The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901Linn, William Alexander
History
The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901
Linn, William Alexander
Latter Day Saints -- History; Utah -- History
Mr. Spaulding's business partner at Conneaut, Henry Lake, testified that
Spaulding read the manuscript to him many hours, that the story running
through it and the Bible was the same, and he recalls this circumstance:
"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 referring to the 'Book of Mormon,' I find that it
stands there just as he read it to me then.... I well recollect telling
Mr. Spaulding that the so frequent use of the words 'and it came to
pass,' 'now it came to pass,' rendered it ridiculous."
John N. Miller, an employee of Spaulding in Ohio, and a boarder in his
family for several months, testified that Spaulding had written more
than one book or pamphlet, that he had heard the author read from the
"Manuscript Found," that he recalled the story running through it, and
added: "I have recently examined the 'Book of Mormon,' and find in it
the writings of Solomon Spaulding, from beginning to end, but mixed up
with Scripture and other religious matter which I did not meet with in
the 'Manuscript Found'.... The names of Nephi, Lehi, Moroni, and in fact
all the principal names, are brought fresh to my recollection by the
'Gold Bible.'"
Practically identical testimony was given by the four other neighbors.
Important additions to this testimony have been made in later years. A
statement by Joseph Miller of Amity, Pennsylvania, a man of standing in
that community, was published in the Pittsburg Telegraph of February 6,
1879. Mr. Miller said that he was well acquainted with Spaulding when he
lived at Amity, and heard him read most of the "Manuscript Found," and
had read the Mormon Bible in late years to compare the two. On hearing
read, "he says," the account from the book of the battle between the
Amlicites (Book of Alma), in which the soldiers of one army had placed
a red mark on their foreheads to distinguish them from their enemies,
it seemed to reproduce in my mind, not only the narration, but the
very words as they had been impressed on my mind by the reading of
Spaulding's manuscript.... The longer I live, the more firmly I am
convinced that Spaulding's manuscript was appropriated and largely used
in getting up the "Book of Mormon."
Redick McKee, a resident of Amity, Pennsylvania, when Spaulding lived
there, and later a resident of Washington, D. C., in a letter to the
Washington [Pennsylvania] Reporter, of April 21, 1869, stated that
he heard Spaulding read from his manuscript, and added: "I have an
indistinct recollection of the passage referred to by Mr. Miller about
the Amlicites making a cross with red paint on their foreheads to
distinguish them from enemies in battle."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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