the
American Indians are the descendants of the Jews, or the lost tribes.
It gives a detailed account of their journey from Jerusalem, by land and
by sea, till they arrived in America, under the command of Nephi and
Lehi. They afterwards had quarrels and contentions, and separated into
two distinct nations, one of which is denominated Nephites, and the
other Lamanites.

Cruel and bloody wars ensued, in which great multitudes were slain.
They buried their dead in large heaps, which caused the mounds now so
commonly found on the continent of America. Their knowledge in the arts
and sciences, and their civilisation, are dwelt upon, in order to
account for all the remarkable ruins of cities and other curious
antiquities, found in various parts of North and South America.

Solomon Spalding writes in the biblic style, and commences almost every
sentence with, "And it came to pass,"--"Now, it came to pass."

Although some powers of imagination, and a degree of scientific
information are displayed throughout the whole romance, it remained for
several years unnoticed, on the shelves of Messrs. Patterson and
Lambdin, printers, in Pittsbourg.

Many years passed, when Lambdin the printer, having failed, wished _to
raise the wind by some book speculation_. Looking over the various
manuscripts then in his possession, the "Manuscript found," venerable in
its dust, was, upon examination, looked upon as a gold mine, which would
restore to affluence the unfortunate publisher. But death summoned
Lambdin away, and put an end to the speculation, as far as his interests
were concerned.

Lambdin had intrusted the precious manuscript to his bosom friend,
Sidney Rigdon, that he might embellish and alter it, as he might think
expedient. The publisher now dead, Rigdon allowed this _chef-d'oeuvre_
to remain in his desk, till, reflecting upon his precarious means, and
upon his chances of obtaining a future livelihood, a sudden idea struck
him. Rigdon well knew his countrymen, and their avidity for the
marvellous; he resolved to give to the world the "_Manuscript found_,"
not as a mere work of imagination or disquisition, as its writer had
intended it to be, but as a new code of religion, sent down to man, as
of yore, on awful Sinai, the tables were given unto Moses.

For some time, Rigdon worked very hard, studying the Bible, altering his
book, and preaching every Sunday. As the reader may easily imagine, our
Bible student had been, a