A Study of the Book of Abraham

Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1946 A Study of the Book of Abraham Charles Edward Haggerty Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Haggerty, Charles Edward, "A Study of the Book of Abraham" (1946). Theses and Dissertations. 4736. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4736 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. A STUDY OF THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM A thesis presented to the faculty of the division of religion brigham young university 14288 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree master of arts by charles edward haggerty 1941946 ACKNOWLEDGEacknowledgemotacknowledgementKNOWLEDGEMENTAC MOT iiiili111 the author wishes to express his gratitude especially to elder joseph fielding smith church Mistorianhistorian for the use of the church library and to the staff of the library for their efficient service likewise he is grateful to president howard S cdonaldmcdonald of the brigham young university and to anna lortonollertonollortonOlollortonlibrarianforlibrarian for the use of the facil- ities of the university library to the many who have in any way contributed materials for this thesisthethesis the writer expresses his sincere appreciation special knowledgementacknowledgementac is made to dr sidney B sperry the major professor for his patient and helpful suggestions in the writing of this manuscript the writer is also indebted to the other members of the thesis committee dr russell B swenson and dr wesley P lloyd for their helpful criticism and for reading this manuscriptmanuscripts the writer is also grateful to james R clark of the brigham young university for his many suggestions respect- ing certain source materials and to bethbethkbeshkK mabMaghagbertyhaggertybertygerty for her devotion and stenographic aid in the preparation of this manuscriptmanuscripts 3-2-5- TABLE OF CONTENTS IV CHAPTER I1 introduction Ppageaeeage what the book purports to be 1 purpose of this study 22. previous studies in the field 53 relationship of this to previous studies 77. limitations of the study 8 sources consulted 99. llII11 HISTORY OF eheSHETHE BOOK OF ABRAHAM 10 illliilililiIII111 THE THREE facsimiles 22 history of the facsimiles 2222. facsimile one 252323. facsimile two 2424. facsimile three 2525. 1vavV JOSEPH SMITH AND contemporary egyptology 2722. the egyptian systems of writing 2727. history of the decipherment of egyptian 9 V CERTAIN PROBLPROBLEMS concerning JOSEPH SMITHS translation 5737 means of translation 7 the arimurim and thummim 4040. the prophets egyptian grammar 41 language of the papyri 42 A word study of the book of abraham 44 6- 17 CHAPTER page vlVI CRITICISM OF THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM 51 M theodule deveria 5151. the spalding brochure 52 the spalding controversy 59 post spalding critics 61 vilviiAPOLOGIES FOR THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM 6666.gg the reynolds apology 6 the apologists of 19121915191219131912 19151913 69 later apologists and scholars 80 vlllteachingsvjjjteachings OF THE BOCK OF ABRAHAMABRAHAW 83 the life of abraham 8583 canaanite and egyptian worship 86 egyptus and pharoah 88 the abrahamic covenant 89 the pre existence of man 90 the negro 92 foreordination 94 mormon cosmology 95 the creation 96 IXJX conclusions 99 bibliography 102 i-p- VI abbreviations standard abbreviations and reference symbols are used for the siblebiblebibie book of mormon doctrine and covenants and pearlpeariof great price others are listed below c copyright date comp compiler ed editor or edition snieni enlarged ibid in the same place locloeoltcit n the place cited nd no date nn no name of publisher bivengiven op citolt n the work cited p pabepage appp pages pd reface date pseudpseudo pseudonym rev revised viz namelynameiy A STUDY OF THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM CHAPTER 1 introduction what the book purports to be the book of abraham Is a part of the small volume of mormon scripture which is denominated the pearl off great price latter day saints believe that this book contains a record of the patriarch abraham and that it was translated by joseph smith through the gift and power of god the text contains 570154701 words and is divided into five chapters three facsimiles purporting to be from the original papyri may be found in most editions of the work chapter one relates that abraham sought for and re- ceived the priesthood in ur of the chaldeesChaldees the record goes on to state that abrahamabrahams fathers were idolatersIdol aters and that the priests of his home city offered human sacri- fficesices unluckily the patriarch aroused their ire and the priest of elkenahelvenah attempted to offer him as a sacri- fficeice in answer to his prayer an angel of god delivered abraham and slewblew the officiating priest the record then states that egypt was settled by Egyptegyptusus the daughter of ham and by her children the eldest of these was named 1 S B sperryerry anancient records testify in palopaidpatopapyrusyrus and clent M A siostostonene course of study adult department 1 I 195819381958-1937- 5939 salt lake city published by the general boards of M I1 A 195819381958.1938. 