DiscussMormonism.com

Those pursuing a Spalding explanation for the Book of Mormon tend to look closely at the possible early relationships among Solomon Spalding, Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, and Oliver Cowdery, relationships that are largely hypothetical, while largely ignoring the relationship between Joseph Smith and Martin Harris, and any possible connection between Solomon Spalding and Martin Harris. This is probably because some 19th-century sources asserted that Sidney Rigdon was the key man, and because Oliver Cowdery was alleged to have had earlier experience with printing.

However, I can see several reasons a Spalding theorist should further explore for possible Spalding-Harris relationships, and for Harris's possible role in an early Book of Mormon "conspiracy":

First, unlike Cowdery and Rigdon, whose pre-1829 and pre-1830 relationships to Joseph Smith (respectively), must be hypothesized, Harris's relationship to Smith from 1827, and even earlier, is fully documented--it rises to the level of simple historical fact.

Second, Harris was, all-along, the anticipated financier of the book's publication, and is known to have voiced his desire to acquire wealth from it. He was therefore in a good position to know the plans for the book, and had enough of a stake in it that he certainly should have known the plans for it quite well. Indeed, he was a likely person to have initiated the entire book project.

Third, Harris is known to have been an early mover in the project and to have initiated at least one of the watershed incidents in the book's origin--the Anthon incident. In Smith's 1832 history, he reports that a "transcript" of the Book of Mormon characters was made at Harris's instigation, allegedly because of a vision Harris had in which Jesus commanded that a transcript be made and taken to "the learned."

Fourth, Harris sometimes claimed to know more about the origin of the Book of Mormon than Smith did, and for decades promoted his own claim to be a biblical figure at least on par with Smith--the prophesied "marred servant."


These facts would certainly warrant a great deal of Spalding research on Martin Harris, his role in the origin of the Book of Mormon, and his possible connections (e.g., through family, location, business, etc.) to Solomon Spalding.

Don

Not that I buy into this line of thought (being one of those kooky Marmens and all), but here’s something to think about (while you’re heading down this rabbit hole)…

The 116 pages: If there were discrepancies between the new text and what he previously wrote, he would have objected (had he not been involved in the ordeal). However, if he was involved in the process, why not simply make a new copy of the manuscript he helped to produce/perpetrate instead of “translating” a different portion that covered the same events?

All-in-all though, I think that if Harris was in on the scam, he was merely going with the flow for either recognition or money and wasn’t a key player in the perpetration (more of an accessory after-after-after-after-after the fact).

But then again, given the seer stone incident, and others, if he was in on it, he showed a rather strange amount of paranoia and skepticism (think the seer stone incident, where he replaced it). He also would have been responsible for exposing the “fraud” for potential discovery (Anthon).

Another possible culprit might be daddy Smith. Here's a letter I wrote to the Tanners some years ago:

--------------

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Tanner,

I recently did some research for an article on my website about seer stones, and came across what I think is good evidence that the Book of Mormon, Joseph's receiving revelations through a seer stone, and indeed the whole Restoration may been been Joseph Smith, Sr.'s idea! If you are interested, indulge me for a few minutes by reading the quotations below.

1. Joseph Smith, Sr., was present, and sworn as a witness. He confessed at great length all that his son had said in his examination. He delineated his characteristics in his youthful days-his visions of the luminous stones in the glass--his visit to visit to Lake Erie in search of the stone--and his wonderful triumphs as a seer. He described very many instances of his finding hidden and stolen goods. He swore that both he and his son were mortified that this wonderful power which God had so miraculously given him should be used only in search of filthy lucre, or its equivalent in earthly treasures and with along-faced, "sanctimonious seeming," he said his constant prayer to his Heavenly Father was to manifest His will concerning this marvelous power. He trusted that the Son of Righteousness would some day illumine the heart of the boy, and enable him to see His will concerning Him. These words have ever had a strong impression on my mind. They seemed to contain a prophetic vision of the future history of that mighty delusion of the present century, Mormonism. The "old man eloquent" with his lank and haggard visage--his form very poorly clad-indicating a wandering vagabond rather than an oracle of future events, has, in view of those events, excited my wonder, if not my admiration.

