Mormon History
Memories of Sidney Rigdon - 1869
Moore’s Rural New Yorker – January 23, 1869
Historical
THE MORMONS:
Pen and Pencil Sketches Illustrating their Early History. - II.
_______________
BY A. W. COWLES, D. D.
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SIDNEY B. RIGDON, THE FIRST MORMON PREACHER.
THE two most important personages in the
earliest days of Mormonism, next to the chief seer, Smith, were Martin Harris
and Sidney B. Rigdon. Harris furnished money and Rigdon "brains" for the new
movement, for the Smith family were lamentably wanting in both these important
requisites for a new religion. Harris was the first convert who had property.
All the rest were dependent on their daily labor for a precarious livlihood.
Harris had a good farm and was in comparatively easy circumstances. He was,
however, a weak, credulous man, very ignorant, and yet a constant reader of the
Old Testament. It is said that he learned the whole of it so as to be able to
repeat it from memory, and could give chapter and verse for almost any passage.
He seemed to himself to have conquered the whole province of revelation,
including narratives, doctrines, prophecies and mysteries; and, like a greater
personage of olden time, he sighed for a new world to conquer. Familiar with the
old Hebrew prophets in his way, and with his own interpretation of their sublime
visions, which he of course readily exhausted, he was ready to hail with delight
a "live prophet," even if he did, to all human vision, seem like an idle
vagabond. This doubtless added to the sacredness of his prophetic character, in
his eyes. It perhaps was the weird eccentricity of one familiar with strange
visions and mysterious revelations. At any rate, Harris gave all the mind he had
and all the influence he could command to the new prophet. He was most
thoroughly convinced of the divine mission of Joe Smith. He devoted his time to
the new faith, and at length mortgaged his farm to raise means for printing the
new Bible. His wife, who had no sympathy for what she fully believed to be the
insane delusion of her husband, refused to sign the mortgage, and the alienation
became so serious that they separated. Harris persisted in his efforts to
publish the New Scriptures of the Mormon faith, and at length an edition of
5,000 copies was printed at a cost of $3,000. One of the printers has now in his
possession the original sheets from which the first edition was printed.
Harris retained his influence through all the early years of the new enterprise
at Palmyra, at Kirtland, O., and for a time at Independence, Mo. At this latter
place Smith discarded him and expelled him from the company of the saints, and
Harris left the community as an excommunicated Mormon. But little is known of
his subsequent history, except that with all his bitterness against his rivals,
and disgust at their conduct, he continued to believe most devoutly in the
inspiration of the Book of Mormon, and the truth of, at least, the earliest
revelations of Joe Smith.
SIDNEY B. RIGDON was the master intellect of the whole movement prior to the
settlement of the "Saints" at Nauvoo. A few weeks ago the writer visited this
original apostle, the first preacher, the ablest lecturer of all the early days
of Mormonism, and the principal materials for this sketch were communicated from
his own lips. He has resided for nearly twenty years in the village of
Friendship, Alleghany Co., N. Y. He is now a venerable old man of nearly eighty
years, with snowy beard and a keen eye. His health seems good; his mind clear
and vigorous. He has indeed a quick, excitable manner, and a fondness for
strong, emphatic expression, which seem to be the relics of his old fanaticism.
He appears communicative and frank; yet in the short interview above mentioned
he carefully avoided minute particulars of his Mormon associations and history.
Like Martin Harris, while with almost fierce invective he denounces his
associate leaders of the Mormon Church and colony, he still clings to his faith
in the inspiration of Smith and his Bible. Rigdon professes to believe that as
Paul, by the abundant revelation vouchsafed to him, was tempted by the devil to
vanity and self-confidence, as he himself declares, so Smith was exalted above
measure until he fell into the condemnation of the devil, and became corrupt in
morals and an apostate from the truth which had been revealed to him. Rigdon
claims that he saw the secret tendencies which afterward developed into the
system of "sealing spiritual wives," but which the outside world persists in
calling polygamy.
Rigdon narrates his early history with entire freedom, and with an old man's
pardonable pride in the early proofs of remarkable talents and extraordinary
successes.
The father of Rigdon was a planter in Maryland, owning considerable land and a
number of slaves. From conscientious scruples in regard to the lawfulness of
slavery, he at length manumitted his slaves, sold his peoperty, and moved into
the southwest corner of the State of Pennsylvania. Here young Rigdon was brought
up to hard farm work, with extremely limited advantages of education. He became
acquainted with a Baptist minister and his attention was called to personal
religion. He received baptism not far from the time in which he attained his
majority. He now struck out boldly from the homestead and spent a number of
months in the family of his new friend and spiritual counsellor, the Baptist
minister before mentioned. Here he found what seemed to him a perfect paradise
of books and intellectual companionship. He found in himself an insatiable
thirst for reading. He read history, divinity, and general literature, without
much method or aim, except to gratify his intense love of reading. He gave great
attention to the Bible, and made himself very familiar with all parts of it. He
readily committed to memory and thus stored up large portions of the most
attractive portions of the Bible.
