The types of objections raised against the text and translation of the Book of Mormon have previously been raised (and met) with regard to the Bible.

Now let us note two instances of supposed modernisms in the Book of Mormon.

Alexander Campbell referred to a quotation from Shakespeare. This has been repeated by many others including John Hyde, Jr., T. B. H. Stenhouse, M. T. Lamb. W. A. Linn, and G. B. Arbaugh.

Let us compare three verses from Job in the Old Testament with Lehi in the Book of Mormon and with Shakespeare.

Job 10:20-21: “Let me alone that I may take comfort a little before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,” and 16:22, When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.”

Lehi (2 Ne. 1:14) expresses the idea as: “Hear the words of a trembling parent whose limbs you must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return.”

Shakespeare: “The undiscovered country form whose bourne no traveler returns.” Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1.

It appears that Lehi is more like Job than Shakespeare. Since Lehi studied Old Testament records and Shakespeare was familiar with the Bible, it seems likely that they took their common inspiration from Job. Joseph Smith may have been familiar with Job but it is unlikely that he was familiar with Shakespeare.

Reverend M. T. Lamb in his lectures on the Book of Mormon in giving the names of the four sons of Lehi who were Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi, would ask where he had heard the name Sam before, and then recall that Sam was a good old Yankee nickname for Samuel, hence the Book of Mormon could not be an ancient record. At one meeting Elder W. W. Cluff recalled the name Dan from the Old Testament, and on the same reasoning observed that it was a good old Yankee nickname for Danile, hence the Old Testament could not be an ancient book. The lecturer had no comment to make to this reply.

Actually the word “Sam” is a typical Egyptian name as in the great Sam Tawi of the 11th dynasty.

The Times and Seasons in 1843 commented:

“Certainly, we should have felt ourselves justified in being sceptical as to the truth of the Book of Mormon, had we found it written in the style of modern divinity, knowing at the same time, that the individual who sent it forth had not had the advantage requisite to give a polished education.”

It is difficult for even the best trained writers to avoid internal inconsistences and conflicts in plot or in detail in writing (Some of these were noted in Chapter 9). Thus we note that the great German dramatist Schiller has Wallenstein say he has brown hair (Wallenstein’s Death, V, 4) and yet two acts previous to this he says he has gray hair (III, 15). Homer in the Iliad has Pylaeman killed (V, 576), yet later has him in tears following a chariot with his son’s body (XIII, 658). Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet has Lady Capulet about 28 or 29 years old in Acts 1, Scene 3, since Juliet is there 14 and her mother was that age when Juliet was born. Yet a few days later (V, 3) Lady Capulet speaks of “my old age.” Shakespeare in Henry the Fifth has shillings appear in circulation. Shillings, however, were not used until the time of Henry the Seventh. In this play Henry the Fifth speaks of going to Constantinople and taking the Turk by the beard. Constantinople was not in the hands of the Turks until 1453, 31 years after Henry the Fifth died.

These examples show that it is very difficult when writing to avoid such mistakes. Had Joseph Smith, an untrained youth, been attempting to compose an account himself as complex in structure and character as the Book of Mormon it is to be expected that many such errors would be made, particularly when there is no evidence of rewriting or editing the text. The Book of Mormon seems free from such errors.