--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young, Levi Edgar collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 16 number: 4 published: 1913-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young, Levi Edgar, "The Book of the Dead," *Improvement Era* 16, no. 4 (February 1913): 346–349.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1604unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1604unse start_page: 346 end_page: 349 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1913-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1604unse publication_year: 1913 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1913, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Book of the Dead 344 MPROVEMENT ERA that the hieroglyphics are badly cop- translating the two books lies in the ied. If so, and there is ample directness of the inspiration, in the room for 'loubt of that, may case of the Book of Mormon, as comnot some part of the learned pared with the Book of Abraham. In men's observations concerning them the translation of the Nephite record point to the conclusion that the the Prophet used the Urim and Thumtranslator was a poor copyist rath- mim; in the case of the Abrahamic er than a poor translator? This ap- manuscript there is no mention of pears to be the more probable from any direct means in the translation. the fact of differences in the interpre- Then again. Joseph expressly says thai tation of the scholars. And then, too, he studied the writings of the ancient may it not be possible that these par- Patriarch for the purpose of conticular hieroglyphics present peculiar structing a grammar of the language. For every one knows, who difficulties? Moreover, he was at work on the has done any work in translation, that papyrus intermittently from February, not all parts of a given literary pro- 1835, to the same month in the year duction are of the same ease in the — 1842 a period of seven years. Do translation. And the uninitiated in not these facts, which the bishop adthe lore of the ancientEgyptians mits inferentially, point to the greater would naturally imagine that the un- use of the Prophet's own resources in evenness would be still greater in the translation of the Book of Abrahieroglyphic writing. ham than was the case in the transla- tion of the Book of Mormon? And is do not wish to claim too much for I not this difference sufficient to invalimy point. I do not say definitely and date the reasoning- of Bishop Spald- positively that this is so. But I ing? do insist that the doubt thus thrown on the bishop's inference makes it In saying this, I am not denying the inspiration in the translation of the impossible for him reasonably to build so high a superstructure as he does Book of Abraham. I am merely on so frail a foundation. The infer- emphasizing a distinction, well known ence is clearly unwarranted. to the bishop as a theological student; namely, that between direct revela- II. tion and inspiration. But the fact In the next place, the bishop de- that there was an essential difference clares that, since the translation of between the translation of this record and the Book of Mormon destroys the the Book of Abraham was incorrect, force of the 'bishop's reasoning that and since also the inspiration in the Nephite volume was incorrectly the translation of the Book of Mormon, translated 'because the Book of Abraand that of the Book of Abraham were ham contains errors in the translathe same, therefore the Book or Mor- tion. mon, too, was incorrectly translated. III. This is a longer jump in the logical A third false inference lies in the process than the one I have just transition from the thought, "Joseph pointed out. And here again I ask, Smith was not an inspired translator," "Is the inference warranted?" to the thought, "Therefore the Latter- The inference here turns on the day Saints to be consistent are required point, Was there a sufficient differ- to 'repudiate' not only the Book of ence between the translation of the Mormon but also the whole body of Book of Mormon and the translation belief, which has been built upon it." of the Book of Abraham to weaken There are two points here that deor destroy the reasonableness of this serve consideration. inference? If it can be shown that The first is the bishop's queer blunthere is a single difference in an es- der that the whole body of the "Morsential particular, then the inference mon" belief is built upon the Book of falls to the ground. Mormon. For this is the only mean- A vital difference in the mode of ing I can give to the phrase. As a . "JOSEPH SMITH, JR., AS A TRANSLATOR" 345 matter of fact, the Book of Mormon properly ask about them are, are they bears no more basic a relation to the true? are they consistent with one work known as "Mormonism" than another? do they produce good rethe other visions and revelations sults in the lives of those who accept given in this dispensation. The them? Here, for instance, is the idea body of belief of the Latter-day- of honesty. You have applied it in Saints, in addition to the Book your life, and have felt its uplifting of Mormon, is built upon (1) effects. Suppose, now. it could be the vision f the Father and the shown that the man who first got Son to the prophet, (2) the appearing the idea was self-deceived. Would you to himof John the Baptist, (3) the therefore have to repudiate the idea? visitation of Peter and James and And