Journal of Book of Mormon Studies Volume 20 Number 1 Article 7 1-31-2011 Journal of The Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture Volume 20 Issue 1 Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Scholarship, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious (2011) "Journal of The Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture Volume 20 Issue 1," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Vol. 20 : No. 1 , Article 7. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol20/iss1/7 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. “Martin Harris Will Redeeming 2011 Light: Nahom, Ishmael’s Be Here in Time” The Dead VOLUME 20 A Masterful Symbol Burial Place 5 28 NUMBER 1 52 66 FRONT COVER: Irreantum WALTER RANE • 2011 And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish. And we beheld the sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many waters (1 Nephi 17:5). © 2011 Walter Rane. All rights reserved. OF JournalTHE Book of Mormon AND OTHER RESTORATION SCRIPTURE VOLUME 20 • NUMBER 1 • 2011 5 “REST ASSURED, MARTIN HARRIS WILL BE HERE IN TIME” Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter Martin Harris, a witness of the Book of Mormon, remained firm in his testi- mony of that book but delayed joining the Saints in Utah until 1870, when he was 87 years old. 28 52 66 69 REDEEMING THE DEAD: LIGHT: ON LEHI’S TRAIL: NAHOM, CLASSICS FROM THE PAST: TENDER MERCIES, A MASTERFUL SYMBOL ISHMAEL’S BURIAL PLACE LITERARY STYLE USED TURNING OF HEARTS, IN BOOK OF MORMON AND RESTORATION OF Richard Dilworth Rust Stephen D. Ricks INSURED ACCURATE AUTHORITY TRANSLATION Light is symbolically connected The place-name Nahom, David L. Paulsen, with truth and wisdom and is mentioned in the Book of Hugh Nibley Kendel J. Christensen, and also associated with scriptural Mormon as Ishmael’s burial Martin Pulido events such as the creation, the place, is at home in the Book of Hugh Nibley responds to a question by an interested non- This third installment in a four- pillar of fire in the wilderness, Mormon milieu on the basis of the birth of Jesus, and Joseph archaeological, geographical, member of the Church regard- part series discusses historical ing the formal English style of responses to the doctrine of Smith’s vision of the Father and and historical grounds. the Son. the Book of Mormon and other baptism for the dead and post- oft-cited criticisms. mortem evangelization. Letters to the Editor, p. 2 A PUBLICATION OF THE NEAL A. MAXWELL INSTITUTE FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOLARSHIP AT BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY OF JournalTHE Book of Mormon AND OTHER RESTORATION SCRIPTURE LETTERS VOLUME 20 • NUMBER 1 • 2011 My Window into Church History Published by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship I am very impressed by the content of the latest issues of Studies in the Bible EDITOR and Antiquity, the FARMS Review, and the Paul Y. Hoskisson Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture. PRODUCTION EDITOR Thank you for bringing scholarship Shirley S. Ricks to me in such a wonderful and under- EDITORIAL STAFF standable fashion. I am disabled and live Alison V. P. Coutts in a rural area. Our closest libraries do Don L. Brugger not have the resources and need to stock Paula W. Hicken their shelves with the books about Jesus Sandra A. Thorne Christ and his church that I would like Julie A. Davis to study. Your publications and website DESIGN are my window into church history and Stephen Hales Creative, Inc. ancient scriptures. Words simply cannot convey my deep © 2011 All rights reserved gratitude for all you do to enhance my life in many wonderful and spiritual ways. Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture TIMOTHY CORLESS (ISSN 1065-9366) is a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to promoting understanding of the history, meaning, and significance of the scriptures and other sacred texts revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith. These “The Great and Marvelous Change” include the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. Since I had previously developed my views on “the great and marvelous Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture is change which had taken place,” I was published twice a year. For subscription information, see interested in reading Clifford P. Jones’s http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/subscribe. essay on the topic (19/2 [2010]: 50–63). I had found compelling evidence, as Jones Back issues of the Journal are on the Internet at jbmrs.byu.edu. does, that the gathering of the multitude occurred up to a year after