Joe Smith's Sacrifices to Evil Spirits
Mark Hines
I am on the lookout for verifiable quotations linking Mormonism founder
Joe Smith to demonic animal sacrifices. The quotations will be used with
the ones listed below. If you know of a documented quotation of Joe
Smith's animal sacrifices to Satan, one that is not already listed
below, please give me the quotation and source. The quotation must be
verifiable and accurate before it will be used. Evidence of Joe Smith's
involvement in human sacrifice to Satan, as in the Oliver Harper matter
below, are also welcome. Thanks. Mark Hines
----- snip -----
Joseph and Hiel Lewis were cousins of Mormonism founder Joe Smith's
wife, Emma. Along with others, they recalled Joe Smith's involvement in
money digging, folk magic and animal sacrifices. Both Joe Smith, Jr.,
and his father claimed that evil enchantments guarded buried treasure,
and that there had to be some sort of animal sacrifice to appease the
enchanting spirits. In a periodical called the Amboy Journal, the Lewis
brothers noted Joe Smith's belief in sacrificing animals to restrain
enchantments (Amboy Journal, Amboy, Illinois, April 30, 1879, p. 1).
In Matamoris, Mexico, south of Brownsville, Texas, a drug dealer
murdered sixteen people as a sacrifice to Satan. He had hoped that the
sacrifices would curry Satan's favor and that they would buy protection.
In a similar manner, Joe Smith, as a part of money digging, and with the
object of appeasing evil spirits, sacrificed animals to Satan. There is
documented evidence that Smith instigated human sacrifice to Satan as
well. After Smith urged human sacrifice to Satan, a member of Smith's
money digging band murdered Oliver Harper, who had hired Joe Smith and
other members of the group to dig for treasure.
In an interview, Smith's father said that his son "Joseph went to the
town of Harmony, in the State of Pennsylvania, at the request of some
one who wanted the assistance of his divining rod and stone in finding
hidden treasure. . . ." (Dan Vogel, ed., Early Mormon Documents, SLC,
Signature Books, 1996, vol. 1, p. 460).
While consulting his peepstone and directing treasure digging operations
in Harmony, Pennsylvania for Harper, Smith instigated Harper's murder.
As a result of Smith's incitement, Jason Treadwell, a member of the
money digging band, murdered Oliver Harper as a blood sacrifice to
Satan, a propitiation to the prince of darkness. Even though the murder,
the human blood sacrifice to Satan, was carried out at Smith's
suggestion and at his enticement that treasure would be found if a
member of the band were sacrificed to Satan, the band found no treasure.
In 1880, Lippincott's Magazine gave details of the murder. Joe Smith
first had a black dog sacrificed to evil spirits. When the sacrifice of
a black dog did not have the desired results, Smith urged human
sacrifice to Satan:
"On a wilderness-hill--now a part of Jacob J. Skinner's farm--his
peek-stone discovered a ton of silver bars which had been buried by
weary Spaniards as they trudged up the Susquehanna. An expedition for
their recovery was undertaken as soon as Smith could muster enough
followers to do the work. . . . The third hole had been sunk fifteen out
of the necessary twenty feet when the treasure once more jumped to the
other side of the big hole. Then the prophet had a vision: the blood of
a black sheep must be shed and sprinkled around the diggings. Black
sheep were scarce, and while they waited for one the faithful obtained
their needed rest. At length, no sheep appearing, Joe Said that a black
dog might answer. A dog, therefore, was killed, and the blood was
sprinkled on the ground. After that the silver never went far away.
Still, it waltzed about the big hole in such a lively manner that
frequent tunneling to effect its capture availed nothing. At the last
the prophet decided that it was of no use to dig unless one of their
number was made a sacrifice. None of the faithful responded to his call,
and thus the magnificent scheme was abandoned. Oliver Harper, one of the
diggers who furnished the money, was soon afterward murdered. The
prophet thought this might answer for a sacrifice: he again rallied the
diggers, but the charm remained stubborn and would not reveal the
silver" (Lippincott's Magazine, 1880, pp. 199-200).
Emily C. Blackman's History of Susquehanna County notes Joe Smith's
saying that "one of the company should die before the enchantment could
be broken" (Emily C. Blackman, History of Susquehanna County, 1873, p.
580).
