Book of Mormon External Evidence: Engravings of Prehistoric Specimens, a Book Review

 This book is available on-line.  

Engravings of Prehistoric Specimens from Michigan, U.S.A., copyright 1910 by Rudolph Etzenhouser, Engravers' Certificate, The originals from which the accompanying reproductions were made have been carefully inspected by us.  We certify that the halftones are accurate reproductions of the prehistoric originals.  Van Leyen and Henzler, Detroit, Michigan.  John Bornman and Sons, Printers, Detroit.

Etzenhouser was a member of the Reorganized church who became interested in what is known as the Michigan relics.  It is good we have this book, because most of the relics are unavailable at this point.  Many of the relics were in possession of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at one point but more recently were given by the church to the state of Michigan where the books came from.  

There is much controversy about the relics; and expert opinion that they are frauds.  The relics depict scenes fro the Bible and appear to be of ancient construct.  These scenes include Adam and Eve, Abraham and Isaac, Noah, Moses, Jesus and others.  There are some which are nothing but old writings.  Others sho battle and weapons.  Most were found in the early 1900s.  However Wayne May contends that there were some found as early as 1846.  They mostly include the mystic symbol which has come to be interpreted as Jo He Va.

The relics were found in a widespread area in Michigan, 27 counties.  James O. Scotford first found a relic in 1890 while digging a post hole.  He later found many more such relics over the next 20 years.  Daniel E. Soper joined him in his efforts.  Later the step daughter of Scotford signed an affidavit the Scotford was manufacturing the relics.  Wayne May's contention is that some of the relics may be fake--particularly those made of clay; but the finding of relics predated Scotford, and the quantity would not allow for Scotford to have planted them all.  He feels most are actual artifacts.  He further contends that Scotford required a pattern, so he must have found an original artifact and copied this.

The pictures in the book, scanned to the internet, are not very good.  Better pictures are available on line.