This series recreates the faithbuilding stories of people like lehi, nephi, abinadi, alma, samuel the lamanite, helaman and the stripling warriors, general mormon and his son moroni. A longer version of this article was originally published by the neal a. On that trunk lay a book of mormon and gold plates, labans sword, aarons breastplate. Emma hale smith bidamon was born on july 10, 1804, to isaac and elizabeth hale. When told that several witnesses did see and handle them, they ask, what did they look like. There are numerous examples of ancient writing on metal plates.
The golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold the golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold, new era, july. The story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a great apostasy. The story of their discovery is supported by a large number. The book of mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of joseph smith who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which smith translated the book of mormon. The angel moroni showed joseph smith where to find the golden plates. This graphic novelcomic book adaptation was first illustrated in 2005 by award winning artist michael allred. Eleven people besides joseph smith claimed to witness and see the original book of mormon. The etymology of zyf and a metallurgical analysis of the book of mormon plates provo, ut. Desperate mopologists claim ancient bulgarian goldplate find proves truth of 19thcentury book of mormon fairy tale well, here is the opportunity to put their own dna arguments onto their golden plates and serve it to them cold. She grew up in harmony, pennsylvania, along the banks of the susquehanna river on a acre farm. Packer, in his article cumorahs cave, printed in the journal of book of mormon studies v. Experience the faithbuilding stories in the book of mormon with the dramatized golden plates. Logically, the book of mormon plates could have been composed of these two metals.
The book of mormon itself refers to a long tradition of writing historical records on plates, of which the golden plates are a culmination see list of plates latter day saint movement. Smith apparently collected these plates, took them home, and subsequently translated them into the book of mormon which he then published in 1830. According to joseph smith, the founder of mormonism, in 1823 the angel moroni guided him to some golden plates buried on a hill near to where he lived. Faithful members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints believe that the prophet joseph smith received a set of metal plates which had the appearance of gold. Mormon is allegedly a prophethistorian who was the native american believed by mormons to have written the book of mormon the main religious text of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints mormonism. The golden plates upon which the book of mormon was written have had quite a history, and it is rather well documented. We first learn about them from the visit of the angel moroni to joseph smith on september 21, 1823. On these plates was inscribed the text of the book of mormon, which he tra. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon christian. Putnam has argued persuasively that the book of mormon plates that were in joseph smiths hands were of tumbaga.
The etymology of zyf and a metallurgical analysis of the book of mormon plates online pdf, accessed november, 2015, 79. The dramatized golden plates audio series on cd living. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon according to joseph smiths later accounts, three years after he experienced his first vision of deity, an angel appeared to him in 1823 and told him of an ancient record written on gold plates. Disturbing early versions of the golden plates accounts. Provided to youtube by cdbaby book of mormon storiesthe golden plates insideout a cappella sharing time. How to make the golden plates with kids book of mormon. That is why it is so important to look at what the title page tells us was in the original book of mormon. In his book, an ancient american setting for the book of mormon, he wrote, r. Metal ore usually has a mixture of various metals in it. During this visit moroni told joseph that the plates and the urim and thummim were buried nearby, and showed him their location. Book of mormon prophesy reveals why moroni took the golden. The metal would have to be soft enough to use a stylus so they can understand the difficult process. Oliver cowdery went with the prophet joseph when he deposited these plates. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421.
Golden plates and the inside truth about the book of mormon, church of jesus christ of latter day saint perspective. The sword of laban and the tree of life the golden plates, volume one michael d. Some claim that since the original plates of the book of mormon are unavailable for scholarly inspection, it cant reasonably be studied as an. First, it refers to the original writings on the plates. When some people interested in the book of mormon ask to see the golden plates, they are disappointed to learn that joseph returned them to moroni. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. It is an awesome book for lds audiences who are familiar with church history and want to learn. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. Emma smith witnesses of the golden plates and book of mormon. The sealed portion of the plates contained extremely sacred and important content that the lord has promised to reveal in the future.
Attacks against the book of mormon have experienced a kind of mission creep since its publication in 1830. Gold and silver are often mixed together in an alloy called electrum. Maxwell institute for religious scholarship as how witnesses described the gold plates, journal of book of mormon studies, vol. According to smith, the angel was the guardian of the golden plates, buried in the hill cumorah near smiths home in western new york.
While joseph smith had the plates they were constantly at risk. Manchester, ny a team of archaeologistsexcavating a drumlin known as mormon hill or the cumorah, in western new york, have discovered a set of gold plates which they believe could be linked to the founder of thechurch of jesus christof latterday saints, joseph smith jr. Dramatized the golden plates 24 audio cds lds book of mormon living scriptures. According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon, a sacred text of the faith. It is the unheralded story of the female lamanite missionary abish in alma. Once joseph hid them under the bricks of the fireplace. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith finished. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith. He claimed that an angel named moroni had directed him to a buried stone box, containing a set of gold plates, covered with strange symbols. The story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a. So we at least have something tangible to work with. The remaining plates are of a paper composite material colored gold but with no inscriptions. Four years later, joseph and his wife, emma, went in a wagon to get the plates.
You try spraying, scrubbing, and still were left with so many persons whose testimonies of the physicality of the golden plates, angels, and other artifactsnever wavered. Where the past reveals the future and proves that god exists. Paul hansen has spent much of the past 10plus years working to reconcile the faith and science surrounding the golden plates, the fabled ancient tome that, according to teachings of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, were translated into the book of mormon by church founder joseph smith in the mid19th century. Joseph smiths golden plate story debunked reasons for jesus. The most significant witnesses are the three witnesses and the eight witnesses, all of whom allowed their names to be used on two separate statements included with the book of mormon. So allred started adapting the book of mormon into a multipart graphic novel. Joseph smith was careful to obey the command from the lord that he not show the plates to others. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of. Desperate mopologists claim ancient bulgarian goldplate. Testimony of the prophet joseph smith, front of 20 edition of the book of mormon. The plates were written in a language called reformed.
Two top plates are made of brass and imprinted with reformed egyptian characters. In 2004 and 2005 he selfpublished the golden plates, an actiongospelpacked. When it first appeared, the book of mormon was attacked for the alleged absurdity of having been written on golden plates and its claim of the existence of an early sixth century b. Dramatized the golden plates 24 audio cds lds book of mormon living scriptures see more like this. Emma smith bidamon a witness of the book of mormon. This is the book that explains the twosetsofplates scenario that everyone is talking about. How to make the golden plates with kids eve out of the.
A true testimony of the book of mormon comes from reading it and, as counseled by moroni in a promise he left to us in moroni 10. The sword of laban and the tree of life the golden plates. But, what never seems to go away for book of mormon critics are those pesky witnesses. Smith translated the text of the book of mormon over the next several. The reason why moroni took the plates back from joseph is surprisingly apparent right within the book of mormon. The precious metal that the world will go for even to the extent of penning the rivers and streams to find its course of origin whether that gold plate was really gold. Top 10 embarrassments of the mormon religion listverse. But second, joseph is clarifying that this was the title page of the original book of mormon. The present english book of mormon, however, is not simply a translation of all those gold plates. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi, who claimed that it had been. The video is the third in book of mormon centrals evidence video series, the two previous videos being one on the archaeological evidence for the place called nahom, mentioned by nephi 1 nephi 16.
The text of the book of mormon itself refers to nephis seeking ore from which to make his plates. Within the larger picture of the book of mormon missionary chapters is a brilliant message of conversion and testimony. Latter day saints believe the plates were the source material for the book of mormon. Since then, researchers have found several examples of ancient metal plates, gold plates, and plates with rings. Brigham young gave a somewhat similar, secondhand account on june 17, 1877. Premium edition six issue collection, contains all 6 issues of an adaptation of the fifth best selling book of all time, the book of mormon, which has sold over 120 million copies. See book of mormon central, what kind of ore did nephi use to make the plates.
Had they been unalloyed gold, they would have been too heavy for a single person to carry p. An account written by the hand of mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of nephi palmyra, ny. What at one time might have been a heavy left hook against the validity of the book of mormon has since turned into quite convincing evidence in favor of the reality of the golden plates but of course the most convincing witness is that of the spirit of god which comes. The prophet joseph smith translates them by the gift and power of god. Joseph smith was called of god to translate the golden plates, resulting in the book of mormon. However, the golden plates are just one of many known and reputed metal plates with significance in the latter day saint movement.
Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. Mormonism is a religion less than two centuries old, but in this short time it has managed to accrue a long list of embarrassments which the church leaders would prefer were kept. Joseph smith claimed he translated the book of mormon from a set of golden plates that were given to him by an angel named moroni. The reported weight, dimensions, and composition of the gold plates are believable. Book of mormon the idea of an ancient record on gold plates was one of the most mocked claims of joseph smith. The plates of mormon, which, except for the sealed portion, were subsequently translated by joseph smith, are known today as the gold plates.
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