Discusses the 1830 Palmyra Edition of the Book of Mormon, its title page, preface, and the corrections of later editions.

The prophecies and teachings of the Mormon Church are contained in a book published under the same name, “Mormon” Provides an account of the visit of the angel Moroni and the prophecies of the Old Testament that he quoted. These prophecies spoke of Joseph Smith’s calling, and the “Last Days” when Jesus Christ will return. None have been fulfilled. In 1844 a young Persian too received a call. He was the Bab (the Gate) through whom God would be revealed. He prophesied that God would not appear for a thousand years.

Author refutes the Spaulding theory and offers evidence as to the Book of Mormon’s divine origin.

Shows the correlation between the Book of Mormon identification of Christ as the “Word of Truth” (Alma 18:12, RLDS versification) and the Hebrew term for truth (’emeth).

In 1 Nephi 1:1-2,we find a most significant chiasm which directs us to the importance of understanding the “Learning of the |ews.”

In the Old Testament there is a four-part pattern used by prophets in prophesying: “(1) identification of sin, (2) need for repentance, (3) judgment of God (if people do not repent), and (4) future in Christ” The article shows how Samuel the Lamanite, Alma, Lehi, and Abinadi followed this pattern.

The term friend is often used to express a covenantal agreement between two individuals. Such was the case between Zoram and Nephi (2 Nephi 1:55, RLDS versification). Other examples include Isaiah 41:8, 2 Chronicles 20:7, and Zechariah 13:6.

The term friend is often used to express a covenantal agreement between two individuals. Such was the case between Zoram and Nephi (2 Nephi 1:55, RLDS versification). Other examples include Isaiah 41:8, 2 Chronicles 20:7, and Zechariah 13:6.

Moroni and the Title of Liberty feature a “step-by-step procedure on preparation for spiritual warfare through the upholding of Jesus Christ” These steps are: despise evil, humble ourselves, put on the armor of God, seek God’s instruction through prayer, work to save the nation, and look to the Lord.

Suggests that the Book of Mormon was not named after a man, but after a place called Mormon where the Nephites once covenanted to observe the laws of God. This important place was very suitable as a name for a book of scripture.

Points out several doublets in the Bible and Book of Mormon: parents and teachers, priest and scribe (teacher), Lord and master (teacher), ruler and teacher, and teacher and king. It is characteristically Hebraic to think of a vocation or calling in connection with being a teacher, thus the emphasis on teacher is an evidence for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

Both Lehi and Jeremiah denominate Joseph of Egypt (2 Nephi 3) as the “righteous branch,” an expression that generally refers to Christ. This fact suggests that Lehi possessed or had access to a copy of Jeremiah’s writings or that Nephi and Jeremiah were acquaintances.

Suggests following the directive of Jesus to take the writings of Isaiah seriously. To accomplish this assignment one must learn the manner of the Jews.

A polemical work against the Book of Mormon written by a Baptist minister who views the Book of Mormon as an absurd and shallow fraud. He enumerates various absurdities and anachronisms, including, the use and modification of biblical language and names, Lehi’s desert journey, Jaredite barges, modern words and ideas, lack of archaeological evidence, contradictions with the Bible, rapid population growth, lack of pre-columbian iron, steel, brass, coins, barley, wheat, domesticated animals, and Book of Mormon geography.

A polemical work against Mormonism. Much of the book is devoted to an attack on the Book of Mormon along the same lines as the author’s 1887 work, The Golden Bible.

[R] 1898. Responds to critics of the Book of Mormon. Writes concerning metal plates, manner of translation, poor grammar, rapid population growth, dark color of Lamanites, modern words used in the translation, polygamy, place of Christ’s nativity, Holy Spirit given before Christ came in the flesh, the charge of plagiarism, and the Spaulding theory.

An understanding of what charity is and is not is essential in gaining safety from the counterfeits of Satan. The Book of Mormon teaches us best about charity, defining it as “the pure love of Christ” (Moroni 7:47), an everlasting, unselfish love. It is not simply a feeling, but an eternal truth that leads to complete obedience, mercy, and forgiveness.

Review of An Ensign to All People: The Sacred Message and Mission of the Book of Mormon (1987), by Monte S. Nyman.

Fictional account of the feelings and thoughts of Joseph Smith on the Book of Mormon.

Sees some elements of Hawaiian myth as correlative to the Book of Mormon. Sites some particulars of Captain Cook.

Sees some elements of Hawaiian myth as correlative to the Book of Mormon. Cites some particulars of Captain Cook.

Challenges members of the Church to read the Book of Mormon. Reading it will increase faith in Jesus Christ, give personal knowledge of the contents of the book, establish the habit of relying upon the word of God, give spiritual vision, and create unity in the Church.

Many have started reading the Book of Mormon in response to the challenge to read the book before the centennial celebration.

Forming small groups will assist members in reading the Book of Mormon before the commemoration of the centennial.

Lambert praises the one hundred-year anniversary of the Book of Mormon, discusses the rarity and value of the first edition and urges all to heed its counsel.

“Remembering Cumorah” is a pageant to commemorate the centennial of the Book of Mormon.

Letters and cards flooding the Church offices tell of new interest in reading the Book of Mormon. Excerpts from letters are included.

Quoting the Wisconsin Evening Telegram concerning the origin of the native inhabitants of America, the author declares the joy of knowing the truth contained within the pages of the Book of Mormon.

As individuals and families value the Book of Mormon more, they are spending more time reading it with greater rewards of spirituality and faith.

An article appeared in the Kansas City Times asserting that according to the Book of Mormon, a race of people wandered across the “Behring’s Strait and down into the Continent of North America, establishing a great civilization” “In response to requests from the Church offices a rather lengthy and corrective news story” was published to correct the error.

A biography of Moroni, based on the Book of Mormon and comments from LDS authorities.

Argues that the scriptures, including the Book of Mormon, refer to places inside the earth. Makes reference to the parable of the olive tree and to the habitation of the lost tribes of Israel.

Bibliography of publications on the Book of Mormon in 1989.

A 14-page concordance to the Book of Mormon.

Reviews the accounts of several witnesses (including Joseph Smith, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, Michael Morse, Isaac Hale, and Emma Smith) to the procedures in translating the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith provided few details regarding translation methods because he wanted to de-emphasize mechanical devices for receiving revelation, in deference to depending directly on the Holy Spirit.

In this article the author explores the process by which the Book of Mormon was translated through the lens of first-hand accounts of the early witnesses, allowing us to ”…place a broader interpretation on the nature of the Book of Mormon record itself.”

Essay on literary aspects of the translation of the Book of Mormon.

A tract designed to persuade the reader that Christology in the Book of Mormon qualifies the book to be Christian scripture, consistent with the Bible.

A tract published by the Reorganized Church designed to introduce interested readers to the Book of Mormon. Teachings from the Book of Mormon are consistent with and in agreement with biblical doctrines.

In the text of the Old Testament Yahweh is described as the Redeemer of Israel. A redeemer in Israelite society was a close family member who was responsible to help his enslaved kinsmen by buying them out of bondage. A comparable family relationship is created between the Lord and individuals by the making of covenants and the giving of a new name. The adoptive covenant becomes the basis for the Lord’s acts of redemption. This pattern of adoptive redemption can be seen in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon identifies Yahweh, the God and Redeemer of the Old Testament, with Jesus Christ. It further explains that redemption from spiritual bondage comes through the ransom price of his blood and is available to those who enter into adoptive covenants, which create a familial relationship and allow the Lord to act as their redeemer.

Kinship redemption

Review of The Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi 9-30, This Is My Gospel (1993), edited by Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.

Takes the methodology of Kenneth Burke to plead that Mormons read some passages of the Book of Mormon as rhetorical devices and accept Christ and live by his code. The rhetoric is couched within “scenes” from the Book of Mormon.

Review of King Benjamin\'s Speech: “That Ye May Learn Wisdom” (1998), edited by John W. Welch and Stephen D. Ricks

An historical work on the state of New York. Pages 646-55 contain a discussion of Mormonism and the Book of Mormon. The writer accepts the Spaulding theory of the Book of Mormon’s origin and includes a discussion of the Anthon incident.

Argues that the Book of Mormon doctrine on eternal progression contradicts Mormon teachings on the same, and the Book of Mormon therefore cannot be based upon truth.

A polemical work against the Book of Mormon, which discusses internal anachronisms in the Book of Mormon and contradictions with the Bible.

A polemical work against Mormonism containing similar material as the author’s other work, Is the Book of Mormon From God?

Presents a distorted view of the coming forth and translation of the Book of Mormon.

A repair man asks about paintings of the prophets on the wall. He receives a Book of Mormon from the family and is thankful.

The 44th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium The 2015 Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium explored the modern miracle of the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon. Featuring a keynote address by Elder Merrill J. Bateman discussing the Book of Mormon’s restoration of plain and precious truths, this volume describes the development of the teenage seer Joseph Smith Jr. and includes marvelous accounts of the many witnesses to the plates. It tells the story of the Book of Mormon, from Joseph Smith’s translation of the sacred record to the process of financing and printing the first edition, and concludes with its message rolling forth to many nations—to “every kindred, tongue, and people.” ISBN 987-1-62972-114-9

The principle of enduring to the end is specifically taught 22 times throughout the Book of Mormon. Endurance might be considered the fifth of the first principles and ordinances. God’s children are to endure afflictions and temptations, to continue in the faith, and are entitled to divine help. Enemies of endurance include Satan’s inspiration, murmuring, hardness of heart, immorality, apostasy, and priestcraft.

A number of texts from the Qumran scrolls demonstrate the community’s interest in heavenly ascent and in communion with angels. This article lays out a pattern observable in some of the poetic/liturgical texts (for example, the Hodayot and other noncanonical psalms) in which the leader of the community is taken up into the divine council of God to be taught the heavenly mysteries, is appointed a teacher of those mysteries, and is then commissioned to share the teachings with his followers. Upon learning the mysteries, the followers are enabled to likewise ascend to heaven to praise God with the angels. In some texts, the human worshippers appear to undergo a transfiguration so that they become like the heavenly beings. This article further illustrates how these elements can be found together in a liturgical text known as the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice; their collective presence suggests that all were part of a ritual sequence. Finally, the article argues that these same elements, or traditions related to them, can be found in passages from the Old Testament.

One way to read the Book of Mormon is to be attentive to ways in which it comes across as a translated text. Being mindful of this is wise, because all translations—even inspired translations—lose something of the primary language, particularly as meanings shift when words are rendered into the vocabulary or idioms of the target language. While the exact nature of the original language used by Abinadi, Ammon, Aaron, or Mormon is unknown, the English text of the Book of Mormon gives helpful hints. Two passages (1 Ne. 1:2 and Morm. 9:32–33) suggest that Egyptian and Hebrew elements were found in the language used by Book of Mormon speakers and writers, which allows present-day scholars to look for places where the current translation displays these elements. This article suggests a possible connection between three Book of Mormon passages and a Hebrew word with a wide semantic range—a range that appears to be reflected quite purposefully in the English translation of these three passages in the books of Mosiah and Alma. That Hebrew word is netzach.

“A KnoWhy is a short essay… about some brief historical, archaeological, cultural, linguistic, literary, legal, devotional, or prophetic insight in the Book of Mormon. Individually, these pieces are about very specific topics: knowing why Nephi wrote in Egyptian (chapter 5), knowing why Jacob talked about polygamy (chapter 64), knowing why Abinadi was ’scourged’ with faggots (chapter 93), or knowing why Alma would talk about Melchizedek (chapter 117). In many cases, we profess less-than-definitive answers, but rather offer some reasons for why these things might be as they are in the Book of Mormon. As a collective body, these KnoWhys provide more than possible answers to specific questions. Combined, they are about knowing why the Book of Mormon is amazing, knowing why it is beautiful, knowing why it speaks to our hearts and minds so powerfully, knowing why it is so uniquely inspiring, and ultimately knowing why the Book of Mormon is true in so many ways.” [Editors]

Review of Rosalynde Frandsen Welch, Ether: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 128 pages. $9.95 (paperback).
Abstract: The Book of Ether is a sometimes-overlooked gem of a text within the Book of Mormon, a history within a history that deserves careful and innovative investigation. Rosalynde Frandsen Welch offers such with a novel perspective in her entry in the Maxwell Institute’s series of “brief theological introductions” to the books within the Book of Mormon. The principal focus of Welch’s analysis is on issues concerning Moroni’s editorial purposes, how he interacts with his source text, and the ethics of his agenda for his abridgment of the Jaredite record. She critiques what she sees as Moroni’s lack of interest in the Jaredite record for its own sake and his attempts to “Christianize” the indigenous religion and culture of the former inhabitants of the land he occupies. Additionally, Welch presents Moroni as offering his future audience a “reader-centered theology of scripture” that seeks to transfer the authority of Scripture from the author to the reader. This review finds some of Welch’s proposals to be problematic but recognizes the great value of her beautifully written contribution to the academic study of the Book of Ether and the Book of Mormon.

A booklet containing four lectures on the Indians. Author endeavors to identify the American Indians, deals with the condition and status of the North American Indians as of 1964, discusses the LDS Indian programs, and is concerned with the ways in which the Caucasian sector of the Church can be of service to the Indians.

Largely concerned with the identity of the American Indians, their noble heritage, and their role in the events of the latter days. Several Book of Mormon passages dealing with the Lamanites are reviewed and listed.

Standing in holy places is all about being in good company, whether you are alone or with others.

You don’t have to be Captain Moroni to make a difference. Our Father in Heaven needs you to be who you are, in your family. He planned it that way.

When you pray often and seek to know the Lord’s will like Nephi did, the Lord will show you the way.

Abstract: There is a kinship between Lehi and Joseph Smith. They are linked to each other by similar first visions, and they faced roughly the same theological problem. Resisted by elites who believe God is a Solitary Sovereign, both prophets affirm the pluralistic religion of Abraham, which features a sôd ’ĕlôhim (Council of Gods) in which the divine Father, Mother, and Son sit. These prophets are likewise linked by their last sermons: Lehi’s parting sermon/blessings of his sons and Joseph’s King Follett discourse. Along with the first visions and last sermons, the article closely reads Lehi’s dream, Nephi’s experience of Lehi’s dream, and parts of the Allegory of the Olive Tree, John’s Revelation, and Genesis, all of which touch on the theology of the Sôd (Council).

Abstract: The role played by the Holy Ghost is an especially important connecting thread that runs through the Book of Moroni. The book illuminates the various ways in which the Holy Ghost transforms fallen human beings into redeemed members of the kingdom of God. Three phrases — “cleave unto charity,” “possessed of it,” and “that ye may be filled with this love” — are particularly revelatory of the role the Holy Ghost plays in our exaltation. But the positive process illuminated by these phrases has an obverse. Those who reject the Holy Ghost cleave to and are possessed of Satan. They are filled with his hatred. Though his message is primarily positive, Moroni has witnessed and describes what happens to those who reject the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Abstract: Mormon is a historian with a literary sensibility and considerable literary skill. Though his core message is readily apparent to any competent reader, his history nevertheless rewards close reading. Its great scope means that much that is said must be said by implication. And its witness of Christ is sometimes expressed through subtle narrative parallels or through historical allegory. This article focuses on parallel narratives that feature Ammon₁ and Ammon₂, with special attention to the allegorical account of Ammon₂ at the waters of Sebus. To fully comprehend the power of the testimony of Christ that Mormon communicates in his Ammon narratives, readers must glean from textual details an understanding of the social and political context in which the narratives unfold. ((Peter Eubanks, Brant Gardner, Grant Hardy, and two reviewers at Interpreter read and helpfully commented on an a previous draft of this article.)).

Abstract: The first 450 years of Nephite history are dominated by two main threads: the ethno-political tension between Nephites and Lamanites and religious tension between adherents of rival theologies. These rival Nephite theologies are a Mantic theology that affirms the existence of Christ and a Sophic theology that denies Christ. The origin of both narrative threads lies in the Old World: the first in conflicts between Nephi and Laman, the second in Lehi’s rejection of King Josiah’s theological and political reforms. This article focuses on these interrelated conflicts. It suggests that Zoram, Laman, Lemuel, Sherem, and the Zeniffites were Deuteronomist followers of Josiah. The small plates give an account of how their Deuteronomist theology gradually supplanted the gospel of Christ. As the small plates close, their last author, Amaleki, artfully confronts his readers with a life-defining choice: having read the Book of Mormon thus far, will you remain, metaphorically, with the prophets in Zarahemla and embrace the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, or will you return to the land of Nephi and the theology you believed and the life you lived before you read the Book of Mormon?.

The slaying of Laban has been a stumbling block for many readers of the Book of Mormon. Although Laban appeared to have legally merited the execution, any explanation of the act is unsatisfactory if Nephi is considered to be acting as an individual. Larsen illustrates that Nephi was acting as a sovereign, with a clear political purpose. When Lehi offered a sacrifice in the Valley of Lemuel, his family became a separate people, with Nephi repeatedly promised the role of ruler. Nephi’s symbolic and literal assuming of this sovereign authority through the act of killing Laban is explained through six different layers: (1) substitutional sovereignty, (2) the assumption of Mosaic authority, (3) the assumption of Davidic authority, (4) private and public motives, (5) the Nephite constitutional order, and (6) explicit declarations of Nephi’s reign. Nephi did not formally assume the role of king for many years, but by slaying Laban he proves that he will be a dutiful king.

