May 18, 2009 the book of mormon was written by a series of prophets from 600 b. Considered the oldest book in the history of mankind, it dates to 500 bc and perhaps even earlier. Gold plates origins of the book of mormon scale model etsy. Some of these records were comparable to certain books now found in the old testament, but others did not find their way into the bible. If mormon s book of mormon plates were made of tumbaga, their weight would have been much less than had they been made of pure gold. Alma 11 the numbers in brackets are chapters in the boms alma 3,7 senum of silver 1 senine of gold 1 measure of barley 1 measure of every kind of grain. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of. Hiram page, whom married catherine whitmer in 1825. The book of mormon is a translation of ancient gold plates, which is not easily understood by our young kids. 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. A seon of gold uncirculated from the book of mormon c ourtesy british museum. 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. When the book of mormon was published in 1830, the eight witnesses described the plates as having the appearance of gold. How to make the golden plates with kids lds diy, lds crafts, activity.
We first learn about them from the visit of the angel moroni to joseph smith on september 21, 1823. The metal would have to be soft enough to use a stylus so they can understand the difficult process. I recently purchased a copy in the bluray format highly recommended and have come to appreciate the beauty and power of what christian vuissa has achieved with his film. The teachings were etched on gold plates in an ancient reformed egyptian language and later translated by joseph smith into english as the. Mary whitmer witnesses of the golden plates and book of.
Plates 8 and 9 show deviances detectable only when the dimension in question is checked against known standard edges with a perpendicular base, or perfectly flat surface, by such tools as an enginedivided square and surface plate. You cant just eat around it, you have to get rid of it in a way that still makes the salad palatable to the dinner guests. Welcome to the book of mormon foundations online store. The book of mormon was written by a series of prophets from 600 b. The golden plates upon which the book of mormon was written have had quite a history, and it is rather well documented. 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. Golden plates to book of mormon the angel moroni showed joseph smith where to find the golden plates. Joseph smith translates the gold plates church history. Two tablets, one of gold and one of silver, were placed in each stone box to be buried at the four corners of his palace. 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.
The remaining plates are of a paper composite material colored gold but with no inscriptions. Mormon, a prophet and military leader who lived at the end of the nephite era c. The abridgments, quotations, and original writings of those book of mormon historians are displayed on the lefthand and middle columns of this chart and are then shown in relation to the new set of plates produced by mormon and moroni. Why were the golden plates needed if they were not used for the translation of the book of mormon was only used for first lost pages. Replica gold plates book of mormon book of mormon, book of.
One of the quorum of the twelve a young man full of faith and good works, prayed, and the vision of his mind was. The book was discovered around 1943 in a tomb in the valley of the struma river in bulgaria. 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. After the translation was completed, however, joseph reported. The book is made of a set of twelve metal plates, each measuring six inches 15 cm in width, eight inches 20 cm in length approximately half an inch 1. How to make the golden plates with kids eve out of the garden. Two top plates are made of brass and imprinted with reformed egyptian characters. Stan larsons quest for the gold plates aims to describe the fascinating journey of thomas stuart ferguson, who was instrumental in developing contemporary lds apologetics but came to disbelieve in mormon truthclaims near the end of his life. Most latterday saints know the essential story of the coming forth of the book of mormon, but there are scores of fascinating details of the saga that are seldom told. Plates 10, 11, and 12 exhibit deviances, considering the length, perceptible only to sophisticated modern measuring devices. 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. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. Joseph smiths golden plate story debunked reasons for jesus.
The plates were first described as gold, and beginning about 1827, the plates were widely called the gold bible. Not only were the gold plates not needed, they never even existed. An account written by the hand of mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of nephi palmyra, new york. Maybe it makes some members feel better about the attacks on the historicity of the book of mormon by the extremely potent ces letter, but for nonmembers and any others who dont believe the book of mormon is historically accurate, the arguments are very unconvincing. The plates from which joseph translated the book of mormon are called the gold plates and the golden plates interchangeably because it is unknown exactly what they were composed of. Because we do not have the original plates to examine, its impossible to identify the language used to make the ancient record. Im a mormon and i do seek information that is faith promoting, and this subject is important. Mormon gold plates discovered the 100% proven evidence youtube.
The golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold the golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold, new era, july. The first part of our book of mormon, from first nephi through. Book of mormontranslationweight of the gold plates fairmormon. The book of mormon plates are the fly in the critics potato salad. Language the language on the plates is called reformed egyptian. According to his history, js obtained the gold plates. You will be inspired by this touching true story of faith that chronicles the coming forth of the book of mormona story in which a rural farm boy is line upon line, precept upon precept, transformed into a prophet of god. Replica gold plates book of mormon book of mormon, book.
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. Book of mormon title page markings i like this method of enhancing your study. Mormon gold plates discovered the 100% proven evidence. When he was finished translating the plates he gave them back to the angel who he claimed has them in his charge joseph smith history 1. Some of the witnesses of the book of mormon, who handled the plates and conversed with the angels of god, were afterwards left to doubt and to disbelieve that they had ever seen an angel. 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. The people described in the book of mormon came from ancient israel and so likely spoke hebrew in the beginning. Every latterday saint mormon is aware of joseph smiths claim that he discovered golden plates from which the book of mormon was translated. This is a 3d printed scale replica of the gold plates translated by joseph smith into the book of mormon. Brown connects many littleknown historical fragments with more familiar accounts to present the most complete narrative to date on the restoration and.
