How exactly did joseph smith translate the book of mormon. Joseph smith s translation and publication of the book of mormon. The urim and thummim was preserved in a stone box, along with the gold plates, for over 1,500 years for the purpose of enabling joseph to. Why is some of the book of mormon identical to the bible. The interpreters were taken from joseph after he allowed martin harris to carry away the 116 pages of ms manuscript of the book of mormon as a punishment, but he was allowed to go on and translate by use of a seers stone which he had, and which he placed in a hat into which he buried his face, stating to me and others that the original. The book of mormon is set in north america in the first century. The language in the sections of the book of mormon that correspond to parts of the bible is quite regularly selected by joseph smith, rather than obtained through independent translation. Mason allred and mark ashurstmcgee discuss the various historical accounts of the book of mormon translation process, including accounts of joseph smith using a seer stone to translate the. A seer stone and a hat translating the book of mormon. The question at hand, then, is whether or not smiths translation of the book of mormon plates is true. As joseph grew to understand his prophetic calling, he learned that he could use this stone for the higher purpose of translating scripture book of mormon translation, gospel topics on 20.
Mormons react to firstever photograph of joseph smiths. Joseph the seeror why did he translate with a rock in his hat. With permission from professor anthony sweat, the artist behind the new artwork depicting joseph smiths translation of the book of mormon, the new pieces from the book are posted below. Joseph smiths translation and publication of the book of mormon. Athalia robinson, were present when that book was handed to me in mentor, ohio, and all i ever knew about the origin of the book of mormon was what parley p. Joseph smith put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light. Joseph smith translates the book of mormon using a hat in a 2003 south park episode. In a times and seasons editorial, october 1, 1842, the prophet joseph smith, after. If smith truly was a prophet with the ability to decipher plates of an unknown language. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. The grandfather soon recovered his beast, which joe said was somewhere on the lake. In 1827, smith began to gather a religious following after announcing that an angel had shown him a set of golden plates describing a visit of jesus to the indigenous peoples of. The use of objects in the translation were only to help focusing on the work. October 1st is the anniversary of a little known event in early church history that i believe, in consequence of significant research progress, now deserves recognition for identifying a region of major book of mormon lands and for initiating book of mormon archaeological historicity research.
Book of mormon joseph smith and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Dear gramps, i would like to know the exact way the prophet joseph translated the book of mormon. Joseph smith himself wrote his own history, which is included in our scripturesjoseph smith history 1. Free shipping get free shipping free 58 day shipping within the u. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is his translation of reformed egyptian. This is a reference to the book of mormon and the bible being companion books that compliment each other. Joseph smith has lost all credibility as a convicted criminal using a peep stone to find buried treasure in 1826. Lets say that joseph smith wrote the book of mormon. Welch of brigham young university, delivered a powerful address on wednesday, november 8 on the timing of the translation of the book of mormon. Another testament of jesus christ behold, i am jesus christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world 3 nephi 11. Nothing is magical, and the urim and thummim, the seer stone, etc.
Joseph smith on translating the book of mormon mormon apologists are now arguing that joseph and the early mormons used the term urim and thummim in reference to both the stone spectacles and the seer stone, but this explanation will not work. How did joseph smith translate the book of mormon and other. The first part of the book of mormon, down to the book of mosiah, was translated directly from the writings of nephi and jacob, with brief entries by others down to sometime between 279 and. The church has been deceiving members about the manner smith translated the book of mormon. Joseph placed either the interpreters or the seer stone in a hat, pressed his. It seems after reading these posts that the only possible answer is that the book of mormon happened just like joseph and others claim. In march i was privileged to be part of a conference at usu on new perspectives on joseph smith and translation, taking on some of the latest scholarship on smiths role in translating. The language from which he was translating was the egyptian language, written in hieroglyphics.
For instance, i read that at first he used a seer stone instead of the urim and thummim which he placed in his hat and buried his. Artwork of joseph smith translating the book of mormon. Professor figures out book of mormon translation timeline. According to witnesses, joseph smith often translated without the plates being present and used the interpreters to receive the revealed text. An analysis of the lds church seer stone announcement. Joseph placed either the interpreters or the seer stone in a hat, pressed his face into the hat to. I give unto you my servant joseph to be a presiding elder over all my church, to be a translator, a revelator, a seer, and prophet. But joseph smith used a variety of methods to effect the translation, including. Book of mormon translation by joseph smith book of. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on. In an interview conducted by her son joseph smith iii in 1879, emma smith, wife of the prophet joseph smith, expressed her faith in the restored church of jesus christ, which was established in 1830 after the prophet had translated the book of mormon and published it. The elders journalmormon publication edited by joseph smithsaid that harris and others were guilty of swearing, lying, cheating, swindling, drinking, with every species of debauchery. David whitmer said, regarding smith s translation of the book of mormon.
Joseph smith used peepstones to translate the book of mormon. Could joseph smith have written the book of mormon. This image is available for web and print publication. Ive included this under the joseph smith and the book of mormon references because the two go hand in hand. Welch gave the annual book of mormon lecture entitled hours never to be forgotten for the laura f. Joseph smith dictated the words of the translation to scribes, mostly oliver cowdery. Joseph smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and wellworded letter. Martin harris accused joseph smith of lying and licentiousness. And, though i was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, and was present during the translation of the plates, and had cognizance of things as they transpired, it is marvelous to me, a marvel and a wonder, as much so as to.
