PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

If it is true that one picture is worth a thousand words, this book should be very helpful to many people. When the author-compilers, John Rich and his son, J. Milton Rich, asked permission to use my lectures on “ The Trial of the Stick of Joseph ” as a basis for their pictorial book “ The Book of Mormon on Trial ” utilizing Fritz Alseth‛s artwork, I was very happy to give them my consent. I feel that in the field of learning, as in all other areas of accomplishment, it is a wonderful thing to “ have fun getting the job done.”

The sense of humor that flows through this book ; the vivid portrayal of both sides of the story as the “ mock trial ” in law school progresses ; the gradual weakening of the cocksure
prosecution ; the final “ rigor mortis ” state of frustration of the prosecuting
attorney as attack after attack against the Book of Mormon fails for lack of concrete
evidence to support their accusations — all of this will captivate young and old alike.


I believe with all of my heart that God briefed the case for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon ; that He set up the evidence ; that He prepared the Witnesses ; and that, worlds without end, no one will ever break it down. It is what it claims to be ; the True, Authentic and Divine Religious History of this ( the American ) Continent ; the second great Witness for Christ ; the running mate of the Bible.

In this age when our children seem to be deluged with comic characters teaching destructive and anti-Christian behavior through TV and video games, we note with alarm the harmful nature of the materials

which they are being exposed to, and perhaps we need to fight fire with fire. Fritz n‛ Rich are to be congratulated on the thousands of hours of painstaking effort they have put into producing this work. No one, member or otherwise, will turn a page without receiving some uplifting thought and interesting, helpful information.

Please do not be upset at the use of caricature illustrations to reveal and drive home many of the Truths of the Book of Mormon. The ultimate objective is for someone to take sincere action and prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, and, with the help of the Holy Ghost,
come away with their own testimony of its Truthfulness ; but some just need a little nudge, something of proven statistics that stimulates their interest and that they can get their teeth into before they are ready for this ideal step.

I am sure that you, the individual reader, will be assisted in building and strengthening your testimony of the Truth of the Book of Mormon by this delightful illustration of “ The Book of Mormon on Trial.” You will be encouraged to more carefully, thoughtfully, and prayerfully read this great record of Scripture. You will know that it does contain the answers to your personal problems, your family issues, and your civic, national and international concerns. It is indeed the counsel and advice of a wise, loving, and kind Heavenly Father
( 1962 ).
  Jack H. West 1906 - 1990