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Eber Dudley Howe 1798-1884
Eber D. Howe

Mormonism Unvailed
(Painesville Ohio: Telegraph Press, 1834)

Part 2: Chapters 1-7


Founder of The Painesville Telegraph

Contents  |   Title  |   Chaps.   1  2   3  4   5a  5b   6  7  |   Ch.  8-14  |   Ch. 15  |   Ch. 16-19

  
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M O R M O N I S M.



C H A P T E R   I.

CONTAINING  A  BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  THE  CHARACTER  OF  THE
MODERN  PROPHET  AND  HIS  FAMILY,  AND  SOME  OF  THE
PRINCIPAL  ACTORS  IN  THE  IMPOSITION.

WITH the exception of their natural and peculiar habits of life, there is nothing in the character of the Smith family worthy of being recorded, previous to the time of their plot to impose upon the world by a pretended discovery of a new Bible, in the bowels of the earth. They emigrated from the town of Royalton, in the State of Vermont, about the year 1820, when Joseph, Jun. was, it is supposed, about 16 years of age. We find them in the town of Manchester, Ontario county, N.Y. which was the principal scene of their operations, till the year 1830.  All who became intimate with them during this period, unite in representing the general character of old Joseph and wife, the parents of the pretended Prophet, as lazy, indolent, ignorant and superstitious -- having a firm belief in ghosts and witches; the telling of fortunes; pretending to believe that the earth was filled with hidden treasures, buried there by Kid or the Spaniards. Being miserably poor, and not much disposed to obtain an honorable livelihood by labor, the energies of their minds seemed to be mostly directed towards finding where these treasures were concealed, and the best mode of acquiring their possession.


 



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Joseph, Jun. in the mean time, had become very expert in the arts of necromancy, jugling, the use of the divining rod, and looking into what they termed a "peep-stone," by which means he soon collected about him a gang of idle, credulous young men, to perform the labor of digging into the hills and mountains, and other lonely places, in that vicinity, in search of gold. In process of time many pits were dug in the neighborhood, which were afterwards pointed out as the place from whence the plates were excavated. But we do not learn that the young impostor ever entered these excavations for the purpose of assisting his sturdy dupes in their labors. His business was to point out the locations of the treasures, which he did by looking at a stone placed in a hat. Whenever the diggers became dissatisfied at not finding the object of their desires, his inventive and fertile genius would generally contrive a story to satisfy them. For instance, he would tell them that the treasure was removed by a spirit just before they came to it, or that it sunk down deeper into the earth. 

The extreme ignorance and apparent stupidity of this modern prophet, were, by his early followers, looked upon as his greatest merit, and as furnishing the most incontestable proof of his divine mission. These have ever been the ward-robe of impostors. They were even thrown upon the shoulders of the great prince of deceivers, Mohammed, in order to carry in his train the host of ignorant and superstitious of his time; although he afterwards became a ruler of Nations. That the common advantages of education were denied to our prophet, or that they were much neglected, we believe to be a fact. His followers have told us, that he could not at the time he was "chosen of the Lord," even write his own name. But it is obvious that all those deficiencies are fully supplied by a natural genius, strong inventive powers of mind, a deep study, and an unusually correct estimate


 



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of human passions and feelings. In short, he is now endowed with all the requisite traits of character to pursue most successfully the humbug which he has introduced. His address is easy, rather facinating and winning, of a mild and sober deportment, when not irritated. But he frequently becomes biosterous by the impertinence or curiosity of the skeptical, and assumes the bravado, instead of adhering to the meekness which he professes. His followers, of course, can discover in his very countenance all the certain indications of a divine mission. 

For further illustrations of the character of the Smith family, the reader is referred to the numerous depositions and certificates attached to this work.

MARTIN HARRIS is the next personage of note in the Golden Bible speculation. He is one of the three witnesses to the truth of the book, having been shown the plates through the agency of an Angel, instead of the Prophet Joseph, who always had them in possession. Before his acquaintance with the Smith family, he was considered an honest, industrious citizen, by his neighbors. His residence was in the town of Palmyra, where he had accumulated a handsome property. He was naturally of a very visionary turn of mind on the subject of religion, holding one sentiment but a short time.   He engaged in the new Bible business with a view of making a handsome sum of money from the sale of the books, as he was frequently heard to say. The whole expense of publishing an edition of 5000 copies, which was borne by Martin, to secure the payment of which, he mortgaged his farm for $3000. Having failed in his anticipations about the sale of the books, (the retail price of which they said was fixed by an Angel at $1.75, but afterwards reduced to $1.25, and from that down to any price they could obtain) he adopted Smith as his Prophet, Priest and King. Since that time, the frequent demands upon Martin's purse have reduced it to


 



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a very low state. He seems to have been the soul and body of the whole imposition, and now carries the most incontestible proofs of a religious maniac. He frequently declares that he has conversed with Jesus Christ, Angels and the Devil. Christ he says is the handsomest man he ever saw; and the Devil looks very much like a jack-ass, with very short, smooth hair, similar to that of a mouse. He says he wrote a considerable part of the book, as Smith dictated, and at one time the presence of the Lord was so great, that a screen was hung up between him and the Prophet; at other times the Prophet would sit in a different room, or up stairs, while the Lord was communicating to him the contents of the plates. He does not pretend that he ever saw the wonderful plates but once, although he and Smith were engaged for months in deciphering their contents. He has left his wife to follow the fortunes of Smith. He has frequent fits of phrophecying, although they are not held in very high repute among his brethren. A specimen of his prophetic powers we subjoin. They were written for the special information of a friend of his who placed them upon the wall of his office, and are in these words: 
Within four years from September 1832, there will not be one wicked person left in the United States; that the righteous will be gathered to Zion, (Missouri) and that there will be no President over these United States after that time.

MARTIN HARRIS.

I do hereby assert and declare that in four years from the date hereof, every sectarian and religious denomination in the United States, shall be broken down, and every Christian shall be gathered unto the Mormonites, and the rest of the human race shall perish. If these things do not take place, I will hereby consent to have my hand separated from my body.

  MARTIN HARRIS.

Martin is an exceedingly fast talker. He frequently gathers a crowd around him in bar-rooms and in the streets. -- Here he appears to be in his element, answering and explaining


 



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all manner of dark and abstruse theological questions, from Genesis to Revelations; declaring that every thing has been revealed to him by the "power of God." During these flights of fancy, he frequently prophecies the coming of Christ, the destruction of the world, and the damnation of certain individuals. At one time he declared that Christ would be on earth within fifteen years, and all who did not believe in the book of Mormon would be destroyed.

He is the source of much trouble and perplexity to the honest portion of his brethren, and would undoubtedly long since have been cast off by Smith, were it not for his money, and the fact that he is one of the main pillars of the Mormon fabric. Martin is generally believed, by intelligent people, to be laboring under a partial derangement; and that any respectable jury would receive his testimony, in any case, of ever so trifling a nature, we do not believe; yet, the subjects of the delusion think him a competent witness to establish miracles of the most unreasonable kind. But we leave him for the present.

OLIVER COWDERY comes next in the catalogue. He was also a chief scribe to the prophet, while transcribing, after Martin had lost 116 pages of the precious document, by interference of the Devil. An Angel also has shown him the plates, from which the book of Mormon proceeded, as he says. He is a blacksmith by trade, and sustained a fair reputation until his intimacy commenced with the money-diggers. He was one of the many in the world who always find time to study out ways and means to live without work. He accordingly quit the blacksmithing business, and is now the editor of a small monthly publication issued under the direction of the prophet, and principally filled with accounts of the spread of Mormonism, their persecutions, and the fabled visions and commands of Smith.

DAVID WHITMAR is the third special witness who signed


 



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the certificate with Harris and Cowdery, testifying to having seen plates. He is one of five of the same name and family who have been used as witnesses to establish the imposition, and who are now head men and leaders in the Mormonite camp. They were noted in their neighborhood for credulity and a general belief in witches, and perhaps were fit subjects for the juggling arts of Smith. David relates that he was led by Smith into an open field, on his father;s farm, where they found the Book of plates lying upon the ground. Smith took it up and requested him to examine it, which he did for the space of half an hour or more, when he returned it to Smith, who placed it in its former position, alledging that it was in the custody of an Angel. He discribes the plates as being about eight inches square, the leaves being metal of a whitish yellow color, and of the thickness of tin plates.  The back was secured with three small rings of the same metal, passing through each leaf in succession; that the leaves were divided equidistant between the back and the edge, by cutting the plates in two parts, and again united with solder, so that the front might be opened, while the back part remained stationary and immovable, and was consequently a sealed book, which would not be revealed for ages to come, and which Smith himself was not permitted to understand. On opening that part of the book which was not secured by seals, he discovered inscribed on the aforesaid plates, divers and wonderful characters, some large and some small, but beyond the wisdom of man to understand without supernatural aid; this account is sometimes partly contradicted by Harris.

 

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C H A P T E R    I I.

THE  GOLDEN  BIBLE  AND  ITS  CONTENTS.

The various verbal accounts, all contradictory, vague, and inconsistent, which were given out by the Smith family respecting the finding of certain Gold or brazen plates, will be hereafter presented in numerous depositions which have been taken in the neighborhood of the plot. -- Since the publication of the book they have been generally more uniform in their relations respecting it.

