The Book of Mormon Originally Written in Hieroglyphics. I

THE BOOK OF MORMON IN HIEROGLYPHICS. 397 was not born until 1790; and, therefore, it is safe to say that learned scholars who could read the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and who would assist in establishing the alleged ''Mormon" fraud by their learning, were not very numerous in any part of America when the Book of Mormon was translated in 1827-8, and when no one anywhere could be found who was able to read the reformed Egyptian characters of the ancient American or Nephite order. The abyss of difficulties into which Sidney Rigdon was thus plunged was just as deep as that into which the alleged impostor, Joseph Smith, fell headlong. What blunderers these so-called wily, fraudulent schemers were! That an alleged religious impostor should make the mistake of claiming that thebasis of his work, with respect to many of its principles and laws, etc., was written in a language which he could not read, would be wretched bungling; but if, not alarmed by this deadly error, he should go one step further, and practically claim that these matters were written in such strange forms that nobody on earth, at that time, could read them, the terms are yet to be coined that can adequately describe the stupidity of the proceed- ings. Looked at from the anti-' 'Mormon" standpoint, Joseph Smith must have been an irresponsible party, and for shame's sake this old world should stop its abuse of him, or of his memory. However, finding themselves thus surrounded by difficulties, which they could not overcome by human agencies, these alleged impostors cut the Gordian knots with which they had bound them- selves, by referring the interpretation of the hieroglyphical records to the assistance of the Almighty; but just as they, if impostors, botched the beginning of their work, so they closed it with another blunder of large proportions. Joseph Smith, according to the allegations of his enemies, was a depraved wretch of the darkest hue, while Sidney Rigdon, on the contrary, was known as a preacher in good standing among his own people, and possessed unusual ability as a speaker. It is manifest, therefore, that if these men were impostors, Sidney Rigdon, instead of Joseph Smith, was the one of these two who should have claimed the inspirational aid and favor of the Almighty; but, as the program was carried out, it appears completely reversed from this common-sense arrangement.

Being unable to reconcile these deadly blunders with the skill and perfection which are so plainly manifest in the structure of "Mormonism" as a whole, Joseph Smith's statement that the Nephite records were written in hieroglyphics is accepted as true. If we reject it as untrue, some of his proceedings cannot be reconciled with those of a man possessed of a properly balanced mind; and Sidney Rigdon was his intellectual equal, neither more nor less. * * * Attention shall now be directed to some peculiarities in the text of the Book of Mormon, which serve to show that it was not originally written in English, nor in a language with which the Nephite writers — the first Nephi in particular — were perfectly familiar. It is here recalled to mind that at the time Lehi left Jerusalem, his son Nephi, as he himself informs us, was "exceed- ing young," and, consequently, educated only "somewhat" in the learning of his father, which consisted in both Jewish and Egypt- ian knowledge. President George Q. Cannon, in his Life of Nephi expresses the opinion that at the time this young servant of God left his native land he was not more than fifteen years of age, though large in stature. Boys of his years are not usually very proficient in education, and Nephi's lack of familiarity with a foreign system of hieroglyphical writing, for which no future use was likely foreseen, may be assumed with great confidence. The brass plates upon which were engraved in Egyptian charac- ters the ancient scriptures of the Jews, and with which the Book of Mormon history is concerned, were not kept in the family of which Nephi was a member, but by a Jew named Laban; and there is nothing to show that Nephi ever saw them until they were deliv- ered into his hands by a special providence of the Almighty. About eight years were spent, principally in the wilderness of Arabia, from the time when Lehi left Jerusalem until he and his little col- ony landed on the shores of the western continent. During this whole period Nephi was the main dependence of the company in providing it with food, and in building a ship in which to cross the seas. In short, he had to peform a large part and a hard part of all the labors incident to the wilderness life and journeyings. It is apparent from these facts, that from the day the brass

