New Witnesses for God (Volume 2 of 3)

by B. H. Roberts

[20]. Pre-Historic America, p. 88.

[21]. Those desiring to enter upon a further inquiry of this subject will find it somewhat elaborately treated in Allen's Pre-Historic World or Vanished Races, chapter 10; also Nadaillac's Pre-Historic America, chapter 3; History of America Before Columbus, P. De Roo, chapter 3; and in Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, by E. George Squier.

[22]. Throughout this writing I have often felt the need of some sort of compendious work to guide me in my researches, and in all the collection of my works upon the subject I have found Mr. Baldwin's Ancient America the most useful; and should the readers of these chapters desire a special work upon the subject of American antiquities I do not think they could find a single book on the subject which would be more satisfactory than the little work (293 pages) here referred to; and since I have quoted so extensively from it, I cite the following to show in what esteem Mr. Baldwin is held by one who is the author of the most elaborate work on the subject of American antiquities: "Mr. Baldwin's most excellent little book on Ancient America is the only comprehensive work treating of this subject now before the public. As a popular treatise, compressing within a small duodecimo volume the whole subject of archaeology, including, besides material relics, tradition, and speculation concerning origin and history as well, this book cannot be too highly praised." Bancroft's Native Races, vol. IV, 2.

[23]. Ancient America, pp. 20-24. Rev. J. G. Fish speaking of some of these North American mounds declares that "the summit level of some of them contains more than twelve acres. At their base they appear like walls stretching up to heaven and it requires but a stretch of the imagination to fancy them mouldering bastions and ramparts of some ancient fortress." Bible in the Balance, p. 237.

[24]. Native Races, vol. IV, pp. 788, 789.

[25]. Native Races, vol. V, p. 539.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

EXTERNAL EVIDENCES—AMERICAN TRADITIONS AND MYTHOLOGIES.

Turning from that branch of American antiquities which deals with the extent and location of ruined cities and monuments of the ancient American civilizations to the consideration of American traditions concerning the origin, migrations, cosmogony, and the religion of the people of the western world, we by no means leave behind us the difficulty of divided authorities, and varying opinions. One could not hope, even in an extended work on the subject, to bring order out of the chaos which obtains concerning American traditions and mythologies; therefore, I need say nothing of the futility of attempting it in the few brief chapters which I have resolved to devote to these traditions. But this much must be evident respecting the relationship of the Book of Mormon to American traditions and mythologies, viz., that several epoch-making incidents in the Book of Mormon must have made such indelible impressions upon the mind of the ancient peoples of America that they would be perpetuated in various forms in their traditions. Such incidents, for example, as the Jaredite and Nephite migrations from the old world to the western hemisphere; and since the former colony came directly from the Tower of Babel, it is to be expected that they would bring with them a knowledge of the creation, the fall of man, the flood, the escape of Noah and his family by means of the ark, and the building of the Tower of Babel. Lehi's colony came from Jerusalem, bringing with them the Jewish scriptures, which speak so clearly of the creation, the flood, the escape of Noah, the building of Babel and the confusion of tongues, hence it would be expected that they, too, would have a knowledge of these chief events in the history of man down to this last named event, and a knowledge also of the chief events in the history of Israel down to the time of the departure of Lehi's colony from Jerusalem—six hundred years B. C. It is but a reasonable expectation, I say, that these things would be perpetuated in American traditions and mythologies. Are traces of them to be found there? So also as to the signs given on the American continent of Messiah's birth; and certainly as to the signs of his crucifixion, witnessed by the terrible cataclysms which continued in the western hemisphere during three hours, followed by three days of awful darkness. Also some trace in their traditions would be found of Messiah's personal advent on the American continent to the survivors of those events. So, too, would the recollection of the golden age of peace and plenty which followed Messiah's advent, and the promise of Messiah's return at some future time—some memory of all this would most likely be perpetuated in native traditions. And while both traditions and mythologies may be regarded as troubled pools which, like mirrors shattered into a thousand fragments, distort into fantastic shapes the objects on their banks, still there is a basis of truth in them; and American traditions and mythologies may yield up something of value in the way of evidence to the truth of the Book of Mormon. Surely we would be greatly disappointed if this turned out not to be the case, for the historical incidents referred to in the Book of Mormon are so impressive that they would be found to live in the traditions of the people, whatever became of their written records. As remarked by H. H. Bancroft: