B.H. Roberts

Salt Lake City, Utah

March 14, 1932

My Dear Daughter Elizabeth:

I have your letter of March 8th to hand and was made happy to hear from you so promptly. By the way, your letter led to what has turned out to be very happy results. I have long wanted to have the opportunity of writing to President Grant, calling his attention to his mistake about referring "cement" as not being known in modern times that the ancient people of America knew of it and used it, until after the publication of the fact in the Book of Mormon. I referred to your meeting and to the young man who had called attention to the fact that it was previous to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon that it was quite commonly known and I gave him the citations I had both to Humbolt's reference to it in 1809 in his French work, which was afterwards translated into the English and published in America in 1814 and also the reference to it in Morse's Geography, etc. In writing his reply he thanked me kindly for calling his attention to these references and remarked quite pleasantly that he would have to change his argument, which, of course, means that he will have to abandon it.

Also I made it kind of a reminder to him of an opportunity to discuss some important matters about the Seventies and I had a day's innings with the Presidency and the Twelve, and some of those important matters in which at least we moved forward a little, and they are to be still carried further.

Now in relation to that reference to the America Indians being of Israelitish descent as stated by Boudinot in "The Star of the West" for 1816. I am forwarding you with this mail an introductory chapter to a work of mine which is in typewritten form under the title of "Book of Mormon Study" it makes 450 pp. of typewritten matter. It was from research work I did before going to take charge of the Eastern States Mission. I had written it for presentation to the Twelve and the Presidency, not for publication, but I suspended the submission of it until I returned home, but have not yet succeeded in making the presentation of it, although the letter of submission to President Grant was made previous to leaving the E.S.M. I have made one feeble effort to get it before them since returning home, but they are not in a studious mood.

I may say it is an "awful" book, but it contains a collection of facts which ought to be known by them. In the first chapter it discusses this very issue, the pre-Book of Mormon publication of theories of the Hebrew extraction of the American race. You will catch the spirit of it by reading this chapter, and it cites authorities on the subject. I must ask you to be very careful of it and return the Mss. to me after you have made such use of it in your study as will meet your requirements. I am asking its return because I want to replace it in the Mss. to which it belongs.

Trusting that you will continue to enjoy good health, great peace and joy in your life, I am

as always,

Lovingly,

Father

P.S. I refer you also to my New Witnesses Vol. III the chapter of "Hebrew Origin" and passim. There is no reference I can give you from the History as that work nowhere, so far as I can recall, deals with the particular subject in hand.

B.H.R.