THE ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 170, 5 November 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Iu a number of ‘ Scribner’s Magazine,’ just issued, a lady contributor makes an interesting addition to the solution of that bibliographical puzzle known as the Book of Mormon. It has frequently been asserted that the founders of the Church of the Latter-day Saints had obtained the substance of their pretended revelation from an historical romance Avritten by the Rev. Solomon Spaulding. Miss Dickenson, the Avriter of the article, is the grand-niece wf this clerical novelist, and has obtained from his daughter, Mrs. M. S. MTvinstry, a sworn statement of the circumstances, so far as they are known to her. Spaulding, who was born in 170 J, and educated at Dartmouth College, preached for a few years, but finally gave it up on account of ill health. He appears to have been a man of imaginative temperament, and deeply impresed with a fanciful theory that live Indian tribes of the American continent are the remnant and descendants of the lost ten tribes. During a residence in Ohio the excavation of an earthmound containing skeletons and other relics of pro-historic man appears to have excited liis imagination, and he began to Avrite and read to hiS family and friends a visionary chronicle of the poppling of America by the missing remnants of the chosen people. This literary effort, to which he gave the title ‘Manuscript Found,’ made him a man of some distinction in the ueLdibourhood. Ile sought to have this book published, and offered it to a I’iltsburg printer, who, iioAvever, declined to speculate iu the matter. It is suggested that while there the Ms. was copied by Sidney Rigdmi, whi was then in the oliice, and who was afterwards one of the early associates of Joseph Smith. Mrs. MMvinstry has still a vivid recollection of hearing her father read portions of his tale, and the names Mormon, Moroni, and Neplii are still fresh in her mind. Of the general identity of Spaulding's romance and Smith's pretended revelation'there appears little doubt, Smith, whoso character Avas none of the best, saw in the wild story of the ox-clergyman the materials out of Avhioli to construct a now religion, and fearlessly made use of them. BATHS AND BATHING. To Avash the body from head to every day is the one thing needful in respect to ablution for the pure sake of health. To become so accustomed to this habit that the body feels uncomfortable if the process be not duly performed is the one habit of body, the one craving that is wanted, the one habit that needs to be duly acquired iu the matter of bodycleansing. The process may be carried out as speedily as possible. Moreover, it may be carried out as elieapily as possible", and all the hygienic advantages may be the same as if great expense bad been incurred. A formal bath is not actually necessary. A shallow tub, or shallow metal bath in which the bather can stand in front of his wash-hand basin ; a good large sponge, a piece of plain soap, a large soft Turkish (rowel, and two gallons of wafer arc quite sufficient for all purposes of health. In the North of England there is often to be met in the bedrooms of hotels, and sometimes in those of private houses, the most cheap and convenient of the.se small and useful baths. The centre or well of the bath is about twelve inches in diameter, and about nine inches deep. This centre is surrounded by a broad rim, a rim from eight to ten inches wide, which slopes towards the centre all round. Iu this bath the ablutionist can stand, and from as much water as Avould fill ail ordinary ewer, he can wash himself completely from head to foot without Avctting the Jloor, since the broad sloping margin of the bath catches the water. To stand in such a bath as this, and from the water of the wash-hand basin to sponge the body rapidly over, and afterwards to dry quickly and thoroughly, is everything that is Avanted if the process be carried out daily ; and this, after a little practice, may be so easily done, that it becomes no more trouble than the washing of the face, neck, and hands, Avhich so many people are content to accept as a perfected daily ablution. In winter the water should be tepid, in summer cold ; or Avhat is a better rule still, the water should always be Avithiu a few degrees of the same temperature. If in the summer months the water be at GO deg. F.; in the spring and autumn at Go deg.; and in the winter at 70 deg., a very safe rule is being folloAved ; nor is it at all difficult to learn to follow this rule from tile readings, occasionally carried out, of a thermometer which in these days may be obtained for a few shillings, and which it is always coiiA'onicnt and useful to keep on the wall of the bedroom or dressing-room. Once a week it is a good practice to dissolve iu the Avater used for ablution common washing soda, in the proportion of one quarter of a pound to two gallons of Avater. This alkaline soda frees the skin of acids, is an excellent cleanser of the body, and is specially serviceable to persons of a. i houniaiie.il tendency who arc often troubled with free acid perspirations. It is a question often asked in reference to (lie arrangements of the bathroom, .whether tlm plan should be adopted of taking tlm bath at night, or in the morning, before going to bed «>r mi rising from bed f The answer to this is simple enough when time is nut an important object of those who make the, inquiry. It is much better to make complete ablution of tlm body from head to foot both oil going to bed and on rising also, whenever that can be carried out ; and indeed so rapid is the process Avhen the habit of it is acquired. there are few persons avlio could not get into the habit of it- as they do into the habit of taking meals.at stated times. But if for any reason it be impossible to carry out complete ablution twice a day, thou no doubt the general ablution is best just before going to bed. There is no practice more objectionable than to go to bed closely wrapped up in the dust, and dirt that accumulate on the surface of the body during the day ; nor is there anything 1 know so conducive to sound sleep as a tepid douche just before getting into bed. I. have many limes known bad sleepers become the best of sleepers from the adoption of this simple rule. It the body be well sponged over before going to bed, the morning ablution—though it is still better to carry it out —need not, <>f necessity, be so general. The face, neck, chest, arms, and hands may bo merely well sponged and washed at the morning blution.