BOOK OF MORMON—EVIDENCES OF ITS DIVINE AUTHENTICITY.
In order that the predictions of the ancient prophets might be fulfilled, it was necessary that a book should be brought forth to the world which should be a record of truth. This book must also come forth from the earth.
The prophet Enoch, according to Bible chronology, lived 969 years before the flood.
On a certain occasion, the Lord made known to him many things that should transpire a short period before his latter-day coming. He said, "Great tribulation shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve; and righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine own elect from the four quarters of the earth." P. of G. P., page 21.
The Book of Mormon, in every particular, fulfils this very ancient prediction of Enoch's. It is a record of truth; it was brought forth from the earth; it bears testimony of the Only Begotten Son of God; of his birth, death, resurrection, teachings, and ministrations among the Nephites. Righteousness has been sent down out of heaven by the restoration of the Priesthood, with all its authority, ordinances, and blessings, through which, alone, righteousness can be made manifest.
The latter-day gathering of Israel has been inaugurated, and righteousness, and truth are sweeping the earth as with a flood, and gathering the elect from the four quarters of the earth.
This wonderful prophecy of Enoch's was reiterated by prophets who lived many centuries after him. The Psalmist David, who lived until 1015 B. C., mentions this event in connection with the latter days: "Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven;" Psalms 85. 11.
The prophet Isaiah, also, saw in prophetic vision these great events of the latter days, when he said: "Let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open and let them"—that is, the earth and the skies together—"bring forth salvation;" 45. 8.
According to the twenty-ninth chapter of Isaiah. there was to be a people who like Ariel, or Jerusalem, were to be brought down and they should speak out of the ground, their speech was to be low out of the dust.
The predictions in verses 1-6 of this chapter have been fulfilled in every particular, in the history of the Nephites and in the coming forth of their record, the Book of Mormon.
For an account of the fulfilment of many of the predictions in this chapter, see P. of G. P., pages 49-54.
Ezekiel's prophecy, in chapter 37, verses 16-20, concerning the sticks of Judah and Joseph, is literally fulfilled in this generation. The most of the Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Joseph. There can be but one conclusion with regard to the Bible, and that is, that it is the stick of Judah referred to by Ezekiel.
The stick or record of Joseph, is fitly represented by the Book of Mormon, which is a record of the Nephites, who are descendants of Joseph who was sold into Egypt. They are both, to-day, in the hands of Ephraim.
A very good explanation of this subject is contained in 2 Nephi, chapter 3. Lehi was rehearsing to his son Joseph, some important promises which the Lord made to their father, Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. The special promise to which we refer is in the twelfth verse.
"Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter-days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord."
The following from the writings of O. Pratt, is very appropriate to this subject.
"If the historical parts of the Book of Mormon be compared with what little is known from other sources, concerning the history of ancient America, there will be found much evidence to substantiate its truth; but there cannot be found one truth among all the gleanings of antiquity that clashes with the historical truths of the Book of Mormon.
"If the prophetical part of this wonderful book be compared with the prophetical declarations of the Bible, there will be found much evidence in the latter to establish the truth of the former. But though there are many predictions in the Book of Mormon, relating to the great events of the last days, which the Bible gives us no information about, yet there is nothing in the predictions of the Bible that contradicts in the least, the predictions of the Book of Mormon.
"If the doctrinal part of the Book of Mormon be compared with the doctrines of the Bible, there will be found the same perfect harmony which we find on the comparison of the prophetical parts of the two books. Although there are many points of the doctrine of Christ that are far more plain and definite in the Book of Mormon than in the Bible, and many things revealed in relation to doctrine that never could be fully learned from the Bible, yet there are not any items of doctrine in the two sacred books that contradict each other, or clash in the least.
"If the various books which enter into the collection, called the Book of Mormon, be carefully compared with each other, there will be found nothing contradictory in history, in prophecy, or in doctrine.
"If the miracles of the Book of Mormon be compared with the miracles of the Bible, there cannot be found in the former anything that would be more difficult to believe, than what we find in the latter.
"If we compare the historical, prophetical, and doctrinal parts of the Book of Mormon, with the great truths of science and nature, we find no contradictions—no absurdities—nothing unreasonable. The most perfect harmony, therefore, exists between the great truths revealed in the Book of Mormon, and all other known truths, whether religious, historical, or scientific." Divine Authenticity of B. of M., page 56.
A person educated in the doctrines and traditions of modern Christianity, could not have written the Book of Mormon, for many of its important doctrines do not agree with those of the Christian sects.
