Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-21
PUERILE OBJECTIONS.


ngo by common sense and fair cx-
PLANTATION. concerning the author |
ship" Of tho Book Of Mormon. On |
the title page Of It's first edition APP |
peared tho following "By Joseph |
Smith. Jun. author and proprietor, |
Palmyra, printed by y. - GrandIn for |
the author 1890" In subsequent e1i-
flons In place OF those words were
these; "Translated by Joseph Smith,
Jun" and then the name Of the place
OF publication. This change Of an
nouncement has boon used by petit.
Jogging obJectors against the authen.
ITCHY OF the book and as evidence that
It IS not of divine origin. Resort to
such an argument CD shows 10 what
straits such persons are reduced. IN
attempting TO mystify and mlslead the
public as to the most remarkable pub
LEGATION OF the nineteenth century.
II has been explained that when the
book was copyrighted It was necessary
IN order to obtain the copyright, that
the name of the author or producer
OF the work should so appear The
very meaning OF the word author il
producer. The need Of this IN the
State of New York was urged upon the
Prophet Joseph Smith at its iirst pub
licatlon, and the application for the
copyright was therefore made In that
form. Subsequently, In later editions
not published IN that State, the change
was made In the form which now APP
pears, SO that II might be clear to all
readers that the work is what II pur-
ports 10 be: that IL. a translation or
'jnterpretation" OF the record OF the
people OF Nephl, rs abridged and
written by the hand Of Mormon"
The change OF the words we have
quoted makes no difference whatever
TO the character OF the work. nor al
ters Il in any respect The words on
the title page describing the book are
identically the same IN every edition.
and Ak was published at the begin
ming of this Church, we're a literal
translation from the plates, the first
paragraph OF which " as follows:
wherefore It Is an abridgmont OF
the record OF the people Of Nophi. and
also OF the Lamanites; written to the
Lamanltes who are remnant Of the
house of Israel, and also TO jew and
Gentle; written by way OF commando
mcnt, and also by the spirit of pro-
phecy and of revelation. Written and
sealed up and hid up unto the Lord,
that they might not bo destroyed, to
come forth by the gift and power Of
God unto the Interpretation thereof;
sealed by the hand Of Moroni, and hid
up unto the Lord, to come forth In
due time by the way Of GENTLE; the
Interpretation thereof by the gift OF
God"
This announcement should be plain
enough to reach the understanding
OF everybody who can read English.
The record Ia published az an "abrldge-
ment" OF the record OF the people OF
Nephi and also OF the Lamanites It
was written by the hand OF Mormon"
II was sealed and hidden by Moronl.
1t is stated clearly IN the book that
the writing was IN reformed Egyp-
tlan" hierogyphics. The names Of the
different writer's of those characters
on the metallic plates whose writings
were abridged by Mormon are given,
the method Of preserving the record
and Of hiding IT up 30 that II might
come forth ut the time appointed are
all explained. and II is stated that the
Interpretation thereof was TO be by the
gift Of God
Now, then, what would any fair read
er OF the title page, as originally given,
understand by the statement that Jo-
seph Smith, Jun, was the author and
proprietor" OF the book to be copy
rlghted? Would II not be that he was
the author OF the interpretations lie
was the producer OF the printed
book, which was a translation or inter-
probation OF the characters inscribed
upon the plates abridged by Mormon
and hidden in the earth by Moronl.
Every student OF the book learns this
IN tho body Of the work and. as we
have shown II Is clearly though briefly
from the title page,
The qulbhler who originally started
the query which so many silly imitators
have echoed could have found tho am
swer to his own pretended difficulty on
the very title page 10 which he made
objection. And recent followers in
his wake might Just as reasonably OBJ
ject to the work on the ground that
there has been change Of printers
md places Of publication, as to try to
cast a doubt upon the authenticity and
divinity OF the book because Of those
lmmaterial changes.
The remarkable record known as
the Book OF Mormon has been attacked
by just such petty and puerile methods
as those we have here exposed from
the very beginning of It's publication t,
the world, There has been no denult,
dispute as 60 the historical facts which
It narrates: there has been no roruta
ton Of the doctrines It promulgates
nor has there been any discord between
II and the Bible successfully proven
And while there is widespread skeptlc
ism concerning 1t and many shafts o
ridioule have been hurled against II
It has stood firm on the ground takel
for It as translation Of the writing
of ancient prophets on the American
sentiment, and brief history OF IN