On the Farm

172 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Judah, whilst Nephi began the history of his people—the Stick of Joseph—each being added to until, in 1830, the two sticks became one in the hands of Joseph the Ephraimite, in accordance with the prophecy of Ezekiel. Professor Anthon's statement that the Book of Mormon transcripts showed characteristics of four ancient languages: Chaldaic, Assyriac, Egyptian and Arabic, is shown to be both reasonable and •correct, from the following: 1. The Hebrew language was Semetic in origin, and was brought from Ur of the Chaldees. The seventy years captivity of the Jews in Babylon or Chaldea made the Chaldean language a prevailing one, as shown by Ezra's compilation of the Stick of Judah in that dialect, and the use of it in some of their synagogues. 2. Joseph, the son of Patriarch Jacob, became governor of Egypt and having married a daughter of aa Egyptian priest, he and his descendants necessarily spoke and used the Egyptian language. So, toe, when Moses brought the Hebrews out of Egypt, they had adopted many of the characteristics of that country, and their subsequent intercourse and the authority exercised over them by Egyptian kings, made the knowledge and use of the Egyptian language a necessity. 3. The Samaritan Pentateuch shows conclusively that Assyrian characteristics have been absorbed into the Hebrew language. 4. Although not so self-evident, the fact that the Arabs were near neighbors of the Jews on the east and south is sufficient to justify us in accepting Professor Anthon's statement that the transcripts contained Arabic characters. The conditions existing prior to Lehi's departure from Jerusalem continued until Ptolemy Soter, king of Egypt, took possession of Syria, captured Jerusalem, and transported ten thousand Jews to Egypt, who, with others, are described in John 8: 35, as "the dispersed among the Gentiles." They adopted the Greek language, and this led to a Greek version of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint. The Jews of this period, like the Christians of later date, split up into sects, the most prominent being the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Essenes. The Pharisees were of the poorer class, and, like the Catholics of today in the Christian world, were strict observers of the law and the manners customs and language of their fathers. Whilst the Sadducees

BOOK OF MORMON LANGUAGE. 173 were of the wealthier and more highly educated class, they patronized Greek manners, and introduced a rationalized paganism into the Jewish worship. This introduction of Greek paganism conduced to the apostasy which so blinded the eyes of the Jews that they did not recognize "the Christ" as their Messiah, and is analogous to the introduction of Latin paganism into the Christian church, which brought about the general apostasy from the Gospel of Christ", and the necessity for a new revelation by an angel to the Prophet Joseph Smith, through whom the Sticks of Judah and Joseph have become one. THE SCRIPTURES. The language of the nation controlling the destinies of Palestine is found refjected in the Scriptures of that period. Hebrew, the language of the Jews, was introduced from Ur of the Chaldees by Abraham—2126 B. C. It is a Semitic language, and is related to the Syriac, Chaldee, Assyrian, Phoenician, Arabic and Ethiopic dialects. The Egyptian language had Semitic analogies and received a considerable infusion of Semitic words. The foundation of all Scripture is the Pentateuch (pente, "five," and "teuchos," a volume). The five books of Moses contain the earliest revelation from God. THE PENTATEUCH. The first five books of the Bible—written by Moses in Hebrew—about 1450 B. C. SAMARITAN PENTATEUCH HEBREW SCRIPTL'KES Used by the colonists imported to Included not only the five books of take the land from which the Israel- Moses, but also the history of the ites had been deported to Assyria. whole house of Israel—the twelve It comprised the 5 books of Moses, tribes—down to first year of King and was written in Hebrew characters Zedekiah, 599 B. (J. but in the Assyrian dialect. They were written in Hebrew with King of Assyria controlled the coun- admixture of Egyptian and other diatry and gave the language to the book. leots. —About 700 B. 0. Palestine was the battle ground of Egyptian and eastern kings, and Judea from time to time came under Egyptian control. As an instance, "The king of Egvpt (Necho) made Eliakim * * * king over Judah and Jerusalem and turned his name to Jehoiakim."—II Chron. xxxvi: 4. Jerusalem was a border city—various dialects, including Egyptian, were in use amoDg the people.

