ATTENTION CONFERENCE DELEGATES AND GUESTS!
On the first three pages of the Saints’ Herald for March 1, 1880, is an article answering a book authored by Pomeroy Tucker and published in 1867. Mr. Tucker was a resident of Palmyra at the time the Smith family moved there from Vermont. In 1823 he established the Wayne Sentinel, a newspaper, and was still editorially connected with the paper at the printing by its press of the original edition of the Book of Mormon in 1830. He helped with the reading of the proof-sheets and had frequent and familiar interviews with Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris. In this book he accused Joseph Smith of being a money-digger for several years before the publishing of the Book of Mormon. He said that form 1820 to 1827, Joseph Smith “persisting in this claim to the gift of spiritual discernment…” managed to get some “people in the vicinity, to defray the expense of digging for buried money, the precise hiding of which he had discovered by the aid of THE STONE IN HIS HAT.” (Pages 21-22). When the Church answered this accusation in the March 1, 1880 Herald, they said, “THERE IS NO REASON WHATEVER FOR BELIEVING THAT THESE…FALSE STORIES HAD ANY EXISTENCE TILL AFTER THE REAL EVENTS ( the coming forth of the Book of Mormon)…HAD REALLY TRANSPIRED…”
When Fawn Brodie published her book, “No Man Knows My History,” she claimed that Joseph Smith had been taken to court in 1826 as a result of his money digging activities. This was answered by Mormon writers with statements like, “This alleged court record…seems to be a literary attempt of an enemy to ridicule Joseph Smith…NO EXISTING PROOF THAT SUCH A TRIAL WAS EVER HELD.” (Apostle John A. Widtsoe of the Utah Church). “If such a court record confession could be identified and proved then it follows that HIS (JOSEPH SMITH’S) BELIEVERS MUST DENY HIS CLAIMED DIVINE GUIDANCE…” (Francis W. Kirkham). “If this court record is authentic IT IS THE MOST DAMNING EVIDENCE IN EXISTENCE AGAINST JOSEPH SMITH.” (Dr. Hugh Nibly). BOOK OF MORMON BELIEVERS, DO YOU REALIZE PROOF OF THE 1826 TRIAL HAS NOW BEEN FOUND, SO WHAT ABOUT THE CLAIM THAT THE BOOK OF MORMON IS OF DIVINE ORIGIN?????
Do you know that on July 28, 1971, among some old Chenango County bills, the bills of Justice Albert Neely and Constable Philip DeZeng for the year 1826 were found and among the items listed on them were the costs for the arrest and trial of “JOSEPH SMITH, THE GLASS LOOKER,” as the case is listed on Justice Neely’s bill?
Do you know that the Constable’s bill has a “Mittimus” cost listed, which proves that JOSEPH SMITH WAS FOUND GUILTY, for a mittimus authorized the constable to take the prisoner to jail?
Many anti-Mormon authors have written about this March 20, 1826 trial, using it to prove that the Book of Mormon was not of divine origin, but a continuation of the principles manifested in his money-digging activities. This trial was purported to show that Joseph Smith used the same means to translate the Book of Mormon as he did to discover the buried treasures and dig for them.
Until recently we were believers in the Book of Mormon and felt that the 1826 trial was just a fabrication of anti-Mormon origin to discredit the Book of Mormon. But after we learned of the discovery of these two original county bills, we realized thot our beliefs needed examination. IN THE INVESTIGATION AND SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH WHICH FOLLOWED WE FOUND THAT WE WERE THE ONES WHO HAD BEEN DECEIVED. After several letters and a trip to Norwich, Chenango County, New York we knew that the bills were authentic. We have obtained photo copies both from the County Historian and the County’s Acting Deputy Clerk. We now realize that IT HAS BEEN THE BOOK OF MORMON BELIEVERS WHO HAVE IGNORED, COVERED-UP, DENIED OR LIED ABOUT THE FACTS OF HISTORY. We may have done it in ignorance, but GOD IN MERCY HAS LET THE BILLS BE PRESERVED AND FINALLY FOUND, SO WE, ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE YEARS LATER, CAN DETERMINE THE TRUE FACTS.
OUR RESEARCH REVEALED MANY MORE EVIDENCES OF THE FACT THAT THE Book of Mormon was translated by the same means that Joseph Smith pretended to find treasures. A.W. Benton who lived in Bainbridge (the town in which the trial was held) wrote in 1831, “For several years preceding the appearance of his book” Joseph Smith “was about the country in the character of a glass-looker: pretending by means of a certain stone, or glass, which he put in a hat, to be able to discover lost goods, hidden “treasure,” etc.… “At length the public becoming wearied… had him arrested as a disorderly person, tried and condemned before a court of justice… This was four or five years ago…”
Isaac Hale, Joseph Smith’s father-in-law, stated in an affidavit in 1834, that Joseph Smith boarded at his house when he was employed by Josiah Stoal. He was in “a set of men who were called ‘money diggers’ and his occupation was that of seeing, 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” buried or hidden treasures. In January of 1827 Joseph married Mr. Hale’s daughter, Emma, against his wishes, and took her to Palmyra with him. In December of 1827, Joseph found it necessary to return to Mr. Hale’s, and his affidavit continues, “Smith stated to me that he had given up what he called ‘GLASS-LOOKING’…Soon after this, I was informed they had brought a wonderful book of plates with them…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 THE BOOK OF PLATES WAS AT THE SAME TIME HID IN THE WOODS!” (June 13, 1834, New York Baptist Register).
Martin Harris verified these facts in an interview in 1859, “Joseph had a stone which was dug from the well of Mason Chase…IT WAS BY MEANS OF THIS STONE HE FIRST DISCOVERED THESE PLATES…Joseph had had this stone for some time. There was a company there in that neighborhood, who were digging for money… and they took Joseph to look in the stone for them… These things had all occurred before I talked with Joseph respecting the plates. But I HAD THE ACCOUNT OF IT FROM JOSEPH, HIS WIFE, BROTHERS, SISTERS, HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, I TALKED WITH THEM SEPARATELY, THAT I MIGHT GET THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER. …Joseph said the angel told him he must quit the company of the money-diggers…. The money-diggers claimed that they had as much right to the plates as Joseph had, as they were in company together. They claimed that Joseph had been traitor, and had appropriated to himself that which belonged to them. For this reason Joseph was afraid of them, and continued concealing the plates….” (Tiffany’s Monthly, pages 163-170).
David Whitmer, William Smith (Joseph’s brother) and Emma Smith (Joseph’s wife) all testify that the Book of Mormon was translated by means of a stone in a hat. “In writing…I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour….” (Emma’s statement from R.L.D.S. Church History, Vol. 3, page 356).
We will be glad to show any one the photo copies of the materials used as references in this statement, or tell you where you can obtain copies. Or if we can help in any other way in your search for the truth, contact us at 723 S. Crysler, Independence, Mo.
MAY GOD HELP ALL BOOK OF MORMON BELIEVERS TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH AND REALIZE WHO IT IS THAT HAS BEEN FALSIFYING HISTORICAL FACTS.
Jesus said, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.” David declared, “THE LORD IS GOOD: HIS MERCY IS EVERLASTING; AND HIS TRUTH ENDURETH TO ALL GENERATIONS.” (John 14:6 and Ps. 100:5). As we search to determine the truth of historical facts may we find Him who is THE TRUTH. BLESSED BE HIS NAME.