In the Lost Tribes, author R. Clayton Brough has given definition and clarification to one of the most interesting doctrinal subjects in Mormonism. He traces the Biblical history of the descendants of the great patriarch Jacob, whose name the Lord changed to Israel, down to the time they entered captivity in Assyria. He then draws from other historical sources which relate the exodus of these tribes into "another land" and shows how they became lost to mankind. Various historical allusions are cited which reflect the sum of modern scholarly knowledge pertaining to their history and present location. Among Latter-day Saints, several theories have come into existence concerning the location of these lost people. The author has collected the evidence usually cited to substantiate these theories and has presented and analyzed it with considerable clarity. He takes no position in support of any particular theory, but invites the reader to evaluate the information available for himself. The theories he discusses and documents are the "Unknown Planet" theory, the "Narrow Neck" proposition (a sub-theory), the "Hollow Earth" theory, the "North Pole" theory, and the "Dispersion" theory. The future return of the Ten Tribes from their unknown location is a major theme in LDS doctrine. The author devotes the final chapter of the book to that subject and related events in the last days. The Lost Tribes is a valuable book which assembles a host of interesting and sometimes inaccessible items from many sources. The author has done much to clarify and broaden Latter-day Saint understanding on one of the most intriguing themes in ancient and modern scripture. Here is a book that is being widely read and enjoyed by many.
