Last week we looked at four writings attributed to Moroni. This week we will examine how they fit together. While there are other writings attributed to Moroni, this article will only look at four of them. Looking at the two extremes, it can be said that either all four were written by Moroni and translated at different times by different translators, or that they were all written by different authors. And while everyone related to these translations were aware of Joseph Smith, it is safe to say the other translators were not aware of any of the other. And yet, all four accounts of Moroni share fundamental context and doctrinal core beliefs, working just as well with one another as the collection of books we know today as the Holy Bible. These translations speak on:
- Historical Context and Warning
- Doctrine of Christ and the Holy Ghost
- Church Organization and Practice
- Priesthood as Commission
- Ordinances as Tools for Edification
Atonement, Salvation, and the Confirmation of Truth
In each of his writings, Moroni exhorts readers to come unto Christ, lay hold upon every good gift, and be perfected in Him (Book of Moroni 10:27 [10:30]). Salvation and Eternal Life come through the Atonement of Christ, who is the Peacemaker and the font of salvation (Record of Mohrhohnahyah 12:28a). Moroni stresses that revelations must be subjected to the “confirmation of the Haymehnay (Holy Ghost),” which serves as the “Holy Spirit of Promise” to seal the righteous unto Christ (Record of Mohrhohnahyah 15:19a, 16:4a). The Holy Ghost is consistently presented as the essential means of confirming truth. By the power of the Holy Ghost, one “may know the truth of all things” (Book of Moroni 10:5b [10:5], Words of Moroni 1:15b).
Church Organization and Practice
In the Book of Moroni, we find details of the traditional ordination process, like how to ordain priests and teachers, and the ordinances of baptism along with the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (Book of Moroni Chapters 2-6). And he expands on this in the Record of Moroni/Mohrhohnahyah. Here, he affirms the practices from the gold plates while framing them within a specific societal structure. We see ordinances as tools for edification. The Nemenhah perform baptism, Unchi Ahm Aht Ahm / Uhntsi Ahm Aht Ahm or Iuhtayuhihiuhs (Record of Mohrhohnahyah 17:7), the Sacrament, Manna / Wahtsaht (Record of Mohrhohnahyah 17:15), and purification rites (Record of Mohrhohnahyah 17:17-19). In Moroni’s world, the Sacrament of Communion is celebrated often, even when planting, harvesting, or meeting a stranger, to keep Christ in remembrance.
Order of the Son of God
Lastly, the Record of Moroni/Mohrhohnahyah begin to speak of ideas Moroni will teach later, after his transfiguration, namely the Law or Pillar of Consecration (Record of Mohrhohnahyah 10:20). Compare Moroni’s words in life to his statement to Havah Pratt as a translated being:
And behold, because of the nature of the Nemenhah way of life, even the Pillar of Consecration, men and women are constantly reminded of their purpose.
For, it is certain that, as men and women serve each other and work diligently to shoulder the burdens of their fellows, their burdens are indeed lifted. And this applies to their physical burdens and to their spiritual burdens equally.” –Record of Mohrhohnahyah 10:12
“And ye must forsake these things if ye are to return to Eden; for ye inherited them from your fathers and they belong to Zaiton and have not a place in the Edenic state. Forsake those things, O ye little ones, for only in the doing so can ye bring again that Edenic state which was lost unto you. And it is for this reason that I have given you the laws of consecration and the united order wherein ye do covenant with one another to bare each other’s burdens, and to suffer deprivation with one another until ye do reverse the situation which grew up in Zaiton.” –Writings of Moroni 14:20-22 [14:6-7b]
The words of Moroni from the gold plates are lived out in the Record of Moroni/Mohrhohnahyah. His teachings shift from doctrinal summary to personal philosophy, communal practice, and then, in speaking to Havah Parat, taught more explicitly to us, his latter-day audience.
Moroni’s Message Today
It appears that these four phases of writings and Moroni’s ministry are intrinsically linked, demonstrating the comprehensive path from initial faith to exaltation, coupled with an urgent call to prepare for the end times. Looking at them in the order were presented (gold plates, sealed portion, angelic visiation), we have an established the entry point in the original Book of Mormon. This is the preparatory gospel centered on faith, repentance, baptism, and the basic ministry (the work of the Son). It confirms the continuation of spiritual gifts as necessary to build faith. Once the first protion of the gold plates is unsealed, we are given the context and warning that the foundation is merely the “preparatory appendix” for the greater, sealed truths that will be revealed later (Words of Moroni 1:12a). The the Writings of Moroni delivers those greater things, the work of the Father.
