Any member of the LDS Church has been told reasons why the Book of Mormon “just can’t be true”. One of the most common that seems to persist in folk culture is the myth that Sidney Rigdon wrote the Book of Mormon by basing it on the Spaulding Manuscript. The manuscript that Spaulding wrote and tried to sell to a publisher in 1812 contains the story of a group of ancient Romans that sail to the American continent and populate it. Sidney Rigdon supposedly read this manuscript during his acquaintane with the publisher, and used it as a basis for what would become the Book of Mormon. The first half of this book, the eleventh book in the Faith-Promoting Series, was originally published by Deseret Book in 1883 examines both the story behind the manuscript and the claims that Rigdon wrote the Book of Mormon. It was published the year that Spaulding’s original manuscript was found in papers donated to Oberlin University. It details not only the differences between the manuscript and the Book of Mormon, but also gives additional information that may be useful when a member of the Church is asked to defend the Book of Mormon from detractors. Following the Faith-Promoting Series book, I have also included the text of the original Spaulding Manuscript as it has been transcribed from the original manuscript submitted to the published by Spaulding. As an adventure story it has some interesting moments, but it really can’t compare to the Book of Mormon in excitement or depth. I hope that you enjoy perusing it, and that someday it will come of use to you when discussing the Book of Mormon.

Authors determine that The Book of Mormon is an adaptation of an obscure historical novel. Read about their findings.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1883.

THE MYTH OF THE MANUSCRIPT FOUND BY GEORGE REYNOLDS Key features of this book: - Unabridged with 100% of it’s original content - Available in multiple formats: eBook, original paperback and large print paperback - Easy-to-read 12 pt. font size - Proper paragraph formatting with Indented first lines, 1.25 Line Spacing and Justified Paragraphs - Properly formatted for aesthetics and ease of reading. - Custom Table of Contents and Design elements for each chapter - The Copyright page has been placed at the end of the book, as to not impede the content and flow of the book. Original publication: 1883 The so-called "Spaulding story" has been for many years past the last refuge of those who have undertaken to prove that the Book of Mormon is not what it claims to be. All other hypothesis have long since been committed to limbo as too silly, too outrageous or too inconsistent even for a gullible anti-"Mormon" public. In this short treatise we have endeavored to prove the utter untenability of this theory. We have shown that the upholders of this myth are not only at variance with each other, but that all their assertions are inconsistent with the well-known facts associated with its discovery; and when we proceed further to examine the internal evidence of the book we very soon discover that the conglomeration of conjectures, guesses, suppositions, etc., of which this "Spaulding story" is formed is "as unstable as water" and utterly unworthy of belief. At Latter-day Strengths we have taken the time and care into formatting this book to make it the best possible reading experience. We specialize in publishing classic books for Latter-day Saints and have been publishing books since 2014. We now have over 500 book listings available for purchase. Enjoy!

In the nineteenth century, it was a common belief that Native Americans were the descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Ethan Smith wrote on this topic, and in so doing, challenged the dismissal of the Indigenous Americans by European settlers. Smith used biblical scripture, similarities in the Hebrew and Native American languages and their name for God, and other points of evidence to prove the connection between Israel and the First Nations. From there he showed how the reunited Hebrew tribes would be restored to Zion before the end of the world. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Smith's book is that it is said to have influenced the Book of Mormon, which was published about seven years after later. As a child, Smith moved away from religion after his parents died but found his way back before he turned 20 and worked in the ministry until his death. Smith wrote several books while serving in the ministry in which he explored prophecies and baptism, among other subjects. But this book remains one of the most controversial of all his publications.