|
Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon:
A Collection of
Evidences
By
JOHN A. WIDTSOE
and
FRANKLIN S. HARRIS, JR.
Press of Zion's Printing and Publishing Company
Independence, Jackson County, Mo., U. S. A.
CHICHEN ITZA--Monjas, Facade of East Wing.
It is said this ruin represents three successive stages or epochs of growth.
View of Caracol (observatory) at Chichen Itza.
Copyright 1937
by
John A. Widtsoe
and
Franklin S. Harris, Jr.
Prefatory Note
The following study is part of a projected larger treatise on the evidences of the truth of "Mormonism." It is aimed directly at the needs of missionaries and others who have need of brief, comprehensive summaries of the accumulated evidences for the truth of the work established by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.3
During the last century a host of capable students have set forth numerous evidences in support of Mormon claims. These reports are scattered over the whole field of Mormon literature and therefore often inaccessible to students and defenders of the Gospel who are engaged in travel and unable to carry with them a sufficient supply of books.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.3
This book was prepared in London, within easy reach of the library of the British Museum, and it was possible therefore to check every quotation against original sources. For ease of reference, quotations are not only referred to original sources, but also to more accessible books which quote from the originals.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.3
The authors are under deep obligations to many friends for help rendered, especially to Elders Stephen L. Richards, Melvin J. Ballard and Alonzo A. Hinckley of' the Council of Twelve and to Dr. George H. Hansen and Dr. Sidney B. Sperry of Brigham Young University.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.4
"Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save ii were by the Jews?
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.4
"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.4
"Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.4
"And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.4
"Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.4
"For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.4
"For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it."--2 Nephi 29:6-12.
Key to the Abbreviations Used for the Titles of Books Cited
The titles of the books and periodicals quoted in this Study of Book of Mormon Claims are abbreviated as shown below.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.5
A bibliography of the extensive literature examined under each heading, but not cited, will be published elsewhere for the benefit of those who desire to make a more detailed study of the subject.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.5 - p.7
BALDWIN--Baldwin, J. D. Ancient America, 1871.
BANCROFT--Bancroft, H. H., Native Races, 5 vols., 1883.
B. OF M.--Book of Mormon. The books are abbreviated as usual.
BRINTON--Brinton, D. G., The American Race, 1891.
BRINTON, HERO.--Brinton, D. G., American Hero-Myths, 1882.
BRINTON, MYTHS--Brinton, D. G., Myths of the New World 1868.
CHARNAY--Charnay, Désiré, Ancient Cities of the New World, 1887.
CHURCHWARD--Churchward, A., The Origin and Evolution of Religion, 1924.
CLAVERIGO--Claverigo, History of Mexico, 1787.
D. H. C.--Documentary "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
DEROO--DeRoo, P., History of America Before Columbus, vol. 1, 1900.
DES. NEWS--Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1850-
DONNELLY--Donnelly, Ignatius, Atlantis, 1882.
ENCY. BRIT.--Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th edition, 1929.
GANN AND THOMPSON--Gann, Thomas, and Thompson, J. Eric, History of the Maya, 1931.
HAEBLER--Haebler, Konrad, in Harmsworth History of the World.
IMP. ERA--The Improvement Era, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1897-
JENSEN--Jensen, Nephi, Missionary Themes, Priests Quorum, No. 2, no date.
JOYCE--Joyce, T. A., South American Archaeology, 1912.
JOYCE, MAUDSLAY--Joyce, T. A., Guide to the Maudslay Collection of Maya Sculptures, British Museum, 1923.
KINGSBOROUGH--Kingsborough, Lord, (Edward King). Antiquities of Mexico, 9 vols., 1830-48.
LEE--Lee, J. Fitzgerald, The Great Migration, 1932.
LESUEUR--Lesueur, J. W., Indian Legends, 1928.
MEANS--Means, P. A., Ancient Civilizations of the Andes, 1931.
MILL. STAR--Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Manchester, Liverpool and London, England, 1840-
MITCHELL--Mitchell, J. Leslie, The Conquest of the Maya, 1934.
NADAILLAC--Nadaillac, Marquise de, (Jean F. A. Du Pouget), Prehistoric America, 1885.
PHILLIPS--Phillips, A. B., The Book of Mormon Verified, Lamoni, Iowa, 1912.
POINDEXTER--Poindexter, Miles, The Ayar-Incas, 2 vols., 1930.
PRESCOTT, MEXICO--Prescott, W. H., The Conquest of Mexico, 3 vols., London, 1850.
PRESCOTT, PERU--Prescott, W. H., The Conquest of Peru, London, n. d.
PRIEST--Priest, Josiah, American Antiquities, 1833.
REVILLE--Réville, Albert, Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion as Illustrated by the Native Religions of Mexico and Peru, 1884.
REYNOLDS--The Story of the Book of Mormon, 1888.
ROBERTS--Roberts, B. H., New Witnesses for God, vol. 2, 1927, vol. 3, 1929.
SCHOOLCRAFT--Schoolcraft, H. R., Historical and Statistical Information of the Indian Tribes of the United States, 1851-54.
SCRAPS--Scrapbook of Mormon Literature, vol. 2, (Ben E. Rich compiler), n. d.
SHORT--Short, J. T., North Americans of Antiquity, 1880.
SJODAHL--Sjodahl, J. M., Introduction to the Study of the Book of Mormon, 1927.
SMITH--Smith, David A., Suggestions for Book of Mormon Lecture, n. d.
SPENCE--Spence, Lewis, The Myths of Mexico and Peru, 1913.
SPINDEN--Spinden, H. J, Ancient Civilizations of Mexico, 1922.
STEPHENS, YUCATAN--Stephens, J. L, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, 2 vols., 1841.
STEPHENS, CENTRAL AMERICA--Stephens, J. L., Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan, 2 vols., 1843.
TALMAGE--Talmage, J. E., Articles of Faith, 1924.
TSCHUDI--Tschudi, J. J., and Rivero, Peruvian Antiquities, 1853.
VATER--Vater, J. S., Untersuchungen üer Amerikas Bevlkerung, Leipzig, 1810.
VERRILL--Verrill, A. H., Under Peruvian Skies, 1930.
WILLARD--Willard, T. H, City of the Sacred Well, 1926.
ZARATE--Zarate, Augustine, The Discovery and Conquest of Peru, 1933.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.7
In the references volume and page are given thus: Millennial Star, volume 21, page 178 as, Mill. Star, 21:178, etc. The references in parenthesis are the sources from which original references have been quoted, thus: Catlin's "North American Indians," pp. 261, 263, found in J. M. Sjodahl's "Introduction to the Study of the Book of Mormon," pp. 493-94, is given, Catlin, North American Indians, pp. 261, 263, (Sjodahl, pp. 493-94.)
Introduction
1. An Evidence for Mormonism. The Book of Mormon was published to the world in 1880, a few weeks before, the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (April 6, 1880). During the century that has followed the Book has been scrutinized repeatedly by friend and foe. Hundreds of books and pamphlets by the learned and the unlearned have been written about it, but without coming to a consensus of opinion concerning its origin, except that Joseph Smith must have been aided by someone in its composition. Meanwhile, the body of evidence for the truth of the claims of the Book has increased steadily with the increase of human knowledge. The Book of Mormon continues to stand as an increasingly baffling mystery to those who do not accept the account of its origin as given by Joseph Smith. It is today one of the strongest evidences for the truth of Mormonism.
2. What It Contains. The Book of Mormon is a history of some of the early inhabitants of the American continent. It records three migrations from Asia to America, the earliest of which occurred at the time of the Tower of Babel; the second and third just before and after the fall of Zedekiah, king of Judah, about 600 years before Christ. The history of these peoples on the American continent, as contained in the Book of Mormon, is mainly a condensation of a larger and more comprehensive record, yet it sets forth in considerable detail much of the political history and many of the religious beliefs and practices of the people who descended from the three migrations. The history ends about 400 years after Christ, when through a series of civil wars the majority of the people were destroyed.
3. Story of Its Origin. Joseph Smith declared that a heavenly visitor, Moroni by name, appeared to him during the night of September 21 and the morning and forenoon of September 22, 1823, and among other things told him of the existence of a collection of gold plates buried in a hill not far from Joseph Smith's home, on which plates the history of the early inhabitants of America had been engraved by a succession of historians. Joseph Smith further declared that he was led to the spot where the plates were buried in the hill Cumorah, and that after repeated annual visits covering a period of four years, he was finally allowed on September 22, 1827, to take possession of the plates for the purpose of translating a part of them. The translation was accomplished through "the gift and power of God." Joseph Smith did not claim in any way to be learned in languages or to know the language in which the book was written. Note his own words: "These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long and not quite so 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 which was 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. With the records was found a curious instrument, which the ancients called 'Urim and Thummim,' which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breast plate. Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift and power of God." (Mill. Star 19:118; Hist. of Church 4:537.)
4. Testing Its Claims. Clearly, the claims of the Book of Mormon must be confirmed by appropriate and acceptable tests. Hundreds of thousands of persons after a candid examination have become converted to the genuineness of the Book and the truth of the claims of the Prophet Joseph Smith with respect to it, while enemies have been mystified in their attempts to discredit Joseph Smith's story. Today the Book stands more firmly upon its original claims than ever before.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.15
Seven major claims are made or implied by the Book of Mormon in its history and contents. The verification of these major claims gives the numerous relatively minor proofs of authenticity the place of confirmatory evidences. If the proof of any one of these claims is convincing, the probability of the others being true also is greatly augmented. The summary of evidences in this writing is confined to a consideration of these seven major claims:
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.15
1. The Book Had a Miraculous Origin
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.15
2. The Book Was Written on Plates in Reformed Egyptian by a Succession of Historians
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.15
3. There was a Populous American Civilization in Antiquity
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.15
4. The American Aborigines Are in Part of Hebrew Descent
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.16
5. Jesus the Christ Visited the American Continent
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.16
6. The Contents of the Book Are Inspired
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.16
7. The Book Offers a Certain Test of Its Authenticity
5. Harmony With Bible Predictions. It should not be surprising to Bible students that other volumes of scripture may be revealed, for the lost books of scripture mentioned in the Bible have been discussed often by Bible scholars. Nor can it really be surprising that revelations such as are contained in the Bible should be given to other peoples than those of Israel. In fact, predictions and quotations in the Bible seem to imply clearly that other books may be expected. Note the following examples:
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.16
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." (Revelations 14:6.) This may well have been fulfilled when the Angel Moroni revealed the Book of Mormon, followed by the organization of the Church, with the restoration of the authority and ordinances of the pure Gospel.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.16
"Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven." (Psalms 85:11.) This seems to point to an event like the taking of the Book of Mormon out of the hill Cumorah.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.16 - p.17
"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." (Ezekiel 37:15-17.) The record of the stick of Judah is the Bible and the record of the stick of Ephraim is the Book of Mormon. They are now one in the hands of the restored Church.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.17
"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed. And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned." (Isaiah 29:11-12.) Some of the characters from the Book of Mormon plates were taken to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his linguistic attainments. He told Martin Harris, who presented the characters to him, to bring the plates from which the characters were taken and he would translate them. Martin Harris replied that part of the plates were sealed. To this Professor Anthon replied, "I cannot read a sealed book," thus fulfilling prophecy. (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith, 2:63-65.) Joseph Smith was not a learned man when the plates were given to him.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.17
Such harmony with Bible predictions is certainly a contributory evidence of the truth of the Book of Mormon.
6. The Witness of the Book of Mormon. The Book is another witness of Jesus Christ. This is made evident throughout the Book, from the title page to the last page. Indeed, its message concerns itself with the plan for human happiness in which Jesus Christ is the central figure. There is need in this age as in earlier ages of additional witnesses for Christ. Those who read the Book in the right spirit will receive increased assurance of the divine nature and mission of Jesus of Nazareth.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.17 - p.18
The appearance of the Book was also a witness to all the world that the Lord is mindful of his children everywhere. The Lord said that he had "other sheep" (John 10:16) to whom he must go. The people of America, descendants of the chosen people, were among these "other sheep." The manner of the Lord's hand-dealings with humanity is made much plainer by the appearance and contents of the Book of Mormon.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.18
The Book moreover serves as a powerful witness for the truth of Mormonism. Coming to the earth through miraculous means, it requires intelligent and vigorous faith for its acceptance; and as evidences for the correctness of its claims accumulate it becomes an increasingly strong proof of the truth of the whole system set up through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith the Prophet. Faith is increased and made more rational by the possession of the Book of Mormon.
Claim One:
The Book of Mormon Had a Miraculous Origin
"While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.19
". . . He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.19
"Also, that there were two stones in silver bows--and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim-- deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted "seers" in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.19
". . . Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a hill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood. On the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. This stone was thick and rounding in the middle on the upper side, and thinner towards the edges, so that the middle part of it was visible above the ground, but the edge all around was covered with earth.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.19
". . . Accordingly, as I had been commanded, I went at the end of each year, and at each time I found the same messenger there, and received instruction and intelligence from him at each of our interviews, respecting what the Lord was going to do, and how and in what manner his kingdom was to be conducted in the last days.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.19 - p.20
". . . At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the twenty-second day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this charge: that I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected,
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.20
". . . By this timely aid was I enabled to reach the place of my destination in Pennsylvania; and immediately after my arrival there I commenced copying the characters off the plates. I copied a considerable number of them, and by means of the Urim and Thummim I translated some of them, which I did between the time I arrived at the house of my wife's father, in the month of December, and the February following. (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:30, 34, 35, 51, 54, 59, 62.)
1. Joseph Smith's Lack of Scholastic Training.
The production of the Book of Mormon is astonishing in view of the meager education Joseph Smith received in his boyhood. The financial resources of the family made it impossible for him to go beyond the schools in the little town of Palmyra, New York. Three of his school books, yet in existence, indicate that he was in school in his thirteenth year, but perhaps not later. It is also well known that from his earliest boyhood he was obliged to work on his father's farm or in the employ of others. He was far from illiterate, but not equipped educationally to produce a work of the literary value of the Book of Mormon. In his early manhood, as soon as opportunity offered, he proceeded to make up for his deficiencies in technical education and at his death was acquainted with the fields of languages, law, history, and government. (Joseph Smith, J. H. Evans, p. 35; Roberts, 1:196; Joseph Smith as Scientist, Widtsoe, p. 140.)
2. Produced by Joseph Smith.
The first and perhaps one of the strongest evidences for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon is the fact that students of Mormonism have come, almost without exception, whether friendly or unfriendly, to the conclusion that the Book, its contents and structure, is of such a character that an unlearned youth, as Joseph Smith was at the time of the translation, could not have produced it without the aid of someone better informed and more highly educated than he was.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.21
To sustain this view two theories have been set up by those who will not accept Joseph Smith's own explanation. First, that the book was actually written by someone else, by whom Joseph Smith was used as a tool; and, second, that Joseph Smith was afflicted with nervous ailments such as epilepsy, resulting in automatic writing, under the influence of which the book was written. Both theories have been shown to be untenable.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.21 - p.22
No other writer of the Book or a similar book has been discovered in a search extending over a century. For many years the story was circulated that Sidney Rigdon (born February 19, 1793, died July 14, 1876) obtained the manuscript of a book written by one Reverend Solomon Spaulding, and that after this manuscript had been worked over somewhat, Sidney Rigdon placed it in the hands of Joseph Smith to publish as the Book of Mormon. Historical research has shown that Sidney Rigdon did not hear of Mormonism or the Book of Mormon until after the Book had been published and the Church established. He accepted the Gospel and became a member of the Church on November 14, 1830, eight months after the publication of the book. He declared consistently to the end of his life, although he became separated from the Church in later life, that he knew nothing of the Book of Mormon until after it had been published. The testimony of Rigdon's children, at that time not members of the Church, bears out this statement: In 1865 John W. Rigdon returned from a trip to Utah and asked his father about the origin of the Book of Mormon. Sidney Rigdon replied, "My son, I can swear before high heaven that what I have told you about the origin of that book is true. Your mother and sister, Mrs. Athalia Robinson, were present when that book was handed to me in Mentor, Ohio, and all I ever knew about the origin of that book was what Parley P. Pratt, Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Smith and the witnesses who claimed they saw the plates have told me, and in all of my intimacy with Joseph Smith he never told me but the one story, and that was that he found it engraved upon gold plates in a hill near Palmyra, New York, and that an angel had appeared to him and directed him where to find it; and I have never to you or to anyone else told but the one story, and that I now repeat to you." (Life of Sidney Rigdon, by his son, John W. Rigdon, Ms. pp. 188-195; quoted in Hist. of Church 1:122-123.) John W. Rigdon also mentions in his sketch of his father's life, an affidavit given to him by his sister, Athalia Robinson, to the same effect as the statement of Sidney Rigdon and his wife, relative to the coming of Pratt and Cowdery to their home in Mentor, and presenting to her father a bound copy of the Book of Mormon. (Ibid, p. 123.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.22 - p.23
The actual discovery of the Spaulding manuscript in 1882, by President Fairchild of Oberlin College confirms the Rigdon statement. This manuscript, a novel dealing with the early inhabitants of America, now in possession of Oberlin College, has been printed and circulated widely. The Book of Mormon and the Spaulding Manuscript bear no similarity to each other. President Fairchild speaks as follows: "The theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon in the traditional manuscript of Solomon Spaulding will probably have to be relinquished. That manuscript is doubtless now in the possession of Mr. L. L. Rice of Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands. * * * There seems to be no reason to doubt that this is the long lost story. Mr. Rice himself and others compared it with the Book of Mormon and could detect no resemblance between the two, in general or in detail." (James H. Fairchild, in Roberts 3:375-376.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.23
Critics have suggested that there was another Spaulding manuscript from which the Book of Mormon was taken. This is most improbable. Spaulding would not be likely to write two novels on the same theme. Besides, Spaulding's literary style is revealed in the manuscript found, and bears no similarity to the style in the Book of Mormon.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.23
Several books were published before the publication of the Book of Mormon, calling attention to the existence of Hebrew customs and doctrine among the American Indians, and suggesting that the American aborigines are descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel. Enemies of the Church have suggested that Joseph Smith obtained the ideas contained in the Book of Mormon from these books. Since the purpose, material, language, diction, and general contents of the Book of Mormon are so entirely different from those of the early books on the American Indians, this theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon has never been seriously proposed. A brief examination of these books is sufficient to convince a person that this conclusion is correct. Indeed, these early books, setting forth the Hebraisms of the American Indians, merely strengthens one of the claims of the Book of Mormon, and are so used in this writing.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.23 - p.24
The theory that the Book of Mormon was written under epileptic or similar conditions is equally untenable. Joseph Smith was a man of great physical vigor, singularly free from sickness. The testimony of contemporaries is unanimous on this point. "President Joseph Smith was in person tall and well built, strong and active. He possessed a noble boldness and independence of character; his manner was easy and familiar, his rebuke terrible as the lion." (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, p. 47.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.24
"He (Joseph Smith) was full six feet high, strongly built, and uncommonly muscled. No doubt he was as much indebted for his influence over an ignorant people to the superiority of his physical vigor, as to his great cunning and intellect." (Ford, History of Illinois, quoted in Roberts' Comp. History of Church 2:347.) Josiah Quincy, mayor of Boston, U. S. A., declared that of all men he had met, Joseph Smith was one of two that "seemed best endowed with that kingly faculty which directs as by intrinsic right the feeble and confused souls that are looking for guidance." (Figures of the Past, p. 381.) A United States Army artillery officer wrote in his report, "Joseph, the Chief, is a noble looking fellow, a Mahomet, every inch of him."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.24 - p.25
Aside from such contemporary evidence, the work accomplished by Joseph Smith refutes the theory that it was the product of a disordered mind or a weak physical body. Mormonism is characterized by all who know it as a most orderly system of doctrine, practice and organization. Indeed, the perfection of organization within the Mormon Church has been said to be the highest known. Order is not born of disorder; reason is not the child of insanity. The theory that the Book of Mormon was the product of epilepsy or the like must be set aside both by the incontestable facts of Joseph Smith's own superb physical health and the splendid orderliness of the system he was the instrument in founding.
3. Common Knowledge of Translating.
There was no secrecy about the fact that Joseph Smith had received the plates and was engaged in the translation of them. He had told his parents from time to time of his various heavenly visitations. He had reported his visit to the Hill Cumorah to see the plates. He did not hesitate to tell his friends and neighbors of the work in which he was engaged. The local newspapers wrote of it. Francis W. Kirkham gives many quotations from early newspapers, Rochester Telegraph, 1829; Brookville Enquirer, 1827; Palymra Reflector, 1829-30; Wayne Sentinel, 1831, etc.; and books such as Howe's "Mormonism Unveiled," published in 1834, containing statements of many people who knew the Smith family from 1816 to 1830. He concludes: "These clearly show that it was common knowledge in Palmyra two or more years before the book appeared that Joseph Smith claimed he had in his possession gold plates which he would translate by divine aid and that their contents were of great importance to the religious world." (Des. News, Jan. 26, 1935.) His intimates knew well when he began the actual translation of the plates. In fact, near the beginning of the translation he sent Martin Harris to Professor Anthon of Columbia University with copies of characters drawn from the plates. Even the most bitter anti-Mormon publications do not hesitate to agree that the community in which Joseph lived were aware of his pretensions and supposed labor of translation.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.25 - p.26
This openness of procedure, this labor above-board, form a very strong evidence of the honesty of the young man. Dishonesty and deceit labor usually in darkness. Seldom does the liar invite public attention while the lie is being concocted.
4. Testimonies of Secretaries and Associates.
The Book of Mormon was not written by Joseph Smith's own hand. It was dictated by the Prophet from the plates. Secretaries wrote the words as they fell from the lips of Joseph Smith. Three secretaries at different times took part in the work: his wife, Martin Harris and Oliver Cowdery. These three were all convinced of the genuineness of the translation and that Joseph Smith himself produced the Book, and remained so convinced to the end of their days. Oliver Cowdery, who at one time became disaffected, later returned to the Church. Upon his return, in 1848, in a now famous address he stated that he himself wrote every word in the Book of Mormon, save a few pages, as the dictation came from the Prophet Joseph Smith. Here are his words: "I wrote, with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by the means of the Urim and Thummim. * * * I beheld with my eyes, and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was transcribed. * * * That Book is true." (Roberts' Comprehensive Hist. of Church, 1:139.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.26
It is difficult to fool one's secretary. The scribes who labored with Joseph could hardly have been deceived about the existence of the plates. Those who were closest to the Prophet at the time of the translation believed in him. This of itself is a corroborative evidence of high value of the truth of the Book of Mormon.
5. Time of Composition.
One of the many remarkable things about the production of the Book of Mormon is that it was dictated by the Prophet in the course of about sixty days, from April 7, 1829, to the first week of June, 1829. (Joseph Fielding Smith, Imp. Era, 30:946-948.) It is a book of over five hundred pages, dealing with a multitude of facts and principles. The composition of a novel of that size could scarcely be done, even by the most experienced writer, in two months. Yet the Book of Mormon was actually completed in that time. The time of composition with no corrections or additions after the dictation shows the work to be beyond that of the ordinary powers of man. This is another evidence for the truth of the Book.
6. Title Page.
The title page of the Book of Mormon carries a brief account of the contents of the Book, translated from the plates. In addition the name of Joseph Smith, Jr., appears on the title page in the first edition as author and proprietor. In later editions Joseph Smith's name occurs as translator. The title in the first edition and the subsequent change has led to much comment by unfriendly critics. In fact, however, it is a strong evidence of the truthfulness and sincerity of the young man.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.27 - p.28
At no time did Joseph claim that he was anything else than a translator of the Book of Mormon. If he had said that he had invented the Book as a piece of fiction, he would have won universal praise. It was the miraculous element in the obtaining and translating of the plates which gave offense. He allowed his name to appear on the title page of the first edition as "author and proprietor" because the copyright law provided that the name of the author appear upon the title page. To meet the issue, as the only living person who could claim the Book, he allowed his name so to appear. A dishonest man, had he been one, would have been crafty enough to devise some means of circumventing the requirement, to avoid the storm of misunderstanding that would follow such a formal statement of authorship of a book declared to be of divine origin.
7. Witnesses.
Joseph Smith was not the only person who saw the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. Two groups of witnesses who testify to seeing and handling the plates are of special importance.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.28
One afternoon in June, 1829, at Fayette, New York, Joseph Smith took three men, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, into a neighboring wood, where after earnest prayer they beheld a heavenly messenger who held the plates in his hands and declared to them that they were translated by the gift and power of God. The testimony of these witnesses to the reality of this experience appears in every copy of the Book of Mormon. These three men, though two were separated from the Church for many years and one for life, never deviated from this testimony, but bore witness to the truth of it on every suitable occasion. All three died with the testimony of the genuineness of their experience upon their lips.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.28
Such testimonies are not easily impugned nor charged to hallucination, for these men lived respectable lives, were honored in their communities and at no time showed evidence of unsound minds or mental illness. And, it would be remarkable indeed if three men of widely different blood, upbringing and temperament could have been imposed upon at the same time in exactly the same way.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.28 - p.29
A little later eight men were likewise shown the plates. These men testify not only that they saw the plates but that they actually handled them. The written testimony of these eight men also appears in every copy of the Book of Mormon. The eight witnesses, both those who remained in the Church and those who were excommunicated from it, remained true to their testimony until the end of their days. They appeared to feel as Hyrum Smith, one of the eight witnesses, at one time wrote: "I had been abused and thrust into a dungeon, and confined for months on account of my faith and the testimony of Jesus Christ. However, I thank God that I felt a determination to die rather than deny the things which my eyes had seen, which my hands had handled and which I had borne testimony to wherever my lot had been cast; and I can assure my beloved brethren that I was enabled to bear as strong a testimony, when nothing but death presented itself, as ever I did in my life." (Times and Seasons, 1:25.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.29
The three and the eight witnesses, with Joseph Smith himself, make twelve persons who bear witness to the reality of the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. There were perhaps others also who saw the plates but who do not appear as official witnesses.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.29
If the testimony of reliable, honest men can be accepted as having value in establishing the truth of an occurrence, then certainly the testimony of these twelve men of unsullied reputation and lives of integrity, many of whom lived to a ripe old age, honored and respected in their communities, should have weight in establishing the truth of the Book of Mormon.
Claim Two:
The Book of Mormon Was Written on Gold Plates in Reformed Egyptian by a Succession of Historians
Among the numerous references in the Book of Mormon to the plates upon which the Book was originally written the following extracts are typical:
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.31
"And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak, as he dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates. (I Nephi, 9, 1.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.31
"And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding which God has given me. (Words of Mormon, 9).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.31
"And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.31
"And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.31
"But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof. (Mormon 9, 32-34.)
