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Folk magic and the Latter Day Saint movement

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This "Holiness to the Lord" lamen (Latin for 'plate'), a cloth inscribed with astrological signs and symbols, was one of several owned by the Hyrum Smith family[1]

Folk magic was a pivotal element of the early Latter Day Saint movement. Founder Joseph Smith and his family were involved in folk healing, folk medicine, folk magic, scrying, astrology, and divination[2]

While early church leaders practiced folk magic, later generations did not. [3] The extent that the founder of the movement Joseph Smith and his early followers participated in the culture has been the subject of controversy since before the church's founding in 1830, and continues to this day.[4][5]

Overview

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Joseph Smith and his family were folk magic practitioners and Smith described himself as a "seer" throughout his life. The family was controversial in the region for their practice of nighttime treasure digs aided by incantations, charms, magic circles, animal sacrifices, and allegedly necromancy. Joeseph Smith's recently-deceased older brother was reportedly exhumed and Smith reportedly left the Methodists amid accusations of necromancy. As early as 1834, the Smiths' involvement in folk magic was documented in the book "Mormonism Unvailed".

The church consistently minimized and denied Smith's usage of magic. As late as 1954, Joseph Fielding Smith claimed, incorrectly, that seer stones had not been used during the dictation of the Book of Mormon.[6]

Smith's involvement in magic received further attention in the 1980s when forger (and later bomber) Mark Hoffman created the Salamander letter, a fake letter which purported to corroborate Willard Chase's account that Smith "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". By 1984, even church critics were claiming that Hoffman's letter wasn't authentic and it was ultimately revealed to be a forgery. However, as a Church article noted: "such issues as Joseph Smith's involvement with in treasure-seeking and folk magic remain. Ample evidence exists for both of these". [7]

In 1987, D. Michael Quinn's Early Mormonism and the Magic World View brought wide attention to the topic. In 2003, South Park episode "All About Mormons" introduced a global audience to Smith's use of a seer stone to dictate the Book of Mormon. A decade later, in 2013, the LDS church publicly acknowledged that a seer stone had been used in the translation of the Book of Mormon.[8] In 2015, the LDS church released images of one of Smith's seer stones.[9]

Chronology

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The Smith family practiced a form of folk religion,[10] which, although not uncommon in his time and place, was criticized by many contemporary Protestants "as either fraudulent illusion or the workings of the Devil."[11] Both Joseph Smith Sr. and at least two of his sons worked at "money digging," using seer stones in mostly unsuccessful attempts to locate lost items and buried treasure.[12][13] In a draft of her memoirs, Lucy Mack Smith referred to folk magic:

I shall change my theme for the present, but let not my reader suppose that because I shall pursue another topic for a season that we stopt our labor and went at trying to win the faculty of Abrac, drawing magic circles or soothsaying, to the neglect of all kinds of business. We never during our lives suffered one important interest to swallow up every other obligation. But whilst we worked with our hands, we endeavored to remember the service of and the welfare of our souls.[14]

D. Michael Quinn has written that Lucy Mack Smith viewed these magical practices as "part of her family's religious quest" while denying that they prevented "family members from accomplishing other, equally important work."[15] Jan Shipps notes that while Smith's "religious claims were rejected by many of the persons who had known him in the 1820s because they remembered him as a practitioner of the magic arts," others of his earliest followers were attracted to his claims "for precisely the same reason."[16]

Smith reports using seer stones in the translation of the Book of Mormon,[17] as well as in the reception of several early revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants.[18][19]

Scrying

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Main article: Seer stone (Latter Day Saints)

In the early 1820s in the region where Joseph Smith grew up there was a subculture that practiced scrying through the use of "seer stones" or "peep stones".[20][21] Smith's hometown of Palmyra was no exception.[4] Historian D. Michael Quinn states "Until the Book of Mormon thrust young Smith into prominence, Palmyra's most notable seer was Sally Chase, who used a greenish-colored stone. William Stafford also had a seer stone, and Joshua Stafford had a 'peepstone which looked like white marble and had a hole through the center.'"[22] Historian Richard Bushman adds Chauncy Hart, and an unnamed man in Susquehanna County, both of whom had stones with which they found lost objects.[23]

Joseph Smith's mother records that Sally Chase's abilities as a seer were used by locals to try to find and steal the gold plates from Joseph after he had obtained them.[24] "A young woman by the name Chase (Sister to Willard Chase) found a green glass, through which she could see many very wonderful things, and, among her great discoveries, she said that she saw, the precise place where 'Joe. Smith kept his gold Bible hid.' And, obedient to her directions, they gathered their forces and laid siege to the cooper shop."