Abstract: Lehi’s son Jacob was troubled by a great theological mystery of his and our day — the problem of evil. If God is both all good and all-powerful, how is it possible for the world to be so full of human and natural evils? Jacob was able to elicit from the Lord responses to the question of why He permits evil to flourish in this world. The Lord elucidates the perennial problem of evil for Jacob and us in three distinct genres and at three different levels of abstraction: at a metaphysical level in a philosophical patriarchal blessing, at a concrete level in the history of the emerging Nephite political economy, and in the Allegory of the Olive Tree.

Abstract: The distinctive Mormon conception of God makes possible a logically coherent reconciliation of the facially incompatible laws of justice and mercy. The Book of Mormon prophet Alma clearly explains how these two great laws may be reconciled through the atonement and repentance that the atonement makes possible. Alma artfully illustrates the relationship between justice and mercy in a carefully crafted theological poem.

Abstract: While some scholars have suggested that the doctrine of theosis — the transformation of human beings into divine beings — emerged only in Nauvoo, the essence of the doctrine was already present in the Book of Mormon, both in precept and example. The doctrine is especially well developed in 1 Nephi, Alma 19, and Helaman 5. The focus in 1 Nephi is on Lehi and Nephi’s rejection of Deuteronomist reforms that erased the divine Mother and Son, who, that book shows, are closely coupled as they, the Father, and Holy Ghost work to transform human beings into divine beings. The article shows that theosis is evident in the lives of Lehi, Sariah, Sam, Nephi, Alma, Alma2, Ammon2, Lamoni, Lamoni’s wife, Abish, and especially Nephi2. The divine Mother’s participation in the salvation of her children is especially evident in Lehi’s dream, Nephi’s vision, and the stories of Abish and the Lamanite Queen.

A collection of poems based on passages of the Book of Mormon.

Results of the author’s use of statistical analysis to determine how many individuals authored the Book of Mormon. Results: “The odds against these books being the work of one author exceeded 100 billion to one!” Also compares Book of Mormon authors with Joseph Smith’s contemporaries, specifically men suggested as having been authors of the Book of Mormon. Result: “None of the wordprints of the modern authors resembled the Book of Mormon wordprints at all” Also did cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, and classification analysis. A brief description is given of each with the results.

A reaction to an article by D. James Croft (Sunstone, March-April 1981) who challenges the methodology of an earlier article by Larsen and Rencher (BYU Studies, Spring 1980). Larsen and Rencher claim that different word styles of each Book of Mormon author can be reasonably maintained though they recognize that their studies have limitations.

Tests the claim that the Book of Mormon was written by a number of ancient authors using an analysis called “wordprint” or the science of stylometry. Discusses potential non-Book of Mormon authors, Manova, cluster analysis, and classification analysis.

Suggests ways in which incidents and historical situations in the Book of Mormon are similar to those of the present era. Twelve parallels may be drawn between the Book of Mormon society and modern American society that may predict future events in America. Both nations had similar origins and crossed the ocean as a result of difference of religion and philosophy. Both degenerated in morality. This work is reviewed in P.289. [J.W.M.]

Two dramatic plays using Book of Mormon material showing the “tragic potential in the parallel destructions of the peoples of Jared and Nephi”

This is a sixteen-volume work for young readers. Major events are narrated and illustrated.

A polemical attack on Mormon beliefs. The author objects to the Mormon idea of expanding revelation, since the Bible is, as he asserts, infallible. The Book of Mormon contradicts the practice of plural marriage.

Sightings of flying saucers in specified years are tied in with the advent of the Book of Mormon, the coming judgments, and the establishment of Zion.

A study of textual changes made in the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon is the scripture embraced by followers of Joseph Smith in his 1830s Latter-day Saint movement. Despite the faith of believers that the Book of Mormon is “the most correct of any book,” ever since Smith dictated the text to scribes in 1827, there have been significant modifications with each printing. Here, presented for the first time, is an easy-to-use, single volume correlating all the major changes to English language editions of the Book of Mormon. It includes the original manuscript, printer’s manuscript, and fifteen editions from 1830, 1837, 1840, 1841, 1849, 1852, 1879, 1888, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1911, 1920, and 1981. The presentation is simple and reader friendly. The base text is from an original 1830 edition, and bold lettering signals the altered text. Footnotes track changes over time, with details from the variant texts. Often these changes simply clarify minor issues of spelling, adding or deleting conjunctions or completing fragmented sentences. But at several important points, the changes transform the meaning of Joseph Smith’s canon. A major character in the book describes the symbolism of a dream he has and refers to “the Lamb of God” (Jesus) as “the Eternal Father,” a generic Trinitarian belief that Mormons now reject. The text was subsequently changed to read “the Lamb of the Son of the Eternal Father,” which reflecting the shift in belief among Mormons at the time, as they came to regard Deity as three separate beings with exalted human bodies. Other changes affect basic understandings of theology, race, and identity, which morph through printings and are tracked here in a clean, straightforward approach.

Classifies and discusses the main types of textual changes in the 2nd (1837, Kirtland) and 3rd (1840, Nauvoo) editions of the Book of Mormon, including corrections of typos from the 1st (1830, Palmyra) edition, revisions by Joseph Smith for the 2nd edition, corrections in the 3rd edition by reference to the original manuscript, and accidental errors in both editions.

An examination of the life and work of Thomas Stuart Ferguson, a well known Book of Mormon apologist and founder of the New World Archaeological Foundation. The writer concludes that Ferguson lost faith in the Book of Mormon before he died.

Compares the version of the Sermon on the Mount that appears in 3 Nephi with what textual critics of the dominant school (from Tischendorf to the Alands) have proposed is the original text for Matthew’s version of the sermon. Selects eleven variant passages that all these textual critics have agreed on and shows that in all eleven cases the Book of Mormon agrees with Erasmus’s “Textus Receptus” (on which the 1611 King James Version of the New Testament was based) but against what these textual critics have proposed. Assumes that the reconstructed text of these textual critics must be the original text (despite our substantial lack of knowledge concerning the history of the New Testament text for the first several centuries) and therefore concludes that the Book of Mormon text for the Sermon on the Mount is non-historical.

A horizontal columnar comparison of the original manuscript, the printer’s manuscript, corrections in the printer’s manuscript for the 1830, 1837, and 1840 editions. Also presents a review of the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon, and six appendices.

Examines fifty textual changes found in the currently published Book of Mormon in contrast with the original hand-copied printer’s manuscript. There are three categories of variations: (1) corrections within the manuscripts themselves, (2) transcription errors, and (3) differences between the manuscript version and the printed copy.

The Book of Mormon is a fabrication that plagiarizes from the Bible. An evidence of failed prophecy is that so few Indians have accepted the book and joined the Mormon Church. According to the author, the Book of Mormon “has made no valuable contribution to the knowledge of religion. It is a cunningly devised fable that requires ignorance, credulity, and superstition in order that one may believe in it”

A challenge to the idea that the Book of Mormon is composed of discreet, unrelated episodes, but rather it is literarily unified. The vision of the tree of life, for example, unfolds themes that appear throughout the book. The symbolism of the tree of life as the love of God as manifested in Christ is seen dramatically through a chronological view of Jesus’ role on earth—from his condescension, to the crucifixion, to his personal visit to the Lehites.

Book review.

Book review.

Both Hansen and Lawrence review Grant Hardy’s The Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Edition. Not meant to replace the 1981 edition published by the church, this edition appears in a reader-friendly format and provides additional notes and appendices.

Speculates on Book of Mormon geography. Defends the view that Moroni hid the plates in upstate New York.

Speculates on Book of Mormon geography. Defends the view that Moroni hid the plates in upstate New York.

This article contains a map of the proposed geography of the Book of Mormon but does not super-impose this geography over a present-day map. The author makes an analysis of the geographical descriptions in the Book of Mormon text.

This polemical treatise on Mormonism ventures into several issues, including the reported methods by which the Book of Mormon was translated, the changes that have been made in the book since 1830, and the King James language found in the book. The author sees a connection between the Book of Mormon and Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews.

Results of the author’s use of statistical analysis to determine how many individuals authored the Book of Mormon. Results: “The odds against these books being the work of one author exceeded 100 billion to one!” Also compares Book of Mormon authors with Joseph Smith’s contemporaries, specifically men suggested as having been authors of the Book of Mormon. Result: “None of the wordprints of the modern authors resembled the Book of Mormon wordprints at all” Also did cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, and classification analysis. A brief description is given of each with the results.