yet according to Bishop Spald- John, (4) the revelations in the ing's reasoning the results of this principle, in your life, would count Doctrine and Covenants, and (6) for nothing as compared with the the oral and written teachings of the prophet during the years questions where did you get honesty? of his personal ministry. how did you come by it? If the Nephite record had not been revealed The same test should be applied at all, in this dispensation, it is doubt- to the whole body of "Mormon" beful whether the body of "Mormon" lief before we are asked to repudiate belief would in any essential. particu- it on the grounds proposed by the lar be different from what it is. I bishop. The Church has now been in do not say this in disparagement of existence long enough to have borne the Book of Mormon, nor in a spirit fruit. Is this fruit good or not? I of criticism of the way in which our can only indicate the line of thought dispensation was ushered in, for there to be followed in the casting up of appear what to me are sufficient rea- results. There is, for example, the sons for the coming forth of the Book material prosperity ''Mormonism" has of Mormon at the time of its appear- created in the body of its adherents. ing; but I call attention to the fact The substantial qualities of industry, as showing- how little the whole body thrift, strength, fortitude, courage, of belief of the Latter-day Saints real- have been enforced and reinforced by ly depends on the revelation of the the Church. The history of civiliza- Nephite record. It would be Impos- tion proves these to have brought, sible to point out any writing In the everywhere good fruit, and any one Church literature that is so simple and who is acquainted with the "Mormon" clear on the principles of the gospel, people knows that these virtues are and the "Mormon" elders find in it a both taught and practiced by the great storehouse of lucid exposition; Latter-day Saints. A Gentile banker still it is far from being the structural in Salt Lake City declared not long foundation of our body of belief that ago that he preferred to hire boys the bishop's words require. from "Mormon" homes because of The second point is this: Suppose the practical teachings they have rethat the whole body of belief of the ceived there. Then there is the great Latter-day Saints were built upon the organization known as the "Mormon" Book of Mormon, would it therefore Church, conceded to be one of the follow that this body of belief ought most remarkable in the world. Tested by to be repudiated on the hypothesis efficiency in doing its work, it does that the Nephite record was not trans- not stand in any pressing need of lated correctly? Is this inference log- "readjustment." And finally there is ically drawn? the large and consistent body of doc- Once a man gets an idea, or a sys- trine of the Church, with its splentem of ideas, it does not matter, so did outlook on life. Will the bishop far as philosophical or practical pur- tell us precisely in what respect and poses are concerned, where or how he how much of all this it is necessary for us to "repudiate" or "readjust?" got them. The only questions we may 346 IMPROVEMENT ERA Judged by results, it seems to be a burden the innocent and diverse tes- very satisfactory body of belief, in- timony of those eight scholars is made deed! to carry! Overlooking all the eviden- What then is the sum of the whole tial facts in favor not only of the matter? This: We are asked to "re- di.inity of the Book of Mormon but adjust" the body of our belief because also of the divine mission of the Joseph Smith its early founder Prophet Joseph Smith, the bishop has was not an inspired translator; wao gone on complacently piling inferwas not an inspired translator of the ence on inference till he has a supernook of Mormon, because he d.d not structure of argument that on first translate correctly the Eook of Abra- glance is really disconcerting. But ham; and the reason why we know l.ever was a conclusion more tortuoushe did not translate the Book of ly reached. Never was man asked to Abraham correctly is that learned men' give up a belief that satisfied him, bay he did not translate correctly a un slighter grounds. very small part of that beck: Here No intelligent Latter-day Saint will is a string of .inferences for you! The feel upon to "repudiate" any- called conclusion is out of all proportion thing through any such process of to the urst i; 'Jt. What a crusning reasoning as this of the Bishop's! " The Book of the Dead." BY LEVI EDGAR YOUNG, M. A. "The Book of the Dead," said by engraven upon plates, of gold some scholars to be the oldest book and brass. in the world, is a collection of writ- In order to understand what inings on religion and morals, written fluence the "Book of The Dead" had and compiled in the earliest ages of in the history of Egypt, it is necessary Egyptian history. The authors of the to know something about the different collection of books were priests and periods of Egyptian history. prophets of th e inhabitants the of There were two principal periods Nile valley, whose civilization dates of Egyptian history, before the time back at least four thousand years be- of Christ. The first is called the fore Christ. One of the titles which Memphite period which lasted from the ancient Egyptians gave this book about 4,000 B. C. to 2,500 B. C. The was "The Per-em-Hru," the transla- second was the