* In the Mormon version of this sermon the words, "If thy right
eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee," and "If thy right
hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee," are lacking. The
Deseret Evening News of February 21, 1900, in explaining this omission,
says that the report by Mormon of the "discourse delivered by Jesus
Christ to the Nephites on this continent after his resurrection from the
dead... may not be full and complete."
There is throughout the book an imitation of the style of the Holy Scriptures. Verse after verse begins with the words "and it came to pass," as Spaulding's Ohio neighbors recalled that his story did. The following extract, from 1 Nephi, chap. viii, will give an illustration of the literary style of a large part of the work:—
"1.. And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind.
"2. And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the wilderness, he spake unto us, saying, Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or in other words, I have seen a vision.
"3. And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord, because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.
"4. But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.
"5. And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
"6. And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
"7. And it came to pass that as I followed him, I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
"8. And after I had travelled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.