View source for Joseph Smith's reference library

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=Introduction=

Critics who attempt a naturalistic explanation of Joseph Smith's production of the Book of Mormon often resort to claiming that Joseph gleaned a certain idea from a book or other source in his New England environment.

There is little or no evidence of Joseph having contact with such books, but this page attempts to lay out all the books which critics have suggested were in young Joseph's "reference library."

(If you add to thist list, please include a specific record to a specific critical work.  Do not simply list works "off the top of your head" or by memory.  We want this to be well-documented.)

=Kabbalistic texts=

=Magical texts=

=Miscellaneous=

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====*====
* E.T.A. Hoffmann, ''The Golden Pot'' [''Der golden Topf'']
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*{{CriticalWork:Palmer:Insider|pages=Chapter 5}}

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* Palmer's theory drew on the forged [[Mark Hofmann|Hofmann]] document, the Salamander letter.
* [[Book of Mormon and the Golden Pot]]
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====*====
* John Milton's defense of polygamy
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* {{CriticalWork:Smith:Nauvoo Polygamy|pages=530-531}}
* George D. Smith, "Strange Bedfellows: Mormon Polygamy and Baptist History," ''Free Inquiry'' 16/2 (1996): 41-45; reprinted in ''Freedom of Conscience: Baptist/Humanist Dialogue'', ed. Paul D. Simmons (Prometheus Books, 2000), 207-16, see footnote #69 at pp. 377-78.

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* N/A
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=Pamphlets and newspapers=
*

=Religious texts=

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* King James version of the Holy Bible 
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* Of this claim, at least, we are certain.  Though, whether Joseph had a Bible during the translation of the Book of Mormon is not clear. Substantial evidence suggests that he may not have.

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* [[Book_of_Mormon_translation_method/Mainly_italics_altered#Option_.232:_Joseph_did_not_have_a_Bible|Did Joseph own a Bible?]]).
* [[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible|Plagiarized from the Bible?]]

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====*====
* The Apocrypha 
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*{{CriticalWork:Abanes:One Nation|pages=70, 513n51}} (Sources: Tanner)
*{{CriticalWork:Palmer:Insider|pages=55}}
*{{CriticalWork:Tanner:Changing World|pages=114}}
*Jerald and Sandra Tanner, "Joseph Smith's Use of the Apocrypha," ''Salt Lake City Messenger'' (#89), December 1995.

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*[[Book of Mormon/Plagiarism accusations/Apocrypha|Apocrypha]]
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* Ethan Smith, ''View of the Hebrews'' 
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*{{CriticalWork:Abanes:Becoming Gods|pages=60-61, 360n59-63}} (Sources: Tanner, Persuitte)
*{{CriticalWork:Abanes:One Nation|pages=69}} (Sources: Persuitte)
*{{CriticalWork:Ankerberg Weldon:Everything|pages=279&ndash;80, 301&ndash;2}}
*{{CriticalWork:Bartley:Prophet Book Cult|pages=28&ndash;29}}
*{{CriticalWork:Brodie:No Man Knows|pages=46&ndash;47}}
*Maurice C. Burrell, ''Wide of the Truth: A Critical Assessment of the History, Doctrines and Practices of the Mormon Religion'' (London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1972).
*{{CriticalWork:Cowan:Mormon Claims|pages=???}}
*{{CriticalWork:Crane:Ashamed of Joseph|pages=123&ndash;5}} 
*{{CriticalWork:Decker Hunt:The God Makers|pages=}}
*Ronald Enroth, ''A Guide to Cults and New Religions'' (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity , 1983).
*Gordon H. Fraser, ''Is Mormonism Christian?'' (Chicago: Moody Press, 1957).
*Ralph L. Foster, ''The Book of Mormon on Trial'' (Salt Lake City: n.p., 1963).
*G. T. Harrison, ''Mormons Are Peculiar People'' (New York: Vantage, 1954). 
*Mervin B. Hogan, " "A Parallel': A Matter of Chance vs. Coincidence," ''Rocky Mountain Mason'' (January 1956): 17&ndash;31.
*Harold H. Hougey, ''"A Parallel"?The Basis of the Book of Mormon'' (Concord, CA: Pacific, 1963).
*Robert N. Hullinger, "The Lost Tribes of Israel and the Book of Mormon," ''Lutheran Quarterly'' 22:3 (August 1970): 319&ndash;29.
*Larry Jonas, ''Mormon Claims Examined'' (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1961).
*Wesley M. Jones, ''A Critical Study of Book of Mormon Sources'' (Detroit: Harlo Press, 1964).
*Thomas O'Dea, ''The Mormons'' (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957).
*{{CriticalWork:Madsen:Roberts Studies|pages=???}}
*{{CriticalWork:Ostling:Mormon America|pages=29}}
*{{CriticalWork:Palmer:Insider|pages=58&ndash;64}}
*{{CriticalWork:Persuitte:Origins|pages=}}
*John A. Price, "The Book of Mormon vs. Anthropological Prehistory," ''The Indian Historian'' 7:3 (Summer 1974): 35&ndash;40.
*Leslie Rumble, "The Book of Mormon," ''The Homiletic and Pastoral Review'' 60:4 (January 1960): 338&ndash;45.
*James M. Sire, ''Scripture Twisting: 20 Ways the Cults Misread the Bible'' (Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 1980).
*{{Sunstone1|author=George D. Smith|article=Defending the Keystone: Book of Mormon Difficulties|vol=6|num=3|date=May&ndash;June 1981|start=45&ndash;50}}
*{{Dialogue|author=George D. Smith|article='Is There Any Way to Escape These Difficulties?' The Book of Mormon Studies of B. H. Roberts|vol=17|num=2|date=Summer 1984|start=94|end=111}}
*George D. Smith, "Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon," ''Free Inquiry'' 4:1 (Winter 1983): 21&ndash;31.
*{{CriticalWork:Southerton:Losing|pages=153}}
*{{CriticalWork:Tanner:Mormonism Shadow|pages=}}
*{{CriticalWork:Tanner:Changing World|pages=126&ndash;8}}
*{{CriticalWork:Vogel:Indian Origins|pages=48&ndash;49, 68 (the argument is suggested more than stated outright}}
*{{CriticalWork:Woodbridge:Founder|pages=124&ndash;126}}