They do not believe in the ministry of angels, in miracles, in signs, in dreams and in visions. The book had its origin in those things, much of it is made up of an account of them.
Lehi, the most prominent patriarch of the aboriginal American race, was warned by an angel that Jerusalem would be destroyed; 1 Nephi 1. 11, 13. That he might not be destroyed with it, the Lord warned him in a dream to take his family and depart into the wilderness; 2. 2. In the nineteenth verse of this last chapter, the Lord spake to Nephi, and blessed him on account of his great faith.
Nephi, who wrote the first two books of the Book of Mormon, had wonderful visions and manifestations. An infidel, or deist, having no faith in manifestations from God, could not have written the book; equally impossible that it could have been written by a sectarian Christian.
Was the Book of Mormon written for a romance? It would spoil the interest of a work of fiction, for the writer to commence it with a sketch of the plan of his story. Yet the two books of Nephi, which commence the Book of Mormon, are a very plain, prophetic sketch of the then future history of the people of America.
Besides, what writer of fiction could expect to interest the literary world of the nineteenth century, with an account of the organization of a church, on the American continent, exactly after the pattern of the primitive church in Asia, with advocating baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and with an almost verbatim repetition of Christ's sermon on the Mount. Such a fiction would be wanting in all the elements of modern romance.
Skeptics, Christian divines, and writers of romance are not the men to stake their reputation on the enunciation of such principles as the following: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not and is not baptized shall be damned." "Harlotry is the most abominable of all sins in the sight of God, except it be the sin against the Holy Ghost." In fact, it is the teaching of such pure principles in the Book of Mormon that makes it so very unpopular with a large portion of mankind.
The Book of Mormon, as a whole, must be either true or false. If false, the Bible is equally so, for there is no antagonism between the two.
The former states that it and the Bible shall grow together for the confounding of false doctrine in the latter times. The writer of a book of errors would hardly have staked his reputation on the fact that his book was an evidence of the truth of the Bible, and vice versa. That one is a witness of the truth of the other is readily evident to any one who will honestly compare them.
Written by different authors, under very different circumstances, and on opposite sides of the globe, such perfect concordance would have been impossible, unless the authors had all been actuated by the same Spirit of divine inspiration.
The admission is general that the Bible was written and compiled on the Eastern hemisphere, and, more or less continuously through a period of some 1500 years. The fact is generally recognized that the Book of Mormon was written on the Western hemisphere, and by those who had nothing to do in getting up the Bible.
The chain of history it has recorded; the principles it teaches; its anomalous style as a literary production, and its truthfulness as a prophetic record, are all against its being a production of modern times.
As an ancient record, it contains many predictions of prophets and seers which have been realized, and many others which are now having a remarkable fulfilment. It has these facts in favor of its divine origin, as well as the Bible.
Not the least remarkable of its prophecies are those declaring how it should be written, and why. How it should be hid up in the earth for many generations, and how it should come forth in the latter times; every particular of which has been realized.
Bible.
Isa. 29. 10-12 the vision of all is become as the words of a book.
13, 14 and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men.
18 in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book.
43. 19 I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth.
Ezek. 37, 15-28 the sticks of Judah and Ephraim.
Hos. 8. 12 I have written to him the great things of my law.
Hab. 1. 5 I will work a work in your days which you will not believe.
2. 3 for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak.
Doctrine & Covenants.
Sec. 3. 16-20 the records of the Book of Mormon preserved, that the promises of the Lord might be fulfilled.
5. 11-15 the testimony of three witnesses to the Book of Mormon.
10. 1-52 concerning that portion of the Book of Mormon which Martin Harris had permitted to pass into the hands of wicked men.
20. 8 gave him power from on high to translate the Book of Mormon.
9-16 the purposes of God in bringing forth the Book of Mormon.
24. 1 thou wast called and chosen to write the Book of Mormon
27. 5 and with Moroni, whom I have sent to reveal the Book of Mormon.
33. 16 Book of Mormon and Holy Scriptures given for instruction.
42. 12 elders to teach the principles contained in the Bible and Book of Mormon.
124. 119 unless he be a believer in the Book of Mormon and the revelations.
135. 3 J. Smith, Jun., brought forth the Book of Mormon by the power of God.
6 Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants cost the best blood of the nineteenth century.
Pearl of Great Price.
44-57 an account of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon in fulfilment of prophecy.
See Sermon by O. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 15, page 178.
" " " " " 16, " 209.
A series of six pamphlets, by O. Pratt, on the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon.
Public Discussion between J. Taylor and Rev'ds C. W. Cleeve, James Robertson and Phillip Cater.
An account of several remarkable visions, by O. Pratt.