Mormonism Unvailed

Mormonism Unvailed

Frontispiece and title page from Mormonism Unvailed
Author	Eber D. Howe
Subject	Mormonism
Publisher	Eber D. Howe
Publication date	1834
Pages	290
OCLC	10395314

Mormonism Unvailed [sic] is a book published in 1834 by Eber D. Howe. The title page proclaims the book to be a contemporary exposé of Mormonism, and makes the claim that the historical portion of the Book of Mormon text was based upon a manuscript written by Solomon Spalding.

The publication of Mormonism Unvailed is significant in Mormon history as it is considered to be the first anti-Mormon book (Mitton 2004, p. xviii). The book represented the first significant opposition to Mormonism by an author who had actually addressed the contents of the Book of Mormon.

Of the many subjects discussed in the book, two had a significantly lasting impact. The first of these was the publication of a number of affidavits and other statements related to the character of Joseph Smith and Martin Harris. The second significant item was the introduction of a popular early authorship theory for the Book of Mormon known as the "Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship".

The full title of the book is: Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of That Singular Imposition and Delusion from Its Rise to the Present Time. With Sketches of the Characters of Its Propagators, and a Full Detail of the Manner in Which the Famous Golden Bible Was Brought Before the World. To Which Are Added, Inquiries into the Probability That the Historical Part of the Said Bible Was Written by One Solomon Spalding, More Than Twenty Years Ago, and by Him Intended to Have Been Published As a Romance.

Howe introduces the section containing the affidavits by stating:

"We next present to the reader a few, among the many despositions which have been obtained from the neighborhood of the Smith family, and the scene where the far famed Gold Bible had its pretended origin." (Howe 1834, p. 231).

The affidavits attesting to the character of Joseph Smith were collected by Doctor Philastus Hurlbut. The affidavits themselves are not known to exist outside of their printing in Mormonism Unvailed (Mitton 2004, p. xviii, note 13). One purpose of the affidavits was to discredit the Smith family by emphasizing their treasure seeking activities as a negative reflection upon their character. In doing so, however, some of those providing these statements revealed their own involvement with treasure seeking as well (Bushman 2005, p. 49). Martin Harris was also the subject of a number of these statements.