I trust you remember Oliver Cowdery giving a lengthy description and discussing the matter of the papyrus in the LATTER DAY SAINTS’ MESSENGER AND ADVOCATE periodical of the Church. The saints recently acquired the papyrus and mummies and elder Cowdery was quite informative in telling the members about these discoveries. Much anticipation and excitement existed among the saints as they awaited the translation of the Book of Abraham & Joseph.
But on that note, let it be made perfectly clear that these works to come forth would become additional scripture for the Church. I think Oliver Cowerdy’s concluding statement in his informative article makes this crystal clear and let’s do remind ourselves that he was Joseph Smith’s right-hand man. Cowdery was in effect Smith’s mouthpiece and spoke to the entire Church much like Aaron might have for Moses. When Cowdery made this statement he was the Assistant President of the Church and was recognized as representing the prophet’s motives and intentions. I think we can agree that nobody understood Smith’s intentions regarding the papyrus better than Oliver Cowdery.
Oliver Cowdery, MESSENGER AND ADVOCATE, p. 237 wrote:Though the Mummies themselves are a curiosity, and an astonishment, well calculated to arouse the mind to a reflection of past ages, when men strove, as at this day, to immortalize their names, though in another manner, yet I do not consider them of much value compared with those records which were deposited with them.
If Providence permits, I will, ere long, write you again upon the propriety of looking for additions to our present scriptures, according to their own literal reading.
Believe' me to be, sir, sincerely and truly, your brother in the bonds of the new and everlasting covenant.
OLIVER COWDERY.