pierce] ORIGIN OF THE " BOOK OF MORMON" 683
there could be no possible connection between The Manuscript Found and The Book of Mormon.
While I believe the evidence to be overwhelming, and that it establishes beyond the shadow of a doubt the fact that, had Spalding's romance never been written, Joseph Smith Jr would never have found the box of plates in the Manchester hillside, I do not propose to rest my present examination on this conten- tion. It is my purpose to base the examination on the Book of Mormon itself, as it stands in the original edition, direct from the hand of its " author and proprietor," Joseph Smith Jr.
To open this examination, let us call as first witness, Elder George Reynolds, the distinguished Mormon author of The Myth of the Manuscript Found, who, in establishing the veracity of the translation of the prophet, seer, and interpreter, thus testifies {pages 58-59 of his work) :
In March, 188 1, two gentlemen, named Kelley, residing in Michigan, for their own satisfaction visited the neighborhood where Joseph spent his youth and questioned the older residents who were acquainted with the Smith family as to their knowledge of the character of Joseph, his parents, and his brothers and sisters. Their interviews with numerous parties who claim to have known Joseph were afterwards published. . . . We here append a few extracts from these interviews.
• • •
" What did you know about the Smiths, Mr. Gilbert ? "
" I knew nothing myself ; have seen Joseph Smith a few times, but not acquainted with him. Saw Hyrum quite often. I am the party that set the type from the original manuscript for the Book of Mormon. They translated it in a cave. I would know that manuscript to-day if I should see it. The most of it was in Oliver Cowdery's handwriting. Some in Joseph's wife's ; a small part though. Hyrum Smith always brought the manuscript to the office ; he would have it under his coat, and all buttoned up as carefully as though it was so much gold. He said at the time that it was translated from plates by the power of God, and they were very particular about it. We had a great deal of trouble with it. It was not punctuated at all. They did not know anything about punctuation, and we had to do that ourselves."
" Well ; did you change any part of it when you were setting the type ? "
" No, sir ; we never changed it at all."
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