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From our examination of the subject, we have no idea that there was any “Golden Bible,” or that Joseph Smith, junr., ever found any plates of any kind…
The whole thing can be accounted for upon purely psychological principles. Joseph Smith, junr., being what is called now-a-days a medium, and being subject to the influence of such a class of spirits, they could present before his vision anything they chose. The whole band of money-diggers were more or less mediative, and could be easily influenced. Had the subject of Mesmerism, Clairvoyance and Spiritualism been as well understood in 1827, ‘8, and ‘9, as they now are, Mormonism would never have obtained a foothold…
Many suppose the whole thing was a sheer fraud, deliberately planned, and purposely executed. That the entire pretence was a base lie. We have no doubt that there has been much of the spirit of “pious fraud” in the origin and progress of its development.” – Joel Tiffany
Mark 9:42; “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”
Memories of sitting through years of LDS Primary and Sunday School can’t help but come to mind whenever I read Jesus’ warning of what would happen to those who teach lies about God to little kids. How sad it is for those before, during, and after my time who are beguiled by the false gospel Smith peddled. Praise God that He sent His Son to rescue us! The thought of what He’s done in the mess of humanity is incomprehensible. PTL!
Mr. Joel Tiffany (1811-1893) was a highly respected, well known attorney in the States and author of the self-named periodical Tiffany’s Monthly. He spent years investigating, and thus exposing those who claimed to have psychic and clairvoyant powers. The focus in a few of his publications was on Joseph Smith and Mormonism.
Our example today came from the introductory part of a rare interview Tiffany had with Martin Harris on the origins of the Church and what part Harris played in the founding of Mormonism. As you can see neither Mr. Tiffany, nor others at the time, believed Smith’s stories, or those of his cohorts.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve been asked how Mormonism got to be so big or why people back then didn’t stop him. The easy answer of course is that men are evil, but I wanted to know the why and how because I used to ask myself the same questions.
In short, Mormonism ‘got this way’ due to the religious and political climate of the day. With the dawning of the 2nd Great Awakening and coming off the heels of the Revolutionary War, it was clear the spirit of rebellion had taken hold in the daily thought life of citizens in the new country known as the USA.
People were hungry for new thoughts and ideas that were just waiting to be discovered and became susceptible to whatever the cat dragged in. While they knew they wanted freedom, they weren’t aware of the new form of witchcraft Smith was introducing to the world.
What I found most compelling was Tiffany’s analysis of how Mormonism never would’ve taken hold if people had been aware of this type of witchcraft.