1. Early Use of Plates.
References to the use of plates of metal or other substances for the keeping of records are not at all uncommon in recorded history. Important information-- treaties, sacred knowledge and history--was preserved by the ancients on parchment, wood, clay and stone, but especially in countries under considerable rainfall or rapid changes of temperature, great thoughts and events were preserved on something more durable--metal plates.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.32
In the British Museum there are twenty-five silver plates, approximately eighteen by two inches, bound together by thongs, a Pali manuscript on which are beautifully engraved in Sinhalese characters, according to the legend, Buddha's first sermon preached at Benares, India. Also on display, next to the silver plates, is a very thin gold plate, approximately two by nine and a half inches on both sides of which is engraved, also beautifully in Javanese characters, a letter probably from one of the native princes.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.32
In the Evkaf Museum in Istanbul, Turkey, there are some silver plates about one inch thick and 4 1/2 x 3 inches, on which is engraved a part of the Koran in fine script. (Museum number 1440.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.32
About 1254 B.C., after a long war between the Hittites, whose land was just north of Palestine, and the Egyptians, a treaty was concluded by Rameses II of Egypt and Khattusil, king of the Hittites. A translation of the Egyptian copy of the treaty begins:
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.32
"This is a copy of the contents of the silver tablet, which the great king of the Hittites, Khattusil, had caused to be made and which was presented to the Pharaoh by the hand of his ambassador Taltesub and his ambassador Remes, to propose friendship with the king Ramessu-Miamun (Ramses II)." (A. H. Sayce, The Hittites, 1925, p. 41.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.32
This was not an unusual thing at that time for according to Sayce, the famous scholar, "We may gather that the oldest writing material of the Hittites consisted of plates of metal, on the surface of which the characters were hammered out from behind." (Sayce, The Hittites, p. 170.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.33
"The kings of Egypt employed inscribed tablets of gold and silver and copper to honor their gods." (Seck, From the Pyramids to Paul, p. 224.) Rameses III says, "I made for thee great tablets of gold in beaten work, engraved with the great name of thy majesty, bearing my praises-- I made for thee great tablets of silver in beaten work, carved with the graver's tool bearing the decrees and the inventions of the houses and temples which I made Egypt." (Breasted, Ancient Records, paragraph 202.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.33
From time immemorial legal documents in general, as well as treaties, have been inscribed on metallic tablets, such as of brass. Polybius mentions (III. 26) that the treaties between Rome and Carthage written on plates were in his time still preserved in Rome. (Cambridge Bible, note on 1 Maccabees 8:22.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.33
The oldest Greek records are inscriptions carved in stone or engraved on metal surfaces; and treaties between Greek states were frequently engraved on bronze plates and attached to walls of temples. (Chambers Encyclopedia, 1927, vol. 10, pp. 755, 756.) Such bronze plates are now found in the National Museum in Athens.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.33
But most interesting of all are the references in Hebrew history to records and inscriptions on metal. "And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD." (Exodus 39:30.) "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond; it is graven upon the tablet of their heart." (Jeremiah 17:1.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.33 - p.34
Referring to these two passages Elder J. M.. Sjodahl concludes: "That proves beyond a question that the Israelites were familiar with engraved tablets, for otherwise the words of the prophet would have been unintelligible to them." (Sjodahl, p. 46.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.34
Isaiah, in recording instructions which the Lord gave to him, says: "Then said the Lord to me, Take a great tablet, and write upon it in easily legible characters, Speeding to the spoil, hastening to the prey. And get me reliable witnesses to attest the writing, Uriah the Priest, and Zechariah, the son of Jeberechiah." (8:1-2; Smith and Goodspeed translation). On this passage Dr. Adam Clarke in his Commentary states: "I have a metalline mirror found in Herculaneum which is not above three inches square. The prophet is commanded to take a mirror, or brazen polished tablet, not like these little hand mirrors, but a large one; large enough for him to engrave upon it in deep and lasting characters * * * with a workman's graving tool, the prophecy he was to deliver."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.34
The Book of Maccabees (8:22) in the Apocrypha states: "And this is a copy of the writing which they (the Roman Senate) wrote back again on tablets of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them for a memorial of peace and confederacy." Later, in chapter 14, verses 16 to 18, it is recorded that the Spartans wrote to Simon, on tablets of brass, to renew the friendship which they had had with Judas and Jonathan his brethren.
Richard Watson, in his Bible and Theological Dictionary, in the article on writing, says: "The Hebrews went so far as to write their sacred books in gold, as we may learn from Josephus compared with Pliny." According to John Kitto lead plates were also used. (Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, Art. Lead.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.34 - p.35
The contention that writing on plates was also to be found in the New World is supported by evidence mostly made available since the Book of Mormon was published. In the New World various metals have been used as material for writing. Copper alone and also alloyed with other metals has often been used. Recently, copper plates were found in Georgia by Dr. Warren K. Moorehead. (Improvement Era, 30:531.) Adair in his History of the North American Indians tells of five copper tablets and two brass ones among the Tuccabatchey Indians. Old Bracket, an Indian, gave the following description of them: "The shape of the five copper plates: One is a foot and a half long and seven inches wide, the other four are shorter and narrower. The shape of the two brass plates is circular, about a foot and a half in diameter." (Improvement Era 30:531.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.35
These records, according to tradition, "were given to them by the man we call God." (Roberts, 3:64, 65.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.35
The Book of Mormon plates were of gold. Gold was to be found in abundance in ancient America, especially in the highly developed civilizations, in Mexico and Peru. Indeed, the Inca of Peru bought his ransom from the Spaniards by filling a room 17 by 22 feet to a depth of 9 feet with gold. The worth of this gold was estimated at 3,500,000 pounds sterling. (Prescott, Conquest of Peru, pp. 205, 221.) Montezuma, the native ruler in Mexico, at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, late from "fair large dishes made like platters all of gold, very elaborately worked, as big as a large shield."
Marshall H. Saville in his book The Goldsmith's Art in Ancient Mexico tells of the fine quality of the gold workmanship and lists many of the gold articles that have been found, including several references to gold plates. (pp. 44, 175, etc.) As an instance of the fine art and craftsmanship in metal of the Indians, the Chimus of Peru are especially outstanding. They were skilled in hammering, casting, welding, plating, embossing, etc. A Hyatt Verrill says: "They wrought huge vessels of solid gold and of gold alloyed with silver and copper; objects of great beauty of form, magnificently chased, embossed and carved or decorated by open fretwork." (Under Peruvian Skies, p. 27.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.36
Skill such as this enabled the early Americans to make thin plates of gold suitable for engraving with characters, the quality of which is attested to by Rivero and Tschudi, who say: "The hieroglyphics of the Mexicans were very distinct and grayed on stone or metal." (Tschudi, p. 105.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.36
During the course of excavating for a cistern near Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1847, a gold plate was discovered three or four inches in length, averaging about three-fourths of an inch in width, about one-eighth of an inch in thickness, with the edges scalloped. In the face of it was beautifully set another plate of the same material, and fastened together by two pins, running through both. This latter plate was full of ancient raised characters, beautifully engraved upon its surface; the whole exhibiting fine workmanship. The plate was examined by Dr. Wise, a learned Rabbi of the Jewish synagogue in Cincinnati, an editor of a Hebrew paper there, who pronounced the characters to be mostly ancient Egyptian. (Millennial Star, Vol. 19, p. 103, facsimile of plate on p. 632.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.36
Padre Gay mentions (Historia de Oaxaca, Vol. 1, cap. 4, p. 62) that the Mexican Indians "sold to some European antiquarians very thin plates of gold, evidently worked with the hammer, which their ancestors had been able to preserve, and on which were engraved ancient hieroglyphs." (Saville, The Goldsmith's Art in Ancient Mexico, 1920, p. 175.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.36 - p.37
"Their graves (Indians of Colombia) contained plates of gold and tablets of earth (clay) with various curious characters which probably had among them conventional significance." (Geografia y Compendio Historico del Estado Antioquia en Columbia, Paris, 1885, p. 517.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.37
Although most of the articles of gold have found their way into the melting pot, there are still some which have been preserved to the present time, as for example, in the Field Museum, Chicago, and the British Museum, London. Elder Melvin J. Ballard describes some plates he saw thus: "Brother Pratt and myself saw in a museum in Lima, Peru, a stack of gold sheets almost identical with the size of the Book of Mormon sheets, approximately eight inches long and seven inches wide, as thin as paper. The whole stack was nearly an inch thick, not a thing upon either side but just gold sheets, prepared for just such work as the plates of the Book of Mormon." (Deseret News, April 30, 1932.)
2. Weight of the Plates.
The plates upon which the Book of Mormon was engraved were made of gold and have been described as being about six inches wide by eight inches long by six inches thick. A cube of solid gold of that size, if the gold were pure, would weigh two hundred pounds, which would be a heavy weight for a man to carry, even though he were of the athletic type of Joseph Smith. This has been urged as an evidence against the truth of the Book of Mormon, since it is known that on several occasions the Prophet carried the plates in his arms. It is very unlikely, however, that the plates were made of pure gold. They would have been too soft and in danger of destruction by distortion. For the purpose of record keeping, plates made of gold mixed with a certain amount of copper would be better, for such plates would be firmer, more durable and generally more suitable for the work in hand. If the plates were made of eight karat gold, which is gold frequently used in present-day jewelry, and allowing a 10 percent space between the leaves, the total weight of the plates would not be above one hundred and seventeen pounds--a weight easily carried by a man as strong as was Joseph Smith. Elder J. M. Sjodahl, basing his conclusions on an experiment with gold coins, comes to the conclusion that the plates weighed less than one hundred pounds. The probable weight of the plates also appears as an evidence of the truth of the Book of Mormon.
3. Capacity of the Plates.
At first sight, one unfamiliar with the subject questions the possibility of writing the whole of the five hundred and twenty-two pages of the Book of Mormon upon a series of gold plates with a total thickness of about two inches (one-third of the whole volume of plates). This subject has been thoroughly investigated and Joseph Smith's claims proved to be true.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.38 - p.39
"The question before us is, Could one-third (two-thirds being sealed) of a volume of metal leaves six by eight by six (the Prophet Joseph), or eight by seven by four inches (Martin Harris), or eight by seven by six inches (Orson Pratt) contain a sufficient number of plates, each as thick as parchment or tin, to yield the necessary space for the entire text of the Book of Mormon? If so, what about their immense weight?" Upon "a sheet of paper, eight by seven inches, a Hebrew translation of fourteen pages of the American text of the Book of Mormon has been written in the modern, square Hebrew letters in common use. * * * It is demonstrated on this sheet that the entire text of the Book of Mormon, as the American readers have it, could have been written in Hebrew on forty and three-sevenths pages--twenty-one plates in all." (Sjodahl, p. 39.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.39
If Phoenician characters were used--the characters known to Lehi and his contemporaries --and allowing for the known loss of a portion of the first manuscript, about forty-five plates would be needed. "Mr. Lamb allowed fifty plates to the inch, or two hundred plates to the four inches (the smallest number). One-third only was translated; that is, sixty-six plates and a fraction. But we have demonstrated that the entire book including the lost pages could have been written on forty-five plates. If we allow sixty-six, or even fifty, we have ample space for a text engraved in large, legible characters." (Sjodahl, pp. 42, 43.)
4. Original Language of the Book of Mormon.
The statement is made several times in the Book that it was written in reformed Egyptian. (Mormon 9:32, 33.) We are not certain from the reading whether the characters used were alone "reformed Egyptian." It is possible that the language of the book was a form of corrupted Hebrew, written to save space in the characters of "reformed Egyptian."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.39 - p.40
This claim at one time was used to cast doubt upon the authenticity of the Book. Recent discovery has given us much new information concerning the manners, customs and language of the people of ancient Palestine. Particularly, the close relationship of Palestine with Egypt on the one hand and with the valley of Mesopotamia on the other has been brought out. Palestine was ever on the highway between these two places of human settlement. The remains of Egyptian occupancy are being uncovered in several places in Palestine at the present time. There is little doubt that the educated Hebrew knew Egyptian and that the script or manner of writing used by the Egyptians had been adopted for use in many other countries.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.40
"1. The patriarchs took with them from Babylonia to Canaan an Aramaic dialect strongly sprinkled with Akkadian elements. This influenced the Canaanite dialect which they then adopted, inasmuch as reminiscences of Babylonian myths and Akkadian expressions, reflecting Babylonian conditions, passed into the Canaanite. This was the time when the Canaanite dialect, through its assimilation by the patriarchs to their Aramaic language, which, under the influence of the cultured tongues of Mesopotamia, had itself reached a higher stage of development, began to rise above the level of primitive expression. This was the very moment when Hebrews and Canaanites went their own ways, and when out of the Canaanite a separate dialect began to develop among the Hebrews. 2. This language, already modified and developed beyond primitive Canaanire, was retained by the Hebrews in Egypt, and, under the influence of the Egyptian language, was expanded, enriched, and embellished in sufficient degree to create the necessary conditions under which the literary language, which we call the language of the Pentateuch, was matured and brought to perfection." (A. S. Yahuda, The Language of the Pentateuch in Its Relationship to Egyptian, pp. xxxv-xxxvi.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.40 - p.42
Possibly, also, Egyptian was one of the languages later spoken in Palestine, just as several languages are spoken there now. The historical fact that Israel spent some hundreds of years in Egypt would really be sufficient to explain the existence of the Egyptian language in the Promised Land. It is even more likely that whatever language was spoken in Palestine could be written in the symbols and signs used in Egypt. The statement that the plates were engraved in reformed Egyptian, in view of the discoveries of today, becomes an evidence of the truth of the Book. "The Hebrews were in Egypt for two hundred and fifteen years. The relationship between the enslaved Israelites and their Egyptian oppressors makes it logically certain that there was established in some way a ready means of communication for business needs; and it is unbelievable that for more than two centuries the Egyptians made their wishes and commands known to their slaves through Hebrew interpreters. How could Moses, who was brought up as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, get along with his foster mother all the days he lived in her home, if he did not have a knowledge of Egyptian? One of Abraham's wives, Hagar, was an Egyptian woman (Genesis 16:1-4) and Solomon too married an Egyptian woman. What is more likely than that these two famous Israelites acquired considerable familiarity with the native speech of their respective wives? Joseph was one hundred and ten years old when he died in Egypt. He was seventeen years old when he was sold to Potiphar * * * and hence was in Egypt ninety-three years. He governed in that land for eighty years. * * * At the age of thirty Joseph married the daughter of an Egyptian priest, and, considering all the circumstances connected with the life of Joseph, the Egyptian was the speech of that newly established household. Within four years after Joseph's marriage, Manasseh and Ephraim were born, sons of a Hebrew father and an Egyptian mother; and can there be a doubt that in the seclusion of that home the boys used the native speech practically to the exclusion of the Hebrew. * * * When the children arrived at the proper age to be placed in charge of instructors, their teachers would be natives for the reason that, save Joseph and his sons, no other Hebrews were then in Egypt." (Brookbank, Concerning the Brass Plates, pp. 19-21.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.42
Nephi records: "Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians." (1 Nephi 1:2.) It may be inferred from this statement that though the language was Hebrew, yet the characters were "reformed Egyptian." Such expressing of the words of one language in the characters or alphabet of another is called transliteration, a very common practice.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.42
Centuries before Christ, when little writing was done, the North Semitic alphabet was developed. This was first used to write several languages, Phoenician, Moabitish, Hebrew and Aramaic (International Encyclopedia, 1914, article on Alphabet), but later evolved into separate alphabets for each of these languages. The North Semitic alphabet is used today by the Samaritans in their Pentateuch, though the language is Hebrew. (Encyclopedia Britannica, article on Samaritans.) They also use this alphabet to write Aramaic and even Arabic, though in ordinary secular usage they write in Arabic characters. (Isaac Taylor, History of the Alphabet, 1:242.) The Samaritan Pentateuch has also been transliterated into Greek and Arabic characters. (Moses Gaster, The Samaritans, pp. 120-121.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.42 - p.43
During the centuries when alphabets were being developed and the use of them was spreading among people of different languages, it was common for a people to adopt a new alphabet for their language, which would necessitate the transliteration of their writings into the new alphabet. (Taylor, History of the Alphabet.) In the empire of Genghis Khan the Mongolian characters were used, yet after the spread of Mohammedanism, the Arabic characters were adopted. (Chamber's Encyclopedia, article on Alphabet; Taylor, History of the Alphabet, 1:268-269.) The Jews at first used the North Semitic alphabet, yet, after their return from the Babylonian captivity, they adopted the Aramaic characters, which later evolved into the modern square Hebrew.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.43
Recently, Sir Flinders Petrie, in excavating in Upper Egypt, found a papyrus which proved to be so ancient a copy of the Gospel according to John that it stands next in age after the Codex Vaticanus. The text is in Coptic, an old language of Egypt derived from the hieroglyphic language but written in Greek characters with some additional letters peculiar to the Coptic. (Hilda Petrie, Side Notes on the Bible, pp. 36-41.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.43
In more modern times it is a common practise to write one language in the characters of another. For example, the British and Foreign Bible Society has published parts of the Bible in well over six hundred different languages and dialects, but not in that many different kinds of characters, there being about eighty-four forms used. The Maya and Aztec languages of the American Indians and most European, African and Oceanic and several Asiatic languages are given in Roman characters, the same kind of characters that we use. Even Chinese is so transliterated. One language may be given in a number of different kind of characters, as Sanskrit, the ancient language of the Hindoos, which is given in six different kinds, and ancient Syriac in three. Even the Book of Mormon since it was published has been transliterated at least twice; once in the English language but using the Deseret alphabet, and once in Turkish, using the Armenian alphabet. In 1928 the Turkish National Assembly enacted that in all official documents the Turkish language must be written in the Roman alphabet or characters.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.43 - p.44
In addition to the evidence given, a striking discovery has been made in the last few years, which is a little short of remarkable in conclusively supporting the possible transliteration of the writing on the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. In 1905 Sir Flinders Petrie led an expedition into the peninsula of Sinai, the wilderness where Israel wandered for forty years before Jericho was taken. In the middle of this wilderness, at Serabit, Sir Flinders found and examined an ancient temple. Here he found side by side with Egyptian hieroglyphs another form of writing in a kind of Egyptian, apparently written by someone who knew both languages as did the Book of Mormon historians. Subsequent expeditions there have found more of this writing and worked at its deciphering. Finally, in 1923, the conclusions of Professor Hubert Grimme, Professor of Semitic Language at Munster University, were published in "Althebraische Inschriften vom Sinai." According to Professor Grimme the Sinaitic writing was adopted from the Egyptian hieratic writing about 1500 B.C. The language is "pure Hebrew," but written in Egyptian hieratic characters somewhat changed! And in America "the Mayas and Incas * * * used the hieratic writings of the Egyptians slightly altered, or partially glyphs." (Churchward, p. 143.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.44 - p.45
"The Egyptian language is related, not only to the Semitic tongue (Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic, Babylonian, etc.), but also to the East African languages (Galla, Somali, etc.) and the Berber idioms of North Africa. Its connection with the latter groups, together known as the Hamitic family is little studied as yet, but the relationship to the Semitic tongues can be fairly accurately defined. In general structure the similarity is very great; Egyptian shares the principal peculiarity of Semitic in that its word-stems consist of combinations of consonants as a rule three in number, which are theoretically at least unchangeable. Grammatical inflexion and minor variations of meaning are contrived mainly by ringing the changes on the internal vowels, although affixed endings also are used for the same purpose; more important differences of meaning are created by reduplication, whole or partial, or, in one or two special cases, by prefixed consonants." (Alan H. Gardiner Grammar 1927, p. 2.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.45
"That the Egyptian connection was not merely that of the Semitic Hyksos, then termed Egyptian, is shown by the curious fact that the Egyptian language seems to have been used in the south of Palestine at Gerar. The general of the Semitic prince was named Phichol. This is a well-known Egyptian name Pakhal, meaning 'the Syrian.' The plain inference is that a Khali or Syrian was looked on as of different race in Gerar and that the Egyptian language was commonly known or spoken there." (Sir Flinders Petrie, Egypt and Israel, p. 21.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.45
"The relationship between Egyptian and Hebrew is freely recognized by scholars. (Champollion, Precis du Systeme Hieroglyphique des anciens Egyptians, p. 59.) The strong indication of that relationship in the Book of Mormon, where it is taken for granted as a known fact, is an evidence of the authenticity of that volume of more than ordinary importance." (Sjodahl, p. 18.) These evidences and others that might be cited confirm the reasonableness of the statement in the Book of Mormon that the Hebrew on the plates was written in "reformed Egyptian" characters.
5. Egypt in America.
The Book of Mormon account leads us to expect that remains of the Egyptian language and characters, indeed, of its civilization, may be found in America. Such have indeed been found. As previously quoted, a close relationship has been found by some scholars between the Egyptian hieratic writing and that of the Mayas and Incas. (Churchward, p. 143.) The oculus, or eye, has been found used similarly on the prow of boats in Egypt and in America, and the similarity in boat-building has been shown by C. Daryll Ford in his "Ancient Mariners." Mummification was practised alike in Egypt and America. Figures greatly resembling Egyptian and striking architectural features have been found in various places, drawing reproductions of which may be found in the works of Dupaix, Waldeck and Catherwood and later confirmed by photographs. The ankh, cross and other characteristic Egyptian signs have been found in many places.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.46
"In the London Magazine (1910) the photograph of the interior of a Yucatan temple was published. If this be placed side by side with the picture of an ancient Egyptian temple, in Wilkinson's Egypt, the two buildings will be seen to be exactly alike. There is the same identical style or column and supports; the same curves and windings of the sacred serpent. (It is accepted on all hands that the Serpent Cult was common to Egypt and Tropical America.)" (Lee, p. 126.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.46
J. Fitzgerald Lee says: "During the last century a great number of travelers, explorers, archaeologists and ethnologists have put forward various explanations to account for the very striking similarities between these two parts of the earth; between the ancient architecture, culture, customs, folklore and legends which are common to the valley of the Nile and Tropical America. The flood of evidence for such close likenesses and perfect resemblances as have been found to exist, even the very identity of the legends, is irresistible, irrefutable and challenging." (Lee, pp. 25-26.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.46 - p.47
"Humboldt says: 'The ruins in this country (Mexico) prove that Montezuma's ancestors must have dwelt on the banks of the Nile.' (Travels.) He then goes on to describe those huge ancient mounds, still the puzzle of the archaeologist, which are dotted over Mexico, and the extensive ruins of what he suggests were fortified places, saying: 'All these mounds and buildings have their sides facing the four cardinal points, exactly like the Egyptian pyramids.'" (Lee, p. 28.) Among the Maya, persons of rank were often 'buried at' the foot of pyramids. (Gann and Thompson, p. 173.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.47
"Very good and well-preserved specimens of these (Toltec picture-writings) were to be seen in the Royal Library, Dresden. They are remarkably like the Sumerian writings found on the oldest Babylonian cylinders, reproduced by De Clercq." (Lee, footnote, p. 158.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.47
"It has been mentioned in a previous chapter that the architecture in the original land of the Serpent Totem, Mexico, forcibly reminded Humboldt of the Egyptian temples and the Jewish ritual. Humboldt compares the Mexico pyramids with the temple of Belus: the heads of the idols in the ruins of Mitla (Mexico) with the heads of Isis: the 'serpent woman' of the Maya sculptures with the Eve of the Book of Genesis, (Humboldt, Reisen, vol. 6)." (Lee, pp. 215-216.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.47 - p.48
"The cave of Ataruipe * * * is the grave of an ancient race. We counted about six hundred well-preserved skeletons in baskets made of plaited palm leaves. The bones were prepared in three different ways: by bleaching, by painting them over with red stuff or by wrapping them up in sweet-smelling wood and spices, like the mummies in Egypt. Near the baskets we found urns of half-baked clay, ornamented with pictures of crocodiles and snakes, like the picture on the walls of the palace of Mitla in Mexico." Humboldt, Ansichten der Natur, p. 224; Lee, p. 65.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.48
Orbigny says, in describing the American pyramid: "We found here the ruins of a great pyramid, which has still huge blocks of stone in its walls. It was a square pyramid, each side of its base being sixty-six feet long. It had four doors and eight apartments. The doors were narrower at the top than at the base. The symmetry and regularity of the whole structure, as well as the peculiar hewing of the stone, reminded me very forcibly of Egyptian architecture in its developed stages." (Picturesque Journey through North and South America, 2:95, quoted by Lee, p. 30.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.48
Muhlenpfordt saw in Tututepec a large sacrificial pyramid, which he describes thus: "I was very much surprised to hear the natives call it Teo Kalli; this name being so like the Greek theo Kalia, the house of the god. Quite close by the pyramid were two tall stone images exactly like what I have seen in Egypt. * * * In a very old tomb close by, I found the mummy of a snake, which, with the figures, led me to believe that the ancient people who inhabited these parts must have originally come from Egypt." (Muhlenpfordt, Reise, 3:76; Lee, pp. 31-32.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.48
In his book of Mexico, the German historian and critic, J. S. Vater, says: "It is surprising to see how exactly the ancient Mexicans must have copied the Egyptian style in their pictures and statues. They have the identical expression and the correct physical proportions found in Egyptian art." (Vater, p. 13.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.48
These evidences of a knowledge of Egyptian culture among prehistoric Americans confirm the Book of Mormon statements concerning the Asiatic origin of the Book of Mormon people and their knowledge at least of Egyptian writing.
6. The Language of the Different Historians.
The Book of Mormon is made up of a number of books written by different hands at various times. These books have in the main been condensed by the Prophet Mormon into the present volume, hence the name, the Book of Mormon. Even though such a condensation has taken place, it would be probable that the varying literary styles of the different authors would show through the condensation. It is practically impossible for two men to write in exactly the same way, using the same vocabulary and the same methods of expression. This has been examined for the Book of Mormon with startling results. Different styles are perceptible as the authors of the various books of the Book of Mormon change.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.49 - p.50
"The writers whose works were engraven on the smaller plates of Nephi employ the most direct style, and state what they have to say in the first person, without explanation or interpolations by editors or commentators or any evidence of abridgment whatsoever, though, of course, they now and then make quotations from the Hebrew scriptures which the Nephite colony brought with them from Jerusalem. (Read I Ne. 1; Jac. 1:1-3; Enos 1:1-3.) Note how marked the difference is when we come to Mormon's abridgment of the Nephite record which begins with the book of Mosiah, so also in the abridgment of the book of Alma. (Read Mosiah 1:1-2; Alma 1:1-2.) The style of Mormon's and Moroni's part of the work is pronouncedly the style of an abridgment. The body of the work is Mormon's abridgment of the chief events from the Nephite annals, with occasional verbatim quotations from those works, and his own running comments upon the same. When he strikes a period where there are but few important events in the annals, he passes over them lightly. (Read Alma 4:1-5; 1:23, 24; Hela. 3:32, 33; 11:21-24, 35-38.) Moroni's abridgment of the Jaredite record--the Book of Ether, fails to exhibit this particular characteristic of an abridgment, owing doubtless to the brevity of the original record he abridged- -there were but twenty-four plates in the record of Ether, and the 'hundredth part,' says Moroni, 'I have not written'; (Ether 15:33) but otherwise that book of Ether bears all the marks of being an abridgment that the work of Mormon does, except perhaps that the running comments of Moroni are more frequent than Mormon's." (Abridged from Roberts, 3:124-134.)
"There are differences (in the Book of Mormon) which, notwithstanding the smoothing and leveling effect of the work of the translator, appear clearly enough to suggest different original authors. Read, for instance, the following from the opening chapter of 1 Nephi: 'Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.' Note the tendency to repetition. Take another passage selected at random: 'And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore, that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made, I did engraven the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father,' etc. (1 Ne. 19:1.) In the synopsis by Mormon this tendency to repetition is almost entirely absent. This peculiarity of style was, in all probability, even more conspicuous in the original than it is in the English translation.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.50 - p.51
"Further, Mormon employs expressions which are not used by Nephi. One of these is 'bands of death'; another, 'sting of death.' (Mos. 15:8, 9, 20, 23; 16:7; Alma 4:14; 5:7, 9, 10; 7:12; 11:41; 22:14; Mos. 16:7, 8. Alma 22:14.) Nephi uses the expression 'hard things' for difficult to understand, or to bear patiently (1 Ne. 3:5; 16:1, 2, 3; 2 Ne. 9:40; 25:1), and this expression is peculiar to that part of the volume.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.51
"Again, 'Great Spirit' as a name for God is peculiar to Mormon's synopsis of the Book of Alma (Alma 18:2-5; 19:25, 27; 22:9-11), while 'monster' and 'awful monster' are peculiar to Nephi as referring to the adversary or death and the grave. (2 Ne. 9:10, 19, 26.) Mormon uses that word in a different sense (Alma 19:26), and so does Moroni (Ether 6:10).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.51
"Such differences--and they are numerous--indicate that the book is the work of different authors as claimed." (Sjodahl, Mill. Star 77:482-83.)"
