(with investigative questions by Wade Englund)
"... a rumor [was] going around that Joe
Smith, of whom we had often heard as a fortune teller, was... in Colesville
[Broome Co., NY], preaching a very strange doctrine, and that our sister and her
husband [Newell and Sarah Knight] were attentive listeners to his fanaticism.
This rumor staggered our wits to compre-hend. The story was repeated in our
ears almost daily. We knew this same Joe Smith had often been in Coles-ville, to
visit his Universalist friends or brethren. I had seen him two or three times,
while visiting at my sister[']s, but did not think it worth my while to take any
notice of him. I never spoke to him, for he was a total stranger to me.
However, I thought him odd looking and queer. He also told his friends that he
could see money in pots, under the ground. He pretended to foretell people's
future destiny, and, according to his prognostication, his friends agreed to
suspend their avocations and dig for the treasures, which were hidden in the
earth; a great share of which, he said, was on Joseph Knight's farm.
"Old Uncle Joe [Knight], as we called him, was a wool carder, and a
farmer; yet he abandoned all business, and joined with a number of others to dig
for money on his premises. While I was visiting my sister, we walked out to see
the places where they had dug for money, and laughed to think of the absurdity
of any people having common intellect to indulge in such a thought or action.
However, all of those things had long since become obvious; for in the time of
their digging for money and not finding it attainable, Joe Smith told them there
was a charm on the pots of money.... [Even-tually] they were obliged to give up
in despair, and Joseph went home again to his father's, in Palmyra.
"Some months after this fruitless enterprise he was married to Miss.
Emma Hale, a school teacher, a fine girl, of good repute and respectable, though
poor parentage. It was at this time, which I have mentioned previously, that
the rumor was in circulation concern-ing the strange doctrine which he was
setting forth; and which, indeed, was creating quite a stir among the people,
and it surprised us to hear of his return to Colesville with his wife, to meet
again with his old money diggers. But now he had entered upon a new project.
He declared an angel had appeared to him and told him of golden plates, which
were hidden up to come forth on a certain day.... All this was heard and
believed by a large number of persons in Colesville, among whom was my own dear
sister and her husband.
"Onward hastened the time. The book was translated from the golden
plates; it was called the Book of Mormon.... On learning of our sister's
conversion to this faith, we were doubtful as to the accuracy of the report....
At this time they had organized a church, which con-sisted of sixty members....
"I now visited my sister to try if possible to convince her of the
error into which she had innocently been decoyed and deceived. However, this
was of no effect whatever....
"[Finally] my faith... [grew] weak in regard to chang-ing her
mind, and I thought it best for me to go back to my brother's, and henceforth to
let them alone. I considered it a deception and delusion; but as I was
necessarily detained over the Sabbath, I attended services with my sister. The
discourse was delivered by Oliver Cowdry, an elder of the Mormon church, and a
witness to the gold plates.... I was still detained at my sister's. For some
reason I could not get back to my brother's, in Sandford; and, at this time, I
cannot remember the cause of my prolonged stay. While I tarried I attended
church with my sister. Sidney Rigdon came to Colesville and preached to a
numerous congrega-tion. We did not class him as a Mormon, as we were informed
that he was a Baptist minister, from Payns-ville [sic], Ohio. The words of his
text-- 'O, foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the
truth?' It was indeed interesting, and great attention and silence prevailed;
and it was acknowl-edged by all to be the best sermon ever preached in that
vicinity. He stayed several days, seeming to have special business with Joseph
Smith and the leaders of the new Mormon church. I mention these facts only
because I think to this day that he had something to do in getting up the Book
of Mormon, and we found, after his return to Ohio, that he was a believer in the
new doctrine.
"This seemed rather strange, that a man of his talents should be a
believer in anything so strange as this appeared to be.... The excitement had
now reached to a high pitch; and the old father of all mischief and disturbance,
helped to circulate a report that I was intending to join the Mormon church on
the Sabbath following. This false rumor reached the attention of my brother,
and [also] the [pastor of the] church of which I was a member. A complaint was
entered against me to the church; next, a course of gospel labor com-menced.
