Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
In the presence of these facts, only one solution to the difficulties
presents itself, and that is the solution suggested in the Manual,
viz., that the translator is responsible for the verbal and grammatical
errors, in the translation; as it is said of the original Nephite
record, so let us-say of the translation of that record, "If there
be faults, they are the faults of man;" not of God, either mediately
or immediately. Nor does this solution of the difficulties presented
cast any reflections upon Joseph the Seer. It was no fault of his that
his knowledge in the English language was so imperfect. His imperfect
knowledge was due entirely to his limited opportunity to acquire such
knowledge; to environment, not at all to neglect of opportunities or to
mental laziness.
But it is objected that this theory unsettles former conceptions of the
part taken by Urim and Thummim, in the work of translation. It upsets
somewhat the marvelous that has been associated with the translation of
the Nephite record. "Shall we understand," writes with some feeling one
objector, "that Urim and Thummim are not what they hitherto purported
to be?" and cites somewhat indefinitely the testimony of the Three
Witnesses; refers, but not definitely, to the _History of the Church,_
and to a sermon by Brigham Young; also to the following passages in
the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants: Mosiah 28:11-15; Ether
3:22-25; Mosiah 8:13-19; Doctrine and Covenants, section 130. We assure
this writer and other correspondents of the _Era_ that there is no
conflict between the Manual theory of translation and these passages
of scripture. The strongest passage cited as suggesting a conflict is
Mosiah 28:13-16, as follows:
"And now he translated them (i. e., the Jaredite records) by the
means of those two stones which were fastened into the two rims of
a bow.
"Now these things were prepared from the beginning, and were handed
down from generation to generation, for the purpose of interpreting
languages; * * * * And whosoever has these things, is called seer,
after the manner of old times."
Emphasizing and insisting upon a rigid construction of the words, "Now
these things were handed down * * * for the purpose of interpreting
languages," may seem to fix the power of interpretation in the divine
instruments, not in the seer; but when these words are considered
in connection with all that one may learn upon the subject, we know
better than to insist upon a severely rigid construction. It should be
observed in the opening sentence of the very passage quoted that these
words occur:
"And _he_ [Mosiah] translated them [the Jaredite records] by means
of those two stones, which were fastened to two rims of a bow."
In other words, Mosiah, the seer, did the translating, aided by Urim
and Thummim; it was not the Urim and Thummim that did it, aided by
Mosiah.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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