With the assistance of Oliver Cowdery, and W. W. Phelps as scribes the Prophet began the work of translating this record, which so singularly came into his possession; but it was not finally published until March, 1842, at Nauvoo. It will be found as we now have it in the Pearl of Great Price, given with the fac-similies of certain pages of the papyrus in the Times and Seasons, Vol. III, Nos. 9 and 10. It is a revelation of exceedingly great value, both on account of the historical and doctrinal data which it contains, as appears in the analysis for Lesson VI. For still further items of interest in relation to the Book of Abraham, see History of the Church, Vol. II, pp. 348-350 and footnotes.
4. The Writings of Joseph Smith in the Pearl of Great Price: Of the writings of Joseph Smith in the Pearl of Great Price little need be said as they speak for themselves. It is the Prophet's simple yet attractive and powerful narrative of those events which pertain to the beginning of the great Latter-day work, the opening of the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. It is comprised within a very few pages—23 in all—and merely gives the story of the Prophet's birth and first call by heavenly vision to the restoration of the Priesthood by the administration of John the Baptist, in the month of May, in the year 1829, and a quotation from the Wentworth Letter (See Note —) comprising the Articles of Faith. Yet brief and limited as are these writings, they are invaluable because of their authenticity, their beautiful simplicity, and the spirit of truth that pervades them and infuses them with a convincing power.
Footnotes
[1]. The readings for this exercise and for the remaining lessons should be selected from the Pearl of Great Price.
LESSON VI.
SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.
THE MODERN SCRIPTURES—(B) THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE.
| ANALYSIS. | REFERENCES. |
| I. The Important Items of History and
Doctrine in the Book of Moses.
(a) That the Revelation to Moses on Creation was Limited to Our Earth and Its Heavens--was Local. (b) The Limitless Creations of God in Ever-changing Processes. (c) The Purpose of God in Creation. (d) The Council in Heaven Previous to Man's Existence in the earth; the Choice of a Redeemer for Man; Lucifer's Rebellion. (e) The Meaning of Sacrifice--the Gospel Revealed to Adam, the Joy of Adam and Eve in Their Earth Existence Under the Gospel. (f) The Beginning of Scripture. (g) The Establishment of Seers. (h) The Zion of Enoch--Translation. | (a) Note 2; Book of
Moses, Chap. i: 12-36;
Chap. ii: 1. Mormon Doctrine
of Diety, pp. 159-60.
"Immortality of Man,"
Improvement Era, Vol. X,
pp. 413, 414, foot note. (b) Chap. i: 27-38; vii: 30. (c) Chap. ii: 39; vi: 55, 56. (d) Chap. iv: 1-4. (e) Chap. V, 1-11; vi: 43-68. (f) Chap. vi: 4-6. (g) Chap. vi: 32-36. (h) Chap. vii: 14-69. |
SPECIAL TEXT: "And it repented Noah, and his heart was pained, that the Lord had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart (compare Gen. vi:6). * * * And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth * * * * for it repenteth Noah that I have created them."—MOSES, IN BOOK OF MOSES.