| 545 "Many years ago, the precise date I do not now recollect, a plain looking countryman called upon me with a letter from Dr. Samuel L. Mitchel, requesting me to examine, and give my opinion upon a certain paper, marked with various characters, which the Doctor confessed he could not decipher, and which the bearer of the note was very anxious to have explained. A very brief examination of the paper convinced me that it was a mere hoax, and a very clumsy one too. The characters were arranged in columns like the Chinese mode of writing, and presented the most singular medley that I ever beheld. Greek, Hebrew, and all sort of letters, more or less distorted, either through unskilfullness or from actual designs, were intermingled with sundry delineations of half moons, stars, and other natural objects, and the whole ended in a rude representation of the Mexican Zodiac." I suppose that Proff. Anthon considered that this would be an incontrovertable [incontrovertible] argument against the Book of Mormon; but let us see: The celebrated antiquarian Proff. Rafinesque says, in speaking of the writing found on the ruins of the stone city found in Mexico, "The glyphs of Otolum are written from top to bottom like the Chinese, or from side to side, indifferntly [indifferently] like the Egyptian and the Demotic Libian.-Although the most common way of writing the groubs [groups] is in rows and each groub [group] seperated [separated], yet we find some framed, as it were in oblong squares, or tablets like those of Egypt." American Antiquities page 127. Also on page 122 of the same work, is a fac simile of American hieroglyphics found in Mexico.-They are arranged in columns, the 1st column consists of four "Delineations of half moons," the 2nd of three suns, the 3rd of the letter I and the human scabula, the 4th of one R and two O's, the 5th column consists of 2 hands, the 6th of a triangle and two squares, the 7th of 2 fishes, the 8th of an S and a quill, the 9th consists of the letter N and blaze of fire, &c., &c.
Now let us look for a few moments at facts as they are. A plain looking man came to Proff. Anthon with a paper containing various delineations of half moons, and other natural objects, interspersed with various sorts of letters, and these characters of letters were inscribed on the paper by a young man who was without means of information, with regard to the researches of antiquarians; and this was done sometime previous to the year 1831. And in the year 1838 (the date of the book of Antiquities in my possession,) a book is published containing a fac simile of American glyphs which consists of "visions, delineations of half moons, and other natural objects interspersed with various sorts of letters."-I leave your readers to draw their own conclusion.
Yours in the bonds
the new covenant,
Chas. W. Wandell.
[For the Times and Seasons.]
The Church.
Br. Robinson:-
Who can advert back to the first dawn of our holy religion-to the time when the 'little stone' was first 'hewn from the mountain'-and contemplate its sudden and almost magic spread throughout the wide dominion of this and other Governments, and not feel his mind emulated with feelings of ineffable joy? Who can gaze upon the scene-the work of an Omnipotent hand-and view the steady march of Truth through scenes of persecution and sometimes of blood, and mark with what accelerated step it has surmounted every opposing barier [barrier] which priestcraft and superstition have, at intervals, thrown athwart its onward path, whose bosom will not heave with emotions of heartfelt satisfaction, at the mighty work which He, in His wisdom, had wrought upon the hearts of the children of men? Previous to the 'coming forth' of the Book of Mormon, wickedness 'covered the face of the earth,' and mental darkness veiled the minds of the people; the portentous clouds of wretchedness lowered sluggishly over the word of mankind; and, truly may it be said, there had been a great 'falling away' from the original order of religion which our Savior instituted while on earth. Men held no communion with the Deity-no revelations did the Saviour [Savior] deign to give them; the efficacy of faith had receded amid the darkness of superstition; the sick ceased to be healed; prophesying had long since been done away; the cheering voice of the unknown tongue had been hushed into silence, and yet the religionists of the day essayed to believe that the order of Christ's church
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