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John E. Page one of the Twelve Apostles under James J. Strang began a series of articles on evidences of the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon in the official church journal the Gospel Herald. It was to be completed and published in book form; but, was never completed. He did, though, complete six articles on the subject. From
the Gospel Herald, Vol. 3, No. 81, THE BOOK OF MORMON. What an interesting book is the Book of Mormon! Because of all American Antiquities it is the most valuable and marvelous specimen; because with all American Antiquities it is associated in the most important and interesting relations; because the most valuable discoveries in American Antiquity must appeal to the Book of Mormon for interpretation; and the registers of long lost events and generations inscribed upon the rocks and buried in the fossil remains of far distant ages, or scattered far and wide in the ruins of once mighty empires on the American continent, are so many WITNESSES constantly multiplying to confirm the truth of the history contained in the Book of Mormon. As
a SPECIMEN of American Antiquity, what is comparable in point of
interest with this Book? Suppose that, in searching the tumuli that are
scattered over this country, the silent, aged, mysterious remembrances of some
populous race, once carrying on all the business of life, where now are only the
wild forests of many centuries, a race of whom we ask so often who they were,
whence they came and whither they went. Suppose that under one of those huge
structures of earth which remain of their works a book was accidentally discovered,
an alphabetic history of that race, and all undeniably composed many
hundreds of years before any of the white nations now possessing this continent
were here. What a wonder such a book would be! What intense interest would attach
to such a relic! What price would not the learned be willing to give for it! Not
all the fragments of Egyptian inscriptions--not all the unintelligible
characters among the ruins of the tower of Babel--not all the remains from the
bowels of the earth on the eastern continent telling of national convulsions,
the overthrow of mighty and renowned cities, and the final downfall of empires
and ancient kingdoms, could be compared in value to such a book of ancient
American origin, a detailed history of a nation otherwise unheard of. But much
more than this is the Boos of Mormon. It points us to the people who, the time
when, and places where certain notable events transpired in Central and
Northern America, (the book being published in Palmyra, Ontario county, State of
New York, in the spring season of 1830,) detailing to us a minute account of
things that anciently transpired with the ancient inhabitants of Central
America, as since confirmed by their developments as recorded by Messrs.
Stephens and Catherwood, Antiquarians, in Central America, as published in the
city of New York, 1841, '43. The truth of the history of the Book of Mormon is
also confirmed in almost innumerable instances by Mr. Josiah Priest's history
of the Antiquities of North America, as published in A book entitled "An Inquiry into the Origin of the Antiquities of America, by John Delafield," published in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1839, is an overwhelming confirmation of the truth of the Book of Mormon, in such minute and numerous important particulars, that if any person (after being made acquainted with the corroborating facts as found in the Book of Mormon and the authorities quoted above) should deny the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon they would be considered as unsound by all reasonable, logical and philosophical minds. To all the saints of God, the honest in heart; to all lovers of confirmed truth; to all that are looking for the ushering in of the latter day glory and the rest of the people of God, so much spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world began; to all that are looking for the return of Israel from the “north country," and the Jews from the four corners of the earth to the land of Canaan, given to their fathers "for an everlasting possession;" to all that wish the amelioration of the condition of the house of Israel, the descendants of Joseph, (the son of Jacob,) in the west; in fine, we call upon the rich and the philanthropists of all grades in life to step forward with your wealth and your mites to assist the subscriber in laying before the reading world a book that will be entitled the COLLATERAL and POSITIVE EVIDENCES of the truth and divinity of the BOOK OF MORMON. The nature of the work is such that it can be published in two volumes. The first will contain illustrative; pictorial plates, the engraving of which will cost two hundred dollars and perhaps a trifle more, which will swell the aggregate cost of publication to range from 75 cents to $I,00 per single copy. The important inquiry now is, who among the thousands that have subscribed to the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, that have the means, be it little or much, are willing to make an investment to assist me in this all important work? I am well persuaded that should I succeed in publishing the proposed work it will do more to convince the honest in heart of the truth of the claims of the faith of the Latter Day Saints than all the elders can do without it. Can I but succeed in obtaining means to publish the first volume, I shall stand on a sure basis for publishing the second, which will cost more than twice as much; it will embrace more than three times as many engraved plates. If this notice should reach the eye of any person or persons that should feel desirous to be secured for their money until the work is done, to such I will say, I will make any arrangement with them that is practicable with me for their security that is rational, honorable and fair. All my brethren and friends who have either personally or historically acquainted themselves with the history of my career in the gospel ministry for twelve years past, know well that I have devoted wholly, solely and totally