One of the strangest editorial decisions by the Joseph Smith Papers is the way they ignore Oliver Cowdery's eight essays about Church history that he wrote with the assistance of Joseph Smith. Joseph had the essays copied into his journal and approved their republication in the Gospel Reflector and Times and Seasons. His brother William republished them in The Prophet. Parley Pratt republished them in the Millennial Star.
Yet most Latter-day Saints today have never heard of them, and the editors of the Joseph Smith Papers (JSP) seem determined to keep it that way.
This post discusses an example from the notes on the 1831 conference.
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Here's the famous excerpt from the minutes of the conference in which Joseph declines to relate the "all the particulars of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon."
Br. said that he thought best that the information of the coming forth of the book of Mormon be related by Joseph himself to the present that all might know for themselves.Br. Joseph Smith jr. said that it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the book of Mormon, & also said that it was not expedient for him to relate these things &c.[21]
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minutes-25-26-october-1831/4
Now, let's look at the JSP Note 21.
Note 21: To this point, JS apparently had not written a history of the production of the Book of Mormon. In April 1834, he provided “a relation of obtaining and translating the Book of Mormon” to a conference in Norton, Ohio, though the conference minutes do not provide any other information about what he said. An account was finally published in 1842, but it gave few details. (Minute Book 1, 21 Apr. 1834; JS, “Church History,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:707; see also “The Histories of Joseph Smith, 1832–1844.”)
This is an astonishing note. The JSP editors jump to the Wentworth letter from 1842, but they forgot to mention the earliest detailed account that we have of Moroni's visit--Oliver Cowdery's Letter IV.
Here are the minutes from the 1834 conference:
This day a conference of the elders of the church of Christ assembled at the dwelling house of bro. Carpenters at 10 o’clock A.M.....He then gave a relation of obtaining and translating the Book of Mormon, the revelation of the priesthood of Aaron, the organization of the Church in the year 1830, the revelation of the high priesthood, and the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon the church, &c. Take away the book of Mormon, and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none...
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minute-book-1/48
The minutes explain that Oliver was present at that conference.
Bro. O Cowdery then occupied a few minutes in giveing a relation of the brethren being driven out from their homes, and called upon the brethren and sisters to open their hearts and contribute to their necessities.
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minute-book-1/50
We can't tell how much of the "coming forth of the Book of Mormon" Oliver knew from personal experience, and how much he learned from Joseph Smith. But either way, a few months later, in October 1834, Oliver began publishing the history of the Restoration in a series of eight essays, or letters.
He opened the account by explaining that
we have thought that a full history of the rise of the church of the Latter Day Saints, and the most interesting parts of its progress, to the present time, would be worthy the perusal of the Saints….
That our narrative may be correct, and particularly the introduction, it is proper to inform our patrons, that our brother J. Smith Jr. has offered to assist us. Indeed, there are many items connected with the fore part of this subject that render his labor indispensible. With his labor and with authentic documents now in our possession, we hope to render this a pleasing and agreeable narrative, well worth the examination and perusal of the Saints.
If Joseph and Oliver thought their history was "worthy of the perusal (study) of the Saints of their day, why not now?
In Letter IV, published in February 1835, Oliver described the visit of Moroni with the most detail of any account we have. He explicitly explained that Joseph Smith related details of that visit.
But the JSP editors forgot to even mention this in their note.
In this excerpt, Oliver asked Joseph what time of night Moroni appeared, but Joseph couldn’t tell him.
On the evening of the 21st of September, 1823… At length the family retired, and he… continued still to pray…
In this situation hours passed unnumbered—how many or how few I know not, neither is he able to inform me; but supposes it must have been eleven or twelve, and perhaps later, as the noise and bustle of the family, in retiring, had long since ceased.—
Continuing, Oliver used Joseph’s own description of Moroni with fascinating details we get nowhere else.
While continuing in prayer for a manifestation … on a sudden a light like that of day, only of a purer and far more glorious appearance and brightness, burst into the room.— Indeed to use his own description, the first sight was as though the house was filled with consuming and unquenchable fire.… Notwithstanding the room was previously filled with light above the brightness of the sun… yet there seemed to be an additional glory surrounding or accompanying this personage, which shone with an increased degree of brilliancy, of which he was in the midst; and though his countenance was as lightning, yet it was of a pleasing, innocent and glorious appearance, so much so, that every fear was banished from the heart, and nothing but calmness pervaded the soul.
It is no easy task to describe the appearance of a messenger from the skies… The stature of this personage was a little above the common size of men in this age; his garment was perfectly white, and had the appearance of being without seam….
Next, Oliver related what Moroni told Joseph about the ancient Nephites and their record.
[Joseph] heard him declare himself to be a messenger sent by commandment of the Lord, to deliver a special message…
He then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers, and also gave a history of the aborigenes of this country, and said they were literal descendants of Abraham. He represented them as once being an enlightned and intelligent people, possessing a correct knowledge of the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record.
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/69
Latter-day Saints around the world should be able to read these detailed accounts of the history of the Restoration, even if these accounts contradict certain modern narratives.
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