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
This is the strongest and I may say the only testimony existing
concerning any connection between Sidney Rigdon and Lambdin. But if
this testimony was left to stand with all its strength unimpaired,
it is a "far way" between this and the establishment of a connection
between Rigdon and the Spaulding manuscript. Even Mr. Schroeder
concedes that. In commenting on the above testimony, he says:
"While this does not establish that Sidney Rigdon had a permanent
abode in Pittsburg, nor that he was connected with Patterson's
printing establishment, it yet explains why seemingly everybody who
knew him reached that conclusion." [119]
[Footnote 119: _American Historical Magazine,_ September, 1906, p. 528,
_ante_ p. 41.]
One marvels at the concluding remark in the above passage, in the
face of the testimony of the five witnesses quoted by the author of
"Who Wrote the Book of Mormon?" These five witnesses had the best
opportunity of knowing of such connection if it existed. They were
Rigdon's own boyhood and young manhood companions, employees of the
firm of Patterson and Lambdin, including Lambdin's wife, and they
all declare there was no such connection, or that they knew of none.
And then there is the silence of Robert Patterson, of the firm of
Patterson and Lambdin to account for. Patterson, who was solicited
for information on the subject but who evidently could give none; and
whose disclosure if he had any to make, Rigdon boldly challenged in
his _Boston Journal_ article of 1839. Mr. Patterson did not die until
September 5th, 1854; [120] and in 1839 Rigdon in the article referred to
said:
[Footnote 120: "Who Wrote the Book of Mormon?" p. 7.]
"If I were to say that I ever heard of the Rev. Solomon Spaulding
and his hopeful wife, until Dr. P. Hurlburt wrote his lie about me,
I should be a liar like unto themselves. Why was not the testimony
of Mr. Patterson obtained to give force to this shameful tale of
lies? The only reason is, that he was not a fit tool for them to
work with; he would not lie for them, for if he were called on he
would testify to what I have here said." [121]
[Footnote 121: "History of the Mormons," Smucker, p. 96.]
This is Rigdon's challenge, (Mr. Schroeder nowhere deals with it) and
while we regret its form we rejoice in its boldness and emphasis. Mr.
Patterson was solicited by the Reverend Samuel Williams, when preparing
his "Mormonism Exposed," for a statement, and Mr. Patterson gave one
and signed it under date of 2nd of April, 1842, but not a word in it
of Rigdon or of his connection with the printing establishment, or his
association with Lambdin, or of the complaints of Engles about Rigdon
"always hanging around the printing office;" not a word about Spaulding
and his manuscript. There is but one conclusion to be reached from
this silence, viz., there were no such relations to disclose as are
contended for by Mr. Schroeder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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