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John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago Democrat, wrote Joseph Smith in 1842 to request information about the Church for a friend who was writing a history of New Hampshire. The "Wentworth Letter" was written by the Prophet Joseph Smith in response to this inquiry. The letter contains a brief History of the Church to 1842, including the key events in the restoration of the gospel. It states that the purpose of the Church is to take the gospel to every nation and prepare a people for the Millennium. The letter also describes concisely the origin, contents, and translation of the Book of Mormon. It concludes with thirteen doctrinal statements that have since become known as the Articles of Faith and are published in the Pearl of Great Price (HC 4:535-41). The contents of this letter were published March 1, 1842, in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons. There is no evidence that Wentworth or his friend, George Barstow, ever published it. In response to other inquiries in 1844, Joseph Smith sent revised copies of this letter to several publishers of works about various churches and religious groups.

On the evening on the 21st of September, A.D. 1823, while I was praying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in the precious promises of Scripture, on a sudden a light like that of day, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance and brightness, burst into the room, indeed the first sight was as though the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance produced a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment a personage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than that with which I was already surrounded. This messenger proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the Gospel in all its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious dispensation.

I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of this country and shown who they were, and from whence they came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws, governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people, was made known unto me; I was also told where were deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the ancient Prophets that had existed on this continent.

In this important and interesting book the history of ancient America is unfolded, from its first settlement by a colony that came from the Tower of Babel, at the confusion of languages to the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian Era. We are informed by these records that America in ancient times has been inhabited by two distinct races of people. The first were called Jaredites, and came directly from the Tower of Babel. The second race came directly from the city of Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ. They were principally Israelites, of the descendants of Joseph. The 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 remnant are the Indians that now inhabit this country.

In the Wentworth Letter Joseph Smith reports that the Angel Moroni, on his first visit gave him a brief sketch of the aboriginal peoples. He is then told that he will find

QUOTE
Wentworth letter
an abridgment of the records of the ancient Prophets that had existed on this continent


Nowhere does he state that the record was the same as the sketch he recieved from Moroni. I know that this is a technicallity and that it is reasonable to assume that they were talking about the same thing. It is also reasonable to assume that Joseph Smith impied this in his attempt to give a brief but accurate presentation of the facts relative to the restoration and coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

However, it is also reasonable to assume that by calling it a brief sketch that he was aware that it was not a complete statement relative to the origen of all of those who had ever inhabited this continent.

When you get right down to it, what Joseph thought was based on his concept and understanding of what he heard and remembered. It is the text of the Book of Mormon that is the final arbiter in determining what occured in the Americas relative to the cultures whose records are summarized in its pages.


Larry P

You're probably correct. If Joseph Smith had lived to a ripe old age, and had eventually had the opportunity to read the text critically, he would no doubt have come to the same conclusions that many of us have reached, who have been able to read it repeatedly over the course of a leisurely lifetime. Unfortunately, Joseph didn't have that luxury during his life.

Nowadays, serious students of the Book of Mormon have reached a near-consensus on what the text tells us. The only people who attempt to hold us to the antiquated exegesis of some early (and mostly casual) students, are those who are motivated by their disbelief in the book's antiquity.

I have identified numerous evidences, some nearly-explicit, others quite subtle, of "others" in the Book of Mormon. These evidences have been delineated in several threads on this message board (and others) over the past few years.

Of course, there is no convincing the motivated disbeliever. People like cinepro (and many others) are determined to force their disbelief on the rest of us. I just can't understand why cinepro, and his cohorts, don't have the courage to conform their lives to what would appear to be the dictates of their disbelief. How can you continue attending LDS church meetings from week to week while harboring such a hardened conviction of its fraudulence? Why should we not equate your lack of intellectual integrity in this respect with your inability to objectively consider the evidence that would contradict your fundamentalistic exegetical assertions?

beastie wrote:Here's one attempt to deal with this from an apologist:

In the Wentworth Letter Joseph Smith reports that the Angel Moroni, on his first visit gave him a brief sketch of the aboriginal peoples. He is then told that he will find

