Did Oliver Cowdery Know the Book of Mormon Was A Con?

[_Tonto Schwartz]

The evidence seems overwhelming that Joseph wrote the Book of Mormon alone or with the help of others. I'm not interested in arguing that point. My question is what Oliver Cowdery's involvement was. As I understand it, the faithful Mormon eye witnesses stated that Joseph claimed to be translating all but the original first 116 pages of the Book of Mormon by putting his peep stone in his top hat, covering his face with the hat and then reading the English translation of the Reformed Eqyptian characters to his scribe and then when everything was correct the words would disappear from the hat and he would move onto the next words. Martin Harris claimed that when he was the scribe for the first 116 pages that Joseph translated using the spectacles, but Martin could not know this because he claimed Joseph was hidden behind a curtain and no one was permitted to see either the spectacles or the plates upon pain of death.

I have a hard time believing Cowdery was not in on the con, given the evidence of which I'm aware. After the loss of the plates, God supposedly punished Cowdery by taking the plates and spectacles (I don't know why Joseph was being punished given the fact that God told him he could allow Harris to take the plates) in June, 1928. In approx. Sept. 1928, Joseph supposedly received back the plates and his gift to translate (really a gift to read English). Between Sept 1828 and mid April 1829, Emma was Joseph's sole or principal scribe and Joseph in all those months only completed a few pages. Yet, when Cowdery appeared on the scene in mid April 1829, Joseph began making substantial progress and finished the book a little over 2 months later. Why was there such a difference in how fast Joseph was able to read English when Emma was writing it down and when Cowdery was doing the writing? Is there any evidence that the lack of progress was due to Emma's poor writing skills or her lack of time to devote to the work? I suspect the difference was due to perhaps a number of reasons, including one or more of the following: 1) Oliver brought text with him to assist Joseph in writing such as material from Rigdon and The View of The Hebrews written by Cowdery's family minister in Poultney, Vermont, Ethan Smith (was the connection between Cowdery and Ethan Smith just a coincidence given the many parallels which B.H. Roberts and others have found between the Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews?); 2) Joseph could freely quote from and refer to the 1769 King James translation of the Bible and other sources because Cowdery was in on the con; 3) Cowdery and/or perhaps others "co-wrote" substantial portions of the Book of Mormon with Joseph after Cowdery's arrival.

Other witnesses such as Emma, Martin and David Whitmer freely described the manner in which Joseph "translated", but Cowdery said very little, although I understand that on two or three occasions over a number of decades that Cowdery claimed Joseph used the spectacles while Cowdery was the scribe. This claim was clearly false based upon the statements of the other witnesses, the fact that the spectacles were not returned to Joseph after the 116 pages were lost and the fact that according to Joseph no one was permitted to see the spectacles without instantly dying and Cowdery in fact never claimed to have seen them.

I've heard it argued that Cowdery could not have been in on the con because he was an honest man, but I disagree. First, Joseph later claimed that Cowdery, Martin and Whitmer were liars, thieves, and counterfeiters and were "too mean to mention." Second, even if Cowdery was pretty honest, nobody is completely honest and it is not uncommon for honest people to do dishonest things, especially where religion is concerned where numerous leaders have justified pious fraud to themselves. Third, if Cowdery was so honest and forthcoming, why was he so reluctant to discuss the translation. Fourth, if Cowdery was so convinced that Mormonism was from God and that Joseph had really translated the book through the gift and power of God, why did Cowdery leave Mormonism and join the Methodists (although years later he briefly returned)? Cowdery obviously thought that Joseph was a scoundrel and had had a "dirty, nasty, filthy" affair with Fanny Alger, but that would only justify possibly leaving Mormonism and starting his own off spring, not joining a completely different faith and apologizing about his Mormon past.

I'd be interested in any thoughts, evidence, threads or other references people may have on this issue. I don't pretend to be an expert on early Mormonism and would really like to learn more on this issue.

[_Tobin]

If the Book of Mormon is a fraud, one or more people are obviously involved. It is hard to imagine Cowdery couldn't have been involved in it. Emma would have certainly known as well.