They visited me three times; each time I assured them I had no thought of
joining them (the Mormons). This they did not seem to hear; and... [i]n the
advancement of time I perceived they still believed I intended joining that
church, without listening to what I told them or trying to ascertain the truth
in regard to it. They did not come to me in love and ask me to go with them to
my brother's or my father's, but continued to come and see me. I had been
homesick, and had had several hearty crying spells in secret, because I could
not get back to my brother[']s. The team was always in use, or some other very
essential thing to attend to....
"It was one Sabbath day, beautiful and bright. We had been to
church. Several had assembled at Newell Knight's, as was the general custom,
for he was an elder. A message was sent to me that Esick Lyon wished to see me
at the grove, which was some distance from the house; that he wished a friendly
interview with me. I felt reluctant in granting his request, but through the
advice of my sister I ventured to go. I at this time attempted to make plain to
him the reason of my tarrying at my sister's, and I then believed he had
understood me perfectly. While in the midst of our conversation, who should
come but the Rev. Mr. Sherer, pastor of our church in Sandford. he came and
took my hand, and holding it so long and firmly I thought it odd. I had tried to
disengage this unwelcome cordiali-ty, but had no success. I then asked my
brother's assistance; but he declined, saying I would do well to listen to Mr.
Sherer's council. However, we were not in the least surprised to find every
member of the Mormon church on hand. My sister hastened to me, and soon
wrenched off the hand that held mine. 'What are you doing with my sister?' she
asked with an authorita-tive expression. 'What are you doing with my sister?'
again she asked, her face looking white as snow as she uttered these words.
There were about sixty Mormons now in close contest with my brother and Mr.
Sherer. I left them to settle the matter as best they could; I cared not how if
I only obtained my liberty.... Many hard words were used...."(48)
(fatal questions marked with an asterisk *)
*How reliable can Emily Coburn's statement be, made 50 years after the fact, when her claims about Rigdon meeting for "several days" (after the Sunday meeting in which he allegedly preached) with Joseph Smith and the leaders of the "new Mormon Church", conflicts with accounts given by Joseph Smith and Newel Knight recorded within 10 years of the events in question? According to these more timely and better documented sources, there were only three occasions when Joseph visited Colesville during the summer of 1830, and on none of these visits could he have met for "several days" with Rigdon, even assuming that Rigdon was there: 1) on Saturday, June 12th of 1830, Joseph arrives at Colesville, is arrested the following Monday, spends the next several days in custody or in court, and then returns to Harmony immediately thereafter; 2) on Saturday, June 19th of 1830, Joseph arrives in Colesville only to be immediately forced by the threat of mob violence to return that night to Harmony; 3) on August 29th, Joseph arrives in Colesville, and departs the next day.
*How reliable can Emily Coburn's statement be about Rigdon's alleged visit with Smith in Colesville, when it conflicts with the Rigdon and Smith time-lines? (This is based on the timing of the events from the more credible accounts by Smith and Knight. The authors of Enigma present their own "probable chronology", which I discredit below.) Yet, the Enigma authors claim that "for in every instance without exception, where a witness or witnesses have claimed that Rigdon and Smith were together, a gap in Rigdon's chronology occurs which allows sufficient time for him to have visited New York." As the author's have also said, "every liar slips up somewhere" (see Enigma p. 490), and it appears that both Coburn and the Enigma authors slipped up here. (Provide links to the Rigdon and Smith time-lines.)
How reliable can Emily Coburn's statement be about a trivial event (i.e. Sidney Rigdon preaching at a meeting in Colesville), that she publishes for the first time (at least that is known) over 50 years after the alleged events, and at the age of 69?
Why did she wait for 50 years before disclosing this, particularly given the controversy raised by Howe in 1834 about Rigdon supposedly being the author of the Book of Mormon? If she "thought to this day" that Rigdon "had something to do with getting up the Book of Mormon", then why didn't she come forward earlier with her "evidence"?
Why didn't she explain the reason(s) why she believed that Rigdon "had something to do with getting up the Book of Mormon", beyond just the circumstantial evidence she sets forth of the alleged meeting between Rigdon and Smith (which, as pointed out above, could not have happened as she states), and the matter of Rigdon having supposedly been a believer in the "new doctrine" at that time?