7. The English of the Book of Mormon.
Of even greater interest in establishing the truth of the Book of Mormon is the language used. Joseph Smith was an unlearned youth. His vocabulary and language would be those of the humble pioneer communities in which he lived. The lack of technical learning is evident in the occasional grammatical errors in the first edition. This makes the language used in the Book of Mormon all the more remarkable.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.51
The English of the Book of Mormon would therefore show, first, the absence of modernisms, and, secondly, a Hebrew reflection in words and sentence structure. These are both very evident as the following selections from an extensive literature will show.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.51
"1. The contractions 'can't,' 'couldn't,' 'don't,' and others of a like character and of constant use among English speaking people, do not occur in the Book of Mormon. * * * Such forms are foreign to the ancient Jewish sacred speech.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.51 - p.52
"2. No titles such as 'Mr.,' 'Mrs.,' 'Miss,' 'Prof.' 'Dr.,' 'D.D.' 'LL. D.' 'M.A.,' 'B.A.' 'Hon.,' 'Ph.D.,' 'Lady,' 'Gentleman,' 'Sir,' 'Madam,' 'Esquire,' 'Excellency,' 'Highness,' 'Grace,' 'Peer,' 'Lord,' 'Baron,' 'Count,' 'Earl,' 'Reverend,' or their plurals, together with many others that might be cited, are found in that book. A few, however, used to designate office do occur as, for examples, 'King,' 'Captain' (general).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"3. There are no surnames in the Book of Mormon--a profoundly wise omission, since surnames first came into general use about A. D. 1040.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"4. In no instance is there a letter 'q,' 'x,' or 'w' in an uncorrupted proper name in the translated Nephite records. Nor is one of them in an uncorrupted Hebraic proper name found in the Bible. Not one of these letters occurs in the Hebrew alphabet under any name, and the Nephites as Israelites, or Hebrews, could not therefore make use of them.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"5. The Book of Mormon makes no use of modern names for cloths, such as 'calico,' 'muslin,' 'delaine,' 'linsey,' 'broadcloth' and scores of others.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"6. No modern names for many articles of wearing apparel occur in that book, as for examples, 'skirts,' 'pantaloons,' 'waistcoats,' 'collars,' 'cuffs,' 'gloves,' 'boots,' 'shirts,' and others.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"7. No names for intoxicants familiar to modern times and people are used in it. It makes no mention of whiskey, gin, ale, brandy, punch, porter, beer and so on. The ancient word 'wine' does occur.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"8. The book does not speak of colleges or universities, nor does it refer directly to any such schools of learning.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"9. Libraries, art collections, museums and like institutions are not mentioned, nor is their existence in any way implied.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"10. Several single words and phrase terms which are in common use among modern English authors are wholly wanting in the pages of that work. To instance some of them we have, 'namely,' 'as follows,' 'the following,' 'to wit,' 'the foregoing,' 'the above,' 'to sum up,' 'for instance,' 'for example,' 'to recapitulate,' and so on. Even the rare use of such words was foreign to the ancient Hebrew speech.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"11. Christian denominational names in use a century ago throughout the world are not to be found in the translated Nephite records; nor is Mohammedism spoken of; and the same may be said of the many 'isms' of one character or another, which have sprung up among men during the last several centuries. All names also of Christian religious orders, such as Jesuits, Franciscans and various others are excluded from that book.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.52
"12. No principle of science is mentioned under a modern name; no principle is referred to in any way which the very latest developments do not sustain as sound, scientific teachings.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"13. No tariff or free trade questions are noticed.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"14. Newspapers and magazines are not spoken of, nor is their existence implied.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"15. When giving relative values which obtained in the Nephite monetary system (See Alma 11), any statement concerning or involving a decimal principle would have been well-nigh fatal to the claim that the Book of Mormon records are a translation from ancient historical writings. Decimals, as we understand and use them, were not invented until after the beginning off the Christian era.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"16. The Book of Mormon does not give even an intimation of the relative value of any piece of the Nephite money when compared with some specified coin of America or England.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"17. No week-day names occur in the book in hand. Not one of the names of the days of the week as they are now used is traceable to an original Hebraic source.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"18. Names of months are not given in the Nephite records. The naming of them was unknown to the ancient Israelites.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"19. Special days or season of Christian church observance are all passed in silence. Easter, Lent and not a few others receive no mention.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"20. Watches and clocks are not referred to; neither are the hours of the day as measured by such instruments.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"21. No mention is made of cannons, rifles, muskets, shot, shell, ammunition, etc.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"22. No reference is made to modern medical practises. Diseases under modern names are not spoken of; neither are modern drugs mentioned.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"23. Names of modern beverages do not occur, as tea, coffee, chocolate, etc.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"24. No modern geographical names are used. * * * Why did not Joseph Smith, if an impostor, refer to the 'narrow neck of land' as Panama?
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"25. No place is located by means of latitude and longitude. This convenient and accurate system first came into use about A. D. 382.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53
"26. When writing largely as he did of the Lamanites, who for centuries have been known to English-speaking peoples as Indians, and whom he in his younger days knew by no other appellation, how does it transpire if the Book of Mormon be fictitious, that Joseph Smith never once substitutes the name 'Indians' for 'Lamanites'?
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.53 - p.54
"27. The time of the day when Christ was crucified is correctly given in the Book of Mormon. Making proper allowance for the difference in time between Palestine and the Nephite lands, the Savior was slain in the morning. And so is the fact recorded by Nephi.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"28. No reference is made to trial by jury.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"29. There is a different point of view from which this matter of what had been left out of the Book of Mormon is to be considered. Reference is made to things and matters which with perfect consistency might be spoken of in one part of the book while the mention of them even indirectly in another part would have been a disastrous error. We find that the book of Ether does not purport to give an outline of the history of an Israelitish people, but of a Babylonian colony. Some of the omissions which had to be observed in the abridgment of the Etheric narrative are:
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"(a) References to the law of Moses; to the writing of the ten commandments by the finger of the Lord; to His descent on Mount Sinai; to a single one of His many marvelous works in behalf of the Israelites.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"(b) Abraham and his calling to be the father of the faithful could not be mentioned; nor could stories relating to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon and a host of other famous servants of God.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"(c) Nothing could be said respecting the Aaronic nor the Melchizedek Priesthoods; nor the Levites; nor the tabernacle nor its location.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"(d) Jerusalem, Canaan, Palestine, Egypt, the Dead Sea, the Red Sea, the Jordan, Nazareth, etc., with their sacred and blessed memories could not safely be spoken of unless a knowledge of them is accounted for as coming from the hand of the Lord." (T. W. Brookbank, Mill. Star 86:36-39, 52-55, 59-60.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"The elimination of common English words from the Book of Mormon vocabulary is evidence that no modern writer wrote the book originally.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"The frequent use of 'exceeding' and 'exceedingly' when for most of them 'very' alone or in phrase combination could be substituted. 'Very' as an adverbial modifier is not used until near the close of Nephi's second book.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"'Quite' is a term in daily use among English speaking peoples, yet it is not used in the Book of Mormon (the first half at least).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54
"'Just' in combinations such as 'just now' or 'just come', etc., which Nephi does not use at all, and it may not occur in the Book of Mormon anywhere.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.54 - p.55
"'Guess' is a word that Joseph Smith, a native of Vermont, might be expected to use frequently; but it occurs only once in the book. (Alma 16:16.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.55
"'Namely' is a common word, but it is not used as an original word in the Nephite records." (Thomas W. Brookbank, Imp. Era 14:500-505.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.55
There are also many phrases and expressions which are striking because they must have come from Hebrew idioms in the original text.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.55
"The English of the Book of Mormon often betrays a too literal adherence to an apparent Hebrew original. Let us call it Hebrew-English.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.55
"Jacob 5: 2. 'Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me a Prophet of the Lord.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.55
"The second clause is apparently a too-literal translation of a Hebrew noun in the plural with a possessive suffix. Translate 'and hear my words.' The Prophet Joseph Smith had the correct idea but was unaccustomed to translation, coupled with which was lack of formal training in English.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.55
"The Book of Mormon follows generally the Hebrew custom of stringing out numerals. 'And it came to pass that two hundred and thirty and eight years had passed away,' Jarom 13; 'and it came to pass that two hundred and seventy and six years had passed away,' Omni 3; 'and it came to pass that two hundred and forty and four years had passed away,' 4 Nephi 40. Consult Genesis 5 where the same constructions can be noticed.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.55
"The construct state as described in Hebrew grammars seems apparent in Book of Mormon syntax.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.55
"'The construct relation corresponds most nearly to the relations expressed by of in English, in all its many senses: e.g., the palace of the king, the son of the father, a ring of gold. * * * This relation though usually, is not invariably expressed by of: The point is that the * * * words together make up one idea.' Davidson-McFadyen, Hebrew Grammar, pp. 58, 59.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.56
"Book of Mormon examples: I Nephi 4:24, 'the plates of brass' rather than 'the brass plates!' Mosiah 21:27, 'plates of ore': Alma 37:2, 'plates of Nephi.' In Mosiah 20:15 we have 'the daughters of my people.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.56
"The expression 'daughters of my people' occurs in the Old Testament but this is not exactly as the Book of Mormon has it. In Mosiah 12:33 we have 'the mount of Sinai' where we should expect 'Mount Sinai' if the Prophet were following the Authorized version. The Prophet puts the expression in the construct state (and correctly enough) whereas the Authorized version never does. 2 Nephi 4:32, 33 'the gates of thy righteousness,' 'the robe of thy righteousness.' It is true that many expressions in the construct state in the Book of Mormon are found exactly the same in the Bible or nearly so. This of course in no way vitiates my general argument. The latter is bound to be cumulative throughout for no one exhibition of Hebrew usage in the Book of Mormon proves my case. But when many cases of exact Hebrew grammatical constructions are exhibited it begins to be evident that the Book of Mormon is something other than 'prayer book' or 'half-Semitic.' 1 Nephi 17:51 we have the too-literal rendition 'how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?' Translate 'How is it that he cannot instruct me to build a ship'? Other examples, 1 Nephi 1:11; 2:2; 3:24; 8:8, 13; 14:28; 17:36; 3 Nephi 19:16; Alma 11:2, etc." (Dr. S. B. Sperry, Imp. Era, 38:187-88.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.56 - p.57
"The termination in 'ah' is a very common one among Jewish proper names, and almost invariably carries with it the idea of some kind of relationship to Jehovah. For example: Abijah, means him to whom Jehovah is a father. Dr. Adam Clarke in his notes on Matt. 23:7, 8 says: 'There are three words used among the Jews as titles of dignity, which they apply to their doctors- -Rabh, Rabbi and Rabban; each of these has its particular meaning: Rabban implies much more than Rabbi, and Rabbi much more than Rabh.' Rabbanah (Alma 18:13) is an example from the Book of Mormon. It is evident from the facts which bear upon this matter that Rabban-ah must have some meaning that is associated with the highest of earthly dignities on one hand, and with the power, wisdom or other attributes of Jehovah on the other. The Book of Mormon, therefore, in giving to the name Rabban-ah the meaning of 'powerful or great king,' is correct to the last degree. From the context of Alma 18:13, where the name occurs, we learn that Lamoni, a Lamanitish king, and his people did not think the appellation beneath the dignity of the Great Spirit, whom they imagined they saw in their presence clothed upon with a body of flesh and bones.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.57
"Some other apparent similarities between Bible and Book of Mormon names are these:
Bible Book of Mormon
Abinad-ab Abinad-i
Abinad-om
Elam He-lam-an
Shilo Shilom
Gosh-en A-gosh
Tubal Tubal-oth
Melech Melek
Mosol-lamon Laman
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.57 - p.58
"The different terminations of the Nephite proper names, excluding those applied to God, Christ and the Holy Ghost--many of which are translatable terms--number over sixty; but more than forty of them belong to names that are found in identical form in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and hence this large number is accounted for at once as certainly Jewish. Of the remainder we find all but two of them among Biblical names as follows:
Termination of
Bible Names Nephite Names
osh Rosh
or Beth-peor
hu Elihu
um Rheum
Shallum
no Adino
oth Aloth
ath Gath
le Baale
ib Chezib
ag Abishag
ez Bozez
iz Ziz
if Zif
et Eliphalet
ne Mene
la Bethhogla
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.58
"The termination of Nephite proper names not found in any Biblical ones that the writer has examined are 'r' without a preceding vowel, as in Coriantumr, and 'ts' as in Hermounts. In the matter of forming new names by addition of suffixes, the Nephites were orthodox Jews.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.58 - p.59
"We find in an examination of the prefixes that were used by the Nephites in the formation of their proper names that they are all included in the following enumeration: Te, Pa, Z, Ze, H, Zee, Am, O and Ab. Te with Omner gives Teomner; Pa and Cumeni occur together in the name Pacumeni; Z and Enoch form Zenock; Ze and Nephi welds into Zenephi; H and Elaman makes Helaman; Zee and Zoram combines into Zeezoram; A and Kish gives Akish; Am and Moron appears in Ammoran; O and Gath in Ogath and Ab and Lom welds into Ablom--all of them being genuine Nephite names. These prefixes when added to Bible bases give names which are sanctioned by ancient Jewish usage as disclosed from lists of Bible names. Examples: Te-Beth Tebeth; Pa-Shur Pashur; Ze-Bul Zebul; O-Beth Obeth; Z-Enan Zenan; Se or See-Machi Semachi; A-Rumah Arumah; Am-Asa Amasa; Ab-Iron Ab-iron.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.59
"An examination of all the proper names (and untranslated terms) that occur in the Book of Mormon shows that there is not found a single one of them that has a 'q,' 'x,' or 'w' in it. That is to say, so far as the names in question can be traced to a purely Nephite origin, they do conform in their orthography to the limitations of the Hebrew alphabet, and this remarkable consistency is especially forced upon the attention by the spelling of the Nephite name 'Amnihu' as here given, instead of 'Amnihew' or 'Amnihugh,' according to some of the English methods of representing the long sound of u." (Adapted from Brookbank, Imp. Era, 13:117-121, 336-342, 418-420, 538-543.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.59
"There is much evidence of translation in the Book of Mormon, as final examples we may examine two of the texts of Isaiah quoted in the record.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.59 - p.60
"In II Nephi 12:16 (compare Isaiah 2:16) the Prophet prefixes a whole phrase not contained in the Authorized version or Hebrew version. The phrase in question is 'and upon all the ships of the sea.' With this phrase the Septuagint agrees and it is perfectly easy to explain on the basis of the Book of Mormon readings being the original why our present Hebrew text has but two phrases. According to the Book of Mormon the original had three phrases all beginning with the same words, 'and upon all.' By a perfectly natural error some scribe's eye inadvertently hit upon the second 'and upon all,' and the first phrase was omitted. It is interesting to note that the Septuagint version has preserved the first phrase of this verse correctly, has omitted one phrase and has corrupted another. The Hebrew has preserved the last two phrases correctly, but the Book of Mormon has preserved all three."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.60
"II Nephi 13:9 (compare Isaiah 3:9). In this rather remarkable illustration we shall deal only with the first sentence. The Authorized version reads, 'The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not.' Contrast this with the Book of Mormon which reads, 'The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it.' The Nephite version has a change in meaning. The ancient Syriac version agrees exactly with the rendering of the clause, 'and they cannot hide it' of the Book of Mormon. Furthermore, in our present Hebrew text, it is possible by shifting the last letter of the second verb before the following word, to get precisely the reading of the Nephite scripture for the part of the verse in question. It is possible, too, that a letter of the Hebrew text has dropped out as some scholars may insist. At any rate who can deny the strong evidence of translation at this point in the Nephite text? Few will be likely to deny that the Nephite version has an attractive reading." (Dr. S. B. Sperry, Imp. Era, 38:187.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.60
Those who are interested in the Hebraisms in the Book of Mormon will find an extensive and convincing literature upon the subject. It is here introduced briefly as suggesting the effect of the language of the plates upon the language of the translator.
Claim Three:
There Existed a Populous American Civilization in Antiquity.
"And it came to pass that the Nephites began the foundation of a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was by the east sea; and it was on the south by the line of the possessions of the Lamanites.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.61
"And they also began a foundation for a city between the City of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and Moroni; and they called the name of the city, or the land, Nephihah.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.61
"And they also began in that same year to build many cities on the north, one in particular manner which they called Lehi, which was in the north by the borders of the seashore."--Alma 50:13-15.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.61
"He saw that there had been slain by the sword already nearly two millions of his people, and he began to sorrow in his heart; yea there had been slain two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their children.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.61
"He began to repent of the evil which he had done; he began to remember the words which had been spoken by the mouth of all the prophets, and he saw them that they were fulfilled thus far, every whit; and his soul mourned and refused to be comforted."--Ether 15:2-3.
1. Development of American Archaeology and Anthropology.
Columbus found Indians on the new continent that he discovered, and the explorers who followed him met Indians in almost every quarter of North and South America. Inquiring minds naturally asked about the progenitors of these American aborigines and in general about the early or prehistoric period in America.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.61 - p.62
Only casual and scattered studies of American antiquities were made before the birth of the science of archaeology in the nineteenth century. Indeed, at the time the Book of Mormon was produced, few systematic explorations and studies had been made with a view of discovering the history of man upon the American continents and many of them were in foreign languages. The assurance with which the Book of Mormon spoke of ancient, populous, mighty civilizations in America was not justified by the reputable knowledge of the day in which the book was published.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.62
True, a number of persons had written books on facts derived chiefly from the current knowledge of the North American Indians, such as Robertson in 1777, James Adair, 1775, Boudinot, 1816, Ethan Smith, 1825, and Mrs. B. A. Simons, 1829. Naturally, the Indian, his knowledge, habits and ancestry, was a challenge to intelligent minds.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.62
During the last one hundred years, however, a long succession of careful studies of American archaeology and anthropology have been made. Many excavations have revealed structures of unexpected magnitude and grandeur. Especially has this field of study been fruitful during the last two or three decades, and it promises even greater results in the future.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.62
"The last fifty years have witnessed a more intensive study of the American aborigines than the entire four hundred years that preceded them, and this deeper study has awakened a renewed interest in the problems of how long the Indians have inhabited North and South America, how and by what routes they reached this hemisphere, and to what race or races they are most nearly akin." (Diamond Jenness, in preface, American Aborigines, 1933.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.62 - p.63
The net general result of investigation into the prehistoric period of the American continents is that in ancient times large, populous civilizations, often of considerable culture, have flourished in many parts of North and South America. Evidences of such cultures exist from Patagonia to Alaska. The concurrence in this respect of modern science with the Book of Mormon claim that great peoples lived in America in early days, hundreds or thousands of years before Columbus, is now so well known as to be a commonplace. It is only as a review that attention is here called to some of the special evidences for the claim of the Book of Mormon.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.63
"The Indians appear to be one race--the American race--and not many races, but in the culture of that one race several elements are discernible, such as East-Asiatic, Semitic and Egyptian." (Sjodahl, Mill. Star 89:158.)
2. Cities, Temples and Other Structures.
The ancient peoples of America built cities, temples, monuments, roads, aqueducts, irrigation canals and other structures indicative of a large population and in many instances of a high degree of culture. The following are but examples of thousands of observations that might be quoted.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.63
"At the time of the Spanish conquest the Peru of the Incas extended along the coast from about 2 or 3 degrees northern to about 37 degrees southern latitude. Just how far it reached towards the east is not clear, but in some places it overlapped the mountains considerably. The entire area under Inca government has been estimated at from 800,000 to 1,000,000 square miles. It took in part of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and a large part of Chile. The census taken by order of King Philip II showed a total population of 8,280,000 souls." (Sjodahl, pp. 286-287.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.63 - p.64
Baldwin says: "The ruins of ancient Peru are found chiefly on the elevated table-lands of the Andes between Quito and Lake Titicaca. * * * The great district to which they belong extends north and south about two thousand miles. When the marauding Spaniards arrived in the country, this whole region was the seat of a populous and prosperous empire, complete in its civil organization, supported by an efficient system of industry and presenting a very notable development of some of the more important arts of civilized life.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.64
"The Peruvian ruins show us remains of cities, temples, palaces, other edifices of various kinds, fortresses, aqueducts (one of them 450 miles long), great roads (extending through the whole length of the empire) and terraces on the sides of the mountains. For all these constructions the builders used cut stone laid in mortar or cement, and their work was done admirably. * * * The masonry although sometimes ornamented was generally plain in style and massive." (Baldwin, pp. 222-223.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.64
"On the Lake Titicaca plateau a number of monoliths and extensive ruins still testify to the existence there at one time of a civilization 'the most ancient and the most brilliant in South America' (Nadaillac, p. 401). The great city of Tiahuanaco had buildings which Garcilasso de la Vega refers to as 'mountains of prodigious height made by the hand of man.' The so-called 'fortress' is really a pyramid, one hundred and fifty feet high, similar to those found in Mexico and Yucatan. The 'temple' is a parallelogram four hundred and forty-five feet by three hundred and forty-five feet by three hundred and eighty-eight. The so-called 'hall of justice' was at one time an immense building. A door-way made of a single stone and ornamented with a frieze of human faces in relief gives evidence of wonderful workmanship." (Sjodahl, p. 318.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.64 - p.65
Central America and Mexico are filled with evidences of the existence of great civilizations now lost. "In the Valley of Mexico and near-by countries there was found at the time of the Spanish conquest a degree of civilization in some respects superior to that of the Peruvians under the Incas. It covered an area of about forty thousand square miles, from one hundred and twenty-five miles north of the present City of Mexico to a line near southern Honduras, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic." (Sjodahl, p. 337.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.65 - p.66
"The ruins of Copan are situated in the west part of the modern state of Honduras, on the left bank of the Copan river, which empties into the Montague. The extent along the river, as ascertained by monuments still found, is more than two miles. There is one monument on the opposite side of the river, at the distance of a mile, on the top of a mountain two thousand feet high. There are no remains of palaces or private buildings and the principal part is that which stands on the bank of the river, and may perhaps with propriety be called the Temple. The temple is an oblong enclosure. The front or river wall extends on a right line north and south 624 feet, and it is from 60 to 90 feet in height. It is made of cut stones from 3 to 6 feet in length and a foot and a half in breadth. * * * The other three sides consist of ranges of steps and pyramidal structures, rising from 30 to 140 feet in height on the slope. The whole line survey is 2866 feet, which, though gigantic and extraordinary for a ruined structure of the aborigines * * * is not so large as the base of the great pyramid Gizeh. Beyond (the recess near the southwest corner) are the ruins of two small pyramidal structures * * * seems to have been a gateway or principal entrance from the water. The south wall runs at right angles to the river, beginning with a range of steps about 30 feet high and each step about 18 inches square. At the southeast is a massive pyramidal structure 120 feet high on the slope. On the right are other remains of terraces and pyramidal buildings; and here also was probably a gateway, by a passage about 20 feet wide, into a quadrangular area 250 feet square, two sides of which are massive pyramids 120 feet high on the slope. At a short distance (to the north) is a detached pyramid, tolerably perfect, about 50 feet square and 30 feet high. The bank was elevated about 30 feet above the river, and had been protected by a wall of stone, most of which had fallen down. Beyond the wall or enclosure were walls, terraces and pyramidal elevations!" (Stephens, Central America, Vol. I, ch. 7.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.66 - p.67
Palenque is situated about 260 miles northwest from Copan in the modern state of Chiapas in the valley of the Usumacinta river. Nadaillac remarks: "The monuments of Palenque are justly reckoned amongst the most remarkable in Chiapas. * * * The streets extend for a length of from 18 to 24 miles irregularly following the course of the streams which descend from the mountains. Among the best preserved ruins may be mentioned the palace, the temple of the three tablets, the temple of the bas-reliefs and the temple of the cross and the temple of the sun. There are others, but of less importance. The palace, the most important building of Palenque, rests on a truncated pyramid about 40 feet high, the base of which measures 310 feet by 260. The inside of this pyramid is of earth; the external faces are covered with large slabs; steps lead up to the principal building, which forms a quadrilateral of 228 feet by 180; the walls, which are two or three feet thick, are of rubble, crowned by a frieze framed between two double cornices. Inside as well as outside they are covered with a very fine and durable stucco, painted red or blue, black or white. The principal front faces the east; it includes fourteen entrances about nine feet wide, separated by pilasters ornamented with figures. These figures are more than six feet high and are full of movement. * * * The inside of the palace corresponds with the magnificence of the outside. * * * The rooms are decorated with granite bas-reliefs, grotesque figures, some thirteen feet high. * * * The building is finished off with a tower of three stories, measuring thirty feet square at the base. * * * It (a monument of Palenque) rises from a truncated pyramid and forms a quadrilateral with three openings in each face, separated by massive pilasters, some ornamented with hieroglyphics and some ornamented with human figures. The openings, all at right angles, lead into an inside gallery communicating with three little rooms. The central one of these rooms contains an altar, which fairly represents an open chest. From the two upper extremities of this frieze (which ornaments the altar) springs two wings, recalling the mode or ornamentation so often employed in the pediments of Egyptian monuments." (Nadaillac, pp. 318-324.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.67
At Cholula, in southern Mexico, stands the world's largest known pyramid measuring 177 feet high and 1440 feet square at the base. Next in size and importance come the "Sun," "Moon," and "Quetzalcoatl," located at San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico. The first named measuring 770 feet square at their base and 214 feet high; and the last named after their heavenly white God, who once visited them.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.67
"The Mayas were intellectual giants indeed. The ruins of their vast public works, of their costly edifices, of their sculptures and paintings and of their finely carved symbolic writings attest the height of civilization." (DeRoo, p. 177.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.67 - p.68
"To erect the monuments of Mexico and Peru, the yet more ancient ones of Central America * * * must have required skilled labor, a numerous population and an established priesthood, such as could have developed only during the lapse of centuries. * * * Multitudes of races and nations have arisen upon the American continent and have disappeared, leaving no trace but ruins, mounds, a few wrought stones or fragments of pottery." (Nadaillac, p. 14.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.68
"In the New World, mysterious mounds and gigantic earthworks arrest our attention. Here we find deserted mines, and there we can trace the sites of ancient camps and fortifications." (E. A. Allen, The Prehistoric World, pp. 23-24; Roberts, 2:422.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.68
"Closely enveloped in the dense forests of Chiapas, Guatemala, Yucatan and Honduras, the ruins of several ancient cities have been discovered, which are far superior in extent and magnificence to any seen in Aztec territory." (Bancroft, 2:116.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.68 - p.69
"In a stone, in one of the walls of that temple, a compass was executed that was seventeen inches from point to point and as perfectly executed as though it had been done but yesterday. The square also and in the center of that court was the great sacrificial slab, a stone of approximately nine feet in length, seven feet wide, grooved so that the blood of the animal would drain to a common point where a great stone basin, blackened by the fire of ages, had received the blood of the sacrifice. Whoever has looked upon that temple has concluded that the builders knew all about Solomon's Temple, for here were the symbols, marks, designs upon it so strikingly like Solomon's Temple. They have also concluded that the builders of these temples (in the city of Tichnanaco, on the shores of Lake Titicaca) knew about the law of sacrifice for there too were the evidences of that sacrifice having been perpetuated upon this American continent." (Melvin J. Ballard, Deseret News, April 30, 1932.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.69
North America likewise is filled with evidences of prehistoric peoples and cultures.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.69
"The marvelous remains of pre-historic Indian culture are by no means confined to South and Central America and Mexico. In the vast area now known as Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico, there are evidences of an early, aboriginal civilization of no mean degree. The ancient inhabitants of this area are known as Pueblos and Cliff Dwellers from the peculiar characteristics of their habitations. * * * In the valleys of the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri and their tributaries; in the valleys of the Wyoming, Susquehanna, Yazoo and Tennessee; on the banks of Lake Ontario, in the western districts of New York, in the states of Missouri, Mississippi, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and in some other states, there are artificial mounds of various forms and sizes. Some rise from the summit of a hill; others extend for miles on the plains. Some are only a few inches high; others are ninety feet or more. Some are enclosed within earth walls. But all have so many common characteristics as to warrant the inference that they belong to the same culture stage, the same people." (Sjodahl, pp. 371, 383-384.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.69 - p.70
"In many places in America, both North and South, are found peculiar relics of a remote past, generally known as 'shell heaps,' or shell mounds; also called 'kitchen middens.' Such heaps or mounds dot the American coasts, and may be seen in some places many miles from tide water. They are found in eastern Canada, the New England states, Pennsylvania, Maryland, sections of Virginia, West Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, in the middle and lower Mississippi Valley, in the South-Andean-Pacific area, on the Fuegian and Chilean coasts, 'in California, on the Aleutian islands, and elsewhere. Some of them are the works of the waves and the wind and other natural agencies, but others are artificial, as proved by the presence in them of bones, shells, showing marks of fire, charcoal and various kinds of handicraft. * * * Some of the shell mounds are of a very large size. There is one in Georgia which covers ten acres of ground, to a depth of from five to ten feet. One on the Amelia island is said to be a quarter of mile long with a width of nearly five hundred feet. * * * 'The vast extent of country--nearly all America--where these heaps are to be found affords abundant evidence of the spread of this nation; and the huge masses of accumulated shells and similar remains prove, like Monte Testaccio of the Romans, that they were in large numbers, sedentary in habits, and that they endured for many centuries." (De Roo 1:51.) (Sjodahl, pp. 396, 399, 402.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.70
These vast structures and cities were at times reconstructed as has been the case with cities on the Eastern hemisphere. This is confirmed by Baldwin. "It can be seen that * * * these were much more ancient than the time when any of the later built or reconstructed cities whose relics still exist were left to decay." (Baldwin, p. 153.)
