19  And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these ^arecords, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers;

  3  And he also taught them concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, saying: My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it not for these ^bplates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries of God.