In September 1819, Smith reportedly borrowed a stone from local seer Sally Chase and used it to scry the location of a stone that was buried under a tree 150 miles away.[25][20]

From about 1819, Smith regularly practiced scrying, a form of divination in which a "seer" looked into a seer stone to receive supernatural knowledge.[26] Smith usually practiced "peeping" or seeing by putting a stone at the bottom of a white stovepipe hat, putting his face over the hat to block the light, then divining information from the stone.[27] Smith and his father achieved "something of a mysterious local reputation in the profession—mysterious because there is no record that they ever found anything despite the readiness of some local residents to pay for their efforts."[28]

According to Tucker (1867, p. 20), Smith was paid 75 cents to locate a stolen roll of cloth with his seer stone, thought the cloth was never found.

Treasure digs under Walters

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On July 24, 1822, the local newspaper in Palmyra reprinted an article titled "The Money Diggers" about the wave of treasure digging going on throughout New England. It reported that one man in Pennsylvania had discovered a treasure worth $50,000. The article explained "We could name, if we pleased, at least five hundred respectable men, who do, in the simplicity and sincerity of their hearts, verily believe that immense treasures lie concealed upon our Green Mountains; many of whom have been for a number of years, most industriously and perserveringly engaged in digging it up."[29]

In 1822 and 1823, Luman Walters served as a seer for a treasure dig on the property of Abner Cole in Palmyra. Alvin Smith, Joseph Smith and their father reportedly participated in this dig. Walters possessed a magical book and a seer stone, which he used to locate buried treasure.[30]

Abner Cole recalled that "Walters the Magician" had drawn magic circles and "sacrificed a Cock for the purpose of propitiating the prince of spirits" during the treasure dig. Cole describe Walters has having a ceremonial sword, a seer stong, a stuff toad, and a book in Latin.[31] Cole recalled that Walters was "once committed to the jail of this country for juggling"[32][33] Cole recalls that the dig ended in disappointment."[32]

An engraving from the 1825 book The astrologer of the nineteenth century features a symbol on a shield that also appears on Hyrum Smith's 'Holiness to the Lord' lamen.[34]

September 1823

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D. Michael Quinn speculates that the "Holiness to the Lord" lamen was constructed in August or September 1823 to allow a 'pure youth' to contact a 'good spirit'.[35] Joseph Smith consistently listed September 21/22, 1823 as a pivotal time in his life. Early reports describe Smith being visited by a spirit in a thrice-repeating dream. In 1829, Martin Harris reported that Joseph had learned about the plate when a spirit of the Almighty visiting him in a dream. Joseph Sr. explained the "spirit" was a "little old man with a long beard", while an account based on Oliver Cowdery described "an angel of light" appearing to Smith in a dream.[36]

Smith said that on the night of Sunday, September 21, 1823, an angel who had, in life, been an ancient American, visited him and told him of the location of the gold plates that contained the Book of Mormon.[37] September 21, 1823 wasboth a full moon and theautumnal equinox.[1]

In an account of the plates' discovery written by Joseph Knight Sr. (1805-1844):

He [Joseph] exclaimed "why Cant I stur this Book?" And he was answered, "you have not Done rite; you should have took the Book and a gone right away. You cant have it now." Joseph says, "when can I have it?" The answer was the 22nt Day of September next if you Bring the right person with you. Joseph says, "who is the right Person?" The answer was "your oldest Brother."[38]

1824 necromancy suspicion

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During his life, Alvin Smith had participated in a treasure dig under the direction of Luman Walters, a travelling necromancer.[39] After Alvin's death on November 19, 1823, the Smith family reportedly "heard a rumor that Alvin's body had been exhumed and dissected. Fearing it to be true, the elder Smith uncovered the grave on September 25, 1824, and inspected the corpse."[40] Following the exhumation, Joseph Smith Sr. printed a notice in the local newspaper on September 29, 1824 explaining that Alvin's body had been exhumed to verify it has not been removed from the grave.[41][42] In Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet, historian Dan Vogel notes that "Joseph Sr.'s explanation for disinterring Alvin's body is questionable because one should have been able to determine if the grave had been disturbed without exhuming the body. It seems probable, therefore, that Joseph Sr. himself may have been the source of the rumor, that the story was a ruse to exhume Alvin's body for its use in attempting to get the gold plates."[43]

Historian D. Michael Quinn, in his book Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, suggests that the newspaper notice published by Smith Sr. is evidence that the "guardian," "spirit" or "angel" commanded Joseph to bring a piece of Alvin's body to the hiding place of the golden plates as a requirement for seeing them.[44] Quinn argues that when Smith did not do this, he was unable to see the plates for a second time and had to wait another year. Additionally, Quinn suggests that this information was obscured in official church history because it implies Smith's participation in necromancy.

