Церковь Иисуса Христа Святых Последних дней

[Elder]

С первого взгляда, - евангельскому верующему "придраться" как бы не к чему. И мы ТАК! И они ТАК! А со второго взгляда : Святой Дух член Божества - это похоже на исповедние тритеиста , у которого есть ТРИ разных Бога, хотя и имеющих одну природу, но которые суть различные субьекты,персоны, - что отображается термином ТРИАДА. Пример : Елдер, Иерушалайм, Сергей М1 - три субьекта , одинаковых по природе человеческой, но это три РАЗНЫХ человека, хотя и объединённых одной религиозной идеей.(Если у вас ТАК со структурой Иеговы, то это политеизм).

Вы и на самом деле думаете, что придирки каких-либо евангельских верующих для нас будут иметь значение?)))
Очень много спекуляций в связи с так называемым единобожием. Мы уже отвечали на это неоднократно. Этот вопрос никак не влияет на спасение, как и вопрос причастия. Бог не спросит вас на суде: чем ты причащался и был ты моно- или политеистом. Понимание этого вопроса лишь даст возможность продвинуться дальше в осознании плана Небесного Отца. Едино Божество, оно - одно единственное и нет для нас другого Божества. Председательствует в Нём Небесный Отец. Иисус Христос и Святой Дух - отдельные Личности от Небесного Отца.

Конечно, Святой Дух есть Личность. И Христос есть Личность. И эта Личность живёт в нас. То бишь, вас не надо убеждать в том, что человек имеющий Духа, - обладает Божественностью? Или всё-таки Божеством? Становятся ли верующие Богом Иеговой по причине того, что Христос живёт в них? Конечно же нет.

Божеством нельзя обладать, а божественность в нас заложена по факту нашего рождения, поскольку все мы - дети Небесного Отца

Вы верите в то, что Дух Святой, возрождая человека, сливается с его духом ? ( Конечно, без монофизитского смешения)

Получая дар Святого Духа, человек плучает Святого Духа в напарничество и может руководствоваться им в своей жизни.

А как вы относитесь к термину Богочеловек по отношению к Господу Иисусу? Положительно?

Так как и есть, Иисус - человек, но Он - физический сын Небесного Отца, значит в Нём объединены две природы: человеческая и божественная.

[Headache]

Вот именно, если мне хамят - то не важно, считает ли он себя "богочеловеком в восстановительном движении" или "рождённым свыше" ... вот к примеру, зачем поддерживать в этой теме такого тронутого хамла, как Ваш напарник по последним страницам ... Я понимаю, он читает Библию, молится, желает правды, добра ... но он тупит и троллит как паршивая овца, не пора ли его обличить Вам, а потом уже пусть вступает в диалог, в диспут, как взрослый разумный человек со взрослыми разумными людьми ... но Вы(ты) не видите в упор его шутовтсва чрезмерного для христианина ... с этого всё и начинается ..

Обращаюсь к Elder и Сергею М1: вы и теперь будете поддерживать дражайшего Второисайю, обвиняя меня в несправедливых нападках на него, или следуя честным правилам этого форума обратитесь с жалобой на него к модераторам? Посмотрим, как вы примените на практике принципы ЦИХСПД о честности и непредвзятости. Я обращаться к модераторам не буду. Пусть все видят, что этот Второисайя на самом деле нуждается в специализированном лечении и изоляции...

[Leerling]

Вот именно, если мне хамят - то не важно, считает ли он себя "богочеловеком в восстановительном движении" или "рождённым свыше" ... вот к примеру, зачем поддерживать в этой теме такого тронутого хамла, как Ваш напарник по последним страницам ... Я понимаю, он читает Библию, молится, желает правды, добра ... но он тупит и троллит как паршивая овца, не пора ли его обличить Вам, а потом уже пусть вступает в диалог, в диспут, как взрослый разумный человек со взрослыми разумными людьми ... но Вы(ты) не видите в упор его шутовтсва чрезмерного для христианина ... с этого всё и начинается ..