In paintings commonly seen in mormon scriptures and pamphlets, smith is depicted translating from the gold plates as oliver cowdery transcribed his dictation. He recovered the beast, which joe said was somewhere on the lake. The book of mormon is a true volume of scripture, prophesied in the bible, and brought forth by god. Joseph smith used a rock in a hat for translating the book of mormon these facts are now officially confirmed in the churchs december 20 book of mormon translation essay. This comparison of joseph smith and john milton focuses on their literary output and especially the preparation each had for dictating a long religious work, in miltons case paradise lost and in smiths the book of mormon. Most lds church members were taught that joseph smith used seer stones referred to as the urim and thummim nephite interpreters to translate the book of mormon bom 1 to various scribes. Lots of answers here with an incredible amount of evidence. Joseph smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat. Most notable authors, including milton, had a long apprenticeship that involved writing several try works, practice works that served as tutorials and stepping.
This book is much more entertaining if you read it as a historical novel rather than trying to read it as a religious text. This tutorial shows the historical facts about the way that joseph smith translated the book of mormon. Joseph smith used a rock in a hat for translating the book of mormon. Pratt, oliver cowdery, joseph smith and the witnesses who claimed they saw the plates have told me, and in all of my intimacy with joseph smith he never told. Did joseph smith translate the book of mormon with a rock. I obtained them and the urim and thummim with them, by the means of which i translated the plates and thus came the book of mormon. Mormons believe that joseph smith translated the book of mormon from an ancient record. Joseph may have derived other parts of the book of mormon, or at least ideas found in it, from contemporary sources. By its own terms, the book of mormon is a translation of an ancient book. Joseph smith and his scribes wrote of two instruments used in translating the book of mormon. Top 10 facts the mormon church doesnt want its members to.
Do mormons really believe joseph smith read the book of. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. Honestly, because of the sheer volume of anachronistic errors contained in joseph smiths book, even trying to read it as a novel is taxing. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth. How joseph smith translated the book of mormon by royal.
Seer stones and the translation of the book of mormon. He includes in his narrative the visit of the angel moroni. Urim and thummim places the book of mormon translation on trial, presenting the latest research in one of the most comprehensive treatments of the translation process to date providing encouragement for latterday saints who fear they have been betrayed by the translation history taught by the church for over 190 years did joseph smith study and master the nephite language. So it is obvious that joseph did not copy from the bible.
The question at hand, then, is whether or not smith s translation of the book of mormon plates is true. Joseph smith put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the. The extrabiblical source most likely to have influenced the book of mormon was a view of the hebrews 1823 by ethan smith no relation. Willes center for book of mormon studies at the gordon b. The church later admitted these facts in its october 2015 ensign, where they include a photograph of the actual rock that joseph smith used to place in his hat for the. Joseph explicitly stated that he translated the plates with the urim and thummim that he found. Early this week i posted a brief notice for the book from darkness unto light.
The mormon leaders in turn published an attack on the character of martin harris. Mormon scholars debate joseph smiths role in translation. Prophecies about joseph smith bible references for lds. This remains the best description of the translation of the book of mormon. He uses the same stone he was convicted of fraud for scrying a practice in the early 1820s and then later uses this same peep stone buried in a hat to translate the book of mormon. Each of these seer stone in a hat quotes comes from modern unreliable sources. How did joseph smith translate the plates from which the. First, translation of the book of mormon did not take place in less than three.
Joseph smith s response to skepticism, cites a personal interview emma smith bidamon gave to a committee of the reorganized church of jesus christ of latterday saints in 1879. The annotated lds gospel topics essay on the book of mormon translation. Some critics of joseph smith mock the fact that part of the book of mormon translation process apparently involved dictating while looking at a stone that hed placed within a hat yet far from being damaging evidence against his claims and against the book of mormon, this fact may strongly support their plausibility. It also released photos of the seer stone that joseph smith used as a scryer to. He also gave a prophecy of himself that he was a translator. By the power of god, through the holy spirit, how else. Why did joseph smith translate the book of mormon into jacobean english, not in use in 1830. Joseph smith said, in the nowfamous letter to john wentworth, that he translated the book of mormon through the medium of the urim and thummim. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon translation was performed by the gift and power of god the lost 116 pages of the book of mormon manuscript.
Details of the translation process joseph smith used for translating the book of mormon from the plates can be adduced from statements of witnesses and from evidence in the original and printers manuscripts. The title page of the book of mormon said it would be interpreted and come forth by the gift and power of god. Joseph smithseer stonesrock in hat used for book of. The angel charged joseph smith to translate the book from the ancient. Much can be known about the coming forth of the english text of the book of mormon through a careful.
The mormon churchs push toward transparency about its roots and beliefs took another step forward with the first published pictures of a small sacred stone it believes founder joseph smith used. Thus the book of mormon was translated by the gift and power of god, and not by any power of man. As a mormon, did you know about joseph smith using the. David whitmer said, regarding smiths translation of the book of mormon. How joseph smith translated the book of mormon latter. Did joseph smith translate the book of mormon with a rock in a. When i see the word translate, it means to me that a scribe read a manuscript written in one language e. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon.