New Witnesses for God (Volume 3 of 3)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
New Witnesses for God (Volume 3 of 3)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Book of Mormon; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
as to compare it with the Mormon Bible. He presented a letter to
my mother from my uncle, William H. Sabine, of Onondaga Valley,
in which he requested her to loan this manuscript to Hurlburt, as
he (my uncle) was desirous "to uproot" (as he expressed it) "this
Mormon fraud." Hurlburt represented that he had been a convert
to Mormonism, but had given it up, and through "The Manuscript
Found" wished to expose its wickedness. My mother was careful to
have me with her in all the conversations she had with Hurlburt,
who spent a day at my house. She did not like his appearance, and
mistrusted his motives; but having great respect for her brother's
wishes and opinions, she reluctantly consented to his request.
The old trunk, containing the desired "Manuscript Found," she had
placed in the care of Mr. Jerome Clark, of Hartwicks, when she came
to Monson, intending to send for it. On the repeated promise of
Hurlburt to return the manuscript to us, she gave him a letter to
Mr. Clark to open the trunk and deliver it to him. We afterwards
heard that he did receive it from Mr. Clark at Hartwicks, but from
that time we have never had it in our possession, and I have no
present knowledge of its existence, Hurlburt never returning it or
answering letters requesting him to do so. Two years ago I heard
he was still living in Ohio, and with my consent he was asked for
"The Manuscript Found." He made no response, although we have
evidence that he received the letter containing the request. So far
I have stated facts within my own knowledge. My mother mentioned
many other circumstances to me in connection with this subject
which are interesting, of my father's literary tastes, his fine
education, and peculiar temperament. She stated to me that she had
heard the manuscript alluded to read by my father, was familiar
with its contents, and she deeply regretted that her husband, as
she believed, had innocently been the means of furnishing matter
for a religious delusion. She said that my father loaned this
"Manuscript Found" to Mr. Patterson, of Pittsburg, and that, when
he returned it to my father, he said: "Polish it up, finish it, and
you will make money out of it." My mother confirmed my remembrances
of my father's fondness for history, and told me of his frequent
conversations regarding a theory which he had of a prehistoric
race which had inhabited this continent, etc., all showing that
his mind dwelt on this subject. "The Manuscript Found," she said,
was a romance written in Biblical style, and that while she heard
it read she had no especial admiration for it more than for other
romances he wrote and read to her. We never, either of us, ever
saw, or in any way communicated with the Mormons, save Hurlburt, as
above described; and while we had no personal knowledge that the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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