[_Nevo]

I have a hard time believing Cowdery was not in on the con, given the evidence of which I'm aware.

I don’t. Cowdery’s letters from the 1829-30 period (as well as his later letters to his brother-in-law Phineas Young and others in the 1840s) persuade me that he was a true believer. Also, his willingness to travel vast distances on foot, in the winter, as a missionary for his new faith seems to me to underline his sincerity.

[_Tonto Schwartz]

Hi Nevo,

I certainly agree that the evidence you refer to needs to be taken into account in determining Cowdery's knowledge of the con, but I think the evidence in favor of Cowdery's knowledge of the con is much more persuasive. True believers have practiced deceit about their religion and especially the divince origins of such from time immemorial. Cowdery apparently truly believed the Church and Mormonism were good things and he was certainly devoted to selling the Church to converts and others. But, Cowdery had strong personal motivation to do so whether he believed what he was selling or not. When Cowdery started as Joseph's scribe (and whatever else he contributed to the project), Cowdery was poor as a church mouse and unemployed. He had had to live in the already-crowded Smith cabin because he could not afford rent. Cowdery then teamed up with Joseph, providing his services for no disclosed fee and quickly became the Assistant President, second in command to Joseph. Just what was it about the poor, unemployed Cowdery that merited such a position, which gave him increasing prestiege, power and money?

Cowdery certainly also knew about other cons Josephs pulled. For example, according to David Whitmer and others, Joseph made up the story of Peter, James and John appearing to Joseph and Cowdery years after the fact and after Joseph had told a less miraculous story of the restoration of the priesthood. Whitmer, I believe, says he never heard the story from anyone until the 1834-36 time frame. Cowdery had to know this story was made up long after the fact. Also, the story of Moroni appearing to Joseph on Sept. 21-22, 1823 -1827 evolved over a number of years from a dream to an appearance of an unnamed angel to finally the official, much more miraculous version that Joseph had written for him in 1838 and Cowdery had to know that at least two Church publications edited by Joseph named Nephi as the visiting angel, not Moroni. Cowdery never questioned or "outed" these inventions.

As Cowdery lost power to Rigdon and others, he became more vocal in his criticisms of Joseph, especially the Fanny Alger affair, but he never disclosed the truth about the "translation" of the Book of Mormon, the restoration of the priesthood or the Moroni visits--not even when Cowdery was ex-communicated, joined the Methodists and apologized for his involvement in Mormonism. I believe this was because Cowdery could not tell the truth without implicating himself in the con. But, his law partner is reported to have said after Cowdery's death that Cowdery admitted to him the Book of Mormon was a fraud (who knows whether this reported statement is true).

I don't know how to explain these facts and those set forth in my initial post other than that Cowdery was committed to the Church and Mormonism, but that he knew very well the stories that Joseph evolved concerning the divine origin of the Book of Mormon, the Church and the priesthood were false. How could Cowdery not have known that Joseph was reading and paraphrasing from the 1769 version of the Bible and probably other sources during the writing of the Book of Mormon when there was not curtain to conceal Joseph from Cowdery? Why didn't Cowdery disclose this fact? How could Cowdery not have known that the story of the priesthood restoration was invented years after the fact? Cowdery knew Peter, James and John had not visited him with or without Joseph. How could Cowdery not have known that the Moroni story evolved from Joseph's earlier versions. Cowdery was there from 1829 until 1838. If Cowdery believed in the divine origins of the Book of Mormon, the Church and the priesthood, why didn't Cowdery just start his own version of Mormonism based on the Book of Mormon, etc. instead of joining the Methodists and apologizing for ever having been involved in Mormonism?

I certainly could be wrong, but I believe that either Cowdery knew of the con or he was even more of a deluded religious fanatic than Martin Harris.

[_Themis]

I have a hard time believing Cowdery was not in on the con, given the evidence of which I'm aware.

I don’t. Cowdery’s letters from the 1829-30 period (as well as his later letters to his brother-in-law Phineas Young and others in the 1840s) persuade me that he was a true believer. Also, his willingness to travel vast distances on foot, in the winter, as a missionary for his new faith seems to me to underline his sincerity.

