RECORDS OF THE NEPHITES.
The record of first importance to the Nephites was that of the plates of brass, which was taken from the treasury of Laban by Nephi. It contained the five books of Moses, the history of the Jews down to the reign of Zedekiah, and a genealogy of the family of Lehi.
This record was invaluable to the Jewish-American colony as a means of perpetuating the religion, customs and civilization of their fathers. Lehi prophesied, in his first camp in the wilderness, "That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed;" 1 Nephi 5. 18. He further said "That these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time;" verse 19.
Nearly two thousand five hundred years have passed away since this prophecy of Lehi's was recorded, and we are assured that these plates of brass are well preserved, and are yet to come forth to all the tribes and peoples of the aboriginal American race, and to all the race of Lehi who may be scattered on the islands of the sea. This record, on brass plates, was written in the Egyptian language; Mos. 1. 4. It appears to have borne the same relationship to the Nephites, that the Bible has to Christian nations, and to have been not only their guide in religion, but also the foundation of their ethics and jurisprudence.
From the first, Nephi was strongly impressed with the importance of keeping a faithful record of his people. He says in the beginning of his first book, "I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews, and the language of the Egyptians;" 1. 2. The Egyptian language must have had about the same relation to the Jews, that the Latin has to modern Christian nations.
The purpose of the Lord, in inspiring Nephi to make ample preparations for keeping a record of his people, was gradually developed to him, for he says in 9. 5, of his first book, "The Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him; which purpose I know not."
The importance of the future record of his people was afterwards shown him in vision: "For behold, saith the Lamb, I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren; behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb;" 13. 35. The remainder of this chapter further explains this subject.
By reading the third chapter of 2 Nephi, we learn that this subject had become well developed in the mind of Lehi before his death. Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, had left on record a remarkable prophecy—which was probably engraven on the plates of brass—that the writing of the fruit of his loins (the Book of Mormon), and the writing of the fruit of the loins of Judah (the Bible), should not only be joined together in the latter days, but that a great Seer should be raised up who should write the writing of the fruit of his loins for the benefit of his brethren. Such a plain description is given of things connected with this Seer, that we are perfectly safe in concluding that he and Joseph Smith, Jun., are identical.
From this time, during the existence of the Nephites, the coming forth of their record to the Lamanites, and to their own posterity in the latter times, was ever associated in the minds of the faithful, with the Seer whom the Lord should raise up to bring them forth. Both were the subject of their earnest prayers, and called forth the exercise of a living faith; Mormon, 8. 25.
The history of the Nephite-American colony commences with their leaving Jerusalem, 600 B. C.; 1 Nephi 10. 4, and closed when Moroni finished the record, from which the Book of Mormon was translated, and hid it up in the hill Cumorah, A. C. 421; a period of one thousand and twenty-one years.
When Lehi and his colony left Jerusalem, the renowned city of Babylon was in the height of its glory, and the city of Rome had been founded only one hundred and fifty years.
The importance of the Book of Mormon, as a history, will be recognized by the fact that it is the only history of the western hemisphere, known to the world, for the long period of thirty-eight hundred years between Noah's flood, and the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, in 1492.
Book of Mormon.
1 Nephi 3. 3 the record of Laban. 4, 13, 19, 26. Chap. 4. 10-27.
5. 11-13 the record contained the five books of Moses, and a history of Jews. 16.
21, 22 the records on the plates of brass very desirable. Chap. 6. 1-6.
9. 2-4 one set of plates for sacred things, the other historical Chap. 19. 1-6.
13. 23 the record that proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. 25, 38, 40, 41.
14. 18-30 concerning the writings of the apostle John, and of Nephi.
2 Nephi 3. 12 the writings of Judah and Joseph to grow together.
5. 12 Nephi took with him, into the wilderness, the record on the plates of brass. 30-33.
25. 18 the Lord will bring forth his word to the Jews. 18-23.
26. 17 the things done among them shall be written and sealed up.