The History of Susquehanna County notes that "Oliver Harper was murdered
by Jason Treadwell. . . ." (Blackman, p 97).
Treadwell was part of Smith's money digging group (Gerald and Sandra
Tanner, Mormonism, Magic and Masonry, Utah Lighthouse Ministry, SLC,
1988, p. 35).
Treadwell was executed for the murder on January 13, 1825 (Blackman, p.
325).
From 1822 to 1824, Mormonism founder Joe Smith consulted his peepstone
and told the crew of Oliver Harper where to dig for buried treasure (D.
Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, Signature
Books, SLC, 1998, pp. 54-55).
For three years before Oliver Harper's murder in May of 1824, Joe Smith
worked for Oliver Harper as a treasure witch. R. C. Doud said that in
1822 he was employed with thirteen others by Oliver Harper to dig for
gold under Joe Smith's direction on Joseph McKune's land and that Joe
had begun operations the previous year. The digging was kept up
constantly, with seven digging and seven resting (Blackman, pp. 580-81).
Sally McKune corroborated that Joe Smith "practised [sic] with his
peek-stone" in working as for Harper (Mather, Early Days of Mormonism,
p. 199).
A resident of the area reported that Harper spent on the treasure quest
"$2000 [and] he utterly refused to go any further" (Blackman, p. 580).
The digging had been suspended at the time of Oliver Harper's murder
(Gerald and Sandra Tanner, Mormonism, Magic and Masonry, Utah Lighthouse
Ministry, Salt Lake City, 1988, p. 35). Joe Smith had received a
communication from the "other world" telling the treasure seekers to
suspend digging, as there needed to be a human sacrifice of one of the
treasure digging band before they would find the treasure (Ibid.).
Harper's murder was considered a "Providential occurrence" by the band
(Ibid.). Smith convinced band members that Harper's murder might appease
the evil spirit that Smith claimed guarded the treasure. Joe Smith's
father had also mentioned to neighbor Willard Chase that the death of
Alvin, Joe Smith's oldest brother, was "an accidental providence." (Eber
Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, Painesville, OH, 1834, pp. 242-43, 245-46).
The Presbyterian minister who officiated at Alvin's funeral, a man
named Stockton, said that Alvin was most likely consigned to hell
(Deseret News, January 20, 1894; Guinn Williams, "A Necromantic
Incident," Saints Alive in Jesus, Issaquah, WA 1988). Because of
newspaper articles and word-of-mouth, the Smiths' reputation of
involvement in sorcery, witchcraft, etc., was known in Palmyra.
A local newspaper in Palmyra, where Smith Jr., lived, noted Smith Sr.'s
teaching his son that evil spirits guarded treasure and that one had to
sacrifice to them before they would allow one to find treasure.
The newspaper Palmyra Reflector noted that Joe Smith's father "evinced a
firm belief in the existence of hidden treasure, 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 of some EVIL spirit, which was supposed to be either the Devil
himself, or some one of his most trusty favorites" (Palmyra Reflector,
as cited in A Witness For Christ in America, vol. 2, pp. 68-69).
After Smith suspended digging and told the band that one of their number
needed to be sacrificed to the enchanting treasure guardian--and less
than a year after band member Jason Treadwell was executed on January
13, 1825 for the murder--Smith signed an agreement for treasure shares
with Harper's widow. The Agreement was published in the Daily Tribune,
Salt Lake City, April 23, 1880 (as cited in A New Witness For Christ in
America, by Francis W. Kirkham, vol. 1, pp. 492-94):
"Articles of Agreement
"We, the undersigned, do firmly agree, and by these present bind
ourselves, to fulfill and abide by the hereafter specified articles:
"First: That if anything of value should be obtained at a certain place
in Pennsylvania near a William Hales, supposed to be a valuable mine of
either gold or silver and also to contain coined money and bars of
ingots of Gold or silver, and at which several hands have been at work
during a considerable part of the past summer, we do agree to have It
divided in the following manner, viz: Josiah Stowell, Calvin Stowel and
Wm. Hale to take two-thirds, and Charles Newton, Wm. I. Wiley, and the
widow Harper to take the other third. And we further agree that Joseph
Smith, Sen. and Joseph Smith Jr. shall be considered as having two
shares, two elevenths of all the property that may be obtained, and
shares to be taken equally from each third.
