The Second Coming of John the Baptist: The Book of Mormon as Contemporary Evidence of Priesthood Although Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery allegedly received authority from John the Baptist on 15 May 1829 while laboring on the Book of Mormon, neither disclosed this fact until 1834. Why? Was the experience a fabrication, as argued by Dan Vogel and Grant Palmer? I have located decisive evidence on this question, in the Book of Mormon itself. Exploring Book of Mormon material recorded in May 1829 reveals the authority under which Joseph and Oliver baptized one another and demonstrates the role the Book of Mormon played in its reception. Based on these findings, I propose a new paradigm for understanding the Book of Mormon.

Don Bradley and Dan Vogel