Why didn't she inform the reader how, and when, she learned that Rigdon "was a believer in the new doctrine"? And, why didn't she inform the reader of what relevance, exactly, Rigdon's supposed belief in the "new doctrine" had with his supposedly "getting up the Book of Mormon"?
What evidence does she give that Rigdon wasn't, as he was classed to be, a Baptist minister? In fact, don't all the credible historical records confirm that he was what he was classed to be at that time? (Provide link to Rigdon time-line.)
Could it be that Emily's belief about Rigdon "getting up the Book of Mormon", and that he was supposedly a "believer in the new doctrine", was a product of her having, after her disaffection from the Church, bought into the rumors to that effect, which began circulating a year after the events in question (1831), and which continued "to this day"?
Emily mentioned that her sister Sally, as well as a "numerous congregation," allegedly attended the meeting where Rigdon preached, and that the sermon was "acknowledged by all as the best ever preached in the vicinity." Why, then, is there no statement from any of these other people regarding Rigdon's visit and speech?
Why would Sally, a supposedly "new convert" to the LDS faith, attend a meeting of a Baptist minister allegedly on the same day (Sunday) that she would likely have attended LDS meetings in her own home, or the home of her father-in-law?
How reliable can those portions of Emily's statement be that were apparently based on rumor or limited and biased perspective--the facts regarding some of which she could not have known for a certainty, though that didn't prevent her from stating them as though they were known facts? And, Emily's story appears to vacillates back and forth between personal experience and dubious perceptions, making it difficult for one to be certain which is which?
How reliable can her statement be when she claims to have been detained at the Knight's, and unable to return to her brothers (for reasons she at first claims not to recollect, but later says it was because the team was always in use), and yet Rev. Sherer (or Shearer) and her brother visited her on several occasion, and could have taken her home to her brothers with them?
Why does she claim to have been detained at the Knight's, and to have had "several hearty cry spells" because she couldn't return to her brothers, when, according to the Smith and Knight accounts, it took Rev. Sherer, using the Power of Attorney on behalf of her father, to get a court order taking her into custody and back to her fathers?
In an effort to sure-up Emily's statement, the Enigma authors provide us with the following "probable chronology" of the events they claim occurred during the "summer of 1830" (in italics). I will add my comments and criticism where appropriate (in regular font).
-01 Feb. 1830: The Rev. John Sherer is commissioned by the
Ameri-can Home Missionary Society to serve Colesville and Sandford Presbyterian
churches for a twelve month period. (American Home Missionary Society papers,
4th Report, pg.34, #321. Dillard University Amistad Research Center, New
Orleans, LA.)
Agreed.
-Last week of May: Emily's brother-in-law, Newel Knight, visits Joseph Smith
at Fayette and is baptised by David Whitmer. (History of the Church, Vol.I,
pg.84.)
Agreed.
-09 June: The first Church Conference is held at the Whitmer farm in
Fayette. Articles & Covenants are presented. (ibid. Some sources say 1
June; see fn. pg.84.)
Agreed. (I prefer the June 9th date as recorded in the minutes for the
meeting.)
-c.27-28 June (Sun.-Mon.): Most sources agree that the Colesville branch of
Church was founded at this time.
Actually, though the exact dates are not of critical importance, according
to the timing in History of the Church (Vol.1, Ch.9, p.86), and Newel Knight's
Autobiography (p.52 - p.53), adjusted by the more accurate date (June 9th) given
in the source above, and assuming that the meeting and subsequent baptisms at
Colesville constituted the so-called "founding" of that branch, this
occurred on the 13th and 14th of June.
Emily's sister, Sally Coburn Knight, is baptized by Oliver Cowdery on either
28 or 29 June, but is not confirmed. (LDS Messenger & Advocate, Vol.I, No.1
[Oct. 1834], pg.12. Cowdery gives the date as the 29th, although most sources
maintain it was on the 28th. See for example Porter, Larry C., "The
Colesville Branch and the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon," BYU Studies,
Vol.X, No.3 [Spring, 1970], pp.365ff.)
