[In the following excerpt, originally published in 1951, Kirkham outlines five different investigations into the origin and teachings of the Book of Mormon.]

This strange book, the Book of Mormon, has been before the world for one hundred and twenty years. The person who dictated its contents and secured the copyright declared, "It is not a modern composition by any man in this generation." It came forth and was translated "by the gift and power of God, to convince all men that Jesus is the Christ, manifesting himself to all nations."

Through the one hundred and twenty years since its publication, it has been a challenge to all men to investigate its origin and its teachings. It contains a promise, that the earnest seeker for the evidence of the truth of its claim, namely, that it contains the fulness of the Gospel as revealed by Jesus Christ, may know if he desires by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is in truth a new witness for Christ in America. . . .

Many books have been written to help the truthseeker in his search to know all the facts about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, its translation, and the witnesses to its divine origin. . . .

This present study . . . has been written by invitation to present in the sequence of publication, all the explanations of the Book of Mormon, including Joseph Smith's. Five comprehensive explanations have been described and illustrated in this study by quotations from newspapers, publications, and books. These are:

1. The explanation by the Prophet Joseph Smith. It is taken from Joseph Smith's own writings.
2. The explanation by the residents of Palmyra, New York, where the book was printed and by others who were aware of the announcement of the book, and who had seen or had knowledge of the manuscript and who knew the time, place, and circumstances at its writing and publication.

   The evidence of this explanation of the origin of the Book of Mormon by the people who lived at the place where it was printed comes from three principal sources.

   First, from the newspapers published before the book was printed and shortly afterwards. . . .

   Second, the explanation given by Obediah Dogberry, the editor of the local paper, who was challenged to give his personal knowledge of its origin. He answered in six letters published within eight months of the printing of the Book of Mormon. . . .

   Third, Reverend Alexander Campbell, founder of the Church of Christ, with whom Sydney Rigdon and Parley P. Pratt were fellow pastors, gave his explanation of the origin of the Book of Mormon less than one year after the book appeared. One entire edition of the Evangelical Enquirer published at Dayton, Ohio, 1830-1831, by the followers of Alexander Campbell, is used to tell the Sydney Rigdon conversion to the divine origin of the Book of Mormon, and the editor's own information and opinion of its origin and contents.

   It is important to emphasize that both believers and non-believers in the divine origin of the book who were acquainted with all the facts, incidents, and conditions resulting in the writing and printing of the book declared that Joseph Smith dictated its contents. They also knew that he did not have the capacity or the ability or the help of others to write the ancient divine record of prophecy, including even the teachings of the Christ, which he describes.

   The people of Palmyra who knew the Joseph Smith family, where and how they worked and lived, their daily activities, were also sure Joseph Smith, Jr. had no ability to write such a book with its marvelous claims.

   These publications at the time and place of the printing definitely prove that the Book of Mormon was considered by those who rejected its divine origin as a vile imposition, a book of no consequence to anyone. It would soon pass into oblivion and would be read only by a few ignorant and fanatical believers.

3. The very different explanation which was made necessary by the rapid increase of the believers in the divine origin of the book.

   One year after the Book of Mormon was printed, Joseph Smith with his family and a few believers at Palmyra, at Fayette, New York, and another small group at Coleville, Susquehanna County, New York, moved to Kirtland, Ohio.

   At first, little attention was given by the local people to the followers of this strange new religion except to criticize and denounce their claims. Settlers on new land, builders of homes, roads, schoolhouses, were always welcome on the frontier. The followers of the Prophet increased rapidly. Local conflicts resulted especially as the new settlers began to take part in the political control of the community in which they lived. It was also apparent that the followers of the Prophet were sincere believers, men and women of Christian faith and intelligence.

   Opposition and persecution against the Prophet and his followers quickly followed the rapid increase in Church membership. The climax came in the failure of the Kirtland Savings Bank in 1837, the year of the great panic in Western America. The blame for the inability of the bank to pay its depositors was laid upon Joseph Smith and his associates. Others claimed Joseph Smith had failed in his efforts to establish his followers in Jackson County, Missouri. The Prophet organized Zion's Camp in 1834. Over two hundred volunteers marched from Ohio to Missouri to assist their brethren who had already been forced out of their homes into an adjoining county. They were obliged to return to Kirtland disappointed in their undertaking.

   The rapid growth of the Church followed by a misunderstanding of the purposes of the migration to Ohio and Missouri brought a new attitude toward Joseph Smith and his followers, and a new emphasis concerning the Book of Mormon. It was now declared that the book had been written by the cunning of some "designing knave" to mislead innocent followers. Joseph Smith, they knew, did not have the ability to write the book. He was the appointed leader of a few false and wicked men who had conceived a fraud and were seeking power.

   The people near Kirtland definitely disagreed with the residents at Palmyra who had declared Joseph Smith a poor, ignorant, deluded fanatic. . . . They now proposed a new explanation namely, that persons with greater ability than Joseph Smith had written the Book of Mormon or copied it from available sources.

   Only four years after the Church was organized, Joseph Smith was now called a deceiver, a public nuisance, and "unworthy to live." His followers obeyed his commands which he blasphemously declared were revelations from God. Thus arose the third explanation for the Book of Mormon, which seemed more satisfactory to the unbeliever. It provided a logical excuse for opposition and persecution of followers of the Prophet who were industrious and who cultivated and subdued the new land on which they settled. These Mormons promoted education and culture; in fact, they prospered more rapidly than their neighbors. They united in a great cause—a religious ideal. They believed and accepted the teachings of their prophet. A revealed counsel given by him directed them to discontinue the use of tobacco, alcoholic beverages and all forms of narcotics. Thus, they were a peculiar people. Moreover, they were Yankees from New England, and Northerners were not welcome in the slave state of Missouri. It now seemed logical to call their prophet a deceiver.

