A new entry in "Church and Gospel Questions" focuses on Book of Mormon translation.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/book-of-mormon-translation?lang=eng
The entry ("narrative") begins with this excellent guidance:
Seeking answers to our questions can draw us closer to Jesus Christ if we apply sound principles. Studying reliable sources is important when seeking answers to gospel-related questions. See the topic “Consult Reliable Sources” to explore more tips on answering questions.
The link to "Consult Reliable Sources" sets out principles for "Seeking Answers to Your Questions" that everyone should consider. Historians and other authors should carefully implement those principles in their work. Other principles in that section include "Work to Understand the Past."
In this post, we will consider how these principles for seeking answers were implemented in the narrative about Book of Mormon Translation. We will also keep in mind President Nelson's teaching that "good inspiration is based upon good information."
The table below gives examples of how the principles were not fully implemented in the narrative. For that reason, following the table we suggest improvements to bring the narrative closer in line with the guidance provided by "Consult Reliable Sources" and "Work to Understand the Past."
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Principle |
Application |
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Consult Reliable Sources |
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Evaluate
the reliability of sources. Not all sources are of equal value on all
topics. The best sources will have direct knowledge of a topic instead of
relying on hearsay, rumor, or innuendo. They will speak from a position of
direct knowledge or expertise. They will refer to other reputable sources so
you can check their claims. Reliable sources will not always affirm what you
already think. They may challenge your views. If you have questions about
official Church teachings, look first at what current Church leaders have and
have not said. This will help you evaluate other, earlier statements. |
The principle explains that "reliable sources will not always affirm what you already think." In this case, the reliable sources (scriptures, Joseph and Oliver), do not affirm the scholars' narrative about the seer stone in the hat. |
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Learn to
recognize bias. Almost all sources have some bias. This does not
automatically make them unreliable, but it is important to take the source
creator’s perspective into account. Examine your source’s motives and
background. Be wary of sources that claim to be unbiased or that express
views in inflammatory ways. |
|
|
Corroborate
what you learn. It is significant when multiple reliable sources agree or
speak with clarity on a topic. This is especially true when studying sources
discussing Church history and teachings. Though it is not always possible to
find this kind of agreement among sources, it is helpful to compare
information from different sources so you can better assess their quality. |
What Joseph and Oliver taught multiple times about the translation with the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates is consistent and corroborated by what their contemporaries and successors taught. But the narrative neither informs readers about what they taught nor shows the the corroborative sources. Instead, the narrative promotes uncited sources that contradicted what Joseph and Oliver taught. |
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Distinguish
facts from interpretation. Some pieces of information are facts. But much
of what we encounter on the internet and in other publications consists of
someone’s interpretation of the facts. The best interpretations try to
account for all the facts. They consider specific details or facts in broader
context and give them proper weight. They don’t simply dismiss information
that doesn’t agree with a particular point of view. Check the sources used to
make a particular interpretation to ensure they support the claims being made
and are not taken out of context. |
The key facts regarding the translation are what Joseph and Oliver explicitly and formally taught, corroborated by canonized scripture. But all of this is missing from the narrative, which doesn't even provide references to these reliable sources for readers to check. Instead, the narrative states as fact the interpretations and speculations of certain scholars regarding Joseph's alleged use of a seer stone instead of the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates, and then doesn't give citations to the sources for readers to check. Also that there were two stones in silver bows, and these stones fastened to a breastplate constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim, deposited with the plates, and the possession and use of these stones was what constituted seers in ancient or former times, and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book (Times and Seasons III.12:753 ¶4) With the records was found a curious instrument which the ancients called “Urim and Thummim,” which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate. Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift, and power of God. (Times and Seasons III.9:707 ¶5–6) |
|
Become
familiar with Church resources. In matters of doctrine and Church policy,
the best sources are the scriptures, the teachings of the living prophets,
and the General Handbook. The Church has also published additional resources
to help you better understand some of the most common questions Latter-day
Saints have about Church history and culture. You may find these to be useful
starting points as you investigate your questions. |
|
|
Seek the
guidance of the Holy Ghost. New information can sometimes feel