Tests the claim that the Book of Mormon was written by a number of ancient authors using an analysis called “wordprint” or the science of stylometry. Discusses potential non-Book of Mormon authors, Manova, cluster analysis, and classification analysis.

Compendium of scriptural references from the Book of Mormon and other standard works of the RLDS church appear under subject headings to assist greater understanding of doctrinal topics. Topics include the divine nature of God, the Book of Mormon, divine revelation, authority and priesthood.

Quotes several passages from A. Hyatt Verrill, Old Civilizations of the New World wherein Verrill writes that archaeology does not reveal a primitive culture that gradually evolved to a higher state. Verrill wonders at the technological abilities of the ancient Americans and maintains that they probably used steel. Evidence of the wheel is presented and a discovery of Greek- and Phoenician-inscribed pottery near the Amazon. These evidences support the Book of Mormon.

A four-page pamphlet inviting the reader to consider the Book of Mormon.

True secret combinations are alliances between the criminal underworld and corrupt government officials. They are designed to exploit, to plunder public treasures, and to promote vice.

In recalling his “First Vision” in 1820, Joseph Smith writes of the “anxieties” over the “contests of [the] parties of religionists” that drove him to seek solace in scripture and “attempt to pray vocally” for the first time in his young life. Smith describes turning to the Epistle of James, a reading that precipitated his calling out for an answer to his “anxieties.” The reply to Smith’s “vocal” prayer initiated a course of events that ultimately led to the publication of The Book of Mormon in March 1830. Since then, the story of the plates whose translation constitutes the text The Book of Mormon has provoked nearly as much-if not more-attention than the exceedingly complex narrative itself. The experience of reading the text poses challenges, though not because of its tedium (as Mark Twain suggested) or the demands it places on one’s willingness to suspend disbelief; instead, the challenges it poses derive, I will argue, from the way in which reading itself is figured in the text. This paper intends to take up the problem of reading and The Book of Mormon, which I believe the text presents but does not fully resolve.

Reports the Atlantic crossing by Thor Heyerdahl in his papyrus boat Ra 2. This achievement is seen as important support for Book of Mormon accounts that the Nephites, Jaredites, and Mulekites crossed the oceans on their way to the Americas.

“A culture’s level of scientific understanding significantly influences how its religious texts are interpreted. The interplay between scientific discovery and scriptural understanding has been controversial throughout history. For example, the Catholic church’s response to scholars who disproved the geocentric understanding of the universe is well known. The studies of geology, astronomy, and organic evolution have all caused numerous problems with literal interpretations of the Biblical account of creation. Similarly, the Book of Mormon, a sacred text for a number of American religions, has been subject to reinterpretation in light of new scientific understanding. Its particular account of the history of the American continent has been intensely examined since its introduction by Joseph Smith, Jr., in the mid-nineteenth century.” [Author]

A story for children teaching that the Book of Mormon is a “prized possession” that should be shared with friends.

Dale LeBaron counsels us to draw on the power of the Book of Mormon and the words of Christ’s representatives to discover the Lord’s pattern for preparing for the second coming. This preparation entails knowing the signs of the second coming, knowing the patterns of destruction, believing that despite persecution righteousness will prevail, heeding the counsels of the prophets, and studying the ministry of Christ and the teachings about his return.

When the angel Moroni first appeared to the young Prophet Joseph Smith, he told young Joseph that God had a work for him to do, and further, that the work would begin the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah. He was further told that the gospel would be preached unto all nations, that a people might be prepared for the millennial reign. The book that Moroni delivered to Joseph, and the other revelations of the Restoration, make it very clear, that one of the greatest responsibilities incumbent upon this dispensation is to prepare a people for the Savior’s second coming.

Parts of the Book of Mormon were translated into Chamorro, the language of Guam, and presented to leaders of government in Guam.

An evangelical tract written by a former Jew supporting the Book of Mormon and its claims to antiquity. The author discusses evidence that he feels supports the Book of Mormon, such as the testimony of the witnesses, the Newark Stone, and similarities between native Americans and Hebrews.

An address to missionaries on the angel “flying in the midst of heaven” (Moroni) and the Book of Mormon containing the fullness of the gospel.

This article discusses how Aaron chided Ammon for boasting, but Ammon reminded his brother that he did not boast in his own strength, but in the strength of God. Spiritual strength is needed to serve in our earthly missions, thus we must be attuned to God through repentance, faith, good works, and continual prayer.

Harold B. Lee - “The Church has need of every member that all may be edified together.”

A scholarly analysis of the legend of the Three Nephites among Latter-day Saints in Utah. Lee explains the history of the Three Nephites and shows the chronological frequency and distribution of the legends. Lee analyzes the dominant motifs of the legends and discusses their historical, sociological, and psychological impact. More than thirty legends of the Three Nephites are included in the appendix.

“I strongly believe that one of the best barometers by which you can measure whether you are taking advantage of what BYU uniquely offers is your activity in your ward or other congregation.”

“I strongly believe that one of the best barometers by which you can measure whether you are taking advantage of what BYU uniquely offers is your activity in your ward or other congregation.”

“There will be adequate opportunities for unavoidable error and disappointment; we need not reach out affirmatively to create them.”

Reports that Mr. Kinkaid, an employee of the Smithsonian Institute, found an entrance to a very large cave while traveling in the Grand Canyon. He estimates that more than fifty-thousand highly civilized people would have been able to live in this cave system hewn out of rock. The author speculates this could have been a Jaredite colony. Such discoveries will ultimately show that Joseph Smith is a prophet and was inspired of God to bring forth the Book of Mormon.

Discusses a possible “wise purpose” for the small plates. Since Nephi and Lehi experienced Jerusalem and the Old World their writings have a more distinct Jewish flavor to them. This is essential for a witness to Jews that Jesus is the Messiah and that the Book of Mormon is true.

Summarizes the tactics and pitfalls of the three great anti-Christs, Sherem, Nehor, and Korihor. The blandishments resorted to by these three are recognizable today, both in and out of the church.

Points out that the Book of Mormon prophets before Christ believed in and testified of Christ. Suggests that those who live at the current time follow their example.

Nephi uses the word lamb 59 times. The term is found just a few other times in the Book of Mormon. John the Revelator uses lamb much more than other New Testament writers. Perhaps the frequent use of lamb by John and Nephi was due to their being shown the same vision.

According to the “purpose principle,” everything in the Book of Mormon is there for a purpose. In Jacob 1:4 Jacob writes that he should engraven the heads of preaching, revelation, or prophesying on the plates. As used here, “heads” is a Hebraism meaning the most important or best of such teachings.

According to the “purpose principle,” everything in the Book of Mormon is there for a purpose. In Jacob 1:4 Jacob writes that he should engraven the heads of preaching, revelation, or prophesying on the plates. As used here, “heads” is a Hebraism meaning the most important or best of such teachings.

People deciphering Book of Mormon geography have argued about whether the Nephite “north” is true north. This article reports hieroglyphs found in Rio Azul that were oriented correctly to the cardinal directions.

Lists verses where mistakes were made by the engraver of gold plates and the way in which the engraver corrected them. These include 1 Nephi 2:41, 1 Nephi 3:245, and Alma 14:112 (RLDS versification).

This article presents the results of a word-by-word comparison of Isaiah passages used in the Book of Mormon. Entire verses and phrases are lost from the book of Isaiah in the Bible, and the biblical Isaiah had lost the concept of the restoration of the entire House of Israel.

Writes that salvation through Christ does not concern only the after-life reward but salvation from worldly evils during mortality.

David A. LeFevre analyzes the studies done by Warren Aston (see page 8), Richard Wellington and George Potter (see page 26), and Kent Brown (see page 44) and compares them, using the text of the Book of Mormon as a guide. These three studies take liberty in interpreting Nephi’s usage of specific terms; LeFevre, however, insists that such interpretations are unnecessary and inaccurate. He analyzes other phrases in a more conservative way in order to find additional information regarding Lehi’s trek. He specifically discusses Lehi’s life in Jerusalem, the route Lehi took from Jerusalem to the Red Sea, the Valley of Lemuel, the route from Shazer to Nahom, the route from Nahom to Bountiful, and the building of the ship at Bountiful.

Gives an in-depth historical account of the life of Oliver Cowdery who was scribe for Joseph Smith as he translated the Book of Mormon, and a witness who never denied his testimony. He died at the age of 43, following years of difficulties, disappointment, and failing health. Contains Elizabeth Cowdery’s testimony that Oliver affirmed his testimony of the divinity of the book.

A brief tract recounting the testimony of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon and the their subsequent adherence to that testimony until the time of their deaths.

Many people have preserved one of the original 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon. These have been collected by Church members or the Church History Museum.

