All men have heard of the Mormon Bible, but few except the
“elect” have seen it, or, at least, taken the trouble to read it.
I brought away a copy from Salt Lake. The book is a curiosity to
me, it is such a pretentious affair, and yet so “slow,” so
sleepy; such an insipid mess of inspiration. It is chloroform in
print. If Joseph Smith composed this book, the act was a
miracle—keeping awake while he did it was, at any rate. If he,
according to tradition, merely translated it from certain ancient
and mysteriously-engraved plates of copper, which he declares he
found under a stone, in an out-of-the-way locality, the work of
translating was equally a miracle, for the same reason.
The book seems to be merely a prosy detail of imaginary
history, with the Old Testament for a model; followed by a
tedious plagiarism of the New Testament. The author labored to
give his words and phrases the quaint, old-fashioned sound and
structure of our King James’s translation of the Scriptures; and
the result is a mongrel—half modern glibness, and half ancient
simplicity and gravity. The latter is awkward and constrained;
the former natural, but grotesque by the contrast. Whenever he
found his speech growing too modern—which was about every
sentence or two—he ladled in a few such Scriptural phrases as
“exceeding sore,” “and it came to pass,” etc., and made things
satisfactory again. “And it came to pass” was his pet. If he had
left that out, his Bible would have been only a pamphlet.
The title-page reads as follows:
THE BOOK OF MORMON: AN ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY THE HAND OF MORMON,
UPON PLATES TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI.
Wherefore it is an abridgment of the record of the people of
Nephi, and also of the Lamanites; written to the Lamanites, who
are a remnant of the House of Israel; and also to Jew and
Gentile; written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of
prophecy and of revelation. Written and sealed up, and hid up
unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed; to come forth by
the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof; sealed
by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in
due time by the way of Gentile; the interpretation thereof by the
gift of God. An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also;
which is a record of the people of Jared; who were scattered at
the time the Lord confounded the language of the people when they
were building a tower to get to Heaven.
“Hid up” is good. And so is “wherefore”—though why
“wherefore”? Any other word would have answered as
well—though—in truth it would not have sounded so
Scriptural.
Next comes:
THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES. Be it known unto all
nations, kindreds, tongues, and people unto whom this work shall
come, that we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord
Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record,
which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the
Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who
came from the tower of which hath been spoken; and we also know
that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for
His voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety
that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the
engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown
unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with
words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven,
and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw
the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by
the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we
beheld and bear record that these things are true; and it is
marvellous in our eyes; nevertheless the voice of the Lord
commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be
obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these
things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall
rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless
before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with Him
eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen. OLIVER
COWDERY, DAVID WHITMER, MARTIN HARRIS.
Some people have to have a world of evidence before they can
come anywhere in the neighborhood of believing anything; but for
me, when a man tells me that he has “seen the engravings which
are upon the plates,” and not only that, but an angel was there
at the time, and saw him see them, and probably took his receipt
for it, I am very far on the road to conviction, no matter
whether I ever heard of that man before or not, and even if I do
not know the name of the angel, or his nationality either.
Next is this:
AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people unto whom this work
shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jr., the translator of this work,
has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which
have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the
said Smith has translated, we did handle with our hands; and we
also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance
of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear
record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown
unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that
the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we
give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that
which we have seen; and we lie not, God bearing witness of it.
CHRISTIAN WHITMER, JACOB WHITMER, PETER WHITMER, JR., JOHN
WHITMER, HIRAM PAGE, JOSEPH SMITH, SR., HYRUM SMITH, SAMUEL H.
SMITH.
And when I am far on the road to conviction, and eight men, be
they grammatical or otherwise, come forward and tell me that they
have seen the plates too; and not only seen those plates but
“hefted” them, I am convinced. I could not feel more satisfied
and at rest if the entire Whitmer family had testified.
The Mormon Bible consists of fifteen “books”—being the books
of Jacob, Enos, Jarom, Omni, Mosiah, Zeniff, Alma, Helaman,
Ether, Moroni, two “books” of Mormon, and three of Nephi.
