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Spalding's "Manuscript Story"

An obvious parallel, usually conceded by the critics, including Bush, is the fact that both books claim to be based upon the discovery of buried documents. Spalding gave this account in his manuscript:

Near the west Bank of the Coneaught River there are the remains of an ancient fort. As I was walking and forming various conjectures respecting the character situation and numbers of those people who far exceeded the present race of Indians in works of art & inginuety I hapned to tread on a flat Stone. This was at a small distance from the fort: & it lay on the top of a small mound of Earth exactly horizontal -- The face of it had a singular appearance I discovered a number of characters which appeared to me to be letters -- but so much effaced by the ravages of time, that I could not read the inscription. With the assistance of a leaver I raised the Stone -- But you may easily conjecture my astonishment when I discovered that its ends and sides rested on Stones & that it was designed as a cover to an artificial cave. -- I found on examining that its Sides were lined with * * * built in a connical form with * * * down -- & that it was about eight feet deep . . . . Here I noticed a big flat Stone fixed in the form of a doar. I immediately tore it down & Lo a cavity within the wall presented itself . . . . Within this cavity I found an earthan Box with a cover which shut it perfectly tite -- The Box was two feet in length one & half in breadth & one and three inches in diameter. . . . When I had removed the cover I found that it contained twenty eight sheets of parchment . . . appeared to be manuscripts written in an eligant hand with Roman Letters & in the Latin Language. They were written on a variety of Subjects. But the Roll which principally attracted my attention contained a history of the authors life & that part of America which extends along the great Lakes & the waters of the Missisippy. (Spalding 1910, 1-2)

In his official history, Joseph Smith gave this description of the discovery of the plates:

Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a hill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood. On the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. This stone was thick and rounding in the middle on the upper side, and thinner towards the edges, so that the middle part of it was visible above the ground, but the edge all around was covered with earth. 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, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, as stated by the messenger. The box in which they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them. (JS-H 1:51-52)

Oliver Cowdery also said that the plates were found in a box made of stones cemented together, but gave a different description of the stones inside the box: "From the bottom of the box, or from the breast-plate, arose three small pillars composed of the same description of cement used on the edges; and upon these three pillars was placed the record . . . . I must not forget to say that this box, containing the record was covered with another stone, the bottom surface being flat and the upper, crowning. But those three pillars were not so lengthy as to cause the plates and the crowning stone to come in contact" (Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1835). Spalding's account may have said that the sides of the artificial cave were lined with "pillars" built in a conical form; if so, it could have been the source of Oliver's description of the pillars in the box.

Although neither Joseph nor Oliver publicly described a cave, later Mormon lore did allege the existence of a cave containing a great many records. In 1877 Brigham Young related the following story, which he said came from Oliver Cowdery:

When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says that when Joseph and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room. He says he did not think, at the time, whether they had the light of the sun, or artificial light; but it was just as light as day. 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; they were piled up in the corners and along the walls. The first time they went there, the sword of Laban hung upon the wall; but when they went again, it had been taken down and laid upon the table across the gold plates; it was unsheathed, and on it were written these words, 'This sword will never be sheathed again until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of God and His Christ.' (Smith and Sjodahl 1972, 47)

This tale bears a resemblance to the story of Beowulf. The mother of Grendel dragged Beowulf beneath the waters of a lake and into an underground chamber. Within the cave, Beowulf "saw fire-light, a white blaze brilliantly shining." Beowulf swung his sword at the creature, but it failed to wound her. Then Beowulf saw hanging on the wall a large, beautifully constructed sword, the work of giants. With this sword, Beowulf killed both Grendel and his mother, but the blade dissolved from the venomous blood of the creatures. Nonetheless, Beowulf gave the hilt of the sword to Hrothgar: "On it was written the source of the struggle of old, when the flood, the ocean breaking its bounds, struck down the race of giants. . . . On the sword-guards, it was also rightly engraved, set down and declared in runic letters of pure gold for whom that sword had first been made" (Beowulf 1963, 50).

The story also relates that there was in the land, unknown to anyone, another underground chamber, in which giants had placed gold and jewels. The crypt is described as a high-roofed chamber underneath a towering barrow of stone. The treasure had been guarded by soldiers, until the last one died. A dragon had then found the barrow and stood guard over the hoard. In the fiftieth year of Beowulf's reign, a man accidentally found his way into the chamber and carried off a gold flagon. The dragon was enraged and began to burn the countryside. Beowulf and another man named Wiglaf killed the dragon, but Beowulf was mortally wounded. Before he died, Beowulf caught a glimpse of the dragon's chamber and "saw how that hall of earth held within it arches of stone, firm on their stanchions." He ordered Wiglaf to enter the barrow. Above the hoard of treasure a banner of pure gold radiated so much light that Wiglaf could see the contents of the cave. With an armful of treasure, Wiglaf returned to Beowulf, who soon after died. Realizing that the treasure was cursed and would lead to enmity and murder, Wiglaf suggested that it be buried with Beowulf: "Then the twisted gold was loaded on a wagon, a mass beyond counting . . . ." A large barrow was built for Beowulf, and the treasure was placed inside: "They let earth keep the treasure of heroes, left the gold in the ground, where it lives on still to this day" (Beowulf 1963, 73, 82-83).