disorienting. That feeling doesn’t necessarily mean the information isn’t
true. Along with the skills mentioned above, seek the influence of the Holy
Ghost. He can help you discern truth. He will “enlighten your mind” and help
you reorient your perspective in light of new truths. Pray for help. Live in
such a way that the Spirit can speak to you. Be open to spiritual promptings
as you work to resolve your concerns. |
This is always good guidance. As President Nelson stated, "Good inspiration is based upon good information." The narrative does not provide good information from the scriptures and the published teachings of Joseph, Oliver, and their successors in Church leadership. Instead, it focuses on unsourced speculation from scholars. |
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Work to Understand the Past |
|
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Recognize the limits of our knowledge. Histories are interpretations of the past based on the limited sources that remain. There are many things we can say with confidence about the past. But there are many things we just don’t know. And the information we have almost always allows for more than one interpretation. |
While it is true that there are limited sources, readers should be informed of all of those sources. Instead, the narrative omits important sources, omits important parts of the sources it does cite, and focuses on speculations of scholars that it states as fact. At a minimum, the narrative should explain that there are multiple interpretations, including the interpretation that Joseph and Oliver told the truth. |
|
Expect
change. When we study the past, we sometimes find that practices,
teachings, and ideas we thought were unchanging have actually changed quite a
bit. Core principles of the gospel are eternal, but the ways they are
understood and expressed over time reflect the line upon line nature of
revelation and the constant change of human culture. |
|
|
Place
things in context. Someone once said, “The past is a foreign
country: they do things differently there.” People in the past had
different assumptions about the world than we do. … understanding historical
context helps to keep us from imposing our present views on people of the
past in a way that prevents understanding. |
|
|
Remember
that humans make mistakes. … we sometimes forget that Latter-day Saints
of the past, including early Church leaders, were human beings. Human beings
have weaknesses. They make mistakes. They sin. Remember that God uses
imperfect people to accomplish His work. |
|
|
Watch for
suspect interpretations. Not all interpretations of past events are
equally valid. People make many claims about Church history, both favorable
and antagonistic, that fail to meet standards for accuracy, reliability, and
fairness. This is especially true in an age when anyone can publish their
views with the click of a button. The Lord directed us to seek wisdom “out of
the best books.” As a student of Church history, you can use both the tools
of scholarship and the gift of the Holy Ghost. |
By contrast, the seer stone narrative originated from critics who were not participants and then picked up decades later by David Whitmer and Emma Smith (her "Last Testimony"). But in the Answers published along with this narrative on the topic of Plural Marriage, the authors omitted any reference to the "Last Testimony" because of its dubious reliability. |
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_____
In the pursuit of clarity, charity and understanding, here are some suggestions for improvement in this section of "Church and Gospel Questions."
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/book-of-mormon-translation?lang=eng
Original in blue, my suggestions in red.
Book of Mormon Translation
Seeking answers to our questions can draw us closer to Jesus Christ if we apply sound principles. Studying reliable sources is important when seeking answers to gospel-related questions. See the topic “Consult Reliable Sources” to explore more tips on answering questions.
That topic is highly relevant and the guidance given there should be followed throughout the gospel questions material. For a discussion of that topic, see https://www.ldshistoricalnarratives.com/p/consult-reliable-sources.html
Overview
The Book of Mormon came to us through a series of miraculous events. It is the translation of an ancient record engraved on plates that was preserved for centuries and entrusted to Joseph Smith by an angel named Moroni. The translation was accomplished not using traditional methods, but by divine revelation. Joseph dictated the book to scribes at a breathtaking pace, completing almost the entire translation between April and June of 1829.1
Note 1. Considering travel and other disruptions, scholars estimate that Joseph translated almost the entire Book of Mormon in 65–75 days. See John W. Welch, “The Miraculous Translation of the Book of Mormon,” in John W. Welch and Erick B. Carlson, eds., Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820–1844 (2005), 76–213.
Suggestion. Replace the last clause with this: "completing most of the translation between April and June of 1829."
Explanation. To be clear, Joseph said he resumed translating in the fall of 1828 when Moroni returned the plates and the Urim and Thummim. David Whitmer said the translation took eight months, which would mean Joseph resumed translating in November. Joseph also said Emma was a scribe, and D&C 5:30 shows that Joseph was translating in March 1829, apparently with Martin Harris as a scribe. The earliest extant part of the Original Manuscript is Alma 11, and that is in the handwriting of Oliver Cowdery, who began working as scribe in April 1829. There is physical evidence that suggests Oliver was not the scribe for the Book of Mosiah, which corroborates the November start date for resuming the translation.