all my time and means to that purpose and none other, so that I possess no means whatever to defray present incidental expenses by way of postage on communications. Therefore should this notice wake up the attention of any on the subject of assisting me in publishing the proposed work so much that they would wish to correspond with me on the subject, they must expect to bear the expense of such correspondence. The work of which I have spoken is of such vast importance to me there is no one thing that I can do for my fellow men that I more desire to do, before I go hence or depart to be with Christ, than to [Page 62/374] leave as a legacy to the world evidence indisputable (as such a work will be) of the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon. In the course of my ministry I have met with thousands who could freely subscribe to the theory of my faith except the Book of Mormon, or rather the identity of the book as being the record of the law of God written to Ephraim as called for by the Bible or Jewish prophets, for the commencement of the literal gathering, the temporal and spiritual salvation of all the scattered branches of the progeny of the sons of Jacob. To all such as are or may be rationally convinced of the fact that such a book as the Book of Mormon professes to be is called for by the Jewish prophets, the work which I propose to publish is designed to show the indisputable evidence of the Book of Mormon as being that book, by comparing its historical matter relative to things of antiquity, which are found on the face of the book, and corroborated by those authors which are quoted above. I shall seek principally to confine myself to such items as have been developed since the Book of Mormon was published. The propriety of such a work as I design to bring forth, will appear on the face of the following considerations: I have in the course of my ministry sought diligently to obtain and carefully investigate several authors, viz.: Howe of Painsville, Ohio, Kidder of New York, Turner of Springfield, Ill., who have written books at some considerable length against the claims of the Book of Mormon. I have read pamphlet authors too numerous to mention, all of the same character. All of which authors of books and pamphlets have brought down upon themselves the indignation of all just men, in the manner they have treated upon the Book of Mormon, by quoting sentences from it detaching them from their connection at both ends so as to make them appear absurd, ridiculous and contemptible to those readers who were not familiar with the Book of Mormon, or perhaps never saw it. Most of the authors of books and pamphlets who have written against the Book of Mormon have in some shape or other pretended to give some credit to the divinity of the Bible, and no doubt would in turn, and perhaps have, deprecated much the manner in which Thomas Paine, B. D. White and numerous other skeptical writers have treated the Holy Bible. I have as diligently sought to investigate those who have written against the Bible as I have those that have written against the Book of Mormon. Relative to the two classes of writers I must say, in strict justice to my fellow men, I must give the laurel to those who have written against the Bible as having displayed more common sense justice, more reason, sounder logic and philosophy in ten pages reading than all that has been written against the Book of Mormon. Those who have written against the Book of Mormon seem to have labored under an idea that there were none but themselves that ever read the book, consequently their falsehoods could never be exposed, or the infamy they intended to heap upon the Book of Mormon would never recoil on their own heads. What should we know of the history of ancient America and its nations from the beginning of the world until the day of Christopher Columbus, if all that has been derived exclusively from the Book of Mormon were obliterated from all memories and all books?--Where should we go for knowledge of that immense extent of time which has given birth to such astonishing wonders as are now and have been for some fifty years past developing themselves to the observing eye of the traveler, the historian and efficient antiquarian? As geographers thrust into the extremities of their maps those countries that are unknown to them, remarking at the same time that "all beyond is hills of sand and haunts of wild beasts, frozen seas, marshes and mountains that are inaccessible to human courage or industry," so it is to the traveler, the historian and antiquarian relative to the history of America. When he traces the history of America back to the days of Columbus, behind that period all would be prodigy and fiction, a region for poets and fabulists to speculate upon, wrapped in clouds and unworthy of belief; to which we have no clue of certainty but by the Book of Mormon, and even that loses its force with many simply because it is presented to its by the special providence of God, and not by mere accident. As we new wander among the mysterious remains of the race which possessed all this land, and pausing beneath some lofty mound crested with sturdy oaks, which have stood for centuries and are now nourished with the decayed materials of a former generation, or measuring the exact angles and regular outlines of some vast system of warlike defense, we are deeply impressed with the evidence that we are constantly walking ever the graves of an immense population, and pained with a sense of utter darkness as to every thing connected with them, except that they bequeathed to posterity these existing and confounding traces of their existence, and the veil would still remain upon our minds were we not in possession of the Book of Mormon. We
should have the vast heaps of tumuli which are scattered over the wide extended
and fertile" fields of the woods," (the prairies of North America,)
the frightful heaps of desolations that are to be seen on the ruined tombs and
temples of "Palanqua," "Copan," "Uxmal," and
"forty " more "cities" of Yucatan, all of ancient origin,
sculptured with characters which no Champolian as yet has been able to decipher.