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A MORMON BAPTISMAL SCENE BY MOONLIGHT.
This
extraordinary love of serious learning and remarkable aptness in the study of
Scripture, very naturally suggested to his own mind and to others the idea of
his becoming a preacher. He was licensed, according to the custom of the
Baptists, that he might prove his gifts and try his calling.
If we credit his own account, his early pulpit ministrations created a great
sensation throughout that part of the country, and especially in the western
part of Ohio, where the labors of the young preacher were in great demand. He
was here employed as a kind of evangelist -- without a settled charge. About
this time he married, and with his wife visited Pittsburgh. A Baptist church was
then vacant and he was invited to spend the Sabbath and supply the pulpit. The
result was an engagement with the congregation to remain as their regular
supply. Here he met with great success as a preacher, and built up a strong
church. His intense love of investigation and new modes of thought here
continued to grow upon him. He claims that he thoroughly reviewed the
Scriptures, and reached down to their profoundest depths. Dissatisfied with all
ordinary interpretations, he began a series of new and original explanations of
doctrine, of history and of prophecy. These novelties soon appeared in his
preaching, and at length he announced to his congregation that he could not
preach the doctrines or receive the interpretations of Scripture which the
church professed to believe. He resigned his charge; but a large number
sympathized with him and wished him to form a new congregation. He, however
removed to Ohio as an Independent Baptist, preaching what he pleased and
contradicting whomsoever he pleased. He himself stated that not unfrequently he
would attend a service and take his seat among the congregation, and after the
sermon arise and ask the liberty of adding a few remarks, and then quote
passages of Scripture to show the erronous doctrines which the preacher had just
uttered, and close by inviting the congregation to come and hear him at his next
appointment. This kept the community in a ferment and secured for him crowded
houses. He seemed just on the point of forming a new sect which should overthrow
by learning, logic and eloquence all the creeds and religious systems of the
world!!
In this part of his narrative the old fire gleamed from his keen eye, his cheeks
flushed with excited ardor, and with an oratorical sweep of his hand he said: --
"Yes, if I were only young again I could sweep away all your religions from
under the whole heaven.
Here the orbit of his wandering star was crossed by a Mormon missionary, or, in
plainer English, a peddler of Mormon Bibles, Oliver Cowdery, Joe Smith's
amanuensis, who was about the only one who could write a respectable hand, and
who prepared the manuscript for the printer, came along with his pack. He had
heard of the erratic and heretical preacher. He presented him with a copy of the
golden Bible. Rigdon solemnly affirms that this was his first personal knowledge
of Joe Smith and the Mormons. After a few days Cowdery returned and held a long
interview with Rigdon. Rigdon had read a considerable portion of the book. He
questioned Cowdery about Smith, and found that he was entirely illiterate.
Rigdon expressed the utmost amazement that such a man should write a book which
seemed to shed a flood of light on all the old Scriptures, and give them perfect
consistency and complete system. In his fresh enthusiasm, he exclaimed that if
God ever gave a revelation surely this must be divine. Thus Mormonism gained its
first clerical convert, and from this time Rigdon became one of the great lights
and leading spirits of the Mormon movement.
He at once left Ohio and went to Palmyra. There he made the acquaintance of
Harris, and delivered the first Mormon sermon in Palmyra, in the hall of the
Young Men's Association. He declared that he was called of God to preach the new
revelation. He took a text from the new Bible:
First Book of Nephi, Chap. iv. -- "And the angel spake unto me saying, These
last records which thou hast seen among the Gentiles shall establish the truth
of the first, which is of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known
the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them, and shall
make known to all kindreds, tongues and people that the Lamb of God is the
Eternal Father and Savior of the world: and that all men must come unto Him or
they cannot be saved."
He stood up, holding the Book of Mormon in his right hand and the old Bible in
his left, and claimed that each was necessary to the other; that the old Bible
could not be properly interpreted except by the aid of this new revelation. This
sermon was heard by a very small audience, and attracted no favorable attention
beyond the few "saints" who were already convinced. Rigdon says that his first
introduction to Joe Smith was at the house of the Whitmers, in Fayette, Seneca
Co., near the school-house in which one of the first Mormon meetings was held,
and where a few converts had been added to the new faith, and had received
baptism by night, by the hands of Oliver Cowdery.
Moore’s Rural New Yorker – March 20, 1869
Historical
THE MORMONS:
Pen and Pencil Sketches Illustrating their Early History. - III.
_______________
BY A. W. COWLES, D. D.
