The Resurrected Christ in America

The all-important matter connected with the Book of Mormon is the fact that it gives an account of the visit of the resurrected Christ to the people of the western world. It also gives an account of the Christ teaching the gospel to men of the western world, and founding a Church among them, which ministered the gospel to the salvation of many through several generations.

The manner of the appearing of the Christ to the people of America was on this wise: During the crucifixion of the Christ in Judea, and the period of his body lying in the tomb, America, in fulfillment of predictions of inspired prophets among the people, was visited by dire calamities of storm and tempest and earthquakes, followed by three days of intense and continuous darkness. Following these calamities, as a company of survivors in a land called Bountiful were viewing and commenting upon the great changes wrought by tempest and earthquakes, and were speaking of the Christ, of whose death and resurrection these terrible disturbances in nature had been a sign, according to their prophets, they were thrilled by hearing a voice vibrated through the air.

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The Church in Ancient America

The visitation of the Christ to this people was attended by the calling of twelve disciples to found a church, and to teach the gospel, the ordinances of which, together with the law of righteousness, which ever attends upon the gospel, were expounded. The Sermon on the Mount, first delivered in Judea, was repeated in substance, and all the ordinances of the Church of God were established for the salvation of the people.

Righteousness prevailed through several generations, then came the period of spiritual and moral declension which resulted in the barbarism in which the American race was found at the advent of the Europeans in the western world, 1492.

Thus in this New Dispensation, in which God is speaking, was brought forth a new Witness for God and the Christ; a New Witness to the great truth that salvation is of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, "the Lord Omnipotent." (Book of Mormon, Mosiah, 3:17 id. 5:8 and 2nd Nephi 25:20).

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Therefore when he said "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must br:ng, and they shall hear my voice," etc, it must have been some branch of the house of Israel and not the Gentiles, whom the Christ had in mind. And his own prophecy was fulfilled when he visited the branch of the house of Israel in America.