DiscussMormonism.com

Wikipedia wrote:Early on during the translation of the Book of Mormon, Harris became frustrated with her husband and skeptical of Joseph Smith, because of how much Martin was helping Smith with the translation effort. She questioned Smith personally about the plates and demanded to see them. He told her, "he was not permitted to exhibit them to any one except those whom the Lord should appoint to testify of them." This did not resolve her concern and she persisted in demanding to see the plates.

GospelDoctrine.com wrote:In the Spring of 1828, Martin had acted as a scribe for Joseph. Their industry had produced 116 pages translated from Mormon's abridgment of the large plates of Nephi containing the story of the Nephites from prophet Lehi to the days of king Benjamin. His wife, Lucy, thought Martin was wasting his time and money on Joseph Smith. She accompanied Martin on one of his trips to Harmony with the intent to see the plates for herself. Lucy Mack Smith records in History of Joseph Smith (pp.119-123):

Lucy Mack Smith wrote:"As soon as she arrived there, she informed him that her object in coming, was to see the plates, and that she would never leave until she had accomplished it. Accordingly, without delay, she commenced ransacking every nook and corner about the house--chests, trunks, cupboards, etc.; consequently, Joseph was under the necessity of removing both the breast-plate and the Record from the house, and secreting them elsewhere. Not finding them in the house, she concluded that Joseph had buried them, and the next day she commenced searching out of doors, which she continued to do until about two o'clock p.m. She then came in rather ill-natured...

"The woman was so perplexed and disappointed in all her undertakings, that she left the house and took lodgings during her stay in Pennsylvania with a near neighbor, to whom she stated that the day previous she had been hunting for the plates, and that, after a tedious search, she at length came to a spot where she judged, from the appearance of things, they must be buried; but upon stooping down to scrape away the snow and leaves, in order to ascertain the fact, she encountered a horrible black snake which gave her a terrible fright, and she ran with all possible speed to the house."

Lucy Smith wrote:The woman was so disappointed and perplexed in everything she undertook that left the house and took lodgings at the nearest tavern <​the house of a near neighbor​> here She stated to the Landlady <​hostess​> that She was in search of the plates that <​when​> she came to a place where she thought they must be buried that upon stooping down to rem scrape away the snow and leaves in order to examine the spot she encountered a horrible black snake which frightened her so sadly that she ran to the house as fast as possible. She continued her operations while she remained in Harmony doing all that her ingenuity could contrive to injure Joseph in the estimation of his neighbors

She told them that he [Smith] was a grand impostor that he had deceived Martin Harris with his specious pretensions and was exerting all his deceptive powers in order to induce Mr Haris is to give him his property into Joseph’s hands. That he might by robbing her Husband make himself rich. When she returned home which was in about two weeks from the time she arrived there in Harmony, she endeavored to dissuade Mr Harris from having anything farther to do with writing or translating the record. But Martin, he paid but little attention to her and as he agreed to go back and write for a season at least he did so— After Mr Harris left his house Mrs Harris went from place telling her grievances to everyone she met but particularly bewailing he that he the deception which Joe smith was practicing upon the people was about to strip her of all that she possessed.

But said the woman "I know how to take care of my property & I’ll let them see that pretty shortly." So She carried away her furniture her linen and bedding and other movable articles till she well nigh divested the premises of everything which could conduce to comfort or convenience. These things she deposited with her friends where she reposed sufficient confidence to assure her of this their the safety of her property.

drumdude wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 11, 2022 2:45 pm

Lucy Smith wrote:The woman was so disappointed and perplexed in everything she undertook that left the house and took lodgings at the nearest tavern <​the house of a near neighbor​> here She stated to the Landlady <​hostess​> that She was in search of the plates that <​when​> she came to a place where she thought they must be buried that upon stooping down to rem scrape away the snow and leaves in order to examine the spot she encountered a horrible black snake which frightened her so sadly that she ran to the house as fast as possible. She continued her operations while she remained in Harmony doing all that her ingenuity could contrive to injure Joseph in the estimation of his neighbors

She told them that he [Smith] was a grand impostor that he had deceived Martin Harris with his specious pretensions and was exerting all his deceptive powers in order to induce Mr Haris is to give him his property into Joseph’s hands. That he might by robbing her Husband make himself rich. When she returned home which was in about two weeks from the time she arrived there in Harmony, she endeavored to dissuade Mr Harris from having anything farther to do with writing or translating the record. But Martin, he paid but little attention to her and as he agreed to go back and write for a season at least he did so— After Mr Harris left his house Mrs Harris went from place telling her grievances to everyone she met but particularly bewailing he that he the deception which Joe smith was practicing upon the people was about to strip her of all that she possessed.

But said the woman "I know how to take care of my property & I’ll let them see that pretty shortly." So She carried away her furniture her linen and bedding and other movable articles till she well nigh divested the premises of everything which could conduce to comfort or convenience. These things she deposited with her friends where she reposed sufficient confidence to assure her of this their the safety of her property.

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper ... 44-1845/77

The story sounds completely reasonable. After realizing there was nothing she could do to save her husband from the con man, she did everything she could to prevent Smith from cleaning out their life's savings. Imagine the pain and stress of your loved one giving everything you both own to a fraudster. It must have been a living nightmare.

dastardly stem wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 11, 2022 2:51 pm

drumdude wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 11, 2022 2:45 pm

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper ... 44-1845/77

The story sounds completely reasonable. After realizing there was nothing she could do to save her husband from the con man, she did everything she could to prevent Smith from cleaning out their life's savings. Imagine the pain and stress of your loved one giving everything you both own to a fraudster. It must have been a living nightmare.

I've been fighting a similar battle with Amazon for our finances. I ain't dug up the stupid plates yet and our moneys all disappearing in the process.

hauslern wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 11, 2022 9:43 pm

Martin Harris was told by the Lord not to covet his neighbours wife. D& C 19:25
25 And again, I command thee that thou shalt not covet thy bneighbor’s cwife; nor seek thy neighbor’s life.

26 And again, I command thee that thou shalt not acovet thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing of the Book of Mormon, which contains the bruth and the word of God"

Mrs Harris said he would watch the house until the husband left and then went over for the night. So she was losing a husband and finances.

hauslern wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 12, 2022 2:54 am

"Affidavit of Lucy Harris

Lucy Harris was the former wife of Martin Harris. While she was married to Martin Harris, Lucy Harris once claimed to have a dream in which she said that she saw the gold plates. She thus offered Joseph Smith a gift of $28 to help finance the Book of Mormon translation. (Black & Porter 2005, pp. 4–11). She was also involved in the lost 116 pages incident.

Harris's affidavit claims that her husband "was once industrious attentive to his domestic concerns" and that he was once worth ten thousand dollars. She stated, "If he had labored as hard on his farm as he has to make Mormons, he might now be one of the wealthiest farmers in the country." She stated the Harris's motivation in being associated with Mormonism was to make money.

She also accused her husband of beating her with a whip and implied that he was having an affair with a neighbor, Mrs. Haggard (Harris 1833, p. 255)."

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Mormonism_U ... Harris1833