They say that some two years previous to the event taking place, Joseph, Jun., began his interviews with Angels, or spirits, who informed him of the wonderful plates, and the manner and time of obtaining them. This was to be done in the presence of his wife and first child, which was to be a son. In the month of September, 1827, Joseph got possession of the plates, after a considerable struggle with a spirit. The remarkable event was soon noised abroad, and the Smith family commenced making proselytes among the credulous, and lovers of the marvelous, to the belief that Joseph had found a record of the first settlers in America. 

Many profound calculations were made about the amount of their profits on the sale of such a book. A. religious speculation does not seem to have seriously entered into their heads at that time. The plates in the mean time were concealed from human view, the prophet declaring that no man could look upon them and live. They at the same time gave out that, along with the plates, was found a huge pair of silver spectacles, altogether too large for the present race of men, but which were to be used, neverthe less, in translating the plates.


 



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The translation finally commenced. They were found to contain a language not now known upon the earth which they termed "reformed Egyptian characters." The plates, therefore, which had been so much talked of, were found to be of no manner of use. After all, the Lord showed and communicated to him every word and letter of the Book. Instead of looking at the characters inscribed upon the plates, the prophet was obliged to resort to the old "peep stone," which he formerly used in money-digging. This he placed in a hat, or box, into which he also thrust his face. Through the stone he could then discover a single word at a time, which he repeated aloud to his amanuensis, who committed it to paper, when another word would immediately appear, and thus the performance continued to the end of the book. 

Another account they give of the translation, is, that it was performed with the big spectacles before mentioned, and which were in fact, the identical Urim and Thumim mentioned in Exodus 28 -- 30, and were brought away from Jerusalem by the heroes of the book, handed down from one generation to another, and finally buried up in Ontario county, some fifteen centuries since, to enable Smith to translate the plates without looking at them! 

Before the work was completed, under the pretense that some persons were endeavoring to destroy the plates and prophet, they relate that the Lord commanded them to depart into Pennsylvania, where they could proceed unmolested. Smith, accordingly, removed his family thither; but it appears that it was at the request of his father-in-law, instead of the command of the Lord. A box, which he said contained the plates, was conveyed in a barrel of beans, while on the journey. Soon after this, his father-in-law, Mr. Isaac Hale, on account of his daughter, agreed to sell Smith a part of his farm, provided he would go to


 



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work and quit his impositions. He said he had given up his former occupation, and concluded to labor for a living. But, in a few weeks Harris made his appearance there, and soon after Cowdery, and Smith again commenced looking into the hat, and telling off his bible. In the mean time, Satan had made an assault upon Harris, and robbed him of one hundred and sixteen pages of the bible, which had been translated. Cowdery was the chosen scribe to complete the work; after which the plates were again buried up by the command of the Lord, in a place unknown to the prophet or any other person. 

The Golden Bible was finally got ready for the press, and issued in the summer of 1830, nearly three years from the time of its being dug up. It is a book of nearly six hundred pages, and is unquestionably one of the meanest in the English, or any other language. It is more devoid of interest than any we have ever seen. It must have been written by an atheist, to make an experiment upon the human understanding and credulity. The author, although evidently a man of learning, studied barrenness of style and expression, without an equal. It carries condemnation on every page. The God of Heaven, that all-wise Being, could never have delivered such a farrago of nonsense to the world. But we must proceed to examine it more in detail. The title page says: --- 
"The Book of Mormon, an account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi; wherefore it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi; and also of the Lamanites, which are a remnant of the House of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile; written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophesy and of revelation: written, and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed; to come forth by the gift and power of God, unto

 



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the interpretation thereof; sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by the way of Gentiles; the interpretation thereof, by the gift of God; an abridgment taken from the book of Ether.

Also, which is a record of the people of Jared, which were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to Heaven, which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel, how great things the Lord has done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever; and also to the convincing of the Jews and Gentiles, that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself to all nations. And now if there be fault, it be the mistake of men; wherefore condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of Christ.  

By Joseph Smith, Jun. Author and proprietor."
It is necessary that the reader should constantly bear in mind, that the impostor is held out to be a very ignorant person, so much so, that he can write nothing except it be dictated to him, word by word, by the mouth of the Lord. Here then we have a specimen of a title page according to infinite wisdom: constituting Joseph Smith, Jun. "Author and proprietor," in order that he may have the sole profit of the work. Although the Mormon may have a faculty of pointing out examples, and proving every thing by scripture, we think it will trouble them to find an instance where the Great Jehovah has ever sent a message to fallen man, and that in the most miraculous way; and constituted any individual its retailer, and sole sharer of its profits! But we are told that "the ways of God are past finding out," and he has therefore given to Joseph Smith a "copy right" to sell this last message, and that too from


 



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under the hand and seal of "R. R. Lansing, clerk of the Northern District of New York."

But a saving clause is inserted in the title page, and several times repeated in the book. It seems that neither the Lord or Smith, were willing to avow themselves the authors of the whole fable: "and now if there be fault, it be in the mistake of men"!!! Here then we have an acknowledgment that there may be faults, a bundle of truths and falsehoods, sent forth to imperfect man, without a single rule being given to distinguish one from the other!!! Oh! the credulity of man! 

The real author, notwithstanding his studied ignorance, was well acquainted with the classics. The names of most of his heroes have the Latin termination of i, such as Nephi, Lehi, and Moroni. The word Mormon, the name given to his book, is the English termination of the Greek word "Mormoo," which we find defined in an old, obsolete Dictionary, to mean "bug-bear, hob-goblin, raw head and bloody bones." It seems, therefore, that the writer gave his book not only a very appropriate, but classical name. His experiment upon the human mind, he thought, would be more perfect, by giving it a name, in addition to its contents, which would carry upon its face the nature of its true character -- a fiction of hob-goblins and bug-bears. 

Next comes the "Preface," signed "the Author," which shows that the Lord was willing to approve and adopt the most modern plan of making books, by inserting a title page, copy right, and a preface. The substance of the preface is, that the author had translated one hundred and sixteen pages from the plates of Lehi, written by the hand of Mormon, which were stolen by some persons: "and being commanded by the Lord, that I should not translate the same over again, for Satan had put it into their


 



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hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated, and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work; but behold, the Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing: therefore shalt thou translate from the plates of Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have translated, which you have retained; and behold ye shall publish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words." 

The facts respecting the lost manuscript, we have not been able to ascertain. They sometimes charged the wife of Harris with having burnt it; but this is denied by her. They were, however, taken from the possession of Harris, by a miracle wrought by Satan. The prophet has undertaken to inform the reader how the Lord got him out of this dilemma: "thou shalt translate from the plates of Nephi until thou come to that which ye have translated, which ye have retained, and behold ye shall publish it as the record of Nephi."  Here the Lord, in order to counteract the works of the Devil, is represented by Smith as palming off upon the world an acknowledged falsehood, -- the records of Lehi must be published as the records of Nephi. Again, how could Smith know when he came to that which he had translated, without looking at the plates, (which he could not read if he did,) for he does not pretend that there was any miracle in this operation. But who, except one fully endued with the folly and wickedness of "the author," can believe for a moment, that the Lord would make known his will in such language. Again, an important record which had been made by a miracle,

 

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kept for ages by a miracle, dug from the ground by a miracle, and translated by a miracle, was stolen by some one, so that even a miracle could not restore it, and thus were the designs of the Lord counteracted by "Satan putting it into their hearts to tempt the Lord."


 



C H A P T E R    I I I.

THE  SAME  SUBJECT  CONTINUED.

"The Book of Mormon," is divided into a number of books, each one purporting to have been written by different individuals upon plates of brass, so far as the history of Lehi, the founder of the vast settlements which were situated on the isthmus of Darien, were concerned; and upon plates of gold, so far as it relates to one Jared and his posterity, who were not confounded at the destruction of Babel. but were miraculously navigated by the hand of the Lord across the ocean. The history of Lehi and his posterity, commences in the reign of Zedekiah, King of Judah, six hundred years before the Christian era, and ends about four hundred years afterwards, which concludes the history, or fiction.  The whole work is written in a miserable attempt to imitate the style of King James the first, and the sameness is such, and the tautology of phrases from the beginning to the end of the work, that no one can be left in doubt in identifying the whole with one individual author. We are not aware that the style of king James is better calculated to reveal the will of Heaven, than is the


 



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modern and more refined language; but is a strong evidence against the work now under our consideration. If God chose to reveal himself, it would be reasonable to expect that it would be done definitely, and in such language as could be easily understood by all; and why this long circumlocution of history? it has nothing to do with salvation. Christ, nor the inspired writers of the new testament, furnish no such example; the bare facts of the plan of redemption is set before us, and a few self evident rules to govern our moral conduct. 

The first book is entitled "the book of Nephi," and commences its narrative with the departure of Lehi from Jerusalem. He had four sons, Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi; the last of whom is the principal hero in the present book, and the historian. He is a scholar, an engraver, and a worker of metals; for he says: "Behold I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates of brass, which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after that I have abridged the record of my father, then will I make an account of mine own life." Lehi dreams marvelous dreams previous to his departure from Jerusalem, and sees wonderful visions. He goes about prophesying of the great calamities that await the Jews, and warns them to flee from the wrath to come. The people become vindictive at his clamor, and threaten his destruction. 