There are many points of similarity between Beowulf and Oliver Cowdery's story, as related by Brigham Young: an underground chamber, brilliantly lit; a sword hanging on the wall; the sword engraved with writing; a hoard of treasure, buried by ancient soldiers, large enough to fill a wagon. Another epic also relates that the treasure of the Nibelungen was hidden in a mountain and that a hundred wagons could not have carried it away.

Of course, the Arabian Nights also provided tales of hidden treasure, particularly the story of Aladdin. Aladdin was a rather idle boy, until in his fifteenth year, an African magician came to town and told Aladdin that he was his uncle. The magician led Aladdin to a valley between two mountains, where he pronounced some magic words. The earth shook and opened, uncovering a stone with a brass ring fixed in the middle. The magician told Aladdin that he was the only one permitted to lift the stone. When the stone was pulled up, a door appeared, with steps descending into a cave. Aladdin passed through two large chambers filled with gold and silver and then found another door leading into a third room, which contained trees laden with jewels. Again, there are resemblances between this tale and the "Manuscript Story."

In his 1838 history, Joseph said that just before his first vision, he was surrounded by thick darkness and felt a malevolent power. The first time that he visited the hill where the plates were buried, he made an attempt to take the plates, but was stopped by Moroni, who told him to return precisely one year from that date. Oliver Cowdery gave a different version of what occurred at the hill. He said that when Joseph tried to take the plates, he received a shock, which weakened him. After making two more attempts and receiving another shock, a vision opened before his eyes, in which he saw the prince of darkness, surrounded by his innumerable associates. Joseph was told that he could not take the plates at that time, because he had thoughts of obtaining wealth from them. Moroni instructed him to return in a year's time. According to Willard Chase's statement, in 1827 Joseph told him yet another story about his attempt to get the plates:

He repaired to the place of deposit and demanded the book, which was in a stone box, unsealed, and so near the top of the ground that he could see one end of it, and raising it up, took out the book of gold; but fearing some one might discover where he got it, he laid it down to place back the top stone, as he found it; and turning round, to his surprise there was no book in sight. He again opened the box, and in it saw the book, and attempted to take it out, but was hindered. He saw in the box something like a toad, which soon assumed the appearance of a man, and struck him on the side of his head. -- Not being discouraged at trifles, he again stooped down and strove to take the book, when the spirit struck him again, and knocked him three or four rods, and hurt him prodigiously. After recovering from his fright, he enquired why he could not obtain the plates; to which the spirit made reply, because you have not obeyed your orders. . . . come one year from this day . . . . (Howe 1834, 242)

These accounts resemble two other tales. The first is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Gawain had an encounter with the Green Knight in the court of King Arthur, in which it was agreed that Gawain would meet the knight at the Green Chapel one year from that day. Gawain traveled to a wild place with ragged rocks to look for the chapel. He saw a hollow barrow, which had a hole in each end and on each side. Wondering if this could be the Green Chapel, Gawain imagined that it looked more like the haunt of Satan. The Green Knight's command that Gawain meet him one year later parallels Moroni's instructions to Joseph, and the allusion to Satan recalls Joseph's encounter with the prince of darkness.

The second tale is a part of Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. After having the story of Joseph of Arimathea related to him, Galahad was asked to accompany a monk to a tomb, which held within it a fiend: "Sir Galahad approached fearlessly and lifted the cover of the tomb. Dense smoke issued forth, and then the fiend leaped out. He was a terrifying figure, in the likeness of a man. Sir Galahad crossed himself, and the fiend spoke again: 'Sir Galahad, I see that you are encircled by angels and that I may not touch you!' Then Sir Galahad saw in the tomb the body of a man in full armor, with a sword by his side" (Malory 1962, 370). This tale suggests Moroni's visit to Joseph, giving him information about the plates, and Joseph's arrival at the place of deposit, where he encountered a spirit in the stone box, which assumed the appearance of a man. Inside the box, Joseph saw a breastplate.

Orson Pratt described the gold plates as "being not quite as thick as common tin. They were filled on both sides with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume" (Pratt 1840, 472). Joseph Smith followed this description in his Wentworth letter. The claim that the gold plates were not as thick as tin recalls an account given by Pausanius of a sacred record kept hidden by the Messenians. A man named Aristomenes took the record to Mount Ithome and buried it in a hole. Later an old man appeared to Epiteles: "The dream commanded him to find where a yew and a myrtle grew together on Mount Ithome, and to dig between them . . . . Next morning Epiteles came to the place that was described, and when he dug there he found a bronze jar, which he took to Epaminondas . . . . Inside he found a leaf of tin beaten to extreme fineness and rolled up like a scroll, and inscribed with the mystery of the Great goddesses: this was the thing Aristomenes had hidden" (Pausanius 1971, 2:163).