Я же вам говорю : око за око. Вы видите других, но отвечаете другим - тем же. Это - не Евангелие. Вы говорите о нём. А я говорю о вас.

[Leerling]

Мой брат JURINIS ! Я стараюсь понять вас. Кто же автор слов Еф.4:11 по вашему - разве не Христос-Бог? Апостол Павел утверждает что пророк (пророчествование) - это дар Духа , т.е. необходимое служение в Церкви. Вы не признаёте Послания Павла как часть Писания? В теологии и практике ЦИХСПД (как я это понимаю) ПРОРОК - это ветхозаветное служение, которое и было до Иоанна. Новозаветный дар пророка предназначен для всех рождённых свыше, а в ЦИХСПД - это участь ОДНОГО.

Подтвердите свои слова

Библия учит такому домоустройству Новозаветной Церкви:

Цитата из Библии:

1 Corinthians


12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

14.5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Откуда мы видим, что служение пророка приравнено к дарам Духа, и имеет отношение не к одной только личности, но ко многим одновременно, кого Бог избрал к этому .


Что мы видим в устройстве ЦИХСПД ? ПРОРОК это самое высокопоставленное лицо, единственное по количеству, - верх иерархии. По 1Кор.12:28, Еф.4:11 - во-первых, - Апостолы, а во вторых уже Пророки.

[Leerling]

Elder

Вы и на самом деле думаете, что придирки каких-либо евангельских верующих для нас будут иметь значение?)))

Нет не придираюсь , но я показываю вам, например, что Новозаветная практика первой церкви касательно служения пророков , описанная в Библии и практика мормонов не одно и то же. И вас это нисколько не смущает. Нас тоже. Я про то, что у нас с вами разные религии. Потому : у вас кошка, у нас окошко.

Очень много спекуляций в связи с так называемым единобожием. Мы уже отвечали на это неоднократно. Этот вопрос никак не влияет на спасение, как и вопрос причастия. Бог не спросит вас на суде: чем ты причащался и был ты моно- или политеистом. Понимание этого вопроса лишь даст возможность продвинуться дальше в осознании плана Небесного Отца. Едино Божество, оно - одно единственное и нет для нас другого Божества. Председательствет в Нём Небесный Отец. Иисус Христоа и Святой Дух - отдельные Личности от Небесного Отца.

Спасибо. По вашим словам вы уходите от строгого монотеизма и демонстируете минимум тритеизм.

Божеством нельзя обладать, а божественность в нас заложена по факту нашего рождения, поскольку все мы - дети Небесного Отца

Божество это прерогатива Триединого Бога Иеговы. А вот Божественность ( природа Божия) в нас приходит никак иначе, как только с Духом Святым. Неверующий человек суть творение Бога, в котором нет ни Духа Божьего, ни Божественности. Если божественность,по-вашему, заложена в вашем природном человеке от рождения от плоти и крови, - то мормонское «рождение свыше» - это вовсе не приобретение в лице Духа Божественности (святости и агапэ), и само рождение свыше это не евангельское, а мормонское рождение свыше.


Скажите. Бог есть Любовь. Любовь это природа Бога. Божья любовь это Агапэ. По вашему что, - все не принявшие Крест и искупление Христа, - имеют в себе Агапэ? А ведь Агапэ излилась в сердца наши Духом Святым (Рим.5:5) и никак иначе. И что, Божественную вечную жизнь зое тоже вы имели с рождением от природных родителей? Тогда для чего Крест и прощение? Если грешник и без того, то бишь с грехами (мёртвый по грехам) у вас имеет и зое и агапэ? Я в недоумении.

Получая дар Святого Духа, человек плучает Святого Духа в напарничество и может руководствоваться им в своей жизни.

Если вышеизложенные мои предположения о вашем исповедании хотя бы частично справедливы, то ваш дар Духа это какая-то религиозно-философская категория, а не суть действительность Божьей Божественной сферы.

Так как и есть, Иисус - человек, но Он - физический сын Небесного Отца, значит в Нём объединены две природы: человеческая и божественная.

