The Articles of Faith Part 33

Yours very truly, JAS. H. FAIRCHILD.

Printed copies of the "Ma.n.u.script Found" are obtainable, and any enquirer may examine for himself. For further information see _The Myth of the Ma.n.u.script Found_, by Elder George Reynolds, Salt Lake City; Whitney's _History of Utah_, Vol. I, pp. 46-56; Elder George Reynolds' preface to the story as issued by the Deseret News Company, Salt Lake City, 1886; and the story itself.

See also three articles by Pres. Joseph F. Smith in "Improvement Era," Vol. III, pp. 241, 377, 451.

=3. The Three Witnesses.=--Oliver Cowdery.--Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont, October, 1805; baptized May 15, 1829; died at Richmond, Mo., March 3, 1850.

David Whitmer.--Born near Harrisburg, Pa., January 7, 1805; baptized June, 1829; excommunicated from the Church, April 13, 1838; died at Richmond, Mo., January 25, 1888.

Martin Harris.--Born at East-town, Saratoga Co., New York, May 18, 1783; baptized 1830; removed to Utah, August, 1870, and died at Clarkston, Cache Co., Utah, July 10, 1875.

=4. The Eight Witnesses.=--Christian Whitmer.--Born January 18, 1798; baptized April 11, 1830; died in full fellows.h.i.+p in the Church, Clay County, Missouri, November 27, 1835. He was the eldest son of Peter Whitmer.

Jacob Whitmer.--Second son of Peter Whitmer; born in Pennsylvania, January 27, 1800; baptized April 11, 1830; died April 21, 1856, having previously withdrawn from the Church.

Peter Whitmer, Jr.--Born September 27, 1809; fifth son of Peter Whitmer; baptized June, 1829; died a faithful member of the Church, at or near Liberty, Clay Co., Missouri, September 22, 1836.

John Whitmer.--Third son of Peter Whitmer; born August 27, 1802; baptized June, 1829; excommunicated from the Church March 10, 1838; died at Far West, Missouri, July 11, 1878.

Hiram Page.--Born in Vermont, 1800; baptized April 11, 1830; withdrew from the Church, 1838; died in Ray Co., Missouri, August 12, 1852.

Joseph Smith, Sen.--The Prophet Joseph's father; born at Topsfield, Ess.e.x Co., Ma.s.s., July 12, 1771; baptized April 6, 1830; ordained Patriarch to the Church, December 18, 1833; died in full fellows.h.i.+p in the Church at Nauvoo, Ill., Sept. 14, 1840.

Hyrum Smith.--Second son of Joseph Smith, Sen., born at Tunbridge, Vt., February 9, 1800; baptized June, 1829; appointed one of the First Presidency of the Church November 7, 1837; Patriarch to the Church January 19, 1841; martyred with his brother, the Prophet, at Carthage, Ill., June 27, 1844.

Samuel Harrison Smith.--Born Tunbridge, Vt., March 13, 1808; fourth son of Joseph Smith, Sen., baptized May 15, 1829; died July 30, 1844.

=5. Consistency of the Book of Mormon.=--"If the historical parts of the Book of Mormon be compared with what little is known from other sources, concerning the history of ancient America, there will be found much evidence to substantiate its truth; but there cannot be found one truth among all the gleanings of antiquity that clashes with the historical truths of the Book of Mormon. If the prophetical part of this wonderful book be compared with the prophetical declarations of the Bible, there will be found much evidence in the latter to establish the truth of the former. But though there are many predictions in the Book of Mormon, relating to the great events of the last days, which the Bible gives us no information about, yet there is nothing in the predictions of the Bible that contradicts in the least the predictions of the Book of Mormon. If the doctrinal part of the Book of Mormon be compared with the doctrines of the Bible, there will be found the same perfect harmony which we find on the comparison of the prophetical parts of the two books. Although there are many points of the doctrine of Christ that are far more plain and definite in the Book of Mormon than in the Bible, and many things revealed in relation to doctrine that never could be fully learned from the Bible, yet there are not any items of doctrine in the two sacred books that contradict each other or clash in the least. If the various books which enter into the collection called the Book of Mormon be carefully compared with each other, there will be found nothing contradictory in history, in prophecy, or in doctrine.... If we compare the historical, prophetical, and doctrinal parts of the Book of Mormon with the great truths of science and nature, we find no contradictions--no absurdities--nothing unreasonable. The most perfect harmony therefore exists between the great truths revealed in the Book of Mormon and all other known truths, whether religious, historical, or scientific."--Apostle Orson Pratt in _Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon_, p. 56.

