However, he was thinking about it since at least 1823 and he had a practice run doing the lost 116 pages in apriljune 1828 with martin harris. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith, jr. Book of mormon by joseph smith, first edition abebooks. Smith, who founded the mormon church on the basis of the book of mormon that had he claimed been given to him by the angel moroni in the form of engraved metal plates. Could joseph smith have written the book of mormon. The next step is to study the background and motivations of those responsible. Joseph smith and the beginning of book of mormon archaeology did the prophet joseph smith in 1842 locate book of mormon lands in middle america. Joseph fielding smith true book of mormon geography. Garth norman posted by permission of ancient america foundation and the author. When he was 24, smith published the book of mormon. John milton, joseph smith, and the book of mormon byu. December 23, 1805 june 27, 1844 was an american religious leader and founder of mormonism and the latter day saint movement. How could joseph smith possibly have written the book of. Did joseph smith use this newly discovered book to write the book of mormon.
It is a complex portrayal of a thousandyear history of an ancient people. Most all of the current text of the book of mormon was dictated to a scribe over a period of somewhere between a total of 60 and 90 days, interspersed with other daily activities that sometimes would take joseph smith and oliver cowdery away from. Gerald smith explores how the book of mormon influenced joseph smith in issues ranging from his organization of the new churchdrawing its formal name of the church of christ from the text 46to shaping its ecclesiastical structure and priesthood offices 18086. Where did joseph smith get his ideas for the book of mormon. Seven years later, in 1830, this scriptural canon of the latterday saints was published for the world. In one of the most famous declarations ever made about the book of mormon, the prophet joseph smith declares this sacred record to be the keystone of the restored gospel of jesus christ and the best guide available for drawing nearer to god. Dear gramps, i would like to know the exact way the prophet joseph translated the book of mormon. The book of mormon is the most correct of any book on this earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts, than any other book. The book was written by ancient prophets through the spirit of prophecy and revelation.
An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. The binding of the 1841 book of mormon given to charles francis adams by joseph smith. The book of mormon was translated and published in 1830. Joseph smith, american prophet and founder of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. In essence, the challenge states that the critic should produce a text of like character to the book of mormon, before he assumes that smith could have been the sole author. The mormon religion is based upon the story and religious teachings of joseph smith.
Regarded by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints as holy scripture detailing gods revelation to. Joseph smiths translation and publication of the book of mormon, excerpted by fairmormon. Mormon origins is created to make available historical information andor documents relating to the beginnings of mormonism in america. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2600 bc to ad 421. The last nephite prophet in the book of mormon circa a. How could joseph smith possibly have written the book of mormon so fast. Anybody could write a book and claim it fulfills these verses. Printers manuscript of the book of mormon, 1923 photostatic copies.
One of the claims often made by lds people is that there was no information on the indian ruins in mexico and guatemala available prior to 1830. The book of mormon is a religious record of three groups of people who migrated from the old world to the american. It is a record of gods dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the americas. A prophet, according to the old and new testament, relies on revelation from god to teach the people, and not on his own wisdom or learning. Why did joseph smith translate the book of mormon into jacobean english, not in use in 1830. The engraving of smith s wife, emma, can be seen on the bottom.
Riley in his book, the founder of mormonism, psychological study of joseph smith, accepts the book of mormon as a product of joseph smiths mind but believes that it was written by him while he was in an epileptic state. The following is a plausible scenario for how the book of mormon came to be. Another testament of jesus christ official edition by smith, joseph and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In 1823 moroni was sent as a resurrected being to reveal the book of mormon to joseph smith and finally delivered the plates to him in 1827 the guide to the scriptures, moroni, son of mormon, 16768. This book of mormon remains at adams national historical park. The book of mormon by joseph smith and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Honestly, because of the sheer volume of anachronistic errors contained in joseph smiths book, even trying to read it as a novel is taxing. Rees 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. Concerning this record, the prophet joseph smith, who translated it by the gift and power of god, said, i told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book see the introduction at the front of the book of mormon. Smith was the founding prophet and first president of the church. Smith also asserted that john the baptist appeared to him while he was translating the book of mormon and instructed him to restore the. 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.
