New Witnesses for God (Volume 2 of 3)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
New Witnesses for God (Volume 2 of 3)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Book of Mormon; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
Martin said that after continued translation they would become
weary and would go down to the river and exercise in throwing
stones out on the river, etc. While so doing on one occasion,
Martin found a stone very much resembling the one used for
translating, and on resuming their labors of translation Martin
put in place [of the Seer Stone] the stone that he had found. He
said that the Prophet remained silent unusually long and intently
gazing in darkness, no trace of the usual sentence appearing. Much
surprised Joseph exclaimed: "Martin! what is the matter? all is as
dark as Egypt." Martin's countenance betrayed him, and the Prophet
asked Martin why he had done so. Martin said, to stop the mouths
of fools, who had told him that the Prophet had learned those
sentences and was merely repeating them. [10]
The sum of the whole matter, then, concerning the manner of translating
the sacred record of the Nephites, according to the testimony of
the only witnesses competent to testify in the matter is: With the
Nephite record was deposited a curious instrument, consisting of two
transparent stones, set in the rim of a bow, somewhat resembling
spectacles, but larger, called by the ancient Hebrews "Urim and
Thummim," but by the Nephites "Interpreters." In addition to these
"Interpreters" the Prophet Joseph had a "Seer Stone," which to him was
a Urim and Thummim; that the Prophet sometimes used one and sometimes
the other of these sacred instruments in the work of translation; that
whether the "Interpreters" or the "Seer Stone" was used, the Nephite
characters with the English interpretation appeared in the sacred
instrument; that the Prophet would pronounce the English translation
to his scribe, which, when correctly written, would disappear and the
other characters with their interpretation take their place, and so on
until the work was completed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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