To rescue Lehi, and to bring about wonderful events, God warns him to flee into the wilderness, and leave all his great possessions, his gold and his silver, and take nothing with him but his family, his tents, and provisions. A miserable condition for the wilderness indeed; no clothing, no weapons, nor tools to make them with.

The command is obeyed, and he travels until he arrives on the borders of the Red sea. The three elder


 



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brothers become disaffected, probably from their adversity and privations, and accuse the father with being visionary, &c. Nephi represents himself as being a particular favorite with the Lord, (or his narrator does for him) for he says: "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceeding young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know the mysteries of God," &c. God blesses him, and makes a covenant with him, and promises him a choice land, which is above all others. -- p. 9. Nephi is commanded by his father, together with his three brothers, to go back to Jerusalem, to the house of one Laban, who has in his possession a record of the Jews, engraven on plates of brass, as he is informed by the Lord in a dream; and that it likewise contained the genealogy of his ancestors. Nephi is ready to obey, and by some little persuasion, the four brothers embark for the plates at Jerusalem. Laban, who has them in possession, refuses to give the plates to the embassadoros. But Nephi was not to be foiled. Two unsuccessful attempts are made, and, the third time, Nephi finds Laban drunk within the walls of the city, and says: "And I, Nephi, beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof, and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine; and I saw the blade thereof was of most precious steel." p. 12. 

This is the earliest account of steel to be found in history. Alexander the Great, who lived about three hundred years after the period here spoken of, employed iron for points to his implements of war, as Josephus tells us; and the same author says, that he complained that his weapons were so easily blunted; now, if steel had been in use, either at Rome, Jerusalem, or Damascus, at the time here spoken of, in Alexander's time it would have been common, and he would have used it for his weapons instead of


 



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iron. Damascus was once famous for manufacturing swords, but it was long after the Christian era. A coarse kind of steel, or iron carbonated, was used in the days of Julius Caesar, about one hundred years before Christ.

The covenant with Nephi gives him a choice land. And again he says that his father has obtained a promise from the Lord that he should have a choice land, p. 14. Whether these are separate lands, we are left to conjecture. If they are the same, one of the promises is gratuitous; because when the Lord covenanted with Abraham, he promised him the land of Canaan, which should be inherited by his posterity forever. It is true, the covenant was renewed with Isaac; but he was the rightful heir. If the Lord had have covenanted with Abraham, and with Isaac, for a land, we should naturally infer that they were different countries, especially if the covenant had been made with Isaac first. Nephi says the promise of the choice land, is to him, exclusively, as can be seen on page 9: consequently each have a seperate land. But the sequel of the fiction informs us, that they all embark into one ship, -- land on this side of the Atlantic, and dwell together until Lehi dies. 

Nephi says, he drew forth the sword of Laban, and cut his head off, which enabled him afterwards to obtain the plates by false pretences and deception. Thus we see the author would have us believe, that the Lord sometimes accomplishes his designs by murder and lying. 

Lehi receives the plates from his sons, -- examines them, and finds to his great satisfaction, that he is a descendant from Joseph, the son of Jacob. "And now, when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the spirit, and began to prophecy concerning his seed; that these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, which were of his seed. Wherefore, he said


 



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that these plates of brass should never perish, neither shall they be dimmed any more by time." p. 15.

The above plates have not been found; if they have, we have not been furnished with a translation.

Nephi, and his brethren, are again sent back to Jerusalem, to bring with them into the wilderness, a man by the name of Ishmael, and his family, which consists of daughters and sons enough, to furnish each family with husbands and wives. They all arrive in the wilderness, and very soon a quarrel ensues between the different individuals of the families, which Nephi settles in a most masterly manner; after which, the males of both families take wives, with which the provident author has kindly provided them. 

The three next pages, to wit: 18, 19, and 20, are taken up in relating a marvelous dream, or vision, in which Laman and Lemuel are represented as being finally apostates, and would be cut off.

Nephi informs us, that he is at that time employed in engraving, or writing, on the plates, which he now names after himself; and whether the plates of Laban are included, we are not told, nor are we informed how they were disposed of. The plates, hereafter, are called the plates of Nephi, p. 21. 

A little further, on the same page, he says he has a commandment from the Lord, to make plates for the special purpose of making a record of his own ministry, and of his own people.

Here our hero introduces himself as a minister, and as having the charge of a people -- he is in the wilderness destitute of any thing, nothing but tents and provisions, every thing was left behind, gold, silver, no metals or tools as a matter of course, but the command to make his plates is obeyed. We shall be compelled to institute a chapter of


 



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miracles in order to account for the manner of making brass plates in the wilderness, without tools or metals, and likewise to satisfy our readers upon many other points in our review. Miracles will account for any thing, however ridiculous, whenever our minds preponderate in favor of the subject to which the story may be attached. Any thing, however preponderous and false it may be, if believed to be of divine origin, needs no evidence, because nothing is impossible with Deity. 

Lehi comes out with a marvelous prophecy, considering the period in which it is made; not so much on account of the prophecy as the language, in which he uses to express it. After the doctrine of the fall is explained, he speaks of the Messiah, and calls John by name, and quotes the words from Isaiah, or Matthew's gospel: "Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make his paths straight;" and continues, "for there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whom shoes' latchet I am not worthy to unloose." -- John 1, 26-27. Here is another miracle in choosing the exact language of King James' translation, more than two thousand years before it was arranged, and six hundred before the sentiment was uttered.  The plan of redemption is explained at the same time, and the only way of salvation proclaimed; consequently the law was abrogated at that time, and the Nephites were christians. The prophets of the old testament, doubtless, had very clear views of the promised Messiah, and of the atonement through his blood. But that they preached the law, and felt themselves bound by it, we never entertained a doubt. In the wise dispensations of God, man was not to avail himself of the redeeming doctrines of the gospel, until the time was fully come, when Christ was to appear to fulfill the law, and offer mercy through grace. Christ must appear on earth -- die, and be raised from the dead,


 



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before all was fulfilled, as the sacred writers understood it, and taught the disciples, and the world of mankind. If it were possible for the plan of redemption to have been unfolded, without the actual appearance of Christ in the flesh, why did not the patriarchs with whom God made his covenants, and his promises, preach redemption through the atonement, instead of sacrifices and ceremonies? But we are informed by this same prophet Lehi, that "all mankind was in a lost, and in a fallen state; and ever would be, save they should rely on this Redeemer." p. 22. From the last paragraph, the author views the matter in the same light with us. that is, that the Christian religion was revealed and made known to the Nephites, six hundred years before the advent of Jesus Christ. Lehi speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the son of God.  'And the son of God was the Messiah.' Let us compare the above sentiments with the declarations and views of the inspired writers of the New Testament. "But when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the father," &c. John XV, 26. From this we should infer, that the Holy Ghost was yet in anticipation, because he is promised; and to confirm our view of this subject, we will cite a few other passages. "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away the comforter will not come unto you," John XIV, 7. "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." John 16, 8. "But ye shall receive, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you," Acts 1, 8. In the second chapter of the Acts, we find all the above promises fulfilled. 

Lehi continues his preaching, speaks of John and of the Virgin Mary, and calls her the "mother of God," and declares the way to salvation, by Jesus Christ, through faith and repentance, p. 25. All the prophets of old, were far behind our Lehi, and they prophecied falsely too, if our


 



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book of Mormon is true, according to our appreciation of the doctrines which they taught. If any one can reconcile the contradictions and incongruities between the sacred writings and Lehi's prophecies, we should be gratified to hear it, and will be among the first to acknowledge our misconceptions and error. We are among the last who would be willing to vilify, and ridicule, any thing that is counted sacred, without the best evidence of its falsehood and imposition. We consider, and believe, the prophecies and doctrines of the Bible of divine origin, and any thing which contravenes its precepts, or its revelations, will be regarded by us as false. 

Our hero, Nephi, next presents himself in the drama, as a dreamer and a prophet, and is more explicit as to particular incidents than his father. In his vision, he is made acquainted with all the particulars of our Savior's birth and life, to his baptism, which he witnesses, and sees the Holy Ghost descend in the form of a dove, and abide upon him. It is worthy of remark, that no circumstance is mentioned by Nephi, in relation to the life and ministry of our Savior, only what can be found in the New Testament. Very little is said by the evangelists of Jesus Christ, between the time of his birth and his entering upon the ministry.  But we might expect some little incidents from such a revelation as the book of Mormon, which would throw some light upon that interesting subject, which is not to be found in the New Testament. It furnishes to us good evidence that the author was guided by the new Testament, when his low and licentious imagination conceived, and brought to light the "Book of Mormon." He could not, nor dared not, fabricate any thing, for fear of detection, which could not be found in the historical part of the sacred writings. But upon any thing which pertains to spiritual affairs, and is not susceptible of contradiction, only through the medium of reason, every license is taken by our author.


