_Elder B_. I know that many rumours and false statements are actively circulated concerning that book. Its true history I have just related. The book contains accounts of two separate and distinct races of people. The first were called Jaredites, and they emigrated from the tower of Babel. Being a righteous people, their language was not confounded, and they were led by the Lord over the ocean to the continent of America, where, occupying the northern portion principally, they became a numerous, powerful, civilized, and refined nation, and had Prophets living among them. But they finally degenerated and became corrupt, so much so, that, after inhabiting the land about fifteen or sixteen centuries, the Lord utterly destroyed them. The records of this people were engraved on twenty-four gold plates which were found by the second race who peopled this continent. This last race consisted of two colonies. The first were descendants of Joseph, and left Jerusalem in the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, about six hundred years before Christ, being directed by the Lord. They travelled by the borders of the Red Sea, then struck for the ocean, crossed the Pacific, and landed in South America. This colony, in the early part of their career, became divided into two parties. One party were termed Nephites, and were a righteous and enlightened people. The other were termed Lamanites, and became a wicked and ignorant people. The second colony were composed partly of the tribe of Judah. This people left Jerusalem in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, when the Jews were being carried captive to Babylon. These emigrants landed in North America, and soon after removed to the northern parts of South America, where, about four centuries after, they were discovered by the Nephites, in a partial state of civilization. These two peoples amalgamated, and became one great and enlightened people. Prophets existed among them. Jesus Christ himself visited them, after his resurrection, healed their sick, called twelve Apostles, and established his Church in {57} the land, in partial fulfilment of what he said to the Jews--"Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd."--John xiv. 16. _Mr. W_. But he did not bring them, and make them of one fold with the Jews, having one shepherd. I have always understood that this passage related to the Gentiles.