The "Manuscript Story" purports to be a history written by a Roman named Fabius. He states that he is making a record of the inhabitants of America for the benefit of future Europeans, who may one day live in that part of the world, and that he will deposit the record in a box. He says further that the information which he is providing about himself and his arrival in the New World is only an extract from a longer manuscript, which will be deposited with his history. The Book of Mormon also declares that it is an abridgment of a more detailed record and that it was written for future generations of Indians and Gentiles, and it too was deposited in a box.

Fabius was appointed as secretary to Constantine, and one day the emperor asked him to take an important message to the general of the army in Britain.

Spalding's story also parallels the storm described in the Aeneid, as does the Book of Mormon. Furthermore, the Jaredite barges were propelled across the sea by strong, constant winds.

Lehi's ship once again resumed its course, after Nephi regained control of the Liahona, and in Spalding's story, a mariner is inspired by the Almighty to proclaim that "gentle winds will soon waft you into a safe harbor -- A country where you will find hospitality." After five more days of sailing, Fabius's ship came in sight of land, "entered a spacious River -- & continued sailing up the same many leages until we came in view of a Town" (Spalding 1910, 5). This is reminiscent of Bacon's New Atlantis, in which his ship is blown off course by strong winds, comes upon land, and enters "into a good haven, being the port of a fair city" (Bacon 1942, 246).

Fabius's group was received by the king, who ceded to them a tract of land. A plan was adopted to allow seven young women, who were passengers on the ship, to choose husbands, and they were paired with Fabius, the ship's captain and mate, and four other men. In the same way, the five daughters of Ishmael provided wives for Nephi, his three brothers, and Zoram. Fabius's group also settled on an economic policy: "The property was common stock -- what was produced by our labor was likewise to be common, all subject to the distribution of the judges who were to attend to each family & see that propper industry and econimy were practised by all" (Spalding 1910, 9). After Christ's appearance in the New World, the Nephites and Lamanites also had all things in common, and the common stock plan of Fabius's group is similar to the united order, which the Mormons tried to follow.

The captain recommended that the group remain a distinct people, "another Italy," and that they try to enlighten the "dark souls" of the natives. But one mariner said that he would select a lass from the "copper coulered tribe" and their children would become "as fair & nearly as white as your honors children" (Spalding 1910, 10). The Book of Mormon, of course, holds to the theory that the skin color of Indians can change from dark to fair. The words "fair" and "white" are used in combination in several passages in the Book of Mormon: "she was exceedingly fair and white" (1 Nephi 11:13), "I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful" (1 Nephi 13:15), "as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome" (2 Nephi 5:21), "their skin became white like unto the Nephites; and their young men and their daughters became exceedingly fair" (3 Nephi 15-16), and "that perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white" (Mormon 9:6).

The "Manuscript Story" describes two distinct groups of people. The natives who lived on the coast, called the Deliwans, were hunters and wore animal skins, much like the Lamanites.

Fabius became concerned that if his group continued to live among these people, they would lose what remnants of civilization they possessed and degenerate into savages. After some remarkable reflections on the nature of the solar system, reasoning that the sun was really at the center and that the earth was a globe, Fabius concluded that they would be able to reach their native land by traveling westward. He also learned that the natives had a tradition which said that their ancestors immigrated from the west, and he was told that about fifteen days' journey to the northwest, there was a civilized people living in great towns on the banks of a large river. Fabius, Crito, and a Delawan interpreter set out to find this land. After passing over a great mountain, they came to a river called Owaho: "Here was a large town or city inhabited by a distinct race of people from any we had seen before" (Spalding 1910, 18). Thus the "Manuscript Story" sets up a contrast between coastal, savage tribes and a more inland, civilized people, just as the Book of Mormon does. The people of Nephi had separated themselves from the wild Lamanites and had traveled northward to found a city. The Nephites also knew that it is the earth, and not the sun, which moves (Helaman 12:15).

Fabius informed the king of his intention to move to this new land, and the king provided him with four Mammoons: "These were an annimal of prodigious magnitude, even biger than the eliphant, which the natives had tamed & domesticated -- They were very segacious & docile & were employed in carying burthens and in drawing timber" (Spalding 1910, 18). This parallels Ether 9:19: "And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms."

Fabius's group journeyed northwest, built a small boat to cross a deep river, arrived at "the great city," and dwelled in houses on the bank of a river. The Jaredites traveled north to a valley, built barges to cross many waters, arrived at "the great sea," and dwelled in tents on the seashore. Fabius's group intended to continue their journey back to Europe, crossing what they hoped would be a sea of small extent between the continents. The Jaredites also continued their journey by building barges to cross the sea.

