Posted by:
anathema
(
)
Date: November 05, 2010 04:49PM
Alma 1:15 And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death.
Hm. "Between heaven and earth."
Regarding the execution of Guy Fawkes, Wikipedia mentions, "The Attorney General Sir Edward Coke told the court that each of the condemned would be drawn backwards to his death, by a horse, his head near the ground. They were to be 'put to death halfway between heaven and earth as unworthy of both'."
Is it possible that Smith (or a collaborator) was remembering Fawkes' notable execution when writing this portion of the Book of Mormon?
The use of the word "ignominious" is also interesting. It appears only once in the Book of Mormon. Under the article for "hanged, drawn, and quartered," Wikipedia describes the method of execution as being "ignominious." I wonder if Wikipedia and Smith got this word from a common source regarding Fawkes' execution.