jonw@tekmdp.UUCP (Jonathan White) (08/26/83)
Well, once again, it is time to do some more arguing over history. I hope someone other than J. D. Jensen and myself find this interesting. In my last article, I mentioned that the Mormons might not have always been genteel in dealing with those who opposed them. Jensen responded: These outlandish claims have no historical support. If the three witnesses did have to `flee for their lives,' why is there no statement from any of the three supporting this? If Oliver Cowdery was a marked man, why did he return after ten years... Would you settle for a quote from Oliver Cowdery himself? The following comes from a little pamphlet that he published in 1839, entitled "Defense in a Rehearsal of My Grounds for Separating Myself from the Latter Day Saints": "...evidence which is to be credited assures me that he [Joseph Smith] has done everything that he could to injure my standing, and his influence has been considerably exerted to destroy my reputation and, I fear, MY LIFE." "...he [Sidney Rigdon]... influence[d] the Prophet, Seer and Revelator to the Church of Latter Day Saints, into the formation of a secret band at Far West, committed to depredations upon Gentiles [non-members] and the ACTUAL ASSASSINATION of apostates from the church..." I could offer you plenty more proof for my "outlandish" claims, but why don't look it up for yourself? You can start with a book written by a MORMON historian, Juanita Brooks, that details the early history of the church, as well as the Mountain Meadow massacre. (Russ can probably give you the exact title.) I quoted part of a letter from Cowdery's business partner and confidant, Judge W. Lang, to show that Cowdery had privately denied his testimony concerning the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Jensen replied: It is truly remarkable that Cowdery could maintain a business partner for 40 years considering that he passed away in 1850 at the age of 43! Well excuuuse me! I meant "4 years," not "40." (And, incidently, Cowdery was 44 years old when he died, rather than 43.) White then goes on to quote the letter in which Lang debunks the claims of the Book of Mormon. The only direct reference to Cowdery is as follows: >>I often expressed my objection to the frequent repetition of >>'And it came to pass' to Mr. Cowdery and said that a true scholar ought >>to have avoided that, which only provoked a gentle smile from C." Oh, come on now. The statements from Judge Lang were obviously based on what he had personally learned from Cowdery. Here are some more excerpts: "Without going into detail or disclosing a confided word, I say to you that I do know, as well as can now be known, that C. revised the "Manuscript" [Solomon Spaulding's "Manuscript Found"] and Smith and Rigdon approved of it before it became the 'The Book of Mormon.' I have no knowledge of what became of the original. Never heard C. say as to that." "...Smith made use of this opposition by Cowdery to destroy his popularity and influence, and which finally culminated in the mob that demolished Cowdery's house the night when he fled." Jensen goes on to deny that Brigham Young had anything to do with the Mountain Meadows massacre, and further asserts that: Latter-Day Saints hold life as sacred and the shedding of innocent blood as abominable. The claims that the Church resorted to violence and rapine are without substance. I suspect that Jensen needs to bone up on his Mormon history. I doubt that many Mormon historians deny the existence of the Dannites (a specialized team of Mormon assassins), or the fact that the Mormons participated in mob violence. The case against Brigham Young is very convincing, and I will present it to the net one of these days. Now for a parting comment from Jensen: It is unfortunate that, as human beings, we see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear. As we view the actions of others, our vision is colored by our perspective. I couldn't have put it better myself. Jon White Aloha, Ore Tektronix
jonw@tekmdp.UUCP (Jonathan White) (08/29/83)
I would like to further respond to J.D. Jensen's query about why the original witnesses (or anyone else who might have been in on the Mormon hoax) didn't blow the whistle on the whole charade after leaving the church. The following quote comes from a book entitled "Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon?" by Cowdrey, Scales, and Davis. This quote pertains to Sidney Rigdon, who many believe to be the mastermind behind the Mormon hoax, and who left the church shortly after Joseph Smith was killed. "A careful study of the function of the Danites in Mormonism gives us another reason for understanding Rigdon's reluctance to come forward with the truth even after he left the Mormon Church. According to careful research, it has been determined that the Danites existed to punish and murder those people (Mormon and non-Mormon) who were injurious to the fledgling church. Rigdon himself said, according to Mrs. Nancy Alexander (who lived next to the Smith family and knew Rigdon very well), that he knew of the Danite activities. She said, 'I heard Sidney Rigdon lecture in Kirtland after he left the Mormons. He said many Mormons who knew their secrets and left them were followed and murdered...' (given in Mentor, Ohio, and now in possession of the Chicago Historical Society)." Jon White Tektronix Aloha, Ore