The boy grows to manhood, but these family traditions are deeply engraved in his memory, and when alone, in the solitude, near the “haunted places,” his morbid imagination embodies the phantoms of his diseased brain.  No wonder, then, that such men should tamely yield to the superior will of one like Joe Smith, who, to their knowledge, wanders alone by moon-light in the solitude of forests, and who, in their firm belief, holds communication with spirits of another world.  For, be it observed, Smith possesses all the qualities and exercises all the tricks of the necromancers during the middle ages.  His speech is ambiguous, solemn, and often incomprehensible—­a great proof to the vulgar of his mystical vocation.

Cattle and horses, lost for many months, have been recovered through the means of Joe, who, after an inward prayer, looked through a sacred stone, “the gift of God,” as he has asserted, and discovered what he wished to know.  We need not say that, while the farmer was busy at home with his crop, Smith and his gang, ever rambling in woods and glens, were well acquainted with every retired, shady spot, the usual abode of wild as well as of tame animals, who seek there, during the summer, a shelter against the hot rays of the sun.  Thus, notwithstanding his bad conduct, Smith had spread his renown for hundreds of miles as that of a “strange man;” and when he started his new religion, and declared himself “a prophet of God,” the people did not wonder.  Had Rigdon, or any other, presented himself, instead of Joe, Mormonism would never have been established; but in the performer of mysterious deeds, it seemed a natural consequence.  As the stone we have mentioned did much In raising Joe to his present high position, I will here insert an affidavit made relative to Joe Smith’s obtaining possession of this miraculous treasure.

     “Manchester, Ontario County, N.Y., 1833.

“I became acquainted with the Smith family, known as the authors of the Mormon Bible, in the year 1820.  At that time they were engaged in the money-digging business, which they followed until the latter part of the season of 1827.  In the year 1822, I was engaged in digging a well; I employed Joe Smith to assist me.  After digging about twenty feet below the surface of the earth, we discovered a singular-looking stone, which excited my curiosity.  I brought it to the top of the well, and as we were examining it, Joseph laid it in the crown of his hat, and then put his face into the top of his hat.  It has been said by Smith, that he got the stone from God, but this is false.

“The next morning Joe came to me, and wished to obtain the stone, alleging that he could see in it; but I told him I did not wish to part with it, on account of its being a curiosity, but would lend it.  After obtaining the stone, he began to publish abroad what wonders he could discover by looking in it, and made so much disturbance