"Second: And we further agree, that in consideration of the expense and
labor to which the following named persons have been at (Johs F.
Shepherd, Elijah Stowell and John Grant) to consider them as equal
sharers in the mine after all the coined money and bars or ingot are
obtained by the undersigned. Their shares to be taken out from each
share; and we further agree to remunerate all the three above named
persons in a handsome manner for all their time, expense, and labor
which they have been or may be at, until the mine is opened, if anything
should be obtained; otherwise they are to lose their time, expense and
labor.
"Third: And we further agree that all the expense which has or may
accrue until the mine is opened, shall be equally borne by the
proprietors of each third and that after the mine is opened the expense
shall be equally borne by each of the shares.
"Township of Harmony, Pennsylvania, November 1, 1825 In presence of:
Isaac Hale Joseph Smith Sen.
David Hale Isaiah Stowell
P. Newton Calvin Stowell
Charles Newton Joseph Smith Jr.
Wm. I. Wiley"
On April 23, 1880, the Salt Lake Tribune published the document showing
Joe Smith's involvement with Oliver Harper's widow in an agreement about
money digging shares (Daily Tribune, Salt Lake City, April 23, 1880).
Wesley P. Walters, who did original research on the Harper murder, found
that Treadwell was part of Smith's money digging group (Gerald and
Sandra Tanner, Mormonism, Magic and Masonry, Utah Lighthouse Ministry,
Salt Lake City, 1988, p. 35).
According to Mrs. David Lyons, it "was in 1825, when the digging was
renewed after Harper's death, and Joe himself was present" in Harmony,
Pennsylvania (Blackman, p. 581).
After Harper's murder, Josiah Stowell funded Smith's treasure quests
north and south of the Susquehanna River during 1825 and 1826 (Quinn, p.
56).
William Stafford, who lived about a mile and a half from the Smiths,
corroborated Joe Smith Jr.'s blood sacrifices to Satan:
"Old Joseph and one of the boys came to me one day, and said that Joseph
Jr. had discovered some very remarkable and valuable treasures, which
could be procured only in one way. That way, was as follows: - That a
black sheep should be taken to the ground where the treasures were
concealed - that after cutting its throat, it should be led around in a
circle while bleeding. This being done, the wrath of the evil spirit
would be appeased: the treasures could then be obtained, and my share of
them was to be four fold. To gratify my curiosity, I let them have a
large fat sheep. They afterwards informed me, that the sheep was killed
pursuant to commandment; but as there was some mistake in the process,
it did not have the desired effect. This, I believe, is the only time
they ever made money-digging a profitable business" (Howe, pp. 238-239;
also reproduced in Dan Vogel, ed., Early Mormon Documents, Salt Lake
City, Signature Books, 1996, vol. 2, pp. 59-61).
BYU Professor M. Wilford Poulson noted Wallace Miner's saying, "I once
asked Stafford if Smith did steal a sheep from him. He said no, not
exactly. He said, he did miss a black sheep, but soon Joseph came and
admitted he took it for sacrifice but he was willing to work for it. He
made wooden sap buckets to fully pay for it" (Brigham Young University
Studies, Spring 1970, p. 249)
C. R. Stafford testified about the same incident: "Jo Smith, the
prophet, told my uncle, William Stafford, he wanted a fat, black sheep.
He said he wanted to cut its throat and make it walk in a circle three
times around and it would prevent a pot of money from leaving" (Naked
Truths About Mormonism, January 1888, page 3; also in Vogel, vol. 2, p.
197)
Dr. William D. Purple, a respected Bainbridge physician and a personal
friend of Justice Neely, took notes at Joe Smith's 1826 court trial.
Justice Albert Neely listed the case as "Joseph Smith The Glass
looker--March 20, 1826." Some of Dr. Purple's recollections of the trial
were printed in the Chenango Union. In a snippet from that article, one
notes that Smith lured Josiah Stowell into sacrificing a lamb to an
"evil spirit." During the blood sacrifice to an evil spirit, Smith
sprinkled the lamb's blood to make a magic circle, just as he had done
with the black lamb from William Stafford's flock.
