Book of Mormon External Evidences::Book Review: Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon

 Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, edited by Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson and John W. Welch, Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, 2002 FARMS.

This book offers many evidences of the Book of Mormon.  I just want to provide a high lights.  The Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God.  There is no other explanation.  Joseph was provided the Urim and Thummin for this purpose.  Joseph never explained exactly how he translated, other than by the power of God.

Testimony comes by revelation.  Moroni provides his promise at the end of the book, Ask with real intent and the power of the Holy Ghost will manifest the truth of the book.  Millions of people have taken advantage of this promise to gain testimony.  However evidence nurtures faith.

Joseph knew very little if not nothing about the Arabian Penninsula.  Yet the narrative of the Book of Mormon as told by Nephi, and their journey in Arabia fits the geography.  There have been places found which fit the land Bountiful, which much fruit, timber and ore.

To have written the Book of Mormon one would have needed information as well as apocryphal texts which were not available when the book was written.  Also to hve known about Hebraisms and Hebraic poetry.  How could these, such as  chiasmus,  be in the book if it was not a translation of ancient test.  

Study of language points out that the Book of Mormon was not written by Joseph Smith but translated from many authors.  Also other ancient writings which were not available to Joseph Smith prove over and o ver again the Book of Mormon story.  For example that prophets from the old testament times knew the story of Jesus, and even his name.  

Joseph Smith gets too many things right for the book to be anything other than a translation of ancient text.  This includes names that have Hebraic and Egyptian roots, history proven right by later documents discovered, "A place called Nahom" which is where it has to b e for the story.  

This work is not perfect.  It relies heavily on the Meso American model while I see more sense in the North American model.  However if you are looking for evidences of the Book of Mormon, you can find them in this book.

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.