The New Witness to the Deity of Jesus-The Book of Mormon

The New Witness to the Deity of Jesus Christ is the Book of Mormon. The existence of this American Volume of Scripture was revealed to Joseph Smith in the month of September, 1823, near Palmyra, in the State of New York. Joseph Smith's own account of this book, how he came in possession of it-translated it--and what it is, must always be of first importance with reference to its origin and character; and hence that account is here given.

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The Purpose of the Book

The purpose for which the Book of Mormon was compiled by its Nephite Prophet-author is stated in its own ancient Preface, now printed on the title page of all editions; but on the gold plates, from which the title of the Book was taken, it was found on, to us, the last plate of the collection. The language in which the record was written, running like the Hebrew, from right to left.

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Need of a New Witness to the Deity of the Christ

The surprising thing in connection with the subject of the Deity of Christ is the fact that there is need of a New Witness, and especially such a need among supposedly Christian people! That there is such need, however, is quite obvious.

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And the present native inhabitants of the New World, descendants of the builders of these monuments, temples and cities of the valleys and of the seashores, are as dumb as the monuments. Their legends and their songs make no intelligible connection with these ruins of past glories. There is but one Voice that breaks this silence; but one clear, strong, authoritative Voice that speaks for God and for God in Christ from ancient America, and that is the Book of Mormon!

The Book of Mormon bears dual testimony for Jesus Christ: the testimony of Prophecy, and the testimony of History. Here we consider both, but each briefly.

The Testimony of the Brother of Jared-Moriancumer

The earliest testimony of the Book of Mormon prophets comes from that very ancient people, the Jaredites, who came from the Tower of Babel to the promised land of America. Details aside, the Lord revealed himself unto their chief Prophet, Moriancumer, "the Lord shewed himself unto him," and he beheld 'him as in the form of a man.

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The Testimony of the Nephite Prophets-Lehi

The testimony of the Nephite Prophets concerning the Christ as the ETERNAL GOD, begins with Lehi, who led a small colony of people to America from Jerusalem, about six hundred years B. C. While yet in Jerusalem, by searching the Scriptures and by revelations from God, Lehi had plainly manif~ ted to him "the coming of a Messiah and the redemption of the World." (1st Nephi 1:19.)

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lf All This Be True!

How splendid all this, IF TRUE! What a WITNESS that Jesus is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, if the Book of Mormon testimony is TRUE! But is it true? That gives rise to a question too large to be discussed at length here-including, as it would, the whole question of the authenticity and credibility of the Book of Mormon. It is a subject for a volume for more than a volume. The present Writer has two volumes upon the subject in volumes II and III of his three volumed work on "New Witnesses for God!" Volumes II and III being a treatise on the Book of Mormon as such a Witness for God, and Volume I, a treatise on Joseph Smith as such a Witness for God. All that can be done here is to set forth the tremendous truth in statement form, and leave the Reader to pursue his inquiry through our larger works on the authenticity and credibility of the Book of Mormon.