,74 IMPROVEMENT ERA. In 975 B. C. the Hebrew nation, as foretold in prophecy, was divided into the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. "Then I cut asunder mine other staff. * * * that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel."— Zech. xi: 14. "So Israel rebelled against the house of David. * * * There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only."—I Kings xii: 19, 20. The Prophet Ezekiel also foretold that the Scriptures would run in two distinct channels. "Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it. For Judah * * * Then take another stick and write upon it, for Joseph, the stick of Ephraim."—Ezekiel xxxvii: 16. STICK OP JUDAH. JEWISH SCRIPTURES. Ezra's compilation, with addition of writings of later prophets. In Hebrew - Chaldaic characters —King of Persia controlled the countiy and gave language to the Book.— About 445 B. C. SEPTUAGINT VERSION. A Hebrew - Greek translation of Ezra's compiled Jewish scriptures. This was made by direction of Ptolemy Philadelphus for his library at Alexandria, and was used by the ""Jews of the Dispersion," who had adopted the Greek language.—Made about 285 B. C. Christ and his Apostles quoted from this translation. NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES. Apostolic writings in Hebrew-Greek —originals all lost—From 31 to 97 A.D. STICK OF JOSEPH. BOOK OF MORMON. I Nephi 5: 10-13, shows Lehi had Hebrew scriptures and records down to the first year of King Zedekiah. Lehi and his descendants used, and the Book of Mormon plates were written in, Hebrew-Egyptian characters.—I Nephi i: 2. Book of Mormon, ix: 32. Nephi's records commence in 599 B. C, eleven years before the Babylonian captivity. BOOK OF MORMON. Records, abridgment and Mormon's own record,—599 B. C. to 400 A. D. LATIN OR VULGATE VERSION. A Latin translation of the Old and .New Testaments made by St. Jerome. BOOK OF MORONI, Moroni completes record of Mormon and includes history of the Jared-

BOOK OF MORMON LANGUAGE. Hi The Roman Catholic Bibles are translations from this version—385 A. D. wyoliffe's version. This, the first English translation, was made in 1384 A. D. from the Latin Vulgate. tyndale's version. This was the first English translation made direct from the Hebrew- Greek scriptures. It was the foundation of what is known as the "Great Bible" of Henry VIII.—1525-1535 A.D. GENEVAN OR CALVINISTIC BIBLE With doctrinal marginal notes.—1560 A. D. bishop's bible With Episcopalian bias.—1568 A. D. KING JAMES OR AUTHORIZED VERSION. This Bible is the one in general use today. A compromise translation. Puritans would not accept Bishops' Bible, and James, in the interest of Episcopal church,would not accept the Calvinistic marginal notes in Genevan Bible. This compromise is responsible for many erroneous doctrines.— 1611 A. D. See Imp. Era, vol. vii, page 654. REVISED VERSION. Revision by English and American committees. These had access to manuscripts and documents discovered since the authorized version of King James. Members of the committee were appointed from conflicting sects, and like the King James, it is a compromise translation, disputed points being settled by vote of the members.—1880-1885 A. D. AMERICAN STANDARD REVISION, 1901. A further revision by the American ites. ords- Also adds his own personal rec- -About421 A. D. BOOK OF MORMON. Translation by the Prophet Joseph Smith'. "Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the records by the gift and power of God.'' Joseph Smith—1827-1830 A. D.

176 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Committee. See lair. Eka, vol. vii, page 774. Sticks of Judah and Joseph become one in the hand of Ephraim, when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized—6th April, 1830, and aceepted both books as containing divine revelations from God.—Ezekiel, xxxvii: 17. Provo, Utah. LONGFELLOW'S PSALM OF LIFE. The Psalm of Life, by Henry Wads worth Longfellow, is reprinted in the Era in response to a request from some elders in Holland. It will interest the reader to know that Mr. Longfellow said of this poem: "I kept it some time in manuscript, unwilling to show it to any one, it being a voice from my inmost heart, at a time when I was rallying from depression." Before it was published in the Knickerbocker Magazine, October, 1838, it was read by the poet to his college class at the close of a lecture on Goethe. Its title, though used now exclusively for this poem, was originally, in the poet's mind, a generic one. He notes from time to time that he has written a psalm, a psalm of death, or another psalm of life. The "psalmist" is thus the poet himself. When printed in the Knickerbocker it bore as a motto the lines from Crashaw:— "Life that shall send A challenge to its end, And when it comes say. Welcome, friend." Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream!— For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each tomorrow Finds us farther than today.

LONGFELLOW'S PSALM OF LIFE. 177 Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave. In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife! Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead! Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing. Learn to labor and to wait.