LDS Church Acquires BoM Printer's Manuscript

[Just_A_Guy]

Deseret News story at https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865689273/LDS-Church-buys-printers-manuscript-of-Book-of-Mormon-for-record-35-million-from-Community-of.html

Salt Lake Tribune coverage at http://www.sltrib.com/news/2017/09/21/35-million-book-of-mormon-manuscript-sale-to-lds-church-called-the-biggest-game-changer-in-mormon-history/

I don't think either story mentions it, but the driver for this sale is a multi-million dollar shortfall in the CoC's pension funds; which the sale of this manuscript doesn't completely make up.  CoC president Stephen Veazy addressed his church yesterday and announced that the CoC would be looking to divest itself of other historic properties that, in his view, are not core to the church's mission:  http://www.cofchrist.org/common/cms/resources/Documents/20Sept2017-Time-to-Act-EN.pdf

Edited September 21, 2017 by Just_A_Guy

[Sunday21]

@Just_A_Guy ! Like Kirkwood Temple..if that is what it is called? Like part of the plot of a yet to be built temple..other rumors that I have heard...hmm.

[Vort]

The Church's annoucement: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-acquires-printers-manuscript-book-of-mormon

[Just_A_Guy]

I would be very surprised to see them part with the Kirtland Temple or their portion of the Independence lot.  Barring those, the two major things I can see them selling that the LDS Church might want to buy are the Joseph Smith site in Nauvoo, and the manuscript for the Joseph Smith Translation.

Then again, it will be interesting to see how the rank-and-file CoC membership receives this new policy.

Edited September 21, 2017 by Just_A_Guy

[NeuroTypical]

48 minutes ago, Just_A_Guy said:

I don't think either story mentions it, but the driver for this sale is a multi-million dollar shortfall in the CoC's pension funds; which the sale of this manuscript doesn't completely make up.

Thank you!  I was hoping there was some reason beyond historical value for the church to spend such a massive amount on something we already have scanned and digitized.  

[Vort]

7 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

Thank you!  I was hoping there was some reason beyond historical value for the church to spend such a massive amount on something we already have scanned and digitized.  

So you think the Church's purchase of the manuscript was essentially a charity move? Hmmm. Maybe you're right: Do a good deed and get something priceless in return. Win-win, as Stephen Covey might have said.

Given the Church's statement about "donors", it would appear that no tithing money was spent in this acquisition. If the CoC wanted to sell the Kirtland Temple for, say, a billion dollars, I wonder if the Church would pull out the tithing checkbook at that point, or if they would still solicit private funds for the purchase.

[Sunday21]

2 hours ago, NeuroTypical said:

Thank you!  I was hoping there was some reason beyond historical value for the church to spend such a massive amount on something we already have scanned and digitized.  

I was wondering if the lds church was worried that a fraudster would buy the original manuscript and make changes? What do you think?

[The Folk Prophet]

3 hours ago, Vort said:

So you think the Church's purchase of the manuscript was essentially a charity move? Hmmm. Maybe you're right: Do a good deed and get something priceless in return. Win-win, as Stephen Covey might have said.

Given the Church's statement about "donors", it would appear that no tithing money was spent in this acquisition. If the CoC wanted to sell the Kirtland Temple for, say, a billion dollars, I wonder if the Church would pull out the tithing checkbook at that point, or if they would still solicit private funds for the purchase.

I'm not sure it makes sense to me to bail out a false religion financially as an act of charity. I mean if it was about people staying alive or losing their livelihood (permanently) or something otherwise, then sure...but to save an aspect of what we believe, ultimately, to be part of the church or the devil?

And....no way on the Kirtland temple (imo)*. But if and when the temple lot in MO comes available by the aptly named (if I recall) Temple Lot church, then I suspect so.

* edit, unless they intended to purchase it, do it up right, dedicate it, and use it as a temple. Then maybe. (Not a billion, obviously...but.......)

Edited September 21, 2017 by The Folk Prophet

[jerome1232]

2 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

I was wondering if the lds church was worried that a fraudster would buy the original manuscript and make changes? What do you think?

It's already been digitized and published so I don't think that is a concern.

[Vort]

1 hour ago, The Folk Prophet said:

I'm not sure it makes sense to me to bail out a false religion financially as an act of charity. I mean if it was about people staying alive or losing their livelihood (permanently) or something otherwise, then sure...but to save an aspect of what we believe, ultimately, to be part of the church or the devil?

My understanding from the article  and the letter from the C0C's "prophet/president" was that the proceeds were to go toward the retirement pension fund, which was vastly underfunded.

Moreover, if they have something we want, why wouldn't we pay them fair value for it? I don't think that doing business with another religious institution can reasonably be construed as "bail[ing] out a false religion".

Edited September 21, 2017 by Vort

[Just_A_Guy]

I doubt that the Church would have paid $35 million unless they had reason to believe that someone else might realistically pay $34 million.

The thought of the manuscript going to a private, potentially non-restorationist collector--or worse, being pieced out to hundreds of individual collectors for profit--is perhaps a daunting one; independently of any altruistic motives towards our CoC cousins.

Edited September 21, 2017 by Just_A_Guy

[Sunday21]

8 minutes ago, Just_A_Guy said:

I doubt that the Church would have paid $35 million unless they had reason to believe that someone else might realistically pay $34 million.

The thought of the manuscript going to a private, potentially non-restorationist collector--or worse, being pieced out to hundreds of individual collectors for profit--is perhaps a daunting one; independently of any altruistic motives towards our CoC cousins.

Nice to think that we have cousins!

[Vort]

2 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

Nice to think that we have cousins!

Well, the "genetic" link is getting vastly weaker as the decades roll by.

[askandanswer]

On 9/22/2017 at 1:57 AM, Just_A_Guy said:

 

Salt Lake Tribune coverage at http://www.sltrib.com/news/2017/09/21/35-million-book-of-mormon-manuscript-sale-to-lds-church-called-the-biggest-game-changer-in-mormon-history/

 

I just read the Tribune article and it wasn't clear to me what game is being changed, and what the changes might be. Is there any clarification on this?

[Sunday21]

16 hours ago, askandanswer said:

I just read the Tribune article and it wasn't clear to me what game is being changed, and what the changes might be. Is there any clarification on this?

I think they mean higher prices for historical manuscripts.

[Just_A_Guy]

On 9/21/2017 at 10:21 AM, Just_A_Guy said:

I would be very surprised to see them part with the Kirtland Temple or their portion of the Independence lot.  Barring those, the two major things I can see them selling that the LDS Church might want to buy are the Joseph Smith site in Nauvoo, and the manuscript for the Joseph Smith Translation.

Then again, it will be interesting to see how the rank-and-file CoC membership receives this new policy.

Welp.  It appears we pulled off the trifecta.

[NeuroTypical]

omigoshomigoshomigoshomigosh!

Quote

The Kirtland Temple will remain an historic building. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plans to reopen it March 25, 2024, for public tours at no charge. Likewise, in Nauvoo, the Smith Family Homestead, the Mansion House and the Red Brick Store will also reopen on March 25, 2024, for year-round public tours at no charge.