Считаете ли вы Иисуса Христа - Богом? Или статус Бога имеет лишь Отец?

[Второисайя]

Я же вам говорю : око за око. Вы видите других, но отвечаете другим - тем же. Это - не Евангелие. Вы говорите о нём. А я говорю о вас.

А я говорю о вас раньше и о вашей честности, это уж точно не Евангелие - троллил, троллил, сказал что в игнор меня поставил, а сам подождал случая, всё перечитал и сделал выпад, прикрываемый "благочестивым братом". Уж мало его банили!

[Второисайя]

На будущее - вы пришли в тему к этим людям, которых и так ни за что гребут тут. Так вот - уберите свои ухмылки и ведите себя прилично. Иначе вы не христиане.

[Leerling]

А я говорю о вас раньше и о вашей честности, это уж точно не Евангелие - троллил, троллил, сказал что в игнор меня поставил, а сам подождал случая, всё перечитал и сделал выпад, прикрываемый "благочестивым братом". Уж мало его банили!

Моя честность говорит, что поступать око за око это не Царство Бога. Меня - палкой, - я палкой. Как с нами Христос поступает ? Он прощает нас без условий. Разве мы не согрешаем много? Разве мы не огорчаем Духа ? Но Бог с нами поступает не по справедливости, а по благодати. Так и написано : прощайте друг друга как и Бог в Христе простил вас. Нас, преступников Его Божественной праведности, - Бог помиловал, а мы не можем миловать своих обидчиков. Я никого не защищаю , но мне эта вся перепалка на по масти. Помните - Господь всем судья. А мы не судьи.

[Второисайя]

Друг мой, видимо ты что то опять недопонял ... уж извини, но хватит тебе юлить ! Вот рядом с тобой там "виртуально" христианский тролль, ты его поощряешь (лицемерие), не обличаешь его манеру порой слишком тупую и хамскую ... но тем не менее ободряешь его нападки на членов ЦИХСПД ... и когда я попытался дать ответ - меня сразу так же обличаешь (хотя я никогда не умирал тут всем доказывая, что я Христианин) ... Посмотри на себя честно ! Покайся.

[Второисайя]

Видимо Евангелие (настоящее Духовное) - мало вас коснулось, что вы так все любите воевать на пустом месте. Сила Евангелия не в спорах - а в чистой любви, умении вытащить бревно из своих глаз, в мудрости ... Если хотите кого то обличить, наставив на Путь Истинный - найдите общие темы, а не споры по фактам, которых точно никто из вас и не знает. Засвидетельствуйте своей жизнью прежде всего, а если есть конкретные факты объективные - только тогда их вылаживайте, а не интерпретации слов, оригинала которых никто не читал и не видел. Каждый имеет право верить в своё и почитать свою книгу. Истинность духовной книги доказывается силой духа этой книги - проявляемой в жизни.

[Headache]

JOSEPH SMITH AND MONEY-DIGGING

Chapter 4

In the Salt Lake City Messenger for August, 1971, we announced one of the most important discoveries since Joseph Smith founded the Mormon church in 1830. This is the discovery by Wesley P. Walters of an original document which is more than 140 years old. This document, found in Norwich, New York, proves that Joseph Smith was a "glass looker" and that he was arrested, tried and found guilty by a justice of the peace in Bainbridge, New York, in 1826. (See photograph of this document on p.68 of this book.) The importance of this document cannot be overstated, for it establishes the historicity of the account of the trial which was first published in Fraser's Magazine in 1873. We quote the following from that publication:

