Such are the events, such is the remedy for the past and present evils. CHAPTER IV. RISE, PROGRESS, DECLINE, AND LOSS OF THE SCIENCE OF THEOLOGY ON THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, AS BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE LATE DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT AMERICAN RECORDS. The spirit world is moved, the silence broken, The ancient Seers from out the ground have spoken. The appointed years on time's fleet wings have fled. And voices whisper from the ancient dead. Volumes of truth the sacred archives yield. The past, the glorious future, stand revealed. We are now, of necessity, carried back in our research to the cradle of nations, the Tower of Babel, in order to trace the history of this wonderful science, from the first emigration of a colony to the western hemisphere, till its final decline and overthrow, for the knowledge of which we are indebted to many ancient records, written by the fathers, or ancient students and professors of this science, on the western hemisphere. Among these we will make honourable mention of the Prophets Jared, Ether, Lehi, Nephi, Mosiah, Alma, Abinadi, Mormon, and Moroni, who wrote and prophesied in the western hemisphere, during the several ages intervening between the time of the dispersion at Babel, and the fifth century of the Christian era. By the science of Theology Jared and his brother led a colony from the great tower to the sea coast, conversing with the Lord, and walking by the light of His revelations on the way. By this science they were instructed in the building of eight barges similar to the ark of Noah. By this science their leader saw God, face to face, and talked with Him in plain humility, as one man talks with another, thus obtaining a knowledge of His future coming and Kingdom, and of the great events of all ages and generations. By this science they were preserved on the great waters three hundred and forty-four days, and were then landed, with their eight barges, in the western hemisphere, together with their women, children, cattle, and seeds of every kind. By this science they became a great nation, peopling the entire continent, and enjoying all the blessings of civilization and heavenly light. By the abuse and neglect of it they were at length exterminated, in the days of their Prophet Ether, who lived about six hundred years before Christ came in the flesh. By this science the Prophets Lehi and Nephi came out with a colony from Jerusalem, in the days of Jeremiah the Prophet, and after wandering for eight years in the wilderness of Arabia, came to the sea coast, built a vessel, obtained from the Lord a compass to guide them on the way, and finally landed in safety on the coast of what is now called Chili, in South America. By this science they also became a great nation, enjoyed many visions, had the ministering of angels, and of many Prophets, by which means they knew of the coming, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.