The problem with Note 1 is that Opening the Heavens is outdated because it omits relevant sources. It would be better to either cite original sources or a source that does include all the relevant sources.
Joseph Smith did not share many details about the translation process, and few records describing the translation were created at the time. Much of what we know comes from later eyewitness accounts. This means we don’t have a complete understanding of how the miracle of the translation occurred or the extent to which Joseph’s methods changed over time.
Suggestion. Replace the paragraph with this: "Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery did not share many details about the translation process beyond explaining that Joseph translated the plates by means of the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates. Others who claimed to be eyewitnesses related a different method of producing the text. Consequently, we do not have a complete understanding of how the miracle of the translation occurred."
Explanation. Pursuant to the guidance in "Consult Reliable Sources," any discussion of the translation should begin with (i) the scriptures and (ii) what Joseph and Oliver formally said in official publications. Historians prefer contemporary first-person accounts over later hearsay accounts. Eyewitness testimony can be useful but indicia of credibility should be tested (i.e., whether the eyewitness relates specifics about means, motive and opportunity). The dual competing narratives (SITH vs U&T) were set out in 1834 in Mormonism Unvailed. Joseph and Oliver made formal declarations after that about the U&T, indicating they were clarifying which of the narratives was correct.
We do know that the translation was divinely inspired.2 Joseph Smith declared that he translated the record “by the gift and power of God.”3 Those who observed the translation process likewise affirmed it was a miracle. Three witnesses—Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer—attested that an angel showed them the plates and testified that the translation was accomplished with God’s help.
Note 2. See Doctrine and Covenants 17:6.
Note 3. Preface to the Book of Mormon (1830), iii.
Note 4. See “The Testimony of Three Witnesses,” Book of Mormon.
Suggestion. replace the second sentence with this: "Joseph Smith declared that "Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift, and power of God." ("Church History," Times and Seasons III.9:707 ¶6)
Explanation. While Joseph did declare that he translated "by the gift and power of God," the quotation is taken out of context and omits what Joseph declared about the Urim and Thummim and the Book of Lehi. Note 3 refers to the Preface of the 1830 edition, but the full quotation points out that Joseph took the translation from the plates, not from a stone. "I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon." The narrative does not cite the other examples of Joseph referring to the gift and power of God which included his declaration that he used the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates.
We can gain our own testimony of the Book of Mormon’s truthfulness by reading it and praying for a witness from the Holy Spirit.5
Note 5. See Moroni 10:3–5.
Related Study Guides:
Exploring Your Questions
What did Joseph Smith mean when he said he “translated” the Book of Mormon?
The Book of Mormon plates were inscribed in an unknown ancient language,6 and Joseph was a young man with limited education. He could not translate the text by conventional means. The Book of Mormon could only be translated with divine help. Joseph Smith didn’t share details about the translation process. He simply and repeatedly testified that he translated “by the gift and power of God.”7 The text of the Book of Mormon came by revelation.
6. See Mormon 9:32–34.
7. See preface to the Book of Mormon (1830), iii; “History, 1838–1856, volume E-1,” 8 (addenda), josephsmithpapers.org.
Suggestion. Replaced the last two sentences with this. "Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery repeatedly testified that Joseph translated the plates by means of the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates (e.g., JS-H 1:62 and 1:71 note). Joseph translated the record 'after the manner of [his] language'" (Doctrine and Covenants 1:24)
Explanation. It is not accurate to say that Joseph "simply and repeatedly testified that he translated 'by the gift and power of God' because he also explained that he took the translation from the plates (Foreword to 1830 edition) and that he used the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates. The fact that others gave a different account is not grounds for ignoring that Joseph Smith (and Oliver Cowdery) wrote.
Note 7 again refers to the Preface, but the paragraph points out that Joseph "repeatedly testified" so the note should include at least some of the other examples, which show that the "gift and power of God" excerpt is out of context because Joseph emphasized that he translated "by means of the Urim and Thummim" that came with the plates.
The Book of Mormon itself reminds us that the Lord “speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.”8 Through a revelatory process, God helped His prophet produce a translation that testifies powerfully of Jesus Christ in English. Since that time, the Church has worked to ensure that the Book of Mormon’s witness of the Savior is available in many of the languages of the world.
Note 8. 2 Nephi 31:3.
