Mormonism Unvailed - Overview of The Book

Overview of The Book

• Chapter 1 discusses the character of Joseph Smith Jr. and his family, as well as "some of the principal actors in the imposition." Howe presents "old Joseph and wife, the parents of the pretended Prophet, as lazy, indolent, ignorant and superstitious" and "not much disposed to obtain an honorable livelihood by labor" (Howe 1834, p. 11).
• Chapters 2 discusses the production of the Book of Mormon or "Golden Bible" (Howe 1834, p. 17).
• Chapters 3 through 7 discuss the contents of the Book of Mormon itself. Howe begins with a comment regarding the style in which the book was written, stating that "The whole work is written in a miserable attempt to imitate the style of King James the first" (Howe 1834, p. 23).
• Chapter 8 discusses the conversion and involvement of Sidney Rigdon. Howe remarks on reports that "Rigdon has been the Iago, the prime mover, of the whole conspiracy. Of this, however, we have no positive proof" (Howe 1834, p. 100).
• Chapter 9 deals more with Rigdon during his time in Kirtland. Included in this chapter is a lengthy letter to Rigdon from Thomas Campbell, who refers to Rigdon as "a professed disciple and public teacher of the infernal book of Mormon." Regarding this letter, Howe states that "after Rigdon had read a few lines of the above, he hastily committed it to the flames" (Howe 1834, p. 123).
• Chapter 10 deals with alleged Mormon practices of healing and the execution of missionary work "by sending abroad every thing that could walk, no matter how ignorant" (Howe 1834, p. 130).
• Chapter 11 discusses the "gift of tongues," of which Howe comments: "This gibberish for several months was practiced almost daily" (Howe 1834, p. 136).
• Chapter 12 discusses the conflicts of the Mormons with the inhabitants of Jackson County, Missouri.
• Chapters 13 and 14 deal with the "Mormon War."
• Chapter 15 includes a number of letters written by Methodist clergyman Ezra Booth.
• Chapter 16 addresses the subject of Mormon revelations.
• Chapter 17 includes a set of affidavits collected by Doctor Philastus Hurlbut, which discuss the character of Joseph Smith and Martin Harris.
• Chapter 18 discusses the visit of Martin Harris to Charles Anthon.
• Chapter 19 introduces the claim that the Book of Mormon plagiarized from a manuscript written by Solomon Spalding.