We have the gigantic remains of the distant antiquities of One discovery of the antiquarian or the geologist perfectly authenticated, accurately interpreted, certainly speaking the truth, certainly corroborating the history contained in the Book of Mormon, what an evidence of its inspiration! Then how singularly has the Book of Mormon exposed itself along the whole line to attack; what an immense frontier has it had to defend; what a chain of pests in the wilderness to protect. Relating minutely the most important events that has transpired from the confounding of the languages at the tower of Babel down to four hundred and twenty years into the christian era, telling of events such as traditions and inscriptions and monuments and strata of the earth, if they speak of any thing, can hardly avoid recording in some shape or other. Thus the Book of Mormon is inviting investigation, challenging attack along the whole line of its details. What book in such circumstances, and from so distant an age, could stand such a trial were it not given by direct inspiration? We are thrice happy to say that every search into the traditions of the American Indians, every interpretation of inscriptions, every trace of the Indian nations, every remnant of their ancient works, every development of the geology of the earth thus far has confirmed the truth of the Book of Mormon. Assaults have been made, fears excited, but when the smoke of the artillery had blown off truth has always appeared, as ever, resting her right hand on the Book of Mormon, so that even now, after a trial of eighteen years since the first copy was published, the people of God, viz., the Latter Day Saints, may exclaim in triumph: Walk about the dilapidated walls of the ancient cities of the Jaradites, Nephites and Lamanites, God has given us their true history and will establish it forever. For
my part I have no fear that any future discoveries in the developments of the
antiquities of I
first obtained a copy of Mr. Delafield's work in Accordingly I detached the map from the book to which it was connected and fastened it to a piece of white muslin cloth and suspended it across the Boylston Hall of Boston, & commenced lecturing for the first time to show the collateral corroboration of the map with the history of the Jaradites contained in the book of Ether of the Book of Mormon, to an assemblage of more than a thousand people. I then proceeded to the city of Washington, D. C., and made the same exhibition, but not to so numerous a congregation, my means being too limited to hire a hall of sufficient attraction to suit the taste of that proud populace, but still there were some condescending enough to give me a hearing, and gave me the following certificates:-- TO THE PUBLIC. We, the undersigned, having had ample opportunities of forming an agreeable acquaintance with the Rev. John E. Page, now preaching in this city, take pleasure in stating, that we believe him to be a gentleman worthy of respect and public esteem: and, to say the least, can but recommend all to hear him before coming to any positive conclusions touching his merits, and claims to public attention. In regard to his religious views, so peculiar in their character, we have but one remark to make, viz: That, as the age in which we live, has been one so wonderfully characterized by fallacy, sophism, logical artifice, deceitful arguments, and gross religious impositions, we can but expect from a community whose indignation has been so often excited against these repeated attempts at deception, a treatment alike severe, to the introduction of any modern Faith.--And however reasonable, in reality, it must expect to meet, at first, with inconsideration; and, however pure its doctrine, it must anticipate a cold and unwelcome reception, and endure the scorn, ridicule, and buffets of the world--until time shall permit its expounders to lower the popular emblem of error, and raise in its stead the standard of truth. But, whatever may be the name of the sect or church, whose doctrines Mr. Page professes to preach and inculcate, or under what estimation they may have heretofore been held by a prejudiced mind un-inquiring community, so far as they bear, as their main characteristic, a literal and unqualified interpretation of Scripture, and followed by a strict belief in Biblical doctrine, and accompanied by such an explanation as the dictates of nature and reason teach an impartial mind to be correct, so far are we bound to coincide with them. We are vulnerable to truth--all sects and churches pretend to wield it as their weapon--but it matters not to us by what name they are recognized, we accept the wound from those who pierce the deepest. In regard to the book, commonly termed “Mormon," we nave now but little to say. In relation to its origin, &c., we are of opinion that it merits a fair, candid, and impartial examination; in relation to a portion of its contents we are compelled to make some farther acknowledgments. At a recent lecture, given by Mr. Page, we were struck with the extraordinary character of the evidence adduced to sustain the claims of the Book of Mormon. If we are to rely upon the veracity of men standing high in public estimation, and Government favor, Messrs. Delafield, Priest, Stephens and Catherwood, whose recent important discoveries of ancient antiquities of America, have astounded all, under whose supervision their statements in relation thereto have come, then must their evidence reprove, in a great degree, the doubts at present existing in the public wind, in relation to the character of this book; the plate of which, if we are to rely upon the statements made, were found some seventeen years