STATE OF NEW YORK v. JOSEPH SMITH

Warrant issued upon written complaint upon oath of Peter G. Bridgeman, who informed that one Joseph Smith of Bainbridge was a disorderly person and an imposter.
Prisoner brought before Court March 20, 1826. Prisoner examined: says that he came from the town of Palmyra, and had been at the house of Josiah Stowel in Bainbridge most of time since; had small part of time been employed by said Stowel on his farm, and going to school. That he had a certain stone which he had occasionally looked at to determine where hidden treasures in the bowels of the earth were; that he professed to tell in this manner where gold mines were a distance under ground, and had looked for Mr. Stowel several times, and had informed him where he could find these treasures, and Mr. Stowel had been engaged in digging for them. That at Palmyra he pretended to tell by looking at this stone where coined money was buried in Pennsylvania, and while at Palmyra had frequently ascertained in that way where lost property was of various kinds; that he had occasionally been in the habit of looking through this stone to find lost property for three years, but of late had pretty much given it up on account of its injuring his health, especially his eyes making them sore; that he did not solicit business of this kind, and had always rather declined having anything to do with this business.
Josiah Stowel sworn: says that prisoner had been at his house something like five months; had been employed by him to work on farm part of time; that he pretended to have skill of telling where hidden treasures in the earth were by means of looking through a certain stone; that prisoner had looked for him sometimes; once to tell him about money buried in Bend Mountain in Pennsylvania, once for gold on Monument Hill, and once for a salt spring; and that he positively knew that the prisoner could tell, and did possess the art of seeing those valuable treasures through the medium of said stone; that he found the (word illegible) at Bend and Monument Hill as prisoner represented it; that prisoner had looked through said stone for Deacon Attleton for a mine, did not exactly find it, but got a p--- (word unfinished) of ore which resembled gold, he thinks; that prisoner had told by means of this stone where a Mr. Bacon had buried money; that he and prisoner had been in search of it; that prisoner had said it was in a certain root of a stump five feet from surface of the earth, and with it would be found a tail feather; that said Stowel and prisoner thereupon commenced digging, found a tail feather, but money was gone; that he supposed the money moved down. That prisoner did offer his services; that he never deceived him; that prisoner looked through stone and described Josiah Stowel's house and outhouses, while at Palmyra at Simpson Stowel's, correctly; that he had told about a painted tree, with a man's head painted upon it, by means of said stone. That he had been in company with prisoner digging for gold, and had the most implicit faith in prisoner's skill.
Arad Stowel sworn: says that he went to see whether prisoner could convince him that he possessed the skill he professed to have, upon which prisoner laid a book upon a white cloth, and proposed looking through another stone which was white and transparent, hold the stone to the candle, turn his head to book, and read. The deception appeared so palpable that witness went off disgusted.
McMaster sworn: says he went with Arad Stowel, and likewise came away disgusted. Prisoner pretended to him that he could discover objects at a distance by holding this white stone to the sun or candle; that prisoner rather declined looking into a hat at his dark coloured stone, as he said that it hurt his eyes.
Jonathan Thompson says that prisoner was requested to look for chest of money; did look, and pretended to know where it was; and prisoner, Thompson, and Yeomans went in search of it; that Smith arrived at spot first; was at night;

[Headache]

