Brigham H. Roberts achieved considerable recognition as the official historian of Mormonism. He devoted his attention at one time to a methodical and thorough study of Ethan Smith's View of the Hebrews and critically compared it with his intimate knowledge of the Book of Mormon and other Mormon literature. He tabulated his findings as parallels between the two books. After he had died mimeographed copies of his notes were privately distributed among a restricted group of Mormon scholars.

Benjamin E. Roberts was a son of B. H. Roberts and enjoyed the reputation in the Salt Lake area as a keen and able lawyer. On October 10, 1946, the son addressed the Timpanogos Club at the Hotel Utah, discussing his father's studies. The writer was present at the meeting and examined the original penciled long-hand manuscript by B. H. Roberts who had titled it "A Parallel." Ben E. Roberts had a limited number of mimeographed copies of the manuscript which he distributed after his presentation. The following is a faithful copy of that mimeographed material:

[Reproduction of "A Parallel" by B. H. Roberts.]

At the above mentioned meeting, Ben E. Roberts had his father's well-thumbed and extensively marked copy of the View of the Hebrews as well as the penciled manuscript of "A Parallel." The present writer had ample time to examine the volume and its markings. It was the Second Edition of the book. It is entirely likely that B. H. Roberts never made much use, if any, of the First Edition. The latter volume contains 167 pages of text and an appendix through page 187, while the Second Edition consists of 269 textual pages and the appendix through page 285.