Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-18
HOW IT WAS DONE.

fcient plalnness lts position iu regard
10 the translation Of the Book Of Nor
mon By the Prophet Joseph Smith. But
Il appears that some Of our readers
who discuss this question fan 10 re-
member what we have said on the sub
ject We have received Communica-
tons containing inquiries as To- whether
the leaders Of the Church have author
ICED or endorsed the theories that have
been advanced concerning the matter.
or either Of them. We have TO answer
in the negative.
The only authoritative statement con-
corning the translation Of the Book OF
Mormon Is that & was done by the
gift and power Of God. through the
means Of the Trim and Thummim."
The Prophet Joseph Smith never de-
WAITED from that statement nor, so
far as we are aware, made any other
explanation concerning g. ON the
title page 10 the Book OF Mormon
there IL literal translation OF the
statement concerning The plats' 10
which this occurs:
written and sealed up. and hid up
INTO the Lord, that they might not
be destroyed 20 come forth by The
gift and power OF God unto the inter-
probation thereof. sealed by the hand
OF Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord. DO
come forth In due time by the way 81
GENTLE the Interpretation thereof by
the gift Of Cod
The testimony OF the three witnesses
on this point is and We know that
they have been translated by the gift
and power Of God. for His voice hath
declared Il unto US wherefore We know
OF a surety that the work Is true"
The statements that have been made by
different persons as 20 the manner I'm
which the meaning Of the characters
upon the plates was made known to
Joseph the Seer. were given upon their
own responsibility and according 10
their understanding ~ the matter But
there Is nothing IN the writings Of the
Prophet Joseph. further than what we
have quoted on which to base those as
sertions and opinions
When a person learns a language In
The usual manner and makes a transla-
lion Of any part OF IL into English. he
will convey the meaning In such express
Mons as are usual with him. Another
person translatlng the same matter
would In most instances do similar
work. and while the meaning Of the
words would be about the same IN both
TRANSACTIONS. there would be pecullari-
ties Of diction special TO each. Give
an example In Greek or Latin to half
dozen boys, who have been properly
Instructed and their translatons into
English win all be In some respects
different while the meaning will be
almost identical.
Now. taking II FOR granted that the
meaning Of the characters engraved
on the metallic plates was understood
by Joseph Smith by the GIFT and pow
or Of God" instead OF the process in the
ordinary way Of learning a language.
3 would. when giving the lntcrpreta-
lion, use such English phraseol0gy as
he was accustomed 10 hear and speak.
a literal translation, word for word. Of
any language into another, would. gem
orally speaking appear almost nonsen-
steal. because Of the differences Co. the
construction of sentences. Therefore
q word FOR word translation without a
proper arrangement according % syn
tax and idlomatic changes NECESSARY
10 convey the meaning tyfhe English
reader. would Doe out of the question.
and thus &c Is clear that the Prophet
Joseph, obtaining tha sgnIdcation OF
tie characters upon the plates. gave the
Interpretation I'm such language as was
e. his command.
In reproducing the quotations from
those portions Of the Jewish prophecies
that Were used by The Ncphne write
ers he would naturally take the Bib
lical form in common use except n
such cases which are quite numerous.
when mistakes occur 90 the common
English translation. and the correct
form was tlJen given. The difference ba.
TWEEN the modus operaudi Of the trans
la,!on IN The case OF learning "a Ian.
guage and that u this instance. is that
one comes by the slow process Of the
schools, and the other by the immediate
impressions Of the gift ana power Of
God.
Persons who have cnioyel the Gift
o. tongues, or Of the Interpretation Of
tongues or Of prophecy. while know.
Eng the fact OF the exercise % tie gift.
would ind % very difficult 10 explain 10
another. who had not been 30 favored.
how ard On What manner the lnsrira-
ton operated upon his MIND and soul
and enabled him 20 perceive and state
hHANtH Hf"NN'fA ''NNH N'NN ~ NN IINN 30
resard 20 the gifi OF TRANSLATION be-
slowed upon the Prophet JOSEPH and
the effect produced upon his mind and
brain by gazing into the Trim and
Thummim or the Seerstone which he
possessed.
Individuals who are TO bring everv-
thing down 10 their notions and stanl-
ards Of evidence and understanding
may sneer at an these so-calIeI SUPER
natural gifts and claims. but that docs
not matter. when a person has seen a
vision or obtained a revelation by the
power of the Holy Ghost. be knows
what be has experienced II unable 10
demonstrate in what manner Il was
obtained. The Prorhe; Joseph amply
declared that De obtained the ancient
records Of the Nephites by the personal
minlstration Of AN angel. who when a