that Smith looked in hat while there, and when very dark, and told how the chest was situated. After digging several feet, struck upon something sounding like a board or plank. Prisoner would not look again, pretending that he was alarmed on account of the circumstances relating to the trunk being buried, [which], came all fresh to his mind. That the last time he looked he discovered distinctly the two Indians who buried the trunk, that a quarrel ensued between them, and that one of said Indians was killed by the other, and thrown into the hole beside the trunk, to guard it, as he supposed. Thompson says that he believes in the prisoner's professed skill; that the board which he struck his spade upon was probably the chest, but on account of an enchantment the trunk kept settling away from under them when digging; that notwithstanding they continued constantly removing the dirt, yet the trunk kept about the same distance from them. Says prisoner said that it appeared to him that salt might be found at Bainbridge, and that he is certain that prisoner can divine things by means of said stone. That as evidence of the fact prisoner looked into his hat to tell him about some money witness lost sixteen years ago, and that he described the man that witness supposed had taken it, and the disposition of the money:
And therefore the Court find[s] the Defendant guilty. Costs: Warrant, l9c. Complaint upon oath, 25 ½ c. Seven witnesses, 87 ½ c. Recongnisances, 25 c. Mittimus, 19 c. Recongnisances of witnesses, 75 c. Suboena, 18 c.$2.68" (Fraser's Magazine, February, 1873, pp.229-30).
Although the Bainbridge court record was printed a few times it did not become too well known until Fawn Brodie printed it in her book No Man Knows My History. Immediately after her book appeared, Mormon leaders declared that the record was a forgery (see Deseret News, Church Section, May 11, 1946). Apostle John A. Widtsoe stated: "This alleged court record...seems to be a literary attempt of an enemy to ridicule Joseph Smith....There is no existing proof that such a trial was ever held" (Joseph SmithSeeker After Truth, Salt Lake City, 1951, p.78).
Mormon scholars continued to deny the authenticity of the court record until Mr. Walters made his discovery in 1971. The document which Walters found is Justice Albert Neely's bill showing the costs involved in several trials in 1826. The fifth item from the top mentions the trial of "Joseph Smith The Glass Looker" (see photograph on page 68 of this book).
The fact that the document says that Joseph Smith was a "Glass Looker" fits very well with the published version of the trial. In fact, this statement alone seems to show that the published account of the trial is authentic. Besides this, however, Neely's bill provides additional evidence. It states that the trial took place on "March 20, 1826," and this is precisely the date found in the published account of the trial: "Prisoner brought before Court March 20, 1826" (Fraser's Magazine, February, 1873, p.229). In Albert Neely's bill the fee for this trial is listed as "2.68," and this is the exact figure found in the printed record: "Costs: ...$2.68." In the face of this evidence it is impossible to continue to deny the authenticity of the court record.
In addition to Justice Neely's bill for the trial of "Joseph Smith The Glass Looker," Mr. Walters discovered the bill of Constable Philip M. DeZeng, which tells of "Serving Warrant on Joseph Smith." We have included a photograph of this document in MormonismShadow or Reality? (p.35). Mr. Walters has given an account of the discovery of these bills in an affidavit. We extract the following from that document:
REVEREND WESLEY P. WALTERS, being first duly sworn upon his oath, deposes and states:
On Saturday, May 22, 1971, while in Norwich, New York, I, ...was shown by the County Historian, Mrs. Mae Smith, where Chenango County kept their dead storage, which was in a back, poorly-lit room in the basement of the County Jail....
On July 28, 1971, I was able to return to Norwich and in the late afternoon I went back to the County Jail accompanied by Mr. Fred Poffarl ...Mr. Poffarl discovered two cardboard boxes in the darkest area of the room, containing more bundles of bills, all mixed up as to date, and some badly watersoaked and mildewed.... It was in Mr. Poffarl's box that the 1826 bills were soon found.... When I opened the 1826 bundle and got part way through the pile of Bainbridge bills, all of which were very damp and mildewed, I came upon, first, the J. P. bill of Albert Neeley and then upon the Constable's bill of Philip M. DeZeng. On Mr. Neely's bill was the item of the trial of "Joseph Smith The Glass Looker" ....On the bill of Mr. DeZeng were the charges for arresting and keeping Joseph Smith, notifying two justices, subpoenaing 12 witnesses, as well as a mittimus charge for 10 miles travel "to take him," with no specification as to where he was taken on the Mittimus....
In my opinion, the bills are authentic, of the same paper quality and ink quality as the other 1826 and 1830 bills and appeared to me to have remained tied up and untouched since the day they were bound up and placed away in storage by the Board of Supervisors of Chenango County, New York ...(Affidavit by Wesley P. Walters, dated Oct.28, 1971).
Before Mr. Walters made his discovery of the bills, Mormon scholars were willing to admit that if the 1826 trial were authentic, it would disprove Mormonism. Dr. Francis W Kirkham made these statements:

[Headache]

