CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.
My readers have already been made acquainted with the history of the"Book," upon which the imposture of Mormonism has been founded, and ofthe acquaintance which took place between Rigdon and Joe Smith, whosecareer I shall now introduce.
The father of Joe was one of a numerous class of people who are termed,in the west, "money diggers," living a sort, of vagrant life, imposingupon the credulous farmers by pretending that they knew of treasureconcealed, and occasionally stealing horses and cattle. Joseph Smithwas the second son, and a great favourite of his father, who statedeverywhere that Joe had that species of second sight, which enabled himto discover where treasure was hidden. Joe did certainly turn out verysmart, and it was prophesied by the "old ones" that, provided he was nothung, Joe would certainly become a general, if he did not gain theoffice of President of the United States. But Joe's smartness was sogreat, that Palmyra, where his father usually resided, became too smallfor the exercise of his talents, and our hero set off on his travels.
Some time afterwards Joe was again heard of. In one of his rambles, hehad gone to Harmony (Pennsylvania), and there formed an acquaintancewith a young woman. In the fall of 1826, being then at Philadelphia, heresolved to go and get married to her, but, being destitute of means, henow set his wits to work to raise some money and get a recommendation,so as to obtain the fair one of his choice. He went to a man namedLawrence, and stated that he had discovered in Pennsylvania, on the bankof the Susquehanna river, a very rich mine of silver, and if he,Lawrence, would go there with him, he might have a share in the profits;that it was near high water mark, and that they could put the silverinto boats, and take it down the river to Philadelphia, and dispose ofit. Lawrence asked Joseph if he was not deceiving him.
"No," replied Joe, "for I have been there and seen it with my own eyes,and if you do not find it so when we get there, I will bind myself to beyour servant for three years."
By oaths, asseverations, and fair promises, Lawrence was induced tobelieve in Joe's assertion, and agreed to go with him; and as Joseph wasout of money, Lawrence had to defray the whole expenses of the journey.When they arrived at Harmony, Joseph was strongly recommended byLawrence, who was well known to the parents of the young woman; afterwhich, they proceeded on their journey to the silver mine, made adiligent search, and of course found nothing. Thus Lawrence had histrouble for his pains, and returned home with his pockets lighter thanwhen he started, whilst honest Joe had not only his expenses paid, but agood recommendation to the father of his fair one.
Joe now proposed to marry the girl, but the parents were opposed to thematch. One day, when they happened to be from home, he took advantageof the opportunity, went off with her, and the knot was tied.
Being still destitute of money, he now again set his wits to work, tocontrive to get back to Manchester, at that time his place of residence,and he hit upon the following plan, which succeeded. He went to anhonest old Dutchman, by the name of Stowel, and told him that he haddiscovered on the banks of the Black River, in the village of Watertown(Jefferson County, New York), a cave, in which he found a bar of gold asbig as his leg, and about three or four feet long; that he could not getit out alone on account of its great weight; and if Stowel would frankhim and his wife to Manchester (New York), they would then go togetherto the cave, and Stowel should share the prize with him. The goodDutchman consented.
A short time after their arrival at Manchester, Stowel reminded Josephof his promise, but he coolly replied that he could not go just then, ashis wife was among strangers, and would be very lonesome if he quittedher. Mr Stowel was, like Mr Lawrence, obliged to return without anyremuneration, and with less money than he came. I mention these twofreaks of Joe Smith, as they explain the money-digger's system of fraud.
It would hardly be believed that, especially among the cunning Yankees,such "mines and treasures" stories should be credited; but it is apeculiar feature in the US that the inhabitants, so difficult tooverreach in other matters, will greedily take the bait when "mines" or"hidden treasure" are spoken of. In Missouri and Wisconsin, immensebeds of copper ore and lead have been discovered in every direction.Thousands of poor, ignorant farmers, emigrants from the East, haveturned diggers, miners, and smelters. Many have accumulated largefortunes in the space of a few years, and have returned "wealthygentlemen" to their own native state, much to the astonishment of theirneighbours.
Thus has the "mining spirit" been kept alive, and impostors of everyvariety have reaped their harvest, by speculating upon the well-knownavidity of the "_people of America_!"
