Several individuals independently reported that the plates were bound. But, how many know of accounts of the gold plates story which mention smith first discovered the plates with a seer stone. Jun 17, 2014 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. Ancient metal plates book of mormon archaeological forum. Its testimony of the master is clear, undiluted, and full of power. Feast of trumpets and joseph smith, golden plates, moroni, rosh hashana. When church history museum curators needed an exhibitionquality replica of the golden plates revealed to joseph smith jr. 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. If mormons book of mormon plates were made of tumbaga, their weight would have been much less than had they been made of pure gold. Packer, in his article cumorahs cave, printed in the journal of book of mormon studies v.
There are numerous examples of ancient writing on metal plates. Mormons are led to believe that smith moved the gold plates from their. How to make the golden plates with kids book of mormon. Sep 06, 2019 heres a short video where i talk about my book of mormon class and the replica of the golden plates that i use to teach. 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.
Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. Apr 03, 2018 replica of the golden plates photo courtesy deseret news elder clate w. He offered to send me to new york and pennsylvania to document places. The prophet joseph smith translates them by the gift and power of god. Smith translated the text of the book of mormon over the next several. Unless otherwise indicated, bible quotations are taken from the king james version. The plates, which had a depth of about six inches, were bound together by three dshaped rings, similar to a threering binder today. The plates were written in a language called reformed egyptian.
Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked. For several years i brought a replica set of gold plates to the mormon miracle. In august 2017, kirk magleby of book of mormon central commissioned me to paint a picture of the moment mary whitmer witnessed the golden plates at the whitmer farm in fayette, new york, in 1829. For joseph smiths birthday, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints wanted an accurate representation of the golden plates that were used to make the book of mormon. Dimensions according to joseph, the book was 6 x 8 x 6 and each plate was thinner than common tin. There are several theories as to the origin of the book of mormon. Based on these parameters, modern researchers have estimated plates of pure gold would weigh at least 45 kilograms 100 pounds and might be too soft for engraved characters. Golden plates to book of mormon more about the plates the pages were thin sheets of metal. How to make the golden plates with kids eve out of the garden. Ancient metal documents were known among scholars33 and.
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. How corrections in the book of mormon prove its authenticity presents physical evidence that the book of mormon is precisely what it claims to be. Brigham young, on june 17, 1877, related the following. The records which were on thin hammered out gold pages like a book were the gold plates that joseph translated to become the book of mormon. Did book of mormon witnesses simply see the golden plates. Every latterday saint mormon is aware of joseph smiths claim that he discovered golden plates from which the book of mormon was translated. Brigham young gave a somewhat similar, secondhand account on june 17, 1877. Artist recreates the golden plates for museum display. The book was discovered around 1943 in a tomb in the valley of the struma river in bulgaria. 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. To replicate the sealed portion of the golden plates, andrus encased the edges of the sealed portion of his plates with a solution of beeswax and pitch.
The weight of the golden plates miscellaneous mormon. Two top plates are made of brass and imprinted with reformed egyptian characters. William smith, a brother of the prophet who had handled and hefted the plates in a pillowcase, claimed on several occasions that the set of plates weighed about sixty pounds. Replica of the gold plates constructed by david baird. Is the book of mormon like other ancient metal documents. Plates book mormon living scriptures cd audio compact disc lds.
Those who saw the ancient nephite record described it as being engraved onto thin golden plates which were bound together with dshaped rings. Replica gold plates book of mormon with images book of. Oliver cowdery went with the prophet joseph when he deposited these plates. Replica of book of mormon plates that silversmith gordon andrus made for display in the heavens are opened exhibit at the church history. Problems with the gold plates in the book of mormon. The golden plates, breastplate with the urim and thummim, were made by david a.
Putnam made that point in mathematical detail and concluded that the total weight of the plates in joseph smiths charge would have been near the 60pound figure reported by several witnesses. Known as the book of mormon, he said i told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book of earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book. And several of their unusual featuressuch as being bound by dshaped rings, having a sealed portion, and being written in reformed egyptianhave a surprising amount of corroboration from the ancient world. Before i get flamed i would like to point out three of the more glaring anachronistic errors. 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. How witnesses described the gold plates, journal of book of mormon studies, vol.
