The Washington herald., 1917-07-15

S1lN Lane
The Book OF Mormon is pre-em-
inently an American book, compris-
ing the history of the aboriginal
peoples of the New World. It pro-
fesses to be the modern translation
of certain records. covering the
period from B. c. 500 TO about a.
~. 400, with which is Incorporated
the abridgment of a yet earlier his
tory. The original account was in
scribed on thin sheets of gold, in
small characters Of the Reformed
Egyptian style. tne plates we're
taken from their repository on the
side Of a hill near Palmyra, y.
Y. This was in September. 1927;
and in the early months OF 1880
the English translation was pub
lished.
The Book OF Mormon story deals
in part with the general history OF
the ancient peoples, their rise ana
fall as nations. their wars and in
trigues of state. their alternating
epochs Of material prosperity and
adversely; but more particularly it
preserves an account OF the divine
revelation, the prophets and pro-
cans were bAtSoNNs anu mus AAAN 49, -
phecies with which the ancient Ameri-
stands before the world as the
SCRIPTURES OF THE WESTERN
| CONTINENT.
According to the book. Lehi. an
Israelitish prophet. was directed by
revelation B. c. 500 TO take his fam
lily and leave Jerusalem, in time to
escape the destruction or captivity
incident to Nebucnacnezzar' con-
quest. and the assurance was given
that the migrating company should
be led to a land OF promise. choice
above all other lands. Lchrs fam
lily was Joined by members Of other
families. In time the travellers
reached the Arabian Sea, and there
they built a ship in which they
were carried by wind and current
to the American shore.
The colonists multiplied and pros
pered. After a few years, however.
open disruption occurred and the
people divided into factions. known
as Nephites and Lamanites. The
former were named arter Nepni,
who was a younger son of Lehi
and a righteous man; and the lat
ter derived their name from their
first leader, Lamar, the eldest and
most rebellioGs of the family. In
time these parties developed into
powerful nations. The Lamanites
maintained bitter hatred coward
their brethren, and deadly hostility
prevailed throughout the greater
part of the period of Book of Nor
mon history. While the Nephites
were industrious ana progressive,
cultivating the soil and building
great cities in South, Central and
North America, the Lamanites fell
into degeneracy and came to rely
almost entirely on hunting and
warfare for subsistence. They
were cursed Of the Lord with a
ruddy skin, and with this somber
hue of body came darkness Of
mind. As the Book of Mormon
plainly and circumstantially AYERS,
cient Lamanites are the American
Indians of today.
The last great conflict between
Nephites and Lamanites occurred
in what is now Northern New York.
and the issue was the utter cx-
termination of the Nephite nation.
As the predicted destruction ot his
people drew near, Mormon,
Nephite historian ana prophet, COL
lated and in part abridged the
voluminous historical records that
had accumulated during the period
of nearly ten centuries; and to his
abridgment he gave his own name,
hence the title. Book of Mormon"
Morman's son, Moroni. supplement-
ed his fathers work by writings ot
his own; and then realizing that his
death was imminent, he deposited
the records in q stone box and