ris had indemnified him in any manner whatever.

Then,

the rational inference is, that after having the plot disclosed to him, he was willing to risk his chance for a fortune. He is now associated with the leaders, and appears in easy cir

cumstances.

David Whitmer is a very inconsiderable person, but is in high standing, as a leader, among the Mormons. We know but little about him, only that he has been known as a man of small capacity, an anxious dupe to the marvelous, and a firm believer in witches. Whether he was suborned or deceived by the impostor we are unable to determine.

So far as it relates to Smith, Cowdery and Harris, we have clearly shown that they were connected in the outset, as the result has proven; a failure of which, would have reduced Harris to beggary, and blasted the fond hopes of Smith and Cowdery, and brought down upon them everlasting contempt and disgrace.

In addition to the joint speculation, we may connect the attempt to institute a new religion, contrary to the revelalations of Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Bible-which we claim to have clearly shown in our analysis of the Book of Mormon. And he who would be guilty of so gross a sacrilege, necessarily disbelieves in accountability to God, and therefore would perjure himself, with impunity.

We contend, therefore, that no credit ought to be given to those witnesses; nor are they competent, firstly, because they were under no conscientious restraint, and secondly, their worldly prospects depended upon the issue.

Above, we have copied the solemn testimony of "the three witnesses," accompanied with circumstances which renders it proper for us to critically examine and analyze it. They call God to witness, that they have seen the plates from which the Book of Mormon is translated; and that the translation was accomplished by the power of God, for his

voice had declared it unto them!! At what time this special revelation was made, is not specified; but we infer that the voice of God declared the fact to them in relation to the translation, at one time, and that they saw the plates at another; and they were severally chosen, and no others, to bear the testimony to the world. Nor could any others have seen and heard as they did, had they been present.

If an individual swears to a particular fact or facts, in order that the testimony may be believed-time, place and other circumstances must be mentioned, without which others might be prejudiced, by not giving them an opportunity to rebut. If the time and the place had been mentioned, when and where the plates were seen, it is not impossible but that testimony of equal credibility might be produced, to show that there was no such place; and that the witnesses were hundreds of miles from the country in which they testified they saw them. Then the testimony is vague and uncertain, and not entitled to credit upon that ground. If the subscribing witnesses saw the plates and heard the voice of God; they themselves must have been in some place or places when the communications were made; and it is not unreasonable to enquire into it.

But this is not all. Testimony must be of such a nature that others, if they were present, could have testified to the same facts. But in the testimony, the three would have us believe that they were specially chosen to testify to the truth of the Book of Mormon, and no others, according to the predictions of the Mormon prophets, made over two thousand years ago. Besides all the transactions which have been and will be shewn in the course of this work, in relation to the getting up of the Book of Mormon, the testimony carries strong suspicions upon the face of it; and were it disconnected from all other circumstances of fraud and

deception, it would not be believed, however solemnly declared, in a court of justice.

We have, likewise, the testimony of eight other witnesses subjoined, consisting of four Whitmers, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sen., (the father of the prophet,) and two of his brothers.

They testify that Joseph Smith, Jun., showed them the plates, and that they looked like gold, and that they saw the engravings and hefted them.

Who are the witnesses? four Whitmers of the same family with the one who subscribed to the miraculous exhibition of them, and three Smiths, the father and two brothers of the prophet. And what is their testimony? Why, that Jo Smith showed them some plates, that were yellow and had engravings upon them, which they could not read nor understand; but Jo probably told them that he had translated a part of them, and intended to continue the work until he had finished them. So much for the eight witnesses.

CHAPTER VIII.

Before the publication of the book, Smith found many to believe its contents, from the ghost stories which he related concerning it. Soon after it was issued from the press, a person by the name of Parley P. Pratt happened to be passing on the canal through Palmyra, and hearing of the wonders of the gold plates and huge spectacles, called on the prophet, and was soon converted. This Pratt then resided in Lorain County, Ohio; and had, some time previous, formed an intimacy with Sidney Rigdon, and became a convert to his doctrines. This Rigdon was a man of great eloquence, belonging to a denomination of Christians, who style themselves, "Disciples," or "Reformers," and who are also, by their opponents, in derision, called "Campbellites." He resided in the County of Geauga, and but a few miles from the place which has since been made the head quarters of Smith. He was a very popular preacher, and had large congregations in different parts of the country. If there was a man in the world that could successfully spread and give a name to the vagaries of the Smiths, it was Rigdon. They soon became convinced of this, by the representations of Pratt. We may here stop to remark that an opinion has prevailed, to a considerable extent, that Rigdon has been the Iago, the prime mover, of the whole conspiracy. Of this, however, we have no positive proof; but many circumstances have carried a suspicious appearance; and further developements may establish the fact.

Either before or soon after the arrival of Pratt at Manchester, among the Smiths, it appears that an expedition was fitted out for the Western Country, under command of

Cowdery, in order to convert the Indians, or Lamanites, as they called them. As a preparatory step, a long revelation was furnished by Smith, to Cowdery, to serve as his credentials. This curious document will be found in the succeeding pages, from which it will be seen that the prophet, at the outset, feared a rivalship, and took effectual means to put it down. His brother Hiram, it appears, also undertook to write some mysteries from a stone, which was forthwith vetoed, and pronounced to be the work of Satan.

As Cowdery had been a scribe to the prophet, it became necessary to supply his place. He therefore very prudently and affectionately, had the following command for his wife: "A commandment to Emma, my daughter in Zion, A. “D., 1830.—A revelation I give unto you concerning my ❝ will. Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an "Elect Lady, whom I have called. Murmur not because "of the things which thou hast seen, for they are withheld "from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in "a time to come; and the office of thy calling shall be for "a comfort unto my servant Joseph, thy husband, in his af"flictions, with consoling words in the spirit of meekness; "and thou shalt go with him at the time of his going, and be "unto him a scribe, that I may send Oliver whithersoever "I will: and thou shalt be ordained under his hand to ex"pound the scripture, and to exhort the church according 66 as. it shall be given thee by my spirit, for he shall lay his "hands upon thee and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost; "and thy time shall be given to writing and to learning much; "and thou needst not fear, for thy husband shall support "thee from the church, for unto them is his calling, that "all things might be revealed unto them whatsoever I will "according to their faith; and verily I say unto thee, that "thou shalt lay aside the things of this world and seek for

the things of a better; and it shall be given thee also to