Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Fri, 10 Apr 1992 13:53:10 PDT
From:         Doug Gould <5315P@NAVPGS.BITNET>
Subject:      Revision of the Book of Mormon

I'd like to respond now to some comments Mike made on

>Date:         Thu, 2 Apr 1992 10:33:49 GMT
>From:         Mike Hartley <hartley@MATHS.UWA.OZ.AU>
>Subject:      Re: conditions for replying answered

>tn>     numerous (more than 3000) revisions.  Even Mormon historian
>tn>     B.H. Roberts makes referrals to the revisions that the
>tn>     eminent Dr. Nibley seems to have overlooked.

>dg> Nuzz, you're mixing apples with oranges here.  You tell us Nibley
>dg> talks about Joseph's _teachings_, not typos and minor textual
>dg> revisions to the Book of Mormon.  Yes, there have been many
>dg> revisions to the original manuscript in later editions of the book
>dg> (3,000+ sounds like the number; I haven't checked it).  But
>dg> Joseph's _teachings_ and the _Gospel_ he restored have _not_
>dg> undergone any revisions since his day.  As to the particular
>dg> revisions that you cite, I will (of course) have to defer comment
>dg> until I have had a chance to do the required research.  I have been
>dg> saving all such posts to Christia for later comment.

Mike asks:

>Question: How can one make revisions to the English Manuscripts of the
>Book of Mormon? Was the original translation inaccurate? How can that
>be if, as the LDS claim, it was done by a miracle work of the Holy
>Spirit?

The Book of Mormon is "the most correct of any book on earth," according
to the Prophet Joseph Smith, who should know, since he translated it by
the "gift and power of God."  The original translation into English was
accurate.  The problem stems from the fact that it was written in cursive
on manuscript pages, then had to be typeset, and printed.  In the process
of typesetting the manuscript, some words were unclear, and the printer
had to use his best judgment--not necessarily by the inspiration of the
Lord.  In other words, the manuscript, itself, as originally written by
Joseph's scribes, under his inspired dictation, is correct.  But, by the
time it came off the press it had some flaws, mostly minor.

I haven't had time to research the 3,000 revisions cited above.
But I can illustrate one of them.  In 2 Nephi, chapter 5, verse 21, of the
1982 edition, we read:

     . . . they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome
                                         ^^

speaking of the descendants of Nephi's brother, the Lamanites.  This was
revised from earlier editions, which read:

     . . . they were white, and exceeding fair and delightsome

It should be quite easy to see how a printer could leave off the "ly" in
the word "exceedingly."  It's my understanding the "ly" was added, in this
example, after a careful examination and comparison was made between the
original manuscript and earlier editions of the book.  The vast majority
of the revisions are of this type--very minor, not substantive, causing no
alteration in the original meaning of the text.  I will need to defer
comment on the few revisions that seem to change the meaning of the text
until I have had a chance to study them.  Mike asks:

>And in any case, to correct a translation, you need the original.
>Where is the original? Or a copy of it? I was under the impression that
>only the English translation was available now, and was supposed to be
>perfect from the very start.

The Mormon Church has the original manuscript, not merely the English
translation.  It's kept at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Joseph Smith didn't claim the book was perfect, only that it was "the most
correct of any book on earth."

>> [...]
>dg>Yes, I accept the Book of Mormon as the word of God, and feel a
>dg>great joy in doing so.  I'm grateful to the Lord for preserving
>dg>that ancient record to bless our lives in these latter days...[...]

>It doesn't sound very preserved to me.

Actually, the Book of Mormon has been very well preserved, unlike the
Bible which lacks the original manuscripts to compare to.  The Bible, by
contrast, has been through many re-translations without the benefit of any
original source documents.  How many various editions of the English Bible
are available today?  Were any of them produced by careful, scholarly (not
to mentioned inspired) revision based on errors in the original parchment,
or papyrus scrolls?  Not to my knowledge.

I appreciate the questions you raise, Mike.  But the fact remains: The
Book of Mormon is the word of God, and another testament of Jesus Christ.
We should all read and prayerfully ponder its message.

Peace, and good will,

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| Doug Gould          | Jesus: "Come unto me...my yoke is easy, |
| 5315P@NAVPGS.Bitnet | and my burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30 |
`+++++++++++++++++++++^+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++'
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