Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 2 of 2)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 2 of 2)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
It will be observed that this does not bring Sidney Rigdon to Pittsburg
until 1821-22, some seven years after the Spauldings had left Pittsburg
with their precious manuscript, and five years after they had departed
from Pennsylvania with it. Mr. Rigdon's own account of his going to
Pittsburg puts it in November, 1821, on his return from Ohio, to visit
relatives in Allegheny county, Pa. He preached in Pittsburg a few
times, and it was his preaching during this visit that led to his being
called to become the permanent pastor of the First Baptist Church of
that place, where he took up his residence in 1822.
In a communication addressed to the _Boston Journal,_ under date of
May 27, 1839, Sidney Rigdon emphatically denies having any connection
with Patterson's printing establishment; or with Spaulding and his
manuscript. [111] Concerning the charge frequently made that Rigdon
lived in Pittsburg, and was connected with Patterson's printing office
during 1815 and 1816, Mr. Schroeder himself remarks.
[Footnote 111: The Letter of Rigdon will be found complete in Smucker's
"History of the Mormons," pp. 45-48.]
"The evidence upon which is based the charge of Rigdon having a
permanent residence in Pittsburg during the years in question,
or his connection with Patterson's printing office, is so
unsatisfactory that these issues must be found in favor of Rigdon's
denial." [112]
[Footnote 112: _American Historical Magazine,_ November, 1906, p. 524,
_ante,_ p. 39.]
Very diligent inquiry was made by the historians of Washington County,
to ascertain whether or not Rigdon was in Pittsburg at the time the
Spaulding manuscript is alleged to have been there. What makes the
matter of inquiry more interesting is the fact that the author of that
part of the "History of Washington County" under the caption "Who Wrote
the Book of Mormon?" is Robert Patterson, son of Robert Patterson, who
is said to have been the printer to whom Spaulding's manuscript was
taken for publication. Robert Patterson, author of "Who Wrote the Book
of Mormon?" in his capacity of historian, sent out a number of letters
soliciting information as to the time of Sidney Rigdon's residence
in Pittsburg and his connection with the Patterson-Lambdin printing
establishment; and also he made personal inquiry on the same subject.
The results of such inquiry follow. The term "the present writer" used
in the quotation refers to Mr. Patterson himself. After saying that
Carvil Rigdon, Sidney's brother, and Peter Boyer, his brother-in-law,
were the source of information for Rigdon's biography, Mr. Patterson
says:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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