Book of Mormon
Chronological Bibliography

An investigative historical summary of each of the Three Witnesses, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Martin Harris, and the Eight Witnesses. Provides a rebuttal to various arguments against the personal character of the witnesses. This work is reviewed in L.131, R.496, and in S.142.

Pages 577-82 deal with the Book of Mormon. Author discredits the Book of Mormon story by providing statements by J. B. Buck, Isaac Hale, and others concerning Mormons and the Book of Mormon, and considers Joseph Smith to be a “madman”

Reviews various theories held between the 16th and 19th centuries regarding the descent of the American Indian from biblical peoples, including theories regarding Cain, Ham, Magog, the Hebrews, and others. Believes that the idea of a Hebrew origin for the American Indian was readily accessible to Joseph Smith, and thus favors an environmentalist explanation for the Book of Mormon’s origin.

Lists scriptural passages from the Book of Mormon and other standard works under a comprehensive list of gospel topics.

A significant collection of research papers on the Spaulding manuscript. 188 similarities between the Book of Mormon and the Spaulding Manuscript are noted in detail. Also contains a transcript of the Spaulding manuscript and a collection of statements about the manuscript made by some of Spaulding’s neighbors.

A photograph of a page of the original manuscript translation of the Book of Mormon showing 1 Nephi 2:2 to 1 Nephi 3:18.

Designed for youth, comprises many illustrated stories from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, including escape of Limhi’s people, and the stories of Ammon and Nephi.

Reviews the claims of the scientists and Mormon leaders regarding the origin of the Polynesians. The debate continues among scientists, some favoring American origins, while most tend to Asian origins. Mormon leaders have consistently held that the Polynesians came from the American continent.

An anti-Mormon pamphlet designed to encourage members of the LDS church to leave their religion. The Book of Mormon adds to God’s word in the Bible.

An extensive discussion of the book of Omni. Examines the personalities, geography, and plates of Omni, and presents charts and illustrations.

An outline listing a number of Book of Mormon archaeological evidences, with an accompanying bibliography. Evidences include: Beit Lehi inscriptions, chaismus, transoceanic influences, Mayan and Egyptian calendar parallels, Zuggurats, horses.

Cites reasons why one should not accept Mormonism; reprints the Smithsonian statement regarding the Book of Mormon, compares Quetzalcoatl or Viracocha and Jesus Christ, and concludes that they are different characters; sees Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews as the source of the Book of Mormon.

A general overview of the main characters and events in the Book of Mormon, illustrated in color and probably intended for youth.

A fictional book about the sons of Helaman based upon the Book of Mormon (Alma 24, 53, 56, 57, 62, and 63).

Takes issue with the Tanners’ approaches against the Book of Mormon in such areas as the Smithsonian statement, the Anthon transcript, the Kinderhook plates, the “Bat Creek” stone, the Stela 5, and other archaeological interests.

Challenges the competence of the Tanner’s views on general Book of Mormon issues.

Provides personal accounts of the Prophet Joseph Smith from several sources (Pearl of Great Price, Times and Seasons, and History of the Church) concerning the plates and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Questions the validity of the unsupported story.

A critical work on the Book of Mormon that attempts to determine various environmental factors that may have influenced Joseph Smith to write the book. Among these are free-masonry, Ethan Smith’s book View of the Hebrews, and the deistic views of Thomas Paine. The Book of Mormon is seen as a sincere attempt to combat naturalistic views of Joseph Smith’s time and an attempt to win souls back to God. This work is reviewed in G.089.

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

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.

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.

Noting that the Book of Mormon came from the ancestors of the Lamanites, the author admonishes Church members to take more seriously the mandate to inform the Lamanites of their book and their great role in the latter days.

Discusses the origin and history of the American Indians (Lamanites), mistreatment of Indians, God’s directing hand in their affairs, and the latter-day responsibility of the Church to take the gospel to them.

A small tract that presents perceived contradictions between Joseph Smith’s teachings and those found in the Book of Mormon.

A polemical letter written against LDS doctrines and teachings. The Book of Mormon is supposed to contain the fullness of the gospel yet does not discuss proxy baptism or celestial marriage. The Book of Mormon condemns the doctrine of a second chance, thereby vitiating the need for baptism for the dead.

Three samples from the Book of Mormon and one sample from the Doctrine and Covenants are compared stylistically through three categories. These categories included the use of pronouns, the use of the names of deity, and the number of total words as compared to the number of different words in each sample. The differences that substantiate the claim of multiple authorship are then discussed. [Author’s abstract]

Contains a new comprehensive index by Gary P. Gillum.

A tract in which the author believes the Book of Mormon is a deception and represents a plagiarism. Provides examples in which the book borrows from the Bible and other writings.

Reproduction of parts of B. H. Roberts’s 1922 typescript work “A Book of Mormon Study” It is heavily edited to focus on Roberts’s questions and concerns about the Book of Mormon, not his answers nor his testimony.

An evangelical/polemical work written for the intent of dealing with the “cults” The author discusses alleged misinterpretations of Bible prophecy by the Mormons, which supposedly support the Book of Mormon. He considers praying about the Book of Mormon unnecessary and suggests that Joseph may have drawn upon both Spaulding and View of the Hebrews

A polemical tract that claims that Ezekiel 37:15-19 has nothing to do with the Book of Mormon.

Retells the story of Martin Harris’s visit to Anthon with the Book of Mormon characters. Also contains some primary sources and letters dealing with the characters.

No abstract available.

A polemical booklet attempting to show how the 1980 discovery of the Anthon Transcript casts doubt upon the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. (Editor’s note: this transcript has since been shown to be a forgery.)

A duplication of B. H. Roberts’s personal “A Book of Mormon Study” (two copies) and “A Parallel,” which compared the Book of Mormon with Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews, using double columns.

Reproduction of parts of B. H. Roberts’s 1922 typescript work “A Book of Mormon Study” It is heavily edited to focus on Roberts’s questions and concerns about the Book of Mormon, not his answers nor his testimony.

Even among those of us who are convinced of the divinity of the Book of Mormon’s source and the primacy of its message, there is a tendency to find “the most perfect book ever written” prolix. However, when compared with the King James Version of the Bible the Book of Mormon offers some very important additions. Take, for example, the Book of Mormon Beatitudes—3 Nephi 12:3–11, which parallels Matthew 5:3–11. Though the ands and alls and yea and again of the Nephi version are clearly superfluous, at least a third of the eighteen percent additional words used by Nephi enrich the passage; they are no more redundant than the “and thirst” in “hunger and thirst after righteousness.” “Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” while using more words than the original, makes it clear that the Sermon was directed to those who had come unto the Savior in the waters of baptism. And verse 6—”Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled”—is made specific with the addition of “with the Holy Ghost.” Verse 10’s alteration of “righteousness’ sake” to “my name’s sake” serves a similar focusing function, distinguishing between suffering for any good cause and enduring persecution specifically for devotion to Christ.

