FAITH.--THE OLD TESTAMENT.
Certain it is that the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, the same
collection of books that we now have, was recognized by the Lord Jesus
Christ and the prophets and apostles of that dispensation as the word
of God, and was referred to by them as "the law and the prophets."
This is evident from the fact of their frequently appealing to those
scriptures to sustain their own doctrine and teachings. Nearly every
book of the Old Testament is quoted in the New, and therefore all the
evidence which may be amassed in support of the divinity of Christ and
the inspiration of the New Testament, sustains also the authenticity
and inspiration of the Old; for the inspired writers of the former
appeal to the latter as an unquestioned authority in matters relating
to God. Hence, whatever evidence sustains the New Testament, supports
also the Old. I trust the reader will bear this in mind, and when I
have considered and proved, as I hope to do, the authenticity and
credibility of the New Testament, remember that it is a witness for the
Old Testament, an important, I might say an infallible one, since it is
inspired; it comes as from God.
In our day the evidences which support the authenticity of the Jewish
Scriptures have accumulated in a most remarkable manner. In 1835 the
two rolls of papyrus, one filled with the writings of Joseph, who was
sold into Egypt, and the other with those of Abraham, came into the
hands of Joseph Smith. The roll containing the writings of Abraham was
translated by the prophet, at least in part, and is published in the
Pearl of Great Price under the title of the Book of Abraham. The manner
in which these rolls of papyrus came into Joseph Smith's possession was
as follows:
In 1831 the celebrated French traveler, Antonio Sebolo, penetrated
Egypt as far as the ancient city of Thebes, under a license procured
from Mehemet Ali--then viceroy of Egypt--through the influence of
Chevalier Drovetti, the French consul. Sebolo employed 433 men for four
months and two days; and entering the catacombs near ancient Thebes on
the 7th of June, 1831, they procured eleven mummies. These were shipped
to Alexandria, and from thence the great traveler started with his
treasures for Paris. But _en route_ for the French capital, Sebolo put in
at Trieste, where he was taken sick, and after an illness of ten days
died. This was in 1832. Previous to his death he willed his Egyptian
treasures to his nephew, Michael H. Chandler, who was then living in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but whom Sebolo believed to be in Dublin,
to which city he ordered the mummies shipped.
Mr. Chandler ordered the mummies forwarded to New York, where he
took possession of them. There the coffins for the first time were
opened, and in them were found two rolls of papyrus covered with
engravings. While still in the custom house, Mr. C. was informed by a
gentleman, a stranger to him, that no one in the city could translate
the characters, but was referred to Joseph Smith, who, the stranger
informed him, possessed some kind of gift or power by which he had
previously translated similar characters.
Joseph Smith was then unknown to Mr. C. The mummies were shipped to
Philadelphia, and from there Mr. C. traveled through the country,
exhibiting them and the rolls of papyrus. He finally passed through
Kirtland, where Joseph Smith was residing. Joseph, seeing the rolls of
papyrus and the record upon them, had the Saints purchase them, and
they were translated as before stated.[A]
[Footnote A: The above I have condensed from the account given of this
matter by the Prophet Joseph in his history.]
This Book of Abraham, while it has no direct reference to the works
of Moses, gives an account of the creation of this earth, which,
substantially, is the same account as that given by Moses;[B] and
is, at least, a strong collateral evidence to the correctness of the
account in Genesis.
[Footnote B: Pearl of Great Price, pp. 41-45]
In the year 1830, the visions of Moses, through which he was enabled to
write the account of the creation in Genesis, and the history of the
world down to the time of the Flood, were revealed to Joseph Smith.
This part of the world's history, as given to the Prophet Joseph, is
substantially the same as that in Genesis, only more full and perfect
than that; the Lord pointing out here and there where the record of
Moses, as we now have it in the Bible, has been marred because of
changes made by wicked men. Still, as I say, the accounts substantially
agree, and in the revelations to which I have called attention the Lord
says over and over again that these things he revealed to Moses, and
that Moses bore record of them.[C]
[Footnote C: Pearl of Great Price, pp. from 1 to 31.]