Residents of Pennsylvania recalled that in June 1828, Smith briefly joined the Methodist church but resigned after others in the church complained about his membership. One member recalled: "we thought it was a disgrace to the church to have a practicing necromancer, a dealer in enchantments and bleeding ghosts, in it."[45] In 1834, the book Mormonism Unvailed reported that Joseph Smith had "become very expert in the arts of necromancy, jugling, the use of the divining rod, and looking into what they termed a 'peep-stone'".[46] The book featured an account of Smith neighbor William Stafford who relayed a story of Joseph sacrificing a black sheep to appease an evil spirit guarding a treasure.[47][48]

Expeditions to Harmony, Bainbridge, and Colesville

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See also: Joseph Smith and the criminal justice system

In October 1825, Josiah Stowell, a well-to-do farmer from South Bainbridge, Chenango County, New York, who had been searching for a lost Spanish mine near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania with another seer, traveled to Manchester to hire Smith "on account of having heard that he possessed certain keys, by which he could discern things invisible to the natural eye."[49] Smith and his father traveled to Harmony hoping to raise money to pay off their Manchester farm. Smith and his father travel to Harmony hoping to raise money to pay off their Manchester farm.[50] On November 1: Smith, Sr, Smith Jr., and seven others sign a contract for a money digging company in Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.[51][52] The money digging company stayed at the home of Isaac Hale, father of Smith's future wife Emma Hale.[50] On November 17 the money digging company disbanded.[53] Smith continued to work for Josiah Stowell and attended school.[51] Smith used two stones to search for treasure.[50]

In November, Smith traveled to Colesville, New York for a few months to work for Joseph Knight Sr.[54] Smith directed further excavations on Knight's property and at other locations around Colesville.[55]

1827

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In June 1827, Smith Sr. told fellow treasure seeker Willard Chase that several years ago, a spirit had appeared to Smith and told him about a golden book. (Marquardt & Walters 1994, p. xxix). In August, Smith and his wife Emma visited Harmony to retrieve Emma's possessions. (Anderson 2001, chronology). According to Peter Ingersoll, who helped move Emma's furniture from Harmony to Manchester, Smith confessed that he could not see anything in the seer stone and promised his father-in-law Isaac Hale that he would give up using it. (Marquardt & Walters 1994, p. xxix).

Throughout the fall, stories that Smith was about to recover the treasure were given "wide circulation".[56] Smith approached Willard Chase, a carpenter and treasure seeker, asking him to make a strong chest in exchange for a share in the profits generated by the expected treasure. On September 20, Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight Sr. arrived in Manchester in anticipation of Smith obtaining the treasure. (Anderson 2001, chronology; Marquardt & Walters 1994, p. xxx).

1830 Hiram Page stone

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Hiram Page, one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, was living with his in-laws the Whitmers in Fayette, New York. Smith arrived in August 1830 to discover Page using a black "seer stone" to produce revelations for the church. The revelations were regarding the organization and location of Zion. Cowdery and the Whitmer family believed the revelations were authentic. In response, Smith announced in a new revelation during the church's September conference that Page's revelations were of the devil (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 28:11). At the conference there was considerable discussion on the topic. Page agreed to discard the stone and the revelations and join in following Smith as the sole revelator for the church. The members present confirmed this unanimously with a vote. The fate of the stone and revelations was not recorded by contemporary sources and has been the subject of interest ever since.[20] Martin Harris's brother Emer stated second-hand in 1856 that the stone was ground to powder and the associated revelations were burned.[57] Apostle Alvin R. Dyer stated that he had discovered Page's seerstone in 1955, that it had been passed down through Jacob Whitmer's family.[58] The validity of this claim has been questioned.[20]

1838

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A young woman living at the home of David Whitmer in Ohio in 1838 reported receiving a number of revelations about the downfall of Joseph Smith by looking through a black stone that she had found. Some disaffected church members followed after her.[59]

1840s

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In 1841, apostles Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith confiscated several seer stones and grimoires from convert William Mountford in Staffordshire, England. The grimoires were destroyed and seer stones were sent to Nauvoo. Joseph Smith examined the stones and stated that they were "Urim and Thummim as good as ever was upon the earth" but that they had been "consecrated to devils."[60]


