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<r 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 a<fain. The 
 sig"ht 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 Aft} rni tt n is in Exposed a H d JRt />/ 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 7V<m' Orleans to Kansas City. 127 
 
 ing- them their religious fortunes for I can 
 look on it in no other light than an attempt at 
 fortune telling-. But their patriarchs had told 
 many of them that they should arrive safely 
 and spend many happy days in Zion ; and under 
 this, in full belief, they were journe}nng. But 
 how must the dying- and their friends have now 
 felt, when all their patriarchal promises were 
 failing* them, and they were being- dropped by 
 the wayside, buried in a few moments in a for- 
 eign country, without a word of ceremony, un- 
 der the influence of a religion that was demon- 
 strating- itself false to them? Their relig-ion 
 and circumstances at this time were truly soul- 
 crushing*. To die under such a condition of 
 thing's was but to leave the world and their 
 friends in despair without hope ; proving- un- 
 mistakably the fallacy of their relig-ion by dying- 
 short of their Zion, which by the patriarchs 
 had been sealed to them. Here I almost feel 
 to condemn Satan himself, as the instigator of 
 false relig'ion. Friends bereft of their loved 
 ones, in tears had left them behind to sleep in 
 silence, awaiting the resurrection of the just 
 and the unjust, where they hoped to meet them 
 
128 Mormonism Exposed and Refitted. 
 
 again. But what must have been the feeling's 
 and thoughts of these surviving" friends when 
 looking* back upon their dear departed ones and 
 the patriarchal predictions of the church relating* 
 to them? Such would feel would know 
 Mormonism, thou art untrue ; surely thou art 
 false ! 
 
 It would appear that some one should be re- 
 sponsible for leading- off such people from their 
 homes and countries, bringing- upon them such 
 suffering and death. When "every act of man, 
 with every secret thought, shall be brought 
 into judgment," surely those deceivers in Mor- 
 monism will have their false religion to answer 
 for. 
 
 I was not now growing in the faith of Mor- 
 monism. No ; I was forcibly driven in the op- 
 posite direction. Every advancing step was 
 bringing proof against them ; and what I found 
 to be true here, in this attack of cholera, and 
 their healing of the sick, I have found equally 
 true in the whole of my experience with them, 
 without an exception, as to the various branches 
 of the church, from Joseph Smith to the pres- 
 ent. Had I not paid my fare through to Salt 
 
From Neiv Orleans to Kansas City. 129 
 
 Lake City, no doubt I should have deserted 
 them on the journey, for I had found, thus far, 
 so many things which disproved their claims 
 and pretensions, I have wondered how, as a 
 people, they could possibly hold on to their 
 claim to healing", when they knew, beyond all 
 doubt, that in ninety and nine cases out of ev- 
 ery hundred with which they are surrounded 
 they remain without a shadow of healing". 
 
 We are now nearing St. Louis. We have 
 been fourteen days on the Mississippi River 
 from New Orleans to this place, sometimes de- 
 layed by the boat running- upon sand-bars. 
 But we are landed in the city, and piled up to- 
 gether in an old deserted college building", and 
 the* cholera raging" more fearfully among" us, 
 having" condemned, wormy crackers served out 
 to us 'for bread. 
 
 Here, in this old college building, I witnessed 
 the death by cholera of all the Squires family, 
 except himself and son-in-law. Yes, here this 
 family the wife, married daughter, with all 
 the children and grandchildren who had been 
 so wonderfully blessed by their patriarchs, and 
 had had sealed upon their heads their safe ar- 
 9 
 
130 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. 
 
 rival and long", prosperous, happy life in Zion, 
 yielded to the destroyer. I can but imagine 
 the anguish of mind and the distress of soul 
 the members of this family must have suffered 
 when all their relig'ious hopes were fled. Sure- 
 ly, poor, death-smitten creatures, they must 
 have died "without God and without hope in 
 the world." I often wonder who is able to 
 fathom the distress of mind of those who are 
 crowded into death, deserted by their religion. 
 I had seen much of this unfortunate family on 
 board of ship, as referred to in the past, and 
 now I had been called to witness their sad and 
 deplorable death by cholera. I still pity them. 
 I have often been tempted, when calling- to mind 
 this family (whom we left to sleep the sleep of 
 death at St. Louis), to offer a prayer for the 
 dead. But I am sure the Judge of all the earth 
 will do right. "Just and righteous are his 
 judgments, and his ways according- to truth." 
 