A careful study of all facts regarding this alleged confession of Joseph Smith in a court of law that he had used a seer stone to find hidden treasure for purposes of fraud, must come to the conclusion that no such record was ever made, and therefore, is not in existence.... If any evidence had been in existence that Joseph Smith had used a seer stone for fraud and deception, and especially had he made this confession in a court of law as early as 1826, or four years before the Book of Mormon was printed, and this confession was in a court record, it would have been impossible for him to have organized the restored Church (A New Witness For Christ In America, vol. 1, pp.385-87).
If a court record could be identified, and if it contained a confession by Joseph Smith which revealed him to be a poor, ignorant, deluded, and superstitious personunable himself to write a book of any consequence, and whose church could not endure because it attracted only similar persons of low mentalityif such a court record confession could be identified and proved, then it follows that his believers must deny his claimed divine guidance which led them to follow him.... How could he be a prophet of God, the leader of the Restored Church to these tens of thousands, if he had been the superstitious fraud which 'the pages from a book' declared he confessed to be? (Ibid., pp.486-87).
In his book The Myth Makers, Dr. Hugh Nibley has written almost twenty pages in an attempt to discredit the "Bainbridge court record." On page 142 of Dr. Nibley's book we find this statement: "...if this court record is authentic it is the most damning evidence in existence against Joseph Smith." Dr. Nibley's book also states that if the authenticity of the court record could be established it would be "the most devastating blow to Smith ever delivered" (Ibid.)
Since Wesley Walters' discovery verified the authenticity of the court record, Dr. Nibley has been strangely silent about the matter. The first Mormon scholar to attempt to deal with this issue since Walter's discovery is Marvin S. Hill, Assistant Professor of History at Brigham Young University. Dr. Hill differs with both Kirkham and Nibley by stating that even if Joseph Smith was guilty of "glass looking" this does not prove that he was a religious fraud:
...Reverend Wesley R Walters ... discovered some records in the basement of the sheriff's office in Norwich, New York, which he maintains demonstrate the actuality of the 1826 trial and go far to substantiate that Joseph Smith spent part of his early career in southern New York as a money digger and seer of hidden treasures....
A preliminary investigation by the writer at the sheriff's office in Norwich, New York, confirmed that Walters had searched thoroughly the bills of local officials dated in the 1820s, many of which were similar to the two bills in question. The originals, however, were not at the sheriff's office but in Walter's possession. Presumably they will be available for study at a later date. Until then the final question of their authenticity must remain open. If a study of the handwriting and paper of the originals demonstrates their authenticity, it will confirm that there was a trial in 1826 and that glass looking was an issue at the trial.... if the bills should prove authentic and demonstrate that Joseph Smith was tried as a "Glass Looker," what shall we make of him? Nearly everybody seems to have conceded that if Joseph Smith was indeed a gold digger that he was also a religious fraud. This is a view, however, of our own generation, not Joseph Smith's. Joseph himself never denied that he searched for buried treasure.... In one place he admitted that he did such work but never made much money from it.... Hosea Stout, who believed in the Prophet, said that the gold plates were found by means of a seer stone.
If there was an element of mysticism in Joseph Smith and the other early Mormons which led them to search for treasures in the earth, it does not disprove the genuineness of their religious convictions (Brigham Young University Studies, Winter 1972, pp.224, 225, 231, 232).
In another article published in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought (Winter 1972, pp.77, 78), Marvin S. Hill wrote: "There may be little doubt now, as I have indicated elsewhere, that Joseph Smith was brought to trial in 1826 on a charge, not exactly clear, associated with money digging.... For the historian interested in Joseph Smith the man, it does not seem incongruous for him to have hunted for treasure with a seer stone and then to use it with full faith to receive revelations from the Lord."*
In his History of the Church, Joseph Smith admitted that he worked for Josiah Stowel, but did not acknowledge the fact that he was arrested or that he used a "seer stone" to find treasures:
In the month of October, 1825, I hired with an old gentleman by the name of Josiah Stowel, who lived in Chenango county, state of New York. He had heard something of a silver mine having been opened by the Spaniards ... and
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*In a new book entitled, The Mormon Experience, pages 10-11, Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington and his assistant Davis Bitton have now conceded that Joseph Smith was tried as a "glass looker". "Smith's self-admitted employment by Josiah Stoal resulted in the youth's being brought to trial in 1826, charged with either vagrancy or disorderly conduct. Bills drawn up by the local judge and constable refer to Smith as a 'glass looker' (one who, by peering through a glass stone, could see things not discernible by the natural eye). The bills class the offense as a misdemeanor and indicate that at least twelve witnesses were served with subpoenas."