Fabius states that the customs, laws, government, and religion of the Ohons, as this people were called, "demonstrate that they must have originated from some other nation & have but a very distant affinity with their Savage neighbours" (Spalding 1910, 21). Thus Solomon's story does not derive all of the inhabitants of America from one group of people. Similarly, the Book of Mormon brings three groups of people to the New World.

Fabius notes that the Ohons had a light olive complexion, and that there were some persons "whose hair was of a redish hue," apparently referring to the Madoc theory of Welsh Indians. The Ohons wore clothing made of cloth and lived by cultivating the land and tending domesticated animals. Their method of manufacturing iron and lead was not quite as perfect as the European, but they could convert iron "nearly into the consistence of steal" (Spalding 1910, 23). The Nephites also tilled the land and raised domesticated animals. Furthermore, the Book of Mormon claims that the Nephites knew how to make steel (Jarom 1:8).

Concerning the Ohons' written language, Fabius states: "They had characters which represent words & all compound words had each part represented by its apropriate character. The variation of cases moods & tenses was designated by certain marks placed under the character" (Spalding 1910, 25). In July 1835 Joseph Smith acquired some Egyptian scrolls. He started translating one of these scrolls as the Book of Abraham. In conjunction with this work, he was also formulating an Egyptian Alphabet and Grammar. In his grammar Joseph arranged characters in a column on the left-hand side of the page, and next to each character, he gave an interpretation. A character had a particular meaning, depending upon what "degree" it was in. There were five degrees, and apparently each degree had five parts. Meanings of characters varied according to their degree and part, and characters could be combined into compound symbols. According to Joseph's system, placing marks above or below a symbol either increased or decreased its signification. In some way, these marks were associated with connecting parts of speech, which Joseph listed as verbs, participles, prepositions, conjunctions, and adverbs. Joseph also had names for various kinds of "connections," which included present, past, and future tenses for verbs. This parallel between the language of the Ohons and Joseph's Egyptian grammar is a very strong link between Spalding and the Book of Mormon. It is highly unlikely that Joseph Smith and Solomon Spalding would have produced independently, from their own imaginations, concepts of a system of language which are so similar. (For more parallels with the Alphabet and Grammar, see Spalding Notes)

In each large town, the Ohons had priests, into whose hands were committed copies of the sacred Roll, containing the tenets and ceremonies of their religion. Fabius quotes from the sacred Roll:

There is an intelligent omnipotent Being, who is self existant & infinitely good & benevolent -- Matter eternally existed -- He put forth his hand & formed it into such bodies as he pleased -- He presides over the universe & has a perfect knowledge of all things -- From his own spiritual substance he formed seven sons -- These are his principal agents to manage the affairs of his empire -- He formed the bodies of men from matter Into each body he infused a particle of his own spiritual substance, in consequence of which man in his first formation was inclined to benevolence & goodness. There is also another great inteligent Being who is self existent & possessed of great power but not of Omnipotence -- He is filled with infinite malice against the good Being & exerts all his subtlety & pow to ruin his works. . . . Death desolves the connection -- Etherial Bodies are prepared for the souls of the righteous -- These bodies can pass thro' any part of the universe & are invisable to mortal eyes. Their place of residence is on a vast plain which is beautified with magnificent Buildings -- with Trees, fruits & flowers. No immagination can paint the delights, the felicity of the Righteous. But the wicked are denied etherial bodies -- Their souls naked and incapable of seeing light, dwel in darkness & are tormented with the keenest anguish -- Ages roll away & the good being has compassion upon them -- He permits them to take possession of etherial bodies and they arise quick to the abodes of delight & glory. (Spalding 1910, 28-29)

These doctrines have obvious affinities with the later teachings of Joseph Smith. He taught that God and intelligence are self-existent, that matter is eternal, and that God merely formed matter into bodies. He said that there are three kinds of bodies and three kingdoms -- celestial, terrestrial, and telestial -- but that Satan and his followers are deprived of bodies and will suffer eternal punishment. Those who are to inherit the telestial world must abide in hell until Christ has completed his work (see D&C 76). Spalding's description of the celestial plain is evidently derived from Plato's Phaedo. Plato said that the souls of the virtuous dwell on the "true earth" amid the ether: "And in this fair earth the things that grow, the trees, and flowers and fruits, are correspondingly beautiful . . . . And they have sacred groves and temples of the gods . . . and in all other ways their blessedness is in accord with this" (Phaedo 110d-111c, Loeb translation). In his Egyptian Alphabet and Grammar, Joseph Smith defined the character Beth as "The place appointed of God for the residence of Adam . . . great valley or plain given by promise; filled with fruit trees and precious flowers . . . place of happiness" (fifth degree, second part).

