“The Book of Mormon Proves the Divinity of the Latter-day Work”
Doctrine and Covenants 20:8–15
8 And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon;
9 Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;
10 Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them—
11 Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old;
12 Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
13 Therefore, having so great witnesses, by them shall the world be judged, even as many as shall hereafter come to a knowledge of this work.
14 And those who receive it in faith, and work righteousness, shall receive a crown of eternal life;
15 But those who harden their hearts in unbelief, and reject it, it shall turn to their own condemnation
President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
“. . . [B]eing ministered to by an holy angel, he [Joseph Smith] was strengthened and inspired, and through the manifestations of the Lord and the bestowal of Divine Authority, he and Oliver Cowdery became instruments in the hands of the Lord to bring forth the Book of Mormon and the fulness of the gospel to both Jew and Gentile, thus proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men in this age as well as in former times, thereby ‘showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever’ [D&C 20:12]. Moreover, by this witness shall the world be judged, and those who believe shall receive crowns of eternal life, but they who reject this witness, it shall turn to their condemnation.”
(Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:92.)
