Manuscript Foundby Solomon Spalding

The controversy between Manuscript Found and the Book of Mormon goes all theback to E. D. Howes book Mormonism Unveiled. That was the first time that it wassuggested that the Book of Mormon had in part at least, some inspiration that originatedfrom the work published here. Mormon apologists today think that this issue was settledwhen the manuscript was found in 1884 by Pres. James H. Fairchild and later published in1910. At the time of publication this is what was said:

For the last fifty years the Manuscript Found has been the staple stock in trade ofalmost every objector to the genuineness of the Book of Mormon. When every otherimaginable theory and hypothesis were overthrown, this reputed romance was the unfailingrefuge to which they fled. It could not be found, so their baseless assertions could not bedisproved by an appeal to itself. But unfortunately for all such who make lies their refuge,this long lost treasure has, at last, most unexpectedly to all parties, been brought to light, andis now given to the world with all its inanities, absurdities and inaccuracies. After carefullyperusing both books, we believe we can truthfully assert that there is not one sentence, oneincident, or one proper name common to both, and that the oft boasted similarity in matterand nomenclature is utterly false. No two books could be more unlike; in fact Mr.Spauldings (sic) Manuscript Story no more resembles the Book of Mormon thanGullivers Travels is like the Gospel of St. Matthew.

The history of the discovery of the Manuscript can be told in a few words. D. P. Hurlbut,an apostate, the originator of the fabrication that the Book of Mormon originated in Mr.Spauldings (sic) tale, wrote a bitter assault on the Latter-day Saints in 1836, entitledMormonism Unveiled, which was published in the name of, and by E. D. Howe, ofPainesville, Ohio. During the time Hurlbut was gathering material for this work, he obtainedfrom the family of the then deceased clergyman the original of the Manuscript Story, butdiscovering that it would, if published, prove fatal to his assumptions, he suppressed it: andfrom that time it was entirely lost sight of until about two years ago, when a Mr. L. L. Rice,residing at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, found it among a numerous collection ofmiscellaneous papers which he had received from Mr. Howe, the publisher of Hurlbut'sMormonism Unveiled, when in 1839-40, he, with his partner, purchased from thatgentleman the business, etc., of the Painesville Telegraph.

In 1884 President James H. Fairchild, of Oberlin College, Ohio, was paying a visit to Mr.Rice, and he suggested that the latter look through his numerous papers, in the hope offinding amongst them some antislavery documents of value. In his search he discovered apacket marked in pencil on the outside, Manuscript Story Conneaut Creek, which, totheir surprise, on perusal, proved to be the veritable, long-lost romance of Dr. Spaulding, towhich so much undeserved importance had been ignorantly or maliciously given. Afterretaining the manuscript some time Mr. Rice presented it to Oberlin College, but beforedoing so, made an exact copy, with all its peculiarities of style, errors of grammar andorthography, alterations, erasures, etc., which copy he placed in our hands with the distinctunderstanding that it should be printed and published exactly as he had copied it.

Spalding's "Manuscript Found." Contents

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Many in the LDS Church consider this the end of the controversy, but not so. In 1977,authors Wayne Cowdrey, Howard A. Davis, & Donald Scales renewed the controversywhen they published their book, Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon? Among otherthings, they state that the manuscript published in 1910 was only one of the stories told bySpalding. In 2000, they updated this work when they published The Spalding Enigmashowing what they believe to be even more evidence.

There are 2 editions Im reprinting here. The first one is an exact copy of the originalmanuscript. The second is an cleaned up edition with corrections of spelling andpunctuation errors, this makes it easier to read then the original. Even with these correctionsthis is a hard story to read. When you start, youll understand why. I've also included a listof similarities between this story and the Book of Mormon, to let you decide for yourselfif there is any validity to this theory. If you would to see more research on this, a good placeto start is located at www.solomonspalding.com/index.html. Just copy and paste thisaddress in your bowser window.

Contents

The Oberlin College Manuscript.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

An Easier To Read Edition

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Similarities between Manuscript Found and the Book of Mormon.

