Seer stones, salamanders, and early mormon folk magic in. Join us at moons rare books on monday, october 1st for our monthly fireside with special guest speaker brent f. The changing world of mormonism by jerald and sandra tanner. The story of the mormon forgery murders kindle edition by sillitoe, linda, roberts, allen. Hofmanns most famous forgery was known as the white salamander letter. The letter mark hofmann took on january 11, 1983, to gordon b. Hofmann ended up pleading guilty to multiple counts of theft by deception and two counts of seconddegree murder. Did mark hofmanns salamander letter reveal dishonesty in. So, what is this scary salamander letter that the church is hiding from everybody. Recent events involving church history and forged documents.
Later in the evening, anselmus receives a second vision. Jan 01, 1988 salamander is a non fiction novel about mark hofmann who attempted to forge important lost mormon documents and consequently blew up those in his way with pipe bombs. The salamander letter was supposedly written by martin harris to william wines phelps, an early convert in the latterday saint movement. A bomber killed steven christensen at his office door. Its breadth of information, its farreaching conclusions, and its important lessons will be the topic of discussion in mormon orange juice, as opposed to cocktail, parties from san francisco to washington, d. A statement by harris appears in the front of the book of mormon concerning stating that he was shown by an. Aug 20, 2014 mormon stories admin august 20, 2014 church history, general authorities, top 10 church history, top 10 exmormon, top 10 truth claims, top 100, top mormon faith crisis stories 79 comments few people had more of a frontrow seat than brent metcalfe to the goingson surrounding mark hofmann, the salamander letter, and the tragic events of. May 22, 2017 curt bench owner of benchmark books in salt lake city knew mark hofmann very well, having purchased many artifacts and documents from him. The salamander letter was a controversial document about the history of the latterday saint movement that later proved to be a forgery the letter was one of hundreds of documents concerning the history of lds movement that surfaced in the early 1980s. A change was coming, too, in the new mormon history, for the faithpromoting finds. Salamander is a non fiction novel about mark hofmann who attempted to forge important lost mormon documents and consequently blew up those in his way with pipe bombs. Salamander a story of the mormon forgery murders by linda sillitoe and allen roberts signature books. Roberts and curt bench about the lasting legacy of mormon forger, con man, and murderer mark hofmann exactly twentyfive years ago, on the morning of 15 october 1985, salt lake city was rattledboth literally and psychologicallyby the explosion of two bombs which each killed a person.
Its breadth of information, its farreaching conclusions, and its important lessons will be the topic of discussion in mormon orange juice, as opposed to cocktail, parties from san francisco to. Controversial white salamander letter is defended by mormon. The infamous story of mark hofmann, the salamander letter. Nov 28, 2017 the salamander letter was said to have been written by martin harris in 1830. The white salamander letter his most notorious latterday saint forgery is the salamander letter. For those who want to read up on the hofmann affair, there were three books published. Although hofmanns animus toward the church allegedly. Palmyra oct 23d 1830 dear sir your letter of yesterday is. In 1983 a person by the name of mark hoffman produced a letter which he claimed had been written by martin harris in 1830 in which he says that joseph smith told him that the spirit guarding the gold in the hill cumorah was transformed from a white salamander that joseph saw in the hole in which he was digging. Hofmanns infamous salamander letter, among other documents, sought to undermine the mormon prophets credibility, while making its real author a big chunk of money. Ces letter calls elder oaks and hickleys talks about the salamander letter apologetic, but that is the entire premise that they are trying to prove. Dec 18, 2019 in this episode, dave talks about one of the weirdest, most wild happenings in latterday saint church lds church or mormon church history. According to those sources, reaction to his masterpiece, the white salamander letter, suggested that the mormon brass was so fearful of any document raising doubts about their.
