{"product_id":"2940013158115","title":"The Mormon Puzzle And How To Solve It","description":"CHAPTER I.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Alleged origin of Mormonism--Joseph Smith's early life--Finding the\u003cbr\u003e    peek-stone--Visited by an angel--Received the golden plates--Was Smith\u003cbr\u003e    a swindler or an enthusiast?--\"Book of Mormon\" published, and Mormon\u003cbr\u003e    Church established--Smith's first alleged miracle--Rigdon joins the\u003cbr\u003e    Mormons--Mormonism compared to Mohammedanism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is acknowledged by all who have given careful thought to the subject,\u003cbr\u003ethat Mormonism presents us with a very extraordinary civilization and the\u003cbr\u003emost peculiar religion under the sun; but _its history_ is as unique and\u003cbr\u003epeculiar as the system itself, and is well worthy the attention of the\u003cbr\u003ephilosopher as well as the student of human nature and human history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIts alleged origin was miraculous, and calculated to inspire its followers\u003cbr\u003ewith wonder, admiration, and awe. As Moses, the founder of Judaism,\u003cbr\u003ereceived the two tables of the moral law, which constituted the brief\u003cbr\u003eBible of the Israelites, from the hand of God Himself, while the lightning\u003cbr\u003eblazed around his head and the earth quaked beneath his feet, so Joseph\u003cbr\u003eSmith (it is alleged) received his Golden Bible from the hand of an angel\u003cbr\u003eon the Hill Cummorah near Palmyra, N. Y., amid thunder and lightning. He\u003cbr\u003eis represented in an old picture as kneeling on the steep incline of that\u003cbr\u003ehill, the wind blowing his long hair out in all directions, and his eyes\u003cbr\u003ebig with surprise. Above him in a cloud is the placid angel, gazing\u003cbr\u003eintently upon the future prophet, who is eagerly taking his credentials\u003cbr\u003efrom a cemented stone chest which had been buried some 1400 years, while\u003cbr\u003eout of the overshadowing cloud have come forth zigzags of lightning which\u003cbr\u003eare playing around both Joseph and the angel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe name of the angel was Moroni, and he informed Smith that the fate of\u003cbr\u003ethe early inhabitants of America was written on golden tablets within that\u003cbr\u003echest, and that these could be read only by the aid of some wonderful\u003cbr\u003estone spectacles called \"Urim and Thummim,\" which were also in the chest.\u003cbr\u003eSmith said that on opening the precious box he found six golden tablets\u003cbr\u003eeighteen inches square held together by rings at the back, and also the\u003cbr\u003estone spectacles to decipher the tablets; and besides these, the sword of\u003cbr\u003eLaban and a \"breastplate\" which had been brought from Jerusalem by the\u003cbr\u003eearly inhabitants of our land were inclosed in the chest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe hill on which these sacred things were found is at present known as\u003cbr\u003eGold Bible Hill, and the true Mormon venerates it as a sacred spot, and\u003cbr\u003etravels from afar to see its quiet but not remarkable beauty. It is a\u003cbr\u003econical elevation several hundred feet in height, and in its isolation and\u003cbr\u003epeculiar form bears a certain resemblance to an extinct volcano. It is\u003cbr\u003esmooth and green to the very top, from which there is a picturesque view\u003cbr\u003eof hills and dales in all directions. It is situated in Wayne County, N.\u003cbr\u003eY., four miles from the village of Palmyra and three miles from the home\u003cbr\u003eof the false prophet who has given it its present fame.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLike all other prophets, whether true or false, Joseph Smith was of very\u003cbr\u003ehumble origin. His father was a cooper by trade, and he dug wells and\u003cbr\u003eworked on the neighboring farms when he could. His mother washed by the\u003cbr\u003eday, but it is said that her employers were careful to have the clothes in\u003cbr\u003ebefore dark, as experience had taught them they would disappear if left on\u003cbr\u003ethe lines over night. The whole family made baskets and maple sugar, and\u003cbr\u003eraised and sold garden vegetables.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe youthful Joseph assisted generally, and (it is alleged) was an adept\u003cbr\u003ein robbing hen-roosts and orchards. It seems that when quite young he\u003cbr\u003ecould read, but not write. His two standard volumes were \"The Life of\u003cbr\u003eStephen Burroughs,\" the clerical scoundrel, and the autobiography of\u003cbr\u003eCaptain Kidd, the pirate. The latter work was eagerly and often perused.\u003cbr\u003eAt an early age he committed the following lines to memory, which seemed\u003cbr\u003eto give him great pleasure:","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47147504468208,"sku":"2940013158115","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013158115_p0.jpg?v=1763577612","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013158115","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}