Myth of the “Manuscript Found" And The Complete Original Spaulding Manuscript

The Faith-Promoting Series Book 11

Any member of the LDS Church has been told reasons why the Book of Mormon “just can’t be true”. One of the most common that seems to persist in folk culture is the myth that Sidney Rigdon wrote the Book of Mormon by basing it on the Spaulding Manuscript. The manuscript that Spaulding wrote and tried to sell to a publisher in 1812 contains the story of a group of ancient Romans that sail to the American continent and populate it. Sidney Rigdon supposedly read this manuscript during his acquaintane with the publisher, and used it as a basis for what would become the Book of Mormon.

The first half of this book, the eleventh book in the Faith-Promoting Series, was originally published by Deseret Book in 1883 examines both the story behind the manuscript and the claims that Rigdon wrote the Book of Mormon. It was published the year that Spaulding’s original manuscript was found in papers donated to Oberlin University. It details not only the differences between the manuscript and the Book of Mormon, but also gives additional information that may be useful when a member of the Church is asked to defend the Book of Mormon from detractors. 

Following the Faith-Promoting Series book, I have also included the text of the original Spaulding Manuscript as it has been transcribed from the original manuscript submitted to the published by Spaulding. As an adventure story it has some interesting moments, but it really can’t compare to the Book of Mormon in excitement or depth. I hope that you enjoy perusing it, and that someday it will come of use to you when discussing the Book of Mormon.