“Importance of the 1830 Book of Mormon”,Excerpt from realmormonism.com
Importance of the 1830 Book of Mormon
If you’re not familiar with how the Book of Mormon came to be, I’d encourage you to visit http://www.mormon.org or http://www.lds.org which give more historical details.
After the prophet Joseph Smith Jr. had finished the translation of the Book of Mormon, he contracted with E.B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York to print the first run of 5,000 copies. As they rolled off the press, Joseph and others began to share them with believers, non-believers, and other truth seekers. Soon, the story of Joseph Smith and the golden plates was spreading throughout the United States and in other areas of the world.
Missionaries took the Book of Mormon to many states, to England and other countries in Europe, and ultimately throughout the world to share the 1830 Book of Mormon. Why? Because it was another testament of Jesus Christ and with the Bible, gave additional insight into the divine mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Historians, both Mormon and non-Mormon, have questioned, “Is the Book of Mormon the most influential book printed in the 19th century?” Perhaps an even more intriguing question is “Will it become the most influential book ever printed aside from the Bible?” I don’t intend to discount the many classics that have been penned, or the many other religious books like the Koran that have touched the lives of hundreds of millions.
But if the Book of Mormon is what it claims to be–another testament of Jesus Christ written by ancient prophets in the Americas–there will in the future likely be no ambiguity about its importance in history.