THE BOOK OF MORMON IN HIEROGLYPHICS. 399 plates came into Lehi's possession until he and his people arrived at their destination in "the land of promise," Nephi had but little leisure time, and few opportunities that were favorable for study- ing hieroglyphics or to practice the writing of them, and to make himself proficient in the art of engraving on metal. Further, it is not at all probable that when the brass plates were obtained from Laban a key to the engravings on them was also secured. Lehi's knowledge of things Egyptian appears to be the principal reason why the scriptures on the plates did not become a sealed book to the Nephite colony. A key to the sym- bols had to be prepared right at the beginning of the Nephite his- tory, and this circumstance was most opportune for the origina- tion and introduction of a reformed Egyptian system of writing among the Nephites. No other time in their whole history could be so favorable for laying its foundation as that particular period in their affairs. Mormon, when stating that the records of his peo- ple were written in reformed Egyptian, excepts no portion of them, and it is therefore almost certain that the new method was devised and adopted, in its beginnings, at the time just indicated. These last remarks have been made to show that the changed system of writing could have been applied without causing any par- ticular confusion, and without making some portions of the Neph- ite history very difficult to read by the later generations of the peo- ple directly concerned. These points are worthy of our attention, since they manifest that the Book of Mormon history, without mak- ing any formal attempt to do so, has consistently made provisions for all the requirements in the case, and without leaving an "awkward situation" in any respect to be explained away. Snowflake, Ariz. |TO BE CONTINUED.] The Indian gave the white man tobacco, and the white man gave the Indian "fire water." When we consider existing conditions, with nearly every corner store in our great cities occupied by well-patronized red curses in the form of cigarette and tobacco dispensaries, it is a ques- tion, which got the worst end of the deal.

Pen Pictures of the Holy Land, From Dan to Beersheba. BY HAMILTON GARDNER. V. — Down to Jericho. In one of his most beautiful parables, Christ tells of ' 'a cer- tain man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho." This same journey has been performed by thousands of travelers and pilgrims since, albeit without the ill fortune which befell the man in the story. The historical and relig- ious interests of the trip are its sole attractions, for the country itself is a veritable desert. Prac- tically no vegetation can be found except near the springs, and the sun beats down unmercifully on the dry, hot sand and rocks. As the crow flies, the distance from the Holy City to Jericho is only about fifteen miles, but the windings of the road among the hills makes it considerably farther. The excur- sion is made with carriage, al- though the pilgrims, particularly the Russians, generally walk. A dragoman (guide) is usually em- ployed, and without fail he will ad- vise that a Turkish soldier be taken along for protection against robbers. Now this trip is just as safe as any other in Palestine, ruins on the site of mary and Martha's house— bethany.

PEN PICTURES OF THE HOLY LAND. 401 so such a safeguard is no more needed there than in any other place. But the wily dragoman knows that the idea of going to Jericho and robbers have so long been associated in the parable of the Good Samaritan, that he hardly ever needs call on his fervid imagination for more than one or two fictitious stories of late robberies, to convince the gullible traveler that a soldier is necessary. The first place of interest encountered after leaving Jerusalem is Bethany, on the southeast slope of the Mount of Olives. This little village was one of the favorite resorts of our Master. After a trying day in the city, he delighted to find peace and quiet with his friends, Lazarus, Mary and Martha, who lived here. The sepulchre from which Lazarus was raised from the dead is still shown. It is a sort of double-chambered cave hewn out of the rock. According to Luke, Bethany was also the site of Christ's ascension. Half way between Jerusalem and Jericho is the so-called Good Samaritan's Inn. Presumably, it is the inn to which the Samaritan brought the wounded stranger. Today the dragoman plays the role of the Good Samaritan, and brings travelers here, although with vastly different motivts in view; for there is no place to rest except in the same room with a store, and it can easily be imagined that its proprietor did not allow any great length of time to elapse before importuning us to buy. At last, unable to bear his whining solicitations any longer, we bought a few little trinkets to silence him, paying what we knew to be five times their real -value. Strange to say, our carriage happened to be ready just when this sale was finished, although we had been trying for an hour to get it. Then it suddenly occurred to us that we were getting acquainted with this parable in the very best way — having it enacted on us in the very place it happened before. For although the conniving merchant and dragoman had' not — to paraphrase the scriptures — "stripped us of our raiment and wounded us, and departed, leaving us half dead," still we know that we fell among thieves and were robbed, which is much the same thing. Up in the hills, just before the road drops down into the Jordan valley, it passes near a deep gorge. In the bottom, dur-