The important point is : did young Joseph have access to the book during his formative years? There is considerable evidence that he did. The many persecutions of "Christians" mentioned in the Book of Mormon, and, incidentally, a century or more before the Christian Era, suggests an acquaintance with Fox's work. A typical example is Abinadi, a preacher of Christ, 148 B.C. (an obvious anachronism, see p. 310), who was the first "martyr by fire" in the Book of Mormon. When ordered by the wicked king to retract his words, that, "God himself shall come down among the children of men" or be burned, he chose death in the same manner and with the same fortitude as did Fox's martyrs. "And when the flames began to scorch him, he cried unto them, saying: " . . . O God receive my soul." " . . . And they scourged his skin with faggots, yea, unto his death."

Quite understandably the details of Abinadi's death do not run precisely parallel with any individual martyr as related by Fox, but rather, they are a combination of many. For example, Bishop Ridley's last words were, "O Lord, receive my spirit"; Bishop Latimer's were, "O Father of heaven, receive my soul." (History of the Martyrs, p. 334). The last words of the illustrious Archbishop Cranmer, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (p. 345) are typical of a host of lesser martyrs. Again, the general use of faggots as fuel for the fires of execution as in Fox' book may be significant as used in the Book of Mormon parallel.

The volume in my possession contains a steel engraving showing graphically a martyr, William Flower, chained to a post surrounded by faggots ready for the torch (p. 321). Another vivid engraving is of Bishops Ridley and Latimer chained amid flames soaring high—something to impress a youth like Joseph far more than the printed words of John Fox. Strangely too, this volume is marked by soiled hands through the chapters dealing with the persecutions of Protestants under Catholic Queen Mary; the reflection of this too, may be seen in the inordinate anti-Papacy throughout Joseph's book.