It is probably well known throughout the United States, that in 1839, Mr. Stephens, the author of 6 "Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petraea, and the Holy Land," accepted a government mission to Guatamala tendered to him by Mr. Van Buren, then President of the United States for the purpose of visiting and examining the Antiquities of that country, and reporting the same to the people of this nation. Mr. Stephens was accompanied on his mission by Mr. Catherwood. These two eminent travellers having finished their mission and returned; have been lecturing of late in the city of New York on the Antiquities which they have visited in the ruined cities of Central America. Mr. Stephens and Mr. Catherwood left New-York in the month of October 1839, to visit and examine the memorials of a people whom their discoveries prove to have been once high and exalted in the scale of intelligence—a mighty people, skilled in the arts and sciences, and whose splendor would not be eclipsed by any of the nations of Antiquity.

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Mr. Stephens is mistaken, for there is one Book which is not silent on this theme. It is the Book of Mormon, which was discovered in 1827, and translated and published in 1830, by a young man then living in Manchester, Ontario co. N. Y. This Book was brought to light by the ministering of an Angel, and translated by the gift and power of God. It contains the history not only of a people who built this city, but also all the ancient ruined cities of America. It speaks of their knowledge of architecture, agriculture, and all the arts that embellish life; it speaks of orators, warriors and statesmen who once lived and flourished upon this land; and records their ambition and glory; but who now are numbered with the mighty dead. It also informs us how, and the reason why they are fallen. See page 77 and 570, 2d edition. For proof of the truth of this Book, see first part of this work.