Authors present (on pages 31-46) an “introductory overview” of Moroni’s visit to Joseph Smith, and the subsequent translation and publication of the Book of Mormon.

The sanctuaries and religious rituals of the Mayas and Quiche are investigated. The question of where and when Freemasonry originated is examined. Religious symbols of the New World are compared with symbolic representations of old Egypt, Greece, Rome, and elsewhere in the Old World.

An atlas containing numerous drawings of maps in which various geographical locations in the Book of Mormon are identified. Migration patterns, battle sites, missionary routes, and the paths of explorations are mapped. Relevant Book of Mormon verses are offered with some commentary.

Large map of Central America showing the migration routes of the Book of Mormon peoples. Uses double arrows to indicate a northward direction as well as a true north to accommodate directions used in the Book of Mormon. Identifies the “Narrow Neck” with the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

A challenge to the view taken by the Committee on American Archaeology, appointed by the RLDS conference in 1894, that Lehi’s ocean route was along the equator. Author argues for a route north of the equator, the Kuroshio or Japan Current, and believes that Lehi sailed north of Hawaii. The voyagers eventually landed in Guatemala or El Salvador.

Some traditions of the Native Americans speak of people of the American continent who were descendants of Shem and were scattered at the time of “the confusion of tongues,” of people who believed they descended from the Jews and had preserved traditions of Moses and a miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. Joseph Smith brought forth the Book of Mormon by the power of God and it explains the ruins and ends the mystery surrounding them.

The author reviews many Indian legends and beliefs that parallel Book of Mormon claims. Such legends include: Jesus Christ visiting the Americas, their ancestors as descendants of Hebrews and their travel across the sea, and the voyages of Hagoth. The author interprets the Boturini Codex of the Peregrinacion de Los Aztecas, using the Book of Mormon. His interpretation parallels precisely the history of the Book of Mormon peoples.

The legends of Indians who dwelt in North, Central, or South America are compiled. The legends concern the Indians’ origin, migrations, wars, cosmogonic stories, recitals of a universal flood, the building of a great tower, and visitations of a god and white prophets. Religious beliefs of the Indians are listed. One section juxtaposes selected passages in the Book of Mormon with analogous Indian legends.

Book review.

Discusses the Tower of Babel, Nimrod, and the Jaredites and argues that the Gazelem mentioned in the book of Alma is the brother of Jared.

Editorial comments claim increasing archaeological evidences in support of the Book of Mormon.

An admonitional speech encouraging individuals to regard the Book of Mormon with resolution. The stories relating Alma’s encounter with Korihor and Alma’s parting words to his three sons are recalled. The Book of Mormon is vital to our spiritual condition.

A tract defending the LDS understanding of the condemnation of polygamy set forth in Jacob 2. The writer notes that polygamy is only permitted when the Lord commands it.

A polemical work against Mormonism, where the author alleges that Protestant doctrines are contained in the Book of Mormon, such as monotheism, the trinity, and others. Other Book of Mormon problems dealt with include anthropological and archaeological difficulties, the Smithsonian statement, the Anthon denial, textual changes, King James English, plagiarism, problems with the testimonies of Book of Mormon witnesses, environmental influence, Hebrew origin of Indians, anachronisms, absurdities, and alleged doctrinal problems.

A polemical work against Mormonism and other alleged cults. Numerous anachronisms and other problems with the Book of Mormon are discussed. Many of the same arguments are posed in the author’s work, The Bible, the Christian, and Latter-day Saints.

Review of Into the Light: A Novel (1995), by Keith C. Terry; and The Remnant (1996), by Keith C. Terry and Wesley Jarvis

A series of dramatic scripts based on the Book of Mormon, designed as radio programs. Music, sound effects, and dialogue are features of the thesis.

The sealed book foretold in Isaiah 11 is the Book of Mormon. To bring this book to light was the divine call of Joseph Smith. The “other sheep” of whom Jesus Christ referred were the people on the American continent.

As we learn to better recognize and respond to the promptings of the Spirit, we will find answers to our prayers and have increased capacity to know how and whether those promptings are from the Holy Ghost.

Discusses the value of various approaches to Book of Mormon study. The author asserts that scriptural status does not rest upon historicity. The Book of Mormon may be unhistorical and yet retain its value as scripture, since it “has the capacity to illuminate and communicate the gospel” He considers questions of historicity to be secondary to other concerns.

Abstract: In light of Noel Reynolds’ hypothesis that some material in the Book of Moses may have been present on the brass plates that Nephi used, one may wonder if Nephi or other authors might also have drawn upon the use of chains in the Book of Moses, particularly Satan’s “great chain [that] veiled … the earth with darkness” (Moses 7:26) and the “chains of darkness” (Moses 7:57). Though the phrase “chains of darkness” is not used in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 1:23, quoting Lehi, combines chains and obscurity, where obscurity can have the meaning of darkness. In fact, there may be a Hebraic wordplay behind Lehi’s words when he tells his wayward sons to “come forth out of obscurity and arise from the dust,” based on the similarity between the Hebrew words for “obscurity” and “dust.” The association between dust and chains and several other newly found linkages to Book of Moses material is enriched by a study of Walter Brueggemann on the covenant-related meanings of “rising from the dust” and “returning to the dust” in the Bible, a topic we explore in Part 2.
Then, after showing how dust-related themes in the Book of Mormon can enhance our understanding of several important passages, we build on that knowledge in Part 3 to “dust off” the most famous chiasmus in the Book of Mormon, where we will show that some apparent gaps and wordy regions in the complex chiastic structure of Alma 36 are more compact and meaningful than we may have realized. Both dust-related themes and themes from the Book of Moses assist in better appreciating the richness of that masterpiece of Hebraic poetry. Overall, a small amount of exploration motivated by Reynolds’ work may have led to several interesting finds that strengthen the case for Book of Moses content on the brass plates and deepen our appreciation of the use of ancient Near Eastern dust themes in the Book of Mormon, that majestic “voice from the dust.”

Abstract: In light of Noel Reynolds’ hypothesis that some material in the Book of Moses may have been present on the brass plates that Nephi used, one may wonder if Nephi or other authors might also have drawn upon the use of chains in the Book of Moses. Further examination of this connection points to the significance of the theme of “dust” in Lehi’s words and the surrounding passages from Nephi and Jacob, where it can involve motifs of covenant keeping, resurrection, and enthronement. Recognizing the usage of dust-related themes in the Book of Mormon can enhance our understanding of the meaning and structure of several portions of the text. An appeal to the Book of Mormon’s use of dust may also help fill in some gaps in the complex chiastic structure of Alma 36 (to be treated in Part 3) and add meaning to other portions of that “voice from the dust,” the Book of Mormon.

Abstract: In light of Noel Reynolds’ hypothesis that some material in the Book of Moses may have been present on the brass plates that Nephi used, exploration of concepts related to chains in the Book of Moses led to several insights involving a group of related motifs in the Book of Mormon where shaking off Satan’s chains and rising from the dust are linked, as discussed in Parts 1 and 2. Here we argue that an appeal to the Book of Mormon’s use of dust may fill in some gaps in the complex chiastic structure of Alma 36 and strengthen the case that it is a carefully crafted example of ancient Semitic poetry.

Abstract: Following the account of the ministry of Christ among the Nephites as recorded in the Book of Mormon, Christ gave a charge to His New World disciples (Mormon 9:22–25). These words are very similar to the commission of Christ to His apostles at the end of the Gospel of Mark (Mark 16:9–20). According to the consensus of modern Bible scholars, Christ did not speak those words; they are a later addition. If so, this is a problem for the Book of Mormon. Fortunately, recent modern scholarship offers compelling reasons for overturning the old consensus against the longer ending of Mark. Some of the factors from modern scholarship that indirectly help overcome a potentially serious objection to and apparent weakness in the Book of Mormon also help us better appreciate its strength as we explore unifying themes derived from an ancient Jewish perspective. In this Part 1 of a two-part series, we look at the evidence for the unity of Mark and the plausibility of Mormon 9:22–25. In Part 2 we examine further Book of Mormon implications from the thematic evidence for the unity of Mark.

Abstract: Following the account of the ministry of Christ among the Nephites as recorded in the Book of Mormon, Christ gave a charge to His New World disciples (Mormon 9:22–25). These words are nearly like the commission of Christ to His apostles at the end of the Gospel of Mark (Mark 16:9–20). According to the general consensus of modern Bible scholars, Christ did not speak those words; they are a later addition. If so, this is a problem for the Book of Mormon. Fortunately, recent modern scholarship offers compelling reasons for overturning the old consensus against the longer ending of Mark. Some of the factors from modern scholarship that indirectly help overcome a potentially serious objection to and apparent weakness in the Book of Mormon also help us better appreciate its strength as we explore unifying themes derived from an ancient Jewish perspective. Part 1 of this two-part series looked at the evidence for the unity of Mark and the plausibility of Mormon 9:22–25. In Part 2, we examine further Book of Mormon implications from the thematic evidence for the unity of Mark.

Abstract: A novel theory for the origins of Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life has been offered by Rick Grunder, who argues that the story was inspired by a June 1829 visit to Rochester where Joseph could have seen a “great and spacious building,” a river, an iron railing, and even fruit trees. The purported source for the great and spacious building, the Reynolds Arcade, has even been suggested by one critic as a place where Joseph might have found “rare maps,” such as a map of Arabia that could have guided his fabrication of Lehi’s trail. As beautiful as such theories may be to their champions, they utterly fail to account for Nephi’s text.
Among the shortcomings of Grunder’s theory and creative extensions of it, the timing is problematic, for Joseph’s visit to Rochester likely occurred well after 1 Nephi was dictated. The proposed parallels offer little explanatory power for Book of Mormon creation. (For comparison, two online appendices for this article have been provided to illustrate how interesting random parallels can be found that may be more compelling than those Grunder offers.
) Further, any inspiration from a visit to Rochester as the plates of Nephi were being translated fails to account for the influence of Lehi’s vision and Nephi’s text on other portions of the Book of Mormon that were translated long before Joseph’s trip to Rochester. Finally, Nephi’s account of the vision of the Tree of Life and surrounding text cannot be reasonably explained by Grunder’s theory of last-minute fabrication inspired by Rochester or by any other theory of modern fabrication, as it is far too rooted in the ancient world and far too artfully crafted to have come from Joseph Smith and his environment.

Review of Terryl Givens, 2nd Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 124 pages. $9.95 (paperback).Abstract: Terryl Givens’s well-written and enjoyable book does much to equip readers of the Book of Mormon with new tools to appreciate the riches of a text often viewed as the most difficult part of the Book of Mormon. Givens helps us recognize Nephi’s sorrow over Jerusalem and his passionate hope and joy centered in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He helps us understand the weightier matters that Nephi focuses on to encourage us to accept the covenants of the Lord and to be part of Zion. Readers will better respect 2 Nephi as a vital part of the Restoration with content critically important for our day.

Abstract: The Arabian Peninsula has provided a significant body of evidence related to the plausibility of Nephi’s account of the ancient journey made by Lehi’s family across Arabia. Relatively few critics have seriously considered the evidence, generally nitpicking at details and insisting that the evidences are insignificant. Recently more meaningful responses have been offered by well educated writers showing familiarity with the Arabian evidences and the Book of Mormon. They argue that Nephi’s account is not historical and any apparent evidence in its favor can be attributed to weak LDS apologetics coupled with Joseph’s use of modern sources such as a detailed map of Arabia that could provide the name Nahom, for example. Further, the entire body of Arabian evidence for the Book of Mormon is said to be irrelevant because Nephi’s subtle and pervasive incorporation of Exodus themes in his account proves the Book of Mormon is fiction. On this point we are to trust modern Bible scholarship (“Higher Criticism”) which allegedly shows that the book of Exodus wasn’t written until long after Nephi’s day and, in fact, tells a story that is mere pious fiction, fabricated during or after the Exile.
There were high-end European maps in Joseph’s day that did show a place name related to Nahom. Efforts to locate these maps anywhere near Joseph Smith have thus far proved unsuccessful. But the greater failure is in the explanatory power of any theory that posits Joseph used such a map. Such theories do not account for the vast majority of impressive evidences for the plausibility of Nephi’s account of the journey through Arabia (e.g., remarkable candidates for Bountiful and the River Laman, the plausibility of the eastward turn after Nahom). They do not explain why one obscure name among hundreds was plagiarized — a name that would have the good fortune of later being verified as a genuine ancient tribal name present in the right region in Lehi’s day. More importantly, theories of fabrication based on modern maps ignore the fact that Joseph and his peers never took advantage of the impressive Book of Mormon evidence that was waiting to be discovered on such maps. That discovery would not come until 1978, and it has led to many remarkable finds through modern field work since then. Through ever better maps, exploration, archaeological work, and other scholarly work, our knowledge of the Arabian Peninsula has grown dramatically from Joseph’s day. Through all of this, not one detail in the account of Lehi’s Trail has been invalidated, though questions remain and much further work needs to be done. Importantly, aspects that were long ridiculed have become evidences for the Book of Mormon. There is a trend here that demands respect, and no mere map from Joseph’s day or even ours can account for this.
As for the Exodus-based attack, yes, many modern scholars deny that the Exodus ever happened and believe the story was fabricated as pious fiction well after 600 bc. But this conclusion does not represent a true consensus and is not free from bias and blindness. The Exodus-based attack on the Book of Mormon ultimately is a case where a weakness in biblical evidence from Egypt is used to challenge the strength of Book of Mormon evidence from Egypt’s neighbor to the east, the Arabian Peninsula. We will see that there are good reasons for the absence of evidence from Egypt, and yet abundant evidence that the Exodus material interwoven in Nephi’s account could have been found on the brass plates by 600 bc. The absence of archaeological evidence for Israel’s exodus from Egypt and the chaos in the many schools of modern biblical scholarship do not trump hard archaeological, geographical, and other evidence from the Arabian Peninsula regarding Lehi’s exodus.
We will see that some of the most significant strengths of the Book of Mormon have not been turned into weaknesses. Indeed, the evidence from Arabia continues to grow and demands consideration from those willing to maintain an open mind and exercise a particle of faith.

Abstract: The Arabian Peninsula has provided a significant body of evidence related to the plausibility of Nephi’s account of the ancient journey made by Lehi’s family across Arabia. Relatively few critics have seriously considered the evidence, generally nitpicking at details and insisting that the evidences are insignificant. Recently more meaningful responses have been offered by well educated writers showing familiarity with the Arabian evidences and the Book of Mormon. They argue that Nephi’s account is not historical and any apparent evidence in its favor can be attributed to weak LDS apologetics coupled with Joseph’s use of modern sources such as a detailed map of Arabia that could provide the name Nahom, for example. Further, the entire body of Arabian evidence for the Book of Mormon is said to be irrelevant because Nephi’s subtle and pervasive incorporation of Exodus themes in his account proves the Book of Mormon is fiction. On this point we are to trust modern Bible scholarship (“Higher Criticism”) which allegedly shows that the book of Exodus wasn’t written until long after Nephi’s day and, in fact, tells a story that is mere pious fiction, fabricated during or after the Exile.
There were high-end European maps in Joseph’s day that did show a place name related to Nahom. Efforts to locate these maps anywhere near Joseph Smith have thus far proved unsuccessful. But the greater failure is in the explanatory power of any theory that posits Joseph used such a map. Such theories do not account for the vast majority of impressive evidences for the plausibility of Nephi’s account of the journey through Arabia (e.g., remarkable candidates for Bountiful and the River Laman, the plausibility of the eastward turn after Nahom). They do not explain why one obscure name among hundreds was plagiarized — a name that would have the good fortune of later being verified as a genuine ancient tribal name present in the right region in Lehi’s day. More importantly, theories of fabrication [Page 248]based on modern maps ignore the fact that Joseph and his peers never took advantage of the impressive Book of Mormon evidence that was waiting to be discovered on such maps. That discovery would not come until 1978, and it has led to many remarkable finds through modern field work since then. Through ever better maps, exploration, archaeological work, and other scholarly work, our knowledge of the Arabian Peninsula has grown dramatically from Joseph’s day. Through all of this, not one detail in the account of Lehi’s Trail has been invalidated, though questions remain and much further work needs to be done. Importantly, aspects that were long ridiculed have become evidences for the Book of Mormon. There is a trend here that demands respect, and no mere map from Joseph’s day or even ours can account for this.
As for the Exodus-based attack, yes, many modern scholars deny that the Exodus ever happened and believe the story was fabricated as pious fiction well after 600 bc. But this conclusion does not represent a true consensus and is not free from bias and blindness. The Exodus-based attack on the Book of Mormon ultimately is a case where a weakness in biblical evidence from Egypt is used to challenge the strength of Book of Mormon evidence from Egypt’s neighbor to the east, the Arabian Peninsula. We will see that there are good reasons for the absence of evidence from Egypt, and yet abundant evidence that the Exodus material interwoven in Nephi’s account could have been found on the brass plates by 600 bc. The absence of archaeological evidence for Israel’s exodus from Egypt and the chaos in the many schools of modern biblical scholarship do not trump hard archaeological, geographical, and other evidence from the Arabian Peninsula regarding Lehi’s exodus.
We will see that some of the most significant strengths of the Book of Mormon have not been turned into weaknesses. Indeed, the evidence from Arabia continues to grow and demands consideration from those willing to maintain an open mind and exercise a particle of faith.

Review of Brian D. Stubbs, Changes in Languages from Nephi to Now (Blanding, UT: Four Corners Digital Design, 2016) and Exploring the Explanatory Power of Semitic and Egyptian in Uto-Aztecan (Provo, UT: Grover Publications, 2015).
Abstract: Following several articles and presentations over the past two decades on tantalizing finds linking Uto-Aztecan languages with Near Eastern languages, LDS linguist Brian Stubbs has recently published two significant works offering extensive details and documentation. The more comprehensive volume intended for scholars and serious students of language is Exploring the Explanatory Power of Semitic and Egyptian in Uto-Aztecan, a highly technical work providing 1,528 sets of cognates with intricate details linking Uto-Aztecan languages with two versions of Semitic and with Egyptian. This is followed by an analysis of puzzles in Uto Aztecan explained by Egyptian and Semitic ties as well as an exploration of grammatical and morphological parallels and many other details that further strengthen the case for an ancient connection to Near Eastern languages. Stubbs has made his work more accessible to general LDS readers with a less technical and highly readable work, Changes in Languages from Nephi to Now, that relates his findings to the Book of Mormon and what we can infer about the languages of Book of Mormon peoples. The changes in those languages, correspond remarkably well with the infusions of Near Eastern language that can be seen in abundance in Uto-Aztecan. Numerous questions remain that may require lifetimes of further research, but the meticulous foundation Stubbs has laid must not be treated like past amateurish and erroneous efforts over the centuries to find Hebrew in Native American languages. This is a serious, scholarly work that rises above the standards typically used to establish authentic language families. The evidence for, say, Hebrew in Uto-Aztecan is actually more impressive than the linguistic evidence for Hebrew influence in Yiddish. While implications for these finds on the Book of Mormon can be overstated, what Stubbs has uncovered may be among the most impressive scholarly finds related to the Book of Mormon.

Abstract: When Orson Scott Card wrote “The Book of Mormon: Artifact or Artifice?” in 1993, he applied keen skills as an author of fiction to help readers understand how to detect the many hidden assumptions an author brings into a text. Subtle details such as the choice of what to explain or what not to explain to readers can quickly reveal the era and environment of the author. The value of Card’s analysis is reconsidered in light of extensive Book of Mormon studies since 1993 and has been found, for the most part, to have withstood the test of time well, like the Book of Mormon itself.

Abstract: Janus parallelism, a tool evident in ancient Hebrew poetry, is documented at some length by Scott B. Noegel in Janus Parallelism in the Book of Job, which I recently reviewed. Since the authorship of Job predates the removal of the Lehites from Jerusalem, this tool may have been available to writers in the Book of Mormon. While we do not have the original text to analyze wordplays in the original language, it may be possible to apply some of the cases considered by Noegel to find remnants of related “polysensuous” wordplays that might have been present in the original text or to consider other previously proposed wordplays that may include a Janus-like aspect.

Abstract: Over 30 years ago, Noel Reynolds compared matching non-Biblical phrases in the Book of Moses and Book of Mormon. Based on this analysis, Reynolds proposed a possible connection between the Book of Moses and hypothetical material on the brass plates that may have influenced some Book of Mormon authors. Reynolds’s work, “The Brass Plates Version of Genesis,” provided potentially plausible explanations for additional relationships between the Book of Moses and Book of Mormon that arose in two later Jeff Lindsay studies: one on the Book of Mormon account of Lehi₁’s trail and another on the Book of Mormon’s intriguing use of the ancient theme of rising from the dust. The additional findings and connections presented here strengthen the original case Reynolds made for the ancient roots of the Book of Moses, roots that could have extended to the brass plates and then on to the Book of Mormon. Critics might dismiss such connections by asserting that Joseph merely drew from the Book of Mormon when drafting the Book of Moses; however, this view overlooks significant evidence indicating that the direction of dependence is the other way around. In light of the combined evidence now available, it is time to reconsider Reynolds’s original proposal and recognize the possibility that the Book of Moses is more deeply rooted in antiquity that many have recognized in the past.[Editor’s Note: This article is based on a presentation by Reynolds and Lindsay made at the Tracing Ancient Threads in the Book of Moses Conference, Provo, Utah, Sept. 18–19, 2020, presented by The Interpreter Foundation, Brigham Young University Department of Ancient Scripture, Book of Mormon Central, and FairMormon. A more detailed version, along with an edited transcript of the question-and-answer session that followed the presentation, can be found in the forthcoming conference proceedings.].

Abstract: A recent graduate thesis proposes an intriguing new means for discerning if the Book of Mormon is historic or not. By looking at Book of Mormon references to David and the Psalms, the author concludes that it cannot be the product of an ancient Jewish people and that it is, instead, the result of Joseph Smith’s “plagiarism” from the Bible and other sources. This paper examines the author’s claims, how they are applied to the Book of Mormon, and proposes points the author does not take into consideration. While the author is to be congratulated for taking a fresh perspective on the Book of Mormon, ultimately his methodology fails and his conclusions fall flat.

Abstract: Latter-day Saints are often aware that the Apocrypha contains valuable sacred material along with some “interpolations of men,” but few know how to approach those ancient texts and what they could learn from them. A new book by Jared W. Ludlow provides a helpful tool to guide LDS readers in appreciating the Apocrypha and exploring the material in these highly diverse sacred documents.
Review of Jared W. Ludlow, Exploring the Apocrypha from a Latter-day Saint Perspective (Springville, Utah: CFI, 2018). 234 pp. $16.99. Never repeat a conversation, and you will lose nothing at all. With friend or foe do not report it, and unless it would be a sin for you, do not reveal it; for someone may have heard you and watched you, and in time will hate you. Have you heard something? Let it die with you. Be brave, it will not make you burst! Having heard something, the fool suffers birth pangs like a woman in labor with a child. Like an arrow stuck in a person’s thigh, so is gossip inside a fool.
— Ecclesiasticus, aka The Wisdom of Jesus Ben Sira,
aka Sirach 19:7–12. .

Abstract: Christ’s famous call to take his yoke upon us in Matthew 11 may merit more analysis than it has commonly received. Taking up the yoke may have connections to other things that are taken upon us as well, including the name of Christ, temple covenants, priestly robes, and sacred anointing. These all reflect a relationship of obedience and service to the Master, who set the example by taking the heaviest yoke of all upon him, including the yoke-like beam of the cross that he carried to Golgotha and the full weight of human sin and misery as he suffered for us. Our yoke is easy, and the burden of the cross we are called to take up (Matthew 16:24; 3 Nephi 12:30) is light indeed relative to what he bore or to bearing the weight of our own sins. However, his call, while rooted in grace, implies actual effort and work, not belief alone. It is a call for faithful service, linked to him in sacred covenants most fully expressed in the sacred temple. A review of ancient scripture, early Christian writing, some Jewish perspectives, and modern revelation gives us insights into the richness of meaning that may be associated with taking upon us the yoke of Christ and entering into his rest.“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
— Matthew 11: 28–30.

A self-published work containing a brief explanation of the Book of Mormon, several Jaredite and Lehite genealogical charts, and an index identifying each person in the Book of Mormon.

Tells the history of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the translation and loss of the 116 pages of manuscript, the story of the book, and the claim that Mormons made of the reinstitution of God’s Old Testament Church. The author presents much Church history and organization to set the stage for the deceit and murder that took place in Salt Lake City in conjunction with the Mark Hofmann forgeries.

The Book of Mormon contains powerful and priceless principles relating to the preaching of God’s word to His children. Although various principles relating to missionary work are found throughout the Book of Mormon, nowhere is this more evident than in Alma 17 and 18. This chapter seeks to help students and teachers of the restored gospel identify and implement a few of these potent principles that can help all of us have greater success in missionary work.

