A fascinating though little known part of the history
behind the Book of Mormon is the true story of the missing manuscript. As the story goes, sometime in the years prior
to 1830, Joseph Smith Jr., Mormonism's founding prophet was told by an angel named Moroni where he would find an ancient book.
According to Moroni--who's father Mormon had originally compiled the writings in the book hundreds of years earlier--Smith
would find the book buried in a hillside that just happened to be located fairly near his home in Manchester, New York.
According to Smith, he did find the book in just such
a place--the hill Cumorah. But the book was not the type of book we think of when we hear the term today, comprised of written
words on paper bound together. According to Smith, this "book" was actually a set of thin, engraved, golden "plates" bound
together much like a spiral notebook. At the very least, this book would have been extremely heavy--if not extremely valuable!
According to Smith, God wanted the writing in the
book to be translated into English so anyone could read it. And he wanted Joseph Smith to do the translation work. But
Smith was not a translator. Actually, he was a treasure hunter--but that's another story!
But God, of course, was well aware that Smith was
not a translator and he had already made special arrangements for Smith by making sure that a somewhat "magical"
instrument had been deposited along with the golden plates. Smith called it the Urim and Thummim which looked something
like a pair of spectacles. This instrument allowed Smith to "see" the English translation of the words that were written
on the golden plates. Those words were written in an unknown language that Joseph called "Reformed Egyptian."
So Joseph began the long process of translating the
golden plates. He was amazed to discover that it was a history of the original inhabitants of the Americas--the Native Americans
or American Indians! Day after day Smith would translate and his faithful scribe would write down the translated words.
Smith's wife Emma, and a friend named Martin Harris both worked as Joseph's scribe during this time. According to all of them,
it was a very exciting time.
But not all of those who knew Smith were so enthused.
In fact, many of his neighbor's began to demand that Smith produce this "Golden Bible" he was allegedly translating. But Smith
had unfortunately--or perhaps conveniently--been instructed by God not to show the plates to anyone. Not
even those closest to him who were helping him with the translation! So Smith would actually work on one side of a blanket,
while his helpers worked on the other side--never actually seeing the plates with their own eyes.
As the process wore on, the persecution from neighbors
finally reached a point where Smith decided he was going to have to complete the translation somewhere else. So he and Emma
packed up the wagon and headed off to Emma's father's house in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Smith carried the alleged plates
locked securely in a wooden box. Harris eventually followed, much to his wife's dismay, and continued to help Smith with
the translation in Harmony.
With each translated page, Harris grew more and more
impressed with what was occurring and finally asked Smith if he could take the still unfinished manuscript back to New York
to show his wife. He was sure that when she read the manuscript, she would change her mind and decide to support the project.
Mrs. Harris had been convinced that Smith was simply a fraud who was trying to separate the wealthy Harris from some,
if not all, of his money.
Legend has it that Smith "inquired of the Lord" three
times on Martin's behalf whether he might be able to take the pages back to Palmyra and show them to his wife. God said
"no" the first two times, but eventually changed his mind and agreed to let Harris take the manuscript on the third
attempt.
And so it was that sometime in the summer of 1828
Martin Harris set out for Palmyra, New York with 116 pages of hand-written text said to be translated from an ancient book.
Much to his surprise, his wife was patently unimpressed and she tried even harder to convince Harris that Smith was simply
making the whole thing up and not to have anything to do with this huckster.
What happened over night would become a thorn
in Mormonism's side to this day. Somehow, the manuscript turned up missing! Try as he might, Harris could simply not locate the
missing 116 pages! Some suspected that his wife had burned them. Other's believed the neighbor's had stolen them but
they were simply nowhere to be found!
One can only imagine how Harris must have felt as
he realized he would have to confess to Smith that he had lost those pages! After all, there were no Kinkos in those
days! The manuscript he had lost was the only one there was!
It's not difficult to picture the scene. In short, Smith was shall we say, very
put out! And it is certainly reasonable to expect him to be so. 116 pages of God-directed, translated text from a one-of-a-kind,
newly-discovered ancient history book where gone. Vanished. Smith was understandably devastated!
However, the severity of the problem this created for Smith would itself become
a key indicator of his status as a prophet. It is precisely because Smith was keenly aware of this fact that made
him so concerned.
In fact it was not such a big deal that the pages were gone and would have to
be re-translated. A sizable set-back, no doubt, but certainly a prophet led by God who still possessed the original plates
as well as the instrument used to translate them could simply go back to plate number one and begin re-translating.
But what about a false prophet? Would a "prophet" who was not being
led by God--or a con-man who was simply making the whole thing up--be able to accurately reproduce the lost material?