Mars Dagger

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Hyrum Smith inherited and passed down several relics to his descendents. These include a "Mars Dagger", Mars being the ruling planet of Joseph Smith Sr.'s birth year.[61] Inscribed on one side of the dagger is the astrological symbol for mars, the occult seal of Mars, and "Adonay", a Hebrew word for "God". On the blade of the dagger is the zodiacal sign of Scorpio.[61] Specially consecrated daggers or swords were often prescribed when drawing magic circles.[62] Several factors lead scholars to believe that the dagger originally belonged to Joseph Smith Sr.: Palmyra residents where the Smith family resided did not mention Hyrum as a participant in the frequent treasure digs that Joseph Smith Jr. and his father participated in, sources frequently mention Joseph Smith Sr. and his son Joseph Smith Jr. drawing magic circles, the astrological signs on the dagger belonged to Joseph Smith Sr. not Hyrum, and Joseph Sr. ordained Hyrum as a patriarch on his deathbed making him a natural heir of family heirlooms.[61]

Divining rods

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Both Joseph Smith Jr. and his father used divining rods.[63]

One of Joseph Smith's early revelations, now canonized in the Doctrine and Covenants, stated that Oliver Cowdery had the power to use a divining rod. Cowdery was told that he had the gift of "working with the sprout, behold it hath told you things. Behold there is no other power save God that can cause this thing of Nature [sic] to work in your hands."[64] Wording was changed in later editions of the Doctrine and Covenants referring to Cowdery's rod as the "gift of Aaron".[64] The term "sprout" was often used to describe divining rods in the 1820s and '30s.[20]

Willard Richards with his black cane

Purportedly, Brigham Young used Cowdery's rod to mark the site of the Salt Lake Temple[65] Apostle Anthon H. Lund wrote in his diary:

In the revelation to Oliver Cowdery in May 1829, Bro. [B. H.] Roberts said that the gift which the Lord says he has in his hand meant a stick which was like Aaron's Rod. It is said Bro. Phineas Young [brother-in-law of Oliver Cowdery and brother of Brigham Young] got it from him [Cowdery] and gave it to President Young who had it with him when he arrived in this [Salt Lake] valley and that it was with that stick that he pointed out where the Temple should be built.[66]

In 1843, James C. Brewster, who had formed a splinter group, claimed that in 1836 prior to an Ohio treasure quest, that presiding Patriarch Joseph Smith Sr. "anointed the mineral rods and seeing stones with consecrated oil, and prayed over them in the house of the Lord in Kirtland."[67]

Heber C. Kimball was given a three and a half foot rod by Joseph Smith, with which he practiced rhabdomancy, believing "all he had to do was kneel down with rod in his hands and ... sometimes the Lord would answer his questions" by causing the rod to move.[68][69] According to Kimball, he would ask yes–no questions, movement meant "yes" and no movement meant "no". His use of the rod for divining continued until at least 1862.[70]

Apostle Willard Richards had a black cane that he used to lay on people's head who had a sickness in order to heal them "through the power of God."[71]

Amulets, charms and talismans

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Amulets, Charms and Talismans owned by members of the Latter Day Saint movement
  • Front and back of Joseph Smith Jupiter Talisman
    Front and back of Joseph Smith Jupiter Talisman
  • Masonic Dove Medallion owned by Joseph Smith
    Masonic Dove Medallion owned by Joseph Smith
  • Bloodstone amulet worn by Brigham Young
    Bloodstone amulet worn by Brigham Young

Amulets, charms and talismans were part of the religious environment of the Smith family and other early Latter Day Saints.[72]

Joseph Smith possessed a "Jupiter Talisman," a silver coin shaped device that would have been worn on Smith's body to grant "decisive victory over enemies, to defend against machinations, and to inspire the wearer thereof with the most remarkable confidence."[73][74] The design of the talisman matches exactly those found in an 1801 grimoire titled The Magus.[73][75] Family lore had it that Smith had it on his body the day of his martyrdom.[73]

Smith, and then later Brigham Young, also owned a silver "Masonic Dove Medallion," which is inscribed on the back "Fortitude Lodge No. 42."[76] This masonic lodge was based out of New Brunswick, Canada, and it is unclear how it arrived into Smith's possession, as there are no known connections with that lodge and early Latter Day Saints.[76] Additionally, a dove was not a common Masonic symbol in the early 1800s. The medallion was transferred to Brigham Young. Quinn speculates that the medallion could possibly be a charm associated with Venus, given the medallion is silver as prescribed in magic books and a dove is a symbol for Venus.[76]