Asserting that B. H. Roberts introduced the idea that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon himself, this article points out that the Book of Mormon is in conflict with scientific findings. Linguistically there is no link between Old and New World languages; all American races could not be from one family. Looking at the Book of Mormon carefully gives internal evidence that the origin of the book lies in the undeveloped mind of Joseph Smith.

A student minister read the Book of Mormon to denounce it, but after reading it he took the lessons from missionaries and was baptized. Another man read it when he had nothing else to do and is now a full-time missionary. Even with the missionaries and discussions, the Book of Mormon is still the greatest converter.

The Book of Mormon’s publishing history from the first edition in English in 1830 to the present day is outlined including the dates of the different language translations of the Book of Mormon.

Evaluates forty reports of Greco-Roman and Hebrew coins found on the American Continent, and then concludes that no single report of a classical-period coin in America can be used as evidence of pre- Columbian transatlantic contact.

An illustrated children’s story of the Book of Mormon; includes one picture per book.

Two BYU professors used a technique called word print on the Book of Mormon. It was found that the book has at least 24 authors and that none of them could be Joseph Smith, Soloman Spaulding, or any of their associates.

Examines the method of the translation of the Book of Mormon and provides second-hand statements made after the book’s publication describing the method by which Joseph Smith accomplished the translation. Concludes that the translation was conceptual, not literal word for word.

Celebrates the 150th anniversary of the first printing of the Book of Mormon. Also tells how Joseph Smith stopped a local newspaper from printing parts of the Book of Mormon by using his copyrights that he had secured.

Recounts the circumstances leading to Martin Harris’s willingness to finance the publication of the Book of Mormon.

The story of the translation of the Book of Mormon into Japanese.

An illustrated children’s story of Joseph Smith receiving the golden plates.

Lists Book of Mormon passages that tell of scriptural writings that would come forth in a future day. Also includes a Three Nephite story.

Describes the experiences that led her to write: she believed in two Hill Cumorahs and believed the “narrow neck” to be the “Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico”

Contains a map, restoration drawing, cross section and artist’s reconstruction of the walls of Becan. This city, located in Guatemala, is perhaps one of the cities fortified by general Moroni as it has trenches dug outside the walls that correspond to the information found in the book of Alma.

A replication of the first edition of the Book of Mormon was presented on March 26, 1980 to the First Presidency, exactly 150 years after it was first produced. The reproduction is as close to the original as is possible with today’s equipment.

Points out that the reformed Egyptian language in which the Book of Mormon was written was not new but was following a tradition. The Egyptian language of the brass plates was changed according to the manner of speech prevalent in the days of Nephi. Contains a comparison between the Anthon transcript and Micmac Indian script.

Relates Quetzalcoatl to the Yucatan statue of Choc Mool.

The Book of Mormon has features common to any literary work. It has historical background, literary forms, symbols, and grammar. Mormon scholars should use textual criticism, historical criticism, and literary criticism to interpret the Book of Mormon as scholars of other literary works have used. This method is invaluable to expose the message.

Claims that Joseph Smith’s teachings regarding the Godhead contradict the teachings of the Book of Mormon of one god.

An evangelical approach to the Book of Mormon criticizing the work for various alleged anachronisms found in it.

Book review.

Reports the find of a document “thought to be the original Anthon transcript” (Editor’s note: this document has since been shown to be a forgery.)

Contains maps and photographs of Chichen Itza, a summary of the archaeological work, and “site description and culture history,” as well as Book of Mormon correlations suggesting that this possibly was a Lamanite city.

The author testifies of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. His testimony has come from the spirit and through scholarly study. Presents evidence that the Nephites obeyed the Law of Moses and there were elephants as far south as South America.

Hugh Nibley addresses issues that cause people to question the historicity of the Book of Mormon. He gives evidence to support the claim that people inhabited the American continent for centuries before the arrival of the Nephites, that the Hill Cumorah was not too far away for Moroni to reach, and that the “fulness of iniquity” described in the Book of Mormon has much evidence in extant art from that time.

Lecture notes regarding Mesoamerican ruins, pre-Columbian, American races, Cumorah, and the disappearance of ancient cultures. Lecture on Mesoamerican ruins and pre-Columbian peoples, with two maps. See the note provided by the editor to Nibley’s “Freemen and King-men in the Book of Mormon,” in The Prophetic Book of Mormon, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 8:378 n. 4.

A family that is studying the Book of Mormon together describes the children’s reactions and the knowledge they received from reading it.

Many early critics of the Book of Mormon ridiculed the story of the gold plates. Now archaeologists are saying that many ancient records were made from valuable metals. Norsemen also wrote on metal plates.

Missionary work in Iceland and Icelandic members are described, mentioning that they are anxious to receive the Icelandic translation of the Book of Mormon.

Book review.

Perhaps Mormon included so much information about geography in the Book of Mormon for the following reasons: to aid the gentiles in locating the remnant, to locate the Hill Cumorah, to provide a historical base similar to the Bible, and to enrich the understanding of the reader.

Reprinted in Eloquent Witness, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 17. 80–82.
Johnston, a staff reporter for the Deseret News, conducted a series of interviews concerning the reading habits of prominent Utahns. This was the eighth in the series. Nibley listed, as his favorite books, the following: (1) Shakespeare, Complete Works; (2) Book of Mormon; (3) Homer, Odyssey; (4) Goethe, Faust; (5) Gaius Petronius, Satyricon; (6) Jean Froissart, Chronicles. Nibley also said that by age thirteen, he knew Macbeth by heart and tried to learn Hamlet but found it too long.

The story of the translation of the Book of Mormon into Spanish.

Presents a brief discussion regarding the translation of the Book of Mormon in chapter seven. Although LDS church authorities argue for the correctness of the translation, Anderson points out 25 changes made in the Book of Mormon text since its original publication in 1830.

A response to Jerald and Sandra Tanner, who oppose the teachings of the Book of Mormon. Pages 4-11 discuss issues relating to the translation of the Book of Mormon and describe how it relates to the language of the text.

A significant collection of data on the Spaulding manuscript. Asserts that there are many resemblances between the Spaulding manuscript and the Book of Mormon. Gives a history of the Spaulding manuscript itself, and a useful bibliography of sources dealing with this theory of Book of Mormon origins.

In outline form, this work discusses a number of aspects dealing with the Book of Mormon, including its purpose, coming forth, publication, story, characters, and message. Includes corresponding references to the Book of Mormon and Church history.

Lessons for young people in Sunday School, based on Book of Mormon characters, events, and doctrine.

A correspondence between a Mormon and a Baptist regarding Mormon beliefs. Common criticisms against the Book of Mormon are raised and discussed, such as the Book of Mormon’s condemnation of polygamy, alleged contradictions with the Bible, lack of archaeological evidence, witnesses to the Book of Mormon, and others.

The author claims that “the Book of Mormon record is in agreement with population theory” Selected passages from the Book of Mormon are used to show its relationship to a population growth model. Charts and graphs are included.

Story of Lehi designed for children in cartoon form.

LDS Scholars respond to a number of objections to the Book of Mormon, i.e., Jesus was born “at Jerusalem,” Book of Mormon parallels with the work entitled View of the Hebrews, the alleged Shakespearean quotation in the Book of Mormon, and the allegation that there are no external evidences in favor of the Book of Mormon. Also compares the Itzas and the Nephites.

A polemical work against the Book of Mormon, declaring that the Book of Mormon is a wicked book that has deceived millions. Raises many issues, including inconsistencies of the Book of Mormon, the killing of Laban by Nephi, and “Book of Mormon fairy tales” and compares the lives of Paul and Alma.

Each of the four volumes features a cassette tape and a coloring book based upon Book of Mormon stories. Vol. 1, Lehi leaves Jerusalem; Vol. 2, Lehi with the Liahona; Vol. 3, Alma Baptizes at Waters of Mormon; Vol. 4, The Savior blesses the children.

A report and discussion of ancient stone anchors (approx. 2000-3000 years old) discovered off the California coastline and their possible connection to China. Argues for a Jaredite cultural influence in China and pre-Columbian oceanic crossings.

Narrative poems about Book of Mormon characters and situations. Topics include Lehi, Sam, Jacob, the tree of life vision, the waters of Mormon, and King Noah. The poet empathizes, for example, with Sam confessing his love for the family home in Jerusalem. Yet when the vision came, he never looked back.

A polemical work against Mormonism, which responds to various questions often asked by Mormons dealing with the Bible and Mormon scripture.

Simile curses, a combination of the literary feature called “simile” and an oath of malediction, are common elements in ancient Near Eastern texts, including the Old Testament and Book of Mormon. Simile curses occur most often in three contexts—treaties, religious covenants, and prophecies. A Book of Mormon example of a simile curses is found in Alma 44:1-4 where the simile “even as this scalp has fallen to the earth” is followed by the curse, “so shall ye fall to the earth” A ritualistic act or visual action often accompanies the curse, such as rending garments, felling a tree, or breaking a weapon, making the symbolism of the curse more effective. The attestation of simile curses in the Book of Mormon may suggest a historical connection between the new world scripture and the ancient records of the old world.

In a work designed for youth the author looks at several theories regarding who first discovered America. Considers Columbus, Huishen, St. Brendan, Leif Ericsson, John Cabot, Norsemen, the Nephites—but does not provide a conclusion.

Presents evidence regarding various geographical and archaeological aspects of the Book of Mormon. Points out similarities between the culture and history of the Jaredites, Mulekites, Nephites, and the Mesoamericans. Believes that Cerro Vigia was Mormon’s Hill Cumorah. This work is reviewed in R.008, and in T.336. [C. W.]

Poor LDS scholarship has damaged Book of Mormon credibility. Raish points out several types of errors: reliance on archaeologists to lend credibility, faulty footnotes, the use of pictures not related to scriptures with which they are associated, and publishing unauthenticated artifacts that sometimes turn out to be fraudulent.

A guide for teaching children the Book of Mormon by using pictures and illustrations.

An illustrated storybook for children. Features an account of Abinadi, his preaching, and eventual martyrdom.

Reprints the title page, lists (in order) the books of the Book of Mormon, and gives the account of Moroni’s visit that is also found in the Pearl of Great Price. Contains many excerpts from the book itself, with writings from Nephi, Isaiah, Jacob, King Benjamin, King Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, Captain Moroni, Pahoran, Mormon, and Moroni.

The author recounts the events that brought forth the Book of Mormon, and the effects that the book had on the people and history. The Book of Mormon cannot be “the most correct” book as at least 3,913 changes have been made since the 1830 edition, and the current edition disagrees with the earlier edition. The Book of Mormon originated from the Manuscript Found, “The Wonders of Nature and Providence Displayed,” or Joseph Smith received his visions “under the influence of demonic powers” The concept of God in Mormon theology is contradicted by the Book of Mormon.

Reports the finding by Mark Hofmann of the original Anthon Transcript. (Editor’s note: this transcript has since been shown to be a forgery.)

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.

A pamphlet consisting of selected reproductions from the “Independence edition” of the Book of Mormon, with the intention of demonstrating changes and deletions in footnotes in a later edition, though no comparisons are shown.

An apologetic work attempting to demonstrate evidence supporting Mormon beliefs. The authors provide a review of some of the evidence tending to support the Book of Mormon’s complexity and authenticity. Among the topics discussed pertaining to the Book of Mormon are the Eleven Witnesses, archaeology, linguistic complexities, proper names, the allegory in Jacob 5, the Nephite monetary system, modern philosophies predicted by Book of Mormon writers, and others.

A twenty-one page booklet designed to assist the missionary in becoming skilled in “using the Book of Mormon in every aspect of his proselytizing activities” Missionaries are told of the importance of reading the Book of Mormon with investigators and committing investigators to read the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon incorrectly mingles Old and New Testament teachings and ideas. Walters attempts to show how the Old Testament provided models for the proper names and events of the Book of Mormon. He shows anachronistic uses of Old Testament passages in the Book of Mormon, including Isaiah variants. Joseph Smith incorrectly applied modern eschatological themes, such as those borrowed from Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews, to Book of Mormon peoples living before the time of Christ. This work is reviewed in R.259, and in T.340.

A team of scholars analyze chiasmus in Akkadian, Ugaritic, Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, and the Book of Mormon. Includes extensive bibliography and register of chiastic passages in many literatures.

A study of texts from biblical, classical, and other literatures

Volume one investigates external evidences of the Book of Mormon: agriculture, archaeology, architecture, astronomy, and Indian traditions. Volume two deals with Christ’s visit to America and the evidence found to substantiate the Christian influence in America. Volume three explores the Mayan Calendar, Indian legends, evolution vs. divine creation, word origin, and hierogryphs. Volume four continues with metallurgy, migrations, mythology, and symbolism.

Also, in Spanish, Juicio del Palo de Jose: Testigos Personales. Peru: n.p., 1967. A three-part lecture that recounts the events surrounding a mock trial of the Book of Mormon. Analyzes the testimonies of witnesses who claimed to have seen the gold plates, and discusses internal and external evidences of the Book of Mormon. This work is reviewed in S.518.

Edwin and Elsie Dharmaraju presented President Spencer W. Kimball a 700-page manuscript containing the translation of the Book of Mormon into Telugu. It was translated by the 82-year-old father of Elsie Dharmaraju.