Abstract: A discussion is presented on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, including the departure of the young man into a faraway land, his return, and the welcome he received from his father. To better understand the cultural significance of this story, a Middle Eastern scholar (Kenneth Bailey) is referenced. The prodigal son breaks his father’s heart when he leaves home, but at the same time his older brother fails in his duty to his family. The father in the parable represents Christ, who is seen to take upon himself the shame of his returning boy and later of his older brother. The reinstatement of the prodigal son is confirmed by the actions of the father, who embraces him, dresses him in a robe, puts shoes on his feet, has a ring placed on his finger, brings him into his house, and kills the fatted calf for him. These actions have deep gospel and cultural significance. The older son’s failure to come into the feast for his brother is a public insult to his father, and his words to his father in the courtyard are a second public insult. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is shown to be similar to other stories from the scriptures, including Jesus’s meal with Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36–43), the Parable of the Man and His Great Supper (Luke 14:16–24), the Parable of the King and His Son’s Wedding (Matthew 22:2–14), and Lehi’s dream in 1 Nephi 8. Consistent elements across these stories include a feast/meal, a male authority figure who initiates or invites others to the feast, well-to-do guests who refuse the invitation, their criticism of the host of the feast and their fellowman, an application of grace, and the presence of the less favored individuals at the feast at the end of the stories. It is shown that the prodigal son represents the publicans and sinners of Jesus’s day, while the older son represents the scribes and Pharisees. Emphasis is placed on the remarkable countercultural and benevolent role played by the father/patriarch in these stories.

In Alma 24 we read of the courage of the people of Anti- Nephi-Lehi, Lamanites who had converted to the Lord. Their king pleaded with them, “Let us stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren” (Alma 24:12). So great was their faith that they covenanted never to take up arms again and buried their weapons of war. When the unconverted Lamanites came against them, the Anti-Nephi- Lehies, rather than resist their attackers, prostrated themselves on the ground to pray and allowed their brethren to slay them.

Sidney Rigdon placed a manuscript in Smith’s hands to proclaim as the Book of Mormon. This conspiracy was contrived by Rigdon and the manuscript was a revised edition of Solomon Spaulding’s manuscript.

A history of Mormonism written by a non-Mormon. Chapters 6-11 discuss various aspects of the Book of Mormon, such as its translation, the 1834 Anthon denial, the role of the Three Witnesses, the Kinderhook plates, alleged quotes from Shakespeare, and various anachronisms and absurdities such as the presence of common Bible passages, pre-Columbian domesticated animals, and grammatical blunders.

Editorials concerning whether or not changes should be made to the Book of Mormon. Lipsit warns against tampering with Divine will; Clark argues that the book’s imperfections show that Joseph Smith was not the author; Winslow supports correction of punctuation and grammatical errors; Wardle gives a history of various Book of Mormon editions, saying that a corrected edition is needed; Christenson argues for a modern English version of the Book of Mormon; Shute, whose original proposal for another edition of the Book of Mormon aroused the controversy, urges the RLDS church to work on foreign language translations of the Book of Mormon and to set up a committee to produce a “good English” translation of the Book of Mormon.

Review of Clyde R. Forsberg Jr. Equal Rites: The Book of Mormon, Masonry, Gender, and American Culture.

Briefly discusses the Book of Mormon as inspired history.

Briefly discusses the Book of Mormon as inspired history.

Briefly discusses the Book of Mormon as inspired history.

Discusses fulfillment of prophecy given in 1 Nephi 13:14. Columbus and Indian oppression was foretold centuries ago, and prophecies yet remain to be fulfilled in the future.

Discusses fulfillment of prophecy given in 1 Nephi 13:14. Columbus and Indian oppression was foretold centuries ago, and prophecies yet remain to be fulfilled in the future.

Discusses fulfillment of prophecy given in 1 Nephi 13:14. Columbus and Indian oppression was foretold centuries ago, and prophecies yet remain to be fulfilled in the future.

Retelling of the story of the voyage of the Jaredites to America.

Retelling of the story of the voyage of the Jaredites to America.

Retelling of the story of the voyage of the Jaredites to America.

A testimony of the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon exposes false doctrine and guides men in the proper course of their lives. Consistent with God’s divine justice and mercy, God had guided his peoples on both the eastern and western continents. The Book of Mormon is not a history of a people, for that would not have changed human affairs, but it is a book of doctrine.

The Book of Mormon clearly teaches the name of Jesus’ church and outlines the requirements of membership. One must be willing to take the name of Christ upon him or herself and enter into covenants with nim.

An early polemical tract against Mormonism that accepts uncritically E. D. Howe’s book Mormonism Unveiled.

Review of Timely Truths from the Book of Mormon (1995), by Allan K. Burgess

A book containing trivia questions about the Book of Mormon.

Social, ethical, cultural or educational converts will not survive under the heat of the day unless their taproots go down to the fullness of the gospel that the Book of Mormon contains.

President Benson and Elder Ashton spoke at a leadership conference concerning the importance of the Book of Mormon. President Benson stressed the importance of using the Book of Mormon in missionary work and in practical religion.

Admonishment by President Benson at a regional conference to “read, ponder, and teach” from the Book of Mormon, especially since “it was written for us”

President Benson visited a conference and taught that “the Book of Mormon is the word of God”

Three of the Savior’s Nephite disciples remain on the earth until his second coming. The Prophet Joseph Smith testiied of their terrestrial state and that their translated bodies were designed for important future missions. Jesus gave them a promise of a still greater change to occur when he comes in his glory.

The Bible does not indicate a cessation of revelation, and was not intended to be the last and only rule of faith and practice. Joseph Smith received revelation that the Book of Mormon was a divine document. Hurlbut originated the Spaulding theory. Professor Anthon’s statement is examined. Discusses the witnesses to the Book of Mormon and finds their testimonies valid.

This article states that faithful men and women all over the world bear witness of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. The message can be spread throughout the world through Church members. Two stories, one of a Methodist minister and another of a young Baptist, reveal the value of this concept

Four separate books accept the theory of diffusion from the Old World in explaining the origin of the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas. The first two books are anthologies, the other two books were authored by scholars Cyrus Gordon and Thor Heyerdahl.

Both the Apostasy and the Restoration are prophesied of in the Book of Mormon. The book is an important part of the Restoration. This work discusses Old World apostasy, then retells the history of the coming forth of the book, its story, the testimony of the witnesses, and a brief analysis of its teachings.

Speaks concerning the Jaredites and the Lehites, with emphasis on the Tower of Babel and the dispersion. Claims that the Hill Cumorah is located in the state of Morelos in Mexico.

Believing that Book of Mormon events took place in Mesoamerica, the author speculates that peoples of the southwest section of the United States had connections and correspondences with their Mesoamerican neighbors. Other Asiatic peoples also likely played a part in the development of North American Indian culture.

Discourages students of the Book of Mormon from associating all archaeological remains in the Americas with the Book of Mormon, since many of them differ in time and space.

Explains the origin of the NWAF, accomplishments of its first season’s work in Tabasco and Chiapas (in which the authors participated), and the supposed conceptual tie to the Book of Mormon.

A polemical tract against the doctrines of Mormonism and the Book of Mormon. The testimony of the Book of Mormon witnesses is suspect since they all left the Church. The Book of Mormon shows evidence of borrowing from the language of the Bible and the King James Version. The Book of Mormon also contradicts the Bible in many places. These and other anachronisms in the book make it difficult to believe it to be the word of God.

Contains brief, dramatic monologues that express in informal settings various scenes in the Book of Mormon. They are useful for worship services, retreats, classes, reunions, devotionals, and campfires.

Tells of a chest that belonged to Frederick Kesler in which was his prize possession—one page of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon. It has been donated to the LDS church.

Lists Book of Mormon passages that demonstrate that the book was written for our day. Also lists twelve Book of Mormon subjects that are particularly relevant for the people of the latter days.

Typescript of a speech given on Temple Square. When Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, scholars believed the Bible was a closed book. This is no longer so because some scholars believe there may be additional scripture. Ezekiel foretold the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon story tells of three groups who migrated to America. The visit of Christ to America fulfills his prophecy to his disciples found in the book of John.

A study guide for the Melchizedek priesthood quorums of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lessons encourage reading the Book of Mormon.

A Book of Mormon study guide that includes a verse-by-verse commentary, five appendices, a number of charts and maps, and several expositions discussing the history behind the Book of Mormon, the purposes of the Book of Mormon, the major plates, a historical overview of biblical history preceding the Book of Mormon period, and a secular history of the peoples in the Book of Mormon.

Volume 5 contains the complete texts of The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price.

A study guide of thirty-five sections on the Book of Mormon. Each section contains objectives, a prospectus for the assigned reading material, and study questions. Four appendices conclude the work.

Ludlow analyzes Moroni’s promise in Moroni 10 and includes verses 1-5 that seem to indicate that it is necessary to study more than just the Book of Mormon. Biblical study is required, then ponder and pray with sincerity and faith, which makes one capable of recognizing the truths and promptings as the Holy Ghost manifests them.

The Book of Mormon definition of the gospel of Christ is revealed in 3 Nephi 27:13-22: the Atonement, faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. None of the four compilers intended to include all of the teachings and ordinances of Christ. Important doctrines are restored when the church membership is ready to accept them.

Supplementary guide for a BYU class, with comments about selected passages from the first half of the Book of Mormon and quotes from various authors.