ISAIAH'S PROPHECY.
The Prophet Nephi reiterates the prediction recorded in the twenty-ninth chapter of Isaiah, concerning the coming forth of a book, and which the Latter-day Saints maintain refers to the Book of Mormon. The prophecy is as follows:
"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. . . . . And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness." (Isaiah 29: 11, 12, 13, 14, 18).
The first part of this prophecy was literally fulfilled when a man named Martin Harris, with the permission of Joseph Smith, took a copy of some of the characters from which the Book of Mormon was translated—the "words of a book"—to Professor Anthon, a learned professor of languages in New York City, and the latter made the statement, "I cannot read a sealed book." Unwittingly, he used almost the identical words of Isaiah's prediction.
"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned,"—this was fulfilled when the book was delivered to Joseph Smith, an unlearned youth. How accurately this prophecy was fulfilled is shown by the fact that the words of the book were delivered to the man that was learned, while the book itself was delivered to him that was not learned.
The portion of the prophecy which reads: "Therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder," is also being fulfilled. The work done by the Lord through the instrumentality of His servant Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints, is looked upon as marvelous even by those who do not believe Joseph Smith to be a prophet, nor the Latter-day Saints to be inspired of Heaven, for this work attracts the attention of the whole world. An acquaintance with what the Lord has done and with what is now being done through their ministry is of sufficient importance to be called "a marvelous work and a wonder." The Gospel has been preached in nearly all the civilized and several of the uncivilized nations, a church has been established that attracts the attention of all the world, and its name and the prophet's name are known among every nation; a commonwealth has been built up that has won the admiration of all that are acquainted with it; people from all nations have been gathered together to form this commonwealth; and missionaries by the thousands are sent to proclaim to mankind everywhere the glad tidings of the "marvelous work."
Since the restoration of the Gospel with all its blessings in these latter days the remainder of Isaiah's words have been verified. The deaf have been healed and enabled to "hear the words of the book," and the blind have had their sight restored, and have thus been enabled to "see out of obscurity, and out of darkness."