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(→Question: Did Joseph Smith use his own seer stone to translate the Book of Mormon?) |
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==Question: Did Joseph Smith use his own seer stone to translate the Book of Mormon?== | ==Question: Did Joseph Smith use his own seer stone to translate the Book of Mormon?== | ||
+ | [[File:Joseph rock hat 2.png|thumb|500px|center|Image from video "Seer Stones and the Translation of the Book of Mormon," The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Copyright (c) 2015 Intellectual Reserve]] | ||
===Many eyewitness accounts confirm that Joseph employed his seer stone during part of the translation process=== | ===Many eyewitness accounts confirm that Joseph employed his seer stone during part of the translation process=== | ||
− | + | [[File:Joseph rock hat 3.png|thumb|center|500px|"Emma as Scribe" by Robert T. Pack]] | |
[[File:Anthony Sweat Translating with Martin.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Joseph Smith translates using the seer stone placed within his hat while Martin Harris acts as scribe. Image Copyright (c) 2014 Anthony Sweat. This image appears in the Church publication ''From Darkness Unto Light: Joseph Smith's Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon'', by Michael Hubbard Mackay and Gerrit J. Dirkmaat, Religious Studies Center, BYU, Deseret Book Company (May 11, 2015)]] | [[File:Anthony Sweat Translating with Martin.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Joseph Smith translates using the seer stone placed within his hat while Martin Harris acts as scribe. Image Copyright (c) 2014 Anthony Sweat. This image appears in the Church publication ''From Darkness Unto Light: Joseph Smith's Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon'', by Michael Hubbard Mackay and Gerrit J. Dirkmaat, Religious Studies Center, BYU, Deseret Book Company (May 11, 2015)]] | ||
− | + | Martin Harris states that Joseph used the Nephite interpreters and then later switched to using the seer stone "for convenience." <ref>{{CHC | vol=1|start=128|end=129 }} "[Martin Harris] said that the Prophet possessed a Seer Stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as with the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he sometimes used the Seer Stone."</ref> In fact, Elder Nelson refers to the use of the seer stone in his 1993 talk: | |
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The details of this miraculous method of translation are still not fully known. Yet we do have a few precious insights. David Whitmer wrote: | The details of this miraculous method of translation are still not fully known. Yet we do have a few precious insights. David Whitmer wrote: | ||
− | “Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.” (David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, Richmond, Mo.: n.p., 1887, p. 12.) <ref> | + | “Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.” (David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, Richmond, Mo.: n.p., 1887, p. 12.) <ref>Russell M. Nelson, "[https://www.lds.org/ensign/1993/07/a-treasured-testament?lang=eng A Treasured Testament]," ''Ensign'' (July 1993): 61.</ref> |
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{{endnotes sources}} | {{endnotes sources}} | ||
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[[Category:Letter to a CES Director]] | [[Category:Letter to a CES Director]] | ||
[[Category:John Dehlin's "Questions and Answers"]] | [[Category:John Dehlin's "Questions and Answers"]] | ||
[[Category:MormonThink]] | [[Category:MormonThink]] | ||
[[Category:One Nation Under Gods]] | [[Category:One Nation Under Gods]] | ||
+ | [[de:Frage: Hat Joseph Smith seinen eigenen Seherstein verwendet, um das Buch Mormon zu übersetzen?]] | ||
+ | [[es:Pregunta: ¿José Smith utiliza su propia piedra vidente para traducir el Libro de Mormón?]] | ||
+ | [[pt:Pergunta: Será que Joseph Smith utilizar a sua própria pedra de vidente para traduzir o Livro de Mórmon?]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Questions]] |
Martin Harris states that Joseph used the Nephite interpreters and then later switched to using the seer stone "for convenience." [1] In fact, Elder Nelson refers to the use of the seer stone in his 1993 talk:
The details of this miraculous method of translation are still not fully known. Yet we do have a few precious insights. David Whitmer wrote:
“Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.” (David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, Richmond, Mo.: n.p., 1887, p. 12.) [2]
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