Again, according to the adjusted timing in the History of the Church and
Newel Knight's Autobiography, the date was the 14th of June, though not of
critical difference with the date given in the other accounts.
According to Smith, (Hist. of the Ch., I, pg.87) the Sherer/ Coburn incident
occurred at about this same time. However, careful examination conclusively
shows this cannot be correct. (Whether this error is the result of an honest
mistake or a deliberate obfuscation cannot be determined.)
Actually, both the Smith and Knight accounts indicate that the Shearer (or
Sherer) incident occurred prior to June 1st, thus making it about a month's
difference from what the Enigma authors suggest of Smith, thereby proving the
Enigma authors incorrect and not very careful in their examination. (Whether, as
they say, this error is a result of honest mistake or a deliberate obfuscation
cannot be determined.) More importantly, as will be shown, the authors' also
confuse their biased and errant conjecture with "conclusively shows"
(see below).
-c.July 1: Joseph Smith is tried at Bainbridge and Colesville and gets off,
largely due to legal technicalities concerned with residency requirements and
the Statute of Limitations. (Porter, loc.cit.; Walters, W.P., "The
Abduction of Emily [Coburn] Austin," m/s in Wes Walters Collection, copy on
file.)
The Smith and Knight accounts (adjusted to the date of June 9th for the
first conference) suggest the dates for the two trials as June 15th and 16th.
And, according to Mr. Reid (or Reed), the non-LDS lawyer who represented Joseph
at the trial: "Those bigots [i.e. various "zealous Presbyterians"]
soon made up a false accusation against him and had him arraigned before Joseph
Chamberlain a justice of the peace, a man that was always ready to deal justice
to all, and a man of great discernment of mind. The case came on about 10
o'clock a.m. I was called upon to defend the prisoner. The prosecutors employed
the best counsel they could get, and ransacked the town of Bainbridge and county
of Chenango for witnesses that would swear hard enough to convict the prisoner;
but they entirely failed. Yes, sir, let me say to you that not one blemish nor
spot was found against his character, he come from that trial, not withstanding
the mighty efforts that were made to convict him of crime by his vigilant
persecutors, with his character unstained by even the appearance of guilt."
(History of the Church, Vol.1, p.94, Footnotes, see also: ibid. pp. 91-96; Newel
Knight Autobiography in Classic Experiences, 1969, p.57)
June 17th, Joseph returns home to Harmony, Pennsylvania. (History of the
Church, Vol.1, Ch.9, p.96)
-06 July: Priesthood restoration by Peter, James and John is alleged to have
occurred near Harmony, PA, where Smith and Cowdery have fled seeking refuge from
an angry mob of Colesville citizens. (Quinn, Mormon Hierarchy, pg.616.)
Both Quinn and the Enigma authors are speculating wildly, and
irrelevantly, about the timing of the priesthood restoration, and according to
the Smith and Knight accounts, Joseph and Oliver sought refuge during the
evening of June 19th. (History of the Church, pp. 91-96; Newel Knight
Autobiography in Classic Experiences, 1969, p.57) For a scholarly article which
asserts that the restoration of the Melchezedik priesthood by Peter, James, and
John, took place towards the end of May, 1829, please see:
Larry C. Porter, "The
Restoration of The Priesthood," Religious Studies Center Newsletter, Volume
9, No. 3, May 1995.
-Early August: Newell and Sally Knight go to Harmony (less than 20 miles) to
visit Joseph Smith. Here Sally Knight and Emma Smith are confirmed into the
Church. (Hist. of the Ch., I, pg.106-108.)
Agreed.
-Emily hears of her sister's conversion shortly afterwards, but at first
doesn't believe it. her error. She is "detained over the Sabbath," and
attends Mormon services with her sister, at which she hears Oliver Cowdery
preach (Austin, pg.36).
