The Washington herald., 1917-07-15

City. Utah.
buried the same at what was called
by the Nephites the Hill Cumorsh.
now populsrly known as Mormon
Hill" in the vicinity OF Palmyra
y. Y.
The announcement Of such a dis
covery as that Of the plates OF
Mormon, and Of sucn an achieve
ment as the translation OF the rec
ords into English, could not fail 10
attract the attention OF both lay
man and scholar. But the MsnnouDce-
ment was treated with contempt
and vigorous denunciation. The
reason for this hostile rejection is
found in the fact that Joseph
Smith. the translator, avowed that
he had not accomplished the mar
velous work by his own or other
human powers alone. but that the
rcsting-place OF the ancient plates
had been revealed TO him by an
angel, who appeared in light and
glory. and announced himself as
that same Moroni who had sealed
up and buried the inscribed plates
over fourteen centuries earlier.
A further cause for the popular
opposition to the Book OF Mormon
lay in Joseph Smiths solemn testi-
mony that he had peen empowered
to make the translation through
the direct inspiration OF God, and
that he had been aided in the work
by the use OF two stones which he
had found buried with the plates.
and that as the angel had explain
ed to him, these stones constituted
the 1~rfrFa
certain prophets of ancient Israel
had, and their ability TO use which
had given them the distinguishing
attributes of "seers."
This avowal introduced the ele-
ment OF the supernatural II Joseph
Smith spoke truly. miracles had not
ceased, and direct revelation from
God 20 man was OF modern GER
tainty. Such conception was
wholly opposed by theological the
ory and churchly dogma. And yet,
why in reason should direct rev.
elation from the heavens be more
of an improbability today than in
the centuries Of long ago? Except
as to the extent OF the writing, is
the bringing forth OF the Book OF
Mormon any more OF a marvel
than the inspired reading Of the
mystic words by Daniel in the
midst OF BelshaZZar's riotous feast7
(See Dan. 5:25-31). And surely the
means by which the writing was
done appears far more mysterious
in the case OF the Chaldean king
than in the ordinary and human
way Of engraving the Book OF
Mormon plates.
The Book Of Mormon fs before
the world. II has been distributed
by millions Of copies IN English
and other modern tongues. The
claims. made as to It's Eenuineness
at the time OF the first publication
have never been altered in the least
particular. Let IL be understood
that in no sense does the Book OF
Mormon profess to be a substitute
for the Holy Bible. or TO be in any
way related thereto except as n
parallel volume OF Scripture. The
Bible is essentially a record OF the
dealings OF God with His people OF
the East: the Book OF Mormon lie
an embodiment OF efvfne revela-
tions TO the people OF the West So
far as the two books touch COM
mon themes they are in harmony;
and in no particular are they con-
Trajectory of each other.
Read the Book OF Mormon for
yourselves. 1t is supplied a. the
bare cost OF production. Copies
may be obtained OF booksellers
generally. or by application to any
Of the Missions Of the ChursA OF
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
among which are the following:
Eastern States Mission. lllO Bed
ford avenue, Brooklyn. n. 7. aud
Bureau Of Information. salt Lake
City. Utah