iring a horse, he returned home in the afternoon,
stayed just time enough to drink a cup of tea, went in search of his
book, found it safe, took off his frock, wrapt it round his treasure,
put it under his arm, and ran all the way home, a distance of about two
miles. He said he should think that, being written on plates of gold, if
weighed sixty pounds, but, at all events, was sure it was not less than
forty. On his return he was attacked by two men in the woods, knocked
them both down, made his escape, and arrived safe at home with
his burden."

The above were the exact words of Smith, to which he adds, somewhere in
his translation of the book, that had it not been for the supernatural
virtues of the stone he carried with him, virtues which endowed him with
divine strength and courage, he would never have been able to undergo
the fatigues and conquer the obstacles he encountered during that
frightful night.

Thus Smith gets possession of his precious manuscript. But, alas! 'tis
written in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Joe calls to his assistance the
wonderful stone, "the gift of God," and peeping hastily through it, he
sees an angel pointing somewhere towards _a miraculous pair of
spectacles!!!_ Yes, two polished pieces of crystal were the humble means
by which the golden plates were to be rendered comprehensible. By the
bye, the said spectacles are a heavy, ugly piece of workmanship of the
last century; they are silver-mounted, and bear the maker's name,
plainly engraved, "Schneider, Zurich."

The Book of Mormon was published in the year 1830, Since that period its
believers and advocates have propagated its doctrines and absurdities
with a zeal worthy of a better cause. Through every State of the Union,
and in Canada, the apostles of this wild delusion have disseminated its
principles and duped thousands to believe it true. They have crossed the
ocean, and in England have made many converts: recently some of their
missionaries have been sent to Palestine. Such strenuous exertions
having been, and still being made, to propagate the doctrines of this
book, and such fruits having already appeared from the labours of its
friends, it becomes a matter of some interest to investigate the history
of this strange delusion, and, although it does not deserve it, treat
the subject seriously.

The Book of Mormon purports to be the record or history of a certain
people who inhabited America previous to its discovery by Columbus.
Ac