The Long-Lost Records

THE LONG-LOST RECORDS.

In a letter lately published in the Liver­pool Daily Post, written by the Rev. Dr. Baylee, Principal of St. Aidan’s College, in reply to a “geological antagonist,” who requests his “opinion of an alleged ‘antediluvian well’ discovered in White­side county, near Chicago,” he says:—

“There appears to me no antecedent reason why we should not discover antediluvian architectural remains. … With regard, however, to the well referred to, I cannot see any good ground for assigning to it any very remote antiquity. In Ireland, human residences have been discovered many feet under the surface of bogs, which have cer­tainly belonged to historic times. The American well was under a stratum ‘of black vegetable soil,’ One portion of the wall is broken off, and about an equal quantity of stones found at the bottom of the well. The well was full of black vege­table soil and remains of cedar. The account is too meagre to afford materials for any decisive opinion; but it appears to me most probable that there was just such an occurrence as so often takes place in Ireland—a mass of soil carried by the force of water from one place to another. There remains, however, the very interesting ques­tion—Who dug the well? This is only part of the important inquiry into the aborigines of America. That they were a post-diluvian race is abundantly proved by the Mexican remains. Farther than that is still mere conjecture. Time will probably yet dis­close to us her long lost records in that interesting continent,”

We agree with the Rev. author of the foregoing, that there is no apparent rea­son “why we should not discover antediluvian architectural remains;” and, like him, we would say that, “with regard, however, to the well referred to,” we “cannot see any good ground for assign­ing to it any very remote antiquity.” The fact of the well and its stone wall having been found “under a stratum of black vegetable soil," and itself “full of” the same kind of soil, is, we think sufficient evidence to warrant the conclusion that it, like the “human residences” dis­covered under the bogs of Ireland, “be­longed to historic times” of post-diluvian date; the presence of such kind of soil in the well as was found above and around it being, of course, easily accounted for upon the supposition of “just such an occurrence” as the one mentioned as “most probable,”—namely, “a mass of soil carried by the force of water from one place to another.”

Although, then, “the account” alluded to may in itself be “too meagre to afford materials for any decisive opinion” as to the particular period of the construction of the well, it is, we think, sufficiently conclusive upon the point arrived at by the Dr.,—namely, that it was not of ante-­diluvian origin. Thus, although “the very interesting question, Who dug the well?” cannot be fully settled by any process of reasoning based upon the “meagre” account of the discovery lately made, it appears sufficiently evident that it was “dug” by a post-diluvian people of no “very remote antiquity.”

This leads to “the important inquiry into the aborigines of America.”

The Dr. considers that the fact that “they were a post-diluvian race is abun­dantly proved by the Mexican remains;" but that “farther than that is still mere conjecture.”

That the “aborigines” of the present continent of so-called “America” (we say “continent” advisedly,) “were a post­diluvian race,” is not only “abundantly proved by the Mexican remains,” but is also fully confirmed by other discoveries and facts which have from time to time been published, and which we purpose laying before our readers in a regular and connected form in future numbers of the Star. They will then be in a better position, perhaps to judge of the correctness or incorrectness of Dr. Baylee’s sup­position, that “farther than that is still mere conjecture.”

The Doctor, however, rounds off his letter with the following significative hint:—“Time will probably yet disclose to us her long-lost records in that interesting continent.”

We here bear our humble testimony to to the fact that those “long-lost records” have already been disclosed to us. Dr. Baylee may not be inclined to receive our testimony; but his doubt or rejection of it cannot in the least affect its truth. We tell him in all sober seriousness, and with a full consciousness of the sacred importance and weighty responsibility which such testimony must involve, that the historic records of ancient America—of which the Book of Mormon is an abridged compilation—have in these latter days been brought forth from their long concealment by angelic ministration, and translated into the English tongue by that world-despised but heaven-inspired man of God, Joseph smith.

From that volume of ancient records we learn that at the period of the building of the Great Tower in the city of Babel, a colony of persons (consisting of Jared and his brother Moriancumer, with their families, and also some of their friends, with their families,) migrated thence to the land now called America, crossing the sea in barges constructed upon a peculiar principle, and taking with them flocks and herds, according to their require­ments, and a variety of seeds, &c , for propagation in their new settlement; where, we further learn, they increased and multiplied, and became a great and numerous people. They afterwards, how­ever, degenerated, and at length became extinct.

We likewise learn from this book of ancient records, that at the period of Zedekiah’s commencement to reign as king of Judah, another colony (consisting of Lehi and his family, who were Israel­ites, descendants of Joseph, together with others who accompanied them,) migrated from Jerusalem to the American conti­nent, about six hundred years before Christ, where they multiplied and flour­ished, and became a mighty people; but were afterwards divided into two great nations—the Nephites and Lamanites,—the latter ultimately overcoming and des­troying the former; the present tribes of (miscalled) Indians being the degenerate remnants of the Lamanite race.

Tie book of Mormon, them, is an abridged history of the foregoing peoples. It relates the principal circumstances con­nected with their migrations, settlement, and progress, their national prosperities and adversities, their troubles, joys, and sorrows, their wars, turmoils, and commo­tions, and finally, the causes and means of their complete humiliation and downfall.

The fact of the so-called Indians being the direct descendants of the post-diluvian aborigines of America, is corroborated by numerous items of evidence derived from various sources; which, as before stated, we intend shortly to lay before our readers in a regular and connected form; and the fact of the Book of Mormon being a compilation of “the long-lost records” of that ancient people will become more and more confirmed in the mind of every reader of that work, as he examines successively its various pointed and con­clusive evidences.

We therefore earnestly recommend all who take an interest in “the important inquiry into the aborigines of America,” to study the Book of Mormon with an honest heart and an unbiassed mind; and if, under the sought-for influence of the Spirit of truth, they do this, they certainly will not fail to acquire clearer conceptions and views of its sacred and inspired character, and to arrive at a conviction of its divine authenticity and truthfulness as a “long-lost” chronicle of the past. They will be, at the same time, at least none the less prepared to answer the “interesting question, Who dug the well?”

To the fact of the Prophet Joseph's having been in possession of the original hieroglyphic plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, we have the personal testimony of eleven eye-witnesses, whose certificate signatures, with their declarations, preface the printed volume. These attestations are plain, pointed, and irrefutable; and while we thankfully accept the boon already proffered, and the mass of intelligence thus bestowed, we rejoice in the hope of ere long receiv­ing additional historic treasures; for “Time will probably yet disclose to us” still more of “her long-lost records in that interesting continent!