What do we know about Joseph Smith’s use of the interpreters and seer stone in translating the Book of Mormon?
Eyewitnesses to the translation described two different stone instruments that Joseph used to translate the Book of Mormon. They testified that as Joseph looked into these objects, the text of the Book of Mormon was revealed to him. One of these objects, which Book of Mormon writers called “interpreters,” was buried with the plates in a hill near Joseph’s home. Those who saw the interpreters described them as a pair of clear stones set in metal rims and bound together by a metal bow.9 Joseph sometimes called them “spectacles.” The angel Moroni explained that “the possession and use of these stones were what constituted seers in ancient or former times.”
Note 9. Joseph Smith described the interpreters as “two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breast plate” (“History, 1838–1856, volume C-1, 1282, josephsmithpapers.org). Oliver Cowdery likewise described the interpreters as “two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows” (as reported by A. W. B., “Mormonites,” Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, Apr. 9, 1831, 120).
Suggestion. To comply with the guidance in "Consult Reliable Sources, replace this paragraph with the following, either in the narrative or in footnotes.
"Joseph Smith explained that he began the translation when he "commenced copying the characters off the plates. I copied a considerable number of them, and by means of the Urim and Thummim I translated some of them." (Joseph Smith—History 1:62) Oliver Cowdery explained that "Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim, or, as the Nephites would have said, ‘Interpreters,’ the history or record called ‘The Book of Mormon.’' (Joseph Smith—History, Note, 1) The Lord explained that "you had power given unto you to translate, by the means of the Urim and Thummim." (D&C 10:1)
In 1832, Joseph's brother Samuel was asked how the translation took place. He repliaed that "It was made known by the spirit of the Lord through the medium of the Urim and Thummim.."
In 1838, Joseph answered the persistent questions about the origin of the Book of Mormon by publishing this question and answer: "Question 4th. How, and where did you obtain the Book of Mormon?
Answer. Moroni, the person who deposited the plates, from whence the Book of Mormon was translated, in a hill in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, being dead, and raised again therefrom, appeared unto me and told me where they were and gave me directions how to obtain them. 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." (Elders’ Journal I.3:42 ¶20–43 ¶1)
In 1842, Joseph again formally explained the translation. He said that during Moroni's first visit, he told Joseph "that there were two stones in silver bows, and these stones fastened to a breastplate constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim, deposited with the plates, and the possession and use of these stones was what constituted seers in ancient or former times, and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book." Joseph thendescribed the plates and Urim and Thummim. "The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction and much skill in the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument which the ancients called “Urim and Thummim,” which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate.
Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift, and power of God."
(Times and Seasons III.9:707 ¶5–6)
Explanation. Starting with the scriptures is ideal. Next in priority would be statements of Joseph and Oliver and their contemporaries and successors. From there, other sources can be cited to explain why there are multiple hypotheses about the translation.
Note 9 is part of the Wentworth letter, but that is not apparent because of the way it is cited. Sandwiched between the quoted excerpt and the previous excerpt is this important information: "Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift and power of God."
Another object, which Joseph Smith discovered in the ground sometime before he retrieved the gold plates, was a small brown stone, which was commonly called a “seer stone.” During the centuries leading up to Joseph Smith’s time, many Christians believed objects such as seer stones could be used to find lost objects or to search for buried treasure. Joseph himself had used his stone for similar purposes. But as he grew to understand the work God called him to do, he also learned to use his seer stone to help him translate the plates.
Suggestion. Replace this paragraph with the following.
"Some historical accounts indicate that Joseph used a stone he found while digging a well as a sort of "seer stone" or "peep stone." During the centuries leading up to Joseph Smith’s time, many Christians believed objects such as seer stones could be used to find lost objects or to search for buried treasure. Whether and to what extent Joseph may have used that stone is unclear from the sources, but neither Joseph nor Oliver ever said pr implied that Joseph used a seer stone to translate the plates. To the contrary, he said he used the spectacles, or Urim and Thummim, that came with the plates."
Explanation. At no time did Joseph or Oliver ever state, suggest, or imply that Joseph translated with anything other than the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates. To the contrary, they reiterated that specific point multiple times.
According to eyewitness sources, Joseph sometimes used the interpreters or spectacles to translate. Other firsthand sources suggest he sometimes translated with a single seer stone. These objects could apparently be used interchangeably and worked in much the same way, and Joseph seems to have used them both at different times.
