Evidence #424 | October 11, 2023
Book of Mormon Evidence: Title Page Structure
Post contributed by
Scripture Central
Abstract
The Title Page of the Book of Mormon has several sophisticated structural elements.For several reasons, the Title Page of the Book of Mormon is an impressive document.1 This evidence summary will specifically assess its structure.2 On a general level, it seems to be divided into two main sections, which have been designated in this article as Part 1 and Part 2. Each part has a parallel introduction. Together they describe the nature of the book’s two main recordkeeping projects. These introductions are then followed by two substructures each. The entire proposal is outlined below, followed by an analysis of each section.3
Title Page Outline
Part 1 Introduction 1 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,
Substructure 1 |
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| A | written to the Lamanites, which are a remnant of the house of Israel, | ||||
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| B | and also to Jew | |||
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| C | and Gentile, | ||
| A* | written by way of commandment, | ||||
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| B* | and also by the spirit of prophecy | |||
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| C* | and of revelation | ||
Substructure 2 |
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| A | written and sealed | ||||
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| B | and hid up unto the Lord that they might not be destroyed, | |||
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| C | to come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof, | ||
| A* | sealed up by the hand of Moroni, | ||||
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| B* | and hid up unto the Lord, | |||
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| C* | to come forth in due time by the way of Gentile, the interpretation thereof by the gift of God | ||
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Part 2 Introduction 2 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—
Substructure 3 |
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| A | which is to shew unto the remnant of the house of Israel | ||||
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| B | how great things the Lord hath done for their fathers, | |||
| A* | and that they may know | ||||
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| B* | the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever, | |||
Substructure 4 |
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| A | and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, | ||||
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| B | the Eternal God, | |||
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| C | manifesting himself unto all nations. | ||
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| D | And now if there be fault, | |
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| C* | it be the mistake of men. | ||
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| B* | Wherefore condemn not the things of God, | |||
| A* | that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of Christ. | ||||
Analysis of Introductions 1 and 2
Introduction 1 | Introduction 2 |
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, | 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 |
Both introductions (1) describe their recordkeeping projects as “an abridgment,” (2) specify the underlying source of the abridgment, and (3) identify the people whose history is being recorded. Because these parallel ideas/phrases don’t turn up anywhere else in the Title Page, they help establish these sections as intentionally parallel.4
Analysis of Substructure 1
A | written to the Lamanites, which are a remnant of the house of Israel, | ||
| B | and also to Jew | |
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| C | and Gentile, |
A* | written by way of commandment, | ||
| B* | and also by the spirit of prophecy | |
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| C* | and of revelation |
This substructure may be best explained as utilizing alternate parallel syntax to address two related issues: (1) the record’s intended audiences and (2) its revelatory provenance. The first sequence (A–B) identifies three primary audiences: (1) the house of Israel, (2) Jews, and (3) Gentiles. The second sequence (A*–C*) gives three indications of the text’s divine authenticity and authority, it being written by (1) way of commandment, (2) prophecy, and (3) revelation. Although the contents of these statements aren’t themselves directly parallel, the phrasing ties them together in what appears to be an intentionally formulaic sequence.
Analysis of Substructure 2
A | written and sealed | ||
| B | and hid up unto the Lord that they might not be destroyed, | |
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| C | to come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof, |
A* | sealed up by the hand of Moroni, | ||
| B* | and hid up unto the Lord, | |
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| C* | to come forth in due time by the way of Gentile, the interpretation thereof by the gift of God |
Substructure 2 is another alternate parallelism, yet in this case each section has clearly parallel content. A/A* are the only two sections which feature the key term “sealed.” Only in sections B/B* do we find the phrase “hid up unto the Lord.” And in sections C/C* we get a cluster of related phrases (“to come forth” / “by the gift … of God” / “the interpretation thereof”). The fact that these three phrases (each of which is unique in the Title Page) all come together in this single element makes their intentionality sure. Overall, this section emphasizes that the record is being preserved so that it can eventually come forth at a future day to be translated by God’s divine power.
