The examination of unreliable sources reveals significant misconceptions surrounding the practice of animal sacrifice, necessitating a critical evaluation of the cultural and ethical implications associated with this ritual.
Origin of the Accusations Against the Smith Family
Rumors that Joseph Smith or his family engaged in ritual or “satanic” practices trace back mainly to hostile 19th-century anti-Mormon publications, especially the 1834 book Mormonism Unvailed by Eber D. Howe. These works shaped later accusations about “animal sacrifice” and occult behavior, but they are not based on reliable, firsthand Latter-day Saint sources.
Nature of Mormonism Unvailed as a Source
Mormonism Unvailed was compiled by a declared enemy of the Church, Eber Howe.
He relied on statements gathered by Doctor Philastus Hurlbut, a former Latter-day Saint expelled from the Church twice.
None of the original affidavits survive; we only have Howe’s printed versions.
Parts of the book make claims that can be proven false in other areas of early Church history.
Because of this, historians treat its content with considerable skepticism.
The William Stafford Affidavit and the “Sacrificed Sheep”
One of the most cited items in Mormonism Unvailed is the statement attributed to William Stafford. It alleges:
Joseph Smith Sr. claimed knowledge of buried treasure.
A circle was drawn, witch hazel was set, and a ritual was supposedly performed to obtain it.
When treasure did not appear, a sheep was requested for sacrifice.
Stafford says he provided a sheep and that it was killed in the “wrong” way for the ritual.
Historical problems
Stafford admits he never personally saw the alleged rite; he only reports what others said.
His story contradicts itself (for example, he claims the Smiths were dishonest yet claims he willingly gave them his “best sheep”).
No independent contemporary records confirm this incident.
The story closely follows common treasure-digging legends in early American folklore rather than verifiable events.
The 1842 Susquehanna County Letter and the “White Dog” Story
Another later, hostile account from Pennsylvania claims that a pure white dog was required as a sacrifice, and when none could be found, a sheep was used instead.
This letter was written many years after the supposed events.
It is filled with demonstrable errors (such as falsely asserting scandalous behavior by Joseph Smith Sr. in Canada).
Its details about the animal used contradict the Stafford account.
Again, the writer was not an eyewitness.
Taken together, these characteristics mark it as a late, unreliable, polemical source.
How the Stories Expanded Over Time
Later writers—including Wilhelm Wyl (Vogel) and others—borrowed and reshaped these earlier tales. In the process:
Details were altered or embellished.
Motives for the supposed “sacrifice” shifted (placating God, warding off spirits, etc.).
No consistent explanation emerges across versions.
This pattern of repetition, contradiction, and embellishment shows how rumor turned into folklore rather than solid historical reporting.
Key Historical Observations About the Accusations
When all the sources are compared:
None are firsthand accounts.
All are written long after the alleged events.
All appear in explicitly anti-Mormon environments.
They contradict each other on key details and can be shown to be wrong in other claims.
For these reasons, historians do not treat them as trustworthy evidence that the Smith family performed ritual animal sacrifices or satanic rites.
Cultural Background: Treasure Seeking and Folk Practices
In early 19th-century rural America, many people—not only the Smiths—believed in:
Guardian spirits protecting buried treasure,
Folk practices such as divining rods and seer stones,
Legends of hidden wealth from pirates or earlier settlers.
These were common cultural practices and superstitions, not forms of organized satanic worship. Anti-Mormon authors later reinterpreted this cultural background in the worst possible light.
Joseph Smith’s Teaching on a Future Sacrifice
Critics sometimes link these stories to a real doctrinal teaching Joseph Smith gave in Nauvoo about a future offering. In an 1840 discourse on priesthood:
Joseph taught that sacrifices existed before the law of Moses (e.g., Adam, Abel, Abraham).
He referred to Malachi’s prophecy that the “sons of Levi” would again present an offering in righteousness.
He explained that in the final restoration, a symbolic sacrifice would be offered in connection with that prophecy.
He explicitly said this did not mean reinstituting the Mosaic law of sacrifices, but fulfilling something more ancient and symbolic.
Later critics distorted this teaching into rumors of ongoing “blood rituals,” which is not what Joseph taught.
Historical and Doctrinal Conclusion
From a historical standpoint
There is no solid evidence that Joseph Smith or his family carried out animal sacrifices as part of satanic or occult worship.
The stories come from late, hostile, second- or third-hand sources that contradict both one another and known facts.
They fit the pattern of folktales and anti-Mormon propaganda more than that of credible historical records.
From a doctrinal standpoint
Joseph’s teachings on sacrifice are rooted in biblical prophecy and the idea of “restitution of all things.”
They point to a single symbolic ordinance in the future, not to secret or ongoing ritual slaughter.
This doctrine bears no resemblance to the occult practices described by 19th-century critics.
Faith Perspective on Rumors and Revelation
The missionary whose question prompted this discussion affirmed that even if some uncomfortable historical detail turned out to be true, his testimony rests on spiritual confirmation that Joseph Smith is a prophet.
The episode emphasizes that:
Testimony is grounded in personal revelation, not in gossip or hostile rumor.
Historical study can separate reliable sources from folklore.
Whether or not enemies of the Church circulated sensational stories in the 1800s does not change the reality of the Restoration or the validity of prophetic revelation.
Listen to the full podcast here:
https://www.youtube.com/@standardoftruthpodcastllc