QUOTE
Wentworth letter
an abridgment of the records of the ancient Prophets that had existed on this continent


Nowhere does he state that the record was the same as the sketch he recieved from Moroni. I know that this is a technicallity and that it is reasonable to assume that they were talking about the same thing. It is also reasonable to assume that Joseph Smith impied this in his attempt to give a brief but accurate presentation of the facts relative to the restoration and coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

However, it is also reasonable to assume that by calling it a brief sketch that he was aware that it was not a complete statement relative to the origen of all of those who had ever inhabited this continent.

When you get right down to it, what Joseph thought was based on his concept and understanding of what he heard and remembered. It is the text of the Book of Mormon that is the final arbiter in determining what occured in the Americas relative to the cultures whose records are summarized in its pages.


Larry P

http://www.mormonapologetics.org/index. ... tter&st=20

Then will goes on to talk about how there's just no convincing the "motivated disbeliever":

You're probably correct. If Joseph Smith had lived to a ripe old age, and had eventually had the opportunity to read the text critically, he would no doubt have come to the same conclusions that many of us have reached, who have been able to read it repeatedly over the course of a leisurely lifetime. Unfortunately, Joseph didn't have that luxury during his life.

Nowadays, serious students of the Book of Mormon have reached a near-consensus on what the text tells us. The only people who attempt to hold us to the antiquated exegesis of some early (and mostly casual) students, are those who are motivated by their disbelief in the book's antiquity.

I have identified numerous evidences, some nearly-explicit, others quite subtle, of "others" in the Book of Mormon. These evidences have been delineated in several threads on this message board (and others) over the past few years.

Of course, there is no convincing the motivated disbeliever. People like cinepro (and many others) are determined to force their disbelief on the rest of us. I just can't understand why cinepro, and his cohorts, don't have the courage to conform their lives to what would appear to be the dictates of their disbelief. How can you continue attending LDS church meetings from week to week while harboring such a hardened conviction of its fraudulence? Why should we not equate your lack of intellectual integrity in this respect with your inability to objectively consider the evidence that would contradict your fundamentalistic exegetical assertions?

It's amazing, isn't it? Here you have clear evidence, in the Wentworth Letter, that Joseph Smith was taught by one of its former inhabitants that the Lehites were the first settlers, the aboriginal natives, of the New World which directly contradicts LGT. And yet apologists like Will act as if disbelievers are just being stubborn!! Amazing!!!

It is the text of the Book of Mormon that is the final arbiter in determining what occurred in the Americas relative to the cultures whose records are summarized in its pages.

I think we must never forget that, if there is a serious point to posting about LDS issues, it is not and never can be to get (for instance) bcspace or Coggins/Droopy, or even Schryver, to say "Goodness me! The whole Joseph Smith farrago is completely unbelievable! Now I shall have to find something else to base the rest of my life on. Can any of you exmos help me with some suggestions?"

No - the point is to get the silent readers of the board to see just how ridiculous the apologist position is. And a post like the one you have quoted is just the sort of thing that is needed to achieve that.

It is the text of the Book of Mormon that is the final arbiter in determining what occurred in the Americas relative to the cultures whose records are summarized in its pages.

beastie wrote:The text of the Book is the result of Joseph Smith' revelations. Joseph Smith's statements in the Wentworth letter are also a result of Joseph Smith' revelations.

In other words, apologists like willie ask us to accept one as reliable, and the other as irrelevant and unreliable.

So the first settlers of America were the Jaredites.

bcspace wrote:

So the first settlers of America were the Jaredites.

I don't see anything in the quotes you provided to indicate this. I think your premise is therefore, faulty.

In this important and interesting book the history of ancient America is unfolded, from its first settlement by a colony that came from the Tower of Babel

Who Knows wrote:Are you and will sharing the same crackpipe? Dats sum goood sh!t you got there.

In this important and interesting book the history of ancient America is unfolded, from its first settlement by a colony that came from the Tower of Babel