Analysis of Substructure 3
A | which is to shew unto the remnant of the house of Israel | |
| B | how great things the Lord hath done for their fathers, |
A* | and that they may know | |
| B* | the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever, |
The proposal for Structure 3 is less somewhat certain. A and A* each discuss what will be shown to or known by the remnant of the house of Israel. Then B and B* both use the word “Lord.” Specifically, the “great things the Lord hath done” is paired with “covenants of the Lord.” While these ideas might initially seem disconnected, they are closely paired together in several other instances in the Book of Mormon. In at least one other location, they turn up as related elements in a parallel structure (see Appendix).
Analysis of Substructure 4
A | and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, | |||
| B | the Eternal God, | ||
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| C | manifesting himself unto all nations. | |
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| D | And now if there be fault, |
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| C* | it be the mistake of men. | |
| B* | Wherefore condemn not the things of God, | ||
A* | that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of Christ. | |||
The parallel elements in each of these sections is fairly straightforward. In A/A* the parallel is the name of “Christ.” These are the only two locations in the Title Page where this name is given. In B/B* the parallel is “God.” In C/C* the designation “nations” is paired with “men,” which are fairly synonymous concepts. Then in D we get a conditional statement (“And now if there be fault”) that works well as a conceptual turning point. The first portion (A–C) is about the book’s ability to convince the world that Jesus is the Christ, while the second portion (C*–A*) is a warning to not reject the book because of the mistakes of men.
Title Page Structural Overview
Introductions 1 and 2 each explain the nature of the Book of Mormon’s related recordkeeping projects. Substructure 1 describes who the text was written for and assures the reader that it was written by the gift and power of God. Substructure 2 explains why the text is being sealed and hid up, anticipating a miraculous translation at some future day. Substructure 3 outlines what blessings the text will bring for the first named audience (the Lamanites). Substructure 4 then presents what blessings the text will bring to the other two designated audiences (Jews and Gentiles), with a final warning about not rejecting its contents because of the mistakes of men.
Conclusion
While most of the substructures have obvious internally symmetrical parallels, the overall relationship between Part 1 and Part 2 is less formulaic. Introductions 1 and 2 are clearly parallel, but the rest of the substructures are not. Perhaps the best way to view them is as a series of related subunits which help answer various questions about the overall translation project. Together, they explain the source texts, audiences, divine origins, preservation, translation, and ultimate purposes for the Book of Mormon’s two major recordkeeping projects.5
Whatever the nature and intent of the overall design, the various parallel elements—as seen in the Introductions and Substructures—evince a notable degree of sophistication. The Book of Mormon’s Title Page appears to be a well-thought-out document, one worthy of the remarkable book which it so succinctly and effectively describes. As concluded by John W. Welch, “While much can still be observed about this interesting document, it is clear that the Title Page is a complicated text. While drawing on earlier passages, it is a masterwork of clarity and efficiency. It is also intricately structured and elegantly and meticulously balanced.”6
John W. Welch, “Introductory Pages of the Book of Mormon,” in John W. Welch Notes, 1–14 (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2020).
Clyde J. Williams, “More Light on Who Wrote the Title Page,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10, no. 2 (2001): 28–29, 70.
Sidney B. Sperry, “Moroni the Lonely: The Story of the Writing of the Title Page to the Book of Mormon,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4, no. 1 (1995): 255–259.
David B. Honey, “The Secular as Sacred: The Historiography of the Title Page,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 3, no. 1 (1994): 94–103.
Daniel H. Ludlow, “The Title Page,” in The Book of Mormon: First Nephi, The Doctrinal Foundation, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1988), 19–34.
The justification for the paired concepts (“great things” and “covenants”) in B/B* in Substructure 3 comes from several different passages in the Book of Mormon, where the same or similar concepts are likewise paired or linked together. For instance, in 1 Nephi 13:23, we read, “nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.” Similarly, in 2 Nephi 9:53, we read, “And behold how great the covenants of the Lord.”
In Ether 4:15, these concepts are situated as related elements in another alternate parallel structure, which includes the additional idea of the “fathers” (that likewise turns up in Substructure 3). For direct comparison, the proposal for Substructure 3 will be given below, immediately followed by a structural analysis of Ether 4:15.
