Within the larger picture of the book of mormon missionary chapters is a brilliant message of conversion and testimony. Bill mckeever is the founder and president of mormonism research ministry. It was the upper plates of the plates of mormon which were translated both into the book of lehi 116 pages and also the book of mormon. Thus, the plates are foundational to the mormon religion. Jul 12, 2017 was the book of mormon a great american novel. Apr 27, 2007 the said angel informed him of a book, written upon gold plates, which explained the origins of those living on the north american continent as well as the truths of the gospel. Journal of book of mormon studies journals brigham young. The etymology of zyf and a metallurgical analysis of the book of mormon plates online pdf, 2015. Paul hansen has spent much of the past 10plus years working to reconcile the faith and science surrounding the golden plates, the fabled ancient tome that, according to teachings of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, were translated into the book of mormon by church founder joseph smith in the mid19th century. After the translation was completed, there were several witnesses appointed to testify of the truthfulness of the book of mormon. Book of mormon graphic leaves out important detail.
Dimensions according to joseph, the book was 6 x 8 x 6 and each plate was thinner than common tin. When it first appeared, the book of mormon was attacked for the alleged absurdity of having been written on golden plates and its claim of the existence of an early sixth century b. Tumbaga golden plates improvement era article shields. How to make the golden plates with kids eve out of the garden. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon christian. A longer version of this article was originally published by the neal a. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon the gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon according to joseph smiths later accounts, three years after he experienced his first vision of deity, an angel appeared to him in 1823 and told him of an ancient record written on gold plates.
If mormon s book of mormon plates were made of tumbaga, their weight would have been much less than had they been made of pure gold. The summer 2019 issue studies the book of mormon in varied ways. In this article they state that the archelogist believe that the plates that were found could be linked to joseph smith and were in fact the original gold plates from which the book of mormon was translated from. In 1827 when joseph smith received the gold plates, he found that much of the record was an abridgment of many other records written by ancient kings and prophets living in the americas. This feature article is brought to you for free and open access by the all journals at byu scholarsarchive. How witnesses described the gold plates book of mormon. The metal would have to be soft enough to use a stylus so they can understand the difficult process.
The book of mormon plates religious studies center. The mormon church is for the first time publishing photos of the stone it believes. The book explains that joseph translated two sets of plates, that mormon s repository was in new york, and that the plates are still not far from cumorah. The storing of metallic records in stone boxes, first attested when joseph smith uncovered the plates of the book of mormon, is also known from ancient persia, where a number of examples have been found. When the angel moroni first appeared to joseph smith on the night of 21 september 1823, he said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates joseph smith history 1.
He claimed that an angel named moroni had directed him to a buried stone box, containing a set of gold plates, covered with strange symbols. Desperate mopologists claim ancient bulgarian gold plate find proves truth of 19thcentury book of mormon fairy tale well, here is the opportunity to put their own dna arguments onto their golden plates and serve it to them cold. There is no specific reference in the book of mormon to the origin of the brass plates. The community for those interested in faithful discussions related to the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and its members, known colloquially as mormons. The rings that bound the gold plates meridian magazine. Those who believe in the mesoamerican theory of the book of mormon dont believe there was a cave at cumorah. Packer, in his article cumorahs cave, printed in the journal of book of mormon studies v. There appears to be evidence of an unpublished third record. The teachings were etched on gold plates in an ancient reformed egyptian language and later translated by joseph smith into english as the book of mormon. Golden plates and the inside truth about the book of mormon, church of jesus christ of latter day saint perspective. One like it was printed in the blue paperback editions of the book of mormon some years ago. Thomas stuart fergusons archaeological search for the book of mormon larson, stan on.
The reported weight, dimensions, and composition of the gold plates are believable. Smith said the angel moroni had commanded him not to show the plates to any. The traditional version of church history is that moroni buried the golden plates in the hill cumorah in a stoneandcement box he built in the hillside. The following list identifies accounts found on the joseph smith papers. It was written in an ancient language on gold plates by prophets in ancient america. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our lord jesus christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of christ is at hand. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon.
