Joseph Smith of The Church of Latter-Day Saints: Money Digger?
Glass lookers were not uncommon in New York farm country in the 1820's. They were shysters and con men who claimed that by looking into a piece of glass (or sometimes a special stone) they could see things others could not, including the locations of buried treasure. They would then charge poor farmers for this service to aid them in finding these great treasures supposedly buried beneath the ground. Of course none of these "treasures" were ever found.
By 1826 Joseph Smith had developed a reputation as a glass looker (also known as a money digger). Smith used a seer stone rather than a piece of glass. He would place the seer stone into a stovepipe hat which he would then cover with his face. By peering at the stone while in the hat he could see things which were far removed from him, even buried under the ground.
Early in 1826 a man by the name of Josiah Stowell had come to Smith to hire him for his money digging abilities. Stowell believed that there was a treasure buried on his land, left by Spaniards long ago. With Smith's great powers Stowell would be able to find the great Spanish treasure.
For a month Smith worked on the Stowell farm, but nothing was ever found. Stowell himself never doubted Smith's abilities, but many of those close to Stowell felt the old man was being taken for a ride by Smith and brought him up on charges.
Arad Stowell, Josiah's son, testified that he had personally tested Joseph Smith's abilities and saw clearly that it was nothing but a con job. With his testimony and that of two other men involved with Josiah Stowell, Joseph Smith was found guilty of disturbing the peace.
To those who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this episode in the life of their founder and first Prophet has been a very embarrassing one that they have fought very hard to deny. The danger lies not just in the fact that Smith was a convicted con man prior to his creation of the Church, but that the details of his confidence trickery are so similar to those of the story of Joseph Smith finding and translating the golden plates which would become the Book of Mormon.
Sometime between 1823 and 1827 Joseph Smith claimed to have received a vision that there were ancient golden plates buried somewhere on his land. He used the same money digging techniques he had used for Stowell to attempt to find the plates, without success. Other money diggers in the area began to pick up on the story and started coming and looking for the golden plates themselves. Finally, on September 22, 1827, Smith announced that the angel Moroni had given him a vision which lead him directly to the plates.
According to Emma Smith, Joseph's wife, David Whitmer (one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon) and many others, the process used by Joseph Smith in translating the Book of Mormon was the exact same as that which he used in money digging.
While translating Smith did not even have the golden plates in front of him. He used the seer stone, once again placed in his stovepipe hat. He would gaze into the hat, wherein he would see the plates in their hidden location now translated from the "Reformed Egyptian" in which they were originally written.
Because of this similarity between the finding and translation of the golden plates and Joseph Smith's money digging ventures, Mormons have tried to deny the truth of his 1826 trial. Documents found in the archives of the court in Bainbridge in 1971, however, verified that Smith indeed was brought to trial as a glass looker and was convicted for his crime.
Published by Allen Butler
Allen Butler is a freelance writer and tutor living in Austin, TX. View profile
- Anecdotes and Memories of Gordon B. Hinckley, Late President of the Church of Jesu... Fond memories of Gordon B. Hinckley, Late President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- The Image of the "Mormon" Church in Light of Prop 8 Recently I came across an article regarding the image of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints referencing what some former members wanted to verbalize. Here's my response to the ideas expressed on the topic...
- Other Latter Day Saints - Latter Day Denominations Not Affiliated with the LDS Church There are roughly a half a million Latter Day Saints in the world that are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here is some information on a few of those other Latter Day churches, and how...
-
Latter-day Saints Open 128th Worldwide Temple in Idaho
Hundreds of people came to celebrate the dedication of a Twin Falls, Idaho, Latter-day Saints Temple.
-
Frequently Asked Questions About the Mormons and the Beliefs of Latter-D...
Part II of a series of informative religious articles designed to educate the world about the unique beliefs, traditions and ideas of the Mormon faith.
- Leaving the Mormon Church
- The Reasons for the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus...
- Part 1 of Mormons Aren't Christians and Everything Else You Need to Know About Mor...
- Can There Be Another Testament of Jesus Christ?
- Joseph Smith, Author of the Book of Mormon
- The State of Texas Seized the Children of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Chris...
