. Joseph Smith’s New York Reputation Reexamined "[3], Hurlbut began travelling throughout the country, giving lectures against Mormonism. (Howe 1834, p. 231). 446-47). Marvin S. Hill, “Brodie Revisited: A Reappraisal,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 7 (Winter 1972): 77. (See History of the Church, 1:7, 11.). | [email protected]. ), John Bernhisel, another who contemplated Joseph’s character and conduct from the vantage point of a boarder in his home, observed that he was “kind and obliging, generous and benevolent, sociable and cheerful … possessed of a mind of contemplative and reflective character; he is honest, frank, fearless, and independent, and as free from dissimulation as any man to be found.” Bernhisel added, however, that it was in “the gentle charities of domestic life, as the tender and affectionate husband and parent, the warm and sympathising friend, that the prominent traits of his character are revealed, and his heart is felt to be keenly alive to the kindest and softest emotions of which human nature is susceptible.”10, Lewis Bidamon, the non-Mormon who married Emma Smith after the Prophet’s death, recalled that Joseph Smith’s “manners, movements and whole deportment made a deep and lasting impression upon me, and convinced me that he was not the imposter and wicked man he had been represented by his enemies to be; to me he appeared to be a good, honest and noble-hearted man, and from all I have ever learned about him since, I have not had occasion to change my opinion about him.”11, A convert from Vermont wrote, “My love for the Prophet Joseph was truly stronger than death; it was greater than for any man that ever lived.”12 And a woman, seventeen when Joseph visited her parents’ home in Philadelphia in 1840, could never forget the impression he made upon her: “So animated with loving kindness, so mild and gentle, yet big and powerful and majestic was the Prophet, that to me he seemed more than a man; I thought that he was an Angel.”13, One of the Prophet’s plural wives, having lived three years in his home, reflected late in her life, “I have known of his outgoings, and his incomings, his sorrows and joys, his troubles and afflictions in public and in private. Hurlbut concluded that the description of the story in the manuscript bore some resemblance to that of the Book of Mormon (Spaulding 1996). The purpose of these affidavits was to produce damaging evidence related to the character of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, Smith's family, and his associates. [1] Hurlbut had been excommunicated from the Church on charges of "unvirtuous conduct with a young lady," [2] and for threatening the life of the Prophet. Hurlbut's language in ostensibly non-Hurlbut affidavits shows that all his specific evidence is highly suspect . Included in the chapter is a lengthy letter to Rigdon from Thomas Campbell, who refers to Rigdon as "a professed disciple and public teacher of the infernal book of Mormon." . Were the pretended revelations of the Smiths accepted by the community in which they lived or was the family notorious for visionary projects? As it required the exertions of all that were able to render any assistance for the support of the Family, therefore we were deprived of the bennifit of an education. 1834, Church Hist. 9 In 1884 a Spalding manuscript, Manuscript Story — Conneaut Creek, was discovered and published. To prove involvement in money digging, he argues, the witness must actually have seen Smith digging, and since “one might observe one of the Smiths digging and completely misinterpret his reasons for doing so” (p. 302), the witness must also have heard Smith say he was digging for money. The affidavits portrayed Joseph Smith as “lazy, intemperate,” “entirely destitute of moral character and addicted to vicious habits,” including the deceptive practice of digging for hidden treasure.4 The legal framework of the documents gave them a strong flavor of credibility in an age uncritical of its information. Under New York law, being just thirteen, Joseph's testimony about the work he had performed was admissible only after the court found him competent. As a result of this she offered Joseph Smith a gift of $28 in order to help finance the Book of Mormon translation. Howe introduces the section containing the affidavits by stating: "We next present to the reader a few, among the many despositions which have been obtained from the neighborhood of the Smith family, and the scene where the far famed Gold Bible had its pretended origin." Archives. In doing so, however, some of those providing the statements revealed their own involvement with treasure-seeking as well (Bushman 2005, p. 49). Analysis of this handwriting proved, however, that it did not belong to Spalding (Spaulding 1996). Similarly deficient is Anderson’s claim that Joshua Stafford’s statement is “suspect” because Stafford had once dug for money with Smith, although he “alleges no personal observation” in his report. 5. Superior as it is to Nibley’s analysis in method and scholarly apparatus, Anderson’s article still falls short on several counts. Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith the Mormon Prophet (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972), vii, viii, 25, 405, 416. In doing so, however, some of those providing these statements revealed their own involvement with treasure seeking as well (Bushman 2005, p. 49).

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