_______________
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IT is unquestionable that
Sidney Rigdon was the real master spirit of the Mormon Church from the time he
united his faith and his fortunes with the new movement. He was a ready speaker,
a fluent controversialist, having at command new and plausible theories, with a
love of contradiction and startling novelties of interpretation. He had gathered
a congregation at Mentor, Ohio, of such materials as would naturally cluster
round such a man. He had evidently unsettled his own faith and that of large
numbers of his hearers in the generally received interpretations of the Old
Bible. He was eccentric and bold, and among plain, uneducated people, passed for
an oracle. He was ripe for a new religion -- ready to listen to a new
revelation.
But we meet with great difficulty in ascertaining the exact truth as to his
agency in furnishing the materials for the Mormon Bible. It has been strongly
affirmed that Rigdon furnished Smith with the whole manuscript, which, it is
said, he obtained in Pittsburgh from a printing office. It is undoubtedly true,
according to Rigdon's own account, that he was living in Pittsburgh at the time
of the supposed revelation. He claims he was a settled Baptist minister in that
city, and denies having any knowledge of any such manuscript. A considerable
amount of evidence exists that Smith obtained possession of a fanciful romance,
written in Scriptural style, not unlike the quaint Chronicles that are sometimes
written by ingenious school girls or academy boys. The author of this is said to
have been one Rev. Solomon Spaulding, a graduate of Dartmouth College, and
president [sic] for a time, of Salem, Ashtabula Co., Ohio. This manuscript has
been traced to Pittsburgh; and, whether Rigdon knew of it or not, was according
to the most undeniable testimony, the principal material out of which the Book
of Mormon was composed. It was no doubt prepared by some one beside Joe Smith.
For, weak and absurd as much of it is, it is plainly beyond the ability of a
shiftless, ignorant young man, who could hardly write a legible hand or
construct a single correct sentence. If Rigdon had
any hand in this, it was with the utmost secrecy that he gave his assistance to
Smith. It is due to Rigdon, who now stands well for veracity and integrity among
all who know him, to give full weight to his positive denial of such a share in
the production of the so-called new revelation. At least we must admit,
unless his memory is treacherous, or a long habit of denial has distorted his
own conviction and belief. that such a denial from a respectable and honorable
man of his age, soon to render up his account, is entitled to credit.
We now turn from this period of doubtful facts and conflicting testimony as to
the origin of the Book of Mormon, (which will form the topic of a future
sketch,) to follow the fortunes of Rigdon in his new character as the Aaron of
the new Moses -- the mouthpiece, the doctrinal expounder, the ecclesiastical
organizer of the new church.
Joe Smith at once took Rigdon into his fullest confidence, and Rigdon professed
the most implicit faith in the frequent revelations which the young prophet
boldly uttered in the name of God. These so-called revelations were carefully
recorded, and they now make up a volume of Sacred Scripture among the Mormons,
bearing this title: -- "The Book of Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Selected from the Revelations of God by
Joseph Smith, President. Third European Edition -- Liverpool and London. Sold at
the Latter Day Saints' Book Depot, 35 Jewin Street -- 1852."
This volume contains, first, a system of doctrines under the title of "Lectures
on Faith." These lectures show considerable ingenuity, with some of the most
absurd blunders; for example, in developing the thought that faith is an element
of all power, the writer affirms that God himself acts by faith when he creates,
and quotes as a proof text, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were
framed by the word of God," and explains this to mean as if transposed thus: We
understand that through faith the worlds were framed by the word of God; and
then adds, "Who cannot see that if God framed the worlds by faith that it is by
faith He exercises power over them, and that faith is the principle of power."
These lectures are drawn mainly from the Scriptures, and contain many valuable
statements of practical truth, adapted to uneducated minds. They are accompanied
by a sort of Catechism for review. Rigdon was the
author of all these lectures. He was the acknowledged authority -- the expositor
and doctrinal oracle of the new church.
It seems to correspond with Rigdon's denial of any agency in the production of
the Golden Bible that his name does not appear in the record of Revelations
until more than a year after the professed discovery of the golden plates.
Nearly, or quite all, the new converts of the first year have "honorable
mention" by name. These men have a record as the special favorites of heaven,
and a few illiterate, deluded men have gained a strange immortality. Harris,
Pratt, Cowdery, Whitmer, Phelps, Gilbert, Knight, &c. are constantly named in
the so-called revelations. Even the wife of the prophet, Emma Smith, was honored
with a long message direct from heaven, which closes with the excellent advice:
-- "Continue in the spirit of meekness and beware of pride. Let thy soul delight
in thy husband and the glory which shall come upon him. And verily, I say unto
you that this is my voice unto all. Even so. Amen."
