Crossing the Plains from Kansas City to Salt Lake. . . 147-168
CHAPTER IX.
Experience and Observation in Salt Lake City 169-191.
CHAPTER X.
Experience in the Country Locating in Payson 192-203.
CHAPTER XI.
The Author and W. W. Prove Mormonism a False Re-
ligion They Separate 204-230.
(iii)
IV CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XII.
The Author's Experience and Trial for Neglected
Duty 231-250.
CHAPTER XIII.
Observations on Polygamy Its Evils 251-274.
CHAPTER XIV.
Leaving Payson Visit to Friends The Result 275-298.
CHAPTER XV.
Leaving Salt Lake City for Green River 299-318.
CHAPTER XVI.
From Green River to St. Joseph Incidents by the
Way 319-348.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Christian Religion Defined and Proven 349~373-
CHAPTER XVIII.
Joseph Smith's Early Life and Character 374-411.
CHAPTER XIX.
Origin of the Book of Mormon Spalding Manu-
script 412-445-
CHAPTER XX.
Witnesses to the Book of Mormon Examined and
Tested 446-477.
CHAPTER XXI.
Smith's Troubles Manuscript Lost Harris Threatens
Smith's Life 478-500.
MORMONIS1 EXPOSED AND REFUTED;
OR,
TRUE AND FALSE RELIGION CONTRASTED.
CHAPTER I.
AUTHOR'S REMARKS TO THE READER.
MORMONISM, as an institution of religion,
is either true or false. Such is its na-
ture, or character, that it is, in the absolute
sense, either of God or of Satan. It claims for
itself to be strictly of God, and Joseph Smith, its
founder, in 1825, claims to have received direct
revelations from God to institute and establish
a new and distinct religion, to be observed by all
mankind as the only divine, God-acknowledged
system of religion upon the earth. Smith also
claims that ang^els frequently appeared to him,
and directed him to institute what is commonly
called the Mormon religion. Hence, he declares
that all other forms of religion extant are but
of human origin, and are false. He claims to
have been appointed of God as the prophet and
(5)
6 Mormowism Exposed and Refuted.
revealer of God's will to the world of mankind
in these, the last days. These peculiar claims
of Smith are either true or false. If true, all
mankind should know it ; and if such claims
are false, mankind should know it. Mormon-
ism, as a system and a people, is a live, work-
ing-, active institution. If it is of God, its ac-
tivity is truly commendable. If it is of the
Evil One, it is reasonable, nevertheless, that it
would be active ; for it is said of Satan that
he "g-oeth to and fro on the earth, seeking-
whom he may devour."
Having- bestowed many years of thoug-ht and
investigation upon the subject contained in the
following- pages, the author can but feel he has
something- to offer to the reader which will be
found both interesting and profitable. If, in any
sense, religion is of value or worth to mankind,
may he hope it will be found in the following ?
If in any way the religion of the Bible relates
t<5 man's present and future welfare, the pres-
ent work read and studied will not be time mis-
spent.
If there is a God, the author and the director
of human existence ; and if the Bible in any
Author ' s Remarks to the Reader. 7
sense shows the nature and will of God toward
man, then it should follow that mankind should
strive to know the will of God and his pur-
poses concerning- them. If the Bible teaches
a true religion the true relation of man to his
God and his fellow then it should follow, too,
that man ought, by all possible means, to ac-
quire a clear knowledge of such true religion.
If there is a possibility of the existence of a
false religion in the world, as it would appear
the Bible declares to be, would it not be to
man's highest interest to be able to detect such?
So the author of the present work thinks, and
to this end has made choice of the present sub-
ject for investigation true and false religion ;
and which he hopes the following pages may
critically and correctly set forth.
The nature of the Christian religion as set
forth in the New Testament, is such that it is
strictly divine and of God, or it is as strictly
false. If true, it is all important that man
should know it ; for not to know it would be
not to be safe. What is true of Christianity is
true of the divine claims of Joseph Smith and
his system of religion it is true or false. The
8 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
aim of the writer is to settle this very import-
ant question, and by so doing assist the reader
to a safe conclusion.
True religion brings man into his true rela-
tion to God and his fellow. The true secures
the blessings and favor of God; the false
brings the curse of Satan, as seen in the Garden
of Eden, and through the whole of the Bible.
God has always had a following ; his law is the
law of love to God and man. Satan has had
his following ; his law is the law of hate toward
God and his fellow. The person who loves
God and his fellow is of God. The person who
hates God and his fellow is not of God, but is
of "Satan, who reigns in the hearts of the chil-
dren of disobedience."
The religion of the New Testament is in the
nature of things, and is required of man ; that
is, "to love God and his fellow;" a due rever-
ence of the unknown God; and "do unto all
men everywhere as we would they should do
unto us. " " For this is the law and the proph-
ets." Such a religion as this is not question-
able ; it is in harmony with reason and with
man's intellectual make-up. On this basis of
Author* s Remarks to the Reader. 9
New Testament principle, the writer has con-
trasted the institution and system of religion
set up by Joseph Smith.
Proof of the early life and character of Jo-
seph Smith is given by those who mingled and
associated with him as neighbors, and who were
acquainted with his real life.
The real source from which the Book of Mor-
mon originated is proven by the testimonials of
such persons as fully knew whereof they af-
firmed.
The contents of the Book of Mormon, as
criticised by the author, prove beyond doubt
that Smith, or some other person, reconstruct-
ed a manuscript of Solomon Spalding, which
was garbled into the Book of Mormon, making
it to speak of things, and quoting from the
New Testament, hundreds of years before the
New Testament times, or before it was writ-
ten.
The nature of the organization of the Mor-
mon church is vividly shown to be out of har-
mony with the New Testament church, estab-
lished by Jesus Christ and his apostles, and
more in harmony with the Old Testament na-
10 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
tional church, with Smith's native make-up de-
veloped and infused into it.
Smith's actions, and the nature of his pre-
tended revelations, as taken from their own
standard works, are critically examined and
shown up, step by step, as he develops his own
true nature, and incorporates it into his system
of religion, showing 1 his strong carnal propen-
sities, his ambition to rule, use, and control
both the people and their possessions.
The work from first to last shows out an evil
religion and the evil results which necessarily
follow ; and that evil and error are equally re-
producing, as righteousness and truth.
The work is offered to the public as a guide-
post to protect them from, and warn them
against becoming victims of, evil, seducing men,
and suffering the evil consequences of a false
religion, as in the case of the writer; " for evil
men will wax worse and worse, deceiving and
being deceived until the end come."
The writer's personal experience among' the
Mormons is the vital practical refutation of
the claims and workings of the system. Known
facts and observations absolutely settle the
Author ' s Remarks to the Reader. 11
matter, as presented by the writer as an eye-
witness. In this enlightened age each one
should study the Bible for himself as a reform-
er. The principle and disposition of Lmther
(the noted religious reformer) are entertained
and -acted upon by a multitude of the brightest
minds and purest hearts since his day. But
Martin Luther never undertook to reform the re-
ligion of Jesus Christ. No ; his aim and reform-
ation was that of the Roman Catholic church as
an organic system of religion. But the religious
right and personal freedom of Luther to at-
tack, expose, and withdraw from the Roman
Catholic church as a system of religion, was
but the entering wedge by which this solid
church was rent in twain. The liberty and
freedom of Luther on religion was caught 4ip
by others, and has divided what was .supposed
to be the one organic system into hundreds of
fragments as organic sects of religion.
Luther was no divinely favored person as to
religious freedom and liberty. No ; what he
would ask and claim for himself of religious
freedom and liberty, others justly felt entitled
to the same. Hence, if Luther could justly
12 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
and rightly institute a new sect of religion,
differing- somewhat from the established church
of Roman Catholicism, it was but fair to pre-
sume that any and all other persons were at
liberty and had freedom to do the same, and
were at liberty to take exceptions to, and differ
from Luther, as he had differed from the Ro-
man Catholics.
This done, the flood-gates of religious liberty
and freedom were thrown wide open to all man-
kind. And while all intelligent Christians ad-
mit there is but one true church of God upon
the earth, organic religious sects are legion,
and, as sects, cannot possibly constitute the
one church of the living God.
The religion of Jesus Christ and his apos-
tles was in the strictest sense personal per-
sonal faith in God as "the rewarder of all who
diligently seek him ;" individual personal re-
pentance of sin toward God and man ; personal
baptismal obedience (if baptism should prove
to be an absolute necessity to salvation). The
religion of Jesus proposes individual or per-
sonal pardon of past sins, and promises the
personal comfort and indwelling of the Holy
Author ' s Remarks to the Reader. 13
Spirit "the love of God shed abroad in the
heart by the Holy Ghost, which is given him."
The religion of Jesus promises divine aid to its
professor personally, to assist his infirmities
and enable him to run the race set before him.
And finally, he expects a personal, glorified,
spiritual resurrection from the dead ; and to be
personally admitted an abundant entrance into
the everlasting kingdom, and to be confessed
of Christ before his Father and holy angels.
Confederate organic religion, such as Mormon-
ism proposes to be, cannot confer nor work out
such an ultimate for an individual. No ; he
must "work out his own salvation, with fear
and trembling, for it is God who worketh in
him to will and to do his good pleasure."
Religion being personal, it -follows that Mor-
monism, confederately or organically consid-
ered, is not in any sense necessary to man's
salvation ; and if not essential to man's salva-
tion, as a religious system it is not of God.
Herein is the importance of the Christian re-
ligion in this life; in its simplicity, it is "love
to God and man." "He that loveth is born of
God." "Love is the fulfilling of the law."
14 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Such a religion is self-demonstrative. It is
right and true from its own vital nature. But
there are false religions, which are human,
"earthly, sensual, satanic." Such, in the fol-
lowing work, the author shows Mormonism to
be.
Every person needs the help of his fellow, to
some extent, to guard his own and the interests
of those dependent upon him, and should be
free to use any and every help to aid him to safe
conclusions in religious matters as well as ev-
ery day life.
The following work proposes a clear and
critical expose of false religion, contrasted,
from first to last, with the simple fact and spir-
it of the New Testament, which is the hope of
the author to assist the reader to safe and cor-
rect conclusions in matters of religion.
The writer has endeavored to give chapter
and verse for all Bible thought suggested, so
Bible students may easily refer to the script-
ure quoted, and study the text and context for
themselves.
From necessity, the author has given his ex-
perience and observations in the most simple
Author' 1 s Remarks to the Reader. 15
language, so "he who runs may read" and un-
derstand.
Having spent some forty-five years in the
study of the Bible and religious life and char-
acter, I feel I have something of worth, from a
religious standpoint, to offer to the reader,
which will justify his time to read and the
amount he may invest in the work.
The writer can but feel, if such a work as
the present had been put into his hand, in his
youthful days, it would have rendered him
much assistance in drawing more safe and more
early conclusions on religious matters. All
man knows, or can know, he has to learn, and
the more efficient our means of learning, the
more easily and the more readily do we learn.
The past of human life and experience trans-
mitted to this generation "is the mother of the
present," and "the present is but the child of
the past." And equally so, the present will
become the parent of the coming generation.
Hence the necessity of making for ourselves a
desirable and profitable record in our life, that
its influence may be effective for good on the
coming generation.
16 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
The author, feeling- whatever in his life or
experience mig-ht be profitable to those who
may follow and make up the next g-eneration,
has been prompted to transmit to them his ex-
perience and observations among 1 the Mormons,
feeling- sure that those who may carefully read
and study the contents of his undertaking- will
feel justified and 'well repaid for the effort.
Mormonism was but one of many new relig--
ious sects which took their rise in the early
part of the present century, thoug-h unlike
the various Protestant sects, which are but a
reform of the Roman Catholic church, and a
reformation of each other as sects ; for the mul-
titude of sects of the present day are but an
attempt by each one to reform its predecessor,
and are but reformations reformed.
But Mormonism does not undertake to re-
form any existing- sect, Catholic or Protestant.
No. It proposes to restore to the earth the
church of God, which it claims had ceased to
exist on the earth for many centuries before.
It assumes and attempts to be a new relig-ious
system, revealed direct from God to Joseph
Smith, its founder, partaking- somewhat'of the
Author ' s Remarks to the Reader. 17
Christian, and somewhat of the law of Moses,
and somewhat very largely of the personal,
developed make-up of its founder.
Mormonism, as a system, at the present day,
evidently partakes more or less of any and all
organic systems that ever preceded it, religious
or otherwise. Like the system established by
Jesus Christ and his apostles, its claims are so
divinely high that it must necessarily be of
God, and supersede and set aside all other
claims of religion, or it is the most stupendous
religious fraud ever sought to be palmed off on
the world of mankind, any and all heathen sys-
tems of religion not excepted.
The object of the author in the present work
is to prove, beyond all possible doubt, that
Mormonism is the latter ; and that by so doing
he may save many of his fellows from the evils
consequent upon a life among the Mormons,
and remove, to some extent, part of the hin-
drances and obstructions which lie in the way
of true religion.
The religious system of Joseph Smith is no
compromise of previous religious systems. It
does not look to a modification of any. No ; it
18 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. -
proposes at one complete stroke to set every
prior system of religion aside, and originate
something* new as a system of religion. God
is made to say by Joseph Smith that all and
every religious system extant in the world is
false and under God's disapproval, and is of
the devil. On this basis Joseph Smith starts
out, and claims to receive a complete new sys-
tem of religion direct from heaven ; and if, as
he would claim, Mormonism is the only God-
given religious system to man by which he can
be saved, it is man's highest interest to know
it ; and should it prove false, it is equally man's
duty to himself and his fellow to be sure of the
fact. Such is the nature of Mormonism as a
system of religion. It is absolutely true or ab-
solutely false. It is strictly (viewed from a
Bible standpoint) of God or of the devil it is
of heaven or of hell. Its very nature will not
admit of its being neither, nor of both. Hence
the necessity of a thorough investigation of its
merits and demerits.
CHAPTER II.
EARLY LIFE AND CONVERSION OF THE AUTHOR.
THE author William Kirby was born in
Romanby, near Northallerton, Yorkshire,
England. I was the second son and child of
John and Margaret Kirby. My parents were
poor people, laboring* from day to day in order
to support their family of five sons and two
daughters. I received but little education,
learning only to read and write. At the age of
ten years I was put to work on a farm, my
wages being six cents per day, my parents
having to board me. At that time work was
scarce and wages low for farm laborers. The
thirty-six cents per week my wages added
that much toward the support of the family.
From ten years of age I was kept constantly
at work by the day, or by the year.
Family and church records show I was bap-
tized at a month old, by the parish priest of
the Church of England god-fathers and god-
mothers in attendance, two of each. At the
(19)
20 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
age of six I was sent to Sunday-school, con-
ducted by the Church of England. Here I re-
ceived my first lessons in religion, much of
which I am yet able to repeat, but some of
which I am not able to believe.
At about the age .of eight years I was trans-
ferred from the Sunday-school of the Church
of Rng'land to that of the Primitive Methodist.
Here I improved some in reading, and was
brought in contact with Methodist religious in-
fluence. Here I gave my first public exhibition
on religion, having had assigned to me the 23d
psalm for public recitation, which has re-
mained fresh in my mind ever since, and has
frequently been a source of comfort to me in
life's struggles and trials, when calling it to
mind and repeating it. I still retain in my
mind many little items of interest of a religious
character, which I learned and committed to
memory in those Sunday-school days.
At the age of thirteen I engaged to work out
for a farmer by the year. My wages for the
first year was 2 and board. This was equal
to $9.60 for one year's wages.
In those boyish days I had many peculiar
Conversion of the Author. 21
thoughts and reflections on nature and human
life. I might say, without egotism, in early life
I was a great thinker on many peculiar subjects
though I was poor, uneducated and obscure.
Prom this time on, I had no Sunday-school or
church opportunities. I had no books, and but
little time or inclination to read. Apart from
my daily work, my mind was absorbed in its own
meditations and reflections. I might say, at
this time I was truly a son of nature, for I had
no tutor but nature itself. I mingled but little
with boys of my age. I felt, from principle, I
must be faithful to my employer. I felt en-
couraged at the manifestation of my employ-
er's confidence in me, and it ever served as an
inspiration to more faithful servitude. I was
ever anxious to give full satisfaction to my em-
ployer. I could only be at rest and happy as
everything was satisfactory and right about
me.
My notions on religion at this time were such
as I had imbibed from my surroundings. I knew
to be right in the sight of God I must do right.
I felt at this time all that was necessary for
me to do was to do what I understood to be
22 , Momwonisftn 'Exposed and Refitted.
right, and God would do his part, though in
many things I would do violence to my own
conscience. Then I would regret, and ask for-
giveness, with a purpose to do better.
This part of my life was one of constant la-
bor and toil, and but little remuneration. I
had no spare funds for personal indulgence.
But in this I learned industry, economy, and
from necessity formed temperate habits.
These three qualities formed and fixed in the
mind, I was probably better prepared, as a
poor boy, to face and contend with the world,
than if I had been raised in wealth and luxury.
From thirteen years of age to twenty was spent
principally as a farm servant, remaining two
or more years in the same family, and by in-
dustry ajid economy I was able to clothe my-
self and have a small bank account in my
favor.
At the age of twenty I became deeply con-
cerned on the subject of religion. I then ap-
peared to lose all inclination for worldly amuse-
ment and pleasure. My mind became fully ab-
sorbed and taken up with the thoughts of re-
ligion. I realized I was not right in the sight
Conversion of the Author. 23
of God. I felt fearful and in danger. I felt
I was not safe in this life, nor prepared for the
life to come. I withdrew from all my worldly
associates, and discarded my worldly maxims,
I became deeply convicted of my sinful condi-
tion before a pure and just God. I remained in
this condition over eighteen months, only be-
coming* more and more so. I made my condi-
tion known to no one. I felt the Spirit of God
was convicting* me of sin, of righteousness,
and of judgment. I could not shake it off. I
felt now it was fearful to live, and more fear-
ful to die. I became almost despondent. Life
had become a burden so much so I felt willing-
to become anything- or nothing-, if God would
only have mercy upon me and save me ; and at
this point, in my extremity and penitence, he
did so, and in such a degree and such a way I
have never since been able to doubt. God par-
doned my sins, and g-ave me a perfect realiza-
tion of the fact. He adopted me into his spir-
itual family, as one of his children, and g-ave
me all the proof of the fact I could desire. I
knew then, I know now, there is a divine spir-
itual reality in the religion of the New Testa-
24 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
ment. I now felt the love of God shed abroad
in my heart. I was supremely happy, "rejoic-
ing" with joy unspeakable and full of glory."
My cup was running 1 over. I was now, if possi-
ble, more happy than under conviction I had been
miserable. In this, God had given me all nec-
essary proof of the fact of his power and will-
ingness to save a poor, sin-sick, penitent be-
liever. The proof was so personal, so demon-
strative, that I have never since been able to
call it in question. The more I thought of it,
and criticised it, the more I have become con-
firmed in the fact.
My conviction and conversion were not the re-
sult of public excitement brought about by hu-
man means. No ; it was a matter known only
to God and myself.
The Spirit of God and its happy influence
upon my own heart was not only demonstrated
to myself as a fact, but the evil spirit of the
Evil One was also demonstrated to me person-
ally. A few weeks after my conversion, I was
attacked by the spirit and power of the devil.
And I realized that, too, as personally as I had
previously realized the good spirit. There are
Conversion of the Author. 25
many honest, sincere professing- Christians who
call in question and doubt such peculiar Spirit
experiences ; and of course such doubts only
prove that those in doubt have never had such
experience. God's dealing's with mankind are
not always the same with every person,' and I
take it as unwise, should my experience differ
from my fellow's, or his from my own, to say my
brother's experience is a mistake. No, in many
thing's men's experiences differ. Let those
who have never enjoyed the love of God richly
shed abroad in their hearts, be silent on that
subject, -and simply say for themselves that
they have no such experience ; but for myself, I
know whereof I affirm. I know, also, that such
experience is taug*ht in the New Testament,
and was enjoyed by the primitive followers
of Jesus Christ. Had it not been for such per-
sonal experience in relation to the Christian re-
lig-ion, I should never have been able to extri-
cate myself from the miry swamps of Mormon-
ism.
Between the ag-e of twenty-four and twenty-
five I married. My companion, if anything-,
was more than my equal. She was all I could
26 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
wish as a woman and a wife. Shortly after
our marriag-e we moved to a distant locality,
and here we came in contact with the Mormons,
my experience and observations among- whom
will be found in the following* pagfes.
CHAPTER III.
FIRST CONTACT WITH THE MORMONS.
TWO years before and after my marriage, I
had been engaged in brick and tile works.
In this I had succeeded financially. At this
time I had in my employ a Methodist local
preacher. He was the first to bring the L/atter-
day Saints, or Mormons, to my notice. He ap-
peared to be well acquainted with them as a
people in his locality. He undertook to give
me an account of them as a people, their claims
and doctrines, stating as a religious sect or
people they had originated in America ; that
they had a living prophet at the head of their
church. He said as a people and as a religious
body, they claimed to represent a dispensation
and work spoken of in the Bible to come forth
in the last days ; hence they had taken the name
of Latter-day Saints. He said they were
preaching the immediate second coming of Je-
sus Christ upon the earth, to save his people
and destroy all the wicked ; that these Latter-
(27)
28 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
day Saints were now gathering" into the mount-
ains of America as a place of preservation,
while the judgments of God were to fall upon
the wicked and destroy all from the earth who
refused to obey the Latter-day g'ospel and to
gather to the mountains of America for safety.
After listening to this for the first time, and
much more of like character relating to this
peculiar people, I felt strongly inclined to make
their acquaintance and hear them preach.
Since my conversion everything of a religious
character has had a tendency to arrest my at-
tention ; and hearing these marvelous things
about the Mormons, I was very much inclined
to investigate and know the facts relating to
them as a religious people.
The Mormons had organized a society or
branch in a town near where I then resided,
and the first opportunity which presented, I
visited their congregation. I found them a
plain, sociable people. I at once felt at home
with them. They had learned "not to be for-
getful to entertain strangers." There was
much of the enjoyable socially among them.
They were evidently of the poorer or humbler
First Contact With the Mormons. 29
walks of life ; but they were none the worse
for that ; for I could remember Jesus and the
masses of the poor who g-athered around him.
Their meeting* was at 3 p. m. on Sunday. They
partook of the Lord's supper, or bread and
wine. I did not partake with them I was not
now of them. They paid particular attention
to us, for my oldest brother was along" at that
time. After the Lord's supper, the senior
elder took the stand and addressed the audi-
ence. His remarks were extempore. He was
a ready talker, was very much in earnest, and
very enthusiastic in what he undertook to pre-
sent. I thought at the time he had almost
touched on everything- pertaining 1 to the church,
for the special benefit of the strangers present.
Commencing at the orig-in of the church, he
said that an ang^el of God had appeared to Joseph
Smith, an illiterate youngf man in America, and
had made known to him the Book of Mormon,
which he had translated into the English lan-
g-uag^e, which was a record of the aborigines, or
Indians, of America, and which contained the
pure g^ospel as made known to them by Jesus
Christ ; that the Son of God had appeared to
30 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
them many centuries ago ; that God, the eter-
nal Father, and Jesus Christ his Son, had ap-
peared to Smith in person, and made known to
him that all existing- religions were wrong, and
of the Evil One, and that he (God) and his Son
Jesus Christ, were about to establish a great
and glorious latter-day work on the earth, and
that he (Joseph Smith) was the chosen instru-
ment by which this great dispensation should
be brought about.
The elder also claimed that the records had
been given to Smith, and he had translated
them, and they now constituted the Book of
Mormon, which he then held in his hand, and
could be procured and examined by any and all
who wished to do so ; that this Book of Mor-
mon contained the gospel in its purity for this,
the latter dispensation.
The elder stated very emphatically he knew
that this latter-day work was of God ; that the
church of the present dispensation had been or-
ganized, and was by them as a people then and
there represented ; also, that the church pos-
sessed all the spiritual gifts of healing, and all
the miraculous power of God and Jesus Christ
First Contact With the Mormons. 31
as they were manifested and enjoyed by Jesus
and his apostles ; and that he (the elder) had
witnessed some of these manifestations for him-
self, and knew whereof he spoke. Others, at
the testimonial part of their meeting-, had tes-
tified to similar personal manifestations, and
expressed equal confidence in the claims of the
church. The elder also stated that Jesus
Christ was soon to make his second advent into
the world, and the righteous would be saved
by gathering to the mountain home of the saints
in Salt Lake Valley in Utah, while the wicked
would all soon be destroyed from off the earth.
The saints then would own and possess the
earth, and delight themselves in the wealth and
abundance (which the wicked had procured for
them) a thousand years. The elder's remarks
to myself were truly startling. I could have
but one misgiving at this time, and that was,
How can I know for n^self that these claims
are true?
After the elder closed his remarks, he, with
a number of his brethren, gathered around me,
to make my acquaintance. They asked me
many questions. I said to the elder that his
32 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
remarks and subject were to me strange, ad-
mitting-, at the same time, if the claim he had
set up for Smith and the church could be proven,
or made clear to my mind as a fact, that I should
look upon the whole matter as very important ;
admitting-, as I did, that the present was the
first time I had met with them, and that I had
heard but little of them ; stating- that his dis-
course embraced important tiding-s, and I should
consider them such could they be made known
to me. I told him, also, that I should be free
to use any means at my command to prove
them. At this personal interview he manifest-
ed much interest in me. I told him I should
endeavor to meet with them in the future, and
seek a more extended and intimate acquaint-
ance with them, saying-, as their claims were so
divinely hig-h, they were the more important ;
that it was due I should be the more careful in
investigating- them. To "prove all thing's and
hold fast that which is g-ood" had become a
settled maxim with me. The elder had refer-
red to the peculiar org-anic structure of the
church, as having- in it apostles, prophets, and
the various orders of priesthood, which, to my
First Contact With the Mormons. 33
mind, appeared very formal. He also alluded
to what he was pleased to call the first princi-
ples faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, bap-
tism by immersion, and the laying* on of hands
for the gift of the Holy Ghost. The elder's
remarks on much of the priesthood led me to
suspect that there was an undue amount of
form and ceremony about them, and suggested
to me an unnecessary amount of human official
authority. I have always felt an abhorrence to
undue official authority official importance
and while the speaker and many of the others
stated they knew the work the church was
of God, they offered no proof to that effect.
Hence, their testimony had but little weight.
The preacher declared, as a prediction, or
promise, that if any would obey the gospel
as presented by the Latter-day Saints, they
would or should know for themselves that
the church was the veritable institution of God.
But just then I was far from accepting his of-
fer ; yet he made his statements so positive and
emphatic, that it looked like calling in question
his word to refuse.
I had professed religion for five years. By
3
34 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
this time I had learned, in the midst of so much
difference on religion, that even preachers
might sometimes be mistaken or misled. I was
unable to treat the subject as it had been pre-
sented with indifference. I reasoned within
myself, if this is a new latter-day manifesta-
tion of God to the world of mankind, it was
but due on my part to investigate it, and accept
it should I find it to be true. Accordingly, I
proposed to look into it.
I had now discovered, in order to enter the
church I must have faith in Jesus Christ as the
savior of the world. This I had accepted as
found in the Bible. Repentance of all known
sin I could accept, and had endeavored to act
on this for at least five years. Baptism by im-
mersion looked to me more favorable from a
Bible standpoint than any other mode, though
I had not been immersed as an adult believer.
The laying on of hands by their priesthood for
the gift of the Holy Ghost looked to me a se-
rious undertaking. I could but think on this
point the Mormon church might be tested,
whether it be of God or not. I could realize
if by the laying on of the hands of their elders
First Contact With the Mormons. 35
the Holy Ghost was conferred, that surely, as
proof of the fact, there would be a conscious
or visible manifestation. I could by no means
think that the gift of the Holy Ghost, the
Spirit of the living- and true God, could be re-
ceived and possessed by a person and the per-
son so possessing the Spirit not be conscious of
it. Paith, repentance and baptism might be
passed over in a formal way, and prove nothing
in behalf of Mormonism, pro or con, only that
such were taug'ht in the Bible. But the laying
on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost pro-
poses that the Holy Ghost shall in fact be con-
ferred by the administrator on the candidate ;
and to receive it surely is to be conscious of it,
and not to be conscious of it is not to receive it.
Hence, for any Mormon elder to confer the
Holy Ghost upon another, he must needs pos-
sess it himself ; and could he prove this fact
upon himself or upon his candidate, he could at
once settle the divine authenticity of his relig-
ion. But faith, repentance, and baptism were
antecedents to the laying on of hands for the
gift of the Holy Ghost, and to refuse baptism
was to refuse the Holy Ghost, as the}^ would
36 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
look upon it. Their preachers were not slow
to promise the gift of the Holy Spirit in the
miraculous sense.
There were a number of missionaries from
Salt Lake in England at that time. I made
the acquaintance of a number of them, making-
many inquiries about America as such, and Salt
Lake in particular. But these missionaries
from America were slow to answer many ques-
tions about Salt Lake and the people there. I
proved they would state the opposite of fact
when closely pressed ; but they preferred not
to be questioned very closely about Utah, espe-
cially about the real condition of things, polyg-
amy, etc.
The masses of the members of the church in
England appeared to be more devoted to the
church and its peculiarities as a church than to
God and Jesus Christ.. They acted more like
nominal members of national churches than
true converts to God and his son Jesus Christ.
I felt sure their religion was more formal and
natural than spiritual. But they were per-
secuted by all other sects of religion, and that
but served to unite them firmly to one another.
First Contact With the Mormons. 37
My own religious experience and information
at this time were very limited, and as such it
was not difficult for some of the more skilled
and experienced preachers to prove more than
my equal. Hence, I was more or less at their
mercy on the Bible, and entirely at their mercy
on matters relating- to Salt Lake. They had
every advantage over the simple, uninformed
masses of the people in those old countries.
They knew just what to say and what to with-
hold from them. The object of these mission-
aries was to proselyte and convert the people
to Mormonism.
From a boy I had been strongly inclined to-
ward America. I had read many histories of
it as a country, and some years before this had
made preparations to emigrate ; but circum-
stances over which I had no control prevented.
My strong inclination to go to America was not
without its influence on my mind to incline me
more favorably toward those American mission-
aries. It is not difficult to lead a man where
he has strong inclinations to go. The Mor-
mons of America, in this particular, had some
advantage in my own case.
38 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
But this new religion and the present associ-
ations with this people were but the beginning*
of a series of circumstances and events in my
life which were to follow. This was but my
beginning with this people, and I knew not
then what was slumbering in the future. Here
I- had commenced a term in a new religious
school, to receive lessons of experience, without
which I realize now my life would have been
less complete. And while it was to cost me
my all, financially, and endanger my life, I
thank God, who allowed me to go through it,
protected me while in it, and led me out with
so profitable and necessary an experience. I feel
now while writing, in this the sixty-seventh
year of my life, that the Lord has been my
shepherd for forty-six years of my religious
life. Yes, I now see plainly many marks of
his divine providence in my favor. Mankind
appears to be in life's school for an education,
and our great and good Lord knows what is
best for each and every one of us. By his prov-
idence he directs the school of human life, and
I can dare to trust him as my best and most
competent school director, who will manage
First Contact With the Mormons. 39
thing's to and for my greatest good and his
own g"lory. For, if he watches the sparrows
fall, surely he has care for the children of
men.
I was now mingling" with the Mormons free-
ly, and invited them to my home. I was anx-
ious to have opportunities to interview them,
especially the missionaries from America. But
on many thing's they were slow to answer.
They would tell us it was not well for us to
know too much, for we were but babes in the
church, and were unable to eat strong- meat.
They would acknowledg-e they had many thing's
to say unto us ; but as Jesus said to his disci-
ples, "Ye cannot bear them now," they
would tell us we must * ' be fed on the milk of
the word of God." The. only use they ap-
peared to have for the Bible was to draw peo-
ple into their system, and keep them obedient
and quiet when in. They were never at a loss
for scripture to baffle and control the more rest-
less. They could "become all thing's to all
men," and if necessary they would resort to
g*uile. They were truly wolves in sheep's
clothing-, but at that time we knew it not.
40 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
The church had been organized about twen-
ty-two years, and by this time they had among*
them many trained advocates of their system.
When we would ask them if polygamy was
practiced by them in Utah, some would evade,
and if pressed very closely, would actually and
flatly deny. I found out that it was common
for a real Mormon to misrepresent in behalf of
, the church.
About this time the fall of 1853 after posi-
tively denying the practice of polygamy in Utah,
they fully acknowledged it and undertook to de-
fend it. At such a contradiction of thing's I felt
ashamed for them when I was among 1 strangers,
they having- but a short time before denied po-
lygamy, and now defending it and owning to it
as being practiced among them many years.
I felt on this subject and conduct on their
part, there was nothing godlike or divine either
in the polygamic practice or in the way they
had acted about it. It proved to my mind they
were capable of practicing deception and pure
falsehood. But this they undertook to modify
by calling it celestial marriage, and only re-
lated to a celestial or higher order of Christian
First Contact With the Mormons. 41
life, and that plurality of wives only meant
spiritual wives for a future or celestial state ;
but I afterward found out to the contrary, and
that polygamy meant a plurality of actual wives
in this life, and had been practiced by them as
a people in the latter part of the life of Joseph
Smith, and ever since.
Such deception and secrecy led to increase
my doubt of the system ; but they now con-
tended that I could by no means prove the
church to be of God unless I would comply with
its first principles. For, said they, the knowl-
edge that the church is of God is only to be at-
tained in the church, and not out of it. They
contended that God could and would only man-
ifest the truth of his church to me as I will-
ingly obeyed its demands the first principles
of the church or, as they would have it, " the
latter-day gospel." I felt now there was
reason in their favor, and to be candid with
them and myself, the only way to test the mat-
ter was to try it. They now urged me to ob-
serve the first principles as taught by the
church. This done, they assured me, by means
of the gift of the Holy Spirit I would become
42 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
fully; persuaded that the church was truly the
church of God. I realized now the critical
condition I had reached, or they had led me to.
I here thought it was possible their claims for
the church might be true, and I had no means
within my reach to prove it otherwise, for their
headquarters were in America, and I could not
demonstrate the fallacy of their system with-
out going there, unless some miraculous act on
the part of God should prove to me beyond all
doubt that the system as a church was the ver-
itable church of God.
I was now bound to accept their proposition
or prove a lack of good faith on my own part.
What could I now do? There was nothing for
me to do but reject or accept their proposal,
and prove, know or not know, whether this
new American religious institution, so marvel-
ous in its claims, was of God or not. I ac-
cepted their offer ; was baptized immersed
the elder using the common Christian formula,
in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. I had thought, in my baptism, in the
first manifestation of compliance to the church
on my own part, if the church was in fact the
First Contact With the Mormons. 43
divine institution of God, that he might grant
me some conscious manifestation of the fact.
But no ; God and the Holy Spirit were yet si-
lent. All was formal and spiritless. God and
the fruits of the Holy Spirit were in no sense
manifest in my baptism. No ; the spirit eind
letter of the law are not necessarily united. I
had. some five years before this, received the
Holy Spirit in the absence of the letter, and
now I had received the letter of the law bap-
tism without the Spirit. By the outward
form of baptism I had entered the outward
church. Organicalty considered, I was now a
part of it. But I doubted then, and I have
doubted more so since, that in any sense it was
recognised of God, his Son Jesus Christ, or of
the Holy Ghost. No; it was like* Elijah's
storm in the mountain God was not in it. But
in this, and at that time, I learned the pos-
sibility of having a form of godliness with-
out the power. I was baptized in the beauti-
ful river Nidd ; all nature smiled, but God was
silent.
CHAPTER IV.
EXPERIENCE IN JOINING THE CHURCH.
I WAS at once confirmed, or received the lay-
ing- on of the hands of the elders for the gift
of the Holy Ghost. In this, the church as insti-
tuted by Joseph Smith ever proposed to confer
the Holy Ghost upon the candidate. Did they, in
my own case, confer upon me the Holy Ghost
in the miraculous sense, or any other sense?
My answer is, No, not in any divine sense what-
ever. If in any sense I received the Holy Spirit
of God I was absolutely unconscious of it.
No, dear reader, the Spirit of the true and liv-
ing- God was not in it, and ag-ain I proved the
Mormon form without the divine Spirit of God
accompanying- it. I was now a reg-ularly con-
firmed member of the church, without any di-
vine proof that it was the church of God. Yes,
step by step I was now drifting- with it, appar-
ently unavoidably so.
Had I not, five years ag-o, in my conversion,
received such an overwhelming- proof of the in-
(44)
Experience in Joining- the Church. 45
fluence and power of the Holy Spirit upon my
whole being- ; had not God given me such an
irresistible, unquestionable proof of my accept-
ance and adoption into his family ; had I not
in this particular received the Holy Spirit to
give me a knowledge of its workings and power,
I should, no doubt have accepted the Mormon
forms of religion and never called them in ques-
tion. " The things of the Spirit are discerned
by the Spirit ; the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit ; neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Surely, "to receive the Holy Spirit of God
would be to know it, and not to know it would
be not to receive it." At the laying on of the
hands of these Mormon elders, I did not know
I received the Holy Ghost ; hence was sure I
did not receive it. No ; it was another Mor-
mon form without the power ; a vain, human
form established by Joseph Smith in his church;
an aping on the part of Smith of the apostles
of Jesus Christ.
Surely these Mormon elders never enjoyed or
received the Holy Spirit themselves, much less
conferred it upon others. I am sure there are
46 Marmonism Exposed and Refuted.
comparatively but few knowing* deceivers among*
the Mormons the masses of them are deceived.
I can but think many of these officiating* elders
from Utah were sincere but were themselves
deceived ; they had been misled, like thousands
of others, and had been trained in the formal-
ities of the system, and no doubt many of them
looked upon their church as being* rig'ht, to the
total exclusion of all others.
The thing's which man does not know lead
him to fall into many unfortunate pits, and un-
dertake many pursuits which are unprofitable
and damaging* to himself as well as his fellows.
This same thoug*ht will apply very larg*ely to
many of the Mormons. I have sometimes won-
dered if to some extent this would not apply to
Joseph Smith, who would appear to have been
led captive of the Evil One at his will.
I can but admit that the masses of the con-
verts to Mormonism are sincere, and by means
of Joseph Smith and the system of religion he
has instituted, are simply deceived. No differ-
ence as to our religion (only in kind), whether
it be true or false, each can be alike sincere.
But truth, and a religion of truth and fact, is
Experience in Joining" the Church. 47
ever preferable and the most profitable all
through this life and ma}^ be trusted for the life
to come. Religion presented from so many dif-
ferent standpoints is misleading to the masses.
I was now admonished to be ordained to the
priesthood. All male members are supposed
to belong- to some part of the priesthood as the
only means of exaltation. The priesthood is
supposed to exalt the man, and in return the
man has to exalt the woman. I was now or-
dained to the office of priest. The Mormon
church provides for two distinct orders of the
priesthood, the higher called the Melchisedek,
the lower called the Aaronic. The higher
consists of five grades or orders the first pres-
idency, the twelve apostles, the high priest, the
seventies, and the elders. The second or lower
order of priesthood the Aaronic consists of
three orders or grades the priest, the teacher,
and the deacon. I was ordained a priest. I had
taken part at times, speaking in public, but I
was not by any means a zealot or enthusiast on
the subject of Mormonism ; for I was in doubt,
and needed to be taught and to learn rather than
be a teacher of others. My ordination to the
48 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
priesthood was but formal ; its exercises or cer-
emonial part was as lifeless and cold as the
frigid zone. There was no inspiration or
priestly spirit or zeal conferred upon me by the
hands of the officiating* elders. I did not know
a thing* about the divinity of the church,
nor about anything else, that I did not know
before. It was dead formality the letter with-
out the spirit. It was strictly human, and not
divine. To myself it was much like babies
playing- old folks ; the only difference I could
see was that it was little priest playing- big-
priest, and the world is full of it ; and the
Mormons, on ceremonial forms and grades of
priesthood, for their ag-e, are not a whit behind
the best of them.
But I was in the church now, to all intents
and purposes, as far as ceremony could gx> ; and
I had made up my mind about this time, in the
near future to gx> to America by way of the
Mormon church, and by so doing- fully test the
divine nature of both church and people.
In the absence of divine spirituality in any
organic system of relig-ion it is always soug-ht
to be supplied with the human ceremonial or
Experience in Joining- the Church. 49
formal. In the absence of true religion, a false
one must or does obtain. Man is not able to be
neutral on religion. While it is impossible for
him to serve God and mammon, it is equally
impossible for him to serve neither. " God is
a spirit, and they that worship him must
worship him in spirit and in truth." The re-
ligion of Joseph Smith is ceremonial and form-
al superabundantly so. There is formality
enough in it to save a number of fallen worlds
like our own, if forms and ceremonies did but
possess saving power.
But now to cast up to the present: The elders
had made their promise ; they had dictated the
terms ; I had accepted their propositions ; had
faith in Jesus Christ ; had repented ; had been
baptized ; had received the laying on of hands,
and had been ordained to the priesthood this
done by the power and authority of Mormon
legal priesthood, and now what was the result?
Did I receive a knowledge of the facts prom-
ised? My answer is, No, not in the least. I
was perfectly passive in the whole matter. I
was perfectly willing that God's will should
be done. But no I say it before God and
4
50 Mormonism Exposed and Refitted.
man there was not in the remotest sense the
least manifestation of God as proof to me that
Joseph Smith and the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints were of God.
Their excuse was, that God in his own due
time and wisdom would make these thing's
known to me, and admonished me to trust him,
and go on doing" my duty in the church, and God
would use me according* to his own g-ood pleas-
ure, and make me useful in the church. I have
ever felt that God would do all his pleasure
with and for me ever since he took me into his
family and vineyard. I think so yet. I can
but think and feel while I am writing* the pres-
ent book to expose and refute them as a relig*-
ious system and people, that even now God is
using- me in his order of divine arrangement. I
have often thoug-ht and felt, as Joseph was
sold to the Ishmaelites, in the providence of
God, for g-ood, so I was sold and bought by the
Mormons for some ultimate gfood.
It was common with them as a people, al
most without exception, in their public meet-
ing's, preaching- and testimonies, to state that
they personally knew, by manifestations which
Experience in Joining' the Church. 51
God had given them, that this latter-day work
was of God, and that they knew Joseph Smith
was a true prophet of God. Their testimonies,
viewed from a natural standpoint, were almost
irresistible. I confess, when listening to such
positive testimonies, that if human religious
testimonies can in any way be relied upon,
surely they knew whereof they spoke.
I was unable to say I knew the system was
of God, and many of them knew I had doubts,
and the more fanatical looked upon me as a
weak brother. But I have found in more ad-
vanced life, that we are all more or less creat-
ures of education like parents, like children ;
like teachers, like pupils. And the Mormons,
as a people, from Joseph Smith to the present,
have always indulged in the claim of knowing*
personally that the church was of God. But
it is nothing more nor less than a stretch of
imagination in the absence of demonstrative
proof. The word knowledge with them ap-
pears to have lost its true signification, and
they use it in place of belief. It is a mis-
use of language, and has its influence upon the
more ignorant to mislead. I have found, as a
52 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
rule almost without exception, in my associa-
tion with the Mormons, that when you ask the
over-confident part of them for a reason or
proof of their claim to know that the church
is of God, their proof is absolutely inadequate
or wanting-, and it evidently arises from a de-
sire to have it so, rather than from the facts
that g-o to prove it.
There is throughout the Bible taught and
manifest two religions the true and the false,
the one of God, the other of Satan. There are
two inspiring- spirits that act on mankind the
Spirit of God and the Spirit of Satan. Man-
kind to some extent is actuated by these two
adverse spirits. They are seen in the Garden
of Eden ; they are both spoken of and referred
to from the first of Genesis to the last of Rev-
elation. The Mormon religion, from first to
last, is of such a nature that it is absolutely
true or absolutely false. It is strictly of God
and altogether rig^ht, or it is strictly of Satan
and altogether wrong-. Joseph Smith, the
founder of Mormonism, is the absolute, true
prophet of God, or he is the absolute, false
prophet of Satan. I am far from believing
Experience in Joining- the Church. 53
that such prominent characters as Moses, Je-
sus Christ, Mahomet, Joseph Smith, and many
others, are simply natural men, uninfluenced
by one or the other of those two opposing spir-
its represented in the Bible. No ; such char-
acters are moved and actuated by the true
Spirit of God or by the false Spirit of Satan.
Joseph Smith was inspired, prompted and act-
uated by one of these two spirits.
Readers, as I present facts relating- to the
Mormons and to Jesus Christ, judge ye. From
my own experience and observation so far, I
am in dotibt of the divine claims of Joseph
Smith and the religion he instituted. I was
led into Mormonism for the purpose of testing-
its claims, and now I was disposed to test it to
a finish. At this time I was looked upon among-
them as a doubting- Thomas. My testimony in
public was not looked upon as at par, and at times
I was made to feel it by the less noble. No
doubt they thoug'ht I was wanting- on my own
part as a reason why God did not make known
to me that the church was all right,' and enable
me to feel as they felt. I felt, under these cir-
cumstances, not to violate mv own convictions
54 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
by professing- what I did not possess. I have
ever felt that God honors and defends the per-
son who stands by his honest convictions. I
frequently had them feeling restless, and a
little of the carnal man generating in them
when pressing them close for proof of their
high professions ; and like all false positions
taken and held, when criticised closely they
would manifest the unpleasant appearance of
the carnal man. A false religion will never
bear close questioning.
My attention had been called to their claims
to the miraculous healing of the sick. Their
order in this was to anoint the sick with con-
secrated olive oil, lay hands on the head of the
sick, and by authority vested in them rebuke the
disease or affliction, asking God's assistance.
They claimed to possess divine power to heal
all manner of diseases and sickness, as in the
days of Jesus Christ and the apostles. During
my connection with them in England I wit-
nessed several of their attempts to heal the
sick and afflicted ; but I have here to acknowl-
edge that in every case it was a complete fail-
ure. As proof of this fact I give the follow-
Experience in Joining" the Church. 55
ing* : We had in our branch or congregation a
very prominent young* lady who was an inva-
lid. She was a reg-ular member of the church.
She had received the administration ordinance
several times by different regular elders of the
church, some of them missionaries from Utah.
I witnessed several of these myself. But all
were failures in the absolute sense. This young",
intelligent, refined sister of the church was
beloved by all around her. Neighbors, .Mor-
mons and otherwise, took interest in her. She
had been led to join the church in hope of being*
restored. Promises to this effect had led her
on. Special efforts on the part of the elders at
different times had been resorted to, but all to
no effect. Poor, noble woman, she was still
left on the couch of the invalid. That dear
sister had been led on step by step into the
church with the hope of being- restored, as I
myself had been led on in hope of proving- to
me that the church was the very church of God.
But in both cases we had failed. Yes, Mor-
monism was ever proving* itself a lamentable
failure. This young- lady sister shortly after
was treated by an eminent physician and was
56 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
fully restored. She also withdrew from the
church, it having- proved itself a failure.
And now, what can I say for the g-ift of heal-
ing- in the church? I need not here say any-
thing-. The church in this case, as in the past
so far, spoke for itself, and wrote on its own
doorpost, No healing' inside. But this was
but the first case of healing- failure witnessed
by the writer ; many more such like were to
follow.
CHAPTER- V.
EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATION IN ENGLAND.
THE Aiders at this time seeing- that. I was
not being* confirmed in the faith, directed
my attention to the actual Zion in Salt Lake,
saying 1 that when I came in contact with the
priesthood and people in Zion I should become
fully satisfied. Yes, "I saw the bag- of g-old
was yet at the end of the rainbow."
But I had now fully made up my mind to g*o
to America for the sake of America, and at the
same time take in- the Mormon Zion. I had no
difficulty in making- up my mind to gr> to Salt
Lake, for that was in America, where I had
wished to gx>, and especially at this time, hav-
ing- by me sufficient funds for the journey. I
felt at this time that America, for the sake of
America, had more to do with my g^oing- to Salt
Lake than the church itself. I was now fully
made up to emigrate, felt sure I should better
my condition by doing- so ; but I had serious
doubts about the Mormon part of the people and
country.
(57)
58 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
At this time I was reading- and studying-
books after the most prominent authors, many
of whom were my superiors in Bible knowl-
edge. They made many passag-es of scripture
more plain to my mind. On Bible matters, in
some thing's they were more than my equal.
Many of them were men of natural and ac-
quired ability ; some of these writers could hold
me close to Mormonism on some points. But
at this time I was much at their mercy, for I
was young- in relig-ion and Bible study. O.
Pratt was my choice author. I could and did
learn much from his published works. His in-
g-enious application of scripture, by which he
soug-ht to defend Joseph Smith as a latter-day
prophet, the coming- forth of the Book of Mor-
mon, and the latter-day work in g-eneral, proves
him to be a very close student both of the Bible
and the Mormon system of Smith. O. Pratt 's
works were well calculated to lead less informed
minds into the church, and in many respects
hold them when he had them there. Had it
not been for his writing's, Mormonism would
have had but little effect upon my mind ; for
practically all along- it had proven a failure.
Observation in England. 59
Had Mormonism been suspended on the Bible
alone as sole proof of its claims, with such men
as the Pratts to defend it, the system would be
much more difficult to encounter than as it is.
But Mormonism, professing", as it does, so many
thing's which can be proven or disproven by the
five senses, and which they are totally at a loss
to prove, destroys their claims and renders their
system of religion indefensible. And while O.
Pratt is a strong- defender of the Mormon re-
ligion from a Bible standpoint, he is as weak as
the weakest in defending- the actual divine
power of God in the church, or system, as such.
The divine power of God not being* in the
church, with all their gifted minds can do, they
cannot sustain the claims of the church with-
out it : for the church rests on the divine mirac-
ulous power of God in it (and which can be dem-
onstrated for or ag-ainst), and not so much on
the Bible. If they as a people and religion do
in fact possess the divine power of God to the
extent of their claims, it would not be difficult
for them to prove it to the world beyond all
doubt. But the fact that they do not prove
such is proof ag^ainst them, and shows to a
60 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
demonstration that their claims are false. They
are able, and do furnish the human part the
ceremonial, the formal, the ordinances, the or-
dinations, the officers and their office ; they
have a superabundance of all this. Yes, they
can do all this from a natural or human stand-
point ; but they cannot furnish the Holy Ghost
the Spirit of God. No ; God himself must
do that. Their attempt to imitate the miracu-
lous power of God in the gift of tongues is but
something- any one sufficiently deceptive and
foolish could imitate ; and all the Mormons that
ever were or will be could never detect it. But
;fche fact that the Spirit and power of God is
not among them, they are unable to manifest
to the world what they claim. Hence, the
world in common reject them for want of the
proof of their claims ; and the way the facts
.stand, neither O. Pratt, nor any nor all their
best trained minds, can demonstrate that Mor-
monism is of God. No; "by their fruits ye
shall know them." It was nowhere said of the
Mormons in England, " The dead are raised, the
deaf hear, the blind see, the lame walk, the
lepers are cleansed, devils are cast out, and the
Observation in England. 61
poor have the gospel preached to them." No;
the Mormons do not preach the gospel of Jesus
Christ ; they preach the latter-day g'ospel of
Joseph Smith if gospel, or good news, it may
be called. It surely does not piove glad tidings
to many.
The secret of Mormon success in strange lo-
calities as preachers was in confining their
preaching to what they call the first principles
of the gospel, and which they quote exclusively
from the Bible, seldom or never using or refer-
ring to the Book of Mormon. In this they
adapt themselves to the minds and prejudices
of their hearers. But any one acquainted with
Smith and the origin of Mormonism, knows
that those first principles, so-called, and taken
exclusively from the Bible, were but the means
used by Smith to convert the people to himself
and his system of religion. They first tried to
make their converts by the use of the Book of
Mormon, but the people and the age would not
admit of the Book of Mormon taking the place
of the Bible. The Book of Mormon would not
work, and they soon had to lay it aside. True,
though, on the first principles of the g'ospel
62 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
the Book of Mormon is but Smith's defined
views of the Bible on this point. But the first
Mormon evangelists sent out by Smith were re-
stricted to preach but the first principles of the
gospel faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of
God, repentance, baptism by immersion, and
the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy
Ghost. By confining their preaching to the
Bible and those first principles as therein re-
corded, they were wonderfully successful in
their preaching missions, both in America and
o*ther countries. Finding that the Bible was
their best hold on the people, the Book of Mormon
has almost gone into disuse. It is by dwelling
on those first items of the Christian religion that
Mormon success is attributable, and which the
writer was not able to resist. This is the
"stool-pigeon " by which many are enticed into
the Mormon church, and with which no one can
become acquainted until he has entered. Mor-
monism is a secret order, and very much so in
its ultimate, and can only be learned and known
inside of its order. It is a religious order of de-
grees of which those first principles referred to
above are the first steps. The preachers justify
Observation in England. 63
themselves in catching" people with guile ; they
would say or not say, do or not do almost any-
thing* in order to succeed or g-ain their end. I
g-ive a case, which was told to me by the person
himself, how he was sought to be drawn into
the church.
An elder in a strang-e locality, who was
preaching-, confined his discourse to those first
principles. At the close of his sermon he gfave
an opportunity to any one who wished to be
baptized. The person referred to responded,
offering- himself for baptism. He was taken
"the same hour of the nig-ht" and was bap-
tized. This Mormon preacher had not repre-
sented himself as a Mormon preacher ; had not
referred to Mormonism in any way to indicate
he was a Mormon preacher. The thoug-ht of
church or sect had not entered into*the candi-
date's mind ; he simply wished Christian bap-
tism, as such and for such. But, nevertheless,
he was baptized by a Mormon preacher, and as
a Mormon priest or elder he administered bap-
tism by the Mormon authority vested in him.