Anyone who has read the Book of Mormon can see that it is essentially
a history focusing on 2 distinct people groups: the Nephites and the Lamanites. The book records details about their
lives, their kings and their wars. If Smith were simply creating the story on his own (or using various sources such
as the book View Of The Hebrews) he would certainly have a nearly impossible task to try to recreate the
lost material in 116 missing pages of text--some of which had been written weeks if not months earlier.
In short, the problem was this: if Smith was not a true prophet, he
would have known that if he attempted to recreate the missing 116 pages and then they somehow resurfaced at some
later date, the two accounts would certainly differ. The fact that he was a fraud would be plain for all to see.
Put another way, if Smith was a true prophet of God, one would expect
Smith to simply re-translate the missing material knowing that it would come out the same. But if Smith was not a true prophet of God, one would expect the loss of the 116 pages and the
uncertainty of whether they still existed to put Smith in a terrible situation.
And in fact the latter is exactly what occurred. Rather than simply re-translating the
missing material, God eventually informs Smith that evil men are now in possession of the original manuscript and they,
in fact, have already altered the words Smith had translated! By doing so, they hope to set a trap for
Smith who, after re-translating, would release the legitimate translation of the Book of Mormon only to have
the original manuscript reappear complete with alterations. These evil men would then use the discrepancies to discredit
God's legitimate prophet and destroy the work of God in the process!
Talk about the classic case of an evil plan!
God's solution is for Smith to translate a different set of plates
that, by coincidence, also gave a history of the Nephites and Lamanites, but did so in a slightly different format!
Problem solved!
As with many other facets of Mormonism, I find this story absolutely fascinating
for several reasons. First, even when confronted with the facts, Mormons still actually believe this whole thing occured just
like Smith said it did! It is truly amazing that otherwise intelligent people cannot seem to see the con that is
really going on here. Keep in mind that although I've told the story in my own words, this is actual recorded church history
readily available for anyone to check it out.
In fact, if you'd like to check it out for yourself, start with D & C #10...
here's the link to the official Mormon web-site: http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/10
The introduction to the original first printing of the Book of Mormon
in 1830 also provides some fascinating details penned by no less than Smith himself:
TO THE READER—
As many false reports have been circulated respecting the following work, and also many
unlawful measures taken by the evil designing persons to destroy me, and also the work, I would inform you that I translated,
by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi,
which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some person or persons have
stolen and kept from me, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again—and being commanded of the Lord that
I should not translate the same over again, for Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering
the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth
the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had
stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work: but behold, the Lord
said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing: therefore thou shalt translate
from the plates of Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have translated, which ye have retained; and behold ye shall publish
it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words. I will not suffer that they shall destroy
my work; yea, I will shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil. Wherefore, to be obedient unto
the commandments of God, I have, through his grace and mercy, accomplished that which he hath
commanded me respecting this thing. I would also inform you that the plates of which hath been spoken, were found in
the township of Manchester, Ontario county, New-York. –
Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, Introduction to 1830 version.
Next, the story is fascinating for the same reason television shows like Mastermind
are popular. Even though the masterminds are usually using their unusual talents for something bad, like stealing jewelry
or something similar, it is always fascinating to see the genius of a con-man in action.
When confronted with a situation that would have made most "ordinary" cons give
up and try something else, Smith instead puts his brain to work and actually salvages the situation. Of course it's
still easy to see through his plan, and yet, it obviously worked because there remain to this day millions of Latter-day Saints
who unquestioningly accept Smith's version of events!
But of course the story is also fascinating when considering what would have happened
had Smith never let the manuscript slip out of his hands in the first place. This little episode never would have occurred
and this earliest of evidence revealing the true source of the Book of Mormon would not exist. It's
interesting that it does exist! It's interesting that the Mormon god is the one who first says "no" to the idea
of Harris taking the manuscript, and then later allows it.
Of course Smith's "god" --the god of Mormonism--either didn't have a clue
what had happened to the lost pages--even though he had miraculously kept track of them for centuries!--or at least he
wasn't sharing that information, and yet miraculously knew that they were in the possession of evil men! Yet the Mormon
god doesn't dare suggest any locations for Harris or Smith to go looking for the missing pages!
It would seem though, in light of the fact that the original pages did
end up missing and that Smith was eventually able to invent a fabulous cover-story that allowed him to salvage
the Book of Mormon as well as his status as a translator, and that, as a result, we now have readily available evidence
relevant to the authenticity of both Smith and his Book of Mormon, then just perhaps, the whole crazy episode
was in fact divinely appointed after all!
Who say's God doesn't have a sense of humor!