Title Page (Substructure 3)
A | which is to shew unto the remnant of the house of Israel | |
| B | how great things the Lord hath done for their fathers, |
A* | and that they may know | |
| B* | the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever, |
Ether 4:15
A | Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief | ||
| B | which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, | |
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| C | then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you— |
A* | yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, | ||
| B* | with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, | |
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| C* | then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel. |
Sections A/A* involve parallel syntax and related concepts. Each section begins with the phrase “when ye shall” and then is followed by the ideas of rending the “veil of unbelief” in connection with the need to “call upon God.” In context, these ideas are clearly related because it was the prayers of the brother of Jared that led to his theophany experience (Ether 2:14–15; 3:2).
Sections B/B* involve antithetical concepts. The ideas of “hardness of heart, and blindness of mind” in section B are paired with a “broken heart and a contrite spirit” in B*. The use of the word “heart” in each section is noteworthy. Overall, the ideas provide contrastive relationship, where the negative internal condition in B is transformed into a positive internal condition in B*.
The initial evidence that we are dealing with intentionally related concepts in C/C* is the use of the phrase “then shall …” in both sections. This parallel phrasing (especially in connection with the related parallel phrasing in A/A*) invites a connection between the concepts that follow. As in Substructure 3 of the Title Page, the idea of “great … things” is connected with “covenants.” The idea of the “fathers” also comes up in both parallelisms.
Overall, the pairing of these ideas in these separate passages (B/B* in Substructure 3 of the Title Page and C/C* in Ether 4:15) is mutually supportive. The “covenants” of the Lord are indeed “great things.” It should also be recognized that “things” in the Book of Mormon is often a substitute for “words,” which holds a stronger conceptual relationship with the Lord’s stated “covenants.”7
- 1. For various studies on the Title Page, see John W. Welch, “Introductory Pages of the Book of Mormon,” in John W. Welch Notes, 1–14 (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2020); Clyde J. Williams, “More Light on Who Wrote the Title Page,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10, no. 2 (2001): 28–29, 70; Sidney B. Sperry, “Moroni the Lonely: The Story of the Writing of the Title Page to the Book of Mormon,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4, no. 1 (1995): 255–259; David B. Honey, “The Secular as Sacred: The Historiography of the Title Page,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 3, no. 1 (1994): 94–103; Daniel H. Ludlow, “The Title Page,” in The Book of Mormon: First Nephi, The Doctrinal Foundation, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1988), 19–34.
- 2. On several points, this article draws from or adapts details developed in John W. Welch, “Introductory Pages of the Book of Mormon,” in John W. Welch Notes, 1–14 (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2020).
- 3. The text of the Title Page is taken from The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text, edited by Royal Skousen.
- 4. There are, however, some differences in these sections. First, in Introduction 1 we are told that Mormon was the one who made the abridgment, whereas Moroni isn’t named as the author or abridger in Introduction 2 (even though he was responsible for the Jaredite abridgment). Perhaps Moroni felt it unnecessary to draw additional attention to himself. He had already mentioned his father as the primary abridger of the translation project and designated himself as the one who was sealing up the record. Originally, it seems that Mormon had planned to abridge the book of Ether himself (Mosiah 28:17–19), but then he died before he could complete his goal. Thus, the way Moroni leaves the authorship of the Jaredite abridgment unrecorded may subtly be paying homage to his father, respecting his primary authorship and directive authority over the whole project. Second, Introduction 2 elaborates briefly on the identity of the “people of Jared” in a way that isn’t provided for the “people of Nephi” or “the Lamanites.” This may simply be a product of an ethnocentric perspective. In other words, Moroni may not have felt it necessary to give a similar description of his own people and culture because they were already the primary focus of the abridgment project. See John L. Sorenson, Mormon’s Codex: An Ancient American Book (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Books and the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2013), 104–108. Alternatively, the disparity may be due to the fact that the Jaredites play a comparatively smaller role in the overall recordkeeping project, perhaps causing Moroni to worry that the reader wouldn’t remember their identity without a brief description of their origin story.
- 5. These purposes align well with some of the most consistently mentioned details in colophons found throughout the Book of Mormon. See Evidence Central, “Book of Mormon Evidence: Colophons (Complexity),” Evidence# 0244, September 27, 2021, online at evidencecentral.org.
- 6. John W. Welch, “Introductory Pages of the Book of Mormon,” in John W. Welch Notes, 1–14 (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2020).
- 7. See Evidence Central, “Book of Mormon Evidence: Words and Things,” Evidence# 0319, March 15, 2022, online at evidencecentral.org.