Dr. Purple wrote,
"In this emergency the fruitful mind of Smith was called on to devise a
way to obtain the prize. Mr. Stowell went to his flock and selected a
fine vigorous lamb, and resolved to sacrifice it to the demon spirit who
guarded the coveted treasure. Shortly after the venerable Deacon might
be seen on his knees at prayer near the pits while Smith, with a lantern
in one hand to dispel the midnight darkness, might be seen making a
circuit around the pits sprinkling the flowing blood from the lamb upon
the ground, as a propitiation to the spirit that thwarted them"
(Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, May 3, 1877).
Hiel Lewis affirmed that Smith translated the Book of Mormon by means of
the same enchanting spirit that directed Smith to make dog sacrifices.
Dr. Quinn wrote, "A cousin of Smith's wife Emma reported that Smith
'translated the book of Mormon by means of the same peep stone, and
under the same inspiration that directed his enchantments and dog
sacrifices; it was all by the same spirit' (H. Lewis 1879)" (Quinn, 1987
edition, p. 144).
When Joe Smith started his "church" in 1830, the local Palmyra newspaper
Reflector ran an article making fun of the Book of Mormon and Joe
Smith's animal sacrifices (Dogberry, pseud. [Abner Cole] "Book of
Pukei," The Reflector, Palmyra, NY, June 12, 1830, p. 36).
Early Mormon convert Emily M. Austin recalled Joe Smith's urging animal
sacrifice, ". . . in the time of their digging for money and not finding
it attainable, Joseph Smith told them there was a charm on the pots of
money, and if some animal was killed and the blood sprinkled around the
place, then they could get it. So they killed a dog and tried this
method of obtaining the precious metal. . . . Alas! how vivid was the
expectation when the blood of poor Tray was used to take off the charm,
and after all to find their mistake . . . and now they were obliged to
give up in despair (Mormonism; or Life Among the Mormons, 1882; Wesley
P. Walters, "Joseph Smith's Bainbridge, N.Y., Court Trials" Westminster
Theological Journal, 1974, part 2, p. 125).
Justice Joel King Noble, who tried Smith in an 1830 trail in Colesville,
N.Y., related in a letter that when Joe Smith and others were digging
"for a Chest of money," they acquired a black dog and offered it as "a
sacrafise [blo]od Sprinkled prayer made at the time (no money obtained)
the above Sworn to on trial. . . ." (Letter of Justice Noble, dated
March 8, 1842, photographically reproduced in Walters, "Joseph Smith's
Bainbridge, N.Y., Court Trials," p. 134).
Notwithstanding Joe Smith's sacrifices of black dogs, black lambs and
his urging human sacrifice in the Harper murder, Smith never in his
career as a treasure witch obtained any buried treasure. It is deeply
tragic that Harper was involved with Smith in treasure divining, as
divination and sacrifices of animals to evil spirits are strictly
forbidden by the Bible. Former BYU professor D. Michael Quinn noted that
Jacob Chamberlain, a Mr. Fish and Josiah Stowell also funded Smith's
treasure-quests (Quinn). These people lost not only their money in
fruitless treasure digging excursions, but as Smith lured them into the
Biblically forbidden world of divination, they lost closeness with God.
It is tragic that Harper may have died without finding salvation in
Christ. If Harper's widow had had some successful Christian counseling,
and had come to love Jesus, Smith would have not been able to lure her
into signing the shares agreement and into allowing divination on her
property.
___________________________
Mark Hines
www.freeyellow.com:8080/members7/mjhines/m.htm
geen...@my-deja.com
mjh...@ix.netcom.com (Mark Hines) wrote:
>
> I am on the lookout for verifiable quotations linking Mormonism
>founder Joe Smith to demonic animal sacrifices.
Try the ancient Jewish temple; they did quite a bit of that, didn't
they?
>The quotations will be used with the ones listed below. If you know of
>a documented quotation of Joe Smith's animal sacrifices to Satan, one
>that is not already listed below, please give me the quotation and
>source.
Surely you jest? Does this mean that those YOU'VE listed ARE
"documented"? IF someone at any time writes down that "Smith offered
animal sacrifices to Satan," is that sufficient "documentation" for you?
You see how easy it is to "document" one's own biases and wishful
thinking?
>The quotation must be verifiable and accurate
Which, of course, doesn't mean that its historical fact, but only that
someone "verifiably" believed it, correct or not?
