When it comes to the origin of the Book of
Mormon, there are two possibilities: either Joseph Smith translated it or he
wrote it — and either way would have taken a miracle. Learn three reasons
behind why.
As
Elder Mark E. Petersen observed, “The Book of Mormon is a literary and a
religious masterpiece, and is far beyond even the fondest hopes or abilities of
any farm boy” (“It Was a Miracle!” Ensign, November 1977, 11).
From its discovery to its translation and
publication, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon was simply miraculous—and
the book itself continues to be a miracle in the lives of people all over the
world. Here are three reasons why the Book of Mormon is such a miraculous work.
Reason 1: There Have Been So Few Changes to the Text
For
years critics have pointed out the 3,913 “changes” made to the first edition of
the Book of Mormon. Their implication is that the book could not be true
because corrections needed to be made. But, compared to other translated works,
the fact that the Book of Mormon was translated in such a short time period and
required so few changes is a miracle.
Any
complex manuscript will need some corrections. For example, the Bible has
undergone major revisions over the years. Speaking of the King James Version,
Daniel B. Wallace, a professor of New Testament Studies noted that the Bible
“has undergone three revisions, incorporating more than 100,000 changes” (“Choosing
a Bible Translation,” christianity.com).
Joseph
Smith was an uneducated 23-year-old farm boy when he verbally dictated the Book
of Mormon manuscript. It became a 588-page, Christ-centered book filled with
thousands of original phrases, brilliant doctrinal speeches, and unique names.
When
the Book of Mormon manuscript was completed, it was basically one long paragraph
with very little punctuation. The young man responsible for typesetting and
punctuating the first edition was John H. Gilbert, an employee of publisher
E.B. Grandin not affiliated with the Church.
Joseph
Smith did not have the advantage of skilled editors and was forced to depend on
scribes and a typesetter to get the spelling, punctuation, and grammar right.
In fact, a majority of the 3,913 “mistakes” counted by critics in the Book of
Mormon are for minor changes, like punctuation. That the original Book of
Mormon manuscript needed so few changes, even with its length and complexity,
provides compelling evidence that it is of divine origin.
Reason 2: The Book of Mormon Is Too Complex to be a Work of Fiction
The
Book of Mormon is a very complex and inspiring work. And yet, many critics
claim it is a work of fiction written by Joseph Smith.
One
internet critic paints Joseph Smith as an ignorant fraud and then says, “The
Book of Mormon is no more complex than many other works of fiction, such as J.
R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.” He failed to point out that it
took Tolkien, an internationally renowned Oxford English professor, 12 years to
write his classic book. It is believed that this brilliant professor knew up to
30 different languages in various degrees. He also associated daily with other
renowned fantasy writers, one of which was his good friend C.S. Lewis. Perhaps
no one was better prepared to write The Lord of the Rings than Tolkien.
Despite his experience, at the time he finished his book, Tolkien said: “There
were some frightful mistakes in grammar, which from a Professor of English
Language and Lit are rather shocking” (Dennis Gerolt, “Now Read On,” BBC Radio
4, January, 1971).
Joseph
Smith, on the other hand, grew up on a farm and had little formal education and
no professional writers to give him insight and advice. He was only 24 years
old when the Book of Mormon was published, and the entire manuscript was
produced in approximately 63 working days. To make the feat even more daunting,
he dictated the entire manuscript verbally with no notes in front of him.
Imagine
a young farm boy who never played basketball going one-on-one against an NBA
superstar. Isn’t that somewhat similar to comparing Joseph Smith with Tolkien?
How inconceivable would it be to think that the farm boy could actually win the
game! Both The Lord of the Rings and the Book of Mormon have over
150,000,000 copies in print. There is no doubt that Tolkien’s classic is a
magnificent work of fantasy. But how many young single adults leave behind
school, family, friends, and jobs to share the message of The Lord of the
Rings for 18 to 24 months?
If
Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon, he should be considered one of the great
fiction writers of all time. If he translated it, he should be considered a
great prophet. It is interesting that he receives no credit for being either
from the world. But, the overwhelming evidence points to the fact that Joseph
Smith could not have possibly written this remarkable book, which means he is a
true prophet inspired by our Heavenly Father.
Reason 3: Joseph Smith Is Known for Good and Evil
When
Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith on September 21, 1823, he prophesied that
Joseph’s name “should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and
tongues” (Joseph Smith---History 1:33.) Throughout history, people who have
risen to international fame or power are usually associated with good or evil,
not good and evil. Those
known for evil have, in most cases, committed horrific crimes against humanity.
Those known for good have often accomplished remarkable acts of service,
overcome tremendous obstacles, taught life-changing principles, or left behind
invaluable inventions to bless mankind.
What
horrific crimes did Joseph Smith commit to be viewed as evil? Perhaps his
“crime” was similar to that of William Tyndale, who infuriated both the
religious and political authorities of his day by translating the Bible into
English. Because of his actions, Tyndale was condemned as a heretic and
executed.
Joseph
Smith, like Tyndale, also translated into English an ancient religious record
that boldly testifies of Jesus Christ. Many political and religious leaders of
his day also considered this heresy. As a result, they vehemently spoke against
his character and his work, they unjustly persecuted him personally and
legally, and some ultimately took his freedom and his life, fulfilling Moroni’s
prophecy.
On
the other side, Emmeline B. Wells, who knew him well, said: “He [Joseph Smith]
was beyond my comprehension. The power of God rested upon him to such a degree
that on many occasions he seemed transfigured. His expression was mild and
almost childlike in repose; and when addressing the people, who loved him it
seemed to adoration, the glory of his countenance was beyond description”
("Joseph Smith, the Prophet," Young Woman's Journal, Dec.
1905, 556). Today millions of individuals worldwide honor the good name of
Joseph Smith while untold others revile it, just as Moroni prophesied would
happen.
The Book of Mormon is
a modern day miracle that provides compelling testimony that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God and the Savior of the world. It is a book filled with evidence that
convinces those willing to search its pages with real intent that it is true.
No comments:
Post a Comment