What did a voice
tell non-member Chapman Duncan he would find if he traveled to the west?
A)
The city of the Saints
B)
Brigham Young
C)
My Church
D)
The House of the Lord
Yesterday’s answer:
a.
The
possibility that someone was meddling with the Book of Mormon at the printers
Lucy Mack
Smith records the following: “The work
of printing still continued with little or no interruption,” Lucy wrote, “until
one Sunday afternoon, when Hyrum became very uneasy as to the security of the
work left at the printing office, and requested Oliver to accompany him thither
, to see if all was right. . . .
“On arriving
at the printing establishment, they found it occupied by an individual by the
name of [Abner] Cole, an ex-justice of the peace, who was busily employed in
printing a newspaper. . .
“Upon
reading the prospectus of his paper, they found that he had agreed with his
subscribers to publish one form of ‘Joe Smith’s Gold Bible each week, and
thereby furnish them with the principal portion of the book in such a way that
they would not be obliged to pay the Smiths for it. His paper was entitle, Dogberry Paper on Winter Hill. . . . Hyrum
was shocked, as well as indignant at the dishonest course which Mr. Cole had
taken, in order to possess himself of the work.
“ ‘Mr.
Cole,’ said he ‘what right have you to print the Book of Mormon in this manner?
Do you not know that we have secured the copyright?’
“ ‘It is
none of your business,’ answered Cole,
“I have hired the press, and will print what I please.’ . . .
“Hyrum
endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose, but finding him inexorable, left
him to issue his paper, as he had hitherto done; for when they found him at
work, he had already issued six or eight numbers, and had managed to keep them
out of our sight.
“On
returning from the office, they asked my husband [Joseph Smith Sr.] what course
was best for them to pursue, relative to Mr. Cole. He told them that he
considered it a matter with which Joseph ought to be made acquainted.
Accordingly, he set out himself for Pennsylvania, and returned with Joseph the
ensuing Sunday. The weather was so extremely cold, that they came near
perishing before they arrived at home, nevertheless, as soon as Joseph made
himself partially comfortable, he went to the printing office, where he found
Cole employed, as on the Sunday previous. ‘How do you do, Mr. Cole,’ said
Joseph, ‘you seem hard at work.’
“ ‘How do
you do, Mr. Smith,’ answered Cole, dryly.
“Joseph
examined his Dogberry Paper, and then
said firmly, ‘Mr. Cole, that book [the Book of Mormon], and the right of
publishing it, belongs to me, and I forbid you meddling with it any further.’
“At this Mr.
Cole threw off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and came towards Joseph,
smacking his fists together with vengeance, and roaring out, ‘Do you want to
fight, sir? Do you want to fight?. . .
“. . . ‘Now,
Mr. Cole,’ said [Joseph], ‘you had better keep your coat on—it is cold, and I
am not going to fight you, nevertheless, I assure you, sir that you have got to
stop printing my book, for I know my rights, and shall maintain them. . . .
There is law, and you will find that out, if you do not understand it. . . .’
“At this,
the ex-justice began to cool off a little, and finally concluded to submit to
an arbitration, which decided that he should stop his proceedings forthwith, so
that he made us no further trouble.”
Church History for Latter-day
Saint Families, Thomas R.
Valletta (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2004), 82-3.
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