"A Parallel"

A PARALLEL

BOOK OF MORMON 1830 (1) Place: Sharon, Windsor Co., Vermont: And Palmyra, Ontario (now Wayne) County, New York.		VIEW OF THE HEBREWS 1823-5 (1) Place: Poultney, Rutland Co. Vermont (adjoining county on the west from Windsor County, Vermont, where Smith family lived).
(2) Title: "Book of Mormon," by the hand of Mormon," ascribing Origin of American Indians to certain Tribes of the Hebrews. Translated by Joseph Smith.		(2) Title: "View of the Hebrews" or "The Tribes of Israel in America" written by Ethan Smith, Minister.
(3) Revealed Existence of the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith September 22, 1823. Gold Plates of Book of Mormon given into custody of Joseph Smith for translation, September 22, 1827. Book of Mormon published the latter part of March, 1830. "To the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ." (Preface Title page)		(3) "View of the Hebrew" published (1st Ed.) 1823. Second Edition published 1825; considerably enlarged by quotations from Baron Humbolt's "New Spain" (Black's translation) American Edition, 1811. Copious quotations on ruined cities of America, Temples, and the story of Quetzalcoatl—Reminiscent of Moses "as a type of the Christ."
(4) Origin of Am Indians It is often represented by Mormon speakers and writers, that the Book of Mormon was the first to represent the American Indians as descendants of the Hebrews: holding that the Book of Mormon is unique in this. The claim is sometimes still ignorantly made.		(4) Origin of Am Indians In his index to the "View of the Hebrews" (p. 10) Mr. Ethan Smith informs us that from page 114 to page 225 (111 pages) will be devoted "to promiscuous testimonies," to the main fact for which his book stands, viz. the Hebrew origin of the American Indians. He brings together a very long list of writers and published books to show that this view very generally obtained throughout New England. One hundred and eleven pages devoted to evidence alone of the fact of such Hebrew origin gives space for much proof. Referring to Adair's testimonies on the subject, the "View of the Hebrews" lists twenty-three arguments to prove such origin. (pp. 147-8)
(5) The Hidden Book Revealed: On finding of the Book of Mormon Joseph Smith states that the Angel Moroni said that there was a book deposited written upon gold plates giving an account of the former Inhabitants of this continent and the source whence they sprang- - - -Convenient to the village of Manchester- - -stands a hill of considerable size- - -On the west side of the hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. This stone was thick and rounding in the middle on the upper side and thinner toward the edges, so that the middle part of it was visible above the ground, but the edge all around was covered with earth. Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up.* - - -The box in which they (the plates) lay, was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were hid two stones crossways of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them.- - -I looked in, and there indeed did I behold the plates. (P.G.P. 89, 93)		(5) The Lost Book: Dr. West of Stockbridge gave the following information: "An old Indian informed him that his fathers in this country had not long since had a book which they had for a long time preserved. But having lost the knowledge of reading it, they concluded it would be of no further use to them; and they buried it with an Indian chief." It was spoken of "as a matter of fact." (View of the Hebrews p. 223) "Some readers have said: If the Indians are of the Tribes of Israel, some decisive evidence of that fact will ere long be exhibited. This may be the case. * * * * *Would evidence like the following be deemed as verging toward what would be satisfactory? Suppose a leading character in Israel—where ever they are—should be found to have in his possession some Biblical fragment of ancient Hebrew writing. This man dies and it is buried with him in such manner as to be long preserved. Some people afterwards removing that earth, discover this fragment, and ascertain that it is an article of ancient Israel. Would such an incident- - - -be esteemed of weight? Something like this may probably have occurred in favor of our Indians being of Israel." (p. 217) Finding the Pittsfield Parchment: (Hebrew). Mr. Merrick gave the following account: That in 1815, he was leveling some ground under and near an old woodshed standing on a place of his, situated on Indian Hill (a place in Pittsfield so called, and lying, as the writer was afterwards informed, at some distance from the middle of the town where Mr. Merrick is now living)- - -he plowed and conveyed away old chips and earth. After the work was done he discovered near where the earth had been dug the deepest a kind of black strap about six inches in length- - -He found it was formed of pieces of thick raw hide- - -and in the fold it contained four folded leaves of old parchment. These leaves were of a dark yellow (suggesting gold color?) and contained some kind of writing. (they turned out to be Bible quotations) They were written in Hebrew with a pen, in plain and intelligible writing. (Query: Could all this have supplied structural work for the Book of Mormon)