Brigham Young accepted the efficacy of seer stones, healing amulets and witches.[77] Young had a bloodstone that according to his niece he wore around his neck on a chain for protection "when going into unknown or dangerous places."[72][77][78]

Astrology

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Astrological chart and healing remedy created by Steele for his grandchild's illness included in an August 20, 1888 letter.[79][80]

Early Latter Day Saint movement members' views towards astrology ranged from acceptance to hostility, but were generally ambivalent, views reflected in the church's early leadership.[81] For example, Orson Pratt condemned it, while William Clayton openly sought advice from astrologers into the 1860s.[82][83][84] In 1852, Brigham Young gave his approval to a convert to study and begin practicing astrology, only to change his recommendation a year later, calling it "a dangerous thing to meddle with".[85]

William W. Phelps published an almanac in Utah from 1851 to 1866. The first edition did not include the standard astrological information expected of almanacs, calling them "matters of ancient fancy".[82][86][87] Later editions did, even while criticizing their effectiveness, an indication that there was a demand for it.[82] Phelps wrote and spoke often against astrology, but by 1857, after Brigham Young told him that astrology was true, Phelps changed his mind, believing instead that astrology was "one of the sciences belonging to the holy Priesthood perverted by vain man."[82] By 1861, Young himself seems to have changed his mind about the utility of astrology, telling an individual who wanted to start an astrology school that, "it would not do to favor Astrology.[88][89] Joseph F. Smith and his wife Levira consulted an astrologer in 1860, however later in life Smith grew to view astrology as originating with the devil.[90]: 185 

In 1868, the Salt Lake School of the Prophets decided that "Astrology was in opposition to the work of God. Hence saints should not be engaged in it," which was followed up with an article in the Deseret News decrying it. From that time on astrology has been considered an unacceptable practice.[91]

One notable post-1868 exception was John Steele, who practiced astrology into the 20th century while in good standing with the church in Parowan and Toquerville, taking local leadership positions and eventually being called as a patriarch in 1903.[80] Steele was an early pioneer and worked as the town's preeminent doctor.[92] He was known for the way that he integrated medicine, magic, and astrology.[93]: 73  He practiced according to the ideas of Samuel Thomson. One of Thomson's theories was that elimination of toxins was key to curing patients; calomel was sometimes used to induce vomiting.[94] Because Steele's son Robert Henry was killed by calomel, Steele preferred Thomson's herbal medicines.[93]: 75  He considered himself a veterinarian, using an herbal "horse taming" mixture,[93]: 75–76  and was known for his ability to set broken bones.[93]: 76  He was also known for using black magic to fix problems, and people in the town solicited him for horoscopes.[93]: 77–82  He was called "Doc", and he was often seen wearing a blue cape with red lining.[95]

Coffin canes

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One of several canes made from the coffin used to carry Smith's body from Carthage to Nauvoo after he was killed. The ivory knob holds a lock of Smith's hair.

When Joseph and Hyrum were killed in 1844, the bloodstained wooden boxes used to transport the body of Joseph Smith was cut up into a number of canes. Smith's body was exhumed seven months later to a different burial site, and the coffin used for transport then was also made into canes.[71] Some of the canes were made from leftover wood from the burial coffins.[96] Owners of these canes included Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, Willard Snow, Perrigrine Sessions, Philo Dibble, James Bird, William S. Wadsworth, Heber C. Kimball, Lucius Scovil, Sidney Rigdon, and Dimick B. Huntington. Rigdon's was given to him after he had been excommunicated in 1845 in a magnanimous gesture by Brigham Young.[71]

