Monday, September 8, 2025

Countdown to Cumorah - September 7 2025



In the previous countdown (Sept 5), we looked at Oliver's description of Moroni's visit. 

He [Moroni] said this history was written and deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record.

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/69 

Oliver's account of Moroni's visit came directly from Joseph Smith. Oliver referred to Joseph in the beginning of this account of Moroni's visit: "Indeed, to use his [Joseph's] own description, the first sight was as though the house was filled with consuming and unquenchable fire."

Moroni's explanation to Joseph helps us understand that 

(i) Joseph had the privilege to translate by means of the Urim and Thummim that was deposited with the record, and 

(ii) Mormon and Moroni lived "not far from" Palmyra when they wrote the history and deposited it in the hill Cumorah.

Moroni also made that point when he referred to "this north country" where he lived when he abridged the Book of Ether. 

1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of this north country.

2 And I take mine account from the twenty and four plates which were found by the people of Limhi, which is called the Book of Ether.

(Ether 1:1–2)

Oliver's explanation also tells us something else that is less obvious: there were two separate sets of plates that Joseph translated.
_____

The history Moroni referred to here was the abridgment that he put in the stone box on the hill Cumorah. We know this from the Title Page which Joseph said was on the "last leaf" of the collection of plates.

I wish also to mention here, that the title page of the Book of Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates, which contained the record which has been translated; the language of the whole running the same as all Hebrew writing in general; and that, said title page is not by any means a modern composition either of mine or of any other man’s who has lived or does live in this generation. Therefore, in order to correct an error which generally exists concerning it, I give below that part of the title page of the English version of the Book of Mormon, which is a genuine and literal translation of the title page of the Original Book of Mormon, as recorded on the plates.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

An account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates, taken from the plates of Nephi.

“Wherefore it is an abridgement of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites; written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile: written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation.

Written, and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed; to come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof: sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by the way of Gentile; the interpretation thereof by the gift of God.

An abridgement taken from the book of Ether, also; which is a record of the people of Jared; who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people when they were building a tower to get to heaven: which is to shew unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever; and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations. And now if there are faults, they are the mistakes of men; wherefore condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of Christ.”

The remainder of the title page is of course, modern.

(Times and Seasons III.24:943 ¶4–9)

The title page explains the record consisted of two abridgments, plus what Moroni added to seal the record (the Book of Moroni). The Title Page does not refer to any original plates.

Moroni's explanation that the history--the abridgement--was written and deposited not far from Joseph's home raises the question of how and why Joseph also translated the original plates of Nephi, which we commonly refer to as the "small plates."

For those not familiar with the two sets of plates narrative, here is a short explanation.

Joseph translated the abridged plates in Harmony, PA. When he and Oliver finished these, they considered re-translating the abridgement of the plates of Lehi (the lost 116 pages). Instead, in D&C 10 the Lord told them to translate the engravings on the plates of Nephi (the small plates). But they didn't have those plates yet. The small plates were the "other records" that the Lord promised Oliver he would assist to translate (D&C 9).

Before leaving Harmony, Joseph gave the abridged plates to a messenger he later identified as one of the Three Nephites. This messenger explained to David Whitmer that he was going to Cumorah before coming to Fayette. The messenger went to the repository in Cumorah to get the small plates, which he then took to Fayette, where Joseph translated them.

For a discussion of the two sets of plates, see these references:


Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)