The eternity of matter is a Greek concept, but the beliefs of the Ohons also have similarities with Zoroastrianism, the religion of the Magi. Zoroastrianism held that a cosmic battle is being waged between two eternal spiritual beings, who represent good and evil. The leader of the hosts of light is Ahura Mazda, who is accompanied by six Amesha Spentas, acting as his agents. The spirit of darkness is Angra Mainyu, who counters the good works of Ahura Mazda with evil. At death, each individual's good and evil deeds are weighed, and he is sent either to heaven or hell, or to an intermediate place, if the good and bad balance each other. When Ahura Mazda triumphs at the end of the world struggle, there will be a purification by fire and the creation of a new heaven and earth, and Angra Mainyu will be banished to the realm of eternal darkness.

The practice of polygamy is described in a passage which Spalding apparently planned to remove from his manuscript or intended to revise: "Let thy citizens be numbered once in two years -- & if the young women, who are fit for marriage are more numerous than the young men -- then wealthy men, who are young & who have but one wife, shall have the priviledge, [with the permission of the King] to marry another until the numbers of the single young men & the single young women are made equal But he that hath two wives shall have a house provided for each -- & he shall spend his time equally with each one" (Spalding 1910, 29). It is apparent that Spalding did not find the idea of polygamy abhorrent, if conditions seemed to require it, although he limited it to the young. Jacob, the brother of Nephi, denounces polygamy, but sees that it might be necessary in limited circumstances: "Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none . . . . For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things" (Jacob 2:27, 30). Mormons often cited an imbalance in the sexes as justification for polygamy, although studies have shown that women did not outnumber men in Utah. Furthermore, men like Brigham Young and Orson Pratt strove to follow Spalding's advice to provide separate houses for their wives and to divide their time equally between their spouses. Brigham's wives were housed in the "White House," the Beehive House, the Lion House, Forest Farm, and houses in Provo and St. George. Orson housed his six wives in Salt Lake, Tooele, and Fillmore. Orson's first wife Sarah complained that Orson "intended to put these five women on an exact equality with me; that he should spend a week with one, a week with another . . . ." (New York Herald, 18 May 1877).

Critics have complained that Spalding did not write the Fabius story in a scriptural style and therefore could not have written the Book of Mormon. However, three pages of chapter seven, quoting from the sacred Roll, are written in imitation of the Bible. Here is a portion of this material:

Now O man attend to thy duty & thou shalt escape the portion of the wicked & enjoy the delights of the righteous Avoid all acts of cruelty to man and beast defraud not thy neighbour, nor suffer thy hands secretly to convey his property from him -- Preserve thy body from the contamination of lust -- & remember the seduction of thy neighbors wife would be a great Crime . . . . Be grateful for all favours & forsake not thy friend in adversity. Treat with kindness & reverence thy Parents . . . . Let rulers consult the welfare of the people and not agrandige themselves by oppression & base bribes . . . . Let Parents restrain the vices of their children & instruct their minds in useful knowledge . . . . Hold out the hand of kindness and friendship to thy neighbour -- consider him when reduced to indigence & distress. . . . Say not to thyself I will indulge in inactivity & idleness & lie upon the bed of sloth & slumber away the precious moments of time -- for in this thou art unwise . . . . (Spalding 1910, 29-30)

These admonitions are an obvious imitation of the Decalogue, Proverbs, and the Sermon on the Mount. Joseph Smith included similar material in a revelation dated 9 February 1831 (D&C 42), which covers the sins of murder, stealing, lying, lust, adultery, speaking evil, and idleness, and includes an admonition to consecrate property to be used for the poor.

There is other evidence that Spalding made use of scripture in his writing. For example, Fabius ponders his situation: "O that my head were waters & my eyes a fountain of tears -- then my intolerable burthen should be poured forth in a torrent & my soul set at liberty. But behold the light springs up & beams upon my soul. She brings in her train Hope -- that celestial Godes, that sure & strong anchor" (Spalding 1910, 16). The first part of this passage comes from Jeremiah 9:1: "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" The last part alludes to Hebrews 6:19: "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast." This same passage from Hebrews appears to be the source for Ether 12:4, where Moroni quotes the words of Ether: "which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast."

The Book of Moses also provides a small but still significant stylistic parallel. Spalding wrote that priests instructed the Sciotans to subdue their passions "that they may secure happiness to themselves in this life - & imortal happiness beyond the grave" (Spalding 1910, 44). At Moses 6:59, the Lord instructs Adam to tell his children that they must repent that they might "enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory."

