Solomon Spalding: Difference between revisions

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The Rev. Solomon Spalding (1761-1816) was a lapsed Calvinist clergyman, a failed businessman, and the would-be author of a pre-historic American epic story explaining the lost civilization of the "Mound Builders." He graduated with the Dartmouth College class of 1785.

In 1833 residents of New Salem (now Conneaut), Ohio, signed affidavits stating that Spalding had written a manuscript, portions of which were identical to the Book of Mormon. These included Spalding's brother John Spalding, his wife Martha, Aaron Wright, Henry Lake, Nahum Howard, Joseph Miller, and others. Several years later residents of Amity, Pennsylvania, also signed statements that Spalding had read to them from a manuscript that was similar to the Book of Mormon. Spalding moved from New Salem to Pittsburg in 1812 and to Amity in 1814 where he died in 1816.

In 1884 a Solomon Spalding manuscript was recovered in Honolulu, Hawaii and taken to the Oberlin College Library in Ohio. This unfinished story bears only occasional resemblance to the Book of Mormon text and is not claimed by any literary critics as having formed the basis for the LDS scriptures. The text was published by the Reorganized LDS Church in 1885 and a transcript is available on-line.

Whether or not Mr. Spalding wrote a fictional history as a basis for the Book of Mormon remains a matter of scholarly debate. Despite the signed statements in 1833 in support of this thesis, no such manuscript, closely resembling the Book of Mormon, exists today. Consequently, although the Spalding authorship was accepted as fact throughout the 19th Century, today almost all historians reject the Spalding thesis as an explanation of the origin of the Book of Mormon.

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-The Rev. '''Solomon Spalding''' ([[1761]]-[[1816]]) was a lapsed Calvinist clergyman, a failed businessman, and the would-be author of a pre-historic American epic story explaining the lost civilization of the "Mound Builders." He graduated with the [[Dartmouth College]] class of 1785. Since 1833 he has been credited by some scholars and writers as being the original author of a portion of the [[Book of Mormon]].
+The Rev. '''Solomon Spalding''' ([[1761]]-[[1816]]) was a lapsed Calvinist clergyman, a failed businessman, and the would-be author of a pre-historic American epic story explaining the lost civilization of the "Mound Builders." He graduated with the [[Dartmouth College]] class of 1785.
+In 1833 residents of New Salem (now [[Conneaut]]), [[Ohio]], signed affidavits stating that Spalding had written a manuscript, portions of which were identical to the [[Book of Mormon]]. These included Spalding's brother John Spalding, his wife Martha, [[Aaron Wright]], Henry Lake, Nahum Howard, Joseph Miller, and others. Several years later residents of Amity, [[Pennsylvania]], also signed statements that Spalding had read to them from a manuscript that was similar to the Book of Mormon.  Spalding moved from New Salem to Pittsburg in 1812 and to Amity in 1814 where he died in 1816.
-In [[1884]] an authentic Solomon Spalding manuscript was recovered in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] and taken to the [[Oberlin College|Oberlin College Library]] in Ohio. This unfinished story bears only occasional resemblance to the Book of Mormon text and is not claimed by any literary critics as having formed the basis for the LDS scriptures. The text was published by the [[Reorganized LDS Church]] in 1885 and a transcript is available on-line. Whether or not Mr. Spalding wrote any other fictional history about ancient Americans is unclear and remains a matter of scholarly debate. Despite the existence of evidence in support of this thesis, no such story, closely resembling the Book of Mormon, has ever been uncovered that might verify the old "Spalding-Rigdon" authorship claims, consequently most historians reject the Spalding thesis as a genuine explanation of the origin of the Book of Mormon.
+In [[1884]] a Solomon Spalding manuscript was recovered in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] and taken to the [[Oberlin College|Oberlin College Library]] in Ohio. This unfinished story bears only occasional resemblance to the Book of Mormon text and is not claimed by any literary critics as having formed the basis for the LDS scriptures. The text was published by the [[Reorganized LDS Church]] in 1885 and a transcript is available on-line.
+Whether or not Mr. Spalding wrote a fictional history as a basis for the Book of Mormon remains a matter of scholarly debate. Despite the signed statements in 1833 in support of this thesis, no such manuscript, closely resembling the Book of Mormon, exists today.  Consequently, although the Spalding authorship was accepted as fact throughout the 19th Century, today almost all historians reject the Spalding thesis as an explanation of the origin of the Book of Mormon.
 == See also ==