To gain a deeper appreciation of the tremendous significance of the plates of brass or book of joseph, we have the following statement by david whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the book of mormon. The fact that they were buried in stone boxes may also be compelling and significant. Golden plates to book of mormon more about the plates the pages were thin sheets of metal. Testimony of the prophet joseph smith, front of 20 edition of the book of mormon. Why were the golden plates needed if they were not used. After fleeing jerusalem, lehi was commanded by god to send his sons back to the city to obtain the plates from laban. The following is from the introduction to the 1981 ed. The book of mormon is a sacred record of peoples in ancient america, and was engraved upon sheets of metal. Four years later, joseph and his wife, emma, went in a wagon to get the plates. Some critics assume that the golden plates are pure gold, or that they are a solid block of gold. Rare collectible set 16 23 rpm the book of mormon, the complete, unbridged text not a word added, changed or omitted.
Pure gold plates would be too soft to hold engraving well. 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. The book of mormon itself portrays the golden plates as a historical record, engraved by two precolumbian prophethistorians from around the year ad 400. Desperate mopologists claim ancient bulgarian goldplate find. Smith translated the text of the book of mormon over the next several. Book of mormon plates and records book of mormon central. How to make the golden plates with kids eve out of the. The book of mormon describes the plates as being made of ore. Just because those people saw the plates does not mean they were automatically perfect.
These plates, unknown when the book of mormon was published since they were discovered n 1933, have long been held as proof of the plausibility of ancient records engraved on gold plates. When tumbaga which is red is treated with any simple acid citric acid will do, the copper in the alloy is removed from its surface leaving a brilliant. Thomas stuart fergusons archaeological search for the book of mormon larson, stan on. Other metals were used to make tablets, plates, and scrolls for recording special histories or ceremonial events. The plates are consistently described as gold and golden. The gold plates that the prophet joseph smith received and translated were the plates of mormon on which mormon and his son moroni2 made their abridgment. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked. This model was created using joseph smiths description as well as the description of others who handled or saw the gold plates as a guide. In the book of mormon it talks about the 3 witnesses and the 8 witnesses. Plates of gold during it brief theatrical run and liked it. The plates of darius i, ruler of persia from 518515 b.
The plates of brass seen along with the gold plates of mormon. The credibility of joseph smith rests on his first revelation, the book of mormon. Most practicing mormons believe the gold plates were real and tangible, made of ancient gold mined and milled, concentrated and refined, smelted, and rolled or worked into thin sheets of gold as part of an exceedingly large, highly advanced and. Dimensions according to joseph, the book was 6 x 8 x 6 and each plate was thinner than common tin. Smith apparently collected these plates, took them home, and subsequently translated them into the book of mormon which he then published in 1830. One thing i found a little amusing was this statement about the gold plates. The prophet joseph smith translates them by the gift and power of god. Nov 20, 2007 in the book of mormon it talks about the 3 witnesses and the 8 witnesses. The historicity of the golden plates according to joseph smith, the founder of mormonism, in 1823 the angel moroni guided him to some golden plates buried on a hill near to where he lived. An analysis of the padilla gold plates book of mormon. Five of her sons would become witnesses for the gold plates, along with her sonsinlaw. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith. 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. 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.
The term golden bible is also used with a negative connotation. The plates were written in a language called reformed egyptian. According to mormon lore, smith claimed to receive the few plates from moroni in 1827 and from them translated the book of mormon. Book of mormontranslationweight of the gold plates. Desperate mopologists claim ancient bulgarian goldplate. The sealed portion of the book of mormon your site for lds. According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates also called the gold plates or in some 19thcentury literature, the golden bible are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon, a sacred text of the faith. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. Matheny the padilla gold plates are well known in lds church archaeologicalanthropological circles, where they have been the subject of publications, papers, discussion, and firsthand examination. Mormon and moroni, the book says, had abridged earlier historical records from other sets of metal plates.
Do practicing mormons believe that the legendary gold. Some witnesses described the plates as weighing from 30 to 60 pounds 14 to 27 kg, golden in color, and composed of thin metallic pages. Four kinds of metal record plates are spoken of in the book itself. Check out book of mormon centrals new video, detailing the historical evidence for the existence of the book of mormon golden plates. My husband wants to get some sheets of ore to help the kids understand this ancient way of writing. 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. The plates of brass contained a copy of the law five books of moses, a history of the jews, lehis genealogy, and the writings of many prophets. According to joseph smiths later accounts, three years after he experienced his first vision of deity. Mar 01, 2011 the first third of the set contained two records. The credibility of the book of mormon rests on its origin, the gold plates.
It shows to our best ability the 23 portion that was sealed according to the description given by smith and other witnesses, the drings described. The angel moroni showed joseph smith where to find the golden plates. Thomas stuart fergusons archaeological search for the book of mormon. We not only saw the plates of the book of mormon, but also the plates of brass.
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. The book of mormon does tell how the prophet lehi came to possess the plates of brass. Witnesses of the book of mormon were consistent in their witness that the plates weighed 4060 pounds. Below is some predictable silly putty propaganda from an lds outfitcalling itself the genesis group and marching under the heavenly banner of ancient america foundationregarding a gold plate book found in drum roll, please bulgariathe famous landing spot, of course, for lehi, nephi and the rest of the original mormon pioneer clan. The plates are made of a coppergold alloy and are held together by three dshaped rings, forming a sort of book. Ancient metal plates book of mormon archaeological forum. Mary whitmer witnesses of the golden plates and book of mormon. According to the prophet joseph smith, the titlepage of the book of mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the. But, how many know of accounts of the gold plates story which mention smith first discovered the plates with a seer stone.
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