May 23, 2015 they only saw the plates with their spiritual eyes, im assured, and spiritual eyes, to them, meant in their imaginations. Check out book of mormon centrals new video, detailing the historical evidence for the existence of the book of mormon golden plates. Book of mormon plates found, the scriptures suggest two reasons the book of mormon gold plates were not made available to the public. Josephs preface and a testimonial written by a group of eight witnesses described the plates as having an appearance of gold. Feast of trumpets and joseph smith, golden plates, moroni, rosh hashana primary. Replica of book of mormon plates that silversmith gordon andrus made as they are displayed in the heavens are opened exhibit at the church history museum. New video on evidence for book of mormon plates book of.
This beautiful volume is crafted in sturdy bonded leather cover with gold detailing and spine label that is recreated to exact specifications. The golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold the golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold, new era, july. The remaining plates are of a paper composite material colored gold but with no inscriptions. Artist recreates the golden plates for museum display from. They told of jesus christ visiting and administering to the ancient inhabitants of the americas. The story of their discovery is supported by a large number of similar archeological finds. Six issue collection book of mormon comic book, book of mormon. Gordon and maryanne team up to share how historical sources and a craftsmans skill combined to create an artists interpretation of the ancient record. The book of mormon is a translation of ancient gold plates, which is not easily understood by our young kids. How corrections in the book of mormon prov see more like this dramatized the golden plates book of mormon living scriptures 24 cd set preowned.
When it comes to the plates, there was no miracle mormonism. One of the most distinctive aspects of the book of mormon is its physical form. But thats what silversmith gordon andrus did in late 2014 when the church history museum commissioned him to create a copy of the golden plates from which the book of mormon was translated. Considered the oldest book in the history of mankind, it dates to 500 bc and perhaps even earlier.
I lived right in the country where the plates were found from which the book of mormon was translated, and i know a great many things pertaining to that country. The contents and composition of the book of mormon plates. Smith claimed the angel moroni, a prophet in the book of mormon, directed him in the 1820s to a. I responded to this assertion in a column published five years ago see book of mormon witness testimonies published may 25, 2010. On that trunk lay a book of mormon and gold plates, labans sword, aarons breastplate.
The book of mormon is set in north america in the first century. 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 most common belief of adherents is that promoted by joseph smith, who said he translated ancient golden plates inscribed by prophets. Book of mormon gold plates with liahona replica bookend. As a longtime volunteer at the utah lighthouse book store in salt lake city, i have watched many visitors attempt to lift a replica set of plates that. Other metals were used to make tablets, plates, and scrolls for recording special histories or ceremonial events. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is his translation of an ancient book written on gold plates that he found buried in a hill. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. Check out book of mormon centrals new video, detailing. Most adherents to the latter day saint movement view the book as a work of inspired scripture. 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. 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. Jun 16, 2012 paul gutjahrs the book of mormon is an unbiased look at the holy book, written on golden plates and found by joseph smith in a farmers field in new york almost 200 years ago, that today.
Verses make the scripture very manageable and are of great use in teaching situations, but reading the book of mormon as it was originally published, with only chapters, you get a real sense of the story within the book. Smith, the golden plates, pp 276 reexploring the book of mormon, ed. How to make the golden plates with kids eve out of the. The gold plates are records of gods dealing with ancient inhabitants of the americas and contain the fullness of the everlasting gospel of jesus christ. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon christian. Nov 03, 2017 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.
Known as the book of mormon, he said i told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book of. The metal would have to be soft enough to use a stylus so they can understand the difficult process. Artist recreates the golden plates for museum display from written. In the story of the coming forth of the book of mormon, all of these oddsounding components play a part. Sep 27, 2017 imagine the challenge of creating a copy of something you cant see. Mormon and moroni, the book says, had abridged earlier historical records from other sets of metal plates. Sep 28, 2017 a powerpoint slide shows a closeup view of book of mormon characters gordon andrus engraved onto metal for his replica of the golden plates. Mar 12, 2007 we do know that gold weighs about 1200 pounds per cubic foot. Language the language on the plates is called reformed egyptian. Jan 30, 2018 the reported weight, dimensions, and composition of the gold plates are believable.
Replica gold plates book of mormon book of mormon stories, faith is the. The book of mormon is the keystone in our witness of jesus christ. After the translation was completed, however, joseph reported. My husband wants to get some sheets of ore to help the kids understand this ancient way of writing. Given the dimensions by smith, some have concluded that the plates could have weighed as much as 234 pounds to as little as 100 pounds. 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. How to make the golden plates with kids book of mormon, lds. Joseph smith and the witnesses emphasized the antiquity of the plates and the curious engravings, 4 but it was the golden sheen of the plates that captivated the popular imagination.