Joseph smith stated that the book of mormon was the keystone of our religion, to which the former lds prophet ezra taft benson added, just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed. Joseph smith dictated the book of mormon april, may, and june 1829. There is a small group of critics who hold to the theory that the production of the book of mormon was a conspiracy involving sidney rigdon, joseph smith, oliver cowdery and others. Mormons apply all these verses to the book of mormon. Did joseph smith use this newly discovered book to write. This statement implies that the book of mormon is not only doctrinally but also historically correct. The challenge of the book of mormon author unknown the evidence for its validity in a world that is prone to demand evidence, lies not in archaeology or anthropology, though these may be helpful to some. My son and i would like to draw attention to your words too. Joseph smith discovering the book of mormon youtube. Joseph smith president in his notes of a council meeting with the twelve in nauvoo on 28 november 1841, joseph wrote. I next take a long, hard look at the church which grew from joseph smith. To this overfamiliar question the orthodox latterday saint answer is a resounding no, because the official belief is that a series of men with quasibiblical names wrote the book over many centuries. Several investigations and studies which set out to prove that joseph wrote the book of mormon have actua. The coming forth of the book of mormon, foretold by ancient prophets, began with an angelic visitation in 1823 to 17yearold joseph smith.
Unfortunately, the literature about joseph smith and the book of mormon is permeated with contradiction and controversy. 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 face into the hat to block out the light. Much can be known about the coming forth of the english text of the book of mormon through a careful study of statements made by joseph smith, his scribes, and others closely associated with the translation of. Learn more about the life, writings, and legacy of joseph smith. When i see the word translate, it means to me that a scribe read a manuscript written in one language e. This book is much more entertaining if you read it as a historical novel rather than trying to read it as a religious text. When you examine the book of mormon it is about 25% out of the kj bible, it. Joseph smith as author of the book of mormon joseph smith was an uneducated boy, and yet he produced the book of mormon in a few short months. I consider this a very modest exploration of ways in which biblical scholarship and joseph smiths revelations may achieve some closure. More on joseph smiths plagiarism in the book of mormon. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. Mormon apologists will immediately recognize this as the counterpart to the socalled book of mormon challenge. The book of mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the bible, used by latter day saints.
How exactly did joseph smith translate the book of mormon. The spalding manuscriptcritics claim that joseph smith either plagiarized or relied upon a manuscript by solomon spaulding to write the book of mormon. In 1844 joseph smith declared that the book of mormon was the most correct book of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts than by any other book. I come on here often and definitely have my doubts but i want to know how joseph smith could write the bom so fast and in so much detail without being able to really read or write. That wont be an important goal or it may even be a negative one for many believers. According to smiths account and the books narrative, the book of mormon was originally written in otherwise unknown characte. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which is believed to contain writings of ancient prophets who lived on american continent from approx. John milton, joseph smith, and the book of mormon author robert a. He didnt have the time, education or wherewithal to do this.
Having been an active mormon for 35 years, and semiactive for another seven, i feel i have a pretty good picture of the lds church, its history, and motives. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and founded a religion that continues to the present with millions of global adherents. The joseph smith papers project is also a direct source of primary documentation and accurate knowledge about the translation of the book of mormon. The following preface should cause all readers to consider what president no he wasnt president at the time of its writing but he did not change one word of it after becoming president joseph fielding smith said about cumorah, and not toss them aside as if they were from just another ar. I told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to. Joseph smith decided this could be an opportunity to relieve some of the financial pressure associated with publishing the book of mormon joseph smith had been told there were people in canada willing to buy the s to useful books. Skeptics have put forth several theories of book of. Smith published the book of mormon in 1830 and shortly thereafter organized a small church of his first followers. There are a lot things about the book of mormon translation that render any comprehensive explanation difficult.
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