Because by far the greatest portion of the Book of Mormon is narrative—though admittedly in several different ways—other literary modes embedded in the narrative flow are less obvious and consequently less easily identified and read in terms of their own unique generic conventions. One such passage occurs in the fourth chapter of 2 Nephi, verses 16 though 35, a passage that is often referred to as the “Psalm of Nephi,” at least since Sidney Sperry provided this formulation in his commentary on the Book of Mormon. The question to be discussed with reference to these verses is not whether they are a psalm in the biblical sense of the term but rather the nature and extent of their poetic qualities and some of the most central interpretive implications inextricably connected with their lyricism.

One million copies of the Book of Mormon have been donated to the personalized family-to-family Book of Mormon project since the project began in 1966.

Reprinted in The Prophetic Book of Mormon, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 8.
Captain Moroni was a man of peace. This talk analyzes war, government, management, the political tactics and strategies of Amalickiah, and the constant struggle between those who follow the ways of righteousness and those who promote wicked political agendas. Includes notes about similar political problems in ancient Mesoamerican societies.

An examination of Larsen, Rencher, and Layton’s article “Who wrote the Book of Mormon? An Analysis of Wordprints” Croft states that the “conclusions of its authors may be premature and that several areas of the study seem vulnerable to criticism” Immediately following Croft’s article is a response by Larsen and Rencher.

In a recent article appearing in BYU Studies, Wayne Larsen, Alvin Rencher, and Tim Layton, specialists in statistics at Brigham Young University, used some highly sophisticated, computerized statistical techniques to examine wordprints of authors in the Book of Mormon. The term “wordprint” was coined by the Larsen group to represent patterns of word usage which authors unconsciously repeat in their writings or speeches- sentence length or frequency of certain common words, for example. [From the text]

A two-page full-color cartoon depiction that recalls Nephi building the ship to carry the family to the promised land (1 Nephi 17-18).

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.

Book review.

Tells of Wang Chun Chang’s conversion to the RLDS church and his efforts to translate the Book of Mormon into Chinese.

Examines work done by C. H. Kang who has shown biblical influence in the make-up of Chinese characters. The author suggests that there is evidence of the “Jaredite Pattern” in the characters.

1980 was a Jubilee year according to Jewish tradition. It was also a special year for the Book of Mormon. Three important events were “(1) the discovery of the original Anthon Transcript, (2) the presentation of a portion of the Book of Mormon in Hebrew to some Jews in Israel, and (3) the publication of Ralph Lesh’s map of Book of Mormon geography”

Discusses studies completed by B. H. Roberts on the Book of Mormon in which Roberts examined alleged textual problems and anachronisms in the Book of Mormon and also compared certain features of the Book of Mormon with Ethan Smith’s work View of the Hebrews.

Discusses the theory that Joseph Smith gleaned ideas for the Book of Mormon from Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews. The writer reviews responses to this theory made by B. H. Roberts and Hugh Nibley, and concludes that the two books do contain some common features.

An advertisement insert in a popular magazine intended as a missionary vehicle. Explains what the Book of Mormon has done in a positive way for some people, and what it can do for the reader.

Catalan, a Spanish dialect of Northeastern Spain, is the thirty-second complete translation of the Book of Mormon.

For children, cartoon story of the animosity that Laman and Lemuel felt toward Nephi, and Nephi’s need to leave and find a new home after Lehi’s death. Depicts the way the records were kept by Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, and Enos.

Contains ” ‘evidences’ that the Jaredites went across Asia through China”—shows parallels between the Chinese dragon and Quetzalcoatl, and between a lighted stone in Chinese tradition and the stones used in the Jaredite barges. The real name of the brother of Jared was never given, a practice that is still a tradition in China.

Examines the archaeological finds from the Pre-Classic period (2000 B.C.—A.D. 100), and Classic (A.D. 100—900) in Mesoamerica. The author relates these finds to the Jaredite, Mulekite, Lamanite, and Nephite civilizations. Parallels are drawn between the Olmecs and the Jaredites as well as the Nephites/Lamanites and the Maya.

Suggests a six step approach using the Book of Mormon to develop spiritual power—study, fast, pray, humility, faith in Christ, joy and consultation, yielding to God, sanctification, purification, spiritual power. Follow these steps to prepare to receive the remaining portions of the Book of Mormon and to bring forth Zion.

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).

John Sorenson offers a survey and interpretation of the evidence that the wheel was known in the New World before the arrival of European explorers in the early sixteenth century. He discusses Mesoamerican and Old World wheeled figurines, wheels and movement in Mesoamerican belief, and the similarities between figurines in the New World and the Old.

Reprinted in Seventh East Press.
This material is not the same as that included in Since Cumorah under the same title. This appeared in the Seventh East Press, 27 March 1982. 6–8, 16–17, and was published in The Prophetic Book of Mormon, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 8. 435–69.

The newly published triple combination contains about 200 changes, most of which are minute and reflect the original wording of the 1840 edition of the Book of Mormon, and a new footnoting system.

Cartoon pages for children telling the story of how Enos went into the wilderness to pray.

A Book of Mormon left in the author’s mailbox lay unread for several years. Prayer seemed to be the way to find the truthfulness of the book and dispel fearful and doubtful feelings. Assurance and conversion followed a simple prayer.

Compares New World examples of the tree of life symbol with examples from Assyria and finds that the basic elements are similar, if not identical. Points out that the Book of Mormon, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims, was written by early inhabitants of America. There is unmistakable evidence of trans-oceanic crossings prior to Columbus.

A chart based on world and religio-historical events. Includes events and prophets from the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price.

Since 1979 the Book of Mormon has been translated into several new languages. They include Croatian, Greek, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Navajo, Arabic, Czech, Vietnamese, Fijian, Catalan, Russian, Icelandic, Niuean, and four Central and South American Indian languages.

The stricture of George Q. Cannon in 1890 against concern for Book of Mormon geography studies was appropriate because comparative secular knowledge was not then available. Now it is. If archaeology is to be considered at all in connection with the Book of Mormon then both geography and chronology of the scriptures must be speciied then compared systematically with external information. Argues briefly that “the Tehuantepec correlation” of geography has come to be widely accepted among LDS students of the subject, as against “the Panama correlation” The SEHA should lead out in such geography study.

Reprinted as “The Lachish Letters,” in The Prophetic Book of Mormon, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 8. 380–406.
Suggests connections between the Lachish letters written at the time Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians and events associated with Lehi’s departure. Includes political pressures on prophets, types of proper names, and a possible identification of Mulek.

Those who reject the Book of Mormon will be brought into captivity, spiritually and temporally. The early Latter-day Saints left the inhabited areas of America because of the rejection of the Book of Mormon and of Christ by the American people.

A cave southwest of Jerusalem caught the attention of several Latter-day Saint observers in the early 1960s. Graffiti in the cave seemed to portray themes or scenes related to the Book of Mormon, and some thought that the cave might have been the place described in the Book of Mormon as “the cavity of rock.” LaMar Berrett points out problems that weaken the likelihood that this is the case. Two scholarly articles on the cave are included.

An polemical tract designed to encourage Mormons to question their belief in the Book of Mormon.

Compares the Book of Mormon ocean crossing narratives with the Spaulding manuscript and finds twenty-four significant similarities. The author believes that Solomon Spaulding remains the leading candidate for Book of Mormon authorship.

Contents:

America’s Decision About Christ / Reid E. Bankhead
A Testimony / Janice White Clemmer
An Appreciation for the Book of Mormon / Robert J. Matthews
Sanctification and Justification are Just and True / Gerald N. Lund
Becoming Perfect in Christ / Robert E. Parsons
The Condescension of the Father and the Son / N. Gaylon Hopkins
The Plates that Mormon Found and the Manuscript that Joseph Smith Lost / Eldin Ricks
Remnants of Israel: Who? When Gathered? / Paul E. Felt
A Man May Know for Himself / Hal L. Taylor
The Nephites and the Law of Moses / H. Donl Peterson
The Same God, Yesterday, Today, and Forever / Monte S. Nyman

A booklet containing ninety-four multiple choice questions about the Book of Mormon. The booklet does not provide the answers. Designed for high school students.

A missionary tract explaining the coming forth and background of the Book of Mormon. Contains photographs of ancient ruins in Central and South America as evidence for the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon chronicles the wars and other relations between the two major nations of Ancient America. This paper identifies certain principles evident in the relations between these nations and compares the principles found in the Book of Mormon with international practice of Ancient Israel in the old world. This paper is not want to be a study of the law of nations of the ancient Near East; rather, our purpose is to identify, if possible, principles of the law of nations in the Book of Mormon. Ccmparisons to the culture of the ancient Near East are not meant to function as proof (or disproof) of the old-world origin of the Book of Mormon culture. They should be taken as interesting illuminations of the principles of international relations which appear in the history of the ancient American nations.

A slender polemical tract. Notes that several “plain and precious things” taught in the LDS church are not found in the Book of Mormon, and that both the Bible and the Book of Mormon oppose doctrines taught in the Church.

Few passages in the Book of Mormon have inspired more criticism and moral outrage than the account of Nephi slaying the unconscious figure of Laban. Many point to this episode as evidence against the Book of Mormon being an inspired document. In this study we will attempt to examine the legal as well as the extra-legal ramifications of this incident. Since the law of ancient Israel was inexorably tied to the religious and moral code of the Israelites, any attempt to divorce the two would be patently artificial. Therefore, while this study will emphasize what we know about the operation of justice, that, by necessity implies a discussion of Israel’s relationship to her lawgiver, Yahweh. In analyzing this slaying, a determination must be made of which Hebrew law codes would most likely have applied during Nephi’s time. The Book of Mormon places the slaying between 592 and 598 B.C.1 The primary sources for Hebrew law of that time are the law codes of the Old Testament. They are three in number: the Code of the Covenant (Exodus 21-23:33), the Deuteronomic Code (which includes Deuteronomy 19), and the Priestly Code (which includes Numbers 35). Although there is some difference of opinion among scholars about the compilation dates of these various codes, the general consensus is that the Code of the Covenant was compiled before 800 B.C., the Deuteronomic Code around 700 B.C., and the Priestly Code in about 350 B.C.5 Comparing these dates to the date of slaying, it can be seen that the Code of the Covenant and the Deuteronomic Code were in existence before the time of the slaying and date in roughly the same time period as the slaying. The Priestly Code, however, was compiled after the exile in Babylon and almost 250 years after the slaying.

A detailed examination of the legal ramilications of Nephi’s execution of Laban.

King Benjamin’s address is recalled in cartoon form for children.

The preliminary work for this annotated bibliography.

Challenges the theories of the so-called “environmentalists” who declare that the Book of Mormon was a product of Joseph Smith’s nineteenth-century environment. The Book of Mormon cannot accurately be compared to contemporary writings or incidents for it is an ancient text. “The challenge of the Book of Mormon lies elsewhere. It claims to be an ancient book, and it must be examined and criticized in terms of this claim” If the book is indeed an ancient book with Near Eastern origins, it will contain an adequate portrayal of Near Eastern society, law, religion, literary forms, and so on. In light of this Griggs speaks of gold plates and the tree of life.

Book of Mormon oriented exercises designed for children. Includes mazes, scrambled words, and fill in the blanks.

Computer analysis of the personal words of Jesus Christ as found in the New Testament and in the revelations of Joseph Smith shows them to be similar, suggesting that Jesus Christ is the author of both of the works mentioned. Hamson also points out that the wordstyles of Christ are different than the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Joseph Smith (who have their own unique writing styles), allowing a positive identification of authorship in a given text. The Book of Mormon is examined and the results showed multiple authorship and that the Book of Mormon wordprints were nowhere near that of Joseph Smith or his contemporaries.

A polemical attempt to link the unpublished Spaulding manuscript with the Book of Mormon. The author presents similarities between the two documents and concludes that the Book of Mormon is largely dependent upon Spaulding.

Roy Johnson examines the rituals and formulas of oaths, types of oaths, and the use of oaths in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. Johnson compares the use of oaths, curses, and covenants in the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon to show that the relationship among those three acts is the same in both books.

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.

Book review.

Author analyzes the book of Isaiah “in terms of historical context, literary style, scriptural context, and doctrinal application” Emphasis is placed upon Isaiah’s cultural and historical surroundings and his use of parallelism. LDS perspectives are employed where possible (e.g., wide use of the Book of Mormon Isaiah passages is made), yet passages are interpreted in an open-ended fashion, with the assumption that Isaiah’s pronouncements may typically refer to more than one event. Isaiah is affirmed as the sole author of the text. [A.L. & P.H.]

In this article Madsen introduces B. H. Roberts and presents a synopsis of his rigorous life-time study of the Book of Mormon. Roberts approached the Book of Mormon from many different perspectives, all adding to his conviction that it was authentic scripture. The article explores these perspectives and suggests that B. H. Roberts\'s five- decade probing of the book was “shrewd,” “ground-breaking,” and faith-promoting. Through Roberts the modern reader can come to understand the kind of challenge the Book of Mormon poses for an honest inquirer and how one can try to deal with that challenge.

An polemical tract that discusses contradictions and errors in the Book of Mormon. The Bible is the sole word of God.

The Book of Mormon is a reflection of the views and values of Puritan America that nevertheless shifted in essence from a framework that emphasized “community, hierarchy, and an agrarian economy” to an interest in “individualism, democracy, and competitive market capitalism” In effect, the Book of Mormon is a product of Jacksonian America in general and the burned-over district of Western New York in particular.

An polemical tract designed to lead individuals away from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.

Reprinted as “Christ among the Ruins,” in The Prophetic Book of Mormon, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 8. 380–434.
Presents information about the names used and the political and the social conditions of Lehi’s Jerusalem based on contemporaneous messages written on pottery found at Lachish.

Book review.

Gives an historical account of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon with color illustrations for children. B. Keith Christensen, illustrator

In this volume, nine Latter-day Saint scholars each address the question of Book of Mormon authorship from a different approach. The tests of authenticity they employ rely on analytical techniques borrowed from such diverse disciplines as history, literature, statistics, and ancient Near Eastern studies. For both layman and scholar, this book makes exciting reading. While ultimate acceptance of the Book of Mormon as the word of God is and will remain a spiritual matter, the reasoned analyses, comparisons, and examinations contained in these pages add to the swelling volume of evidence that supports Joseph Smith’s account of the authorship of that book. ISBN 0-8849-4469-7

The Book of Mormon’s claim that it is a record of God’s people in America cannot be sustained by archaeological evidence. Members of the LDS church approach archaeology only in an amateur way.

Contains excerpts from sacred texts and scriptures of many of the world’s religions. The editors quote 3 Nephi 21 from the Book of Mormon as a representative scriptural text from Mormonism and state that it represents “the charter for Joseph’s foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the vision which drew the faithful in their drive to create a new society in the American West”

In answer to a question concerning Doctrine and Covenants 10, the author answers that the small plates of Nephi were not translated before June 1829, after the 116 pages were lost.

No abstract available.

Delineates the parts of the Book of Mormon worked on by Mormon. Discusses the lost 116 pages. Refers to the “types” or “situation symbols” from the Old World carried through the Book of Mormon. Points out relevant passages for today’s world.

In an attempt to discredit the idea that Joseph Smith could not have written the Book of Mormon himself, this article features a reproduction of a letter supposedly written by Lucy Smith, the mother of Joseph Smith. The letter has since been proven to be a Hofmann forgery.

A polemic leaflet to show that the burning feeling one experiences when reading the Book of Mormon is not evidence of the book’s truthfulness, since it fails the test of comparison with the Bible. Joseph Smith contradicted his own words and the Book of Mormon has been changed time and again.

Papers presented at the sixth annual symposium on the Book of Mormon. Articles by Church educators, including Susan Easton Black, Charles Beckert, Robert Christensen, and numerous others.

A polemical tract attempting to discredit the testimony of Joseph Smith and each of the Three Witnesses.

A polemical tract that avers that “Mormon theology is not contained in, but rather contradicted by the Book of Mormon” Lists several points in the Book of Mormon perceived to be harmonious with orthodox Christianity, such as the oneness of God, two possible destinations after death, and salvation by the Atonement. Names six areas wherein the Book of Mormon is out of harmony with the Bible. The Book of Mormon is a fictitious work.

Charging that Book of Mormon archaeologists and LDS church members do not possess adequate or credible qualifications, the author finds there is no archaeological evidence to prove that the Book of Mormon is the record of ancient American inhabitants. Known artifacts do not bear Nephite inscriptions and Book of Mormon cities have not be located as have biblical cities and texts.

Responds to an earlier article by Edward Ashment (“The Book of Mormon—A Literal Translation?” Sunstone 5 (March-April 1980): 10-14). The writer cites early statements by Mormons and others regarding the literal word-for-word process of translating the Book of Mormon through the seer stone. The author rejects Ashment’s assertion that the translation was conceptual in nature.

Selected passages from the Book of Mormon are arranged along with illustrations to provide a “comic book” style of narrative. [J. T.]

In 1875, a few days before the first missionaries to Mexico were to depart, Brigham Young changed his mind: rather than have them travel to California where they would take a steamer down the coast and then go by foot or horseback inland to Mexico City, Brigham asked if they would mind making the trip by horseback, going neither to California nor Mexico City, but through Arizona to the northern Mexican state of Sonora—a round trip of 3,000 miles! He instructed them to look along the way for places to settle and to determine whether the Lamanites were ready to receive the gospel. But Brigham Young had other things in mind: the Saints might need another place of refuge, and advanced exploration was a logical course to pursue, should that need ever arise. The most promising site for such a refuge lay to the south, perhaps Mexico.

This article demonstrates certain similarities existing between texts in 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon and a little-known document entitled “The Narrative of Zosimus.” The Narrative’s core material was written originally in Hebrew and appears to be at least as old as the time of Christ, and perhaps much older. There is no evidence that any knowledge about the Narrative of Zosimus existed in any English-speaking land prior to the publication of the Book of Mormon.

I add my testimony to that of Nephi. I know that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ and that this is the way.

The chain held by Satan is referred to in the scriptures as “the chains of hell” (Alma 12:11) … They start as flaxen threads and encumber a person habit by habit, sin by sin, and strand by strand.

Relates the events of her conversion through reading the Book of Mormon, and shares a personal experience and testimony regarding the coming of Christ to the Americas as recorded in 3 Nephi.

Cartoon for children presenting the story of Abinadi.

A news update concerning the Book of Mormon’s translation into Polish, Hebrew, Kuna, and Bolivia Quecha.

Reprinted in The Prophetic Book of Mormon, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 8. 435–69.
A talk given at the BYU Alumni House on 23 September 1981, originally a manuscript of 17 pp., d.s.

“This article discusses two ancient volcanic eruptions in El Salvador and their significance to the Book of Mormon” The eruptions were ca. A.D. 600 and ca. A.C.W. 260. The author predicts that further digs in these areas will uncover tremendous finds relating to the Book of Mormon.

A condensed version of this talk was published under the same title in BYU Today, November 1982, 8–12. The full text was reprinted in Approaching Zion, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley 9. 202–51.
An address about whether we must work for all we have or whether it is a gift from God. In the address, he posits that we must work but that we haven’t earned anything; it is a gift from God.

A story of how a missionary found and bought a first edition of the Book of Mormon.

Eleven cartoon drawings for children depicting the escape of Limhi’s people.

Inasmuch as the 1981 edition of the Book of Mormon changes the phrase “white and delightsome” (2 Nephi 30:6) to read “pure and delightsome” (having reference to the Lamanites), the Book of Mormon is not to be trusted.

Book review.

Recounts how the peoples of the Book of Mormon worked with wood and stone. The ancient ruins in South America are remnants of the peoples in the Book of Mormon. The conclusion is drawn that the inhabitants of ancient America were just as advanced as the peoples of Palestine.

Critics claim that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon after reading the works of nineteenth-century explorers. However, the explorers wrote about ancient America after the Book of Mormon was published.

Quotes several biblical scholars in support of Joseph Smith’s translation of the Lord’s prayer (3 Nephi 13:12), which differs slightly from Matthew’s account (Matthew 6:14).

The story of Captain Moroni is retold for children.

Contains a recently found letter by Martin Harris wherein he gives his testimony regarding the contents of the Book of Mormon. (Editor’s note: this letter has since been proven to be a forgery.)

A brief review of an ancient literary form known as chiasmus. The material presented offers insight into the structure and history of chiasmus and its occurrence in the Book of Mormon as additional evidence to the book’s historical authenticity.

At several different symposiums on the Book of Mormon, General Authorities stressed the purpose of the Book of Mormon as a co-witness with the Bible. The Book of Mormon is the “Church’s greatest missionary tool”

The names “Shiblon” and “Corianton” relate to the lion cub. In ancient America the jaguar, which is in the same family as the lion, was prominent, as found in several artifacts. These relationships may go back to the Jaredites.

The Book of Mormon is translated into three Indian languages—Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil—making it available to over three hundred million people of India.

Explains the family-to-family Book of Mormon placement program. Families attach their picture and their written testimony to a copy of the Book of Mormon and send the Book of Mormon into the mission field. The program has been very successful and has accounted for many baptisms.

Reviews the changes made in the 1981 edition of the triple combination. Book of Mormon changes are provided on pages B-1 and B-2.

Tells of a newly discovered letter written by Lucy Mack Smith that contains new information about the lost 116 pages of Joseph Smith’s translation of the gold plates. (Editor’s note: this letter has since been shown to be a forgery.)

Brent F. Ashworth claimed that he had acquired a letter written by Lucy Mack Smith to her sister-in-law, Mary Pierce. It is claimed to be the earliest known document concerning the Book of Mormon. (Editor’s note: this letter has been proven to be a forgery.)

In an effort to make “serious inquiry” and “revise our assertions” about the historical account in the Book of Mormon, this RLDS writer asserts that Mormons must be honest and open-minded in their investigations. Two problems in the Book of Mormon examined in this article are: Do the ideas of Lehi and Nephi harmonize with the ideas of Israel at the time of their exodus in 600 b.c.? And there is an improbability that the Savior would have delivered the same sermon to both the Old and New World such as the Sermon on the Mount.

Furthermore, whether you realize it or not, you are a generation drenched in destiny.

A sympathetic appraisal of Mormon inspiration and scripture, written by a non-Mormon and member of the Baha’i faith.

Tells the story of Nephi₂ (prophet during the time of Christ). For children.

Presents a document written by Lucy Mack Smith to her sister-in-law, Mary Pierce, dated January 23, 1829, which mentions the process of translation. (Editor’s note: this document has since been shown to be a forgery.)

This polemic literature reviews several Book of Mormon passages, pointing out weaknesses in sentence construction and questions the doctrine according to biblical passages.

Brent F. Ashworth announces that he has acquired a 110-year-old letter written by Martin Harris concerning his testimony of the Book of Mormon. The complete text is contained in the article. (Editor’s note: this letter has since been shown to be a forgery.)

News article about a recently-discovered letter, written to a Walter Conrad and dated January 13, 1873, in which Martin Harris testifies that as he was praying to see the “ancient record” an angel appeared behind a table on which were the spectacles called the Urim and Thummim and the engraved plates. (Editor’s note: this has since been shown to be a forgery by Mark Hofmann.)

A report on the addition of the subtitle to the Book of Mormon—”Another Testament of Jesus Christ” Discusses several aspects of the LDS church’s ten-year scripture project, including the creation of a topical guide and cross-references.

Egbert Bratt Grandin, with whom Joseph Smith contracted to publish the Book of Mormon, was the owner of the Grandin Printing Building. A brief description of the present condition and history of the Grandin Building is given along with a history of the printing and publication of the 5,000 copies of the first edition of the Book of Mormon.

Reader is asked to match a scriptural reference in Mosiah with nine different hypothetical situations. An activity for youth.

Reader is asked to match a scriptural reference in Mosiah with nine different hypothetical situations. An activity for youth.

Book review.

Expresses disdain that LDS church leaders added the subtitle “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” to the Book of Mormon. Contends that the Book of Mormon contradicts LDS doctrines.

A news item relating that leaders of the LDS church have added the subtitle “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” to the Book of Mormon.

A detailed defense of Wells Jakeman’s interpretation of the Stela 5 carving as it relates to Lehi’s vision of the tree of life.

A narrative of the first vision, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, visits of Moroni and other heavenly messengers assigned to instruct Joseph during the period 1823-1827 are presented using Joseph Smith’s four written histories in conjunction with other accounts written by Lucy Smith, Orson Pratt, Oliver Cowdery, and others. Also provides observations and recollections concerning Joseph Smith during the period of the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon. This work is reviewed in P.301.

Contains crossword puzzles, matching games, and other activities for children.

Contents:

Our Faith is Centered in the Living Christ / David B. Haight
Misleading Translations of Paul / Richard L. Anderson
From Tanach to Talmud: The Emerging Rabbinic Judaism Which Jesus Knew / Albert W. Hoffman
The Four Gospels as Testimonies / S. Kent Brown
Spiritual Death, Temporal Death, and the Atonement of Christ / LaMar E. Garrard
The Necessity of the Book of Mormon in Teaching the New Testament / Monte S. Nyman
Fasting in the Perspective of Ancient Israel and the New Testament / Stephen D. Ricks
A Parable of Parables / Robert C. Patch
Paul: Apostle of Grace / Rodney Turner
The Parable of the Two Sons: A Revelation about God / Jay E. Jensen
Let Us Go On Unto Perfection: Paul’s Message in the Book of Hebrews / Leland H. Gentry
New Testament Prophecies of Apostasy / Kent P. Jackson
The Price of Redemption / Robert J. Matthews

Outlines for adult Sunday school lessons on the Book of Mormon. Includes quotations and statements of doctrine from Church leaders, thought provoking questions, and discussion suggestions.

Using the Book of Mormon as a bridge between the Old Testament and us

A polemical, evangelical booklet exposing the errors of Mormon scriptures and doctrine. Pages 15-35 deal speciically with the Book of Mormon. While archaeology has proven the accuracy of the Bible, no such evidence exists for the Book of Mormon. It mentions the use of steel and coins long before they were ever in use. Various other anachronisms are discussed. The proper names found in the book are taken from the Bible or are “the product of the writers own fertile imagination” The author favors the Spaulding theory of Book of Mormon origins.

An in-depth study of Joseph Smith’s prophecies and their fulillment, many of which apply to the Book of Mormon. Includes a history of Joseph Smith from Moroni’s visit to the completion of the book’s translation and publication.

Book review.

