Joseph Smith/Translator

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Criticism

Critics claim that Joseph Smith claimed to translate other texts or items, which can be checked against modern academic translations. They claim that this "cross-checking" proves that Joseph could not have translated the Book of Mormon or other ancient texts.

Source(s) of the Criticism

• Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945), 290. ( Index of claims )
• Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002) 34–35. ( Index of claims )
• Henry Caswall, The City of the Mormons, or, Three Days at Nauvoo (London: J.F.G. & J. Rivington, St. Paul's Church Yard and Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, 1842), 5, 35–36.
• Henry Caswell, The Prophet of the Nineteenth Century (London: J.F.G. & J. Rivington, St. Paul's Church Yard and Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, 1843), 223.

Book of Abraham

See main article in FAIR Wiki: Book of Abraham

Greek psalter

On 19 April 1842, an English clergyman from Missouri named Henry Caswell visited Nauvoo, and would later claim that he had shown Joseph Smith a Greek psalter, which the Prophet claimed to translate:

He [Joseph Smith] has a downcast look, and possesses none of that open and straightforward expression which generally characterizes an honest man. His language is uncouth and ungrammatical, indicating very confused notions respecting syntactical concords. When an ancient Greek manuscript of the Psalms was exhibited to him as a test of his scholarship, he boldly pronounced it to be a "Dictionary of Egyptian Hieroglyphics." Pointing to the capital letters at the commencement of each verse, he said, "Them figures is Egyptian hieroglyphics, and them which follows is the interpretation of the hieroglyphics, written in the reformed Egyptian language. Them characters is like the letters that was engraved on the golden plates." ^[1]

Of this claim, John Taylor would later say:

Concerning Mr. Caswell, I was at Nauvoo during the time of his visit. He came for the purpose of looking for evil. He was a wicked man, and associated with reprobates, mobocrats, and murderers. It is, I suppose, true that he was reverend gentleman; but it has been no uncommon thing with us to witness associations of this kind, nor for reverend gentlemen; so called, to be found leading on mobs to deeds of plunder and death. I saw Mr. Caswell in the printing office at Nauvoo; he had with him an old manuscript, and professed to be anxious to know what it was. I looked at it, and told him that I believed it was a Greek manuscript. In his book, he states that it was a Greek Psalter; but that none of the Mormons told him what it was. Herein is a falsehood, for I told him. Yet these are the men and books that we are to have our evidence from.^[2]

That Caswell is not being entirely honest is demonstrated by another version of the same tale which he published the year earlier:

[p. 5] In order to test the scholarship of the prophet, I had further provided myself with an ancient Greek manuscript of the Psalter written upon parchment, and probably about six hundred years old….

[p. 35] On entering the house, chairs were provided for the prophet and myself, while the curious and gaping crowd remained standing. I handed the book to the prophet, and begged him to explain its contents. He asked me if I had any idea of its meaning. I replied, that I believed it to be a Greek Psalter; but that I should like to hear his opinion. "No," he said; "it ain't Greek at all; except, perhaps, a few words. What ain't Greek, is Egyptian ; and what ain't Egyptian, is Greek. This book is very valuable. It is a dictionary of Egyptian Hieroglyphics." Pointing to the capital letters at the commencement of each verse, he said : "Them figures is Egyptian hieroglyphics; and them which follows, is [p. 36] the interpretation of the hieroglyphics, written in the reformed Egyptian. Them characters is like the letters that was engraved on the golden plates." Upon this, the Mormons around began to congratulate me on the information I was receiving. "There," they said ; "we told you so we told you that our prophet would give you satisfaction. None but our prophet can explain these mysteries." The prophet now turned to me, and said, "this book ain't of no use to you, you don't understand it." "Oh yes," I replied; "it is of some use; for if I were in want of money, I could sell it, and obtain, perhaps, enough to live on for a whole year." "But what will you take for it?" said the prophet and his elders. "My price," I replied, "is higher than you would be willing to give." "What price is that?" they eagerly demanded. I replied, "I will not tell you what price I would take; but if you were to offer me this moment nine hundred dollars in gold for it, you should not have it." They then repeated their request that I should lend it to them until the prophet should have time to translate it, and promised me the most ample security; but I declined all their proposals.^[3]

Suspicious differences between the accounts

In his first version, Caswell claims that he told Joseph and the Mormons what the book was–a copy of the Psalms in Greek. Despite this warning, the bumbling Joseph that Caswell wishes us to see presses blindly on, utterly confident in his ability. The prophet and Mormons are also extraordinarily anxious to purchase the Psalter or borrow it with "the most ample security," but Caswell will not do so. Extraordinary! He has come to Nauvoo, he tells us, with the firm intent of exposing Joseph Smith as a charlatan. In front of a mass of witnesses, Joseph makes claims about the contents of a book that Caswell knows to be Greek, and the prophet offers to translate the document. Caswell, however, refuses to let him continue, refuses to loan it, and tries to discourage the Mormons from even thinking about buying it. Why? If Joseph committed himself publicly, in print, on the document's contents, Caswell would have iron-clad proof that Joseph could not translate.

Joseph walked right into Caswell's trap, and Caswell goes to great length to spring the prophet from it. His claim does not stand up.

It is not surprising, then, that critics often cite the second, less-detailed, later version which omits many of the absurdities in Caswell's claim. Critics make his charge look plausible, when the earliest document demonstrates that it is not, and that Caswell (as John Taylor claimed) was not above hiding or altering the facts to suit his polemical purpose.

The Times and Seasons noted somewhat sardonically that , and gave a version which seems to accord much better with the facts than Caswell's claim that Joseph was anxious to translate the psalter but Caswell refused to sell or lend it:

It will be recollected by some, that a Mr. Caswell, professing to be an Episcopal minister, came to this city some twelve or eighteen months ago. He had with him an old manuscript, professing to be ignorant of its contents, and came to Joseph Smith, as he said, for the purpose of having it translated. Mr. Smith had a little conversation with him and treated him with civility, but as the gentleman seemed very much afraid of his document, he [Joseph] declined having any thing to do with it.^[4]

Conclusion

There is no other evidence of Caswell's claim save his anti-Mormon work. That Caswell took no steps in Nauvoo to get Joseph on record, or to get more witnesses for his story,is suspicious. He is also clearly attempting to make Joseph Smith appear unlearned and ignorant, having him say "them plates" and "them characters."

Critics who tell this story rarely provide the source details for the tale, and do not inform their readers about John Taylor's witness regarding Caswell's later dishonesty.

Kinderhook plates

See main article in FAIR wiki: Kinderhook Plates

Endnotes

1. [note] Henry Caswell, The Prophet of the Nineteenth Century (London: J.F.G. & J. Rivington, St. Paul's Church Yard and Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, 1843), 223.
2. [note]  ^{[citation needed]}
3. [note]  Henry Caswall, The City of the Mormons, or, Three Days at Nauvoo (London: J.F.G. & J. Rivington, St. Paul's Church Yard and Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, 1842), 5, 35–36.
4. [note]  Unsigned author, "Reward of Merit," Times and Seasons 4 no. 23 (15 October 1843), 364. off-site GospeLink