he top of his hat. It has been said
by Smith, that he got the stone from God, but this is false.

"The next morning Joe came to me, and wished to obtain the stone,
alleging that he could see in it; but I told him I did not wish to
part with it, on account of its being a curiosity, but would lend it.
After obtaining the stone, he began to publish abroad what wonders he
could discover by looking in it, and made so much disturbance among
the credulous part of the community, that I ordered the stone to be
returned to me again. He had it in his possession about two years. I
believe, some time in 1825, Hiram Smith (Joe's brother) came to me,
and wished to borrow the same stone, alleging that they wanted to
accomplish some business of importance, which `could not very well be
done without the aid of the stone.' I told him it was of no
particular worth to me, but I merely wished to keep it as a curiosity,
and if he would pledge me his word and honour that I should have it
when called for, he might have it; which he did, and took the stone.
I thought I could rely on his word at this time, as he had made a
profession of religion; but in this I was disappointed, for he
disregarded both his word and honour.

"In the fall of 1826, a friend called upon me, and wished to see that
stone about which so much had been said: and I told him, if he would
go with me to Smith's (a distance of about half a mile), he might see
it. To my surprise, however, on asking Smith for the stone, he said,
`You cannot have it.' I told him it belonged to me; repeated to him
the promise he had made me at the time of obtaining the stone; upon
which he faced me with a malignant look, and said, `_I don't care who
the devil it belongs to; you shall not have it_.'

"COLONEL NAHUM HOWARD.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

I must pass over many details interesting in themselves; but too long to
insert in this work. It must suffice to say, that after a time Joe
Smith stated that he had possession of the golden plates, and had
received from heaven a pair of spectacles by means of which the unknown
characters could be decyphered by him. It may appear strange that such
absurd assertions should be credited, but the reader must call to mind
the credence given in this country to Joanna Southcote, and the
infatuation displayed by her proselytes to the very last.

The origin of Mormonism deserves peculiar examinati