I wish I had the time to consider the things that would have been lost to the world but for the bringing forth of the Nephite scriptures. . . . I remember in my early days coming in contact with opponents of the Book of Mormon who charged, for instance, that it had no aphorisms of any importance, and that it was in this respect in strong contrast with the Jewish scriptures. I want to call your attention, however, to a few aphorisms that are of great worth, and that enrich the sacred literature of the world. For instance, there is that sharp-cut sentence: "Wickedness never was happiness." I think it would be difficult to find an epigram more important than that, and a truth that the world ought to know more.

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The Book of Mormon is important because of its correction of some errors that have crept into the philosophies and religions of men. You see perhaps the most perfect expression of God's law unto men in the sermon on the mount. . . . In the Book of Mormon account of Christ delivering that sermon on this continent among His people, when coming to that part of His sermon which He repeated here in this land, He turned directly to the Twelve Disciples unto whom He had given authority to preach the Gospel and administer the ordinances thereof ; and it was to them, and to them alone, that He addressed that part of His sermon.

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And the world would have lost this if it had not been for the Book of Mormon coming forth; and there are a hundred more such glorious things that have come to the world in that book to enlighten the children of men, all of which would have been lost had not this American volume of scripture been brought forth.