>before it will be used. Evidence of Joe Smith's involvement in human
>sacrifice to Satan, as in the Oliver Harper matter below, are also
>welcome. Thanks. Mark Hines
>
> ----- snip -----
>
> Joseph and Hiel Lewis were cousins of Mormonism founder Joe Smith's
> wife, Emma.
Joseph and Hiel Lewis, sons of the Rev. Nathaniel Lewis, suffered the
same prejudice as their father, whose "professional resentment" against
Smith, who claimed Divine visitations when God had refused to appear to
Reverend Lewis, would keep the Lewis family anti-Mormon and critical of
Smith's "prophetic" claims forever.
Jealous Christian ministers were the bane of Smith's family and the
Prophet Joseph's claims to Divine visitation and true prophetic calling.
Hiel Lewis, born 1817, would ave been 10 years old in 1827 when Smith
was allegedly engaging in "money digging."
Are you sure you want to rest your eternal destiny upon the testimony
of a 10 year old boy's recollections 50+ years later?
>Along with others, they recalled Joe Smith's involvement in money
>digging, folk magic and animal sacrifices.
Aren't you mistaking "Walters" and his money-digging, animal
sacrificing, peepstoning "band," my friend?
Here's historian Vogel's account of the origins of money digging,
necromancing, occult ritual, animal sacrificing "imposture" in Palymra,
N.Y. And it's nothing to do with Smith nor any Smith family member.
Rather, it has to do with the infamous "Walters, the Magician" of
Palmyra:
"Nearly a century before these occult publications appeared within the
Germanic population of Pennsylvania, a local history noted that among
Pennsylvania's English population were such itinerant Christian
occultists as "a skilful physician, and a learned religious man. He was
reputed a magus or diviner, or in grossest terms, a conjurer. He was a
student and a believer in all the learned absurdities and marvellous
pretensions of the Rosicrucian philosophy" (Watson 1854, 1:267).
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p.81
Neighbors of the Smith family claimed that a man of similar description
had introduced ceremonial magic to Palmyra in the 1820s. In a [p.82]
parody of the Book of Mormon, the editor of the Palmyra Reflector
claimed that "the idle and slothful said one to another, let us send for
Walters the Magician, who has strange books, and deals with familiar
spirits.… And the Magician led the rabble into a dark grove, in a place
called Manchester, where after drawing a Magic circle, with a rusty
sword, and collecting his motley crew of latter-demallions, within the
center, he sacrificed a cock (a bird to Minerva) for the purpose of
propitiating the Prince of spirits.… And he took his book, his rusty
sword, and his magic stone, and his stuffed toad, and all his implements
of witchcraft and returned to the mountains near Great Sodus Bay, where
he holds communion with the Devil, even unto this day" (Dogberry 1830,
2:51-52, emphasis in original; also Painesville Telegraph, 22 March
1831). Fifty-four years later, Lorenzo Saunders reminisced, "At the time
the big hole was dug in the hill [in the mid-1820s] they was duped by
one Walters who pretended to be a conjurer. I heard Willard Chase say
that he was duped" (1884c, 12).
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p.82
The caustic editor of Palmyra's 1830 newspaper suggested that Walters
was somehow connected with Joseph Smith by referring to "the rest of the
acts of the magician, [and] how his mantle fell upon the Prophet Jo.
Smith Jun." This implied connection between Walters and Smith was made
more explicit by the same editor less than a year later. He wrote that
"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 [conjuring], was the
constant companion and bosom friend of these money-digging imposters
[Joseph Smith Sr. and Jr.]" (Dogberry 1830, 2:51, emphasis in original;
Palmyra Reflector, 28 Feb. 1831). Later town histories specifically
identified "Luman Walters of Pultneyville" as one of those associated
with the Smith family's treasure-seeking and the beginnings of Mormonism
(Tucker 1867, 38; also McIntosh 1877, 150)."
Notice that is was "Walters the Magician," NOT SMITH who "introduced
ceremonial magic to Palmyra in the 1820s"--the very same time Smith is
(falsely) accused of having done all this himself.
Are 50+-year old recollections and memories mistaking Smith for
Walters reliable at all? Even after they've been "filtered" through the
mind and pen of "Doctor Philastus Hurlbut" who gathered all the "dirt"
he could against Smith and the B of M?
I think not.