 While in this old college building, at one 
 time we were not able to procure coffins in 
 which to place the dead, and they were laid out 
 in the open court-yard, and guarded throug-h 
 the night ; and yet, in the midst of all this, 
 
From New Orleans to Kansas City. 131 
 
 there was not an attempt, to my knowledge, to 
 heal 'the sick by the high priesthood of the 
 church. They knew full well they did not pos- 
 sess the power, and were wise enough not to 
 expose themselves by making known the fact to 
 the people. 
 
 But one special case while we remained in St. 
 Louis I propose to give : An elderly sister 
 Jones, a Welsh lady, who had been all through 
 our cholera siege an untiring nurse, and manifest- 
 ed no fear of cholera. She had full faith in the 
 claims of the church as of God ; she said she 
 had received her patriarchal blessings, and she 
 was sealed to arrive safe in Zion, and she felt 
 it impossible for her to die on the way. She 
 acted as she felt and talked. She was evident- 
 ly under the inspiration ol her confidence. She 
 was a natural or constitutional nurse. But 
 while at St. Louis, in this old college building, 
 she was seized with cholera and in a few hours 
 she died. It was not certain she was conscious 
 when dying, but had she been, how must she 
 have felt when entering the jaws of death ! 
 Dear, noble woman ! Her religion had failed 
 her. Her patriarchal blessings, her hopes and 
 
132 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. 
 
 expectations in them had fled, and I see not 
 how she could reach out and grasp any other 
 source of religion to sustain her. She, too, 
 must have passed away deceived and disap- 
 pointed. O thou deceiving, disappointing* Mor- 
 monism ! thou provest most false to those who 
 most rely on thee. Never was there a clearer 
 proof of the fallacy of patriarchal blessing's 
 and confidence reposed in them ; and yet Mor- 
 monism continues to practice its patriarchal 
 .deceptions upon its followers. How misplaced 
 was this sister's confidence but her faith saved 
 her not. Yes, to her sorrow, and the sorrow 
 of her many friends around her, she was smit- 
 ten by the destroyer, and in an hour when she 
 and her friends thought not, she was called 
 away by death, leaving" another proof behind 
 of the fallacy of her religion. And now she 
 sleeps in death at St. Louis, instead of enjoy- 
 ing- anticipated happy life in the Mormon Zion. 
 
 I was now journeying- to the Mormon Zion to 
 prove its divine claims as an institution of re- 
 lig-ion, and for the present I leave the reader to 
 judg-e the result up to this time. 
 
 We were next put upon a steamboat at St. 
 

 From Ne^v Orleans to Kansas City. 133 
 
 Louis for Kansas City. The cholera was still 
 lingering* with us, but no deaths on this boat. 
 We were landed in the woods above the city. 
 The city was small at this time 1854. We 
 had tents, and were camped in the woods where 
 those large, massive store-houses and the Union 
 depot now stand ; and I doubt not some of the 
 mortal remains of some of our cholera-stricken 
 company, who were buried on that spot, were 
 unearthed when the foundations of those build- 
 ings were dug*. 
 
 I shall never forg*et the death of a young* mar- 
 ried sister, who died and was buried there. 
 This lady was seized with cholera while there, 
 but ling*ered a few days. She had left a rich 
 and happy home in England, with a young* man 
 her lover and they had married on their way 
 to Salt Lake. But she had left without her 
 parents' consent. I had often noticed this af- 
 fectionate couple. But while camped" in the 
 woods near Kansas City they came more par- 
 ticularly to my notice. While rendering* them 
 assistance in their sickness, they related to me 
 their past history. In leaving* England and 
 her family, this lady had eloped with her lover 
 
134 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. 
 
