Mormon History
Dull Joe Following Rigdon to Ohio - 1831
OUR CLOSET. --
Our patrons will perceive that we are slowly, but surely progressing with our
labors, and it is with heartfelt gratitude that we witness a regular and steady
increase of our subscription list...
The all important subjects of public morals & education, shall receive their due
share of attention, & nothing shall willingly escape our pen, which shall bring
a blush to the cheek of beauteous innocence, or shock the ear of
delicacy.
Our first plan respecting the imposture of the "Book of Mormon," we have been
induced to alter and instead of attempting, as was first proposed, to keep up
something like a regular narrative, on the suggestion of many of our readers in
this section of country, we conclude to publish former and recent events
promiscuously, paying due attention to time and place.
__________
GOLD BIBLE, NO. 3.
Jo Smith, junior, according to the best
information we can obtain on this subject, was born in the State of Vermont. His
father emigrated to the country (Ontario County, N. Y.) about the year 1815, and
located his family in the village of Palmyra. The age of this modern prophet is
supposed to be about 24 years. In his person he is tall and slender -- thin
favored -- having but little expression of countenance, other than that than
that of dulness; his mental powers appear to be extremely limited, and from the
small opportunity he has had at school, he made little or no proficiency, and it
is asserted by one of his principle followers, (who also pretends to divine
illuminations,) that Jo, even at this day is profoundly ignorant of the meaning
of many of the words contained in the Book of Mormon.
Joseph Smith, senior, the father of the personage of whom we are now writing,
had by misfortune or otherwise been reduced to extreme poverty before he
migrated to Western New-York. His family was large, consisting of nine or ten
children, among whom Jo junior was the third or fourth in succession. We have
never been able to learn that any of the family were ever noted for much else
than ignorance and stupidity, to which might be added, so far as it may respect
the elder branch, a propensity to superstition and a fondness for everything
marvelous.
We have been credibly informed that the mother of the prophet had connected
herself with several religious societies before her present illumination; this
also was the case with other branches of the family, but how far the father of
the prophet ever advanced in these particulars we are not precisely informed; it
however appears quite certain that the prophet himself never made any serious
pretentions to religion until his late pretended revelation.
We are not able to determine whether the elder Smith was ever concerned in money
digging transactions previous to his emigration from Vermont, or not, but it is
a well authenticated fact that soon after his arrival here, he evinced a firm
belief in the existence of hidden treasures, and that this section of country
abounded in them. -- He also revived, or in other words, propagated the vulgar,
yet popular belief that these treasures were held in charge by some evil
spirit, which was supposed to be either the DEVIL himself, or some one
of his most trusty favorites. This opinion however, did not originate
by any means with Smith, for we find that the vulgar and ignorant from
time immemorial, both in Europe and America, have entertained the same
preposterous opinion.
It may not be amiss in this place to mention that the mania of money
digging soon began rapidly to diffuse itself through many parts of this country;
men and women without distinction of age or sex became marvellous wise in the
occult sciences, many dreamed, and others saw visions disclosing to them, deep
in the bowels of the earth, rich and shining treasures, and to facilitate those
mighty mining operations, (money was usually if not always sought after
in the night time,) divers devices and implements were invented, and although
the spirit was always able to retain his precious charge, these
discomfited as well as deluded beings, would on a succeeding night return to
their toil, not in the least doubting that success would eventually attend their
labors.
Mineral rods and balls, (as they were called by the imposter who made use of
them,) were supposed to be infallible guides to these sources of wealth --
"peep stones" or pebbles, taken promiscuously from the brook or field, were
placed in a hat or other situation excluded from the light, when some wizzard
or witch (for these performances were not confined to either sex) applied
their eyes, and nearly starting their balls from their sockets, declared they
saw all the wonders of nature, including of course, ample stores of silver and
gold.
It is more than probable that some of these deluded people, by having their
imaginations heated to the highest pitch of excitement, and by straining their
eyes until they were suffused with tears, might have, through the medium of some
trifling emission of the ray of light, receive imperfect images on the
retina, when their fancies could create the rest. Be this however as it may,
people busied themselves in consulting these blind oracles, while the ground was
nightly opened in various places and men who were too lazy or idle to labor for
bread in the day time, displayed a zeal and perseverance in this business worthy
of a better cause.
We have received a long letter from a
gentleman of respectability from Painesville, Ohio, respecting the conduct of
the "Mormonites" in that state. We shall publish a synopsis of it in our
next...
We have an article in type, copied from the Painesville Telegraph, which from
want of room has been excluded from this day's paper detailing some account of
the Mormonites in the state of Ohio, it will appear in our next.
Waterloo, Jan. 26, 183[1].
Mr. EDITOR: --
Elder S. Rigdon left this village on Monday morning last in the stage,
for the "Holy Land," where all the "Gold Bible" converts, have recently
received a written commandment from God, through Jo Smith, junior, to
repair with all convenient speed after selling off the[ir] property.
This command was at first resisted by such as had property, (the
brethren from the neighboring counties being all assembled by special
summons,) but after a night of fasting, prayer and trial, they all
consented to obey the holy messenger. -- Rigdon has for some time past
been arranging matters with Smith for the final departure of the
faithful for the "far west." The man of many CREEDS, (Rigdon) appears
to possess colloquial powers to a considerable degree, and before
leaving this vicinity left us his blessing. He delivered a discourse at
the Court House immediately preceding his departure, wherein he
depicted in strong language, the want of "charity and brotherly love"
among the prevailing sects and denominations of professing christians,
and sorry I am to admit, that he had too much truth on his side with
regard to this particular. After denouncing dreadful vengeance on the
whole state of New-York, and this village in particular, and
recommending to all such as wished to flee from "the wrath to come," to
follow him beyond the "western waters," he took his leave. The Prophet,
Spouse, and whole "holy family" (as they style themselves,) will follow
Rigdon, so soon as their deluded or hypothetical followers, shall be
able to dispose of what little real property they possess in this
region: one farm (Whitmers) was sold a few days ago for $2,300. Their
first place of destination is understood to be a few miles west of
Painesville, Ohio, (the present place of the Elder's residence) which
is just within the east bounds of this new land of promise, which
extends from thence to the Pacific Ocean, embracing a territory of 1500
miles in extent, from north to south.
Yours respectfully,