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Source: Church History Vol. 3 Chapter 18 Page: 351 (~1863-1864)

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351 Under cross-examination, after some evasive answers, Mr. Kingsbury made the following statement:-

"I was a pretty good writer in those days, and I could write pretty fast when I tried, and I do not think it was more than an hour that I was copying it, but I do not know. The paper I copied, I presume was copied in an hour, but I could not tell you exactly, of course. Yes, I said I copied the revelation on one sheet of paper,-foolscap."-Plaintiff's Abstract, p. 342.

The revelation as shown to the witness, and identified by him as being the one copied by him, would cover about nine of the pages of this history. If the reader would like to make a practical test let him put nine of these pages on one sheet of foolscap in longhand, without dictation, and be careful enough to avoid all mistakes, and see if it can be done in one hour or less.

Elder Young says: "Sister Emma burnt the original."

If she did, and if Mr. Kingsbury is to be credited, she burnt the document left in the hands of Bishop Whitney. So to establish the genuineness of the copy presented on August 29,1852, they should trace it back to Hyrum Smith instead of Bishop Whitney.

We quote the testimony of Emma Smith, and then leave this point with the reader. Elder Jason W. Briggs states concerning the purported revelation:-

"It purports to have been given through Joseph Smith; which, if true, our conclusions respecting its character, would make him either the victim or the instrument of deception and fraud. It must be remembered that its appearance, other than in some dark corner, if indeed there, was not until August, 1852, over eight years after the death of Joseph Smith. And when introduced, certain statements are made, which, if true, would seem to establish the claim that it came through him. This statement of facts is, that when the revelation was given, Emma Smith got possession of it in its original and 'burnt it'. Upon this point we subjoin the following questions and answers from a memorandum of an interview with the Sister Emma Smith referred to (now Mrs. Bidamon), at Nauvoo, in April, 1867.

(page 351)

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