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had, previous to my hiring to him, been digging, in order, if possible, to discover the mine ... he took me, with the rest of his hands, to dig for the silver mine, at which I continued to work for nearly a month, without success in our undertaking, and finally I prevailed with the old gentleman to cease digging after it. Hence arose the very prevalent story of my having been a money-digger (History of the Church, vol. 1, p.17).
Joseph Smith's mother did not mention the trial but admitted that Josiah Stowel came seeking Joseph Smith's help because of "having heard that he possessed certain keys, by which he could discern things invisible to the natural eye" (Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, London, 1853, pp.91-92). The Mormon historian B. H. Roberts stated that Stowel came to Joseph Smith because he had "heard of Joseph Smith's gift of seership" (Comprehensive History of the Church, vol. 1, p.82).
Although Joseph Smith suppressed the 1826 trial in his History of the Church, Dale L. Morgan discovered that the trial was mentioned as early as 1831 in a letter published in the Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, printed in Utica, N.Y. We cite the following from that publication:
Messrs. Editors ... thinking that a fuller history of their founder, Joseph Smith, jr., might be interesting ... I will take the trouble to make a few remarks.... For several years preceding the appearance of his book, he was about the country in the character of a glass-looker: pretending, by means of a certain stone, or glass, which he put in a hat, to be able to discover lost goods, hidden treasures, mines of gold and silver, &c.... In this town, a wealthy farmer, named Josiah Stowell, together with others, spent large sums of money in digging for hidden money, which this Smith pretended he could see, and told them where to dig; but they never found their treasure. At length the public, becoming wearied with the base imposition which he was palming upon the credulity of the ignorant, for the purpose of sponging his living from their earnings, had him arrested as a disorderly person, tried and condemned before a court of Justice..... This was four or five years ago (Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, April 9, 1831, p.120).
Now that the authenticity of the court record has been established, the Mormon church leaders are faced with a dilemma. The court record plainly shows that Joseph Smith was deeply involved in magic practices at the very time he was supposed to be preparing himself to receive the plates for the Book of Mormon. The court record shows that Smith was searching for buried treasure in 1826, and according to his own story, the plates for the Book of Mormon were taken from the Hill Cumorah the following year. Joseph Smith claimed that he had known that the plates were buried in the Hill Cumorah since 1823. He made this statement concerning the discovery of the plates: "Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up. I looked in, and there indeed did I behold the plates....
"I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden by the messenger, and was again informed that the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would it, until four years from that time ..." (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 1:52-53).
Now, it is interesting to note that in the court record Joseph Smith confessed that "for three years" prior to 1826 he had used a stone placed in his hat to find treasures or lost property. According to Joseph Smith's own statement, then, he began his money-digging activities in about 1823. The reader will remember that the messenger was supposed to have informed Joseph Smith of the gold plates on September 21, 1823. From this it would appear that Joseph Smith became deeply involved in money-digging at the very time the messenger told him of the gold plates and that he was still involved in these practices for at least three of the four years when God was supposed to be preparing him to receive the gold plates for the Book of Mormon. These facts seem to undermine the whole foundation of Mormonism.
At the time the Book of Mormon was printed many people were engaged in searching for buried treasures. For instance, on February 16, 1825, the Wayne Sentinel (a newspaper published in Joseph Smith's neighborhood) reprinted the following from the Windsor, (Vermont) Journal:
Money digging.We are sorry to observe even in this enlightened age, so prevalent a disposition to credit the accounts of the Marvellous. Even the frightful stories of money being hid under the surface of the earth, and enchanted by the Devil or Robert Kidd, are received by many of our respectable fellow citizens as truths. . . .
A respectable gentleman in Tunbridge, was informed by means of a dream, that a chest of money was buried on a small island.... After having been directed by the mineral rod where to search for the money ... he and his