The Enigma authors are assuming that Emily's use of the term "conversion"
is in reference to her sister's baptism and subsequent confirmation; whereas, it
could arguably be (and more likely is) in reference to her sister's acceptance
of the "strange doctrine" which Joseph had taught at Colesville prior
to the organization of the Church on April 6th, 1830 (not to be confused with
setting up a branch of the Church in Colesville), about which Emily remarked, "All
this [i.e. the 'strange doctrine'] was heard and believed by a large number of
persons in Colesville, among whom was my own dear sister and her husband."(see
Enigma citation above) This being the case, it is thus consistent with the
timing of the Smith and Knight accounts (the Enigma authors' assertions about "conclusively"
notwithstanding) which have Emily at the Knight's prior to June 13th, the actual
date of Oliver's speech at Coleville.
Furthermore, during the month of July, Oliver Cowdery was sent to Fayette,
New York (see D&C section 25, v. 6; and History of the Church, Vol.1, Ch.10,
p.103-104), where he apparently remained until he was sent on a mission to the
Lamanite nations in October of that year. (This is based on the fact that Oliver
and Joseph corresponded by letter during the month of July, Oliver was not
present at the confirmations in "early August" at Harmony mentioned
above, nor was he mentioned in the revelation that occurred at Harmony about the
same time, Oliver baptized Parley Pratt at Fayette around the last of August and
first of September, the Hyrum Page incident at Fayette in early September in
which Oliver was involved, various revelation regarding Oliver given at Fayette
during the month of September, the conference at Fayette on the 26th of
September, Oliver leaving Fayette in October in the company of Parley Pratt and
others.) (See History of the Church, Vol.1, Ch.10-11, pp.103-122)
So, by virtue of these facts, the timing of Oliver Cowdery's speech in
Colesville could not possibly have been in August as the Enigma authors suggest,
but likely occurred at or near the time suggested by the first-hand and more
timely accounts of Smith and Knight (June 13th).
Upon learning the report is true, Emily goes to visit her sister in an
effort to persuade her of her error. She is "detained over the Sabbath,"
and attends Mormon services with her sister, at which she hears Oliver Cowdery
preach (Austin, p36). Afterwards: "I was still detained at my sister's. For
some reason I could not get back to my brother's in Sandford; and at this time I
cannot remember the cause of my prolonged stay. While I tarried, I attended
church with my sister. Sidney Rigdon came into Colesville an[d] preached to a
numerous congregation. We did not class him as a Mormon, as we were informed
that he was a Baptist minister, from Paynsville [sic], Ohio.... He stayed
several days, seeming to have special business with Joseph Smith and the leaders
of the new Mormon church...." (ibid., pp.36-37.)
(This is dealt with in the section above)
Thus it follows that:
-08 Aug. (Sun.) Oliver Cowdery preaches.
Again, the date for the speech was June 13th. Oliver was in Fayette, New
York, not Colesville, from July through October.
-09 Aug. (Mon. A.M.) Sidney Rigdon leaves Ohio for Colesville-- a five-day
trip based upon the following route (travel by fast stage):
-Mentor-Buffalo (Sartwell's Cleaveland-Buffalo
mail
coach, daily, c.200 mi: thru in 40 hrs)...............=2 days
-Buffalo-Syracuse (Thorp & Sprague's "Telegraph"
coach, daily, 155 mi: 30 hrs).......................................=2 days
-Syracuse-Binghamton-Colesville (90 mi: 24 hrs)..........=1 day
Thus Rigdon could easily have made the trip in five days, leaving early in
the morning on Monday, 9 August, and arriving in Colesville by midnight on
Friday the 13th. (See Appendix VI for additional travel information and
sources.)
(This is dealt with in the section above)
-13 Aug. (Fri. P.M.) Sidney Rigdon arrives in Colesville.
(This is dealt with in the section above)
-14-17 Aug. Secret meetings between Rigdon, Smith and Cowdery.
(This is dealt with in the section above)
-15 Aug. (Sun.) Rigdon preaches a Sabbath sermon attended by Emily Coburn
and her sister, Sally.
According to the Smith and Knight accounts, Emily had been taken against
her will by Rev. Shearer from the Knight's home to the home of her father on the
evening of June 13th. She does not return for several months--the Enigma authors
state, "Emily goes to her sister's home again after not having seen or
heard from her in several months (Austin, pp.56-57.);" and, given that
Sally had been active in the LDS faith for some time, and would likely have
attended Sunday services held at her own home, or the home of Joseph Knight; it
is highly doubtful that these two sisters would have attended this meeting, at
this time, even were it to have occurred (which it did not, at least not at the
time suggested).
