far as architectural remains are concerned in the most northern parts occupied by them have very largely perished, as well in the north as in the south, except perhaps to the extent that they may have rebuilt and reoccupied some of the old Jaredite cities in the north continent. An Israelitish origin, then, is what is required for the second race inhabiting America; a landing in South America; a gradual movement northward until they took possession of the north as well as the south continent; their civilization of a lighter order so far as expressed in solidity of buildings or the number of cities, and spread over a more extensive area than that of the Jaredites; an intermixture of the monuments of the one, with the ruins of the other; knowledge of the Mosaic institutions and history of the ancient world, through the Hebrew scriptures; special signs at Messiah's birth, and appalling cataclysms throughout the land at his crucifixion; the appearing of Messiah to them and the establishment of a Christian church; the overthrow of the Nephite government and civilization about the opening of the fifth century A. D. These are the main facts for which we seek proofs in American antiquities, so far as the Nephite period of the Book of Mormon is concerned. Of course it may be possible that in the present state of knowledge of American antiquities evidences for all these facts may not now be obtainable; but if evidences tending to prove them can be pointed out at all, it will be so much in favor of the Book of Mormon. Meantime the reader should be cautioned not to expect too much from the character of the evidence now to be considered, nor should he be discouraged if in quantity and clearness it falls below his expectations. It must be remembered that examination of our American antiquities, especially in Central America, has not yet been made as thoroughly as it will be; there are many buried cities and other monuments yet to be heard from, [9] as also, a better understanding of those monuments of ancient American civilization already brought to light. Moreover, it should be remembered that for many ages the Bible stood practically without the advantages of monumental testimony in its support. Not until modern times have learned men penetrated the eastern countries to return ladened with exact knowledge of monumental testimony to the truth of the Bible. Not until the discovery and translation of the Rosetta Stone, early in the last century, was an impetus given to explorations in Egypt, the Sinaitic Peninsula, Palestine and the Euphrates valley--Bible lands--resulting in that collection of collateral evidence for the truth of the Bible noted in a former chapter. One should not be impatient, then, if the Book of Mormon has to wait some time yet for the development of that fulness of monumental testimony to its truth which I am sure lies hidden in the, as yet, imperfectly known, and still less perfectly understood, antiquities of the western hemisphere.