6. The plates. We must remember that it is a Hebrew youth, who "has lived at Jerusalem all his days," until he leaves for "the wilderness." He had no other privileges than those enjoyed by others of his circumstances and time. He did as others did. His ideas could extend but very little further than others. The writing materials then in use, and it was then only very few who could use them, would be those such a youth would be familiar with. Now the Jews did not use plates of brass at that time. Their writing materials were:

1. Tablets smeared with wax.

2. Linen rubbed with a kind of gum.

3. Tanned leather and vellum.

4. Parchment (invented by Attalus of Pergamos).

5. Papyrus. (M. Stuart, O. Test. Can.)

All the writings of the Jews long anterior and subsequent to Zedekiah were in rolls. (Isa., xxxiv. 4; Jer., xxxvi. 25; Ezek., iii. 9, 10; Ps. xl. 7; Zech., v. 1, etc., etc.) These rolls were chiefly parchment and papyrus. The use of papyrus was as ancient as Hermes, 1500 B. C. Ancient monuments, in Mr. Abbott's collection, whose date are at least 1600 B. C., bear representations of the inkstand and stylus. On this papyrus, were not only the ancient writings of Egypt, but the early copies of the Pentateuch. The use of this material suspended the stones filled with lead (Job), Hesiod's leaden tables, Solon's wooden planks, the wax tablets, so clumsy and easily erased. This material rolled up could be bound with flax and sealed. Isa., xxix. 11; Dan., xii. 4; Rev., v. 1. (Vide Kitto, Watson, Calmet.) The Jews used this material. The Egyptians, whose language Nephi gives his father, used this material. Had Lehi or Nephi really lived then, they would have used this material. Contradiction and inconsistency are stamped on any other assertion. This is another strong proof of imposture.