Among the "things new" that Joseph Smith brought to his interpretation of the Bible was the view, already popular in nineteenth-century publications, that American Indians were of Israelite or Hebrew origin. One of these publications was Reverend Ethan Smith's 1823 View of the Hebrews (fig. 16). Among those who have seen this book as an inspiration for some of the basic structural material on which the Book of Mormon hangs is church authority B. H. Roberts. Elder Roberts recognized the utility of having a ground plan to work from to contextualize theological issues, and he therefore decided to investigate the possible connection between the two books. He concluded that there was "a great probability" that the Smith family had read or possessed a knowledge of View of the Hebrews. The book was written, published, and widely distributed in New England and New York where the Smith family lived, two editions rapidly selling out." Roberts believed that if the Smiths did not purchase a copy, it could easily have been supplied by Oliver Cowdery, Smith's cousin and scribe. Cowdery lived in the same small town as the author, Reverend Smith, who was the Cowdery family's Congregationalist pastor from 1821 to 1826.

Roberts believed that if Joseph Smith's family had not read the volume, they would have had a good knowledge of its contents because of the intense and widespread public interest in Indian origins, customs, religion, traditions, and antiquities. Ethan Smith gathered ideas and materials on these subjects from over forty knowledgeable authorities and wove them into a narrative. The book's popularity was so widespread that its contents would have been "common knowledge," discussed at informal gatherings where people met to talk.

There is no direct connection between View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon. View of the Hebrews represents a body of nineteenth-century thought and is not an early version of the Book of Mormon. But the parallels between the two books are instructive in understanding the environment in which the Book of Mormon emerged. Below are several of Roberts's summaries from his extensive study of Ethan Smith's book (fig. 17):

Israelites in Ancient America

[View of the Hebrews] not only suggests, but pleads on every page for Israelitish origin of the American Indians.

It deals with the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of Israel, as the Book of Mormon does.

It deals with the future gathering of Israel, and the restoration of the Ten Tribes, as the Book of Mormon does.

It emphasizes and uses much of the material from the prophecies of Isaiah, including whole chapters, as the Book of Mormon does.

It makes a special appeal to the Gentiles of the New World—having in mind more especially the people of the United States—to become the nursing fathers and mothers unto Israel in the New World-even as the Book of Mormon does, holding out great promises to the great Gentile nation that shall occupy America, if it acquiesces in the divine program (Studies, 240).

Migrations to Ancient America

[View of the Hebrews] holds that the peopling of the New World was by migrations from the Old, the same as does the Book of Mormon. It takes its migrating people into a country where "never man dwelt," just as the Book of Mormon takes its Jaredite colony into "that quarter where there never had man been."

In both cases the journey was to the northward; in both cases the colony entered into the valley of a great river; they both encountered "seas" of "many waters" in the course of their journey; in both cases the journey was a long one. The motive in both cases was the same—a religious one; Ethan is prominently connected with the recording of the matter in the one case, and Ether in the other (240-41).

Two Classes of People

Ethan Smith's book supposes that his lost tribes divide into rwo classes, the one fostering the arts that make for civilization, the other followed the wild hunting and indolent life that ultimately led to barbarism, which is just what happens to the Book of Mormon peoples.

"Long and dismal" wars break out between Ethan Smith's civilized division and his barbarous division. The same occurs between Nephite and Lamanite, divisions drawn on the same lines of civilized and barbarous in the Book of Mormon.

The savage division utterly exterminates the civilized in Ethan

Smith's book; the Lamanites, the barbarous division of the Book of Mormon, utterly destroy the civilized division-the Nephites.

Ethan Smith's book assumes for the ancient civilized people a culture of mechanic arts; of written language; of the knowledge and use of iron and other metals; and of navigation. The Book of Mormon does the same for its civilized peoples (241).

One Race

Ethan Smith's book assumes unity of race for the inhabitants of America-the Hebrew race, and no other. The Book of Mormon does the same for its civilized people.

Ethan Smith's book assumes that this race (save perhaps, the Eskimo of the extreme north) occupied the whole extent of the American continents. The Book of Mormon does the same for its peoples.

It assumes the Indian tongue to have had one source, the Hebrew; the Book of Mormon makes the same assumption for the language of its peoples (241).

Urim and Thummim and a Lost Book

Ethan Smith's book describes an instrument among the mound finds comprising a breast plate with two white buckhorn buttons at-tached, "in imitation of the precious stones of the Urim," says Ethan Smith. Joseph Smith used some such instrument in translating the Book of Mormon, called urim and thummim.

Ethan Smith's book admits the existence of idolatry and human sacrifice; the Book of Mormon does the same.

Ethan Smith's book extols generosity to the poor and denounces pride, as traits of the American Indian; the Book of Mormon does the same for its peoples. Ethan Smith's book denounces polygamy, the Book of Mormon under certain conditions does the same as to David and Solomon's practices.

Ethan Smith's book quotes Indian traditions of a "Lost Book of God" and the promise of its restoration to the Indians, with a return of their lost favor with the Great Spirit. This is in keeping with the lost sacred records to the savage Lamanites of the Book of Mormon.

Ethan Smith's sacred book was buried with some "high priest," "keeper of the sacred tradition;" the Book of Mormon sacred records were hidden or buried by Moroni, a character that corresponds to this Indian tradition in the Hill Cumorah (241-42).

Military Fortifications

Ethan Smith's book describes extensive military fortifications linking cities together over wide areas of Ohio and Mississippi valleys, with military observatory or "watch towers" overlooking them; the Book of Mormon describes extensive fortifications erected throughout large areas with military "watch towers" here and there overlooking them.

Ethan Smith's book also describes sacred towers or "high places," in some instances devoted to true worship, in other cases to idolatrous practices; the Book of Mormon also has its prayer or sacred towers (242).

Goverment

Part of Ethan Smith's ancient inhabitants effect a change from monarchal governments to republican forms of government; Book of Mormon peoples do the same.

In Ethan Smith's republics the civil and ecclesiastical power is united in the same person; this was a practice also with the Book of Mormon people.

Some of Ethan Smith's peoples believed in the constant struggle between the good and the bad principle, by which the world is governed; Lehi, first of [the] Nephite prophets, taught the existence of a necessary opposition in all things righteousness opposed to wickedness good to bad; life to death, and so following (242).

The Gospel and a Christ Type

Ethan Smith's book speaks of the gospel having been preached in the ancient America; the Book of Mormon clearly portrays a knowledge of the gospel had among the Nephites.

Ethan Smith gives, in considerable detail, the story of the Mexican culture-hero Quetzalcoatl—who in so many things is reminiscent of the Christ; the Book of Mormon brings the risen Messiah to the New World, gives him a ministry, disciples and a church (242).

In short, according to President Roberts, the Book of Mormon's view of American antiquities is in harmony with the thinking that was prevalent in Joseph Smith's environment. Archaeological discoveries of the day presented an ideal backdrop for explaining a lost race of people. The Book of Mormon also demonstrated an understanding of the Bible and of evangelical Protestantism.