INDIRECT EXTERNAL EVIDENCES—AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS.
 
In dealing with the indirect external evidences to the truth of the Book of Mormon supplied by American antiquities, embracing in that term archaeology, mythology, traditions, ethnology, languages, etc., it should be observed that the Book of Mormon is not a specific work upon any of these subjects. Nor is it a work on physical geography; nor even a history, in the modern sense of that term. Furthermore, while the purpose of the book is mainly religious, it is not a formal treatise even upon religion. But while the Book of Mormon has limitations in all the directions noted, it is a fact that American antiquities, mythologies, traditions, etc., may be of great importance in sustaining its truth. I therefore begin the consideration of this branch of evidence by inquiring what conditions respecting the location and nature of American monuments of civilization the Book of Mormon demands.
 
I.
 
What the Book of Mormon Requires as to the Location and Character of the Jaredite Civilization.
 
It has been shown in a preceding chapter[1] that the first people who inhabited North America after the flood were a colony that came from the Euphrates Valley, about the time of the confusion of languages at Babel, under the leadership of a prophet of the name of Moriancumr, and his brother Jared; that this colony made their first settlement somewhere in the region of country known in modern times as Central America; that they called their first city Moron, which from the time of its establishment, with brief, intermittent periods, remained the seat of government and the chief center of the civilization of the great Jaredite nation, up to the time of the latter's destruction, in the early part of the sixth century B. C.—a period of sixteen hundred years.
 
From the City of Moron the Jaredites extended their colonization schemes southward along the isthmus to South America, and northward to the great lakes. Their greatest activities, however, and the centers of their civilization were in Central America; and it is there we must look for the most extensive and enduring monuments of civilization in the western world; and expect the monuments to have some of the characteristics of the monuments of the ancient civilization of the Euphrates Valley.[2]
 
II.
 
What the Book of Mormon Requires as to the Location, Extent and Nature of the Nephite Civilization.
 
In considering this subject I shall take no account of the colony of Mulek beyond noting the fact that previous to the union of their descendants, with the Nephites under Mosiah I, about two hundred years B. C., they did not affect to any considerable extent the civilization of the country, and hence I shall consider them under the same head as the Nephites.
 
Concerning the Nephites and their civilization, the Book of Mormon requires the proof that a colony of Israelites left Jerusalem about six hundred years B. C., carrying with them the Hebrew Scriptures; that they made a voyage from thence to the west coast of America; that there were four brothers in the colony, among whom there was a contention about leadership; that the younger brother had the greater weight of influence with the colony, and became practically its leader; that they were directed in their journey by miraculous means—an instrument consisting of a ball of brass with spindles in it which indicated the direction of their travels, receiving upon its burnished surface from time to time instructions for their guidance—called by them Liahona; that because of jealousies among the four brothers the colony was divided,[3] the younger brother leading away northward the more righteous part of the colony from which separation arose two people, one civilized, the other, in comparison with the first, barbarous; that the civilized people, those following the younger brother, removed gradually northward because of the repeated depredations of their relentless enemies, the Lamanites; that during the period of some four hundred years they removed from the place of their first landing to a region of country northward; that in this land about two hundred B. C. the more righteous part of the people again separated from the rest and made their way still further northward to the great valley of what they called the Sidon river, and there united with the descendants of Mulek's colony and formed the Nephite-Zarahemla nation, but they were called Nephites; that this people extended their cities and provinces throughout the northern part of the north continent, colonizing even a portion of the narrow neck of land connecting the two continents; that they were in frequent conflict, and waged great wars with the barbarous people who still pressed upon them from the south; that in the year 55 B. C. they began migrating northward from Central America; that ship building was inaugurated by one Hagoth on the west side of Central America; that the people moved northward in great numbers by means of these vessels as well as by land; that two of these vessels going far northward, drifted out into the great ocean and were lost—at least to the Nephites; that there were frequent wars between the civilized people and the barbarians; that the birth of Messiah was evidenced by the appearance of a new star in the heavens, and by a night which continued brilliant as day from the setting of the sun to the rising thereof; that at the crucifixion of Messiah, during the three hours that he hung upon the cross at Jerusalem, the western world was visited by an unparalleled series of cataclysms which convulsed the whole land, destroying many cities, some being buried by mountains that were thrown up by convulsions of the earth, and others being sunk in the depths of the sea; that these dreadful convulsions of the earth were followed by three days of total darkness; that some time after these awful cataclysms the risen Messiah appeared in person to a multitude in the region of country in South America east and south of the Isthmus of Panama and including part of that Isthmus,[4] that he proclaimed his relationship to God, held himself forth as the Son of God, taught the doctrine of the Atonement, instituted the Christian sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper, chose twelve disciples and authorized the organization of a church to teach the doctrine of Christ and perfect, by its watchful care, those who accepted it; that this introduction of the gospel of Christ was followed by a period of universal peace and prosperity—a veritable golden age—through nearly three centuries; that after this the people declined in moral and spiritual excellence until they were in complete apostasy; that a series of civil wars and the rise of robber bands undermined government, and that about the close of the fourth century, A. D., the government was destroyed, the people divided into small bands or tribes and anarchy prevailed.
 
Only two other remarks are necessary to complete the consideration of what the Book of Mormon Nephite period requires of American antiquities in order to derive from them evidence in support of its truth. The first of these is the fact that Nephite occupancy of the western world is confined for the most part, at least, to the north continent; that while it is true that their settlements in the north became somewhat extensive, the progress of them was ch............