William D. Purple's account of the 1826 trial
(http://www.whichprophets.com/purple.htm)

2. At a time when the money digging ardor was somewhat abated, the elder Smith declared that his son Jo had seen the spirit, (which he then described as a little old man with a long beard,) and was informed that he (Jo) under certain circumstances, eventually should obtain great treasures, and that in due time he (the spirit) would furnish him (Jo) with a book, which would give an account of the Ancient inhabitants (antideluvians) of this country, and where they had deposited their substance, consisting of costly furniture, &c. at the approach of the great deluge, which had ever since that time remained secure in his (the spirits) charge, in large and spacious chambers, in sundry places in this vicinity, and THESE TIDINGS CORRESPONDED PRECISELY WITH REVELATIONS MADE TO, AND PREDICTIONS MADE BY THE ELDER SMITH A NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE.

Palmyra Reflector, [edited by Abner Cole] February 14, 1831

3. Barnes Frisbie, the historian of Middleton, Vermont, knew better and noted that the rodsmen who flourished at Wells, Middleton, and Poultney at the turn of the century were a religious group. They saw themselves as the children of Israel and believed in impending judgments. They were primitivists who hoped for the restoration of the true church and for healing gifts. ...When their leaders prophesied an earthquake in 1802 which did not occur, many fled to Lawrence, New York. Frisbie insisted that Oliver Cowdery's father was a member in Orange County.

Marvin S. Hill, Secular or Sectarian History?, Reconsidering No Man Knows My History: Fawn M. Brodie and Joseph Smith in Retrospect. Newell G. Bringhurst, ed. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1996, p. 70.

Hill seems to think that Joseph Smith and his father may have been in some way affiliated with this group, or may at least have held similar religious views. [Joseph Smith's mother wrote]

About this time my husband's mind became much excited upon the subject of religion; yet he would not subscribe to any particular system of faith, but contended for the ancient order, as established by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and his apostles... [after having a dream on the subject] my husband seemed more confirmed than ever in the opinion that there was no order or class of religionists that knew any more concerning the kingdom of God, than those of the world, or such as made no profession of religion whatever.

Lucy Mack Smith, Biographical Sketches, ch. 14.

We know, from elsewhere, that Joseph Sr. wanted his son Alvin to be a preacher. Could he have had similar—but higher—ambitions for another son, who seemed to have the miraculous gift of seeing in a stone? If Joseph Sr. was a religious rodsman of the sort described by Hill, and if the comments of Purple and Abner Cole can be trusted, then it may well have been Joseph Smith Sr. who suggested that his son might one day restore the church by receiving divine revelation through his stone and even by finding an ancient Indian record...

------------

If that doesn't pan out, then perhaps one Luman Walters will:

It is well known that Joe Smith never pretended to have any communion with angels until a long period after the pretended finding of his book, and that the juggling of himself or father went no further than the pretended faculty of seeing wonders in a 'peep stone,' and the occasional interview with the spirit, supposed to have the custody of hidden treasures; and it is also equally well known, that a vagabond fortune teller by the name of Walters, who then resided in the town of Sodus, and was once committed to the jail of this county for juggling, was the constant companion and bosom friend of these money digging impostors.

"There remains but little doubt, in the minds of those at all acquainted with these transactions, that Walters, who was sometimes called the conjurer, and was paid three dollars per day for his services by the money diggers in this neighborhood, first suggested to Smith the idea of finding a book. Walters, the better to carry on his own deceptions with those ignorant and deluded people who employed him, had procured an old copy of Cicero's Orations in the Latin language, out of which he read long and loud to his credulous hearers, uttering at the same time an unintelligible jargon, which he would afterwards pretend to interpret, and explain, as a record of the former inhabitants of America, and a particular account of the numerous situations where they had deposited their treasures previous to their final extirpation.