LECTURE XV.

THE BOOK OF MORMON.--Continued.

=Article 8.=--... We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of G.o.d.

AUTHENTICITY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

=1. The Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon= const.i.tutes our most important consideration of the work. This subject is one of vital interest to every earnest investigator of the ways of G.o.d, to every sincere searcher after truth. Claiming to be, as far as the present dispensation is concerned, a new scripture, presenting prophecies and revelations not heretofore recognized in modern theology, announcing to the world the message of a departed people, written by way of commandment, and by the spirit of prophecy and revelation--this volume is ent.i.tled to the most thorough and impartial examination. Nay, more, not alone does the Book of Mormon merit such consideration, it claims, even demands the same; for surely no one professing the most cursory belief in the power and authority of G.o.d can receive with unconcern the announcement of a new revelation, having the seal of Divine authority upon it. The question of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon is therefore one in which the world is interested.

=2.= The Latter-day Saints base their belief in the authenticity and genuineness of the book on the following proofs:--

I. The general agreement of the Book of Mormon with the Bible.

II. The fulfillment of ancient prophecies accomplished by the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon.

III. The strict agreement and consistency of the Book of Mormon with itself.

IV. The evident truth of its contained prophecies.

To these may be added certain external, or extra-scriptural evidences, amongst which are:--

V. The strongly corroborative evidence furnished by modern discoveries in the field of archeological and ethnological science.

I. THE BOOK OF MORMON AND THE BIBLE.

=3. The Nephite and the Jewish Scriptures= are found to agree in all matters of tradition, history, doctrine, and prophecy upon which both the separate records treat. These two volumes of scripture were prepared on opposite hemispheres, under conditions and circ.u.mstances widely diverse; yet between them there exists a surprising harmony, confirmatory of Divine inspiration in both. The Book of Mormon contains a number of quotations from the ancient Jewish scriptures, a copy of which, as far as they had been compiled at the time of Lehi's exodus from Jerusalem, was brought to the western continent, as part of the record engraved on the plates of Laban. In the case of such pa.s.sages, there is no essential difference between Bible and Book of Mormon versions, except in instances of probable error in translation,--usually apparent through inconsistency or lack of clearness in the Bible reading. There are, however, numerous minor variations in corresponding parts of the two volumes; and between such, examination usually demonstrates the superior perspicuity of the Nephite scripture.

=4.= In a careful comparison of the prophecies of the Bible with corresponding predictions contained in the Book of Mormon, e. g. those relating to the birth, earthly ministry, sacrificial death, and second coming of Christ Jesus; with others referring to the scattering and subsequent gathering of Israel; and with such as relate to the establishment of Zion and the re-building of Jerusalem in the last days, each of the records will be seen to be corroborative of the other. True, there are many predictions in one which are not found in the other; but in no instance has a contradiction or an inconsistency between the two been pointed out. Between the doctrinal parts of the two volumes of scripture the same perfect harmony is found to prevail.

=5.= Of the agreement of the Book of Mormon with the Bible and with other standards of comparison, Apostle Orson Pratt has forcefully and truthfully written:--"If the miracles of the Book of Mormon be compared with the miracles of the Bible, there cannot be found in the former anything that would be more difficult to believe, than what we find in the latter. If we compare the historical, prophetical, and doctrinal parts of the Book of Mormon with the great truths of science and nature, we find no contradictions, no absurdities, nothing unreasonable. The most perfect harmony, therefore, exists between the great truths revealed in the Book of Mormon, and all other known truths, whether religious, historical, or scientific."[792]

[792] _Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon_, Orson Pratt's Works, p. 236 (1891, Utah ed.)