In the first book of Nephi is a plagiarism of the Old
Testament, which gives an account of the exodus from Jerusalem of
the “children of Lehi”; and it goes on to tell of their
wanderings in the wilderness, during eight years, and their
supernatural protection by one of their number, a party by the
name of Nephi. They finally reached the land of “Bountiful,” and
camped by the sea. After they had remained there “for the space
of many days”—which is more Scriptural than definite—Nephi was
commanded from on high to build a ship wherein to “carry the
people across the waters.” He travestied Noah’s ark—but he
obeyed orders in the matter of the plan. He finished the ship in
a single day, while his brethren stood by and made fun of it—and
of him, too—"saying, our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that
he can build a ship.” They did not wait for the timbers to dry,
but the whole tribe or nation sailed the next day. Then a bit of
genuine nature cropped out, and is revealed by outspoken Nephi
with Scriptural frankness—they all got on a spree! They, “and
also their wives, began to make themselves merry, insomuch that
they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much
rudeness; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness.”
Nephi tried to stop these scandalous proceedings; but they
tied him neck and heels, and went on with their lark. But observe
how Nephi the prophet circumvented them by the aid of the
invisible powers:
And it came to pass that after they had bound me, insomuch
that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of
the Lord, did cease to work; wherefore, they knew not whither
they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great
storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back
upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be
frightened exceedingly, lest they should be drowned in the sea;
nevertheless they did not loose me. And on the fourth day, which
we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceeding sore.
And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the
depths of the sea.
Then they untied him.
And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took
the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to
pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed, the
winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great
calm.
Equipped with their compass, these ancients appear to have had
the advantage of Noah.
Their voyage was toward a “promised land”—the only name they
give it. They reached it in safety.
Polygamy is a recent feature in the Mormon religion, and was
added by Brigham Young after Joseph Smith’s death. Before that,
it was regarded as an “abomination.” This verse from the Mormon
Bible occurs in Chapter II. of the book of Jacob:
For behold, thus saith the Lord, this people begin to wax in
iniquity; they understand not the Scriptures; for they seek to
excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things
which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. Behold,
David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which
thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord; wherefore, thus
saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of
Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto
me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
Wherefore, I the Lord God, will no suffer that this people shall
do like unto them of old.
However, the project failed—or at least the modern Mormon end
of it—for Brigham “suffers” it. This verse is from the same
chapter:
Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate, because of their filthiness and the cursings which hath come upon their
skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten
the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our fathers,
that they should have, save it were one wife; and concubines they
should have none.
The following verse (from Chapter IX. of the Book of Nephi)
appears to contain information not familiar to everybody:
And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ascended into
heaven, the multitude did disperse, and every man did take his
wife and his children, and did return to his own home.
And it came to pass that on the morrow, when the multitude was
gathered together, behold, Nephi and his brother whom he had
raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son,
whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his
brother, and Kumen, and Kumenenhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and
Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah; now these were the names of the
disciples whom Jesus had chosen.
In order that the reader may observe how much more grandeur
and picturesqueness (as seen by these Mormon twelve) accompanied
on of the tenderest episodes in the life of our Saviour than
other eyes seem to have been aware of, I quote the following from
the same “book”—Nephi:
And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise. And they arose from the earth, and He said unto them,
Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, My joy is
full. And when He had said these words, He wept, and the
multitude bear record of it, and He took their little children,
one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for
them. And when He had done this He wept again, and He spake unto
the multitude, and saith unto them, Behold your little ones. And
as they looked to behold, they cast their eyes toward heaven, and
they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of
heaven as it were, in the midst of fire; and they came down and
encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about
with fire; and the angels did minister unto them, and the
multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that
their record is true, for they all of them did see and hear,
every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand
and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and
children.
And what else would they be likely to consist of?
The Book of Ether is an incomprehensible medley of if
“history,” much of it relating to battles and sieges among
peoples whom the reader has possibly never heard of; and who
inhabited a country which is not set down in the geography. These
was a King with the remarkable name of Coriantumr,^^ and he
warred with Shared, and Lib, and Shiz, and others, in the “plains
of Heshlon”; and the “valley of Gilgal”; and the “wilderness of
Akish”; and the “land of Moran”; and the “plains of Agosh”; and
“Ogath,” and “Ramah,” and the “land of Corihor,” and the “hill
Comnor,” by “the waters of Ripliancum,” etc., etc., etc. “And it
came to pass,” after a deal of fighting, that Coriantumr, upon
making calculation of his losses, found that “there had been
slain two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their
children”—say 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 in all—"and he began to
sorrow in his heart.” Unquestionably it was time. So he wrote to
Shiz, asking a cessation of hostilities, and offering to give up
his kingdom to save his people. Shiz declined, except upon
condition that Coriantumr would come and let him cut his head off
first—a thing which Coriantumr would not do. Then there was more
fighting for a season; then four years were devoted to gathering
the forces for a final struggle—after which ensued a battle,
which, I take it, is the most remarkable set forth in
history,—except, perhaps, that of the Kilkenny cats, which it
resembles in some respects. This is the account of the gathering
and the battle:
7. And it came to pass that they did gather together all the
people, upon all the face of the land, who had not been slain,
save it was Ether. And it came to pass that Ether did behold all
the doings of the people; and he beheld that the people who were
for Coriantumr, were gathered together to the army of Coriantumr;
and the people who were for Shiz, were gathered together to the
army of Shiz; wherefore they were for the space of four years
gathering together the people, that they might get all who were
upon the face of the land, and that they might receive all the
strength which it was possible that they could receive. And it
came to pass that when they were all gathered together, every one
to the army which he would, with their wives and their children;
both men, women, and children being armed with weapons of war,
having shields, and breast-plates, and head-plates, and being
clothed after the manner of war, they did march forth one against
another, to battle; and they fought all that day, and conquered
not. And it came to pass that when it was night they were weary,
and retired to their camps; and after they had retired to their
camps, they took up a howling and a lamentation for the loss of
the slain of their people; and so great were their cries, their
howlings and lamentations, that it did rend the air exceedingly.
And it came to pass that on the morrow they did go again to
battle, and great and terrible was that day; nevertheless they
conquered not, and when the night came again, they did rend the
air with their cries, and their howlings, and their mournings,
for the loss of the slain of their people.
8. And it came to pass that Coriantumr wrote again an epistle
unto Shiz, desiring that he would not come again to battle, but
that he would take the kingdom, and spare the lives of the
people. But behold, the Spirit of the Lord had ceased striving
with them, and Satan had full power over the hearts of the
people, for they were given up unto the hardness of their hearts,
and the blindness of their minds that they might be destroyed;
wherefore they went again to battle. And it came to pass that
they fought all that day, and when the night came they slept upon
their swords; and on the morrow they fought even until the night
came; and when the night came they were drunken with anger, even
as a man who is drunken with wine; and they slept again upon
their swords; and on the morrow they fought again; and when the
night came they had all fallen by the sword save it were fifty
and two of the people of Coriantumr, and sixty and nine of the
people of Shiz. And it came to pass that they slept upon their
swords that night, and on the morrow they fought again, and they
contended in their mights with their swords, and with their
shields, all that day; and when the night came there were thirty
and two of the people of Shiz, and twenty and seven of the people
of Coriantumr.
9. And it came to pass that they ate and slept, and prepared
for death on the morrow. And they were large and mighty men, as
to the strength of men. And it came to pass that they fought for
the space of three hours, and they fainted with the loss of
blood. And it came to pass that when the men of Coriantumr had
received sufficient strength, that they could walk, they were
about to flee for their lives, but behold, Shiz arose, and also
his men, and he swore in his wrath that he would slay Coriantumr,
or he would perish by the sword: wherefore he did pursue them,
and on the morrow he did overtake them; and they fought again
with the sword. And it came to pass that when they had all fallen
by the sword, save it were Coriantumr and Shiz, behold Shiz had
fainted with loss of blood. And it came to pass that when
Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he
smote off the head of Shiz. And it came to pass that after he had
smote off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised upon his hands and
fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died. And it
came to pass that Coriantumr fell to the earth, and became as if
he had no life. And the Lord spake unto Ether, and said unto him,
go forth. And he went forth, and beheld that the words of the
Lord had all been fulfilled; and he finished his record; and the
hundredth part I have not written.
It seems a pity he did not finish, for after all his dreary
former chapters of commonplace, he stopped just as he was in
danger of becoming interesting.
The Mormon Bible is rather stupid and tiresome to read, but
there is nothing vicious in its teachings. Its code of morals is
unobjectionable--it is “smouched” [Milton] from the New
Testament and no credit given.