Ever hear of a pious fraud?

[_Nevo]

When Cowdery started as Joseph's scribe (and whatever else he contributed to the project), Cowdery was poor as a church mouse and unemployed. He had had to live in the already-crowded Smith cabin because he could not afford rent. Cowdery then teamed up with Joseph, providing his services for no disclosed fee and quickly became the Assistant President, second in command to Joseph. Just what was it about the poor, unemployed Cowdery that merited such a position, which gave him increasing prestiege, power and money?

You suggest that Cowdery had pecuniary motives for joining Joseph Smith's "con" (which, by now, had been underway for several years). I'm skeptical. You state that when Oliver started writing for Joseph, he had nothing—no job, no money—but "quickly" ascended to the rank of Assistant President, in which position he attained "increasing prestige, power, and money."

Oliver didn't have much money, but he had some. He was paid $65.50 at the end of March 1829 for the five months he taught school in Manchester. He was "unemployed" at that point only because the school term had ended. So it's not as if Oliver arrived in Harmony penniless and completely without prospects. He probably could have continued on as a schoolmaster had he wanted to—or run a store or studied law like his brother Lyman. Instead, he traveled 130+ miles on foot (apparently suffering a frostbitten toe along the way) to join up with a destitute visionary to translate a "gold Bible" supplied by an angel.

Oliver set to work almost immediately upon meeting Joseph Smith. He arrived in Harmony on Sunday evening and the translation work began Tuesday. Monday was occupied with "some business of a temporal nature," as Oliver put it. Joseph had entered an agreement with his father-in-law, Isaac Hale, for a thirteen-acre plot of land that included a frame house and a barn. Oliver's teaching salary was likely used for the initial $64 payment.

Over the next several weeks, Oliver spent long days taking dictation from Joseph—no doubt tedious work—writing an average of 3,500 words per day. A month or so into the translation, Joseph and Oliver ran out of food and paper and set off to Joseph Knight's, a day's journey away, for more provisions. When they arrived they were informed that Knight was away on business. They returned to Harmony empty-handed. They looked around Harmony for day-laborer jobs but couldn't find work. After a few days, Knight showed up with enough food and paper to last them to the end of the translation.

The writing of the Book of Mormon took just under three months. Oliver wrote nearly the entire 460+ page manuscript, in longhand. He then produced a second copy for the printer. Oliver worked for months like this without pay (and sometimes without food). The following year he undertook a 1,000-mile trek in the dead of winter to take the gospel to the Lamanites, again without any compensation whatsoever.

I find it extraordinarily difficult to believe that Oliver did all of this out of a "strong personal motivation" to acquire "prestige, power, and money" or that such prospects could even have been reasonably anticipated when Oliver offered his services to Joseph Smith on 5 April 1829.

[_Tonto Schwartz]

Hi Neve,

I don't suggest that all of Cowdery's motivations were personal advancement, but clearly that was a major factor. The small amount of money Cowdery had from teaching in Manchester was quickly depleted to pay bills and for Joseph's benefit. You say Cowdery could have continued teaching school. That was not exactly a cure for poverty, as his previous experience had shown. I believe that Cowdery went to Join Joseph with the implicit, if not explicit, understanding that he would share in the profits of the Book of Mormon (just like Martin Harris) and be one of top leaders of the Church. But, to me the most compelling proof of Cowdery's involvement in the con is the fact he never disclosed Joseph's reading from the Bible and other sources to create the Book of Mormon, Cowdery's failure to debunk Joseph's years later story of Peter, James and John appearing to Joseph and Cowdery and Cowdery's total silence about the evolving, contradictory versions of the Moroni visitations. How do you square Cowdery's conspiratorial silence about such things with your believe he was not in on the con? By the way, Cowdery used a divining rod to find things under the earth so he was another one of the treasure seekers Joseph gathered around him, although I doubt Cowdery had the personality to con people into paying him as much money as Joseph received from that con.

Tonto

[_deacon blues]

I think we forget the environment that Oliver, Martin, and Joseph lived in. Living in our more modern age makes it difficult to empathize with their magic world view.