It was Walters' band of Palmyra money-diggers, NOT Smith's. Let's look
objectively at the historical statements, remembering the source of
these juicy and slanderous rumors against Smith (mistaking him for
Walters) were derived from anti-Smith "affidavits" gathered (indeed,
written in large part) by ex-communicated Mormon, "Dr. Philastus
Hurlbut," who it turns out was married in his family connections to the
infamous conjuror, "Walters the Magician." That's why Hurlbut/Howe in
thir first and lengthy anti-Mormon publication MORMONISM UNVAILED
(1834) curiously NEVER mention "Walters" themselves. Better to "smear"
Smith with those false rumors rather than correctly fix them upon
Walters, one of author Hurlbut's kinsmen!
"A recent history of the Walter family reports that "family legend is
that Luman Walter was a clairvoyant" (Parfitt 1986, 128)."
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p.83
"Lucy Smith remembered that Palmyra anti-Mormons "had sent sixty or
seventy miles for a certain conjuror, to come and divine the place where
the plates were secreted" (1853, 102). And in 1884, a non-Mormon
recorded neighborhood reports about Luman Walter: "While acting in his
primitive, super-natural capacity as water-witch and money-digger,
[Joseph] Smith made the acquaintance of a drunken vagabond by the name
of Walters, who had been a physician in Europe. This person had learned
in Europe the secret of Mesmerism or animal magnetism" (Kelley and
Braden 1884, 367)."
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p.83
Again Smith and Walters are linked and often confused in the anti-Mormon
mind.
"These sources agree that Luman Walter(s) was a practitioner and student
of the occult, or "clairvoyant" according to family tradition. After
agreeing on his talents, however, non-Mormons claimed that Walter(s) was
the Smiths' occult mentor before Joseph Smith obtained the gold plates
in 1827, while Mormons claimed that the magician was in league with the
Smiths' enemies in 1827."
Vogel, the editor, then speculates openly:
"Both claims could be true, however, because Mormon and non-Mormon
sources agree that in 1827 Joseph Smith broke with his former
treasure-digging associates to be sole custodian of the Book of Mormon
plates, and that as a result his former colleagues turned on him,
seeking to obtain the golden treasure by violence or stratagem. Martin
Harris explained that the money diggers "claimed that they had as much
right to the plates as Joseph had, as they were in company together."
This gives them purportedly a hypothetically "financial" as well as a
religous basis for hating Smith, doesn't it?
"They claimed that Joseph had been a traitor, and had appropriated to
himself that which belonged to them" (1859, 2:380; also W. Chase 1833,
240; Bushman 1984, 77)."
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p.83
Since it was admittedly Walters, not Smith, who "introduced" necromancy,
money-digging, and "ceremonial magic to Palmyra in the 1820s" we must
assume that any published anti-Smith references in that regard MUST
refer to Walters, not Smith. This is especially so if the sources stem
from the long list of Hurlbut/Howe "affidavits" by which Hurlbut
purposefully suppressed all references to his own kinsman, Walters!
"In view of the 1830-31 published statements from Palmyra about the link
between Smith and "Walters the Magician," it is intriguing that no
reference to him appears in Howe's 1834 Mormonism Unvailed. The [p.84]
reason for this may be that the Mormon apostate Philastus Hurlbut, who
gathered much of the information for Howe's anti-Mormon exposé (R. L.
Anderson 1969b, 15-16; R. L. Anderson 1984, 492-93), was also linked to
Luman Walter(s). His wife wrote, "My husband Doctor Philastus Hurlbut
was born Feb 3d 1809 in Chittenden Co Vt near Lake Champlain. His
parents named him Doctor because he was the seventh son," a
long-standing folkloric belief that the seventh son would bring
distinction to his family (Hurlbut 1885; also HC 1:355n; Fogel 1915,
59). Beyond the fact that Hurlbut's parents evidently gave some credence
to folk beliefs, there was also a Hurlbut family in Winchester,
Litchfield County, Connecticut, where Luman Walter was born before his
family's "removal to Burke, Vt., after 1798."
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p.84
It is no wonder, therefore, that excommunicant Hurlbut with the phony
name "Doctor" [he wasn't one] who sought vengeance against Smith and
Mormon officials who had excommunicated him so embarrassingly, was
reluctant to mention his relative "Walters the Magician" who had
"introduced ceremonial magic to Palmyra in the 1820s" long before Smith
later might have become acquainted with Walters.