Spalding's "Manuscript Found." Contents

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The Oberlin College Ms. Edition OfSolomon SpaldingsManuscript Found.

Part 1Pages 1 - 42

Spalding MS Pages 1 - 84

The following is a complete copy of the 1910 edition of Solomon Spalding's "ManuscriptStory," published at the Millennial Star office, Liverpool, England: Printed from aVerbatim Copy, made (expressly for this edition) from the Original, now in the possessionof President James H. Fairchild, of Oberlin College, Ohio.

I have provided two page numbering systems. Page numbers from the printed copy havebeen inserted in the text in brackets, e.g., [10]. Page numbers from Spalding's manuscriptare preceded by an S, e.g., [S10].

Those portions of the work altered or erased by Mr. Spalding have, in the following pages,been printed in italics and between brackets.

MANUSCRIPT STORY[S1]

Introduction

Near the west Bank of the Coneaught River there are the remains of an ancient fort. As Iwas walking and forming various conjectures respecting the character situation and numbersof those people who far exceeded the present race of Indians in works of art & inginuety Ihapned to tread on a flat Stone. This was at a small distance from the fort: & it lay on the topof a small mound of Earth exactly horizontal The face of it had a singular appearance Idiscovered a number of characters which appeared to me to be letters but so mucheffaced by the ravages of time, that I could not read the inscription. With the assistance of aleaver I raised the Stone But you may easily conjecture my astonishment when Idiscovered that its ends and sides rested on Stones & that it was designed as a cover to anartificial cave. I found on examining that its Sides were lined with * * * built in aconnical form with * * * down & that it was about [S2] eight feet deep Determined toin vestigate the design of this extraordinary work of antiquity I prepared myself withnecessary requisites for that purpose and decended to the Bottom of the cave Observingone side to be perpendicular nearly three feet from the [2] bottom, I began to inspect thatpart with accuracy; Here I noticed a big flat Stone fixed in the form of a doar. I immediatelytore it down & Lo a cavity within the wall presented itself it being about three feet indiameter from side to side and about two feet high. Within this cavity I found an earthanBox with a cover which shut it perfectly tite The Box was two feet in length one & halfin breadth & one and three inches in diameter. My mind filled with awful sensations which

Spalding's "Manuscript Found." The Oberlin College Ms. Pt 1.

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crowded fast upon me would hardly permit my hands to remove this venerable deposit butcuriosity soon gained the ascendancy & the box was taken & raised to open * * * When Ihad removed the cover I found that it contained twenty eight sheets of parchment. & thatwhen * * * * * * [S3] appeared to be manuscripts written in an eligant hand with RomanLetters & in the Latin Language

They were written on a variety of Subjects. But the Roll which principally attracted myattention contained a history of the authors life & that part of America which extends alongthe great Lakes & the waters of the Missisippy.

Extracts of the most interesting and important matters contined in this Roll I take the libertyto publish

[Gentle Reader tread lightly on the ashes of the venerable dead Thou must know that thiscountry was once inhabited by great & powerful nations considerably civilized & skilled inthe arts of war, and that on ground where thou now treadest many [an hard fou] a bloody[S4] Battle hath been faught & heroes by the thousand [have been] made to bite the dust.

In the history given of these nations by my Author you will find nothing but what willcorrespond with the natural sentiments we should form on viewing the innumerable remainsof Antiquity which are scattered over an extensive Country. This is an evidence of theauthors impartiality and veracity. But if any should pretend that the whole story is fictitiousor fabulous.]

To publish a translation of every particular circumstance [3] mentioned by our author wouldproduce a volume too expensive for the general class of readers. But should this attempt tothrow off the vail which has secluded our view from the transactions of nations who, forages have been extinct, meet the approbation of the public, I shall then be happy to gratifythe more inquisitive & learned part of my readers by a more minute publication.Apprehensive that sceptical, illiberal or supersticious minds may censure this performancewith great accrimony I have only to remark that