Suggestion. Replace this paragraph with the following.
Some historical sources claim that Joseph used the seer stone ("peep stone") to produce the text he dictated. This suggests he may have used both instruments at different times.
Explanation. Because Joseph and Oliver (along with Samuel Smith and John Whitmer) consistently said Joseph used the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates, the testimony of others regarding the seer stone presents an alternative narrative, as articulated by the 1834 book Mormonism Unvailed. While it may be useful to acknowledge those sources in the sense of multiple working hypotheses, it is important to be clear about exactly what Joseph and Oliver did say.
A few years after the publication of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and his associates began to use the Old Testament term “Urim and Thummim” to describe the objects Joseph Smith used as he translated the Book of Mormon. In the Bible, Urim and Thummim were sacred objects, believed to be stones, that were used by Israelite priests to receive divine communications. The early Saints sometimes referred to both the interpreters buried with the plates and Joseph’s seer stone as Urim and Thummim.
Suggestion. Replace this paragraph with the following.
As early as 1832, Joseph's brother Samuel explained that Joseph translated the record with the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates. Later, W.W. Phelps explained that this term related to the revelatory objects mentioned in the Bible. An 1834 anti-Mormon book titled Mormonism Unvailed described the competing theories ("peep stone" vs Urim and Thummim). In response, Joseph repeatedly explained that the Urim and Thummim he used came with the plates.
Explanation. Readers need to know that Joseph and Oliver did not discuss the Urim and Thummim in a vacuum. They responded to the competing claims in Mormonism Unvailed. They even added the term "Urim and Thummim" to D&C 10:1 to clarify that his power to translate was based on the instrument Moroni put in the stone box, which is corroborated by Ether 3:23-28, JS-H 1:62 and note 1, the Wentworth Letter, the Elders' Journal answer, and Moroni's statement to Joseph that it was his privilege "to obtain and translate the same [the plates] 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
Through the process of the translation, the Lord transformed young Joseph into a prophet and seer, fulfilling the Book of Mormon prophecy that He would “raise up” a seer in the last days to help accomplish His work.
Why has Church artwork depicting the translation focused on the interpreters buried with the plates rather than the seer stone?
Many early Church members were familiar with Joseph’s use of seer stones. But for much of the 20th century, published accounts of the translation relied on sources that focused mainly on the interpreters buried with the plates. Memory of the seer stones faded among many Latter-day Saints, and artists and narrators depicted the translation based on this partial understanding of early Church history.
Suggestion. Replace this paragraph with the following.
"Church artwork was based on the explicit teachings of the scriptures, Joseph, Oliver, and their contemporaries and successors in Church leadership. Alternative claims about a stone-in-the-hat, such as those made in Mormonism Unvailed and David Whitmer, were well known but not considered credible."
Explanation. The claim that there was only a "partial understanding of early Church history" among early Latter-day Saints directly contradicts the historical record. Joseph explicitly denounced the book Mormonism Unvailed. He repeatedly emphasized that he translated the plates by means of the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates. Oliver corroborated Joseph's claims, as did Joseph's contemporaries and successors in Church leadership.
In recent decades, the Church has worked to provide carefully researched and more complete historical accounts of Church history. This expanded understanding helps artists more accurately depict the miraculous story of the Book of Mormon’s translation, portraying the use of the seer stone as well as the interpreters.
Suggestion. Replace this paragraph with the following.
"In recent decades, scholars, both faithful and critical, have revived old, well-known historical accounts such as those from David Whitmer. However, those accounts were considered and rejected by those who knew Joseph personally. Even Joseph's son, Joseph Smith III, who had interviewed his mother and knew David Whitmer, carefully considered the claims about the seer stone and concluded that, while Joseph did possess one or more such stones, he used the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates to translate the plates."
Explanation. The revival of the Mormonism Unvailed account of the "peep stones" is a modern phenomenon that discounts the credibility and reliability of Joseph and Oliver, as well as their contemporaries and successors. The claim that modern scholars have discovered a "more accurate" version of history is exactly the type of imposing modern views on the past that the Church guidance on "Work to Understand the Past" warns us against.
What role did the gold plates play in the translation of the Book of Mormon?
Eyewitness accounts show that in some instances Joseph Smith looked at a seer stone in a hat to translate, but in other cases he looked through the interpreters at the plates.
