SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

THE ANCIENT AMERICAN SCRIPTURE—THE BOOK OF MORMON. (Continued.)

NOTES.

1. Appearance and Dimensions of the Plates of the Book of Mormon: "These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin. 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 volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. 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." (Joseph Smith, Wentworth Letter.)

2. Summary of the Book of Mormon: "In this important and interesting book the history of ancient America is unfolded, from its first settlement by a colony that came from the Tower of Babel, at the confusion of languages to the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian Era. We are informed by these records that America in ancient times had been inhabited by two distinct races of people. The first were called Jaredites, and came directly from the Tower of Babel. The second race came directly from the city of Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ. They were principally Israelites, of the descendants of Joseph. The Jaredites were destroyed about the time that the Israelites who succeeded them in the inheritance of the country, came from Jerusalem. The principal nation of the second race fell in battle towards the close of the fourth century. The remnant are the Indians that now inhabit this country. This book also tells us that our Savior made his appearance upon this [the American] continent after his resurrection; that he planted the gospel here in all its fulness, and richness, and power, and blessing; that they had Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists; the same order the same Priesthood, the same ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings, as were enjoyed on the eastern continent; that the people were cut off in consequence of their transgressions; that the last of their Prophets who existed among them was commanded to write an abridgement of their prophecies, history, etc., and to hide it up in the earth, and that it should come forth and be united with the Bible for the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days." (Joseph Smith, Wentworth Letter.)

3. Book of Mormon Writers: As indicated in the lesson analysis, the Book of Mormon writers may be divided into two groups, separated by a period of nearly a thousand years. The first group consists of nine writers:

I Nephi, who writes 127 1/2 pages.

Jacob, brother of Nephi, 21 1/2 pages.

Zenos, son of the above Jacob, 2 1/2 pages.

Jarom, son of the above Zenos, 2 pages.

In the book of Omni there are but 3 1/2 pages, but there are five writers, each of whom records merely a few lines. The names follow:

Omni, son of the above Omni.

Amaron, son of the above Omni.

Chemish, brother of the above Amaron.

Abinadom, son of Chemish.

Ameleki, son of the above Abinadom.

Amaleki writes about 2 1/2 pages, out of the three pages and a half that comprise the Book of Omni.

Altogether this first group gives us 157 pages.

The second group consists of Mormon and his son Moroni.

Mormon's abridgement of the various books written upon "the large plates of Nephi," comprises 390 1/2 pages.

Mormon's personal account of events that occur in his own day, 14 1/2 pages, making a total of 405 pages.

Moroni's writings, consisting of the completion of his father's personal record, the abridgement of the Jaredite history and his own book, called the Book of Moroni, 61 pages, making a total of 623 pages of our current editions.

4. Purpose for which the Book of Mormon was Written: The following is a summary of the purposes for which the Book of Mormon was written, gathered from the book itself and from the Doctrine and Covenants. (See references accompanying Lesson analysis.)

First, to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord has done for their fathers.

Second, to teach them the covenants of the Lord made with their fathers, that the remnants may know that they are not cast off forever.

Third, that this record may convince both Jews and Gentiles that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, and that he manifests himself to all nations.

Fourth, that the knowledge of a Savior might come especially to the remnants of the house of Israel on the western hemisphere, through the testimony of the Nephites and Lamanites as well as through the testimony of the Jews, that they might more fully believe the gospel.

Fifth, that the Jews might have the testimony of the Nephites as well as that of their fathers, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Sixth, and I think mainly, to be a witness for the truth of the Bible, to establish its authenticity, and its credibility by bringing other witnesses to testify to the same great truths that are contained in the sacred pages of the Bible; to restore to the knowledge of mankind many plain and precious truths concerning the gospel which men have taken out of the Jewish scriptures, or obscured by their interpretations; for which cause many have stumbled and fallen into unbelief. In a word, it is the mission of the book of Mormon to be a witness for Jesus, the Christ; for the truth of the Gospel as the power of God unto salvation; for that purpose it was written, preserved from destruction and has now come forth to the children of men through the goodness and mercy and power of God. (Y. M. M. I. A. Manuals, 1903-1905, p. 26-7.)