And do ye not know that you cannot come into Christ the Father until you have come into Christ the Son?For behold, the work of the Father is above the work of the Son and it cannot commence until the work of the Son is completed in you; and then and not until then can the work of the Father commence, for thus it is: Amen.” –Writings of Moroni 1:76-78 [1:24b-25b]
This work requires entering the Holy Order, which provides the protection and power Moroni attained after his mortal ministry. One may notice that the first, the Book, is the work of the Son. The second, the Words, is the unsealing that we might understand and accept the third, Jesus as the Father of our salvation.
And even those who have chosen Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have not chosen Him as their Father for verily, verily, if they have chosen Him as their Father then will He lead them into the Father; for did He not promise that He would even introduce the Father to them and both the Father and the Son would abide in them?” –Writings of Moroni 3:35-36 [3:12b-12c]
Moroni’s Call to Action
Looking at these three writings given us from Moroni, we see two consistent themes in his messages to this generation: the imminence of global destruction, be it literal and physical or metaphorical and spiritual, and the necessity of spiritual gathering and sealing for protection. He is a prophet who literally watched his people be destroyed due to their wickedness and the cessation of integrity. Only a select few were translated and taken up to safety. Thus he warns us that the current time, shown to him in vision, is a forecast of calamities to come (Mormon 4:46-47 [8:25]). He declares that the nation is about to be destroyed, and none will escape unless they “hearken unto all my words” (Writings of Moroni 1:70 [1:22d]). This coming destruction will be like that which overcame the Jaredite nation and the Nephites, where the “abomination of desolation” is brought on by being turned over to the “god of this world” (Writings of Moroni 6:4 [6:2b]).
The Protection of the Sealing Power in Jesus
The only way to stand against the “devourer” is by obtaining the protection of the Fathers. This protection comes through the sealing power of Elijah, who holds the keys of power to bind up the law and seal the testimony (Writings of Moroni 10:23 [10:8a]). This process requires the children on earth to turn their hearts to the Fathers in heaven. Individuals must recognize that Cain, the “man of sin” (Zaiton) representing Egoism taking for one’s own self in secret combinations sits in the temple of God (the individual believer) (Writings of Moroni 13:6-8 [13:3]). They must subject their flesh to the will of the Father, even “unto the death of the cross,” to overpower the death inherited from Zaiton (Writings of Moroni 13:42 [13:13a]) . The faithful must be willing to give of themselves and their substance, entering the laws of consecration and celestial marriage, to achieve the oneness of the Father’s Holy Order.
Hope in Action is Faith in Action
The ultimate instruction is to us in each of these writings can be boiled down to: “Come ye out, O ye nations, that ye drink not of the wrath of her 
fornications!” (Writings of Moroni 1:64 [1:21a]). And we can do this if we will go up to the Holy Mountain of God to keep the feast of tabernacles, “For behold, ye must be sealed into my family and into my temple or be cut off from among my people, saith the Lord.” (Writings of Moroni 9:46-47 [9:21c-d]). Moroni’s entire work, spanning ancient history and modern revelation, stands as a unified witness that miracles have not ceased and that the final work of God is the gathering of Israel into the Father’s Holy Order before the consumption decreed makes a full end of the wicked.
We cannot do this without the core principles taught in the Book of Moroni, namely that we must put our faith in Christ, Jesus and have faith in Him unto the working of miracles. The Words of Moroni teach us that with this faith we can unseal the mysteries of God. And in the Writings of Moroni we are taught that once we are unsealed from Ego we will be sealed unto God, as we are the temples of God. Each layer unravels more truth as we are made ready for more light and knowledge, line upon line and precept upon precept.
The followers of Christ who will proceed from this great and marvelous work that will take place when these things begin to take place among the covenant people in the fullness of times, that the Lord may stretch forth his hand for the last time, that he may redeem his people that are of the house of Israel.” –Words of Moroni 1:42
