A Witness and a Warning: A Modern-day Prophet Testifies of the Book of Mormon, by President Ezra Taft Benson; published by Deseret Book Co., 40 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0178; 86 pages, $6.95.
This book contains messages from the prophet that are, as the title suggests; a witness of the truth of the Book of Mormon, and a warning to study its pages daily.
In additional to President Benson's general conference address, "The Book of Mormon Is the Word of God," other messages in this book include "A New Witness for Christ," "The Keystone of our Religion," "The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants" and "The Savior's Visit to America." All are intended to be a "witness and a warning" to members of the Church.
Also significant is a brief, but firm, message to readers in the book's foreword. President Benson noted that though the Book of Mormon is taught every fourth year in Sunday School and seminary classes, this pattern "must not be followed by Church members in their personal study of the standard works."
He went on to write: "All scripture is not of equal value. The book that is the 'keystone of our religion' and that will get a man 'nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book' needs to be studied constantly."
President Benson then wrote that the Church continues to be under condemnation "because of the way we have treated the Book of Mormon. . . . We have neither said enough nor have we done enough with this divine instrument - the key to conversion. As a result, as individuals, as families, and as the Church, we sometimes have felt the scourge and judgement God said would be 'poured out upon the children of Zion' because of our neglect of this book."
The prophet then promises that "if we will daily sup from its pages and abide by its precepts, God will pour out upon each child of Zion and the Church a blessing hitherto unknown. . . . Of this I bear solemn witness."
A Witness and a Warning contains many such powerful direct messages.
LW