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Acknowledgments, 7
Preface, 9
1. Searching for Truth, 17
A Child's Search, 17
Prayerful Agnostic, 18
The Awesome Mystery, 19
Getting Religion, 20
Mt. Rubidoux, 21
2. The Beginning of Answers, 23
Missionaries, 23
The God of Israel, 25
Joseph Smith's First Vision, 27
3. Christ's New Testament Church, 33
Revelation, 34
Priesthood, 34
All Things Common, 35
Laws and Ordinances, 36
The Temple of God, 36
4. Why Prophets?, 38
A Bible! A Bible! We Have the Bible, 39
Evolution of the Bible, 42
Interpretations, 44
The Need for Prophets, 45
5. Fruits of a Prophet, 47
Prayer, 49
To Err Is Human, 50
Selected Fruits of Joseph Smith, 50
6. When Reasoning Replaced Revelation, 53
Bible Predictions of General Apostasy, 54
Heresy in the Early Christian Church, 56
Changes Within the Church, 56
The Identity of God Is Lost, 58
Church and State, 59
The Papacy, 59
Persecution by Christians, 60
7. The Restoration of Revelation, 63
Bible Predictions About a Restoration, 65
Age of Religious Enlightenment, 66
MartinLuther, 66
Ulrich Zwigli, 67
John Calvin, 67
Counter Reformation, 68
Protestantism, 68
A New Birth of Freedom, 68
Birth of a Prophet, 68
8. A Visit to a "Mormon" Church, 71
First Impressions, 71
The Book of Mormon, 73
An Angel and His Book of Gold, 75
Growth of the Church, 81
9. Expert Opinions, 83
No New Scripture, 84
The Missionaries Reply, 86
Revelation 22:18-19, 86
Spaulding's Manuscript, 87
Bible Passages In the Book of Mormon, 91
10. Clerical Converts, 96
Early Ecclesiastical Converts, 97
Ezra Booth, 97
John Greene, 97
Jane Johnston, 97
Parley Pratt, 98
Sidney Rigdon, 98
Orson Spencer, 99
More Recent Ecclesiastical Converts, 101
11. Who Are We?, 104
Our Premortal Existence, 104
Bible References, 104
Other References, 106
The Purpose of Earth Life, 106
Agency, 106
Know God and Become Like Him, 106
Our Test of Integrity, 107
Penalties for Sin, 108
The Need for a Messiah, 108
Obtain a Body, 108
The Veil of Forgetfulness, 109
Covenants and Ordinances, 109
Guides Along the Way, 109
War in Heaven, 109
Here We Are, 111
Adam and Eve, 111
Original Sin, 113
Adversity, 113
The Atonement of Christ, 115
Resurrection, 116
Celestial Bodies, 117
Terrestrial Bodies, 118
Telestial Bodies, 118
12. Eternal Family Relationships, 119
Faith and Works, 119
Christ's Parables, 120
Jesus's Sacrifice, 120
Beyond Death, 121
Baptism for Those Who Have Died, 123
Heaven and Hell, 124
Families Can be Eternal, 125
The Marriage of Adam and Eve, 125
Jesus Taught Eternal Marriage, 126
The House of the Lord, 127
The Abrahamic Covenant, 129
The Return of Elijah, 130
13. Predictions and Other Miracles, 132
Pasadena College, 132
Predictions of Joseph Smith, 134
Fulfilled Prophecy, 135
Further Miracles, 140
14. The Law of Consecration, 146
The Lesser Law, 147
15. Persecution in Print, 151
Early Persecution, 151
Careless Research, 156
Joseph Smith's Character, 158
Other Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, 160
Ancient Book of Mormon History, 160
Language of the Book of Mormon, 162
Other Anti-Mormon Claims, 163
Responses to Anti-Mormon Literature, 166
16. The Search Intensifies, 168
An "Expert" on Mormonism, 168
Dr. Ludcliffe, 168
Meeting the Challenge, 169
The Keystone, 170
Bible Prophecies Concerning the Book of Mormon, 173
Moroni's Promise, 174
Authoring a Historical Novel, 176
Research, 177
Literary Forms, 177
Characterization, 183
Heaven and Hell, 124
Families Can be Eternal, 125
The Marriage of Adam and Eve, 125
Jesus Taught Eternal Marriage, 126
The House of the Lord, 127
The Abrahamic Covenant, 129
The Return of Elijah, 130
17. Witnesses, 187
Three Special Witnesses, 188
Martin Harris, 188
Oliver Cowdery, 189
David Whitmer, 190
Eight Other Witnesses, 192
A Farnily Affair, 194
18. My Next Stumbling Block, 196
Church Attitude Toward Blacks, 197
Early Blacks in the Church, 198
Elijah Abel, 198
Sam and Amanda Chambers, 198
Green Flake, 198
Abner Howell, 198
Priesthood, 200
19. The Road Back, 206
The Altar, 206
The Letter, 207
Abner?, 208
Testimonies of Others, 209
The Announcement, 210
Embarrassed, 212
Getting Down to Business, 212
Special Thoughts, 213
20. Peace, 216
Notes, 219
Bibliography, 238
Index, 245
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