The Wentworth Letter is worth its weight in gold, if you will.

It provided proof Smith couldn’t possibly be the recipient of the revelations he purportedly received.

What’s so shocking about this is how the Church has deemed it ‘One of the choicest inspired documents ever written’. (Mormon Doctrine, p. 834.)

To summarize, the Wentworth Letter was written by Joe Smith as a response to a reporter/editor of the paper, Chicago Democrat. Mr. Wentworth had written to Smith asking for information about Mormonism on behalf of one of his friends, George Barstow.

What’s important to know about this letter is the date (there are other issues we’ll be addressing over the next few days).  Smith wrote about his experience of Moroni taking place in 1823.

How did he know about so many details on those plates if he hadn’t translated them yet? The translation process took place in 1829. Remember, Smith wrote this letter in 1842, long after his so-called meeting with Moroni – the act of retrofitting another prophecy is evident in this one.

Furthermore as another side note, it was the first time anyone had seen his experience formally written. Not even the Saints knew the details of Moroni until that time. The Times and Seasons was a Mormon periodical used to publish news to the Saints worldwide.

Times and Seasons, Vol. 3, No.9, March 1, 1842, p. 707; “…On the evening of the 21st of September, A. D. 1823, while I was praying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in the precious promises of scripture on a sudden a light like that of day, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance, and brightness burst into the room, indeed the first sight was as though the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance produced a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment a personage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than that with which I was already surrounded. This messenger proclaimed himself to be an angel of God sent to bring the joyful tidings, that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the gospel, in all its fulness [fullness] to be preached in power, unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the millennial reign.

I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of his purposes in this glorious dispensation.

I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of this country, and shown who they were, and from whence they came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws, governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people was made known unto me:

I was also told where there was deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgement [abridgment] of the records of the ancient prophets that had existed on this continent. The angel appeared to me three times the same night and unfolded the same things.” – Joseph Smith

This is also published in the Ensign, ‘The Wentworth Letter,’ July 2002.

Shockingly (or maybe not), the Church brazenly published the following info later that same year in an LDS Youth Magazine, New Era, ‘A Mother’s Testimony,’ December 2002. The excerpts from the diary of Smith’s mother, Lucy, lends itself to believing Smith’s story is fabricated. She wrote the following when reminiscing about stories Joe would tell long before he received the plates from Moroni. Apparently, he was around 18 yrs old at the time…

‘During our evening conversation, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode, their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life with them.’

You can find this, and more info on OliverCowdry.com.