   This third explanation of the Book of Mormon, has been copied into this study from important anti-Mormon books, beginning with Mormonism Unvailed (as originally spelled), 1834. The affidavits first printed in this book by the residents of Palmyra and Salem, Ohio, including one by Isaac Hale, father-in-law of the Prophet, have been copied by all anti-Mormon writers for one hundred years. These declarations testify first of the ignorance, delusion and superstition of Joseph Smith; second, that the religious parts of the Book of Mormon were written by Sydney Rigdon, and the historical parts were taken from the writings of Solomon Spaulding.

   Joseph Smith did not write the book; they knew it could not be explained by assuming he was its author. He was not a mystic; he was just a clever leader of deluded followers.

4. The imperative explanation that came from the finding (in 1884) of a manuscript written by Solomon Spaulding.

   The fourth explanation identified in this study became imperative when a manuscript written by Solomon Spaulding was found at Honolulu. For fifty years, from 1834 to 1884, in many books and publications, Solomon Spaulding had been given credit for writing a manuscript which had furnished the historical parts of the Book of Mormon.

   The manuscript found at Honolulu, when printed, definitely proved no relationship. In addition, it was apparent that the writer of the Spaulding manuscript, because of his character, religious beliefs, ability, and knowledge, would have been unable to write the historial and religious contents of the Book of Mormon. An effort was made to prove Sydney Rigdon had taken the Spaulding Manuscript from the printing establishment of Patterson and Lambdin at Pittsburg and that it had not been returned to the Spaulding family. The widow and daughter of Solomon Spaulding had already stated the manuscript had been returned and that it was in an "old hair trunk," which Pilastrus Hulburt had searched when he obtained the manuscript later discovered at Honolulu, Hawaii. Thus it was claimed that the manuscript found at Honolulu, was not the one used by Sydney Rigdon, rather a longer one written at a later time which had been lost or destroyed.

5. The present confusion and lack of unity by modern critics who try to explain the Book of Mormon from psychological sources.

   The psychological approach is now presented. Joseph Smith did write the Book of Mormon after all. The Rigdon-Spaulding theory cannot be proved. Dr. I. W. Riley declares, Joseph Smith was an epileptic; Harry Beardsley calls him a paranoid. Reverend Black says he possessed a "disassociated personality," and Fawn M. Brodie first declares Joseph Smith was a ne'r-dowell, careless youth, next a superstitious religious believer, and then a "myth maker of prodigous talents" who was able to write a fable he called the Book of Mormon. He was able to deceive the witnesses and his followers.

   Some modern writers hesitate to deny the validity of the documents advanced to prove that the Book of Mormon is a joint product of Sydney Rigdon and Solomon Spaulding. They realize how inconsistent it is to refuse to accept the findings and conclusions of writers for one hundred years.

   More and more the Rigdon Spaulding theory is abandoned, and Joseph Smith is accepted as the author of the book; its contents can be explained by the environment in which he lived.

   Joseph Smith was given no rest or peace by his enemies after he announced his first heavenly vision. Yet, in a brief space of time, acting for our Eternal Father, he revealed to mankind by divine revelation, the Gospel plan of life which today brings joy and happiness, progress and satisfaction to more than one million believers. Finally, with his brother, Hyrum, he sealed his testimony with his blood.

   He once said, "No man knows my history." How could a mere man know, or comprehend, or realize the power of God who sustained, guided, and directed him in the organization and development of the Restored Gospel. No man knows the life of Jesus the Christ. It was written best by His disciples who experienced the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, a divine source of intelligence and power that is known only to those who in humility obey his teachings.

   It does not now seem logical to call Joseph Smith a deceiver. The results of his teachings are manifest in the lives of the members of one of America's most rapidly growing churches. Definitely, he was not an ignorant, fanatical leader of deluded followers. Was he a rare, mystic leader with ability to write the book and deceive the witnesses and thousands of followers who lived with him? Or is it possible he spoke the truth? Was he, in reality, a prophet of God?

   There is a constantly growing interest in the book he gave to the world. Is its "coming forth" evidence of divine power manifested to man? Can it be objectively true that a man, once alive upon this earth, now a resurrected immortal being, gave to Joseph Smith a metallic record engraved in ancient hieroglyphics to be translated by divine power to convince all men that Jesus is the Christ, or in simple words, a revealed knowledge from God of who we are, why we are here, and our life after death, the answer to the enigma of life—the most important question of human existence? If true, what a glorious blessing for the peace, happiness, and eternal progress of man.

   Those who testify they know, are grateful beyond expression to their Heavenly Father that in His mercy He has made it possible for man to be a partaker of the blessings and privileges of His gospel; his plan of life which as he lives and obeys His commandments brings to him joy, peace, and love.

   They willingly give their time and talents that others, too, may share these gifts and blessings. The greatest gift in human life is the companionship of the Holy Ghost which follows faith, repentence, baptism, and membership in His Church together with humble, earnest obedience to His laws. Jesus the Christ revealed himself to man two thousand years ago, and in His mercy, He has again revealed in plainness, the knowledge of man's existence and the Gospel plan of living for his happiness and eternal progress.