Various Latter Day Saints attested to the healing properties of these canes. In an 1857 sermon, Kimball stated that "the day will come when there will be multitudes who will be healed and blessed through the instrumentality of those canes, and the devil cannot overcome those who have them, in consequence of their faith and confidence in the virtues connected with them."[71][96]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Luffman, Dale E. The Book of Mormons Witness to Its First Readers. Community of Christ Seminary Press, 2013. ebook location 1719 of 4274
  2. ^ Stapley, Jonathan. The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology. Oxford University Press, 2018: page 106.
  3. ^ Stapley, Jonathan. The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology. Oxford University Press, 2018: page 4, 107.
  4. ^ a b Walker, Ronald W. (1984) "Joseph Smith: The Palmyra Seer", BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 24 : Iss. 4 , Article 5.
  5. ^ "Joseph Smith and folk magic or the occult - FAIR". www.fairlatterdaysaints.org.
  6. ^ Doctrines of Salvation
  7. ^ CES 1985, quoted in Quinn
  8. ^ https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/new-church-essays-women-priesthood-mother-in-heaven
  9. ^ https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2015/08/21/mormon-church-releases-photos-of-seer-stone-used-by-founder-joseph-smith/
  10. ^ Quinn 1998, p. xx–xxi: A 1985 memorandum sent from the headquarters of the LDS Church Educational System to regional and local administrators read, "Even if the [Mark Hofmann] letters were to be unauthentic, such issues as Joseph Smith's involvement in treasure-seeking and folk magic remain. Ample evidence exists for both of these, even without the letters."
  11. ^ Thomas, Keith (1971), Religion and the Decline of Magic, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 256
  12. ^ Smith 1838a, pp. 42–43 (saying that he had been a "money digger" but that it "was never a very profitable job to him, as he only got fourteen dollars a month for it"). "Elders Journal", Elders' Journal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1 (43), July 1838. For a discussion of Smith's money-digging activities by an academic LDS biographer, see Bushman 2005, pp. 48–49.
  13. ^ Quinn notes Joseph Smith Sr.'s paternal great-grandfather Samuel was among the accusers at the 1629 Salem witchcraft trials,
  14. ^ Smith, Lucy Mack (1844), Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. [3], Nauvoo, IL
  15. ^ Quinn 1998, p. 55: "Joseph Smith's mother did not deny her family participation in occult activities but simply affirmed that these did not prevent family members from accomplishing other, equally important work." In a note at Vogel 1996, p. 285 (n. 84), Dan Vogel argues that this sentence from the draft may have been excised from the 1853 edition of Lucy Mack Smith's memoirs because of its allusion to folk magic, "which was a sensitive subject for those not wishing to give credence to claims made in affidavits collected in 1833 by Philastus Hurlbut."
  16. ^ Shipps 1985, p. 18.
  17. ^ "History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834]", p. 9, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed April 1, 2020.
  18. ^ Vancleave, James R. B., "letter to Joseph Smith III", in Lyndon W. Cook (ed.), David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness, pp. 239–40
  19. ^ "Seer Stones". www.churchofjesuschrist.org.
  20. ^ a b c d e MacKay, Michael Hubbard; Frederick, Nicholas J. (August 29, 2016). Joseph Smith's Seer Stones. Deseret Book Company. ISBN 9781944394059.
  21. ^ Walker, Ronald W. (1984) "The Persisting Idea of American Treasure Hunting", BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 24 : Iss. 4 , Article 4. Available at:
  22. ^ D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1987), 38.
  23. ^ Richard L. Bushman, Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1984), 70.
  24. ^ Smith, Lucy Mack (1845), Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845, Nauvoo, IL, p. 116
  25. ^ https://mormonscholar.org/early-history/seer-stones-of-joseph-smith
  26. ^ Seer Stones
  27. ^ Harris (1859, p. 164); Mather (1880, p. 199). According to an account of an interview with Joseph Smith Sr., the 14-year-old Joseph borrowed a stone from a person working as a local crystal gazer Lapham (1870, pp. 305–306) which reportedly showed him the underground location of another stone near his home, which he located at a depth of about twenty-two feet. According to another story, in either 1819 Tucker (1867, p. 19) or 1822 Howe (1834, p. 240), while the older Smith males were digging a well for a Palmyra neighbor, they found an unusual stone Harris (1859, p. 163), described as either white and glassy and shaped like a child's foot or "chocolate-colored, somewhat egg-shaped." Roberts (1930, 1:129). Smith then used this stone as a seer stone.Tucker (1867, p. 20).
  28. ^ Ostling & Ostling (1999, p. 25).
  29. ^ Quinn, p.23
  30. ^ Quinn 1998, p. 117.
  31. ^ Dogberry, pseud. [Cole], "Book of Pukei," The Reflector [Palmyra, New York], 1830-06-12, p. 36.