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*[[Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews|View of the Hebrews]]
** [[Book_of_Mormon_and_View_of_the_Hebrews/Analysis_of_scripture_use|Analysis of Isaiah use in View of Hebrews]]
** [[Book_of_Mormon_and_View_of_the_Hebrews/Unparallels|"Unparallels"]]
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====*====
* The Westminster Confession
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*{{CriticalWork:Tanner:Changing World|pages=111&ndash;112}}

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*[[Book of Mormon/Plagiarism accusations/Westminster Confession|The Westminster Confession]]
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====*====
* Josiah Priest, ''The Wonders of Nature and Providence Displayed''
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*{{CriticalWork:Abanes:Becoming Gods|pages=60, 360 n. 58}}
*{{CriticalWork:Abanes:One Nation|pages=68}} 
*{{CriticalWork:Tanner:Mormonism Shadow|pages=84-85}}
*{{CriticalWork:Tanner:Changing World|pages=128}}
*Wikipedia page "Origin of the Book of Mormon" (quoting the Tanners)

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*[[Book of Mormon/Plagiarism accusations/The Wonders of Nature|The Wonders of Nature and Providence Displayed]] by Josiah Priest|-
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* The works of William Shakespeare (''Hamlet'')
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* (See also entries for Josiah Priest, ''The Wonders of Nature and Providence Displayed'')
* {{CriticalWork:Campbell:Delusions|pages=13}}
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*[[Book of Mormon/Plagiarism accusations/The Wonders of Nature|Shakespeare]]
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=Romances=
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* Solomon Spalding's unfinished novel/romance.
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* This was the standard explanation for the Book of Mormon during the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth.  Advocates have included:
* {{CriticalWork:Caswall:Prophet of the Nineteenth Century|pages=13&ndash;25}} 
*{{CriticalWork:Clark:Gleanings by the Way|pages=246&ndash;254}}.
*{{CriticalWork:Howe:Mormonism Unvailed|pages=}}
*{{CriticalWork:Linn:Story of the Mormons|pages=??}}
* {{CriticalWork:Stenhouse:Tell It All|pages=267}}
*{{CriticalWork:Wyl:Mormon Portraits Volume First|pages=20, 118, 122&ndash;124, 238&ndash;243}}
*{{CriticalWork:Tucker:Origin Rise and Progress|pages=111&ndash;128}}

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* [[Book_of_Mormon/Authorship_theories/Spalding_manuscript|Spalding manuscript]]
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* Solomon Spalding's "second" manuscript
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* Since the first Spalding manuscript was discovered and found to be of little help in explaining the Book of Mormon, critics have tried to posit the existence of a ''second'' manuscript.  There is, however, no evidence for a second manuscript (and evidence that Spalding had not finished his ''first'' manuscript, which makes the existence of a second even less likely.  
* This theory is convenient for the critics: since the manuscript is not available (since it likely never existed), they can make any claims they like about its contents without fear of contradiction.
Critics who have made this claim include:
* *George B. Arbaugh, ''Revelation in Mormonism'' (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1932).
*{{CriticalWork:Cowdery:Who Really Wrote 1|pages=1&ndash;}}
*{{CriticalWork:Cowdery:Who Really Wrote 2|pages=1&ndash;}}
*{{CriticalWork:Martin:Kingdom of the Cults|pages=213, n15-16}}
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* [[Book_of_Mormon/Authorship_theories/Spalding_manuscript|Spalding manuscript]]
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