History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 6Smith, Joseph, Jr.
History
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 6
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
Every day adds fresh testimony to the already accumulated evidence
on the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. At the time that book
was translated, there was very little known about ruined cities
and dilapidated buildings. The general presumption was that no
people possessing more intelligence than our present race of
Indians had ever inhabited this continent; and the accounts given
in the Book of Mormon concerning large cities and civilized
people having inhabited this land were generally disbelieved and
pronounced a humbug. Priest, since then, has thrown some light on
this interesting subject. [Stephens, in his "Incidents of Travels
in Central America," has thrown in a flood of testimony, and from
the following statements it is evident that the Book of Mormon does
not give a more extensive account of large and populous cities than
those discovered demonstrate to be even now in existence.--Ed.]
_(Article from the Texas Telegraph, October 11.)_
We have been informed by a gentleman who has traversed a large
portion of the Indian country of Northern Texas, and the country
{54} lying between Santa Fe and the Pacific, that there are
vestiges of ancient cities and ruined castles or temples on the Rio
Puerco, and on the Colorado of the West.
He says that on one of the branches of the Rio Puerco, a few days'
travel from Santa Fe, there is an immense pile of ruins that
appear to belong to an ancient temple. Portions of the walls are
still standing, consisting of huge blocks of limestone regularly
hewn and laid in cement. The building occupies an extent of more
than an acre. It is two or three stories high, has no roof, but
contains many rooms, generally of a square form, without windows;
and the lower rooms are so dark and gloomy that they resemble
caverns rather than the apartments of an edifice built for a human
habitation.
Our informant did not give the style of architecture, but he
believes it could not be erected by Spaniards or Europeans, as the
stones are much worn by the rains, and indicate that the building
has stood many hundred years. From his description, we are induced
to believe that it resembles the ruins of Palenque or Otulum.
He says there are many similar ruins on the Colorado of the West,
which empties in the Californian sea. In one of the valleys of
the Cordilleras traversed by this river, and about four hundred
miles from its mouth, there is a large temple still standing, its
walls and spires presenting scarcely any traces of dilapidation;
and were it not for the want of a roof, it might still be rendered
habitable. Near it, scattered along the declivity of a mountain,
are the ruins of what must have been once a large city.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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