Chapter VIII of the "Manuscript Story" introduces the semi-mythical figure of Lobaska. He appeared in the city of Tolanga with his wife and four sons. It was he who gave to the Ohons their system of writing, the sacred Roll containing their religious tenets, and their political constitution. People believed that Lobaska conversed with celestial beings, and he pretended that the theology of the sacred roll "was revealed to him in several interviews which he had been permitted to have with the second son of the great & good Being" (Spalding 1910, 35). Spalding made it clear that he was drawing the character of Lobaska from history and myth, for he wrote: "If we can place any reliance on the dark annals of antient history, it is a certain fact that Letters are indebted for their existence to the inventive genius of certain extraordinary characters -- Egypt & Chaldea contended for the honour of being the first who invented letters" (Spalding 1910, 25). He was undoubtedly thinking of Thoth, the Egyptian inventor of letters, and of Oannes, who according to Berossus, appeared in Babylonia and gave men "an insight into letters and sciences, and arts of every kind. He taught them to construct cities, to found temples, to compile laws, and explained to them the principles of geometrical knowledge" (Cory [1832] 1975, 19). Lobaska is also patterned after king Numa, who instituted many of the Roman religious rites, as well as their priesthood, and claimed that his knowledge was revealed to him by the Muses and the goddess Egeria, with whom he had many secret meetings. Other writers before Spalding had invented similar characters. Thomas More declared that a man named Utopos was responsible for transforming the ignorant savages of Sansculottia into the most civilized nation on earth, the imaginary state of Utopia. Francis Bacon claimed that the lawgiver of the island of Bensalem was a king named Solamona, who had lived 1,900 years earlier. The king instituted a society called Solomon's House, named after the wise Hebrew king, which was devoted to investigating the mysteries of nature and developing new inventions. A member of the society stated: "We imitate also flights of birds; we have some degrees of flying in the air. We have ships and boats for going under water and brooking the seas" (Bacon 1942, 298). Similarly, Spalding made Lobaska the inventor of a flying machine. And the barges of the Jaredites were of a peculiar design, which enabled them to move while submerged in the sea.

Both Lobaska and Nephi were founding figures, who dispensed both moral teachings and practical knowledge, including metallurgy.

Lobaska educated his four sons: "they had all received an education from their father -- & even the youngest, who was but about eleven years old could read and write with great correctness & facility" (Spalding 1910, 34). King Benjamin was also concerned with the education of his three sons: "And it came to pass that he had three sons . . . . And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding" (Mosiah 1:2).

In the time of Lobaska, the Ohons were divided into two kingdoms, Sciota and Kentuck. When a war began between the two kingdoms, Lobaska advised the Sciotans to lay a trap for the Kentucks. To reach the city of Tolanga, the Kentucks had to pass by a hill or mountain, less than a mile from the great river Ohio.

Note that both the Kentucks and the Nephites fight to defend and preserve their "rights." Lobaska and Moroni both employ a "stratagem" to defeat their enemies. In both cases, these stratagems involve similar geographical locations, including a valley between a hill and river. Bombal exhorts his men to "fight like wolves," while Zerahemnah inspires his men to "fight like dragons," and Moroni inspires his men to fight for their liberty and freedom. The Kentucks are ambushed by a group of Sciotans, who rush upon them from the side of a hill, as the Lamanites are attacked by an army which is concealed on the south of a hill. Many of Zerahemnah's men are struck with fear and throw down their weapons, just as Bombal's men are filled with terror and throw down their weapons. Lobaska tells the Sciotans to be generous and refrain from shedding blood, and Hadoram, king of the Sciotans, demands that the Kentucks surrender their arms, just as Moroni commands his men to stop shedding the blood of the Lamanites and tells Zerahemnah's men to deliver up their weapons. Bombal pleads with Lobaska to spare the lives of his men, as Zerahemnah pleads with Moroni to spare the lives of his men. A treaty of peace is concluded, and the defeated armies are allowed to depart. How is it possible that Joseph Smith, who was translating an ancient Nephite record, would describe an incident with details and language so similar to a story written by Solomon Spalding?

As part of the treaty between the Sciotans and Kentucks, Lobaska demanded the right to establish schools in Kentuck and to appoint instructors. The Kentucks advanced in learning so rapidly that they began to excel the Sciotans, and they became industrious and prosperous. This recalls the Lamanite king, who in the days of Alma I, appointed Amulonites to be teachers in various parts of the land, to instruct the Lamanites in the language of Nephi and in keeping records. The Lamanites became wealthy traders.

Lobaska formed the people into two great empires, separated by the river Ohio. Labarmock, the eldest son of Lobaska, was appointed to the office of emperor of Sciota, while Lambon, the third son, became high priest, with four priests as assistants. Both offices of emperor and high priest were hereditary. Hamback, the second son of Lobaska, was chosen as emperor of Kentuck, and Kato, the youngest son, was ordained as high priest. The Nephites and Lamanites also lived in two different lands, separated by a strip of wilderness. The Nephites had two primary offices, the governor of the land and the high priest.

The inhabitants of Sciota and Kentuck experienced a period of peace and expansion, much like the people of Mosiah.

Both of these texts begin with a discussion of pride and equality and then transition to a description of the building of large villages and cities. This appears to be beyond the realm of coincidence.