3. A High Degree of Civilization.
The existence of great cities, mighty monuments, paved roads, bridges, etc., etc., would predicate a high state of culture among many of the early inhabitants of America, precisely as described by the Book of Mormon.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.70 - p.71
Nadaillac remarks: "To sum up, everything goes to prove that the ancient races of Central America possessed an advanced culture, exact ideas on certain arts and sciences and remarkable technical knowledge. As pointed out in 1869 by Morgan in the North American Review, the Spanish succeeded in destroying in a few years a civilization undoubtedly superior in many respects to that which they endeavored to substitute for it." (Nadaillac, p. 386.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.71
Prescott says: "Enough has been said to show that the Aztec and Tezucan races were advanced in civilization very far beyond the wandering tribes of North America. The degree of civilization which they reached, as inferred by their political institutions, may be considered not much short of that enjoyed by our Saxon ancestors under Alfred (849-901 A.D.). In respect to the nature of it, they may be better compared with the Egyptians; and the examination of their social relations and culture may suggest still stronger points of resemblance to that ancient people." (Prescott, Mexico, 1:40.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.71
"This, however, I may safely claim: If the preceding pages inform us aright, then were the Nahuas, the Mayas and the subordinate and lesser civilization surrounding these but little lower than the contemporaneous civilization of Europe and Asia, and not nearly so low as we have hitherto been led to suppose." (Bancroft, 2:804-805.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.71
Baldwin says: "We are told repeatedly that the Spaniards employed 'Mexican masons' and found them 'very expert' in the arts of building and plastering. There is no good reason to doubt that the civilized condition of the country when the Spaniards found it was superior to what it has been at any time since the conquest." (Baldwin, pp. 215-216.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.71 - p.72
Prescott, in speaking of an era of prosperity which followed the triple alliance of the states of Mexico, Tezcuco and Tlacopan, says: "The Aztec capital (Mexico) gave evidence of public prosperity. Its frail tenements were supplanted by solid structures of stone and lime. * * * The dimensions of which, covering the same ground, were much larger than those of the modern capital of Mexico." (Mexico, 1:15.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.72
Among some of the prehistoric Americans there was a good knowledge of astronomy. Priest says: "Nearly all the lines of ancient works found in the whole country, where the form of the ground permits it, are right ones, pointing to the four cardinal points. * * * The opening of the military works are generally towards one or more of the cardinal points. From which it is supposed that they had some knowledge of astronomy." (Priest, p. 265.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.72
Baldwin says: "Mr. Schoolcraft gives this account of a discovery made in West Virginia in the course of excavations made in 1842 in the eastern-most of the three mounds of the Elizabethtown group, several tubes of stone were disclosed * * * if intended for a telescopic tube it is a most interesting relic. An ancient Peruvian relic found a few years ago shows the figure of a man wrought in silver in the act of studying the heavens through such a tube. Similar tubes have been found among relics of the Mound Builders in Ohio and elsewhere. In Mexico Captain Dupaix saw sculptured on a peculiar stone structure the figure of a man making use of one. Astronomical devices were sculptured below the figure. This structure is supposed to have been used for observation of the stars." (Baldwin, pp. 42, 103.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.72
Nadaillac says: "The various races which occupied Central America had some knowledge of astronomy." (Nadaillac, p. 305.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.72
Prescott says: "We know little further of the astronomical attainments of the Aztecs. That they were acquainted with the cause of eclipses is evident from the representation, on their maps, of the disk of the moon projecting on that of the sun." (Mexico, 1:102.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.73
Bancroft says: "Perhaps the strongest proof of the advanced civilization of the Nahuas was their method of computing time, which, for ingenuity and correctness, equaled if it did not surpass the systems adopted by contemporaneous European and Asiatic nations." (Bancroft, 2:502.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.73
The inscriptions upon stone monuments point to a knowledge of writing, as well as the actual writing upon the few manuscripts that have come down of the prehistoric days of the American continent. Claverigo says: "The Mexicans had more than one method of writing. Not only did they use hieroglyphic signs, both figurative and symbolic, but, like the ancient Egyptians, they had also phonetic signs, representing not a thing, an action or an idea, but a sound. From thence to the alphabet is but a step, or rather, it is the alphabet already, but they made far less use of the valuable discovery of phonetic signs than did the Egyptians. They confined themselves almost entirely to the figurative and symbolic. The result was that the writing had to be greatly aided by the memory." (Claverigo, 2:43, 56.) (Smith, p. 23.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.73 - p.74
Recent studies point to a very admirable form of government among many of the nations of Ancient America. "In one respect the Incan Empire was unique. It was an amazing paradox of a communistic-imperialistic government. Nothing like it has ever been attempted, much less carried out, and yet it was most successful and endured for centuries. It was, in fact, the world's greatest communism, and as far as known, the only wholly successful communistic government. Moreover, its end came not through any failure of its own, not through the dissatisfaction of the people, but through the invasion of the Spaniards. * * * How long the Incan social system had been in force prior to the coming of the Spaniards no one knows. We have no means of determining whether it was in force in pre-Incan days or was a strictly Incan innovation; but that it had been successfully carried on for hundreds of years before the conquest of Peru is certain, for only through centuries could so complete a communism have been established and carried into effect. One of its most remarkable features is the fact that the empire was not composed of members of a single race, but was a confederation of hundreds of tribes and of several races of various characteristics and temperaments; and yet one and all submitted to being mere cogs in a gigantic communistic wheel. And, what is more, they appeared contented, prosperous, happy and progressive as such." (Verrill, p. 267.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.74
"Horatio Hale and Amedee Moure, speaking from long contact with these natives, declare that while 'impartial investigation and comparison will show that some of the aboriginal communities of the American continent are low in the scale of intellect, others are equal in natural capacity, and possibly superior, to the highest of the Indo-European race,' and that 'with reference to his mental powers, the Indian of South America should be classed immediately after the white race, decidedly ahead of the yellow race, and especially beyond the African.'" (J. H. Evans, Message and Characters of the Book of Mormon, p. 379.)
4. Industrial Development.
The Book of Mormon implies a high industrial development among the ancient peoples of America, and specifically mentions many industrial materials, such as copper, iron, cement, precious stones, etc. Recent research has demonstrated that the prehistoric peoples of America had domesticated many animals, such as sheep, oxen, horses, bees, perhaps also llamas and other beasts. Some doubt has been cast upon the Book of Mormon account which mentions horses because there is no record of horses having been in America at the time of the early explorers. It is well known, however, that the horse was numerous and wide-spread upon the American continent in recent geological time, and the absence of the mention of the horse in the scant records of the first explorers is not a proof that the horse w'as not really there. In fact, evidences of the pre-Columbian use in South America of horses for burden bearing seem conclusive.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.75
After referring to various finds in Southwestern United States, Dr. Alfred S. Romer concludes: "There is a very strong evidence that horses, two genera of camels, a mammoth, the sloth Nothrotherium, two extinct genera of 'antelopes,' and the giant 'cat' Felix atrox, existed in the southwest in comparatively modern post-Pleistocene times. This immediately suggests a comparison with the La Brea fauna, of which these forms are typical members." (In Jenness, The American Aborigines, 1933, p. 72.')"
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.75
"Recent discoveries have now shown that the mastodon lingered on for many centuries as a contemporary of man in the New World, and there is some evidence that in Ecuador one was slain by man not more than 3000 years ago, as the polychrome pottery associated with it attests." (J. Eric Thompson, Mexico Before Cortez, 1933, p. 290.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.75 - p.76
"Cotton growing and the elaborate dresses represented in the statuary and the wall-panels have already been referred to. * * * The dresses must have been made * * * from cotton or the fibre of cactus and aloe, gathered wild. It has been suggested that much of the material of the loom was fibre from the perennial tree-cotton. Messrs. Blom and LeFarge in their 1926 expedition into Central America discovered in the cave near Comalcalco the only fragments of Old Empire textiles so far recovered. They are of a coarse cotton cloth--apparently cultivated cotton. * * * Spindle whorls of pottery have been recovered from the excavations, and presumably the loom was as simple as the spindle and of the same character as that employed in later times. * * * From this simple frame it is probable that the magnificent tapestry-like ceremonial robes of the Old Empire, Avere produced, if not in blood, at least in much sweat * * * the problem of weaving the pattern on several strips, to dovetail when sewn, must have required considerable ability and concentration." (Mitchell, pp. 97-98.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.76
Agriculture was practiced and the products of the forests were used. "Terracing of the land shows that agriculture was extensively practiced in former times in regions now unoccupied. Two principal forms of prehistoric stone terraces, built evidently for agricultural purposes, may be recognized in the Central American region, in addition to the narrow terraces of earth described in a previous section. There are (1) narrow, high terraces to hold drainage water and prevent erosion in the narrow valleys or on steep slopes of mountains, and (2) broad, low terraces apparently leveled to keep rain water from running off rather than to apply irrigation.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.76
"Many localities which are now occupied by apparently virgin forests are shown by archaeological remains to be regions of reforestation. Thus in the Senahu-Cahabon district of Alta Vera Paz relics of two or three very different types of primitive civilizations indicate that as many ancient populations have occupied successively the same areas which are now being cleared anew by the coffee planters as though for the first time." (Dr. O. K. Cook in Bulletin No. 145, Bureau of Plant Industry, 1909, p. 16.) (Jensen, p. 110.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.77
In the building of the cities with their houses, temples and monuments stone was used, and to judge by the excellence of existing remains, the people reached a high degree of skill in stone-cutting and building. Curiously enough, a fine variety of cement was known in those days which was used for covering houses and pyramids and for the making of roads. "In ancient times Chichen Itza and all the great and lesser cities of the Yucatan peninsula were linked by a network of smooth, hard-surfaced highways. The Mayas of today call these old roads zac-be-ob, or white ways." (Willard, p. 88.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.77
Beautiful pottery was made by most of the ancient inhabitants of America. Glass appears also to have been made by them.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.77
Copper is known to have been used in prehistoric America, for large numbers of copper objects have been found. It seems certain also that iron was known and used, but since iron rusts easily few iron objects dating back to prehistoric days have been found in America. This fact has been used to cast doubt upon the Book of Mormon story. Authorities very generally agree, however, that iron must have been at the command of the people of ancient America. "There is no evidence that the use of iron was known except the extreme difficulty of clearing forests and carving stone with implements of stone and soft copper." (Bancroft, 4:779.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.77 - p.78
"Iron was unknown to them in the time of the Incas, although some maintain that they had it in the previous ages, to which belong the ruins of Lake Titicaca. Iron ore was and still is very abundant in Peru. It is impossible to conceive how the Peruvians were able to cut and work stone in such a masterly way or to construct their great roads and aqueducts without the use of iron tools. * * * Some of the languages of the country, and perhaps all, had names for iron. 'It is remarkable,' observes Molina, 'that iron, which has been thought unknown to the ancient Americans, has particular names in some of their tongues.'" (Baldwin, p. 248.) "Iron seems to have been unknown in America at the time of the Spanish discovery, but the Mound-Builders' graveyards afford proof that they not only knew it but manufactured it into tools and implements." (DeRoo, 1:67.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.78
"There is a tradition (among the Indians) that Florida had once been inhabited by white people, who had the use of iron tools, (which) and the subterranean wall found in North Carolina go very far to show that they (the white people) had a knowledge of iron ore and consequently knew how to work it, or they could not have had iron tools." (Priest, p. 233.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.78
Priest tells of the finding of axes and hammers made of iron in the saltpeter caves of the Gasconade country in Missouri and that Dr. Beck "considers the circumstance of finding those tools in the nitre caves as furnishing a degree of evidence that the country of Gasconade river was formerly settled by a race of men who were acquainted with the use of iron, and exceeded the Indians in civilization and a knowledge of the arts." (Priest, p. 236.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.78 - p.79
"Meteoric iron has attracted the attention of men at different times and in widely separated regions. In the New World, for instance, it was used not only by the Incas of Peru but also by the Mayas of Yucatan and the Aztecs of Mexico. Amerigo Vespucci found the Indians of the La Plata region of South America making arrowheads and small tools of this metal; the Indians of North America considered it so precious a material that they used it to overlay their beads of gold. Ornaments and tools of meteoric iron have been discovered in the mounds in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys. The Eskimos of Greenland used fragments of such metal inserted in bone handles for knives and spearheads, and even recently Peary found the tribes on Melville Bay using tools of this type." (The Origin and Early Spread of Iron-working, Harold Peake, in the Geographical Review, October, 1933.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.79
Priest describes the finding in New York, Onondaga county "in the same grave with the bottle * * * an iron hatchet edged with steel. * * * In the same town * * * were found the remains of a blacksmith's forge; at this spot have been ploughed up crucibles, such as mineralogists use in refining metals. Within the range of these works have been found pieces of cast iron, broken from some vessel of considerable thickness. * * * Anvils of iron have been found in Pompey (Onandaga county) in the same quarter of the country with the other discoveries; which we should naturally expect to find, or it might be inquired how could axes and the iron works of wagons be manufactured." (Priest, pp. 252, 253, 255.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.79
"At a depth of five and one-half feet below the surface at the temple site, among broken pottery and imbedded in charcoal, I found a steel or hardened iron implement. The greater portion is almost completely destroyed by corrosion, but the chisel-shaped end is in good condition. It is so hard that it is scarcely touched by a file and will scratch glass, and with such an implement it would be a simple matter to cut and carve the hardest stone." (Verrill, World's Work, January, 1928, quoted by President A. W. Ivins, 99th Annual Conference, p. 11.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.79 - p.80
Precious stones were known to the people of ancient America. Ornaments of jade, pearls, emerald, amethyst, cornelian, turquoise and mother-of-pearl have been found in large quantities among the remains of these people.
5. Warfare.
The Book of Mormon recounts a long succession of wars among the various divisions of the people who lived anciently in America. Indeed, the Book declares that warfare at length became so bloody that whole peoples were exterminated. It is interesting to note that modern American archaeology tells practically the same story.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.80
"There appear to have been very hotly contested religious disputes; constant wars broke out between the sectarians following the God Votan and those who worshipped Quetzalcoatl, and the vanquished on either side perished under horrible tortures, or were compelled to fly their country." (Nadaillac, p. 274.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.80
"An American archaeologist, Professor Walters, has made a scientific investigation of this (in the Choctaw Indian country, when the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railway was built through it) burying ground. He found it to cover thirty acres and estimates that it contained 75,000 skeletons of men slain in battle. They were buried in sand, and according to the statements of Professor Walters, as given recently in the New York Sun, there were two distinct strata of earth formations above the sand." (Mill. Star, Vol. 60:85.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.80 - p.81
"In Piedras Negras and Menche-Yaxchilan especially monuments are to be found of bound and captive warriors--unpleasantly bound and unpleasantly treated. These are northern outposts, and probably mark the occasional raiding and subjugation of un-Mayan enemies. * * * The Archaic civilizations of the Old World were for long peaceful civilizations. Organized warfare rose with the rise of powerful groups of nobility inside the framework of the state who came to resent the central power of Sun King and Sun King's priests. Or it rose through contact of the Archaic civilizations with outer fringings of peoples whom they neither subdued nor civilized, but raided and despoiled. In time these outer peoples retaliated by arming themselves with the weapons and methods of the civilized Archaics and triumphantly invaded their territory. * * * The weight of evidence seems to conjure up a picture of an Empire in its early phases an Empire only culturally; politically, it was divided into many small states; later still these states may have been united, forcibly united, under some central power, perhaps a league of Peten cities. Later still, that league fell apart, and political hegemony ceased around the time when the dated inscriptions ceased to be carved." (Mitchell, pp. 130, 131, 133.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.81
"But even during this Toltec period hunting tribes, both of Nahua and other blood, were pursuing their game in the forests and mountains. Despised by their more civilized, corn-eating brethren, they were known as barbarians, dogs, Chicimecs, 'suckers of blood,' from the custom attributed to them of drinking blood and eating raw flesh." (Bancroft, 2:344.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.81
Destruction seems also to have followed at times in the wake of earthquakes, the effects of which are readily discernible. This also confirms statements in the Book of Mormon.
6. Successive Civilizations.
Three separate and distinct settlements of America are reported by the Book of Mormon. The first, the Jaredites, dates from the Tower of Babel, the other two, the Nephites and Mulekites, from the time of Zedekiah, King of Judah. There may also have been others not recorded in the Book or not known to the ancient authors.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.81 - p.82
Students of American archaeology are now agreed that the result of exploration and digging prove the existence of several successive or contemporaneous civilizations in early America. Excavations in the Valley of Mexico in recent years have brought to light evidence of the existence of at least three main civilizations which successively followed each other there in the past.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.82
An archaic people, highlanders and agriculturalists, it seems flourished between the first and third millennia B.C. upon the mountain plateau between Mexico and Colombia, developing a very characteristic civilization of their own.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.82
"Tiahuanacu" (in Bolivia) "has been judged the product of two distinct and successive civilizations, the latter supposedly reconstructing, to some extent, ruins left by an earlier people. * * * There are many indications that two very different civilizations succeeded each other at ancient Tiahuanacu. Many of the worked stones are only half finished, which induces the belief that some great catastrophe, natural or otherwise, compelled the workmen to leave their task uncompleted." (S. E. McMillin, Nat. Geo. Mag., 51: 217-18, 1927.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.82
"'That America was peopled from Asia, the cradle of the human race, can no longer be doubted but how and when they came is a problem that cannot be solved.' (Dupaix). The ancient American races preserved the tradition of distinct migration in their hieroglyphics and pictographs." (Bancroft, 5:31.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.82
It is interesting to note that several careful students have come to the conclusion that the oldest migration may have occurred near the dispersion of tongues or thousands of years ago.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.82 - p.83
"After this they were dispersed abroad, on account of their languages; and went out by colonies everywhere; and each colony took possession of the land which they lit upon, and unto which God led them; so that the whole continent was filled with them, both the inland and maritime countries. There were some also who passed over the sea in ships and inhabited the islands." (Josephus, Book 1, Chapter 5.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.83
"In view of the best light and information which I have been able to collect on the subject, my opinion is that the earliest inhabitants of America were the descendants of Ham, the youngest son of Noah; and that the first settlement was made shortly after the confusion of tongues at the building of the Tower of Babel. Moses tells us that about that period, 'the Lord scattered the people abroad upon the face of the whole earth' (Genesis 9:8, 9). America, then, according to this portion of sacred history, was at that time re-occupied by man; for the writer could not have meant by 'all the earth' only about one-half of it." (Schoolcraft, Mill. Star, 65: 503.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.83
It is equally interesting that recent scholarship shows that the beginning of the Maya civilization was approximately 600 B.C. The Book of Mormon declares that the Nephites arrived in America about 600 B.C.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.83
The ancient civilizations that arose on the American continent were of about the same standard, except as degeneration set in. "Wherever there was a center of civilization, that is, wherever the surroundings favored the development of culture, tribes of different stocks enjoyed it to nearly an equal degree, as in central Mexico and Peru. By them it was distributed and thus shaded off in all directions." (Brinton, p. 44.)
Claim Four:
The American Aborigines Are in Part of Hebrew Descent.
1. Theories of Origin.
Many theories of the origin of American Indians have been proposed. The majority of modern students believe that the ancestors of the North American Indians came from Asia, chiefly by the Western route. "Not only from North and South America and Oceania, but also from Java and Indo-China and farther west, there is available an overwhelming mass of exact evidence to convince him of the derivation of the cultural capital of America from southeastern Asia." (G. Elliot Smith, In the Beginning, p. 109.) However, others, but a small minority, contend that the native Americans are indigenous, that is, that they originated in America and have no connection with the people of any other continent. A recent, 1933, book, The American Aborigines, Their Origin and Antiquity, contains the papers of ten notable American anthropologists, presented at the Fifth Pacific Science Congress. Nine of the ten either directly or indirectly hold to the doctrine that the American Indians did not originate in America, and the tenth leaves the reader in doubt as to his meaning. Modern scholarship undoubtedly holds that the American Indians originally came from some other country.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.85 - p.86
"It is only tardy justice to Columbus to state that the latest consensus of scientific opinion tends to vindicate his practical judgment as to the Asiatic affinities of the American Indians." (N. C. Nelson, The American Aborigines, p. 89.) W.H. Holmes says, "It is not assumed that the pioneers of the Old World, who in following the tendency to wander reached the shores of Bering Sea, arrived in large numbers--that there was anything that could be called a migration, but that stragglers from Asiatic centers of population found their way across the intervening waters to the shores of America: and the process, continuing from century to century, involved not a single people nor a few more or less fully differentiated groups, but representatives of many of the brown skinned people of the Asiatic shoreland and of the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans." (Quoted by Hansen and Fitzgerald, A History of American Indian Origin Theories, Utah Acad. of Sciences, 8:25, 1931.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.86
Certainly, many, Hrdlicka, Wissler, Kroeber, etc., hold that the native Americans are only culturally, indigenous, that is, that man arrived at a very early date, bringing with him a primitive culture out of which has grown a culture peculiar to America, and in that sense indigenous.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.86
"Few if any scientists now believe that America was the cradle of the human race, or that its inhabitants rose and multiplied in complete independence of man in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia." (Diamond Jenness, in preface, American Aborigines.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.86 - p.87
It is commonly believed that the early migrations to America were by sea, though some may have come by land over Bering strait. In recent years especially it has been shown that water traffic in ancient days was much greater than has been commonly believed, making the story in the Book of Mormon more likely. G. Elliot Smith says: "Even before 3500 B.C. the Egyptians had begun to send expeditions to foreign lands. In their search for raw materials for their arts and crafts, they had penetrated to the Sudan, to Sinai, to Syria, and to the Red Sea coast. This was the beginning of the process which led in the course of the succeeding forty centuries to the elements of the original Egyptian culture being distributed over an increasingly wide area, until they finally penetrated to the furthermost regions of the earth. * * * Even before 3000 B.C. Egyptian sailors, taking their courage in both hands, had the temerity to launch their ships upon the open sea and make voyages to Syria in search of timber. (G. E. Smith, In the Beginning, pp. 98, 100.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.87
"Necho next fitted out some ships, in order to discover if Africa was circumnavigable, for which purpose he engaged the services of certain Phoenician mariners; and he has the honor of having been the first to ascertain the peninsular form of the continent about twenty-one centuries before Bartolomeo Diaz and Vasco da Gama (1450-1524)." (Rawlinson, The History of Herodotus, 2:321, New York, 1893; Sjodahl, p. 89.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.87
"A voyage is said to have been made about 500 B.C. by Hanno, Carthaginian. With sixty vessels carrying thousands of persons, Hanno sailed from Carthage along the Mediterranean coasts and through the Strait of Gibralter and southward along the coast of Africa. There colonies were established.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.87
"A century later another Greek, Pytheas of Massilia, again sailed through the 'Pillars of Hercules,' as the Strait was called, and turned northward to find England. From this time (340 B.C.) England and Ireland appear upon the world map. Phoenician sailors during these centuries were exploring the Indian Ocean and extending the knowledge of the world toward the East." (Sjodahl, pp. 90-91.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.87 - p.88
"Mrs. Harriet Chalmers Adams, one of America's foremost women explorers, in a communication to the National Geographic Society, Washington, has expressed the opinion that the ancient inhabitants of America came by sea, possibly in broken stages, from Asia. This immigration took place, she thinks, very far back. She says: 'This earlier immigration, however, was at a very remote period, for our prehistoric monuments point to an indigenous culture. A branch of an old world race, these 'early Americans' evolved to their highest civilization on new world soil. * * * In olden days great war canoes were paddled by many oarsmen from one south sea island to another. It seems likely that in this fashion men set sail from the Malay peninsula, with their wives and children, food, household goods and domestic animals aboard, and, aided by wind and tide, reached the promised land, some palm-fringed isle in the tropic sea.' Mrs. Adams has records of many small boats that apparently were blown across the Pacific, one of them a Japanese fishing boat which landed its unwilling immigrants alive and well on California soil a few years ago." (J. M. Sjodahl, Mill. Star 77:516-517.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.88
"See Bancroft, Native Races, 5:51-54, where the paper of the Japanese Consul, Mr. Brooks read before the Californian Academy of Sciences, in March, 1875, is cited, detailing forty-one instances in which Japanese junks were cast upon our shores since 1782. Mr. Brooks states that he has a record of over one hundred similar instances. Whymper, in his "Alaska" (N.Y., 1869), p. 250, refers to other Japanese wrecks, and especially to one which after drifting ten months reached the Sandwich Islands." (Short, p. 510.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.88 - p.89
"Sufficient attention has not hitherto been given to the well-authenticated cases of extensive journeying by native boats. There is the instance of a boat which remained at sea for five months, its passengers surviving on a diet of sea-animals (including sharks) and rain water. A boat from Mangareva in the Paumotus, travelled 3,700 nautical miles until it reached Sikayana atoll, east of Malaita, in the Solomons. Had this vessel travelled an equal distance east instead of west from Mangareva it would have reached America. A boat from the Carolines is known to have travelled 2,700 kilometres against the wind; and it is not an uncommon incident in Polynesian experience for boats out of their course to travel from one to two thousand sea miles. Other information and bibliographical references the reader will find in Friederici's memoir. But I have quoted enough to emphasize the fact that during the many centuries of such far-flung journeyings many thousands of boatloads of immigrants must have arrived on the Pacific coast of America, bringing with them a variety of contributions from the civilizations of the Old World." (G. Elliot Smith, Elephants and Ethnologists, 1924, p. 107.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.89
Rivero and Tschudi hold it to be conclusive that emigration has occurred "to the western coast of America from the eastern coast of Asia," and "that it explains many facts in America which long perplexed our archaeologists;" but "it by no means aids us in determining the origin of our earliest population." (Tschudi, p. 24.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.89
Besides, there are countless legends among the North American Indians to the effect that they came from a far country by sea. Pictures likewise indicate this. "The Navajos believe that all the nations, Navajos, Pueblos, Coyoteros and white people lived together at one time; all speaking the same tongue." (Bancroft 5:81; Lesueur, p. 39.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.89 - p.90
"Toltecs claim to have come to America at the time of the confusion of tongues, arriving at Hue Pue Tlalapallan after a long hard journey. * * * The Yucatans have a tradition that they came originally from the far east, passing through the sea, which God made dry for them. * * * The Olmec traditions relate that they came by the sea from the East." "The Algonquins preserve a tradition of a foreign origin and sea voyage. They offered an annual thank-offering for a long time in honor of their safe arrival in America." (Bancroft 5:19-22; Lesueur, pp. 39-40, 61.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.90
Boturini says: "That in the ancient paintings of the Toltecs were represented the migration of their ancestors through Asia and the Northern countries of America until they came and settled in the country of Tullan." (p. 407.) He says further: "That in the year 660 * * * a celebrated astronomer, called Huematzin, assembled by the King's consent all the wise men of the nation, and with them painted a celebrated book called Teomoxtli, or 'Divine Book,' in which they represented in very plain figures the origin of the Indians, their dispersion after the confusion of tongues, their subsequent journeyings in Asia, their first settlements upon the continent of America, the founding of the kingdom of Tula and their progress." (Simon, Ten Tribes of Israel, p. 30.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.90
"According to Catari, then, as reported by Oliva who transcribes them from the Cervantes papers, the remote forbears of the Indians were driven to America from the Old World after the Deluge, and eventually reached Caracas, which may possibly be identified with Caraques on the Ecuadorian coast." (Means, p. 210.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.90 - p.91
"The Mayas did not pretend to be autochthonous, but claimed that their ancestors came from distant regions in two bands. The largest and most ancient immigration was from the East, across, or rather through, the ocean--for the gods had opened twelve paths through it--and this was conducted by the mythical Itzamna. The second band, less in number and later in time, came in from the West, and with them was Kukulcan. The former was called the Great Arrival, the latter, the Less Arrival." (Brinton, Hero. pp. 145-146.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.91
All this confirms the statements found in the Book of Mormon. The Nephite migration came over the ocean from the West; while the Jaredite and Mulekite migrations might have come from the East.