2 pharoah who became the ffirst ruler of the land of the nile in chapter two abraham leaves chaldea to escape a famine and after making a covenant with god he went down to egypt chapter three deals primarily with a sys- tem of astronomy and with the doctrine of a prepro existence in chapters four and five appears an account of the creation essentially as found in the first and second chapters of genesis facsimile one purports to show the idolatrous priest of elkenahelvenah attempting to offofferer up abraham as a saarifsacrifsacrificeice 2 illustration number two represents certain astronomical facts and number three claims to portray abraham sitting upon pharoahspharoah1s throne reasoning upon the principles of astronomy in the kings court 1135 burrospurrospurposee of0 this stustudy that the many elements affecting this book may be studied it Is the purpose of this thesis 11 to give the essentials points in the history of the book of abraham 2 to present certain problems dealing with the translation 53 to review certain criticisms and apologetics of 2 abraham facsimile 11 5abrahamhabraham3abraham facsimile 22. 53 the book 4 to ascertain its major teachings historical theological and philosophical previous studies jiin ttieatieinneynte field in reviewing the studies that have been made relat- ive to the book of abraham it Is convenient to classify the writers as anti mormon or as pro mormon and to list their works in a chronological sequence only books which make a definite point to treat the subject are considered in this enumeration likewise only the most important periodical articles are mentioned the earliest definite printed attempt to deal at any length with the book of abraham was made by M theodule deveria he was the first major anti mormon writer on the subject his criticism appears in A journjourney to great salt lake cicity4 by jules remy and julius brenchley published in 1861 this account gives a brief history of how joseph smith came into possession of the mummies and papyri and a few sentences as to the contents of the record then appears in parallel columns joseph smiths and DeveverlasdeverlasdeverlandeverialsDeveriasrials explanations of the three facsimiles there is a plate only of facsimile 53 there is no critic of major importance between deveria 4 jules remy and julius brenchley AA joujourney to great salt lake Ccityoltyit ve london W jefjeffsf s 1861 11 536536546536546536556 546 4 and spalding for a period of fiftyf iftyonety one years the book of abraham was practically forgotten by the non mormonstmormonsmormone but this calm was not to endure in 1912 rt rev F S spalding episcopal bishop of utah published a pamphlet titled josephjoseiph smith jr As8 a translator 5 in this were printed the opinions of eight scholars who testified that joseph smiths alleged translation of the three facsimiles was a fraud 6 this caused one of the greatest storms of anti mormon publicity in the twentieth century numerous articles appeared in new- spapers and periodicals from coast to coast perhaps the most noteworthy of these articles is one by samuel ABaly mercer titled joseph smith as an interpreter and translat- or of egyptian 7 more recently la rue8rue0ruea reviewed briefly the arguments of the opposition and martins 9 book the mystery of 5 F 3.3 spalding josjoseph smith jrsir As a translator new york presiding bishop and council department of missions 1922 6 see chapter vlVI for the details 7 S A bnercerbuercerB mercer joseph smith as an interinterpreterreter and translator of egyptianEgyptagypt ianlan the utah susurvey 1 FSeptemberseptemberseptembereptember 19151913 appp 456456436.4564 5636 8 W E la rue the foundations of mormonismMormomorronigg new york fleming H revell company 1919pp 115124115 124 9 stuart martin the mvsterymystery of mormonismmormon london odhams press limited pd 1920t1920.1920 appp273pp 273285275285275285275285.275273 285 5 mormonism adds other witnesses against the book of abraham perhaps the most comprehensive treatment of the critics position since the spalding controversy may be found in arbaughsarbaugh1sArbaughs

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