-17 Aug. Rigdon and Cowdery depart for Fayette, from whence Oliver proceeds
to the Whitmers and Rigdon continues to Ohio. (NOTE: Rigdon may have stopped in
Palmyra long enough to preach a sermon on this trip-- either going or coming.
See Saunders and Lille above.)
Again, it is well documented (see above) that Cowdery had been permanently
at Fayette since July (likely around the middle of the month), so he could not,
at the time suggested by the Enigma authors, have departed for a destination he
had been at for over a month. As for the Enigma authors' note, the Saunders and
Lille statements have been dealt with, and drawn into serious question.
Based upon the same itinerary outlined above, Rigdon would thus have arrived
in Mentor by midnight on Saturday the 21st in time to preach in his regular
pulpit on Sunday.
-20 Aug. (Fri.) Rev. Sherer writes his six-month report to Absolom Peters.
The fact that he makes no mention of Emily Coburn is strong evidence that the
incident involving her had not yet occurred.
This is the fallacy of
arguing from silence.
There is no indication that the event (not to be confused with Emily's
baptism--i.e "defection") was ever reported by Shearer to Peters
regardless of when the event may have occurred. Besides, given that this event
likely happened several months earlier, and given that Shearer was only
partially successful in his underhanded efforts with Emily, it is probable that
this would have been the kind of experience he would have preferred to forget,
let alone not report to his superiors.
As for Rigdon, if indeed Sherer was even aware of his presence, he would
have had no more reason to mention him at the time than he would have had to
mention any other itinerant preacher who may have happened to pass through town.
Emily claims that the alleged speech was "acknowledged by all to be
the best sermon ever preached in the vicinity." Wouldn't the "all"
include Rev. Shearer? Was he not a part of the alleged "numerous"
congregation? Would he not, as a Presbyterian, been just as concerned with a
Baptists as he was with "Mormonites"? Nevertheless, this is of little
importance to the issue at hand.
Remember that Rigdon was still a "Baptist Minister" who probably
spoke to an open meeting rather than a strictly Mormon gathering, and had
carefully crafted his words to avoid revealing his true colors. Supporting this
is Emily's unmistakably clear statement that she did not discover "he was
also a believer in the new doctrine" until "after his return to Ohio."
What "colors" would Rigdon have supposedly needed to take care
to hide? As pointed out in the previous section, even assuming the absurd
notions that Rigdon was the "brains" behind the LDS movement and the
redactor of the Spalding manuscript into the Book of Mormon, history records
that the Book of Mormon had been published in the Spring of 1830 (approximately
five months earlier than the date mentioned for the alleged event above), and
Rigdon had joined the LDS faith in November of that year (approximately three
months after the date of the alleged event mentioned above), and traveled to
Fayette to meet Joseph in December, there to speak publicly as a new LDS member
for the next month. So, what need would there have been for him to allegedly
hold "secret meetings" or supposedly "avoid revealing his true
colors"? It doesn't make sense.
And, even assuming that Rigdon had visited Colesville at the time the
Enigma authors suggest (or even earlier in the summer as the narrative
suggests), the reason Emily would not have known that Rigdon was a believer in
the "new doctrine", was because he wasn't a believer, at least not
until the restored gospel was preached to him at Mentor, Ohio, in November of
that year--though he resisted it at first. (History of the Church, Vol.1, Ch.11,
pp.120-125)
-22 Aug. (Sun.) Rigdon preaches at Mentor. See Rigdon Chronology later in
text.
Agreed.
-Meanwhile, c.16 August a rumor begins to circulate in Colesville that Emily
"was intending to join the Mormon church on the Sabbath following."
(Austin, pp.38-39). She is visited "three times" during this week by
members of her own church in an effort to dissuade her.
According to legitimate historical accounts (as opposed to wild
speculation), this occurred prior to June 13th.
-22 Aug. (Sun.) The Sherer incident occurs.
According to legitimate historical accounts (as opposed to wild
speculation), this occurred prior to June 13th.