2. Hebrew Elements in the Native Languages.
The first migration mentioned by the Book of Mormon, called the Jaredite, occurred at the time of the Tower of Babel, probably before the formation of the Hebrew language. The two later migrations, the Nephite and Mulekite, occurred at the time of King Zedekiah and were composed of Hebrews who undoubtedly knew Hebrew and as already pointed out they may have known Egyptian and other languages.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.91
It would be expected then to find in the languages of the native Americans remnants of Hebrew, perhaps of Egyptian and perhaps of the older languages spoken by the members of the first migration. Such remnants have actually been found and are a strong argument for the racial kinship of the American Indians and the Hebrews.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.91
Several scientists have asserted that the American Indian languages are of Aryan origin, that is, "had its (their) origin in the highlands of east Iran, the country of the Elamites." Others have declared that there is also distinctly Hebrew elements in the languages of the American Indian. This probably results from the influences of the different languages spoken by the various migrations.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.91 - p.92
Survivals of Hebrew in the languages of the American Indians are numerous. "Several early Spanish writers claim that the natives of some portions of the land still spoke a corrupt Hebrew; Las Casas so affirms with regard to the inhabitants of the island of Hayti. Lafitu wrote a history wherein he maintained that the Caribbee language was radically Hebrew." (Claverigo, Memories de l'Amerique; Mill. Star 59:374.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92
"In the course of studying the dialects of tropical America I have come across many words, expressions and idioms which go far to support the remarkable discovery of Le Plongeon:
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92
"The first person singular pronoun 'I' is in the ancient Mexican 'ano,' and 'ani,' which is the same as the Hebrew and Arabic. The Hebrew 'anoki' (I) is the I, the Inca of Peru.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92
"A planet, a sign in the Heavens, was called 'or,' or 'oth,' in the Maya language, and is still called so in the Huastica dialect; it is 'oth' in Hebrew.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92
"The night, or period, is called 'lailo,' in Mexican, while the Hebrew and Arabic is 'laila,' 'leila.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92
"The idea of whiteness, or brightness, is expressed by the word 'zack' all over Central America, and especially in Yucatan; the Hebrew is 'zach.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92
"Anything in the nature of food, or sustenance of life, is called in the Mexican language 'zeeta'; in Hebrew and Arabic 'zaid.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92
"A fire, a burning or an oven is called in Peru and the northern parts of South. America 'tunni,' 'etunni' In the Chaldaic and Hebrew it is 'attun'; in ancient Keltic it is 'teinne'; and in ancient Egypt the name for the sun's disc, the source of all heat, was 'aten.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92
"The word for earth, the lower world, among all the tribes of the Aymara Indians, was 'urak,' 'urakke,' which is the same as the Chaldaic, 'urak,' 'urakke.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.92 - p.93
"The hollow of the hand, or the two hands joined together so as to hold water to drink is 'kab,' or 'kabh,' in the Maya language; in the Hebrew it is 'kaph'."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"Any great man, or leader of men, a chief, is called all over Central America and the West Indies, 'Kazique'; in the Hebrew it is 'khazek,' 'khe-zek'; and the Arabic for a 'judge,' or 'chief magistrate,' is 'bokarina'; in Hebrew it is 'boker.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"A collection of flowers in a bouquet, wreath or garland was called 'ziza' or 'zissah' in Hebrew.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"The name in Tropical America is still applied to the Ipomea, or moon-flower, which the Mexican Indians call 'the flower of a lost world.' The little girls about to be sacrificed to the cruel gods of ancient Mexico wore garlands of this flower; and a wreath of it has been found on the head of an Egyptian princess who died about four thousand years ago.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"A tree is called in the Peruvian and Central American dialects 'yaor,' which is the same as the Hebrew 'yaar,' a tree; and in the island of Hayti the name of a forest is 'yaarooma.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"In Alaska and the Aleutian Islands a brother is called 'aak,' or 'aaki'; in the Hebrew and Arabic, the word for brother is 'aach.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"To double, to repeat, is expressed in the Yucatan dialect by 'kappal,' while in the Hebrew it is 'kaphal.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"Poison, or terror causing death, is called in Central American 'puggul,' and this word in Hebrew has the same meaning.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"The tree from which certain tribes of the North American Indians used to get the poison for their arrows was called by them 'pugguly.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"Firewood is still called in Venezuela 'kaamery'; in Hebrew, 'kamar.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"The hair of the head is called 'zoz,' in Yucatan; in Hebrew it is 'zizith.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.93
"A ruler or king in Mexican is 'capach,' while in Hebrew it is 'gabach.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"A son is called in Guatemala 'pen,' in Hebrew 'ben.' The Esquimaux for a male infant is 'pennik,' the diminutive of 'pen.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The Maya and Mexican for 'it passed away,' 'it died,' is 'maqui'; in Hebrew 'makak.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"To light, to shine, is exactly the same in Maya and Hebrew: 'nagah.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The sun is in Mexican 'chearasi'; in Hebrew 'cheres.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"In the Hebrew the word 'nega' means a plague; we still find it in the Haytian language applied to that unpleasant sandlouse which burrows into the flesh of the feet.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The overflowing of the Holy Lake in the Maya legend is called 'Tchoma'; the great Flood in the Hebrew legend is called 'Tchom rabba.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The word 'zuph,' in Hebrew, means a large river, or the overflowing of a smaller one; in nearly all the North American Indian dialects the word for a river is 'ziph,' 'zeph,' or 'sipi.' Their greatest river they called 'the fish river': 'na messi zippi'; hence the word 'Mississippi.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The North American Indian for 'to sing,' or a 'song,' is 'asaphi': the chief musician of the Hebrew King, David, was named Asaph, the singer.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The old Hebrew verb 'makhak' meant 'to strike,' (Piel) 'to kill by striking.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The North American Indian expression for 'the weapon for killing' is 'ta-mahakan,' from which we get the word tomahawk.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The wicked god was called by the ancient Egyptians 'zet typhon'; the Maya word for 'wicked' is 'zetu.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"The Accadian 'nin' meant 'wife' or 'lady': the Mexican word for 'daughter' is 'nin,' 'nina.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94
"We have the Mexican and Maya 'miqui,' 'to die,' cognate with the Accadian 'miq,' 'to burn,' and 'miqu,' sacrifice." (Lee, pp. 224-227.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.94 - p.95
Many Hebrew names are found among the American Indians, as illustrated by the following:
"Balam. This name was an ancient American favorite and occurs in Ahbuluc-Balam, Nahua god; Cibil-Balam, a Princess; Ci-Balam, Quiche-Cakchiquel day Cotz-Balam, Quiche name; Balam, Maya sorcerer; Ek-Balam, Maya god; Balem. Maya high-priest; Balam-Agab, Quiche second man; Balam-Acam, Quiche second man; Balam-Acab, Quiche second man; Balam-Conache, Quiche prince; Balam-Quitze, Quiche first man; Balam-Colob, Maya nation. The name Balam, spelled Balaam, is frequently found in Num. 22-24.
"Baal. This name was applied to the supreme god of the Phoenicians and the Canaanites. He was also known as Bel and Belus, and in early times the true God was known by the name of Baal; but later this use of the name was discontinued, presumably on account of its desecration by association with the name of an idol god. It occurs in the Bible in various forms, according to use, as Baal, Baale, Baali, Baalim, Baalah--the latter going to Balah in Josh. 19:3, and to Bilhah in I Ch. 4:29. Among the ancient American names we find Baali, Zapotec captain; Baaloo, Zapotec captain.
"Kish. The name is found in the Bible as belonging to various persons. (cf. I Sam. 10:21; I Ch. 8:30; 23:21; 2 Ch. 29:12; and Est. 2:5.) The following tribes of Indians use it in their tribal names: Kishawins, Kisheys, Kishtsamahs, Kishu-mas, Numkishes.
"Babel. This name needs no Biblical reference. It occurs in the name of the Babeles tribe of Indians.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.95 - p.96
"Other names: Kush (Cush), Kishishi, Chanan or Ghanan (Canaan), Chen, Shalal, Shimia, Hannah, Oloman (Solomon), Enech, Tenoch, Enek, etc., (Enoch, Kanoch, Henech), Dan, Mish, or ish, Sinaah, (Sinai), Heth, Ptolmes, Ahaz, Amus, Shoko, Bel, Cox, Ru, Rama, Raham, Zip, Zia, Iddoa (Iddo), Malah, Mathow (Mathew), Jue (Jew), Nacon, Elim, Naboh, Iri, Moriuh (Moaiah), Tobet, Terrabas (Barabbas) Dinneh, Ehi (Lehi), Opostoles (Apostles) Elah, Tarah, Zeec, Satun (Satan), Shekom, Moqui, Maji, Bel, Ben, Mani, Mina, Shakie, Yohewah." (Thomas W. Brookbank, Imp. Era 20:328-335; see this reference for discussion of words.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.96
Ethan Smith's "Views of the Hebrews" gives the following words which are similar:
English Indian Hebrew or Chaldaic
Jehovah Yohewah Jehovah
Jah Yah Jah
Heavens Hemin Hemim
Man Ishte Ish
Wife Awah Ecoch
Winter Kora Korah
To Pray Phale Phalac
Rushing Wind Rowah Ruach
Man of God Ishto Alle Ishda Alloah
God Ale Ale, Aleim
Shiloh Shilu Shiloh
Father Abba Abba
Woman Ishto Ishto
Nose Nichiri Neheir
Canaan Canaai Canaan
Name Na Na
My Skin Nova Ourni
Praise to the
First Cause Halleluwah Hallelujah
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.96 - p.97
"The legend in the Pentateuch informs us that the Hebrews came from the 'Land of Goshen.' * * * Smith Barton, quoted by Vater, tells us that the word is common in the dialects of the North American Indians, as goshena, geshona, Koshen; and it always signified a great man, a number of great men (in the plural), a great tribe." (Lee, p. 95.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.97
"In his (Dr. Rudolph Falb's) chapters on the 'Relationship of the Aryan and Semitic Languages to the Dialects of Ancient Peru,' he, first of all, proves that the Semitic roots are Aryan; then he shows that the common stems of all the variants are to be found in their purest condition in the old Peruvian language." (Lee, p. 96.) Dr. Falb gives a list of fifty words similar in Hebrew and dialects of Peru.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.97
"There are striking similarities between the pre-Incan, the Incan, the Aztec and the Mayan religions and the Hebrew faith, while throughout Peru there are place names as well as words in the Quichua language that are almost identical with the old Hebrew." (Verrill, p. 28.)
3. Knowledge of Hebrew Characters and Events.
One of the most impressive evidences for the Hebrew origin of North American natives is the knowledge which they have of the people and events recorded in the Old Testament. This familiarity with the Hebrew scriptures has been remarked upon by the vast majority of those who concerned themselves with the traditions of the North American Indians so that it is certain that such knowledge did and does exist. "I cannot fail to remark that one of the arguments which persuades me to believe that this nation descends from the Hebrews is to see the knowledge they have of the book of Genesis. * * * It is impossible on reading what Mexican mythology records of the war in heaven and the fall of Zontemoque and other rebellious spirits * * * not to recognize scriptural analogies." (Kingsborough, 6:401.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.97 - p.98
Here are some of the subjects of unquestioned Hebrew origin, appearing and reappearing in the legends of the various tribes of the native inhabitants of North and South America.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.98
There was a war in heaven, which led to the peopling of the earth. The creation of the earth with its plants, animals and men was accomplished by the Gods in successive intervals. The first man was made of clay and the first woman was made while he slept. The woman brought sin into the world by plucking a forbidden rose. She had two sons, Cain and Abel. In that day there were giants in the earth. At that time some people went upward into heaven (probably Enoch and his people).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.98
Described briefly by an Indian, the American myth system is as follows:
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.98
"There was a world before this one in which we are living at present; that was the world of the first people, who were different from us altogether. Those people were very numerous, so numerous that if a count could be made of all the stars in the sky, all the feathers on birds, all the hairs and fur on animals, all the hairs of our heads, they would not be so numerous as the first people.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.98 - p.99
"These people lived very long in peace, in concord, in harmony, in happiness. No man knows, no man can tell how long they lived in that way. At last, the minds of all except a very small number were changed; they fell into conflict--one offended another consciously or unconsciously, one injured another with or without intention; one wanted some special thing, another wanted that very thing also. Conflict set in and because of this came a time of activity and struggle, to which there was no end or stop till the great majority of the first people--that is, all except a small number-were turned into the various kinds of living creatures that are on earth now or have ever been on earth except man--that is, all kinds of beasts, birds, reptiles, fish, worms and insects, as well as trees, plants, grasses, rocks and some mountains; they were turned into everything that we see on the earth or in the sky.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.99
"That small number of the former people who did not quarrel, those great first people of the old time who remained of one mind and harmonious, left the earth, sailed away westward, passed that line where the sky comes down to the earth and touches it, sailed to places beyond; stayed there or withdrew to upper regions and lived in them happily, lived in agreement, live so today and will live in the same way hereafter." (Jeremiah Curtin, Creation Myths of Primitive America, 1898, Introd., pp. 11-13.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.99 - p.100
"But Hurakan was not altogether satisfied with his handiwork. These men were too perfect. They knew overmuch. Therefore the gods took counsel as to how to proceed with man. They must not become as gods (note here the Christian influence)" of which influence Spence later says, p. 33: "The very fact that it was composed in the Kiche tongue is almost sufficient proof of its genuine American character. The scholarship of the nineteenth century was unequal to the adequate translation of the 'Popol Vuh'; the twentieth century has as yet shown no signs of being able to accomplish the task. It is, therefore, not difficult to credit that if modern scholarship is unable to properly translate the work, that of the eighteenth century was unable to create it." "Let us now contract their sight so that they may only be able to see a portion of the earth and be content, said the gods. Then Hurakan breathed a cloud over their eyes, which became partially veiled. Then the four men slept, and four women were made, Caha-Paluma (Falling Water), Choimha (Beautiful Water), Tzununiha (House of the Water), and Cakixa (Water of Aras or Parrots), who became the wives of the men in their respective order as mentioned above." (Lewis Spence, Popol Vuh, p. 24, 1908.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.100
"In the usual North American stories death and evil come into the world as a result of sortilege, but there are many examples in which moral motives enter--as in the Eskimo tale in which man is given choice between eternal life in darkness or mortality blessed by the light of day, and chooses the latter. * * * Of course, in the great number of tales, it is a broken tabu that first brings the disaster of evil into the world." (Hastings Ency. of Religion and Ethics, 1920, art. Sin--American, the origin of sin--11:530.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.100
"This document (Codex Telleriano-Remem-sis) tells how Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca and their brethren were at first gods and dwelt as stars in the heavens. They passed their time in Paradise, in a Rose Garden, Xochitlycacan ("Where the roses are lifted up"); but on a time they began plucking the roses from the great rose in the center of the garden, and Tonaca-Tecutli, in his anger at their action, hurled them to earth, where they lived as mortals." (D. G. Brinton, Hero, p. 95.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.100 - p.101
"It is proper here to explain the position of spirits in the Indian systems. All the first people are conceived as having bodies as well as spirits. When we speak of a spirit appearing to a sorcerer or 'doctor,' it is understood that the spirit has left its body temporarily and will return to it. There are not spirits without bodies save an exceptional few who at the time of the metamorphosis of the first people lost the bodies which had belonged to them in their primal condition and received no new bodies at their fall. This loss of bodies was inflicted as a punishment. These desolate disembodied spirits wander about now in mountains and lonely weird places. Uncanny in character they are seen rarely and then only by sorcerers." (Jeremiah Curtin, Creation Myths of Primitive America, 1898, p. 37.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.101
The story of the Flood is widely current among the American Indians. A man (Noah) with certain other people escaped in a boat filled with various animals and birds. A rainbow is the sign that this will not happen again. The leader of this party later invented the art of making wine. In course of time a tower was erected for the purpose of reaching the clouds, but the gods incensed at this presumption, destroyed the tower, confused the language of the day and dispersed the people.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.101
Jacob and his twelve sons are found in the legends of the American Indians. Some of the tribes "used to build an altar of twelve stones in memory of a great ancestor of theirs who had twelve sons." "They have traditions that all Indian tribes descended from one man who had twelve sons. That this man was a notable and renowned prince, having great dominion; and that the Indians, his posterity, will yet recover the same dominion and influence." (Calvin Colton, Origin of the American Indians, London, 1833.) (Mill. Star 6:67.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.101 - p.102
"In the early part of the eighteenth century, a Dutch Jew, whose name was Aaron Levy but who wrote under the nora de plume Montesinus (Travels, Rotterdam, 1840) met with a strange people in the northern Andes, of whom he says: 'My guide was Indian--at least, so he seemed to me--and he called his god after the name of the Hebrew god, Adonai. He told me that in very ancient times his forefathers were called Abram, Esaak and Yakoob; that the name of his own tribe was Rooben. Through him I made the acquaintance of a number of the men of his tribe, whom I at once recognized as Jews. They kissed and embraced me as a brother.'" (Lee, p. 36.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.102
Moses, the plagues of Egypt and the Exodus to the promised land were well known in ancient America. "A very remarkable representation of the ten plagues which God sent on Egypt occurs in the eleventh and twelfth pages of the Borgian Ms. Moses is there painted, holding up in his left hand his rod, which became a serpent; and, with a furious gesture, calling down the plagues upon the Egyptians. These plagues were frogs, locusts, lice, flies, etc., all of which are represented in the pages referred to; but the last and most dreadful were the thick darkness which overspread Egypt for three days, and the death of the first-born of the Egyptians. The curious symbol of one serpent swallowing up others, likewise occurs in the nineteenth page of the same Ms. It is not extraordinary that the Mexicans who were acquainted with one portion of the exodus--that relating to the children of Israel journeying from Egypt--should also not have been ignorant of another." (Kingsborough; Scraps p. 277.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.102
"In the Quiche book of legends, the Popol Vuh, we are told that the earliest tribes of the human race traveled from the place of sunrise and crossed the sea. Having arrived in a strange land they were opposed and attacked by the inhabitants, who were, however, put to flight by swarms of hornets. Here now we have to deal with the same identical legend common only to the Hebrews and Ancient Mexicans." (Lee, p. 132.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.102 - p.103
"What was the King and his army doing all this time? Pharaoh was not disposed to let them off easily; they had literally plagued his life; he was punished for his ill treatment of them, exactly as the wicked in the Mexican legend (L. Spence, Myths of Mexico and Peru, p. 17) was punished; with hail, tempest and fire; frogs and toads, locusts and lice." (Lee, p. 114.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.103
The ark of the covenant appears to have been known. "On the excellent authority of Adair, Long and Noah, American historians and ethnologists, we are informed that the western tribes of the North American Indians kept a holy chest, or ark, which they were wont to carry to the battlefield when hard pressed by their enemies. Long says: 'This ark was placed on a sort of frame carried on men's shoulders, and was not allowed to touch the ground. To uncover it was strictly forbidden. Three men who out of curiosity attempted to examine its contents were struck blind on the spot.'" (Lee, p. 109.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.103
Even such an incident as disagreement between Miriam and her brothers, Moses and Aaron, has been preserved. "A curious feature of identity in the Hebrew and Aztec migration is with reference to Miriam, who, under the name of Chimalman, was shut out several days from the Aztlan camp in consequence of her quarrel with her brothers, the leaders of the Aztecs or Mexicans." (Kingsborough--Numbers 12:15.)
4. Hebrew Religious Beliefs and Practices.
The religious practices of the ancient Americans and their descendants, the present American Indians, are well understood from the remaining monuments and from the practices observed by those who have lived among the Indians. Almost without exception, students of this phase of the life and history of the American Indian have reported the astonishing similarity between the Hebrew religion and the religion of the Indians. "In regard to the manners, customs, habits, etc., of the wild tribes of the Western territory, a true and more correct type than any I have ever seen may be found in the ancient history of the Jews or Israelites after their liberation from Egyptian bondage. The 'Medicine Lodge' of the Indian may be compared to the place of worship or tabernacle of the Jews; and the sacrifices, offerings, purifications, ablutions and anointings may be all found amongst and practiced by those people. The manner of mourning for a deceased relative is very similar to that of the Israelites. There could be very numerous and similar analogies made between the manners and customs of those people and those of the Jews." (Schoolcraft, Vol. 1, pub. 1851; Scraps 2:274-275.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.104
Naturally, during the centuries of varied history represented by the Book of Mormon, the original religion became greatly corrupted, but nevertheless the Hebrew similarity is remarkably evident. Egyptian influence appears as a frequent intrusion, which is only to be expected from the close relationship between Israel and Egypt at the time of the Nephite and Mulekite migration. Perhaps nothing better can be done than to quote several eminent authorities who have had personal knowledge of the subject.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.104
"The religious belief of the Arucanians (an exceedingly warlike tribe of Southern Chile) is sublime. They acknowledge a Supreme Being, whom they denominate by a word expressive of Supreme Essence. They also call him the Spirit of Heaven, the Great Life, the Thunderer, the Omnipotent, the Eternal, the Infinite. The government of this glorious Creator is the prototype of their polity." (Don Alonzo Ercilla, History of Chili; Reynolds, Mill. Star 59:392.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.104 - p.105
"Like the Jews, the Indians offer their first fruits; they keep their new moons, and the feast of expiations at the end of September or in the beginning of October; they divide the year into four seasons, corresponding with the Jewish festivals. According to Charlevoix and Long, the brother of a deceased husband receives his widow into his house as a guest and after a suitable time considers her as a legitimate consort. In some parts of North America circumcision is practiced, and of this Acosta and Lopez de Gomara make mention. But that which most tends to fortify the opinion as to the Hebrew origin of the American tribes is a species of ark, seemingly like that of the Old Testament; this the Indians take with them to war: it is never permitted to touch the ground, but rests upon stones or pieces of wood, it being deemed sacrilegious and unlawful to open it or look into it. The American priests scrupulously guard their sanctuary, and the high priest carries on his breast a white shell adorned with precious stones, which recalls the Urim of the Jewish high priest; of whom we are also reminded by a band of white plumes on his forehead." (Tschudi, pp. 9-10.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.105 - p.107
"The first and most striking fact amongst the North American Indians that refers us to the Jews is that of their worshipping, in all parts, the Great Spirit, or Jehovah, as the Hebrews were ordered to do by Divine precept, instead of a plurality of gods, as ancient pagans and heathens did, and their idols of their own formation. The North American Indians are nowhere idolators. They appeal at once to the Great Spirit and know of no mediator, either personal or symbolical. The Indian tribes are everywhere divided into bands, with chiefs, symbols, badges, etc; and many of their modes of worship I have found exceedingly like those of the Mosaic Institution. The Jews had their sanctum sanctorums; and so may it be said that the Indians have their council or medicine-houses, which are always held at sacred places. As the Jews had, they have their high priests and their prophets. Among the Indians, as among the ancient Hebrews, the women are not allowed to worship with the men; and in all cases also they eat separately. The Indians everywhere, like the Jews, believe that they are the favorite people of the Great Spirit; and they are certainly, like those ancient people, persecuted, as every man's hand seems raised against them; and they, like the Jews destined to be dispersed over the world and seemingly scourged by the Almighty and despised of man. In their marriages, the Indians, as did the ancient Jews, uniformly buy their wives by giving presents; and, in many tribes, very closely resemble them in other forms and ceremonies of their marriages. In their preparations for war and in peace-making, they are strikingly similar. In their treatment of the sick, burial of the dead, and mourning they are also similar. In their bathing and ablutions, at all seasons of the year, as a part of their religious observances, having separate places for men and women to perform these immersions, they resemble again, and the custom among the women of absenting themselves during the lunar influences is exactly consonant to the Mosaic law. The custom of separation is a uniform one among the different tribes. * * * In nearly every family of a tribe will be found a small lodge, large enough to contain one person, which is erected at a little distance from the family lodge, and occupied by the wife or the daughter to whose possession circumstances allot it, where she dwells alone until she is prepared to move back. After this season of separation, purification in running water and anointing, precisely in accordance with the Jewish command, is requisite before she can enter the family lodge. In their feasts, fastings and sacrificing, they are exceedingly like those ancient people. Many of them have a feast closely resembling the annual feast of the Jewish passover; and among others, an occasion much like the Israelitish feast of the tabernacles, which lasted eight days, making sacrifices of the first fruits and best of everything, closely resembling the sin-offering and peace-offering of the Hebrews. * * * Among the list of their customs, we meet a number which had their origin in the Jewish ceremonial code, and which are so very peculiar in their forms that it would seem quite improbable and almost impossible that two different people should ever have hit upon them alike, without some knowledge of each other." (Catlin, North American Indians, London, 1841, 2:232-234.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.107 - p.108
"The first reason for concluding the Indian tribes to be of Hebrew descent is in their belief in the symbolical purification of water. The inhabitants of Yucatan gave to water with which they baptized their children, the title of water of regeneration. The Indians of Yucatan invoked Him whom they believed to be the true and living God, of whom they made no graven image. The second reason for believing that the religions of the Indians was Judaism is that they used circumcision. Third, that they expected a Messiah. That many words connected with the celebration of their religious rites were obviously of Hebrew extraction. That Las Casas, the Bishop of Chiapas, who had the best means of verifying the fact, was of that opinion. That the Jews themselves, including some of the most eminent Rabbis, such as Menasseh Ben Israel and Montesinos, maintained it both by verbal statement and in writing. The dilemma in which some of the Spanish writers such as Acosta and Torquemada have placed their readers, by leaving them no alternative than to come to the decision, whether the Hebrews colonized America and established their rites amongst the Indians, or whether the devil had counterfeited in the new world the rites and ceremonies which God gave to His chosen people. The eighth is the resemblance which many ceremonies and rites of the Indian bear to those of the Jews. The similitude which existed between the Indians and Hebrew moral laws; the knowledge which the Mexican and Peruvian traditions supplied that the Indians possessed the history contained in the Pentateuch. The Mexican tradition of the Teomoxtli, or Divine Book of the Toltecs. The famous migrations from Aztlan (Asia). The traces of Jewish history, traditions, laws, customs, manners which are found in Mexican paintings. The frequency of sacrifice amongst the Indians and the religious consecration of the blood and fat of the victims. The style of architecture of their temples. The fringes which the Mexicans wore fastened to their garments. A similarity of the manners and customs of the Indian tribes, far removed from the central monarchies of Mexico and Peru, to those of the Jews, which writers, who were not Spaniards, have noticed--such as William Penn." (Kingsborough; Mill. Star 70:836-837.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.108
"On the tropical eastern seaboard, in the Antilles and northeastern South America, we find Indians wholly distinct from either our United States tribes or the Central American and Western South American tribes. Many of these are strikingly Semitic in appearance and still adhere to Semitic customs." (A. Hyatt Verrill, The American Indian, 1927, p. 4.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.108
"Aztec children were taught to obey their parents and to honor aged persons. This is in accord with the Mosaic law. Prickling with thorns seems to have been a common educational punishment. The Jews too had a proverb about 'kicking against the pricks' (Acts 9:5)." (Sjodahl, p. 361.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.108 - p.109
"As customary among Orientals, brides were selected by the parents. * * * A brother was expected to marry his deceased brother's widow, as in the Mosaic law; but with this difference: under the Aztec code he was under obligation to do so only if there were children to take care of, not otherwise provided for. Under the Mosiac law the Levirate marriage was instituted for the express purpose of perpetuating the name of the deceased. (Deut. 25:5-6.)" (Sjodahl, p. 361.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.109
"In the eleventh month all women who had become mothers during the year were 'purified.' (cf. Lev. 15:19; for the idea of consecrated water see Num. 19:2-9.) and the children presented before the Lord. Circumcision was practiced by some, but was not generally observed." (Sjodahl, pp. 363.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.109
"A celebrated French traveler, M. de la Borde (Caribbeans, Paris, 1785) says: 'Many of the Caribs told me that their early ancestors were a great and powerful people, whom I cannot help identifying with the Jews. Their laws relating to marriage were the same, and they were forbidden to eat the flesh of animals like the peccary, or South American swine.'" (Lee, pp. 126-127.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.109
"The geographer and archaeologist Kanne (American Indian Myths, Leipzig, 1813, p. 57) says: 'We find the shoe of authority (Psalm 60:8) and the wife's slipper in the social rites of the old Peruvians exactly as they were among the Jews. The principal part of the marriage ceremony was to pull off the bride's shoe. If from any cause the bridegroom refused to pull it off, he was reviled as a man among the ancient Hebrews would have been reviled if he refused to marry his brother's widow. And this law also obtained in countries more towards the north, even as far as Mexico.'" (Lee, pp. 127-128.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.109 - p.110
"When descent was reckoned (among the Indians) through the female line, the husband joined through marriage the gens of the wife. Property, with the exception of a few articles of personal necessity, belonged to the wife, and the husband had no claim on it. The price of a man, if killed, was among the Hurons, only three-fourths that of a woman.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.110
"This social arrangement may seem very strange to us, but it was similar to that which prevailed among the Semites in the days of Abraham. Sarah was the 'princess,' as the very name implies. That is, she was the chieftainess. Her successors were Rebekka, Lea, Dinah and Sarah, the daughter of Asher, the son of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid. (Num. 26:46.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.110
"In Egypt, too, in those days, the woman was the mistress of the house. She held the property and inheritance was through the female line.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.110
"This social feature was preserved among the American Indians, as it is to this day, to some extent, among the Arabs of the desert." (Sjodahl, pp. 279-280.)