27. 7 in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning. 10-29.
29. 2 my words shall hiss forth to the ends of the earth. 8, 10-14.
30. 3 the book written to be carried forth to the seed of Nephi. Chap. 31. 1, 2. Jacob 4. 1-3.
Enos 1. 13 Enos prayed that a record might be preserved to come forth to the Lamanites. 14, 16-18.
Jarom 1. 2 the small plates written for the benefit of the Lamanites.
Omni 1. 17 the people of Zarahemla had no records. 18.
Words of Mormon 1. 1, 2 many years after the coming of Christ, Mormon delivered the records to Moroni, and wrote these "Words."
Mos. 2. 34 the people of Mosiah taught concerning the records on the plates of brass.
8. 5 Limhi caused the records of his people to be brought to Ammon.
9 the people of Limhi discovered the records of the Jaredites. 10-19. Chap. 21. 27.
12. 8 leave a record which I will preserve for other nations. Chap. 22. 14.
25. 5, 6 the record of Zeniff and of Alma. 28. 10-20.
Alma 22. 12, 13 Alma expounded the scriptures from the creation. 23. 5. Chap. 33. 12-15.
37. 1-6 Alma prophesied that the records, containing holy writ, should retain their brightness. 7-27. Chap. 45. 2.
Hel. 3. 13-16 many particular and large records kept by the Nephites.
3 Nephi 5. 8-18 Mormon explains concerning the abridgment of the records of his people.
26. 7 the plates of Nephi contain the more part of what Christ taught. 11.
27. 23-27 things not forbidden to be written. All things written by the Father.
4 Nephi 1. 19, 20 Amos kept the records eighty-four years. 21.
48. 49 Ammaron hid up the sacred records in the earth.
Mormon 1. 1 Mormon makes a record and calls it the Book of Mormon. 2-5. Chap. 2. 17, 18.
7. 8 the Jewish records to go from the Gentiles to the remnants. Chap. 8. 5, 12, 14, 15.
8. 25 their prayers were in behalf of him who should bring these things forth.
9. 32, 33 record written in the reformed Egyptian. 34.
Ether 1. 3 the record of Ether speaks of the creation.
4-6 Moroni gives only a partial account of the Jaredites.
3. 21-24 the brother of Jared commanded to write what he had seen and heard.
4. 1 the things written by the brother of Jared not to be revealed until Christ should come. 3-7, 16.
5. 1 touch not the things sealed up.
3, 4 these things shall be established by the mouth of three witnesses.
15. 33 Ether hid the record so that the people of Limhi found it.
Moroni 1. 1-4 Moroni only wrote an abridgment of Jaredite history. 9. 24. Chap. 10. 2.
Doctrine & Covenants.
Sec. 1. 29 after having received the records of the Nephites. 3. 19. Sec. 5. 1, 3, 4, 11, 26, 30.
6. 26 records kept back because of the wickedness of the people.
8. 1 shall receive a knowledge concerning ancient records. 9. 1.
10. 1 because you have given up those records you had power to translate. 38-42.
44-49 the prayers of the ancient Saints answered, in the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon. Sec. 11. 22. Sec. 17. 1-3.
20. 35 these things are true and according to the revelations of John.
21. 1 Joseph Smith, Jun., to be called a Seer, a translator.
24. 1 Joseph Smith, Jun., called and chosen to write the Book of Mormon. Sec. 28. 7.
42. 12 Bible and Book of Mormon contain the fulness of the Gospel. 15.
93. 6 the fulness of John's record hereafter to be revealed.
107. 57 written in the book of Enoch.
Sec. 128. the dead to be judged from the books. Things that have never been revealed shall be revealed in the dispensation of the fulness of times.
20 Moroni declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed.
135. 3 the books brought forth by Joseph Smith, Jun.
See Sermon by O. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 16, page 47.
" " Prest. B. Young, Farmington, June 17, 1877, J. of D., Vol. 19. page 36.