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.