(6) Inspired Seers and Prophets: Ammon to King Limhi of the Jaredite records: "I can assuredly tell thee O King, of a man that can translate the records; for he hath that wherein he can look, and translate all records; - - -and it is a gift from God. And the things are called Interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded.- - -And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called SEER." "And the King said that a Seer is greater than a Prophet. And Ammon said that a Seer is a Revelator and a Prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have except he possess this the Power of God which no man can,- - -But a Seer can know of things which have past and also of things that which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed." (Mosiah Ch. 9) "And now Urim and Thummim he [Mosiah] translated them [the records of the Jaredites] by the means of the two stones which were fastened into the two rims of a bow. Now these things were prepared from the beginning, and handed down from generation to generation, for the purpose of interpreting languages- - -And whosoever has these things is called SEER after the manner of Old Times (Mosiah ch. 28)		(6) Inspired Prophets—Spirit Gifts. "The Indian tradition says, that their fathers were possessed of an extraordinary divine spirit, by which they foretold things future, and controlled the common course of nature: and this they transmitted to their offspring provided they obeyed the sacred laws annexed to it." "Ishtoallo (Mr. Adair says of those Indians) is the name of their priestly order: And their pontifical office descends by inheritance to the Eldest."
(7) Urim & Thummim & Breast Plate: "I looked in and there indeed did I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the Breast Plate as stated by the. messenger (i.e. Moroni) P. of G.P. 53. "With the records was found a curious instrument, which the ancients called "Urim & Thummim, which consisted of two transparent stones set in the brim of a bow fastened to a breast plate. Through the medium of the Urim and Thummin I translated the record by the gift and power of God." (Wentworth Letter, History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 537) See the Phelps "Peep Stone" Deseret Museum [Roberts neglected to provide the illustration for the original manuscript.] Also see Frontis Piece—Engraving —in Priest's American Antiquities.		(7) Urim & Thummim & Breast Plate: "The Indian Archimagus (the High Priest) officiates in making the supposed holy fire for the yearly atonement for sin, the Sagan (Waiter upon the High Priest) clothes him with a white Ephod, which is a waist-coast without sleeves. In resemblance of the Urim and Thummim, the American Archimagus wears a breast plate made of a white conch shell, with two boles bored in the middle of it, through which he puts the ends of an otter skin strap, and fastens a buckhorn white button to the outside of each, as if in imitation of the precious stones of the Urim (View of the Hebrews p. 150). The dress of the High Priest of the Osage Indians: "His cap was very high.- - -His robe was a buffalo skin decorated with various colored feathers.- - -And he wore on his breast suspended from his neck a dressed beaver skin stretched on sticks, on which were painted various hieroglyphic figures in different colors. The Indians speak of similar characters being among other tribes. Here as in Mr. Adair's account is their High Priest and breast plate." (View of the Hebrews p.166)- - -"The official dress of their High Priest, and his resemblance of the breast plate and other things," The "View of the Hebrews" urges as evidence of Hebrews origin. (p. 167) Describing a buried chieftain in one of the Ohio Mounds: "On the breast lay a piece of copper; also a curious stone five inches in length, two in breadth, with two perforations through it. Containing a string of sinews of some animal. On this string were many beads of ivory, or bone. The whole appeared to have been designed to wear upon the neck as a kind of breastplate. (View of the Hebrews p. 195)
(8) Characters in Which Book of Mormon was Engraved on Gold Plates: "These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of Gold- - -they were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. - - -The characters on the unsealed part were small and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction and much skill in the art of engraving." (Jos. Smith Wentworth Letter, Church History Vol. 4 p. 537) The first Nephi speaking of the record he was making of events of his times says: "Yea, I make a record in the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. And I know that the record which I make is true; And I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge." (6th Cent. B.C. I Nephi, ch. 1) This strange manner of making record continued through the whole Nephite period: for Mormon in the 4th Century A.D. says: And now behold we have written this record [meaning the whole abridgment of the Book of Mormon] according to our knowledge in the characters, which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us according to our manner of speech.		