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laborers came ... upon a chest of gold ... the chest moved off through the mud, and has not been seen or heard of since.
Many of the people who were digging for buried treasure were very superstitious. There were many strange stories connected with these treasure hunts. Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, related the following:
Mr. Stowel was at this time at old Mr. Smith's digging for money. It was reported by these money-diggers, that they had found boxes, but before they could secure them, they would sink into the earth.... There were a great many strange sights. One time the old log school-house south of Palmyra, was suddenly lighted up, and frightened them away. Samuel Lawrence told me that while they were digging, a large man who appeared to be eight or nine feet high, came and sat on the ridge of the barn, and motioned to them that they must leave.... These things were real to them, I believe, because they were told to me in confidence, and told by different ones, and their stories agreed, and they seemed to be in earnestI knew they were in earnest (An interview with Martin Harris, published in Tiffany's Monthly, 1859, p.165).
On another occasion Martin Harris admitted that he participated in some money-digging and that a stone box slipped back into the hill: "Martin Harris (speaking to a group of Saints at Clarkston, Utah in the 1870's): I will tell you a wonderful thing that happened after Joseph had found the plates. Three of us took some tools to go to the hill and hunt for some more boxes, or gold or something, and indeed we found a stone box. ...but behold by some unseen power, it slipped back into the hill" (Testimony of Mrs. Comfort Godfrey Flinders, Utah Pioneer Biographies, vol. 10, p.65, Genealogical Society of Utah, as cited in an unpublished manuscript by LaMar Petersen).
It appears that even Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon church, was influenced by the superstitions of his day. In a sermon delivered June 17, 1877, he stated:
These treasures that are in the earth are carefully watched, they can be removed from place to place according to the good pleasure of Him who made them and owns them.... Orin P. Rockwell is an eye-witness to some powers of removing the treasures of the earth. He was with certain parties that lived near by where the plates were found that contain the records of the Book of Mormon. There were a great many treasures hid up by the Nephites.

Porter was with them one night where there were treasures, and they could find them easy enough, but they could not obtain them.... He said that on this night, ... they dug around the end of a chest.... One man who was determined to have the contents of that chest, took his pick and struck into the lid of it, and split through into the chest. The blow took off a piece of the lid, which a certain lady kept in her possession until she died. That chest of money went into the bank. Porter describes it so [making a rumbling sound]; he says this is just as true as the heavens are ... to those who understand these things, it is not marvelous.... I will take the liberty to tell you of another circumstance ... Oliver Cowdery went with the Prophet Joseph when he deposited these plates.... the angel instructed him to carry them back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says ... the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room. ... They laid the plates on a table; it was a large table that stood in the room. Under this table there was a pile of plates as much as two feet high, and there were altogether in this room more plates than probably many wagon loads; ... there is a seal upon the treasures of earth; men are allowed to go so far and no farther. I have known places where there were treasures in abundance; but could men get them? No (Journal of Discourses, vol. 19, pp.36-39).
At the time the Book of Mormon came forth many people believed in "peep stones." These stones were sometimes placed in a hat and used to locate buried treasure. The following, taken from the Orleans Advocate, appeared in the Wayne Sentinel on December 27, 1825:
MR. STRONGPlease insert the following and oblige one of your readers.
Wonderful Discovery.A few days since was discovered in this town, by the help of a mineral stone, (which becomes transparent when placed in a hat and the light excluded by the face of him who looks into it, provided he is fortune's favorite,) a monstrous potash kettle in the bowels of old mother Earth, filled with the purest bullion. . . . His Satanic Majesty, or some other invisible agent, appears to keep it under marching orders; for no sooner is it dug on to in one place, than it moves off like "false delusive hope," to another still more remote.
In an affidavit dated December 11, 1833, Willard Chase claimed that Joseph Smith found his seer stone while he was helping dig a well. The Mormon historian B. H. Roberts accepted the story that the stone was found while digging a well: