Vol. III No. 10] CITY of NAUVOO, ILL. MARCH, 15, 1842 [Whole No
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TIMES AND SEASONS. "Truth will prevail." Vol. III No. 10] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. MARCH, 15, 1842 [Whole No. 46 [The second installment given here, except for a small part, is not available in any pre-publication manuscript form at present. Perhaps parts of it were translated by Joseph Smith just shortly before publication (164) . However, material found in this portion of the Book of Abraham was being taught with some frequency by Joseph Smith by the summer of 1839 onward. He seems to have considered these matters to be important and did not wait for the time when he could publish the complete text.] Further notes on dating the translation and on prepublication efforts. 164. Joseph Smith spoke on some aspects of Abraham and astronomy before the Book of Abraham was published: December 16, 1835, Returned home Elder McLellen Elder B. Young and Elder Jared Carter called and paid me a visit, with which I was much gratified. I exhibited and explained the Egyptian Records to them, and explained many things to them concerning the dealings of God with the ancients and the formation of the planetary System, they seemed much pleased with the interview. [Jessee, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, 105; also PJ under date.] May 6, 1838 . [Joseph was] giving them a history of the Plannets &c. and of Abrahams writings upon the Plannettary System &c. [PJS, 2:239; PJ under date.] Joseph Smith visited a branch of the Church in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in late December 1839 (see HC, 4:49). "The Prophet was then on his [way] to see the President of the United States," George Woodward related many years later, "to get redress for grievances of the saints. He was preaching at a meeting upon astronomy and told where God resided." [St. George Temple Minute Book, p. 45 ( January 11, 1900) Archives, emphasis added. While in Washington, Joseph Smith again preaches on Book of Abraham matters, see notes at (3:18); PJ or WJS under date.] The Prophet mentions the same ideas in a public discourse just before his death in 1844. [See the notes at (3:18).] Newspapers suggest that Joseph Smith was at least talking about the papyri, if not working with them in 1840-42. For example the Quincy Whig of Oct. 17, 1840 said Joseph Smith was showing some of the Egyptian materials and talking about their relation to Abraham in April of that year. William Ivins Appleby (from the same journal containing BAms-5, at pages 71, 72) observed rolls of papyrus which he says contained the writings of Abraham and Joseph. He states the writings are in Egyptian and “a little Hebrew.” Appleby notes JSP I (prototype of facsimile 1, see figure 1) and describes a “Priest with a knife in his hand, standing at the foot, [of the lion couch] with a dove over the person on the Altar . .” Appleby writes excerpts of what appear to be [items similar] to some of the explanations of facsimile 2/3: “A Celestial globe with the planet Kolob or first creation of the supreme Being – a planet of light, -- which planet – makes a revolution once in a thousand years, -- Also the Lord revealing the Grand key words of the Holy Priesthood, to Adam in the garden of Eden, as also to Seth, Noah, Mechizedek, Abraham, and to all whom the Priesthood was revealed.” He continues, “Abraham also in the Court of Pharaoh sitting upon the King’s throne reasoning upon Astronomy, with a crown upon his head, representing the Priesthood as emblematical of the grand Presidency of Heaven, the scepter of Justice and Judgment in his hand. And King Pharaoh, standing behind him, together with a Prince—a principal waiter, and a black slave of the King.” This dates the explanations of facsimiles 2 and 3 to before 1839 and if translation “work records” are complete, to 1835. Wilford Woodruff mentions several experiences which either directly speak of the translation effort or principles taught as a result of it. He also indicates that the translation was assisted by what he calls the Urim and Thummim (probably a reference to one of Joseph Smith's seer stones, see note 179). The March 1 journal entry quoted below might make it seem that portions of chapter 3 were just being translated. However we have already outlined significant evidence which suggests that the text was available much earlier, some of which is: 1. The remarks by Anson Call concerning a long translation available by 1838. 2. The mention of "Colub" [Kolob] by Wilford Woodruff in his diary, January 1837. See also notes 195, 223. 3. Scriptory book references to Abrahamic astronomy in 1838. 4. Sermon references in 1839 onward to chapter 3 topics. 5. The lack of apparent translation effort after late 1835 until just before publication. Kolob is mentioned with special significance by Woodruff in January 1837, showing that it was probably not driven by a knowledge of what is in the KEP (see Appendix V) but instead the text of chapter 3. [See Crawley, 1997, 14.] What was the object of this later translation effort? Possibly the facsimiles, or perhaps portions of the earlier mss were lost or stolen. There was certainly precedent for that. In fact the stealing of Church related mss by bitter former members was not an unknown practice- Simonds Ryder, some Whitmer family members and others took or tried to take various documents. With the moves and persecutions of Joseph Smith it is not out of the question that mss were partially destroyed or lost. BAms-4 is incomplete for example. Joseph may also have been cleaning up the previous manuscript, extending it with Hebrew annotation, etc. (Dec 27, 1841) "The Twelve or a part of them spent the day with Joseph the Seer & he unfolded unto them many glorious things of the kingdom of God the privileges & blessings of the priesthood &c. I had the .privilege of seeing for the first time in my day the URIM & THUMMIM." [Capitalization in the original.] (February 19, 1842) The Lord is blessing Joseph with power to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of God; to translate through the Urim and Thummim ancient records and hieroglyphics old as Abraham or Adam which caused our hearts to burn within us while we behold their glorious truths opened unto us Joseph the Seer has presented us some of the Book of Abraham which was written by his own hand but hid from the knowledge of man for the last four thousand years but has now come to light through the mercy of God. Joseph has had these records in his possession for several years but has never presented them before the world in the English language until now, but he is now about to publish it to the world or parts of it by publishing it in the Times & Seasons for Joseph the Seer is now the Editor of that paper and Elder Taylor assists him in writing while it has fallen to my lot to take charge of the Business part of the establishment. I have had the privilege this day of assisting in setting TIPE [sic] for printing the first peace [sic] of the Book of Abraham that is to be presented to the inhabitants of the EARTH in the LAST DAYS. [Journal of Wilford Woodruff under the preceding two dates, Archives.] Note Woodruff's clear reference to Joseph Smith using the “Urim and Thummim” or a seer stone in the translation. Compare also Lucy Mack Smith’s 1846 recitation. [‘M’, 1846; note 34.] Parley P. Pratt, at the printing of MS-1 states "The Pearl of Great Price (perhaps where F. D. Richards got the term for his 1851 compilation) and proves to be a record written partly by the father of the faithful, Abraham, and finished by Joseph when in Egypt." [MS 3:47; Appendix IV.] His brother Orson Pratt shared this view of translation: "The Prophet translated the part of these writings which, as I have said is contained in the Pearl of Great Price, and known as the Book of Abraham. Thus you see one of the first gifts bestowed by the Lord for the benefit of His people, was that of revelation-the gift to translate, by the aid of the Urim and Thummim, the gift of bringing to light old and ancient records." [JD 20:65] Joseph Smith's journal [kept by Willard Richards at this time] records that on February 23, 1842, he "gave R. Hadlock [Reuben Hedlock] instructions concerning the cut for the altar & Gods [Facsimile No. 1. It is published with first installment. Facsimile No. 2 April 1, 1842 as a fold-out insert, and Facsimile No. 3 appears two months later in the May 16 issue (vol. 3, no. 14).] in the Records of Abraham. as designed for the Times and Seasons." Then on March 1, 1842, Joseph was "correcting the first plate or cut. of the Records of father Abraham. prepared by Reuben Hadlock [Hedlock] for the Times & Seasons. and in council in his office in the P.M. and in the evening with the Twelve & their wives at Elder Woodruff's.- where he explained many important principles in relation to progressive improvement. in the scale of inteligent existence." [Emphasis added; see (3:19) and notes there; PJS 2:363-4.] Finally, just before the first installment is published the journal reads, "Read the Proof [a copy of the typeset text made for examination and correction] as Editor for the First time, No. 9 -Vol 3d in which is the commencement of the Book of Abraham." [PJS 2:364.] He and Reuben Hedlock worked on the other facsimiles, preparing the plates for the second installment on March 4, 1842.