 for the purpose of marriage, and was going- to 
 Salt Lake with her husband. She evidently 
 regretted leaving- her home and parents the 
 way she had done. They were truly affection- 
 ate toward each other. They were yet true 
 lovers. But it was becoming- evident she must 
 die, and if ever a poor mortal shrank from 
 death and clung- to life and husband, it was 
 this dear, cholera-stricken wife at this time. 
 Both of them appeared as thoug-h it was impos- 
 sible to g-ive each other up. It was truly dis- 
 tressing- to witness their strug-g-le ag-ainst death. 
 The poor, distressed wife could not possibly 
 g-ive up or yield to death ; the husband, equally 
 anxious, and strug-g-ling- to save her from it. 
 Oh, how those two dear souls did cling- to each 
 other ! But she must g-o. Death had called 
 her, and its claim was not to be relaxed. She 
 must g-o. Death, in this case, was determined 
 on victory, and in the terrible strug-g-le did con- 
 quer. Poor, distressed, dying- creature, I felt, 
 God only knows the secret of that dear soul, 
 and the extent of her mental ang-uish and grief. 
 It was truly distressing- to witness such a part- 
 ing-. But what must it have been to them? I 
 
From New Orleans to Kansas City. 135 
 
 assisted in laying away the mortal remains of 
 the beautiful young wife of a few months, 
 where those large buildings referred to now 
 stand. Dear, unfortunate creature ! She was 
 of wealthy parentage in England, but was 
 buried in these woods in America as humbly as 
 in a potter's-field. Her husband retired from 
 camp in a few days, apparently broken-hearted 
 and undone, and I saw him no more. This af- 
 fectionate wife and her bereft husband suffered 
 untold mental agony, but it was only for a mo- 
 ment ; and who can tell the amount of suffering 
 they both might have had to endure had she 
 lived and they had gone forward to Mormon 
 headquarters? I am sure, at that time, many 
 of those old polygamic officials would have been 
 attracted by her beauty, and would have fast- 
 ened their lecherous eyes upon her, and caused 
 herself and husband a whole life of heartfelt 
 grief, of which they had but a few moments. 
 And who can tell but a kind Providence was 
 directing even death to their greater good? 
 Many such cases occurred in Salt Lake, where 
 a beautiful wife was decoyed from her husband 
 by those in authority and power. With some 
 
136 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. 
 
 such cases I afterward became acquainted, 
 where those carnal-minded priests in power 
 ruined families, once happy, for the balance of 
 their lives. I think, from my own observation 
 among- the Mormons, that it was for that af- 
 fectionate wife's best interest and greatest 
 gxx)d, that she was carried away by death at 
 that time, rather than take the risk of a more 
 advanced life among' the Mormons. I shall 
 give proof of this from my observations when 
 in Utah. 
 
 But there was one thing- clearly manifest 
 in the death of this lovely sister, and that 
 was, that Mormonism offered her soul no religf- 
 ious comfort. Her mind had been directed to 
 Joseph Smith and his system of relig-ion, and 
 that failed her when struggling- with death. 
 Had she been heartily converted to God and his 
 Son Jesus Christ ; had she had the indwelling- of 
 the Holy Spirit in her own soul as her com- 
 forter, such would have reconciled her to death 
 in hope of a more happy future. But she has 
 gone ; she sleeps in death, and shall we prepare 
 to meet her in the resurrection of the just and 
 the unjust, when all hidden thing's shall be 
 
From Ncio Orleans to Kansas City. 137 
 
 manifest, and our real life stand out naked and 
 bare before God and the "great white throne?" 
 
 We are now preparing for the overland part 
 of our journey. Cattle, wagons and supplies 
 are being- collected at Kansas City, on the Mis- 
 souri River, for starting- across the plains. 
 
 With a few others I am sent out south of the 
 city, on the open prairie, to take charg-e of the 
 church cattle and herd them on the prairie. 
 Here for the first time I had an opportunity of 
 seeing- and realizing- the beauty and fertility of 
 the great western prairies. Our herd ground 
 was but a short distance west of Independence, 
 Jackson County, Mo., where the Temple Block 
 in Independence .remains yet unoccupied, and 
 where Joseph Smith and a number of others, 
 in 1831, ceremoniously buried the scrub oak, 
 with the rock that O. Cowdery carried in one 
 hand in priestly pomp, and where some thirty 
 of the leading- priests of the church played 
 laying* the foundation of the great and grand 
 universal city and temple, to which all the na- 
 tions of the earth should g-ather and worship. 
 Over sixty-one years have passed away, and 
 nothing- has been added to the oak sill, carried 
 