  32. ^ a b "Uncle Dale's Old Mormon Articles: Palmyra Area 1829-31". Sidneyrigdon.com. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  33. ^ Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism. University of Illinois Press. 1984. p. 124. ISBN 9780252011436. Retrieved 11 October 2014 – via Internet Archive.
  34. ^ "Joseph Smith, the Necromancer - Dan Vogel". June 5, 2023 – via YouTube.
  35. ^ Quinn p.119
  36. ^ Vogel (2004), summarized in Occult Context of Joseph Smith's 1823 Discovery of Gold Plates @ 23min
  37. ^ "History, circa June 1839–circa 1841 [Draft 2]," p. [1], The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed April 21, 2020.
  38. ^ Knight Sr., Joseph. "Reminiscences".
  39. ^ Vogel (2004, p. 37): "Another time, Alvin and Willard dug on property occupied by the Saunders family and owned by Palmyra justice of the peace Abner Cole. Alvin and Willard worked under the direction of a man named Walters, later identified as Luman Walters, a traveling necromancer who offered his services for a fee."
  40. ^ Brodie 1971, p. 28[full citation needed]
  41. ^ "TO THE PUBLIC". Wayne Sentinel. September 29, 1824. Whereas reports have been industriously put in circulation that my son Alvin had been removed from the place of his interment and dissected; which reports ... are peculiarly calculated to harrow up the mind of a parent and deeply wound the feelings of relations ... therefore, for the purpose of ascertaining the truth of such reports, I, with some of my neighbors this morning, repaired to the grave, and removing the earth, found the body, which had not been disturbed. This method is taken for the purpose of satisfying the minds of those who may have heard the report, and of informing those who have put it in circulation, that it is earnestly requested they would desist therefrom.
  42. ^ Rough Stone Rolling, page 54, Richard Bushman.
  43. ^ Vogel 2004, p. 57
  44. ^ Quinn 1998, pp. 158–59
  45. ^ Joseph Smith and the Origins of The Book of Mormon, 2d ed., David Persuitte, p.77
  46. ^ Howe, Quoted in Vogel 2004
  47. ^ Howe 1834, p. 239: " Old Joseph and one of the boys came to me one day, and said that Joseph Jr. had discovered some very remarkable and valuable treasures, which could be procured only in one way. That way, was as follows : — That a black sheep should be taken on to the ground where the treasures were concealed — that after cutting its throat, it should be led around a circle while bleeding. This being done, the wrath of the evil spirit would be appeased : the treasures could then be obtained, and my share of them was to be four fold. To gratify my curiosity, I let them have a large fat sheep hey afterwards informed me, that the sheep was killed pursuant to commandment ; but as there was some mistake in the process, it did not have the desired effect".
  48. ^ Vogel p. 41[full citation needed]
  49. ^ Vogel (2004, p. 69).
  50. ^ a b c Marquardt & Walters 1994, p. xxviii
  51. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ReferenceB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  52. ^ H. Michael Marquardt (ed.). "Joseph Smith Hunts for Treasure". Joseph Smith Early Documents. Mormon Central. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  53. ^ Cite error: The named reference ReferenceC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  54. ^ Jessee 1984, p. 32
  55. ^ Vogel 1994, pp. 227, 229
  56. ^ Tucker
  57. ^ Emer Harris statement, in Utah Stake General Minutes, Local Record 9629, ser. 11, vol. 10 (1855–60), 6 April 1856, Church History Library.
  58. ^ Dyer, Alvin R., Refiner's Fire: The Significance of Events Transpiring in Missouri, 2nd ed. rev. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1968), 257-259
  59. ^ Smith, Lucy Mack (1845), Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845, Nauvoo, IL, p. 235, At this time a certain young woman, who was living at David Whitmer's uttered a prophecy; which she said was given her, by looking through a black stone that she had found. This prophecy gave some altogether a new idea of things. She said, the reason why one third of the church would turn away from Joseph was, because that he was in transgression himself; and would fall from his office on account of the same; that David Whitmer or Martin Harris would fill Joseph's place: and that the one, who did not succeed him, would be councillor to him who did. This girl soon became an object of great attention among those who were disaffected. Dr. Williams, the ex justice of the peace, became her scribe; and wrote her revelations for her. Jared Carter, who lived in the same house with David Whitmer, soon imbibed the same spirit; and I was informed, that he said in one of their meetings, that he had 'power to raise Joe. Smith to the highest heaven, or Sink him down to the lowest hell.' ... his confession was received, and he was forgiven. But the rest of his party continued obstinate They still held their secret meetings at David Whitmer's; and when the young woman, who was their instructress was through giving what revelations she intended for the evening, she would jump out of her chair and dance over the floor, boasting of her power until she was perfectly exhausted. Her proselytes would also, in the most vehement manner, proclaim their purity and holiness, and the mighty power which they were going to have.
