A collection of quotes about Joseph Smith's spirit-channeled translation of The Book of Mormon:
Jo. Smith (Mormon) came here when about 17-18 y. of age in the capacity of Glass Looker or fortuneteller.... Jo. engaged the attention of a few indiv[iduals] Given to the marvelous. Duge for money, Salt, Iron Oar, Golden Oar, Silver Oar, and almost any thing, every thing, until Civil authority brought up Jo. standing (as the boys say) under the Vagrant act. Jo. was condemned. Whisper came to Jo. "off, off"--took Leg Bail.... Jo. was not seen in our town for 2 Years or more (except in Dark Corners).
(Letter from Joel K. Noble, presiding judge in one of Smith's 1830 trials; quoted in David Persuitte, Joseph Smith and the Origins of "The Book of Mormon," 54)
In the commencement, the imposture of the "book of Mormon," had no regular plan or features. At a time when the money digging ardor was somewhat abated, the elder Smith declared that his son Jo had been the spirit, (which he then described as a little old man with a long beard,) and was informed that he (Jo) under certain circumstances, eventually should obtain great treasures, and that in due time he (the spirit) would furnish him (Jo) with a book, which would give an account of the Ancient inhabitants (antideluvians,) of this country, and where they had deposited their substance, consisting of costly furniture, &c. at the approach of the great deluge, which had ever since that time remained secure in his (the spirits) charge, in large and spacious chambers, in sundry places in this vicinity.... It will be borne in mind that no divine interposition had been dreamed of at the period.
(Obadiah Dogberry, "Gold Bible, No. 4," Palmyra Reflector, February 14, 1831; quoted in David Persuitte, Joseph Smith and the Origins of "The Book of Mormon," 56-57)
After Mormon completed his writings, he delivered the account to his son Moroni, who added a few words of his own and hid up the plates in the hill Cumorah. On September 21, 1823, the same Moroni, then a glorified, resurrected being, appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and instructed him relative to the ancient record and its destined translation into the English language.
In due course the plates were delivered to Joseph Smith, who translated them by the gift and power of God. ...
(Introduction to The Book of Mormon, 1830)
"He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of all people.
"He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;
"Also, that there were two stones in silver bows--and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim--deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were was constituted Seers in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book. ..."
(Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, 1830)
"Joseph, Emma and Alva arrived in Harmony early in December, 1827, where they met with a warm welcome from the Hale family. After a brief rest, they began to make plans for the translation of the plates. Two upstair rooms were to be used by Joseph and Emma, one for sleeping and one for translating purposes, and they were to eat their meals with the family. ...
"Martin [Harris, the scribe to whom Smith dictated his translation] arrived in Harmony about the middle of February with the determination to make further investigation, and learn for himself. In the meantime Joseph had transcribed some of the characters onto paper, with their translation. When Martin saw these, he asked permission to take the characters with their translations to New York and show them to some of the great educators and get their opinion as to their genuineness."
(Pomeroy Tucker, The Beginning of Mormonism; quoted in Preston Nibley, Joseph Smith the Prophet, 59-60)
It was in July of this year, 1828, after his return to Harmony, that the first of the recorded revelations was given, as found in Joseph Smith's history. This most interesting revelation was addressed to himself; it was the voice of the Lord speaking to him.
Here I wish to dwell for a moment upon the manner in which the revelations were received. In this instance, troubled as he was by the disappearance of the 116 pages of the translation of the sacred record, Joseph states that he "inquired of the Lord, through the Urim and Thummim, and obtained the following," quoting the revelation. The Urim and Thummim, it will be remembered, was that instrument found with the plates and described by himself as "two crystals set in the rim of a bow." Through these he looked as he inquired for and received the divine information contained in many of the revelations. Whether the printed word appeared before his eyes, as stated by David Whitmer, or whether the divine thought came into his mind, we do not know; he does not state himself, nor offer anywhere a more complete explanation. ...
It was some time during August or September of this year 1828, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, that Joseph received the second revelation which is recorded in his history. This is a remarkable document, and as it forecasts the work which Joseph was to perform in this world, to my mind it establishes him as a Prophet of God.
In the opening paragraphs he is chastized for having delivered the sacred writings into the hands of Martin Harris. He is also urged to begin the work of translation once more, and to follow it through to completion.
"Now behold I say unto you, that because you delivered up those writings which you had power unto you to translate by means of the Urim and Thummim, into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them.
"And you also lost your gift at the same time, and your mind became darkened.
"Nevertheless, it is now restored unto you again, therefore see that you are faithful and continue on unto the finishing of the remainder of the work of translation as you have begun;
"Do not run faster, or labor more, than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent to the end: ..."
He was not again to translate that portion of the writings which had been lost.
"And now, verily, I say unto you, that an account of those things that you have written, which have gone out of your hands, is engraven upon the plates of Nephi; ...
"And now, because the account which is engraven upon the plates of Nephi is more particular concerning the things which, in my wisdom, I would bring to the knowledge of the people in this account;
"Therefore, you shall translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi, down even till you come to the reign of King Benjamin, or until you come to that which you have translated, which you have retained.
"And behold, you shall publish it as the record of Nephi, and thus I will confound those who have altered my words."
(Preston Nibley, Joseph Smith the Prophet, 67, 69-70)
The Prophet Joseph alone knew the full process, and he was deliberately reluctant to describe details. We take passing notice of the words of David Whitmer, Joseph Knight, and Martin Harris, who were observers, not translators. David Whitmer indicated that as the Prophet used the divine instrumentalities provided to help him, "the hieroglyphics would appear, and also the translation in the English language ... in bright luminous letters." Then Joseph would read the words to Oliver (quoted in James H. Hart, "About the Book of Mormon," Deseret Evening News, 25 Mar. 1884, 2). Martin Harris related of the seer stone: "Sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet and written by Martin" (quoted in Edward Stevenson, "One of the Three Witnesses: Incidents in the Life of Martin Harris," Latter-Day Saints' Millennial Star, 6 Feb. 1882, 86-87). Joseph Knight made similar observations. ...
Oliver Cowdery is reported to have testified in court that the Urim and Thummim enabled Joseph "to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates" ("Mormonites," Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, 9 Apr. 1831). If these reports are accurate, they suggest a process indicative of God's having given Joseph "sight and power to translate" (D&C 3:12).
If by means of these divine instrumentalities the Prophet was seeing ancient words rendered in English and then dictating, he was not necessarily and constantly scrutinizing the characters on the plates--the usual translation process of going back and forth between pondering an ancient text and providing a modern rendering.
The revelatory process apparently did not require the Prophet to become expert in the ancient language. The constancy of revelation was more crucial than the constant presence of opened plates, which, by instruction, were to be kept from the view of unauthorized eyes anyway.
While the use of divine instrumentalities might also account for the rapid rate of translation, the Prophet sometimes may have used a less mechanical procedure. We simply do not know the details.
(Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "By the Gift and Power of God," 39)
