Isn’t it no longer possible to reserve interest in the Book of Mormon by wondering why no other Ancient Near Eastern book resembles it (Narrative of Zosimus)?

The Narrative of Zosimus is an ancient document appearing in the 1870s written in Hebrew that is dated to at least the tii in me of Christ. It narrates the history of a religious group who left Jerusalem  around the same time as Lehi in the Book of Mormon, to a new land across the sea. 

John W. Welch summarizes the points in the Narrative of Zosimus which are similar to the Book of Mormon such as:

• Dwelling in the desert
• Being led by prayer and faith
• Wandering through a dark and dreary waste
• Being caught away to the bank of a river
• Crossing to the other side of a river or abyss and passing through great mist
• Coming to a tree whose fruit is most sweet above all
• Easting and drinking from the tree which was also a fountain of living waters
• Being greeted by an escort
• Being interrogated as to desires
• Beholding a vision of the Son of God
• Keeping records on soft metal plates
• Recording the history of a group of people who escaped the destruction of Jerusalem at the time of Jeremiah
• Being led to a land of promise and of great abundance due to righteousness
• Practising constant prayer
• Living in chastity
• Receiving revelations concerning the wickedness of the people of Jerusalem
• And yet obtaining assurances of the mercy to be extended to the inhabitants of Jerusalem

Why is there such a similar history to the Book of Mormon found after the publication of the Book of Mormon? Why do they appear to come from a common source? 

See:

• The Narrative of Zosimus and the Book of Mormon – John W. Welch

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