[Anonymous]

I don't suggest that all of Cowdery's motivations were personal advancement, but clearly that was a major factor. The small amount of money Cowdery had from teaching in Manchester was quickly depleted to pay bills and for Joseph's benefit. You say Cowdery could have continued teaching school. That was not exactly a cure for poverty, as his previous experience had shown. I believe that Cowdery went to Join Joseph with the implicit, if not explicit, understanding that he would share in the profits of the Book of Mormon (just like Martin Harris) and be one of top leaders of the Church.

Hi Tonto,

I agree that teaching school wasn't a cure for poverty ;) But Cowdery was capable of doing any number of things, as his later life attests. For a young man on the make, taking up with an impoverished and widely reviled social outcast on a quixotic (and almost universally ridiculed) project to translate and publish a new book of scripture doesn't strike me as the best career move. If Cowdery believed that the as yet non-existent Book of Mormon would make him a fortune, he must have had great faith indeed.

But, to me the most compelling proof of Cowdery's involvement in the con is the fact he never disclosed Joseph's reading from the Bible and other sources to create the Book of Mormon, Cowdery's failure to debunk Joseph's years later story of Peter, James and John appearing to Joseph and Cowdery and Cowdery's total silence about the evolving, contradictory versions of the Moroni visitations. How do you square Cowdery's conspiratorial silence about such things with your believe he was not in on the con?

I don't think Cowdery would have viewed the use of a Bible during the translation as something needing to be covered up. The biblical quotations and allusions in the Book of Mormon are quite conspicuous and were even more obvious to nineteenth-century readers steeped in the KJV than they are today. Was Cowdery ever asked about a Bible being present? I'm not aware that he was. In any case, so I don't see his failure to disclose its presence as evidence of deceit. As for other source texts being present (View of the Hebrews, the Spalding MS, The Late War, the Westminster Confession of Faith, Hamlet, etc.), I doubt there were any. I don't see evidence of direct borrowing from anything other than the Bible. And the Book of Mormon text itself points to it being a dictation.

Regarding "Cowdery's failure to debunk Joseph's years later story of Peter, James and John," Cowdery himself affirmed in his 1846 letter to Phineas Young that he had received the Melchizedek Priesthood from Peter. Either he was lying outright or he believed this to be true. I incline toward the latter explanation.

When Oliver met up with Joseph, he was, by all accounts, a highly religious, visionary type. He used a divining rod and inhabited a world full of wonders, infused with the supernatural. Oliver apparently saw the plates in vision before he ever met Joseph and quickly became obsessed with them. Lucy Mack Smith remembered that in the months that Oliver lived with them, he was "so completely absorbed in the subject of the record that it seemed impossible for him to think or converse about anything else."

Dan Vogel has written: "Considering [Cowdery's] state of mind and visionary predisposition, his obsessive thoughts may have carried him to the point of delusion; at least, this possibility should be taken into consideration when assessing his role as one of the three witnesses" (Vogel, "The Validity of the Witnesses' Testimonies," in American Apocrypha: Essays on the Book of Mormon, ed. Brent Lee Metcalfe and Dan Vogel [Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002], 96).

I agree with Vogel that this is a possibility. I've recently been reading Lawrence Wright's Going Clear, which includes testimony from Scientologists and ex-Scientologists about out-of-body travel and past life memories/visions experienced during "auditing." I assume most of them are not simply inventing these stories. "Believing is seeing," as they say.

As for the "evolving, contradictory versions of the Moroni visitations," I don't think the differences are really all that great or significant. In any case, I doubt Oliver thought the stories were made up. I think he believed them because he too was a product of a visionary subculture. Angels and spirits were real to him.

You take Cowdery's involvement with divining rods as evidence that he was also a con man, since he must have known that they didn't really work. However, I tend to think that Cowdery sincerely believed in such things.

[_ludwigm]

I think we forget the environment that Oliver, Martin, and Joseph lived in. Living in our more modern age makes it difficult to empathize with their magic world view.

I wouldn't say this --- "our more modern age" didn't change a certain magic world view. At least on certain parts of the world.

I don't want to list here, which parts I am thinking about...
(There is something called minimal courteousness)