 



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Nephi's vision gives us a poor account of the corruptions of the Roman church, showing that the author understood very little of church History. The name of Jesus Christ is mentioned on page 28, and of John, the apostle, page 35. Nephi's vision takes up about ten pages, from page 25, and gives, as his own views, a cursory account of the popular doctrines which have been agitated since the Reformation. To give credit to the pretence, that Nephi, living six hundred years before the christian era, could, or would, have had the name of Jesus and John revealed in preference to any other prophet, is repugnant to common sense, and in direct violence to the universal belief of those who have ever been distinguished for piety, and a critical knowledge of the holy Bible.   Besides, we cannot reconcile a view of revealed truth, with a disquisition on Church schisms, such as we find in Nephi's vision. If the Book of Mormon is a revealed truth from God, we are compelled, irresistibly, to conclude, that Paul was mistaken when he said the twelve apostles of the Lamb, developed certain secrets which were hid from ages and generations, and were ordained before the world to their glory, that they should have the honor of announcing them. But our author pretends that Nephi, together with sundry other prophets which he has created, had the whole christian system developed to them, many centuries before the twelve apostles, of which Paul speaks, had the honor of announcing it, and preaching it to a set of Jews, who had been miraculously landed on, or near the Isthmus of Darien.  Not only this, if we are to take the brass plate revelation for sacred truth, we must infer that there has been a great deficiency in the record of our Savior's mission, or that he did not exhibit his truths while here, as fully, and as clearly as he did to these Nephites, through their prophets; and consequently left the world in darkness, to grope their way in superstition and ignorance, until the mineral-rod


 



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necromancy of Joseph Smith, Jun. searching after Robert Kidd's money, which was buried in Manchester, Ontario county, New York, found the plates of Nephi, which had been buried there one thousand four hundred and twenty-eight years. How long he kept them, we are not informed; but they were taken from him, and hid up again by the Lord, so that no divination, nor legerdemain, will enable him to find them. 

"And it came to pass," says Nephi, "that the voice of the Lord spake unto my father, and commanded him, that on the morrow he should take his journey into the wilderness. And it came to pass, that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground, a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles, and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness." Which way the other pointed, we are not told, but probably the way they should not go. If this ball was a compass, as we are hereafter told by the author, many improvements have been made upon that instrument, except in the construction of the negative spindle, since that time. But what is most ridiculous, is, that it was a fine brass ball, and yet the spindles could be seen to traverse in the inside of it. Perhaps Lehi had a stone which favored his vision, and enabled him to look into opaque bodies as well as into futurity. 

The revealing stone, and the stone spectacles, will hereafter be described, which will account for many wonderful things. without searching into the chapter of miracles.

From page 39 to 42, is principally taken up in giving an account of eight year's travels, following the direction of one of the spindles through the wilderness. It traversed eastwardly and southeastwardly, bringing them all safely on the borders of the Red sea, with the exception of Ishmael, who dies in the mean time.


 



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Nephi is now commanded by the Lord, to repair to the top of a mountain, where he sees a vision, in which he is informed that he must build a ship, and where he can find ore from which to manufacture tools. We are now presented with our hero in a new character, -- that of a ship-builder. So that in his youth he is a scholar, a historian, a worker of metals, a ship-carpenter, a prophet and a priest. It now seems that ore and tools are necessary, in order to construct a ship; but to make plates of brass, neither ore, tools, nor metals were essential. Six pages are next occupied in giving an account of quarrels between Nephi and his brethren.  But Nephi, in the mean time, builds a ship contrary to the opinions of his brothers, and the rational inference is, that he makes his own tools out of ore, and builds the ship without assistance from any one. It requires some little stretch of credulity, to believe that Nephi done all the above work, such as making iron from ore, and converting it into steel, and then making the tools necessary to build a ship, without tools with which to do it. The manner in which he built the ship, he accounts for in the following language: -- "Now, I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner of men, &c. but I did build it after the manner which the Lord did teach me," p. 47. -- How long he was in accomplishing this great work, we cannot learn; but if all was done by a miracle, as the author intimates, we can see no necessity for any interference on the part of Nephi, but give to him the glory who accomplished the work. 

The patriarch Noah, had special directions for building the ark, the kind of wood, &c., and he built it after the model given him, and he had many years in which to accomplish it. And we have good reason to believe that the work was done in the same manner as other ships were built, and that he employed workmen to aid him in it. Nephi


 



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arrogates to himself a great preference with the Lord, over the patriarch Noah.

Lehi, and all his host, after the ship is completed by our hero, go on board, and immediately embark for the promised land. But the wicked dispositions of Laman and Lemuel would not allow the crew to remain in peace. A mutiny takes place on ship board, and our hero and admiral was taken and bound so tight that he could not move. But the Lord is represented as being on Nephi's side, and a remedy was at hand at once. The famous brass ball-compass ceased to traverse! "and they knew not whither to steer the ship, insomuch, that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest." We will leave the reader to draw the inference, whether the terrible storm arose from the abuse of Nephi, or, because the compass would not traverse! p. 48. 

If the bare statement of a succession of miracles, such as have been recorded thus far in the Book of Mormon, unaccompanied by any testimony, or carrying with it any plausible probability of truth, entitles the work to the credit of Divine authenticity, we have already failed in our attempt to prove it a fiction. But we apprehend our readers will not receive the ridiculous story of Nephi, although it be clothed in the mantle of sanctity, without first instituting a critical enquiry and comparing the probabilities with the sacred truths of Holy Writ. 

We might have mentioned, that Lehi had two sons born in the wilderness, after he departed from Jerusalem. The oldest was called Jacob, and the other Joseph; these two sons are somewhat important personages in the como-tragedy hereafter.

To return to our crew. Finding the compass would not traverse, they get frightened, and set Nephi at liberty; the magnet again operates -- the seas become calm -- and every


 



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thing quiet. Whether the ship had sails, or was propelled by oars, or by a current, or by the will, or by the power of the spindle, we cannot inform our readers, for it is not stated. But Nephi, or the author, says that they all landed safely on the promised land. 

"And it came to pass, that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forest of every kind, both the cow and the ox." p. 48. More miracles to substantiate the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon. We had supposed that oxen were the result of a surgical operation upon bulls, changing their natures, in order to render them docile and useful to man; and nothing can be more ludicrous than to suppose the matchless power of the Almighty, had interfered with these animals in the wilderness, and caused the transformation of them as represented. 

Nephi is again commanded to manufacture more plates to engrave upon, and in this land of promise materials are plenty. The art of making them without materials is probably lost. Gold, silver and copper ores are found, and no other mentioned, but brass plates can be made, doubtless, by Nephi out of gold, silver, and copper ores, as well as out of nothing, as he must have done before he navigated the tribe across the ocean. p. 50. 

We are next presented with a recapitulation of the prophecies of Lehi, in relation to the coming of our Savior, together with a fictitious quotation from the prophecies conceived by our author, and brought forth in his own miserable, barren style. "To be lifted up according to the words of Zenoch, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, and according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness." Here we are presented with three new prophets, which were known to our hero,


 



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prophecying of the most important events which have ever transpired, or ever will. The last of which uttered a falsehood, he speaks of three days of darkness at the time of the crucifixion, p. 51. The evangelists in the New Testament, state, that there was a darkness over the land from the sixth to the ninth hour, varying from three hours to three days. Profane history, likewise, corroborates the statement made by the evangelists. If such prophets as Zenoch, Neum, and Zenos, had ever existed, would not there have been some trace left, or allusion made, either in sacred or profane writing respecting them! The known characteristic of the Jews, from time immemorial, is conclusive evidence that these prophets are fictitious characters. The Jews have ever been distinguished for their tenacity to their traditions and religion. They have ever held their prophets in the highest veneration, particularly those who spake clearly of the coming Messiah. 

We are now relieved by the author, from the coarse style in which the book is written, by the introduction of the 48th and 49th chapters of Isaiah, in the approved translation. To contrast the sublime style of the inspired writer, with the insipid and tasteless diction of the author of the Book of Mormon, requires more ability than we possess.




 

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C H A P T E R    I V.

The marvelous always has something about it, to fascinate, however coarsely it may be clad; and fiction has its charms, and when combined and presented to the mind in the mantle of inspiration, it is not singular that the credulous and unsuspecting should be captivated. This propensity for the marvelous in the human mind, is constantly leading them into error and delusion, and to it the fabricators of the new revelation are indebted for their success. 

Our moral faculties are always improved by embracing simple philosophical truths, and, in proportion as we reject them, we become depraved, and less capable of discriminating between falsehood and error. He who embraces falsehood and error, will sink deeper and deeper in the vortex of folly and madness; wild vagaries, apparitions, intercourse with the spirits of other worlds, and ten thousand other follies, will dance through his imagination in shapeless confusion. Realities are no longer a subject worthy his attention, but he is guided by the whims of his imagination, which he believes to be the breathing of the Holy spirit, and an internal revelation, and thus we find him enveloped in the fatal cords of fanaticism. 

Our object is to unvail the deceptions, and impositions, which are now practiced by the leaders of a sect which are called Mormons, or, as they have recently christened themselves, "Latter day Saints;" and so place the Book, or Golden Bible, as it has been called, before the public, as to prevent any further deception. The subject of eternity is of infinite moment to all; and each individual has sufficient capacity to embrace truth instead of error,


 



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provided the due exercises of the faculties are instituted. Then, when any subject is presented to us in the garb of religion, we ought carefully to investigate it, and compare it with the standard which should be our rule of faith and practice. The divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon, is the question now before us. Is it presented to us accompanied with such conclusive testimony as entitles it to our implicit credit, and such as we should be willing to risk our eternal all upon? If any doubts hang over the subject, it is reasonable that a scrupulous search, and a critical enquiry be instituted by us. 

