Doctor Philastus Hurlbut did more to damage Joseph Smith and the Church than perhaps anyone else. Let’s talk about him.

Video transcript: https://saintsunscripted.com/faith-an...

— “Doctor Philastus Hurlbut: Originator of Derogatory Statements About Joseph Smith, Jr.” by Dale W. Adams in “The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal,” Vol. 20 (2000), pp. 76-93 (18 pages): https://tinyurl.com/4yxjwvea
— “Why Did Joseph Smith File a Legal Complaint against Doctor Philastus Hurlbut?” via Book of Mormon Central: https://tinyurl.com/5dcyxa7w
— “Winning against Hurlbut's Assault in 1834,” by David Grua (chapter in “Sustaining the Law: Joseph Smith’s Legal Encounters”): https://tinyurl.com/5ctzh68w
— “Joseph Smith’s New York Reputation Reappraised,” by Richard Lloyd Anderson, BYU Studies 10, no. 3 (1970): https://tinyurl.com/yc8cca8c
— “Can the 1834 Affidavits Attacking the Smith Family Be Trusted?” by Daniel C. Peterson & Donald L. Enders in “Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s,” pgs. 285-288: https://tinyurl.com/ynry2pfe
— “Hurlbut, Doctor Philastus,” biography via the Joseph Smith Papers Project: https://tinyurl.com/654htuma
— “The Mythical ‘Manuscript Found’,” by Matthew Roper (Maxwell Institute): https://tinyurl.com/2psaw32m
— “New Light on Mormonism,” by Ellen Dickinson (chapter 5 of this book contains a fascinating 1880 interview with Hurlbut.): https://tinyurl.com/muwazb5m
— “The Joseph Smith, Sr., Family: Farmers of the Genesee” by Donald L. Enders in “Joseph Smith: The Prophet, the Man”: https://tinyurl.com/2fu726u3
— “Joseph Smith and the 1834 D. P. Hurlbut Case,” by David W. Grua (BYU Studies Quarterly 44:1, pg. 33): https://tinyurl.com/3ttyuzd3
— “Specific works/The Hurlbut affidavits,” via FAIR: https://tinyurl.com/4seufd2j
— “What is ‘Manuscript Found’?” by Rex C. Reeve Jr. (BYU RSC): https://tinyurl.com/d2su2f7n
— “Trial of Doctor Philastus Hurlbut • 21 June 1833” in Minute Book 1 (JosephSmithPapers.org): https://tinyurl.com/4dvv3nav
— “Trial of Doctor Philastus Hurlbut, continued • 21–23 June 1833” in Minute Book 1: https://tinyurl.com/29dxv6ek

Notes:

— Not included in the 15 Palmyra affidavits are 5 more from Harmony, PA, included in Howe’s book with Hurlbut's Palmyra affidavits. One (from Isaac Hale) seems to be in response to a letter from Hurlbut, but I’m not sure how the others are tied to him, if at all. I followed Richard Bushman’s assessment, and only included the 15. The other 5 are pretty much more of the same content (I'm simplifying, but that should give you an idea of what to expect from them).

— It wasn’t until 1884 that Spaulding's manuscript resurfaced in the papers of Eber D. Howe. It can be read online, and bears little resemblance to the Book of Mormon.

— Sources disagree whether Hurlbut discovered the Spaulding connection during his mission or after his excommunication. Dale W. Adams (2005) indicates that it was during his mission, but I’m not sure what led him to that conclusion beyond the fact that his mission companion, Daniel Copley, also abandoned his mission. There may be additional evidence, but I didn’t search comprehensively for it. In any case, Hurlbut was the first to find and promote the connection.

— Joseph Smith recalled that in an early conversation with Hurlbut (March 13, 1833), Hurlbut had stated, “if he ever became convinced that the book of Mormon was false, he would be the cause of my destruction, &c.” Source: Joseph Smith journal entry, 28 Jan. 1834.

— Both Sidney Rigdon and Benjamin Winchester assert that prior to joining the Church, Hurlbut had been cut off from Methodism for “unvirtuous conduct with a young lady” or “immoralities.” Sources: Winchester, pg. 5 / Sidney Rigdon, Letter to the Editors, Quincy Whig, Quincy IL, June 9, 1839.

— My personal favorite treasure-digging claim in the affidavits comes from Willard Chase, who reported that Joseph was initially prevented from obtaining the golden plates by a toad that turned into a man, who slapped him in the face.

— Even E. D. Howe reported that the Spaulding manuscript given to him by Hurlbut “had no resemblance to the 'Book of Mormon.’” Howe also believed there was a second manuscript that better matched the Book of Mormon. Source: https://tinyurl.com/mwhary55

— At least one source also indicates that Hurlbut’s affections had been rejected by a Latter-day Saint woman named Electra Sherman. “...because she despised him for his immorality and rejected his suit he swore revenge upon the whole community and boastfully declared he would destroy the church.” Source: Benjamin F. Johnson, "My Life's Review," pg. 20 (of Archive.org's edition)

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