Mr. Smith continued the work of translation, as his pecuniary circumstances would permit, until he finished the unsealed part of the records. The part translated is entitled the Book of Moi'inon, which contains nearly as much reading as the Old Testament. This volume purports to be a history of ancient America, from its early settlement by a colony who came from the Tower of Babel at the confusion of languages, to the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian aira. By these rec- ords we are informed that America, in ancient times^ was inhabited by two distinct races of people. The first, or more ancient race, came directly from the great Tower, being called Jaredites. The second race came directly from the city of Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ, being Israelites, principally the de- scendants of Joseph. The first nation, or Jaredites, were destroyed about the time that the Israelites came from Jerusalem, who succeeded them in the inheritance of the country. The principal nation of the second race fell in battle towards the close of the fourth century. The remaining remnant, having dwindled into an un- civilized state, still continue to inhabit the land, al- though divided into a "multitude of nations," and are called b}^ Europeans the "American Indians." We learn from the same history that at the confusion of lan- guages, when the Lord scattered the people upon all the face of the earth, the Jaredites, being a righteous peo- ple, obtained favor in the sight of the Lord, and were not confounded. Because of their righteousness, the Lord miraculously led them from the Tower to the great ocean, where they were commanded to build vessels, in which they were marvellously brought across the great deep to the shores of North America. The Lord God promised to give them America, which was a very choice land in his sight, for an inheritance; and he swore unto them in his wrath that whoso should pos- sess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them, and they were fully ripened in iniquity. Moreover, he promised to make them a great and powerful nation, so that there should be no greater nation upon all the face of the earth. Accordingly in process of time they became a very numerous and powei- ful people, occupying principally North America ; build- ing large cities in all quarters of the land, being a civil- ized and enlightened nation. Agriculture and machin- ery were carried on to a great extent. Commercial and manufacturing business flourished on every hand ; yet, in consequence of wickedness, they were often visited with terrible judgments. Many prophets were raised up among them from generation to generation, who tes- tified against the wickedness of the people, and prophe- sied of judgments and calamities which awaited them if they did not repent, etc. Sometimes they were visited by pestilence and plagues, and sometimes by famine and war, until at length (having occupied the land some fifteen or sixteen hundred years) tlieir wickedness be- came so great that the Lord threatened by the mouth of his prophets to utterly destroy them from the face of the land. But they gave no heed to these warn- ings; therefore the word of the Lord was fulfilled, and they were entirely destroyed — leaving their houses, their cities, and their land desolate; and their sacred records also, which were kept on gold plates, were left by one of their last prophets, whose name was Ether, in such a situation that they were discovered by the remnant of Joseph, who soon afterwards were brought from Jerusalem to inherit the land. This remnant of Joseph were also led in a miraculous manner from Je- rusalem, in the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah. They were first led to the eastern borders of the Red Sea; then they journeyed for some time along the borders thereof, nearly in a south-east direc-
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tion ; after which they altered their course nearly east- ward, until they came to the great waters, where, by the command of God, they built a vessel, in which they were safely brought across the great Pacific Ocean, and landed upon the western coast of South America. In the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, at the time the Jews were carried away captive into Babylon, an- other remnant were brought out of Jerusalem, some of whom were descendants of Judah. They landed in North America, soon after which they emigrated into the northern parts of .South America, at which place they were discovered by the remnant of Joseph, some- thing like four hundred years after. The same rec- ords inform us that this remnant of Joseph, soon after they landed, separated themselves into two distinct nations. This division was caused by a certain por- tion of them being greatly persecuted, because of their righteousness, by the remainder. The persecuted na- tion emigrated to the northern parts of South Amer- ica, leaving the wicked nation in possession of the mid- dle and southern parts of the same. The former were called Nephites, being led by a prophet whose name was Ncphi. The latter were called Lamanites, being led by a very wicked man whose name was Laman. The Nephites had in their possession a copy of the Holy Scriptures, viz. the rive books of Moses and the prophecies of the holy prophets down to Jeremiah, in whose days they left Jerusalem. These Scriptures were engraved on plates of brass in the Egj'ptian lan- guage. They themselves also made plates soon after their landing, on which they began to engrave their own history, prophecies, visions, and revelations. All these sacred records were kept by holy and right- eous men, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost, and were carefully preserved and handed down from gen- eration to generation. The Lord gave them the whole continent for a land of promise, and he promised that tlicy and their children after them should inherit it, on condition of their obedience to his command- ments; but if they were disobedient they should be cut off from his presence. The Nephites began to prosper in the land, according to their righteousness ; and the_v multiplied and spread forth to the east, and west, and north — building large villages, cities, syna- gogues, and temples, together with forts, towers, and fortifications to defend themselves against their ene- mies. They cultivated the earth, and raised various kinds of grain in abundance. They also raised nu- merous flocks of domestic animals, and became a very wealthy people, having in abundance gold, silver, cop- per, tin, iron, etc. Arts and sciences flourished to a great extent. Various kinds of machinery were in use. Cloths of various kinds were manufactured; swords, scimitars, axes, and various implements of war were made, together with head -shields, arm -shields, and breastplates to defend themselves in battle with their enemies. In tlie days of their righteousness they were a civilized, enlightened, and happy people. But, on the otlier hand, the Lamanites, because of the hard- ness of their hearts, brought down many judgments upon their own heads ; nevertheless they were not de- stroyed as a nation; but the Lord God sent forth a curse upon them, and tliey became a dark, loathsome, and filthy people. Before their rebellion they were white and exceedingly fair, like the Nephites; but the Lord (iod cursed them in their complexions, and they were changed to a dark color ; and they became a wild, savage, and ferocious people, being great enemies to the Nephites, whom they sought by every means to destroy. Many times they came against them with their numerous hosts to battle, but were repulsed by the Nephites and driven l)ack to their own posses- sions, not, however, generally speaking, without great loss on both sides; for tens of thousands were very fre- quently slain, after which they were piled together in great heajjs u\w\\ the face of the ground, and covered with a shallow covering of earth, which will account