A PRODUCTION USING 35 MM SLIDES WITH A CASSETTE SOUNDTRACK (ALSO AVAILABLE ON VHS OR BETA VIDEO CASSETTE) TO PORTRAY THE LANDS AND PLACES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOOK OF MORMON AS FAR AS THEY CAN BE REASONABLY IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.

A novel based on the 25th to 31st years of the judges. Includes a table showing where specific allusions to the Book of Mormon are found.

The Book of Mormon theme “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land” evidenced in the Bible

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.”

North, Central, and South American Indians all “preserved the story of the flood” Their deluge accounts share with the Bible three main themes: “(1) mankind becomes wicked and offends the Gods, (2) a worldwide flood destroys sinners and purifies the earth, and (3) one righteous family or group is spared to begin a new, improved human race” Samples of the writings of early American explorers relating to Indian traditions about the flood are given.

This pamphlet cross references the LDS 1981 edition with the RLDS 1908 and 1966 editions of the Book of Mormon.

The purpose of the Book of Mormon is to support the Bible in bearing witness of Christ. Though it is a highly complex instructional book in its plot, structure, and symbolism, its greatest value lies in its spiritual message. The purpose of scriptures is to remove stumbling blocks, to elevate our minds, hearts, and standards, and to deepen our trust by revealing the purposes of God.

Contains a thumbnail sketch of several important personalities in the Book of Mormon. Provides Book of Mormon maps, tables, and materials dealing with chronology.

Submitting oneself to an ordeal was viewed in several ancient legal systems as a means of seeking a divine dispensation of judgment. The idea that justice will prevail in a contest between good and evil survives in the spontaneous schoolyard ordeal: “Cheaters never prosper” chant the children who win the replay after a dispute over whether the original ball was fair or foul. Piaget found that young children often believe that natural events are punishment for moral transgressions, while teenagers discard the idea of immanent justice in favor of mechanical chance.
Nearly every society has, at some time in its development, made formal use of the ordeal to test guilt and innocence, and nearly every society has used water as one of the mediums to reveal the truth--God’s judgment. This study examines the common elements of water ordeals in secular and scriptural contexts. An overview of trials by water is followed by specific analysis of water ordeals in the Near East generally, which in turn serves as background for detailing the literal and metaphorical water ordeals in the Old Testament, New Testament and Book of Mormon.

Included as part of the foreword to The Prophetic Book of Mormon, The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley vol. 8.

Ancient world civilizations believed that the perceived order of territorial environment, in its “natural” and built-up features, revealed the structure of a sacred universe. The epitome of this symbolic order was a capital city or ceremonial center. “In those religions which held that human order was brought into being at the creation of the world there was a pervasive tendency to dramatize the cosmogony by constructing on earth a reduced version of the cosmos, usually in the form of a state capital.” Characteristic of complex societies throughout the ancient world, this phenomenon is referred to as cosmic urban symbolism. The principles of cosmic urban symbolism account for many ideas and events in the Book of Mormon which are otherwise unexplained within a nineteenth-century American context.

Book review.

Islam, the faith of the Muslims, is a major world religion. Its believers are found on all of the inhabited continents. Nearly one out of every six people on earth today is Muslim. In common with Christians generally, Mormons as a whole know little of Islam and its adherents. Yet the two religions have many interesting similarities and parallels. Examples include a firm belief in a living God and obedience to him; emphasis on the family; assistance to the poor and other social concerns; a sense of man’s obligation to testify of God; belief in a physical resurrection and a life thereafter; and a total commitment to values and lifestyle rather than a mere creedal recitation. Islam is considered a “biblical faith” in part because Muhammad, the Arabian prophet of the Muslim world, revered the teachings of Abraham and Moses and other Bible prophets. To this common ground between Muslims and Mormons is added the fact that both Muhammad and Joseph Smith are regarded by their respective adherents as instruments in the hand of God in revealing new scriptures, the Qur’an and the Book of Mormon—in each case under angelic direction. In bringing together papers from a symposium held at Brigham Young University in October 1981, this book on Mormons and Muslims presents some of the finest and ablest exponents and interpreters of the Muslim faith. As well as relationships between that faith and Christianity generally, the book offers a new dimension in that much of the focus centers for the first time on parallels, similarities, and contrasts with the religion of the Latter-day Saints. This can be both explicit and implicit, as in chapters on pre-Islamic and Arabian prophets, the idea of redemption in Christianity and Islam, the Muhammad-Joseph Smith comparison, and religious practices of women in Islamic countries. Many spontaneously arising questions about analogies between Mormonism and Islam find here an informed forum for discussion, especially by the Mormon participants who have lived among Muslims and studied their cultures and life-styles. As prophetic figures, how do Joseph Smith and Muhammad compare? What is the role of women in the Muslim faith? Could Hud, the Qur’an prophet, actually be the Book of Mormon Lehi? Is there really a relationship between Jesus Christ and the Mahdi, the redemptive figure in Islam? Not all the answers are here, but the concepts, experiences, and suggested conclusions will certainly inform and stimulate each reader’s thinking. For both critic and believer, for both scholar and general reader, for both Mormon and Muslim, as well as for all serious students of comparative religion, here is an intriguing and authentic exchange leading to a deepening understanding of “spiritual foundations and modern manifestations.” ISBN 0884944832

Writes of archaeological and historical evidence of “the Great White God” of ancient America. The coming of a tall, blue- eyed, bearded man from heaven was documented in several different groups of Indians and Polynesians. Petersen proposes that this great white god was Jesus. This can be documented in the Book of Mormon.

Contains narration and commentary on Book of Mormon passages about Alma and Abinadi. Chapters include: “Abinadi the Martyr,” “Alma’s Ministry,” “Alma the Younger,” “Amlici’s Rebellion,” and “The Zoramite Apostasy”

Uses Moroni’s example to teach “(1) the resurrection is a reality, (2) the state of a celestial being is truly glorious, (3) there is opportunity for continued service in the kingdom of God beyond the veil, (4) the knowledge and intelligence one attains in mortality does rise with that person in the resurrection, and (5) this dispensation has great destiny to fulfill”

Literary authorship analysis using stylometry and wordprints. Several contributors to the Book of Mormon were examined Mormon, Nephi, Alma the Younger, Moroni, Jesus Christ, Jacob, and Isaiah. The 1830 edition was used. The conclusion is that the “results give every indication that there are multiple authors in the Book of Mormon”

The writer notes what he feels are several anachronisms in the Book of Mormon, including Christian theology, pre- exilic Israel, the remarkable precision with which Book of Mormon prophets predict New Testament events, and uniquely American ideas and concerns. While the Book of Mormon may be inspired, it contains no ancient history.

Examines research into Maya glyphs and states that this research has produced two finds important to Book of Mormon believers: the glyphs are partly phonetic, and the glyphs deal mainly with history. Based upon findings from glyphs, the author proposes Yaxchilan to be Zarahemla and Palenque to be Bountiful.