Lucy Smith offers account of BOM translation.

Date
1844 - 1845
Type
Manuscript
Source
Lucy Mack Smith
LDS
Hearsay
Scribed Verbatim
Reference

Lucy Mack Smith, "History 1844–1845,” book 6, 3-book 8, 10, The Joseph Smith Papers website, accessed July 8, 2021

Scribe/Publisher
Martha Jane Knowlton Coray
People
Martin Harris, Emma Hale Smith, David Whitmer, Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery, Lucy Mack Smith
Audience
Reading Public
Transcription

It soon became necessary to take some measures to accomplish the translation of the record into English but he was instructed to take off a fac simile of the alphabet Egyptian characters <composing the alphabet which were called reformed egyptian> Alphabetically and send them to all the learned men that he could find and ask them for the translation of the same. Joseph was very solicitous about the work but as yet no means had come into his hands of accomplishing the same it. . . .when she [Lucy Harris] returned home which was in about 2 weeks from the time she arrived there in Harmony she endeavored to disuade Mr H[arris] from having any thing farther to do with writing or translating the record but Martin he paid but little attention to her and as he agreed to go back and write for a season at least he did so— . . . I then continued[,] <said> Joseph[,] my suplications to God without cessation that his mercy might again be exercised towards me and on the 22 of september I had the joy and satisfaction of again receiving the record <urim and Thummin> into my possession and I have commenced translating and Emma writes for me now but the angel said that if I get the plates again that the Lord would send some one to write for me and I trust that it will be so—he also said that the angel seemed <he was> rejoiced when he gave him <me> back the plates <urim and Thummin> and said that he <God> was pleased with his <my> faithfulness and humility also that the Lord was pleased with him and loved him <me> for his <my> penitence and dilligence in prayer in the which he <I> had performed his duty so well as to receive the record <urim and Thummin> and he <was> able to enter upon the work of translation again. . . .Emma had so much of her time taken up with her work that she could not write but little for him[.] accordingly 2 or 3 days before the arrival of Oliver and Samuel he feeling it his priviledge to lay hold of the promise of the angel that the Lord would send him a scribe he called upon the His Heavenly Father for the promised assistance and was informed that the same should be forthcoming in a few days as soon <after> Oliver was introduced to him he said Mr Smi<th> I have come for the purpose of writing for you. This was not at all unexpected to Joseph for although he had never seen Mr Cowdray before he knew that the Lord was able to perform and that he had been faithful to fulfull all his promises <informed Joseph what his business <was> They then sat down and conversed togather untill late bed time and Joseph told Oliver His entire history as far as it was necessary for his information in those things which concerned him. They <were> soon deeply engaged in the work of writing and translation and pr[o]gressed rapidly. one morning however they sat down to their usual work when the first thing that presented itself to Joseph was a commandment from God that he and Oliver should repair to the water each of them be baptized they immediately went down to the susquehanah river and obeyed the comm mandate given them through the urim and Thumim. . . .In the mean time Joseph was 150 miles distant and knew naught of the matter except an intimation that was given through the urim and thumim for as he one morning applied the latter to his eyes to look upon the record instead of the words of the book being given him he was commanded to write a letter to one David Whitmore[.] this man Joseph had never seen but he was instructed to say [to] him that he must come with his team immediately in order to convey Josep<h> and his family <Oliver> back to His house which was 135 miles that they might remain with him there untill the translation should be completed for that an evil designing people were seeking to take away Joseph’s life in order to prevent the work of God from going forth among the world. . . . The Trio viz Joseph, Oliver, and David whitmore started for Waterloo where they arived after a short and plasant Journey in health and fine spirits for commencing anew on their labors[.] here they continued translating untill the whole work was completed.

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