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keeping thousands of dollars tied up in seventy…two bedsteads when the
money ought to have been out at interest； and I just sold out the whole
stock； sir； at a sacrifice； and built a bedstead seven feet long and
ninety…six feet wide。 But it was a failure； sir。 I could not sleep。
It appeared to me that the whole seventy…two women snored at once。
The roar was deafening。 And then the danger of it！ That was what I was
looking at。 They would all draw in their breath at once； and you could
actually see the walls of the house suck inand then they would all
exhale their breath at once； and you could see the walls swell out； and
strain； and hear the rafters crack； and the shingles grind together。
My friend； take an old man's advice； and don't encumber yourself with a
large familymind； I tell you； don't do it。 In a small family； and in a
small family only； you will find that comfort and that peace of mind
which are the best at last of the blessings this world is able to afford
us； and for the lack of which no accumulation of wealth； and no
acquisition of fame； power； and greatness can ever compensate us。
Take my word for it； ten or eleven wives is all you neednever go over
it。〃
Some instinct or other made me set this Johnson down as being unreliable。
And yet he was a very entertaining person； and I doubt if some of the
information he gave us could have been acquired from any other source。
He was a pleasant contrast to those reticent Mormons。
CHAPTER XVI。
All men have heard of the Mormon Bible； but few except the 〃elect〃 have
seen it； or； at least； taken the trouble to read it。 I brought away a
copy from Salt Lake。 The book is a curiosity to me； it is such a
pretentious affair； and yet so 〃slow；〃 so sleepy； such an insipid mess of
inspiration。 It is chloroform in print。 If Joseph Smith composed this
book； the act was a miraclekeeping awake while he did it was； at any
rate。 If he； according to tradition； merely translated it from certain
ancient and mysteriously…engraved plates of copper； which he declares he
found under a stone； in an out…of…the…way locality； the work of
translating was equally a miracle； for the same reason。
The book seems to be merely a prosy detail of imaginary history； with the
Old Testament for a model； followed by a tedious plagiarism of the New
Testament。 The author labored to give his words and phrases the quaint；
old…fashioned sound and structure of our King James's translation of the
Scriptures； and the result is a mongrelhalf modern glibness； and half
ancient simplicity and gravity。 The latter is awkward and constrained；
the former natural； but grotesque by the contrast。 Whenever he found his
speech growing too modernwhich was about every sentence or twohe
ladled in a few such Scriptural phrases as 〃exceeding sore；〃 〃and it came
to pass；〃 etc。； and made things satisfactory again。 〃And it came to
pass〃 was his pet。 If he had left that out； his Bible would have been
only a pamphlet。
The title…page reads as follows：
THE BOOK OF MORMON： AN ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY THE HAND OF MORMON； UPON
PLATES TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI。
Wherefore it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi；
and also of the Lamanites； written to the Lamanites； who are a
remnant of the House of Israel； and also to Jew and Gentile； written
by way of commandment； and also by the spirit of prophecy and of
revelation。 Written and sealed up； and hid up unto the Lord； that
they might not be destroyed； to come forth by the gift and power of
God unto the interpretation thereof； sealed by the hand of Moroni；
and hid up unto the Lord； to come forth in due time by the way of
Gentile； the interpretation thereof by the gift of God。 An
abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also； which is a record of
the people of Jared； who were scattered at the time the Lord
confounded the language of the people when they were building a
tower to get to Heaven。
〃Hid up〃 is good。 And so is 〃wherefore〃though why 〃wherefore〃？ Any
other word would have answered as wellthoughin truth it would not
have sounded so Scriptural。
Next comes：
THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES。
Be it known unto all nations； kindreds； tongues； and people unto
whom this work shall come； that we； through the grace of God the
Father； and our Lord Jesus Christ； have seen the plates which
contain this record； which is a record of the people of Nephi； and
also of the Lamanites； their brethren； and also of the people of
Jared； who came from the tower of which hath been spoken； and we
also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of
God； for His voice hath declared it unto us； wherefore we know of a
surety that the work is true。 And we also testify that we have seen
the engravings which are upon the plates； and they have been shown
unto us by the power of God； and not of man。 And we declare with
words of soberness； that an angel of God came down from heaven； and
he brought and laid before our eyes； that we beheld and saw the
plates； and the engravings thereon； and we know that it is by the
grace of God the Father； and our Lord Jesus Christ； that we beheld
and bear record that these things are true； and it is marvellous in
our eyes； nevertheless the voice of the Lord commanded us that we
should bear record of it； wherefore； to be obedient unto the
commandments of God； we bear testimony of these things。 And we know
that if we are faithful in Christ； we shall rid our garments of the
blood of all men； and be found spotless before the judgment…seat of
Christ； and shall dwell with Him eternally in the heavens。 And the
honor be to the Father； and to the Son； and to the Holy Ghost； which
is one God。 Amen。
OLIVER COWDERY；
DAVID WHITMER；
MARTIN HARRIS。
Some people have to have a world of evidence before they can come
anywhere in the neighborhood of believing anything； but for me； when a
man tells me that he has 〃seen the engravings which are upon the plates；〃
and not only that； but an angel was there at the time； and saw him see
them； and probably took his receipt for it； I am very far on the road to
conviction； no matter whether I ever heard of that man before or not； and
even if I do not know the name of the angel； or his nationality either。
Next is this：
AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES。
Be it known unto all nations； kindreds； tongues； and people unto
whom this work shall come； that Joseph Smith； Jr。； the translator of
this work； has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken；
which have the appearance of gold； and as many of the leaves as the
said Smith has translated； we did handle with our hands； and we also
saw the engravings thereon； all of which has the appearance of
ancient work； and of curious workmanship。 And this we bear record
with words of soberness； that the said Smith has shown unto us； for
we have seen and hefted； and know of a surety that the said Smith
has got the plates of which we have spoken。 And we give our names
unto the world； to witness unto the world that which we have seen；
and we lie not； God bearing witness of it。
CHRISTIAN WHITMER；
JACOB WHITMER；
PETER WHITMER； JR。；
JOHN WHITMER；
HIRAM PAGE；
JOSEPH SMITH； SR。；
HYRUM SMITH；
SAMUEL H。 SMITH。
And when I am far on the road to conviction； and eight men； be they
grammatical or otherwise； come forward and tell me that they have seen
the plates too； and not only seen those plates but 〃hefted〃 them； I am
convinced。 I could not feel more satisfied and at rest if the entire
Whitmer family had testified。
The Mormon Bible consists of fifteen 〃books〃being the books of Jacob；
Enos； Jarom； Omni； Mosiah； Zeniff； Alma； Helaman； Ether； Moroni； two
〃books〃 of Mormon； and three of Nephi。
In the first book of Nephi is a plagiarism of the Old Testament； which
gives an account of the exodus from Jerusalem of the 〃children of Lehi〃；
and it goes on to tell of their wanderings in the wilderness； during
eight years； and their supernatural protection by one of their number； a
party by the name of Nephi。 They finally reached the land of
〃Bountiful；〃 and camped by the sea。 After they had remained there 〃for
the space of many days〃which is more Scriptural than definiteNephi
was commanded from on high to build a ship wherein to 〃carry the people
across the waters。〃 He travestied Noah's arkbut he obeyed orders in
the matter of the plan。 He finished the ship in a single day； while his
brethren stood by and made fun of itand of him； too〃saying； our
brother is a fool； for he thinketh that he can build a ship。〃 They did
not wait for the timbers