-Obadiah Dogberry, Palmyra Reflector

Walters' Indian record was written in Latin. Solomon Spalding's book was about Romans in the New World. Coincidence?

The plot thickens... [cue creepy music]

-CK

Are you guys going to re-post this stuff to the mega thread (reason: I'm guessing at some point that thread will go in Shade's Hall of Fame and he'd like as many good posts as possible on that one thread).

Also...

If I recall correctly, didn't Joseph Smith senior have basically the same exact tree of life dream as Lehi?

Hmmm... ;-)

~dancer~

by the way Don,

I didn't mean to detract from your OP. I think the Harris suggestion is very interesting. The fact that it doesn't require elaborate conspiracy theorizing about a pre-1830 link is especially useful.

Here's a scenario for you: the three Witnesses go to the woods. Martin goes off to "pray" by himself. He throws on a angel costume, somehow hides his features so he won't be recognized, comes back and proceeds to display some makeshift fake artifacts to the other two witnesses.

-CK

CaliforniaKid wrote:Here's a scenario for you: the three Witnesses go to the woods. Martin goes off to "pray" by himself. He throws on a angel costume, somehow hides his features so he won't be recognized, comes back and proceeds to display some makeshift fake artifacts to the other two witnesses.

WOW, now THAT'S a scenario I hadn't thought of--nor has anyone else to my knowledge.

GOOD THINKING!

CaliforniaKid wrote:Here's a scenario for you: the three Witnesses go to the woods. Martin goes off to "pray" by himself. He throws on a angel costume, somehow hides his features so he won't be recognized, comes back and proceeds to display some makeshift fake artifacts to the other two witnesses.

I wonder who was in the deer costume?


(John A. Clark letter, August 31, 1840 in EMD, vol. 2, p. 271: "No matter where he went, [Harris] saw visions and supernatural appearances all around him. He told a gentleman in Palmyra, after one of his excursions to Pennsylvania, while the translation of the Book of Mormon was going on, that on the way he met the Lord Jesus Christ, who walked along by the side of him in the shape of a deer for two or three miles, talking with him as familiarly as one man talks with another.")

Nevo wrote:

CaliforniaKid wrote:Here's a scenario for you: the three Witnesses go to the woods. Martin goes off to "pray" by himself. He throws on a angel costume, somehow hides his features so he won't be recognized, comes back and proceeds to display some makeshift fake artifacts to the other two witnesses.

I wonder who was in the deer costume?


(John A. Clark letter, August 31, 1840 in EMD, vol. 2, p. 271: "No matter where he went, [Harris] saw visions and supernatural appearances all around him. He told a gentleman in Palmyra, after one of his excursions to Pennsylvania, while the translation of the Book of Mormon was going on, that on the way he met the Lord Jesus Christ, who walked along by the side of him in the shape of a deer for two or three miles, talking with him as familiarly as one man talks with another.")

Maybe he was channeling Harry Potter.

Nevo wrote:

CaliforniaKid wrote:Here's a scenario for you: the three Witnesses go to the woods. Martin goes off to "pray" by himself. He throws on a angel costume, somehow hides his features so he won't be recognized, comes back and proceeds to display some makeshift fake artifacts to the other two witnesses.

I wonder who was in the deer costume?


(John A. Clark letter, August 31, 1840 in EMD, vol. 2, p. 271: "No matter where he went, [Harris] saw visions and supernatural appearances all around him. He told a gentleman in Palmyra, after one of his excursions to Pennsylvania, while the translation of the Book of Mormon was going on, that on the way he met the Lord Jesus Christ, who walked along by the side of him in the shape of a deer for two or three miles, talking with him as familiarly as one man talks with another.")

This is one of my favorite stories from early Mormon history. :-)

By various accounts, Harris was prone to conflating divine and devilish beings with animals. He allegedly saw Jesus as a deer (as above) and Satan as a jackass, and described the apparently demonic presence that attacked him in his sleep as being like a big black dog. I believe I'm forgeting a couple, but these certainly give the flavor of his perception.

Don