(8) Evidence of Mexican Indians anciently in contact with "Egyptian Hieroglyphics:" (View of the Hebrews on Authority of Humbolt) "On the northwest coast between Nootka and Cook river- - -the natives display a decided taste for hieroglyphical paintings A harp (says Humbolt) represented in the hieroglyphical paintings of the northwest coast of America, is an object at least as remarkable, as the famous harp on the tombs of the kings of Thebes." Humbolt is cited as giving it as his opinion "that these more improved tribes in New Mexico came from the north west coast and left some of their half civilized brethren there. Among the hieroglyphical paintings of the latter, it seems, the harp was found. Was not this a noted Israelitish musical instrument? How should the American Indians be led to paint the Jewish harp? The Jews in Babylon "hung their harps upon willows." And it is as natural an event that their brethren, in the wilds of America should place them in their silent hieroglyphical paintings. Whence could have been derived the knowledge of the accurate hieroglyphical paintings, which this most learned author (meaning Humbolt) exhibits as found among some of the Indians unless they had learned them from people to whom the knowledge of hieroglyphics had been transmitted from Egypt, its original source." (View of the Hebrews pp 184-5) Was this sufficient to suggest the strange manner of writing the Book of Mormon in the "learning of the Jews, and the language of the Egyptian? But in an altered Egyptian. See Mormon cited above, left.
(9) Accounting for two classes of people in America, one barbarous the other civilized: The descendants of Lehi, sometime after his death were divided by the withdrawal of the younger son I Nephi, and those he persuaded to follow him, from the elder sons of Lehi, Laman and Lemuel and their sympathizers, and this was the beginning of the establishment of civilized and barbarous peoples in America. Nephi describes both. Of those who went with him he said: "We did observe to keep the judgments and the statutes and the commandments of the Lord in all things according to the law of Moses. And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; and we did sow seed and we did reap again in abundance and we began to raise flocks and herds and animals of every kind- - -And I did teach my people to build buildings and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores which were in great abundance." "And I Nephi did build a temple and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon safe it were not build of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land. Wherefore, it could not be build like unto Solomon's temple, but the manner of the construction was like unto the Temple of Solomon and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine. And it came to pass that I Nephi did cause my people to be industrious and to labor with their hands" (and Nephi became their king) (II Nephi 5:6-18) In relation to the other part of the Colony from whom Nephi and his following had withdrawn, called henceforth Lamanites, this is recorded of the same period. He [God] had caused the cursing to come upon them. Yea, even a sore cursing because of their iniquity, for behold they had hardened their hearts against Him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore as they were white and exceeding fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, the Lord did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them and thus said the Lord God: I shall cause that they shall be loathsome to thy people safe they shall repent of their iniquity- - -And because of their cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people full of mischief and subtility and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey." II Nephi 5:20-24. This occurred thirty years after the Colony of Lehi left Jerusalem. The Nephites are again described two hundred years later as follows: "We, [Nephites] multiplied exceedingly and spread upon the face of the land and became exceeding rich in gold and in silver and in precious things and in the workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery and also in iron, and copper, and brass, and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground and weapons of war—yea, the sharp-pointed arrow and the quiver and dart and the javolin and all preparations for war." Of the Lamanites of this period this same writer (Jarom) says that the Lamanites were "scattered upon much of the face of the land." "And they were exceeding more numerous than were they of the Nephites and they loved murder and did drink the blood of beasts. And it came to pass that they came many times against us, the Nephites, to battle. But our kings and our leaders were mighty men in the faith of the Lord.- - - wherefore we withstood the Lamanites and swept them away of our land andbegan to fortify our cities or whatsoever place of our inheritance.(Jarom 1:5-8) Three hundred years later, the following is the description of this savage division of the people in America: They are spoken of as a wild and a hardened and a jealous people: A people who delighted in murdering the Nephites [the civilized branch of America's population] and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches or upon gold and silver or precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering that they might not labor for them with their own hands, and thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols and the curse of God had fallen upon them because of the traditions of their fathers." (Alma 17:14-15) This parallel between these two peoples continues until finally about 400 A.D. the Lamanites entirely destroyed the Nephites at Cumorah, where dreadful battles were fought, where no quarter was asked or given between the parties. Description of the final battles are given where armies perished in groups of tens of thousands. (Mormon, Chapter 6)—Mormon was the leader of the Nephite division. The complete destruction of the Nephites is witnessed by Moroni, son of above Mormon. A few Nephites had escaped from Cumorah and of these Moroni said: "Now it came to pass that after the great tremendeous battles of Cumorah behold the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites until they were all destroyed." (Moroni 8:2) He alone was left of his people. It will be remembered that the same thing happend in the destruction of the Jaredite nation which preceded the Nephite and Lamanite occupation of the land, annihilation to the very last man.		