It was in the beginning of 1827, that Joe, in a trip to Pittsburg,became acquainted with Rigdon. A great intimacy took place betwixtthem, and they paid each other alternate visits--Joe coming to Pittsburgand Rigdon going to the Susquehanna, _for pleasure excursions, at afriend's_. It was also during the same year that the Smith familyassumed a new character. In the month of June, Joseph Smith, senior,went to a wealthy, but credulous farmer, and related the followingstory:--
"That some years ago, a spirit had appeared to Joe, his son, and, in avision, informed him that in a certain place there was a record onplates of gold, and that he was the person who must obtain them, andthis he must do in the following manner:--On the 22nd of September, hemust repair to the place where these plates of gold were deposited,dressed in black clothes, and riding a black horse, with a switch tail,and demand the plates in a certain name; and, after obtaining them, hemust immediately go away, and neither lay them down nor look behindhim."
The farmer gave credit to old Smith's communication. He accordinglyfitted out Joseph with a suit of black clothes, and borrowed a blackhorse. Joe (by his own account) repaired to the place of deposit, anddemanded the plates, which were in a stone box, unsealed, and so nearthe surface of the ground that he could see one end of it; raising thelid up, he took out the plates of gold; but fearing some one mightdiscover where he got them, he laid them down, to replace the top stoneas he had found it; when, turning round, to his surprise, there were noplates to be seen. He again opened the box, and saw the plates in it;he attempted to take them out, but was not able. He perceived in thebox something like a toad, which gradually assumed the appearance of aman, and struck him on the side of his head. Not being discouraged attrifles, Joe again stooped down and attempted to take the plates, whenthe spirit struck him again, knocked him backwards three or four rods,and hurt him very much: recovering from his fright, he inquired of thespirit, why he could not take the plates; to which the spirit madereply, "Because you have not obeyed your orders." He then inquired whenhe could have them, and was answered thus: "Come one year from this day,and bring with you your eldest brother; then you shall have them."
"This spirit," said the elder Joseph Smith, "was the spirit of theprophet who wrote this book, and who was sent to Joe Smith, junior, tomake known these things to him. Before the expiration of the year, theeldest brother died; which," the old man said "was a decree ofProvidence." He also added--
"Joe went one year from that day to demand the plates, and the spiritinquired for his brother, and Joe replied that he was dead. The spiritthen commanded him to come again in one year from that day, and bring aman with him. On asking who might be the man, he was answered that hewould know him when he saw him."
Thus, while Rigdon was concocting his Bible and preaching new doctrines,the Smith family were preparing the minds of the people for theappearance of something wonderful; and although Joe Smith was well knownto be a drunken vagabond, he succeeded in inspiring, in hundreds ofuneducated farmers, a feeling of awe which they could not account for.I must here stop in my narrative, to make a few observations.
In the great cities of Europe and America, civilisation, education, andthe active bustle of every-day life, have, to a great degree, destroyedthe superstitious feelings so common among the lower classes, and havecompletely removed the fear of evil geniuses, goblins, and spirits. Butsuch is not the case in the Western c
ountry of the United States, on theborders of the immense forests and amidst the wild and broken scenery ofglens and mountains, where torrents roll with impetuosity through cavesand cataracts; where, deprived of the amusements and novelties whichwould recreate his imagination, the farmer allows his mind to beoppressed with strange fancies, and though he may never avow thefeeling, from the fear of not meeting with sympathy, he broods over itand is a slave to the wild phantasmagoria of his brain. The principalcause of this is, the monotony and solitude of his existence.
At these confines of civilisation, the American is always a hunter, andthose who dwell on the smaller farms, at the edges of forests, oftendepend, for their animal food, upon the skill of the male portion oftheir community. In the fall of the year, the American shoulders hisrifle, and goes alone into the wilds, to "see after his pigs, horses,and cows." Constantly on the look-out for deer and wild bees, heresorts to the most secluded spots, to swamps, mountain ridges, or alongthe bushy windings of some cool stream. Constant views of nature in hergrandeur, the unbroken silence of his wanderings, causes a depression ofthe mind, and, as his faculties of sight and hearing are ever on thestretch, it affects his nervous system. He starts at the falling of adried leaf, and, with a keen and painful sensation, he scrutinises thewithered grass before him, aware that at every step he may trample uponsome venomous and deadly reptile. Moreover, in his wanderings, he isoften pressed with hunger, and is exposed to a great deal of fatigue.
