Secular Proofs of the Book of Mormon

Secular Proofs of the Book of Mormon.

The following is the substance of a lecture on The Book of Mormon by Elder Geo. Reynolds, delivered at Weber Stake Academy, March 17, 1899:

It was well known to the former Lamanites of this continent that a record, such as the Book of Mormon existed, and had been written by the ancient Nephites. The earliest Spanish explorers also knew that such a record existed and it soon became known to the Spanish ecclesiastics, as these records began to retard the spread of Catholicism, the people who had them were very severely punished and forced to destroy all copies that were known to be in existence, but it has been prophesied that this Book will be again given to the Lamanites.

The first Hebrew characters found by the earliest Spanish explorers, were on gravestones. The inscription on one of these gravestones was, ‘Why has God gone away? He is dead one knows.” Another inscription was—“May the Lord have mercy on his a Nephite,” another stone three and a half inches long by one inch wide, was covered with faces, another stone was found in a sink in Ohio, three by six inches, of a chocolate color and wedge shape, bearing an inscription written in Hebrew as follows: “The King of the earth, the word and law of the Lord, and the Holy of Holies.” Mounds of stone and dirt were found in Ohio, 580 feet in circum­ference and fifty feet high, many small coins were found in the interior. In one of these was found a piece of wood with brass rings on it, this board covered another board, which was the cover of a coffin, in the coffin were found a lock of black hair, some bones and some brass rings, under the coffin was a small box which contained the ten commandments, which were written on plates in the Hebrew language. On one side of the plates, which were six and seven-eighths inches long, two and seven-eighths wide and one and five-eighths inches thick, was a carved figure dressed in the robes of the Priesthood, above whose head was written in Hebrew, “Moses.” This grave is supposed to have been that of one of the Nephites, the Ten Commandments being buried with him.

A man was once leveling a piece of ground in Pennsylvania when he found two black straps of raw hide, sewed together; between them were four pieces of parchment, containing legible Hebrew inscriptions, treating on parts of the Old Testament. Another parchment was found near the Kansas River, the inscription on this parchment, as well as those on many others, proves plainly that the people who formerly inhabited this con­tinent were the Nephites and their descendants.

Mr. Wosley says he obtained a manuscript from a Jewish Rabbi of Amsterdam, by the name of Manassa Ben Israel; the substance of this manuscript is as follows:

“While Francisco was traveling on this continent, he discovered that his guide was one of the Nephites, who informed Francisco of the terrible punishments the Spaniards had inflicted upon them; in the course of their conversation Francisco discovered that the tribe of Nephites still had a hiding place on this continent. When informed of this the explorer de­sired to see the tribe and their hiding place. The guide obtained an oath of secrecy and conducted him to the place. Certain signals were given and they were conducted over a large river into their place of refuge; the people were very large in stature, with sunburned skins, and wore turbans on their heads. The people claimed that they had been conducted into this place by the Lord through great miracles and that they had fought many times and lost most of their people, to keep their country, which was given them by God. These people did not speak the Hebrew lan­guage in conversation, using it only in hymns, writings, etc.; but the language they speak, resembles very much the Hebrew language.”

While in Cincinnati Elder Parley P. Pratt was shown a gold plate upon which inscriptions were written in Hebrew. This, as well as two brazen and three copper ones that Adair speaks of which were found in Ohio, bear proof that the ancient inhabitants of this continent were Nephites. The Indians claim the plates were given them by God and that they had buried many of the plates with the people who died.

All these facts tend to establish the authority of the Book of Mormon.— Deseret News.