But the candidate felt all rig-ht until one of his
neig-hbors undertook to congratulate him as a
64 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Mormon, and when asked what he meant by
addressing* him as a Mormon, ' k Why, " said the
neighbor, "the preacher who baptized you was a
Mormon preacher. ' ' * 'Why, ' ' said the baptized
person, ' 'I did not know that. ' ' Said he, ' 'I will
know more about that," and at once started to
find the preacher. He soon found him, for he
was still in the neighborhood ; and when he
found him, he said to him, "lam informed you
are a Mormon preacher." He acknowledged he
was, saying, " What about it ?" "Why, "said
the person baptized, "I did not know that when
you baptized me." "Well," said the preacher,
whal of it? Your baptism is all right," and
turned away with a grin and a jest. But he
said at the time he related this incident to me,
he was not then a member of the Mormon
church.
The above simply shows the result of the
Mormon preacher in new localities confining
their preaching to what they call the first prin-
ciples of the church, and withholding the real
Mormon part of the church. Such men and such
means are strictly misleading. False men make
false systems, and never stop at false means by
Observation in England. 65
which to support them. This trait of charac-
ter is pre-eminently manifest in the early work-
ings of Joseph Smith in founding" his religious
system.
Mankind commit many grievous errors and
make many irrecoverable mistakes for want of
proper light. Saul of Tarsus, in his ignorance
of the nature of the Christian religion, could
be an inveterate persecutor ; yet, when he heard
the voice and the words, " I am Jesus, whom
thou persecutest, " could say, in humble obe-
dience, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?"
How necessary and true the adage and admoni-
tion, "Be sure you are right, then go ahead."
So I would say in religion, and especially to all
sincere Mormons, "Be sure you are right." It
is truly the hope of the writer that thousands
of sincere Mormons may read and ponder well
this book, and with the assisting grace of God,
may be led to clearer light on the will and
word of God, and have more correct views and
clearer conceptions of the errors of Mormonism.
In the fall of 1853, I arranged my business
and began preparations to emigrate to Salt
Lake. I thought, there I shall be brought in
5
66 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
direct contact with the heads of the church,
and witness more of divine manifestation of
God among" them, if divine power, in any sense,
was to be found among them.
By this time father and a number of the fam-
ily had united with the church, and had be-
come more fully confirmed in its claims than
myself. A young* man also having 1 joined the
church, who had been my most intimate youth-
ful associate for many years, decided to gfo along 1
with us to Salt Lake, to prove the realities of
the latter-day Zion. My wife was by no means
anxious to g-o to the Mormon polygfamic head-
quarters. She took no stock in the plural wife
part of the system. She was perfectly willing-
to go to America for the sake of America, but
could not look upon the church with any degree
of confidence ; but a brother and a sister of the
same branch with us, and very intimate, enjoy-
able associates, had agreed to g*o with us ; and
this sister's g'oing' along 1 was encouragement
to my wife. Company in dang-er or in doubt-
ful undertaking's is always desirable and en-
courag-ing-, and this, at the time, surely worked
well in my wife's case. We were now a group
Observation in England. 67
of five, which was inspiring 1 to one another.
My wife had joined the church, but like my-
self and the two (as Bunyan would have it in
one of his characters), "Little Faith" would
not be a misnomer for her.
I had promised and predicted to my wife that
we would go to America and would become
well-to-do ; and though, dear, faithful wife and
mother, she passed away some twenty-five
years agr>, she lived to see the fulfillment of
my prediction. Yes, after we returned to
Kansas from Utah, we lived and labored to-
gether, until before her death she complimented
me on the fulfillment of my prediction. Yet it
did not take place in the Mormon Zion, as our
future history will show ; but with ten years'
labor and toil in Kansas we brought it to pass.
In the fall of 1853, the church acknowledged
that polygamy was practiced among 1 them as a
people in Utah. Many of the missionaries
from Salt Lake had, when pressed closely, de-
nied it up to this time. But that is nothing" for
a full-grown Mormon to do to misrepresent
thing's for the advancement of the church. But
now they acknowledged that polygamy was
68 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
practiced by them, and undertook to defend it
from the Bible. But just what place polygamy
occupies as a part of the religion of Jesus
Christ I have always failed to see. But this I
shall consider later.
O. Pratt at this time undertook to defend the
plural wife doctrine, under the title of Celes-
tial Marriage. But there was nothing celes-
tial that I ever saw in its working among many
families while I was with them in Utah. The
reverse was the fact, and a name far more befit-
ting its practice would be Satanic Marriage.
Pratt 's defense or proofs were quotations from
the Old Testament ; and I would suggest to
O. Pratt, and any one else it may concern, that
if polygamy, or plurality of wives, means ce-
lestial marriage, to leave celestial things for
a celestial age and place, knowing from ob-
servation in Utah that it does not work well in
this terrestrial, fallen state, and as Pratt should
know by experience at Nauvoo. But I leave
this subject for further investigation when in
Salt Lake.
I had now given up my situation, had my
funds in proper shape, and was well satisfied
Observation in England. 69
with the American part of my conclusions. I
had two objects before me : First, I shall get
to the land and country of my choice ; second,
I shall be able to prove to myself the wonder-
ful claims and pretensions of the Mormon
church, of which I was then in so much doubt.
A few days before we left our native local-
ity, our second child was taken from us by
death, and was likely to have to be buried in
the night, on account of its not having been
baptized. According to the law or belief of
the national church, it was not counted a Chris-
tian on account of its not having been baptized,
and it was suggested by some of the busy
neighbors, who had evidently reported it to the
officials of the church, that it would have to be
buried in the night because it was not a Chris-
tian. The little innocent, but six months old,
not having been baptized for parental scruples,
was not by the English church counted a Chris-
tian, and must needs be buried in the night.
Its mother at this thought was distressed and
in grief. She felt she could not bear the
thought of her babe being dishonored and
buried in the night. I now made the case a
70 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
matter of thought. I reasoned : I am a Chris-
tian, and it is my right and duty to officiate in
any capacity relating* to the church of God. I
did not in any sense entertain a belief in infant
baptism ; but to relieve the mother's distress
for her dying* babe, and do no violence to my
own honest convictions, I proposed to sprinkle
the child the day before it died. This I did
unceremoniously, and told my wife we would
report the child sprinkled by a man of God, and
felt sure that all would be rig-lit with the sex-
ton and the parson. The next day the little
innocent died, and when asked by the sexton if
the child had been baptized, I said to him it had
been sprinkled. He answered, that was all
rig-lit, and on this our little daug-hter was placed
away in the English church-yard, with all the
ceremonial honors of a Christian ; and I need
not say that a fond mother's heart was in part
consoled, and a father's prejudice at such a na-
tional church law mollified.
We were now about ready to start for the
Latter-day Saint's Zion, with three of our most
intimate friends, who were willing- to take like
chances with us.
Observation in England. 71
The church had at this time connected with
it what was called the Emigrating* Company,
and we had all agreed to travel by means of
this company. I chose for myself and family
to g-o by means of what was called the Inde-
pendent Thirteen-pound Company, (they had in
it a ten-pound company, three pounds to be paid
the company in Salt Lake. But I took passag-e
in the thirteen-pound.) The company was to
furnish everything 1 needed on the journey from
Liverpool to Salt Lake City, and the overland
outfit was to be refunded per head pro rata at
the end of the journey. But the latter clause
of the contract, as will be seen, fell through,
and we never talked very loud about it.
Being- now about ready to start, many of the
brethren and sisters came to us, and we could
see from the nature of their requests, that they
entertained doubts with regard to the claims
and accounts we had received of the missionaries
from Salt Lake. They manifested their doubts
by requesting- us, when we gx>t to Salt Lake,
to be sure and write them the facts as we found
them. Some of the elders of the branch church
showed doubt by their urg-ent requests to have
72 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
us, after we had been in Utah a sufficient time
to learn the real state of things, to write them
a faithful account of thing's as we found them.
I promised all such that I would faithfully do
so. I may say here that I did so, and that was
the end of Mormonism in that locality. My
father, after receiving and reading two of my
lengthy letters to the church at that place,
wrote to one of the elders about the interest of
the church in that locality and the effect of my
letters. The elder replied, saying that the
church and Mormon influence were gone ; and re-
ferring to my letters, he said both saint and
sinner believed them, and it was no use to try
to revive the church at that place.
I had forwarded our baggage to Liverpool,
and now we were taking our last look at the
places and objects we never expected to see or
visit any more. Among our last visits were
those to the graves of our dear departed ones.
It was on a beautiful Sunday evening ; my
wife had walked some distance to visit and take
her last look at her mother's grave. I had
gone to meet her on her return. I knew her
heart would be sad. She was an only daugh-
Observation in England. 73
ter. A mother's love and care had been mani-
fest toward her daughter up to the time of her
death. No mother and daughter could be
more affectionate toward each other than were
they. She had died and had been laid away in
the grave some two years before, (since our mar-
riage.) No daughter had ever been watched
over by a mother with more earnest care and
interest. I had often witnessed marks of the
love and affection she cherished for her depart-
ed mother. I had gone to meet her on her re-
turn from the grave. I saw her at a distance ;
she was walking slowly, with downcast head.
I knew her heart was truly sad. Under favor-
able circumstances she was naturally cheerful ;
but there was nothing cheerful in her coun-
tenance now. She looked solemn and sad. She
had seen a loving mother's grave for the last
time, to which she had bidden a final farewell.
Yes, she had left a silent, sleeping loved one,
expecting to start for America next morning,
never to return. When I met her she was in
tears, unable to speak. She felt she had seen
for the last time the place where a dear mother
was to repose, silent in death, until the resur-
74 Morrnonism Exposed and Refuted.
rection morn. I took her hand, endeavoring to
console her. We stood, we wept, feeling- lone-
some, as children bereft of their parents. We
now realized fully the trial of leaving- our na-
tive land, with all its endearing- scenes and
happy associations. Our married life some
three years had been all we could wish ; but
now we both felt we were entering- on a new
life, and knew not 'our future. We were leav-
ing- our native land, which we had enjoyed so
much, with all its happy associations ; and here
at this time we were fully realizing- the fact.
We stood tog-ether silent -in this place, appar-
ently unable to speak, but which was rendered
to us sacred. I felt then, and ever since when
reflecting- and meditating- upon the emotions of
two souls in one, that that time and place was
the most sacred part and place of my mortal
existence. Often, when meditating- on that
place and our emotions, by mental transfer I
stand there, call up the circumstances and live
them over ag-ain. Yes, I cherish the solemn
thoug-ht, and with a sigfh, feel the place is yet
sacred.
Next morning- we were to start to the sta-
Observation in England. 75
tion and by railroad leave our native home. We
have to bid our father, mother, and younger
brothers and sisters good-by. My father had
cherished great hopes in my going as the pio-
neer of the family to America, and especially as
pioneer to the latter-day Zion. He had more
faith in Mormonism than myself. He enter-
tained great things about the land of the
Saints. The morning we left and bade them
good-by, my poor old father broke down on
parting with us for so long and distant a journey.
He was very much attached to his daughter-
in-law. But little did I think at that time that
we should never meet or see him again on earth.
I wrote him some lengthy letters from Salt
Lake, giving him the facts as I found them ;
but his expectations were so wrought up in be-
half of the Mormon system as the church of
God, he was slow to believe my statements.
He thought, it may be,* that Mormonism might
have proven too pure a system of religion for
me, or, my Christian fidelity had given way. I
learned tHis from the family. Two years later
he started with the family to meet me in Kan-
sas. I had left Utah at that time. He had
76 Momnonism Exposed and Refuted.
said he would go forward to Salt Lake and see
for himself ; but he was taken sick on board of
ship, died, and was buried in the ocean, the
rest of the family coming- forward at the time,
and we met in Kansas.
But we are now on our way ; we have left all
our local associations in the distance behind,
and we must needs call and stop off at Leeds
to form connection with our traveling compan-
ions. We waited here a few days for our
friends to g-et ready.
While remaining 1 at Leeds, we witnessed a
peculiar engagement between a brother and
sister in the church. This but serves to show
the tendency and nature of the Mormon system.
The sister was the wife of an aged retired,
wealthy merchant. She was not more than
thirty years of ag-e, was g-ood-looking both in
features and form. She was smart and entic-
ing-. She was evidently dissatisfied with her
condition as the wife of an aged husband. She
was a member at the time of the Leeds Mormon
church, and she had become fully persuaded
that it was perfectly proper for her to leave
her husband and gather to Zion, inasmuch as
Observation in England. 77
he was unwilling- to go. She acknowledged
her husband was truly kind to her, and as to
the comforts of life, she had all that heart could
desire. But she was willing to, and did, en-
gage with a young brother to meet him at Liv-
erpool just before his ship should sail, and
when in America, or Zion, become his wife.
Mormonism as a system of religion prepares its
converts for such as this. This sister was ad-
monished that such was perfectly right. Such
are the evil products of an evil religion. Yes,
" Evil communications corrupt good manners."
CHAPTER VI.
FROM LIVERPOOL TO NEW ORLEANS ON BOARD
OF SHIP.
WE are now in Liverpool. The ship Gol-
conda, a wooden sail vessel, is chartered
by the emigrating company to sail for New
Orleans. The passengers, some four hundred,
are all Mormons. Here the passengers are
gathering- from different parts of England and
Wales. Here I expected and did meet with
several of the leading men of the church, hop-
ing by such my faith in the claims of the church
would be strengthened. I could but think the
nearer I reach the head of the fountain, the
purer I shall find the water. But in this I
still find myself doomed to disappointment.
Here at Liverpool I met Samuel Richards, one
of the twelve apostles of the Mormon church.
He appeared to have the management of the
emigration interest for the church. At his
office we had to have all necessary papers made
out and contracts signed. I had now paid up
(78)
From Liverpool to Ne^v Orleans. 79
in full for myself and family for the whole jour-
ney, and a small amount extra for cabin pass-
age on board of ship to New Orleans. My
part pro rata of the plain's outfit was to be re-
funded at Salt Lake City. We had on board of
ship much bustle and excitement ; all busy
securing their berths and making* desirable
arrangements for a six weeks' voyage. Every-
thing was strange ; every one appeared cheerful
and happy, and surely felt they were on their
way to a celestial Zion. I found here was no
place to intimate doubts in relation to claims of
the church. Every one appeared to know
everything and all about the truth of the latter-
day work. I was almost persuaded at times to
think surely it must be all right, for on board
of ship at this time it appeared as though we
were going to Zion (Elijah-like) in a whirlwind.
Por my own part I knew we were on our way
to America, and that justified my being there.
There is something truly exhilarating about an
excitement and bustle, such as we surely had at
that time, and so far I was then enjoying Mor-
mon emigrating association, whether "the gold
in the bag was to be found at the end of the
80 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
rainbow" or not. But we are about to receive
some special counsel and admonition from the"
heads and managers of the emigrating" company
Samuel Richards and his coadjutors. They
are about to advise us for our future good.
They now counsel and admonish us to donate
to the emigrating* company the whole amount
of passage money paid to them for the whole
journey, the company to take us just the same,
but wished us to sign obligations to refund the
full amount in Salt Lake. These head men
told us that we could soon make the amount
over a living" on our arrival at Zion, and that
God would more abundantly bless us when we
got there. About this time I began to be sorry
for the church that such counselors represented.
But I was much more sorry for myself and
family that we had ever known or been con-
nected with such a church. I had now been
brought face to face with the head men at
English headquarters. I could see at once now
there was to be a square issue with myself and
the higher priesthood. They had given coun-
sel and advice ; they expected it to be honored
and respected. To observe it was proof of our
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 81
obedience and confidence in church priesthood
and authority. It was a strong test of what
we were and how we looked and felt toward
the heads of the institution. To refuse or dis-
regard their counsel was equal almost to re-
nouncing* the church and its leaders. I felt at
this time a desire to have my funds out of the
concern, and that I was going* to America on
my own responsibility for the sake of America
only. Receiving- this counsel from one of - the
apostles of the church and others high in the
church, relieved me of the encouragement and
hope, inspired just before, by the ardor and en-
thusiasm of the masses on board of the ship. I
felt sure now I could "see the cloven foot"
manifested by those high in authority. I began
now to fear the nearer the head the more corrup-
tion. It was plain to me now that we were not
counseled and advised for our own good, and that
our advisers were not sincere. That scheme
was a deception sought to be practiced on the
ignorant and simple-minded gathered there at
their instigation at the time. I truly wished
my funds were in my own pocket, and myself,
wife and friends were out of the church. But
6
82 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
no, it was now too late for that. Had such a
circumstance as this occurred a month or two
before this time, I felt sure it would have pre-
vented our journey to the Mormon Zion in the
mountains. But what had to be was bound to
be ; and I suppose my going- to Salt Lake was
one cf the thing's of fate, or Providence, or both.
But a number of the brethren complied with
the admonition and signed obligations to refund
the amount as suggested ; and well do I re-
member how, in Salt Lake, they regretted their
act. Some of them going- to Brig-ham per-
sonally stating- their poverty and inability to
pay and were released. But being- weak in the
faith, my mind was soon made up to refuse.
To me at a g-lance it looked all one-sided. I
could see no business principle in it. At the
time I had my serious doubts about making-
money fast in Zion. These men knew full well
when they were g-iving- such advice (as I after-
ward learned) that it was difficult for ordinary,
industrious working- men to support themselves
and families. Yes, I repeat ; these very heads
of the church at the time they were admonish-
ing us to donate and re-obligate, knew that it
From Liverpool to Ne^v Orleans. 83
was hard in the Salt Lake valleys for common
working men to make half a good living" for
themselves and families, and they would need
but one wife at that. Many of those brethren
who yielded to the counsel were from the large
cities and were unfit for the hardships conse-
quent upon frontier life in America. I was
finally called upon and asked what I proposed
to do. I realized I was in close quarters now
face to face with so many of the heads of the
church. I by no means "felt it was good to be
there." I knew to refuse wa.s to be censured
by the heads of the church. It took all the
sense, nerve and manhood I could command to
equal the occasion. I was truly now in the
Mormon mill being ground unpleasantly fine.
I was taking important lessons at financial
risks. I knew they, as heads of the church,
the mouth-piece of God, taught and expected
implicit obedience, and to refuse would prove
my lack of confidence in the main-spring of the
whole system. But I shook my head and an-
swered no, that I wished to decline such a prop-
osition. At my answer Samuel Richards raised
his head from his desk, fastened his eyes upon
84 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
me, and with a piercing look took my dimen-
sions. It would be hard for me ever to forget
that look. I felt sure I knew how he felt
toward me. I knew also he saw in me a
peculiar, significant look, for at the same time I
was sizing up my spiritual adviser. But I
knew in reason while his eagle eye was resting
upon me he was surmising (as an apostle of the
Mormon religion), Who are you, so independent,
so distrustful, so disobedient, that would dare
in the presence of an apostle of the church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints to refuse
counsel and disobey our priestly request? I
well knew as an exception to all the others in
my answer, I was in the mind of these men "a
speckled bird/' I knew I had proven to them
a lack of confidence in the Mormon institution
as such. This was to me a great trial of the
kind, but it gave me strength in that direction.
I was more ready and better prepared for an-
other such attack. But the apostle after
his penetrating look answered not a word, and
I found it to myself no place for unnecessary
lingerings.
I was relieved on retiring, having no shade of
From Liverpool to Ne^v Orleans. 85
tendency to return. This in return gave me an
irrecoverable backset, and a prejudice against
the heads of the church that was never after-
wards forgott.en. I realized now I was in the
mill of the Mormons and was being ground.
Providence or fate or both had declared it so,
and while it proved finally for the best, at that
time it looked otherwise.
Almost from the first I had felt I was of an-
other spirit, distinct from the church. Are
there not "many spirits gone out into the
world," which we are admonished to "try
[prove] whether they be of God?"
I withheld my feelings and the contest I had
with the heads from my wife and friends. I
knew the facts and was feeling bad on account
of what I had passed through. To make them
known to my friends would make them feel un-
happy, so I endeavored to bear them until their
effects passed off. All this time my wife and
friends were enjoying the excitement .and en-
thusiasm of the masses on board of ship, while
I was suffering from a diminished faith in Mor-
monism. I need not say here that I never
sought a renewed interview with those church
* J/ormo*tsm Ejcposed and Refuted.
officials at Liverpool. No ; I was somewhat anxi-
for the ship to set sail and bear me off from
their influence, and though for the present
gioamy and sad. yet I felt as I have
felt through life, that friends can seldom
troubles must wear off or fade away
by the pqpetual stream of time- The true
of mm unlit inn is in a God, who ?VfH
the end front the beginning. My real
life m manv respects will only be known to my
as he may ponder over the following
and then the half will not be told, only
it relates to my experience and observations
. _
have left enjoyable, happy HOUMU They have
left many of life's real comforts that will never
Many of these people had spent
of their lives in large towns and f ac-
They were not fitted, many of them.
file in a new frontier country like
part of America. Their Mormon
had beguiled and bewitched them (spi-
into the web tfcey had woven for them,
From Liverpool 9 2
OT HMMl t \ AUXT
: - -. L . -
ri : i :Li: -.
" " -.
: : i -.
L
- We
: T r,i.:r
" r.
fmD TWW
table to wfckfc we aH draw vp to
y .-.:.: : .-.
TT '-.: .7 -
88 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
government for the people. Otir little cabin is
now being* organized into a church ward, No. 1.
We are to keep up our regular Mormon church
machinery. Our president and deacon regu-
larly elected, everything is now arranged as on
land. Bro. John . Saxey, president ; Bro. Mul-
len, deacon. The name of the company of
saints on board of ship is styled, The Golconda
Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints. Our weekly public meetings were
to be on Thursday evenings. The time came
round for our first meeting, and here we are in
regular church order. President Saxey opened
by prayer and admonition. All adults were
expected to take part, especially the brethren,
who were all ordained to the priesthood. I
was really anxious to hear the testimonies of
these strange brethren. Their testimony, as
usual, was uniform in one particular. They
all knew the church and work was of God, and
that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God,
and that Brighana Young was a true prophet.
They all claimed that God had made these
things known to them, intimating by some mi-
raculous means, but none of them stating
From Liverpool to Ne^v Orleans. 89
just how ; but they claimed to know it for
themselves and had no doubts on the matter.
There was nothing" new to me in this. It was
the same uniform testimony I had been hearing-
ever since I had first heard them. W. W., my
intimate friend and brother, and I waited un-
til the last. I had determined to abide by my
own convictions. I knew I should expose my
lack of confidence in my remarks. I could not
say I knew anything- about the church, only
what I had seen and heard as above, and it
would not do to testify to any of that at this
time and place.
I had learned by this time a little of Mor-
mpnism, and I proposed to be cautious and slow.
I arose and stated I had reasons for joining- the
church, and being with them on my way to
Zion ; that there were many thing's connected
with the church that looked to me reasonable
and scriptural ; and that I was still willing- to
g-o forward in the work to learn and know more
about it. But as to knowing-, actually knowing-
the church was of God, and that Joseph Smith
was the true prophet of God, I was unable to
say that much either for the church or myself.
90 Mormonism Exposed and Refitted.
At once all eyes were upon me, and some of
the brethren were actually restless. My friend
and brother, W. W., followed me much in the
same line of thought. We both fully realized
at the time our testimonies were not taken at
par. However it was that or nothing, for such
were the facts, and we were both willing to
abide by them. But a brother Squires (he
h*ad spoken once) was anxious to do or have
something done. He was a man of some ability
as a public speaker. He arose a second time.
No doubt he undertook to manifest to us the
divine power in the church ; and I can but
think that such was what many people based
their knowledge of the church on. Bro. Squires
had said but little at this time about the divine
manifestations of divine power in behalf of the
church, before he broke out into (what he would
have the people to believe) the miraculous gift
of tongues. It appeared to me as though I
could see through the whole attempt of this
would-be smart brother. I had no doubt but
he intended this speaking (in what he wished
to be considered divine manifestation of tongues)
for the purpose of demonstrating to my friend
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 91
and myself that the church was truly of God.
His whole demeanor proved that and nothing-
more.
This speaking- in unknown tong-ues has been
their most common method of miraculous mani-
festation among- them from the beg-inning- of
the church. But Bro. Squires' unknown
tong-ues proved nothing- to my friend and my-
self. No ; such like could be practiced by any
one who would allow himself to be suffici-
ently deceptive and foolish. It is something"
that neither observer nor observed can prove,
or not prove, divine or otherwise. I felt sure I
could make a similar tong-ue if I could afford to
be sufficiently desig-ning- or foolish.
But Bro. Mullen, the deacon, undertook to
g-ive the interpretation, and I could but look
upon it as equally designing- and foolish. Bro.
Squires knew not what he said, in fact he said
nothing-. Bro. Mullen evidently had learned to
play second to such. He knew well that neither
Bro. Squires nor any one else present knew
anything- about the babble of the pretended
tong-ue, and Bro. Mullen knew he was safe in
undertaking- to interpret 'by just saying- any-
92 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
thing he had a mind to wafe the meaning* of the
pretended tongue, as one in the early part of
the church once said, "Make a noise, and God
will make a language or tongue out of it."
Bro. Mullen rose with the divine gift of inter-
pretation and said if the saints as God's people
on ship would be faithful, we should have a
pleasant passage and be safely landed in New
Orleans.
This would-be miraculous manifestation
proved to me the Mormon method and its re-
sults on credulous people on the gift of tongues.
There is nothing so true as a true man with a
true religion, and there is nothing so false as a
false man with a false religion. But who is
able to demonstrate both? Divine proof of a
proposition should be unquestionable and be-
yond all possible doubt, or it loses its object.
Ward number one's first meeting closed, leav-
ing miraculous gift of tongues very much in
doubt as to its being of God, and leaving two
doubting brothers like "doubting Thomas."
Our captain, church captain, was a returning
missionary. His name was Curtis, a pleasant,
smooth fellow. He acted as though the pass
From Liverpool to Ne^v Orleans. 93
eng-ers were somewhat indebted to him for his
services. He would modestly approach them
asking- presents to take home for his family of
two wives, which he was free to acknowledge
he had. He was rather a timid Mormon, look-
ing' to his own interests and comforts, rather
than assisting- the people. He was not to be
found when most needed in sickness, and in
cholera, etc.
There were a number of returning- mission-
aries ; some returning- in disgrace for disobedi-
ence to authority and immoral conduct. They
had been called home for trial and retribution,
some of whom were of higfh standing- and
ability.
There were many young- elders on board of
ship who were for the first time g"oing- out to
Salt Lake. Many of them were very zealous
and enthusiastic and appeared to be over-confi-
dent that the church was the divine institution
of heaven. These zealous young- brethren
afforded me a favorable opportunity to criticise
what to them was clear proof of their claims ;
and I found in every case not one exception
that it was like Elder Squires' g-ift of unknown
94 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
tongues. It was mole-hills magnified into
mountains, and many of their actual proofs
arose from the use of unknown tongues among
them. I noticed, too, that a critical inquiry
into the evidence of their claims took the wind
out of all their sails ; and their sails flopped,
and their vessels came to a dead stand. I am
inclined to think people are more easily de-
ceived and misled on religion than on any other
subject.
I was now becoming acquainted with many
on board of ship, was mixing freely with them,
asking many questions in relation to their ex-
perience in the church. I found a great variety
of thought on many subjects, but they were
uniform in claiming a knowledge that the
church in the divine sense was of God. Some-
times I was led to wonder if there was not a
peculiar, distinct spirit about Mormonism. For
so it appeared and has always so appeared to
me. "Many spirits have gone out into the
world." I have thought may not this be a
more clear rendering of that passage of scrip-
ture, "Many spirits [many classes of spirits]
have gone out into the world." The Mormons,
From Liverpool to Neiv Orleans. 95
as a people (similar to other sects), are a class
of spirits. This is remarkably so, as my ex-
perience and observations among- them as a
people will finally show. They are peculiarly
and similarly actuated or acted upon. They
are one of the class of spirits "sent into the
world," and whom the apostle admonishes the
true Christians to "prove whether they be of
God." Reader, look them up. "Prove them
whether they be of God."
I was now noting- the effect of the Mormon
relig-ion upon its members. I was where I
could witness its working's. I was there among-
them for what I could learn respecting- them.
The Mormons, as a people and a system, are
more natural than spiritual. I speak after the
Holy Spirit as found in the New Testament.
There were near four hundred Mormons in
all, on board, all crowded tog-ether. They had
left those older countries with their civil re-
straints relating- to marriag-e. The members
of the Mormon church were entering- on what
mig-ht be called a new life in many respects ;
but especially so, as it related to marriag-e and
marrie'd life. The church had acknowledged
96 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
at this time that, as a people, they taught and
practiced polygamy, and that one man could
have a number of wives. It was understood by
all that the legal married relations of those
foreign countries were not binding, or could at
will be set aside in Utah ; that all could com-
mence married life anew, and that the true mar-
ried relation was more a matter of affinity than
legal bondage. From this standpoint (and the
existing condition of so many crowded together
on board of ship on their way to this new order
of things as they were to be expected in 2ion)
I was watching the influence and effect of such
a religion upon its followers. Husbands and
wives, whose present and past married life had
not been all that could be desired, with the
temptations of the Mormon polygamic princi-
ples in their mind, and brought in close contact
by ship life, developed some new and strange
conduct. Such loose prospective marriage re-
lations served rather to alienate than incline
them together. Mormon teachings on the mar-
riage relation has a natural tendency to separate
man and wife and destroy that sacred temple
called home.
From Liverpool to New Orleans. , 97
I now on board of ship witnessed its work-
ing's. Husbands were now looking* out for new
objects on which to place their affections
for future wives when they should arrive at
and settle down in the mountain home of the
Saints, where it was understood that all
old marriage ties could be dissolved and set
aside at will and new marriage engagements
entered into ; and many of these husbands
appeared to be very much in earnest in their
undertaking*. Some of the wives, too, did not
purpose those opportunities should pass by un-
improved, for a number of these dissatisfied
wives were also actively making* use of their
privileges, looking" out for new objects of affec-
tion that their better judgment and fancy
might suggest for future husbands, and who,
they mig-ht think, would render a future mar-
ried life more happy than it had been in the
past.
We had a number of preparations of this
character in progress on board of ship, which
I learned after our arrival in Salt Lake were
carried into effect. In our little cabin we could
constantly see such preparation going on
7
98 ,Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
right by our side. Bro. Squires and his wife
were both engaged in active preparation of this
kind.
A young woman, I will not say lady, was
being courted for the future wife, and a young
man much encouraged for a future husband :
but Providence or fate or both frustrated their
expectations, as the future will prove. This
family had been prominent in the church and
had a large family of children and grand-
children with them at the time. The old
people appeared to be very active and much in
earnest in the matter. They were in the adjoin-
ing berth to us and we became well acquainted
with them and the manner of their life, and I
should judge, rather than live such a life as
they were then living, it might be well for
them to be separated. But whether such peo-
ple should be allowed to re-marry and try it
over again I should very much doubt. In all
such unhappy married cases and the causes
that lead to such, Mormonism in its very na-
ture is a great feeder.
It was plainly manifest on board of ship that
the polygamy and loose marriage part of Mor-
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 99
monism in its effects on the members' of the
church was demoralizing*. Husbands and wives
who needed a principle of law to assist their
weakness in marriag-e relation, and which
would incline their hearts and hands toward
each other, and so hold or assist them to cling*
together, were, by the loose and lax law of
the Mormon religfion relating* to marriag*e ties,
left free to run through these open floodgates of
weak humanity and act out their desires
as opportunities mig-ht permit, and as those on
board of ship and similar mig-ht and did present.
In its working's and tendencies in relation to
marriag-e it may be truly said of it that it is
the destroyer of home and family.
Some of the returning- missionaries were
charg-ed with indiscretions in relation to the
opposite sex and were returning- home under
censure. It is almost impossible to fully de-
termine what is rig-ht in the many-faced system
of Mormonism, with its claims of immediate
and direct revelations from God to meet any and
every new case as it may come up before them.
For by immediate inspiration the heads of the
church settle up matters as seemeth them g-ood.
100 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Another of our weekly meetings is on hand.
Brother and Sister Squires during the, day
had gone on grand parade in one of their un-
pleasant family exhibitions. They let go all
reserve and respect for themselves and all
around them. I could but feel such weak un-
fortunates were objects of pity. Their quarrel
was so extravagant that they made it unpleas-
ant for all around them. How could it be
otherwise, when each was courting another
future companion? O thou evil religion that
encourages and tolerates such !
But added to this, during this day of our
weekly meeting, the elders and the deacons,
whose berths joined, had been looking and see-
ing things in a different light. They, too, had
quarrelled, and it was evident by their conduct
that brotherly love had discontinued. They
would not look at or speak to each other.
The time for our weekly meeting is just at
hand, and I am wondering what influence the
church they have declared they knew to be of
God is going to have on them, in this state of
things. These three families in their quarrels
appear to be all upset. They are looking
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 101
gloomy, they turn away from each other, and
with these three most prominent families in our
little cabin in this condition, our meeting"
(weekly meeting) is on hand. I am now won-
dering" what the Mormon spirit will do for
these brethren and how they will act toward
each other in our devotional exercises. These
poor, weak brethren are sitting", waiting* for
some one to make a move. The president, the
deacon, and the able brother gifted with un-
known miraculous tongfues they are all un-
strung" with family quarrels.
The time for the exercises is over-due and all
is g"loom. The knowledge that the church was
of God and known to be such appears just now
to have lost its influence and inspiration.
I wondered some if they felt at this time that
they were on their way to Zion. Outward
appearances mig"ht have indicated that they
were sailing" to an American penitentiary under
a life sentence. I saw now unless myself, or
some one else other than the regfular officers,
made a move, the meeting" would hang" fire.
We waited and waited, and at last I ap-
proached the president and asked in a low tone
102 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
if he were not going to open the meet-
ing. He answered in a grum voice he did not
know, that he did not feel like it. He was not
delighting in the office of president at that time
as he had once when first elected.
But now, poor brother, he was sour at Bro.
Mullen, the deaco'n and miraculous interpreter
of unknown tongues. The deacon at this time
had his face turned away from the president ;
Belshazzar-like, his face was toward the wall.
Bro. Squires looked as though he was disgusted
with himself and all his surroundings.
I have to confess at this time I was criticis-
ing them all rather severely. I felt now I was
at par and getting even with them. They had
looked upon me as a brother weak in the faith
and as needing their divine assistance. But
about this time I was feeling there were other
brethren on board the ship Golconda going to
Zion all out of spiritual tune, and I was bound
to have them feel it. I was probably myself
feeling at this time a little above my normal
size. But my turn had come and I was taking
the situation in rather enjoyably. The breth-
ren were evidently all ashamed of themselves
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 103
and their state of mind. They looked as
though they were on the penance stool, and I
insisting that it was a wrong imposed upon the
balance of us to be deprived by them of our
public devotions. I felt sure the meeting was
to be a failure. I was anxious to witness the
actual movement. I felt at this time that this
part to myself was experience and observation
among the Mormons. Finally the president
did in a lifeless, formal way open the meeting.
No one except my friend, Bro. W. W., and
myself were active in the exercises. The Mor-
mon faith and natural enthusiasm had yielded
to petty family quarrels, and there was noth-
ing left. O Mormonism ! where art thou now
fled? The president said but little, sat down
and remained so. Bro. Mullen, the deacon,
never made a move, never turned his face to the
audience. The meeting evidently partook of
that iamiliar hymn, "How tedious and taste-
less the hoiyrs when Jesus no longer I see."
I am sure there was but little of Jesus in such
a meeting as that. Finally Bro. Squires rose
to his feet, said but little and went off into
what was intended for a miraculous unknown
104 Morrponism Exposed and Refuted.
tongue ; and surely his tongue or language was
unknown, for after he had finished and sat
down, Bro. Mullen, who claimed the gift of in-
terpretation of miraculous unknown tongues,
never made the least move. Hence, whatever
might have been intended, was lost to the com-
pany of Saints on account of Bro. Mullen's in-
terpreting power being deranged by his quar-
rel with' the president ; and thus Bro. Squires'
inspired unknown tongues were lost to the
Saints for want of inspired interpretation.
I felt then, I feel now when reflecting on the
then attempts at divine manifestations in sup-
port of Mormonism, it was but a weak, silly
attempt on the part of weak, silly, deceptive
men ; and yet this is a fair sample of their di-
vine claims, as will be seen by our further ex-
posure of their conduct. I need not say that
this was the last of our weekly meetings. No
one appeared to have any wish or respect for
meetings after that.
I ask, in all candor, did the divine or Holy
Spirit move the elder to speak or talk as he
did ? And did the Holy Spirit of God actuate
the deacon to attempt to interpret unknown
From Liverpool to Ne^v Orleans. 105
tongues ? The conduct of these professedly
inspired men proved that God was not in them
nor with them. They proved they were able
to do anything- or nothing as their poor, weak
natures were acted upon by surrounding, out-
side circumstances. Surely, if the general de-
meanor and conduct of these three leading offi-
cers in our cabin proved anything, it proved
they were actuated or inspired by the Evil One.
We are now sailing near a warmer climate.
The sisters are on deck, making tents to be
used in crossing the plains.
The excitement on board of ship on religious
matters is quiet, and we are able to talk more
deliberately with each other, referring to spe-
cial incidents in the different localities we had
left behind ; many of the more faithful fre-
quently referring to and relating their particu-
lar patriarchal blessing pronounced and pre-
dicted in their behalf ; how certain patriarchs
had blessed them and pronounced on them in
the sense of sealing their safe arrival in Zion
and the wonderful blessings there in store for
them. Many of these people so blessed had
the promise to become great and renowned in
106 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
the developments of the kingdom of God.
Many of them had been promised by their pa-
triarchs to live to see the majestic and glorious
second coming* of Jesus Christ on the earth,
and had the promise of seeing" and associating*
with Joseph and Hiram Smith, as the martyred
saints of God. Elder Squires' family, from
the oldest to the youngest, were under the in-
fluence of such patriarchal promises and pre-
dictions, which they said had been sealed upon
them. They, with many others, were evident-
ly under the impression that these thing's prom-
ised were divinely fixed facts sealed upon them
by their inspired patriarchs, and that such were
all recorded and sealed in heaven, and that
God's divine messengers the ang^els of heaven
would attend their fulfillment. They had
paid their dollar per head for such patriarchal
fallacies and deceptions, for such I proved
many of them to be. Many of those people
who had been promised long* life and prosperity
in their expected Zion, I assisted to lay away
in death. Their patriarchs had deceived them ;
they had practiced fraud upon them ; had taken
their fees, and had g^iven them lies in return.
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 107
Patriarchs and their pretended blessings for
pay I proved to be one of Smith's absolute de-
ceptions ; for, by my own hands, I assisted in
putting* away in their graves many who had by
these false patriarchs been sealed for long life
in Zion. Poor, deluded people ! how little did
they or I know, at the time they on board of
ship were relating* such prospective anticipa-
tions of long- life and future joy, that I should
in a few weeks assist in placing- them in their
graves, for such it proved to be ; and in spite
of Joseph Smith and his divine claims for in-
spired patriarchs, God allowed them to be
proven false in the strictest sense of fact.
This patriarchal deception is among- the
grossest of Mormon deceptions and impositions
practiced upon the innocent masses of their fol-
lowing-. After all the blessings for long- life
and happy associations in Zion, as related to
me on board of ship by Elder Squires and his
family, and which they fully believed, every
one of this family, except himself and son-in-
law, was taken away by death, at St. Louis,
where I assisted at their funerals. Yes, I wit-
nessed the dying- and the death of a number of
108 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
this cholera-smitten family, who their patri-
archs had said should live long" and see and en-
joy happy life in Zion. Will not God bring*
those patriarchs and their deceptions into judg--
ment ? Yes, with Joseph Smith, the founder
of such deceiving-s.
And now this Elder Squires is bereft of his
family. Poor, grief-stricken brother, bright
as a preacher, noted as a public speaker, but
now an object of sympathy and pity from those
around him. Ever after this, poor, dejected
brother, he looked and acted as one "passing-
under the rod." Poor, heart-smitten fellow !
Lonesome and sad must he have felt when in
Salt Lake he remembered much of the past re-
garding- his family, who had fallen by the
wayside, and were then sleeping- the sleep of
death at St. Louis, by the side of the great
Mississippi River, instead of living- and enjoy-
ing- the promised blessing- of long- life (as prom-
ised by their patriarch) in Zion. O Mormon-
ism ! thou art a deceiver ; surely thou art a de-
stroyer of both body and soul of man.
I ask, Were such facts as the above, thus far,
calculated to build me up in the faith of Mor-
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 109
monism ? No, I say again, No. I could but
realize at this time, in the face of all those
known facts, that Mormonism, as a system of
religion, was false strictly false and by its
nature might be one of God's sent delusions,
that "if possible should deceive the very elect."
Does it not seem strange that God should send
delusions ? But so says the Bible. The nature
of the divine arrangement appears to be such
that, from the beginning of time with man
good and evil have existed. Yes, good and evil
appear to have stood against each other, con-
tending for dominion over mankind, each in
turn contesting what man's present and future
destiny shall be. We see good and evil acting
and contending for dominion over man in the
Garden of Eden. Surely man must be an im-
portant factor in God's divine arrangement, or
those two great spirits would not so contend
for man's allegiance. It would seem, in the
Garden of Eden that the spirit and power of
Satan gained the ascendancy over man, and
man became the absolute loser, for the time
being, with the promise that in the final issue the
seed of the woman should bruise the head of
110 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
the serpent, while the serpent should but bruise
the heel of the woman's offspring 1 . Good and
evil are seen in the destruction of man by the
flood, when but one family survived. From
that time on, we have g-ood and evil contending-
for man and in man. We see it good and
evil contending- in the elect family, Abraham
and his offspring- ; we see it on the part of the
Egyptians, as slave rulers in Goshen over the
enslaved Israelites ; we see good and evil
throughout the national people of God until
their final overthrow. We see the same two
g-ood and evil contending spirits, manifest in
Jesus Christ and Satan in the wilderness, on
the temple, and on the mountain, among- the
Gadarenes, where evil spirits are numbered by
leg-ions. Also at Gethsemane we see it g-ood
and evil when we hear Jesus say, "My soul is
exceeding- sorrowful," and when he says, "My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
and when, on the cross, he said, "It is fin-
ished," and from that time to the present
near two thousand years we see g-ood and evil
standing as in battle array, contending for do-
minion over man. It might well be said,
From Liverpool to New Orleans. Ill
"What is man, that thou art mindful of
him ? ' ' But all that relates to man is but part
of God's divine, sovereign arrangement. " The
potter hath power over clay, of the same lump
to make one vessel to honor, and another to
dishonor." Jesus did have, for some unseen,
unknown purpose, a Judas as one of the twelve
apostles, who was a devil from the beginning*.
God could raise up a Pharaoh, a wicked, rebel-
lious king, by whom to teach wicked nations
and their kings necessary national lessons ; and
a merciful God could prepare a world's Re-
deemer from before the foundation of the world,
and he could foresee and predestinate from be-
fore the foundation of the world those who
should be conformed to the image of his Son ; and
he could give them special calls, could justify,
and also sanctify. He could anoint a Jeremiah
to be a prophet to the nations, before he was
formed in the belly, or before he came forth,
and fill a John the Baptist with the Holy Ghost
from his birth. Hence, as is said in the script-
ure, "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him
that runneth, but of God which showeth mercy.
What if God is willing to endure with much
112 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for
destruction?"
Looking* at all this pre-arrangement of good
and evil on the part of God, and which seem to
be but parts of God's divine arrangement, need
we wonder that even a Joseph Smith, as a false
prophet, should make his appearance in these
last days, and institute a false religious system,
and have a following, as the one in this effort I
am considering?
Mormonism, from its incipiency, has claimed
to be the only God-recognized religious system
upon the earth, and that all other religions
were of Satan. It is not unreasonable that a
false religion might exist in our day, as has
been the condition of the world all down the
stream of time, and it is clear to the mind of
the writer that Mormonism is, at least, one of
such false religions. Satan, from the com-
mencement, appears always to have been
around or on hand with his false religion, and
is none the less so now. He appears to have
been, as a stranger, the first to visit our first
parents, and it would appear from the account
of his visit and his manner, to have been very
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 113
inquisitively smooth and polite. As to his age,
and the history of his prior course of life, we
have but little account in the Bible ; and though
he is sometimes called the Evil One, yet from
the fact that God tolerates him in this fallen
earth state, it is fair to concede to Satan that
his presence with us on the earth in its present
state is not void of right. Surely, Satan is
with us by God's permission ; and if so, he
must have some rights. He surely had the
right to tempt our first parents, and if a right
to tempt, the right to deceive and mislead.
Satan appears to have had the right to tempt
and to mislead mankind all down the current
of time. In the book of Job, which is said to
be a Chaldean book, and the oldest of the Bible,
Satan appears to have met with the sons of
God in that early day, among the Chaldeans.
His only purpose there at that time was to
ask God to allow him to tempt that Chaldean
man Job. From what history we have of
Satan in the Bible, he appears always to have
been going about as a roaring lion, seeking
whom he may devour. From Adam down to
the present, it would seem as though Satan had
8
114 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
always had a large majority of human following-.
Satan appears to have the right, and did tempt
the Son of God ; and all the way through com-
ing time, Satan is represented as active in his
mission among men. It is said he is to be re-
strained for a thousand years ; but after this he
is out again, active and succeeding in his work.
But when time shall be declared to be no more,
his mission among men will end. Por it is said
of Jesus, "He shall destroy him which has the
power of death, which is the devil." Satan
having so many conferred rights, and so much
evil spirit power, who need wonder that he
should make use of Joseph Smith, or any Smith,
Jones, or other person, by whom to oppose the
right and the true religion, which is clearly set
forth in and by Jesus Christ and his apostles, and
as Paul said to the Philippian church, "Ye are
complete in him" Jesus? Yes, dear reader, the
Christian is complete in Jesus, and needs not
Joseph Smith or his constructed system of re-
ligion. But "by their fruits ye shall know
them." Jesus was rich, and for the good of
mankind became poor, in order that mankind
might become rich. Joseph Smith and many
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 115
of his coadjutors were poor ; but many, like
Brigham Young, became rich.
The Mormons as a people are made up of de-
ceivers and the deceived. Few, comparatively,
are the real deceivers, but many are the de-
ceived. Yes, I am sure the masses of the Mor-
mon people are of the deceived ; but they are in
the net of Satan as a system of religion. The
masses of Mormons are the blind led by the
blind, and are in the ditch false religion. The
masses, as a people, apart from their false sys-
tem of religion, are at par and in common with
other parts of the civilized world. But an evil
religion is the most successful device which
Satan has instituted for misleading and demor-
alizing the sons of men.
For the highest evidence of the infallible re-
ligion of God to man, I base my whole being on
the New Testament for faith and conduct. I
collect for myself what I conceive to be abso-
lutely essential to my salvation, and whatever
by myself cannot be demonstrated as essential
to salvation, I leave to my feJlow's conscience,
asking, in return, the same.
The elders on board of ship now began to
116 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
prepare the minds of the saints for landing 1 .
They told us we should find many persons in
New Orleans and St. Louis who had once been
members of the church, but for various reasons
had left it, and that they would misrepresent
the church, and endeavor to persuade us to
abandon it ; and it was true, for we met many
such, and I do not wonder there should be so
many such in these and many other parts of
America, for they had learned what I had
learned thus far with them, and proposed to
abandon them on landing- in the country. My
only wonder was that most of them did not de-
sert, on their arrival in America, without g'oing'
farther, much less to Salt Lake. The elders
had their warning's wonderfully pictured up,
enougfh so to make us fearful of landing. Mor-
monism and its working's are much better known
on the west side of the Atlantic Ocean than on
the east ; and the elders knowing' this, labored
the more to prejudice our minds and gfuard us
against it But many of us had paid, our pas-
sag*e throug^h to. Salt Lake, and there was not
so much danger of us dropping 1 out by the way.
The elders represented New Orleans as the
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 117
gate of hell. It could be seen on this point
that it was not difficult to alarm strangers, for
many of those on board were almost afraid to
land for fear of these apostate Mormons. We
found many ,._ x ^ose two cities who at one time
had been Mortnods,fjmit who had abandoned the
church ; and such were free to advise others in
the same direction ; but we met no trouble from
them. They had learned and found out many
things which would have been well for many
of us to have known, and which the writer
found out long ago.
We have crossed the Atlantic Ocean ; have
seen at a distance some of the small western
isles ; we have crossed the Gulf of Mexico, and
a little steam tug is approaching the ship to
tow us into and up the Mississippi River to
New Orleans. We had been six weeks on the
ocean ; we were tired of ship life, and were
anxious to land and tread on land again. The
sight of the American continent was cheering
to all hearts it was truly inspiring and exhil-
arating. I had read when a boy much of its
history ; but now it is real, and the imagina-
tions of my boyish days came up before me. I
118 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
felt as though I was now entering* upon both a
new country and a new life. I felt America
was to be my abiding* place the remainder of
my days, and when my feet first rested on its
solid shore, I stamped Jike a ' >y, and was
happy. I had surmised for numy a year that
in America my lot would be cast westward
across the blue, blue sea, to the land of my
choice, of the brave and the free, and where
for many years I had long-ed to be. I now be-
gan to wonder what this great country, with
its free government, in the future had stored
up in its bosom for me. But for this I must
wait, leaving my destiny in this new land in
the hands of God, "who is too wise to err and
too good to be unkind."
We are now being towed up the Mississippi
River. On its banks are the orange groves, with
fruit apparently ripe ; and on a beautiful Sun-
day morning we land at the renowned city of
New Orleans. Here, to us, everything was new
and strange. The city appeared a stirring, fast
place. We could know but little of it, for we
were in it but two days. We had seen large
towns in our native country London, with its
From Livci-pool to JVew Orleans. 117
g-atc of hell. It could be seen on this point
that it was not difficult to alarm strangers, for
many of those on board were almost afraid to
land for fear of these apostate Mormons. We
found many in those two cities who at one time
had been Mormons, but who had abandoned the
church ; and such were free to advise others in
the same direction ; but we met no trouble from
them. They had learned and found out many
things which would have been well for many
of us to have known, and which the writer
found out long" ago.
We have crossed the Atlantic Ocean ; have
seen at a distance some of the small western
isles ; we have crossed the Gulf of Mexico, and
a little steam tu/ ted.
felt as though I was now entering upon both a
new country and a new life. I felt America
was to be my abiding place the remainder of
my days, and when my feet first rested on its
solid shore, I stamped like a bov, and was
happy. I had surmised for manv a year that
in America my lot would be cast westward
across the blue, blue sea, to the land of my
choice, of the brave and the free, and where
for many years I had longed to be. I now be-
gan to wonder what this great countrvT^with
its free government, in the future had stored
up in its bosom for me. But for this I must
wait, leaving my destiny in this new land in
the hands of God, 44 who is too wise to err and
too good to be unkind.*'
We are now being towed up the Mississippi
River. On its banks are the orange groves, with
fruit apparently ripe ; and on a beautiful Sun-
day morning we land at the renowned city of
New Orleans. Here, to us, everything was new
and strange. The city appeared a stirring, fast
place. We could know but little of it, for we
were in it but two days. We had seen large-
towns in our native country London, with its
From Liverpool to New Orleans. 119
swarming* mass of human life. Large cities in
the New World had not so much attraction for
us as the interior of the country.
CHAPTER VII.
FROM NEW ORLEANS TO KANSAS CITY CHOL-
ERA NO HEALING.
WE remained but two days in the Cres-
cent City, when the ship's company of
Mormons took passage on a large steamboat on
the Mississippi River for St. Louis, Mo. The
beautiful river and land scenery was truly de-
lightful, and like a moving panorama, ever
changing. Beautiful landscapes, with cities
and forests, and the scenery was ever new and
fresh, as the great monster steamboat, by its
mighty steam power, plunged its bow against
the heavy current of the Father of Waters.
This mammoth steamer on the lower deck
was literally packed with a mass of human
freight ; below, it was filled with merchandise ;
while the upper deck was crowded with cabin
passengers. Such a moving mass is seldom
seen by many. We were facing the current,
and the great throbbing, plunging monster was
like a city in motion. I could but think, while
(120)
From Ne^v Orleans to Kansas City. 121
on board this huge boat, that the people and
country of America are second to none in in-
vention and energetic push. The sight of new
towns and country every day made this part of
our journey very enjoyable. The boat landing
at many of the cities, we went ashore and en-
joyed our rambles in those Southerii cities. It
was the latter part of March and the fore part
of April, and we enjoyed at this time both cli-
mate and country. When the boat would land
by the forests to take on wood for fuel, we
would go out with our guns and hunt "in the
wild woods of the forest." Change of scenery
made our journey less monotonous than it had
been on the ocean. But, alas ! we knew not
that our joy would be turned into mourning and
health into sickness. No, we knew not that
the Asiatic cholera was slumbering among us
as a company of Mormons, and that in a few
days many would fall victims to its attack and
drop by the wayside, failing to arrive at their
anticipated and cherished Zion. But now the
cholera is among us, and some have yielded to
the destroyer ; and now the country and river
from which we had derived so much pleasure,
122 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
had become a country and river of death. Our
department on board of the boat the lower
deck was so crowded it was necessarily un-
healthy, and it was at once proven that the
sickness among us was in fact the cholera. At
this many became very much alarmed. The
sick began to die, and when the boat would
stop for wood for fuel, having placed the dead
in rough boxes, we took them and buried them
in the woods near the edge of the river, with-
out prayer or ceremony, for the higher priest-
hood on board was not then to be seen. A num-
ber whose hearts had beat warm for their
prospective Zion, were now left on the banks
of this great river, cold in death. Now "our
beauty had turned to ashes, our joy to mourn-
ing, and our praise to heaviness." I doubt not
but those we buried on the banks of this river,
in a short time (on account of its washing
banks), would be found floating toward the
Gulf of Mexico. Many faces now were gloomy
and sad, their loved ones having fallen by the
way, leaving them ; they mournfully and sadly
continued their journeying toward their de-
sired Zion.