"Fast in the wilds, and you will dream of spirits," is an Indian axiom,and a very true one. If to the above we add, that his mind is alreadyprepared to receive the impressions of the mysterious and marvellous, wecannot wonder at their becoming superstitious. As children, they imbibea disposition for the marvellous; during the long evenings of winter,when the snow is deep and the wild wind roars through the trees, the oldpeople will smoke their pipes near huge blazing logs, and relate to themsome terrible adventure. They speak of unearthly noises heard near somecaves, of hair-breadth escapes in encounters with evil spirits, underthe form of wild animals; and many will whisper, that at such a time ofnight, returning from some neighbouring market, they have met with theevil one in the forest, in such and such a spot, where the two roadscross each other, or where the old oak has been blasted by lightning.
The boy grows to manhood, but these family traditions are deeplyengraved in his memory, and when alone, in the solitude, near the"haunted places," his morbid imagination embodies the phantoms of hisdiseased brain. No wonder, then, that such men should tamely yield tothe superior will of one like Joe Smith, who, to their knowledge,wanders alone by moonlight in the solitude of forests, and who, in theirfirm belief, holds communication with spirits of another world. For, beit observed, Smith possesses all the qualities and exercises all thetricks of the necromancers during the middle ages. His speech isambiguous, solemn, and often incomprehensible--a great proof to thevulgar of his mystical vocation.
Cattle and horses, lost for many months, have been recovered through themeans of Joe, who, after an inward prayer, looked through a sacredstone, "the gift of God," as he has asserted, and discovered what hewished to know. We need not say that, while the farmer was busy at homewith his crop, Smith and his gang, ever rambling in woods and glens,were well acquainted with every retired, shady spot, the usual abode ofwild as well as of tame animals, who seek there, during the summer, ashelter against the hot rays of the sun. Thus, notwithstanding his badconduct, Smith had spread his renown for hundreds of miles as that of a"strange man;" and when he started his new religion, and declaredhimself "a prophet of God," the people did not wonder. Had Rigdon, orany other, presented himself, instead of Joe, Mormonism would never havebeen established; but in the performer of _mysterious deeds_, it seemeda natural consequence. As the stone we have mentioned did much inraising Joe to his present high position, I will here insert anaffidavit made relative to Joe Smith's obtaining possession of thismiraculous treasure.
Manchester, Ontario County, New York, 1833.
"I became acquainted with the Smith family, known as the authors of the Mormon Bible, in the year 1820. At that time they were engaged in the money-digging business, which they followed until the latter part of the season of 1827. In the year 1822, I was engaged in digging a well; I employed Joe Smith to assist me. After digging about twenty feet below the surface of the earth, we discovered a singular-looking stone, which excited my curiosity. I brought it to the top of the well, and as we were examining it, Joseph laid it in the crown of his hat, and then put his face into the top of his hat. It has been said by Smith, that he got the stone from God, but this is false.
"The next morning Joe came to me, and wished to obtain the stone, alleging that he could see in it; but I told him I did not wish to part with it, on account of its being a curiosity, but would lend it. After obtaining the stone, he began to publish abroad what wonders he could discover by looking in it, and made so much disturbance among the credulous part of the community, that I ordered the stone to be returned to me again. He had it in his possession about two years. I believe, some time in 1825, Hiram Smith (Joe's brother) came to me, and wished to borrow the same stone, alleging that they wanted to accomplish some business of importance, which `could not very well be done without the aid of the stone.' I told him it was of no particular worth to me, but I merely wished to keep it as a curiosity, and if he would pledge me his word and honour that I should have it when called for, he might have it; which he did, and took the stone. I thought I could rely on his word at this time, as he had made a profession of religion; but in this I was disappointed, for he disregarded both his word and honour.
"In the fall of 1826, a friend called upon me, and wished to see that stone about which so much had been said: and I told him, if he would go with me to Smith's (a distance of about half a mile), he might see it. To my surprise, however, on asking Smith for the stone, he said, `You cannot have it.' I told him it belonged to me; repeated to him the promise he had made me at the time of obtaining the stone; upon which he faced me with a malignant look, and said, `_I don't care who the devil it belongs to; you shall not have it_.'
"COLONEL NAHUM HOWARD.