(9) Accounting for an Overthrown Civilization in America as witnessed by the Ruined Monuments of it; and the existence of barbarous peoples occupying America at the advent of Europeans: Mr. Ethan Smith found opposition to his views growing out of the supposition that if the American Indians were descendants of the lost tribes of Israel, then they would have been a civilized rather than a barbarous people when discovered. Of this he says: "Some have felt a difficulty arising against the Indians being the ten tribes from their ignorance of the mechanic arts of writing and of navigation. Ancient Israel knew something of these, and some imagin, that these arts being once known could never be lost. But no objection is hence furnished against our scheme. The knowledge of mechanic arts possessed in early times has been lost by many nations.- - -And Israel, in an outcast state, might as well have lost it. It seems a fact that Israel have lost it, let them be who or where they may, otherwise they must have been known in the civilized world. But the people who migrated to this western world did possess some knowledge of the mechanic arts (as much doubtless, as was possessed by Israel when they disappeared in the East) appears from incontestable facts which are furnished in Baron Humbolt's "New Spain" and the "American Archeology" such as the finding of brick, earthenware, sculptures, some implements of iron, as well as other metals and other tokens of considerable improvements which furnishes an argument in favor of the Indians having descended from the ten tribes.- - - "The probability then is this; that the ten tribes arriving in this continent with some knowledge of the arts of civilized life, finding themselves in the vast wilderness filled with the best of game inviting them to the chase, most of them fell into a wandering idle hunting life. Different clans parted from each other, lost each other, and formed the separate tribes. Most of them formed a habit of this idle form of living and were pleased with it. More sensible parts of this people associated together to improve their knowledge of the arts and probably continued thus for ages. From these the noted relics of civilization discovered in the west and south were furnished. But the savage tribes prevailed; and in process of time their savage jealousies and rage annihilated their more civilized brethren. And thus as a wholly vindictive providence would have it, and according to ancient denunciations all were left in an 'outcast' state. This accounts for their loss of their knowledge of letters, of the art of navigation and of the use of iron, and such a loss can no more operate against their being the ten tribes, then against their being of any other origin. It is highly probable that the more civilized part of the tribes of Israel after they settled in America became wholly separated from the hunting and savage tribes of their brethren; that the latter lost the knowledge of their having descended from the same family with themselves; that the more civilized part continued for many centuries, that tremendeous wars were frequent between them and their savage brethren until the former became extinct. (!) This hypothesis accounts for the ancient works, forts, mounds, and vast enclosures as well as tokens of a good degree of civil government which are manifestly very ancient and for centuries before Columbus discovered America. These partially civilized people became extinct and what account can be given of this, but that the savages extirpated them after long and dismal wars? And nothing appears more probable than that they were the better part of the Israelites who came to this continent who for a long time retained their knowledge of the mechanic and civil arts, while the greater part of their brethren became savage and wild." Then he adds this in conclusion of the theme: "But however vindictive the savages must have been;—however cruel and horrid in extirpating their own civilized brethren, yet it is a fact that there are many excellent traits in their original character. (View of the Hebrews pp 171-173) Let it be remembered that the work from which the above is quoted existed from three to five years before the publication of the Book of Mormon, and the two editions of the work flooded the New England states and New York. Overthrown Civilization of America
(10) Jerusalem: The destruction of Jerusalem pending and actual features largely and early in the Book of Mormon. Although Lehi and his colony left Jerusalem some years before its destruction, yet by vision to this Prophet its destruction was made known. "Behold," said he, "I have seen a vision in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed, and had we remained in Jerusalem, we should have perished. (II Nephi 1:4) The same is repeated in II Nephi 6:8. It is a subject frequently referred to from pp 1-50		(10) Jerusalem: In the "View of the Hebrews" the whole of chapter I, pages 13-46 is devoted to the destruction of Jerusalem, the historical account of it. Would this treatise of the destruction of Jerusalem suggest the theme to the Book of Mormon author is the legitimate queery. Since the "View of the Hebrews" was published eight to five years before the Book of Mormon.
