Book of Mormon Readings

BOOK OF MORMON READINGS.

Four months ago I set for myself the task of again reading through in consecutive order the Book of Mormon, and having just completed it, will set down a few of my gleanings, as my memory and a few notes may serve me.

I am deeply impressed with the divinity of the book, and I arise from its perusal altogether satisfied that it is not the product of deception by one man or by a set of men, but instead that the original was set down in truth under inspiration of the Holy Spirit as bestowed by Providence, and that the translation was by inspi­ration of God. I have corrected a wrong impression obtained from earlier readings and teachings as to the manner in which Joseph Smith was enabled to supply the needed history for the first part of the book, covered by the one hundred and sixteen pages of manuscript lost by Martin Harris. There are two slightly differ­ent views held as to the manner employed in supplying this missing material. The first is that another set of plates, not abridged by Mormon, was bound in supplemental to the ab­ridged portion, so that Joseph Smith had but to continue on consecutively without other than the one bound volume of plates before him, in order to complete his translation, and give us the work without break or mar in the story, as we have it in the Book of Mormon.

The other view is that Mormon’s book of plates was made by his own hands for the special purpose of carrying an abridgment, and that all the writings thereon down to his son’s, Moroni’s, writings, were done by Mormon; that on coming to Nephi’s “small plates,” so choice and rich in spiritual teachings, etc., he made a ver­batim copy (transcript it would be called) of the “small plates,” but thereafter kept to his original purpose without further marked duplication.

Those of the first view, and I believe they are correct, say that because in the Doc. and Cov., Sec. 10, the Prophet Joseph Smith was forbidden to “translate again those words which have gone forth out of your hands,” he must have had supplied to him (bound in the book of plates before him, presumably,) the “small plates of Nephi.” This view seems further sustained by this reve­lation which informs the Prophet Joseph that upon the plates of Nephi (the small plates) is a more particular account, which the Lord would bring to the knowledge of the people, than the lost manuscript contained. “Therefore you shall translate the engra­vings which are on the plates of Nephi (small plates) down even till you come to the reign of king Benjamin, or until you come to that which you have translated, which you have retained.” This done, Joseph Smith took up the account in its abridged form as Mormon had it set down from the larger plates of Nephi. Mormon does not resume his abridging, however, until first adding a chapter of his own to explain his disjointed abridgment. This explanation he offers under the caption of “The Words of Mormon” (p. 158, Book of Mormon), where he says: “I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things, but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, He worketh in me to do according to His will.” This chapter by the abridger discloses to the reader the explanation for what was virtually a duplication, had the lost manuscripts been retained by the translator and used as part of the Book of Mormon.

Say those of the opposing view, it is evident Mormon did not bind Nephi’s small plates into and along with the abridger’s plates, notwithstanding his statement, “I shall take these plates (small plates) which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my records, etc.” They say these small plates would be nearly or quite eight hundred years older than Mormon’s when the desired portion was transcribed; that the eight witnesses would have detected in their scrutinizing examination of the plates, some dissimilarity in size, in age, in character of hieroglyphics or material composition or other misfit worthy of mention.

Philology teaches that language of a people grows and wanes as their civilization goes up or down. The Nephite baud, amalgam­ating with the more numerous Mulekites, whose language was not at first understood, and later with the Ammonites, who had formerly lost all connection with their enlightened brethren, and later by many others after long separations, would, it is plain to see, undergo many changes in their tongue and necessarily, as the chroniclers admit, in their written language.

The last writers, Mormon and Moroni, would be farthest re­moved from Nephi, the first chronicler in the Nephite records, and therefore, reveal a marked difference in the hierogyphics, as well as manner of expression, etc., employed by the later writers. Besides, would it be quite correct for Mormon to put on the title page these words, “The Book of Mormon: an account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi,” etc., unless wholly so done?

Some difference, here spoken for, is, to the careful reader, notice­able between the first one hundred and fifty seven pages, and the following portion of the book, but a striking difference between the literal and abridged portions would partly be lost by trans­lation into the English, in the hands of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

In lecture fourteen of his series on the Articles of Faith Dr. James E. Talmage says, “Of these plates (small plates of Nephi) Mormon attempted no transcript, but included the originals with his own abridgment of the larger plates, making of the two one book.”

Mormon’s touch of inspiration in separating his fore and after abridgment by dropping in between these portions the “small plates of Nephi” in the manner above described, is like touching a key whose response is not heard until fourteen centuries afterward. Truly it reveals that the “Lord’s wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.” Nephi gives as his reason for making them, that, “The Lord hath commanded me to make these plates, for a wise purpose in him: which purpose I know not,” etc., which is another like and equal touch of inspiration evidencing that “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning.” etc. It seems apparent all through the Book of Mormon that Mormon is especially emphatic in making appear there is a divine plan for nations as well as individuals to follow, and that happiness, prosperity and union run high as it is adhered to, or low as it is departed from.

Dudley. England.                                                          Joseph A. Vance.