- A Terrible Trade: Chad Hardy's Excommunication from the Church of Jesus Christ of...
|
|
- Under fire, Obama adjusts his birth control policy (AP)
- Obama shift seeks to defuse birth-control fight (Reuters)
- Catholic group backs Obama birth control policy (AP)
- Catholic furor over birth control rule turns Democrats on one another (The Christian Science Monitor)
- Creator of Revolution Muslim website, inspiration to US jihadis, pleads guilty (The Christian Science Monitor)
- Smith is listed on Bainbridge court documents as "Joseph Smith the Glass looker"
- Smith was found guilty of disturbing the peace on March 20, 1826
- The process Smith used to find buried treasure is the same he used to translate the Book of Mormon
22 Comments
Post a CommentI always thought the BOM was the fullness of the gospel. If that were the case there would be no need for the additional doctrines found in D&C such as celestial marriage. No need for the BOM either really, or Joseph Smith. Death was overcome by Christ's death on the cross. "It is finished!" He said. No need for Joseph. Christ's mission was complete. Middle men are unnecessary, priesthood is imaginary as Christ alone is priesthood holder.
"THERE IS NO SECOND BOOK OF THE KJB NOW WHERE..."
Oh really?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Books_of_the_Bible
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_books_of_the_New_Testament
...Are you sure?
gary b, in your logic, that would also include MANY of the Evangelical and Pentecostal churches of today.
Remember the 1830-40's when Joesph Smith started Mormonism, the entire Rapture Pre-trib concept began by Darby after listening to the "visions" of a 15 year old girl.
I personally do not trust the validity of any new religion or tenet being founded on the past 200 years based on any "vision"
Absolutely excellect article.
God bless you in your efforts to show the deciet behind the Mormon Church. May God use you to open their eyes to His love and His truth!!!!!
It is sad to read some of the comments from those who don't know the facts about their own, false, though it truly is, satanically inspired faith.
God bless you.
This Mormon doctrine in my previous comments came from the LDS website (today) 2009. The Bible teaches that our bodies will be glorified bodies, like that of Christ when He rose from the dead-no longer subject to pain and death but raised to eternal perfection. What more can we add to Christ's perfection of us when we're "like as He is"? "It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him" (I John 3:2). http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/heavenly-father-s-plan-of-happiness/heavenly-father-s-plan-of-happiness
Mormon doctrine contradicts the Bible. They call the Book or Mormon & the Bible both the Word of God. Doctrines include: Your life did not begin at birth, The Father created your spirit & you lived with Him as a spirit before you were born on earth. Throughout your pre-earth life [b 4 u were born physically], you were taught the principles & commandments...with freedom to choose to grow in intelligence & love of the truth, or not. During this pre-earth life, you were taught by Jesus Christ & learned that, through Him, you would be able to overcome the effects of any wrong choices. You came to earth to receive a body & to gain knowledge & experience to help you become more like your Heavenly Father. At the time of physical death, your spirit will leave your body & go to the spirit world, where you will continue to learn and progress while you await the resurrection. LDS website 2009. http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/heavenly-father-s-plan-of-happiness/heavenly-father-s-
The Book of Mormon is elevated above the Bible & there is zero archeological evidence to support it, as opposed to the Bible which continues to build archeological evidence that it is solely the Word of God, not the word or book of some man. http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/biblical-archaeology.htm
If want the straight facts, look here:
http://en.fairmormon.org/Joseph_Smith/Legal_trials/1826_glasslooking_trial#What_records_exist.3F
It's funny how there's so many liars or blind haters in today's world. Well, that was prophesied, and I guess some people choose to become a part of it. Anyway, there's something much better than dry facts--the Holy Ghost. If you want to deny, go ahead--be the liars and/or blind haters you choose to be. It only makes the next life worse. If you truly accepted and felt the love of the Savior, you will have felt His Spirit and known this to be all false.
If anyone would like to view the actual legal papers and see for him or herself that Smith was not ever convicted in this case, you are invited to read "The Joseph Smith Papers." This is a 30 volume collection of documents and corraborated historical accounts of members and non-members of the Church concerning the life events and writings of Joseph Smith. I wandered into this particular article to look up what a glass-looker was. I found a definition plus lots of anger in these comments. A basic tenet of the Church is to investigate personally one's beliefs and search for truth. I hope many of you will do so.