In the second remark referred to a moment since, I would call attention to the fact that there exists evidence which leads one to believe that the Nephites constructed their buildings of perishable material; chiefly, I think, of wood, a circumstance which will go far towards accounting for the fact that there is but little evidence of the existence of a great civilized nation possessing temples, synagogues, palaces, etc., in the northern part of North America. The Nephite civilization rose to its highest development previous to the coming of the Messiah in the south part of the north continent. The reasons for this conclusion are to be found in several passages of the Book of Mormon, where the specific statement is made that the people were taught to work in all manner of wood, iron, copper, etc.; but no mention is made of their being skilled in the working of stone. For example, the first Nephi says: "And I did teach my people to build buildings; and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance." [6] Again, in the book of Jarom, it is written: "And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceeding rich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war." [7] After migrations into the north continent began, one of the things which seemed to be a cause of regret on the part of the Nephites was the lack of timber in that land. Referring to this, Mormon, in his abridgment of Helaman's reference to it, says: "And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber. * * * And there being but little timber upon the face of the land [northward], nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert in the working of cement; therefore they _did build houses of cement in the which they did dwell_;" but this period brings them into the south part of the north continent. "And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their synagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings. And it came to pass as timber was exceeding scare in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping; and thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement." [8] These statements, I believe, justify the conclusion that the Nephites, in the main, used timber--perishable material--for building purposes, and hence the monuments of their civilization so