Translation of the Book of Mormon

TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith

OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE

The idea seems to prevail quite generally among members of the Church that the Prophet Joseph Smith spent the greater part of his time between September, 1827, when he received the plates, and the fall of 1829, translating the Book of Mormon.

AS TO LENGTH OF TIME

Because of lack of dates it is impossible to tell exactly how long it took him to complete the translation, but we know from the historical information at hand that there were many days spent in other work when no attempt was made to translate after that labour had been undertaken. There were times when the Lord commanded the Prophet to cease translating. For instance, the Lord said on one occasion: “I say unto thee Joseph, when thou hast translated a few more pages thou shalt stop for a season, even until I command thee again.” Doctrine and Covenants 5:30. The reason given for this is that his enemies were lying in wait to destroy him and the work. Again the Lord said: “Do not run faster or labour more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end.” Doc­trine and Covenants 10:4.

TIME FOR STUDY

Joseph Smith received the plates and the Urim and Thummim September 22nd, 1827. Because of persecution, poverty, and the necessity of labouring with his hands for a living, nothing was done towards translating the record that year. However, he was busy studying the characters and making himself familiar with them and with the use of the Urim and Thummim. He had a great deal more to do than merely sit down and, with the use of the instrument prepared for that purpose, translate the charac­ters on the plates. Nothing worth while comes to us merely for the asking. All knowledge and skill arc obtained by consistent and determined study and practice, and so the Prophet found it to be the case in the translating of the Book of Mormon. It will be remembered that the Lord said to Oliver Cowdery when he desired to translate: “But, behold, I say unto yon, that yon must study it out in your mind.” Oliver thought it would be easy, but found it difficult, and therefore was content to accept the advice from the Lord and continue as scribe to Joseph Smith.

THE LOST PAGES

It was between December, 1827, and February, 1828, that the Prophet copied the characters from the plates; and, in the month of February, Martin Harris carried them to New York to Professor Charles Anthon. See History of the Church, volume 1, page 19.

April 12th, 1828, Martin Harris commenced to write, and the Prophet to translate, the abridgement giving the history of Lehi, and down to the days of King Benjamin. These pages Martin Harris lost, and because of his disobedience he was not permitted to act again as scribe, and the Prophet Joseph lost his gift for a season.

OLIVER COWDERY APPEARS

Oliver Cowdery came to the Prophet at Harmony, Pennsyl­vania, April 5tli, 1829, and two days later commenced to write at Joseph Smith’s dictation. It must be remembered that they had to commence once more at the beginning and cover the same ground that had been covered in the lost manuscript, but in more detail, for they were now translating the small plates of Nephi. The translating with Oliver Cowdery as scribe continued without interruption until May 15th, 1829, when these two men, having a desire to know something more about baptism, went into the woods to pray, and received the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist. Following this important event it became necessary for Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to change their place of residence because of opposition, and they therefore moved from Harmony, Pennsylvania, to Fayette, Seneca County, New York, to the home of the Whitmers.

WITNESSES SHOWN THE PLATES

It was early in June, 1829, that Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris, with Joseph Smith, retired to the woods and sought the Lord in prayer, and were visited by the angel who revealed to them the plates. It was also on this occasion that they heard the voice of the Lord declaring- unto them that the record had been translated by the gift and power of God.