View source for Question: Does Gilbert Hunt's ''The Late War'' talk of 2000 "striplings" who go to war?

{{FairMormon}}
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==Question: Does Gilbert Hunt's ''The Late War'' talk of 2000 "striplings" who go to war?==
===Critics' comparison: It is noted that both books talk of two thousand young men who went to war <ref >Chris Johnson, Duane Johnson, "A Comparison of The Book of Mormon and The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain," <nowiki>http://wordtreefoundation.github.io/thelatewar/</nowiki></ref>===
[[File:Johnson comparison late war bom striplings.jpg|frame|700px|center|Chris Johnson, Duane Johnson, ""A Comparison of The Book of Mormon and The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain," <nowiki>http://wordtreefoundation.github.io/thelatewar/</nowiki>]]
*Book of Mormon, Alma 53:18-20: <span style="color:blue">two thousand of those young men ... to defend their country. ... they took their weapons of war, ... were all young men, and they were exceeding valiant for courage,</span> ...<ref>Alma 53:18-20</ref>
*The Late War 35:5-6: <span style="color:red">two thousand hardy men, who ... fought freely for their country ... Now the men of war ... were ... men of dauntless courage.</span>

The authors note that "The Late War does not include the phrase 'stripling soldiers' like the Book of Mormon; however, it does share the same context as the distinctive Book of Mormon story: striplings in battle, including a band of 2,000 courageous soldiers who volunteer in a desperate fight for the freedom of their country against an oppressive king (Amalickiah / King George III)."<ref>Chris Johnson, Duane Johnson, "A Comparison of The Book of Mormon and The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain," <nowiki>http://wordtreefoundation.github.io/thelatewar/</nowiki></ref>

===Full context comparison: "striplings" are not mentioned in connection with the ''Late War's'' "two thousand hardy men"===

This passage from the ''Late War'' does not mention "striplings" or "stripling soldiers".

{{s||Alma|53|18-22}}:
<blockquote>
18 Now behold, there were <span style="color:blue">two thousand of those young men</span>, who entered into this covenant and took their weapons of war <span style="color:blue">to defend their country.</span>

19 And now behold, as they never had hitherto been a disadvantage to the Nephites, they became now at this period of time also a great support; for <span style="color:blue">they took their weapons of war</span>, and they would that Helaman should be their leader.

20 And they <span style="color:blue">were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage,</span> and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.

21 Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.

22 And now it came to pass that Helaman did march at the head of his two thousand <span style="color:blue">stripling</span> soldiers, to the support of the people in the borders of the land on the south by the west sea.
</blockquote>

''The Late War'' Chapter 35 (p.126):
<blockquote>
5 Immediately Jackson took <span style="color:red">two thousand hardy men, who</span> were called volunteers, because they had, unsolicited, offered their services <span style="color:red">to their country</span>, and led them against the savages.

6 <span style="color:red">Now the men of war</span> who followed after him <span style="color:red">were</span> mostly from the state of Tennessee, and <span style="color:red">men of dauntless courage</span>.
</blockquote>

===The 1828 Webster's dictionary definition for the word "stripling" simply means "a youth in the state of adolescence"===
From Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary:
<blockquote>
STRIPLING, n. [from strip, stripe; primarily a tall slender youth, one that shoots up suddenly. ] A youth in the state of adolescence, or just passing from
</blockquote>

===The word "stripling" has no particular association with war or warriors. It simply refers to an adolescent===

In order to find the word "stripling," one must go to back to Chapter 19:32,  or Chapter 28:2:

''The Late War Chapter 19 (p. 69):
<blockquote>
32 About this time, a <span style="color:red">stripling</span> from the south, with his weapon of war in his hand, ran up to Zebulon, and spake unto him, saying
</blockquote>

''The Late War, Chapter 28 (p. 99):
<blockquote>
2 And the vessels of war of Columbia that were upon the waters of the lake were not yet prepared for the battle; the name of their commander was M'Donough, a <span style="color:red">stripling.</span>
</blockquote>

===The mention of “2000” may simply be coincidence===

In light of other evidence against the Late War, the mention of “2000” may likely be a coincidence


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{{endnotes sources}}
[[Category:Letter to a CES Director]]

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[[es:Pregunta: ¿El libro de Gilbert Hunt ''La Última Guerra'' describir 2.000 "jovencitos" que ir a la guerra?]]
[[pt:Pergunta: Será que ''A Última Guerra'' por Gilbert Hunt conversa de 2000 "striplings" que vão para a guerra?]]
[[Category:Questions]]