From New Orleans to Kansas City. 123
At this time I felt that America was not all
sunshine, not free from tears and sorrow and
death. Some of those cholera-stricken people
had made too free with the fruits and veg-
etables of the country, and suffered from a
broken law.
But we have in the church the claim of the
gift of healing, and now the sick and their
friends need its aid. There were on board a
number of the leading priesthood, who claimed
the gift of healing. They had preached it, but
now it was needed, was it called for? Was any
one healed ? Not to my knowledge. I was
waiting on the sick ; whether any or many of
the sick called for the elders to administer, I
cannot say. But one thing I know, the heads
on board of the boat could not be found. The
sick and dying were left to sicken and die. I
saw no attempt to heal. There was no one
healed. The heads were too shrewd and de-
ceptive to make an attempt, not wishing to ex-
pose themselves by having the people see and
know that their attempts were failures. No,
the poor, unfortunate, cholera-stricken were
left by the priesthood (who claimed so loudly
124 Mormdnism Exposed and Refuted.
their divine, miraculous gift to heal the sick,)
to die without even an attempt. I had joined
the church, and had lived and traveled with it
so far to test its claims, and now the best of
opportunities is among us. But no ; as in the
past, I am yet compelled to say, No no healing
when healing is most needed. No, healing
the sick among the Mormons is mere pretense
just to talk about. They can speak in un-
known tongues ; so can any one who can allow
himself to be sufficiently foolish to make the
attempt. I once tried it when I was more
than sure that no one could possibty hear, ex-
cept the pet cow I was driving at the time, and
to my surprise I scared the cow. But while we
have a number sick among us with cholera, we
do not need the gift of tongues. No, we need
the gift of healing the sick, and it is not there.
No, the sick must remain sick, or die, as far as
Mormonism goes. I ask, Where is Joseph
Smith's church now, with its God-given anoint-
ings?
There was one particular case about this
time on board of the boat. A child, some five
or six years of age, appeared to be very sick,
From New Orleans to Kansas City. 125
and it kept up such an inhuman howling* it dis-
turbed every one around it, and a few of the
lesser priests and elders near the child under-
took to lay hands upon it for the purpose of
healing*. A brother who assisted in this case
related to me his experience in the matter. He
said, while he had his hands on the head of the
chi 1 d, a multitude of evil spirits appeared to
pass from the child and enter himself, which
made him feel very strang-e, and produced on
him the symptoms of cholera, and he was at
the time he told me suffering* from such. He
also remarked that he should be very slow to
attempt another administration for the sick.
This child made a noise like a sick dog-, and all
around it thought it was possessed of the devil.
The officiating 1 elder's case in this matter re-
minded me of the seven sons of Sceva, who
were priests, and undertook to cast out devils
in the name of Jesus Christ, when the man in
whom the evil spirit was, leaped upon them,
the evil spirit saying-, "Jesus I know ; Paul I
know; but who are you?" Acts xix: 13-16.
This sick child died shortly after, and the offici-
ating- elder recovered. The sons of Sceva were
126 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
nearly overcome, and fled, naked and wounded ;
and this officiating* elder felt as though he at
the time had endangered his life. But I here de-
clare to the reader I say it emphatically to the
world that in this hour of cholera distress, at
this time the higher priesthood of the Mormon
church on board the boat, who had the com-
pany of Mormons in charg-e, played worse than
false ; for, when the cholera came, as hireling's
they forsook deserted and fled. When I
think of that time and place, and the sadness
and sorrow of those cholera-stricken ones, and
their distressed friends around them ; how they
were so absolutely abandoned and deserted by
the heads of the church, who should, according
to their pretensions, have healed and comforted
such poor, suffering- creatures, my very soul is
wrought up in righteous indignation at such
false pretenders and their false pretensions.
Such false claims and false pretensions would
almost outdo Satan himself in pure human self-
ishness and false religion.
Many of these saints who were now falling
by the way, had received their patriarchal
blessing. They had paid the patriarch fqr tell-
From 7Vt into camp we
heard at a short distance the firing 1 of g-uns.
We were camped in the timber on a creek.
The ieport of the g-uns raised some excitement
in our part of the camp, but no one knew the
occasion. It soon became known that there
were in the camp a number of slaves who had
run off from their masters in Missouri. The
slaves had been hiding- at a distance from the
train during- its traveling- throug-h the day and
had been coming- into camp at nig-ht. Some
one or more in the train had been assisting-
them in the way of relief. But their masters
and officers of the state with some of the citi-
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 151
Zens were on their track, and at this place
undertook to and did arrest them, and in the
attempt resorted to their revolvers. Hence,
the shooting* in the camp. The slaves were
soon put under arrest and in safe-keeping-.
The slave owners then put under arrest the
person in the camp who had been assisting- the
slaves in their escape, and turned the g-uilty
party over to the captain of our company to
take his trial in Utah on his arrival. Thus
the masters and pursuers of the slaves returned
with their poor, urifortunate human property
to Missouri.
Shortly after this our captain g-ave us a lec-
ture on the necessity of respecting 1 the laws of
the country in whatever part or state we mig-ht
be. His admonition and instructions were very
appropriate and timely, for some had thougfht,
in what they claimed to be a free country, that
they were free to do almost anything- they
mig-ht wish. The captain in his discourse at
this time broug-ht up the case of the
brother who had been tampering- with the
slaves, showing- how the whole train mig-ht
have been delayed and detained by these state
152 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
officers of Missouri. But the attitude of the
captain during his remarks assumed that of a
church trial and in which he pronounced the
offending party guilty and liable to punish-
ment. At the close of his remarks he asked
the camp what should be done with the guilty
brother. No one responded. He then asked
if he should not be flogged. At once a number
of voices" responded in the negative, saying
4 'No, no; not that." I have to confess here at
this proposition of the captain my faulty judg-
ment or baser nature or both was raised at the
thought of a brother being flogged. I had
been raised to think that slavery and the slave
traffic were great evils. Hence, I raised my
voice very emphatically against flogging a
brother, though he might have acted indis-
creetly. The old German captain evidently
felt very much set back by his disobedient Zion-
bound camp. He at once exclaimed, "I see re-
bellion in the camp of Israel." The old cap-
tain had in his native make-up a large per
cent, of the overbearing. But now he saw
in his charge, made up of English and Welsh,
that he must not venture too far on what they
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 153
understood to be rig-lit. Captain Karns was an
aged German with strong* tendencies to rule as
a Mormon in authority and wished to test the
loyalty of the people he had in charge. On
more mature reflection, I doubted if he intended
to flog* the indiscreet brother, but he wished to
determine the mind and disposition of his camp
toward himself as a Mormon priest in authority.
But in this he learned as a people we* were not
yet subjects at his will. Yes, he found out at
this tinfe, these foreig-ners had not left their
country and come, to what they expected as a
country to be less free. We were not yet pre-
pared to be flog-g-ed at the dictation of a Mor-
mon priest on our way to Zion. I felt sure he
could have had a stubborn rebellion on his
hands had he persisted in his suggestion.
Absolute obedience to the priesthood in Mor-
monism is the foundation principle of the church.
By it the heads rise to intolerance, and by it
the masses of those led sink to abject religious
servitude. The fact that it is to be understood
that the principal heads are the mouthpieces of
God to every one under them g-ives unlimited
power and control to the hig-hest order of their
154 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
priesthood. And as Mormonism is both civil
and religious in its character, it takes every
vestige of personal freedom and right from the
masses of the people and leaves them but abject
serfs or slaves to an unlimited theocratic priest-
hood. Who could dare to become disobedient
to a person like Joseph Smith when they be-
lieve his word to be the word and will of God
through him to the people? Once established
in the minds of the masses of the Mormons
that the heads of the church stand Between
them and their God, as the mouth-pieces of God,
to direct them in all that relates to this life
and that which is to come, such masses have
yielded all their rights and freedom and have
accorded to their priests unbounded despotism.
Such is Mormonism ; such the leaders claim;
such they demand ; and to withhold this on the
part of the led is to become censured and a
condemned member of the church fit only for
the care of the * 'Destroying Angels. ' ' The claim
of the Mormon prophet, or prophets, to receive
direct revelation from God by which the church
must abide has been the cause of more evil than
such false priests will be able to atone for,
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 155
for many ages to come. The Mountain Meadow
massacre and all such are traceable to this
claim.
We are now west of Port Kearney on the
Platte river. The teams have got down to
steady traveling, and the foreigners as drivers
have learned driving and things go nicely for
life on the plains. We have four men in our
wagon ; two can drive and the other two go out
to hunt as the train moves onward.
One day while out on the hunt, and standing
upon a bluff some four or five miles from the
train as it was moving up the Platte valley, I
became entranced while looking at the train as
it was moving imperceptibly along. Such ro-
mantic scenes and life have truly a peculiar
charm and inspiration about them. The wo-
men and larger part of the children with some
of the men were on foot strung- out a mile or
two ahead of the train. Then came thirty-two
wagons with their white covers, parted only
by the teams, with a few stragglers on foot be-
hind the train. The circumstances and condi-
tion of things were blended with the wild, ro-
mantic scenery of the country.
156 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
The moving- people and the train became,
while I was gazing meditatively upon what
was then before me, truly enchanting*. I felt
wrapped in a peculiar emotion and inspiration.
I felt there was a charm in variety and chang*e
like that of the canvas of a moving panorama,
ever changing-, ever new. I was here reminded
of the ancient history, ,of the Israelites, the
Ishmaelites, and many of the nations in the his-
tory of remoter times. I felt then, I feel now,
there was surely romance about life on the
plains, going to the Mormon Zion, much of
which is truly enjoyable.
There is a charm in connection with varied
scenes, circumstances and conditions of human
life. Life may be too monotonous and so ren-
der it unenjoyable. The old adage has truth
in it where it is said "Variety is the spice of
life." Yes, I can but think it is well that hu-
man life is one of chang-e from the cradle to the
grave. A dead calm on the ocean of human
life is simply distressing-. I have always felt
there was an inspirational enjoyment in most
of the changes we undergo. I can hope that
chang-e may be endless. I may say here to
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 157
some extent I enjoyed life among the Mormons,
because it had in it so much variety.
When at a distance from our train as it was
passing" up the romantic and beautiful valley of
the Sweetwater River, watching the train as it
mingled with the delightful scenery of its sur-
roundings, meditating on the wonders of nature
as it there appeared before me, the thought
occurred to my mind, Why all this overland
travel, and all this gathering to Salt Lake
valleys? I asked myself the question, What
are the known facts which lead to all this go-
ing to the Mormon Zion? I was in an inquisi-
tive mood at this time and was anxious to solve
the bottom problem as the real cause of all this
Mormon gathering into those mountains. I
again asked myself the question, Why are the
Mormons here in these valleys? Why has
Brigham Young led the people out here? Is
there any religious or divine necessity for such
a gathering to these mountains? Or, is it the
natural result of a combination of events and
circumstances that may have led to it? And
in tracing back the effect to its cause and in re-
turn tracing the cause to its effect, I discovered
158 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
it was the latter the natural result of circum-
stances and events which had preceded all this
ado about gathering- to Zion. The Mormon
Zion as the headquarters of Mormonism.
The first gathering place was at Kirtland,
Ohio. But the nature of things among them-
selves and with their non-Mormon neighbors
were so unsatisfactory they had to leave that
gathering point. Smith next got revelations
that Independence, Jackson county, Missouri,
was the gathering place. But before they
could fully establish themselves at this point
trouble among themselves and with the Gen-
tiles non-Mormons compelled them to aban-
don this point as the divinely revealed gather-
ing place. They next endeavored to locate
themselves in two or three places in Northern
Missouri as their gathering places. But
troubles among themselves and the non-Mor-
mons forbade that. It is next made known to
Prophet Smith that Nauvoo, Illinois, is to be
the gathering place for the saints. At this
point it would appear at one time they had
peacefully and permanently established them-
selves. But no, such was the nature of the
from Kansas City to Salt Lake. 159
church and its influence upon its members that
confusion and severe troubles among- them-
selves arose and equally so with their non-
Mormon surrounding's. Smith was killed by
his enemies in and out of the church, and Nau-
voo became no longer a resting- place for those
who were there, nor to which others mig-ht
g-ather. The mantle of Prophet Smith fell
upon Brig-ham Young-. Shortly after he was
compelled to abandon Nauvoo to save himself
from arrest. After which he soug-ht out and
established his following- in the valleys of the
Rocky Mountains. These being- the circum-
stances and events of the church which were
the then cause of our g-athering- to Salt Lake
valleys.
Mormonism being- of such a nature in doc-
trine and practice it had proven itself unable to
exist, surrounded by the citizens of the free
and equal people's g-overnment. Its prophets
claiming- to be the mouth-pieces of God to them-
selves and the nation could not endure the
rig-hts of men among- men. Hence, Brig-ham
Young- had withdrawn himself and his people
to a place (then a place of seclusion) where he
160 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted,
could better carry out the priestly despotism of
the system instituted by Joseph Smith, and
which he purposed to perpetuate.
And now as a train we were gathering* to
Utah to become servants to him and his domin-
ating 1 and intolerant priesthood. This "whole
scheme of gathering 1 was laid by Joseph Smith
as part of his earliest plans by which he mig'ht
colonize the people, and so migfht use them anoT
their resources more profitably to his own
interest, as his whole system of religion g-oes
to prove. After looking- over this subject of
the gathering* of this people, I could but think
we had been deceived and misled and were
entitled to pity rather than blame.
We had crossed the south fork of the Platte
river and are traveling* on the south side of the
north fork and the church train has had a
stampede of their cattle in the night, and
most of the herd is not to be found. We
are lying- over for a few days supposing- we
may have to supply them with part of our
teams, and so it turns out. We have to g-ive
up part of our cattle to enable the church
train to move. It is now suggested that we
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 161
dispose of all bag-gage we can possibly spare
in order to lighten our loads for our diminished
teams. The team part of the plains outfit is
very important. Our captain had often ad-
monished us to take the best of care of the
teams, saying- that our teams were our salva-
tion. But now our wagons must be overhauled
for luggage that might be disposed of and
which the captain suggested should be burnt up.
Every one proposed to be the judge of what
extra goods he* could spare, and after a long
siege to have the saints lighten up there was
but little disposed of. The church train not
finding many of their cattle, we necessarily had
to divide with them. We are now reduced to
one yoke of cattle and one of cows to each
wagon.
We moved on a few days and were obliged to
lie over again for a few days on account of
troubles ahead with Indians and a Danish
train of Mormons. An Indian had taken a cow
from one of the Danes and refused to give it up.
The tribe was strong and they refused to give
the cow up. The Danish train went forward
to Fort Laramie some few miles ahead and re-
ii
162 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
ported to the officers in charge, and at once a
company of soldiers with two pieces of artillery
was dispatched to the Indian camp to demand
the offending- Indian ; but the tribe refused to
give him up. The demand was repeated, but
the Indians would not surrender ; and without
further parleying the soldiers opened fire with
their two pieces of artillery on the Indian camp,
squaws and pappooses all in camp. The soldiers
with their cannon and grape-shot ranged too
high and took no effect on th*e Indian camp.
At this the whole camp of Indian warriors
rushed upon the soldiers and there was but one
soldier that escaped death. That one soldier
reached the fort. There was much excitement
and our camp narrowly escaped. The Indians
moved off from the road going into the hills,
and two days after we were able to move on
without danger. In passing over the battle
ground we saw the blood-stained arrows and
bunches of the soldier's hair clotted with blood
which showed the savage work of destruction
perpetrated by the redskins on the unfortunate
soldiers.
We have passed Fort Laramie, have crossed
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 163
the north fork of the Platte river and are in
sight of the snow-capped mountains. The
scenery in the mountains is truly grand in-
describably so. This part of the earth surely
shows the wonderful works of God, or of na-
ture or of both. Some time in the remote past,
geologically considered, there must have been
in this part of the earth's crust some wonder-
ful breaking up. Mother earth at that time
would not have been a desirable place for
a Mormon Zion, however desirable it might
have been at that time and place for his Satanic
majesty. These large mountains of pure
granite rock, with an occasional scrub cedar
tree, that found a crevice by which it has been
able to maintain its life, is all that can be seen
of vegetation on many of these massive moun-
tains. Our journey in the mountains is truly
enjoyable whether the gold bag is to be found
at the end of the journey or not. I feel at this
time I am far from being* free of doubt on that
part of the question.
We have passed up the Sweetwater valley
and are near the South Pass, the backbone of
the Rocky Mountains where the waters divide
164 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
and the streams diverge east toward the At-
lantic ocean and west toward the Pacific ocean.
Having crossed the ridge we are dropping-
down toward Green River. We are anxious
and often inquire of the returning- missionaries
about the real nature of the country and people
in the valleys ; but they are yet slow to com-
municate. They tell us we shall see for our-
selves by and by.
We are now camped on Green River and are
resting- for one day. Some of our people are
fishing- in the river. I tried it a little while,
but did not succeed. Fishing- to me was always
too much one-sided ; too much like leading- the
horse to water. You may do all the leading",
but when it comes to drinking- the horse must
have all his own way. The same is true of
fishing-. You may fix the fishing- outfit, may
throw in the bait, but when it comes to taking-
the bait the fish must have its own way ; and
if the fish do not choose to bite you have no fish.
I could not wait until they would take my bait.
I g-ot no fish and turned away, not disappointed,
but in disg-ust. Some people naturally cannot
do some things, and I never could fish. I had
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 165
succeeded along" the journey in my hunting*
efforts. I had killed a number of jack-rabbits
and sag-e-hens which made us many nice meals
after we would g-et into camp at nig-ht.
Our provisions had become very low. Some
families had run out, but we were met with
supplies from Salt Lake. We should have
suffered had we not been met with fresh sup-
plies. But now we are all rig-ht and have
sufficient provisions to carry us throug-h.
We have left Green River, have passed Fort
Bredg-er, have crossed the big* and little moun-
tains, have passed down Emigration Canyon, at
the end of which has opened to our view the
great Salt Lake valley and the longf-looked-for
Salt Lake City, the houses of which in the
distance looked like larg-e lig"ht colored rocks
which mig-ht have rolled from the mountain on
the north of the city and been scattered around
on the bottom of the valley. But the knowing-
ones declared these were the houses which con-
stituted Salt Lake City.
We now saw at a short distance the end of
our long- journey. The journey had been long-
and was becoming- tiresome. We had spent
166 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
nine months from Liverpool to Salt Lake City.
Many of the women had walked most of the
twelve hundred miles .crossing the plains. All
appeared pleased to reach the end ; and yet
many of us had no one of kin or known friend
to welcome us on our arrival. For my own
part I had serious doubts about any desirable
outcome. As I neared the end of the journey,
and looking back over what might have passed,
my doubts increased. What I had seen and
known of the past inspired but little hope for
the future.
But with my dear companion and little boy, I
was there and resolved to make the best of it.
I believed in a strong and honest endeavor on
my own part, and I felt to trust the Overruler
of all things for the balance.
The valley lengthways is north and south.
Salt Lake northwest of the city, the south end
of the lake nearly due west of the city, though
several miles west. Near the west side of the
valley is the River Jorda'n running north into
Salt Lake. The River Jordan is a stream run-
ning from Utah Lake in Utah county some
sixty miles south of Salt Lake. The valleys
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 167
and mountains which enclose them are pretty.
Some of the mountain tops are perpetually
snow-capped and look majestically grand.
There is a jag* on the east side of the valley
near where Emigration Canyon opens into the
valley, the mountain projecting* west for several
miles, and south of this projecting* part of the
mountain, and near its west point is the city
site. Gradually descending- to the south and
from this mountain on its northern slope flows
a beautiful stream of pure water which is made
to pass down the principal streets, on either
side of the street. The natural lay of the city
is such, it would almost be impossible to sur-
pass.
As we are drawing* near this beautiful city in
this beautiful valley I can but think and feel it
is not my abiding place ; this people are not my
people and their God is not my God ; and while
many of the more humble people viewed from a
natural standpoint are sincere and as g-ood by
nature as the average of mankind ; yet as a
people with the religion of Joseph Smith and
Brig-ham Young-, I can but realize they are
Mormons, rather than Christians. My experi-
168 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
ence and observations so far among- them have
led me to this conclusion. At this time I felt
I was not of them, and could but feel I had no
abiding place among- them.
CHAPTER IX.
EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATION IN SALT LAKE
CITY.
ON a beautiful Sunday we entered the city
about noon, and camped on the public
square. We who had no friends to meet or
greet us, consequently no homes to offer us, had
the use of our wagons and tents to remain in
until we could find other places or homes. To
us, all was strange and new, and we scarcely
knew which way to turn or which way to go.
Many of our company had friends and relatives
to meet them. Such met with happy recep-
tions and greetings. They were escorted cheer-
fully away, and that was the last of them to us.
We never saw them again. Such had been our
traveling companions for nine months, by sea
and by land. Under such circumstances we
had formed peculiar attachments, but now they
are all in the past, to be renewed no more. The
people of the city appeared but little excited or
concerned about the arrival of our train. But
(169)
170 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
few paid any attention % to us. I felt our recep-
tion was cool. We remained in our tent and
wagon near two weeks, looking for work. We
were strangers in a strange land, among
strange people. We had no experience in such
an order of things,. and scarcely knew what do.
There was no one to offer counsel or advice.
There was no church arrangement to direct or
advise in any way. I felt surely this people, as
such, has not learned that Christian lesson,
4 'Be not forgetful to entertain strangers." I
felt, if this is the spirit of the people in Zion
toward strangers, surely they must be indiffer-
ent and negligent as a people. There are few
associations but what have respect for stran-
gers of their own order. It was not so at that
time with the Mormons in Salt Lake City.
Prom some cause they were very indifferent to-
ward their brothers and sisters, offering them
no advice or direction as strangers in a strange
country. Had they as a people, here at their
headquarters, been interested in the new ar-
rivals of people from the old countries, they
could and would have had a committee, at least,
to offer us advice as strangers in their midst.
Experience in Salt Lake City. 171
But no ; their religion had not affected their
hearts in that direction. The leaders of the
church had used the necessary means to bring
us here, but that done, it appeared now as
though it was "every one for himself, and the
devil take the hindmost." The masses of the
strangers did not wish to be parasites, living
on the gifts of others. No, far from it ; yet
the information from an advisory committee
would have been a great relief under such a
condition of things to strangers. It was diffi-
cult in the city to find employment. We had
spent all our surplus funds on the journey, for
we needed many things on the way which were
not furnished by the company. At this time
our funds were totally exhausted. We were
penniless. We had mail in the post-office with
seventy-five cents due on it three letters from
our friends in England twenty-four cents each
at that time at this time but five cents eiich.
But, for the time being*, we were unable to pro-
cure our much-wanted letters. We would
g-ladly have worked for any one, at any kind of
work, to have received cash to procure our let-
ters from our home our parents in England.
172 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
But no ; no one had work needed to be done,
and much less pay cash for work. I soon found
it was almost a transgression to ask cash for
work. The thing- called cash for labor- in Salt
Lake City at that time appeared to be a total
strang-er. We were more than anxious to hear
from our friends back in our native land ; but
this we could not do for want of a little cash
of seventy-two cents. I had never been accus-
tomed to ask favors, even of friends, and I could
not think of asking 1 a stranger for a favor, if
even I could have found one with that amount
of cash on hand. I felt at this time Mormon-
ism had g-ot me into a close place. I realized
now that the Mormons and their religion were
telling* on me pretty heavy. I had never been
at a loss for funds since a small boy, and I was
now feeling- thing's pretty severely. I was
truly at this time learning- the results of Mor-
monism in the personal, experimental sense ; for
I was now penniless among- strang-ers, could
find no employment, my family living* in a tent
on the public square of the city, winter upon
us, and without a shadow of anything- better
before us. It looked at this time as thoug-h I
Experience in Salt Lake City. 173
might be driven to call for relief. My child
was sick, my wife's health poor, and, all told,
I was about this time feeling- blue. I asked
myself the question, Is this the Zion of God's
latter-day work ? Is this the land* and place of
plenty and of brotherly love? Is this the fore-
taste of the Mormon approaching- millennium?
About this time I felt like signing', not singdngf,
"My native land, I love thee." I was able
now to compare the past of my life in Engfland
with the present in Silt L/ake, among- the
would-be saints of the most hig-h God. I be-
g-an now to feel that I had made a serious mis-
step in my life by joining- the Mormon relig-ion.
I could hope for something- better ahead, but I
could not see it now. It looked tome as thoug-h
providence, or fate, or the Evil One, or all had
combined to bring- about this state of thing's.
As a husband and father, with a family under
my chargfe, I have never before or since found
myself in such a financial strait. My dear
companion realized I was "passing- under the
rod" of financial affliction. She had opposed
the Utah part of coming- to America, but she
uttered not the least complaint. I knew then,
174 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
I know now, how the faithful woman must
have felt. She knew she had advised me
ag-ainst going- to Salt Lake, and my own mis-
take at this time was having- its effect upon
her ; but our steps could not be retraced at this
time. There was no remedy now.
We were now in "the Latter-day Saints'
Zion," and we must "fig-ht it out on this line."
We could not blame the masses of the people
here for their lack of sympathy toward us.
If in any way we should refer to their Zion as
a hard place for stiangfers to make their way
financially, they would refer us to the time
when they first came to this country and how
hard they had to struggle to make their way
and how much they had suffered in a more early
day. In this they were rig-ht. They, many of
them, at this time had g-athered a few of the
comforts of life around them. They felt by a
hard struggle they had in part succeeded, and
that they had learned by the thing's they had
suffered, and it was but a small matter for us
to do the same. They could now afford to say
to us, as the heads of the church had said to
them in th? past: "It is throug-h much tribu-
Experience in Salt Lake City. 175
lation that we shall enter the kingdom." On
this line they could very conscientiously be in-
different to our condition. We felt this was all
well enoug-h in its place, but it had no place in
relieving' our then needy condition, and all we
would ask was, Give us a little work. Some
of these people appeared to think because they
had come in an early day, had succeeded in
building* up a few towns, and had made a few
farms, that any one coming" later, could live on
the atmosphere and the sig^ht of their towns
and farms. All the people who went there
first had something' to land there with. The
poor people at that time could not gr>. But
the Mormons, as a people, from the first had
seen and endured much adversity. They had
been driven from Kirtland, from Missouri,
and from Illinois. They had suffered enough
to make them indifferent toward the necessities
of their brethren and sisters in Mormonism,
especially if they wished an excuse of such a
kind. But there were a few even among* the
Mormons in spite of their peculiar religion and
suffering's whose more noble nature rose above
their surrounding's, and who did not look upon
176 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
their own suffering- in their past lives as a justi-
fying- excuse for withholding- sympathy from
strang'ers in their immediate necessity.
Mormonism has from its beg-inning- entailed
untold suffering- upon its followers, the head
leaders not excepted. Such is the nature of
the system and the make-up of its founder
that its natural working's bring- trouble and
confusion upon its own people. Their con-
fusion and unhappy state of thing's at Kirtland,
Ohio, at Independence and many other parts of
Missouri, and their multiplied confusion and
aggravated troubles at Nauvoo, Illinois, where
the prophet and his brother lost their lives and
when and where the whole church was torn
to pieces and finally banished from the state,
show the nature and unhappy working's of the
evil elements of and in the church ; and its his-
tory in all its details from first to last is of this
confused, turbulent character. The early
troubles and suffering's of the church was no
consolation to us who were at this time suffer-
ing- our own part of the evil, unhappy system.
The system had ever borne bitter fruit, and we,
too, were now partaking- of it. "The bud" of
Experience in Salt Lake City. 177
our experience in Mormonism was having* "a
bitter taste," and "the flower" was still more
bitter. It is all summed up in this an evil
system of religion and its evil results which
naturally follow.
We had landed in what the Saints were
pleased to call their Zion ; but we soon realized
it offered no blessing's to us, natural or spiritual,
present or prospective. Distance might have
lent enchantment, but there was no enchant-
ment now. Our reflections and meditations
were now turned backward to the place of our
nativity where life to us had been enjoyable.
The semi-annual conference of the church
was now in session in the city, and we listened
for the first time to some of their most noted
public speakers and authors. Their subjects
and efforts all related to 'themselves and their
peculiar system of religion as the only heaven-
acknowledged system of religion extant. My
whole experience so far had proven to the con-
trary, and they gave no additional proof of the
divinity of their claims at this conference.
To myself it was just talk, mere say so, simple
pretense in the absence of any conclusive proof.
12
178 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
I felt I was not in fellowship with them. I
was unable to worship confederately with them.
I realized that their religious exercises and all
that pertained to the system as such were an-
other gospel to that of Jesus Christ and his
apostles. I could realize none of the divine
spirit of Jesus Christ in their efforts. All was
turned on themselves, their system, what should
be done for the church, and what the church
proposed to do for them. Jesus Christ as
"the way, the truth, and the life," was left
out. They were not engaged in bringing sin-
ners to God by means of his Son. Their efforts
were not to save sinners from their sins, so
God might pardon them. No, their efforts
were to convert the world to their own peculiar
system of religion, that in return they might
become feeders to the church. *They were ex-
pecting to survive all other religions and be-
come great and renowned in the ages to come
and when other systems had faded away.
They were not trying to bring poor sinners to
Jesus Christ for pardon and the gift of the
Holy Ghost, but were deceiving and being
deceived by leading people to themselves and
Experience in Salt Lake City. 179
their system. It was Mormonism acting* and
re-acting* upon and for itself, and though I was
among* them and formally of them, yet I felt I
was truly of another spirit.
At this conference I heard Brig*ham Young*
speak on the nature of God. He undertook to
say that Adam was the true and real God.
Just how he found that much out he never said.
But it was Brig*ham Young*, the then prophet
of Adam, God, the mouthpiece of Adam, or
God, and of course the people were prepared to
take and believe whatever he mig*ht hand out
to them. If Brig-ham was rig*ht in his claims
and views it mig*ht be well to accept them, but
for one I did not believe or accept them as true.
He said the story of Adam and Eve in the
Garden of Eden was the baby story g*iven to
the world, as we tell baby stories to our little
children when they ask where their little
brother or sister came from, and the parent
says from under the apple-tree. The writer
at the time would have enjoyed an opportunity
to have asked Brig*ham's proof for his state-
ments ; but that, at that time in Utah, would
have been a sufficient cause for Danite atten-
180 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
tion ; for it was publicly taught then that the
people had no right to a way and will of their
own, but were told to submit without question
to the highest priesthood. Brigham at this
time on the subject of the nature of God said
Adam had passed through one earthly proba-
tion something like the one in which we now
are, and he with a number of his wives in such
state had become celestialized, and with one of
these celestialized wives he came upon the
earth as soon as it was in a habitable condition,
and that he was in that sense the true and real
author of the human family. He said the rib
story as found in the Bible was but our first
parents' baby story to their offspring ; and
such is but a fair specimen of Mormon specula-
tion as they view the Bible.
The system of the Utah branch of Mormonism
is made up of the natural thoughts and inclina-
tions of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and
capsheafed by Brigham Young, with a small
portion of Bible called for if ever needed. The
capsheaf of the re-organised church, sometimes
called the young Josephites, is somewhat differ-
ent from that of Brigham's ; but the founda-
Experience in Salt Lake City. 181
tion of the Mormon system by Joseph Smith,
Jr., and Sidney Rig'don is absolutely the
same.
One day while camped on the public square a
brother made us a present of a Yankee pump-
kin. We had never seen one before. To us it
looked rich and we supposed probably it w r as of
the nature of rich fruit. We asked the kind
brother what use we should make of -it. He said
we might slice it up and bake it, or we might
make it into pies. We felt good over our pres-
ent and thought we were surely going* to have
a treat. In undertaking to cut open the pump-
kin we found we were very much mistaken in
the outward appearance and its rich quality,
We baked a little, but we were not sufficiently
Yankeefied to eat Yankee pumpkin. We tried
our best to eat it, but we could' not. So we
laid it aside thinking we were as much mistaken
and disappointed as we had been in the Mor-
mons and the Mormon Zion. The > two had
proved alike to us, for having tried them both
we could not make any profitable use of either.
In all countries people have their own peculiar
customs and ways, and in this we ourselves
182 Mormonism Exposed and' Refuted.
were at fault. We had not learned to make an
enjoyable use of Yankee pumpkins. We had
not the necessary ingredients to mix up with it ;
hence our failure. We learned afterwards when
we became more Americanized that pumpkins
with a great many other nice accompaniments
combined, make a very nice dish or pie, and
finally we are able to say much more for the
American pumpkin than we have ever been able
to say for American Mormonism ; for during* our
thirty-eight years in Salt Lake and Kansas we
have never been able to find sufficient ingredients
inside or outside of the Bible to mix up with the
Mormon relig-ion to make it desirable in this life
or profitable and safe for the life to come.
But conference is over and my friend and
brother, W. W., and myself must rustle for em-
ployment or starve. We now feel in dead
earnest. My three letters are yet in the post-
office for lack of cash. We finally g-et employ-
ment from Brig-ham Young-. Mr. Wooley,
Brig-ham's foreman, eng-ag-ed us. I am g-iven
an ax and have to chop wood for a number of
Brig-ham's families. Many of them live in log-
houses a short distance from his main residence.
Experience in Salt Lake City. 183
For an Englishman to chop wood was almost
equal to a prodigal Jew having to feed swine.
I had not been accustomed to use an ax, and
while I was young* and strong I was by no
means apt with an ax. I had been a traveler
for nine months, not used to work of any kind
save walking ; but as we sometimes say ' ' it
was a ground-hog case" now. I soon had
blistered hands and think I drew the attention
of some of those wives of Brigham's, I suppose
by my pure awkwardness as a wood-chopper.
They could tell by my uniform clothes that I
was but recently from England. I suppose
many of those wives of Brigham's could have
given me lessons on chopping wood. I realized
I was noticed by them ; but they were very
thoughtful and kind. No doubt they saw (as
Americans say) ' ' I was not raised with an ax
in my hand." Some of these good women
would hand me a little lunch, something nice,
and be sure, I appreciated it. I could but think
dear good souls, you are thoughtful and kind
if you are part of a polygamic family. During
this time I was carefully noting the peculiar
habits and condition of Brigham's numerous
184 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
wives. They all appeared to be very indus-
trious ; they were working 1 on yarn and cloth
coloring- for carpets, etc. My work to me was
new and hard, but necessity compelled me to
endure it for awhile ; but, oh my ! it was hard.
I supposed I should receive some little cash for
my work. I was to have one dollar and fifty
cents per day. The wag-es were g-ood enoug-h,
but I found the work to be very hard and the
pay equally so. The foreman proposed to pay
us out of the public tithing- office, and we could
scarcely g-et anything- we needed or could use out
of the tithing- house. I could but think the
officers and their favorites carried off all the
bread that was buttered, and the poor toilers
the mudsills could not g*et bread. I soon
found out it would not do for me to be in the
hands of these men ; that I should be but a
white slave and starve while I was serving- as
such. It was with the greatest difficulty I g-ot
from the foreman seventy-five cents in cash by
which to procure my letters. I had to insist at
last that he must g"ive me that amount in cash
for that purpose, or I would gx> and see what I
could do with Brig-ham. Seeing- my English
.Experience in Salt Lake Citv. 185
was getting* up high he yielded and gave me
that amount in cash, and most of the balance I
never could and never did collect. My wife
and child were both sick and needed many
things I was not able to procure. We could
obtain little or nothing for my work out of the
store-house that we could possibly use, and the
account in my favor must stand there yet.
I quit working for the prophet, got my let-
ters and with a sad heart read them over.
While everything was well with my friends
back in England I should have felt cheerful
and happy. But, no ; my condition then and
there was unfavorable. My mood or state of
mind would not admit of my being cheerful or
happy. The letters from my family father,
mother, and other loved ones only served as a
contrast between my happy prosperous condi-
tion in the past and my then wretched, strait-
ened condition in the Mormon Zion. I now
realized to the full extent my mistake or mis-
fortune (viewed from a financial standpoint) in
joining the Mormon church. As in the
case of Job I felt Satan had been permitted to
try and test me. Yet I was confident God in
186 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
his mercy and at his own good time would see
me out and deliver me ; but just then it looked
like hoping 1 against hope. It looked now like
Joseph in the pit and his brethren gone leaving
him to perish.
I was now in the high school of Mormonism
studying and working out hard problems. It
was not joyous but grievous at the time ; "but
afterwards yielded the fruits of righteousness. "
Mankind learns the most important lessons and
receives the most profitable experience under
the most severe pressure and trying circum-
stances connected with their life. It appeared
at this time I was like Job bereft of what
property I might have had, though I was not
tempted by a wife to "curse God and die."
Sometimes it would almost appear as though
the fiery furnace and the lions' den had both
got into one. But God never did and never
will allow the faithful to be tempted above that
which they are able to bear ; but with all their
temptations will make for them a way of
escape.
These and such encouraging promises were
and ever have been sources of comfort, and
Experience in Salt Lake City. 187
have acted as modifiers of my severest trials
through life. The gold having passed through
the fire is purified. So with God's people
passing through this world in its fallen state
are purified and made fit, meet, for the Mas-
ter's kingdom. We may see the fruits of our
trials in Christian life when we have "passed
beyond the vale," and " the mists have cleared
away."
Brigham's wives lived in separate houses or
apartments of the same house in some cases.
They were neat, tidy and clean. They were
very reserved, never appeared to wish to enter
into conversation with me. These log cabins
were not Brigham's headquarters, but near it.
The Lyon house was not then built. I never
wish to forget the sympathetic, thoughtful
kindness of some of these Mormon polygamic
sisters. It is an eternal, infallible truth and
fact uttered by St. Paul: "Charity never
faileth." How pure, unadulterated sympathy
and kindness will tell on the heart of our fel-
lows when once manifested. These modest
women would invite me to take their kindly
offered lunch and not a word more was spoken.
188 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
I was unable to account for their modest re-
serve. Such tokens of kindness have never
faded from my mind and heart. I love to think
of their pure goodness ; and in the great and
glorious gathering- of the people of God in his
final king'dom, I hope to honor such acts of
sympathy and kindness on the part of these
gfood sisters when Mormonism has spent its
force and is no more, but Christ shall be all
and in all.
I felt at this time as thoug-h I had made a
sad mistake in casting" my lot with this poor,
poverty-stricken people in their would-be Zion.
But my mistake and its unhappy consequences
did not end with myself alone ; I had brought
the same upon my family. It has always been
a source of regret to me when I think that I
not only broug-ht myself into adverse circum-
stances, but had entailed the same upon my
wife ; yes, dear, faithful woman who endured
this conflict with false religion and the most
straitened circumstances without ever casting-
my mistake as a reproach in my face.
We were now in the den of lions. We dared
not to resist. The lion's paw was upon us,
Experience in Salt Lake City. 189
and we from necessity must keep still. Our
experience at that time was more profitable in
its final results than we then were able to
realize. Had we had faith in the Mormon
religious system we could have endured our
surrounding's could have passed through them
all right ; but to contend without faith or hope
in any final outcome was working against wind
and tide. Having no confidence in the Mormon
religion, and being destitute of home and funds,
I was driven closer to God. I felt "the Lord
is my shepherd and I shall not want." I had
confidence in the God that had so wonderfully
blessed me in my conversion and whom I was
willing to trust to the end of life.
My religion now became more personal. I
had nothing but God to look to ; in this I be-
came more devout. Had he not given me un-
questionable personal proof of his power and
love in my own soul ; had I been a total
stranger to the Spirit .of God and my accept-
ance with him ; had I not proven God's power
to save in the personal sense, I know not what
would have been my final outcome among this
people. But the voice of the New Testament
190 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
as a book, and the voice of the Holy Spirit of
God shed abroad in the heart in the personal
sense, enabled me to discern between the spirit
of Mormonism and that of Jesus Christ and his
apostles. Jesus had said, " My sheep hear my
voice and I know them and they follow me ; and
I give unto them eternal life, and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand ; . . . and no man* is able to
pluck them out of my Father's hand." John x:
27-29. God's people are " kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation. ' ' 1 Peter i: 5.
Had I not received this spiritual manifestation
and spiritual personal knowledge of God for
myself, no doubt I should have drifted with
them as a people, and might years ago (like
John D. Lee) have become one of Brigham's fa-
natical dupes and suffered death by their deceiv-
ing and misleadings. But I felt sure God was
with me in all this experience and observation,
and in his own good time I should come out all
right and Was willing to wait and do his pleasure.
I dreamt not then that thirty-eight years
after I should write them up and publish
them to the world as a false religious institu-
Experience in Salt Lake City. 191
tion, demonstrated to myself by my own per-
sonal experience among- them. Truly, "God
moves in a mysterious way his wonders to per-
form." Often when God's people think them-
selves beclouded by a frowning- providence,
"He hides a smiling- face."
I discontinued working* for Brig-ham, think-
ing- Salt Lake City was not best for my locat-
ing-. I now left my wife and child in the
wag-on and purposed to g-o out into the more
country part of the valley. My wife was to
collect what was due me from the tithing- office.
Bishop Hunter, who manag-ed the office at that
time, never had in stock what she needed at the
time ; and failing- to collect my dues for labor
performed for Brig-ham, a balance ever since
has been due me.
CHAPTER X.
EXPERIENCE IN THE COUNTRY LOCATING IN
PAYSON.
WITH my friend and brother, W. W., we
started out on foot, for we had no
other means of travel our funds were totally
exhausted. We were not at this time afraid
of robbers or pick-pockets, for we had not a
cent between us. Had we been attacked by
robbers at this time, they would have to be
content with promises, to be collected in the
future. We started out south, and traveled
all day without dinner. We were now feeling-
these were blue, trying* times. We reached a
locality . called Cottonwood. We were now
feeling- our real condition tramps of the first
water. We were totally dependent upon the
hospitality of those we mig-ht meet. We were
without friends, without home, without money,
without work, with wife and child on the pub-
lic square of the city in a covered wag-on, with-
out sympathy from those around her. Both
(192)
Locating- in Pay son. 193
mother and child were sick when I left them,
with no other means of subsistence than by
trading off such articles as we might be able
to spare, which we had brought with us from
England. But the Mormons at this time
were a people trained to hardships. Many
of them had lost all sympathy with others
by contending with trials of their own ; and
who could blame them ? Our circumstances
to a great extent are our moulding. These
people, trained to endure hardships, and to con-
tend with adversity, could only be reached by
my wife trading off to them some part of the ar-
ticles we had brought from England ; and we
had not been used to barter or trading one arti-
'cle for another in our native country. It was
cash for work, promptly, and cash for every-
thing ; in all our dealings cash was paid. But
we soon found out that things were different in
the Mormon Zion. We had the art of barter
or trading to learn, and those saintly sisters,
many of them, soon taught my wife by the
things they caused her to suffer. She quickly
found out that her stock in trade would soon
be exhausted, and she was going to have but
13
194 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
little in return. She had to quit the business,
as she once said, or make a business failure.
She was a total stranger to those sisters in the
city, and they had no mercy. We found many
truly noble men and women in Utah, yet but
few at that time who were not smart traders.
I refrain to mention some of the hardhearted-
ness shown to my wife and her sick child while
left alone in that city. It was not of the real
American type ; it was the Mormon type, and
effects which Mormonism had produced upon
them. But some in the city were heartless.
Cottonwood as a locality had no town or vil-
lage at that time. We called at a farm house
and asked for accommodation for the night,
stating to them our condition and circum-
stances. We were told that we could be ac-
commodated for the night. We saw no male
member of the family. There were a number
of women, of different ages, all busy attend-
ing to their own departments, but not a word
appeared to be exchanged with each other.
The demeanor of the family toward each other
to us was strange. Not a ray of the cheerful
or social ; none talking to each other, and con-
Locating" in Pay son. 195
sequently no one talked with us. I felt at a
loss to know what was the matter. We were
made comfortable at meals and lodgings. We
had told them we were totally destitute of
funds, and could not repay them, but that ap-
peared to be all right ; and while there was
nothing- in the least disagreeable toward us
manifested by any one of the family, yet in the
absence of any cheerfulness and sociability I
felt peculiarly strange. I never saw the like
before or since, in any except in polygamic fam-
ilies, and found afterward that most of the
families where there were a plurality of wives
acted in that way. I realized at the time that
there were some jarring strings in that family,
and when I afterwards became more acquainted
with the Mormons and the plural wife work-
ings, I took it for granted that that family
must have been of the polygamic families who
at that time were especially out of enjoy-
able order. Those women looked and acted as
though they might have been a number of wives
of the same family. But we, as strangers and
in need, were thankful for their kindness in
caring for us during the night.
196 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
I had in my mind at this time to g*o further
into Utah County, to a place some eighty miles
south of Salt Lake City, where some of our
traveling companions from England had already
gone. In the morning, expressing our grati-
tude for their hospitality, we bade them a
hearty good-bye, feeling thankful to God and
the family who had cared for us through the
night in our needy condition. Again we were
on the road, traveling on foot, not knowing
what might be our future during the day or the
following night. This traveling without purse
or scrip was new to us both we had not been
raised in that way, and this was our first ex-
perience on that line. But we walked along
now more cheerfully, having fared so well the
past night, for we looked upon it as an omen
of good for penniless tramps. We now trav-
eled along hopefully, talking by the way, until
about 10 o'clock, when we sat down to rest.
My associate and myself were constantly reck-
oning things up as they now passed before us.
We were both earnest in our investigations.
We had gone to Salt Lake to see, .to know, and
we were willing to probe the bottom facts of
Locating" in Pay son. 197
the system, and while we sat by the road-side,
sizing- up our condition and surrounding's, a
team caught up, and we were invited by the
driver to ride. Thus, after a long- day's drive
of near forty miles, we landed in the city of
Provo. We were here cared for over nig'ht by
a doctor, who was a passeng-er in the wagx>n
during* the day. Our minds had been di-
verted to more pleasant and cheerful thoughts
in conversation with our friendly travelers, who
were cheerful, enjoyable company, and who ap-
peared to care but little for Mormon ism and
less for Christianity. Mormonism, in common
with all national religions, appears to impress
its followers with the natural rather than the
spiritual. Its effect upon the mind is more of
the human and organic than that of the divine
and spiritual.
My companion and brother here engaged to
remain in the employ of the doctor at Provo.
It was the first time since we had left England
that we had been separated. From our youth
we had mingled and been associated together,
and there had generated an affinity (David and
Jonathan-like) that had made us one ; and now,
198 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
when separated under existing 1 circumstances,
we both felt too lonesome to endure it. I now
was to travel alone. I was by this time be-
coming* anxious about my wife and boy I had
left sick in the wagon in the city ; but I must
move onward to Payson, the settlement I had
purposed to go to. My associate, lonesome and
not satisfied with his employer, followed in a
few days. I think at this time we both felt
''company in distress makes the trouble less,"
for I was really glad to see him on his arrival.
At this place we both settled down for the
present. Here at Payson we spent our time
principally while we remained in Utah. My
wife and boy were yet in the wagon in Salt
Lake City, some eigfhty miles away. I had
wandered to this place under the impression
that it was the place to which I must go. I
ask, Does providence order the steps of some
people? and does the Lord direct their going's?
I think he does.
On my entering the city of Payson I was met
by a stranger, a brother, for such he proved to
be both in word and deed. I shall never forget
his kindness. I shall never want to forget
Locating" in Pay son. 199
such kindness. It was "charity, or love, that
never faileth."
Since my arrival at Salt Lake I had under-
gone severely straitened circumstances and
financial pressure. It had been gloomy and
dark, and at times, by contrasting* my prosper-
ity in England with my adversity in Utah, I
had felt what to myself appeared to be a great
mistake in my coming. But just now, by
means of this kind brother Howell, there is to
be "a turn in the tide." I thought then, I
think yet, there was an over-ruling providence
in it. I have ever felt he was a man sent of
God to the place and at the time I met him.
When I first saw him he was out on the street
near where I entered the city, as though await-
ing my coming. When he saw me, he at once
approached me, asking if I was not one of the
late arrivals in the valley, and from the old
country? I told him I was. He then kindly
and heartily invited me to his home, saying,
"Make my home your home until you can find
one of your own," asking if there was any-
thing, in any way, he could do for me as a
stranger. I told him my real condition my
200 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
wife and child in the wagon at Salt Lake City.
He then said, "Make yourself content and
happy at my home, and at once I will see that
your wife and child shall be brought here."
He took me to his home, and gave me as hearty
a welcome to his home and family as though I
had been his own expected child. His real
kindness was such, in word and deed, that wkh
my prospect now for the future, I completely
broke down into tears, and wept from pure
gratitude. I was then in need of such a friend,
and I thankfully felt I had found such, and my
gratitude at the time was unbounded. In this
good brother I found a friencUin need, hence, a
friend indeed. Well might Jesus say love was
the law and the prophets. "A new command-
ment I give unto you, love one another. ' ' * 'Love
is the end of the law." How all-conquering is
love ! Had Joseph Smith and his associates
from the first, and Brigham to the last, been
governed by this spirit of love for their fel-
lows, their system of religion and its workings
would have been the very opposite of what it
has ever been. They and their followers, at
least, would have been more at peace among
Locating" in Pay son. 201
themselves, and would not have been driven
from pillar to post as their past history shows
them to have been. No ; had such a spirit and
heart as possessed this good brother actuated
the hearts and minds of the founder and per-
petuater of Mormonism, they, with their sys-
tem of religion, would have been felt in the
world for good. This kind brother, though
poor compared to some in Salt Lake, said: "I
will load up my wagon with corn, and send it
to Salt Lake City [a distance of eighty miles],
and pay the expenses, and your wife and child
shall come back in my wagon." And without
the least delay, he hired a team, for he did not
have one of his own, and sent for them, paying
all expenses ; and he heartily enjoyed his kind-
ness shown toward us. As in common with all
mankind, God has a few of such noble creat-
ures among che Mormons, and Brigham Young's
family showed no exception. This brother
said to me : "You have had a long journey;
you need a rest ; take a rest awhile, and after
that I will give you some work, and assist you
to prepare for the winter which is at hand." I
was now feeling a sense of encouragement, al-
202 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
most losing- sight of my criticisms of their re-
ligious system.
I have never been able to think of this good
man, and his kindness to me in my time of real
need, but with profound gratitude to God and
himself. On reflecting on this part of my Mor-
mon experience, I have shed many a tear of
deep gratitude. Its inspiration on my soul has
ever been to make me feel more thankful to a
kind, over-ruling Providence, and a more sym-
pathetic and brotherly feeling toward my fel-
low. When I think that God so loved, yes, so
loved, poor, needy man, to do for man what he
did do for him by means of Christ Jesus, I can
but say with the poet, ''Amazing pity, grace
unknown." When I think how kindly and
heartily that good brother conducted me to his
home, introducing me to his family, relating to
them the particulars I had given him, and the
family joining with him in giving me such a
hearty reception and welcome, I yet frequently
undergo the emotions again.
It took over a week to make the round trip
to and from Salt Lake City, and now as a fam-
ily we were together, with prospects in com-
Locating- in Pay son. 203
mon with others in Utah for the future. Oth-
ers of our acquaintances which we had formed
on our journey had come here, and we now had
around us some enjoyable associates as neigh-
bors. The kind brother referred to above was
not a polyg-amist ; hence we could visit with
them. In this connection I may say, we were
never able to visit with polygamic families, for
they always appeared to us as a distinct people,
and truly unenjoyable to us as neighbors with
whom to associate. I think, too, they felt
somewhat the same toward us as anti-polyg-
amic brethren and sisters.
CHAPTER XI.
THE AUTHOR AND W. W. PROVE MORMONISM A
FALSE RELIGION THEY SEPARATE.
WE now started house-keeping" again, in
log-cabin style. We had been wan-
derers for over nine months, and were heartily
tired of such unsettled life. We were anxious
to get into any place that might shelter us, and
where we could be to ourselves again, and en-
joy domestic comfort and freedom. Hence we
fully appreciated our little log cabin as our
home and resting place. We were poor, and
were not without company in our poverty, for
very many around us were but little better.
The poor in their poverty have always had com-
pany, as the world's history goes to show, and
we found the Mormons as a people at that time
exceptionally poor, with plenty of company.
By this time I had become acquainted with a
number of the brethren, and had many offers
of employment, and the promise of potatoes and
bread through the winter, and with this I was
(204)
Mormonism a False Religion. 205
feeling- and seeing* my way. I had the promise
of constant employment at $1.50 per day; but
of course I learned not to expect any cash as
payment for my work, and in this I never met
with the slightest disappointment, for I never
received five cents in money for my work. The
people at that time never thought cash, never
talked it, and never handled it. Bread and po-
tatoes I had guaranteed to me for work, but it
was strictly understood nothing- more as pro-
visions, and many around me had not the pros-
pect and certainty of that. At this time I had
eng-ag-ed to work for the miller, a Bro. Searl.
He, too, was a gfood old man. He was just,
and naturally inclined to be kind, and even did
toward me better than his agreement, for sev-
eral times throug-h the winter he stole me a
piece of pork out of his own barrel, unknown
to his wife. I could not think at that time that
his wife, as a sister in the Mormon church, was
ready for "mansions in the skies," thoug-h I
could not think she was much to blame or at
fault she was simply created that way, and
to have acted otherwise she would have had to
be some other person than herself.
206 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Our work at that time was building- a fort
wall around the city for protection against the
Indians. The "Lamanites," as the Book of
Mormon would have it, prior to this time had
threatened the safety of the Mormons at this
and other settlements, and they were building-
mud walls for self-protection, and this fur-
nished work for those who needed such.