the destruc- SUBMITTING ARTICLES tion and that it was a planned meeting Contributions dealing with all aspects of these texts and their contents are of the faithful. Too, I had previously invited, including textual, historical, cultural, archaeological, and philological found, in Jones’s words, that “the phrase studies. To be considered for publication, submissions must be consistent great and marvelous occurs 25 times in with a faithful Latter-day Saint perspective and make a significant contribution to our understanding. Only completed manuscripts will be the Book of Mormon. In virtually every considered for publication. Manuscripts should be submitted instance it is used to describe positive electronically to [email protected]. words, power, or events.” Also, the only changes described in the Book of Submission guidelines, including a style guide, are found at Mormon as mighty or great are affirma- http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?guidelines. tive ones such as the Spirit of the Lord having “wrought a mighty change” in King Benjamin’s people (Mosiah 5:2). However, Jones argues that the multi- tude met to contemplate and discuss the atonement, while I see the “great and marvelous change” referring to the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship cleansing and purification of the land. Brigham Young University Righteous Nephite people antici- Provo, Utah 84602-5990 USA pated two great events: the mortal birth Phone: 801.422.9229 • Toll-free: 800.327.6715 and ministry of Jesus and his promised FAX: 801.422.0040 visit to the Nephites after his resurrec- E-mail: [email protected] Web: jbmrs.byu.edu 2 VOLUME 20 • NUMBER 1 • 2011 Those who gathered at the temple in Bountiful had long anticipated and prepared for their experience, having been taught that Jesus “would appear unto them after his resurrection” (Alma 16:20). One can imagine a continuing heritage of anticipation among the faithful. tion. Just as Nephite Saints knew the great destruction (see 3 Nephi 8:5 and Day of Atonement Gathering approximate time of Jesus’s birth (e.g., 10:18), surely the people had long since I have enjoyed the Journal of the Book through prophecies by Lehi and Samuel observed the change in the landscape. of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture the Lamanite), so they knew in advance What makes more sense to me is that for many years. I especially appreciated when and where the resurrected Savior the “great and marvelous change” was Clifford P. Jones’s article, “The Great would visit them in the New World. the “end of the world”—that is, the and Marvelous Change: An Alternate Those who gathered at the temple in destruction of the wicked (Matthew 13:39 Interpretation” (19/2 [2010]: 50–63). Bountiful had long anticipated and pre- JST). In this cleansed environment, the Brother Jones’s ideas seem to be in har- pared for their experience, having been righteous remnants could freely and mony with Professor John Welch’s lec- taught that Jesus “would appear unto faithfully converse “about this Jesus tures when Welch substituted for Hugh them after his resurrection” (Alma 16:20). Christ, of whom the sign had been given Nibley in his Book of Mormon honors One can imagine a continuing heritage concerning his death” (3 Nephi 11:2). class. Welch expressed the opinion that of anticipation among the faithful. For Saints today who are preparing the gathering of the men, women, and instance, Mormon connects some righ- themselves and their posterity for the children might have been at the usual teous members of the church described second coming of the Savior might see time and place of the Day of Atonement in Alma 16 with persons 112 years later a type in the account of the Nephites and/or Feast of Tabernacles. This would who continued their ancestors’ belief assembled at the Bountiful temple. We account for the religious nature of the system and were carefully prepared in can sing to “our Lord who soon will gathering and the searching attitude of advance to be at the Bountiful Temple reign / On this earth when it shall be / those assembled for further light on the and meet the Savior when he came. Both Cleansed from all iniquity.” meaning of the Feast and the Atonement, peoples were Zionlike: “there was no RICHARD DILWORTH RUST which had just occurred. See John Welch, inequality among them”; “they had all “3 Nephi 11: The Sermon at the Temple; things common among them” (Alma Law and Covenant,” in Hugh Nibley, 16:16; 4 Nephi 1:3); and similar forms Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 4, of wickedness were done away such as lecture 97 (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1990), 124.