Moroni, Space, and Weaknesses

Mormon, Chapter 8: Mormon has just died. He has given his son Moroni charge over the plates that contain the record of the Book of Mormon.

At this point, there are two major concerns that are immediately pressing on Moroni’s mind: 1) spatial constraints, and 2) his weakness in writing.

Spatial Constraints

Is it any coincidence that in the very first chapter that Moroni writes, he mentions at least 3 times the lack of space left on the plates; space that he needs to write the things he has been commanded? Mormon has instructed Moroni to write an abridgment of the Jaredite people. And so, Moroni immediately mentions how little space he has left to write this abridgment.

Weakness in Writing

In addition, Moroni mentions his weakness in writing 5-6 times. Such a concern is only mentioned by other prophets 1-2 other times in the whole Book of Mormon. Why was Moroni so concerned about the weaknesses in his writings? Why him specifically? Why wasn’t Mormon as concerned with this? Or Nephi? What were Moroni’s unique challenges that made this such a concern for him?

His father Mormon has just died. He has been tasked with abridging thousands of years of history from a culture he knows nothing about. He has extremely limited space (7-10% of the plates) left to work with. And, most insurmountable of all, in order to write this abridgment, Moroni has to read from a language that he does not know at all (the Jaredite language) and then write to a language that he hardly knows at all (reformed Egyptian). Of course Moroni, more than any other Book of Mormon prophet, would be concerned about weaknesses in his writing.

Not only so, but he is now responsible for completing the sacred record of his father, and ensuring that all the loose ends and missing pieces are tied together and completed; again, all with limited space.

But all of this is only true if Moroni was in fact a real person and if the Book of Mormon was in fact a record of ancient origin. If Moroni was just a fictional character of Joseph Smith’s imagination, then all of these unique concerns and worries had to, of necessity, be completely imagined in intricate detail by Joseph Smith, an unschooled 17 year-old farm boy. Does such level of detail seem plausible from Joseph Smith? Of course not.

How would you feel if you were tasked with writing an abridgment of thousands of years of history? And then to be told you only had 30 pages to work with? And then to be told you had to write the history in a language you hardly knew (reformed Egyptian)? And then to be told you had to read the history from a language you did not know at all (the Jaredite language)? Would you not be greatly concerned with the accuracy of the abridgment?

What level of detail would need to be achieved by Joseph Smith to make up all of this?

Spatial Constraints

Firstly, Joseph Smith would need to take note that the Book of Mormon was nearing completion. And so, because of this, he would need to recognize that one of Moroni’s chiefest concerns would be spatial constraints. And then he would need to make sure that Moroni mentioned this concern in the first chapter Moroni ever wrote.

Weakness in Writing

Further, Joseph Smith would need to keep track of all the different sets of plates and records and languages noted in the Book of Mormon. He would need to observe that another one of Moroni’s chiefest concerns as an abridger would be his weakness in writing from an unknown language to a poorly known language. And he would need to make sure that Moroni mentioned this concern in the first chapter he ever wrote.

Do you really think 17 year-old Joseph Smith could achieve that level of detail and authenticity?

Conclusion

As an interesting concluding note, isn’t it wonderful that one of the things that strengthens the Book of Mormon’s position is the fact that Moroni was so concerned about how weak his writings might appear to be? This gives the record a level of authenticity that would otherwise be unachievable.

Our weaknesses are made perfect in strength through the grace of the Lord. Not coincidentally, the Lord taught this principle in one of the chapters where Moroni expressed his weakness in writing.

'Lord, people will mock at these things, because of my weakness in writing; thou hast made me that I could write but little, because of the awkwardness of these things. Wherefore, when I write I behold my weakness, and stumble because of the placing of my words.'

“And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;”

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

It’s tough to imagine that Moroni would think that his writings were weak in the very same chapter as when he wrote such marvelously poetic writings such as these: "Whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

And: O Lord, "thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope."

And: "Seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever."

Again, our weaknesses are made perfect in strength through the grace of the Lord!

Food for thought. Thanks for reading.