Thus, if these are indeed the plates of mormon, as they certainly appear to be, then there are still over half of them left to be opened at the coming of the savior to those who believe in his word. The plates he held referred to several other sets of plates and records, an understanding of which is necessary to understand the book of mormon. Since then, researchers have found several examples of ancient metal plates, gold plates, and plates with rings. Despite mormons holding to a number of religious texts, the book of mormon stands in as the word of god, includes many details and truths missing from the bible, and is deemed the keystone of mormonism 1. How to make the golden plates with kids book of mormon. Putnam made that point in mathematical detail and concluded that the total weight of the plates in joseph smiths charge would have been near the 60pound figure reported by several witnesses. In this article they state that the archelogist believe that the plates that were found could. The influence of the brass plates on the teachings of nephi. Smith, the sixth president of the mormon church, went so far as to say that the words were not only correct but every letter was given to smith by the gift and power of god. An analysis of the padilla gold plates book of mormon. You cant just eat around it, you have to get rid of it in a way that still makes the salad palatable to the dinner guests. Problems with the gold plates in the book of mormon.
Exactly how long before the time of laban the brass records were begun is unknown. The said angel informed him of a book, written upon gold plates, which explained the origins of those living on the north american continent as well as the truths of the gospel. Over the past several days there has been an article circulating by many members and non members a like of a team of archaeologists finding the gold plates while excavating a drumlin known as mormon hill or the cumorah. The four surviving plates, of gold, silver, bronze, and tin, were taken to france and are housed in the louvre in paris. Mormon and moroni, the book says, had abridged earlier historical records from other sets of metal plates. Book of mormon plates and records brigham young university. He was quite relieved when he was permitted to show the plates to several witnesses. Nowhere in the documentary evidence did the witnesses or other key participants in the coming forth of the book of mormon describe the plates as being made of solid or pure gold.
The book of mormon plates are the fly in the critics potato salad. One thing i found a little amusing was this statement about the gold plates. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. The explanation most accepted is that they are in the possession of god. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of. What is the book of mormon the book of mormon teaches about god and jesus christ. You try spraying, scrubbing, and still were left with so many persons whose testimonies of the physicality of the golden plates, angels, and other artifactsnever wavered. Since that time many people have spoke concerning the location of the gold plates. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is his translation of an ancient book written on gold plates that he found buried in a hill. Did the mormon church once promise to show the golden plates to the world. According to mormon lore, smith claimed to receive the few plates from moroni in 1827 and from them translated the book of mormon.
Journal of book of mormon studies volume 10number 1 article 4 12001 how witnesses described the gold plates kirk b. Watch the video how we got the book of mormon created from the book of mormon scripture reader. My husband wants to get some sheets of ore to help the kids understand this ancient way of writing. Gold plates valentin arts journal of book of mormon studies 111 2002. Henrichsen, how witnesses described the gold plates, journal of book of mormon studies 10, no. His son, moroni, made additions and buried the plates in the ground, where they remained for about 1,400 years, until moroni, appearing as a resurrected being or angel, delivered them to joseph smith. Thus, vogel must come up with a counterexplanation for the book of mormon. The story of their discovery is supported by a large number. Desperate mopologists claim ancient bulgarian goldplate find. Book of mormon the idea of an ancient record on gold plates was one of the most mocked claims of joseph smith. According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates also called the gold plates or in some 19thcentury literature, the golden bible are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon, a sacred text of the faith. How witnesses described the gold plates byu scholarsarchive.
Read the story receiving the gold plates page 1 and page 2. Maxwell institute for religious scholarship as how witnesses described the gold plates, journal of book of mormon studies, vol. Cox has graciously provided me with a new account of moroni showing the book of mormon plates to mary whitmer 17781856, wife of peter whitmer senior. Book of mormon, work accepted as holy scripture, in addition to the bible, in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and other mormon churches. In mesoamerica and the book of mormon, he shows a simplified drawing of one of them and gives a translation of its carvings. This article is about two very special women who had the privilege of witnessing to the divinity of the gold plates from which we have the wonderful book of mormon today. The story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a. The video is the third in book of mormon centrals evidence video series, the two previous videos being one on the archaeological evidence for the place called nahom, mentioned by nephi 1 nephi 16. They also believe the sword of laban and the liahona fit in the stone box with the plates and the urim and thummim. Language the language on the plates is called reformed egyptian.