previous to the discoveries made by the gentlemen named above; the most important of which, were the fossil remains of ancient cities, found immured in the dense forests of the west, and the many bright specimens of human ingenuity, and ripe mechanical skill, found buried many feet beneath the trunks of towering oaks, proving beyond the possibility of a doubt, that the very land now known as the “wild western forests," have at some former period been densely populated by a wise and intelligent people--beautified by noble cities, ornamented with grand statuary, and towering monuments erected to the memory of their popular rulers. The book gives the exact location and character of these cities, while treating upon the extinct race that once inhabited and enlivened the crumbling walls that now barely mark the spot, and tell us of the “exceeding curious workmanship," which characterized the ingenuity of the people of that age, as found carved upon the blocks of fallen monuments, and broken statuary, that now moulder beneath the forest rubbish. Need we say, that it was beyond the power of mortal being, or human understanding to have possessed any knowledge of the existence of these buried cities, at the time the book was written, or previous to the discoveries made by the above named gentleman, which were seventeen years after. Yet the statements of the book, and the discoveries made, have proved in no particular inconsistent with each other. The question then arises, from whence did the Book of Mormon receive its information, 17 years before these discoveries, that these ''people,'' ''cities,'' "curious workmanship, “statuary," “monuments," &c., were all flourishing at some former period? Without
coming to any conclusion upon this important point, or the remarkable evidence
alluded to above, we leave all who feel an anxiety to become acquainted with
this book, to give it a proper examination and thorough investigation, and then
draw their own conclusions from the evidence they can readily procure in
relation thereto. We are with
respect, &c. Having
been favored with an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the Rev.
John E. Page, listened to his conversation, sat under his ministry, and, in some
degree, become familiar with the [Page 64/376] peculiar doctrines of his
sect, (peculiar as regards the Book of Mormon,) being satisfied of the
correctness of his deportment, and the soundness of his religious views, (taking
the Bible as the standard of faith,) and of his ability to
explain, illustrate and elucidate, and carry conviction of the truths therein
contained to the minds of his hearers, we cheerfully avail ourselves of the
opportunity presented by this publication, to recommend him to the attention of
all sincere and candid inquirers after truth; feeling convinced, that after a
patient hearing, they will be both edified and profited. We the more cordially
invite public attention to his discourses at this time, as they fully,
conclusively and convincingly prove the statements and calculations of
Mr. Miller, which have caused so much excitement, distress and misery throughout
the country, to be false, fallacious and unfounded: that his (Miller's)
arguments, professedly drawn from the Bible, are garbled extracts--isolated
texts--which, taken in connection with the preceding and succeeding text, prove
the very reverse of that which they are made to sustain by the application of
Mr. Miller and his coadjutors. This he (Mr. Page) is able to do--and for this
alone, he deserves the thanks and kind consideration of all who have the
happiness and well being of their fellow citizens at heart. HEAR AND JUDGE. I am as well assured of the fact as I am of my personal existence that it is as far from the reach of the cunning device of man or man to have conjured up that kind of matter as is presented on the face of the Book of Mormon in 1830, and corroborated by the developments made since, to confirm its truth, as it is for men to clinch the horns of the moon and tear it from its orbit, or to blow out the light of the sun, or change the revolution of the earth on its axis, except they are aided by the supreme power of the divine mind who created them. We remember how in by gone ages self-made ecclesiastics set themselves against the true servants of God, who were presenting to the world the revealed wonders of the heavens, & calling on all men of every grade in life to investigate and hold fast that which proved to be good, yet the learned prodigies of the leading class, apprehensive that the new theories were subversive of their peculiar learned notions of God and his word, set themselves to prejudge every new thing or theory as having derived itself from some erroneous source, Jesus Christ and his servants, the apostles, not excepted, as being prejudged and cast out of men and denounced as heretics, and inhumanly persecuted, to stop the spread of their new yet pure doctrine. But truth triumphed; bigotry and ignorance could not long prevail to the hiding from the world the harmonious walkings forth of the rays of light emanating from the divine mind. So also in this case the power of that same fountain of intelligence which assisted in the translation of the Book of Mormon, which has laid open in a great degree the past wonders that have transpired on the American continent, has proved itself almighty and efficient to still reveal secrets far beyond the learned philosophers gaze. And thus I am persuaded shall it always be; science may scale new heights and explore new depths in search of American antiquities, and may yet add ten thousands of additional testimonies to confirm the truths of the Book of Mormon, but she shall bring nothing back absolutely contradictory. Sectarian infidels may watch their progress with eagerness, exulting in the thought that they are furnishing material with which the Book of Mormon may be successfully assailed, but the champions of revelation may confidently attend it (the Book of Mormon) in its onward march, assured that they will find nothing which will successfully contradict it, but many things which will confirm the word, which they know to be divine. Times
