Modern writers more and more agree that no historical facts are available to prove that Sidney Rigdon met Joseph Smith before the Book of Mormon was published. In other words, the Spaulding-Rigdon theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon must be abandoned. It is now generally agreed that Joseph Smith is the author of the Book of Mormon. It's contents, therefore, must be explained by his ability and capacity to write the book's origin, must be explained by his learning and the environmental influences of his early life if the book is man-made.

A number of writers assert that the contents of the Book of Mormon regarding the Hebrew people which it describes may be traced to Joseph Smith's knowledge of the View of the Hebrews, a book written in 1823, by Ethan Smith. A study of the contents of this book shows that the author copied largely from an earlier book written by Elias Boudinot, Star in the West, printed in 1816. Both Mr. Boudinot and Mr. Smith also copied from an earlier publication by James Adair, printed in 1775, entitled, The History of the American Indians.

The table of contents of these three books and additional introductory and explanatory material which follows indicates that the Book of Mormon differs so widely in content and purpose that the knowledge of these books could have had little, if any, influence on the material published in the Book of Mormon.

The writers of the three books present facts from the customs, traditions, beliefs, and ways of living of the Indians, and conclude they are the Lost Ten Tribes of the House of Israel. The Book of Mormon describes three migrations to America; one, the Jaredites from the Tower of Babel, two from Jerusalem. It is a sacred history of prophecy and revelations. It describes peoples, travels, cities, topography of the country, and includes the visit and teachings of the resurrected Christ shortly after His crucifixion in Jerusalem. Finally, it tells of a sacred record written and compiled and hidden unto the Lord to come forth and to be translated by divine power to convince the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ.

Such a book had no part of its origin or contents in the above described three books which present observed facts from living Indians that prove their Israelite origin.

In addition, there is no evidence that Joseph Smith or his scribes had any knowledge of the book written by Ethan Smith.