Orson Pratt (1811-1881) interpreted 1 Nephi 5:19 to be the preservation of the brass plates (and, by application, ancient records/scriptural texts), not the public dissemination thereof. In a sermon dated May 18, 1873, Pratt taught that:
These plates of brass, contained
the prophecies of all the holy Prophets from the beginning—from the days of
Adam; hence they must have contained the prophecies of Enoch, Adam, Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph in Egypt. The prophecies of Isaiah and many
others of the holy Prophets were contained upon these plates of brass.
Notwithstanding brass is a metallic substance capable of being dissolved and
crumbling back, in a few years to the elements, yet there was a miracle wrought
upon these plates of brass. The Prophet said that these plates of brass
should not be dimmed by time, that God would preserve them to the latest
generations. What for? In order that they might come forth and their contents
be translated by the Urim and Thummim, that these contents might be declared to
all nations, and kindreds, and tongues, and people, who were the descendants of
Lehi upon the face of all this continent, from the frozen regions of the north
to the very utmost extremities of South America. That all these nations should
come to a knowledge of the things contained on those plates of brass.
Now the Lord did many things of
this kind in ancient days. If there should be any strangers present let me show
you how the Lord can do many wonderful things. Let me refer you to the pot of
manna the substance of which would not keep over twenty-four hours, except on
Sunday, and then it was preserved from becoming nauseous. But on a certain
occasion the children of Israel were to collect a pot of this manna, and it was
placed in the Tabernacle of the congregation, and instead of becoming nauseous,
it remained just as fresh in future generations, as on the morning it was
gleaned up.
Certain rods were gathered up to
represent the twelve tribes of Israel, and Aaron's rod budded and blossomed in
one night; and that was handed down from generation to generation. And hence we
see that God did work miracles for his people on the eastern continent. Is it
any more marvelous that he should preserve the brass plates from being dimmed
by time? No. They exist, and in the own due time of the Lord, he will
inspire a mighty seer, and give him the Urim and Thummim, and enable him to
bring forth these sacred scriptures.
Now, to show you the value of the
scripture of the brass plates, over the Jewish records, translated by King
James, let me refer you to the Book of Mormon. On the 24th page, speaking of
the coming forth of these records, the angel said to Nephi, "The book that
thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the
Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many
of the prophecies of the holy Prophets; and it is a record like unto the
engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so
many." That is, there are not so many prophecies and revelations contained
in the Jewish Bible of our day as there were upon the plates of brass.
Nevertheless they contained the covenants of the Lord, which he has made with
the House of Israel; therefore they are of great worth unto the children of
men.
If you will turn to the Book of
Jacob in the Book of Mormon, page 122, you will find a lengthy prophecy, or
parable of the olive tree, quoted from the brass plates, by which the house of
Israel is represented—a parable of their being planted in the Lord's vineyard;
a parable of the great work of the Lord in the last days, when his servants
should be called to labor and gather these young branches and graft them into
their own olive tree. This parable was revealed to the Prophet Zenos, and gives
great instruction. We could also refer you to some four or five other places
where Zenos and Zenock prophecied concerning the restoration of all the house
of Israel in the latter days; and concerning the descendants of Joseph. And
Lehi, being of the seed of Joseph, was interested in relation to his future
generations, and therefore understood the whole history of these remnants of
Joseph, and prophecied concerning them; a few quotations being given in the
Book of Mormon. They understood concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus in the
flesh, his crucifixion and resurrection from the dead; and the signs shown
forth to the remnants of Israel scattered to the four corners of the earth and
the islands of the sea; and the great destruction which should come upon the
people because of their wickedness.
I will refer you to the
prophecies of Joseph in Egypt. In order to show you what is said concerning
him, as a Prophet, I will refer you to page 62, Book of Mormon. "And now,
I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies of which my father hath spoken, concerning
Joseph, who was carried into Egypt. For behold he truly prophecied concerning
all his seed, and the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater.
And he prophecied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are
written upon the plates of brass." (Orson Pratt, May 18, 1873, “Meeting of
Adam With His Posterity in the Valley of Adam-Ondi-Ahhan—Location of the
Valley—the Covenant With Enoch—Records of God's Dealings With Men From the
Period of the Creation—Method of Preserving the Records of Ancient Prophets—
Christ's Advent Among the Nephites—Fufillment of God's Purposes and the
Fullness of Times,” JOD 16:54-56, emphasis added)
We can see this when Pratt, in another talk, borrows from
the language of 1 Nephi 5:19 vis-à-vis the preservation of sacred records, not
the public dissemination thereof per se:
John saw the New Jerusalem coming
down from heaven and speaks of its inhabitants. Then one of the angels took him
away to a high mountain, and showed him the second city, when descending to the
earth.
The Book of Mormon speaks very
plainly upon this subject. The Prophet Ether, as recorded in the latter part of
the book, speaking of these two cities, says, that both are built by man, under
the direction of the Almighty; and that the Lord has decreed that when they are
built, they shall not waste away nor be destroyed. There are a great many of
our houses that are wasting. You may build them of granite, and half a thousand
of years will begin to waste them away. Thus it is with whatever material, used
in building our cities; while man is under the curse there will a constant
wasting away of his habitations. But not so, with regard to the old Jerusalem,
which is to be re-built; and not so with regard to the New Jerusalem, which is
to be built on this Continent. Why not? Because God is all-powerful, and
when he makes a decree in relation to anything, it must be fulfilled. If he
said to the ancient Nephites, Record your prophecies and writings upon plates
of gold, and I will preserve them, that they shall not wax dim, that time shall
not have power to waste them; but the records shall be preserved, he was
abundantly able to preserve them by his power, and fulfill his promise. The
same Being, who is able to preserve the sacred records, has power to preserve
sacred and holy habitations.
Therefore, Latter-day Saints,
when you return to build up the waste places of Zion, and when you build up the
New Jerusalem upon the place that he has appointed, whatever materials shall be
used, by the blessing of the Priesthood, which God has ordained, these
materials will endure forever: they will continue during the thousand years,
without waste, and when they shall be caught up to heaven, when the earth flees
away, they will still endure in all their perfection and beauty. When these
cities shall descend again upon the new earth, in its immortal and eternal
state, they will still be as endurable as the earth itself, no more to be
subject to the curse, and therefore, will no more waste; death is
gone—everything that is corruptible in its nature has ceased, so far as this
habitable globe is concerned, and all sorrow and mourning are done away. (Orson
Pratt, February 25, 1877, “Daniel's Vision—Nebuchadnezzar's Dream—Its
Interpretation—the Coming of the Ancient of Days—Joseph Smith's Prophecy—Things
Yet to Be Fulfilled—the Valley of God Where Adam Dwelt—the Establishment of the
Kingdom of God—the Coming Millennium and Triumph of the Saints,” JOD 18:348)