138 Mormonisin Exposed cutd Refuted. 
 
 by twelve honored Mormon priests, and the 
 stone which Cowdery, in priestly dignity, car- 
 ried in one hand. No, this would-be sacred 
 spot the Temple Block in the center of Inde- 
 pendence lies there unoccupied, save by a 
 small frame shanty, put there by one of the di- 
 vided factions of the church, for the purpose of 
 obtaining* the legal title to the temple site, 
 which is now in the Supreme Court of the. na- 
 tion. But this vacant Temple Block, in Inde- 
 pendence, Jackson County, Mo., stands there 
 as a perpetual proof of the fallacy of Smith 
 and his coadjutors ; and while it so stands un- 
 occupied it will declare to every informed Mor- 
 mon that Joseph Smith was a false prophet, and 
 the religion he established a false religion. It is 
 due the false prophet to say that he made choice 
 of a beautiful, rich part of the country, on 
 which he established such an absolute failure. 
 
 On these beautiful, green, rolling prairies, as 
 I rambled, following the church herd of cattle, 
 I truly felt I was realizing the dreams and im- 
 aginations of my boyish days and thoughts of 
 America. This was in May and June, when 
 the prairies appear at their best. I shall never 
 
From Neiv Orleans to Kansas City. 139 
 
 forget the first evening- and night I spent on 
 these prairies. The evening was calm, my soul 
 wrapped in meditation and reflection. I was 
 in a solemn mood, thinking of loved ones left 
 far behind, when I heard the cooing of the 
 prairie chickens at a distance, but knew not 
 what they were. The peculiar cooings of these 
 prairie chickens were so plaintive I felt as 
 if the spirits of loved ones were calling from 
 beyond the sea, to commune with us in our new 
 western home. 
 
 Now our ocean voyage is in the past. The 
 Mississippi River, with its calamities of death 
 by cholera, is left behind us. St. Louis, the 
 Missouri, and Kansas City, where the cholera 
 ended its work of death among us as a travel- 
 ing company, have passed behind, and we are 
 now hopefully expecting the worst of our jour- 
 ney is over, and the future has for us the prom- 
 ise of better and happier journeying. And yet 
 we have twelve hundred miles of overland 
 travel with oxen and wagons before us, of the 
 real nature of which we know nothing. 
 
 I may here relate a peculiar circumstance 
 which happened to the herd of cattle while I 
 
140 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. 
 
 had them in charge. The herd consisted of 
 several hundred head. One beautiful morning* 
 we drove them out into the Indian Territory 
 (but which is now the state of Kansas). We 
 had driven the herd out a few miles from the 
 corral, and all at once the head of the herd be- 
 gan to swing off, and in a few moments the 
 whole herd was in a full run. I was riding a 
 lazy old mule ; the remainder of the men were 
 on foot. But the cattle soon all spread out into 
 the hills, and neither sight nor track was to be 
 seen, of one of them. I whipped and worked 
 with the mule to follow, but in a short time I 
 was left alone with the lazy old mule on the 
 prairie, not a man nor a head of the herd to be 
 seen. But just think how the man in charge 
 of the herd was feeling about this time. I felt 
 truly mortified, and knew not what to do. I 
 knew nothing about a cattle stampede at that 
 time, and knew not how to account for the way 
 the cattle had acted. It looked to me like a 
 peculiar freak on the part of the herd. I was 
 totally unable to follow them on such a lazy old 
 mule. I could have made better time on foot. 
 I rode the mule to camp and reported the happen- 
 
From Neuu Orleans to Kansas City. 141 
 
 ing to my wife and the other sisters in the tent, 
 and by this time I felt the herd had gone, the 
 good Lord knew where, lor I knew not. This 
 broke my record as a herdsman, and I have 
 never had an opportunity to regain it since. The 
 cattle were all finally recovered, and I was re- 
 lieved of my charge, feeling that men should 
 know the business in which they engage better 
 than I, an inexperienced Englishman, under- 
 stood herding cattle in America. 
 
 At this time most of the companies who were 
 to start from this point on the Missouri River 
 were collected on the prairie south of Kansas 
 City. And now another selfish church propo- 
 sition is offered, to the effect that all those of 
 the independent, or thirteen-pound company, 
 should relinquish their claims on the overland 
 outfit cattle, wagons, etc. This was fixed up 
 in camp while a number of interested ones were 
 with the herd ; but we, too, had to abide by the 
 action of the others ; for when in Salt Lake 
 City I asked for a statement of my account 
 with the emigration company, I was told the 
 whole matter had been turned over to the 
 church. And so it went. Nor did I feel it best 
 
142 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. 
 
 to make a loud complaint. The whole inter- 
 course, so Tar, was proving- them contract- 
 breakers, and yet they would claim to be the 
 saints of the most high God. Should heaven 
 in the world to come be made up of such saints, 
 my aspirations to enter such a place after death 
 would surely be weak. 
 