5. Miscellaneous Hebrew Similarities.
An extensive literature, beyond the scope of this writing, deals with the theory that the American Indians are of Hebrew origin. Here are a few miscellaneous evidences. Such examples might be greatly multiplied. "On one occasion, we are told, when Mr. Catlin saw copies of the head and faces of the Egyptian kings from the British Museum, he exclaimed, with a solemn oath: 'Why they must have been Redskins!'" (Lee, p. 98.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.110 - p.111
"In the year 1829 a British traveler, Pentland, discovered in the mountain valley of Sorata near the eastern frontier of Peru, a peculiar and evidently very ancient tribe, of which he says: 'Their features, expression and physique are quite different from those of the other natives in these parts; they are certainly not Indians, and they are uncommonly like Jews. Their language they are very careful to keep to themselves, and it is not understood by any of the Indian tribes around them.'" (Lee, p. 36.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.111
William Penn says in a letter dated August 14, 1683, with reference to the Indian tribes whose territory bordered on the southwestern frontier of his settlement: "As to the origin of these Indians I am ready to believe them to be of the Jewish race, I mean of the stock of the Ten Tribes. I find them to be of the like countenance and their children of so lively a resemblance that a man would think himself in Duke Place or Berry Street (Jewish quarters) in London when he seeth them. But this is not all; they agree in rites, they reckon by moons, they offer their first fruits, they hold a kind of feast of tabernacles, they lay their altars upon twelve stones, and they mourn their dead for a year." (Lee, pp. 124-125.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.111
"M. Latifau published a book called Moeurs des Sauvages Americains; and at the end of the first volume he gives us the very words and music of the sacred songs which the Indians sang at their religious ceremonies. He noted their favorite expressions Me schee hah and schee loh, which they sang in connection with the other word Yoh heh wah, thus: Yon me schee hah, he me schee-loh-heh, wah me schee hah, and schee-loh-you, schee-loh-heh schee-loh. Now, although M. Latifau knew nothing about it, these two words are not only Hebrew (maschiach and schiloh), but they are to be found only in connection with the most ancient Hebrew legends, and principally in the Book of Genesis." (Lee, p. 63.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.111
Near Newark, Ohio, about 1860, an abstract of the Ten Commandments was found engraved in 256 characters on a stone tablet in ancient Hebrew. (Bancroft, 5:94-95.) This tablet and another engraved with Hebrew characters are now in a Coshocton, Ohio, museum.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.112
About 1865 a number of Hebrew characters were found buried in mounds near Newark, Ohio, one of which was this expression, buried with one of their ancient dead, "May the Lord have mercy on me a Nephite." (Translated Nephel.) (Roberts 3:56.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.112
"Joseph Merrick, Esq., a highly respectable character in Pittsfield, Mass., gave the following account: That in 1815, he was leveling some ground. * * * After the work was done, walking over the place, he discovered a black strap. * * * In attempting to cut it he found it as hard as bone. He succeeded in getting it open and found * * * four pieces of parchment. They were of a dark yellow hue, and contained some kind of writing. * * * Three pieces were sent to Cambridge, where they were examined and discovered to have been written with a pen in Hebrew, plain and legible. The writing on the three remaining pieces of parchment was quotations from the Old Testament. See Deut. 6:4-9; 11:13-21; Exodus 13:11-16." (Ethan Smith's "View of the Hebrews," from Mill. Star 21:274; Roberts 3:49-50.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.112
Humboldt says in speaking of some images which were found near the ancient temple of Mexitli (Mexico): "The forehead is adorned with a string of pearls on the edge of a narrow fillet. The neck is covered with something like a triangular handkerchief, to which are attached twenty-two little tassels. These tassels and the general appearance of the head-dress reminded me forcibly of what I had read about the apples and pomegranates on the robes of the ancient Jewish High Priests." (Lee, pp. 32-33.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.112 - p.113
The Incas "also had a lunar year, consisting of 354 days, to which they added eleven days to make it correspond with the solar year. This year began the 22nd of June, after the harvest, and was inaugurated with a festival called Intip Raymi, when sacrifices were offered and the people banqueted. There is an extraordinary resemblance between this lunar year of the Peruvians and the sacred year of the Hebrews. The latter also had 354 days and a month added every third year. It began shortly after the first grain was ripe and was inaugurated with a festival, the so-called feast of ingathering. (Ex. 23:16; Lev. 23:9; Deut. 26:10.) It would take a great deal of credulity to believe that this resemblance is due to chance only." (Sjodahl, p. 314.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.113
"The people (Incas) were divided into chuncas, consisting of ten families each. Ten chuncas, a hundred families, formed a pachaca. Ten pachacas formed a huaranca, and ten huarancas, 10,000 families, was a hunu. A hunu, consequently, if we count five persons to a family, consisted of 50,000 individuals. Each of these divisions had its own presiding officers. The duty of the presidents of the pachacas was to see that every family had seed to sow and material of which to make clothes, etc. They were also responsible for the morals of the people under them and had to report acts of law-breaking to the higher officers, whose duty it was to punish the offenders. * * *
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.113
"The division of the population into chuncas, pachacas, huarancas and hunus reminds one of the division of the twelve tribes of Israel into tens, fifties, hundreds and thousands, with 'rulers' over each division (Ex. 18:21; Deut. 1:15; and perhaps Lev. 26:26, where it appears that ten families used to share one oven.)" (Sjodahl, pp. 299, 301.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.113
There are also among the American Indians a large number of proverbial sayings which seem to have come from Hebrew sources.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.113
1. "Wilt thou blot us out, O Lord, forever ?" (Prescott, Mexico 1:54.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
"For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." (Psalms 16:10.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
2. "Impart of us, out of thy great mercy, thy gifts which we are not worthy to receive through our own merits." (Prescott, Mexico 1:54.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
"O remember not against us former iniquities; let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake." (Psalms 79:8, 9.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
3. "Keep peace with all." (Ibid.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." (Matt. 5:9; 3 Nephi 12:9.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
4. "Bear injuries with humility." (Ibid.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:10; cf. 3 Nephi 12:10.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
5. "God who sees, will avenge you." (Ibid.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." (Matt. 6:6; cf. Matt. 6:18; 3 Nephi 13:6, 18.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
6. "He who looks too curiously on a woman, commits adultery with his eyes." (Ibid.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
"But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matt. 5:28; 3 Nephi 12:28.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114
7. "The woman who became widowed, so says Torquemada, if she were young, must marry the brother or close relative of her husband." (Los Indios, su Historia y su Civilization, Batres Jauregui, p. 57; Smith, p. 99.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.114 - p.115
"If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger; her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her." (Deut. 25:5.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.115
Thomas W. Brookbank (Imp. Era 14:988-988) shows that the measurements of ruins in Central America, when expressed in cubits (21.888 inches) and its divisions (digits) can be expressed in multiples of five digits. He gives a number of measurements to show that the cubit-digit system must have been used by them. The cubit was the ordinary unit of length among the Hebrews.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.115
"Landa says in his book that some old men of Yucatan related to him the story, handed down for many generations, that the first settlers had come from the east by water. These voyagers were ones 'whom God had freed, opening for them twelve roads to the sea.' If there is any truth in this tradition, these progenitors may have been one of the lost tribes of Israel. An interesting side light on this hypothesis is the distinctly Semitic cast of countenance of some of the ancient sculptures and murals found at Chichen Itza and in other old Maya cities. The dignity of face and serene poise of these carved or painted likenesses is strikingly Hebraic. In an article written for Harper's Magazine by Mr. Edward Huntington reference is made to the Jewish cast of features of the modern Mayas, and I have often noticed the similarity. One prominent writer on Yucatan considers the possibility of Jewish origin for the Mayas as being the most substantial of the several theories I have mentioned." (T. A. Willard, The City of the Sacred Well, pp. 35-36, and note, see also photograph facing p. 36.)
Claim Five:
Jesus the Christ Visited the American Continent.
1. The Christ Story in Ancient America.
The Book of Mormon relates that the Savior after His resurrection but before His ascension visited America, taught the Gospel, organized the Church and ordained men to carry on the Gospel work.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.117
The idea of a Christ to come was naturally widespread among the American Indians, if they were of Hebrew origin and had access to the sacred Hebrew writings up to 600 B.C. A large accumulation of traditions prove that an expected Savior was a part of early American religion.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.117
There are quite as many traditions and legends to the effect that this expected Leader and Savior had actually come. So extensive is this tradition and so closely are details supplied, that the evidence of Christ's visit to America becomes convincing.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.117 - p.118
It seems quite out of the question to attribute these legends and beliefs to Christian influence after Columbus. They are too widely spread and too inherent in the faiths of all the people. "No dissemination of merely Christian ideas since the conquest is sufficient to account for these myths." (Nadaillac, p. 431.) "Among the Mexicans, the Mayas, and the pre-Incan and Incan people of Peru there was a persistent, universally believed tradition of a bearded white man who visited their lands, taught them their civilizations and religions and then mysteriously disappeared. The tradition tells of this bearded god having reached Mexico and Yucatan in a 'magic ship,' and the tradition of the first Inca--'Manko Kapak'--having appeared from Lake Titicaca and having declared himself the 'Son of the Sun.'" (Verrill, p. 28.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.118
"The Aztecs have a tradition of a God suffering and crucified named Quetzalcoatl, and of one preceding Him to prepare the way and call them to repentance. Tezcaltlipoca offered Him a cup, calling him 'my Son,' of his unwillingness to taste and weeping bitterly after having drunk its contents; forsaking temporal kingdoms for spiritual, being called away by the Father. At His departure there were four earthquakes. He promised to return again and redeem His people." (Kingsborough, 8:3; Lesueur, pp. 236-237.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.118
"Although bearing various names and appearing in different countries, the American culture-heroes all present the same general characteristics. They are all described as white, bearded men, generally clad in long robes; appearing suddenly and mysteriously upon the scene of their labors, they at once set about improving the people by instructing them in useful and ornamental arts, giving them laws, exhorting them to practice brotherly love and other Christian virtues, and introducing a milder and better form of religion; having accomplished their mission, they disappear as mysteriously and unexpectedly as they came; and finally, they are apotheosized and held in great reverence by a grateful posterity. In such guise or on such mission did Quetzalcoatl appear in Cholula, Votan in Chiapas, Wixepecocha in Oaxaca, Zamna, and Cukulcan with his nineteen disciples, in Yucatan, Gucumatz in Guatemala, Viracocha in Peru, Sume and Paye-Tome in Brazil, the mysterious apostle mentioned by Rosales in Chile and Bochica in Columbia." (Bancroft, 5: 23-24.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.119
"Las Casas, Bishop of Chiapas, relates in his apology, which is in Ms., in the convent of St. Dominic, that when he passed through the kingdom of Yucatan, he found there a respectable ecclesiastic, of mature age; he charged him to proceed into the interior of their country, giving him a certain plan of instruction, in order to preach to them; at the end of a year, thus he wrote to the bishop--he had met with a principal lord, who informed him that they believed in God, who resided in heaven, even the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father was named Yeona, the Son Bahab, who was born of a virgin, named Chibirias, and that of the Holy Spirit was called Euach. Bahab, the Son, they said, was put to death by Eupuro, who scourged Him, and put on His head a crown of thorns, and placed Him with His arms stretched upon a beam of wood, and that on the third day He came to life, and ascended into heaven, where He is with the Father; that immediately after the Euach came in His place as a merchant, bringing precious merchandise, filling those who would with gifts and graces, abundant and divine." (Kingsborough, Mill. Star, 60:86-87.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.119
"Only Quetzalcohuatl among all the gods was pre-eminently called Lord; in such sort, that when any one swore, saying, By our Lord, he meant Quetzalcohuatl and no other; though there were many other highly esteemed gods." (Bancroft, 3:251.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.119
"He (Quetzalcohuatl) took leave of his followers, promising that he and his descendants would revisit them hereafter." (Prescott, Mexico, 1:50.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.119
"The Mexican believed that Quetzalcohuatl was both god and man, that he had previously to his incarnation, existed from all eternity." (Kingsborough, 6:507.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.120
Singularly, the serpent was the symbol of the Christ, hence the feathered serpent is found depicted in the sculptures and few manuscripts of ancient America. "The Hebrew conception of the reign of the Messiah is expressed by the image of a 'flying' or 'winged' serpent. The word used by Isaiah 14:29 is 'saraph' which may be familiar to us in its plural form seraphim which we read 'seraphs' and understand to mean a high order of angels attending the Lord. (Isaiah 6:2, 6.) They are represented as having six wings; such is the swiftness of their service. Wings are angels (Hebrews 1:7). They are princes, nobles, in heaven. But, says Gesenius, 'If any one choose to follow the Hebrew uses, loquendi, in which seraph is serpent, he may indeed here render it (seraphim) by winged serpents; since the serpent both among the ancient Hebrews and the Egyptians was the symbol of wisdom and of the healing art. (See Numbers 21:8; 2 Kings 18:4.)" (Smith, pp. 60.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.120 - p.121
"The serpent motif controlled the character of Mayan art and was of first importance in all subsequent arts in Central America and Mexico. The serpent was seldom represented realistically, and yet we may safely infer that the rattlesnake was the prevailing model. Parts of other creatures were the trogon or quetzal, the teeth of the jaguar, and the ornaments of man. The serpent was idealized and the lines characteristic of it entered into the delineation of many subjects' distinct from the serpent itself. Scrolls and other sinuous details were attached to the serpent's body and human ornaments such as earplugs, hose-plugs, and even head-dresses were added to its head. Finally, a human head was placed in the distended jaws. The Mayas may have intended to express the essential human intelligence of the serpent in this fashion. The serpent with a human head in its mouth doubtless belongs in the same category as the partly humanized gods of Egypt, Assyria and India. It illustrates the partial assumption of human form by a beast divinity. The features combined are so peculiar and unnatural that the influence of Mayan art can be traced far and wide through Central America and Mexico by comparative study of the serpent motif." (Spinden, p. 85.)
2. The Virgin Birth.
The tradition that Christ was the Son of God and born of a virgin is found among the American natives. "Quetzalcoatl was born in Chiuenaiuecatl, which is where the hand is (this hand indicates the niche on the calendar that has the date chiconahuiehecatl). He it is that was born of the virgin that is called Chimalman in the heavens. * * * This Quetzacoatl was he whom they said made the world because they say that this Tonacatechuhtli (the supreme God who resides in the most high heavens) when it pleased him breathed and begot this Quetzal-coatl. To this being they built the round churches that have no corners at all. They say that it is he who made the first man. * * *
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.121
"A god that was Citlalatonac sent a message for a virgin that lived in Tula, that was called Chimalman. * * * This virgin conceived a son without knowing a man, the which was called Quetzalcoatl, and they say he is the god of the air." (Codex Mess. Rios No. 3738, Transcription of the Explanatory Text, pp. 25-28; Smith, p. 58.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.121 - p.122
Lord Kingsborough, who between 1830 and 1848 published the results of his researches on Ancient America, says: "From Mexican mythology, speaking of no other son of Tonacatecutle (a god and the people) except Quetzalcoatl, who was born of Chimalman, the virgin of Tula, without connection with man, and by his breath alone (by which may be signified his word or his will, announced to Chimalman by word of mouth of the celestial messenger, whom he dispatched to inform her that she would conceive a son), it must be presumed that Quetzalcoatl was his only son. Other arguments might be adduced to show that the Mexicans believed that Quetzalcoatl was both god and man. * * * Quetzalcoatl was born of a virgin of the daughters of men." (6:507.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.122
H. H. Bancroft said: "He was born of a virgin of miraculous birth. * * * He had a human body like other men, yet was a God, the son of a God, of mysterious birth." (3:372.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.122
D. G. Brinton said: "Quetzalcoatl was 'born of a virgin in the land of Tula or Tlapallan, in the distant Orient, and was high priest of that happy realm.'" (P. 214.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.122
Torquemada, an early Spanish writer, relates: "The Otomies Indians, a wild and warlike race, originally spread over the table-land north of the Mexican valley, 'were also acquainted with the embassy of the angel of Our Lady, under a figure, relating that something very white, like the feather of a bird, fell from heaven, and that a virgin stooped down and took it up and put it into her bosom and became pregnant.'" (Kingsborough, quoted by Roberts 2:473.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.122
Elder Angus W. McKay relates the following tradition of the Navajo Indians: "A baby boy was found near the Pacific Ocean by a most beautiful Virgin, who had never seen man. They claim that Heavens and Earth came together and that this boy was dropped from Heaven, pure and holy." (McKay, Utah Genealogical Magazine, 24:60.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.122 - p.123
The tradition of a virgin giving birth to a god is found among many ancient American peoples. Brinton says: "Many of the goddesses were virgin deities, as the Aztec Coatlicue, Xochiquetzal, and Chimalman; and many of the great gods of the race, as Quetzalcoatl, Manibozho, Viracocha, and Ioskeha, were said to have been born of a virgin. Even among the low Indians of Paraguay the early missionaries were startled to find this tradition of the maiden mother of the god, so similar to that which they had come to tell." (Myths of the New World, p. 172.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.123
To Latter-day Saints, these traditions are not surprising. We recognize in them remnants of the truths once taught to the early American peoples, as recorded in the Book of Mormon. According to the Book of Mormon, the people were not only told of the visit of Christ to come (Helaman 14), but also to the Prophet Nephi was shown in a vision "the Virgin, exceedingly fair and white * * * the mother of the Son of God after the manner of the flesh * * * bearing a child in her arms." (1 Nephi 11:18.) The visit of Christ, after His crucifixion, is also described in an account of singular beauty (3 Nephi 11-28).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.123
At the time of the birth of Christ, the Book of Mormon affirms there were two days and nights of light. This is confirmed in American tradition. Bancroft quoting Juarrors: "And this division (of an empire) was made on a day when three suns were seen, which has caused some to think that it took place on the day of the birth of the Redeemer, a day on which it was commonly believed that such a meteor was observed." (Bancroft, 5:566.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.123
Bancroft, following the native writer Ixtilxo-chiti: "The next event recorded * * * is the stopping of the sun for a whole day in his courses, as at the command of Joshua as recorded in the Old Testament." (Bancroft, 5: 209-210.)
3. Christian Ordinances and Beliefs.
A rite similar to baptism was practiced by the Americans. "The use of Water more or less sanctified was used as a purification avowal which frees one from an inherent sin. This runs back to a period far pre-Christian among the Mexican, Mayan and other American nations. They were cleansed from sin by washing." (Bancroft, 3:119.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.124
Gann and Thompson, careful students of the Mayas, report that the Mayas practiced a form of baptism, and that the Mayan word for baptism meant rebirth, and that the children were baptized when they were about twelve years old. (See Gann & Thompson, pp. 139, 140.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.124
"Baptism was not known in any of the provinces of New Spain, but in Yucatan, and this name they gave it signified to be born again; having so great a veneration for it that none went without it, believing they in it received a pure disposition to be good, that the Devils could not hurt them, and they were put into the Way of Bliss. No man could be married without it." (Antonio de Herrera, History of America, 4:172, trans. by Stevens.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.124
"With these vows was often associated the rite of baptism, by sprinkling or by immersion in water. Even among the rude Jahgans of Tierra del Fuego we find that the child, when born, was promptly dipped in water, not for sanitary but for religious reasons. * * * In another sense it (baptism) would seem to have been a purification from inherited sin, in which sense it was practiced by the Nahuas of Mexico and the Quiehuas of Peru. With the Mayas of Yucatan it was in common usage and was known by the significant name, 'the second birth.'" (D. G. Brinton, Religions of Primitive Peoples, 1897, p. 195.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.124 - p.125
"The natives at the time of maize gathering were accustomed to sacrifice a man to the gods of the harvest. Around the altar were strewn grains of corn. Over these the worshipers stood and with flint knives let blood from the most sensitive parts of their bodies, the drops falling on the grains. These were then eaten as holy food, part of the sacrifice. (Oviedo, Historia de las Indias lib. X, cap. XI.) Something very similar obtained in Peru at the time of the vernal equinox, all strangers were bidden to leave the sacred city of Cuzco, where the Inca resided. A human victim was immolated, and the spotless 'Virgins of the Sun' were deputed to mingle his blood with meal and bake it into small cakes. These were distributed among the people and eaten, and one sent to every holy shrine and temple in the kingdom." (Balboa, Histoire du Perou, pp. 125-127; D. G. Brinton, Religions of Primitive Peoples, p. 190.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.125
D. G. Brinton tells us: "The astonishment of the Romanist missionaries rose to horror when they discovered among various nations a rite of baptism of appalling similarity to their own, connected with the imposing of a name, done avowedly for the purpose of freeing from inherent sin, believed to produce a regeneration of the spiritual nature; nay, in more than one instance called by an indigenous word signifying 'to be born again.' Such a rite was of immemorial antiquity among the Cherokees (a tribe of Indians in the Eastern United States), Aztecs, Mayas and Peruvians." (Myths of the New World, 1868, pp. 125-126.) (Also stated by Herrera, History of America, quoted in Scraps p. 288; Gann and Thompson, History of the Maya, p. 140.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.125 - p.126
Of the remote antiquity of this practice we are also assured by Bancroft (Native Races 3:119) and by DeRoo, who says: "Christian missionaries and other writers of that time (of the Conquest by Spain) assure that baptism--to all intents the sacrament of baptism--was administered in several American districts from time immemorial." (DeRoo, p. 466.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.126
Sahagun, the most important authority concerning the Aztec religion of Mexico, and who lived contemporaneously with the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards, gives us this concerning the rite of baptism among the Aztecs: "The one baptizing sprinkled water on the head of the infant saying, "O my child, take and receive water of the Lord of the world, which is our life, it is to wash and to purify; may these drops remove the sin which was given to thee before the creation of the world, since all of us are under its power.' * * * The rite was concluded with: 'Now is he purified and cleansed afresh, and our mother the water again bringeth him into the world.'" (Historia de Neuva Espana, lib. 6 cap. 37.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.126
In regard to the manner of baptism and the age of those baptized, Brinton tells us: "In Peru the child was immersed in the fluid. * * * In either country sprinkling could take the place of immersion. The Cherokees believe that unless the rite is punctually performed when the child is three days old it will inevitably die." (Myths of the New World, p. 128.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.126
Kastner, an authority, also speaks of immersion. (Quoted by DeRoo, p. 466.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.126 - p.127
That baptism was not just a formal ceremony is shown by the respect and meaning which was attached to it in Yucatan and in Central America. Bishop Landa, a bishop of Yucatan, who wrote about the middle of the sixteenth century on the religious beliefs of the Mayas, says this: "They have such a respect for baptism that those who have sins on their consciences or who feel themselves inclined to commit sin, confess to the priest in order to be in a state to receive baptism. * * * They believe that they receive therefrom a disposition inclined to good conduct, that it guarantees them from all temptations of the devil, with respect to temporal things, and by means of this rite and a good life they hope to secure salvation." (Quoted in Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, 11:529.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.127
This aid made possible in leading a good life and in obtaining "salvation" is told also by DeRoo: "It was the duty of all the Mayas to have their children baptized, for they believed that by this ablution they received purer nature, were protected against evil spirits and possible misfortunes. They held, moreover, that an unbaptized person, whether man or woman, could not lead a good life nor do anything well." (DeRoo, p. 467.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.127
From these various quotations that have come to us through historical research, it is evident that baptism was practiced in America by various peoples. It is also evident that they understood baptism to be a "rebirth," cleansing them from sin and making possible a better life and salvation.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.127
The Book of Mormon tells us that the meaning and mode of baptism was taught to the ancestors of the Indians by prophets of God (read 2 Nephi 9:22-24; Moroni 6 and 8) and, indeed, the Savior during His visit to the Nephites gave the following instructions regarding baptism: "Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them * * * saying. Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in water, and come forth again out of the water." (3 Nephi 11:23-26.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.127 - p.128
Officers of the Church were appointed to carry on the work. "Quetzalcohuatl had priests who were called quequetzalcohua, that is to say 'priests of the order of Quetzalcoatl.'" (Bancroft, 3:259.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.128
"At the head of the Aztec Priesthood stood the Lord of Divine Matters. He had a seat on the emperor's council which was second only to royal authority. Next in rank to him was the High Priest of Quetzalcoatl * * * who had authority over his own cast only. The priests of Quetzalcoatl were called by name after their tutelar deity. The lesser grades included the ordinary priests. * * * The lowest order was the Little Priests, youths who were graduating in the priestly office." (Spence, p. 116.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.128
The legendary Christ of America performed miracles and taught Christian doctrines. Rosales' History of Chile declares "A wonder man had come to that country * * * who performed many miracles, cured the sick with water, kindled fire at a breath, caused it to rain and their crops and grain to grow, healing at once the sick, giving sight to the blind." (Kingsborough, 6:419; Roberts 3:25.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.128
"It is said that when barren women prayed and made sacrifices to Quetzalcohuatl, children were given them. He was god of the winds, and the power of causing them to blow was attributed to him as well as the power of calming them. * * * The soil grew the richest harvest without cultivation." (Bancroft, 3:259-260, 274.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.128 - p.129
"In contemplating the religious system of the Aztecs one is struck with its apparent incongruity, as if some portion of it had emanated from a comparatively refined people, open to gentle influences, while the rest breathes a spirit of unmitigated ferocity. It naturally suggests the idea of two distinct sources and authorizes the belief that the Aztecs had inherited from their predecessors a milder faith on which was afterwards engrafted their own mythology. The latter soon became dominant and gave its dark coloring to the creeds of the conquered nations--which the Mexicans, like the Romans, seem willing to have incorporated into their own, until the same funereal superstitutions settled over the farthest borders of Anahuac." (Prescott, Mexico, 1:47.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.129
"Quetzalcohuatl would have nothing to do with wars, even covering his ears when the subject was mentioned. His was a veritable golden age, as in the time of Saturn, animals and even men lived in peace." (Bancroft, 3:274; Roberts 3:35.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.129
Gann and Thompson also say that the Mayas fasted preceding important ceremonies. (pp. 143, 144.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.129
"We thus arrive, still in primitive conditions, to such personal ideals as Quetzalcoatl among the Aztecs of whom it was said in their legends that he was of majestic presence, chaste in life, averse to war, wise and generous in actions, and delighting in the cultivation of the arts of peace; or, as we see among the Peruvians, in their culture hero Tonapa, of whose teachings a Catholic writer of the sixteenth century says, 'So closely did they resemble the precepts of Jesus, that nothing was lacking in them but His Name and that of His Father.'" (D. G. Brinton, Religions of Primitive Peoples, p. 251.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.129
"The doctrines of the benign and saintly Quetzalcoatl or Cukulcan must be classed among the great faiths of mankind, and their author alone of all the great teachers of morals except Christ himself, inculcating a positive morality, must be granted a precedence of most of the great teachers of Chinese and Hindoo antiquity." (Short, p. 515.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.129 - p.130
"In addition to this sign of a belief in Christ, a ceremony suggestive of analogy to the sacrament of the communion was witnessed with astonishment by the invaders (Cortez). Aztec priests were seen to prepare a cake of flour, mixed with blood, which they consecrated and gave to the people, who, as they ate, 'showed signs of humiliation and sorrow, declaring it was flesh of Deity." (Prescott, 3:314.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.130
"Quetzalcohuatl took leave of his companions, and sent them back to their city instructing them to tell their fellow citizens that a day should come in which the white men would land upon their coasts, by way of the sea in which the sun rises; brethren of his and having beards like his; and that they should rule the land." (Bancroft, 3:25.)