Mention of Rigdon "by revelation," appears in the following announcement to
Edward Partridge, given December, 1830, (see page 209,) -- "Thus saith the Lord
God the mighty one of Israel, Behold I say unto you my servant Edward that you
are blessed and your sins are forgiven you, and you are called to preach my
Gospel as with the voice of a trump; and I will lay my hand upon you by the hand
of my servant Sidney Rigdon, and you shall receive my spirit, the Holy Ghost,
even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom,
and you shall declare it with a loud voice saying, Hosanna, blessed be the name
of the most high God."
The divine call revealed to Rigdon, assumes to be given in the name of Jesus
Christ. It is enough to make one shudder to read such bold blasphemy. The
message is in these words: -- "I am Jesus Christ, the son of God, who was
crucified for the sins of the world, even as many as believe on my name that
they may become the sons of God. Behold, verily I say unto my servant Sidney, I
have looked upon thee and thy works, I have heard thy prayers, and prepared thee
for a greater work. Thou art blessed for thou shalt do great things. Behold thou
wast sent forth, even as John, to prepare the way before me. Thou didst baptize
by water unto repentance, but they received not the Holy Ghost; but now I give
unto thee a commandment that thou shalt baptize by water, and they shall receive
the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, even as the apostles of old. I am God,
and mine arm is not shortened, and I will show miracles and signs and wonders
unto all those who believe on my name."
Another revelation, dated December, 1830, reads thus: -- "Behold, I say unto you
(Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon), that it is not expedient in me that ye
should translate any more until ye shall go to the Ohio. And again I say unto
you that ye shall not go until ye have preached my gospel in those parts, and
have strengthened up my church, expecially in Colesville, for behold they pray
much unto me."
In March, 1833 Rigdon attained the second place in the Church as the Chief
Counsellor, and with Frederick G. Williams, formed the two assistant presidents
under Smith. These were the "three mightiest" names of the new church. The
revelation ran thus, addressed to Joseph Smith, Jr.: "Again, verily, I say unto
thy brethren, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, their sins are forgiven
them also, and they are accounted as equal with thee in holding the keys of the
last kingdom."
The early operations of Smith and Rigdon were conducted chiefly in sprase rural
Fayette, about two miles south of Waterloo, N. Y. Here in a small stream the
first baptisms were administered. Here, a so-called church was organized in a
school house, which is still standing. In Broome Co., at Colesville, another
cluster of converts was gathered, and also a few in South Bainbridge, Chenango
Co. Here Joe Smith found his wife, Miss Emma Hale. Something was also
accomplished in the interest of the new faith in Harmony, Pa. In all these
districts, however, success was not at all satisfactory. In Palmyra and
Manchester, the home of the Prophet and the scene of his first visions and
labors, everything was "played out."
At the instance of Rigdon, and under his lead, the new church emigrated from the
vicinity of the Sacred Hill Camorah, by revelation, "to the Ohio." Here the
Saints gathered together in the town of Kirtland, near Mentor, Lake Co. Here
Rigdon had numerous disciples, over whom he exerted a strong influence. Many of
these accepted the new faith of their erratic leader and late pastor. Here in
Kirtland was the first colony of Mormons. Here they purchased property, and
Smith, by convenient revelation, obtained control of t5he tithings and most of
the property of the Saints beyond their mere support. Here he opened the
Kirtland bank and issued a large circulation of what in those days were known as
"wild-cat" bills. He also had a mill and store. Here, by revelation, the Saints
were commanded to build a commodious dwelling for the prophet, and things went
on swimmingly until the bank became insolvent and general bankruptcy ensued.
Smith and Rigdon, to escape arrest, left in haste and by night. This was the
hegira of the prophet to the Land of Zion -- twelve miles [sic] west of
Independence, Mo., -- where the Saints had before purchased a refuge and
selected a site for a temple, and where Rigdon had the chief command for a
considerable period previous to the difficulties at Kirtland. It was on a casual
visit from the West to the former scene of their operations that the two
principal leaqders were in such imminent danger as to make it convenient to
leave in great haste.
At Kirtland a new convert was gained who was destined to exert a most powerful
influence upon the history and success of the Mormon Church. This was Brigham
Young, and all his family. This was in the year 1832. His department was that of
Foreign Missions, and all the wonderful success of the Mormons abroad has been
due to the early plans, shrewd management and thorough organization which he
gave to this feature of the new Church of Latter Day Saints. Brigham soon began
to be a power in the new church. The first few years, while Rigdon was rising,
Young was more or less abroad, gathering converts and organizing the admirable
emigration plans which have given life and power to the Mormon Church.
The emigrants were of course devoted to Young, and knew little of Rigdon; and
when, by the death of Smith, a successor was to be chosen, Brigham Young out-generaled
Rigdon and reached the Presidency; and to this day Rigdon cannot conceal his
disgust for his old rival. He says he wonders how Satan himself can consent to
make use of such a blockhead?