"A Walter(s)-Winchell-Hurlbut family connection seems . . .
Vogel is not sure of his facts. So he must speculate again.
"to have begun in Connecticut, coalesced . . .
More speculation!
". . . around the Joseph Smith family in Vermont, was reputed . . .
["Reputation" is the "lowest" form of evidence, almost not admissible at
all in a court of law.]
"to be involved with the Wood Scrape there, followed the Smiths into New
York, . . .
At the behest of anti-Mormons, as mentioned above?
" . . . was reputed . . .
More untrustworthy "reputation" evidence?
" . . . to be linked with young Joseph there, and even entered the LDS
church. Although Philastus Hurlbut . . .
The bitter anti-Mormon originator and collector of these "reputed"
anti-Smith stories.
" . . . provided almost all of the information . . .
And we know how biased that "information" was, don't we?
" . . . about the Smiths in New York for Howe's book, . . .
Howe's purpose admittedly was to debunk the B of M; Howe is founder of
the so-called "Spaulding Theory" of the origin of the B of M.
Howe's book (via Hurlbut's "information") was one of the earliest and
largest anti-M books ever published, specifically designed to discredit
Smith and the B of M.
" . . . he may have had too many personal connections with folk magic to
mention neighborhood claims of a Walter(s)-and-Winchell association with
the Joseph Smith family."
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p.84
Embarrassed by Hurlbut's familial connection to "Walters the Magician"
Hurlbut's bias and vengeance led him to suppress any mention of Walters,
the ORIGINAL conjurer, money-digger, necromancer, blood sacrificer, etc.
by which Smith has been falsely linked and wrongfully labeled.
"Similar residence and migration patterns alone do not establish
personal associations, but civil and family records demonstrate that the
leaders of Vermont's Wood Scrape originated in Connecticut, that the
Wood Scrape's rodsman Winchell and "Walters the magician" of Palmyra
originated in adjacent neighborhoods in Connecticut, . . . ."
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p.90
Better recheck your sources, Mr.Hines, you seem to have branded Smith
with the mantle of Walters when Walters alone ought to be wearing it.
Why do you continue to give credence to the phony "Doctor" Hurlbut and
his self-serving Hurlbut/Howe "affidavits" against Smith?
>Both Joe Smith, Jr., and his father claimed that evil enchantments
>guarded buried treasure, and that there had to be some sort of animal
>sacrifice to appease the enchanting spirits.
Wrong. You've confused "Walters the Magician," above.
>In a periodical called the Amboy Journal, the Lewis brothers noted Joe
>Smith's belief in sacrificing animals to restrain enchantments (Amboy
>Journal, Amboy, Illinois, April 30, 1879, p. 1).
Remember, Hiel then was 10 years of age.
"1879"? You must be kidding, correct? For alleged "money digging"
supposedly occurring in 1827? How could you possibly be foolish enough
to rely on anyone's memories over 50 years old on such subjects?
Especially memories which could not significantly distinguish Walters'
admitted money-digging, necromancy, animal sacrifice, peepstoning etc.
from Smith, who merely claimed to talk with God and obtain gold plates
for translation.
> In Matamoris, Mexico, south of Brownsville, Texas, a drug dealer
> murdered sixteen people as a sacrifice to Satan. He had hoped that the
> sacrifices would curry Satan's favor and that they would buy
>protection.
Are you saying that Smith was in Mexico? Where do you get your history
re: Smith?
> In a similar manner, Joe Smith, as a part of money digging, and with
>the object of appeasing evil spirits, sacrificed animals to Satan.
Confusing "Walters of Palmyra, the Magician," my friend?
Wrong again. You love to repeat Hurlbut/Howe's MORMONISM UNVAILED,
don't you. After we've demonstrated conclusively the falsity of such
"affidavits" you nevertheless continue to repeat them. Why? Afraid to
seek out the truth yourself, my friend?
Even modern anti-M's refused to give credence to Hurlbut/Howe. I've
given you the sources many times. You apparently choose to ignore them.
We'll all stand in Judgment, my friend, for the willful falsehoods we've
chosen to broadcast. Especially when we've been properly historically
corrected, and yet choose to indulge the old untruth because it fits
better our own religious (false) convictions.