It gave a radically different description of josephs smiths retrieval of the golden plates. Perhaps the most notorious of hofmanns mormon forgeries, the salamander letter, appeared in 1984. Joseph smith claimed the angel moroni appeared to him and told him about the buried ancient record that would later become the book of mormon. Brimming with references to treasures and enchantments, the letter related how joseph smith actually obtained the book of mormon not from an angel, but from a magical white salamander which transfigured itself into a spirit. Dave explains what hofmann forged the white salamander letter, amongst other things. Mark hofmann and the mormon forgery murders guest speaker brent f. Palmer, author of the book an insiders view of mormon origins stated that his work was influenced in part by his original acceptance of the salamander letter as being valid and supportive of his view. This letter is known as the salamander letter because martin harris was supposed to have written that joseph smith claimed when he went to get the gold plates for the book of mormon, a white salamander in the bottom of the hole transfigured himself into a spirit and struck me 3 times. A change was coming, too, in the new mormon history, for the faithpromoting finds that blossomed in 1982 now seemed in short supply.
What is the story of a talking salamander in the church of. Subtitled my search for answers to my mormon doubts. Controversial white salamander letter is defended by. The salamander letter is a letter from martin harris to william w. This implied that folk magic was involved in the early development of the book of mormon not simply just a practice that smith abandoned earlier in his life. The forgeries that shook the mormon church washington post. In this episode, dave talks about one of the weirdest, most wild happenings in latterday saint church lds church or mormon church history. The churchs closely guarded history, the article says. The most read book in mormon intellectual circles this year will undoubtedly be salamander. The truth is the most important thing juanita brooks. Shifting goalposts ces letter previously attacked the mormon church for not addressing church history. Harris, who financed the printing of the book of mormon, is revered by members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints as a. In the letter, a salamander spirit was believed to have been guarding the plates and demanded that smith bring his deceased brother to him to get the plates. A being that is able to live in fire is a good approximation of the description joseph smith gave of the angel moroni.
The story of the mormon forgery murders, which is widely regarded as the most thorough account of the hofmann saga, and curt bench, who at the. Citation abuse in an insiders view of mormon origins. Mark hofmanns most famous forgery was known as the white salamander letter. It revels in the way their contents, as it claims, shook the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. The salamander letter is a counterfeit document about the history of the latter day saint movement that was created by the forger mark hofmann in the early 1980s the letter was one of hundreds of documents concerning the history of lds movement that surfaced in the early 1980s. According to those sources, reaction to his masterpiece, the white salamander letter, suggested that the mormon brass was so fearful of any document raising doubts about their historical origins. It is well written, facinating, and a torpedo to the mormon chuch which seems to have a very hard time dealing with its true history. We had to move quickly as two other books, robert daleys a gathering of saints and the salamander letters by sillitoe and roberts were. The letter was one of hundreds of documents concerning the history of lds. In the 1970s, church historian leonard arrington took over and began a policy of strong support for academic writing about lds history, especially using archive documents. Seer stones, salamanders, and early mormon folk magic in the light of folklore studies and bible scholarship author eric a. Letter revealing mormon founders belief in spirits, occult. With hofmann safely locked away, the church took inventory and compiled a list of 10 mormonismrelated forgeries sold by hofmann.
The mormon church on friday released photographic copies of an 1825 letter written by church founder joseph smith jr. Troy hosts with amy and clay as they set the stage for the salamander letter bombings that occurred in slc on october 15, 1985. The letter threatened to rewrite mormon history and fooled many experts in mormon history. Harris served for a short period of time as scribe for the translation of the golden plates, and assisted in the financing of the first printing of the book of mormon. A second bomb killed kathy sheets on the sidewalk outside her garage. Salamander for insiders, a gathering of saints for outsiders, and mormon murders for masochists. Salamander letter perhaps the most notorious of hofmanns mormon forgeries, the salamander letter, appeared in 1984. Analysis of general conference general nonsense and mosense. It suggested that folk magic was not an early stage that joseph smith abandoned, but was crucial in the book of mormon translation process.
Apparently a successful rare documents collector and churchgoing family man. It was nothing less than the oldestknown mormon document. Phelps, the letter presented a version of the recovery of the gold plates that contrasted markedly with the churchsanctioned version of events. The salamander letter and the mark hoffman forgeries. Rather than the angel moroni, an old spirit directed joseph to the tre. Eliason the 2015 publication of an ensign article on, and especially photos of, one of joseph smiths seer stones still owned by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints caused quite a sensation in the blogosphere. The letter, purportedly written to an early mormon convert, described smith conversing with a spirit that first appeared as an amphibian. The story of the mormon forgery murders the investigation of the infamous mark hofman murders proves that some facts truly are stranger than fiction. Will include dust jacket if it originally came with one.
