Howe, E. D. Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of Th

Howe, E. D. Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of That Singular Imposition and Delusion, From Its Rise to the Present Time. With Sketches of the Characters of Its Propagators, and a Full Detail of the Manner in which the Famous Golden Bible was Brought Before the World. To Which Are Added, Inquiries Into the Probability that the Historical Part of the Said Bible Was Written By One Solomon Spalding, More than Twenty Years Ago, and By Him Intended to Have Been Published As A Romance. Painesville, Ohio: E. D. Howe, 1834.
CHAPTER V.
If any man is curious to know the origin of the American Indian, he has it here. “That inasmuch, as they will not hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.” This is prophecy that Nephi pretends to repeat as coming from the Lord, against all those who would not hearken to him as their ruler. Nephi describes the Lamanites as being very white, fair, and delightsome, and very enticing to his people. “Therefore the Lord God did cause a skin of black to come upon them.”—“And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed.” p. 73. The known habits and characteristics of the Indian, are briefly set forth, in order to satisfy the credulous inquirer. “And thirty years have passed away from the time we left Jerusalem,” p. 73. Jacob and Joseph are now consecrated priests. It may not be improper to examine this subject of consecrating priests out of the families to which it belonged ; and it will be recollected, that, according to the account given by the author, that neither Jacob, nor Joseph were yet thirty years old. God made a covenant with the Jews at Mount Sinai, and instituted three orders, the high priests, priests, and Levites. The high priesthood was made hereditary in the family of Aaron, and the first born of the eldest branch of that family, if he had no legal blemish, was the high priest. “Thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on the priest’s office, and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.—Numb. chap. III, 10. The priesthood was conferred upon the tribe of Levi, and the covenant gave them the office, and it was irrevocable [47] while the temple stood, or, until the Messiah came.