-23 Aug. (Mon.) Emily returns home. (Joseph Smith says Sunday evening; see
n.#48.)
According to legitimate historical accounts (as opposed to wild
speculation), this occurred prior on June 13th.
-26 Aug. (Thurs. A.M.) P.P. Pratt sets out from Ohio on a mission to NY.
It is likely that he left several days earlier, but it is not critical one
way or the other.
-29 Aug. (Sun.) According to Joseph Smith's own account, "Towards the
latter end of August," he again visited Colesville, but because a mob is on
the lookout for him, he stayed only one day and returned to Harmony. (Hist. of
the Church, I, pp.108-109.) "Some few days afterwards," Joseph Knight
came with a wagon to take him to Fayette, where he arrived "During the last
week of August." (Hist. of the Ch., I, pg.108.)
Agreed.
This, however, is called into question by Chapter XXVIII of the Book of
Commandments, (1833), which speaks of Joseph having received a "revelation"
at Harmony on 4 September; thus suggesting that once again, Joseph may have
later (1838) deliberately rearranged dates to serve his own ends. (This could be
one of the things David Whitmer was referring to when he wrote that, "The
'church history,' as you call it... is not correct. Do you not know that many,
many errors in facts and dates are in the articles written to the old church
papers? I know it." See Whitmer, David, "An Address to Believers in
the Book of Mormon," [Richmond, MO: pamphlet by the author, 1 April 1887].)
First of all, as was explained in the History of the Church, "Early
in the month of August Newel Knight and his wife paid us a visit at my place in
Harmony, Pennsylvania; and as neither his wife nor mine had been as yet
confirmed, it was proposed that we should confirm them, and partake together of
the Sacrament, before he and his wife should leave us. In order to prepare for
this I set out to procure some wine for the occasion, but had gone only a short
distance when I was met by a heavenly messenger, and received the following
revelation (see footnote below), the first four paragraphs of which were written
at this time, and the remainder in the September following:" (Joseph Smith,
"History of the Church," Vol.1, Ch.11, p.106) It appears that the day
on which the first four paragraphs were received was mistakenly combined, in
Chapter 28 of the Book of Commandments--1833, along with the month in which the
remainder of the paragraphs were eventually written. This was rightly corrected
in subsequent printings, and the entire revelation can now be read as Section 27
of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Second, the revelation occurred at Harmony, Pennsylvania, whereas David
Whitmer was in Fayette, New York at the time. So, he would have had no way of
knowing what the correct date was, let alone knowing better than Joseph Smith.
Hence, the only thing that must be "called into question," is
the Enigma authors research abilities and their dubious and hypocritical
attempts to revise history (as made evident above).
-29 Aug. (Sun.) P.P. Pratt arrives in Palmyra.
It is likely that he arrived several days earlier, but it is not critical
one way or the other.
-01 Sep. (Weds.) Pratt is baptized at Fayette by Oliver Cowdery. (Pratt,
P.P., Autobiography, pg.42.)
It is likely that he was baptized several days earlier, but it is not
critical one way or the other.
-c.10 Nov. "In the autumn of the year" Emily goes to her sister's
home again after not having seen or heard from her in several months. (Austin,
pp.56-57.) She is baptized and confirmed as a Mormon "the next Sabbath
after." (ibid. pg.57.)
-14 Nov. (Sun.) Probable date of Emily's conversion.
-18 Nov. (Thurs.) Rev. Sherer writes a letter to Absolom Peters telling of
Emily's defection to the Mormons. (AHMS papers, Dillard Univ.)
As can readily be seen, Smith's assertion that all of this happened in
June simply does not hold up under close scrutiny.
In truth, just the opposite has been demonstrated to be the case. It is
the Enigma author's speculations that doesn't hold up in light of legitimate,
first-hand, collaborated, historical accounts.
Last updated 3/19/01
Check documentation for July 1-3, 1830 date of trials: HC 1:87 97; cf. Jessee, The Papers of Joseph Smith, 1:312 18; Edwin Brown Firmage and Richard Collin Mangrum, Zion in the Courts (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1988), 50 51.