Curt bench owner of benchmark books in salt lake city knew mark hofmann very well, having purchased many artifacts and documents from him. Phelps which claimed that joseph actually learned of the ancient record from a white salamander who transformed into a spirit. What is the story of a talking salamander in the church. The salamander letter was said to have been written by martin harris in 1830. Mark hofmann fooled the mormon prophets and apostles. Criticism of mormonismbooksan insiders view of mormon. The murder investigation unraveled hofmans complicated forgery schemes. The salamander letter had been written on 100% rag paper. The letter also said smith was prevented at first from gaining possession of the plates by an.
Mark hofmann, 32, pled guilty to two bombing murders in salt lake city in 1985, a case that made national headlines. Dallin oaks patron latterday saint of the salamander society todays highlights. Sep 22, 2011 we had to move quickly as two other books, robert daleys a gathering of saints and the salamander letters by sillitoe and roberts were to be published and would attract media interest. In the 1980s a young mormon document dealer named mark hofmann claimed to find a number of critical papers relating to early lds history. Mar 16, 2009 so, what is this scary salamander letter that the church is hiding from everybody. Most troublesome among these was a letter purportedly written in 1830 by one of josephs first disciples. Copying becomes translation an insiders view of mormon origins, page 148149. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The mormon murders the miniseries the latter day saints. Author rr posted on june 7, 2019 december 28, 2019 categories forensic files tags forger mark hofmann, mormon church, steve christensen, white salamander letter 10 comments on mark hofmann. A change was coming, too, in the new mormon history, for the faithpromoting finds that blossomed in 1982 now seemed in.
Allen roberts, who coauthored with linda sillitoe the book salamander. Note that jerald tanner, a prominent antimormon critic, immediately deemed the salamander letter a fraud, while presidency spent hours with hoffman and pursued purchasing multiple items so could hide them in vault just like they hid the 1832 first vision draft the only one written in joes own hand for 35 years. Drexler document laboratory, llc reflects on the salamander letter. The story of the mormon forgery murders with a new afterword. The salamander letter presented a view of latterday saint founder joseph smiths life that stood sharply at odds with. Mormon stories admin august 20, 2014 church history, general authorities, top 10 church history, top 10 exmormon, top 10 truth claims, top 100, top mormon faith crisis stories 79 comments few people had more of a frontrow seat than brent metcalfe to the goingson surrounding mark hofmann, the salamander letter, and the tragic events of. The boom in mormon documents continued into 1983, though camelot was gone, replaced by a grim professionalism.
Note that jerald tanner, a prominent anti mormon critic, immediately deemed the salamander letter a fraud, while presidency spent hours with hoffman and pursued purchasing multiple items so could hide them in vault just like they hid the 1832 first vision draft the only one written in joes own hand for 35 years. Oct 14, 20 troy hosts with amy and clay as they set the stage for the salamander letter bombings that occurred in slc on october 15, 1985. The first part publishes the full text of the socalled salamander letter and describes the contents of other church history documents allegedly found by hofmann. The salamander letter presented a view of latterday saint founder joseph smiths life that stood sharply at odds with the commonly accepted version of the early progression of the church smith established. Christensen purchases the salamander letter and donates it to the church. The salamander letter presented a view of latter day saint founder joseph smiths life that. What was the salamander letter and why were so many people determined to possessand to concealit. The salamander letter presented a view of latterday saint founder joseph smith s life that. Mystery of deadly bomber hofmann endures after 25 years. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading salamander. The salamander letter and the mark hofmann forgeries youtube. Did mark hofmanns salamander letter reveal dishonesty. Oct 15, 2010 joining mormon stories host dan wotherspoon to tell the story of these tragic murders and complex issues are two terrific guests. Some mormon leaders were fooled by antimormon mark hofmann.