Permit us to examine in what way the two above named chapters of Isaiah, became introduced in the modern version. The translation of King James is the one used. We believe the translation to be a correct one, and that the translators were guided by truth as far as human frailty would permit; but, at the same time, they were governed by the then existing rules of the English language, which now vary considerably. The rules which governed at the time of the translation was made, are so far lost, that we presume a new one made at this period under our present rules, would vary the diction and phraseology very considerably, but not the true sense.  We suppose that the object of the sacred writings, is to convey a definite meaning to the reader in his own language, without regard to words or phrases, and, consequently, if we were to receive a translation from the hand of the Lord at this time, we might rationally expect that it would appear in our own language, and not in that of King James' time, any more than in that of William the Conqueror. It is a remarkable coincidence that the author of our book should be able to give us an exact copy of those two chapters, reading them in a stone placed in a hat! We are truly inclined to accuse him of plagiarism, not only from the above circumstance, but because


 



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he attributes the authorship of the whole book to the Lord; and we cannot see why, if he could dictate such grand and lofty sentiments to Isaiah, together with the unparalleled figures, he could not have maintained a style and diction through the rest of the Book of Mormon, that would have appeared decent, and been somewhat in the language of the present time. Again we remark, that the beginnings of the question commences with the chapter, and closes with the next chapter, which is, of itself, evidence that it was copied, because the division of the prophecies into chapters is both modern and arbitrary -- the original furnishes no such arrangement. Then it would have been natural for an ignorant plagiarist to have blundered into that method of copying. If the two chapters had have been inserted in the author's language, at the same time preserving the sense strictly, there would have been more plausibility, and the deception not so easily detected. But the ignorance of the author led him to suppose that the translation was the only one that could be made, and that the division into chapters was done by Isaiah himself. 

Nephi is represented as a wonderful prophet. He could prophecy what would be said, in the precise sentences, six hundred years afterwards, and so arrange and punctuate it, that a translator, by means of a stone which was prepared fro that purpose, could, two thousand four hundred and thirty years afterwards, copy sentences which had been arranged about two hundred and twenty years previously, by a set of learned divines, assembled under the authority of James the first, king of England. There are no prophecies in the old Testament which compares with this; we deem it beyond the marvelous. In our examination of the prophecies in the old Testament, (which we suppose is not tantamount authority to the Golden Bible with a "latter day saint,") we are unable to find even


 



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an attempt made by the inspired authors to prophecy the doctrines of our Saviour, in the words in which he would utter them. Besides, the evangelists themselves, who heard the wonderful sayings as he spake them, choose their own manner of expressing it. Each had his own peculiar style, and penned the sentiments in their own way. Our Savior uttered many prophecies, but in all he said he never attempted to represent the diction and phraseology which would be used on a future occasion. But our hero, Nephi, is made by the author to far surpass the Savior. 

We are next presented with something like a sermon, in which the prophecies of the old Testament, (which, we presume, the author had by him,) is the matter of discussion and explanation. The Arian doctrine is denied, of which he, Nephi, has a prophetic knowledge, and instructs his readers after the popular doctrines of the present day. No particular denomination is sustained, but partakers of many, from which we suppose they had no articles of faith yet established; but in the sequel they become Anabaptists. And thus ends the first "Book of Nephi." 

The second Book of Nephi is introduced to the reader, by an attempt at a christian sermon, by Lehi, (Nephi having retired behind the curtain,) and in the course of his remarks, he makes several patriarchal promises to his sons; all conditioned upon a faithful and implicit obedience to the requirements and commands of Nephi. Lehi preaches repentance and remission of sins. He expounds the law as it relates to original sin, and settles many of the leading points which are subjects of disputation between different denominations at the present day, p. 72. We will again, for the benefit of our readers, quote a remarkable passage, which the bold blasphemer has presumed to insert in his book, as matter revealed to him, and as having been penned


 



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by Nephi, nearly six hundred years before it actually was!!! "And by the law no flesh is justified. Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin." "Which layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise." p. 63. --

There are a variety of sermons in this discourse taken from the new Testament, somewhat garbled and transposed, and so varied as to suit the views of the writer, in his fictitious tenets. 

Lehi next addresses his son Joseph, who was born in the wilderness, and reminds him of the commandments of the Holy one of Israel, and intimates that he is born for some great purpose, "For behold thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph, which was carried captive into Egypt. And great was the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph; wherefore Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel. Not the Messiah," &c. He then goes on to explain the covenant, by representing himself, and his posterity, as the branch meant, to which the Messiah be made manifest in the latter days. We next have a question from the prophecies of Joseph.  "Yea Joseph truly said, thus saith the Lord unto me: a choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give a commandment," p. 66. "And thus prophecied Joseph, saying: -- Behold that Seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded." Behold I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise. And his name shall be called after me, and it shall be after the name of his father. Yea, thus prophecied Joseph," -- p. 67. Here is the prophecy which settles the matter as to Joseph Smith, Jun. He is,


 



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doubtless, from the lineage of Lehi, the father of the Nephites and the Lamanites, and a descendant of Joseph. -- The Lamanites were all cursed by the Lord, and all marked and transformed into Indians. A curse was pronounced upon all who should ever mix with them. The Nephites warred with each other until they exterminated the whole race except three, who were immortalized. Whether the object of their immortality was to perpetuate the notable branch of Joseph by crim.con. we are left to conjecture. -- 

We are not aware that Joseph ever uttered the above remarkable sentences. He held the highest standing among his brethren, and if he had ever made them, we have no doubt full credit would have been given to his sayings, and they would have been preserved by the Jews, and handed down to the latest posterity among them, well authenticated. But, the fact is, the whole is a base forgery, and he who attempted to palm it off as truth upon a credulous community, cannot but receive the frowns and punishments of a just God. 

Again, on the same page, "And the Lord said unto me, also, I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman. And the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it." This prophecy of Joseph is also fulfilled to the letter, in the person of Sydney Rigdon; he is also from this same illegitimate race. It is true his name is not mentioned in the prophecy, but he fulfils the functions assigned him, are not the circumstances mentioned in the prophecy, pointing out so plainly these two persons, Joseph Smith, Jun, and Sydney Rigdon, who are the founders, and are still the leaders among Mormon fanatics, good grounds to infer that they were, at least, advisers, if not the authors, of the present form of the Book of Mormon?

If they did not originally compose the book, they might


 



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easily, at the time of amending and copying, alter and insert the patent of their commissions, in order to give validity to their undertaking.

Joseph Smith, Jun. was well skilled in legerdemain, and the use of the divining-rods, which afforded him great facilities in translating. He doubtless had become acquainted with mystifying every thing, and collected that class of people about him, who were willing dupes, and anxious devotees to the marvelous. To establish the truth of any pretension, however ridiculous and absurd it might be, required nothing but some little necromancy, and it would be received as of divine inspiration by them. 

In the conclusion of the present chapter, Lehi bestows his last benediction. "And now, blessed art though Joseph. Behold thou art little." We think the mind of this little Joseph must have been quite precocious, to have comprehended the whole rigmarole which has been addressed to him. Not only this; Nephi must have had a very tenacious memory, or have been a stenographer, in addition to his great literary attainments, in order to have engraved the oration of his father. The boy being little, perhaps might account for the circumlocution, and tautology, in the whole speech, if the whole book was not written in precisely the same words and phrases. The old and new Testaments are written in an ancient and very perfect style, and there is no doubt that, at the time it was written, it was in all respects, the most finished, and complete production, into which our language was capable of being modeled. -- 

But many improvements, and innovations have been made in our vocabulary, since that period, which now renders the style, measurably obsolete. A translation from the original Greek, in our present improved language, would be desirable, and, if it could be accomplished, many scisms would be abandoned, and sectarianism would be greatly diminished.


 



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We mention this, as an argument against the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon. A few years have only elapsed, since the pretended translation of that work took place, and instead of its being given us in a chaste and clear style, it is the most miserable and barren of any thing we ever saw, in the form of a book. Would it not be reasonable to conclude, that any book, whose author was the Holy Ghost, would be clear and perfect in all its parts; so plain that the wayfaring man need not err? particularly if the translation and style be chosen and dictated by himself, as it is pretended that the book of Mormon was. But we are forbidden this test, otherwise the book would fall to the ground at once. 

Nephi is the next person on the stage, and commences his harangue. He recapitulates his father's prophecies, and those of their ancestor, Joseph, in nearly the same language which Nephi used, and reminds the whole family of the promises in the covenant. Lehi is now old, and after he finishes his valedictory, gives up the ghost, and is buried, p. 69. The scene is now changed wholly. Nephi is the Major-domo. Laman, Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, rebel against his authority; and Nephi is warned of the Lord to flee into the wilderness.  A little previous, after the death of Lehi, Nephi is disconsolate, and a long soliloquy is penned, or engraved, upon the brass plates, which is principally patched up from detached sentences taken from Psalms and Jeremiah, badly arranged. p. 70. -- The rebellion and civil war is so great, that Nephi comes to the rare conclusion, after receiving his special command, to take another journey into the wilderness! The promised land is not yet obtained, according to page 49, where it says, "we did arrive at the promised land." Whether the land of both Noah and South America was in the charter, or not, we cannot say, but a part is surrendered forthwith,


 



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which is never restored again, therefore it was not the promised land, or the Lord had broken his covenant.

"Wherefore it came to pass, that I, Nephi, did take my family, and also Zoram," (Zoram was a servant man of Laban's, whom Nephi and his brethren, decoyed from Jerusalem, at the time the renowned plates were obtained which contained the genealogy of Lehi,) "and Sam, and his elder brother, and his family, and Jacob, and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all they which would go with me." 