4. The Crucifixion of Christ and Future Life.
The great white God in American tradition is frequently mentioned as having been crucified. Crucifixion was in fact practiced in ancient America. "It is worth noting that we find in its records reference to the old Hebrew custom of putting prisoners of war or criminals to death by crucifixion. Death by crucifixion was a Jewish form of execution long before the Roman Empire came into existence. Sculptures representing crucified victims were found among the ruins of the most ancient temples in Tropical America and Assyria. * * * Moses found it necessary to lay down special laws with regard to the manner in which the dead bodies of the crucified should be treated (Deut. 21:22, 23)." (Lee, pp. 164-165.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.130
"The Mayas collected the remains of their dead in places specially set apart for this purpose. Over this place the skulls of those recently sacrificed were stuck on the tops of poles.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.130 - p.131
"Let us note this name Tzompanco, 'a place of skulls.' There was invariably a Tzompanco attached to all the most important places of sacrifice: the sight of which was meant to add an extra pang to the horrors of approaching death; for the living victims could not help seeing there the ghastly remains of those who had just been butchered.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.131
"In connection with this, we cannot help being reminded that of the surroundings of the place where the greatest Human Sacrifice of all was offered up, the only one mentioned by each of the four Evangelists is: 'The Place of Skulls.'" (Lee, pp. 172, 173.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.131
"In most American stories where we hear of the first of men emerging from the underworld, it is by climbing a tree. The tree also supports the sky, and is so represented in the native books of the Mayas and Nahuas. The Yurucares of Bolivia relate that their god Tiri, when he would people the earth with men, cleft a tree, and from the opening came forth the various tribes of the world. When the tree was not worshiped as itself, but under a symbolic form, this was usually as the sacred pole or cross. The sacred pole was found widely among the American Indians. It was planted in the center of their villages, or, if the tribe was nomadic it was carried about in an ark or wrapping and set up in a tent by itself in their encampment. It typified the communal life of the tribe and represented the 'mystery tree' which was intimately associated in their legendary origin. In early art the cross as a sacred design is often derived from the conventionalized figure of a tree, and symbolizes the force of life, the four winds, the rain and the waters. This is notably the case in Mexico and Central America where we have abundant testimony that this is the origin and meaning of the cross symbol so frequent in their monuments." (Brinton, Religions of Primitive People, pp. 151-152.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.131 - p.132
"The present age--or 'sun' of the world, as the Aztecs conceived it--endured by reason of the continual expiation, self-maceration of human hearts, offered to gods who had made of themselves the first great sacrifice. The fullest version of this remarkable myth is in the anonymous 'Historia de los Mexicanos por sus Pinturas,' though it is to be found also in the 'Anales de Cuauahitlan,' fragmentarily. The idea underlying the myth is apparently related to the notion of Anazimander that individual life (even of Gods) is in some sense an arrogance and injustice to be atoned for, and a great part of the ceremonial of Mexican religion was devoted to acts of atonement. How completely the idea dominated the Mexican mind is most impressively shown by the prayers recorded by Sahagun, for the whole sixth book of the Historia is virtually an elaborate ritual of penitence--not so much for individual sins as for the presumptuousness of living." (Hastings Ency. of Religion and Ethics, art. Sin, (American, Origin of) 11:531.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.132
"In the fourth page of the Borgian Ms. he (Quetzalcoatl) seems to be crucified between two persons who are in the act of reviling him. (Kingsborough, 6:166.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.132
"Very often * * * the Incans are referred to as sun worshipers. But strictly speaking this is incorrect. The Incans never worshiped the sun itself, but regarded the planet merely as the visual manifestation of the Sun-god Inti; a living deity who, when he so desired, could descend to earth and mingle with human beings. It was believed too that he could suffer and die, as at the time of eclipses, but that he was always reborn; and that his divine wife was Mama Quilla, whose visible manifestation was the moon. But over and above these two, the Incans believed there was a supreme being or creator, a god who was known as Kamak or Kapah or 'The Condor of the Heaven' or 'Condor-god' and who was of pre-Incan origin." (Verrill, p. 147.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.133
The Book of Mormon declares that at the time of the crucifixion there were earthquakes and catastrophic changes in America. Traditionally, this is verified. "The sun and moon were eclipsed, the earth shook, and the rocks were rent asunder, and many other things and signs happened, though there was no loss of life. This was in the year Ce Calli, which, the chronology being reduced to our system, proves to be the same date when Christ our Lord suffered, 33 A. D." (Bancroft, 5:210.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.133
Rivero and Tschudi quote Montesinos a Peruvian historian: "During his reign (32 or 33 A. D.) they experienced earthquakes that lasted several months." (Tschudi, p. 59-60.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.133
Brasseur de Bourbourg speaks of physical cataclysms which, according to the native traditions, took place in that part of America (Peru). "This tradition affirms that a part of the continent extending into the Atlantic was destroyed in the manner supposed (submerged), and appears to indicate that the destruction was accomplished by a succession of frightful convulsions. * * * 'The land was shaken by frightful earthquakes, and the waves of the sea combined with volcanic fires to overwhelm and engulf it.' * * * Most of the inhabitants were destroyed." (Baldwin, p. 176.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.133 - p.134
Nadaillac refers to traditions collected by Brasseur de Bourbourg: "There were in these regions, at that remote date, convulsions of nature, deluges, terrible inundations, followed by the upheaval of mountains, accompanied by volcanic eruptions. These traditions, traces of which are also met with in Mexico, Central America, Peru and Bolivia, point to the conclusion that man existed in these various countries at the time of the upheaval of the Cordilleras, and that the memory of that upheaval has been preserved." (Nadaillac, pp. 16, 17.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.134
That the spirit of man would live after death was a well-established and well-nigh universal belief. Gann and Thompson found that the Mayas believe in an existence after this life. (p. 129).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.134
"The Peruvians believed in the existence of man after death, and the resurrection of the body. They had a conception of a 'heaven' for the good, and another place for the wicked, which they located in the center of the earth, as the Hebrews did their Sheol. They also believed in the existence of an evil spirit, Cupay, and they believed that life after this was very much like the present, wherefore they buried with their loved ones their utensils and treasures, and, like the Egyptians, they preserved the bodies of their kings and princes." (Sjodahl, pp. 317-318.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.134
Here is an Indian funeral sermon: "You are about to go to that land where our forefathers have gone. You have finished your journey here before us. We shall follow you and rejoin the happy groups which you will meet." (Schoolcraft, 2:68.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.134
Among the Indians "the idea of immortality is strongly dwelt upon. It is not spoken of as a supposition or a mere belief, not fixed. It is regarded as an actuality, as something known and approved by the judgment of the nation. During the whole period of my residence and travels in Indian country, I never knew and never heard of an Indian who did not believe in it, and in the reappearance of the body in a future state." (Schoolcraft, 2:68.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.134
"The American peoples are at one in their belief in a Paradise, a place of joy, if not of reward." (Lewis Spence, Popol Vuh, p. 48.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.134 - p.135
"The hero-gods in the myth (Popol Vuh) voluntarily succumb to the power of the Lords of Death, and after being burned their bones are ground in a mill and thrown into the waters. The belief was almost universal in America that the soul resided in the bones. The bones were the basis of the man. Flesh would readily perish, but would return to clothe this more lasting foundation. So in many tribes the bones of the dead were carefully preserved." (Lewis Spence, Popol Vuh, p. 49.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.135
"The Alaskan and Peruvian mummies, like those of ancient Egypt, were artificially prepared and swathed in numerous cerecloths. In all, the same faith in the literal resurrection of the flesh was the prevailing motive. More generally, the belief was held that the soul remained attached in some way to the bones." (D.G. Brinton, Religions of Primitive Peoples, p. 211.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.135
"The Cascikas of Peru * * * believed to rise again in another world, and therefore they would not then be to seek for such furniture and service (vessels of gold and silver and pages or servants). So then when the Spaniards came to break up those sepulchres for the gold and plate that was in them, the Indians besought them that they would not scatter the bones, because (said they) their bones being together, they shall more easily, and with less pain, rise again." (Zarate, p. 43.)
Claim Six:
The Contents of the Book Are Inspired.
The Book of Mormon is written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation (Title page). "These plates--contain--prophesying and revelations." (Words of Mormon, 6.)
1. General.
The Book of Mormon deals not only with the political but the spiritual history of the ancient inhabitants of America. It presents a set of spiritual principles for the guidance of human lives, constituting a firmly organized theological system, which answers the great theological controversies and sets forth the Christian religion in a simple, clear, comprehensive manner. The religion taught by the Book is simply pure Christianity.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.137
Joseph Smith's educational preparation was quite insufficient to produce the doctrines contained in the Book of Mormon. He was brought up a Christian, and the so-called Christian doctrines of his day were taught him in his childhood, but he had no theological training beyond that afforded in the family circle or by the rural preacher. Nor did he enjoy special educational opportunities beyond a few childhood years in a frontier school. It is doubtful if he attended school after his fourteenth year. His larger education was obtained after the translation of the Book of Mormon.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.138
Collusion with well-trained theologians, were that theory tenable, would not suffice to explain the wealth of spiritual truth contained in the Book of Mormon. Inspiration from the source of truth is the simplest explanation. "Doctrines of singular beauty and profound philosophical value penetrate every division of the Book of Mormon. The best known statement in the Book, 'Adam fell that man might be, and man is that he might have joy,' is of such vast import that it forms, as it were, the safe foundation for a new philosophy of human life, in which purpose is foremost and joy the end in man's existence." (John A. Widtsoe, The Book of Mormon, p. 4.)
2. Settlement of Theological Controversies.
Alexander Campbell, learned divine and famous preacher, avowed opponent to "Mormonism," urged as a main objection against the Book of Mormon that modern theological controversies were known among the Nephites. Since, however, all modern theological controversies are as old as the hills, the appearance of them at any time is not unexpected, and this appearance becomes a witness of the truth of the Book in view of the limited training, experience and outlook of the translator.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.138
Mr. Campbell lists the controversial points on which the Book of Mormon passes decision. An unlearned boy would hardly know these subjects, much less be able to deal with them intelligently. Here is the list of Campbell's subjects:
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.138 - p.139
a. Infant baptism. b. Ordination. c. The Trinity. d. Regeneration. e. Repentance. f. Justification. g. The fall of man. h. The atonement. i. Transubstantiation. j. Fasting. k. Penance. l. Church government. m. Religious experience. n. The call to the ministry. o. General resurrection. p. Eternal punishment. q. Who may baptize. r. Freemasonry. s. Republican government. t. The rights of man.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.139
Many of the solutions of these controversies offered by the Book of Mormon have been adopted during the last century by most of the controversialists, without of course mentioning the Book of Mormon. This may be verified by an examination of the present creeds of the churches as compared with the creeds one hundred years ago.
3. One Definite Message.
It is notable that throughout the Book of Mormon there is but one message, and that of deep import. The Book does not present a multiplicity of unrelated thoughts, as might occupy an untutored and wandering mind. The variety of experiences among the American aborigines is recorded, but the narrative is held together by the acceptance or rejection by these peoples of the Lord's plan of salvation. "Had the Book of Mormon dealt with light or trivial things --things unworthy of God to reveal--mankind would require no further evidence that its claims to a divine origin were baseless; and conversely, if the book reveals a mass of knowledge--worthy of God to reveal and important for man to know --then it is evidence of considerable weight that the Book is of God." (Roberts, 3:323.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.139 - p.140
From beginning to end the Book teaches the doctrine of one God, the Saviorship of the Son of God and a plan of salvation here and hereafter for the human race. "Like the Bible the Book of Mormon makes God and immortality subjects of faith; and it makes public and private righteousness matters of practice. It identifies God with the principles of morality, and goes farther by identifying God with the story of human progress and life in which mankind is redeemed from evil. It teaches the deeper consciousness between the Almighty and the individual soul, and attempts to unfold the divine purpose in the rise, fall and progress of nations.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.140
"Likeness to God is its (Book of Mormon's) supreme aim, and the highest duty of man. 'Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father in heaven is perfect.' (3 Nephi 12:48)" (Levi Edgar Young in Sjodahl, p. viii.)
4. Doctrinal Harmony.
The Book of Mormon is largely a record of the political history of the peoples of ancient America, yet it deals frequently with matters of doctrine. The Book was written from the dictation of the Prophet, and as dictated it stands today. There were no additions or corrections. This manner of composition would lead to the expectation that if the Book were man-made, there would be contradictions here and there throughout its 522 pages. Such lack of harmony is not observable. Throughout its whole extent the Book teaches the same body of doctrine, even in details. This is in itself another evidence for the truth of the Book: The following examples will illustrate this consistency of passages far removed from one another in the text. So far, no case of contradictory statements has been found.
Tolerance and Equality: "It was strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should bring men on to unequal grounds." (Alma 30:7-9.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.140
"He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me." (3 Nephi 11:29.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.140
"And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward together in unity and in love one towards another." (Mosiah 18:21.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.140 - p.141
"And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men." (Mosiah 27:3.)
Charity: "All men should have charity, which charity is love." (2 Nephi 26:30.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141
"And see that ye have faith, hope and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works." (Alma 7:24.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141
"I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me--the fountain of all righteousness." (Ether 12:28.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141
"Cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all." (Moroni 7:46.)
Faith: "And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." (2 Nephi 9:23.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141
"Even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal." (Helaman 8:15.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141
"Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." (Alma 32:21.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141
"And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they became sons of God." (Moroni 7:26.)
Baptism: "And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son." (2 Nephi 31:11-12.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141
"The gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water." (2 Nephi 31:17.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141
"For they did preach the word of God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would hearken unto their words." (Alma 48:19.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.141 - p.142
"And whosoever believeth in me and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God." (3 Nephi 11:33.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.142
"Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name." (Ether 4:18.)
God: "But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words." (1 Nephi 9:6.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.142
"For behold I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith." (2 Nephi 27:23.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.142
"My joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name." (Alma 26:35.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.142
"Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh." (Ether 3:15-16.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.142
"But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." (2 Nephi 2:24.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.142
"God * * * knows all thy thoughts, and thou seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit." (Alma 12:3.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.142
"For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." (Moroni 8:18.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.143
"I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round." (Alma 7:20.)
Faith and Works: "For the day should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of probation." (1 Nephi 15:32-33.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.143
"For out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written." (2 Nephi 29:11.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.143
"Ye must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil." (Mormon 3:20.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.143
"Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works * * * that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life." (Mosiah 5:15.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.143
"May the peace of God rest upon you * * * according to your faith and good works." (Alma 7:27.)
Free Agency: "Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself." (2 Nephi 2:16.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.143
"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great mediation of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil." (2 Nephi 2:27.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.143 - p.144
"He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death." (Helaman 14:31.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.144
"Ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free." (Helaman 14:30.)
5. B.H. Roberts' Summary of Book of Mormon Doctrine.
1. The intelligent "Ego" in man, which we have called an "Intelligence," meaning, however, not a quality but the "Ego" itself, is an eternal entity: uncreate and uncreatable--an essential, a necessary, a self-existent being. (Nephi 10:19; Alma 42:9; Mosiah 2:28; 2 Nephi 2:4; Alma 13:7.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.144
2. These "intelligences" are begotten of God, spirits; so that men are the sons of God by actual relationship. (3 Nephi 9:15-17; Ether 3:14; Moroni 7:48; Mosiah 27:25.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.144
3. There came a time in the course of the existence of these spiritual personages when an earth-existence, a union of the spiritual personage with a body of flesh and bones, became necessary for his further development, for his enlargement; an existence where good and evil were in actual conflict, where the mighty lesson which such conditions have to teach could be learned. (Alma 29:4; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2:23; Alma 42; Ether 3:16.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.144
4. There are eternal opposites in existence, good and evil, etc. Evil is an eternal existence, the necessary co-relative of the good, uncreate and may not be referred to God for its origin. (2 Nephi 2:11-16; Moroni 7:6, 10, 14; 2 Nephi 15:20.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.144 - p.145
5. The spirits of men came to earth primarily to obtain bodies through which their spirits may act through all eternity; secondly, to obtain such experiences as this earth-life has to give; making proof of their worthiness for that exceeding great and eternal weight of glory which God has designed for those who overcome and in all things prove faithful. (2 Nephi 2; Alma 11:45; 3 Nephi 27:16-19; Mosiah 2:41.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.145
6. To lead the way in this great work, one sufficiently developed for such a task--Adam-- is appointed to come to earth to open the series of dispensations designed of God for man in his earth-probation. (Nephi 2:25; 21; 23; Helaman 14:16; 2 Nephi 15:20.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.145
7. Evil was introduced into this world through the transgression of Adam, and man falls under the censure of eternal and inexorable justice. (Alma 42:7-14; Mor. 9:12; Alma 12:31; 2 Nephi 2:22; 15; 16.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.145
8. Through the atonement of Christ, however, man is freed from the effects of Adam's transgression. The resurrection redeems him from the temporal death--the separation of the spirit and body, and he is brought back into the presence of God. (Jac. 4:11-12; Ether 3; Alma 11:43-45; 34:9; 40:1-3; 42:6, 23; Moroni 8:8; 2 Nephi 9: 22.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.145
9. Through the atonement of Christ mercy also has been brought into the world's moral economy; and, as well as justice, operates upon man. God's righteous law has been given to men. Man is a free moral agent and may choose to obey law, or may choose to follow after wickedness. If he choose the latter, he falls under the justice of the law. (2 Nephi 2:21; Alma 42:13-28.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.145
10. Through the Atonement the privilege of repentance is granted, and mercy claims the truly penitent, rescuing him from the otherwise inexorable claims of the law, and setting him in the way of salvation through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. (Alma 42:4; 2 Nephi 2:21; Alma 9:28; 42:23-29; 12:32-35; Mosiah 3:18; 3:12.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.146
Was the unaided native intelligence of Joseph Smith, or his associates, equal to the task of formulating the principles of moral philosophy and theology that are found in that book and discussed in this chapter?
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.146
Was the intelligence or learning of Solomon Spaulding, or any other person to whom the origin of the book is ascribed, equal to such a task?
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.146
The Book of Mormon sounds depths on these subjects not only beyond the intelligence and learning of this small group of men referred to, but beyond the intelligence and learning of the age itself in which it came forth.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.146
Therefore it is useless to ascribe the knowledge it imparts on these subjects to human intelligence or learning at all. (Roberts 3:227-230.)
6. Elaboration of Bible Doctrines.
Many important doctrines, which are not set forth plainly by the Bible, probably because of the centuries of human handling to which it has been subjected, are explained and made clear by the Book of Mormon.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.146
As examples of many are the following:
J. M. Sjodahl's Summary
The Father: In the Book of Mormon God is revealed as the Eternal Father, the Creator, Omnipotent, Infinite in perfection, in wisdom, goodness, in love and mercy, as well as justice. He reigns supreme and he proclaims his Son to the children of men: "Behold my beloved Son, in whom I have glorified my name--hear ye him."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.146
(Ref.: 1 Ne. 11:21; 13:40; Mos. 15:4; 1 Ne. 17:36; 2 Ne. 2:14; Jac. 4:9; 1 Ne. 1:14; Mos. 3:5; 3 Ne. 12:48; 2 Ne. 1:10; 2 Ne. 1:15; 4:21; 26:24; Mos. 4:11; Jac. 3:2; Mos. 13:14; 1 Ne. 16:35; 2 Ne. 9:17, 26, 46; Mos. 3:38; 1 Ne. 22:26; Mos. 3:5; 12:21; 3 Ne. 11:3-7.)
God: God, in the Book of Mormon, is revealed as a sovereign, but who rules as a wise, good, loving and just Father in the midst of his family; not as an Eastern despot in the midst of slaves and sycophants. He is the Supreme Ruler of beings to whom he has given free agency, and he rules under the celestial law of Common Consent. In his sovereignty he controls even that which seems accidental. Even seemingly trifling means and sometimes the wicked serve, unknown to themselves, his purposes. He forgives the repentant sinner. He hears and answers prayer, and he takes care of those who put their trust in him as loving, obedient children. (References: 1 Ne. 16:20; Alma 19:36; 26:37; 29:8; Jac. 7:22; Alma 33:4-6; Mos. 27:14; 3 Ne. 17:15-21.)
The Son: The Book of Mormon is a mighty witness for the divine character and mission of our Lord.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.147
This record states expressly that he is God: 'There is a God, and he is Christ!' He is 'the Eternal God,' and 'God Omnipotent.' He who died for us is the 'Creator,' the 'Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things.' He is 'the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things.' He is 'the Father,' the 'Eternal Father,' the 'Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.' He is so intimately associated with God, the Father, that, in his relation to the children of man, he is both the Father and the Son. He stands in God's stead. God has delegated to him all power in heaven and on earth, and he is one member of the great, divine, presiding and governing Council of Three, the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, to whose communion baptism in his name and by his authority admits the redeemed child of God. He is, furthermore, 'without beginning of days or end of years.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.147 - p.148
(References: 2 Ne. 11:7; 26:12; Mos. 5:15; 2 Ne. 9:5; Hel. 14:12; Mos. 7:27; Alma 11:38, 39; 3 Ne. 11:27; Mos. 15:2; Ether 3:14; Alma 13:9.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.148
But although he is, in this sense, God, the Father, God, clothed in majesty and power and glory, he is also the Son of God; he is the 'Beloved Son,' in whom the Father has glorified his name; he is the 'Only Begotten Son,' and also the 'Redeemer' and the 'Lamb of God,' and the only 'Savior' of mankind.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.148
(References: 1 Ne. 10:17; 11:17; Alma 13: 16; Hel. 3:28; 3 Ne. 9:15; 3 Ne. 11:7; Jacob 4:5, 11; Alma 12:33, 34; Hel. 5:12; Alma 34:7, 14; Mos. 16:13; Alma 38:9; Mor. 3:3; Mos. 15:1-4; Ether 3:14.)
The Miraculous Birth of Christ is clearly stated in this record. He was born of a virgin, conceived 'by the power of the Holy Ghost.'
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.148
(Ref.: 1 Ne. 11:14-23; Alma 7:9, 10.)
The Holy Ghost: Nephi sees the Holy Ghost coming down out of heaven at the baptism of our Lord. He represents him as the exalted Person who confers divine authority on the servants of God; who sanctifies those that, through faith and repentance, enter the High Priesthood; who imparts knowledge, faith, the gift to speak, power to ordain to the priesthood, and 'many' other gifts of God enumerated in Moroni 10:9-19.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.148
(References: 1 Ne. 11:27; 2 Ne. 31:8; 1 Ne. 10:22; Alma 13:12; Ether 12:33; 3 Ne. 16:4; Jac. 7:12; Mor. 19:7; 2 Ne. 26:13; 2 Ne. 32:3; 33:1; Moro. 3:4; 10:8-19.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.148
It is the Holy Ghost that 'bears record,' or testifies of the Father and of the Son. He manifests or expounds the word of God. It is, therefore, a great sin to deny him, or to contend against him.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.148
(References: Ether 11:36; 1 Ne. 10:11; Moro. 8:9; 2 Ne. 28:4; Alma 34:38; 39:5, 6.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.149
The three are one, but not one individual person. They are three persons, in one great divine council.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.149
(References: 3 Ne. 11:27, 36; 28:10; Alma 11:44; Mormon 7:7.)
The Holy Spirit: But according to the Book of Mormon, as well as other Scripture, there is also a Holy Spirit, sometimes called the Holy Ghost, which is not a person, but rather a divine essence, a force, or fluid--for want of a better term--which permeates all that exists. It is the medium through which God communicates with the world, and more especially with his children. It is through the presence of this holy, divine spirit that order is preserved in the universe. Were this mighty force withdrawn, the world would return to chaos. * * * It is that Spirit, in whom 'we live, and move and have our being.' It is through his Spirit that Christ gives light to all and all things. It 'proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space; it is the light which is in all things; which giveth life to all things; which is the law by which all things are governed; even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.' (D. & C. 88:4-13.) It is through this Spirit that God 'is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things.' (D. & C. 88:41.) It is this Spirit that is imparted to the repentant believer who receives baptism and the laying on of hands by an authorized servant of the Lord. And it is through this Spirit that the spiritual gifts are distributed.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.149
(References: 1 Ne. 3:20; 13:12; Alma 5: 47; Hel. 5:45; Moro. 10:8, 9; 3 Ne. 19:9-23.)
Origin of Man: In the Book of Mormon, as in the other inspired scriptures, the two-fold nature of man--body and spirit--is clearly recognized. The spirit 'possesses' the body. At death there is a separation between the two, and at the time of resurrection they are again united. These two, the spirit and the body united, is Man, and man thus constituted is of divine origin.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.150
(References: 2 Ne. 9:6; 9:22; Alma 11:41-45; 2 Ne. 26:4, 5; Moroni 7:41.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.150
Adam, the progenitor of the race, is the son of God. He was the first man. And he obtained existence on this earth, in a body, by a special act of creation. And not only that, but he was created in the image of God; that is to say, the man was created after the body of the spirit of Jesus Christ. (Ether 3:14-17.) His spiritual body was the pattern for our mortal bodies.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.150
(References: Alma 34:34; 18:34, 36; 22: 10; Mos. 7:27; 1 Ne. 17:36; 2 Ne. 2:12, 15; 29:7; Mos. 2:20; Mor. 3:20; 9:12; Ether 1:3.)
Man a Free Agent: According to the Book of Mormon, man is a free agent. He is capable of discerning between good and evil, light and darkness, sin and righteousness, and to choose one thing and reject another.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.150
(References: 2 Ne. 2:27-29; 17:15; Hela. 14:30.)
The Fall: "According to the Book of Mormon, the fall was a necessary part of the great plan. Adam and Eve were in the beginning eternal beings, and were not under the ban of mortal death. Subject to death they must become, however, if their posterity should inherit corruptible bodies. The fall, then, was a deliberate use of law, by which act Adam and Eve became mortal, and could beget mortal children." (Widtsoe, Rational Theology, p. 47.) Adam fell that man might be." (2 Ne. 2:25.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.150 - p.151
A plan of salvation, as has just been stated, had already been prepared. On this subject the Book of Mormon is exceedingly clear. But for the atonement all mankind would perish. The atonement was effected through the sufferings and death of the Son of God. He took upon himself the transgressions of his people, and atoned for the sins of the world. His atonement is especially for those "who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned." That includes all who have died outside the light of revelation. The atonement satisfied the demands of justice. Mercy comes because of the atonement, and it brings about the resurrection and makes it possible for the children of Adam to return to the presence of' God.
The Atonement: The modern spirit of so-called enlightenment is entirely out of sympathy with the Christian doctrine of atonement. It has placed man on a pedestal of independence, where he seems to have no need of the divine plan of salvation. But the fact remains: Outside this plan the world is "dead." Through Christ alone can men regain "paradise lost."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.151
(References: Mos. 4:7; 13:28; Alma 34:9; 33:22; 34:8; 36:17; Mos. 3:11; 2 Ne. 9:26; 25:16; Alma 42:23.)
The Church of God: The church was and it still is a tangible organization, and members covenant with God, in their baptism, that they will serve him and keep his commandments.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.151
(Reference: Mos. 18:1-17.)
Officers: As an organization the church had officials whose mission it was to watch over the members as shepherds. These were to be "men of God." Alma says: "Trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments." Alma, the founder of the Church, was its High Priest. By the authority of the Lord he appointed priests and teachers and consecrated them, and none received authority to officiate in these callings except through him. The calling of a priest was to preach and teach the people concerning the kingdom of God, and in the church founded by Alma there was one priest to every fifty members. The order of the High Priesthood is "after the order of the Son of God," without beginning and without end. Those who held it were to labor with their own hands for their support.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.152
In addition to the High Priest and priests there were elders and teachers.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.152
(References: Mos. 18:18, 24; 23:14-16, 17, 18; Alma 4:18; 5:3; 8:23; 13:2-9; 10:19; Alma 1:7; 4:11-20.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.152
In his vision, Nephi saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, that were to be appointed in due time. When our Savior came to his people in the land Bountiful he called twelve disciples and endowed them with authority to teach and to baptize.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.152
(References: 1 Ne. 11:35, 36; 12:7-10; 14: 20, 24, 25, 27; 3 Ne. 12:1; 13:25; 15:11; 19:4-36; 20:1-6; 26:17-21.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.152
In addition to the disciples, who also were called elders, there were priests and teachers. These were ordained by the Twelve by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.152
(Reference: Moro. 3:1-4; 6:1.)
The Churches: According to the Book of Mormon, there are two, and only two, churches, the church of the Lamb of God, and the church of the devil. * * * These two kingdoms are both upon the earth among the children of men. Each has its own form of government, diametrically contrary to that of the other. The government of the kingdom of God is founded on the celestial principles of righteousness, common consent and equality. The government of the adversary is founded on principles of iniquity, compulsion and despotism. These two kinds of government originated in the spiritual world before the foundations of the earth were laid; they came to the earth with the conflict between the Son of God and Lucifer. They are the only two kinds of government that exist, or can exist.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.153
(References: Kingdom of God: 1 Ne. 14: 10; Alma 5:50; 7:9; 3 Ne. 3:10, 20; Jac. 1:6; Alma 34:36; Kingdom of the Devil: 1 Ne. 14:3; 22:22; Alma 5:25, 39; Ether 8:24, 25.)
Baptism: Faith and repentance are the first necessary conditions of baptism; without these the ceremony would be null and void. Repentance and baptism are the "gate" to the straight and narrow path. By baptism the believer takes upon him the name of Christ and makes a covenant that he will keep his commandments and serve him. Baptism must be performed by divine authority and in the name of Jesus Christ. The manner in which baptism is to be performed is expressly stated by our Savior: "Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them. And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying: Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in water, and come forth again out of the water."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.153
This decides forever the question of the mode of baptism. There is only one mode-- immersion, by one having the authority from God; no other form is Christian baptism.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.153 - p.154
It follows from this that baptism of infants is not part of the ordinance instituted by Christ. Little children are "Without the law"; they are "alive in Christ" through the power of his redemption, and they cannot repent; to baptize them is, therefore, "mockery."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.154
(References: Mos. 18:7-17; Alma 8:3-6; Hel. 5:17-19; 3 Ne. 19:10-13; 1 Ne. 10:9, 10; 2 Ne. 31:5; 9:22-24; 31:13, 14, 17, 18; Moro. 8:25, 26; 6:3, 4; 3 Ne. 1:23; 11:22-28; Moro. 8:8-26.)
