60 years ago today - Mar 9, 1955

Thomas S. Ferguson makes a presentation to the LDS First Presidency concerning the New World Archaeological Foundation. Ferguson points out that the scholarly world would accept the archaeological discoveries of NWAF, since non-Mormon archaeologists would be used and NWAF was not an official church organization. As a result, Ferguson receives a commitment for $200,000 from the Church, which would be enough money to carry out four seasons of archaeological excavations in Mesoamerica. The presentation was a follow-up to a recent letter Ferguson had sent to the First Presidency stating: "The Book of Mormon is the only revelation from God in the history of the world that can possibly be tested by scientific physical evidence. . . . To find the city of Jericho is merely to confirm a point of history. To find the city of Zarahemla is to confirm a point of history but it is also to confirm, through tangible physical evidence, divine revelation to the modern world through Joseph Smith, Moroni, and the Urim and Thummim. Thus, Book of Mormon history is revelation that can be tested by archaeology."