THE BOOK OF MORMON.
"We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."
For people who believe the Bible to be the word of God to also believe that another record is His word, the two must be consistent with each other. There can be no conflict between them. For both to be the word of God, they must be divinely inspired, and their teachings be in perfect harmony. While it would by no means be certain that a record which has passed through so many hands as have the Bible manuscripts, with a loss of some, at least, of the sacred writings, would contain a reference to another record which was to be made by a separate branch of the House of Israel, yet it would not be unreasonable to hope that possibly an allusion to it might be found in some of the prophetic writings.
This hope is not without foundation with respect to the Book of Mormon, which is a history of a part of the House of Israel, on the American continent. The Prophet Ezekiel says: "The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the House of Israel his companions: and join them one to another into one stick: and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not show unto us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and they shall be one in mine hand" (Ezekiel xxxvii: 15-19).
The "stick of Judah" is the record which we have of the Jews—the Bible; the "stick of Ephraim" is the other record, which we have in the Book of Mormon; and both records have become one in the hand of the Lord. Hosea says that to Ephraim had been written the great things of the law (Hosea xiii: 12), and the Savior informed His disciples of others that He must visit: "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" (John x: 16). These other sheep were to hear His voice—to receive a personal visit from Him.
The history of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon is, briefly stated, that its existence and whereabouts were revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith by an angel sent from heaven. This angel said his name was Moroni, and that in the year A.D. 420 he had buried the sacred record in the hill Cumorah, which is located in the northern part of the State of New York. After Joseph had received several visits and had been instructed by the heavenly messenger, the plates were entrusted to his care, with a Urim and Thummim for their translation. Each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite as thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume, as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of it being sealed. The characters on the unsealed part were small and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much skill in the art of engraving. The Urim and Thummim consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate. The unsealed portion of the plates was translated, and the whole were again taken charge of by the angel. The part which had been translated was published early in 1830, as the Book of Mormon, according to the command of God. It is an abridgment made by the Prophet Mormon, father of Moroni, from the records of his forefathers. On the title page is this statement:
Wherefore it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites; written to the Lamanites who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile: written by way of commandment, and also by the Spirit of prophecy and of revelation. Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed; to come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof; sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by the way of Gentile; the interpretation thereof by the gift of God.
An abridgment taken from the book of Ether also; which is a record of the people of Jared; who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people when they were building a tower to get to heaven; which is to shew unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever; and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting Himself unto all nations. And now if there are faults, they are the mistakes of men: wherefore condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.
Several persons were permitted to view the plates, among the number being the "Three Witnesses," who thus testify of what they saw and heard:
The Testimony of Three Witnesses.—Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people unto whom this work shall come, that we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken; and we also know that they have been translated by the gift and the power of God, for His voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shewn unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true; and it is marvellous in our eyes, nevertheless the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with Him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.
Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Martin Harris.
From that testimony they never varied. They were separated from the Latter-day Saints, having departed from the Church, to which they belonged for a time after its organization. But nothing could induce them to change their statement. It was true, and they knew it. In their old age Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris returned to the Church. David Whitmer never did. He was the last to survive, his death having occurred in January, 1888, at Richmond, Missouri. When on his deathbed he called his family and friends around him, and made to them a solemn declaration that he knew the Book of Mormon, and his testimony thereto, to be true.
Eight others also testify as follows:
The Testimony of Eight Witnesses.—Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shewn unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated, we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the saith Smith has shewn unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen, and we lie not, God bearing witness of it.
Christian Whitmer, Hiram Page, Jacob Whitmer, Joseph Smith, Sen., Peter Whitmer, Jun., Hyrum Smith, John Whitmer, Samuel H. Smith.
Like the three, they never faltered in maintaining that what they had subscribed to respecting the Book of Mormon was the truth, and was with them an absolute knowledge.
Of further evidence concerning the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, there is in this sketch an opportunity of saying but little. Regarding the external proof, it must suffice to merely call attention to the developments of archaeological research on the American continent. When the Book of Mormon was first published it was the accepted theory of the civilized world that America was not peopled by any nation of ancient times which had made marked progress in civilization. But subsequently, from the appearance of Captain Dupaix's book in 1834-5, followed by the evidence of Lord Kingsborough, Stevens and Catherwood, Powell, and other well-known archaeologists and explorers, a change came with respect to this matter, until now there is no doubt of the advanced position reached by ancient American civilization, as well as of the great antiquity of the native American races. The ruined temples and crumbling palaces of the ancient cities of Uxmal, Copan, Palenque, Quiche, and scores of others, whose architecture rivals that of any contemporaneous cities of the Old World, bear silent but incontrovertible testimony to the historical truth of the Book of Mormon.
With internal evidence of its divine authenticity, the volume is amply provided. It presents a code of ethics whose purity and godliness are unexcelled by any publication that has seen the light of day. In its pages there are no anachronisms and no contradictions. The various writers are in perfect accord. Compared with the great truths of science and nature, there are no absurdities and no inconsistencies. Between it and the Bible there is complete harmony in doctrine and in prophecy. It is a book that would be profitable reading to any thoughtful person. No intelligent, honest and sincere seeker after truth can give it thorough examination and consideration, with an understanding of the circumstances under which it was brought forth, without being convinced that in giving to the world the Book of Mormon, God has wrought one of the greatest miracles of any age or time.