 I have wished, in my connection with them, 
 I could discover something 1 noble, worthy and 
 unselfish as a general church measure, that I 
 mig-ht credit it up in their favor, as managers 
 of a great financial interest. But no ; it as 
 ever proved an effort on the part of the heads 
 of the church to take from the poor without 
 giving" anything- in return. I feel almost 
 wearied and exhausted in exposing- their self- 
 ishness and deception. It would seem they 
 should have some redeeming- qualities as a sys- 
 tem. But no, I see them not. I fail to find 
 anything- as a system manag-ed by its leaders 
 that I may be able to record in their favor. 
 The masses of the more humble followers 
 would be equal to any class of people if they 
 were taug-ht and influenced by leaders who pos- 
 sessed the kind, meek, humble, unselfish spirit 
 
From New Orleans to Kansas City. 143 
 
 of Jesus Christ and his apostles. But all peo- 
 ple partake more or less of the spirit and ex- 
 ample of their leaders. John D. Lee was led 
 on by his leaders from bad to worse until he 
 worked out his own destruction. Many others 
 in Mormonism would be much more liberal to 
 non-Mormons were it not for the many evil 
 principles incorporated in their religious sys- 
 tem. Such a system, and such leaders of such 
 a religion, are another people ; they have an- 
 other spirit ; they have another conscience to 
 that of Jesus Christ and the Christian religion. 
 Tell me not that such are the people of God, 
 and their religion is even akin to that of Christ. 
 We have now our wagons all on hand, and 
 are preparing to move. Thirty-two wagons 
 are to compose the train. We have two yoke 
 of oxen and one yoke of cows to each wagon 
 the cows being in the middle of the team. We 
 have had a glorious time putting on the yokes. 
 Think of a lot of inexperienced old-country 
 men, many of them out of the factories, who 
 had never handled horses, to say nothing of 
 wild Texas cattle, and you have a faint idea how 
 things would go. There were many of us who 
 
144 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. 
 
 could do nothing* only to become scared, and in 
 return scare the cattle. The cattle appeared 
 to be afraid of us and our awkward foreign 
 ways. I venture to say, if the scene of the 
 saints at this time had been photographed, the 
 picture would have been in good demand at a 
 liberal profit. I shall never forget the picture 
 as it was then stereotyped on my mind. Many 
 of the g-ood brethren looked and acted as thoug-h 
 they were handling- ferocious wild beasts, both 
 hands raised and looking- more wild than did 
 the cattle, and apparently fully ready at any 
 time for leave of absence. Near half a day 
 had been spent in hitching- the teams to the 
 wagons, and when all was ready, the word to 
 move was g-iven by the captain ; and surely it 
 was a move indeed, but of a mixed kind. Thir- 
 ty-two teams, mostly of raw Texas cattle, were 
 to make their first move, with about twice the 
 number of raw foreigners as drivers. I have 
 looked upon this as the climax of our journey- 
 ing to Zion. At the order to move, we moved 
 in every direction. It would have been diffi- 
 cult for a spectator to determine which way 
 Zion lay from this point by the moving of the 
 
From New Orleans to Kansas City. 145 
 
 teams. Some of them would not move, others 
 moved too fast and in the wrong direction, some 
 ran off and got out of control of their drivers. 
 I had seen and read of high life in London, but 
 this was truly high life on the western prai- 
 ries of America. Uniformity and order in the 
 line of travel here were dispensed with. It 
 looked for a little while as though it would be 
 impossible for us to get into line ; but finally 
 we did. Our team did not wish ta start, and 
 it was a little while before we could get a move 
 Zionward. But it finally started off in a run, 
 and it was with difficulty we could keep pace 
 with it. We had three drivers, and finally got 
 into line. One wagon, in which was an aged 
 sister unable to walk, started off at full speed 
 down grade, and soon got away from its drivers. 
 No one could render the others any assistance, 
 all having all they could do to manage their" 
 own teams. All became anxious about the run- 
 away team on account of the helpless, aged sis- 
 ter in the wagon. It was in full view of the 
 train, and caused much anxiety ; but fortunate- 
 ly it struck one of those soft, spongy, miry 
 