I lost no time, and at $1.50 per day I soon
had a nice balance in my favor, for all that we
could possibly consume of my wag-es was flour
and potatoes, and these were reasonably cheap.
I soon had sufficient ahead to pay for the lot
and log- cabin I was living- in, and had a house
and town lot of my own.
Most of the people were poor many of them
very poor. They lived hard ; no tea, coffee, or
sug-ar ; poorly clothed ; some of the men, on
cold days in winter, would g*o around wrapped
in a bed quilt to protect themselves ag-ainst the
cold. Some of their elders Seventies would
occupy the pulpit on Sabbath with nothing- on
them but a clean shirt and a pair of common
overalls not a shoe on their feet. Such was
the condition of some of the people in Payson
Mormoriism a False Religion. 207
at that time. Some others there were more
thrifty or fortunate. The heads, Brig-ham and
many others who had taken the necessities of
their poorer brethren, were living in good style.
I have the testimony of some of these poorer
brethren who had suffered by the demands of
the leaders, that money loaned to Brig-ham at
the early settlement of Utah had never been re-
funded, and the poor brethren did not dare
to present to Brig-ham their claims ; cattle-
work oxen which were loaned to Brig-ham
when he first went to Salt Lake Valley, were
never accounted for, and the parties, thoug-h
then^needy, dared not call for their equivalent.
In this way Brig-ham soon became rich ; as in
my own case, the labor I performed for him was
soug-ht to be paid for out of the tithes, which
their claims would say should have been for
the support of the poor. It would appear from
the way the tithes were going- at that time, that
Brig-ham was the poorest duck in the whole
puddle. A man that could die a millionaire, as
is said of Brig-ham Young-, his surroundings all
considered, could but be a robber of his people.
He worked himself up into power and control,
208 Mormonism Exposed and Refitted.
and then made a personal, selfish use of it ; and
I doubt not, he has and will reap the reward
of an evil-doer.
We had often heard it said that plain, com-
mon diet was productive of the best health.
We had now an involuntary test of it, and for
my own part it proved so to be, for I was able
to draw the beam at thirty pounds more than I
had ever been able to. But I do not favor that
way of gaining weig-ht. My wife had but lit-
tle to do, having- but little to do with. There
were none of the good sisters sick or dying- from
heavy sieges of extra cooking 1 . We were bor-
dering- close on natural Indian life. We had
but little, and but little to worry or trouble
about. What mig-ht be called real civilization
at that time and place was not bringing- a pre-
mium ; no, it was not quite at par just then. I
could but think another step would have put us
where Noah was when he had just passed from
the old world and was entering- on the new,
where everything to him must have new begin-
nings. We had left what was called the old
world, and were having new beginnings.
I was now settled down in the Saints' Rest,
Mormonism a False Religion. 209
for better or worse, as my future might prove.
I had come to America for the sake of America,
and not so much for the latter-day Zion. I had
come to the headquarters of Mormondom for
the prime purpose of testing- its claims and
character. I was now, in connection with my
associate, Bro. W. W., endeavoring to learn all
I might be able. Everything that was passing
before us was being carefully considered and
criticised. So far, as to the claims of the
church as such, everything had proven an ab-
solute failure. I had met with many good peo-
ple, as might be found anywhere ; but that to
me was an individual and not a church matter.
A few good people who may be found in any
and all organic systems prove nothing pro or
con for special divine claims, such as Joseph
Smith put up, and such as his followers would
maintain. Such claims are of such a nature
they may be tested, proven, or disproven by
means of the five senses. So far in my expe-
rience and observation, Mormonism was dis-
proven. Their claims to the miraculous power
of God among them had failed in toto. The
condition of the people and nature of things in
H
210 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
their would-be Zion had been withheld from us
back in the old country, and had been flatter-
ingly misrepresented ; and by coming we had
found it out. I knew now many things which
I did not know twelve months before. Many
such things were only to be learned by expe-
rience and personal observation.
If there was anything in which I could ad-
mire the Mormons as a people, it was in their
dance. With them the dance is part of their re-
ligion or devotion. They appeared to me more
like the saints of God in the dance than at any
other time. If in any sense the dance can be
said to be worship or devotion, I think the Mor-
mons come nearer to it in this than in any
other of their public exercises. They opened
with prayer, as on other occasions. I had never
learned to dance, and could not think of dancing
while among the Mormons in Utah. It was
new to me, but I admired them in their dance.
They were as quiet and orderly as at a prayer
meeting. I suppose they were experts, for they
practiced it much. My wife was of mirthful,
lively make-up, and was almost carried away,
as a spectator, by the Mormons in their dance.
Mormonism a False Religion. 211
I am now brought in contact with Mormons
of every grade of Mormon experience, from the
first organization of the church to the present.
I frequently interview them on their experience
and observation of the church. Many of them
give strangle accounts of the people and the
church. I am frequently listening to what the
older Mormons have to say of the past of the
church. My associate brother and I are find-
ing new testimonies in relation to Mormonism
in the past, which are very damaging to its di-
vine claims. Some have assisted in counter-
feiting money at Kirtland, and appear to think
it was smart on the part of the Mormons, and
a sharp trick, good enough to be played off on
the d d Gentiles. Such men appear to have no
eye to common honesty between man and man as
a principle. The idea with such appears to be
how to make the church triumph over the Gen-
tile world, without regard to the nature of the
means used. The idea with many of these old
men in the church is, the earth and all its full-
ness belong to the Lord, and we only as a peo-
ple are the Lord's people ; hence, everything
which pertains to the earth belongs to the
212 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Lord's people the Mormon church. And they
think any means by which they can come into
possession of propert} 7 of any kind from the
Gentiles, as such, is justifiable in the sight of
God. With such convictions and views, there
is left in the minds of these old Mormons no
moral restraint. It is but a question of what
is the most successful means by which such
ends can be accomplished. I found many of
these old members of the Mormon cause, and
especially those advanced highest in the sys-
tem, holding these views. It was a common
saying on the part of Smith, "Don't steal these
little things, for it will be but a short time
when we, as a people, will come and take the
whole State of Missouri." I have heard old
Mormon brethren, who passed through some of
the drivings of the church in Missouri and Illi-
nois, say that they hoped and prayed that the
time would soon come when their children
would be able to go to Missouri and "cut every
one of their d d throats." Such were the
teachings of Joseph Smith to the people while
at Nauvoo, and so said those old members of
the Mormon cause with whom we conversed in
Monnonism a False Religion. 213
Utah. Some of them acknowledged stealing
from the Gentiles and bringing* the stolen prop-
erty to the bishops to be put into the church
store-house to be served out to the members of
the church. And while these veteran Mor-
mons were relating such, they felt perfectly
justified in what they had done.
Such a religion can but have the very worst
of influence and effect upon its members. These
old brethren had been trained to all such at
Kirtland, in Missouri, in Illinois, and they
could, then, glory in such a history. Of course,
they had to give up stealing from Gentiles in
Utah, for there were few or none to steal from,
only a few migrating companies and trains pass-
ing through the territory. Some of these they
plundered, and one large train they extermin-
ated in the year 1857, for which John D. Lee
was executed, and about fifty others, no doubt,
should have suffered the same fate. But the
justice of God slumbereth not ; and while John
D. Ivee's judgment went beforehand, that of the
others will surely follow after.
My associate, W. W., and I were now invited
and counseled to receive and be ordained to the
214 Mormonism Exposed and Reftited.
higher priesthood. We were at the time priests
in the Aaronic order. But now we were in-
vited and admonished to take upon us the order
of elder in the Melchisedek priesthood, and as
such unite with the Elders' Quorum. We did
so, and as elders we were both appointed as
city visitors. The city was divided into four
wards or sections ; four elders were appointed
by the Elders' Quorum. Each elder was ac-
companied by one teacher and one deacon these
constituting- one visiting- order, or class. Each
class was to visit one-fourth of the city each
week, and follow each other so that every month
each class of visiting elders, with their asso-
ciates, should pass round the city. Bro. W.
W. and myself were appointed as two of these
visiting elders. It was made our duty to ask
certain questions in each family, especially of
the head of the family. These questions re-
lated to the belief of the family in the church
as the true church of God, their belief in Brig-
ham Young as the true prophet of God, and
their confidence and loyalty to the higher priest-
hood. A number of these and such like ques-
tions it was made our duty to ask, an4 any
Mormonism a False Religion. 215
others we might deem necessary. It was our
duty to inquire into any and all particulars re-
lating- to the church, and their peaceable rela-
tions with their neighbors. Should we find
any unpleasantness, or anything wrong, we
were to have it corrected. Should there be un-
pleasant feeling between themselves as fami-
lies or neighbors, we labored to have them rec-
onciled. We were to admonish and teach them
their duties to the church and to each other, urge
them to family devotion, prayer and such like.
Most of our duty and mission were, in theory,
of a real Christian nature. Our missions
brought us in contact with some strange things,
and afforded us favorable opportunities for
immediate knowledge of the real workings of
the Mormon system. As a people I found out
at once that their religion consisted in being
.converted to the authorities of the church and
their peculiar system of religion as distinct
from any and everything else of a religious
character. Many of them knew nothing of the
spirituality of Christianity. They were the
sons and daughters of nature, converted to a
false, deceptive institution, about which they
216 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
neither knew nor cared, only in the nominal
sense. I found their religion was to them what
Republicanism is to Republicans or Democracy
to Democrats. They were simply Mormons,
and that was what they had been converted to,
and that was all there was of it. They had
been taught much about Joseph Smith and
Brigham Young, and were ready at a.ny time to
fight for them ; but they evidently had but lit-
tle knowledge of, and less care for, Jesus
Christ. Should a person in their midst throw
a reflection on the system as such, or speak a
word against their prophet, he would soon have
the attention and attendance of the Danites, or
destroying angels. But such a person might
have contended all day against Jesus Christ
and the Christian religion, and they would have
taken it all in good part. Such was their state
of mind on religion. It was not Buddhism,
Brahminism, nor Mahometanism, nor Christ-
ism ; no, it was just Mormonism that, or noth-
ing ; if not that, nothing whatever. The people
generally looked to the church in the confeder-
ate sense to save them, as an unfaithful Roman
Catholic looks to the church to save him. They
Mormonism a False Religion. 217
never were taught a personal salvation ; salva-
tion was only to be obtained by becoming" part
of the organic, confederate concern. They ex-
pected to be saved in the sense of a tree, the
trunk with all its limbs and branches Joseph
Smith the trunk, Brigham as one of the prin-
cipal limbs. Their temple sealings to one an-
other show the principle held by them. Their
salvation is sought by works, not by faith and
grace in Christ Jesus. Many of them are
working out their own destruction, not their
salvation. As a system, I was at this time con-
vinced it was false and from beneath.
In my experience as visiting elder, I became
more intimately acquainted, and learned much
I otherwise could not have known about the
people and their system in its workings at head-
quarters. As a people they are in a state of na-
ture, with a natural religion, which in many re-
spects is evil in its principles and injurious in
its influence and bearings upon its people.
As visiting elder I had learned more of the
nature of the system, and was better able
to protect myself against indiscretions of my
>wn, and some of the dangers of the system.
218 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
True, they professed the discerning" of spir-
its, but in this I had proven them false. I
am sure they knew not my state of mind,
with regard to them as a people. Had they
known my honest convictions about them, they
would have passed me over the rim of the
basin, and disposed of one who was contem-
plating 1 their exposure.
About this time I wrote some lengthy letters
to my father in England, giving* him the result
of my experience and observation up to that
time. In those letters I had expressed myself
fully on Mormonism. I had given my reasons
why I thought it false ; had requested my
father to read my letters to any and all the
brethren and sisters to whom I had promised to
write the facts, and he did so. That proved
the end of the Mormon church in that part of
England. Had the Mormons possessed the
gift of the miraculous discerning* of spirits, they
could have known what I was doing* for them
at that time. But no ; their professing* to have
divine power and gifts in this direction was all
false, and it was well for myself at this time
that it was so.
Mormonism a False Relig'ion. 219
Our visits and special efforts as elders among
the people were useless in the sense of Chris-
tianity. They had never been converted to
Christ, and it was no use to approach them as
Christians. They did not look at religion from
a New Testament standpoint. Their devotion
and worship were not based on Christ and his
divine system. To talk Christ and the Chris-
tian religion to them, apart from Mormonism,
made most of them look and act strangely.
With them it was Mormonism as taught by
their leaders. To change them from Mormon-
ism to the simplicity of the gospel of Christ,
they would have to be overpowered and knocked
down, as in the case of Saul of Tarsus. Such
people at that time could not be reached by the
intellectual theory of Christ. We know that
it takes the Spirit of God, in connection with
the word of God, to bring about the spiritual
conversion ol any one ; but in the case of a gen-
uine Mormon, as in the case of Saul, it will
take a double portion. Nothing short of the
truly divine, miraculous power of God will be
able to undeceive many of them. Like Saul of
Tarsus, they know not they are in error. Did
220 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
they but know their error, many of them, no
doubt, would say, as did Saul, "Lord, what
wilt thou have me to do?" but the masses of
the led are in error, and under the influence
of designing- leaders and their false system
of relig-ion.
Ignorance, mixed with double the amount of
native viciousness, makes up the Danite or
Destroying- Ang-el type found among- them.
The vicious make-up of some of their followers
finds its true element and employment in being-
destroying- ang-els, or men-killers. They have
had, ever since they figured under Joseph Smith
in Missouri, an organized order of men Danites,
ordained "to curse with their gun, with their
sword, and with their mouth." How is this
for a religion that would wish to clothe itself
in part with the formal or outward mantle of
Christ, as wool beneath which a wolf would
hide? Think of a religion that in any sense
would lay claim to that of Christian, having in
it divinely appointed and ordained man-slayers
Destroying Angels Danites ! I have it from
their own mouths. I knew some of them ; they
positively told me they were ordained by Jo-
Mormonism a False Religion. 221
seph Smith to curse the enemies of the church
with their gun, with their sword, and with their
mouth ; and they were ready and willing* to do it.
Members of the church, of vicious make-up, were
selected by the heads of the church by Jo-
seph Smith in Missouri and Illinois and or-
dained and appointed by the pretended prophet
of God of these Latter-day Saints, to kill their
fellow-men, to " carry them over the rim of the
basin ; " and if the objectionable person was a
member of the church, to cut him off from the
church by using- a sharp instrument under his
chin. Such is Latter-day Saintism Mormon-
ism. These thing's I heard ; these thing's I was
personally told ; these thing's I was personally
threatened with. I was told to nry face I must
not speak ag-ainst the church, or compare it in
any way with the "d d Gentile churches" and
the world. I had simply said to one of these
divinely (?) appointed man-killers, that the
Mormon church in Utah had in it bad and good
people in common with others, and I was told
if I ever repeated such I should be cursed, and
the Danite then and there would doit. "Be
ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves,"
222 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
never struck deep into the heart of Joseph
Smith or Brigham Young', and has never been
taught by any of the leaders of the Mormon
system to enter the hearts of their converts.
It was not difficult to see that ' ' Resist not evil :
but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right
cheek, turn to him the other also," had no place
in the institution of Joseph Smith. No ; it was
"an eye for an eye and a tooth fora tooth" du-
plicated, in the carnal, vicious, savage sense.
Mormonism as a system of religion is of such a
nature that it has necessary use for such or-
dained, organized, vicious characters as an es-
sential part of its very being.
Mormonism aims to rule as a system of civil
government the whole universe of mankind.
Their aspirations and attempts at Nauvoo,
Illinois, show their movements in this direction.
There we see Smith as Lieutenant-General,
and John C. Bennett Major-General, at the
head of a regularly organized military army,
called, "The Nauvoo Legion."
Smith at the time of his death was a candi-
date for the presidency of the United States.
But fortunately for the government and the peo-
Aformonism a False Religion. 223
pie who constitute it an over-ruling provi-
dence favored the Mormon back-set, and has
willed its being* kept in the back-ground ever
since.
Mormonism yet, in the remote future, may
cease to be, but it will not die a voluntary
death. No, their error and wrong may have to
yield to truth and right. When every plant
which is not of God's planting is rooted up,
then Mormonism will be an institution of the
past. It may be part of the man of sin who
will be destroyed at the brightness of the
second coming of Jesus Christ.
We style Mahomet a false prophet who
sought the victory of his religion and its
triumphs by the sword. Can we count Smith
less false, who to the extent of his power
sought to do the same, and who only failed by
the interposition of a wise providence?
It took six months' close application on the
part of my faithful associate and myself before
we could pronounce unwaveringly that, as a
system of religion, Mormonism was false con-
trasted with that of Jesus Christ.
At the end of six months, in our private
224 Aformonism Exposed and Rejuted.
councils, we declared to each other (having* not
the least doubt then nor since) Mormonism was a
false, delusive religion, and as such had no
claims upon us, and that we* had been deceived
and misled, and that we would abandon it as
soon as opportunity might justify. We had
learned, too, that it was not only false as a
religious system, but that it was also danger-
ous, and was strictly dangerous to us as we
then stood related to it. I could not now afford
to be reckless. My own well-being and that of
my family were at stake, and I needed to use
the utmost care.
My associate was a single man. He was at
liberty to use the first opportunity to leave and
at once did so. He at once engaged to assist in
driving a herd of cattle to California. He had
spent the winter in Utah six months. He
had been my youthful associate ; Our families
were connected by marriage my oldest brother
having married his sister. We had enjoyed
each other's association ; had many, many
happy seasons together. We had enjoyed
youthful associations before we became religi-
ous ; had enjoyed Methodism and Mormonism
Mormonism a False Religion. 225
tog-ether, as far as Mormonism could be
enjoyed. But now providence, destiny, or
fate, or all is about to separate us, and
surely it did ; for at this writing, thirty-seven
years ago we parted and have never seen each
other since. The effects and influence of Mor-
monism, with subsequent life in California,
led my friend into scepticism, in which he
has remained, and on which he has corres-
ponded with me ever since. Had he had in the
beginning of his religious life a more powerful,
personal, spiritual conversion, as in my own
humble case, he would have been held by the
knowledge of the fact and the perpetual power
of God unto salvation.
But I must now be left alone. I now must
bear my Mormon cross alone. I knew, too,
that his leaving so unceremoniously and abruptly
would throw suspicion on myself as being weak
in the faith ; but this I had made up my mind
to endure. We had never dared to intimate in
any way that we intended to abandon the
church, for we knew this would not be religi-
ously healthy. .
Our experience by this time had taught us
15
226 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
some of the dangers in and of the church.
We had learned that men had been and then
could be killed for their own supposed good and
for the protection of the church. We had
learned that objectionable characters could and
had been put away to save them from com-
mitting- further sins against the church, for
which they would have to atone in the world to
come. Hence, in taking the life of such the
people are taught to believe that to kill such is
better for the person so killed, and better also
for the church. The Danites trained to such
are able to look upon their act of murder as an
act of worship or devotion toward God and
their fellow. Yes, they can kill the body con-
scientiously to save their souls from the greater
punishment in a future life. Think of a religion
of Christian character, which, in the remotest
sense, can entertain such diabolical inhumani-
ties in what may be called the civilized govern-
ment of the United States ; and it would ap-
pear as though the very old devil himself were
trying to outdo himself.
In the Mountain Meadows' massacre in 1857
the year after I left they murdered some
Mormonism a False Religion. 227
sixty or seventy persons, men, women and chil-
dren, receiving answer to their prayers to
butcher the whole train. In the name of God,
can there be forgiveness for such religious
demons ? And all this with hundreds of thous-
ands of untold dark, demoniac deeds forms part
of a religion called Mormonism, or the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Such a
system is nothing less in the absolute sense
than a system of latter-day devilism. This is
the system that Joseph Smith gave rise to and
which Brigham Young perpetuated, and is the
same to-day unless a modified class of evil
spirits are now at its head endeavoring to mould
it according to their present necessary and in-
voluntary surroundings.
Having become acquainted with such as the
foreg'oing, my brother and myself felt we must
act accordingly. W. W. had won a high place
in the minds and hearts of many of the people,
and especially in the Elders' Quorum as a man
of future promise and usefulness. He had
shown much wisdom and given great satisfac-
tion in settling differences and arbitrating
troubles among the saints who were much older
228 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
than himself in his mission work as visiting-
elder. He had many friends. But leaving as
he did without consulting his superiors, or in
any way asking counsel, necessarily led them
to think strange of him. They were surprised
at his leaving without intimating in any way
his intentions. He felt it best to give them but
little or no time to reflect or plan on his course.
He knew delay in his case was dangerous.
They knew though, intimate as we were, I had
known all about the matter. They could see
they had misjudged my friend and suspicion
rested the more upon myself ; but I was yet in
the Mormon mill and the Mormon gpds were
grinding. I felt myself under their suspicion
and began to order my course accordingly.
We had arrived at our conclusion carefully, and
and from that time to the present, thirty-seven
years, I have never felt or doubted their
correctness ; but like the horse who had lost its
mate I was left lonesome. Por some time I felt
unsettled and uneasy. We had walked together
for many years in youthful fellowship. We
had passed through Methodism together. We
were now alike, having passed together through
Mormonism a False Religion. 229
Mormonism. But now we were parting" and I
was to be left in the coils of the Mormon
anaconda. I was truly sad at our parting,
and as I turned away I gave way to tears.
I knew and felt I had parted with a true and
faithful friend whose place could never be filled
by another. I turned home to my wife and two
babies (for we had had a little visitor during
the winter)* sad and lonesome. I knew now I
was suspected of being weak in the Mormon
faith, and in candor to myself and those around
me I must act it out. I proposed from this
time forward to discontinue any and everything
of an active character in relation to the
church.
I asked to be released as visiting elder in the
city. Our reports had to be handed in weekly
to our Elders' Quorum. I was admonished to
go along as usual, but I was now conscienti-
ously done with the church. I was fully satis-
fied that its claims were false from the first of
Joseph Smith to the present. My investiga-
tion of the system was at an end and I now
wished to remain dormant and await future,
developments. I had, no desire to act the hypo-
230 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
crite. I naturally detest and abhor hypocrisy
as a trait of character. I look upon it as one
of the most detestable traits in fallen hu-
manity.
CHAPTER XII.
THE AUTHOR'S EXPERIENCE AND TRIAL FOR
NEGLECTED DUTY.
I NOW lay over, became inactive and silent
as relating* to Mormonism, waiting and
watching- public rumor and private reports re-
lating- to my friend who had left and myself.
By this time I had learned by experience and
observation in mingling- with them officially
how thing's would gx> in our case. My friend
was soon dropped from the Elders' Quorum,
and on account of my non-attendance to official
duties, others were appointed in my place.
This I soon realised by my being- visited by
others. Having- acted in the office I knew the
order of thing's and acted accordingly. I knew
it would not do to abruptly resist. Having-
their sympathy I must retain it. Having- my
hand in the lion's mouth I must endeavor to
keep him quiet and wait the best time to re-
move it. These visiting- elders came round ;
they wished to know the occasion of my non-
(231)
232 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
attendance to duty. I told them I was some-
what discouraged with the natural dis-
advantages of the country as such. That
times were so much harder in Utah than I had
been led to expect, and that as a family we had
not been accustomed to such ; that we had seen
and had been used to better times and circum-
stances than we were then in ; and that I did not
think it necessary to be suffering so much for
religion. To this and all such the simple-
hearted elders had little or no objections to
offer, and in the main I had their sympathy and
good will, and I suppose they reported me en-
titled to sympathy and so passed me over.
They knew, too, by experience that my excuse
was valid, for they themselves were in the
same boat.
But spring time is now on and we all became
busy. I had engaged to attend the miller's
farm, some ten or twelve acres my team a
yoke of oxen. I was to get one-half the crop
for manual labor on my own part. The land
or crops had to be irrigated. There is scarcely
any rainfall. There was no rain from April to
October in 1855, not even to allay the dust.
Author s Trial for Neglected Duty. 233
The grasshoppers destroyed my crop of spring"
wheat. I raised sufficient corn and potatoes
and a few other kinds of vegetables to do me.
The people all farm together in the same in-
closed field. The settlements are all neces-
sarily on a stream, so as to use the water for
irrigation. According to the size of the stream
for the supply of water, so is the size of the
town. Most of their towns are incorporated.
The male members are all some part of the
priesthood. Each priest is expected to watch
his fellow. All are officers in their line of
priesthood and stand as sentinels to guard
the prophet and his church. A word dropped
by any one derog-atory to the hig-her priesthood
or the church is noted and the offender closely
watched or punished. In a word, every fellow
is watching his fellow, and every one afraid of
the other one. Their discipline on this line is
thoroug-h. A despotic system like that of Mor-
monism has necessarily to be full of rig-id dis-
cipline a system which has within it ordained
man-slayers, and almost any of such ordained
destroying* angels authorized to judg-e for him-
self when his fellow is worthy of death com-
234 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
pels even the heads the prophets to be sur-
rounded by body-g-uards as were Smith, Rig-don
and Brig-ham Young-. But I forbear here to
give many of their dark deeds which their true
history records of them. Other writers have
given many of such in detail John D. Lee
with others.
It was reported by the missionaries in Eng--
land that providence so favored the Saints in
the Salt Lake valleys that when their crops
were endang-ered by grasshoppers, God sent
g-ulls which ate up the 'hoppers, and that the
g-ulls would g*org-e themselves and fly to the
mountains and disg-org-e until, by this process,
they saved the Saints' crops. But to my
knowledg-e the g-ulls were not in that kind of
business the summer I spent in the valleys ;
for the grasshoppers destroyed most of our
small grain crops and not a g~ull was to be seen.
These wonderful providences and miraculous
manifestations relating- to the Mormon religion
in my own experience and observations among-
them were always on the other end of the line.
If any or all of them would allow themselves
to use as much practical common sense with re-
Author's Trial for Neglected Duty. 235
g-ard to their religion as they use every day in
the common affairs of life they could and would
see it.
I next found myself visited by some of the
Seventies. I knew then that special means
were being- used in my behalf. I knew, too, I
must be very careful how I acted on my own
behalf and how I treated my friendly visitors,
for they were all acting- really kind toward me
in their visits at that time. I was careful not
to attack the church. I knew it was the wrong-
time and place to make war on the system.
These Seventies are as a part of the priesthood
one grade above the elders. Many of them
were men of very limited experience in a
worldly sense, and much less so in relig-ion.
But I had learned by this time what could be
said and what would not be profitable for me to
say under my surrounding's. Paul, the apostle,
had said it became him to become all thing's to
all men that he mig-ht g-ain some ; and some-
times he had resorted to craftiness and g-uile.
At this time I had to adapt myself to my visit-
ing- brethren. I knew that they felt their own
straitened circumstances and the disadvantages
236 Mormonism Exposed and Refutea.
they were suffering- from the nature of the
country and their religion, and I kept their
minds directed to these facts. I was able by
experience and the grace of God to move their
sympathies in my own behalf. I endeavored to
make their visits pleasant and enjoyable with
me. They would partially look over my non-
attendance on church duties. I knew I had the
confidence and sympathy of the community,
and that I must maintain it or be turned over
to such as were ordained to curse with their
g~un, with their sword, and with their mouth.
I knew there were such in the city, for they
themselves had told me so men who had been
ordained by Joseph Smith to this blood-thirsty
office in the church. I knew I was among- a
dang-erous people should I in any way act in-
discreetly. These ordained blood-hounds were
only too ready to fill their fearful office should
occasion offer. I felt nothing- but the strictest
care on my own part and the over-ruling- of a
favorable providence could save and deliver me
out of the power of this Satanic system. I
told those friendly Seventies that Zion was not
what I had expected as a country, and the peo-
Author's Trial for Neglected Duty. 237
pie were not as well-to-do as I could desire ;
that I had seen so much better times in Eng-
land ; and that I felt it very much to have my
family in such poor and straitened circum-
stances ; and that I had seen in coming- through
the states such fine country and so many people
who were so well-to-do that I felt it very much
to be living as we were, many of us, in these val-
leys so poor and suffering so many natural
disadvantages ; and that I thought religion was
costing too much. I claimed that people should
use all the natural advantages God had be-
stowed upon them while here on earth, and
that it was hard for me to think that God re-
quired me to forfeit the good things of this
world in order to serve him or get to heaven.
Having had some experience at this time, I felt
sure I could out-talk many of them. I fur-
nished probably more than my share at their
visits to keep back too many questions on their
part. In this I moved their sympathies in be-
half of our poverty-stricken condition, and in
their reports they could but and did sympathize
with me. Many of the people in Payson at that
time were very poor and living very hard. I was
238 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
acquainted with a number of people men who
did not have a coat to their name. Some of
these were of the Seventies in the priesthood.
They would go about in winter wrapped in an
old bed quilt. In summer such poor creatures
never had a shoe on their feet. As to tea,
coffee and sugar they never expected such and
were content without them. I only speak of
such to show how the people were living 1 at
that time compared with the masses of laboring*
people in other parts of the world. During
our stay in Payson, some eig'hteen months, I
do not remember tasting these articles referred
to ; yet I had constant work at one dollar and
fifty cents per day. I could get town property
or the right to farm a small patch of land by
paying one-tenth to the church as tithe. We
could improve town lots. I made brick sun-
dried built me a house, sold the house and lot
for cattle ; traded the cattle for horses and
wagon, etc. The land is rich, but only valu-
able as it can be supplied with water by irriga-
tion. The climate is moderate in these valleys.
The breeze from the snow-capped mountains
makes it pleasant in summer.
Author's Trial for Neglected Duty. 239
I had raised a little corn ; had a little to spare
and took a load to Salt Lake City (for there
was no store in Payson at that time) some
eighty miles, with an ox team. It took nie
some nine or ten days to make the trip. After
expenses were paid I returned with scarcely
anything- for family use. I was far from being-
content to live at this poor, dying- rate. Had I
believed in the ckurch as the church of God it
would have been hard for me to believe that
such a life and such a condition of thing's were
necessary to be endured to please God and to
save my own soul.
In the fall of 1855, a brother Hovey came to
Payson who was said to be from headquarters
as a special missionary among- the settlements.
His object appeared to be to work up the peo-
ple to a more faithful condition of religion, to
stir the people up, to excite them to a more en-
thusiastic confidence in the heads of the church
and the church in common, as well as in reg-ard
to their duty and conduct to each other. The
enthusiastic fellow raised quite an excitement.
He was boisterous,, loud-talking-, over-confident
as to the divine claims of the church. He was
240 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
severe on such weak, doubting- brethren as my-
self ; charged such up with being- apostates of
the worst kind. I was at one time somewhat
alarmed for fear he would work the brethren
up too hig-h ag-ainst weak brethren whom he
styled apostates. He told them to drag- them out
of their city, and when they hadg-ot them out to
do as they pleased with them. This preacher,
g-ot the people very much excited and induced
many of them to publicly confess their sins and
be re-baptized for the remission of sins. They
g-ot their confession craze up so hig-h that those
who had committed the greatest crimes among-
and towards one another were the most es-
teemed and honored. Some prominent breth-
ren had done some bad thing's ; some had stolen
wheat out of the mill ; some had stolen sheep
out of the herd ; some had formed undue in-
timacy with the opposite sex apart from mar-
ried relation Bro. H. had persuaded them
that, in order to pardon they must publicly
confess their sins and be re-baptized. Hence,
the confession and a multitude of re-baptisms
were administered.
About the close of Bro. H's. protracted
Author's Trial for Neglected Duty. 241
effort, a young* married sister was taken very
sick. She was daughter-in-law of the presi-
dent of the city. Bro. Hovey proposed to ad-
minister the ordinance to her for the healing" of
the sick. Fasting 1 and prayer were proposed
to the city to be observed before the laying- on
of hands for the sick. This all observed.
Bro. H., with some assistants, administered
the ordinance anointing- with oil and the laying-
on of hands. Bro. H. was the principal officiat-
ing- priest, and in the act he pronounced that
this young- wife (who was expected to become a
mother) should have a daug-hter, and that both
mother and daug-hter should live to become
great and renowned women in the Zion of these
latter-days ; but unfortunately for this young-
wife she never became a mother and died the
same nig-ht. I was very much interested in
this case of sickness. I could see at once it
was to count for or ag-ainst Mormonism in
my mind. The attention of the city was also
directed to the case. But the divine aid was
not to accompany this would-be special Mormon
who was almost worshiped by many of the
people at that time. And here was left on
16
242 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
record one more absolute proof that the special
power of God is not with or among" that
people.
I need not say that Bro. H. after this did not
tarry long in the place and left under censure.
He afterward was impeached for giving- rise to
such a craze on public confessions, for a num-
ber of those, some prominent in office, had ex-
posed themselves and afterward were ashamed
of what they had done and confessed.
Shortly after this an incident occurred in
which I referred to this spell of confessing
which, at the time, I was fearful would cost me
my life. I was in company with a brother
Bracken and a brother Perry. The latter was
weak in the Mormon faith ; the former an old-
time Joseph Smith Mormon. They were
warmly but in good humor discussing the pros
and cons of the system. Bracken was endeav-
oring to show that the Saints in Utah were the
wheat separated from the chaff, and were gath-
ered there as in God's garner for their preser-
vation ; and this was by divine command
through Brigham Young. That the gospel
net was being drawn ashore, the good fish be-
Author's Trial for Neglected Duty. 243
ing- gathered into these mountains, while the
bad fish out of the net were to be destroyed
burnt up as chaff. He had .failed to see that
the tares had to be g-athered first into bundles
and burnt up. For the time being- Bro. B.
seemed to have the advantag-e in the arg-ument.
When I turned to Bro. B. and asked him if he
really looked upon these scriptures in that
ligfht, he frankly stated he did. I then called
his attention to the confessions on the part of
so many brethren during 1 the late protracted
effort, and asked him if it did not seem that
the wheat and chaff had been g-athered here in
Utah tog-ether, and that the separation had not
yet taken place ; that the g-ospel net had been
drawn to these valleys, and that the separation
had not yet taken place between the bad and
the g-ood fish. Then I asked if he did not
think as a people here we compared favorably
with those people we had left behind, and that
we were here a mixture of wheat and chaff,
bad and g-ood fish, in common with those we
had left behind. At this he turned pale, be-
came white and nervous with passion ; and
looking- at me with a fierce, vicious countenance
244 Momnonism Exposed and Refuted.
said, "Joseph Smith ordained me to curse
with my grin, and with my, sword, and with my
mouth ; and if I ever hear you compare Zion
with the damned Gentiles again, I will do it."
I was somewhat fearful he would do it then,
and I do not doubt if he had happened to have
a sword or gun at that time he would have
used it, for he looked as fiendish and blood-
thirsty as a human being- is capable t>f .
Thus I had before me a specimen of Mormon
wheat in the Mormon garner and a specimen of
the good fish caught and drawn to the Mormon
Zion by the Mormon gospel net. Should such
wheat and fish as this be anything, like an
average, say, nothing of the worst, what kind
must the worst be? But this is part of the
workings of Mormonism. Joseph Smith had
use for such in his religious business, but
Christianity needs not such. I need not say
that I had no reply to make to Bro. Bracken's
threat. I was for some time fearful of his
wicked influence. I supposed he would report
what had occurred between us to the higher
council of the city and from them I should be
marked as one needing Danite attention. For
Authors Trial for Neglected Duty . 245
some time I carefully watched the demeanor of
leading men toward me. But finding no in-
dications of censure manifested by any one I
became more easy, supposing that Bro. B. had
but little influence with those in authority
above him. The people had been recently ex-
cited by Bro. Hovey, and making such a sub-
lime failure in the case of healing, they lost all
confidence in him, and his influence had faded
away. The people were recovering their right
senses. All was quiet now for a short time
and I was looked upon as a brother weak in the
faith, but I had not yet lost their sympathy as
a community.
What can I yet say of Mormonism but that
it is strictly carnal and Satanic. Mormonism
is only true to itself. As a system of religion,
it is another spirit to that of the Christian.
Its leaders do not possess the Christian spirit.
They do not teach it, and their followers are
not inspired and moved by it. Surely there is
a true spiritual religion which unites man to
his God and his fellow ; and there is a false
religion, a counterfeit, which only unites man
to man and which is but earthly, only produc-
246 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
ing natural, carnal results ; and Mormonism is
the latter. After a knowledge of such as the
foregoing-, I, in all soberness, ask is there any
thing set forth in the New Testament by Jesus
Christ and his apostles that could or would
warrant these phases of organic Mormonism
which have passed under my experience and
observation ? My answer is no ; nothing in the
teachings of Jesus so carnal, so wicked.
I was now being visited by the members of
the High Priest's Quorum and began to feel at
this time that I was attracting special attention
and that in the end I might see trouble, and
yet I could but wait to see what the future
would bring forth. I could not think my con-
dition and circumstances were all chance. I
believed there was behind and mingling with
this peculiar part of my experience a con-
trolling providence.
I was finally visited by one of the High
Priests, a near neighbor and a polygamist,
Bro. Stewart. He was a man of some natural
ability, a 1 awyer at times when needed. I
had no doubt but his motive was good in his
visit. I thought then, have ever thought since,
Authors Trial for Neglected Duty. 247
ie intended to make me better acquainted with
the Mormon system of religion and by so doing-
encourage me. He did all the talking- ; he
talked too much and too long*. He acted as
thoug'h he believed all he said. He had confi-
dence in himself. He had the theory of Mor-
monism in his head and could tell it. He acted
as thoug-h he was of some importance to me,
and he raised in me a shade of prejudice from
the start ; but I knew I had to take my Mor-
mon medicine irrespective of kind or size of the
dose. So I braced up for the occasion. This
was the first and only visit he ever paid me.
Having- introduced the object of his visit he un-
dertook to instruct me in the principles and
purposes of Mormonism. He claimed for it
divine orig-in throug-h Joseph Smith, giving- the
history of the visits of God, Jesus Christ,
ang-els, Peter, James and John to Smith at the
beg-inning- of the church ;. what God proposed to
do through or by this latter-day work ; how
this people were truly the chosen people of
God to carry out God's final and full dispensa-
tion relative to the human family ; how 7 all the
wicked nations of the earth would soon be
248 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
destroyed ; how the latter-day work would
spread and fill the whole earth and stand for-
ever ; as the little stone hewn out of the moun-
tain without hands, as found in the book of
Daniel ; that the time was at hand when Joseph
and Hiram with "the spirits of just men made
perfect," would visit us as a people in Zion ;
that we should be instructed and directed by
exalted spirit visitors to build houses in which
we should each have a secret or holy room in
which angels from the other world would
commune and converse with us and direct us in
all thing's ; that the kingdoms of this world
were soon to become the kingdom of God and
his s.on Jesus Christ ; and that the Saints now
in these valleys should rule the whole earth as
God's peculiar, favored people.
Bro. S. was evidently well versed in the
Smith system of religion and left to himself
could put a very pretty face on it. I think he
spent at least an hour on me and really enjoyed
the. job, and in return he hoped to strengthen
my weak faith. I sat before him taking it all
in and wondering at times if he will offer to
prove anything he is talking about. Of course
Author s Trial for Neglected Duty. 249
his "castle in the air" looked pretty, and I
would have given him a horse if he could have
proven it. I never answered a word until he
got through. Indeed, he offered no chance.
I had made up my mind to ask no questions,
but just let it pass. But he did not propose to
have it go that way ; so in the absence of any
answer on my own part he asked me what I
thought about those things. I felt he had
made a sublime failure for want of proof and
I could but have him know it. So I said to
him that his claims and theory looked pretty,
but in the absence of any proof it had no effect
upon my mind. At this he rose up hastily,
left the house without saying good night.
I saw at once he was all out of sorts, that his
priestly position, his office and effort had not
met with the appreciation and hopeful results
he had expected. I felt sure my reply had
given offence, and so it had. But I had felt
somewhat annoyed at so much simple statement
in the absence of the least particle of proof.
I felt anxious to offer him a reproof, my answer
was rather ironically expressed. I had been
thrown off my guard somewhat by such a la-
250 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
bored effort in the absence of proof. I felt he
had treated me too much like I was taking' my
first lesson in the primary principles of the
Mormon system, and my combative temper was
up, and when I stated to him that I thought
such claims and declarations should be accom-
panied by adequate proof, he was smart enough
to see where he was, and was satisfied to
retire.
CHAPTER XIII.
OBSERVATIONS ON POLYGAMY ITS EVILS.
HORTLY after this, I was summoned to
appear before the Elders' Quorum to give
reasons for my indifference toward the church
and to answer such questions as might be pro-
pounded. I was given two weeks' time, I sup-
pose for preparation. I now felt as though a
Mormon storm was about to burst upon me. I
could realize I had offended a Smith-ordained
Danite and an important high priest, though
neither of them was a member of my Elders'
Quorum, and I was amenable to my own order
of priesthood first. But they had moved the
president of my quorum to bring me to trial.
For the first week of my allotted time I felt as
though the Mormon anaconda was wrapping its
coils around me. I thought, What will become
of my family should I be disposed of? My wife
was distressed beyond measure. She thought
they would surely put me out of the way, and her-
self and little ones would be left at their mercy.
(251)
252 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
All looked to us as though the dark horrors of
Mormonism were gathering- around us. For
the first full week we could not see a ray of
light. We felt as though we were forsaken of
God and all mankind, and as though the Mor-
mons en masse were but the agents of Satan
hovering around for our destruction. This
week was to us truly a week of Gethsemane.
"My soul was exceeding sorrowful." It ap-
peared as though hell and the Mormons all
thrown in were arrayed against us. It ap-
peared during this week as though I was un-
able to look at anything but the worst of con-
sequences. While I write at this time, how I
should love to call up that dear companion from
her sleep in the grave, and talk over those scenes
and circumstances in which she so faithfully
played her part with me. I can never forg'et
her heroic answer when questioned about my
leaving the church ; how she replied to that old
priest, that she herself was the cause of my
leaving the country ; that she, and not I, was
to blame for our intentions to leave ; that she
believed I would be willing to remain in the
valleys, but that she was urging me to leave.
Observations on Polygamy. 253
Thus she took the blame upon herself in order
to screen me. The effort of the old priest was
a bid for the woman and two children and what
little property I might have, and to let William
gfo, if he wished to, saying; he would take care
of her and her children. But her answer,
thoug-h misleading- to him, worked well in my
own behalf; for her answer was such that
those who otherwise would have become my
worst foes, sympathised the more with me. I
could but think that the moderate demeanor of
the officials of the church toward me was, in
part at least, attributable to her ingenious ef-
fort. I had passed throug-h temptations and
trials before this for the sake of religion, but
this week was one of the darkest of my life. I
felt I could not act the part of a hypocrite. I
thoug-ht, I cannot possibly fall into the Mor-
mon line, for in my very soul I disbelieved their
religion, and that I would not acknowledge I
did, even to save my own life. At this time I
felt the full force of that sublime song-, "Nearer,
my God, to Thee." I was now driven closer
to God. I had no other source to g-o to. I had
never dared to mention or open my mind to any
254 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
one about my friend W. W., wl?o had left so
unexpectedly, but I knew it must necessarily
have thrown a suspicion of weakness of faith
on me.
But at the end of the first week I passed
from darkness into light. I had learned and
recited as my first effort when a small boy in
Sunday-school, the twenty-third Psalm, and
now it came up in my mind and heart in all its
sublime force and fullness. It came up in my
mind as a messenger of light and comfort. I
repeated it to myself, and a transition of mind
was effected. I now felt as happy and anxious
to meet the issue before me as I had felt un-
happy and fearful in relation to it. I felt the
sentiment and spirit of this Psalm would be
verified in my pending condition and case among
the Mormons, and through life. I was now
anxious for the time to come when I should
have the pleasure and privilege to stand before
the Elders' Quorum, and the people en masse
there gathered to hear what I might have to
say in my own behalf. Thoughts now passed
through rny mind which I felt anxious to ex-
press. I saw and felt, clear as the sunbeams,
Observations on Polygamy. 255
the line of thought I should present, and it
made me really anxious for the time to come.
My wife's fears had passed away, and we were
both enjoying- the divine Spirit to a state of per-
sonal rejoicing-. I felt at this time how the
devil can darken the mind and fill the soul with
evil foreboding's, and how the Spirit of God
can enlighten the mind and fill the soul with
joy unspeakable and full of glory. I now saw
clear throug-h the pending- crisis. I now felt
and enjoyed this beautiful Psalm, " The Lord
is my shepherd ; I shall not want. He maketh
me to lie down in green pastures ; he leadeth
me beside the still waters ; he restoreth my
soul ; he leadeth me in the paths of rig-hteous-
ness for his name's sake. Yea, thoug-h I walk
throug-h the valley of the shadow of death I
will fear no evil, for thou art with me ; thy rod
and thy staff they comfort me ; thou preparest
a table before me in the presence of my ene-
mies ; thou anointest my head with oil ; my cup
runneth over. Surely g-oodness and mercy will
follow me all the days of my life, and I will
dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Ps.
23. I was under the spirit and influence of this
256 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Psalm the second week of my probation for
trial, and I was anxious for the time to come.
Wesley has beautifully said :
"With thee conversing, we forget
All time, and toil, and care ;
L/abor is rest, and pain is sweet,
If thou, my God, art there. ' '
Such is true of Christian experience. "We
joy in tribulation." In the world the Christian
has trouble, but in Jesus has peace^"peace
which passeth understanding-, which the world
can neither give nor take away."
The time for my trial came. The house was
filled with the Saints. I had not talked with any
one on the subject ; all, outside of myself and
wife, were as silent as death; no one dared, if
they had been inclined, to offer a word of com
fort, for fear of censure falling upon themselves.
Salt Lake at that time was a despotic priesthood
and subdued, downcast religious slaves. Sun-
day, at 2 p. m., was the timer appointed. Bro.
Stewart, my last would-be adviser, was close
on my right. All looked anxious and somewhat
excited, but I was calm as a summer's day.
Invited by the president of the Elders' Quo-
rum to take the stand, and state my reasons to
Observations on Polygamy. 257
the Elders' Quorum for my neglect of duty
for this was the charge against me it was a
pleasure for me to answer the request. I saw
by the tone of voice and conduct of the presi-
dent that I had his hearty sympathy. I first
gave a brief outline of my uniting with the
church in England ; how the important claims
had attracted my serious attention, and having
failed to gain a personal knowledge that this
latter-day work was of God, in the strict sense,
I had united with it for the purpose of proving
it. I hene contrasted the Mormon with the
Christian in the days of Jesus Christ and his
apostles, showing that the claims of the Mor-
mon church were equal in all that could be
called miraculous and divine to that of primi-
tive Christianity. I here showed how Jesus
and his disciples wrought wonderful miracles,
healing the sick, opening the eyes of the actu-
ally blind, unstopping the deaf ear, making the
decrepit and lame to walk, and the dead to re-
turn to life. I now showed that this latter-
day work laid claim to all such miraculous, di-
vine power, and as such I had become a mem-
ber of the church in all sincerity to have proven
258 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
to me the claims of the church. I stated that
I had had some little experience with and in
the church in England ; had looked for proof
of the claims of the church there, but had to
confess they were not manifest, and I had come
to Zion to demonstrate here what I was unable
to prove in England. I was free ta admit there
might be weakness and ignorance on my own
part, and that in some things I might be mis-
taken, but many things had come under my ob-
servation in connection with the church, which
I wished to state as the cause of my lack of
faith in the church, and which were the cause of
my neglected church duty. I stated here, by
some means this latter-day work had never
been proven, in the absolute sense, to be what
it would call for ; that with regard to the mi-
raculous, divine power of God in its behalf , I
had never personally witnessed anything to
confirm me in that direction ; that I had min-
gled with the church for some four or five years,
in England, in our journeyings, and here in
Zion, and while I had witnessed many attempts
where divine power was necessary, and in many
instances where the priesthood had made at-
Observations on Polygamy. 259
tempts, but that nothing* had been manifest of
a divine or miraculous character. I showed
here I was not responsible for the claims of this
latter-day work, nor its failure to prove or dem-
onstrate its claims ; that all I could do was to
honestly investigate, and admit or deny the
facts which were plain before me. I then gave
some of the absolute failures which occurred
in England, as before recorded there. I also
gave a number of failures which had occurred
on our journey from England ; the cholera
cases, patriarchal predictions and their abso-
lute disproval by actual death of the parties,
the non-healing of the sick, etc. I last of all
called their attention to what had but recently
taken place in our city, and which was known
to all. A brother, Michel, who had lain sick
for some months, and had been anointed by the
leading priesthood of the place ; but divine heal-
ing- had proven a failure. This case had at-
tracted some attention in the city, but the poor,
afflicted brother died, and proved the gift of
healing in Zion a failure. But the case of the
city president's daughter-in-law was the cli-
max for them. It had occurred but a short
260 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
time before, and they were all yet fully under
the impression. I g*ave it to them in all its
simple facts ; how that Bro. Hovey, that prom-
inent priestly brother, had predicted and pro-
nounced on that sick and afflicted young- wife
the absolute reverse of what befell her that
she should be the mother of a daug'hter, and
that mother and daughter should live together,
and both become mothers in Zion in modern
Israel and the young-, sick wife died that
night, and never became a mother. In calling-
the attention of the audience to these facts, but
recently transpiring- before them, and which
were fresh in all their minds, made them feel
restless and nervous. Having- spoken about an
hour and a half, I was invited by the president
to close my remarks. I declared at this point,
having- been connected with the church some
lour or five years, and having- been a close ob-
server, that my experience and observations
among- them as a people had left me weak in
the faith, and that such failure on the part of
the church, viewed in the lig-ht of their claims,
left me in doubt, which was the cause of my
neglect of duty in the church and my religious
Observations on Polygamy. 261
negligence among* them as a people ; and, to be
candid with myself and the church, I could not
do or be otherwise. I had the very best of at-
tention.
My remarks were then considered, first by
the president of the Quorum, Bro. Adar. He
said he believed Bro. Kirby was sincere, and
that his statements in regard to his disappoint
ments in the church, the failures on the part of
the church, were the cause of his doubts and
inactivity in relation to the church, and that
Satan was, no doubt, using them as a tempta-
tion against me, but in the end, he had no doubt
but I should Come out all right, and be a useful
brother in the church. He then turned his re-
marks on the church and its unfaithfulness as
the cause of such lack of power divine power
in the church, and in return the evil influence
it was having on such young brethren as Bro.
Kirby. He then gave a warm exhortation to
the Quorum as such, to be more faithful, com-
plimenting me for my honest, simple statement
of facts, hoping that God, in his goodness and
in due time, would deliver me out of such a
seeming temptation.
262 Mor monism Exposed and Refuted.
The natural brother of the president next
spoke. His remarks ran in almost the same
channel as the president's, only he appeared to
give me more credit for honesty and sincerity,
and to be more in sympathy with me, a doubt-
ing", tempted brother. He closed with a proph-
ecy in my behalf, saying* the Lord would soon
deliver me out of such a temptation, and would
make known to me his true church, and that in
the future I should become a useful man of God
in his kingdom. He evidently saw the force of
my remarks, and that there was something-
wrong- in or about the church, and exhorted the
brethren to more faithfulness to duty.
The next to speak was Bro. Stewart, the
party whom I ever suspected of having- me
broug-ht to trial. He responded by saying- he
believed Bro. Kirby was an honest man, that
is, "he is an honest farmer, and would not take
a picayune from any man without a just rec-
ompense ; but as to his remarks and arg-uments,
they are just as honest as hell. The whole
of his remarks are a direct drive at the claims
of the church." At this the whole house rose
to their feet. But Bro. S. said not another
Observations on Polygamy. 263
word. The whole congregation was excited,
and looked stormy, some crowding- around me
to give in their testimony how they knew the
church was of God ; some of my Old Country
people, who had been in Salt Lake but a few
months, rushed up to tell of miraculous heal-
ing ; but they proved to be only new and fresh,
for in a short time after they were anxious to
get away. But in the midst of this confusion
I felt I was not in any danger. At this time
Bro. Fairbanks, first counselor to the bishop,
rose, requesting order, and making a proposi-
tion and a prediction, saying, "If Bro. Kirby
will re-observe the order of the church, re-enter
the church, he shall know for himself that the
church is of God, according to its claims," and
I at once responded that I was willing to try
it. At that, the meeting was dismissed in
quiet, good order. I called upon Bro. Fair-
banks in about a week after, but he appeared
to be indifferent about the matter, and so it
was dropped.
Bro. W. McLellen, brother-in-law to the
young wife* who had died, and first counselor
to the president of our Elder's Quorum, said
264 Mormon-ism Exposed and Refuted.
to the president, a few days after, that Bro.
Kirby must not be allowed to talk in public
anymore, for, said he, "Every young* man in
the city believes him."
After this everything 1 was quiet. No one in
any way approached me about the matter. No
doubt there were many surmisings as to what
would be the outcome of Bro. Fairbank's predic-
tion, but the matter to all appearances died
down. Bro. Stewart was silent, and looked
rather reserved and sullen. I could have pre-
dicted at the time that Bro. Fairbanks' predic-
tion would never come true, had it been safe
or prudent to do so ; but that part died away at
that time, and future developments showed the
results.
I feel astonished, looking* back on this part
of my Mormon experience and observation, how
so many of the Mormons themselves can possi-
bly sustain a system with so much pretension
and so little real fact ; with so many absolute fail-
ures, so manifest to themselves and to all
around them. Surely such a system of religion
is a sent delusion, with the power of Satan in
it, "to deceive, if possible, the very elect."
Observations on Polygamy. 265
Bro. Stewart, my would-be instructor and
accuser, was a polygamist had two wives.
He was one of my nearest neighbors. The
whole family was wonderfully reserved and ex-
clusive. He had special reasons for defending
Mormonism, as all polygamists must have, for
their condition, with a plurality of wives, un-
fits them for any society or community profess-
ing the Christian religion, at home or abroad.
