THE GEAUGA GAZETTE

The Permanency of Republics, is Secured by the Virtue, Intelligence and Patriotism of the People.

Vol. III. No. ?

Painesville, Ohio, Tuesday, March 15, 1831.

Whole No. 124.

Antimasonic Religion. -- The Mormon Bible is anti-masonic, and it is a singular truth that every one of its followers, so far as we are able to ascertain, are anti-masons. Now, probably we are to know what is meant by "Church and State" ...

... [Martin Harris says the Book of Mormon is] the Anti-masonick Bible, and that all who do not believe in it will be damned ...

MARTIN HARRIS, one of the original Mormon prophets, arrived in this village, last Saturday, on his way to the Holy Land. He says that he has seen Jesus Christ and that he is the handsomest man he ever did see. He has also seen the Devil, whom he describes as a very sleek haired fellow with four feet, and a head like that of a Jack-ass.'

Note 1: The first item above, is taken from its reprint in the Mar. 24, 1831 issue of the Ravenna Ohio Star. To that reprint, the Star's Editor, L. L. Rice, appended the remark: "The above is from the Gazette of last week." According to Dan Vogel's 1989 article, "Mormonism's 'Anti-Masonick Bible," the Gazette of March 15th also included a "declaration" from Martin Harris, saying that the Book of Mormon was "the Anti-masonick Bible, and that all who do not believe in it will be damned." Vogel provides no additional text for Harris' supposed remark; it parallels, however, an alleged Harris quote in the Mar. 15th issue of the Painesville Telegraph: "[Harris said ] "that all who believed the new bible would see Christ within fifteen years, and all who did not would absolutely be destroyed and dam'd."

Note 2: In his 2002 Dialogue article, "Martin Harris: The Kirtland Years...," H. Michael Marquardt dates the arrival of Martin Harris in Kirtland, to "Saturday, 12 March 1831," and cites the Geauga Gazette of March 15th as the source for that information. Marquardt adds: "About 9 March 1831, Harris left Palmyra for Kirtland." However, even if he traveled by canal boat and lake steamer, it seems unlikely that Martin Harris could have traveled from Palmyra to Painesville in 3 days. Ice, snow and winter cold would have hindered his speedy progress.

Note 3: The exact date of the final item is uncertain. The description of the Devil probably saw print in the Gazette of March 15th. The text is taken from reprints which appeared in the Cambridge, Ohio Guernsey Times of Apr. 16, 1831 and in the Marietta, Ohio American Friend of Apr. 30, 1830. Working backward from the probable March 15th publication date, Martin Harris would have arrived in northern Ohio on Saturday, March 12, 1830. This timing agrees with Marquardt's calculations and with the remark offered in the March 15th issue of the Telegraph: "Martin Harris, another chief of the Mormon impostors, arrived here last Saturday."

Note 4: Harris' trip to Ohio was "strictly business." He traveled there to supply copies of the Book of Mormon for sale in a burgeoning new market, and he exited town soon after making the potentially lucrative delivery. According to Marquardt's 2002 article, "A short time later, Harris traveled back to Palmyra and sold his farm..." Dan Vogel dates the Palmyra farm sale agreement to "1 April 1831" (EMD III p. 474). Thus, it appears that Harris was already preparing to leave on his return trip to Palmyra, by the time his description of the Devil appeared in the Painesville newspaper.