Theban, which flourishtion of which has caused no end of ed at the time of Abraham's sojourn in controversy. Possibly the best inter- Egypt. It was during the Memphite pretation of it is: "The Books of the period that the pyramids were built, Going Forth From Darkness to near the old city of Memphis, lo- Light." These books were composed cated near the mouth of the Nile in something of the spirit as were the river. At this time, the Egyptians built books of the Old Testament. They great irrigating canals and large reserwere to direct the children of the voirs, and developed the science of gods to their future life. Used for astronomy and mathematics. They a period of over four thousand years, were taught the circumference of the they were engraved in parts on earth, and its relation to the diameter, tombs, obelisks, and monuments; and and computed the distance of the planwrit'ten on papyrus rolls, that were ets from the sun, which they regarded buried with the dead. They were also as the center of the universe. With often engraved upon the walls of all this knowledge of the Egyptians pyramids and the exteriors of sarco- pertaining to Astronomy, it is interphagi. Many parts have been found esting to note here that Abraham "JOSEPH SMITH, JR., AS A TRANSLATOR" 347 carried to them a still greater know- Doubly good i^ the precept of our ledge of the mathematical sciences, from whose flesh we come forth. father, What he says to us, let that be in our for Josephus, the historian of the heart, so as to greatly satisfy him, that Jews, says: we may do more for him than he has said. Truly a good son is one of the "For whereas the Egyptians were gifts of God. For his master, he . . . formerly addicted to different cust- does what is satisfactory, putting himoms, and despised one another's sacred self with all his heart in that way. and accustomed rites, and were very through that (i. e. by these lesangry one with another on that ac- sons) shall be caused that thy body count, Abram conferred with each of will be in health, that the king will be them, and confuting the reasonings satisfied with thee under # all circumthey made use of every one for their stances, and that thou obtain years of own practices, demonstrated that life without failure. This has caused such reasonings were in vain and void me to acquire upon the earth one hun- dred and ten years of life, with the gift of truth; whereupon he was admired of the favor of the king anions the first by them in those conferences as a very of those that their works have made wise man, and one of great sagacity, noble." when he discoursed on any subject that he undertook: and this not only A few sentences taken at random in understanding it, but in persuading are: other men also to assent to him. He communicated to them arithmetic, "Love for the work which they do. and delivered to them the science of brings men to God." th-"s= astronomy: for, before Abram came "If t^ou hast the position of a leadinto Egypt, they were unacqaintei er, making plans, go forth at thy will with those parts of learning: for that Do perfect things, which posterity will science came from the Chaldeans into remember; not letting prevail words Earvi^t, and from thence to the Greeks which multiply flatteries, raise prid?. also." and produce vanity." They no doubt had beautiful The central figure of the ancient hu'ldings and carried on an ex- Egyptian religion was Osiris. He was tensive commerce and trade upon the god who presided over the destinies the Mediterranean sea, and with of men, and had control of death, the peoples further up the Nile. It resurrection, and the souls and bodie" was during this period that the of all children of the earth. It is in the "Book of The Dead" was compiled, 125th chapter of the "BOOK OF THE for the Egyptians had a wonderful DEAD" that we obtain a splendid system of religion, and a high stand- idea of the power of Osiris, and his inard of ethics. They had their philoso- fluence as a god upon the thoughts of phers and magicians, who have left men. It contains the prayer which a us their writings and moral codes, deceased person made when he came which are intensely interesting in that into the hall of Maati, before the throne t'-ey show that those very ancient peo- of Osiris. He said: ple had a high regard for morals. One "Homaare to thee, O great God. thou of these manuscripts may now be seen Lord of Truth. I have com*» to thee, in the national library at Paris. It is my Lord, and I have bro-e-ht myself called the "Prisse Papyrus," and con- b'ther. that I may see thv beauties. I tains eighteen pages of beautiful writ- know thee, I know thy rani". I know the names of the two and fortv sods, ; ng in a latter Egyptian hieroglyphic. who live with thee in this hall of It is a copy of the Papyrus of "Ptah- Maati. who keep ward over tho?e who Hotep," who was a royal prince of have done evil, who feed upon their the Memphite period, and a teacher of blood on the day when the live? of men are reckoned up in the nresence of high morals. He must have been a Odin's. In truth I have come to thee. wealthy land owner, and had many I have brought Truth to the-. I have slaves and servants, whom he ad- destroyed wickedness for thee." monished to learn of the gods of men. These words were followed by a \i Here an example of what he has Ustatement of offenses which he had is written: \ not committed Some of them are as "Do what thy master says to thre. follows: