Princeville, Ill.,

March 14th, 1872.

Br. Joseph:

I learn of late that some of the opposers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are resorting to an old story, that the Book of Mormon was manufactured from a romance of one Solomon Spaulding, and was accomplished by one Sidney Rigdon. Being somewhat acquainted with Elder Rigdon in the early history of the Church, and have heard him interrogated both in public and in private concerning his knowledge of the Book of Mormon, and the Spaulding Romance, and at one particular time and place while preaching to a large congregation, bore his testimony with such power in the Spirit of God that scores were soon after baptized, and joined the Church, I submit the following testimony from two others by and myself:—

We, the undersigned, feel it our duty, and are willing to bear our testimony concerning Book of Mormon at any reasonable time and place, and especially concerning the following incident in relation to Elder Rigdon.

In the spring of 1833 or 1834 at the house of Samuel Baker, near New Portage, Medina County, Ohio, we whose signatures are affixed, did hear Elder Sidney Rigdon, in the presence of a large congregation, say he had been informed that some in the neighborhood had accused him of being the instigator of the Book of Mormon. Standing in the door way, there being many standing in the door yard, he, holding up the Book of Mormon, said, “I testify in the presence of this congregation, and before God and all the Holy Angels up yonder, (pointing towards Heaven), before whom I expect to give account at the judgment day, that I never saw a sentence of the Book of Mormon, I never penned a sentence of the Book of Mormon, I never knew that there was such a book in existence as the Book of Mormon, until it was presented to me by Parley P. Pratt, in the form that it now is.”

Phineas Bronson.

Hiel Bronson.

Mary D. Bronson.

Brother Hiel thinks it was in 1884, but sister Mary, his Wife, and I think it was in 1833, so we have put it 1833 or 1834.

Phineas Bronson.