President Nelson taught, "Good inspiration is based upon good information." If you are a Latter-day Saint and haven't read Oliver Cowdery's 8 essays on Church history, including Letter VII, you need to read them to understand Church history, the Book of Mormon, and the related teachings of the prophets. “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking." –Haruki Murakami
This post discusses another aspect of the "two-sets-of-plates" scenario, looking at what Nephi said about the future Book of Mormon.
On this blog we've discussed the idea that Moroni put the abridged plates in the stone box on Cumorah, as indicated by the Title Page (the last leaf of the plates) and other extrinsic and historical evidence.
Joseph and Oliver completed the translation of those plates in Harmony, PA. Then Joseph gave those abridged plates to a messenger who took them to Cumorah. From the repository in Cumorah, the messenger picked up the plates of Nephi and took them to Fayette where Joseph translated them as 1 Nephi-Words of Mormon 1-11.
(see chart here: https://www.lettervii.com/p/the-two-sets-of-plates-schematic.html)
To review, the Lord told Oliver that when he finished helping Joseph translate "this record" (meaning the abridged plates), there would be "other records" that he would assist to translate.
1 Behold, I say unto you, my son, that because you did not translate according to that which you desired of me, and did commence again to write for my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., even so I would that ye should continue until you have finished this record, which I have entrusted unto him.
2 And then, behold, other records have I, that I will give unto you power that you may assist to translate.
(Doctrine and Covenants 9:1–2)
38 And now, verily I say unto you, that an account of those things that you have written, which have gone out of your hands, is engraven upon the plates of Nephi;39 Yea, and you remember it was said in those writings that a more particular account was given of these things upon the plates of Nephi.40 And now, because the account which is engraven upon the plates of Nephi is more particular concerning the things which, in my wisdom, I would bring to the knowledge of the people in this account—41 Therefore, you shall translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi, down even till you come to the reign of king Benjamin, or until you come to that which you have translated, which you have retained;42 And behold, you shall publish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words.(Doctrine and Covenants 10:38–42)
IOW, Joseph didn't have the plates of Nephi in Harmony. He wouldn't get them until the messenger brought them to Fayette.
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Aside from the extrinsic and historical evidence that Joseph Smith translated two separate sets of plates, we have a comment by Nephi that corroborates the two sets of plates scenario.
Nephi wrote, "And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews and the Gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed." (2 Nephi 30:3)
2 And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel;(2 Nephi 29:2)
Lots of interesting comments on the significance of North America:
https://youtu.be/iBIXTdBLQME?t=356
Excerpts:
so my point is let's
8:50
not get offended that God has said America is a choice land let's recognize that there are things for ordained by God for everyone but that there is something special here and let's not skip it because there are valuable things about recognizing this so verse seven this land is consecrated unto whom whom he shall bring I just read that and
A land consecrated
9:08
if it so be that they shall serve him now this is the condition according to the Commandments which he hath given it shall be a land of liberty unto them that's so important having a land of liberty is something special and it's a beacon to the world and can bless all kinds of Worlds as we know many countries have copied the Constitution of the United States or use that as a foundation for some of their own governance wherefore they shall never be brought into captivity now that's a really huge promise given the state of the world today and in other times where Liberty has been at risk if so it shall be because of iniquities this is a principle with a promise but we have to live the principle we have to worship the god of the land who is Jesus Christ right for if iniquity shall abound curse shall be the land for their sakes and for their sakes.
9:57
we're going to talk about that later with the the boundaries idea but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever can I just emphasize that last line unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever that is an incredible promise no matter what happens politically or governmentally or socially or whatever unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever that is a beautiful statement of comfort.
In 1973, it was still cool to discuss evidence of the Book of Mormon in Church magazines. Maybe that's why those of us who were living back then think it's still cool.
:)
No need for contention about any of this, of course. People can believe whatever we want. So long as we pursue clarity, charity and understanding, we'll see "no more contention" (Mosiah 1:1). Instead, we'll all be better education and make informed decisions.
Two possible routes of the voyage of Mulek and his followers to the New World “promised land” of the Book of Mormon have been proposed by Dr. and Sister Ross T. Christensen of Brigham Young University. Dr. Christensen is a professor of archaeology and anthropology; his wife is a graduate student in archaeology.
The Book of Mormon does not specify whether the Mulekites made their voyage to the Americas in the sixth century B.C. westward across the Atlantic Ocean or eastward across the Pacific. But since that history clearly indicates that they landed on the east coast of the “land northward,” the Christensens suggest that the Mulekites may have followed the Atlantic route.
A study of Atlantic Ocean currents together with other substantive information supports the feasibility of two possible routes that these early voyagers might have taken, according to the Christensens. One is a Mediterranean and North Atlantic route; the other is around Africa, then across the South Atlantic.
The sixth century before Christ was a time of extraordinary activity in exploration, trade, and colonization in the Mediterranean world and beyond. And the destruction of Jerusalem and the flight of Mulek and his people and others who were oppressed only accelerated a disposition to emigrate. Israelite colonies are believed to have existed at Cyprus, Crete, Libya, Jerba, and Carthage at the time of Jerusalem’s fall, some of them having been established, according to tradition, during the reigns of David and Solomon. Also dating from the period of David and Solomon was a tradition of Israelite commerce with the Phoenicians.
One hypothesis suggests that at least part of the colony that settled in America with Mulek was Phoenician, because the river Sidon, mentioned in the Book of Mormon, bears the name of the principal city of ancient Phoenicia, Sidon. Aided by Phoenician mariners and Hebrew colonists across the Mediterranean, Mulek’s group could have reached the Atlantic Ocean by traveling the length of the Mediterranean Sea. Once out on the Atlantic, Mulek would have entered into a powerful ocean current that sweeps southwestward from Spain and Portugal along the west coast of Africa, then veers westward across the Atlantic, continuing in an arc through the West Indies.
While the Christensens believe Mulek traveled this more direct route across the Atlantic, they have also considered the route around Africa and across the South Atlantic as another possibility.
A powerful ocean stream originates in the Indian Ocean in the vicinity of Madagascar, sweeps southward around the Cape of Good Hope, veers westward across the South Atlantic to a point on the north of the eastern tip of Brazil, and continues northward off the coast of South America until it merges with the current flowing across the North Atlantic. Thus, if a vessel were to embark on the Red Sea and hold course close to the eastern shore of Africa until it reached the vicinity of Madagascar, it could follow the currents to the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico.
Although twice as far as the Mediterranean route, this second possibility warrants consideration. It has been discovered that under orders of the Egyptian monarch Neccho II, Phoenician sailors in about 600 B.C. voyaged around the entire continent of Africa, and this was 2100 years before the same feat was accomplished by Vasco de Gama in 1498.
Another accomplishment about the time of the Mulekite voyage was an actual crossing of the Atlantic to America by Phoenician mariners who set sail in the Red Sea, taking the route around the Cape of Good Hope and across the South Atlantic to what is now Brazil. An ancient Phoenician inscription found at Paraiba, Brazil, sets the crossing between 534 and 531 B.C.