This is testimony of the most direct character as to the authenticity
of the books in our Bible giving this history. All ancient tradition
says Moses wrote Genesis, and now in this day, a revelation is given
from God to Joseph Smith, saying that an account substantially the same
as that in Genesis was revealed to Moses, and that he recorded it.
I come now to the strongest witness of all for the authenticity, and
also the divinity of the Jewish Scriptures; I mean the Book of Mormon.
In the first place let me say that the Book of Mormon itself, as an
inspired book, rests on so sure a basis, that however much men may be
disposed to doubt the authenticity, credibility, and inspiration of
the Jewish Scriptures, they cannot, if they investigate the claims of
the Book of Mormon doubt its truth.[D] And in these Nephite Scriptures
is contained the most direct and positive proofs relative to the
authenticity of the Bible.
[Footnote D: Those who desire to prosecute an investigation of this
subject win do well to read the "Divine Authenticity of the Book of
Mormon," by O. Pratt; and "A New Witness for God," by the author of
this work.]
According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi and his family left Jerusalem in
the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, about 600 B. C. Soon after
leaving Jerusalem, from his camp in the wilderness Lehi sent his sons
back to that city to obtain the genealogies of his fathers, and a
record of the Jews. In this mission his sons were successful, returning
to their father's encampment in the wilderness with a set of brass
plates on which the record and the genealogies were written.
The return of the sons of Lehi to their father was celebrated with
great rejoicing. Nephi in his account of it says: "And after they had
given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records
which were engraved upon the plates of brass, and he did search them
from the beginning. And he beheld that they did contain the five books
of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also
of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents; and also a record of the
Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of
Zedekiah, king of Judah, and also the prophecies of the holy prophets,
from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of
Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth
of Jeremiah."[E]
[Footnote E: I. Nephi v: 10-13.]
Here is a direct reference to the Jewish Scriptures, in which five
books are accredited to Moses--the same number as in our present
Bible--and the prophecies of Jeremiah are also mentioned.
Then in a vision, in which the future was unfolded to Nephi, he saw
that a book would go from the Jews to the Gentiles, and that it
would be like the record upon the brass plates. This is the passage:
"The angel said unto me, Knowest thou the meaning of the book? And I
said unto him, I know not. And he said. Behold it proceedeth out of
the mouth of a Jew; and I, Nephi, beheld; and he said unto me, the
book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the
covenants of the Lord which he hath made unto the house of Israel;
and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets;
and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates
of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless they contain the
covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel;
wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles."[F]
[Footnote F: I. Nephi xiii: 21-23.]
Nephi further informs us that it was his practice to read frequently
to his people from these brass plates, that they might be informed
concerning the dealings of God with their forefathers; and all through
the Nephite Scriptures these brass plates are referred to. Moreover,
whole chapters, and sometimes several chapters together, especially
from the writings of Isaiah,[G] are transcribed from the brass
plates to the record made by Nephi; and comparing these transcribed
portions of the Old Testament found in the Book of Mormon with the
parts which correspond to them in our present English version of
the Jewish Scriptures, it will be seen that the difference is but
slight; substantially they agree. The circumstance not only proves the
authenticity of the Scriptures, but it is also a strong proof of the
integrity of our present version of them.
[Footnote G: See I. Nephi, chapters xx, xxi; II. Nephi vii, viii; also
II. Nephi, from the xii to xxiv.]
It is true the Book of Mormon informs us that many plain and precious
parts of this book, which proceeds from the mouth of the Jew, are taken
away and others corrupted, but that does not affect the statement I
make that the substantial agreement between these passages in the Book
of Mormon and Bible, proves, in the main, the integrity as well as the
authenticity of the Jewish Scriptures. Here, so far as the authenticity
of the Old Testament is concerned, I shall, for the present, rest my
case; and proceed with a like inquiry as to the New.