The system, or adoption, of polygamy in Utah
makes those who adopt it a peculiar people, and
in a peculiar manner binds them to the church.
On this point, the heads of the church were
urging, at this time, what they were pleased to
call celestial marriage. Polygamy, as a prin-
ciple and practice, at that time, was being ex-
posed and condemned by all Christian people,
and the heads of the church, who were mostly
polygamists, were urging its adoption, know-
ing full well that every one who would adopt
such was thereby bound to the system by a two-
fold cord. On the principle that "misery loves
company," the polygamic part of the system
was being pressed on the people. It is said,
"company in distress makes trouble less." So
266 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
it was at this time. The heads of the church
were anxious for company in polygamy ; they
had many recruiting" officers at work increasing-
their polyg^amic ranks. Bro. Stewart, being-
one of those polygfamic brethren, it could but
be supposed he would tenaciously defend the
church. Polyg-amy once adopted unfits the
persons, or family, for the common associations
of life.
With regfard to polyg-amy as a practice among-
the Mormons, I look upon it as a miserable, de-
grading- injustice to women, and a corruption
to both men and women who adopt it. It is in
the strictest sense a domestic or family intruder.
While in Salt Lake I witnessed its working's.
Families who lived happily before a second
wife was introduced, were torn asunder on their
introduction and former marriag-e relations sev-
ered. I know whereof I speak. I noticed
many young- women, and especially where they
were comely and g-ood-lookingf, were taken by
the leading- ones of the church ; and those pretty
g-irls, who were entitled to a few years of happy,
youthful life among- such as themselves, were
thrust by parental influence and persuasion, or
Observations on Polygamy. 267
drawn by priestly position and influence, into
those old polygamic families, and they were
lost to all that was lively and happy of a social
character ever after. Do but think of a young
girl in her teens going* into a family as a fourth
or a sixth wife, as I have seen, where some of
the first or former wives already had several
grandchildren ! What could such young- wives
expect but to become servants to the older wives
to do kitchen work? How could such young-
wives enjoy the old grandmothers as their
equals in the domestic circle and as wives of the
same old grandfather, their husband ? No ; it
is out of line with the nature of things. Had not
such old, lustful grandfathers gotten into some
sort of a second or third childhood, or something
still worse, they would not allow their dotage
thoughts to run off in that direction, as to make
such proposals. And then the women poor,
misled women what can I say for them?
Surely, they must be "the weaker vessel," for
ever submitting to such. How susceptible is
fallen humanity, both male and female, to mis-
leading's and deceivings by their fellows !
I knew some of these lovely, happy girls, who
268 Mormojusm Exposed and Refuted.
left their enjoyable homes and entered these
stale old polygamic families, and ever after ap-
peared to be dead to social life and happy sur-
roundings. I look upon the Mormon polygamic
practice as an absolute masculine fraud, dic-
tated by carnal lust, perpetuated and kept up
for the same. I cannot think that the men of
the Mormon church are any more free from lust
than was the weak and over-tempted David,
when he ordered Uriah to be put in front of the
battle, so his life might be taken, that he, in
return, might take Uriah's beautiful wife,
Bathsheba, and for which wicked, lustful act
it was pronounced that " the sword of the Lord
shall never leave thy house," and for which
David suffered all his remaining days. Mor-
mon polygamy is no better than was Solomon,
with his seven hundred wives and his three
hundred concubines. The whole, ancient and
modern, is but low, brute passion. There was
an old man in Payson, but who was on a mis-
sion to England at the time I went there, who
had two wives struggling to make their living
while he was on his mission. At this time the
first wife had a married son by him, and had
Observations on Polygamy. 269
several grandchildren. The two wives had
several children by the same old grand-pap. His
first wife had a widowed sister, and this widow
had a daughter some eighteen }^ears of age,
making- their own living". The old man re-
turned from his mission in the fall of 1855, and
brought with him a widow from Sunderland,
England. This widow, too, had a daughter
some eighteen or twenty years of age. Short-
ly after his arrival at home he married his first
wife's widowed sister ; he shortly after this
married that wife's daughter, and a short
time after this he married the widow he had
brought from Sunderland, England, and short-
ly after this he married this widow's grown
daughter ; and now the old polygamic priest
has six wives, who said, as the Bible would
have it (Isa. iv : 1) : * * We will eat our own
bread and wear our own apparel, only let us be
called by thy name to take away our reproach."
This family lived all together in the same quar-
ters, and small at that. Think of a number
of sons and daughters growing- up, and being-
raised in a family like that ! Four aged women
as wives, two of whom having grown daugh-
270 Marmoriism Exposed and Refuted.
ters, who were wives of the same husband,
all sharing-, or should share, equal attention
and affection as wives of the same old modern
Solomon !
I can but think how those two young wives
would steal away the affection and -attention of
their mothers' husband, and leave their poor
old mothers to live off the crumbs which mig-ht
happen to fall from the old man's table. I can
see, in my imagination, when the old man was
smiling- on those two young- wives, how the
four old ones would be sig-hing-, and sing-ing-
"Home, sweet home, there is no place like
home." It would appear to the writer that
ang-els could not endure such an unnatural as-
sociation as that must have been, to say noth-
ing- of weak, fallen women. Just how the old
priestly, moder'n Solomon managed his part,
eternity only will declare. The old man, to
all outward appearances, acted after his mar-
riag-e combine as thoug-h the number of wives
was his wealth, for he acted in the city, and I
suppose in his family, as thoug-h he was the
rooster and had full charg-e of the dung-hill.
This is a specimen of polyg-amic Mormon-
Observations on Polygamy. 271
ism. But is there any of the spirit of Jesus
Christ about such? Is such in any way akin
to the Christian religion ? Think of six women
who could be induced to allow themselves to
become, at the same time, the wives of one
man, and then you see what Mormonism has
done for women. Some of the women have
taken places in some of these old polygamic
families as wives up into the teens, "Miss
Elixa," for instance, "Brigham's nineteenth."
I had an opportunity to look into and witness
the workings of some of these polygamic fam-
ilies in Utah, and I declare I never saw a real
cheerful family of that order ; yea, more. I
never saw a real cheerful ray in any one of
them when all together. To me they always
looked as though they were under some pecu-
liar restraint toward each other and toward all
those around them. They always acted as
though they had taken some peculiar vows, and
by such had become distinct from other people,
as nuns of a Catholic convent. And yet there
are families in Salt Lake monogamic, or the
one-wife families who are as sociable and
lively as in any other part of the world. But
272 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
I have seen families ruined and broken up, who
were once happy, by taking* into them a second
wife. There is nothing in the Bible that ap-
proves the polygamic system. It is not com-
manded. It is not enjoined as a law of God.
We are never admonished by the Bible to take
a plurality of wives. It is not of God. Na-
tions, ancient and modern, have and do prac-
tice it ; but it is no part of the Ohristian relig-
ion, and is not in harmony with the best and
highest interests of man and wife. It is a do-
mestic curse. It should be condemned by all,
and should be blotted out from every home and
family. As in the case of David, it should be
punished severely, and as in the case of Solo-
mon, it should be stamped out, even should it
divide a kingdom. Any one who will read the
history of Joseph Smith at Nauvoo, will see
that the bottom cause of his death was more
attributable to his polygamic tendencies- his
proposing to have sealed to him other men's
wives and daughters than to any other one
cause. I am far from believing that Jo-
seph Smith, when he instigated Jacobs to se-
lect from the Old Testament the passages of
Observations on Polygamy. 273
scripture which related to polygamy celestial
marriage was moved by pure-minded virtue.
No ; he had come at this time into prominent
notice and influence at Nauvoo, and the baser
part of his make-up was now being* developed.
His natural carnal tendencies, under these cir-
cumstances, were showing' out the real man,
and wishing* now to indulge his carnal passions,
he instituted what he was pleased to call celes-
tial marriage marriage which was to bind the
parties in the world to come, but which admitted
the indulgence of the baser passions in this
life. Smith's desire to be sealed to other men's
wives and daug-hters broug-ht him into trouble
with many of his own brethren, who took issue
with him, and became his worst enemies, and
no doubt had much to do in causing 1 his death.
I g'ather this from the testimony of Smith's
own friends. He suggested the polyg^amic doc-
trine, and evidently practiced it himself, ac-
cording* to the testimony of those who were able
to know. He was soon followed by others his
co-workers who were of like passions, and
though he saw evidently that the polyg'amic
system was leading* to the worst of conse-
18
2V4 Mormontsm Exposed and Refuted.
quences among" them as a people, yet he had in-
troduced it into the church, and like the lighted
match to the powder, it could not be controlled ;
and while some were easily led into it, many
were very much opposed to it. Yet it brought
its evil consequences to the church ; but to
Smith it brought death. "Sin was not to go
unpunished."
CHAPTER XIV.
LEAVING PAYSON VISIT TO FRIENDS THE
RESULT.
INCE my being- summoned before my El-
ders' Quorum, to answer for indifference
and neglect of church duty, everything 1 as far
as I could see was perfectly quiet. No one ap-
proached me on the subject nor inquired about
the results.
I had sold my title to the use of a piece of
land I had bought. There were no govern-
ment titles ; we simply had personal claims
from each other to use the land. I had sold
my house and lot, and had turned what I could
g-et tog-ether into a horse-team and wag-on, and
it was easily surmised I was fixing- to leave.
I kept my own counsel very close. I thoug-ht a
dead silence would be my best hold, and while
I said nothing- to any one about leaving- or stay-
ing-, no one said anything- to me. I had been
strictly g-uarded in tny deportment among- them
to gain and maintain their respect and g-ood
(275)
276 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
will. In all that related to the common affairs
of life, I felt sure I had their respect.
Our nearest neighbors were our warmest
friends, and we had formed some very desirable
acquaintances. For, religion excepted, the
people make good neighbors when treated right
in return. Many of the more humble and
poorer class realize the many disadvantages
they sustain in that country ; but many are cir-
cumstantially bound up in family relations and
many other respects.
There were no railroads in Utah at this time
and it was quite an undertaking to get an outfit
and then make twelve hundred miles of jour-
ney. But my wife and I had deliberated on all
this going back to the states, after we became
fully persuaded of the fallacy of the Mormon
system of religion, and determined to make the
attempt, if, in our undertaking, our bones
should bleach on the plains. I felt give me
my choice and freedom in religion, or give me
death and such is my mind to-day ; and I trust
and cherish the thought that it may be to the
end of my life. I feel I cannot, I will not be
any one's slave in matters of religion. I as-
Leaving" Pay son the Result. 277
sume my own responsibility to my own God.
"No mediator between myself and my God,
only the man Christ Jesus." I am fully per-
suaded that no one man can do more than his
duty, and that it will take the whole of his
duty done to save himself and can have none of
the supererogation to appropriate to his fellow.
"Every man shall give an account of himself
to God," and "shall be judged according to
the deeds done in the body, whether they be
good or evil."
As far as personal spiritual religion goes,
many, very many of the Mormons have no
knowledge of such. Mormonism has reached
and raised a class who know nothing of religion
save their Mormonism. They are Mormons if
anything ; if not Mormons nothing, for they
know and care to know nothing else. But I
knew it would not do to contend or endeavor to
refute them. I should have thought it as safe
and profitable to have engaged in a mission at
the headquarters of his Satanic majesty as to
commence against the Mormons at that time in
Utah ; and I do not know but Utah Mormonism
at that time might have been the headquarters
278 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
of Diabolus. To have opposed them at that
time would have been equal to John Brown at
Harper's Ferry.
But at this time I was not the only one who
was dissatisfied with the Mormons and their
relig-ion. There were four others whose minds
were made up to leave. A man and his wife
named Sheffield and two single men. Mrs.
Sheffield had been married twice. Her first
husband had been a -prominent Mormon, and
with him she had taken the Temple degrees of
Mormonism. But she had married Mr. Shef-
field, a man who was weak in the Mormon faith
and she, too, had become a weak sister in the
faith, and with her husband was preparing 1 to
leave the Mormons and their Zion. I had never
taken Temple degrees and was somewhat anx-
ious to know the process. I had often asked
her to tell some of its working's, but she never
would. She was leaving* the Mormon church
for final, believing- the system as such to be a
delusion, but she would not divulge the Temple
secrets. At times I thought she would do so,
but agfain she would falter, would shake her
head and decline. She would intimate there
Leaving" Pay son the Result. 2,79
was something* very serious about it, that was
not best for her to divulge ; that the obligations
were of a serious, secret character. She was
withal a grand little woman and a desirable
anti-Mormon sister for my wife. While in
Payson we occasionally enjoyed ourselves in
private and almost secret visits there being
six of us all told. Of the two single men one
was a Scotchman and the other English.
Becoming fully persuaded in my early Mor-
mon experience and observations that the sys-
tem was a human religious fraud, I did not
wish to take their higher degrees ; for, like the
Masonic order, Mormonism is a system of se-
cret degrees. I have always 'had a profound
abhorrence for red tape ceremony when it is
just for the sake of doing something to be
doing.
What I have learned of Temple ceremonies
among the Mormons is from Miss Eliza, Brig-
ham's nineteenth wife, and John D. Lee. For
in Mormonism, like all secret orders, secrets are
only to be learned inside the order and not outside.
But I am sure when any man, or set of men,
claim that God has made known and entrusted
280 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
to them secrets and ordinances to dispense to
others as means necessary to their salvation,
that all such men and claims are pure human
frauds sought to be palmed off on their fellows ;
and when the Mormons claim that all their
religious degrees, or any of them, more than
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance
towards God and man are essential to or abso-
lutely necessary for salvation as the will of
God, they should be made to furnish the proof
or be absolutely rejected. Mormonism in point
of human ceremony and human secret degrees
is second to no other relig-ious system. It has
in it enoug-h human formula and ceremonies to
save a thousand fallen worlds like this of ours,
if human formality could save men from their
sins and reconcile them to God.
I had by this time, April, 1856, everything-
ready to move. I had made no preparation for
spring- or summer work at Payson. I told my
friends I should leave Payson as a locality, and
I should look around and see if I could not find
some place or thing- which mig-ht suit me better.
The other four apostates (for that was what
they were pleased to name us) had made up
Leaving" Pay son the Result. 281
their minds to go to California ; but I was fully
made up to return East, to Kansas City or near
that point on the Missouri River. I had seen
and admired the rich, fertile soil and the beau-
tiful country, and was sure I could do well in
that part of Missouri. None but those g'oing-
to leave offered to talk with me about my leav-
ing*. In fact, every one was afraid of his fellow
above him in office. Those who were truly
our friends at heart did not dare to manifest it
to others. Mormon priestly authority at that
time had everything under its heel.
Finally, one beautiful morning* in April, I
fixed the cover on my wag-on and got ready to
start. I had everything- ready ; a number of
the neig-hbors made it in their way to pass by
as we were about ready to start, and as they
passed bid us gfood-bye. Evidently they were
afraid to stop and be seen friendly towards us
when leaving-. I speak this as it relates to the
men ; the women were more g-allant and daring*.
They came around my wife and demonstrated
their friendship and sympathy, showing- their
regret at our departure.
But we moved out of the city feeling- we were
282 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
as " speckled birds " in their midst and fear-
fully conjecturing' what might follow. I may
say here that it took all the nerve I could con-
trol at this time to equal the occasion, for I
knew not the secret workings of the Saints.
I knew that they were capable of doing any-
thing* that would injure myself and family
should they in their secret councils have de-
creed such ; but in this we were fully made up
religious liberty or death. My faith and
trust was in the living God, and when I could
keep my mind steady on that thought, I was
easy and happy ; but occasionally my condition
and surroundings would come in my mind and I
would be fearful.
I was the first to leave of the six apostates
intending to do so ; the others remaining could
watch the results. This part of our Mormon
experience was trying. We were making open
daylight ventures and we knew not, could not
know, what was decreed in the mind of an over-
ruling providence, or in the minds of the higher
priesthood in Payson. To ourselves it was a
leap in the dark ; we knew not where we should
land, -but we were determined to make the ven-
Leaving- Pay son the Result. 283
ture. I knew it was a strange, daring- move on
our own part, and that there would be strange
conjectures about us on the part of those
friendly toward us. ! could not know what
the Bishop and his counselors and others about
him had decreed in my case. I knew according
to Mormon organic nature it had been passed
upon by those in authority.
Bishop Hancock had soug'ht to turn an ac-
count in my tavor on dues for tithing. I had
objected, stating that I needed the amount for
other necessary purposes and which he frankly
paid over to me. I had taken this as a favor-
able omen. But while I was now endeavoring
to trust in providence for my ultimate deliver-
ance, I was endeavoring to play my own part.
There are peculiar emotions and mental excite-
ments about critical movements in human life.
God and angels are moved on the part of right ;
devils and their angels are moved in the wrong.
There are parts of human life when each or
both are moved in behalf of every person. I
have felt this more or less in all critical circum-
stances I have passed through. I felt it very
forcibly at this time when moving out of the
284 Mormofttsm Exposed and Refuted.
city of Payson in defiance of the Mormon spirit.
I felt as thotigh the invisible spirits were
moved for and against me; but it was now con-
quer or die. I knew not, *could not know which.
I knew I had my own part to act in the drama
of human life, and I purposed to do it.
We drove out of the city and directed our
course northward, in the direction of Salt Lake
City. After passing* the city limits, I felt for
first time I was now a lone traveler free of
Mormonism, and while I was liable to any and
all the dangers by which they might beset me,
I would trust in God for protection, and thanked
God that I was no longer of them.
In passing out of the city I felt like a lone
bird passing the door of its cage. I was free
from Mormonism, though yet among the Mor-
mons. Yet I knew not what was before me.
We had- yet some fears within. But we were
now congratulating ourselves that we belonged
to ourselves and our God, and the Mormons
had no longer any claims upon us. We con-
sidered ourselves out of the church now and
no longer of them, and from that day to this
have never regretted the fact ; and while we
Leaving- Pay son the Result. 285
may since then have been called Mormons oc-
casionally by people as wicked as Mormons
themselves, we rejoice that we have never been
of them in any sense since that time. But
with my wife and our two little baby boys in
the wag-on, the cow tied behind to give milk,
we hastened away. .
We were now expecting* to visit friends whom
we had assisted financially from England to
Salt Lake, supposing- we might collect the
whole or part of what was due us. We were
now entering- on what might be called a new
phase of life. We had proven to our soul's
satisfaction that Mormonism was a false re-
ligion and we were outside of an}^ and all or-
ganized religious sects ; and now as at first in
my religious life there was nothing but God
and myself for it. But we now had to keep
our own counsels. We did not dare to tell our
purposes and objects to strang-ers, only that we
were looking- for a desirable location in which
to settle down. We visited a few families
whose acquaintance we had made on our way
from England to Salt Lake, but did not dare
to say directly we had abandoned the church.
286 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
We hastened on to Salt Lake City. Near the
city one of the wheels of our wagon broke
down and it was with difficulty we could raise
means for repairs. We passed through the
city, only waiting to learn our opportunity for
company with out-going trains to the East which
we might join to start across the plains back to
the states.
Having learned that a missionary train was
to start in about a week, of which Judge Ken-
ney and his family, with some others, were to
form a part, we made our arrangements to
start with them. But we had to go to the city
of Ogden to see friends and collect funds due
us, as above stated.
We had paid part of the passage money of
the family of Brother and Sister Ledgway from
England to Salt Lake. We had not seen them
since our first arrival in Salt Lake City and we
had a two-fold object in visiting them. Here
we found Bro. L. still in the faith. He had
never thought or taken part in religion, only
as a Mormon. Hence, the Mormons had the
first and only hold on him as reg'ards religious
thought or experience. But Sister L., like my
Leaving" Pay son the Result. 287
wife, had no earthly use for the Mormons or
anything- that related to the church. She was
as much or more anxious to leave than we our-
selves were ; and at once we suggested to them,
as we had been the means of inducing 1 and assist-
ing- them in g*oing* there, we would, if they
wished, assist them to return with us to the
states. At this proposal Sister L. was fully
satisfied to return. But Bro. L. could not for
some reason yield his consent. We remained
with them a few days, having 1 g-ot our funds in
desirable shape, and in the meantime the two
women were working' their utmost on Bro. L.
to secure his consent to return with us. But it
was of no use, and while he would falter some
at times, he finally decided to remain.
Then came the worst of the trouble. His
f
wife plead in tears, then in threats, saying" that
if we left without her, and she had to stay, she
would drown herself in the Og"den River.
Bro. Iv. in England had been raised to and fol-
lowed hand- weaving-. His wife was accus-
tomed in England and Salt Lake, too, to make
most of their living* by washing-. They had no
children. She asked him to g'ive his consent
288 Mormpnism Exposed and Refuted.
that she might return with us, and he might
follow at his pleasure. She declared she would
rather leave Salt Lake, return to England or
elsewhere and make her own living than remain.
I had intentionally taken no part in the matter
t pro or con. I knew well it would not be safe
for me to do otherwise. But my wife's sym-
pathy and anxiety for the woman's deliverance
from Mormon bondage, led her to play an
active part in the matter. I was becoming
afraid of evil results in such a struggle. I was
there alone, an apostate, or a denouncer of the
church ; though in this I had been intentionally
very reserved, for fear Bro. L. should turn
against me and turn the Mormon Danites, or
destroying angels, loose upon me. I knew full
well, under the circumstances, he could do it at
the nod of his head 'if he felt the least disposed.
I knew, too, that all the circumstances were of
the most favorable character then and there.
I began to be alarmed, but did the best in my
power to convince him I had nothing to do in
the matter, more than I had. said to him. If
they both wished to leave Salt Lake and return
with us to the states, I would be willing to
Leaving" Pay son the Result. 289
share what I had with them to that end. I
felt sure all this time I had his confidence.
But my wife, woman-like, was more demonstra-
tive and against his own inclinations urged him
to consent, and of course made Sister Iv. more
anxious to go.
Bro. L. by this time realized our visit with
them had raised a very unhappy feeling* in his
family between himself and wife, and in the
meantime had reported it to his priestly quorum
and others of higher authority in the church.
This I was not aware of at the time, yet he had
attributed the trouble to the influence of my
wife and not to myself. Sister L. was frantic
to leave and plead and cried in tears* for consent
that she might go and he do as he pleased, de-
claring if she had to stay she would put an end
to her life in the river. But he could not be
moved.
At this point of the struggle the two women
planned for her leaving with us. All I knew
of the plan at the time was my wife asking me,
"Should Sister L. come to the train after it
had started into the mountains, would I allow
her to go along with us?" I answered (not
19
290 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
expecting" 'any such thing" would occur) it
would be very hard for me to refuse, and that
the road and way would be as free for her as
any one else. My answer led to a plan con-
structed by and between the two women for
Sister Iv.'s escape, for she was determined to
leave or die in the attempt.
Sister Iv. being* accustomed to work out in
families who needed help, wash and do house-
work, their plan was as follows : We were to
return to Salt L/ake City, find out just when
the train was to start out to cross the plains ;
write to her in her maidemiame to Ogxlen, stat-
ing* the day and time of day it would start, and
she would then make her own way to happen
with us as the train was moving*. She would
propose to her husband that she was gfoing* to
work in some family a few days as she was ac-
customed to do ; and in the meantime she would
walk some fifty or more miles from Ogxien up
into Emigration Canyon and join us as the
train was on its way into the mountains.
I knew nothing- of the arrangement until we
had left Ogden, and when my wife told me the
particulars of it, I could but hope that some-
Leaving- Pay son the Result. 291
thing* would come in the way so it would not
have to be carried out. On the strength of
this arrangement Sister Iv. became perfectly
cheerful and happy, said to her husband that
she had made up her mind to settle down for
the present and they would await reports from
us after we had arrived in the states, and then
they could g*o to us as the opening* mig*ht prove.
This pacific state of mind on the part of Sister
Iv. pacified Bro. Iv., and he in return quieted
the Mormon priesthood, which worked to and
for our own g*ood ; otherwise, as I learned later,
we should have met serious trouble.
I learned here and at other times in my Mor-
mon experience that women are more daring*
and determined in their purposes and under-
iking*s than are men. Yet, while this may be
women are less careful and discreet in their
mclusions and undertaking's. Had I acted as
[id my kind-hearted wife at Og*den in sympa-
;hy with Sister Iv., or planned as did she in her
irdor of soul for the escape of Sister L., and
;he circumstances had been favorable to their
consummation, I doubt not but as a natural
msequence, Bro. Iv. would have followed us
292 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
with a band of ordained man-killers, and I
should have died a victim to an unwise ar-
rangement. But all this was avoided by cir-
cumstances over which we had no control.
We remained two days at Ogden with our
friends. After this arrangement between those
two sisters was consummated and all was
cheerful and happy, Sister Iv. appeared to be
as happy as though she had secured her hus-
band's consent to all her passionate, womanly
heart could ask.
But our time was limited and we must leave
and part, and while I was hitching up my team
to leave, a remark from a stranger passing by
to Bro. L. spoke volumes to myself. He said
to Bro. L. in a savage, threatening tone of
voice :
"Is that apostate going to leave?"
"Yes," Bro. L. answered, "He is all right;
everything is right."
"Well," said he, "He had better leave, or
we will help him."
4 ' He is all right ; that is all right, ' ' remarked
Bro. L.
By these remarks I knew there was a storm
Leaving Pay son the Result. 293
gathering* in the Mormon atmosphere, and
that Bro. Iy. was- now doing his utmost to save
me from its bursting* on my head. I knew as a
natural result of organic Mormonism the con-
dition of thing's at Bro. L.'s, caused by an
apostate, or disbeliever, had entered into the
secret counsels of the priesthood, and it could
or would be but a small matter for them to dis-
pose of it. I had heard the highest priesthood
in the church admonish the brethren to cut the
apostates off from the church under the chin,
or a little below the whiskers, at the same time
drawing- his finger across his throat. I had
learned by this time to know what they were
capable of doing- and doing- it with good Mor-
mon grace.
But we left our friends. We parted on the
edg-e of the river, and for thirty-seven years
have never heard from them. I heard of Bro.
L. some twenty years after we left by a mis-
sionary from Og-den whom I met in England
when I was on a visit to friends in ni}^ native
country. Bro. L. had left Salt Lake ; had left
the Brighamites and joined the Morrisites and
gone to the g'old regions in the mountains.
294 Aformonism Hxposed and Refuted.
But he knew nothing" of Sister Iv. What ever
might have become of her we never knew.
She declared to my wife if she did not get
away she would drown herself in the Ogden
River.
We crossed the river leaving them on the
opposite side, and for fear of the Danites we
traveled until very late, turned off from the
road quite a distance, retired without a light,
supposing if pursuers were on our track, they
would have trouble to find us. Next morning
was beautiful and bright and we found our-
selves unharmed, for which we were truly
thankful ; and while we had foes without and
fears within, somehow we felt a divine provi-
dence by a guarding, guiding angel, or some
unseen protection was on our side.
We hastened back to Salt Lake City, pass-
ing through and camping between the city and
Emigration Canyon so as to be sure to join the
train which was to start two days later, which
left us but little time to prepare to start with
it, much less write to Sister L. and for her to
make the trip on foot to join us as proposed.
All that we could do in relation to this poor,
Leaving- Pay son the Result. 295
heart-broken sister was to write to her in her
maiden name as agreed, stating 1 the facts of
the train leaving 1 earlier than we had expected,
and by the time she would receive our letter we
should be on our journey, and it would be im-
possible for her to join us. I know in reason
when that hopeful woman received the letter,
and saw her most cherished hopes blasted,
she must have sunk in despondency and despair.
But such as this is but a small part of life
among- the Mormons. Whether this anxious
disappointed sister survived her disappointment
or ended it in the river as she declared, we
were never able to learn. We could but hope
that a kind providence would order her future
desirable, and that her life mig-ht be a blessing-
to herself and those around her.
We are now about to retrace our steps, some
twelve hundred miles back to the Missouri
River, opposite St. Joseph, Mo. We had spent
two winters and one summer in the Zion of the
Latter-day Saints, and we were feeling- much
more happy in leaving- than we felt in g^oing-.
We felt disappointed in the country on account
of its natural disadvantages ; disappointed in
296 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
the condition of the masses of the people, who
were absolutely too poor to enjoy life. They
could not procure half the comforts that indus-
try offers to any and all civilized people.
They lived hard, but the masses of the Mor-
mons at that time, compared with the civilized
world passed a life of seclusion, of hermitage
and social death.
At this time we felt invigorated and inspired
at our prospective exit from among them. We
felt now we have something before us that was
hopeful ; something to travel back to, for we
had passed through, had seen the good land that
flowed with milk and honey, with corn and wine ;
and Joshua and Caleb like, we felt sure the Lord
would give us a portion of it for an inheritance to
ourselves and offspring. For I felt it would be a
curse, almost an unpardonable sin to bring and
raise a family of children in and among the
Mormons in Utah as it was at that time. We
had learned much while among the would-be
Saints. Our struggles, our doubts and fears,
our hard living were not all a dead loss. We
had learned what we only could learn by being
there ; and as we have often said and felt, we
Leaving" Payson the Result. 297
would not take the gold of California for our
experience. We had seen the elephant in his
definite proportions. We were able to turn
away fully satisfied, so we should and never
have regretted our going* or leaving* them as a
relig'ious people. We proved them to our
hearts' content. But eternity will only prove
the fallacy of that enormous fraud and religi-
ous deception. As an eye-witness, "I speak
that which I know and testify that which I
have seen."
We are are now camped at the mouth of
Emigration Canyon where I first saw the city
some eighteen months before. We were then
entering the school to receive our Salt Lake
Mormon experience. We have passed through
and are now abotit to let the curtain drop as
the last act of our Utah drama is finished.
We -had seen the country, the people and their
condition. We had seen the heads of the
church ; had compared the condition of the
leaders and the led. We had pronounced the
leaders of the system a class of religious usur-
pers and deceivers for power and profit. They
had full control of the people and their prop-
298 Mormonism Exposed and Refutea.
erty and were using such power for their own
indulgence.
The heads were well-to-do in this world's
goods; the, masses were poor indeed. Practi-
cally, their religion was neither humane nor
Christian. We had been anxious to prove them ;
we had done so. We had been anxious to go ;
we were now satisfied and equally anxious to
leave. We had entered the valleys with mis-
givings and doubts, but our misgivings and
doubts were no more ; they were settled
finally and fully settled. And while we had
a long and trying journey before us, with a
supply of provisions which did not last us half
the journey, and otherwise a poor outfit ; yet
we felt cheerful and happy at the prospect of
our deliverance. We had carefully avoided
answering many questions put to us by strang-
ers as to our object for traveling, saying we
were going to Fort Bridger. The Mormons
at that time were making a new settlement at
that place, and this furnished us a happy
excuse just at that time.
CHAPTER XV.
LEAVING SALT LAKE CITY FOR GREEN RIVER.
BUT the missionary train is leaving 1 the city,
and as they approach we fall in behind.
No one asked us any questions. We had not
seen or talked with any one about traveling*
with the company. We were determined to g-o,
and could almost take any kind of chances.
There were in the train some fifteen or twenty
wag-ons, and some ten or fifteen men on horse-
back. In the train was Judg-e Kenney (U. S.
Judg-e), returning* with his family to the states.
He had his larg-e family carriage and other
teams. There was also a Mr. Bainbow-and his
family, who were leaving- the Mormons for
g*ood, but were keeping- up Mormon appearances
for safe traveling-. There were many promi-
nent members of the church in the train, apos-
tles Pratt and Benson, and other leading- spir-
its, among- them Port Rockwell, one of the lead-
ing- Danites. But the train is passing-. Ken-
ney and Bainbow are the last teams in the train.
(299)
300 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
As they pass we fall in behind. We take our
last look at the city and the valley, and joyful-
ly say good-bye. We are now moving- in fact.
We are cheerfully leaving- the latter-day Zion,
the "Hive of Deseret." Yet we feel anxious
about how we may fare among- our new travel-
ing- missionary associates. We cross the little
mountain. We went up all rig-ht, but it was
very hard pulling- for the team, thoug-h our
wag-on and load were very lig-ht. We are
camped now between the little and big- mount-
ains. The Mormon missionaries are a little off
to themselves ; Kenney, Bainbow, and myself
form a camp to ourselves. Supper is over, and
we, as apostates and Gentiles, are talking- over
our situation. We wonder why Port Rockwell
is along- with the train. We are fearful as to
his mission. We are anxious, and planning- to
find out what Rockwell's object or mission may
be. Kenney is fearful. He knows what the
Mormons are capable of doing- ; but he has de-
vised a plan to find out. He proposes in the
morning- to have a talk with Rockwell, and pro-
poses to try to eng-ag^e him to assist him with
his teams to the Missouri River, so he may
Leaving" Salt Lake City. 301
know whether Rockwell is going* through to
the states, or his mission is somewhere on the
road. The grass is good ; the teams do well
in the night ; we are up early and on our jour-
ney. An incident occurred this morning that
gave me an opportunity to test Rockwell's dis-
position toward me. I had three horses, and
only worked two in my wagon. My extra horse
got loose as we were starting from camp, and
ran forward in the train. Rockwell was on
horseback, and he lariated my horse and
brought it back to me, handing it over to me so
gentlemanly and kindly, I felt sure I was not
spotted by him for destruction. I had watched
his demeanor toward me very closely, and now
I felt by his looks and kind act that he felt all
right toward me. Judge Kenney had found out
that he was going to the Missouri River, hence
we are all at rest on that point.
We have now to climb the big mountain, and
surely it is a large mountain to climb with
teams. We had come down these mountains as
we went to Salt Lake, and I had not noticed
them as I do now, having to travel them the
opposite way ; but with a hard struggle, fam-
302 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
ily walking', we made its top, which was a solid
mass of snow, how d?ep at that time I knew
not, only we traveled quite a distance on the
snow, which bore up the wag-ons and teams.
We are camping- on Bear River. The men
on horseback had always, up to this time, wait-
ed to see and assist, if necessary, every one
over difficult places, streams, etc. I am ap-
pointed as one of two guards over the horses
for the night. My companion guard, while we
sit tog-ether in a cedar grove (the stock down
in the valley below), is undertaking- to catechise
me for leaving- the Saints in their g-athered
Zion. I have not raised any objection to the
Mormons as a people, or their relig-ion. The
only apology I offered was, I wanted to g-o back
to the States, where I felt sure I could make a
raise of property or money, and then I would
turn my attention more to relig-ion. I told him
I thoug-ht relig-ion was costing- people too much
when the masses of the people in Salt Lake
were living- as they were on account of it, as he
himself knew. He acknowledged it was hard
for the masses of the people to live as they were
for religion's sake, but he contended that their
Leaving- Salt Lake City. 303
advantage and prospects were future. He was
a young" man of very limited information and
experience in common life, and equally so in
Mormonism ; but he was gfoing* out as a mis-
sionary to ICng"land. He was being" sent out,
the Lord only knows what for. I should just as
soon think to gfet him out of the way of some one
of his superiors, so he could better carry out some
of his purposes in his absence ; for it is com-
mon, as it was in the days of Joseph Smith, to
send certain persons on a mission that they
mig-ht better carry out their purposes in their
absence ; especially if the heads wished to seek
advantage in connection with their domestic af-
fairs. A case of this kind was related to me
by the person who suffered and underwent the
results. The husband and father of a certain
family lived south in Utah. He loved and al-
most idolized his wife. He said she was natu-
rally brig-lit, g-ood-looking-, and an active, busi-
ness, money-making- woman. He had a number
of children, and said they were well-to-do, and
were truly a happy family. But a certain hig-h
official priest coveted the woman and the prop-
erty, and to better accomplish his purpose, had
304 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
the husband sent on a mission, and while he
was from home, this head man used his influ-
ence and Mormon polygamic doctrine to es-
trange the woman's affection from her husband.
He told the woman that she was too brig'ht and
intelligent for such a man as her husband ; that
such a man never could exalt her in this world
nor in the world to come to the extent that she
was capable of ; that she was not properly and
equally mated with such a man. Yes, this old
polygamic priest, with his natural covetous,
lustful, carnal make-up ; with his influence as a
high official, and the carnal, polygamic doctrine
of sealing, or celestial marriage, succeeded in
gaining the affection of that woman, and final-
ly married her. The case was tried on the hus-
band's return by the church, and the church
authorities decided in favor of the old, lustful
priest ; and with the woman, he got almost all
the property. The poor, ruined man told this
story himself, and while telling it, was bathed
in tears of sorrow. He had married again, but
his first wife evidently yet had his affections,
though she was living and married to another
man. How many cases of ruined families have
Leaving- Salt Lake City. 305
I seen and heard of, which in themselves were
truly heart sickening-, where man or wife, or
both, have had all that was bright, cheerful,
and happy destroyed, and have had to go
through the remainder of their lives in gloom
and despondency and all this sacrificed to the
ambition and carnal tendencies of a set of re-
ligious deceivers?
And this young 1 man with whom I was on
g'uard, while we sat there in the cedar grove, I
wondered if he was not a victim of such as the
above ; whether some of the heads of the church
had had him sent off on a mission to g-et him out
of the way, so they could separate him from
some young- lover, or separate him from a love-
ly young- wife,*to give some old bishop, patri-
arch, or some one hig-h in authority, a better
opportunity to carry out his covetous, lustful
desig-n. But this poor, simple brother was ev-
idently sincere, and commenced to admonish and
exhort me from his Mormon standpoint. Said
he, "We are admonished by the church not to
scatter, but to g-ather to the mountains, to es-
cape the wrath of God, which is soon to come
upon the nations of the earth," while the L/ord
20
306 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
would preserve the Latter-day Saints in their
mountain home in Salt Lake valleys. He un-
dertook to quote a passage of scripture to me,
one he had learned from his teachers, as they
had given it to him, or as he remembered, the
best he could, for he evidently knew little or
nothing of the Bible. The passage he aimed
at, but which he misquoted, is found in Isa.
xxvi: 20, "Come, my people, enter thou into
thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee :
hide thyself as it were for a little moment, un-
til the indignation be overpast ; for behold the
Lord cometh out of his place to punish the in-
habitants of the earth for their iniquity." He
quoted at this scripture to prove that the pres-
ent condition of the Mormon church in the
mountains was the fulfillment of this scripture,
and that the Mormons were separated from the
balance of the world to be preserved ; and that
soon the Gentile world would be destroyed en
masse from off the face of the earth. Having
made this point clear, as he supposed, he ad-
monished me to gather and not to scatter. But
to test the use he was making of this scripture,
I asked him if he knew what part of the Bible
Leaving- Salt Lake City. 307
that scripture was in, and he answered that he
did not. I asked him if he knew whether it
was in the Old or New Testament. He frank-
ly admitted he did not. I said to him, " Surely
you are not very well acquainted with the scrip-
ture you are using-," and he admitted he was but
little acquainted with the Bible. I then asked
him if he was sure he was making- the proper
use of that scripture in applying- it to the pres-
ent time of the world and the Latter-day Saints
in the mountains for preservation, and the im-
mediate destruction of all the nations of the
earth at this time. Here he was slow to an-
swer. He was evidently as ig-norant as he was
sincere. Having- confessed he did not know
what book of the Bible the passage was in, he
also acknowledg-ed he did not know at what
time in the history of the world it was writ-
ten. I then stated to him it was in the book of
Isaiah, and was written some six or seven hun-
dred years before the time of Jesus Christ,
which would make it written some twenty-five
hundred years ag*o. I then asked him if it
mig-ht not have been fulfilled since the time it
was first written and the present time. About
308 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
this time the poor, innocent, ignorant brother
was ready to have me quit asking* questions,
and appeared to be anxious to leave the talking*
to myself. I called his attention to an ex-
pression of Jesus Christ to his disciples, ''And
when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with
armies, then know that the desolation thereof
is nig-h. Then let them which are in Judea flee
to the mountains ; and let them who are in the
midst of it depart out ; and let not them that are
in the countries enter thereinto. For these be
the days of vengeance, that all thing's which
are written may be fulfilled." Luke xxi: 20-
22. My fellow-herdsman was evidently unac-
quainted with any of these scriptures. I then
suggested to him that in the history of the
sieg*e of Jerusalem, it is said that during* the
sieg*e there was a chang-e in relation to the em-
peror at Rome, and the army for a short time
was withdrawn, and the disciples of Jesus, re-
membering- the admonition of Jesus in the pas-
sag-e quoted, the g*ates of the city being* thrown
open for a short time, all left the city and fled
to the mountains of Judea to a city called Pella,
and there was not one of them perished in the
Leaving" Salt Lake City. 309
siege ; and saying 1 to him I felt sure that the
passag-e he had attempted to apply to the Mor-
mon Saints in Utah at the present time, had its
fulfillment in the land of Judea, some thirty
years after the death of Jesus Christ, which
was near two thousand years agr>. At this my
associate gfuard was silent, and the admonitions
and exhortations had turned the other way ; and
thoug-h I knew I was exposing* myself for he
was bound to report me to the head priesthood
in the camp the temptation was such to de-
fend myself ag-ainst these deluders and deluded
people, I was not able to withstand it. And
surely I had brought myself into special no-
tice, for I at once found their conduct chang-ed
toward me, as was very plainly manifested as
we started to travel next morning*. As I stated
above, the men on horseback were always in at-
tendance on the teams in all difficult places ;
but having- to cross Bear River on the start this
morning-, the horsemen waited until all the
wagxms had crossed but mine, and then rode off
and left me to sink or swim. I knew by this I
was out of favor, and that I need not expect
any favors from them. But when we camped
310 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.^
at noon it was still more manifest. Some of
the horsemen had killed an antelope, and had
it ready dressed at the camp at noon, and while
Judge Kenney and my friend Bainbow were in-
vited to share for dinner of the antelope, they
offered none to me ; and worse than that, Mr.
Bainbow told me he heard them say they would
"not give any to that d d apostate, for it might
choke him. " Hearing this, I knew I must leave
the train. The young man on guard with me
the night before, no doubt had related to the
heads our exchange of thoughts in the cedar
grove, and now they had me tried and con-
demned, and I knew not but the time and place
were fixed for my execution. One thing I do
know : I was censured for the part I had played
in the friendly talk I had with the young, simple-
hearted missionary, and here were a number of
the representative men of the church. And
just think of these would-be leading men of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
the special institution of the God of heaven,
divinely instituted by Jesus Christ and holy
angels, by Joseph Smith, who they claimed to
be the greatest prophet of God that ever ex-
Leaving" Salt Lake City. 311
isted on the earth and yet, think that these
apostles and high counselors could afford to
count a poor, simple-minded man like myself
an enemy, and refuse to extend to me the com-
mon claims of humanity, simply because an ig-
norant member of their church was not able
to defend their plea for gathering- to Salt Lake
as the place of God's appointment ! But this
is just the size and spirit of the institution,
from the very head of the church down to the
little toe. Can I possibly accord to them com-
mon humanity, to say nothing of Christianity?
Does not any and every unselfish mind know
that such a spirit is not the spirit of Christ,
but is from beneath ? I would fain find or see
something in their system that I could apply to
some general principle of unselfish good ; but
hitherto I have failed. There are individual
natural traits of good among them, in common
with humanity, but their system, as such, "is
earthly, sensual, and devilish." Think of a
large train of would-be Christian missionaries
getting all out of sorts because a fellow trav-
eler did not see just as they did. What better
proof could they have given me that they did
312 Mormonism Exposed and Refutea.
not possess the spirit of Christ, without which
they are none of his ?
But this day's drive was a long* one. One of
my horses (a young 1 one) was about to give out,
and I was obliged to drop behind. The roads
were gx>od, and I had but a lig-ht load ; yet the
distance was too much for him. But we reached
camp, feeling- more fully we were among' them
but not of them. It had been a beautiful day,
everything" favorable ; it was truly an enjoyable
ride, for every hour broug-ht fresh scenery. But
we were journeying- in the desired direction,
and had strong- hope of better thing's in the near
future. We felt in our hearts the Lord had
spoken g-ood concerning- us. My wife had
learned to play her part in camp life ; she could
g-ather up the buffalo chips, make fire of and
cook with them, so as to have meals in time to
move early in the morning's. Thus I could pay
every needed attention to my team and wag-on.
Next morning- I undertook to hitch up my ex-
tra horse, to favor the one which had so near-
ly g-iven out the day before. I had not had
it hitched up before. I had g-ot it at Og-den, in
trade for my cow and the account I had gxme to
Leaving- Salt Lake City. 313
collect ; but I 'found out here it would not work
in the wagon. Our first move was down hill ;
but it balked and would not move. In trying*
to make it go, it lay down, plunged, and struck
its head against the end of the wagon tongue,
and in a few moments breathed its last. My
young horse was rested up, like young things
do, and in five minutes I was traveling, leaving
the dead one in the middle of the road for a
wolf feast. I lingered a short distance behind
the train, knowing that day about noon we
should reach Green River, where was a trading
post, and I proposed the missionary train might
go on, and I would wait for other and safer
chances for traveling company. But coming to
the river I found things much better than I had
expected. As I approached the river I saw a
camp of travelers on the opposite side above
the crossing. The missionary train had turned
below the crossing to camp. ' Driving across
the river, instead of turning down to the mis-
sionary camp, I turned up to the other. They
were all strangers to me, but I felt it was no
longer safe for me to travel with the mission-
ary train ; they were Mormons, not Christians.
314 Morrnonism Exposed and Refuted.
Had they been the latter, I should not have
been in danger, but should have had their sym-
pathy and assistance, had I needed such.
But here in the new camp I was likely to
again meet trouble. The camp would appear
to have been arranged to travel, and the would-
be captain, D., met me as I drove up, and with-
out asking any questions, abruptly told me I
could not drive in and camp with or by them.
He claimed to be the captain, whether by self-
appointment or not I never learned. At this
piece of conduct I felt a little of the carnal in-
dignation generating in me. I asked the cap-
tain if this country was not as free for me to
travel and camp in as it was for himself or any
one else. I said to him, "You do not own this
country, and are not engaged by the govern-
ment to manage it ; my rights are equal to
yours," and I was going to camp right by them
and take chances. So I drove to where I
wished, and camped. I was feeling at this
time a little more of the Uncle Sam the civil
government than of the love of Christ Jesus
toward this great lump of a train captain, and
I think he saw and felt it. He was leaving the
Leaving- Salt Lake City. 315
Mormons under false pretence, but to all appear-
ances, his conduct toward the great big" mission-
aries would indicate that he was half a dozen
g-ood Mormons condensed into one. He was
like the Pharisee that went up to the temple to
tell the Lord he was so much larger and better
than his fellow-worshiper. I find in my ex-
perience all throug-h life, that a crop of such
fellows are not wanting* in every generation.
There was a Judas necessary among* the apos-
tles, and a Pharaoh necessary to set forth
wicked national character, and I suppose Jo-
seph Smith, with his system and followers, are
as necessary as was the devil in the Garden of
Eden.
False relig-ions are evidently according- to
God's appointment, or are a part of God's
divine arrang-ement, according- to the testimony
of the Bible, for it is said, the Son of man
sowed the wheat in the field the world, and
the devil sowed the tares in the field the world.
This may look as though God was the author
of evil as well as the g-ood, and yet evil is said
to be but temporary, while g-ood is eternal ; so
in the end evil will cease, while g-ood will con-
316 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
tinue. "I make peace; I create evil ; I, the
Lord, do all these thing's." Isa. xlv: 7.
I felt at a loss to understand why Captain
D. should object to my camping' and traveling*
with them, for the larger the company in trav-
eling* across the plains the more self-protection
in defense againt the Indians, and as a rule we
felt safer and better in large companies. But
I suppose he was one of those unfortunate
make-ups who are never satisfied or content
with their own rights and privileges on the
earth, but must always be interfering with the
rights of their fellows. And after all, I could
but feel he was acting out the law of his na-
ture, and, Judas-like, more to be pitied than
blamed.
D But I unhitched my team and settled down in
their midst, and was soon at home with the bal-
ance of the camp. The conduct of Capt. D.
had moved the sympathies of the balance of the
camp in my behalf, and led them to come around
more readily to make my acquaintance, and
when they learned that I was a decided anti-
Mormon, they were more than pleased to make
my full acquaintance, especially relating to my
Leaving" Salt Lake City. 317
history and observations among" the Mormons.
They spoke of Capt. D. as very overbearing-,
and proposed to leave him to himself, and that
we form a company and travel without him. I
said no, we need to keep all together for our
own protection.
During 1 the afternoon two or three of the
leading- missionaries came up into our camp, and
asked me if I was not going to travel with
them any farther. I said no, that my team was
not able to keep up, and I should have to travel
more slowly. They asked me what had become
of my extra horse. I g-ave them the particu-
lars, and they were inclined to discredit my
statement. They intimated that I had misused
it and caused its death, and that I was liable
to be arrested. I told them I had stated the
facts in the case, and they could use their pleas-
ure in believing- or disbelieving* me. I felt truly
glad I had providentially got out of their power
and influence to the extent I had ; for I had
learned of the Danite, or Destroying Angel,
part of their system. But after leaving me,
they went to Capt. D., and told him something,
just what I never knew, but they persuaded
318 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
him not to allow me to travel with what he
called his train. Here is where I saw Capt. D.
act so very deceptive with the missionaries,
making- them believe he was all right in the
faith, and that he was going- to return to Salt
Lake when he g-ot his business settled in the
states. Here is where he let on and acted as
thoug-h he was half a dozen g-ood Mormons con-
densed into one. But nig-ht passed off nicely,
and my new prospective traveling associates and
I spent a pleasant evening talking over our va-
rious experiences in Mormonism ; and we found
each other similarly circumstanced and strictly
in sympathy with one another. Two of these
families were Scotch, and had only gone into
Salt Lake the fall before, and had become com-
pletely disgusted with the latter-day Zion in
six months. We felt now that we had met with
kindred spirits, and realized the truth and
force of the old adage, "Company in distress
makes the trouble less."
CHAPTER XVI.
FROM GREEN RIVER TO ST. JOSEPH INCI-
DENTS BY THE WAY.
EARLY next morning- the missionaries start-
ed out, and I felt somewhat of relief when
I saw them passing- away. Captain D. came
to me and said I could travel with them. But
I must gx> behind in the train. I made no
promise. For I had a horse-team and the bal-
ance were all cattle ; and I knew they would
be too slow for my team.
In starting- away from the river we had to
climb a larg-e, steep bluff, and some of the cat-
tle teams stalled and were delayed. So I start-
ed up with my little outfit and went up at once.
As I was passing- Captain D.'s team he called
on me to keep behind. I paid no attention to
him. I had made no agreement with him and
I was breaking- no law. I felt I had been in
bondag-e too long- and too much already, and
that this self-appointed authority peculiar to
the Mormons was not in force out on the plains.
(319)
320 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
I felt truly like a bird which had got out of its
cage ; that I could go and come almost as I
pleased, especially when my own enjoyment did
not in any way infringe on my fellows.
The missionaries were gone out of sight.
So I drove on ahead, feeling as good and light-
hearted as though I was almost the lord of
creation. I felt I was once more out of bond-
age heading towards a better land where I
could enjoy common freedom and rights pecu-
liar to the citizens of this United States re-
public.
I drove on ahead of our cattle train several
miles, and finding nice grass I unhitched my
horses and let them feed while the slow cattle
train was moving up. I felt now as though I
was a man of leisure, and as though my team
was as much at leisure as myself. I never felt
more so in my life. The Egypt of Mormonism
appeared to be left so far behind that the un-
godly and inhuman Pharaoh power of Brigham
Young had lost its grip, and that by the hand
of a kind providence I had really been delivered.
It was, as we say in religion, "being born
again," born of the spirit of freedom of self-
From Green River to St. Joseph. 321
ownership of being delivered from the power
of darkness and translated into the liberty of a
son of God. Leisurely looking* over the coun-
try as the train was coming* up, I felt that the
whole creation was rejoicing- with me in my
emancipation. My wife at this time also felt
we had by the help of God wrought out our
deliverance.
We were climbing 1 up the Pacific slope
towards the South Pass, or the backbone of
the Rocky Mountains. The country and scenery
were delightful, and we now were able to enjoy
ourselves and all that pertained to nature's
God. But in this day's travel an unfortunate
incident happened to one of the families in
our train the Scotch family. There were of
the family father, mother and three sons, all
young- men. They had reached Green River
several days before I found them in camp there,
and in traveling from Salt Lake to Green River
they had found a valise on the road which be-
longed to Or sen Pratt. Pratt had evidently
returned to Salt Lake City in search of his va-
lise, for he was in the train as I traveled with
them. I was never able to put the peculiar
21
322 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
circumstances together as they occurred to my-
self. But the main facts were these : After
the missionary train had left Green River they
found out that the valise had been found by
this family and they had traded off some of its
contents at the store to the merchant there.
While I am leisurely waiting for the train to
come up, I see some four or five men on horse-
back returning-. I could but wonder at this ;
all considered, I felt sure they could but be
some of the missionary train that was return-
ing. I felt more strange and surprised than in
danger. As they drew near I knew them to be
part of the missionary train. I had driven off
a little to one side of the road. They passed
by me without exchanging a word, and still I
wondered what this could mean. I remained
where I was. I knew they must have delayed
the train. Finally, I Saw the same number
of horsemen returning. They pass me with-
out a word. I then was sure they had gone
back to our train on some important business.
But as they had passed me twice and left me
unmolested, I felt sure I was not involved in
whatever it might be. Again, I now felt as-
From Green River to St. Joseph. 323
sured I was not a marked object of Danite
destruction by any one of the missionary train.
For I knew had I been they at this time and
place mig-ht have carried me "over the rim of
the basin." I waited here until the train came
up and the old brother told me the particulars.
I told him he had my most hearty sympathy ;
that I did not see that many people under the
same circumstances would have done much dif-
ferent ; thoug-h it was by no means the best way
to do. The family evidently intended to keep
the valise and its contents, else they could have
advertised it at the trading-post by the river.
