BOOK OF MORMON DIFFICULTIES

(CORRESPONDENCE)

Salt Lake City, Utah,

Dec. 29, 1921

President Heber J. Grant and Counsellors,

The Quorum of Twelve Apostles, and The First

Council of the Seventy:

Dear Brethren--

Early in the month of November, Elder James E. Talmadge referred to me for consideration and answer, the letters that here follow and that will be self-explanatory:

[Reproduction of William E. Riter letter and questions from August 1921]

I very gladly undertook the task of considering the question here propounded, and hoped to find answers that would be satisfactory. With some branches of the field of inquiry I was more or less familiar, having devoted some attention to them while writing my Book of Mormon treatise under the title "New Witnesses for God;" and while knowing that some parts of my treatment of Book of Mormon problems in that work had not been altogether as convincing as I would liked to have seen them, I still believed that reasonable explanations could be made that would keep us in advantageous possession of the field. As I proceeded with my recent investigations, however, and more especially in the, to me, new field of language problems, I found the difficulties more serious than I had thought for; and the more I investigated the more difficult I found the formulation of an answer to Mr. Couch's inquiries to be. I therefore concluded not to undertake an answer to his questions on my own account, but decided to make a study of all the problems he submitted—somewhat enlarging upon them as I proceeded—and then submit the result of my investigations to all of you who are addressed at the head of this communication, that from the greater learning of the individual members of the Quorum of the Twelve, or from the collective wisdom of all the brethren addressed, or from the inspiration of the Lord as it may be received through the appointed channels of the priesthood of His Church, we might find such a solution of the problems presented in the accompanying correspondence, as will maintain the reasonableness for the faith of all in the Nephite scriptures, as well as the faith of those who with us accept it now, and are assured of its essential truth, as those who are investigating its truth and its message.

I trust I am not manifesting an over anxiety in presenting to you so extensive an inquiry as this paper proposes,--141 typed written pages--but I assure you that I am most thoroughly convinced of the necessity of all the brethren herein addressed becoming familiar with these Book of Mormon problems, and finding the answer for them, as it is a matter that will concern the faith of the Youth of the Church now as also in the future, as well as such casual inquirers as may come to us from the outside world.

All which is respectfully submitted,