“And I, Nephi, beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof, and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship there of was exceeding fine; and I saw. the blade thereof was of most precious steel.” p. 13.
This is the earliest account of steel to-be found.in, history. Alexander the Great who lived about three hundred years after the period here spoken of, employed iron for points to his implements of war, as Josephus tells us; and the same author says, that he complained that his weapons were so easily blunted; now, if steel had been in use, either at Rome, Jerusalem, or Damascus, at the time here spoken of, in Alexander’s time it would, have been, common, and he would have used it for his weapons instead of iron. Damascus was once famous for manufacturing: swords, but it was long after the Christian era. A coarse kind of steel, or iron carbonated, was used in the days of Julius Caesar, about one hundred years before Christ.
Lehi comes out with a marvelous prophecy, considering the period in which it is made; not so much on account of the prophecy as the language, in which he uses to express it. After the doctrine of the fall is explained, he speaks of the Messiah, arid calls John by name, and quotes the words from Isaiah, or Matthew’s gospel: ” Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make his paths straight.;” and continues, ” for there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoes’ latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” — John I. 26-7. Here is another miracle m choosing the exact language of King James.’ translation, more than two thousand years before it was arranged, and six hundred before the sentiment was uttered.
Lehi speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the son of God. ‘And the son of God was the Messiah. Let us compare the above sentiments with the declarations and views of the inspired writers of the New Testament. “But when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the father,” &c. John XV. 26. From this we should infer, that the Holy Ghost was yet in anticipation, because he is promised; and to confirm our view of this subject, we will cite a few other passages. ” It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away the. comforter will not come unto you.” John XIV, 7. “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” John 16, 8. ” But ye shall receive, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you.” Acts I, 8. In the second chapter of the Acts, we find alt the above promises fulfilled.
Lehi continues his preaching, speaks of John and of the Virgin Mary, and calls her the ” mother of God, “and declares the way of salvation, by Jesus Christ, through faith and repentance, p. 25.
Our hero Nephi, next presents himself in the drama, as a dreamer and a prophet, and is more explicit as to particular incidents than his father. In his vision, he is made acquainted with all the particulars of our Savior’s birth and life, to his baptism, which he witnesses, and sees the Holy Ghost descend in the form of a dove, and abide upon him. It is worthy of remark, that no circumstance is mentioned by Nephi, in relation to the life and ministry of our Savior, only what can be found in the New Testament.
Nephi’s vision takes up about ten pages, from page 25, and gives, as his own views, a cursory account of the popular doctrines which have been agitated since the Reformation. To give credit to the pretense, that Nephi, living six hundred ^rears before the Christian era, could, or would, have had the name of Jesus and of John revealed in preference to any other prophet, is repugnant to common sense, and in direct violence to the universal belief of those who have ever been distinguished for piety, and a critical knowledge of the holy Bible. Besides, we cannot reconcile a view of revealed truth, with a disquisition on Church schisms, such as we find in Nephi’s vision. If the Book of Mormon is a revealed truth from God, we are compelled, irresistibly, to conclude, that Paul was mistaken when he said the twelve apostles of the Lamb, developed certain secrets which were hid from ages and generations, and were ordained before the. world to their glory, that they should have the honor of announcing them.
The last of which uttered a falsehood, because he speaks of three* days of darkness at the time of the crucifixion, p. 51.