Baptism of Fire and of the Holy Ghost
Intimately connected with baptism in water is baptism in that sacred "fire," which gives spiritual power and light, and which is called the Holy Ghost, or, if the other term is preferred, the Holy Spirit. It is the promise of the Son to whomsoever is baptized in his name, after true repentance, that the Father will give to him the Holy Ghost, as it was given to the Son. It is through this Spirit that the Father bears record, or testifies, of his beloved Son; and, on the other hand, the Holy Ghost, by the same Spirit, bears record of the Father and the Son. The promise of the Lord is that after the believer has been baptized in water, he himself will administer the baptism with "fire and with the Holy Ghost." But the means by which he imparts his Spirit, with all the power and authority that it implies, is the laying on of hands, for so he instructed his disciples at the time of his first appearance. (Moro. 2:2.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.154
(References: 2 Ne. 31:8, 12, 13; 3 Ne. 11:35, 36; 12:1, 19:11-14; 26:17, 18; 3 Ne. 18:37; Moro. 2:1-3; 3:1-4.)
The Sacrament: The Sacrament was instituted by our Lord himself during his appearance in the land of Bountiful, for the spiritual benefit of those who believe in him and had been baptized in his name in this part of the world. The broken bread in this ordinance was to be eaten in remembrance of the body of Jesus, as a testimony to the Father that his Son is remembered. The cup was, similarly, partaken of in remembrance of the blood of our Savior, which was shed for us, and a testimony to the Father that we are willing to keep the commandments which the Father has commissioned his Son to give us. * * * The Church made it a point to meet often to partake of the bread and wine in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.155
(References: 3 Ne. 18:5-12, 14; 20:1-9; 26:13; 3 Ne. 18:28; Mormon 9:29; Moroni 6:6.)
Universality of the Church. Nephi saw the Saints "scattered upon all the face of the earth," "armed with righteousness and the power of God."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.155
(References: 1 Ne. 14:14; 2 Ne. 30:8-18.)
Prayer. Prayer is one of the great institutions of the Church of Christ, as is clear from Acts 2:42, where we read that the converts "continued steadfastly" in prayers, as well as in the breaking of bread. The same is said of the church on the American continent (Moro. 6:5). In the Book of Mormon we haste many remarkable instances of prayer and answers to prayer.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.155 - p.156
Lehi prayed and in answer to his supplications he had a glorious vision of the Almighty and was commanded in a dream to depart from Jerusalem. And thus began the journey that was the beginning of a new era in American history, in prayer. (1 Ne. 1:6; 2:1-3; 8:8, 9; 2 Ne. 4:3-12.) Nephi cried unto the Lord, when his brothers Laman and Lernuel were rebellious and the Lord answered him and gave him instructions and promises. (1 Ne. 2:16-24; 7:17-20.) He prayed when the storms raged and his brothers sought his life. See his prayer after the death of his father Lehi. (1 Ne. 18:21-23; 2 Ne. 4:20-35.) God heard the prayers of the faithful. (2 Ne. 6:11; 26:15; 33:4; Alma 10:22, 23.) The prayer of Jacob is answered (Jacob 7:20-23) as is Enos's (Enos 11, 12), Alma (Mos. 23:10; 27:14; Alma 5:46; 8:10.) God hears and answers prayer on the day of conflict. (Mos. 9:16-19; Alma 2:28; 58:10.) The spirit of prophecy and revelation is manifested through prayer. (Alma 17:3; 26:22.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.156
The followers of our Lord are instructed to pray in their public meetings of worship as well as in private. (Alma 6:6; 28:6; 30:2; 31:10; 45:1; Hel. 3:55; 3 Ne. 27:1; Moro. 6:5.) The injunction is to "pray always." (Alma 34:17-27.) The people of God are warned not to use stereo-typed prayers; they must let the Spirit of the Lord dictate their petitions. The Zoramites are held up as a warning. (Alma 31:12-18; 38:13.) Our Lord taught the people to whom he appeared in Bountiful the same prayer which he had given his disciples in Palestine as a pattern. (3 Ne. 13:9-13.) Jesus himself prayed, humbly bowing himself down to the earth, although, or perhaps just because, his disciples had in their prayers acknowledged him to be their Lord and God. (3 Ne. 19:18-36.) Our prayers in order to be acceptable must be offered up in the name of Jesus; that is to say, what we desire we must ask for by his authority and because of his merit, as our Father, the head of the human family, in all that pertains to salvation. (3 Ne. 19:6, 7; Moro. 7:26.) The followers of our Lord need hardly be reminded that it is their privilege and natural duty to render thanks to the Lord for all his mercies and blessings whenever they pray. (Alma 19:14; 26:37; Hel. 13:22; 3 Ne. 10:10; Moro. 7:6-10.) (Sjodahl, pp. 503-40.)
7. William A. Hyde's Summary of Book of Mormon Doctrines.
The following summary of the doctrinal content of the Book of Mormon shows well the spirit of the Book and its constant clinging to one definite message.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.156 - p.157
That liberty rests in the decrees of God (Hela. 14:30; 2 Ne. 2:16-26) and that man may choose and have what he wills, (2 Ne. 10:23); that liberty is inherent in the Western Hemisphere by reason of God's decree (2 Ne. 1:6-8; Alma 46:17); that liberty is not compatible with earthly monarchies (2 Ne. 5:18; Mos. 23:13; Mos. 29); that democracy is advocated and that, operating under this law of choice, was held perhaps the first election of sacred history (Mos. 29:39). There is given an example of constitutional law (Alma 30:7) and the principle is established, that all men have the right to worship God as their consciences dictate, (Alma 1:17). The results of the failure of democracy is shown, (Alma 10:19); and most important, it is announced that the spirit of freedom is akin to the Spirit of God (Alma 61:15).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.157
It is declared that Justice is the operation of a righteous and unfailing law, and that though free, man will be subject to the operations of that law "at the great and last day," (2 Nephi 2:26). That the sinful and unrepentant man must have his just condemnation (2 Nephi 9:46-47), and the application of the law is general (2 Nephi 30:2; Jacob 3:8) and without favoritism, but that to the uninformed there is no law but the law of mercy, (2 Nephi 9:25; Mos. 3:11). That according to a man's deserts shall his reward or condemnation be, (Alma 12:10; 32:20; Mos. 2:41). That the redemption of God does not apply to the sins of the unrepentant, (Alma 12:18), but that it is the prerogative of God that Mercy may satisfy the demands of Justice, (Alma 34:16).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.157 - p.158
It is taught that God's concern for man is far reaching and envelopes every land and clime (Alma 26:37; 37:18-19), that the grace and mercy of God are rounded in power, and that they are the result of the condescension of God (Jacob 4:7), and come from the Father because of the Son (Alma 33:11); and that being thus it must be founded upon faith in God, its source (1 Nephi 1:20; Mos. 26:24) and upon the repentance of man (2 Nephi 2:4; Hela. 12:22), and upon obedience to all of his requirements (1 Nephi 1:14). That the grace of God saves man "from their sins and not in their sins" (Hel. 5:10), and that is sufficient for all who are humble (Ether 12:27). That the ultimate expression of grace was shown in the atonement and resurrection (2 Nephi 9). That we would be eternally lost without grace (2 Nephi 25:23), but that it is continued and free (2 Nephi 28:23). Throughout the book there is the unmistakable lesson that there is a price to forgiveness, but that it is within the reach of us all. Mercy shines continually through the rigors of Law and Commandment. Said the prophet of this infinite tenderness: "For I know that the Lord giveth no commandment to the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them, that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.158
Thus are the primary elements of the Spirit of Truth unmistakably shown.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.158 - p.159
There comes to us from the voice of the Book, echoes as from some word that we have heard long since and have well understood; they are the whisperings to us of familiar truths. We recognize them, for they are attested by the reasoning of the mind and the sanction of the spirit within us. They tell us that the end of life is that we shall be born again, (Mos. 27:25), redeemed and become the sons and daughters of God; that there is no happiness in sin, and that obedience is the way to joy (Alma 41:10; 2 Nephi 2:25). It teaches that an element of faith is a recognition of God's superior knowledge (Mos. 4:6-12), and how that faith is nurtured and grows in the heart of man (Alma 26:22); and how it may become so powerful that nothing can be held from it (3 Nephi 7:18; Ether 12:19). That spiritual gifts to man cease only because of his wickedness (Mormon 1:14), and that God to be unchangeable must be a God of miracles (Mormon 9:19). It gives full light on the comprehensiveness of the plans of the Almighty (2 Nephi 27:7-10), and shows that all men have been alike to him from the beginning of creation, and that his atonement applied as well before as subsequent to his coming in the flesh (Mos. 3:13). That baptism, necessary now, was always necessary (2 Nephi 31:9; Mos. 2:22; 3 Nephi 11:38-39). That the mission of all prophets has been to testify of the Christ (Jacob 7:11). It teaches that purity of heart alone gives access to God (Jacob 3:1). And with unanswerable authority is given again, by the Lord himself, the essence of his Gospel (3 Nephi 27:13-16).
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.159 - p.160
With a boldness that has in it a spirit of militancy, the Book challenges the world. It invites comparison by laying down a law by which itself is to be judged--that "there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord" (Moroni 7:13; Ether 4:12), "and that which is evil cometh from the devil" (Omni 1:25). "I show you the way to judge, for everything which invites to do good and to persuade to believe in Christ is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ, wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge that it is of God" (Moroni 7:14). There is no book, the Bible not excepted, that tells so plainly and fervently the mission of Christ (2 Nephi 33:10; Ether 8:26; Alma 29; 2 Nephi 11:4). The book challenges the world in its support of the Bible. Said the prophet: "This is written for the intent that ye may believe that, and if ye believe that, ye will believe this also" (Mormon 7:9). It challenges the world for a better statement of the moral law, and the blessings that come from its observance (3 Nephi 30:2). It challenges all men by the witness of the Spirit, if they will read it with open and earnest minds (3 Nephi 26:8; Mormon 8:12; Ether 4:11). It comes to the world with a crystal clearness that challenges the understanding of men.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.160
It speaks with a spirit which is authoritative. By a law of the operation of the Holy Ghost which it announces (2 Nephi 33:1), its light and truth are carried into the hearts of men and women, and many thousands of the honest in heart have been first thrilled and then converted by its powerful message. The voice of these ancient heralds of the truth comes to us as out of the dust (Isa. 29:4), speaking as with a "familiar spirit," and thousands have heard and will still continue to hear its sacred whisperings. They recognize the Word, for it is the Light of Truth, the Spirit of him who is the Author of our salvation. (W. A. Hyde, Imp. Era, 30:988-992.)
8. Striking Statements.
"One cannot read the Book of Mormon soberly without noting that the contents are not like those provided by writers of ordinary books. Wisdom and inspiration are found on every page, far beyond the power of an unlearned youth." (John A. Widtsoe, The Book of Mormon, p. 3.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.160
A brief selection of these "gems of wisdom" are here given.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.160
"Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy." (2 Ne. 2:25.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.160
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." (2 Ne. 31:20.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"He that is righteous is favored of God." (1 Ne. 17:35.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"The Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Ne. 3:7.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"There is nothing that is good, save it comes from the Lord" (Moroni 7:3; Ether 4:12.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"That which is evil cometh from the devil." (Omni. 1:25.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"Is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming?" (Alma 39:17.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"All is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men." (Alma 40:8.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"All things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." (2 Ne. 2:24.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"To be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually minded is life eternal." (2 Ne. 9:39.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction." (2 Ne. 26:11.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"When a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men." (2 Ne. 33:1.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works." (Jacob 4:10.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161
"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. Nevertheless, whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day." (Mosiah 23:21, 22.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.161 - p.162
"And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works." (Alma 7:24.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.162
"And he (God) doth not dwell in unholy temples; neither can filthiness or anything which is unclean be received into the kingdom of God; therefore I say unto you the time shall come, yea, and it shall be at the last day, that he who is filthy shall remain in his filthiness." (Alma 7:21.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.162
"And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins." (Alma 11:37.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.162
"And I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round." (Alma 7:20.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.162
"Whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest." (Alma 13:34.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.162
"Behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word; yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true." (Alma 29:8.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.162
"It is better that a man should be judged of God than of men, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments of man are not always just." (Mos. 29:12.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.162 - p.163
"Woe be unto him that is at ease in Zion, Woe be unto him that crieth, All is well." (2 Ne. 28:34, 35.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163
"Always retain in remembrance the greatness of God and your own nothingness." (Mos. 4:11.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163
"Remember and learn wisdom in thy youth; learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God." (Alma 37:35.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163
"The Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance." (Alma 45:16.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163
"That which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, everything which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." (Moro. 7:13.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163
"The Lord surely should come to redeem his people, not to redeem them in their sins but from their sins." (Hela. 5:10.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163
"Deny not the power of God: for He worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today, and tomorrow and forever." (Moro. 10:7.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163
"The Lord doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men: and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." (2 Ne. 26:33.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163
"For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding." (2 Ne. 31:3.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.163 - p.164
"If ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray." (2 Ne. 32:8.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"For behold, the Lord hath said: I will not succor my people in the day of their trangression; but I will hedge up their ways that they prosper not; and their doing shall be as a stumbling block before them." (Mos. 7:29.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"The guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center." (1 Ne. 16:2.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"Do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy." (2 Ne. 9:51.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"The Lord God worketh not in darkness." (2 Ne. 26:23.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"To him that receiveth I will give more; and from him that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Ne. 28:30.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mos. 2:17.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"Trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments." (Mos. 23:14.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"After a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things." (Alma 24:30.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
"For it must needs be that there is an opposition in all things. If not so * * * righteousness could not be brought to pass." (2 Ne. 2:11.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.164
It is wholly improbable that an unlearned backwoods boy could have produced such statements of singular beauty or import without aid from a source higher than himself.
9. Prophecies.
There are many prophecies in the Book of Mormon, uttered by the historians who were custodians of the plates from which the Book was translated. A few are here given to show the inspired nature of the contents of the Book of Mormon.
Three Witnesses. "Three witnesses shall behold the book by the gift and power of God. In the writings of the first Nephi the prediction is made in reference to three witnesses who should testify to the truth of the Book of Mormon * * * '(who) shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein.' (2 Ne. 27:12, 13.) A similar prophecy is found in Ether 5:3: 'And unto three shall they (the Nephite plates) be shown by the power of God; wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true.' Would it be within the power of an impostor to cause an angel to come from heaven and stand before these witnesses in the broad light of day and exhibit the Nephite plates and the Urim and Thummim? Could he cause the glory of God more brilliant than the light of the sun at noon-day to shine about them? Could he cause the voice of God to be heard from the midst of the glory saying that the work was true, the translation correct, and commanding the witness to bear testimony to the world of its truth?" (Roberts 3:247-249.)
Opposition to the Book of Mormon. "The Lord told first Nephi of the clamor that would be raised against the Book of Mormon, 'that the words of your seed shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and because my words shall hiss forth many of the Gentiles shall say, A Bible, a Bible, we have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.' (2 Nephi 29:1-3.) It is notorious that this cry was raised--and even now is raised at times--against the Book of Mormon. It was relied upon not only as the chief but also the all-sufficient argument against accepting the book. (See Orson Pratt's Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon.) Closely associated with the sectarian notion of the cessation of revelation and miracles is also the idea that the Hebrew scriptures comprised all the records in which God had vouchsafed a revelation to man." (Roberts 3:253-255.)
Many Shall Believe the Book. "'For after the book of which I have spoken (i.e. The Book of Mormon) shall come forth and be written unto the Gentiles and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written.' (2 Nephi 30:3.) Whether this prophecy be accredited to the first Nephi, five hundred years B.C., or allowed no other authorship than Joseph Smith, and no greater antiquity than 1830, it is equally prophetic in character."
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.166
There are 750,000 living members of the Church, besides those who have died in the faith, or "who once accepted it in their faith and afterwards by transgression lost the spirit of the work and departed from the Church, but who, singularly enough, in the majority of cases still continue to assert their faith in the truth of the Book of Mormon; and those who have been brought to a belief in the Book of Mormon, but who have not had the courage to make the sacrifices involved in a public profession of their faith. * * * A further evidence is the many tongues and languages into which the Book of Mormon has been translated." (Roberts 3:283-284.)
Indian Missions. "'And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us,--and they shall rejoice.' (2 Nephi 30:4-6.) The many who believe the Book of Mormon are to carry it forth to the remnant of Lehi's people, the American Indians. It is well known that they have done so. The Church had been organized but six months when a mission was sent to the Lamanites." (Roberts 3:286.)
No Kings in America. The prophet Jacob prophesied 'this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the gentiles.' (2 Nephi 10:10-14.) This prophecy has been fulfilled for from Alaska on the north to the straits of Magellan in the south continent, the 'new world' under the consecration of God, is blessed with freedom, and republican, not monarchical institutions.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.167
It may be objected that this prophecy has failed because of two notable attempts to establish monarchies in the New World by European governments, one in Brazil, the other in Mexico. Don Pedro was made king of Brazil upon its independence from Portugal in 1822; after a tyrannical rule the people rose against him and he was removed in 1831. His son, a child of six, was made emperor, the country being governed by regents until 1841. Don Pedro II made a good emperor; in November, 1889, he acquiesced in the wishes of the people and abdicated his throne in favor of a republican government. In 1862, France, Great Britain and Spain sent a joint military expedition to Mexico to enforce payment of certain claims. When their object was attained Great Britain and Spain withdrew. Napoleon III, Emperor of France, regarded the conditions favorable to the establishment of a Latin empire in the Western world. He invited Archduke Maximilian to accept the crown, promising him to maintain him with an army of twenty-five thousand French soldiers. The United States forced the French emperor to withdraw his troops, resulting in the capture and Shooting of Maximilian on June 19, 1867.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.168
"The foregoing attempts in Brazil and Mexico to found monarchies in the New World cannot be regarded as proving the failure of the Book of Mormon prophecy. The monarchies existed for a short time only, and were so precarious while they lasted, and ended so disastrously for those making the attempt to establish them, that they emphasize the force of the prophecy rather than prove its failure. It is not said in the Book of Mormon that attempts would not be made to set up kings, but that such attempts should end disastrously for those making them; and that no kings should be established, that is, permanently established in the New World." (Roberts, 3:276-280.)
America a Land of Liberty. "'Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it, shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.' (Ether 2:12.) The heritage of righteous occupancy of the land of America is perfect freedom. The explorers of America came as conquerors and not as colonizers or home seekers. Lust for gold and love of conquest have never built homes, but have destroyed them by thousands. The Pilgrim Fathers, the Huguenots and the Puritans were essentially home-makers. They came to America to live, not to plunder and destroy. * * * The home is the greatest palladium of freedom. * * * The United States Declaration of Independence says: 'We * * * solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states * * * and for support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.'" (N. L. Morris, Prophecies of Joseph Smith pp. 226-230.)
Gathering of the Jews. The Book of Mormon says that the Jews are to be restored and gathered in Jerusalem.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.169
Time, April 4, 1932, says: "What are the accomplishments of a decade in Palestine? World Jewry has sent $220,000,000 there since 1921. Of this the U. S. gave $100,000,000. Eretz Israel (Land of Israel) now has a great $11,000,000 Palestine Electric Corporation, founded by Engineer Pinhas Rutenberg, whose stations in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Tiberias and in the Jordan valley supply all Palestine (except Jerusalem) with power. The Agricultural Experimental Station of the Keren Hayesod (colonization and immigration) teaches scientific farming and has experimental fields. The clean, white, all-Jewish city of Tel Aviv (Hill of Spring) more than doubled its population (46,000). For building trades, exists the General Mortgage Bank of Palestine, first to be modeled after European institutions. In Palestine are now new hotels and resorts for tourists. Palestine's Jewish population has increased from 60,000 to 175,000. There are 328 Jewish schools, 135 agricultural settlements of which 70 are under the supervision of the Jewish Agency. Hadassah (female Zionist organization) looks after 50 hospitals, clinics and dispensaries, which exist for Arabs and Christians as well as Jews. Palestine has its own Hebrew university, rounded in 1925. The Jewish population of Palestine runs its own affairs. But it is a minority (16.9%) without political power, save for the advisory powers conferred on the Jewish Agency by the mandate allotted to Great Britain ten years ago."
Claim Seven:
The Book Offers a Certain Test of Its Authenticity.
1. The Test.
"The Book of Mormon offers a test of its genuineness, which has been used by thousands with never a failure. Those who have used it have become convinced of the truth and divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.171
"'And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.' (Moroni 10:4.)
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.171
"Such a challenge makes the Book of Mormon unique. Men dare not present such a test for their human labors. A host of witnesses, living and dead, testify to the efficacy of this divine test. But, the test, to give full assurance, must be applied by one who loves truth above all else." (John A. Widtsoe, The Book of Mormon, p. 4.)
2. Results of the Test.
There are upwards of 750,000 living members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other hundreds of thousands of members have died in full fellowship with the Church. The majority of this vast multitude have applied this test to the genuineness of the Book of Mormon, and have come out of the search with the assurance that the Book is true.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.171 - p.172
So far, none has reported that after having complied with Moroni's requirements, he has failed to obtain a testimony of the truth of the Book.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.172
Such a test, and such results may not be lightly laid aside.
3. Nature of the Test.
The divine test of the truth of the Book of Mormon implies that man possesses powers other than those of the physical senses that may confirm the evidence of eyes or ears. That is, there resides in every human being spiritual powers which once put into operation may yield certain evidence concerning the things about us. Every earnest seeker after truth, whether in or out of scientific laboratories or university libraries, can bear witness to the help that comes from out of the unseen world.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.172
When the Book of Mormon was first published, the present mass of evidence in behalf of the truth of the Book was not available, yet thousands of intelligent, honest persons became convinced of its truth. These people read the Book, weighed its statements in the balance of reason and applied Moroni's test. The assurance came to them, an assurance strengthened by every advance in sound knowledge. "The way to truth? Yes, it may be found easily, but only by paying the eternal price of truth. The way is through the higher logic, the convincing teaching of the spirit of truth by the operations of the mind and the eager outreaching of the spirit to God. Whoever would find truth must: (1) Desire truth, (2) Pray for it, (3) Study, and (4) Practise it. Those who do so will find truth, for it cannot be denied them. They will receive the glorious and priceless possession called a testimony or complete assurance of truth, which becomes the great gift of God to its possessor.
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.173
"Is truth worth the effort necessary to secure it?
Widtsoe & Harris, Seven Claims of The Book of Mormon, p.173
"Truth is the only enduring possession of man, the only power that lifts man into permanent joy. It is the final justification of life. Human days are valueless if truth is not worth every sacrifice of life. Those who have lived most have lived by truth. So speaks the voice of human experience." (J. A. Widtsoe, In Search of Truth, pp. 119-120.)
Conclusion
Let us in conclusion review briefly the status of' the seven claims which have been discussed.
Claim 1: The Book Had a Divine Origin. It is generally agreed that the contents of the Book prove its composition to be above the natural powers of an untutored lad, as was Joseph Smith. It may be said to be a settled fact that Joseph Smith produced the Book of Mormon without help from any other man. No other author has been found. The translation was carried on above board, with the knowledge of the community. Twelve witnesses testify to having seen the plates from which the Book was said to have been translated. Four of these men testify that at the time they saw the plates they also had the manifestation of a heavenly personage. The time of composition of the Book, something over two months, makes it unique in the history of book making, beyond the ordinary powers of man. The honest mind is driven to the conclusion that Joseph Smith was but an instrument of unseen spiritual forces in the production of the Book.
Claim 2: The Book Was Written On Gold Plates In Reformed Egyptian by a Succession of Historians. It is a settled fact also that the ancients frequently preserved their writing upon metallic plates. Neither the weight of the plates nor their capacity clashes with the statements made by Joseph Smith regarding them. The original language of the Book of Mormon is not known. It is called by the historians, "reformed Egyptian." Any language may be written with the use of any one of several alphabets. The Egyptians frequently wrote their language in scripts different from the ordinary Egyptian hieroglyphics. It is further made certain by recent investigation that the ancient inhabitants of America showed the possession of Egyptian traditions both in their religious practises and in their buildings. There is considerable difference in the words and manner of language used in the various books written by different Book of Mormon historians, pointing to the truth of Joseph Smith's story. The English used in the Book of' Mormon is quite foreign to the every day language used by the people of Joseph Smith's day and neighborhood, but shows unmistakable relationships to the Hebrew idiom. All these facts taken together support marvelously well the second claim of the Book of Mormon.
Claim 3: There Existed a Populous American Civilization in Antiquity. This claim has been so well authenticated by recent investigation that it seems almost a waste of time to defend it. Yet, when one recalls that in 1830 when the Book was first published the knowledge of prehistoric America was very limited, this claim becomes important in proving the Book of Mormon to be of divine origin.
Claim 4: The American Aborigines Are in Part of Hebrew Descent. This question has not yet been settled by competent scholars; but without question there are Hebrew elements in many of the native American languages and customs. The American aborigines have traditions of the leading Hebrew characters and events before the time of Christ,--and in their religious beliefs and practises they follow with astonishing similarity the corresponding beliefs and practises of the Hebrews. In view of existing knowledge no matter how one may feel about the Book of Mormon, he cannot lightly set aside this claim. Indeed every new discovery has tended to confirm this claim.
Claim 5: Jesus the Christ Visited the American Continent. It is undeniably true that the Christ story was spread among the natives of the two Americans before the coming of Columbus. This might have come through a knowledge of the Hebrew religion which looked forward to a coming Messiah. The American tradition, however, declares that He did come, and the tradition is so extensive and so thoroughly engrained in the historical life of the people that one must either accept the coming of Christ to America as a fact or the coming of some other great man was mistaken for the Christ. The latter supposition disappears, however, in view of the body of Christian ordinances and beliefs as taught by the Savior which survive among the American aborigines. It is difficult, though one may disagree with the Book of Mormon, to ignore these facts which were predicted as well as fully realized in the Book of Mormon story.
Claim 6: The Contents of the Book of Mormon Are Inspired. This claim means that the contents of the Book of Mormon are beyond the power of an ordinary man to produce--and that they bear the mark of a divine source. Only the reading of the book with an unprejudiced mind can fully bring about the realization of the truth of this claim. Nevertheless, take into consideration the following facts: That a Book produced by an unlearned young man on the Western frontier of New York deals with the leading theological controversies of that day and offers such solutions for them that the progressive thinkers within other churches of the last century have in the main come to the same conclusions; that the Book has one definite message, the one that runs through the Old and the New Testaments, and that it presents an astonishing doctrinal harmony considering the short time of composition and the lack of scholastic training on the part of the translator. The summary of Book of Mormon doctrine presents the Gospel of Jesus Christ in plainness and simplicity, rounded out beyond the limits placed upon it by the churches of the day. There are many striking statements of beauty and deep import which could scarcely fall from the lips of an untrained youth without inspiration from above. In addition, prophecies are uttered in the Book, many of which have been fulfilled. The claim of inspiration for the contents of the Book of Mormon, like the other claims, presents such an array of evidence that it commands the respect and hearing of all who are willing to recognize truth wherever it may be found.
Claim 7: The Book of Mormon Offers a Certain Test of Its Authenticity. This claim can be substantiated only by referring to the hundreds of thousands of people who have tried it and found it workable. There is a question in view of the consistencies and evidences of truth which converge upon the Book of Mormon, if any one has the right in this day of truth-seeking and truth-loving lay aside the Book of Mormon without applying fully and without reservation the test proposed by the ancient American prophet Moroni. If there had been flaws in the Book of Mormon they would long since have been discovered. No system of truth in the last one hundred years has been so subject to abuse and unwarranted persecution as has Mormonism. Professional men as well as laymen have undertaken to find weaknesses in its structure, particularly in the Book of Mormon. The attempts that have been made are puerile. The objections raised are usually of the kind to which men are driven when they find themselves without the logical support that they expected to discover. A candid examination of the literature of the Book of Mormon will show that the Book has withstood successfully the assaults of its enemies, that it is more of a mystery to them today than ever before, and that consequently, the probability of the truth of the Book is more firmly established than ever before.
Conclusion. The content and history of "Mormonism" and the Book of Mormon lead to one conclusion only: Joseph Smith's story is true; the Book of Mormon is just what it claims to be, a record written and edited by ancient men under divine inspiration and preserved and translated in this day by "the gift and power of God." The Book offers comfort and solace to a troubled world which clearly needs the doctrine that it teaches.
|
Resources 