Suggestion. Replace this paragraph with the following.
"The plates were essential for the translation. They had been carefully written and deposited not far from Joseph's home in Palmyra specifically so Joseph could translate them. Joseph began his translation work by copying the characters off the plates and translating them with the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates. JS-H 1:62. Thereafter, he used the Urim and Thummim to look on the plates and translate the engravings, as instructed. D&C 10:41. This is consistent with Ether 5:1, which warned Joseph against touching the sealed plates to translate them, and with D&C 10, which instructed Joseph to translate the plates of Nephi instead of re-translating the Book of Lehi (the lost 116 pages)."
Explanation. A few individuals who claimed to be eyewitnesses said that Joseph Smith looked at a seer stone (or spectacles) in a hat to dictate the words to his scribes instead of using the plates. These accounts led to the account of the "peep stones" in Mormonism Unvailed and other critical books and articles and claims that Joseph merely "pretended to translate." (D&C 10:13). This 'stone-in-the-hat' narrative directly contradicts the first-hand accounts that Joseph used the Urim and Thummim to (i) copy the characters off the plates to translate them and (ii) look on the plates to translate. The 'stone-in-the-hat' narrative was well known by the early Latter-day Saints. In response, Joseph, Oliver and others repeatedly explained that instead, Joseph used the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates to "translate the engravings on the plates." (D&C 10:41)
The plates were tangible evidence that the Book of Mormon was an ancient record. Multiple witnesses saw the plates and testified of their reality. Members of Joseph Smith’s family and others held the plates or felt them under a cloth. Three witnesses were shown the plates by an angel and heard the voice of God testifying to the truth of the Book of Mormon. A separate group of eight witnesses testified in a formal statement that they had also seen the plates and had held and examined them. The presence of the plates and the accounts of those who saw or held them provide important testimony of the Book of Mormon record.
Suggestion. No change needed.
Explanation. As Mormonism Unvailed pointed out long ago, the existence of the plates were no evidence to support the Book of Mormon if Joseph didn't even use them.
Are the testimonies of the Book of Mormon witnesses reliable?
In addition to Joseph Smith, 11 men testified that they saw the Book of Mormon plates. Martin Harris, one of these witnesses, sometimes spoke of seeing the plates with “a spiritual eye.” This led critics to claim that he had seen the plates only “in vision or imagination.” But he was simply using scriptural language to describe a miraculous experience. He and the other witnesses clarified that their experience was more than a mere dream. Martin Harris declared, “As sure as you are standing there and see me, just as sure did I see the angel with the golden plates in his hand.” David Whitmer, another of the Three Witnesses, explained, “Of course we were in the spirit when we had the view, for no man can behold the face of an angel, except in a spiritual view.” He then added, “But we were in the body also, and everything was as natural to us, as it is at any time.”
Each of the Three Witnesses bore repeated testimony of their experience in published statements, interviews, and private conversations. For example, Oliver stated: “God sent His holy angel to declare the truth of the translation of it to us, and therefore we know. Though the mob kill us, yet we must die declaring its truth.” Not all the accounts of the witnesses’ experiences are equally reliable as sources. Some are from interviews by people who were hostile to the witnesses’ testimony. Others were recorded many years after their experience with the plates. But though the reports of their statements vary in some details, they are generally consistent.
Even though each of the Three Witnesses parted ways with Joseph Smith and the Church, they continued to affirm their testimony throughout their lives. And Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris eventually returned to the Church. Each of the Eight Witnesses likewise stood by his testimony of the plates, though some eventually left the Church. The combined weight of their numerous statements is a powerful witness of the reliability of the statements they published in the Book of Mormon.
To learn more about other women and men who were witnesses of the Book of Mormon plates, see Church History Topics, “Witnesses of the Book of Mormon.”
Suggestion. No change needed.
Explanation. The unstated contradiction among the witnesses involves the translation. Oliver corroborated Joseph's account of the Urim and Thummim. Martin Harris did as well, except for the anecdote about swapping the seer stone, which was published after his death and related only to Edward Stevenson after Martin had had an unexplained illness. David Whitmer's adamant claim that Joseph used the stone-in-the-hat accompanied David's claim that Joseph became a false prophet, that the Priesthood was not restored, etc. David admitted he was not present for most of the translation in Fayette, and none of the translation in Harmony. His stone-in-the-hat claims were made in the context of refuting the Spalding theory, which was that Joseph dictated the text from behind a screen (the "vail" of Mormonism Unvailed.)