(11) Israel: The Book of Mormon has many references to both the scattering and the gathering of Israel in the last days. These references occur more abundantly in the forepart of the Book of Mormon, especially in First Nephi, chapter 19, 20, 21, and Second Nephi, chapter 25.		(11) Israel: The "View of the Hebrews" has many references to both the scattering and gathering of Israel "in the last days." The second chapter of the "View of the Hebrews" is entitled "The certain Restoration of Judah and Israel," and in this section is quoted nearly all the references to Isaiah that are referred to but quoted more full in the Book of Mormon.
(12) Isaiah: Lehi's Colony brought with them from Jerusalem the Old Testament, (the whole Bible) down to the days of Jeremiah—about 600 BC; yet about the only books extensively quoted before the coming of Christ to America is Isaiah! Jacob, brother of First Nephi, quotes nearly all of 49, 50, and 51st chapters; and Nephi quotes about thirteen full chapters from Isaiah (see "Synopsis of chapters" in current editions of B. of M. p 524) The Hebrew records possessed by the Nephites on brass plates are spoken of as containing more matter more than the Old Testament had among the Gentiles (I Nephi 13-20-23) Then why are quotations and references to this great and rich Hebrew literature confined practically to Isaiah alone? (see opposite column)		(12) Isaiah: Ethan Smith's "View" quotes copiously and chiefly from Isaiah in relation to the scattering and gathering of Israel. In this second chapter on "the Certain Restoration of Israel" he quotes from six different chapters in Isaiah. In his fourth chapter and in the few pages he devotes to a "Conclusion" he returns to the subject of the "restoration of Israel," and here he quotes from twenty chapters of Isaiah! He quotes Isaiah 18th chapter complete, but verse by verse with comment, and makes of it an "Address" of Isaiah to the U.S. to save Israel. Query: Did the Author of the Book of Mormon follow too closely the course of Ethan Smith in this use of Isaiah would be a legitimate query. The "View of the Hebrews" was published eight to five years before the Book of Mormon.