But instead they traded off some of the con-
tents and hid the balance in their wagon ;
denying- they had found it. But the men on
horseback instituted a regular search of the
wag-on and found the other articles.
This caused the important train captain, D.
to mistreat the family in the presence of these
missionaries. They had shown special sympa-
thy toward me when Captain D. undertook to
forbid my camping- with them, and this g-ave
me an opportunity to return their kindness, es-
pecially as the great would-be captain, D., was
324 Monnonism Exposed and Refuted.
the aggressor in both cases. This great over-
bearing- captain had been schooled in absolute
priestly dominion, and his poor, unfortunate
make-up was such that any little advice or di-
rection given him by these head missionaries,
bloated him up into balloon shape. Poor fel-
low ; I pity all such. Probably they were or-
dained of old to this condemnation. Jude 4.
They must be endured by those who may be
ordained or chosen in Christ before the founda-
tion of the world. Eph. i: 4.
The old brother's apology was that the heads
of the church had deceived them and misled
them ; had broken them up financially, and that
the whole family felt they were but getting
evened-up a little with them.
I had driven ahead of the train and reached
the stream called Big Sandy and had selected a
desirable place for camping. But when the
captain came he drove to another part of the
creek; the other teams let him g-o and he
camped alone, thus showing him he was not
bossing his fellow travelers. But how hard it
is to subdue that bossing spirit in some people
when it forms about ninety per cent, of their
From Green River to St. Joseph. 325
make-up. Would that we could possess the
spirit of Christ the spirit of "live and let
live." This is the only spirit that enables man
to enjoy himself with his fellow. It is the
only spirit which is eternally abiding".
The next day was Sunday. The women
wished to wash, and it was proposed to lie-
over. The grass here was very short. We
had heard that there was much better grass on
Little Sandy Creek, some eight or ten miles
ahead. My horses were now rested up ; my
wagon and load light, and I felt like taking* a
pleasure trip to the next creek ; and should I
find good grass I would remain until the train
could come up next day.
In this I was taking* Indian risks, but it was
understood that there were no Indians in that
part at that time. I started out, struck the
creek and went several miles down it to find
the best grass. But we had been misinformed,
the grass was no better than what I had left.
But I proposed to camp alone on the creek.
We acted on the reports that there were no
Indians in that part of the country, and were
not the least afraid.
326 Mormonism Exposed and Refitted.
About two hours before sundown I started
out on a hunt, left my wife and the babies
down on the creek among the willows, and
when I had been gone but a short time and dis-
tance I found several groups of antelope, I
was by no means an expert hunter, especially
of this kind of game. I started after the group
of antelope nearest by. The country was hilly
with large bluffs or mounds. I sought to creep
upon them ; but I had evidently attracted their
attention, and when I thought I had crept se-
cretly upon them and must be within range,
I would look for them and they were gone ;
and when I would look around I could see them
on some distant hill looking at me. Feeling
anxious to secure one I followed them around
until after sundown, and before I was aware it
was dark, and I had lost my compass bearing.
I did not know in what particular direction to
go to strike my camp. True, I had taken some
precaution to notice the distance and direction
I had taken before I had found the antelope.
But I had got completely mixed up by follow-
ing them around ; and when I fully realized
that I must be getting toward my wagon and
From Green River to St. Joseph. 32V
family, I could not recognize any object to
to guide me. I could not think I was more
than three or four miles from camp ; but I
failed to see any object that I had intended
should guide me back. Now it was dark and
here I was lost in the night among the hills
and the antelope ; my family on the creek, my
wife distressed by my late absence, imagining
everything evil to have befallen me. And now
unlike animals, which by instinct can always
make their way home, I had no instinct to as-
sist me in my return. But I had a little sense
or intelligence left, and though I had been so
completely baffled and defeated in my hunting
undertaking. I knew when I left I had gone
in a southwest direction, and taking the north
star as my guide I started off to the northeast
feeling sure, sooner or later, I should strike the
creek. Starting off in haste, guided by the
star, in about an hour I reached the creek.
I knew it was the same creek, for there was no
other within ten miles. But the question for
me to settle now, what part of the creek was I
at, and where was my camp? I first went
down into the water to find out which way the
328 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
water run. That settled, I crossed on the oppo-
site side. I had driven down the creek during
the day several miles on this side prospecting*
for grass and thought in traveling* up that
probably I should strike some object that I
might recognize and determine what part of
the creek I was on and so learn which way to
find my camp. This I soon found out by find-
ing objects and turns in the creek that I had
noted during the day. I now knew I had
struck the creek below where I was camped ;
and it was but a matter of distance to find my
wagon. Having traveled about two miles up I
found headquarters, and also found a woman in
real distress, and if ever a husband received a
multitude of varied benedictions from a wife, it
was my fortune at this time. She had given
me up at least for the night, had put the chil-
dren to bed and they were asleep. She was * 'wait-
ing and watching" in and around the wagon in
dead earnest. She heard my footsteps at a dis-
tance ; but did not dare to call or speak until I
made myself known ; then she was over-joyed
and vexed all in one. She was so pleased she
did not know how to act, and yet she was show-
From Green River to St. Joseph. 329
ing* such a mixture of joy and grief as I have
never witnessed before or since.
It is said of teams which travel much on the
roads that an uneven road is the easiest on the
team ; that the change of the exercise of the
muscles going* up and down hills acts as a rest
and is less tiring than is a constant, gradual
strain on an even road ; and I have been led to
think that the same principle is true of human
life ; that an uneven life is more enjoyable and
more profitable in its final results than is a life
of uniform sameness.
The world is filled up with variety and no
doubt it is best to be so. Human life is made
up of endless variety ; of jo\ r s and sorrows,
and no doubt any and all circumstances in hu-
man life which cause vivid joys or sorrows, are
conducive to the greatest good. I realized this
thought in the incident of my hunting scrape,
after the uncertainty and trouble was past ;
how grateful and happy we were. We realized
the worth we were to each other. This little
incident acting as a test of our fidelity and in
the end our yoy and real consolation more than
balanced the anxiety which preceded it. I have
330 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
never thought of that dear woman and our
children in that place and condition but my
love and sympathy were increased toward her.
The strongest ties and affections in human life
are generated in those who pass together
through the most critical trials in the journey
of life. * ' Jonathan and David ' ' is proof of this,
and the most sacred part of human life is made
up of such.
The night passed off quietly. We were un-
molested. Next morning I set fire to some of
the large bunches, of dry willows, which raised
a great smoke in the country, not knowing
that smoke was an Indian sign for gathering
together. While waiting for the arrival of
our train, unconscious of having attracted any
attention by the smoking willows, there rode
upon us a Mexican clothed in buckskin. He
was sent by his employer (an Indian trader) to
see the occasion of the smoke. Finding me
there alone with my family he invited me to
join their train, and told me I had raised the
Indian sign by the smoke, and if there had been
any Indians in or around that part I should
have drawn them to me. I now felt alarmed
From Green River to St. Joseph. 331
at my own ignorance and conduct. The Indian
trader was returning- to St. Joseph, Mo. He
had a large wagon and ox team and a great
many ponies.
Our train came up and camped a little below
me on the creek. The Indian trader had
camped still below. I had promised the Mexi-
can I would visit their camp after the balance
of our train came up, and let them know
whether we would travel with them or not.
Several of the families with their teams went
along and we agreed to travel with the trader,
and Captain D. being left alone had to fall in.
We were no longer troubled with him as an
officious captain.
After going down and joining the trader's
camp the boss ordered his man, Friday, (for that
was the name of his cook) to get us up the best
meal he was able, as a treat, and surely Man
Friday got us up a treat. We had never tasted
coffee during our stay in Salt Lake up to that
time. At this time coffee was at par with us,
and I feel sure no Dutchman ever drank more
lager beer in the same time than I drank coffee
on that occasion. I felt like a boy eating
332 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
watermelon. I did not know when I had
enough. The circumstances and occasion were
so different and enjoyable from anything- I had
experienced in Salt Lake that I felt the year of
jubilee had come.
Next day we moved up toward the South
Pass ; we were now a formidable train, and felt
we were strong- in the way of self-protection
ag-ainst straggling- Indians. Nothing occurring
specially for several days, I would occasionally
run ahead with my horse team ; for I had the
only horse team in the train.
As we were dropping down on Sweetwater
River this side the backbone of the mountains,
I drove on ahead and came to an alkali swamp
on the main road. Where the teams crossed it
looked very soft and miry, so I undertook to
cross on what to me seemed dry and solid.
But driving in I found out my mistake, for my
horses and wagon sunk down and mired, and it
was with difficulty after unhitching my team
from the wagon that I could get it out. The
train had already passed and there was but one
man who was behind the train to assist me.
After getting out my team I had to take out
From Green River to St. Joseph. 333
everything in my wagon and carry it out my-
self. Then I had to take the wagon apart and
work it across by hand ; and I felt after I had
got everything together again ready to start, I
had paid very dear for my venture on the new
crossing of an alkali swamp.
I find at this writing that my life has been
fraught with new attempts or ventures. Some
times they have proven for the best, and at
other times it would appear not as much so.
But in no case have these changes been totally
fruitless, for they have always proved to be a
school teacher and have conferred knowledge
in the operation.
Nothing particular occurs in our travel until
we reach the crossing of the north fork of the
Platte River. It was too high to ford and we
must needs drive down to the bridge to cross.
We had no money to pay the bridgeman, but
the trader ptirposed lying over about ten (lays
to trade,. and most of us stayed with him.
There was a company of U. S. soldiers
stationed at this point. While remaining here
we worked some in a rock quarry to pay the
bridgeman for crossing on his bridge.
334 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Having" to stay here some ten days I turned
my horses out on the range. I left on one of
them a picket rope so I could better catch them,
and by some means the rope caught in the heel
of a hind shoe and threw my best horse down
and the wolves ruined it ; they ate and tore it
so badly that after I had brought it into camp
I had to kill it. This accident for the time be-
ing was among the severest trials I had ever
met with since my connection with the Mor-
mons. I now had but one horse, half a team,
and had some seven hundred miles to travel.
I think at this time when I had to kill and
throw my best horse into the river to dispose of
it, it was the most heartfelt grief and trial I
ever underwent in my life. Here I was five
hundred miles from Salt Lake and seven hun-
dred from the most available stopping point at
that time. I remember after I had disposed of
my horse in the river, sitting down on the river
bank, meditating on my fortunes and misfor-
tunes in life, and especially what I had brought
upon myself by means of Mormonism that my
very soul was crushed down with grief and dis-
appointment. Then it was I felt again that
From Green River to St. Joseph. 335
God alone could see me safe through life.
But my very soul now was distressed. The
trader proposed to take my family into his
wag-on and give them passage to the Missouri
River. But my wife positively refused, doubt-
ing the purity of his motive. She proposed to
stay at this point, do washing for the soldiers
Until something better might offer in our favor,
rather than give a designing man any advantage
on account of pretended kindness.
The circumstances of my losing my horse
had reached the captain of the company of sol-
diers and he at once sent for me to know the
particulars. After I had stated the matter, he
said, "You are traveling with a cattle train,
and you do not necessarily need a horse team."
So he proposed to see that I had a sufficiently
good yoke of cattle, as there were broken cattle
for sale at this point, and he would take my
other horse, which was but a good Indian pony,
and at least, said he, "I will see that you have
sufficient money to pay for the cattle." He
had me bring up the pony, saying, * * I will give
you a hundred dollars for your pony, and we
will take it into the U. S. service, and you
336 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
shall have a team to go on your trip independ-
ent of any other party." I took the hundred
dollars, got a reliable, well broken yoke of cat-
tle for eighty dollars ; and now had twenty
dollars in gold to jingle in my pocket. I now
realized the truth and force of that consoling
scripture, "Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy cometh in the morning."- Psalm xxx: 5.
I was now all right again, thankful to God for
having moved the heart of "Uncle Sam" to
remove my burden.
There were some four families of us leaving
the Mormon church, and we were all almost
out of provisions. I stated the facts to this
same captain, and he had rations issued to us
to serve us to Fort Laramie and told us to ap-
ply at the Fort and they would supply us to
Fort Kearney. We were now well supplied
with articles of food that we had been deprived
of all the time we were dwelling with the pre-
tended Saints in their latter-day Zion.
While we were waiting here at this point
the four parties from Payson, who had purposed
going to California, having changed their
minds, turned to the East and caught up with
From Green River to St. Joseph. 337
us here ; and we had quite a time of rejoicing- at
our meeting- and deliverance from Mormon bond-
age. We now traveled together and had pleas-
ant, enjoyable company the rest of our journey.
Not wishing to stay longer at this place, and as
the trader was delayed in his business, we four
families- started on by ourselves. Captain D.
had not stopped here. We traveled quietly
and leisurely to Port Laramie, calling- there
and making- our condition known to the officer.
We were ag-ain supplied with all needed pro-
visions to take us to Port Kearney. Passing
Port lyaramie we again saw the place and
marks of the unfortunate soldiers who f^ere
slaughtered by the Indians as we went out to
Salt. Lake, and for which that tribe of Indians
suffered such a retribution the following- year
by General Harney at Ash Hollow. We trav-
eled several hundred miles before the trader
caug-ht up with us. But before we reached
Port Kearney- we were informed that there
was trouble with the Indians, which had arisen
from or with government trains passing on the
road. Travel was stopped and we collected at
Port Kearney.
22
338 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
The Platte River bottom at this time was
literally covered with buffalo. We traveled in
the midst of them for a week. No one, only by
sight, could believe or have any conception of
the vast multitudes of these animals. They
would give way before us as we traveled and
close in behind us ; so we were in a circle of
buffaloes for several days. Our train killed
twenty-three, and we had all the buffalo beef
we could possibly wish.
Our baby boy had not been well from his
birth. Our neighbor Mormons in Salt Lake
had predicted if we should undertake to cross
the plains we should lose him. He had not im-
proved any up to the time we struct the
buffalo. He was truly a baby of bones, he was
so lean. When we began to "cook the fresh
buffalo meat he appeared wild to have some.
He had been troubled with dysentery and was
thus reduced by it. His mother thought to
give him fresh meat would surely kill him.
But he craved it so very much, she said, "I
will give him some if it does injure him."
She fixed him up some of the meat and soup,
and I state this as a fact to those it may con-
From. Green River to St. Joseph. 339
cern, that I never saw a little human set of
bones enjoy anything" like it in my life. He
now had all he could eat, and- in a few days we
saw an almost miraculous change in him for
the better ; and in two weeks he was hearty
and fat* He is now more than an average full
grown man thirty-nine years of age, and is
likely to live thirty-nine years more. I write
this much on the treatment of babies for the
good of coming" generations. I have been more
in favor of allowing' sick people to have what
their system may crave, than holding it from
them, ever since.
But we are now delayed at Port Kearney,
awaiting the subsiding of Indian troubles.
We have caught up with Capt. D., and we are
quite a collection of apostate Mormons, Indian
traders, etc. A new Mormon prophet, by the
name of Potter, afterwards called ' * Potter
Christ," had come up. He was on his way to
Washington to ask Congress to cede to him
Jackson County, Missouri, for the purpose of
building up the true Mormon Zion. He had
been proclaiming in Salt Lake, through the
past winter, that Brigham Young was a false
340 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
prophet, and had led the whole church into an
apostate state, and that the church was now in
transgression, and that unless it should be re-
stored to what it was when Joseph Smith insti-
tuted it, the judgments of God would overtake
it and destroy its present leaders, and raise up
a new prophet to lead it. He had publicly
warned the church, especially the heads, and
they had not regarded the warning which God
had sent him to proclaim. "And now," said
he, 4< in a short time the judgments of God will
fall upon the people in Utah," the leaders
would be destroyed, and God had called him to
reorganize the church with headquarters at In-
dependence, Jackson County, Missouri ; and
that -now he was on his way to Washington to
have the government cede to him Jackson Coun-
ty as a preliminary toward the reorganization
of the church. He overtook us a few days be-
fore we reached Fort Kearney. He was free
and communicative on his supposed-to-be divine
undertaking, and I was just as free to listen to
all he had to say. In fact, he was soon under
the impression that I was favorable to his mis-
sion. I had intended it to go that way, so I
From Green River to St. Joseph. 341
could get to the bottom of his plan, and I should
have a favorable opportunity to criticise it. I
listened to all he had to say on the matter, and
suggested to him that if he was favorable I
should like to have a long* private interview
with him on the subject. He at once consent-
ed. He was evidently under the impression
that there was something really divine about
the matter, which led me the more anxiously
to test him. I arranged with him that after we
had got into camp that evening*, and camp work
was done, we, by ourselves, would retire from
the camp and thoroughly talk the matter over.
I told him I was a hearty candidate for any and
all that I could conceive to be good and true.
After supper I went to him, inviting him to
take a walk. We walked quite a distance from
the camp, and sat down on the grass. I had
heard sufficient of the particulars already to
satisfy me it was another manifestation of re-
ligious humbug. I felt sure our conference
would be very short. I had already had some
experience among' false and deceptive religion-
ists.
I said to him, "Now, Bro. Potter, in order
342 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
to get the information I most need, allow me to
ask a few questions." To this he readily gave
his consent. I said to him, "Bro. Potter, you
say the Lord has revealed this matter to you."
He answered that he had. I said, "Please tell
me where you were when the Lord made this
known to you." He said he was at home, in
his feed lot. I asked him what he was doing*.
He said he was husking fodder ,, I then asked
him how the Lord made this known to him.
He paused awhile as though he did not under-
stand me. I then said to him, " Did you see
any one?" He answered, "No. " I asked
him if he heard any one speaking, as an audible
voice. He said he did not. Then I said o
him, "Please tell me by what means these
things were made known to you." Here he
was at a total loss for an answer. I asked if.
these things had just occurred to his mind with-
out any sensible manifestation, and at once he
rose to his feet in haste, saying, "Your horns
are too large to enter the kingdom, and I wish
no more to do with you." I answered him,
saying, "We are about even on that part of
the programme." After this it was no trouble
From Green River to St. Joseph. 343
for me to keep out of his way, for he gave him-
self special trouble to avoid me. I was after
this unable to approach him on any subject.
This is a.fac-simile of old Joseph Smith. Any
one carefully reading* the history of Smith will
see that his peculiar religious pretensions to
visions, divine revelations and inspirations are
as unreal, speaking- from the sense standpoint, as
were "Potter Christ's," only Smith had more
daring- and brass when confronted with criti-
cisms.
And now what shall I say to these thing's ?
"Potter Christ" appeared to honestly believe
his claims were divinely founded. I ask here,
is such mental weakness ? Is it a phase of in-
sanity, or are men and women subject to the in-
fluence of good and evil spirits, as the case may
be? The Bible, all througfh, says, Yes, men and
women are subject to the influence of the g-ood
and evil spirit, or spirits. My own experience,
if it is worth anything- to me, "corroborates this
as a fact.
I ask ag-ain, Is human life, religiously con-
sidered, a warfare of gx>od and evil spirits, as
the Bible would appear to set forth Christ
344 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
being the author of the good seed (the wheat)
in the field the world, and the devil being the
author of the bad seed (the tares) in the field
the world? If this be the case or condition of
mankind in relation to God and one another,
what shall we say then ? ' 'Por who hath [or can]
resisted his will ? Hath not the potter power
over the clay, of the same lump to make one
vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor ; "
44 Por it is not of him that willeth nor of him
that runneth, but of God, whoshoweth mercy."
44 What if God, willing to show his wrath, en-
dured with much long-suffering the vessels of
wrath fitted for destruction"- but at this point
and on this subject I refer the reader to the
9th chapter of Romans, as I expect to consider
this subject after I pass the Mormons. .
The Indian troubles being about over, we
started from Kearney on our journey. Prom
this point the train divided, taking different
roads to different points on the Missouri River.
The trouble with the Indians had been on the
Little Blue, and this was our route to reach the
river at St. Joseph. We pulled off from the
main road at night to avoid contact with the
From Green River to St. Joseph. 345
Indians ; made no fire or light in the night, so
as not to attract their attention. We were
anxious to avoid an interview with them, know-
ing- they were on the war-path. But after
turning- off to one side one evening- to camp, and
remaining- silent, without fire or lig'ht, we sup-
posed next morning- we should strike the
Little Blue River below where the Indians
were supposed to be camped. We had just
got on to the main road on the river, sup-
posing- we were a few miles below the red
skins, when to our sttrprise and dread we saw
them coming* out of the timber, with lances,
mounted on horseback, as thoug-h in real war
attitude. They headed our train. We were
only four wagons. But that made no differ-
ence, for they were sufficiently strong- in number,
and equipped for war, so that they could have
slaughtered us in a few moments. They
marched out of the timber in single file, with
lances held erect, and heading our train, call-
ed on us to halt. The women were still in bed
in the wagons, for we had started off by
daylight, hoping to escape them. When we
stopped, my wife raised the front curtain of the
346 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
wagon cover and looked out to see the occasion
of our stopping-, and seeing- some fifty Indian
warriors apparently ready to massacre all be-
fore them, she could not persuade herself that
the scene was real, but thoug-ht it must be a
dream. The trader had one man who could
speak the Indian lang-uag-e, and he proposed to
make them presents of all such articles as we
could possibly spare ; so we escaped with our
lives. But the trader, being- more acquainted
with the Indians on their war path, was per-
fectly white with fear. For my own part, I
was not the least alarmed. They took from
us poor travelers what we really needed ; but
we were glad to get off so well, and we were
now only about one hundred miles from the
river, or St. Joseph.
We moved on after this quietly, crossing the
Big Blue at Marshall's ford. Our journey now
was fast drawing to a close, for we all purposed
to go to the river.
At this time we found there was trouble
among the settlers of Kansas. The question
of difference was, Shall Kansas be a slave or
free State ? The two parties went under the
From Green River to St. Joseph. 347
names of Pro-slavery and Free-soil. I was in-
nocent and ignorant of these issues at that
time. I had been-kept busy managing 1 and con-
tending 1 with the Mormons for my own rights
and deliverance, and which was well-nigfh, as a
struggle, finished.
While camped within fifty miles of the river,
I met a free-soil man, who had been scared by
the pro-slavery people out of Doniphan County.
He had taken a claim on a quarter-section of
land some three miles south of Troy, the coun-
ty seat, thoug-h there was no Troy or county
seat at that time. The man's name I give as
C . He referred me to a person that lived
near his claim. He had some little improve-
ments on his land a log" cabin, some corn,
pumpkins, and potatoes. I agreed to look at
the place, see the man referred to, and take it,
if it should suit me. At this time I had not
even thought about what I mig'ht do, or where
I mig-ht settle, leaving- every step as I took it
to say what the next should be. My prefer-
ence had been when I started from Salt Lake,
to g-o back to or near Kansas City, where we
had left tlie river for Salt Lake. Next day
348 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
(Sunday) we arrived at what is known as the
Cottonwood spring", near Troy. The stream
from this spring- runs throug'h the claim re-
ferred to. I went down the branch or stream,
saw the land and improvements, and was not
induced at that time to purchase.
Next day we came in sight of the Missouri
River, and when we sa*w it we waved our hats
rejoicingly, feeling' that we saw the end of our
journey.
We have now camped on the west bank of
the Missouri River, opposite the city of St.
Joseph. We felt fully free from Mormon bond-
age, our journey at an end, and we must com-
mence life anew, or a new life under different
circumstances and new associations.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION DEFINED AND
PROVEN:
I HAD now my yoke of oxen and wagon and
twenty dollars in* money. The whole
wardrobe of clothing* for the family was in a
hundred-pound flour sack, and not much crowd-
ed. But we had our conscience void of offense
toward God and man ; had youth and health in
our favor, and had been raised to and knew
nothing better than honest labor. Though
strangers in the midst of strangers, we saw
that everything in a new country offered in-
ducement to industry and economy, and these
we took as the main planks in our platform.
We have now got through with Mormonism in
the direct sense of our associations with them ;
yet we expect it will be long before we are free
from the bruises and scars of poverty which it
had entailed upon us while in the struggle. I
shall now leave my direct experience among
the Mormons, and undertake a review of the
(349)
350 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
whole system, with an eye to refuting- and dis-
proving it as a divine religious institution. I
shall undertake to prove that Joseph Smith was
not a godly man, was not a prophet of God,
and that his pretended visions and revelations
were either from beneath from the Evil One
or the outgrowth of a very unfavorable human
make-up, which naturally developed itself in
the system called Mormonism Smith being its
founder, Rigdon, with many others, figuring
with him, largely assisting, and Brigham
Young, with a number of his coadjutors, per-
petuating it as we now find it developed in
Utah.
Claiming, as I have, that Joseph Smith was
a false prophet, and instituted a false system
of religion, necessarily implies the existence of
a true religion ; and admitting, as I am free to
do, that there is a true religion, it would neces-
sarily devolve on me to set forth the true in
order that by contrast the false may become
the more apparent. It would be impossible for
me to prove Joseph Smith a false prophet, and
the Mormon system of religion which Smith
started and in connection with Rigdon, Young,
The Christian Religion Defined. 351
and others, developed, to be false, unless I
should have a demonstrated standard by which
to test it. And I here take the position, and
shall endeavor to sustain it, that the true re-
ligion, which rebinds sinful man to his God, is
that contained in the New Testament part of
the Bible. Jesus Christ and his apostles in the
New Testament have set forth what man must
do to be saved. It is said of Jesus that he
should save his people from his sins. Mat. i :
21. When a person is saved from sin he is
saved in fact. Sin is a transgression of the
law. 1 John iii : 4. All unrighteousness is
sin. 1 John v : 17. The strength of sin [na-
ture of sin] is the law. 1 Cor. xv : 56. Where
there is no law there is no transgression. Rom.
iv : 15. Man is free from Adam's sin by Christ.
To be saved from our past personal sins we
must be pardoned, or suffer the penalty due
them. In our present personal salvation from
sin, the person must repent abstain from all
appearance of evil. 1 Thess. v : 22. Must put
away lying, speaking the truth to all his neigh-
bors. The sun must not go down on his wrath ;
if he has stolen, he must steal no more ; but
352 Morntonism Exposed and Refuted.
let him labor, working" with his hands the thing
which is good, that he may have to give to him
that needeth. He must let no corrupt commu-
nication proceed out of his mouth, but that
which is good. He is to let all bitterness, and
wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speak-
ing be put away from him, with all malice. He
must be kind to all, tender-hearted, forgiving
others even as God for Christ's sake may have
forgiven -him. Eph. iv : 25-32. Whatsoever
he would that men should do unto him, he should
do unto them. Mat. vii : 12. Such a person,
having restored whatever he may have been
able to restore to any and all persons whom he
may have defrauded, Zacchasus-like, may be said
to be saved. Luke xix : 9. The person who
believes and confides in Jesus Christ as the Sa-
viour of mankind, relying on Jesus as the way,
the truth, and the life John xiv : 6 ; the per-
son who has been led by these truths and God's
divine assistance (whatever that divine assist-
ance may embrace), of pro vi.de nee, or of the
grace of his Holy Spirit, is born of God, regen-
erated, converted, born of the Spirit, born of
the word of truth, and has passed from death
The Christian Religion Defined. 353
unto life. He is sealed with the Holy Spirit of
promise, and has the earnest, or foretaste of
the heavenly inheritance of the purchased pos-
session. Eph. i : 13, 14. He is an heir of God
and a joint heir with Christ. Rom. viii : 17.
He rejoiceth with joy unspeakable and full of
glory. 1 Pet. i : 8. - He is free from sin and
become a servant of God. Rom. vi : 22. He is
delivered from the power of darkness and is
translated into the kingdom of God's Son. Col.
i : 13. Such a person is a Christian, a member
of Christ's church. He is religious in the
divine, New Testament sense. If he lives, he
liveth unto the Lord ; if he dieth, he dieth unto
the Lord : Whether he liveth, therefore, or
dieth, he is the Lord's. Rom. xiv : 8. Such- a
person, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit,
maintaining such a state of mind, is perfectly
,fe here in this world and for all eternity,
s is the religion of the New Testament.
This is the religion or rebinding of man to his
God. This is the prodigal son truly received
back to his home. Such a state of mind and
soul no infidel or atheist, no sound-minded per-
son, can object to. It is simply moral excel-
23
354 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. '
lency and dignity combined. Such a religion as
this admits of no opposition from a reasonable,
intelligent, honest standpoint. It is simply
self-evident, and as one has truly said, "To
have it is to know it, and not to know it is not
to have it." The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God.
Having received the spirit of adoption, where-
by we cry, Abba, Father my father. We set
up this standard as the basis of true religion,
which is strictly personal, and which can be at-
tained and maintained as an individual matter
between the person and his God, without the
assistance or interference of any organic relig-
ious system known in our day, much less that
set' up by Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon,
and perpetuated by their followers.
Such a religion as I have but briefly set forth
in the foregoing is strictly personal and not or-
ganic, and can and may be attained and main-
tained by God's assistance, with the Bible,
even if Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Brigham
Young, and their host of lesser lights had
never been born. The system of religion made
manifest by God through Jesus Christ and his
Christian Relig'ion Defined. 355
apostles, in spirit, in real life character and or-
ganic structure, is as unlike the system of Mor-
monism, or Latter-day Saintism, as God, its
author, is unlike Satan, the author of all false
religions.
I shall endeavor to show that the system of
religion established by Jesus Christ and his
apostles was from heaven. It was pure in its
principles, unselfish in its demeanor, and was
of God ; while that of Joseph Smith descended
not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devil-
ish. Jas. iii : 15.
The fact that a person may become acquaint-
ed with the will of God in relation to himself
and his fellow by means of the study of the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit, which is given to
every one to profit withal. 1 Cor. xii : 7. And
is given to them that obey him, Acts v : 32.
The fact that the scripture given by inspiration
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor-
rection, for instruction in righteousness : that
the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works, 2 Tim. iii: 16,
17 ; the fact that a person can, and in very
many instances does, believe heartily ' ' that
356 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him," Heb. xi : 6; and that
such a person does truly repent of his sins, turn
away from them, and is brought into justified
relation to God by his individual research, with-
out the aid of any organic religious system,
proves that such organic systems as Mormon-
ism are not in any way essential to salvation,
in the sense of Christianity as recorded in the
New Testament. To make the, matter plain :
If I can hy the study of the Bible make myself
acquainted with my true relation to God, and
believe that God is the rewarder of all who
diligently seek him, repent tu-rn away from
all sin receive pardon of sin 'and a knowledge
of it by means of the Holy Spirit, what need
have I for organic Mormonism, or any other or-
ganic ism ? And surely this is my own personal
experience. I was made acquainted with my
sinful condition ; I gave up my sins ; I appealed
to God for pardon and grace ; he granted me
both ; gave me a personal knowledge, such as I
never can question a full assurance and yet
this was striclly personal. It was strictly a
matter between my God and myself. No hu-
The Christian Religion* Defined. 357
man being* knew of my sorrow in my conviction
or the joy of my acceptance. No org-anic relig--
ious system, either Roman Catholic or Protest-
ant, knew the least thing" about my soul's
struggle in my conviction, or its unspeakable
joy and peace in my adoption and reconciliation.
My conversion was not the result of an organic,
confederate human force that produced convic-
tion. It was the Spirit of the living- God op-
erating* on my very inmost soul. My happy
transition from heart sorrow of the most dis-
tressing" nature to joy unspeakable and full of
g-lory was not wroug-ht or even assisted by any
religious society, org-anic or otherwise. No, it
is " by the grace of God I am what I am."
The system of God's dealing with man is per-
sonal. God did not dwell in the Mormon tem-
ple at Kirtland, Ohio, in the United States cf
America, nor in their temple at Nauvoo ; neither
does he dwell in the temple at Salt Lake ; nor
in the temple at Independence, Jackson County,
Mo., nor in any temple made with hands. Acts
vii : 48; xvii : 24. "Know ye not that ye are
the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you ? The temple of God is holy,
358 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
which temple ye are." 1 Cor. iii : 16, 17.
"What! Know ye not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you,
which ye have of God? " 1 Cor. vi : 19. God
does not, in the -dispensation of Christ, dwell
in temples rrfade with hands, as in the days of
Solomon, under the old dispensation or cove-
nant. God's dwelling- place now on earth is in
the heart of man personally. The heart, or af-
fections, of each follower of Jesus Christ is
where God dwells. He does not dwell in any
of those large, costly structures either at Rome,
London, New York, or Salt Lake, called tem-
ples.
So much for the four temples the Mormons
have erected in Kirtland, Nauvoo, in Salt Lake,
and the temple in Independence, built by the
reorganized church of Mormons. Two of these,
tJie former, have been destroyed, or have gone
into disuse, as far as Mormon use or worship is
concerned, Smith and his followers err in this
part of their religion, in common with the hu-
man systems which had preceded him, in build-
ing costly temples to God, after the manner of
the Jews of the old dispensation and not after
The Christian Religion Defined. 359
the new covenant of Christ Jesus the former
being 1 ceremonial and formal ; the latter being*
personal and of the heart ; the former being*
the letter, which killeth, but the latter the
spirit which giveth life. 2 Cor. iii : 6.
Having* g-iven the reader sufficient proof that
the Christian religion is strictly personal, it is
embraced in the word love. Love is the fulfill-
ing* of the law. Rom. xiii : 8-10. This love is
not confederate or organic religious sect love-
but personal love to God and man embraces the
whole law and the prophets. Mat. xxii : 36-40.
The law is fulfilled in one word, even this,
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
Gal. v : 14.
A person may have and be all I have set forth
in Christ Jesus, and as such he is necessarily
in the strictest sense a member of Christ' } s
church; and yet he is not necessarily a member
of any sect church. A person obeying* the gos-
pel is necessarily a member of the church of
God ; 'but obedience to the g*ospel does not nec-
essarily make one a member of the Roman
Catholic or any of the multiplied Protestant
churches, proving conclusively that no one, or
360 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
all combined, constitute the church of Christ.
Yes, a person must do more, or something' dif-
ferent from simply obeying* the g*ospel to ob-
tain membership in them. They be plants not
of the Father's planting-, and shall be rooted
up. Such is Mormonism. Paith in Jesus, re-
pentance toward God, and baptism do not
constitute a person a member of the Mormon
church, only as a person is baptized by a Mor-
mon administrator. Such is the self-assumed
and self-appointed claim of Joseph Smith, Jr.
That the Bible is divine and supernatural or
superhuman, we g-ive the following. This
done, I shall compare the claims and preten-
sions of Joseph Smith and his followers with
those of Jesus Christ and his apostles, and
prove that Smith's system is a false delusion of
Satan, or the product of a wicked, selfish reli-
g4ous pretender.
That Jesus Christ of the New Testament
was the antitype of the Old Testament typical
system, we expect to show, and such is the con-
nection and relation of the Old and New Tes-
taments, that it necessarily proves divine or
superhuman arrangement. That the time, na-
The Christian Religion Defined. 361
ture, and circumstances of the instituting of
the typical system of the Old Testament, as it
related to Jesus Christ in the New, were so
different and remote that it necessarily proves
that both were divinely arranged, and will
show to the infidel or sceptic that divinity, or
at least something of the divine, is found in the
Bible.
The Bible, Old and New Testaments, is an
Hebrew or Jewish book. Hence, I here call on
the Jews of our day, as a people, to testify in
behalf of their history ; and I ask them, Whence
came the peculiar ordinance of circumcision
as a religious ordinance among them as a peo-
ple? And will they not refer me to Abraham
their ancient forefather, from whom they re-
ceived the ordinance the law of circumcision?
Do not the Jews prove this by their own his-
tory? And -can it be gainsaid this is a part
of established Jewish history? This being
true, other parts of their history may be equal-
ly true.
I call on the Jews to state to us the origin of
their peculiar passover, or feast of unleavened
bread, which they as a people are observing
362 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
among 1 us, in its time and season, and will they
not direct us to the 12th chapter of Exodus,
where their forefathers were in Egypt as slaves
to the Egyptians, as a people and a nation ?
Will they not tell us, and does not their history
show it, that the day before they left Egypt,
the 14th day of the month Abib, that each fam-
ily, or families, were to take a lamb or a kid, a
male of the first year, having" no blemish, and
that in the evening* they should kill it, and take
the blood and strike it on two door-posts and
the upper door-post of the houses in which they
should eat it ; and they should eat it with un-
leaven bread and bitter herbs. It is the Lord's
passover. The Lord purposed that night to
pass throug-h the land of Egypt and destroy
all their first born, both man and beast, and
the blood should be a sig*n upon the houses
where they were, that when he saw the blood
he would pass over them, and the plag^ue should
not be upon them to destroy them when he
smote the land of Egypt.
This feast was observed by this people for
some fifteen hundred years (captivities except-
ed), as a confederate or national people. On
The Christian Religion Defined. 363
that particular month, the fourteenth day of
that month, the lamb or kid was taken, a male,
a first born, without blemish, not a bone to be
broken, and on the 16th day of the month the
high priest was to wave a sheaf as a first
fruits of the harvest, or from the earth, and
wave it before the Lord.
The Israelites had maintained their confed-
erate or national state for about one thousand
years, though in this time they had become two
nations of people under the names of Judah and
Israel. About four hundred years they had
been scattered among" other nations, and their
prophets had ceased among- them . This brought
them to the time of Christ. But for fifteen
hundred years, as a people they had been ob-
serving" all their peculiar ordinances, the pass-
over feast, the pentecost feast, the feast of tab-
ernacles, the feast of atonement, and their
weekly sabbath. Yes, on the fourteenth day
of the month Abib, they had taken the lamb, a
male, a first born, without blemish ; they had
slain it in the evening of the fourteenth ; not a
bone had been broken. The fifteenth day had
been observed as a passover sabbath, or rest.
364 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
The sixteenth day of the month the high priest
had taken the first fruits of the harvest a
sheaf and waved it, for fifteen hundred years,
annually before the L/ord, as the first fruits
from the earth. And seven full weeks and one
day added, which made fifty days from the first
paschal sabbath, brought the feast of pente-
cost, or feast of fifties. This feast was to rep-
resent the giving of the law on Mount Sinai,
and their full harvest in.
Now the reader may ask, Why these pecu-
liar feasts in these peculiar parts ? etc. The
answer is, these are types to be fulfilled by Je-
sus Christ and his church, and which show
conclusively the divine arrangement that exists
between the Old and New , Testaments, and
that the time of instituting the type and the
antitype was fifteen hundred years apart, and
the connection and relation of the type and its
antitype were such that it proves to a demon-
stration the superhuman or divine arrangement.
The Jews had done to Christ what God had
determined they should do, though the Jews
did it ignorantly, not knowing they at the time
were fulfilling God's ordained purposes accord-
The Christian Religion Defined. 365
ing- to the types and prophets of the old cov-
enant. "For of a truth against thy holy child
Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod
and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the
people of Israel, were gathered together for to
do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel deter-
mined before to be done." Acts iv: 27, 28.
"And now, brethren, I know that through ig-
nOrance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But
these things, which God before had showed by
the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ
should suffer, he hath so fulfilled." Acts iii :
17, 18. "Him [Christ] being delivered by the
determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,
ye have taken, and by wicked hands have cru-
cified and slain: whom God has raised up."
Acts ii: 23, 24. "Therefore let all the house
of Israel know, assuredly, that God hath made
that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both
Lord and Christ." Acts ii : 36. These pas-
sages of scripture show that God had a pre-
arrangement and foreknowledge of what the
Tews and Gentiles would do to Christ ; and the
+ypes of the old covenant and the conduct of
the Jews in relation to him, as the facts will
366 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
show, prove to a demonstration the supernatu-
ral and divine hand of God in the types and
antitypes of the Old and New Testaments.
We now call the special attention of the
reader to the connection of or between the two.
Jesus Christ was a male, of the first born (had
the credit of being"), without blemish. He was
called by John the Baptist ' ' the Lamb of God. ' '
He went up to Jerusalem, knowing and so stat-
ing* the fact, that he would be taken at that
time and at that particular passover feast by
the wicked Jews, and crucified and slain ; and
as proof that Jesus was the antitype of the
paschal lamb, and that the time had come for
the Jews as a people a wicked people to com-
bine with Pilate, the Gentile, to do whatsoever
aforetime God had determined should be done.
The wicked Judas had done his part, prompted
by Satan, as the prophets had foretold of the
thirty pieces of silver and the kiss. The wicked
Jews at this particular feast, this particular
time of the type, in the month of Abib, on the
fourteenth day of that month Abib, took
the Lamb of God, and in the evening* of that
fourteenth day of the month of Abib, did slay
The Christian Religion Defined. 367
at the ninth hour (3 o'clock in the afternoon)
the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ the time
of the slaying- of the paschal lamb, which
the Jews had observed for some fifteen hun-
dred years, from Moses to that time. And
when the Jews would hasten the death or pre-
vent the escape of the three crucified ones by
breaking- their leg's, coming- to Jesus, finding-
he was already dead, they broke not a bone, as
in the paschal lamb not a bone was to be broken.
At this particular paschal feast, the paschal
sabbath and the weekly sabbath both met on
the same day, as in leap year. The sacred
physical rest of the weekly sabbath and the
sacred physical rest of the passover sabbath,
both coming- on the same day, was the very day
on which the human, or physical Christ lay at
rest in Joseph of Arimathea's sepulchre, mak-
ing- his bed with the rich, and resting- in the
grave on these two of all most sacred days,
while the women, his female followers, kept
the sabbath according- to the law of Moses.
Hence, as Paul would have it, "Let no man
therefore judg-e you ... in respect of a
holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sab-
368 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
bath, which are a shadow of thing's to come ;
but the body is of Christ." Col. ii : 16, 17.
This holy day of the paschal sabbath and the
holy day of the weekly sabbath are but shad-
ows, of which the body was of Christ lying 1 in
the grave, or resting" from the .human or phys-
ical labor, or his finished physical work show-
ing* that these two sabbaths weekly and pas-
c\\a\^poi)itcd for fifteen hundred years, as ob-
served by the Israelites, to that sabbath of
rest that Christ's body should lie in the grave.
And while the human part of Christ was lying-
in the grave, the women his followers "ob-
served the sabbath according- to the law of
Moses." The next day after the sabbath, the
sixteenth day of the month Abib, was the day
and time that the hig-h priest for fifteen hun-
dred years had taken the sheaf, the first fruits
of the earth, and waved it before the Lord ;
and strang-e to say, it was the resurrection day
of Jesus, who was the first fruits from the
grave, or earth as Paul has it, "the first
fruits of those that slept" showing- conclu-
sively that the wave-sheaf in the paschal feast
was the type of the resurrection from the dead,
The Christian Religion Defined. 369
which had been set forth all through their na-
tional history, and was literally fulfilled by the
resurrection of Jesus.
Passing- by the paschal feast, as it applied to
Jesus Christ as its antitype, after Jesus rose
from the dead he was forty days with his 'dis-
ciples, instructing- them in the thing's pertain-
ing- to his king-dom. As Moses was forty days
in the mount with God receiving- the law, so the
disciples, were forty days with the resurrected
Jesus, receiving- the necessary directions and
instructions to dispense the new law, and were
instructed or enjoined to wait at Jerusalem un-
til the day of pentecost was fully come.
The feast of pentecost had for fifteen hun-
dred years been observed as commemorative of
the g-iving- of the old law on Mount Sinai and
the great ing-athering- of the harvest. The dis-
ciples had observed the instructions of the Sa-
vior at his ascension, namely, Wait at Jerusa-
lem until you are endowed with power from on
hig-h. Here, on this particular feast of pen-
tecost, as on the particular feast of the pass-
over, we have events take place such as had
never taken place before on these feasts, and
24
370 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
such as have never taken place since. The
seven weeks and one day added, from the sab-
bath of the passover -feast, brought the first
day of pentecost, which, at this feast, made it
to occur on the first day of the week, or Sun-
day. And now, at this feast of pentecost
strange occurrences transpire, such as had
never taken place for the fifteen hundred years
since the feast had been instituted, and have
never taken place since.
This pentecost feast throughout national Is-
rael had represented the giving* of the Mount
Sinai law and the ingathering of the harvest ;
and now its antitype is the giving of the new
law and the harvest of three thousand of the
Jews out of the old covenant into the new.
Yes, dear reader, it was reserved lor this pen-
tecost feast, in the divine arrangement, that
the Holy Ghost should be poured out in its full-
ness "upon all flesh," and that the Spirit, on
this occasion, should manifest the miraculous
power of God in such a way that it should
demonstrate that Jesus Christ, whom the Jews
as a nation and people had crucified, was their
Messiah the Christ the anointed Son of God.
The Christian Religion Defined. 371
Three thousand Jews, on this feast of pente-
cost, were fully convinced, by the power of the
Holy Ghost and the declaration of facts stated
by Peter and the rest of the apostles, that Je-
sus was the Christ the anointed Son of God ;
they gladly received the word, and were bap-
tized. Here the pentecost feast, as' a type in
the old covenant, met its antitype in the new,
showing- to a demonstration that these two
feasts referred to the passover feast and the
pentecost feast were types in the divine ar-
rangement, and instituted at least fifteen hun-
dred years prior to finding their fulfillment in
the new, showing conclusively that "Christ
came to fulfill the law," and that he did so ful-
fill it. As Paul would have it, "He came to
take away the first covenant that he might
establish the second," and that "Christ is the
end of the law for righteousness to every one
that believeth."
When the day of pentecost was fully come
the apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost,
and each one of fourteen national languages
heard the inspired apostles (though unlearned)
speak the wonderful things of God in their
372 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
own tongue wherein they were born. The
people were amazed ; some mocked ; but Peter
stood up with the eleven, and said, We are not
drunken ; but a prophecy of Joel has been ful-
filled, and God, according- to promise, through
Jesus Christ, has poured out his Spirit. "Ye
men of Israel, hear these words : Jesus of Naz-
areth, a man approved of God among you by
miracles and wonders and signs, which God did
by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves
also know. Him, being delivered by the dctcr-
nihiatc counsel a)id foreknowledge of God, ye
have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified
and slain, whom God hath raised up. This
Jesns lialli God raised up, whereof we all are
witnesses. Therefore, being at the right hand
of God exalted, and having received of the
Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath
shed forth this which ye now see and hear.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know as-
suredly that God hath made that Jesus whom
ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Hearing this, they believed, and asked direc-
tions what they must do. Peter said, "Repent
and be baptized every one of you in the name
The Christian Religion Defined. 373
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost ; for the promise is unto you, and to
your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Then they that gladly received the word were
baptized ; and the same day there were added
about three thousand souls. ' ' We ask the reader
to study the second chapter of the Acts of the
Apostles for what I have set forth but briefly.
And now I ask the doubter, the sceptic, the
infidel, how much of what I have quoted of the
Bible Old and New Testaments as historical
facts can be denied refuted with all their re-
lation to each other and apparent coincidence ?
and if these facts stand unimpaired as histor-
ical matters of fact and their correlation to each
other, then the fact is established to a demon-
stration that there is such a relation between
the Old and New Testaments, which proves a
superhuman or divine arrangement in both.
The divine arrangement of the Old and New
Testaments being established, then we have the
true standard of a true or divine religion, by
which we may test any and all false religions.
CHAPTER XVIII.
JOSEPH SMITH'S EARLY LIFE AND CHARACTER.
1NOW ask the reader to follow me while I
endeavor to test Joseph Smith and the
Mormon institution by the religion of Jesus
Christ and his apostles as found in the New
Testament.
The claims of Joseph Smith, the founder of
the Mormon religion, are very high in the di-
vine and miraculous sense. He claims to have
been personally visited by, and had direct com-
munication with, the very and eternal God and
with Jesus Christ, with John the Baptist, with
Peter, James and John, with angels of various
orders ; that he was in constant communion
with God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit,
and that God talked and communed and com-
municated to him the necessary information for
the guidance of his church Mormonism ; that
God did reveal to him from day to day what
the people collectively and individually should
do, and what principles of truth and law they
(374)
Joseph Smith' } s Early Life. 375
should be guided by ; that God did make
known to him the course he pursued and the
doctrines he taught, and that Mormonism, as he
(Smith) left it at his death, was an institution
of religion that God had made known or revealed
to him. The claims of Brigham Young, Smith's
successor, run directly on that same line of
pretense for the perpetuation of the church.
Now with all these extraordinary, high, di-
vine, miraculous claims, it is but reasonable
and God-like that such claims should be accom-
panied by adequate or super-human proof to
all those we might expect to believe or accept
such. This proof they have utterly failed to
give, as my own experience (to my heart's sat-
isfaction at least) has fully demonstrated.
During my five years' experience and obser-
vation while among them as a people, and my
mingling with them, more or less, for thirty-
six years in Kansas, I testify before God in
sincerity that I have not witnessed the least
manifestation of the divine power and favor of
God among them as a people or religious insti-
tution. And though I have been inclined to
labor long and hard to show as a people and
376 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
institution that they represent and constitute a
false system of religion, the most flagrant,
brazen, unscrupulous known to our age or any
age since the days of Jesus, yet I can but
think that false religion in contradistinction
with the true is a part of God's arrangement
in this age, or order of things, as shown in the
Bible from the Garden of Eden down to and
beyond the first resurrection.
Among the very earliest teachings and ad-
monitions of Jesus to his disciples were : ' ' Be-
ware of false prophets which come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are raven-
ing wolves. Ye shall know them by their
fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or fig's
of thistles ? Even so every good tree bringeth
forth good fruit ; but a corrupt tree bringeth
forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit ; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth
good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth
good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Not every one that saith unto me, I/ord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he
that doeth the will of my Father which is in
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 37/
heaven. Many will say unto me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Then will I profess unto them, I never knew
you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
-Matt, vii: 15-23.
Jesus knew there had been false religions
and false prophets all the way down from Eden
to his own day, and that such would be con-
tinued down to the end of man's probation,
until he should "subdue all thing's unto him-
self." Yet while true and false religions are
in existence, and true and false worshipers or
religious pretenders mingle and mix together in
this world like the wheat and the tares, it is
necessary for God's true people the wheat
to know of a surety that they are of God, and
to know that they are not deceived. "Por the
mystery of iniquity doth already work ; only he
who now letteth [alloweth] will let until he be
taken out of the way. And then shall that
Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall con-
sume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall
destroy with the brightness of his coming:
378 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Even him whose coming' is after the working of
Satan with all power and signs and lying-
wonders, and with all deceivableness of un-
rig-hteousness in them that perish ; because they
receive not the love of the truth that they
migfht be saved. And for this cause God shall
send them strong* delusion that they should be-
lieve a lie ; that they all mig'ht be damned who
believed not the truth but had pleasure in un-
righteousness. ' '2 Thess. ii : 7-12. * ' For false
Christs and false prophets shall rise and shall
shew sig^ns and wonders to seduce, if it were
possible, even the elect." Mark xiii: 22. Then
Jesus admonishes his disciples, sayingY "Take
ye heed ; behold I have foretold you all thing's."
Mark xiii: 23. The apostle Paul warns the
church agfainst certain false religionists: " Por
such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming' themselves into the apostles of
Christ. And no marvel ; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angfel of ligfht. Therefore
it is no great thing- if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness ;
whose end shall be according* to their works."
-2 Cor. xi: 13-15.
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 379
These and kindred passages of scripture
show that God for some allwise purpose has
allowed the devil to have a people on the earth
(the tares), and that he has also allowed them
to organize these counterfeit systems of religion
to try and, if possible, to deceive the elect.
Then according to the foregoing it becomes a
very important duty of the elect to learn to
distinguish between the religion of God and
that of the devil. God's system of religion
consists of plants (or principles) of his own
planting, and whatsoever is not of God's plant-
ing is to be rooted up.
The devil's system of religion, or false re-
ligion, consists of principles and dispositions of
his planting, which are "earthly, sensual, dev-
ilish." God's system is spiritual, unselfish,
pure love of God and man. The devil's is car-
nal, earthly and selfish ; but the wolf always
comes in disguise, covered with wool, false
pretensions, hypocrisy and fallac}^.
Such by experience and observation has Mor-
monism proved to thousands of poor, unfortun-
ate, deceived, deluded victims. The masses of
the people join the Mormons in good faith, are
380 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
sincere and honest, but lack the light of God's
truth to resist its deception. Such was John
D. Lee and thousands of others who failed to
see their error until it was too late. It has
cost thousands upon thousands of people all
their best and happiest interests of life and
even life itself ; and except to a few of its promi-
nent leaders it has given nothing* desirable in
return, either temporal or spiritual.
But worst of all Mormonism, as an institu-
tion established by Joseph Smith, is yet a
growing* system. The Utah branch and the
re-org*anized branch, under young* Joseph Smith,
are both active in their missionary operations
in America and many others countries.
Were Mormonism as such a declining* system,
with the probability of a speedy dissolution, I
should feel it useless to offer the present work.
But while I realize that, as a people, they are
actively eng*ag*ed proselyting* and converting*
many more to their faith, with a probability of
a continued increase for the future, I feel duty
bound to contribute my mite, if possible, to
overthrow or weaken its tendencies, knowing* as
I do its far-reaching*, evil intentions. In the
Joseph Smith* s Early Life. 381
lang-uag-e of Daniel P. Kidder (author of "Mor-
monism and the Mormons,") is my apology for
the present undertaking- : "It will be under-
stood that our only opposition to Mormonism is
on the ground of its being- a religious impos-
ture."
"There are no limits to imposture. It is
capable of wearing- with equal grace the fan-
tastic g-arb of jug-g-lery, or the insig-nia of a
pious priest." It lurks in the cabinets of
king's as well as in tents of wandering- gypsies.
But of all the shapes it assumes, sanctity is its
favorite, and of all the g-arbs in which it has
ever been arrayed, none other so completely
hides its deformity as that of relig-ion."
