Here is an excerpt from Letter IV:
"He then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers, and also gave a history of the aborigines of this country, and said they were literal descendants of Abraham. He represented them as once being an enlightened and intelligent people, possessing a cerrect [correct] knowledge of the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother's privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain, and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record."
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Let's break it down a bit.
He then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers,
[Oliver provided a detailed list and analysis of the verses Moroni quoted.]
and also gave a history of the aborigines of this country,
["this country" could refer to the immediate vicinity or the nation in which he spoke to Joseph; i.e., the United States. This is the same language Joseph used in the Wentworth letter.]
and said they were literal descendants of Abraham.
["literal" suggests there should be DNA evidence]
He represented them as once being an enlightened and intelligent people, possessing a cerrect [correct] knowledge of the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place,
[It was "written and deposited" near Joseph's house, meaning Mormon and Moroni lived in the vicinity when they abridged the record.]
and that it was our brother's privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain, and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record.
"He then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers, and also gave a history of the aborigines of this country, and said they were literal descendants of Abraham. He represented them as once being an enlightened and intelligent people, possessing a cerrect [correct] knowledge of the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother's privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain, and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record."
_____
Let's break it down a bit.
He then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers,
[Oliver provided a detailed list and analysis of the verses Moroni quoted.]
and also gave a history of the aborigines of this country,
["this country" could refer to the immediate vicinity or the nation in which he spoke to Joseph; i.e., the United States. This is the same language Joseph used in the Wentworth letter.]
and said they were literal descendants of Abraham.
["literal" suggests there should be DNA evidence]
He represented them as once being an enlightened and intelligent people, possessing a cerrect [correct] knowledge of the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place,
[It was "written and deposited" near Joseph's house, meaning Mormon and Moroni lived in the vicinity when they abridged the record.]
and that it was our brother's privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain, and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record.
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