The
Importance of the Book of Mormon to Mormonism
1) The Book of Mormon
is the Keystone of our religion
Bruce R. McConkie
¡°The prophet¡¯s expression that ¡®the Book of Mormon is
the keystone of our religion¡¯ means precisely what it says. The keystone is the central stone in the top
of the arch. If that stone is removed,
then the arch crumbles, which, in effect, means that Mormonism so-called --
which actually is the gospel of Christ, restored anew in this day -- stands or
falls with the truth or the falsity of the Book of Mormon.¡± (Conference
Report, Apr. 1961, p.39)
2) Our use of the Book
of Mormon
Ezra Taft
Benson
"Now, we have not been using the Book of Mormon as we
should....Our missionaries are not effective unless they are 'hissing forth'
with it....
"Some of the early missionaries, on returning home,
were reproved by the Lord in section 84 of the D&C because they had treated
lightly the Book of Mormon. As a result,
their minds had been darkened. The Lord said that this kind of treatment of the
Book of Mormon brought the whole Church under condemnation, even all of the
children of Zion, and then the Lord said, 'And they
shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new
covenant, even the Book of Mormon.' (D&C 84:54-57) Are we still under
that condemnation?" (Ezra Taft Benson in CR, Apr. 1975, p.
96.)
Joseph
Fielding Smith
"It seems to me that any member of this Church would
never be satisfied until he or she had read the Book of Mormon time and time
again, and thoroughly considered it so that he or she could bear witness that it
is in very deed a record with the inspiration of the Almighty upon it, and that
its history is true....
"...No member of this Church can stand approved in
the presence of God who has not seriously and carefully read the Book of
Mormon." (Joseph Fielding Smith in CR, Oct. 1961, p.
18.)
Joseph
Fielding Smith
"Now the Lord is withholding from us a great many
truths that he would gladly reveal if we were ready to receive them. Did you know that a portion of the record
from which the Book of Mormon is taken is sealed? The prophet was not permitted
to break the seals, and we will not receive the sealed record until the time
comes when the people will show by their faith their willingness to accept it.
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation, vol. 3:201-2)
Neal A. Maxwell
¡°One reason to ¡®search
the scriptures¡¯ is to discover these sudden luxuriant meadows of meaning,
these green pastures to nourish us in our individual times of need. The Book of
Mormon surely has its share and more of these¡¦
¡°For my part, I am glad the book will be with us
¡®as long as the earth shall stand.¡¯ I need
and want additional time. For me, towers, courtyards, and wings await
inspection. My tour of it has never been completed. Some rooms I have yet to
enter, and there are more flaming fireplaces waiting to warm me. Even the rooms
I have glimpsed contain further furnishings and rich detail yet to be savored.
There are panels inlaid with incredible insights and design and décor dating
from Eden. There are also sumptuous banquet tables painstakingly prepared by
predecessors which await all of us. Yet, we as Church members sometimes behave
like hurried tourists, scarcely venturing beyond the entry hall to the
mansion.
¡°May we come to feel as a whole people beckoned
beyond the entry hall. May we go inside far enough to hear clearly the whispered
truths from those who have ¡®slumbered,¡¯ which whisperings will awaken in us
individually the life a discipleship as never before.¡± (¡°The Book of Mormon: A
Great Answer to ¡®The Great Question¡¯, pp. 13-16)
3) The Book of Mormon withstands scholarly
scrutiny
B. H. Roberts
¡°The Book of Mormon of necessity must submit to every
test, to literary criticism as well as to every other class of criticism for our
age is above all things critical, and especially critical of sacred literature,
and we may not hope that the Book of Mormon will escape closest scrutiny;
neither, indeed, is it desirable that it should escape.¡± (Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins, Truman G.
Madsen, with Noel B. Reynolds as editor, p. 11)