will doubtless come again and again when, in consequence of imperfect
investigations, hasty theories and rash conclusions, the calm surface of a
settled belief in the divinity of the Book of Mormon may in some minds be
troubled, as has already occurred with some, and the progress of this cause be
threatened with storm and wreck, but the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ("
the memorial by which he should be known among all nations") is in the
ship and in his time will rebuke the winds and the waves and the little faith of
his people, and the light of truth shall shine out as when "the Lord looked
unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and
troubled their host and took off their chariot wheels." The Book of Mormon
asks nothing but mature accurate investigation of all departments of knowledge
connected with its statements, whether in the traditions of the American
Indians, the developments of American antiquities, or the scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments. From the Gospel Herald, Vol. 3, No. 88, COLLATERAL TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH AND DIVINITY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.--No. 1. For want of room I cannot make many comments to introduce this subject at this time, I shall therefore leave my readers to make their own comments and draw their own conclusions. I have many corroborating facts to lay before a candid public, of traditions and the developments of American antiquities, that have come forth to the reading world since the year 1830, the date of the first edition of the Book of Mormon. According
to the Book of Mormon there was a prophet who dwelt in the city of “According
to the manuscript of Don Juan Torres, the grandson of the last king of the
Quiches, which was in the possession of the lieutenant-general appointed by
Pedro de Alvarado, and which Fuentes says he obtained by means of Father Frances
Vasques, the historian of the order of San Frances, the Toltecas themselves descended
from the house of Israel, who were released by Moses from the tyranny of
Pharaoh, and after crossing the Red Sea, fell into idolatry. To avoid the
reproofs of Moses, or from fear of his inflicting upon them some chastisement,
they separated from him and his brethren, and under the guidance of Tanub, their
chief, passed from one continent to the other, to a place which they
called the seven caverns, a part of the kingdom of Mexico, where they founded
the celebrated city of Tula. From Tanub sprang the families of the kings of Tula
and Quiche, and the first monarch of the Toltecas-- Nimaquiche, the fifth king
of that line, and more beloved than any of his predecessors, was directed by an oracle
to leave Tula, with his people, who had by this time multiplied greatly, and
conduct them from the kingdom of Mexico to that of Guatemala. In performing this
journey they consumed many years, suffered extraordinary hardships, and wandered
over an immense tract of country, until they discovered the The
reader will doubtless make all necessary allowances for whatever deviations or
corruptions of facts which might have taken place in the traditions that have
been handed down through savage hands of the American Indians for so long a
period of time. From the Gospel Herald, Vol. 3, No. 89, COLLATERAL TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH AND DIVINITY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.--No. 2. The
Book of Mormon was published in the spring season of 1830, "And the whole face of the land northward was covered with inhabitants; and they were exceeding industrious, and they did buy and sell, and traffic one with another, that they might get gain. And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and [Page 115/427] silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore they did cast up mighty heaps of earth; to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of COPPER." Book of Mormon, stereotyped edition, page 544. COPPER
REGION.--A correspondent of the Buffalo Express writing under date of June 14th,
from Ontonagon, "Mr. Knapp, of the Vulcan Mining Company, has lately made very singular discoveries here in working one of the veins, which he lately found. He worked into an old cave which had been excavated centuries ago. This led them to look for other works of the same sort, and they have found a number of sinks in the earth which they have traced a long distance. By digging into these sinks, they find them to have been made by the hand of man. It appears that the ancient miners went on a different principle from what they do at the present time. The greatest depth yet found in these holes is thirty feet. After getting down to a certain depth, they drifted along the vein nearly to an open cut. These cuts have been filled nearly to a level by the accumulation of soil, and we find trees of the largest growth standing in this gutter; and also find that trees of very large growth have grown up and died, and decayed many years since, in the same places there are now standing trees of over three hundred years' growth. "Last week they dug down into a new place, and about twelve feet below the surface found a mass of copper that will weigh from eight