(13) A great Gentile Nation to be raised up in America, the promised land to save Israel in America, in the last days. "Following is the vision of Nephi on the founding of a great Gentile nation in the land of Promise, America: "Thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands (America) which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy Father (Lehi) that is said he should have for the land of his inheritance; - - -thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed which are among thy brethren, neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the seed of thy brethren. - - -I will be merciful unto the Gentiles under the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment. I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day insomuch that I will bring forth unto them in mine own power much of my Gospel, which shall be plain and precious saith the Lamb." I Nephi 13:30-34—I Nephi 21st chapter, the Prophet Nephi quotes the whole of Isaiah which relates largely to the building up and establishment of Israel in the last days. And then in chapter 22, Nephi is questioned by his brethren as to whether the prophecies of the 49th chapter of Isaiah which he has read are to be taken literally or are they spiritual or is a spiritual interpretation to be had of them. Nephi replies that they are both temporal and spiritual but in the main argues for a literal interpretation. In closing of which he refers to the mighty nation among the Gentiles whom God will raise up to bless Israel. He says 'and it [The Prophecy of Isaiah] meaneth that the time cometh that after all the House of Israel have been scattered and confounded that the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles yea even upon the face of this land and by them shall our seed be scattered and after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore it is likened unto their being nursed by the Gentiles and their being carried upon their arms and upon their shoulders, and it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles and not only unto the Gentiles, but unto all the House of Israel. (I Nephi 22:7-9) Another Book of Mormon Prophet, Jacob, brother of Nephi, speaking of the gathering of Israel and their restoration to their lands, is represented as saying: "It shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion from the isles of the sea and from the four parts of the earth and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance, yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them and their queens shall become nursing mothers, wherefore the promises of the Lord are great unto the gentiles, for he hath spoken it and who can dispute. But behold this land, said God, shall be the land of thine inheritance and the gentiles shall be blessed upon the land- -I will afflict thy seed (meaning the American Indians) by the hand of the Gentiles, nevertheless I will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like unto a father to them; wherefore the Gentiles shall be blessed and numbered among the House of Israel." II Nephi 10:8-18 From all which it would appear that the great American nation, the Gentile nation is to take an important part in the gathering and establishment of Israel in their promised land, America. A Great Gentile Nation to be raised up in America, the promised land to save Israel in America, in the last days. (See Preface on Title page of the Book of Mormon:) "which is to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever. And also (the Book of Mormon was written and preserved) to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God. This the mission of the United States according to the Book of Mormon; (but the "View of the Hebrews" preceded the Book of Mormon by five years)!		(13) The American Gentile Nation (U.S.) appealed to in the "View of the Hebrews" to become the savior of Israel in America. Ethan Smith's chapter four in the "View of the Hebrews" is devoted to an appeal to the Christian Nation of the United States to become the instrument for teaching the Gospel to the American Indians and restore them to the favor and blessing of God. The title of the fourth chapter is "An address of the Prophet Isaiah Relative to the Restoration of His People." The chapter is really an exposition of Isaiah 18, which he interprets to be an appeal of the ancient Prophet to this great nation of the West—"away over the mouths of the Nile. It will be remembered that Isaiah 18, opens with the exclamation "Woe to the land shadowing with wings" it would seem to be denunciation. This Ethan Smith changes to "Ho, lands shadowing with wings," saying that the best expositors agree on his interpretation and that the salutation is a friendly calling of attention instead of a denunciation, and what follows in the chapter is an invitation to the land shadowing with wings to participate in the bringing unto the Lord of Hosts as a present a "people scattered and peeled." The whole chapter must needs be read, we can only give a few excerpts "The duty of sending to them (the American Indians) the Gospel and of being at any expense to teach them Christianity and the blessings of civilized life is great and urgent on every principle of humanity and general benevolence and this duty peculiarly attaches to the people who are now in possession of the former inheritance of those natives; and from too many of whom that people have received insufferable injuries. - - -An address is found in the 18th chapter of the Prophet Isaiah, which is apprehended to be of deep interest to America. The writer- - -found it to be an address to some Christian people of the last days, just at the time of the final restoration of God's ancient people; An address to such a people beheld in vision away over the mouths of the Nile or in some region of the West; a call and solemn divine charge to them to awake and aid that final restoration." The call then must be to a people of the last days; a nation now on earth; and a nation to be peculiarly instrumental in the restoration of the Hebrews in the last days, for this is the very object of the address; to go and collect the ancient people of God; because in 'that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of Hosts of a people scattered and peeled (the very people of the ancient covenant in manifest description repeatedly given) to the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, the Mt. Zion.' Dealing with the prophecies of Isaiah 49 and other chapters of Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ethan Smith argues as Nephi did on the 48th and 49th chapter of Isaiah, viz., that the prophecies are to be literally fulfilled and not treated as mystical passages and that the restoration spoken of "is to be in the latter days." As to the land addressed—this land shadowing with wings, he holds to be America, the continent of those two great wings shall be found at last most interesting in relation to your Hebrew brethren (addressing the people of those continents) and those two great wings shall prove but an emblem of a great nation then on that continent (i.e. in the last days); Far sequestered from the seat of anti-Christ and of tyranny and blood; and whose asylum is equal rights, liberty and religion shall be well represented by such a national coat of arms—the protecting wings of a great eagle; which nation in yonder setting of the sun (when in the last days judgments shall be thundering through the nations of the eastern continents) shall be found a realm of peaceful protection to all who fly from the abodes of despotism to its peaceful retreat, even as an eagle protects her nest from all harm, yea, a land, that when all other lands shall be found to have trampled on the Jews, shall be found to have protecting wings for them. Free from such cruelty and ready to aid them. - - - Ye friends of God in the land addressed (the land shadowing with wings—America) can you read this prophetic declaration of the ancient Prophet Isaiah without having your hearts burning within you? Surely you can not, if you can view it as an address of the Most High to you. God here exalts you in the last days, the age of terror and blood, as high as the standard to be raised for the collection of the seed of Abraham on the mountains! - - -If these views be correct, Christians in our land may well praise God that it is their happy lot to live in this land shadowing with wings; this protecting realm, an asylum of liberty and religion; a land so distant from the seat of anti-Christ and of the judgments to be thundered down upon all the corrupt establishments in the last days; and their devout gratitude to heaven ought to rise for the blessing of having their existence so near the period alluded to in this sublime prediction when this land of liberty is beginning to feel her distinction, immunities compared with the establishments of tyranny and corruption in the old continent. - - - "Ho, thou nation of the last days shadowing with the wings of liberty and peace; pity, instruct, and save my ancient people and brethren; especially that outcast branch of them, who were the natives of this soil." Much more to the same effect—but this in conclusion)—and still addressing the Gentile Nation. "Tell them [the Indians] what their ancient fathers, the prophets, were inspired to predict in their behalf; and the charge here given for their restoration; assure them this talk of a prophet is for them, and they must listen to it, and obey it. That the great spirit above the clouds now calls them by you to come and receive his grace by Christ and the true staff, in Jacob, the Shilo who has come, and to whom the people must be gathered. Inform them that by embracing this true seed of Abraham, you and multitudes of other gentiles, have become the children of that ancient patriarch. And now that they must come back as your brother in the Lord. Unfold to them their superlative line of the entail of the covenant; that as touching this election they are beloved for the fathers' sakes; that they were for their sins excluded for this long period, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, and so all Israel shall be saved. "Go thou nation (U.S.) highly distinguished in the last days, save the remnant of my people, bring me a present of them to the place of the Lord of Host, the Mt. Zion." This is the Mission of the United States according to the "View of the Hebrews"*
(14) Love of Riches Among Nephites—Pride: Jacob, son of Lehi on the Nephites says: "And they began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride." (Jacob 1:15, 16) And again to the Nephites: "Many of you have begun to search for gold- - -that you have obtained many riches: and because some of you have obtained more abundantly then that of your brethren ye are lifted up in pride of your hearts. - - -Do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Nay!- - -The one being is as precious in his sight as the other." (Jacob 2:12, 13, 21)		(14) Love of Riches—Pride: "A Chief of the Delaware Indians - - -said he knew it to be wrong if a poor man came to his door naked to turn him away empty.- - -He believed God loved the poorest of men better than he did proud, rich men." ("View" p. 104)
(15) Polygamy: "The people of Nephi began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulged themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines: - - - Jacob to the Nephites: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredomes, because of the things which are written concerning David and Solomon.- - -David and Solomon had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me saith the Lord.- - -.Wherefore my brethren, hearken to the word of the Lord; for there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife and concubines he shall have none. For I the Lord delight in the chastity of women" (Jacob, 2:27, 28)		(15) Polygamy: "Longtime ago" the Delaware Chief said, "It was a good custom among his people to take but one wife, and that for life. But now they [the Indians] had become so foolish, and so wicked that they would take a number of wives at a time and turn them away at pleasure." (View of the Hebrews p 104)
(16) Lamanite Virtues: Jacob contrasts the Nephites with the Lamanites to the Nephites' disadvantage in respect of chastity and single marriages; and says of the Lamanites: "Behold their husbands love their wives, and the wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children." (Jacob 3:7)		(16) Indian Virtues: "They are just, honest, liberal, hospitable to strangers, considerate, loving, and affectionate to their wives and relations, fond of their children, frugal, and persevering; charitable- - -living in love, peace, and friendship." (View of the Hebrews p. 175) Query: "Were the passages in this colum[n] sufficient to suggest what appears in the left hand column?
(17) Civilization in America: Broadly the Book of Mormon represents the Nephites and Jaredites as being civilized people, with National Governments, Kingdoms, Republics, with trade, and commerce, navigation, education, written culture, Religion; settled orders of living, cities, connected with highways, military establishments, etc., etc.. This idea of all this, however, is better obtained from general and incidental statements in the Book of Mormon rather than from any formal and elaborate and definite description of what their civilization consisted. The first allusion to the civilized status occurs at about thirty years after Lehi's Colony left Jerusalem. The first Nephi says: "I did teach my people to build buildings and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were of great abundance- - - and it came to pass that I Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious and to labor with their hands, and it came to pass that they would that I should be their King." And he reluctantly accepted this office. Similar descriptions are several times given in the B. of M.		(17) Civilization in America: In the "View of the Hebrews" quite an elaborate account is given of the civilization that must have existed in Mexico and Central America in ancient times. This is summarized largely from Baron Humbolt's "New Spain" published first in Germany, 1808-9 and translated into English by John Black in 1811, and quoted copiously by Ethan Smith in his second edition of the "View of the Hebrews" 1825. In these excerpts from Humbolt are descriptions of pyramids Temples, ruined cities, high-ways with some speculations as to their resemblances to the Egyptian pyramids. Ethan Smith quotes extensively from the Archaeologia Americana published at Worcester, Mass. 1820. On these authorities Ethan Smith says: "The people, however, who traversed Mexico, left behind them traces of cultivation and civilization- - -The Taultees introduced the cultivation of Maize and Cotton; they built cities made roads and constructed those great pyramids, which are yet admired, and the faces are very accurately laid out." (p. 189) Some twenty pages are devoted to describing civilization traits as seen in Temples, pyramids and ruined cities.
(18) The Messiah on the Western Continent: It may be said that the chief event, the greatest and most important of all events in the Book of Mormon, is the appearance of the Christ—the Hebrew Messiah—in the western world. He was anticipated in prophecy, and spoken of in expectation of His coming, and the purpose of that coming. Finally, in third Nephi, a magnificent description of His appearing to the Nephites is given, an account of His ministry among the Nephites. His stay was comparatively brief, and when he departed in light and glory, He promised at some future time to return. (See III Nephi ch. 11 et sq.		(18) Quetzalcotle (So often called in literature "The Mexican Messiah"): The legends of Quetzalcotle are stated in the "View of the Hebrews" at some length, I greatly abbreviate. "The pyramids of Cholula was an altar dedicated to Quetzalcotle or the serpent of green feathers; as his name is said to imply. This is the most mysterious being of the whole Mexican mythology. He is said to be a white and bearded man. He was High Priest of Tula, legislator, chief of a religious sect, who inflicted on themselves the most cruel penance—"he appeased by his pennance divine wrath, (In other words atonement).—The reign of Quetzalcotle was a golden age of the people of Anahuac, he dwelt twenty years among them, ordered fasts and regulated the Taltic year. "He preached peace to men"- - -He disappeared after he had declared to the Cholulans that he would return and govern them again and renew their happiness." Ethan Smith speaks of him as "appeasing divine wrath," "may have a striking allusion to the system of the Mosaic sacrifices including also the mediation of Moses, as a type of Christ, and God's turning away his fierce wrath from Israel at his intercession as was repeatedly the case. ("View of the Hebrews" pp. 206—) The legitimate query: did this character spoken of in the "View of the Hebrews," published five years before the Book of Mormon, furnish the suggestion of the Christ on the Western Continent?