(Martin Harris) Tried by the Kirtland High Council for accusing Joseph Smith of not understanding the Book of Mormon, of wrestling too much, and of drinking while translating the Book of Mormon, Martin confessed that his mind had been darkened so that he said things inadvertently. (1)
Leonard Rich: Tried 1834 for "Word of Wisdom" (temperance) infraction but forgiven (2)
[Orson Pratt Journal, http:
www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/OPratt.html] [Jan. 20, 1834. - I started for Kirtland, preaching by the way. (MS 27:73)] January 26th. Being the Sabbath we attended a meeting among the brethren at Geneseo. I preached upon the Word of Wisdom. (3)
-- Mar 2, 1835
[Orson Pratt Journal, http:
www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/OPratt.html] After delivering three discourses to the people in Commingsville, upon the subject of the doctrine believed by the Church of the Latter-day Saints, I was requested to have some conversation with Mr. Jameson, who was expected to preach that evening in the village. I was informed that he was a very talented man, almost if not quite equal to Mr. Walter Scott, the editor of the Evangelist: I answered that I was willing to converse with any reasonable man upon the subject of religion. I also understood that he was generally open and free to investigate the same with any of the sects. Therefore, I attended his meeting with a determination, if necessary, to converse with him at the close of the same. After the dismission of the meeting most part of the congregation tarried, and I was requested by some one to speak for myself; I replied before the congregation, that I was willing to meet him, or Mr. Scott, or any other man of character and
respectability, in the village of Carthage, or any other place in that vicinity, and investigate, publicly, the subject of spiritual gifts; and I would pledge myself to prove from the scriptures that miracles, gifts of healing, prophecies, revelations, and all the spiritual gifts which were in the Church, in the days of the Savior and Apostles, were necessary for the Church of Christ now; and that there never was nor never would be a true church on the earth, in a state of mortality without them. Mr. Jameson said that he would find a man to meet me; and as I had some appointments in Cincinnati, he agreed to inform me by letter, more concerning the meeting and the day on which we should meet, etc. The congregation then broke up and returned to their homes; while on their way some said one thing, and some another: some said that he would get Mr. Scott, or Dr. Wright to meet me; others said that he would meet me himself, while others said they believed he would back out, etc. T
wo or three days after this, I called at the post office in Cincinnati, and took out a letter which reads as follows: "Carthage, Ohio, March 2, 1835. MR. PRATT:--When the Apostles bore testimony to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God confirmed their testimony by miracles; your impudent story lacks this confirmation. Indeed you have nothing new to tell us, unless it be the lately engendered falsehoods of Joseph Smith--and it would be as far impossible for God to confirm them as it would be for him to lie. Do you know what a miracle is? I am bold to say you do not, nor would I believe that a person guilty of such willful slander of the religion that I profess, does know what a miracle is, even if he were to seem to perform one. You may come to Carthage, or you may go to Missouri, or where you please, I have nothing to do with Joseph Smith, the imposter who palmed this imposition on you--I have nothing to do with you who are imposed upon--I would not believe the Book of Morm
on, though you should apparently perform a miracle, which I am firmly persuaded you, nor any other man living, can do. L. H. JAMESON." I must confess that I was somewhat surprised on reading this letter, that Mr. Jameson, after saying publicly that he would find a man who would investigate the aforementioned subject with me, should then creep out so dishonorably, without producing in his letter, so much as one reason for so doing--but filling it up with the cry of imposition and imposter, etc. But this is nothing very marvelous, for doubtless he learned the cry from Mr. Campbell's Millennial Harbinger, which is famous for crying false prophet. I remain your brother in testimony of the word of God. ORSON PRATT. To O. [Oliver] Cowdery, Esq. (M&A 1:139-140)] (3)
Footnotes:
1 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 6, Biographical Sketches of General Officers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power
3 - http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/OPratt.html
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