For 480 years, the two empires of Sciota and Kentuck existed in relative peace. Nonetheless, the people took the precaution of constructing fortifications.

In both the "Manuscript Story" and the Book of Mormon, husbands are enjoined to be faithful and to treat their wives and children with love and tenderness. Spalding wrote: "Being taught by their religion the social virtues they manifested a great regard for the rights of the other sex & always treated them with attention, civility & tenderness"; "Having been early taught to [restrain the] govern their passions & to regard the practice of virtue as their greatest good, it was generally the case, that love, friendship & harmony existed in families." (Spalding 1910, 48, 51-52) Jacob chatises his people: "For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people . . . because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands. . . . For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse . . . . Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them . . . . Behold, the Lamanites your brethren . . . are more righteous than you . . . . Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children" (Jacob 2:31-35; 3:5, 7).

The "Manuscript Story" launches into a tale of star-crossed lovers, reminiscent of Rivalin and Blancheflor, the parents of Tristan. Elseon, the son of Hamboon, Emperor of Kentuck, fell in love with Lamesa, daughter of Rambock, Emperor of Sciota. However, it was not the custom of the Sciotans and Kentucks to intermarry, and Elseon's request to take Lamesa as his wife was denied by Rambock, who wished Lamesa to marry Sambal. Elseon and Lamesa devised a scheme to leave Sciota and journeyed to the city of Gamba, where they were married by the emperor and empress of Kentuck. Sambal was infuriated at having lost Lamesa and urged the Sciotans to go to war.

Sambal enlisted the aid of a necromancer named Hamack to rouse the people's emotions.

The transparent stone of Hamack also has obvious similarities to Joseph Smith's seer stones and the interpreters. In addition, this passage from the Spalding manuscript recalls Bennett's allegation that Joseph used a seer stone to decide if a man could have intercourse with one of the Chambered Sisters of Charity.

The "Manuscript Story" and the Book of Mormon share another feature -- the "letter" motif. Elseon exchanges letters with the emperor of Sciota; Lamesa receives a letter from her father; Rambock sends a letter to Hamboon, who in turn dispatches an envoy with a letter to Rambock; Rambock then sends the envoy back with a declaration of war. In the Book of Mormon, Moroni sends a servant with an epistle to Ammoron, who replies with another epistle; Helaman sends a very long epistle, covering three chapters, to Moroni; Ammoron and Helaman also exchange epistles; Moroni writes two epistles to Pahoran, which brings an epistle in reply from Pahoran; Lachoneus receives an epistle from Giddianhi; the king of the Lamanites and Mormon exchange epistles, as do Coriantumr and Shiz; and Mormon writes two epistles to his son Moroni.

Furthermore, in both the "Manuscript Story" and the Book of Mormon, enmity between the two primary groups of people is attributed to robbery. The high priest of Sciota declares that "Elseon, the heir apparent to the imperial throne of Kentuck has been guilty of Robery & impiety within our dominions -- He has robed this empire of an invaluable treasure . . . ." Rambock also declares: "Ingratitude & perfedy, seduction, Robery & the most daring impiety against heaven have been perpetrated within our dominions -- The young prince of Kentuck is the monster, who has been guilty of these Crimes" (Spalding 1910, 79, 83). Similarly, in his letter to Moroni, Ammoron states: "your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the government when it rightly belonged unto them" (Alma 54:17). The Lamanites also complained that Nephi "took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said that he robbed them. . . . therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi" (Mosiah 10:16-17).

Rambock issued an edict, declaring: "The Sciotans are required to exterminate, without distinction of age or sex all the inhabitants of the empire of Kentuck" (Spalding 1910, 80). The various kings of the region gathered their troops in support of their emperor, and the war of extermination began. At the great battle of Geheno, an immense slaughter ensued, covering the earth with the bodies of one hundred thousand men. A two-day armistice was declared to allow ten thousand men from each army to bury the dead. They dug mass graves, in which they deposited the bodies, and covered them with large heaps of earth. The chiefs who had been killed were also buried, and "over them they raised prodigious mounds of earth -- which will remain for ages, as monuments to commemorate the valiant feats of these heroes of the great Battle of Geheno" (Spalding 1910, 96). The Book of Mormon states that after the people of Ammonihah were destroyed by the Lamanites, "their dead bodies were heaped up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a shallow covering" (Alma 16:11). Moreover, the battle of Geheno resembles the armistice and final war of extermination between the Nephites and Lamanites at the battle of Cumorah. The Spalding manuscript lists the kings and the number of men that each commanded, although the list is attenuated by the loss of two pages: Habelon, with fifteen thousand; Ulipoon, with eighteen thousand; Numapon, with sixteen thousand; and Ramuck, with ten thousand. The Book of Mormon also lists a number of men who each commanded ten thousand men: Gidgiddonah, Lamah, Gilgal, Limhah, Jeneum, Cumenihah, Moronihah, Antionum, Shiblom, Shem, and Josh. About one hundred and thirty thousand men were killed at Cumorah. The battle of Geheno also has parallels with the war which resulted in the extinction of the Jaredites at the hill Ramah.