Reports of gold plates being found stem from a fake news. A picture of a smooth, brown, eggsized rock is shown in the printers manuscript of the book of mormon. Without the gold plates, the book of mormon is relegated to nothing more than a nineteenthcentury fictional novel. Brian hales kicks it off with an update on automatic writing and the book of mormon. These records were later abridged to create the plates of mormon, or the gold plates that joseph smith translated. The book of mormon itself portrays the golden plates as a historical record, engraved by two precolumbian prophethistorians from around the year ad 400. Matheny the padilla gold plates are well known in lds church archaeologicalanthropological circles, where they have been the subject of publications, papers, discussion, and firsthand examination. Manchester, ny a team of archaeologists excavating a drumlin known as mormon hill or the cumorah, in western new york, have discovered a set of gold plates which they believe could be linked to the founder of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, joseph smith jr. Smith translated the text of the book of mormon over the next several. Do mormons know what happened to the urim and thummim which joseph smith used to translate the book of mormon.
The book of mormon was written by many ancient prophets who recorded their words on different sets of metal plates. Mary was the mother of five sons who were witnesses to the golden plates. Citations on plates of gold book of mormon citations on the book of mormon. Plates made of gold upon which the ancient american prophet mormon abridged the record of his people. Finally, joseph smith asserted that the golden plates were translated by the power of god and produced the most correct of any book on earth. Based on these parameters, modern researchers have estimated plates of pure gold would weigh at least 45 kilograms 100 pounds and might be too soft for engraved characters. The gold plates that the prophet joseph smith received and translated were the plates of mormon on which mormon and his son moroni 2 made their abridgment. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. All of this being said, the news website world news daily report is a fake news website. When he was finished translating the plates he gave them back to the angel who he claimed has them in his charge joseph smith history 1. 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 600 bc to ad 421. According to the book itself, this history and the teachings of jesus were abridged and written on gold plates by the prophet mormon. Another account of mary whitmers viewing of the golden plates. Joseph smiths golden plate story debunked reasons for jesus.
David whitmer, and martin harris see the testimony of three witnesses, book of mormon. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. The archaeology of the book of mormon begins with a stone box and a set of metal plates. Book of mormon gold plates mormonism research ministry. Joseph smith claimed he translated the book of mormon from a set of golden plates that were given to him by an angel named moroni. David whitmer interview, kansas city journal, 5 june 1881, in david whitmer interviews. When some people interested in the book of mormon ask to see the golden plates. Later, joseph smith translated the book of mormon into english through the gift and power of. Although no single comprehensive description of the book of mormon plates has been preserved, the prophet joseph smith and several people closely associated with him made various statements that include partial descriptions of the plates. I asked him about the gold plates which he professes to have dug up an translated into the book of mormon. This name is derived from the origin of the book of mormon text.
Some of his contemporaries who heard him recount these events also wrote them down. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. Thus to the extent that one believes the evidence points to a nonhistorical book of mormon, it also points to something other than real gold plates under the cloth. Joseph showed the plates to christian whitmer, hiram page, jacob whitmer, joseph smith sr. Plates of gold book of mormon archaeological forum. The closest parallel to the book of mormon plates is usually said to be the 4 thcentury bc gold plates discovered in 1933 buried in a stone box in the foundation of king dariuss temple in persia, modernday iran. Sep 19, 2019 this article is about two very special women who had the privilege of witnessing to the divinity of the gold plates from which we have the wonderful book of mormon today. Golden bible mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. These articles produced the first knowledge of the nephite people in. Its followers hold that it is a divinely inspired work revealed to and translated by the founder of their religion, joseph smith. When some people interested in the book of mormon ask to see the golden plates, they. The book of mormon is a translation of ancient gold plates, which is not easily understood by our young kids. Nephi explained that laban also was a descendant of joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the records the brass plates 1 nephi 5. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith.
Joseph smith translated the writings on the golden plates into what became the book of mormon. As he translated the book of mormon, joseph learned that special witnesses would be called to bear testimony of the ancient record written on metal plates. They believe the witness of brigham young and others was them mentioning a dream of some cave in mexico somewhere. Others were later privileged to see the plates and some even hefted them and leafed through the plates themselves. Mormon, a prophet and military leader who lived at the end of the nephite era c.
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