JET examines stone for "unusual values."
James E. Talmage, Journal, February 21, 1893, MSS 229, James E. Talmage Papers, box 2 folder 2, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
While examining it in the house of Bro. Rushton, a tiny flake, scarcely larger than a grain of wheat, fell off from an end. This I took care of, intending to use it for a simple chemical test. During the afternoon I made a careful examination of the stone. It is transparent, of a greenish tinge, low fusibility and hardness, specific quantity of 2.5, contains silica. And the alkalies, in fact, appear to the eye and under test to be a piece of glass, plain and simple. It weighs 66 grams (nearly two and one fourth oz.). The chemical tests were confined to the flake which broke off in our hands, as I did not wish to mutilate the stone in any way. This determination of the simple lithological nature of these stones in no way to my mind removes the possibility of them possessing unusual values. I believe the Lord could endow a piece of brick with the properties of a Seer Stone, and endow his chosen servants with power to use such.