I am writing today especially to let you know about a matter in which you will be interested. You are aware of a book entitled "A View of the Hebrews" by Ethan Allen and of B. H. Roberts' comparison of that book with the Book of Mormon. The Ethan Smith book was published in 1823 in a town near the home of the Joseph Smith family. Roberts called his discussion "Parallels". I think you must have seen this document. I have had a copy since before Guy C. Wilson gave it to me.

Twenty years or more ago I was told by a friend, Burton W. Musser, that B. H. had written a greatly extended discussion of the similarities between the "View of the Hebrews" and the Bock of Mormon. Musser told me that Ben Roberts, son of B. H., and a member of the Deseret <News> staff, had showed him this manuscript and told him that he, Ben, had intended to have it published, but the authorities of the Church had talked out of doing so, telling this that the do so would ruin his father's reputation as a historian and "deferder of the faith,"

For twenty years I have been hoping to get a look at this document, but I supposed that the Church library had, no doubt, obtained it from Ben Roberts. About a month ago I decided to try to find the whereabouts of this document, and decided to contact B. H.'s grandchildren to learn whether or not they knew about it. My first call was to Brigham E. Roberts, a well known attorney here in Salt Lake. To my surprise, he told me that he had the manuscript in his office files. i visited him there, and after some persuasion, he allowed me to bring the manuscript, home where I have read it and taken notes on each chapter.

. . .

To cap off this story, I told Hal Bentlry about the manuscript which I had discovered. he in turn, talked with his wife about it, and she told him that an uncle of her's in Idaho has in Idaho has a copy of the Ethan Smith book on the fly-leaf of which is written "Property of Joseph Smith" in Joseph's hand writing. You can imagine what this story did to me.

I have talked to Bob Roberts about allowing me to make copies of the manuscript and ultimately publishing it. He doesnt seem adverse to either suggestion, but has not quite made up his mind as yet.

Another interesting little tidbit: I was talking to Russell <Swensen> about three weeks ago, and he told me that in 1931- or 1932- he had a long talk with B. H. Roberts in which he said, "If the people of the Church knew the real history of the Church, half of them would apostize."

. . . If we can get hold of the book that is said to be in the possession of Mrs. Bentleys uncle , we would have pretty sound proof that Joseph Smith did have the book and Roberts' conclusions would be pretty well substantiated.