to ten tons. This mass was buried in ashes. It appears they could not handle it, and had no means of cutting it, and probably built fire to melt or separate the rock from it, which might be done by heating, and then dashing on cold water. This piece of copper is as pure and clean as a new cent; the upper surface has been pounded clear and smooth. It appears that this mass of copper was taken from the bottom of a shaft, at the depth of about thirty feet. In sinking this shaft from where the mass now lies, they followed the course of the vein which pitches considerably; this enabled them to raise it as far as the hole came up with a slant. At the bottom of the shaft they found skids of black oak, from eight to twelve inches in diameter--these sticks were charred through as if burnt. They found large wooden wedges in the same situation. In this shaft they found a miner's gad and a narrow chisel made of copper. I do not know whether these copper tools are tempered or not, but their make displayed good workmanship. They have taken out more than a ton of cobble-stones, which had been used as mallets. These stones were nearly round, with a score cut around the center, and looked as if this score was cut for the purpose of putting a withe round for a handle. The Chippewa Indians all say that this work was never done by Indians. This discovery will lead to a new method of finding veins in this country, and may be of great benefit to some. I suppose they will keep finding new wonders for some time yet, as it is but a short time since they first found the old mine. There is copper here in abundance, and I think people will begin to dig it in a few years. Mr. Knapp has found considerable silver during the past winter." There are other evidences
that a distinct race of men inhabited this continent previous to the American
Indian race. Different authors of the developments of the antiquities of From the Gospel Herald, Vol. 3, No. 90, COLLATERAL TESTIMONY
OF THE TRUTH AND DIVINITY In the Book of Mormon, published in 1830, on page 433, stereotyped edition, is presented the following account of a prophecy:-- “And now it came to pass that Samuel, the Lamanite, did prophecy a great many more things which cannot be written. And, behold, he said unto them, Behold, I give unto you a sign: for five years more cometh, and, behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name. And, behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for, behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day; therefore there shall be one day and a night, and a day, as if it were one day, and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun, and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born. And behold there shall be a new star arise, such an one as ye have never beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you." On pages 440 and 441 is presented an account of the fulfillment of the above prophecy, as follows: "Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in these traditions should be put to death, except the sign should come to pass which had been given by Samuel the prophet. Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceeding sorrowful. And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God, in behalf of his people; yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers. And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord, all the day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying, Lift up your head and be of good cheer, for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfill all things which I have made known unto the children of men, from the foundation of the world, and do the will, both of the father, and of the Son of the Father, because of me, and of the Son, because of my flesh.--And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given. "And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken: for behold at the going down if the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished, because there was no darkness when the night came. And there were many who had not believed the words of the prophets, fell to the earth, and became as if they were dead, for they knew that the great plan of destruction which they had laid for those who believed in the word of the prophets, had been frustrated, for the signal which had been given was already at hand; and they began to know that the Son of God must shortly appear; yea, in fine, all the people upon the face of the whole earth, from the west to the east, both in the land north and in the land south, were so exceedingly astonished, that they fell to the earth; for they knew that the prophets had testified of these things for many years, and that the sign which had been given, was already at hand; and they began to fear because of their iniquity and their unbelief. "And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given. And it came to pass, yea, all things, every whit, according to the words of the prophets. And it came to pass also, that a new star did appear, according to the word." As collateral testimony to the truth of the above, I present the following account of a tradition had among the Central American Indians, copied from the “incidents of travels" of John L. Stephens in Chiapas and Yucatan, Vol. 2, 1841, page 173. The account of a certain division of the ancient American Indian nation into three nations, says:-- "This division was made on a day when three suns were visible at the same time, which extraordinary circumstance, says the manuscript, has induced some persons to believe that it was made on the day of our Savior's birth." All who are familiar with the Book of Mormon are probably aware of the fact that the whole account of the history of the fore fathers of the American Indians, called the Nephites, Lamanites and Zoramites, is confined to Central America entirely until the 394th page. The 30th chapter of the book of Alma, commencing on that page, commences the account of one Hagoth, who built a ship on the shores of the Pacific ocean opposite or nearly west of the southwest part of the Gulf of Mexico, and sailed northward.--Consequently the above account, copied from the Book of Mormon, originated in Central America, where Mr. Stephens picked up the corroborating tradition. The
reader will doubtless observe that the account of Samuel's prophecy and its
fulfillment is a later account than that of Hagoth building a ship and sailing
northward. Yet by reading the 5th chapter of Helaman you will observe that
Samuel delivered his prophecy at the city of Zarahemla, which, at some future
period, I intend to show clearly that it is the veritable city of Palenque, the
ruins of which is situated some miles south-west of the Gulf of Mexico. Read
Stephens' travels, 1841, Vol. 2, page 289, &c.--The reader will keep in view
that the city of Zarahemla was not built by the Jaradites nor the descendants of
Lehi, but by the descendants of Mulek, who left the city of Jerusalem in
Palestine in the eleventh year of the reign of king Zedekiah, the year that
Zedekiah and all Jerusalem was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar.--Read Book of
Mormon, pages 411 and 419 inclusive. From the Gospel Herald, Vol. 3, No. 91, COLLATERAL TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH
AND DIVINITY In the Book of Mormon, pages 191, 192,193, published in 1830, I find the following curious narrative:-- "Now
there was a place in Shemlon, where the daughters of the Lamanites did gather
themselves together to sing, and to dance, and to make themselves merry. And it
came to pass that there was one day a small number of them gathered together to
sing and to dance. And now the priests of king Noah, being ashamed to return to
the city of “And
it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that their daughters had been
missing, they were angry with the people of Limhi; for they thought it was the
people of Limhi. Therefore they sent their armies forth; yea, even the king
himself went before his people; and they went up to the “And it came to pass that the battle became exceeding sore, for they fought like lions for their prey. And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites before them, yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves, and like dragons did they fight. "And it came to pass that they found the king of the Lamanites among the number of the dead; yet he was not dead, having been wounded and left upon the ground, so speedy was the flight of his people. And they took him and bound up his wounds, and brought him before Limhi and said, behold, here is the king of the Lamanites; he having received a wound, has fallen among their dead, and they left him; and behold, we have brought him before you; and now let us slay him. But Limhi said unto them, ye shall not slay him, but bring him hither, that I may see him. And they brought him. And Limhi said unto him, What cause have ye to come up to war against my people? Behold, my people have not broken the oath that I made unto you; therefore, why should ye break the oath which ye made unto my people? And now the king said, I have broken the oath, because thy people did carry away the daughters of my people; therefore in my anger did I cause my people to come up to war against thy people. Now Limhi had heard nothing concerning this matter; therefore he said, I will search among my people, and whosoever has done this thing shall perish. Therefore he caused a search to be made among his people. Now when Gideon had heard these things he being the king's captain, he went forth and said unto the king, I pray thee forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to their charge.--For do ye not remember the priests of thy father, whom this people sought to destroy? And are they not in the wilderness? And are not they the ones who have stolen the daughters of the Lamanites? And now behold, and tell the king of these things, that he may tell his people, that they may be pacified towards us: for behold they are already preparing to come against us; and behold also, there are but few of us. And behold, they come with their numerous hosts; and except the king doth pacify them towards us, we must perish. For are not the words of Abinadi fulfilled, which he prophesied against us? and all this because we would not hearken unto the word of the Lord, and turn from our iniquity? And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfill the oath which we have made unto him: for it is better that we should be in bondage, than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put a stop to the shedding of so much blood. And now Limhi told the king all the things concerning his father, and the priests that had fled into the wilderness, and attributed the carrying away of their daughters to them." As
collateral testimony to the truth of the above, I present the following extract
from Stephens' “incidents of travels in “In the reign of Balam Acan, the next king of Quiche, while living on terms of great intimacy and friendship with his cousin Zutugilebpop, king of the Zutugiles, the latter abused his generosity and ran away with his daughter Ixconsocil, and at the same time Lloacab, his relative and favorite, ran away with Ecselixpua, the niece of the king. The rape of Helen did not produce more wars and bloodshed than the carrying off of these two young ladies with unpronounceable names. Balam Acan was naturally a mild man, but the abduction of his daughter was an affront not to be pardoned. With eighty thousand veterans, himself in the center squadron, adorned with three diadems and other regal ornaments, carried in a rich chair of state, splendidly ornamented with gold, emeralds, and other precious stones, upon the shoulders of the nobles of his court, he marched against Zutugilebpop, who met him with sixty thousand men, commanded by Lloacab, his chief general and accomplice.--The most bloody battle ever fought in the country took place; the field was so deeply inundated with blood that not a blade of grass could be seen. Victory long remained undecided, and at length Lloacab was killed, and Balam Acan remained master of the field. But the campaign did not terminate here. Balam Acan, with thirty thousand veterans under his personal command, and two other bodies of thirty thousand each, again met Zutugilebpop with forty thousand of his own warriors and forty thousand auxiliaries. The latter was defeated, and escaped at night. Balam Acan pursued [Page 126/438] and overtook him; but while his bearers were hastening with him to the thickest of the fight, they lost their footing, and precipitated him to the earth. At this moment, Zutugilebpop was advancing with a chosen body of ten thousand lancers. Balam Acan was slain, and fourteen thousand Indians were left dead on the field." The
strong corroborating points in the two above accounts are, that women were
"carried" off or "run away" with by the clandestine
measures of men, and a dreadful and bloody war ensued as the consequence, in
which many were slain. According to the Book of Mormon the above circumstance
transpired in At all events I think it will puzzle any sectarian diviner to account for how it happened that the Book of Mormon should contain such an account in 1830 as transpiring in Central America, and ten years after be corroborated by a traditional account of the Indians in the same country, at such a vast distance as it is from Ontario county, N. Y., to Central America, and that account picked up by a gentleman as much disinterested concerning the truth of the Book of Mormon as though it had never been heard of. I know at least that if such a species of collateral testimony was found to sustain the truth and divinity of the Bible the religious Bible believers would snatch it with avidity and hurl it to the four winds of heaven as indisputable evidence of the divinity of the Bible, and point the finger of scorn at him who would feign to cherish a doubt in the case, and charge him with incredulity that was beneath common human reason. But with many the old adage holds good-- "Convince
a man against his will, But the fact is, God holds
all men accountable at the tribunal of truth, and will not change his
purposes or waive his law to accommodate the caprice, ignorance or stubborn
will of any man. Truth alone sanctifieth unto salvation, and it alone will
acquit us at the bar of God. From the Gospel Herald, Vol. 4, No. 127, May 31, 1849 COLLATERAL TESTIMONY
OF THE TRUTH AND All who are familiar with the Book of Mormon know that the peculiar, dark, swarthy complexion of the skin that distinguishes the Anglo Saxon race of American Indians from the present race of the Anglo Saxon origin of men, is in consequence of a direct curse of God on them, (the Indians,) called in the Book of Mormon "Lamanites," (page 223,) as distinguishing them from the Nephites, who descended from the same family of one “Lehi," who left Jerusalem (of Palestine) six hundred years before the christian era. Said "curse" was placed on the progeny of "Laman," (one of the sons of Lehi,) because of their apostasy and intolerable wickedness and persecutions which they practiced on the progeny of Nephi, (Laman's brother.) The Book of Mormon informs that the Nephites were a "white and delightsome people," and so were the Lamanites until a certain time, when God placed a severe and chastising curse on them, for the reasons above stated; which “curse" is still manifest in both their complexion, filthiness and barbarous practical character. And
further, the Book of Mormon informs us that said "curse" is to remain
on the Lamanites until they are restored to the favor and blessings of God in
the “latter days," through the medium of the gospel of Jesus Christ
contained in the Book of Mormon, the record of their fathers The Book of Mormon
further informs us that the Lamanites declared an exterminating "war"
against the Nephites, near the close of the fourth century of the christian era,
in the country now called “Mexico," near the head of the gulf of the same
name. Said war was pushed on with great rage and fury, the Nephites continually
falling and retreating before the "battle ax, sword, arrows and
spears" of the Lamanites, until the Nephites were all destroyed to a man,
except "twenty-four" persons, who fled to a place unknown to
"Moroni," the only remaining person left to record the sad tale of
woes and disasters that had befallen his brethren, the Nephites, leaving the
Lamanites the principal masters of the American continent. This war closed at
the hill "Cumorah," Manchester, Ontario Co., N. Y., in the A. D., 420.
As collateral to the point that the people spoken of in the following account
are probably the descendants of the "twenty four" persons spoken of
above, I present the following. The same is strongly hinted at by Messrs.
Catherwood and Stephens in their account of their antiquarian researches in “North
of about latitude 30 and west of longitude 107, comprising a portion of both the
Look for more of the same nature soon. JOHN E. PAGE. [The
work was never finished] |