The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi; NY: Joseph Smith Jr., 1830; [i]–[590] pp.; includes typeset signature marks and copyright notice. The copy presented here is held at CHL; includes pasted newspaper clippings, bookplate, selling price and signature of former owner, and library markings.
This book was printed on thirty-seven sheets and folded into thirty-seven gatherings of eight leaves each, making a text block of 592 pages. The last printed leaf—bearing the signed statements of witnesses—is not numbered. The book includes two blank front flyleaves and two blank back flyleaves (other copies have three back flyleaves). The pages of the book measure 7¼ × 4⅝ inches (18 × 12 cm).
The book is bound in brown calfskin, with a black label on the spine: “BOOK OF | MORMON”. The spine also bears seven double-bands in gilt. The book measures 7½ × 4¾ × 1¾ inches (19 × 12 × 4 cm). To the inside front cover are affixed four clippings of descriptions of different versions of first edition copies of the Book of Mormon and of an 1854 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, along with a clipping describing the origin of the text of the Book of Mormon and a bookplate of the “Shepard Book Company” of Salt Lake City, Utah. There is also a pencil notation: “CEEY- | asxx”. The recto of the first front flyleaf bears one clipping describing a first edition Book of Mormon for sale and several notations in pencil: “1st Edition” and “$50.00 | BS KN”. Pencil notation on verso of first flyleaf: “1st Edition” and “M222.1 | B724 | 1830 | #8”. Pen notation on recto of second front flyleaf: “James H Moyle | March 22 1906”. The page edges are decorated with a light blue speckled stain.
The price notation inscribed in the front of the book suggests that the book was sold. It is uncertain when this volume was placed in the care of the Church Historian’s Office.
And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity; and for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold this great city, and also all those great citties which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away, that ye shall have no place in them: For behold, the Lord will not grant unto you strength, as he hath hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies. For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not shew unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those who repenteth of their sins, and hearken unto my words; now therefore I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you, except ye shall repent; for behold they are more righteous than you; for they have not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them; yea, he will lengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou shalt be utterly destroyed, except thou shalt repent; yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which hath come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band which was established by Gadianton; yea, wo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye have suffered to enter your hearts, which hath lifted you up beyond that which is good because of your exceeding great riches; yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness and abominations. And except ye repent, ye shall perish; yea, even your lands shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth. Behold now I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but behold, I know that these things are true, because the Lord God hath made them known unto me; therefore I testify that they shall be.
And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words, behold there were men which were Judges, which also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him, saying unto the people, why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according to the crime which he hath done? Why seest thou this man, and hearest him revile against this people, and against our law? For behold, Nephi [p. 428]