In the introduction, Card makes comments to placate anyone who takes offense too deeply by claiming that Ambrose Bierce appeared to him in a vision and presented the text of this book to him, paralleling the Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith and telling him about the Golden plates that composed the Book of Mormon.
Card includes comments in the introduction to address those who might be deeply offended by claiming that Ambrose Bierce appeared to him in a vision and gave him the manuscript. This is meant to parallel the appearance of Angel Moroni to Joseph Smith regarding the Book of Mormon and its contents.