The "Manuscript Story" relates the feats of two young Kentuck soldiers, who performed the bold and heroic act of stealing into the camp of the Sciotans, where they slew hundreds of sleeping men, before being discovered. The tale is obviously borrowed from the Aeneid's account of Euryalus and Nisus, who stole into the Rutulian camp. Like Euryalus and Nisus, the two Kentucks were pursued, one got far in advance, but the other was overtaken by the enemy. The first came back to defend his comrade, but both were killed. A similar fate awaited Teancum, when he entered Ammoron's camp at night to kill the king (Alma 62:36).

The Sciotans captured the city of Gamba, plundering and burning it, which recalls both the sack of Rome and the capture of the city of Zarahemla.

The Kentucks were not prepared for the Sciotan attack on Gamba, their capital city in "the heart of their country," just as Moronihah did not anticipate the Lamanite attack on Zarahemla in "the capital parts of the land." Both the Sciotans and Lamanites marched swiftly toward their targets, killed a few defenders, and took control of the city. After Gamba was taken, Ulipoon turned his army towards his own land, but Hanock "immediately" dispatched Hamboon to pursue them, as Moronihah "immediately" sent Lehi to prevent the Lamanites from reaching Bountiful. Hanock's men followed, and when Ulipoon's army was surrounded, a bloody battle ensued, in which Ulipoon was killed, just as the Lamanite army was surrounded by Moronihah, and Coriantumr was slain in a bloody battle.

Ulipoon's real intention "was to march with the utmost expedition to his own dominions & to carry with him his rich plunder" (Spalding 1910, 104). After he and many of his men were killed by Hanock, two thousand escaped to their own land, but about fifty fled to the army of Rambock. The story of Ulipoon has several parallels in the Book of Mormon. Amalickiah tried to lead his followers into the land of Nephi, but was pursued by Moroni; he escaped with a few men and sought the aid of the king of the Lamanites. Morianton and his people attempted to flee into the north country, but were intercepted by Teancum, who killed Morianton.

Descriptions of assaults on the cities of Gamba and Noah include similar battles with defenders at the entrances to the cities.

Sambal succeeded in breaking through the defenses of the Kentuck fort and sought out Lamesa. Heliza tried to stop him, but was killed by Sambal. After Elseon arrived with thirty thousand warriors, a fierce battle ensued, during which Sambal struck off the head of Helicon, the intimate friend of Elseon. After receiving the news, Elseon went in search of Sambal. The two champions fought, and Sambal was killed, in a scene which recalls the battle between Coriantumr and Shiz. When the Sciotans saw Sambal's huge, lifeless body, they fled in terror. Elseon pursued them, killing thousands, but then returned to the fort.

A Kentuck bard immortalized the love between Helicon and Heliza, who had both been killed in the war. The description of their union after death in a "delightful Bower" recalls the Cave of Love, in which Tristan was finally joined with the fair Isolde.

The armies of Rambock and Hamboon were still facing each other, but awaiting reinforcements. Elseon marched with twenty thousand men to Hamboon's camp. And here Spalding's manuscript suddenly ends, with the Kentucks preparing to battle Rambock's forces.

The "Manuscript Story" contains so many parallels with the Book of Mormon and with Mormon doctrine that it is impossible to believe that they are all merely the result of coincidence. The same factors which qualify Spalding as the author of the Book of Mormon are also evident in the "Manuscript Story." Solomon was obviously fascinated by the ancient earthen mounds and Indian forts, which were found in Ohio. He imagined the discovery of buried records, which also contained a story about a seer stone. He wanted to construct from his own imagination a history of the ancestors of the American Indians. He invented the details of their lives, their dress, houses, animals, their government, religion, and manner of warfare. He hypothesized the existence of two groups of people, one savage and the other more highly civilized. The civilized peoples were divided into two empires and embarked upon a fearful war of extermination. Solomon drew upon his knowledge of ancient history, Arthurian romances, Plato, Virgil's Aeneid and Bacon's New Atlantis. It is certainly not impossible to believe that Solomon set aside the "Manuscript Story" and decided to write an expanded version, covering a much longer period of history and incorporating some new thoughts about the origins of the inhabitants of the New World. Despite the denials of the critics, there are specific parallels between the "Manuscript Story" and the Book of Mormon. And other elements of Spalding's story, such as the theological doctrines and the system of writing of the Ohons, provide strong links between Joseph Smith and Solomon Spalding.

For more parallels between the Spalding manuscript and Joseph Smith's writings, see the Spalding Authorship Page, Recent Defenses of the Book of Mormon, and Another Spalding Fragment.