>There is documented
What does this mean? Somebody wrote it down, therfore it must be true?
Boy, what a dummy!
You mock truth, my friend, when you set so low a standard of
"documentation."
>evidence that Smith instigated human sacrifice to Satan as well. After
>Smith urged [ what does this mean??] human sacrifice to Satan, a
>member of Smith's money digging band
No, you're confusing Walters again. See my above.
How many in the "band"? What instruments did they play?
>murdered Oliver Harper, who had hired Joe Smith and other members of
>the group to dig for treasure.
So, you say Smith purportedly "murdered" his paycheck? The one who
employed him? Not too smart of Smith, is it?
Wasn't Smith "in Mexico" at the time? See your reference, above.
Get some truth, my friend.
> In an interview, Smith's father said that his son "Joseph went to the
> town of Harmony, in the State of Pennsylvania, at the request of some
> one who wanted the assistance of his divining rod and stone in finding
> hidden treasure. . . ." (Dan Vogel, ed., Early Mormon Documents, SLC,
> Signature Books, 1996, vol. 1, p. 460).
Why do you fail to mention the "double hearsay" which is your source
document? The interview was with Silas Lapham, not Father Smith.
Lapham give us HIS impression of Father Smith in a writing which is
Lapham's, not Smith's, published MAY, 1870, some 40 years after the
events supposedly remembered.
Lapham didn't even reside in Palmyra, but rather in Perrinton, Monroe
County, New York. Rochester was the main city of Monroe County. Lapham
is "documented" (to use your word) to have visited Palmyra (where the
Smith family resided) some four times between 1827 and 1828, i.e. 3
September 1827, 10 September 1827, 11 September 1827, and 25 July 1828).
Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, p. 456.
According to editor Vogel (no pro-Mormon) Lapham couldn't even get some
of the basic facts correct:
"Yet some of Lapham's statements are inaccurate. He thought his
interview occurred in 1830, but Dale Morgan was "inclined to date it a
year earlier" (J. P. Walker 1986, 381, n. 21), perhaps because it fails
to mention publication of the Book of Mormon or the founding of the
church. The earliest date for the interview would seem to be about July
1829 since Joseph Sr. was apparently familiar with the Book of Mormon's
content. Lapham also alludes to Joseph Jr.'s revelation of late May 1829
(D&C 10), which directed him not to retranslate the lost opening portion
of the Book of Mormon, and possibly to the revelation of late June 1829
(D&C 18) that twelve special disciples should be chosen."
Vogel, Id.
Notice that Lapham is apparently an atheist. He "credits" Father Smith
with "witchcraft" which Lapham equates with anything "supernatural.
"This Joseph Smith, Senior, we soon learned, from his own lips, was a
firm believer in witchcraft and other supernatural things; and had
brought up his family in the same belief."
Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, p. 457.
What are you trying to conceal, my friend?
"In reply to our question, concerning the ancient records that had been
found, he remarked that they had suffered a great deal of persecution on
account of them; that many had been there for that purpose, and had made
evil reports of them, intimating that perhaps we had come for a like
purpose; but, becoming satisfied of our good intentions and that we only
sought correct information, he gave us the following history, as near as
I can repeat his words:
Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, p. 457
His son Joseph, whom he called the illiterate,3 when about fourteen
years of age,4 happened to be where a man was looking into a dark stone
and telling people, therefrom, where to dig for money and other things.5
"
How interesting that Smith is not any originator at all of such occult
practices. Who was this "man ... looking into a dark stone"? "Walters
the Magician"!?
> While consulting his peepstone and directing treasure digging
>operations in Harmony, Pennsylvania for Harper, Smith instigated
>Harper's murder.
Confusing Walters, my friend?
> As a result of Smith's . . .
You, of course, mean Walters, not Smith, correct? Check your sources,
my friend.
> incitement, Jason Treadwell, a member of the money digging band,
Which everyone agrees, was founded by Walters, not Smith.
OUT OF SPACE AND TIME. MORE LATER.
Respectfully,
Gerry L. Ensley.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Keith Wood
geen...@my-deja.com wrote:
> It is no wonder, therefore, that excommunicant Hurlbut with the phony
name "Doctor" [he wasn't one]
There's a lot of that going around in anti-Mormon circles, isn't there?
And all this time, I thought that Wally was the first.