 places, and came to a dead stand, and nothing 
 10 
 
146 Mormonism Exposed and Refuted. 
 
 was injured. In a few hours we got into line 
 and made a few miles on our journey. We now 
 moved along* from day to day, both drivers and 
 teams becoming better acquainted with each 
 other and with what was necessary to be done. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 CROSSING THE PLAINS FROM KANSAS CITY 
 TO SALT 
 
 THE train was organized (Israel-like) into 
 hundreds, fifties and tens, each was cap- 
 tain in his department. The Mormons are 
 posted on Old Testament organization. Their 
 whole system has in it more of Moses than 
 of Christ. 
 
 Captain Karns was our Moses to lead the 
 traveling* host of modern Israel across the wil- 
 derness (as then called) to the promised land. 
 Each wagon had in it ten passengers, old and 
 young ; we had provisions, too, supposed to 
 last us for three months. Added to this we 
 were allowed one hundred pounds of luggage 
 each. We were expected to make the journey 
 in three months, which we did. 
 
 If the Mormons were as thoroughly Christian 
 and righteous as they are in human organiza- 
 tion, they would be a power on the earth for 
 good. But they have among them too much of 
 
 (147) 
 
148 Mormonism Exposed a?id Refuted. 
 
 the human and too little of the divine ; too 
 much of Joseph Smith and too little of Jesus 
 Christ. Jesus has said, "Every plant which 
 is not of my Father's planting* shall be rooted 
 up." Hence, it is but a matter of time when 
 Mormonism will be rooted up. 
 
 We are now moving- along 1 nicely day after 
 day over the beautiful green prairies of the 
 Indian Territory, which, in the near future, is 
 to be the state of Kansas. We had expected to 
 find it a desert, but the thick prairie grass is 
 from one to two feet hig^h. How is this for 
 what in the past has been called a desert? 
 But this beautiful fertile country now open for 
 settlement has no charms for the Zion-bound 
 saints. No, we were eagerly pressing 1 our way 
 westward to what had been represented to us 
 as a far better country a land of saints and of 
 milk and honey, where each would feel at heart 
 his brother's need and live in blissful union 
 with his fellow, in common with his own. 
 But it is by experience we learn, and I learned 
 by gfoing- to Utah the reverse of what I had 
 been told by the Mormon missionaries. It is 
 by experience that faith is turned to sight. 
 
From Kansas City to Salt Lake. 149 
 
 Since I left Utah I have often felt and said my 
 experience and observations while there were 
 worth to me all the gold of California. 
 
 We had crossed the Kaw river, and while 
 traveling* up the bottom an Indian stampeded 
 or scared the teams. He rode his pony at full 
 speed on the opposite side from the drivers, 
 coming- from behind the train, and as 
 he came along at full speed with his buck- 
 skin clothes flapping- in the wind, each team 
 turned from him and g-ot out of control of the 
 drivers. We thought at the time we were in 
 serious danger. The small children and old 
 people were in the wagons. In our own wag-on 
 were two little boys and an old sister ; the 
 team got ahead of the drivers and we felt sure 
 we should have serious results. It was a 
 peculiar sig-ht to see each team start off in a 
 run as the Indian came opposite them. It 
 seemed like a wave the full leng-th of the train. 
 I was alarmed for my little boy in the wagon. 
 Our team ran quite a long distance and we, 
 the drivers, a long way behind. I could but 
 think at the time that it was an unnecessary 
 piece of mischief on the part of the Indian ; 
 
150 Morrnonism Ex-posed and Refuted. 
 
 and in the confusion and apparent danger I felt 
 stong* impressions of the carnal nature toward 
 the Indian. But finding- no one was hurt and 
 no damag-e sustained, the carnal inspiration 
 subsided and we took it rather as a joke he had 
 so successfully played on the saintly Mormons 
 on their journey to Zion. The Indian no 
 doubt knew wh'at he could do for us and he 
 proposed to leave an impression on our minds 
 by which he should in after days be remem- 
 bered. 
 
 One nig-ht as we had just gx>t 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.