They journeyed through the wilderness, until they arrived at a place which they call Nephi, after their leader; those who were left behind, to wit: Laman and Lemuel, and their families, were afterwards called Lamanites, together with all their descendants, without distinction. Nephi instructs his people to manufacture swords, after the manner of the sword of Laban, to defend themselves against the Lamanites, p. 72. Nothing can be more ridiculous than to suppose it necessary to manufacture swords with which to defend themselves against the Lamanites, as there could not have been to exceed twenty adults, including both parties; for he says on the very next page, that thirty years only had passed away since they left Jerusalem, and five males constituted the whole at the onset.  We will admit that five men were added; but Ishmael and Lehi are dead; and Jacob and Joseph are born, and but a short time since, Joseph is called little. But see what follows in immediate connexion with their removal, and previous to the time mentioned of thirty years having elapsed since the hegira of Lehi. "And I did teach my people that they "should work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance, And I, Nephi, did build a temple, and I did construct it after


 



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the manner of the temple of Solomon, save it were not built of so many precious things. But the manner of the construction, was like unto the temple of Solomon, and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine." All this was accomplished in the short time which remains after deducting eight or nine years previous to their embarking for the promised land, and the time they were located previous to Nephi's journey into the wilderness, where they now are with not more than twenty or thirty persons, including women and children. How much time remains from the thirty years which has not quite elapsed, we will leave for some Nephite, or Mormon, to determine.  But this is not all -- there is still another incongruity. Nephi has just told us, that gold, silver, brass, steel, iron, copper, and precious ores, in great abundance, were found; and in the next sentence tells us, that he built a temple in all things like the temple of Solomon, "save it were not built of so many precious things, for they were not to be found upon the land." We know not the precious things that were in Solomon's temple, more than our book enumerates. Brass and steel are represented native. He was compelled to mix and form his own brass, -- steel he had none. If any can reconcile all these incongruities, and unscientific mistakes, which have been exhibited thus far in the book of Mormon, with revealed truths from Heaven, we know not what inconsistencies, and fooleries, could be instituted under a pretence of divine authenticity, that would not have its enthusiastic devotees.




 

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C H A P T E R    V.
[first of two chapter V's -- see also p. 54]

If any man is curious to know the origin of the American Indian, he has it here. "That inasmuch, as they will not hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord." This is prophecy that Nephi pretends to repeat as coming from the Lord, against all those who would not hearken to him as their ruler. Nephi describes the Lamanites as being very white, fair, and delightsome, and very enticing to his people. "Therefore the Lord God did cause a skin of black to come upon them." -- "And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed p. 75.  The known habits and characteristics of the Indian, are briefly set forth, in order to satisfy the credulous inquirer. "And thirty years have passed away from the time we left Jerusalem." p. 73. Jacob and Joseph are now consecrated priests. It may not be improper to examine this subject of consecrating priests out of the families to which it belonged; and it will be recollected, that, according to the account given by the author, that neither Jacob nor Joseph were yet thirty years old. God made a covenant with the Jews at Sinai, and instituted three orders, the high priests, priests, and Levites. The high priesthood was made hereditary in the family of Aaron, and the first born of the eldest branch of that family, if he had no legal blemish, was the high priest.  "Thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on the priest's office, and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. -- Numb. chap. III, 10.

The priesthood was conferred upon the tribe of Levi, and the covenant gave them the office, and it was irrevocable


 



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while the temple stood, or until the Messiah came. "And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried. -- Deut. XXI, 5. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with two hundred and fifty men of renown, rebelled against the institution of the priesthood, and the Lord destroyed them in the presence of the whole congregation. This was to be a memorial that no stranger invade any part of the office of priesthood, Numbers XIV, 40. Fourteen thousand seven hundred of the people were destroyed by a plague, for murmuring against this memorial. Even Paul declared, that Christ, while on earth, could not be a priest, for he descended from a tribe concerning which Moses spake nothing of priesthood. So fixed was this covenant in regard to the priesthood in Levi and of the high priesthood to Aaron, that even the Savior was excluded by the law! 

Our author being ignorant on this subject, makes Lehi the offspring of Joseph, and represents him as "offering sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord," p. 15. And to cap the climax of absurdity, after preaching faith and repentance as the only way of salvation, from the very commencement of the campaign, Nephi tells us, "Notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look with steadiness unto Christ until the law shall be fulfilled."!!! p. 105. In answer, to the above difficulty, into which the author has plunged himself, the priests say that Lehi's priesthood was of the order of Melchisedic. -- In what way the laws of Moses could be kept under a new order of priesthood, we cannot determine. Paul says "For that after the similitude of Melchisedic, there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." Heb. VII, 13-16.


 



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Here then the matter is set at rest, that a priest after the order of Melchisedec could not exist under the law, nor could such a priest offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, nor could the law of Moses, in any sense, be fulfilled without the three orders of priesthood. From what has been seen, the opinions of Paul, and the law of Moses, are at direct issue with the Book of Mormon.

Jacob and Joseph having been consecrated priests, they commence the duties of their holy office, with a few prefatory remarks, interlarded with quotations from the prophecies. p. 74. 

The 50th and 51st chapters of Isaiah, is inserted at full length for our relief. Whether the quotation was made as a matter of necessity by the young priest, or as being appropriate, we cannot determine from the connection in which it stands.

The choice in the quotation is certainly a good one, and is a great relief to the reader. The sublimity of sentiment and poetic style of Isaiah, is truly captivating, and in what manner it became inserted, according to the diction and phraseology of King James' translators, is, with us, a mystery -- unless it was copied. Why not in the translation of J. Wicliffe, and J. de Travisa, of Tindal, and Cloverdale, of Luther, and of half a dozen others we might mention? Perhaps the author had not, while composing the Book of Mormon, any of the above copies; and he might not have known that any such translations were ever made. 

After the accurate quotation from Isaiah, Joseph, who is now preaching, anticipates the apostle Paul in his own language, nearly, on the subject of the resurrection, baptism, and repentance, and many other leading points upon which he was so pre-eminent for his clearness of thought and doctrine. We should conclude from the manner in which the quotations are made, that it was done by the author


 



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from recollection, and that he had a tolerable knowledge of the gospel doctrine. The following are a few of the sentences quoted, or, as is pretended, that Joseph is the original author of, instead of the apostle, or the Savior. -- "They which are filthy, are filthy still," 'and they shall go away into everlasting fire,' p. 80. 'And he commandeth all men that they must repent.' 'And where there is no law given, there is no punishment, and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation.' p. 81. 

There are a variety of other sentences in this sermon which are taken promiscuously from the Old and New Testaments. Who can be credulous enough to believe, that a preacher, five hundred and fifty years before the ministry of the Savior and his apostles, who taught the way of salvation, did preach and instruct not only the same principles, but the very words and phrases were used to convey the sentiments which are found in the evangelical writings? 

Nephi next takes the stand, and testifies roundly to the truths which Joseph, his brother, had been preaching, and adds that they both had seen the Savior, and he had declared that he would send his word forth to the people of Nephi. "Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said I will establish my word." Who the three are, here referred to, we cannot say. It may be Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, who are appended to the Book of Mormon, to establish its divine authenticity; and they may be the immortal three, selected out of the three American apostles. The chapter of miracles will reconcile all this.  Nephi says "his soul delights in the words of Isaiah," and he says he will write some of them for the benefit of his people, that they may "rejoice for all men," p. 86. -- Thirteen chapters of Isaiah are then copied, commencing with the second chapter.

Nephi, after the quotation from Isaiah, comments upon it,


 



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and concludes by offering to prophecy a little plainer, so that all could understand him. The doctrines which are found in the new Testament, in relation to the coming Messiah, and his rejection by the Jews, is explained; a task not very difficult for any one in the nineteenth century. Nephi says it had been told him concerning the destruction which came upon those who remained in Jerusalem, immediately after his father had left it, and that they then were destroyed, and carried captive into Babylon, p. 103. 

We have been told by our authors, a number of times, that Christ would make his appearance just six hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem, and we have been told, likewise, that Lehi, and his family, travelled eight years about the borders of the Red sea, in the wilderness, after which time Nephi builds his ship. And between thirty and fifty-five years, after the crusade commenced, he tells the people that Jerusalem is destroyed, and the Jews carried captive into Babylon. According to history, and according to Jeremiah, in the ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem, which was six hundred and six years before the christian era. Here we see the ignorant author has made too great a mistake, for, according to the Bible, Jerusalem must have been besieged six years before the pretended departure of Lehi from Jerusalem, and the city destroyed, and the Jews carried captive into Babylon, four years and six months, for the siege lasted only eighteen months. So much for dates, which are given by Mormon inspiration. 

We will give for the benefit of our readers, a specimen of Mormon inspired language. "And behold it shall come to pass, after the Messiah hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold Jerusalem shall be destroyed


 



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again; for woe unto them that fight against God and the people of his church, p. 104.

