JOSEPH SMITH AND THE TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
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Jan 13, 2012, 1:33:58 AM1/13/12
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JOSEPH SMITH AND THE TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
Compiled by AAF editors and reproduced with their permission
Excerpts from Joseph Smith the Prophet by Preston Nibley:
Received plates: September 22,1827 at age 21.
Began translation: Martin Harris as scribe. 12 April 1828. Seven
months after receiving them. 116 pages lost.
First recorded pages: July 28 1828. 10 months after receiving them.
Began with various scribes and much interruption.
Oliver Cowdery arrived: April 5, 1829. One and one-half years after
receiving them. Began translation on April 7, 1829.
Incidents during translation period:
• Reception of the Aaronic Priesthood and baptism.
• Ordination to Melchizedek Priesthood.
• Reception of several revelations.
• Baptized Samuel and Hyrum.
• Did chores and received help from others who wanted to help
with the work.
• Moved to the Peter Whitmer home.
• Completed translation June 1829. 11 weeks from time started
with Oliver as scribe.
7 to 9 pages per day. Approx. 60 days actual translation
working time.
• The plates viewed by three and then eight witnesses shortly
after translation completed.
• Finished translation at age 23.
Education:
By Preston Nibley: "Joseph Smith the Prophet" p 19
"Mrs. Smith, in her history, fails to mention the important item of
the early education of her son Joseph, Jr.
I have not been able to find a direct statement that he ever attended
school.
We do know, however, that here at Palmyra he did obtain the rudiment
of an education.
He learned to read and to write a good legible hand, although he did
not pay much attention to spelling as is evidenced by some of his
early letters, which are on file in the Church Historian's Office.
There is no evidence whatever, in those early years, that Joseph Smith
Jr. would at a future date, challenge the world with his learning and
intelligence.”
How Joseph Smith Translated the Book of Mormon
By Royal Skousen
“The Prophet Joseph Smith said very little about the actual process of
translating the Book of Mormon. However, a thorough study of the
original text of the Book of Mormon (including a detailed examination
of both the original and printer's manuscripts) and a careful review
of statements made by those who witnessed Joseph Smith translating
combine to provide valuable information about the translation process.
Even details such as spelling correction and textual insertions
provide definite clues about how Joseph translated.
This evidence does not support theories that Joseph Smith composed the
text himself or that he took the text from some other source. Instead,
it indicates that the Lord exercised what I refer to as "tight
control" over the word-by-word translation of the Book of Mormon.
In particular, the evidence suggests that Joseph Smith saw specific
words written out in English and read them off to the scribe, and that
the accuracy of the resulting text depended on the carefulness of
Joseph and his scribe. Indeed, this evidence is most compatible with
the account that Joseph himself gave that he translated the Book of
Mormon "by the gift and power of God.”
The Book of Mormon : The Mind, Will and Voice of the Lord
By Bruce R. McConkie
Address given at the Joseph Smith translation symposium held at BYU
2-3 Nov. 1984. ("The Joseph Smith Translation")
"All who read, ponder, and pray - in faith - are promised that they
shall know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is
the mind and will and voice of the Lord, to all men every where, from
this day onward as long as the earth shall stand."
But the Book of Mormon does more. It announces that the Bible is true.
But the Book of Mormon does more than prove the Bible is true, it also
is the irrefutable witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God;
that the Lord calls and inspires men today as he did anciently; that
living prophets receive revelation in our day and time.
We believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."
(Materials, concepts, maps or conclusions presented at our forums,
appearing on this website, or emailed to BMAF members and guests are
the sole responsibility of the contributing author(s) and do not
necessarily imply that members of the Board of Directors or members of
BMAF agree with all or any part of the subject matter and are not
sponsored in any way by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.)
Compiled by AAF editors and reproduced with their permission
Excerpts from Joseph Smith the Prophet by Preston Nibley:
Received plates: September 22,1827 at age 21.
Began translation: Martin Harris as scribe. 12 April 1828. Seven
months after receiving them. 116 pages lost.
First recorded pages: July 28 1828. 10 months after receiving them.
Began with various scribes and much interruption.
Oliver Cowdery arrived: April 5, 1829. One and one-half years after
receiving them. Began translation on April 7, 1829.
Incidents during translation period:
• Reception of the Aaronic Priesthood and baptism.
• Ordination to Melchizedek Priesthood.
• Reception of several revelations.
• Baptized Samuel and Hyrum.
• Did chores and received help from others who wanted to help
with the work.
• Moved to the Peter Whitmer home.
• Completed translation June 1829. 11 weeks from time started
with Oliver as scribe.
7 to 9 pages per day. Approx. 60 days actual translation
working time.
• The plates viewed by three and then eight witnesses shortly
after translation completed.
• Finished translation at age 23.
Education:
By Preston Nibley: "Joseph Smith the Prophet" p 19
"Mrs. Smith, in her history, fails to mention the important item of
the early education of her son Joseph, Jr.
I have not been able to find a direct statement that he ever attended
school.
We do know, however, that here at Palmyra he did obtain the rudiment
of an education.
He learned to read and to write a good legible hand, although he did
not pay much attention to spelling as is evidenced by some of his
early letters, which are on file in the Church Historian's Office.
There is no evidence whatever, in those early years, that Joseph Smith
Jr. would at a future date, challenge the world with his learning and
intelligence.”
How Joseph Smith Translated the Book of Mormon
By Royal Skousen
“The Prophet Joseph Smith said very little about the actual process of
translating the Book of Mormon. However, a thorough study of the
original text of the Book of Mormon (including a detailed examination
of both the original and printer's manuscripts) and a careful review
of statements made by those who witnessed Joseph Smith translating
combine to provide valuable information about the translation process.
Even details such as spelling correction and textual insertions
provide definite clues about how Joseph translated.
This evidence does not support theories that Joseph Smith composed the
text himself or that he took the text from some other source. Instead,
it indicates that the Lord exercised what I refer to as "tight
control" over the word-by-word translation of the Book of Mormon.
In particular, the evidence suggests that Joseph Smith saw specific
words written out in English and read them off to the scribe, and that
the accuracy of the resulting text depended on the carefulness of
Joseph and his scribe. Indeed, this evidence is most compatible with
the account that Joseph himself gave that he translated the Book of
Mormon "by the gift and power of God.”
The Book of Mormon : The Mind, Will and Voice of the Lord
By Bruce R. McConkie
Address given at the Joseph Smith translation symposium held at BYU
2-3 Nov. 1984. ("The Joseph Smith Translation")
"All who read, ponder, and pray - in faith - are promised that they
shall know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is
the mind and will and voice of the Lord, to all men every where, from
this day onward as long as the earth shall stand."
But the Book of Mormon does more. It announces that the Bible is true.
But the Book of Mormon does more than prove the Bible is true, it also
is the irrefutable witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God;
that the Lord calls and inspires men today as he did anciently; that
living prophets receive revelation in our day and time.
We believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."
(Materials, concepts, maps or conclusions presented at our forums,
appearing on this website, or emailed to BMAF members and guests are
the sole responsibility of the contributing author(s) and do not
necessarily imply that members of the Board of Directors or members of
BMAF agree with all or any part of the subject matter and are not
sponsored in any way by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.)
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