Mormonism has grown up by degrees, shap-
ing- itself to suit the times, and is by no means
yet fully developed according- to Smith's pre-
tensions and claims.
D. P. Kidder has said, "Gladly would we
have been excused from the task of examining-
the claims of Mormonism and the Mormons did
not a reg-ard for truth, together with the dic-
tates of conscience, urg-e us to undertake it."
He also adds, "Justice to the world and to
382 Mormoiiism Exposed and Refuted.
posterit}^ calls upon Americans of the present
generation to record facts connected with this
subject which are now and here notorious, but
which are less known abroad, and eventually
may be lost in oblivion of time." He still fur-
ther adds, "We shall 'be obliged to unmask
deception and to place before the world the
principal agents of this imposture in their true,
attested character ; yet we hope to do it in fair-
ness and candor, so that could we gain the at-
.tention of any individuals exposed or already
subject to the mental and spiritual contamina-
tion of which there have been such unhappy
examples, we trust they may here find an anti-
dote." Says the same author, "Truth and
reason are the only weapons we can use with
safety, either in attack or defense. Let knowl-
edge and piety be diffused ; let the pure princi-
ples of the gospel be disseminated and practiced,
and there will be nothing to fear. But in the
absence of these there will be no barrier
against the giant strides of fanaticism, and no
restraint upon the extravagances of human
passion and folly." I quote from the same
author, ' ' Upon the Book of Mormon rests the
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 383
whole fabric of Mormonism ; let us examine
whether it be not a sandy foundation. That
was the starting" point of the whole prophetic
pretense ; let us see whether it is from above or
beloiv. That its fountain which has sent forth
the whole flood of blessings or of curses at-
tributable to the system ; let us prove whether
its waters are sweet or bitter."
It is reasonable to suppose that if God were
about to use some one of the human family for
the purpose of making' known and bringing
about some extraordinary events in connection
with mankind at larg'e, he would necessarily
make choice of a person, or persons, of known
noble, moral character ; but the following* would
show that such was truly wanting- in Joseph
Smith and his family, I copy the following
from a work in my hands, the title of which is,
"Mormonism and the Mormons."
"MANCHESTER, Ontario County, N. Y.
November 3, 1833.
We, the undersig-ned, being personally ac-
quainted with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr.,
with whom the Golden Bible, so-called; origin-
ated, state that they were not only a lazy, in-
384 Mormoriism Exposed and Refilled.
dolent set of men, but also intemperate, and
their word was not to be depended upon, and
that we are truly glad to dispense with their
society.
PARDON BUTTS, WARDEN A. REED,
HIRAM SMITH, ALFRED STAFFORD,
JAMES GEE, ABEL CHASE,
A. H. WENTWORTH, MOSES C. SMITH,
JOSEPH FISH, HORACE N. BARNES,
SILVESTER WARDEN."
"PALMYRA, December 4, 1833.
We, the undersigned, have been acquainted
with the Smith family for a number of years,
while they resided near this place, and we have
no hesitation in saying* that we consider them
destitute of that moral character which ought
to entitle them to confidence of any community.
They were particularly famous for visionary
projects, spent much of their time in digging
for money, which they pretended was hid in the
earth ; and, to this day, large excavations may
be seen in the earth not far from their resi-
dence, where they used to spend their time in
digging for hidden treasures. Joseph Smith,
Sr., and his son Joseph were, in particular, con-
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 385
sidered entirely destitute of moral character,
and addicted to vicious habits.
"Martin Harris was a man who had ac-
quired a handsome property, and in matters of
business his word was considered good ; but on
moral and religious subjects he was perfectly
visionary sometimes advocating- one sentiment
and sometimes another. In reference to all
with whom we were acquainted that have em-
braced Mormonism from this neighborhood, we
are compelled to say were very visionary and
many of them destitute of moral character and
without influence in this community ; and this
may account for why they were permitted to
go on with their impositions undisturbed. It
was not supposed that any of them were pos-
sessed of sufficient character or influence to
make any one believe their book or their senti-
ments, and we know not of a single individual
in this vicinity that puts the least confidence in
their pretended revelations.
* ' GEO. N. WILLIAMS, CLARK ROBINSON,
LEMUEL DURFEE, E. S. TOWNSEND,
HENRY P. ALGER, C. E. THAYER,
G. W. ANDERSON, H. P. THAYER,
25
386 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
L. WILLIAMS,
LEVI THAYER,
P. SEXTON,
S. P. SEYMOUR,
JOHN HURLBUT,
JAMES JEENNER,
JOSIAH RICE,
GEO. W. CROSBY,
R. S. WILLIAMS,
M. BUTTERFIELD,
D. S. JACKWAYS,
H. LlNNELL,
S. ACKLEY,
JESSE TOWNSEND,
RICHARD D. CLARK, THOS. P. BALDWIN,
JOHN SOTHINGTON, DURFEY CHASE,
N. H. BECKWITH,
GILES S. ELY,
PELALIAH WEST,
LINUS NORTH,
WILLIAM PARKE,
AMOS HOLISTER,
DAVID G. ELY,
G. BECKWITH,
HIRAM PAYNE,
L. KURD,
E. D. ROBINSON,
ANDERSON,
PHILO DURFEE,
R. W. SMITH,
HENRY JESSUP,
THOMAS ROGERS,
JOSIAH FRANCIS,
G. A. HATHAWAY,
H. K. JEROME,
LEWIS FOSTER,
P. GRANDIN,
JOEL THAYER,
ASHEL MlLLARD,
A. ENSWORTH,
ISRAEL F. CHILSON."
The author here remarks, "After these state-
ments, certified by fifty-two men of character
and standing, who may be considered as repre
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 387
senting the entire community in which Mor-
monism took its origin, we may safely regard
the character of the persons who got it up."
Surely the Smiths, as a family, lacked (ac-
cording to the above testimony of the multitude
of their nearest neighbors) the quality that the
great God of the universe would require as his
elect to bring forth his divine exalted purposes
to the universe of mankind. But such a char-
acter, as the above witnesses testify to, would
be well fitted to develop and operate a system
from beneath which in its nature is earthy and
sensual.
The author further remarks, "Martin Har-
ris, above and hereafter referred to, was second
in importance to Smith. Indeed, had it not
been for his money, which he supposed profita-
bly invested, there is no probability that the
Book of Mormon would have been published."
It will now be curious to observe several par-
ticulars which are vouched for by the regularly
sworn affidavits of different individuals.
When Joseph Smith, Jr., first pretended to
have found a Golden Bible, it was merely in jest,
not expecting that any one would believe him.
388 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Peter Ing-ersoll, his neighbor and confidential
friend, thus testifies: "One day Smith came
and. greeted me with a joyful countenance.
Upon asking- him the cause of his unusual hap-
piness, he replied in the following* lang-uag-e :
4 As I was passing-, yesterday, across the woods
after a heavy shower of rain, I found in a hol-
low some beautiful white sand that had been
washed up by the water. I took off my frock
and tied up several quarts of it and then went
home. On entering- the house I found the fam-
ily at the table eating- dinner. They were all
anxious to know the contents of my frock. At
that moment I happened to think of what I had
heard about a history found in Canada called
* The Golden Bible ; ' so I very gravely told
them it was the Golden Bible. To my surprise
they were credulous enoug-h to believe what I
said. According-ly, I told them I had received
a commandment to let 119 one see it ; for, said I,
* No man can see it with the naked eye and live. '
However, I offered to take put the Book and
show it to them, but they refused to see it, and
left the room. 'Now,' said Joe, 'I have gx>t
the damned fools fixed, and will carry out the
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 389
fun.' Notwithstanding', he told me he had no
such book, and believed there never was such a
book ; yet he told me he actually went to Wil-
lard Chase to get him to make a chest in which
he mig'ht deposit his Golden Bible. But as
Chase would not do it he made a box himself
of boards and put it in a pillow-case, and
allowed people only to lift it and feel of it
through the case."
As is usual in such cases of fibbing* his
stories were contradictory. Here is a part of
Willard Chase's testimony :
"In the fore part of September, (I believe)
1827, the prophet requested me to make him a
chest, informing" me that he desired to move
back to Pennsylvania and expected soon to get
his gold book. He wanted a chest to lock it up,
giving me to understand, at the same time, that
if I would make the chest he would give me a
share in the book. I told him my business was
such I could not make it, but if he would bring
the book to me I would lock it up for him. He
said that would not do, as he was commanded
to keep it two years without letting it come to
the eye of any one but himself. This com-
390 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
mandment, however, he did not keep, for in less
than two years twelve men said they had seen
it. I told him to get it and convince, me of its
existence and I would make him the chest to
lock the book in as soon as he took it out of the
ground. I saw him a few days after when he
told me I must make the chest. I told him
plainly that I could not, upon which he told me
I could have no part in the book.
"A few weeks after this conversation he
came to my house and related the following
story: That on the 22nd of September he
arose early in the morning' and took a team and
wagon of some one that had stayed over night
at their house without leave or license, and to-
gether with his wife repaired to the hill which
contained the book. He left his wife in the
wagon by the road and went alone to the hill, a
distance of thirty or forty rods from the road.
He said he then took the book out of the ground
and hid it in a tree-top and returned home. He
then went to the town of Macedon to work ;
and about ten days, it having been suggested
that some one had got his book, his wife went
after him. He hired a horse and went home in
Joseph Smith' } s Early Life. 391
the afternoon, stayed long- enough to drink a
cup of tea and then went for his book, found it
safe, took off his frock, wrapped it round it,
put it under his arm and ran all the way home,
a distance of about two miles. He said he
should think it would weigh sixty pounds, and
was sure it would weigh forty. On his return
home he said he was attacked by two men in
the woods and knocked them both down and
made his escape, arrived safe, and secured his
treasure. He then observed that if it had not
been for that stone (which he acknowledged
belonged to me) he would not have obtained the
book.
"A few days afterward he told one of my
neighbors that he had not g*ot any such book,
and never had ; but that he told the story to
deceive the d d fool, (meaning* me) to get
him to make a chest. His neighbors having
become disgusted with his foolish stories, he
determined to go back to Pennsylvania to avoid
what he called persecution. His wits were
now put to the task to contrive how he should
get money to bear his expenses.
He met one day in the streets of Palmyra a
392 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
rich man, whose name was Martin Harris, and
addressed him thus, * I have a commandment
from God to ask the first man I meet in the
street to give me fifty dollars to assist me in
doing- the work of the Lord by translating- the
Golden Bible. ' Martin, being- naturally a cred-
ulous man, handed Joseph the money.
44 In the spring-, 1829, Harris went to Penn-
sylvania, and on his return to Palmyra re-
ported that the prophet's wife in the month of
June following- would be delivered of a male
child that would be able, when two years old,
to translate the Golden Bible. ' Then, ' said he,
'you will see Joseph Smith, Jr., walking
throug-h the streets of Palmyra with a gold
Bible under his arm and having- a gold breast-
plate on and a gold sword hanging by his side. '
This however proved false.
"In April, 1830, I asked Hiram Smith for
the stone which he had borrowed of me. He
told me I should not have it, for Joseph made
use of it in translating his Bible. I reminded
him of his promise, and that he had pledged his
honor to return it ; but he gave me the lie, say-
ing the stone was not mine nor never was.
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 393
Harris at this time flew into a rage. Hiram
shook his fist at me and abused me in a most
scandalous manner.
"Thus I might proceed in describing- the
character of these high priests by relating one
transaction after another which would tend to
set them in the same light in which they were
regarded by their neighbors, viz: as pests of
society.
"I have regarded Joseph Smith, Jr., from
the time I first became acquainted with him un-
til he left this part of the country, as a man
whose word could not be depended upon. Hi-
ram's character was but very little better.
What I have said respecting the character of
these men will apply to the whole family.
What I have stated relative to the character of
these individuals thus far is wholly true. After
they became thorough Mormons their conduct
was more disgraceful than before. They did
not hesitate to abuse any man, no matter how
fair his character, provided he did not embrace
their creed. Their tongues were continually
employed in spreading scandal and abuse ;
although they left this part of the country
394 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
without paying- their debts, yet their creditors
were glad to have them do so, rather than have
them stay in the neighborhood.
Signed, WILLARD CHASE."
"On the llth day of December, 1833, the
said Willard Chase appeared before me and
made oath that the foregoing statement to
which he has subscribed his name is true, ac-
cording to his best recollection and belief.
FREDERICK SMITH,
Justice of the Peace of Wayne county."
Parley Chase affirms the following- : "I was
acquainted with the family of Joseph Smith,
Sr., both before and since they became Mor-
mons, and feel free to state that not one of the
male members of the Smith family was entitled
to any credit whatever. They were lazy, in-
temperate and worthless men very much ad-
dicted to lying. In this they frequently boasted
of their skill. Digging for money was their
principal employment. In regard to their
Golden Bible speculation they scarcely ever
told two stories alike."
The following is a part of Henry Harris's
affidavit: "Joseph Smith, Jr., the pretended
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 395
prophet, used to pretend to tell fortunes. He
had a stone which he used to put in his hat, by
means of which he professed to tell people's
fortunes.
"Joseph Smith, Jr., Martin Harris and oth-
ers used to meet together in private awhile be-
fore the gold plates were found and were fa-
miliarly known by the name of the ' Gold Bible
Company.' They were regarded by the com-
munity in which they lived as lying and indo-
lent men, and no confidence could be placed in
them.
"The character of Joseph Smith, Jr., for
truth and veracity was such that I would not
believe him under oath. I was once on a jury
before a justice's court, and the jury could not
and did not believe his testimony to be true.
After he pretended to have found ~the gold
plates I had a conversation with him and asked
him where he found them and how he came to
know where they were. He said he had a
revelation from God that told him they were
hid in a certain hill, and he looked in his stone
and saw them in the place of deposit, and an
angel appeared and told him he could not get
396 Mormonism Exposed and Refutea.
the plates until he was married, and that when
he saw the woman that was to be his wife, he
would know her and she would know him. He
then went to Pennsylvania to get his wife, and
they both went tog-ether to get the gold plates.
He said it was revealed to him that no one
must see the plates but himself and wife.
"I then asked him what letters were en-
graved upon them ; he said, ' Italic letters,
written in an unknown language,' and that he
had copied some of the words and sent them to
Dr. Mitchell and Professor Anthon of New
York. By looking on the plates he said he
could not understand the words, but it was
made known to him that he was the person
that must translate them, and on looking
through the stone he was enabled to translate.
"After the book was published I frequently
bantered him for a copy. He asked fourteen
shillings apiece for them. I told him I would
not give so much. He told me he had had a
revelation that they must be sold at that price."
Abigail Harris has made the following affirm-
ation which is sustained by a similar one from
Lucy, the wife of Martin Harris :
Joseph Smitti 's Early Life. 397
" PALMYRA, Wayne County, N. Y.
November 28, 1833.
In the early part of the Winter in 1828, I
made a visit to Martin Harris's, and was joined
in company by Joseph Smith, Sr., and his wife.
The Golden Bible business, so-called, was the
topic of conversation to which I paid particular
attention that I might learn the truth of the
whole matter. They told me that the report
that Joseph, Jr., had found golden plates was
true and that he was in Harmony, Penn., trans-
lating them. The old lady said also that after
the book was translated the plates were to be
publicly exhibited at twenty-five cents. She
calculated it would bring in annually an enor-
mous sum of money that money would then be
plenty and the book would also sell for a great
price as it was something entirely new that
they had been commanded to obtain all the
money they could borrow for present necessity
and to repay with gold. The remainder was
to be kept in store for the benefit of their
family and children.
' ' This and the like conversation detained me
until about eleven o'clock, Early next morn-
398 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
ing- the mystery of the Spirit (being- myself one
of the order called Friends) was revealed by
the following- circumstance : The old lady took
me into another room, and after closing- the
door she said, ' Have you four or five dollars in
money that you can lend until our business is
broug-ht to a close ? The Spirit has said you
shall receive fourfold.' I told her that when I
g-ave I did it not expecting- to receive ag-ain ; as
for money I had none to lend. I then asked her
what her particular want of money was ; to
which she replied, 'Joseph wants to take the
stag-e and come home from Pennsylvania to see
what we are all about.' To which I replied,
' He mig-ht look in his stone and save the time
and money.' The old lady seemed confused
and left the room, and thus ended the visit.
14 In the second month following-, Martin Har-
ris and his wife were at my house. In conver-
sation about Mormonites she observed that she
wished her husband would quit them, as she
believed it was all false and a delusion. To
which I heard Mr. Harris reply, * What if it is
a lie ; if you will let me alone I will make
money out of it!' I was both an eye and an
Joseph Smith' 1 s Early Life. 399
ear witness of what has been stated above,
which is now fresh in my memory, and I give it
to the world for the good of mankind. I speak
the truth and lie not, God bearing me witness.
ABIGAIL HARRIS."
Joseph Capron, after detailing sundry necro-
mantic exploits of Smith's, adds :
"At length Joseph pretended to find the gold
plates. This scheme, he believed, would re-
lieve the family from all pecuniary embarrass-
ment. His father told me that when the book
was published, they would be enabled from the
profits of the work to carry into successful
operation the money-digging business. He
gave me no intimation at that time that the
book was to be of a religious character, or that
it had anything to do with revelation. He de-
clared it to be a speculation, and, said he,
* When it is complete my family will be placed
on a level or above the generality of man-
kind.'"
The scene will now change from the state of
New York to that of Pennsylvania where we
shall learn some further particulars respecting
the character and operations of these pretend-
400 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
ers from persons well qualified to judge of
them. Smith's father-in-law, Mr. Hale, testi-
fies to the following* among" other particulars :
"HARMONY, Pa., March 20, 1834.
I first became acquainted with Joseph Smith,
Jr., in November, 1825. He was at that time
in the employ of a set of men who were called
4 money-diggers, ' and his occupation was that
of seeing 1 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.
"About this time young" Smith made several
visits to my house, and at length asked my con-
sent to marry my daughter, Emma. This I
refused and g"ave my reasons for so doing", some
of which were that he was a strang-er and fol-
lowed a business I could not approve of. He
then left the place. Not long" after this he re-
turned, and while I was absent from home car-
ried off my daughter to the state of New York
where they were married without my approba-
tion or consent.
"Soon after this I was informed they had
brought a wonderful book of plates down with
Joseph Smith? s Early Life. 401
them. I was shown a box in which it was said
they were contained, which had, to all appear-
ance, been used as a glass box, of common win-
dow 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.
"I inquired of Joseph Smith, Jr., who was to
be the first who 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 anything in my hquse 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 away 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 he had
talked with Joseph about it. Joseph informed
26
402 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
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 were, and
that after he came back Harris should follow
his track in the snow and find the book and ex-
amine it for himself. Harris told me that he
followed Smith's direction and could not find
the plates, and was still dissatisfied.
4 'The next day after this happened I went to
the house where Joseph Smith, Jr., 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 com-
paring, and some of the words were, 'My ser-
vant seeketh a greater witness, but no greater
witness can be given him.' There was also
something said about * Three that were to see
the thing-' meaning, I suppose, the book of
plates, and that 'If the three did not go exactly
according" to the 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 I con-
sidered the whole of it a delusion, and advised
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 403
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 at the same time the book of plates were
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 un-
derstood.
"Affirmed to and subscribed before me,
March 20, 1834. CHARLES DIMON,
Justice of the Peace."
' ' STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA,
Susquehannah County.
We, the subscribers, associate judges of the
court of common pleas, in and for said county,
do certify that we have* been many years per-
sonally acquainted with Isaac Hale, of Har-
mony township, in this county, who have at-
tested the foregoing statement ; and that he is a
404 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
man of excellent moral character, and of un-
doubted veracity. Witness our hands.
WII,I,IAM THOMPSON,
DAVIS DEMICK"
Rev. N. C. Lewis, of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, also certifies and affirms in relation
to Smith as follows :
" March 20, 1834.
I have been acquainted with Joseph Smith,
Jr., for some time. Being- a relative of his
wife, and residing near him, I have had fre-
quent opportunities of conversation with him
and of knowing his opinions and pursuits.
From my standing- in the Methodist Episcopal
Church I suppose he was careful how he con-
ducted or expressed himself to me. At one
time, however, he came to my house and asked
my advice, whether he should translate the
book of plates (referred to by Mr. Hale) or not.
He said that God had commanded him to trans-
late it, but he was afraid of the people. He
remarked that he was to exhibit the plates to
the world, at a certain time, which was then
about eighteen months distant. I told him
was not qualified to g-ive advice in such cases,
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 405
Smith frequently said to me that I should see
the plates at the time appointed.
"After the time stipulated had passed away,
Smith being- at my house, I asked him why he did
not fulfill his promise and show the plates at
the time appointed and prove himself an honest
man ? He replied that he himself was deceived,
but that I should see them if I was where they
were. I told him then that at the time he made
the promise I was fearful ' the enchantment
would be so powerful ' as to remove the plates
when the time came in which they were to be
revealed.
' ' These circumstances and many others of a
similar tenor embolden me to say that Joseph
Smith, Jr., is not a man of truth and veracity,
and that his general character in this part of
the country is that of an impostor, hypocrite
and liar.
NATHANIEL C. LEWIS."
"Affirmed and subscribed before me, March
21, 1834. CHARLES DIMON,
Justice of the Peace."
Alva Hale, son of Isaac Hale, (brother-in-law
to Joseph Smith,) states that Joseph Smith,
406 Aforinonism Exposed and Refuted.
Jr. , told him that his g-if t of seeing- with a stone
in his hat, was 'a g-ift from God,' but also
states that Smith told him at other times, that
this peeping- was all damned nonsense. Smith
said he was deceived himself, but did not in-
tend to deceive others ; that he intended to quit
the Business of peeping- and labor for a living-.
Afterwards Smith told him he should see the
plates from which he translated the Book of
Mormon, and at the time^specified by Smith he
(Hale) called to see the plates, but Smith did
not show them, but appeared angry. He fur-
ther states that he knows Joseph Smith, Jr.,
to be an impostor and a liar, and knows Martin
Harris to be a liar likewise.
Levi Lewis states that he has been ac-
quainted with Joseph Smith, Jr., and Martin
Harris, and that he has heard them both say
adultery was no crime. Mr. Lewis says that
he knows Smith to be a liar ; that he saw him
intoxicated at three different times while busy
with the Book of Mormon, and also that he has
heard Smith, when driving- oxen, use lang-uag-e
of the greatest profanity. Mr. Lewis also tes-
tifies that he heard Smith say he was as g-ood
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 407
as Jesus Christ ; that it was as bad to injure him
as it was to injure Jesus Christ. With regard
to the plates, Smith said God had deceived him,
which was the reason he had not shown
them.
Sophia Lewis certifies that she heard a con-
versation between Joseph Smith, Jr., and the
Rev. James B. Roach, in which Smith called
Mr. R. a damned fooL Smith also said, in the
same conversation, that he was as good as
Jesus Christ, and that she had frequently heard
Smith use profane language. She states that
she heard Smith say the book of plates could
not be opened, under penalty of death, by any
other person but his first-born, which was to
be a male. She says she was present at the
birth of this child and that it was still-born
and very much deformed.
Such a man as Joseph Smith, Jr., we are yet
told by the Mormons at the present day, 1892,
was divinely appointed to usher in the fullness
of the gospel of peace and righteousness. That
the system of Mormonism is the little stone cut
out of the mountain without hands (spoken of
by Daniel the prophet) which is to roll forth
408 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
and fill the whole earth and break in pieces all
other kingdoms and stand forever.
A writer on Mormonism has said, * * We will
indulg-e for a moment, that for wise and worthy
purposes, God did then and there make a reve-
lation to the human family of special events
that should come to pass. It next becomes im-
portant to inquire who are the chosen vessels
by whom the Almighty, condescended to dis-
pense such grace to the world. From what
we know of the former-day saints and prophets,
1 men of whom the world was not worthy, ' we
should expect if there were any righteous upon
earth any full of faith and the Holy Ghost-
any who were watching with prayers and tears
for the coming of the Lord, that God would
select some such to make known his will in
these latter-days. But the testimony of his
neighbors and those well acquainted with him,
as above shown, shows that the standing and
character of Smith among those who knew him
best, was the very opposite of a man of truth
and veracity."
We feel sure that Smith could not have such
a name and standing as the above testimonies
Joseph Smith's Early Life. 409
would go to show, if he had conducted himself
as an honest, truthful man. Every community
knows the general tenor of their nearest neigh-
bors, who are raised and live a length of time
among them. Smith had made his own char-
acter among those he so long had mingled with,
and had he been as good a man in general char-
acter as he should have been and such as God
would necessarily select as one of his elect, his
neighbors never would have deliberately made
such sworn statements in relation to him as the
foregoing. I confess I have never lived in, nor
have I ever known a neighborhood, where an
ordinary, good citizen would, or could, be con-
demned by such a mass of reputable, good citi-
zens as the above who testify against Smith's
immoralities. Surely his standing where best
known was very objectionable.
I urge the reader, should he or she have any
sympathy or inclinations towardMormonism, to
reflect on such testimonies as the above in rela-
tion to the man Smith, the founder of the sys-
tem in question, "The tree is known by its
fruits." Smith was known by his fruits by
his conduct. "A good tree cannot bring forth
410 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
evil fruit ; neither can an evil tree bring- forth
good fruit." If Smith was a good m-an a
man after the spirit and likeness of Jesus
Christ, his religious institution, his conduct,
his principles, must be Christ-like. God does
not make choice of wicked people as represent-
atives of himself and the law of righteousness.
The spirit of Jesus and his apostles is summed
up in this, "Love is the fulfilling of the
law."
A number of these seventy-five witnesses,
whose testimony goes to show that Smith was
not a man of truth and veracity, also show that
Martin Harris was an equal to Smith in decep-
tion and selfishness ; to say nothing of the fam-
ily of Smiths. I urge again that the readers
particularly acquaint themselves with the na-
ture of the testimonies of these seventy-five
persons, and they will fully realise the unpar-
alleled wickedness of Joseph Smith, Jr., and
Martin Harris, the two principal characters at
the commencement, and who figure prominently
in the development of the system. "Ye shall
know them by their fruits."
Should there be no other proof against the
Joseph Smith' 1 s Early Life. 411
system of Mormbnism than the testimonies of
the foregoing- witnesses, it should take a super-
abundance of divine proof to overcome it,
knowing* that "a corrupt fountain cannot send
forth pure water."
CHAPTER XIX.
ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OP MORMON SPAI^D-
ING MANUSCRIPT.
1 SHALL/ now give additional proof against
Smith and his system of religion by quot-
ing more fully from the work, "Mormonism
and the Mormons," by D. P. Kidder.
'* Leaving the prophet and his coadjutors in
their employment of peeping and comparing
notes on the banks of the Susquehanna, we
shall now introduce to the reader an individual
hitherto behind the curtain, but who was des-
tined to act a prominent part in the farce of
Mormonism. This is none other than Sidney
Rigdon, known at that time in the northern
counties of Ohio as a Campbellite preacher of
some distinction, and reputed to possess more
than ordinary shrewdness. A combination of
circumstances indicates him to have been the
prime mover of the whole contrivance, as far
as a religious imposition was concerned.
The leading features of what has been pub-
(412)
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 413
lished to the world as the Book of Mormon,
was conceived and written out as early as the
year 1810 or 1811 by one Solomon Spalding-.
Of Spalding- we have the following* account,
written by his surviving; brother, a resident of
Crawford County, Pennsylvania :
"Solomon Spalding- was born in Ashford,
Conn., in 1761, and in early life contracted a
taste for literary pursuits. After he. left
school he entered Plainfield Academy, where
he made great proficiency in study, and ex-
celled most of his classmates. He soon after
entered Dartmouth Colleg-e, with the intent of
qualifying- himself for the ministry. At this
place he obtained the degree of A. M., and was
afterward reg-ularly ordained. After preach-
ing- three or four years, he g-ave it up. In the
year 1809 he removed to Conneaut, in Ohio, and
eng-ag-ed in building- a forg-e. I made him a
visit in about three years after, and found he
had failed and was considerably in debt. He
then told me he had been writing- a book, which
he intended to have published, the avails of
which, he thoug-ht, would enable him to pay all
his debts. The book was entitled, ' The Man-
414 Mormonism Exposed and Refutea.
uscript Pound,' of which he read to me many
passages. It was a historical romance of the
first settlers of America, endeavoring* to show
that the American Indians are the descendants
of the Jews, or 'the lost tribes.' It gave a de-
tailed account of their journey from Jerusalem,
by land and sea, till they arrived in America,
under the command of Nephi and Lehi. They
afterwards had quarrels and contentions, and
separated into two distinct nations, one of
which he denominated Nephites, and the other
Lamanites. Cruel and bloody wars ensued, in
which great multitudes were slain. They
buried their dead in great heaps, which caused
the mounds so common in this country. Their
arts, sciences, and civilization were brought to
view, in order to account for all the curious an-
tiquities found in various parts of North and
South America. I have recently read the Book
of Mormon, and, to my great surprise, I find
nearly the same historical matter, names, etc.,
as they were in my brother's writings. I well
remember that he wrote in the old style, and
commenced about every sentence with, 'And it
came to pass,' or 'Now it came to pass,' the
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 415
same as the Book of Mormon, and, according- to
the best of my recollection and belief, it is the
same as my brother Solomon wrote, with the
exception of the religious matter. By what
means it has fallen into the hands of Joseph
Smith, Jr., I am unable to determine.
" JOHN SP ADDING."
Martha Spalding-, the wife of John Spalding-,
says :
"I was personally acquainted with Solomon
Spalding-. About twenty years ag-o I was at
his house a short time before he left Conneaut ;
he was then writing- an historical novel, found-
ed upon the first settlers of America. He rep-
resented them as an enlig-htened and warlike
people. He had for many years contended that
the aborigines of America were the descend-
ants of some of the lost tribes of Israel, and
this idea he carried out in the book in question.
The lapse of time which has intervened pre-
vents my recollecting- but few of the leading-
incidents of his writing's ; but the names of
Nephi and Lehi are yet fresh in my memory, as
being- the principal heroes of his tale!, They
were officers of the company which first came
416 Mormowism Exposed and Refuted.
from Jerusalem. He gave a particular account
of their journey by land and sea, till they ar-
rived in America ; after which disputes arose
between the chiefs, which caused them to sep-
arate into different bands, one of which was
called Lamanites and the other Nephites. Be-
tween these w r ere recounted tremendous bat-
tles, which frequently covered the ground with
slain, and their being buried in large heaps was
the cause of the numerous mounds in the coun-
try. Some of these people he represented as
being very large. I have read the Book of
Mormon, which has broug-ht fresh to my mind
the writings of Solomon Spalding, and I have
no manner of doubt that the historical part of
it is the same that I read, and heard read, more
than twenty years ago. The old, obsolete
style, and the phrases of 'And it came to pass,'
etc., are the same."
"CONNEAUT, ASHTABULA COUNTY, )
"September, 1833. j
"I left the State of New York late in the
year 1810, and arrived at this place about the
first of January following. Soon after my ar-
rival I formed a partnership with Solomon
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 417
Spalding for the purpose of rebuilding* a forge
which he had commenced a year or 'two before.
He very frequently read to me from a manu-
script which he was writing-, which he entitled
the 'Manuscript Found,' and which he repre-
sented as being found in this town. I spent
many hours in hearing him read from said
writings, and became well acquainted with
their contents. He wished me to assist him in
getting his production printed, alleging that a
book of that kind would meet with rapid sale.
I designed doing so, but the forge not meeting
with our anticipations, we failed in business,
and I declined to have anything to do with the
publication of the book. This book represent-
ed the American Indians as the descendants of
the lost tribes ; gave an account of their leav-
ing Jerusalem ; their contentions and wars,
which were many and great. One time when
he was reading to me the tragic account of
Laban, I pointed out to him what I considered
an inconsistency, which he promised to correct ;
but by reading the Book of Mormon, I find, to
my surprise, that it stands there just as he read
it to me then. Some months ago I borrowed
27
418 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
the Golden Bible, and when I got home my wife
commenced reading it aloud as I lay on the bed.
She had read but little before I was astonished
to find the same passages in it that Spalding
had read to me more than twenty years before
from his 'Manuscript Found.' Since that, I
have more fully examined the said 'Golden
Bible,' and have no hesitation in saying that
the historical part of it is principally, if not
wholly, taken from the 'Manuscript Found.'
I well recollect telling Mr. Spalding that the
frequent use of the words 'And it came to pass,'
'Now it came to pass,' rendered it ridiculous.
Spalding left here in 1812, and I furnished him
the means to carry him to Pittsburgh, where
he said he would get the book printed, and pay
me ; but I never heard any more of him or his
writings, till I saw them in the ' Book of Mor-
mon.' HENRY LAKE."
"SPRINGFIELD, PA., Sept. 1833.
"In the year 1811 I was in the employ of
Henry Lake and Solomon Spalding, at Con-
neaut, engaged in rebuilding a forge. While
there I boarded and lodged in the family of said
Spalding for several months. I was soon in-
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 419
troduced to the manuscript of Spalding, and
perused it- as often as I had leisure. He had
written two or three books or pamphlets on dif-
ferent subjects, but that which more particu-
larly drew my attention, was one he called the
' Manuscript Found.' From this he would fre-
quently read some particular passages to the
company present. It purported to be a history
of the first settlement of America, before dis-
covered by Columbus. He brought them off from
Jerusalem, under their leaders, detailing their
travels by land and water, their manners, cus-
toms, laws, wars, etc. He said that he de-
signed it as an historical novel, and that in
after years it would be believed by many people
as much as the history of England. He soon
after failed in business, and told me he should
retire from the din of his creditors, finish his
book, and have it published, which would en-
able him to pay his debts and support his fam-
ly. He soon after removed to Pittsburgh, as I
understood.
" I have recently examined the Book of Mor-
mon, and find in it the writings of Solomon
Spalding, irom beginning to end, but mixed up
420 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
with scripture and other religious matter, which
I did not meet with in the * Manuscript Found.'
Many of the passages in the Book of Mormon
are verbatim from Spalding. The names of
Nephi, Lehi, Moroni, and in fact all the princi-
pal names, are brought fresh to my recollection
by the Gold Bible. Spaldingin his manuscript
landed his people near the Straits of Darien,
which I think he called Zarahemla. They were
marched about the country for a length of time,
in which wars and great bloodshed ensues. He
brought them across North America, in a north-
east direction.
" JOHN N. MiiyivBR."
*
" CONNEAUT, August, 1833.
"I first became acquainted with Solomon
Spalding in 1808 or 1809, when he commenced
building a forge on Conneaut Creek. When at
his home, one day, he showed and read to me a
history he was writing of the lost tribes of Is-
rael, purporting that they were the first set-
tlers of America, and that the Indians were
their descendants. Upon this subject we had
frequent conversations. He traced their jour-
ney from Jerusalem to America, as it is given
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 421
in the Book of Mormon, excepting the religious
matter. The historical part of the Book of
Mormon I know to be the same as I read from
the writings of Spalding, more than twenty
years ago ; the names, more especially, are t'he
same, without any alteration. He told me his
object was to account for all the fortifications,
etc., to be found in this country, and said that
in time it would be fully believed by all, ex-
cept learned men and historians. I once antic-
ipated reading his writings in print, but little
expected to see them in a new Bible. Spalding
had many other manuscripts, which I expect to
see when Smith translates his other plates.
In conclusion, I will observe that the names of,
and most of the historical parts of, the Book of
Mormon were as familiar to me before I read
it as most modern history. If it is not Spald-
ing's writing, it is the same as he wrote ; and
if Smith was inspired, I think he was inspired
by the same spirit that Spalding' was, which
he confessed to be the love of money.
"AARON WRIGHT."
'CoNN^AUT, August, 1833.
"When Solomon Spalding first came to this
422 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
place, he purchased a tract of land, surveyed
it out, and commenced selling- it. While en-
gaged in the business he boarded at my house,
in all nearly six months. All his leisure hours
were occupied in writing- an historical novel,
founded upon the first settlers of this country.
He said he intended to trace their journey from
Jerusalem, by land and sea, till their arrival in
America ; g-ive an account of their arts, sci-
ences, civilization, wars, and contentions. In
this way he would g-ive a satisfactory account
of all the old mounds so common in this coun-
try. During- the time he was at my house, I
read, and heard read, one hundred -pag-es or
more. Nephi and Lehi were represented by
him as leading- characters, when' they first
started for America. Their main object was
to escape the judg-ments which they supposed
were to come upon the Old World. But no re-
lig-ious matter was introduced, as I now recol-
lect. Just before he left this place, Spalding-
sent for me to call on him, which I did. He
then said, that although he was in my debt he
intended to leave the country, and hoped I
would not prevent him, 'for,' said he, 'you
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 423
know I have been writing* the history of the
first settlement of America, and I intend to go
Pittsburgh, and there live a retired life till I
have completed the work, and when it is print-
ed it will bring* me a fine sum of money, which
will enable me to return and pay off all my
debts. The book, you know. will sell, as every
one is anxious to learn something- upon that sub-
ject.' This was the last I heard of Spalding-
or his book, until the Book of Mormon came
into the neighborhood. When I heard the his-
torical part of it related, I at once said it was
the writing- of old Solomon Spalding". Soon
after, I obtained the book, and, on reading- it,
found much of it the same as Spalding- had
written more than twenty years before.
"OLIVER SMITH."
"I first became acquainted with Solomon
Spalding- in December, 1810. After that time
I frequently saw him at his house, and also at
my house. I once, in conversation with him,
expressed my surprise at not having- any ac-
count of the former inhabitants of this coun-
try, who erected the old forts and mounds, etc.
He then told me he was writing- a history of
424 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
that race of people, and afterward frequently
showed me his writing's, which I read. I have
lately read the Book of Mormon, and believe it
to be the same as Spalding wrote, except the
religious part. He told me he intended to get
his writings published in Pittsburgh, and he
thought that in one century from that time it
would be believed as much as any other history.
"NAHUM HOWARD."
Artemus Cunningham, of Perry, Geauga
County, states as follows :
"In the month of October, 1811, I went from
the township of Madison to Conneaut, for the
purpose of securing a debt due me from Solo-
mon Spalding. I tarried with him nearly two
days, for the purpose of accomplishing my ob-
ject, which I was finally unable to do. I found
him destitute of the means of paying his debts.
His only hope of paying his debts appeared to
be upon the sale of a book which he was writ-
ing. He endeavored to convince me, from the
nature and character of the work, that it would
meet with a ready sale. Before showing me
his manuscript, he went into a verbal relation
of its outlines, saying that it was a fabulous or
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 425
romantic history of the first settlement of this
country, and as it purported to have been a
record found buried in the earth, or in a cave,
he had adopted the ancient or scripture style of
writing-. He then presented his manuscripts,
when we sat down and spent a good share of
the night in reading them and conversing upon
them. I well remember the name of Nephi,
who appeared to be the principal hero of the
story. The frequent repetition of the phrase,
4 1, Nephi,' I recollect as distinctly as though it
was but yesterday, although the general feat-
ures of the story have passed from my memory
through the lapse of twenty-two years. He
attempted to account for the numerous antiqui-
ties which are found upon this continent, and
remarked that after this generation had passed
away, his account of the first inhabitants of
America would be considered as authentic as
any other history. The Mormon Bible I have
partially examined, and am fully of the opinion
that Solomon Spalding had written its outlines
before. he left Conneaut."
I have given to the reader these eight testi-
monials showing that the Book of Mormon
426 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
is made up from Solomon Spalding-'s book,
' ' Manuscript Found . ' ' Such testimonials need
no comment ; they show clearly on their face
what they are introduced to prove, and as clear-
ly prove what they are intended to show. If
these witnesses prove anything- at all and
surely they strictly do they prove that Joseph
Smith, Jr., did not come in possession of the
Book of Mormon as he claims he did. These
eig-ht witnesses prove conclusively, almost to a
demonstration, that Solomon Spalding-'s book,
" Manuscript Found," was the basis or foun-
dation on which the Book of Mormon, in its
present form, was constructed, and that Smith's
claim to finding- g-old plates on which was con-
tained the subject-matter of the Book of Mor-
mon, is one of the most daring- relig-ious impo-
sitions ever offered to the world. To m}^ mind,
these witnesses prove beyond the least shadow
of doubt, that Smith or Rig-don, or both, with
their aids, reconstructed, adding- the relig-ious
part to Spalding-'s book, and palmed it off on
the poor, fallen sons of humanity as //^'.sacred
book of God to man. Such daring-, diabolical
deception, under the pretense of God and his
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 427
Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, looks
to an honest, candid mind as though the
very devil had outdone himself. Surely Mor-
monism is a sent delusion sent by means of
Joseph Smith, Jr. The character and standing-
of Smith, which was set forth by seventy-five
of those well acquainted with him, including-
his father-in-law and brother-in-law, and proven
to be a person fully fitted for the development
of such a system as Mormonism has proved to
be, as much so as was Judas, who "was a devil
from the beginning*," and who ended his life in
the midst of his wicked course.
Having- established the fact that the Book of
Mormon was the reconstructed Solomon Spald-
ing-'s historical novel on the ancient inhabitants
of America, and was not in any sense as Smith
pretended, then it follows as a necessity, as a
demonstration, that the whole structure of
Mormonism, built on this foundation, is abso-
lutely false, and if false, from below. Some
truth Bible truth it may and does have ; but
that is but the wool clothing- that Jesus said
the wolf would assume for the purpose of hiding-
his wolf nature. Here, as far as substantially
428 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
refuting- the system of Mormonism, as such, I
might stop, and say, The work is done. Hav-
ing- taken away the very foundation on which the
false superstructure rests, I. might say, as was
said of Babylon, "It is fallen." But Smith,
at this point of Mormonism, is yet on life's
stage, and what is necessary and all that is
necessary for a spiritually enlightened mind, is
to look to the stream which may flow from a
corrupt fountain and he will ever find the stream
corrupt. ' ' By their fruits ye shall know them. ' '
Look to the fruits which grow on the Joseph
Smith tree his religious system. "An evil
tree cannot bring forth good fruit;" "Neither
can a good tree bring forth evil fruit."
It is thought by some able writers who have
investigated Mormonism critically, that Smith
was not the real reconstructor of the Spalding
book, but that the job of reconstruction was
done by Sidney Rigdon, and handed over to
Smith (the money-digger and prophet), to work
off as if dug up out of the grpund. I will give
the reader the investigator the reason, or
proof, why it is supposed that Rigdon may
have been the person who remodeled the Spald-
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 429
ing 1 manuscript, giving it the religious cast, as
found in the Book of Mormon.
One thing is sure> the Spalding book was re-
modeled by some person, or persons, and made
what the Book of Mormon now is ; and whether
it was Smith in connection with Harris and
Cowdery, or Sidney Rigdon, I leave the readers
to judge for themselves.
I give the following from D. P. Kidder's
"Mormonism and the Mormons" :
"The reader will now desire to know by what
process the 'Manuscript Found' came into the
hands of Rigdon, and after having been reno-
vated, interpolated, and rigged out to suit his
plan, was transferred to the, hands of a noted
money-digger at a distance from the place
where it was designed more especially to op-
erate, in order to be 'got up' in a miraculous
manner. The latter part of this process, viz.,
the transfer, was so easy and practicable that
any one may comprehend it by a moment's re-
flection, although not demonstrated by positive
evidence. We think, moreover, that the for-
mer part is made very clear by the facts which
Mr. Howe has collected.
430 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
"In order to ascertain what disposition Spald-
ing made of his manuscripts, Mr. Howe sent a
messenger to look up Spalding's widow, who
still survived. From her it was ascertained
that the family, after removing* from Ohio, re-
sided about two years in Pittsburgh, and sub-
sequently went to Amity, Pa., where the au-
thor died in 1816. His widow then moved to
Onondaga County, N. Y., married again, sub-
sequently lived in Otsego County, and thence
removed to Massachusetts, where she was
found.
* ' She stated that Spalding had a great variety
of manuscripts, one of which she recollected
was entitled, the/ Manuscript Found.' While
they lived in Pittsburgh, it was taken, she be-
lieved, to the printing office of Patterson &
Ivambdon, but whether it was ever brought
back to the house again, she was quite uncertain.
If it was, however, it must still be in a trunk
with his other writings, which she had left in
Otsego County, N. Y.
" The trunk referred to by the widow was
subsequently examined, and found to contain
only a single manuscript book, in Spalding's
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 431
handwriting-, containing- about one quire of
paper. This was a romance purporting- to be
translated from the Latin.
"Recourse was now had to the firm of Pat-
terson & Lambdon, in Pittsburg-h, but here
death had interposed a barrier to full inquiry.
That establishment was dissolved and broken
up many years since, and Lambdon died about
eig-ht years ag-o. Mr. Patterson said he had
no recollection of any such manuscript being-
brought there for publication. Neither would
he have been likely to have seen it, as the busi-
ness of printing- was conducted by Lambdon
wholly at that time. He said, however, that
many manuscript books and pamphlets were
broug-ht to the office about that time, which re-
mained upon the shelves for years, without
being- printed or examined. Now, as Spald-
ing-'s book can nowhere be found, or anything*
heard of it after being- carried to this estab-
lishment, there is the strong-est presumption
that it remained there in seclusion until about
the year 1823, or 1824, at which time Sidney
Rig-don located in that city. We have been
credibly informed that he was on intimate terms
432 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
with Lambdon, being seen frequently in his
shop. Rigdon resided in Pittsburgh about
three years, and during 1 the whole of that time,
as he has since frequently asserted, abandoned
preaching and all other employment for the pur-
pose of studying' the Bible. He left there, and
came into Geauga County, O., about the time
that Lambdon died, and commenced preaching
some new points of doctrine, which were after-
ward found to be inculcated in the Mormon
Bible. He resided in this vicinity about four
years previous to the appearance of the Book,
during which he made several long visits to
Pittsburgh, and perhaps to the Susquehanna,
where Smith was then digging for money, or
pretending to be translating plates. It may be
observed, also, that about the time Rigdon left
Pittsburgh, the Smith family began to tell
about finding a book that would contain a his-
tory of the first inhabitants of America, and
that two years elapsed before they finally got
possession of it.
"We are then irresistibly led to this conclu-
sion, that Lambdon, after having failed in busi-
ness, had recourse to the old manuscripts then
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 433
in his possession, in order to raise funds by a
book speculation, and placed the ' Manuscript
Found' of Spalding- in the hands of Rig-don to
be embellished, altered and added to, as he
might think expedient ; and thre^ years' study
of the Bible we should deem little time enough
to garble it as it is transferred to the Mormon
book. Lambdon dying, left the latter (Rigdon)
the sole proprietor of the book, who was
obliged to resort to his wits, and in a miracu-
lous way -to bring it before the world, for in
no other way could such a book be published
without great loss. And where could a more
suitable character be found than Joseph Smith,
whose necromantic fame and arts of deception
had already extended to a considerable distance?
That Lambdon was a person every way quali-
fied and fitted for such a business we have the
testimony of his partner in business and others
of his acquaintance. The whole mystery of
this affair is solved by adding to these circum-
stances the facts that Rigdon had prepared the
minds, in a great measure, of nearly a hundred
of those who had attended his ministration to
be in readiness to embrace the first mysterious
28
434 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
ism that should be presented ; the appearance
of Cowdery at his residence as soon as the book
was printed ; his sudden conversion after many
pretensions to disbelieve it ; his immediate re-
pairing- to the residence of Smith, three hun-
dred miles distant, where he was forthwith ap-
pointed an elder, hig-h priest, and scribe to
the prophet ; the pretended vision that his res-
idence in Ohio was the 'promised land,' and the
immediate removal of the whole of the Smith
family thither, where they were soon raised
from a state of poverty to comparative afflu-
ence."
I have furnished such proof as the above,
from which some investigators of Mormonism
draw conclusions that Rig-don was the one who
reconstructed the Spalding- book into the Book
of Mormon. To me, all considered, I am in-
clined to the same thought. Rig-don'^s g"oing-
to Pittsburgh at the time he did, having- free
access to the printing- office where the Spalding-
manuscript had been sent, and where it re-
mained long- after the printing- firm failed, g-ave
Rig-don the very best opportunity to come in
possession of it. Added to this, Rig-don's stay
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 435
in Pittsburgh some three years, in almost ab-
solute seclusion, in the pretended study of the
Bible, and his returning- to Ohio and preaching-
new and strange doctrines, found afterwards
to be contained in the Book of Mormon, show
very forcibly that he had something to do with
the transferring of the Spalding "Manuscript
Found" into the Book of Mormon. But this
point matters but little. Rigdon is not just
now on trial ; it is Smith, and Smith's claims as
to the divine origin of the Book of Mormon,
that we are inquiring into just now. Smith,
without any doubt, furnished the world with the
Book of Mormon ; and the foregoing witnesses
prove conclusively that the Spalding manuscript
was the foundation and basis on which it was
constructed, and not by any means on the golden
plate pretension. This being the case, it proves
on Smith his profound, wicked deception at the
very outset of his religious undertaking ; and
the fact of Smith's wicked deception in., rela-
tion to the origin of the Book of Mormon proves
conclusively that he was strictly entitled to the
standing and character the foregoing seventy-
five witnesses accord to him. This being- true,
436 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
it follows that in no sense could he be the choice
of God, as one of God's elect, to make known
to and lead the human family in the ways of
righteousness, as he would set himself up be-
fore the world to be. Hence, we can but accord
to him the unfortunate title of a profound re-
ligious deceiver. This should, and will, to
every careful, observing* mind, settle the. matter
as to the truth or fallacy of Mormonism as a
system of religion.
But I propose to trace the subsequent career
of Smith, in connection with Harris, Cowdery,
Rigdon, and many others, until we find in the
midst of his highest positions attained, he for-
feits his life to a misdirected course ; and using
one of his own statements, "The envy and
wrath of man have been my common lot all
the days of my life, and for what cause it
seems mysterious, unless I was ordained from
before the foundation of the world for some
good or bad end, as you may choose to call it.
Judge ye for yourselves. God knoweth all
things, whether it be good or bad." D. & C.,
page 316. It would appear at this point of his
life (and this was just before he was killed),
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 437
that he felt he was a child of destiny, and he
knew not whether it was for good or bad. I
can but account him an unfortunate but chosen
child of destiny, by whom a delusive, false sys-
tem of religion should be set up in the world.
There is in the world a system or principle of
true religion man's true relation to his God
and his fellow. B.ut there is just as surely a
false religion in the world, predicted by Jesus
Christ and his apostles. One is of God pure
and spiritual ; the other is of the devil im-
pure, earthly, carnal, sensual. Jesus has said,
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are rav-
ening wolves."
My object in investigating Mormonism is to
show my fellow mortal that it is one of the un-
fortunate, ungodly religious systems of our
day, and would say to the reader, Beware of it.
The truth or fallacy of Joseph Smith and his
religious claims turns on his real character and
on the Book of Mormon. The substantial
proof we have set forth by seventy-five wit-
nesses, should and does settle the first his real
character ; and the eight witnesses clearly prove
438 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
that the foundation of the Book of Mormon was
Solomon Spalding's "Manuscript Found."
This should forever settle the second Smith's
claim as to the origin of the Book of Mormon.
This done, we might close the investigation as
far as the truth or fallacy of Smith and his di-
vine religious claims are concerned ; but we
propose to show more fully the subsequent de-
velopments of his undertakings, that by so
doing we may show from first to last his whole
course was that of a delusive, wicked, selfish
impostor.
I have all through life looked upon romance
and novels as injurious to the reader of such.
Fiction has too much of the ideal and not suffi-
cient of the real. Life is a stern reality, and
the more we become acquainted with real life
and facts the more we are prepared to grapple
with and make the best of life. Much of the
failure in human life arises from acting too
much on the ideal and to little on the real. But
I can, in a measure, pass by fiction and romance,
written and put out on the world on the less
important things that pertain to human life.
But when a person would resort to all that
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 439
would be sacred and divine, and offer to the
human family a book like that of the Book of
Mormon, and claim for it the most divine ori-
gin, and sacred claims 'for its nature and con-
tents, as Smith and his Book of Mormon would
set forth, it does seem, to the writer at least,
that Smith has secured to himself the very
climax of sacrilege, and has transcended any
and everything* that may have gone before him
in using the divine for the purpose of selfish
gain and the gratification of an inordinate am-
bition. His claims for the divine origin and
contents of the Book of Mormon are of the very
highest and most sacred kind, and if true,
would make him one of God's most special and
choice elect, chosen for the purpose of intro-
ducing the very highest of God's favors to the
world of mankind ; and if untrue, would make
him the most wicked deceiver known in the his-
tory of man.
The writer having been one of those betrayed
into the Mormon system, and having learned by
personal experience what the working of the
system is, and having made the history of Mor-
monism a special study for forty years, has
440 Mbrmohisin Exposed and Refuted.
come to the fixed conclusion that Joseph Smith
is the latter, namely, the most wicked deceiver
known to man.
Claiming-, as Smith does, that he has talked
with angels, God's special messengers, and by
means of angels he was shown where the golden
plates were deposited, and by angels was di-
rected to dig them up and ^preserve them, and
by the direct power of God he was enabled to
puc their contents into the English language,
or translate them, I here repeat, that the claims
which Smith has set up for the origin of the
Book of Mormon, and the nature of the con-
tents of the book, necessarily make him the
most favored agent of God, or the most com-
plete agent of Satan.
The subject-matter of the Book of Mormon
claims to be all divinely inspired, and though
most of the Book of Mormon claims to date be-
fore the New Testament, from six down to one
hundred years, yet it is made by Smith to quote
New Testament language, word for word, hun-
dreds of years before the New Testament was
in existence. Any one examining the Book of
Mormon will see at once (admitting that Smith
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 441
is its author), that Smith is putting- New Tes-
tament language into his fictitious prophets'
mouths some one to six hundred years before
the days of Jesus Christ, or before the New
Testament had an existence, showing clearly
and distinctly that the contents of the would-
be divine Book of Mormon is a pure fraud on
the part of Smith. I ask any and every sin-
cere believer in Mormonism to examine his
Golden Bible (Book of Mormon), and see for
himself the frequent quotations that Smith has
in his book from the New Testament, many
hundreds of years before the days of Christ,
or before the New Testament was written.