II. ANCIENT PROPHECY REGARDING THE BOOK OF MORMON.

=6. Ancient Prophecy= has been literally fulfilled in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. One of the earliest prophetic utterances directly bearing upon this subject is that of Enoch, the ante-diluvian prophet, unto whom the Lord revealed His purposes for all time.

Witnessing in vision the corruption of mankind, after the ascension of the Son of Man, Enoch cried unto his G.o.d, "Wilt thou not come again on the earth?" "And the Lord said unto Enoch, As I live, even so will I come in the last days.... And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth, and the heavens shall shake and also the earth, and great tribulations shall be among the children of men; but my people will I preserve, and righteousness will I send down out of heaven, and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of Mine Only Begotten.... and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood to gather out mine own elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare."[793] The Latter-day Saints regard the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, together with the restoration of the Priesthood by the direct ministration of heavenly messengers, as a fulfillment of this prophecy, and of similar predictions contained in the Bible.

[793] Pearl of Great Price: Moses vii, 59-62.

=7. Biblical Prophecies and their Fulfillment.=--David, who sang his psalms over a thousand years before the "Meridian of Time," declared, "Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven."[794] And so also declared Isaiah.[795] Ezekiel saw in vision[796] the coming together of the stick of Judah, and the stick of Joseph, signifying, as the Latter-day Saints affirm, the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The pa.s.sage last referred to reads, in the words of Ezekiel:--"The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions; And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand."

[794] Psalms lx.x.xv, 11.

[795] Isa. xiv, 8.

[796] Ezek. x.x.xvii, particularly verses 15-20.

=8.= When we call to mind the ancient custom in the making of books,--that of writing on long strips of parchment and rolling the same on rods or sticks, the use of the word "stick" as equivalent to "book" in the pa.s.sage becomes at once apparent,[797] At the time of this utterance, the Israelites had divided into two nations known as the people of Judah, and that of Israel, or Ephraim. There would seem to be little room for doubt that the records of Judah and of Joseph are here referred to.[798] Now, as we have seen, the Nephite nation comprised the descendants of Lehi of the tribe of Mana.s.seh, of Ishmael an Ephraimite, and of Zoram whose tribal relation is not definitely stated. The Nephites were then of the tribes of Joseph; and their record or "stick" is as truly represented by the Book of Mormon as is the "stick" of Judah by the Bible.

[797] See a corresponding use of the word "roll" in Jeremiah x.x.xvi, 1, 2; and its synonym "book" in verses 8, 10, 11, and 13.

[798] Compare with Lehi's prediction made to his son Joseph, II Nephi iii, 12.

=9.= That the coming forth of the record of Joseph or Ephraim is to be accomplished through the direct power of G.o.d is evident from the Lord's interpretation of the vision of Ezekiel, wherein He says:--"Behold, _I will take_ the stick of Joseph ... and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah."[799] And that this union of the two records is to be a characteristic of the latter days is evident from the prediction of an event which is to follow immediately, viz., the gathering of the tribes from the nations among which they had been dispersed.[800] Comparison with other prophecies relating to the gathering will conclusively prove that the great event is to take place in the latter times, preparatory to the second coming of Christ.[801]

[799] Ezek. x.x.xvii, 19.

[800] Verse 21.

[801] See lecture on "Gathering" in connection with Article 10, page 341.

=10.= Reverting to the writings of Isaiah, we find that prophet voicing the Lord's threatenings against Ariel, or Jerusalem, "the city where David dwelt." Ariel was to be distressed, burdened with heaviness and sorrow; then the prophet refers to some people, other than Judah, who occupied Jerusalem, for he makes comparison with the latter, saying "And it shall be unto me _as_ Ariel." As to the fate decreed against this other people we read:--"And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust."[802]