Descriptions:
The Church currently teaches that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from the golden plates using a Seer Stone, which he would place in a hat — but it hasn’t always been that way. Where does this story come from, and why haven’t many of us heard it before? Did the Church lie about the Urim and Thummim? Let’s talk about it.
Video transcript: https://saintsunscripted.com/faith-and-beliefs/the-restoration-of-christs-church/joseph-smiths-seer-stone-translation/
NOTES
— “Book of Mormon Translation,” Gospel Topics Essay: https://bit.ly/2vaHUVu
— Video: “The Book of Mormon Is Tangible Evidence of the Restoration” feat. President Russell M. Nelson: https://bit.ly/410BMbz
— “Book of Mormon Translation Methods” via Mormonr (over 200 sources): https://bit.ly/3HBaB08
— “Book of Mormon Translation Methods [Q & A]” via Mormonr: https://bit.ly/3HBaB08
— “Standard of Truth Podcast,” Episode 13: Translation of the Gold Plates Part 1: https://bit.ly/3HG7ROP
— “Standard of Truth Podcast,” Episode 14: Translation of the Gold Plates Part 2: https://bit.ly/416Cq7a
— “A Pathway to Prophethood: Joseph Smith Junior as Rodsman, Village Seer, and Judeo-Christian Prophet,” dissertation by Mark Ashurst-McGee, USU: https://bit.ly/4264Sr9
— Recommended reading:
“From Darkness unto Light,” by Michael MacKay & Gerrit Dirkmaat
“Let’s Talk About the Translation of the Book of Mormon,” by MacKay & Dirkmaat
“Joseph Smith’s Seer Stones,” by Michael MacKay & Nicholas Frederick
Notes:
— While it is generally agreed upon today that Joseph used both the interpreters and his personal seer stone on the translation, we don’t know precisely how often he used each tool.
— In 1988 Neal A. Maxwell taught, “We are looking beyond the mark today, for example, … when we neglect Alma’s words on faith because we are too fascinated by the light-shielding hat reportedly used by Joseph Smith during some of the translating of the Book of Mormon. To neglect substance while focusing on process is another form of unsubmissively looking beyond the mark.” Source: https://bit.ly/416tO0x
— George Q. Cannon’s biography of Joseph Smith went through several different editions. The 1888 and 1907 editions speak openly about the seer stone. In the 1958 edition (and beyond), however, those paragraphs have been deleted. There are still a couple of other references to the seer stone being used to translate, but the main paragraphs are gone.
— Even in 2000, BYU scholars Craig Ostler and Joseph Fielding McConkie disagreed with the sources indicating that Joseph used his seer stone during the translation. Source: https://bit.ly/44wJhts
— Latter-day Saint scholar Sidney Sperry acknowledges the seer-stone method of translation in his 1967 book, “Answers to Book of Mormon Questions” (pg. 184-185, Bookcraft). His aim is to rebut David Whitmer’s claim that the translation could not continue until every word had been recorded correctly by the scribe. He doesn’t specifically discredit the seer-stone-in-a-hat detail, but rather acknowledges that “Joseph Smith gives us precious little first-hand information about the manner in which the Urim and Thummim were used.” It’s possible this usage of “Urim and Thummim” here encompassed the seer stone.
— According to W. W. Blair, “When Joseph was translating the Book of Mormon, [Michael Morse (Emma Smith’s brother-in-law)] had occasion more than once to go into his immediate presence, and saw him engaged at his work of translation. The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph’s placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating word after word, while the scribes—Emma, John Whitmer, O. Cowdery, or some other wrote it down.” As reported by W. W. Blair in Saint Herald 26 (15 June 1879): 190-191. Michael was a non-believer.
— An 1831 journal entry by Richard McNemar, a Shaker, which reports that two transparent stones or spectacles and also a hat were used as tools during the translation (info he probably got from Oliver Cowdery & co., then missionaries in that area): https://bit.ly/3Vr7Vb7
— In 1974 Stanley Larson affirmed the seer stone method in his BYU Master’s thesis. This was before the days of the internet, and I doubt it was a widely distributed document. Thus, I didn’t specifically mention it in this episode. Source: https://bit.ly/42meoWY
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