And this should be sufficient proof that the
Book of Mormon, as well as its author, Joseph
Smith, is one grand, supreme fraud. I would
say in this connection, that the history of the
subject-matter contained in the Book of Mor-
mon claims to set in six hundred years before
Christ. Smith, failing to see his blunder in
quoting during this six hundred years New
Testament language, gives himself and his
book away, and shows conclusively that he did
not translate it from ancient plates, but that it
442 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
was in part at least, the product of, and the
dictation and suggestion of his own mind.
Lehi and Nephi, his son, who are the chief
heroes in the Book of Mormon, claim to leave
Jerusalem six hundred years before Christ.
They go into the wilderness, and we have men-
tion of the Red Sea. This shows us in which
direction they had gone, for we have these two
points geographically stated. But these two
points are the only two in the Book of Mormon
that can be geographically determined. It is
stated in the book that they left the Red Sea,
and traveled many days east. Agfain, it says
they traveled many days in the same direction
east. Now, let the reader take up his map
and gx> east from the Red Sea in Egypt, and
see where it will land him. If he leaves the
Red Sea near its northern point, and g*oes east,
it will land him in the Arabian desert, and
which is the very opposite direction of the At-
lantic Ocean and America "the promised land. ' '
But let the reader start midway from the Red
Sea, east, or from the southern point of the Red
Sea, east, and see where he will land. When
he strikes " the big waters or sea," it will not
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 443
be the Atlantic Ocean, but will find himself on
the western shores of the Arabian Sea the
very opposite direction of America, unless he
wishes to go by way of Cape of Good Hope,
the most southern part of Africa, or go east by
way of China. But such are the contents of
this wonderful, pretended inspired Book of
Mormon ; that after Lehi and his son Nephi,
and their company, leave the Red Sea, going-
east, in their history purporting to be about
one thousand years, there is not one solitary
mention of any geographical point of the com-
pass, or local point they are at, only ''the prom-
ised land," and which is said by Smith to be
America.
Such is the Book of Mormon, with all the
divinely inspired claims of Smith thrown around
it, and which the world of mankind must ac-
cept as divine and from God, or be condemned
to endless misery.
To prove Smith a true prophet of God, ac-
cording to his own claims, would be to prove
the most dreadful calamity that could befall the
human family endless misery. But to prove
him a false prophet would be to release those
444 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
from the thraldom the web of Mormonism
in which unfortunately they have become en-
tangled. The writer feels truly thankful to
God for the light of truth that led to his own
release.
The reader can only learn the profound ab-
surdity of the Book of Mormon by reading and
studying it for himself. When connected with
the Mormon church, I was unable to read and
study the Book of Mormon through on account
of its glaring absurdities ; and yet, like the
Koran of the Mohammedans, good morals, ab-
stractly considered, may be gathered from it.
But it must needs be that the false prophets
come in sheep's clothing*, but ** inwardly they
are ravening wolves." Of late I have exam-
ined the book of Mormon through, for the pur-
pose of knowing whereof I speak with regard
to it. The sooner the world thoroughly and
truly understands Mormonism, the better and
more safe will it be for every one who may come
in contact with them.
Such were the claims set up by Joseph Smith.
Such were his pretensions that he was neces-
sarily the best or worst man in the day and ag*e
Origin of the Book of Mormon. 445
in which he lived. His claims respecting- the
origin of the Book of Mormon and its contents
necessarily and logically demonstrate this prop-
osition. I have been inclined to lead the reader
through the book, and call his attention to the
many parts which carry the force of self-refu-
tation ; but a book of some five hundred and
sixty three pages of very small type matter
would be too much for the writer or the reader.
CHAPTER XX.
WITNESSES TO THE BOOK OF MORMON EX-
AMINED AND TESTED.
1 SHALL now introduce the three witnesses
who have left their names as having* seen
the plates from which the Book of Mormon was
claimed to be translated. They were Oliver
Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris.
These three witnesses and their peculiar testi-
mony are intended to establish and settle
Smith's claims for the divine authenticity of the
Book of Mormon ; and as this is one of the
principal points on which the truth or fallacy
of Mormonism turns, I shall be the more par-
ticular to consider the character and standing-
of the witnesses themselves, as well as their
testimony. The following- is their testimony
as subscribed to, as found in the Book of Mor-
mon :
"Be it known unto all nations, kindred,
tong-ues, and people unto whom this work shall
come, that we, through the grace of God the
(446)
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 447
Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen
the plates which contain this record, which is
a record of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites,
their brethren, and also of the people of Tared,
who came from the tower of which hath been
spoken ; and we also know that they have been
translated by the gift and power of God, for
his voice hath declared it unto us ; wherefore
we know of a surety that the work is true.
And we also testify that we have seen the en-
gravings which are upon the plates, and they
have been shown unto us by the power of God,
and not of man. And we declare with words
of soberness, that an angel of God came down
from heaven, and he brought and laid before
our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates,
and the engravings thereon ; and we know that
it is by the grace of God the Father and our
Lord Jesus Christ that we beheld and bear rec-
ord that these things are true ; and it is mar-
velous in our eyes ; nevertheless the voice of
the Lord commanded us that we should bear
record of it. Wherefore, to be obedient unto
the commandments of God, we bear testimony
of these things. And we know, if we are
448 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of
the blood of all men, and be found spotless be-
fore the judgment seat of Christ, and shall
dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And
the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.
"OLIVER COWDERY,
"DAVID WHITMER,
"MARTIN HARRIS."
It was necessary that Smith, for his own
safety at the time and under the circumstances,
when he was translating" or remodeling 1 the
Spalding- "Manuscript Found," should have
these three witnesses to bolster up and
strengthen his own claims ; for it is evident
that when he claims to be translating", Harris
and Cowdery both doubted his having* any
plates, and caused Smith much trouble from
the very commencement of his pretended trans-
lation. I s^hall show this point by their own
testimony.
I notice that Smith stretches his Book of
Mormon and makes the book of Ether, by the
mouth of the prophet Moroni say : "And in the
mouth of three witnesses shall these thing's be
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 449
established ; and the testimony of three, and
this work, in the which shall be shown forth
the power of God, and also his word, of which
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost
beareth record ; and all this shall stand as a
testimony against the world at the last day. ' '
Book of Ether, chapter 2, in Book of Mormon.
To prove that Smith's life was in danger
when he was pretending to translate, I give
his own testimony. In a pretended revelation
given direct from God to Smith and Harris,
February, 1829, in D. and C., pages 172, 173,
174, and 175, we have the following : "Behold,
I say unto you my servant Martin Harris has
desired a witness at my hand that you, my
servant Joseph Smith, Jr., have got the plates
of which you have testified and borne record
that you have received of me ; and now, behold
this shall you say unto him .... that
you should not show them except to those
persons to whom I command you
Behold, if they will not believe my words, they
would not believe you, my servant Joseph, if it
were possible that you could show them all
these things which I have committed to you.
29
450 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
O this unbelieving- and stiff-necked generation !
Mine anger is kindled against them
And I, the Lord, command him, my servant
Martin Harris, that he shall say no more con-
cerning these things, except he shall say, I have
seen them, and they have been shown to me by
the power of God ; but if he deny this, he will
break the covenant which he has before cov-
enanted with me, and behold he is condemned.
And now, except he humble himself and ac-
knowledge unto me the things he has done
which are wrong, and covenant with me that
he will keep my commandments, and exercise
faith in me, behold I say unto him, he shall
have no such views, for I will grant unto him
no views of ihe things of which I have spoken.
And if this be the case, I command you, my
servant Joseph, that you shall say unto him,
that he shall do no more, nor trouble me more
concerning this matter And now,
because I see the lying in wait to destroy thce,
yea, I foresee that if my servant Martin Harris
humbleth not himself, and receive a witness
from my hand, that he will fall into transgres-
sion, and there are many that lie in wait to
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 451
destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
. . . . For this cause I have said stop, and
stand still until I command thee, and I will
provide means whereby thou mayest accom-
plish the thing- I have commanded thee."
I quote from another of Smith's pretended
revelations, part of which relates to Martin
Harris seeking- to destroy Smith while pretend-
ing- to translate. Book of D. and C., pag-es
178 and 179 :
"Now, behold, I say unto you, that because
you have delivered up these writing's which you
had power g-iven unto you to translate, by means
of the Urim and Thummim, into the hands of a
wicked man, you have lost them ; and you also
lost your g-ift at the same time ; nevertheless,
it is restored to you ag-ain Do not
run faster or labor more than you have streng-th
and means provided to enable you to translate.
. . . . Behold they have soug-ht to destroy
you ; yea, even the man in whom you have
trusted has soug-ht to destroy you. And for
this cause I said he is a wicked man, for he
has soug-ht to take away the thing's wherewith
you have been intrusted ; and he has also soug-ht
452 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
to destroy your gift ; and because you have de-
livered the writing's into his hands, behold,
wicked men have taken them from you."
The reader will fully understand the nature
of these pretended revelations of Smith's, and
the parts I have quoted from them, when I show
the particular relation that Harris and Smith
sustained to each other in this Book of Mor-
mon fraud. Whatever Smith had in his pos-
session under the pretense of gold plates
(though I strictly claim it was Spalding's man-
uscript, or said manuscript revised), Harris had
evidently not been allowed to see them. Har-
ris, up to this time, had furnished the funds,
he being styled rich. According to Smith's
father-in-law, Mr. Hale, Harris had written
for Smith 116 pages of pretended translated
matter which Smith should have dictated ; and
yet Harris had not been allowed to see the
plates, the pretended source from which these
116 pages of matter had been taken. Smith
was evidently at this time strictly hiding from
Harris his pretended golden plates, or what-
ever the source from which his dictated matter
was derived, though Harris at the same time
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 453
was furnishing- the funds on which the imposi-
tion was managed. Smith evidently had no
Golden Bible as described, and consequently
could not possibly show any ; and after pre-
tending- to have plates, he did not dare to show
the Spalding- "Manuscript Pound" to even his
most interested and intimate friends. For my
own part, all particulars taken into account, I
never have believed that Smith had any g-olden
plates. His pretense that ang-els were gfoing-
back and forth to heaven with a batch of g-olden
plates is the very heig-ht of Smith's pretended
fraud. Just how he manag-ed so long- to keep
'the thing- g^oing- among- his most intimate asso-
ciates, to me is a marvel, and can only be ac-
counted for on his having- direct assistance from
Satan.
Smith's fraud and deception encountered its
most severe strain in managing- Harris and
Cowdery, who were so closely connected and
associated with him, and whom he worked in
g-etting- their names in behalf of the Book of
Mormon being- translated from plates, as shown
in their subscription to the book. Smith felt
and knew he must have additional testimony in
454 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
behalf of his own claims, or his life would be
in danger. Harris had invested quite a sum of
money in the thing", and he felt, no doubt, that
he had a right to know its most inward work-
ings ; and as Smith's pretended revelations
showed, Harris had demanded to see the plates,
and with others had threatened Smith's life.
This done,. Smith was driven to the extremity
of pretended revelations direct from God to
meet his threatened case. Harris at this point
had evidently shut down the funds, when the
Lord tells Smith to quit translating for awhile,
and "I, the Lord, will furnish means." Mr.
Hale, Smith's father-in-law, states that Harris
told him that he asked for greater proof that
Smith had plates, but that Smith had not given
it to him. I refer the reader to Mr. Hale's
testimony as found above. Smith's life being
threatened by Harris and others, he is careful
to have- three additional witnesses provided for
in the Book of Mormon, as shown above.
I now call the attention of the reader to the
most critical point that Smith had to contend
with, for he had made choice of Harris and
Cowdery as two of the witnesses testifying
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 455
that the Book of Mormon was translated from
plates. A careful examination of Smith's rev-
elations to these two men will show that they
actually never saw (in the ocular sense) any
plates. This may be seen by the nature of
Smith's revelations to them. Smith always re-
sorted to direct revelations to extricate himself
from difficult places. You will critically ex-
amine the revelation to Smith respecting- Har-
ris, as quoted above. But as this involves an
important point I will repeat it: "Behold, I
say unto you, that as my servant, Martin Har-
ris, has desired a witness at my hand that you,
my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., have got the
plates of which you have testified and borne
record that you have received of me ; and now,
behold, this shall you say unto him, he who
spake unto you said unto you, 'I, the L/ord, am
God, and I have given these things unto you,
my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., and have com-
manded you that you should stand as a witness
of these things, and I have caused you that
you should enter into a covenant with me that
you should not show them except to those per-
sons to whom I command you ; and you have no
456 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
power over them except I grant it to you. Be-
hold, if they will not believe my words [which
are the words Smith is now giving 1 to Harris],
they would not believe you, my servant Joseph, .
it were possible that you could show all these
thing's which I have committed unto you.' "
I ask what does the above prove ? It proves
that Smith's testimony is the highest and only
proof that Harris can or shall have, and that
if Harris will not believe Smith's word, he
would not believe if the plates were possibly
shown to him. The reader here can readily see
that Smith is pretending to receive a revelation
from God, to bulldoze Harris into an acknowl-
edgment of his having seen the plates, when
he (Harris) had never seen them. The sequel
will show Smith evidently did so bulldoze Har-
ris and Cowdery both to say that they had seen
the plates, when they never had in fact seen
them. But this same pretended revelation is
still more clear, that Harris shall testify to hav-
ing seen the plates, when such had never been
the fact. "And I, the Lord, command him, my
servant Martin Harris, that he S;hall say no
more concerning these things, except he shall
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 457
say, ' I have seen them, and they have been
shown unto me by the power of God,' and these
are the words which he shall say ; but if he
deny this, he will break the covenant which he
has before covenanted with me, and behold he
is condemned. And now, except he humble
himself and acknowledge unto me the things
he has done which are wrong, and covenant
with me that he will keep my commandments,
and exercise faith in me, behold I say unto him,
he shall have no such views, for I will grant
unto him no views of the things of which I have
spoken. And if this be the case, I command
you, my servant Joseph, that you shall say unto
him, that he shall say no more, nor trouble me
any more concerning this matter." D. & C.,
page 174. Harris is now left to a final and
finishing choice. He must do as Joseph com-
mands him, which is to say no more about see-
ing the plates, except he shall say he has seen
them, and that they had been shown unto him
by the power of God. And I ask the reader
to note that this is the very language used in
the testimony of the three witnesses as sub-
scribed to 1he Book of Mormon, of which Har-
458 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
ris is one of said -witnesses. And these were
the words that JEEa/ris "shall say ;" " but if he
deny this," or refuse to keep the commandment
given him, which is, to say he has seen the
plates by the power of God, he is to be con-
demned, he is to have no such views of the
plates, and shall do no more, nor trouble Smith
any more concerning' the matter. This is the
fact concerning the whole matter, that unless
Harris will declare that he has seen the plates
by the power of God, before he has seen them,
he never shall see them, and shall have no more
to do with the Mormon investment ; and Harris
yielded to Smith on this point, and gave his
name as one of the three witnesses as having
seen the plates, when in fact he never did see
them. I need not say that Harris afterwards
abandoned Smith and Mormonism. The same
means were used by Smith on Oliver Cowdery,
only Smith's fraud is much more apparent.
Such means as Smith could use by which
to accomplish his diabolical purposes look as
though he must have exhausted the skill and
all the ingenuity of the lower regions of perdi-
tion ; his daring attempts and means used, in
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 459
what many would esteem sacred things, border
on miracles wrought by the power of Satan, as
spoken of in the scriptures, where it is said
that Satan shall work ' * lying- wonders . ' ' Har-
ris undoubtedly was a hard case ; yet, in the
above contest, Smith overcame him. The tes-
timony of Harris' brother, in the presence of
his (Harris') wife, shows that Harris was a bad
man. I refer the reader to the testimony of
Abigail Harris against Martin Harris, his own
brother, in the presence of Martin Harris' own
wife, where Martin Harris is made to say,
"What if Mormonism is a lie; if you will let
me alone I will make money out of it." Such
men as Harris were- able to play interesting
seconds for Smith, if the prophet only could be
the leader.
I shall now introduce to the reader another
prominent character who figured conspicuously
in the rise of Mormonism, and who has his
name as one of the three witnesses testifying to
the Book of Mormon being translated from
plates, according to Smith's pretensions, but
was imposed upon by Smith more glaringly and
plainly to the reader than was Harris. This
460 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
was Oliver Cowdery. Smith was evidently a
very poor man. Harris, being a man of some
wealth, was a very necessary factor in Smith's
program. But Smith also lacked in point of
education, and Cowdery was somewhat of a
scholar a school teacher and he, too, was a
very necessary member of Smith's new religious
project. Of the particular circumstances that
led to Cowdery's contact with Smith I am not
advised ; but Cowdery must have been among
the first of Smith's prominent converts. Ac-
cording to Mr. Hale's testimony, Cowdery came
and took Harris' place as scribe to Smith, about
1825 or 1826. I have ever looked upon Cow-
dery, in my investigations of Mormonism, as a
man possessing some degree of honesty. I
think the reader will see this as I introduce
him in his intercourse with Smith ; for Smith
appears to have made choice of Cowdery as one
of the three witnesses who should affirm that
the Book of Mormon was translated by Smith
from plates which, by the power of God, had
been shown to him. I will now introduce
Smith's struggles and fraud with Cowdery to
secure his name, along with Harris, as a wit-
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 461
ness. The means used are the same as those
so successful with Harris pretended revela-
tions from God. Cowdery, like many others
connected with Smith, evidently entertained
many doubts as to Smith's claims about plates
and ancient writings. The following' pretended
revelation through Smith to Cowdery shows
that Cowdery had wished to have a knowledge
of these things for himself ; so Smith, as usual,
claims to receive a revelation from the Lord
direct to Cowdery. Doctrine and Covenants,
page 176, April 1829. "Oliver Cowdery, ver-
ily, verily, I say unto you, . . . surely shall
you receive a knowledge concerning the en-
gravings of old records, which are ancient,
which contain these parts of my scriptures,
which have been spoken by the manifestation
of my Spirit ; yea, behold, / will tell you in
your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost,
which shall come into you, and which shall
dwell in your heart. Bejiold this is the spirit
of revelation ; behold this is the spirit by which
Moses brought the children of Israel through
the Red Sea on dry ground ; therefore, this is
thy gift ; apply unto it, and blessed art thou,
462 Mormomsm Exposed and Refuted.
for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your
enemies, when, if it were not so, they would
slay you and bring" your soul to destruction.
Oh, remember these words, and keep my com-
mandments. Remember, this is your gift.
. . . . And therefore, whatsoever you shall
ask me to tell you, by that means, that will I
grant unto you, and you shall have knowledge
concerning it. Do not ask for what you ought
not ; ask that you may know the mysteries of
God, and that you may translate and receive
knowledge from all these ancient records which
have been laid up, that are sacred."
Here, in this pretended revelation from Cow-
dery, Smith gives the key to the process by
which he develops the whole Mormon fabric.
Cowdery is to learn, is to know, whatever is
necessary to be learned or known, relating to
ancient records, to translating, and whatever
he may ask, it shall be made known to him
"spoken by the manifestation of my Spirit,
Yea, behold, / w ill tell you in your mind and in
your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall
come upon you and dwell in your heart. ' ' In
the direction of Smith to Cowdery, it is fair
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 463
to say that Smith gave instructions to Cow-
dery in harmony with his own experience
and process, by which he pretended to have
found and translated the Book of Mormon ;
claiming* for himself that the Holy Ghost told
him in his mind and in his heart. For, on this
principle all that would be necessary for Smith
or Cowdery would be to persuade themselves
that they were in possession of the Holy Ghost,
and whatever the dictations of the workings of
their own mhids might be, they would necessa-
rily construe or attribute it to divine inspira-
tion and revelation. Smith, at the time he gave
these directions and instructions to Cowdery,
under the pretence of its being a direct revela-
tion from God to Cowdery, was nothing more
nor less than the dictations of his own mis-
guided and selfish mind. The very principle
Smith has "laid down and given to Cowdery as
an infallible rule and standard, and on which
he himself has acted, shows conclusively that
the whole structure of Mormonism is the dic-
tation of his own peculiar mind, aided by the
Spalding 4 ' Manuscript Pound. ' ' There is not,
nor can there be, any bounds to an evil mind
464 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
acting on the direction and instruction given by
Smith to Cowdery in the pretended revelation
as given above ; and yet I propose to introduce
one more, which supremely transcends the
above in point of absurdity and fraud, yet is
based upon the same general principle " being*
told in your mind and heart" without relation
to any of the five senses.
Cowdery had been promised that he should
assist in translating-, but he proved too honest
to make a success of it. Smith's first pre-
tended revelation with regard to Cowdery's
translating* was to the effect that he was not to
be allowed to translate ; but Cowdery insisting",
Smith g-ets another revelation to the effect he
should assist, thoug"h it contradicted the for-
mer. But that is nothing- for false prophets to
overcome, who are always clothed with contra-
dictions as with a g-arment.
But Oliver Cowdery is gxnng- to try his hand
on translating-. Smith had not had a tutor;
translating- with him was self-originating-.
Cowdrey had made an attempt at translating-,
and by some means had made a failure. I have
been at a loss to know the real particulars of
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 465
Cowdery's attempt and failure. I have always
felt sure that they had no plates, but I have
wondered if Cowdery had the good fortune to
know the bottom facts of the origin of the
Book of Mormon in the sense of Spalding's
manuscript. If he did, his translating- would
simply be a matter of reconstructing 1 the man-
uscript to make it fit Smith's ideas of the re-
ligion he wished to establish. Anyway, Cow-
dery in his attempt made a mortifying' failure,
and it obliged Smith to resort to his wonted
trick whereby he settled all disputes and diffi-
culties ; hence we have the following :
"Revelation given to Oliver Cowdery, April,
1829:
"Behold, I say unto you, my son, that be-
cause you did not translate according to that
which you desired of me, * * * behold,
other records have I that I will give unto your
power that you may assist to translate. Be
patient, my son, for it is wisdom in me, and it
is not expedient that you should translate at
this present time. Behold, the work which
you are called to do is to write for my servant
Joseph ; and behold, it is because you did not
30
466 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
continue as you commenced, when you began to
translate, that I have taken away the privilege
from you. Do not murmur, my son, for it is
wisdom in me that I dealt thus with you after
this manner. Behold, you have not understood ;
you supposed that I would give it unto you ; but
behold, I say unto you, that you must study it
out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be
right, and if it be right I will cause that your
bosom shall burn within you ; therefore,' you j
shall feel that it is right ; but if it be not right ;
you shall have no such feelings, but you shall
have a stupor of thought that shall cause you
to forg-et the thing- ^vh^ch is wrong-; therefore,
you cannot write that which is sacred, save it
be given you from me. Now if you had known
this you could have translated ; nevertheless it
is not expedient that you should translate now.
Behold I have given unto my servant Joseph \
strength whereby it is made up."
Cowdery having made a failure in his effort
as a translator, and having been shown wherein
or in what his failure consisted, and having had \
made known to him the philosophy of translat-
ing, namely, he must study it out, and after he
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 467
had studied out in his mind and when, having*
got a given amount of studied out matter in his
mind, then he should have taken it to the Lord
to determine what might prove to be rig-lit or
wrong;. After having- g'one to the Lord and
asked him to determine the rig-ht from the
wrong*, and having" received a burning* in his
bosom to determine the rig-lit, and having un-
dergone a stupor of thought which caused him
to forget whatever part was wrong ; had Cow-
dery known all these peculiar tricks in Smith's
translating process he might have been equal to
Smith himself in the attempt of making Mor-
mon bibles. Smith's directions and instruc-
tions to Cowdery by means of pretended reve-
lations from God no doubt were but portraying
his own experience and process of translating
the Book of Mormon, and by which he received
his pretended revelations, which at once clearly
show the bottom facts whence Mormonism de-
rived its peculiar existence "Study it out."
But suppose we give Smith the benefit of all
his highest claims with regard to the origin of
the Book of Mormon from plates revealed to
him, and that the Book of Mormon was as he
468 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
would have it absolutely translated from
peculiar unknown eng'raven characters. Then
we have Cowdery in his translating- office.
He is seated at his desk. The g-olden plates
are before him. He has not the slightest
idea what the engraved characters mean.
He is honest with himself, with his God and
the world of mankind. Smith has told him
that by the power of God he had translated.
I ask the reader to look at Cowdery in his office
just going" to commence translating 1 . I ask,
would he not also expect divine assistance?
And not having- received such, would he not
necessarily ask God to assist him ? And after
he had prayed once, twice or three times and
received no- help from God, would he not as an
honest man give it up, having- made a failure in
the attempt? But Cowdery has^g-ot the plates
before him, and we hear Smith saying- to him,
" You have not understood ; you have supposed
the Lord would g-ive it unto you, and you took
no thoug-ht only to ask the Lord." I ask,
what could the simple, honest-hearted Cow-
dery do under the circumstances but ask the
Lord to assist him ; and if the Lord withheld
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 469
assistance, what could he do but make a failure
and quit? But no; Cowdery, you should have
studied these unknown characters out in your
mind and have taken the result of your studies
to God, and if you had got them wrong* God
would cause a stupor of thought so you should
forget the thing- that was wrong". I ask, if
God was inspiring the translation of the Book
of Mormon, why did he not inspire Cowdery?
And why did God not inspire him right at first
rather than let him think it out wrong, and
then by an act of divine power cause him to for-
get it? Why did not divine power cause it to
be right at first, so Cowdery might have been
saved the time and trouble of getting it into
his mind wrong, and then the Almighty God
have to work a miracle to obliterate it ?
These are but a few of the absurdities of
Joseph Smith's Mormon religion. Just how
Smith ever secured Cowdery's name as one of
the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, be-
ing translated from the plates, is more than I
am able to conjecture, unless it was as stated
above: " Behold, I will tell you in your mind
and in your heart by the Holy Ghost, which
470 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
shall come upon you, and which shall dwell in
your heart."
Harris and Cowdery, being- two of the three
witnesses testifying that they had seen the
plates, the reader will realize how or by what
means their names were secured. Smith hav-
ing secured Harris's and Cowdery's names to
brace up his own claim by the peculiar fore-
going means, I wonder not at his securing
other names of persons who were less acquainted
with the facts and who would be more easily
influenced by his seductive ways and means.
But I propose here to introduce the nature of
the testimony as subscribed to the Book of
Mormon, and show that these witnesses could
not have a knowledge of the thing's whereof
they affirm. These witnesses say, "By the
grace of God, the Father, and our Lord Jesus
Christ, we have seen the plates which con-
tain this record." Now for these witnesses to
intelligently and knowingly testify to this part,
namely : they saw the plates which contained
the Book of Mormon, it would be necessary for
them to be perfectly acquainted with the sub-
ject matter of the plates as well as to have a
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 471
perfect knowledge of the contents of the Book
of Mormon claiming' to have been taken from
said plates. This I aver they did not, could
not, have. Hence, they affirm what they could
not and did not know, which make their testi-
mony strictly worthless in the case.
They next affirm that "We know the Book
of Mormon was translated by the gift and
power of God, and that the voice of God has
declared it to us." They claim to have
"heard a voice, and that the voice was
the voice of God." Should these witnesses
have "heard a voice," they could not know it
was the voice of God, unless they had actually
seen him ; and if I concede that they saw a per-
sonage, how could they know it was God and
not some other divine being? Or how could
they know that it was not Satan appearing as
an angel of light? Hence, I aver they testify
to what they 'did not, could not, know ; and
this part of their testimony does not affect their
case.
These witnesses say "We know surely
that the Book of Mormon is true." This these
witnesses cannot know unless they are per-
472 Mofinonism Exposed and Refuted.
fectly 'acquainted with the book and know all
the facts to which the subject matter of the
book relates. Hence, on this point they did
not, could not know whereof they affirm ; and
this part of their testimony is worthless in the
case.
These witnesses testify they have seen the
engravings which are on the plates. That
these witnesses saw plates is possible, but that
they saw plates from which the Book of Mor-
mon was translated they could not know, un-
less they were present and were eye witnesses
during* the whole time the plates were being*
translated, and that the plates shown to them
after the translation of the book were the very
identical plates from which the book was trans-
lated. I again say this they could not be sure
of, and hence their testimony does not bear on
the case.
These witnesses declare that "an angel
came down from heaven and brought and laid
before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the
plates and the engraving's thereon. " That a
being- styled by them an angel appeared before
them is possible ; but that the being- or angel
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 473
came down from heaven they could not possibly
know, unless they were all personally present
in heaven when he left. That plates were
brought and laid before their eyes, and that
they beheld and saw plates and engravings
thereon are all possible. But that the plates here
referred to were the plates and the engravings
from which the Book of Mormon was trans-
lated they did not, nor could they know, unless
they had (all of the three witnesses) a perfect
knowledge of the characters on the plates and
had also a perfect knowledge of Smith's per-
fect translation of said plates, and that the
Book of Mormon as it then was in its contents
was in perfect accord with the plates then and
there testified to. Neither could they know
that the plates laid then before their eyes,
were the original plates from which the Book
of Mormon was translated, unless they had the
said plates in their own possession from the
time they had been translated to the time they
claim to have seen them ; and at this time they
say an angel brought the plates and laid them
before said witness, proving conclusively that
the plates had been in heaven and in possession
474 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
of an ang-el and at that time could not be in pos
session of said witnesses. Therefore said wit-
nesses could not possibly kno^v that the plates
then shown to them were the plates from
which the Book of Mormon was translated ;
hence, their testimony is null and void in the
case.
The witnesses are then made to say that they
know it is by the grace of God the Father and
our Lord Jesus Christ, that they beheld and
bear record that these thing's are true. This
particular claim on the part of the witnesses of
the grace of God, Jesus, etc., does not weig"h in
the case pro or con, but as revealed to Cow-
dery by Smith they had seen them by the power
of God, by the Holy Ghost, which they pro-
fessed to receive.
It is simply a special effort on their part to
make out their case, and is but abstract testi-
mony without possibility of proof, as it relates
to those who wish to know the truth or fallacy
of the Book of Mormon.
The witnesses then say that these thing's
were marvelous in their eyes. This clause, on
the part of the witnesses, is simply a marvel-
Witnesses .Examined and Tested. 475
ous effort to furnish something", but has no
bearing* as proof that the Book of Mormon is
translated by the power of God from plates.
The witnesses then testify that "the voice
of the L/ord commanded us that we bear
record of it." Here we have a voice command-
ing' them to bear record of it. Whether this
was an audible voice or something- "put into
their mind," as in the case of Cowdery, or
something* studied up, as in the above, relating-
to Smith's process with Harris and Cowdery,
who can tell? This part of the testimony of
the witnesses, simply does not fig-ure in estab-
lishing- the fact soug-ht to be proven in this case.
This testimony of these three witnesses is very
profuse and elaborate ; contains some 300 words.
It is evidently constructed to support a doubt-
ful case ; but its very nature exhausts itself,
and it virtually proves nothing-.
What is true with reg-ard to the testimony of
the group of three witnesses is equally true as
i 4 - relates to the group of eig-ht, as subscribed
to the Book of Mormon. Only that Smith and
not an ang-el shows the plates to the witnesses.
Four of these witnesses were Witmore's and
476 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
three were Smith's, both specially interested
families.
These witnesses, the nature of the pretended
facts testified to, the character of Smith, his
influence and the means he used to influence
the witnesses, compared with the testimony of
those who prove that the Book of Mormon con-
tained much of the Spalding* manuscript ; added
to this so much of the New Testament quoted
and found in the Book of Mormon, hundreds of
years before the New Testament age, or before
it was in existence, prove beyond all doubt that
the testimony of all these witnesses to the
Book of Mormon was strictly a fabrication,
and in no case such as may be relied upon.
Where man yields to fraud he has no
limit.
The writer having* made Mormonism a special
study, having" once been a member of the insti-
tution and having" lived among 1 them in Utah,
has become fully persuaded that Mormonism as
a system is a false religious system, or is a
wicked delusion (as set forth in the scriptures)
from and of the Evil One. These very promi-
nent men who knew and associated the most
Witnesses Examined and Tested. 477
with Smith Martin Harris and Cowdery
both abandoned Smith and his Mormon system,
proving that they did not have or had lost all
confidence in this monstrous religious fraud of
which Smith stood at the head.
CHAPTER XXI.
SMITH'S TROUBLES MANUSCRIPT LOST-
HARRIS THREATENS SMITH'S
I SHALL now ask the attention of the reader
more particularly to Smith's conduct and
the nature of the pretended religious s}^stem as
developed in its onward march to Kirtland,
Ohio ; to Independence, Missouri ; to Far West,
Missouri, and Nauvoo, Illinois, where Smith's
life was sacrificed to the rage of his enemies,
many of whom were and had been members of
his church.
The first of Smith's pretended revelations in
Book of Doctrines and Covenants is one given
to and for himself, and shows he was by no
means proof against sin and transgression.
44 And behold, how oft you have transgressed
the commandments and laws of God, and have
gone on in the persuasions of men. Therefore,
repent of that which you have done, which is
contrary to the commandment which I gave
you." D. & C., page 170.
(478)
Smith's Troubles. 479
Smith here had yielded to Harris in letting-
Harris have a part of the translated record,
which Mrs. Harris had taken and put secretly
to one side, proposing- that Joseph shall have
the g-olden opportunity of translating- it over
again, that she then mig-ht know the truth of
Joseph and his divine claims to translating-, by
comparing- the two inspired products.
Sister Harris had entertained suspicions be-
fore this that there was something- wrong-,
while her husband had been furnishing- Joseph
with funds to subsist on and for incidental ex-
penses. Harris had not intended that his wife
should have access to the sacred record ; having-
kept the manuscript in a private drawer, and
had been very careful that Sister Harris should
not have the key. But men. being- somewhat
careless, and women always on the sharp look-
out when secrets are afloat, Harris one morn-
ing- was not as much on his g-uard as he should
be about the key that opened the way to this
carefully g-uarded divine manuscript. He un-
fortunately left the key in the drawer. Sister
Harris, woman-like, soon saw and made use of
her opportunity ; opened the drawer, took out
480 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
the manuscript and hid it away ; that was the
last of the manuscript so iar as Smith was
concerned. Mrs. Harris determined Smith
should translate that part of the Book of Mor-
mon over again ; and then she would compare
the two as a test of Smith's divine claim to
translating*. Now the reader will readily see
if Smith was inspired of God to translate, the
same God who inspired the" first could inspire a
second just like the first ; unless it was in fact
to be studied out, if so it was possible that
Smith might study it out different. But Sister
Harris was doomed to disappointment. Smith
knew too well that he could not furnish a
second just like the first. And now to extri-
cate himself out of his dilemma he resorts to
getting a revelation direct from God to cover
detection, and receives the pretended reproof as
given above. After having secured God's dis-
approbation upon himself, he receives a second
revelation relating to the same matter of lost
manuscript. The second revelation is the
length of an ordinary sermon, and I am unable
to give but a small part of it.
D. & C., pages 180, 181, par. 6 : " Behold, I
Smith's Troubles. 481
say unto you, that you shall not translate again
those words which have gone forth out of your
hands ; for, behold, they shall not accomplish
their evil designs in lying against these words.
FW, behold, if you should bring forth the same
words they will say that you have lied ; that
you have pretended to translate, but that you
have contradicted yourself ; and, behold, they
will publish this, and Satan will harden the
hearts of the people to stir them up to anger
against you, that they will not believe my
words. Thus Satan thinketh to overpower
your testimony in this generation, that the
work may not come :Jorth in this generation ;
but, behold, here is wisdom, and because I
show unto you wisdom, I give you command-
ments concerning these things what you shall
do ; show it not unto the world until you have
accomplished the work of translation. Marvel
not that I said unto you it is wisdom ; show it
not unto the world, for I said show it not unto
the world, that you may be preserved. Behold,
I do not say that you shall not show it unto
the righteous ; but as you cannot always judge
the righteous or as you cannot always tell
482 Mormonism Exposed and Refitted.
the wicked from the righteous ; therefore, I
say unto you, hold your peace until I shall see
fit to make all things known unto the world
concerning the matter. And, now, verily I say
unto you that an account of those things that
you have written, which have gone out of your
hands, are engraven upon the plates of Nephi ;
yea, and you remember it was said in these
writings that a more particular account was
given of these things upon the plates of Nephi.
And, now, because the account which is en-
graven upon the plates of Nephi is more par-
ticular concerning the things which, in my wis-
dom, I would bring to the knowledge of the
people in this account ; therefore, you shall
translate the engravings which are on the
plates of Nephi, down even till you come to the
reign of King Benjamin, or until you come to
that which you have translated, which you
have retained ; and, behold, you shall ptiblish
it as the record of Nephi, and thus I will con-
found those who have altered my words. I
will not suffer them that they shall destroy my
work ; yea, I will show unto them that my
wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil. ' '
Smith's Troubles. 483
The above quotation is less than one-fourth of
the revelation which Smith pretends to receive
from God direct to relieve himself from the
trouble he had fallen into by letting- Harris
have a part of the translated manuscript to
take home for his examination, and to excuse
himself for not translating 1 the same part over
again.
I can but think his daring- pretension to re-
ceiving- direct revelations from God, such as
the foregoing-, with hundreds of others of like
nature, for the purpose of more successfully
carrying- out his relig-ious imposition is the most
revolting- and God-daring- of anything- outside
of perdition itself. Surely God must have
passed by such for some wise end, or his judg-
ments would have overtaken him long- before
they did at Nauvoo, some fourteen years after-
ward in the Carthag-e jail, where the poor unfor-
tunate creature, with his more innocent brother
Hiram, lost his life in the act of the pretended
prophet of God using- his fire-arms on the
infuriated mob.
Well mig-ht Smith say, as he did shortly be-
fore he lost his life, D. &C., page 316, par. 2,
484 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
"As for the perils I am called to pass through
they seem but a small thing- to me, as the envy
and wrath of man have been nry common lot all
the days of my life ; and for what cause it seems
mysterious, unless I was ordained from before
the foundation of the world for some good or
bad end, as you may choose to call it. Judge
ye for yourselves. God knoweth all things,
whether it be good or bad. But, nevertheless,
deep water is what I am wont to swim in. It
all has become a second nature to me, and I
feel like Paul to glory in tribulation, for to this
day has the God of my fathers delivered me
out of them all, and will deliver me henceforth ;
for, behold, and lo ! I shall triumph over all my
enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it."
Less than two years after the date of this
prediction Smith was killed by his enemies.
Was he a false prophet? Surely he was, and
paid the penalty of death as such. Smith was
evidently self-deceived and led captive by the
devil at his will ; and yet all his life long he
claimed that all other religionists were led cap-
tive by the devil, while in the foregoing revela-
tion he compares himself with Paul in tribula-
Smith's Troubles. 485
tion. Yet, according 1 to his own testimony he
did not know whether from before the founda-
tion of the world he was made choice of for
good or bad. How different from Paul in this
respect. For Paul could say, * 'I know in whom
I have believed," and that "henceforth there
is laid up a crown of righteousness. " But
poor, unfortunate Smith doubted and knew not
whose servant he was, and consequently knew
not what his future destiny would be.
The Book of Mormon appears to have been
printed and published in the spring- of 1830.
There had been much talk and some excitement
in the minds of many people with regard to the
coming- Golden Bible. Many were anxious to
see it and to learn its contents ; others were
anxious to criticise and test it, expecting- to be
able to detect its fraudulent claims. TLe most
interested parties were Harris and the Smith
family. Harris undoubtedly had furnished the
principal part of the funds and was anxious
about financial returns. He had said, as his
brother testifies, "What if it is a lie; if you
will let me alone, I will make money out of it."
Harris no doubt was more anxious about the
486 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
money-making" part than he was about the pre-
tended gospel there was in it, and its power
and necessity to save souls. Smith had already
received for Harris a pretended God-given
message that he was ' ' to impart of his means
freely for the printing* of the Book of Mormon."
This pretended revelation goes on to say to
Harris, "Impart a portion of thy property;
yea, even a part of thy lands and all save the
support of thy family, and pay the debt thou
hast contracted with the printer. Release thy-
self from bondage." Think, dear reader, of
the Lord God Almighty through the pretended
prophet, Joseph Smith, urging, having to urge
one of these divine founders of Mormonism by
such pretended revelations as the above, to
give all he had save just the support of his
family, and to pay his printers' bill. It surely
is the very height of blasphemy for Smith to
assume and pretend such.
But the Smith family had entertained the
highest kind of financial hopes from the coming
forth of the Book of Mormon, according to the
statement of the prophet's mother, where she
said to Harris's brother, as seen above, and is
Smith's Troubles. 487
stated as follows : ' ' The old lady said also
that after the book was translated the plates
were to be publicly exhibited admittance
twenty-five cents. She calculated it would
bringf in annually an enormous sum of money
that money would then be very plenty and the
book would sell for a great price, as it was
something' entirely new that they had been
commanded to obtain all the money they could
borrow for present necessity, and to repay with
g*old. The remainder was to be kept in store
for the benefit of their family and children."
After all Smith's claim that the Book of
Mormon was not to be operated as a profitable
money-making- scheme, it would appear from
the statement of the mother of the prophet that
the family looked upon it strictly from a money
standpoint. Of course this was very natural ;
and Smith shows in his whole course of life
the strong 1 predominance of the natural over
the spiritual, in his perpetual efforts to
stand at the head of every department of the
Mormon system, and especially where the
finance was concerned. But from all that may
be learned the Book of Mormon, as a book, was
488 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
not a financial success to the extent that Smith's
family had anticipated, and I doubt if Harris
" let alone " made any money out of the lie.
The same year the Book of Mormon was pub-
lished the church proper was organised, April
6, 1830. Smith had been operating 1 for seven
years in visions with angels, peeping* at the
stone with his hat over his face ; with the pre-
tended plates, finding 1 their locality, getting
possession of them and translating*, etc. ; and
after seven years' preparation with a small
band Smith organized his peculiar church in
the town of Fayette, Seneca county, state of
New York. The year before the organization
of the church it is said in Remarkable Visions
by O. Pratt, page 11, that a holy angel ap-
peared to Smith and Cowdery and laid his
hands upon their heads and ordained them and
commanded them to baptize each other, which
they accordingly did. It will be seen in and
about this organic system of Mormonism there
is brought to bear a great deal of the formal
ceremonial ordination to constitute proper di-
vine authority, to officiate or act legally in the
institution.
Smith's Troubles. 489
Mormonism, as a system of religion is very,
very formal. As in all religious, organic sys-
tems, where there is the least requirement and
positive demand for strict, personal piety and
spiritual New Testament regeneration by the
direct indwelling of the Holy Ghost, there is
always the greatest stress (as if to make up)
laid upon the observance of ceremonies, ordina-
tions, priestly authority and ritualistic formula,
and this fact is seriously manifest throughout
the whole system and workings of Mormonism.
Smith stood at the head as the head of a great
organic, formal, ceremonial, legalized, religious
system which he built about himself for the
purpose of absolute control over both the peo-
ple and their property ; and it is unequaled in
its make-up as a religious despotism by any-
thing which has ever preceded it. Smith,
claiming to be the mouth-piece of God to his
adherents, none daring to question his power or.
authority, or doing so at the risk of condemna-
tion in this life and that which is to come ; and
to establish this on his pretended divine basis,
he claims divine ordination from the hands of
God himself, of Jesus Christ, of holy angels, of
490 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Peter, James and John, of John the Baptist, and
constant and continual inspiration and revela-
tions from God by means of the Holy Ghost which
he claims is at his constant and continual control.
In the light of such claims, authority and
power, who would dare to even question or re-
sist his orders or demands? His claims are as
high as the throne of God in heaven if correct,
and as Jow as the lowest corner of perdition if
usurped and false. There is no medium ground
about Joseph Smith's system of religion. It is
strictly of God or strictly of Satan. I give
Smith credit where he makes one of the
prophets in his Book of Mormon to say, "There
are but two religions ; one is from God and the
other is from the devil." Such is the nature
of Mormonism. There is no half way about it ;
there cannot be. It is either supremely divine,
or it is supremely diabolical. Hence, an angel
is said by Smith to stand before him and Cow-
dery and lay his hand upon them in order to or-
dain them so they could baptize each other and
their baptism be valid on earth in the church ;
(though their baptism took place the year be-
fore the church was organized). Any and all
. Smith's Troubles. 491
persons who wish to maintain absolute control
over their fellowmen are ever like Smith
very particular about organic formula, ordina-
tions, etc., to bolster up their authority, while
the love of God and man and the true spirit of
Jesus Christ are but secondary matters.
The writer fails to see that the New Testa-
ment provides for an organic system, an earthly
system, such as Mormonism, before the second
coming* of Christ on the earth. The kingdom
of Jesus was not of this world. It was per-
sonal. It was spiritual. It is not a question
of ordination to constitute authority as to
whether a child of God shall work in his Lord's
vineyard. No, working in the Lord's vineyard
is a matter of spontaneous duty on the part of
a true child of God. He must do all he is able
for his Lord and master and for his fellow
whom he wishes to have saved. Does a child
of God, having given his heart and soul to
work for God and humanity, need to procure
authority from such men as Smith before he
can teach the principles of Jesus Christ to his
fellow? And should a true, penitent believer
in Jesus Christ call upon any true child of God,
492 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
asking* the administration of Christian baptism
at his hand, I ask could such intelligent be-
liever refuse and remain innocent, though such
administrator never had human authority con-
ferred upon him by formal ordination of the
laying of hands, such as Smith and others
might demand ? The New Testament does not
provide for Mormonism a.s a system of God.
No, but it does provide or predict it as follows :
4 ' Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of
devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their
conscience seared with a hot iron." 1 Timothy
iv : 1-2. ' ' Beware of false prophets which
come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly
they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know
them by their fruits." Matthew vii : 15-16.
"Many will say unto me in that day, Lord,
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils, and in
thy name have done many wonderful works?
and then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you ; depart from me, ye that work
iniquity." Matthew vii: 22-23.
Smith's Troubles. 493
Dear reader, just as sure as the New Testa-
ment sets forth to man a true religion the
law of God to man the law of love and righte-
ousness by Christ Jesus, just so sure does the
New Testament set forth a false religion.
"For such are false apostles, deceitful work-
ers, transforming themselves into the apostles
of Christ. And no marvel ; for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light. There-
fore, it is no great thing if his ministers also
be transformed as the ministers of righteous-
ness, whose end shall be according to their
works." 2 Cor. xi : 13-15. Many spirits have
gone out into the world ; try the spirits, whether
they be of God. 1 John iv : 1. "Prove all
things ; hold fast that which is good."
In September following the organization of
the church, Smith pretends to receive a special
message from God to Cowdery. Smith, by
this pretended communication, shows he was
evidently feeling a danger of being supplanted,
or his equal coming up as a leader of the church,
and to guard this point he proposes the follow-
ing as a revelation from God :
"Behold, I say unto thee, Oliver, that it
494 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
shall be given unto thee, that thou shalt be
heard by the church in all thing's whatsoever
thou shalt teach them by the Comforter con-
cerning* the revelations and commandments
which I have given ; but, behold, verily, verily,
I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to
receive commandments and revelations in this
church except my servant Joseph Smith, Jr.,
for he receiveth them even as Moses ; and thou
shalt be obedient unto the thing's which I shall
give unto him, even as Aaron.
Thou shalt not write by way of commandments,
but by wisdom ; and thou shalt not command
him who is at thy head and at the head of the
church, for I have given him the keys of the
mysteries and the revelations which are sealed."
-D. & C., pag-es 202, 203.
How much is this like the apostles of Jesus
when contending* which of them should be the
greatest in the kingdom of Christ, to rebuke
whom the meek and humble Jesus came to
them and took up a little child, simple, inno-
cent, unambitious in the sense of personal au-
thority? And, ag^ain, when to correct the same
selfish spirit, "he washed his disciples' feet,"
Smith's Troubles. 495
and said to them the rulers of the Gentiles seek
honor one of another; but, said Jesus, It shall not
be so among- you, for he that would be greatest
among- you let him become least and servant of
all. For, ye'are all brethren ; ye are all equal.
But the leading* trait of Smith's character
was to dictate, to rule, to control, as will be
seen in his career as I may present.it in this in-
vestigation of his ambitious life. The nature
of such a pretended revelation as above given
to let Cowdery know that the best he could or
might expect was that he should play second
part for Smith. So infinitely different from
the spirit of the Son of God where he blesses
the poor in spirit, those that mourn, the meek
and such like. But we shall see this grasp-
ing, ambitious spirit manifested in Smith until
we see him set up by his enemies dead against
the well-curb close by the Carthage jail ; and as
Peter would have it, whereunto also he was
appointed. 1 Peter ii : 8. "What if God,
willing to shew his wrath, and to make his
power known, endured with much long-suffer-
ing the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction."
Romans ix: 22,
496 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
In this same pretended God-given message
to Cowdery, it is stated, "And now, behold, I
say unto you, that it is not revealed, and no
man knoweth, where the city shall be built ; but
it shall be given hereafter. Behold, I say unto
you/that it shall be on the borders of the Lam-
anites" [Indians].
Here, in this pretended revelation, mention
is made of a city, which, though the place or
locality was not yet determined, yet it was fixed
to be on the borders of the Lamanites (In-
dians). This city project is 'looking forward
toward a very important factor on the part of
Smith in the development of Mormonism.
Smith was quick to perceive that while his fol-
lowers were isolated and scattered he could
make but little or no profitable use of them or
their possessions ; that unless he could gather
them together, or colonize them, his ambition
to rule and to control both the people and their
property would not be easily attained. This
thought with Smith suggested a central gath-
ering point colonization in a new Jerusalem.
Smith, early in his plans and life, indulged the
thought that he should develop the institution
Smith's Troubles. 497
or kingdom spoken of by Daniel, the prophet
the stone cut out of the mountain without
hands, that was to break in pieces and consume
all these kingdoms, and that should stand for-
ever. Dan. ii : 44, 45. This is one of the lead-
ing* thoughts in Smith's plans and system, and
is cherished by all true and sincere Mormons,
both of the Utah and Reorganized bodies. The
grand military organization, styled the Nauvoo
Legion, with Rev. J. E. Bennett, M. D., ma-
jor-general of the legion, and. Smith offering
himself as a candidate for the presidency of the
United States, were all moves on the part of
Smith looking to the design of his ruling the
nations of the whole earth. The followers of
Smith contemplate this, and every enlightened
Mormon is looking forward to such to-day.
In this same communication by Smith to Cow-
dery is a reproof to Hiram Page, as follows :
44 And again, thou [Cowdery] shall take thy
brother, Hiram Page, between him and thee
alone, and tell him that those things which he
has written from that stone are not of me, and
Satan deceiveth him ; for, behold, these things
have not been appointed unto him ; neither shall
32
498 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
any be appointed to any of this church contrary
to the church covenants."
In the person of Hiram Page Smith appears
to have met with competition in writing- from a
stone ; but Smith was managing personally this
new church, in the sense of being strictly its
head and dictating all important matters. So
in this pretended revelation to Cowdery, he
wishes Cowdery to take Page to one side and
tell him that what he had written from that
stone was not of God, but was of Satan, giving
Mr. Page to understand that writing from
stones was of divine appointment, and he had
not received such appointment and had no
license to write from stones ; that this stone-
writing business was for church covenants to
settle, and he (Smith) had this authority.
One great objection the writer has to this
false, human, or Satanic system of Mormonism
is the priestly authority that steps in as a mid-
dle man a mediator in place of Jesus Christ,
who is the only middle man, or mediator, be-
tween God and man, and making it impossible
in this age to come to God alone through Christ
Jesus ; declaring that every one must necessa-
Smith's Troubles. 499
rily recognize Smith's pretended divine author-
ity as absolutely essential to his coming* to
God and obtaining- salvation through Jesus
Christ. Mormonism sets forth that Jesus
Christ, and God the eternal Father, and heaven,
or eternal salvation, are only approachable and
obtainable by receiving- the Book of Mormon as
the divinely, God-inspired and God-given book
to this age and this generation ; and that a de-
sirable and happy future is only secured by
baptism administered by the Mormon priest-
hood, and the Holy Ghost only enjoyed by the
laying on of the hands of those having received
authority to confer it from Joseph Smith. Any
set of men (as in the case of Jesus Christ and
his disciples), setting themselves up or claim-
ing that only by their power and authority, as
derived from God, is salvation attainable by
mankind, should never fail to have the miracu-
lous power of God at all times and in all places
accompanying them to a degree equal to their
marvelous claims. For as one writer has said,
'* To believe a proposition in the absence of ad-
equate proof is immoral."
But I turn again to Smith's instruction to
500 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted.
Cowdery, as follows: "Thou [Cowdery] shall
not leave this place until after the conference,
and my servant Joseph shall be appointed to
preside over the conference by the voice of it."
Smith was favorable to the conference appoint-
ing* its own president, but how careful he is to
receive a pretended communication from God,
directing* the conference to appoint 4t my serv-
ant Joseph" to preside over it. In a life's ex-
perience of sixty-six years, I have never wit-
nessed Smith's equal in an endeavor to be and
keep at the head of everything- and every one.
The writer will here offer a premium to any one
who may be able to furnish one single instance
in Smith's public career where he ever g-ave
preference to any one else as to places of honor
or authority. He certainly was equal to Luci-
fer in his ambition to rule the people and con-
trol their property. He certainly was abso-
lutely destitute of that tendency of mind, in-
dicated by "in honor preferring- one another,"
esteeming others better than himself.