What revisions did Joseph Smith make to the Book of Mormon text after it was published?
The text of the Book of Mormon was dictated by Joseph Smith and written by his scribes. Before the book was published, Oliver Cowdery made a handwritten copy of the original manuscript to give to the typesetter at the printer’s office. This copy was called the printer’s manuscript. Both manuscripts were largely unpunctuated; the typesetter added almost all of the punctuation. During the processes of copying the manuscript and typesetting the book, small errors were introduced.
When a second edition of the Book of Mormon was needed, Joseph reviewed the printer’s manuscript and made minor punctuation, grammar, and spelling changes to standardize the text. For the third edition, Joseph Smith and his printer compared the text to the original manuscript and corrected many scribal errors that had been introduced when the text had been copied. Almost all of Joseph’s revisions were minor and do not alter the meaning of the text. However, Joseph made a few clarifying changes that were more substantial:
The words “me thought I saw a dark and dreary wilderness” were changed to “methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness” in 1 Nephi 8:4. This clarifies that Lehi was describing a vision.
The word “white” was changed to “pure” in 2 Nephi 30:6. When describing the change that would come upon the Lamanites when they repented, Joseph Smith edited the text to clarify that they would become “a pure and a delightsome people.”
The words “come forth out of the waters of Judah” were changed to “come forth out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of baptism” in 1 Nephi 20:1. The additional words appear to have been added to help readers understand the meaning of the text.
The words “the Son of” were added to 1 Nephi 11:18, 11:21, 11:32, and 13:40. These additions clarify instances in which references to “God” describe Jesus Christ.
The title “Jesus Christ” was changed to “the Messiah” in 1 Nephi 12:18.
The name “Benjamin” was changed to “Mosiah” in Mosiah 21:28 and Ether 4:1.
Some later versions of the Book of Mormon were based on an early edition published in England that did not contain some of Joseph Smith’s changes. However, all recent editions include them, along with a few other minor changes. These additional changes help bring the text into closer “conformity with the prepublication manuscripts and early editions edited by the Prophet Joseph Smith.”
Those who wish to review all changes made to the text can find transcriptions of the existing manuscripts and early editions of the Book of Mormon at josephsmithpapers.org.
Suggestion. Add the following at the beginning of this section.
"The cover page of the 1840 (third) edition of the Book of Mormon prominently notes in the center that it was “carefully revised by the translator.” https://bookofmormon.online/fax/1840
As the original translator, Joseph was entitled to make changes that better reflected the source (the engravings on the plates)."
Explanation. Most of the changes he made in the 1840 edition were not based on the written manuscripts. This cover page reiterates and corroborates Joseph's claim that he translated the plates. Had he merely read words off a stone, he would have no justification in changing the text at all.
How can I know for myself that the Book of Mormon is true?
Learning about how the Book of Mormon was translated can enrich our understanding of the early Restoration of the Church and the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith. But you can gain an enduring testimony of the Book of Mormon by reading the book itself, living by the principles it teaches, and praying for a spiritual confirmation that it is true.
President Russell M. Nelson has taught: “The great worth of the Book of Mormon lies not in its miraculous translation, wondrous as it was. … The great worth of the Book of Mormon is that it is another testament of Jesus Christ.”
Suggestion. No changes.
Learn More:
Gospel Topics Essays, “Translation of the Book of Mormon,” Gospel Library
Richard E. Turley and others, “Joseph the Seer,” Ensign, Oct. 2015, 48–55
Church History Topics, “Seer Stones,” “Gold Plates,” “Witnesses of the Book of Mormon,” Gospel Library
John W. Welch, “The Miraculous Translation of the Book of Mormon,” in John W. Welch and Erick B. Carlson, eds., Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820–1844 (2005), 76–213
“The Book of Mormon Is Tangible Evidence of the Restoration” (video), ChurchofJesusChrist.org/media
Suggestion. These references should not be cited unless they are edited and updated to accurately and objectively present the full historical record, along the lines of the suggestions made in this post.
None of these references is as accurate and useful as the page in the Joseph Smith Papers about the Gold Plates, which simply lists sources without commentary and interpretation.
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/site/the-gold-plates-and-the-translation-of-the-book-of-mormon
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