In the valedictory of Nephi, we have the doctrines of salvation through Jesus Christ preached, and about twenty pages of the book are taken up. A great many of the incidents which transpired in the days of our Savior, is prophetically mentioned, together with the reasons why it was necessary to baptize Christ, p. 108. We are likewise told, in the same discourse, that the plates, or book, would be sealed up, and should finally be found by an unlearned man, who should see them, and show them to three others, and then hide them again, for the use of the Lord. All this the Mormons believe that their prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr. translated, and as having been engraved by the hand of Nephi, on plates of brass, two thousand four hundred years ago! (when the plates were hid by Smith, but did not know where,) by means of a stone in a hat! Before Nephi concludes to die, he appoints a king over his people which they call second Nephi, p. 124.

The ignorance of the author, has caused the sceptre to depart from Judah, hundreds of years before Shiloh came. It must be recollected, that all their people were Jews, living under the law, to the fulfilling of it, and preaching the Gospel, baptism, and repentance, making priests out of those families, concerning which Moses spake nothing of priesthood, and kings, contrary to the blessings of Jacob, which he pronounced upon Judah.

Nephi prophecies that after the book of which he has spoken shall be found, and written unto the Gentiles, and afterwards sealed up again unto the Lord, many would believe and carry the tidings to the remnant of their seed, which is the Lamanites, or the aborigines, and that they were of the Jewish parentage, and that they had had the Gospel preached to them six hundred years before there was a gospel.


 



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"And it came to pass, that the Jews which are scattered also shall begin to believe in Christ; and they shall begin to gather in upon the face of the land, and as many as shall believe in Christ, shall also become a delightsome people,' p. 117.

From the above prophecies, we may expect to see our Indians and the Jews flocking in, becoming Mormons, and the former laying aside their dark skins for white ones. 

The prophecies continue, and inform us that at this time, the Lord will commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, in order to restore them; and that great divisions will take place among the people, and terrible anathemas are pronounced against those who will not become Mormons, and quotes Isaiah's poetic description of the commencement of the Millennium, p. 117. 

The sin against the Holy Ghost is defined as follows" after repentance, baptism by water, and by fire, and by the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, and with the tongue of angels, and then deny the Savior, the unpardonable sin is committed, p. 119. He tells the people he is not "mighty in writing like unto speaking," p. 121. For he says that he speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost. --  We know not what kind of a speaker he was, but we have a sample of the author's composition, and we should readily concur with him that the inspiration of God had no agency in the composition. The Evangelists both spoke and wrote by inspiration, as we believe; at all events we find no apology made by them for not being able to convey their ideas, for want of language. Our author finally closes his sermon by making his hero possess the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and as having the power to seal on earth, etc. p. 122.


 

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C H A P T E R    V.
[second of two chapter V's -- see also p. 47]

We have thus far looked over the Book of Mormon, endeavoring to treat the sacred truths of the everlasting God, which have been profaned for one of the vilest of purposes, with the solemnity which it deserves; and to expose in a becoming manner, the falsehoods which have been interwoven for the purposes of fraud and deception. If the book had been presented to us, for our inspection, we should never have anticipated that a religious sect could ever have been established from its doctrines. We should have come to the conclusion that the author was a fearless infidel, and had attempted a ridicule upon the Holy Bible; and we still think that it is not improbable that the original design of the author was to bring down contempt upon the inspired writers, and the religion of Jesus Christ. 

"THE  BOOK  OF  JACOB  THE  BROTHER  OF  NEPHI."
Jacob commences his book fifty-five years after Lehi left Jerusalem, p. 123. Jacob says, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, "Jacob, get thou up into the temple, on the morrow, and declare the word which I shall give thee, unto this people." 

"And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver, and all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise unto you, and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully. And the hand of Providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because that some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren, ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and


 



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wear stiff necks and high heads, because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren, because that ye suppose that ye are better than they." p. 126. Jacob received a special command from the Lord to get up into the temple and declare the above paragraph!!! There seems to be a prevailing passion in the writer to represent the Nephites as being great miners after the precious metals. They are often represented as diging and searching after gold and silver -- which will perhaps be an apology for Joseph Smith's early habits in searching after hidden treasures, he being a remnant of the Nephites. The love of gold among the Jews is proverbial; and it is a far more laudable method of obtaining it by diging after the deposits of pirates than by over reaching in commercial, or in other business transactions.  There would seem but little prospect of obtaining pirate's money, either on the mountains, near the head waters of the Susquehannah, or in the town of Manchester, Ontario County, N. Y. But Don Quixote told his squire Sancho, that great fortune was very near when we least expected it; thus it was with Smith in diging after hidden treasures -- the famous brass plates, the gold spectacles and the interpreting stone were found, perhaps when he least expected it; and if the sword of Laban had been added, instead of being found by "Guy of Warwick," in England, some centuries ago, we have no doubt but the mob in Missouri would have been quiet before this time, or Gen. J. Smith would have slain the whole. A similar adventure will be noticed which can be found on page 271, Book of Mormon. 

In the third discourse, which Jacob favors us with, he informs us that only a small part of his doings can be engraved on plates; and in the close of the second discourse, he says that a hundredth part of the doings of these people could not be engraved in plates on the account of their having


 



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become so very numerous, p. 129, and all sprang from five or six females, in about forty years; and in the mean time they had had wars and contentions, and the reigns of kings, the history of which is written upon larger plates, which are called the plates of Jacob, p. 129. According to the most extravagant calculation, in point of increase among five or six females, the whole could not have amounted to more than about sixteen hundred, in the time mentioned, allowing no deaths to have occurred; besides, about one half of that number would be under ten years old. The story of wars and contentions, and of kings having passed away, is too ridiculous and inconsistent to be noticed and refuted in a serious manner. 

Jacob reminds the people of a parable which the prophet Zenos spoke, p. 131. In this parable, the author has no means of dissembling, there not being such a prophet nor such a parable, he is compelled to use his own phraseology, as he penned it.

The style of the Book of Mormon is sui generis, and whoever peruses it, will not have a doubt but that the whole was framed and written by the same individual hand. The phrases, "And it came to pass," is at the beginning of every paragraph, with a few exceptions, throughout all the original part of the work. "Behold," "Beholdest," "exceeding," "Thereof," "also," "giveth," are favorite phrases. 

Let us compare a paragraph which the author pretends was spoken by the prophet Zenos, and repeated by Jacob, with one translated from the gold plates of Jared, about seven hundred years afterwards by the hand of Moroni.

The following are the words of the prophet Zenos:

"Ye shall clear away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad thereof, all at


 



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once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft and the graft thereof shall perish."

Seven hundred years afterwards, Moroni translated the following elegant description of the ships in which the Babelites navigated themselves across the ocean: 

"And they were built after a manner that they were exceeding tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree, and the door thereof, when it was shut was tight like unto a dish," p. 512. We leave the intelligent reader to draw his own conclusions. 

The parable of Zenos occupies about nine pages, and is followed by Jacob with an explanation, and a short Christian exhortation to his people. The last chapter of the book of Jacob is principally taken up in relating an anecdote about a man by the name of Sherem, who came and preached to the people, denying Christ; Jacob finally confounds him by the power of the Lord, which struck Sherem to the earth, p. 141. Jacob is now grown old, and he gives the plates of Nephi to his son Enos, together with the commands which Nephi gave to him. Enos promises obedience, and Jacob bids farewell to the reader, p. 143. 

"THE BOOK OF ENOS." -- Enos commences with giving his father a good name, as any dutiful son would do, and then tells us of a mighty wrestle he had with the Lord before that he received a remission of his sins, he then exhorts the people to repentance and faith in Christ; he tells us he is a great prophet, but prophecies nothing. He says an hundred and seventy-nine years had passed away since Lehi left Jerusalem, p. 145.

"THE BOOK OF JAROM" is said to be written by Jarom


 



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the son of Enos, who is an engraver like all his predecessors in the priesthood; he tells us the plates are so small that he could engrave but little. About two pages in the Mormon translation is all, and delivers the plates to Omni, two hundred and thirty-eight years since the hegira of Lehi, p. 147. 

"THE BOOK OF OMNI." -- Omni receives the plates from his father, who commands him to write a little to preserve the genealogy. Omni writes a couple of paragraphs, each commencing with, "And it came to pass," and confers the plates upon his son Amaron. Amaron writes a few sentences and delivers his plates to his brother Chemish. He follows the example in three or four sentences, and declares the plates genuine. Abinadom is the son of Chemish; he takes the plates by right, but declares he knows of no revelations, save what has been written, and says that is sufficient, p. 149. Amaleki is the son of Abinadom who takes the plates, and says he has something to say. A certain man, by the name of Mosiah was warned by the Lord to flee into the wilderness, with as many as would go with him. They all, with Mosiah for their leader, arrive at a place called Zarahemla, and bring with them the plates of brass, which pleased the people very much, because they contained the record of the Jews. 

The people of Zarahemla, Mosiah discovered, came out from Jerusalem at the time of the Babylonish captivity, and had become very numerous. Their language had become degenerated so much that Mosiah could not understand them at all; but Mosiah causes them all to learn the language of the Nephites, and they make him king over the land, p. 149. Mosiah discovered upon a stone which was brought him with hieroglyphics engraved upon it, which he interpreted by the gift and power of God -- and it gave an account of another people, which escaped the confounding of languages


 



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at the tower of Babel, and of their destruction at the north. They were called the people of Coriantumr. Amaleki says he was born in the days of king Mosiah, and is acquainted with Benjamin, who is his son, and succeeds his father in the regal office, p. 150. Three or four more paragraphs, and the plates of Nephi are full. The plates were transferred to king Benjamin by Amaleki for safe keeping. 

"THE WORDS OF MORMON." -- The scene is now changed by the author, and we are carried forward, "many hundred years after the coming of Christ." But the inspired historian, who is called Mormon, begins with his record at the precise period when Amaleki delivers the plates to king Benjamin. Mormon commences his history with a kind of preface, in which he mentions that king Benjamin fought great battles with the Lamanites, and says "he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with the sword of Laban," p. 152. We suppose the sword of Laban was probably a kind of keep-sake, and descended to their generals; and we are sorry to say that our Gen. Smith has not been favored with the possession of it. Such a specimen of antiquity, as a sword made 2400 years ago, which had slain so many in the hands of such renowned kings and prophets of God, would be a great curiosity. 

Mormon is the author of the "Book of Mosiah." King Benjamin is the father of three sons whose names are called Mosiah, Helorum and Helaman, who were taught in the language of their fathers, p. 154, which was the Egyptian; thereby they were enabled to read the engravings upon the plates, p. 155. Lehi has been represented as a pious Jew, living in Jerusalem, and of the tribe of Joseph, who separated himself from the Jews, and departed into the wilderness, and never again associated with any community or nation of people, until king Mosiah found another settlement, who came off at the time of the Babylonish captivity, in the land


 



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of Zarahemla, who were likewise Jews. The sacred records of the Jews, and all their religious ceremonies in the temple, were in the Hebrew language; and it is well established that no other language was in use among that nation in Jerusalem, until the temple was destroyed. It may be true that Jews who were born and lived in other countries, spoke other languages. But the known hostility of the Egyptians towards every other nation, and particularly towards the Hebrews, renders it improbable that the Egyptians had sufficient intercourse with the Jews, so as to have them adopt their language and literature. The Jews have a religious veneration for the Hebrew tongue, which also furnishes a strong argument against the position that our pious Hebrews spoke the Egyptian language, and recorded their holy religion in it upon plates of brass, to be handed down to posterity. 

After king Benjamin had finished the education of his sons, he "waxed old" -- and as it became necessary to confer the kingdom on some one, he caused Mosiah to come forth. He orders him to issue a proclamation that on the morrow he would preach in the temple, and proclaim Mosiah king, p. 154.

King Benjamin took care to give his sons charge as to the affairs of the kingdom: and handed down the old legacy, consisting of the sword of Laban, the brass ball or compass, and the records on brass plates, p. 155. 

The people assemble, according to the request of King Benjamin, in great multitudes -- "And they took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, according to the law of Moses," p. 155.

In the sermon which king Benjamin is now preaching in the temple, where the people are offering sacrifice, we find the following sentences: "I am come unto you to declare the glad tidings of great joy," p. 160. "And he shall be


 



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called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of Heaven and Earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning, and his mother shall be called Mary, ii p. 160 -- for salvation cometh to none such, except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ," p. 161. We are at a loss, inasmuch as it is not defined, what kind of a dispensation it was, to preach salvation through Christ and offer burnt offerings at the same time, according to the law of Moses, which they could not do agreeably to the law, not having legal priests to officiate. "And moreover I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given, nor other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent," p. 101. We cannot gather from any part of the sermon of Benjamin, any disapprobation of the ceremonial law, but infer that both the law of Moses and the gospel were binding upon them at one and the same time!! 

The sermon is continued with many good doctrines extracted from the New Testament, with a pretense that it had been revealed to him by an angel.

The author doubtless had some knowledge of the revivals of religion, in the different churches; for he represents the whole congregation prostrated, crying for mercy through the atoning blood of Christ -- "For we believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God," p. 162. This would be judged, a priori, wonderful preaching, considering the period in which it took place, at least 300 years before the nativity of Christ. 

Permit us to propound a few interrogatories to the reader, if he be a Mormon, or even has doubts in relation to the divine origin and authenticity of the new revelation: 1. When did God institute the ceremonial and moral laws? If upon Mount Sinai, [2.] when did it terminate, and in what? 3. For what purpose was those laws instituted? 4. If at the coming of the Savior, all the ceremonies of the law were done


 



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away, why were they in force among the Nephites as early as the gospel was made known to them, not relying upon the law and obedience to it, but upon the Gospel, six hundred years before the shepherds heard the glad tidings of great joy, which was unto all nations! except the Nephites, with whom the author pretends it was an old story. 

Mosiah is the next king, and is son to king Benjamin: he is consecrated a priest. The king's and priest's office seems to be inseparably connected at this time among our ancients.

Mosiah's reign commences four hundred and seventy-six years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem. He despatches sixteen of his strong men to reconnoiter and search after another settlement of the Nephites which appears to be disconnected from the land of Zarahemla. They lose their way, not having been provided with the brass ball to direct them, and are taken prisoners by Limhi. After king Limhi ascertains that they are from the land of Zarahemla, he recounts to them his troubles, and represents himself as being under bondage to the Lamanites; and that one half of all their products were paid to them, annually, as a tribute.  The prisoners are set at liberty; and plates containing their record, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla. -- Ammon, who is represented as captain of the scouts, reads the record upon the plates. After which, king Limhi asks him if he could interpret languages -- being answered in the negative, he commences a narrative of having sent out forty-three of his men in search of the land of Zarahemla; and that they all got lost, and after many days they returned -- having discovered a land that was covered with the bones of men and beasts! and was also covered with the ruins of buildings, having the appearance of being peopled as numerous as the hosts of Israel. As a testimony of the truth of their discovery, they brought home with them twenty-four plates of pure gold, containing a history of a people to


 



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which we have alluded, called the people of Jared, who were not confounded at the destruction of Babel. Ammon is again enquired of, whether he knows any one who can translate languages -- he answers in the affirmative, and says "for that he hath wherewith to look, and translate all records that are of ancient date: and it is a gift from God: and the things are called interpreters; and no man can look in them, except he be commanded" -- the king of Zarahemla is the man, p. 173. We will make no remark on the gold spectacles, but will leave the intelligent reader to infer whether the story and the manner in which it is told, comports with his views of divine revelation or not.

THE RECORD OF ZENIFF. -- Zeniff is the leader of a band of Nephites, who left the land of Zarahemla, and is the father of Noah, who is the father of Limhi the king, of whom we have been speaking.

Zeniff confers the kingdom upon his son Noah, whose people become wicked, and wars ensue between them and the "Lamanites, and they are mostly all destroyed; hence they become tributary, as above alluded to. About this time, a prophet makes his appearance, by the name of Abinadi. He attempts to imitate Isaiah in his prophecies, and quotes many passages from the Old Testament, which were pronounced against the Jews for their wickedness and rebellion, and foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem -- pretending that he is the author of the sentiments, and declares them against these Nephites, upbraiding them for their disobedience to the commands of Christ, and describes the awful calamities which shall follow, and concludes with the decalogue, p. 184.

The decalogue here inserted, is in our approved translation, like every thing else which is taken from the Old and New Testament. It is true that the pronoun which is used twice or three times, instead of that, consequently, we


 



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should infer that the quotation was made from recollection. The fact that so great a proportion of the whole book being made from quotations from the Bible, a part of which was not written until six hundred years after the pretended period of our author, places the matter beyond controversy, and is conclusive testimony that the author was an infidel. 

The prophet Abinadi was somewhat expert in the sacred scriptures, and measurably understood the views of modern theologians; -- he says, "And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses. I say unto you that it is expedient that keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses," p. 185. The doctrines of salvation and the law, according to our prophet, were inseparably connected in their time, and both were indispensable to salvation.  Whether the ceremonial and moral laws were both included by our prophet, we cannot determine; but to reconcile the idea that the ceremonial law which was typical of Christ, and was only obligatory until the gospel church was erected, with the literal obedience of it, by a community of people who had the gospel as fully revealed to them, as it was to the rest of mankind at any future period whatever, is a task beyond our abilities, so long as we view the writings of St. Paul as inspired of God. In immediate connection we are told that the Jews were a "stiff-necked people, quick to do iniquity" -- "therefore, there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly" -- "But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come," p. 185. We are next led into the doctrines of the New Testament; and are told of the coming of the Messiah, and of his doctrines and crucifixion, about as well as any tolerably well informed man, who


 



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made no pretensions to literature, would do at the present time, having the scripture before him.

In the following quotation, we have the views of our author on the resurrection -- "And if Christ had not risen from the dead or have broken the bonds of death, that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection," p. 180. In this quotation the cloven foot is uncovered -- the deformity brought into open daylight.  The prophet is represented by the author, as living some centuries before our Savior's nativity; but the slightest examination of the text quoted, will show the reader that the subject is spoken of in the imperfect tense, representing the event of the resurrection as past and finished, which was doubtless the truth, at the time it was written. The phrase, "if Christ had not risen" implies past time; again in the same sentence, "there could have been no resurrection," implies past time; but if the author had said, if Christ does not rise, &c. -- there will be no resurrection, we could have understood him, in reference to the time in which he represents his prophet speaking, to wit, some centuries before the great event of which he spake, took place, according to his own calendar. 

The sagacity of our imposter has not been sufficient in all instances, to avoid detection. His deliberations were insufficient to supply the place of erudition, and consequently, he plunged himself into which renders the book in question, good evidence against itself, that it is a miserable forgery and a libel upon the Christian religion. We will venture to predict that if the golden bible should be rendered into intelligible English, there would not remain a single


 



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