A Documentary History of the Book of Mormon

609 Pages·2019·45.163 MB·English

by  Larry E Morris

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A Documentary History of the Book of Mormon

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A Documentary History of
the Book of Mormon
Larry E. Morris
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© Oxford University Press 2019
Material in this product has been licensed from the Joseph Smith Papers Project,
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Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Morris, Larry E., 1951– author.
Title: A documentary history of the Book of Mormon / Larry E. Morris.
Description: [New York, N.Y.] : Oxford University Press, [2019] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018021640 | ISBN 9780190699093 (hardcover : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9780190699116 (epub) | ISBN 9780190699123 (online resource)
Subjects: LCSH: Book of Mormon—History—Sources. | Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805–1844—Sources.
Classification: LCC BX8627 .A3 M67 2018 | DDC 289.3/22—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018021640
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed by LSC Communications, United States of America
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For Isaac, Courtney, Justin, and Whitney
My eyes were too dazzled by the glitter of the sea below his feet to see him clearly; I am
fated never to see him clearly. . . . He was white from head to foot, and remained persistently
visible with the stronghold of the night at his back, the sea at his feet, the opportunity by his
side— still veiled. What do you say? Was it still veiled? I don’t know. For me that white figure
in the stillness of coast and sea seemed to stand at the heart of a vast enigma. The twilight was
ebbing fast from the sky above his head, the strip of sand had sunk already from his feet, he
himself appeared no bigger than a child— then only a speck, a tiny white speck, that seemed to
catch all the light left in a darkened world. . . . And, suddenly, I lost him. . . .
— Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim
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Contents
Acknowledgments xix
Editorial Method xxi
List of Abbreviations xxiii
Chronology xxvii
Map xxxiii
Introduction 1
1. “He Appeared unto Me Three Times in One Night”: Joseph and the
Angel: September 1823– September 1826 6
First- Hand Reminiscences 16
1.1. Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830 [D&C 20], Extract 16
1.2. Joseph Smith, History, circa Summer 1832 19
1.3. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, February 1835,
Extract 26
1.4. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, March 1835,
Extract 29
1.5. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, April 1835,
Extract 31
1.6. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, July 1835, Extract 35
1.7. Oliver Cowdery’s Letter to William W. Phelps, October 1835,
Extract 41
1.8. Joseph Smith, Journal, November 9, 1835, Extract 50
1.9. Elders’ Journal, July 1838, Extract 52
1.10. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839– ca. 1841, Extract 53
1.11. Joseph Smith, “Church History,” March 1, 1842, Extract 58
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Accounts from Others 61
1.12. Eli Bruce’s Diary Entry, November 5, 1830 61
1.13. James Gordon Bennett’s Report on “The Mormonites,” 1831,
Extract 61
1.14. Lucy Harris’s Testimony, November 29, 1833 67
1.15. Willard Chase’s Testimony, December 11, 1833 69
1.16. Henry Harris’s Testimony, circa 1833 74
1.17. Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History,
1833– 1847, Extract 75
1.18. Isaac Hale’s Testimony, March 20, 1834 80
1.19. Peter Bauder’s Report of His Interview with Joseph Smith, 1834 83
1.20. Truman Coe’s Description of Mormonism, 1836, Extract 85
1.21. Joseph Curtis’s Reminiscence, circa 1839, Extract 87
1.22. John A. Clark’s Letters, August 1840, Extracts 88
1.23. Orson Pratt’s Account of Joseph Smith’s Early Visions, 1840,
Extract 96
1.24. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1844– 1845, 1853, Extract 102
1.25. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 108
1.26. Fayette Lapham’s Report of an Interview with
Joseph Smith Sr., 1870 110
1.27. Statement of Joseph and Hiel Lewis, April 30, 1879 117
1.28. Frederick G. Mather’s Interviews, 1880, Extract 122
1.29. William H. Kelley’s Interviews, 1881 131
1.30. Kansas City Journal Interview with David Whitmer,
June 1, 1881, Extract 148
1.31. Emily M. Coburn Austin’s Reminiscences, 1882, Extract 150
1.32. William Smith’s Reminiscence, 1883, Extract 153
2. “The Same Heavenly Messenger Delivered Them Up To Me”—
Joseph and the Plates: September– December 1827 157
First- Hand Reminiscence 159
2.1. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839– ca. 1841, Extract 159
Accounts from Others 161
2.2. Letter of Nathaniel W. Howell and Others to Ancil Beach,
January 1832 161
2.3. Barton Stafford’s Testimony, November 3, 1833 162
2.4. Joseph Capron’s Testimony, November 8, 1833 163
2.5. Abigail Harris’s Testimony, November 28, 1833 165
2.6. Peter Ingersoll’s Testimony, December 2, 1833, Extract 166
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2.7. William Stafford’s Testimony, December 8, 1833 169
2.8. Jesse Townsend’s Letter to Phineas Stiles, December 24, 1833 171
2.9. Mary Beman Noble’s Reminiscence, circa 1836 174
2.10. Martha Campbell’s Letter to Joseph Smith, December 1843 175
2.11. Orsamus Turner, “GOLD BIBLE— MORMONISM,” 1851,
Extract 177
2.12. Lucy Mack Smith’s Reminiscences, 1853, Extracts 180
2.13. Joel Tiffany’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris, 1859 191
2.14. Pomeroy Tucker’s Account, 1867, Extract 197
2.15. Frederick G. Mather’s Interviews, 1880, Extracts 199
2.16. William Smith’s Testimony, 1884, Extracts 202
2.17. William H. Kelley’s Interview with Lorenzo Saunders,
1884, Extract 204
2.18. William H. Kelley’s Interview with Benjamin Saunders,
1884, Extract 207
2.19. Lorenzo Saunders’s Letter to Thomas Gregg, January 28, 1885 210
2.20. Christopher M. Stafford’s Statement, March 23, 1885, Extract 212
2.21. Mrs. M. C. R. Smith’s Statement, March 25, 1885 213
2.22. Isaac Butts’s Statement, circa March 1885 214
2.23. W. R. Hine’s Statement, circa March 1885, Extract 215
2.24. Katharine Smith Salisbury’s Letter to “Dear Sisters,”
March 10, 1886 217
2.25. Mrs. S. F. Anderick’s Statement, June 24, 1887 219
2.26. Rhamanthus M. Stocker’s Account, 1887, Extract 221
3. “I Cannot Read a Sealed Book”— Martin Harris’s Venture to Eastern
Scholars: February 1828 224
First- Hand Reminiscences 229
3.1. Charles Anthon’s Letter to E. D. Howe, February 17, 1834 229
3.2. Charles Anthon’s Letter to Rev. T. W. Coit, April 3, 1841 232
3.3. Letter from Charles Anthon, August 12, 1844 235
3.4. Martin Harris’s Letter to H. B. Emerson, November 23, 1870 236
Accounts from Others 237
3.5. Article in Rochester Advertiser and Daily Telegraph, August 31,
1829 237
3.6. William W. Phelps’s Letter to E. D. Howe, January 15, 1831 238
3.7. Joseph Smith, History Draft, ca. June 1839– ca. 1841, Extract 240
3.8. David. B. Dille’s Report of an Interview with Martin Harris,
September 15, 1853 241