  60. ^ Stapley, Jonathan. The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology. Oxford University Press, 2018: page 110.
  61. ^ a b c Quinn 1998, p. 6792 of 23423
  62. ^ Clay L. Chandler, "Scrying for the Lord: Magic, Mysticism, and the Origins of the Book of Mormon" Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought , Winter 2003, Vol. 36, No. 4 (Winter 2003), pp. 43-78 Published by: University of Illinois Press
  63. ^ Quinn 1998, p. 4261 of 23423
  64. ^ a b Smith, J., & Marquardt, H. M. (2013). Joseph Smith's 1828–1843 revelations. Xulon Press
  65. ^ Quinn, D. M. (1994). The Mormon hierarchy: Origins of power. Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. location 17249 of 17270
  66. ^ John P. Hatch, "Danish Apostle: The Diaries of Anthon H. Lund, 1890–1921" Signature Books, 2006, page 128
  67. ^ Quinn, D. M. (1994). The Mormon hierarchy: Origins of power. Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. e-book location 16740 of 17270
  68. ^ Solomon F. Kimball, "Sacred History," archives, Historical Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah
  69. ^ Stanley B. Kimball, "On the Potter's Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball", Signature Books, 1987, page 65
  70. ^ Quinn, D. M. (1994). The Mormon hierarchy: Origins of power. Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. location 14683, 16920 of 17270
  71. ^ a b c d D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1998), e-book location 20546 of 23423.
  72. ^ a b Quinn 1998, p. 6660 of 23423
  73. ^ a b c Quinn 1998, p. 7395 of 23423
  74. ^ Chandler, C. L. (2003). Scrying for the Lord: Magic, Mysticism, and the Origins of the Book of Mormon. Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 36(4), 43–78.
  75. ^ Francis Barrett, The Magus, or Celestial Intelligencer; Being a Complete System of Occult Philosophy, Lackington Allen and Co., 1801 page 174
  76. ^ a b c Quinn 1998, p. 7503 of 23423
  77. ^ a b Turner, J. G. (2014). Brigham young: Pioneer prophet. Belknap Harvard.
  78. ^ Richard Van Wagoner, Steven Turner "Joseph Smith:The Gift of Seeing" Dialogue Journal, Summer 1982, page 66
  79. ^ John Steele papers, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Provo, Utah
  80. ^ a b Stapley, Jonathan A. The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology. Oxford University Press, 2018: page 112.
  81. ^ Stapley, Jonathan A. The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology. Oxford University Press, 2018: pages 112-113.
  82. ^ a b c d David J. Whittaker "Almanacs in the New England Heritage of Mormonism" Brigham Young University Studies Vol. 29, No. 4 (FALL 1989), pp. 89-113
  83. ^ In his 1845, 1846 almanac, Pratt still published astrological information as was standard practice for almanacs, but wrote that they were, "vulgar and erroneous ideas of the Ancients." Orson Pratt, Prophetic Almanac for 1846 (New York: New York Messenger Office, 1845)
  84. ^ Allen, James B. No Toil Nor Labor Fear: The Story of William Clayton Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 2002 pages 328-338
  85. ^ Donald G. Godfrey and Rebecca S. Martineau-McCarty, eds., An Uncommon Common Pioneer: The Journals of James Henry Martineau, 1828–1918 Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2008, pages 15, 29, 37
  86. ^ W. W. Phelps, Deseret Almanac 1851, page 2
  87. ^ Deseret Almanac 1853 page 3
  88. ^ "Stapley, Jonathan A. The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology. Oxford University Press, 2018: footnote 41.
  89. ^ Brigham Young, office journal, December 30, 1861, Box 72, Folder 5. Brigham Young Office Files Church History Library
  90. ^ Taysom, Stephen C. Like a fiery meteor: The life of joseph f. smith. Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press, 2023
  91. ^ Stapley, Jonathan A. The Power of Godliness: Mormon Liturgy and Cosmology. Oxford University Press, 2018: page 113.
  92. ^ Krakauer, Jon (2004). Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith (First Anchor Books ed.). New York: First Anchor Books. pp. 240–241. ISBN 978-1400032808. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  93. ^ a b c d e Bate, Kerry William (Winter 1994). "John Steele: Medicine Man, Magician, Mormon Patriarch". Utah Historical Quarterly. 62 (1): 71–90. doi:10.2307/45062148. JSTOR 45062148. S2CID 254444688. Retrieved November 19, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  94. ^ Koehler, Christopher S. W. (January 2001). "Heavy Metal Medicine". Today's Chemist at Work. 10 (1): 61–65. ISSN 1062-094X. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  95. ^ Van Leer, Twila (December 3, 1996). "'Doc' Mixed Science and Quackery". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  96. ^ a b Barnett, Steven G. (1981) "The Canes of the Martyrdom," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 21 : Iss. 2 , Article 8

Works cited

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