DiscussMormonism.com

Daniel Peterson wrote:I know that many here are thrilled at the approach of the season:

http://www.fairlds.org/conf09a.html


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harmony wrote:As I was telling Uncle Jim this morning, I wish these sorts of things were held in a more accessible place and/or format. We'd come, if we could. I'd even tune in, if it was broadcast over the web.

harmony wrote:Turns out he has a son who is taking a class in Arabic this fall. I assured him your antipathy towards me wouldn't rub off onto his son.

Daniel Peterson wrote:I know that many here are thrilled at the approach of the season:
http://www.fairlds.org/conf09a.html

TAK wrote:Curious that its not held in an LD$ building..

Is there a need to distance LD$ inc. from FAIR?

First, why would anyone think of translating with a rock in a hat.

Second, why are we so surprised at that?

The adventurers and farmers, cunning men and wise women embarked in the wilderness in pre-industrial villages. Folk magic has a history. Contemporary medicine drove men and women to village specialists with herbs, etc. who were considered to be taught by God or angels.

Exhibited their cunning in many ways. Joseph belonged to a class of people who did scrying. A long practiced method. [He described some interesting methods] Stones became the most used m ethod to see future, or to see the location of lost items. These traditions were found in Palmyra in 1820s still performing these functions. Young Joseph Smith was the member of a sub-community with ties to these old practices, increasingly marginalized. Others had same abilities. D. Michael Quinn noted that Sally Chase was Palmyra's most known seer, and there were others. Richard Bushman adds a few other names of people who had stones to find lost objects.

Some reminisciences tell us how such things occurred. [Gardner quoted people who recounted their experiences with Sally Chase.] Basically, when things were lost you went to the seer who would tell you where to find things. Finding lost wallet, lost cattle, etc.

Joseph Smith, long before the plates complicated his position, appears to have functioned similarly to Joseph Smith. Some reports describe Joseph Smith looking for and discovering a stolen mare. Sally Chase's clients consulted her for things lost, Joseph Smith had at least on client who did the same.

Henry Harris described Joseph Smith pretending to tell fortunes with a stone in a hat. Joseph Smith is described as turning someone else down in an instance.

Local seers became involved in the digging for lost treasure. This practice, like scrying, also traced back to England. The idea was when the wealthy buried their treasures. I nthe New World it was Spanish or Pirate treasures burying. A lot of stories of striking it rich circulated, though not likely many of them were true.

A conjurer was frequently used in the search. Mosaiacal rods were used, etc. Money digging didn't require a seer, it was just something some used. Ronald W. Walker described various digging attempts with seers. A context is provided for Joseph Smith's assistance of Josiah Stoal and money digging. Joseph Smith was hired to help. In 1826 Stoal's wife's nephew took Joseph Smith to court for fraud. Peter Bainbridge believed the seer stone was defrauding. This would not be the last time he would be accused of fraud based on this. Dan Vogel picks up on that theme, a recent biographer. Vogel allows us to see better historical view of what that "confidence man" means. It was a transient who went about with a peep stone to lead credulous to remote spot where he previously hid coins, then would "discover them." He would then establish a company and collect money, and then bolt. Or he would offer magical explanations for why treasure was lost.

The implication is that because such scammers existed, Joseph Smith must have been one. Joseph Smith was acquited, though of those old charges. Should he be acquited of the continuing charges?