the book of mormon
President Thomas S. Monson on 1830 Book of Mormon
In this video clip, Thomas S. Monson, president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, discusses the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and its printing in 1830.
To request your free copy of the Book of Mormon. visit http://www.mormon.org/. To read more from President Thomas S. Monson, visit http://www.lds.org/.
Were there changes from the 1830 Book of Mormon?
A common question (or criticism) of the Book of Mormon is whether there have been changes to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon. The answer is “yes”, there have been changes. However, it’s important to understand the nature of and reasons for the changes.
First, let’s review the translation process. Joseph Smith, separated from the scribe, would read aloud the translation. The scribe (who changed periodically throughout the translation) would record what he/she heard Joseph say. If you read aloud 500+ pages to a friend who was writing, do you think errors would result?
Second, a scribe transcribed from the original manuscript to the printer’s manuscript. A study by FAIR found that on average, scribes made two to three textual changes per manuscript page. Again, if you quickly transcribed 500+ pages by hand, do you anticipate that there would be mistakes?
Next, after the printer’s manuscript was delivered to the printer, the printer added in a lot of punctuation to the text. Some of this punctuation was not in accordance with the original translation.
Finally, the press was typeset by hand for each of the 500+ pages of the 1830 Book of Mormon. Undoubtedly, more human errors influenced the final text.
To me, there are three important takeaways from this discussion. First, there were human errors in every step of the translation, transcript and printing process. Second, the “changes” to the Book of Mormon that critics point to are defined almost entirely by ever-so-slight punctuation or grammatical changes to correct for these mistakes. Third and most importantly, changes in the text from the 1830 Book of Mormon show only that there was human error, and in no way influences the fact that the Book of Mormon was brought forth through the gift of God.
On the title page of the Book of Mormon are these words:
And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.
Wise advice indeed. I would encourage you to pick up a replica of the 1830 Book of Mormon and a current copy and review the “changes” for yourself.
Miracles in Printing the 1830 Book of Mormon
A couple of years ago, I was given a small booklet entitled Miracle on Palmyra’s Main Street. It was written by Gordon Weight, an “old-time” printer and current LDS institute teacher. Using his knowledge of printing, he retraces the events surrounding the printing of the 1830 Book of Mormon and explains the miracles that took place from a printer’s perspective.
How much for an 1830 Book of Mormon?
As a collector of rare and antique editions of the Book of Mormon, I often get the question of “How much is an 1830 Book of Mormon worth?”
To review, 5000 copies were originally published for $3000, or about 60 cents each. Of the original 5000 copies of the 1830 Book of Mormon, it is estimated that roughly 500 to 1000 remain. This is an approximation because these copies are mostly in the hands of private collectors and some have yet to be found in attics!
Because of the historicity of the Book of Mormon and the relatively few number, a copy of the 1830 Book of Mormon will likely sell for between $60,000 and $100,000. Indeed, the Book of Mormon has proven to be a quality investment in recent years. For example, in 1997, a first edition (1830) Book of Mormon sold by Sotheby’s auction house fetched $32,200, which was far more than expected at the time.
However, copies of the 1830 Book of Mormon can also sell for considerably higher if there is particular historical value. In 2007, for example, a first edition signed by the early LDS Apostle Orson Pratt was sold for $180,000!
Because of the high prices, many collectors opt to purchase a page from an original Book of Mormon. Pages are typically sold when the book is incomplete and in poor condition. In 2005, however, one owner of an 1830 Book of Mormon chose to sell her ocpy off page by page. As a collector, I considered this to be a poor choice, especially since the pages were being sold for thousands of dollars each.
Do you want a page from an 1830 Book of Mormon? If so, you’re better off to keep your eye on eBay. Myself, I purchased a page for approximately $250–it is a neat piece of history to have.
At any rate, most of us will never own an 1830 Book of Mormon. However, you can purchase a replica from Deseret Book for less than $20, or other replicas are also being made available through other companies. Watch the video for an example of an 1830 replica.
Importance of the 1830 Book of Mormon
If you’re not familiar with how the Book of Mormon came to be, I’d encourage you to visit http://www.mormon.org or http://www.lds.org which give more historical details.
After the prophet Joseph Smith Jr. had finished the translation of the Book of Mormon, he contracted with E.B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York to print the first run of 5,000 copies. As they rolled off the press, Joseph and others began to share them with believers, non-believers, and other truth seekers. Soon, the story of Joseph Smith and the golden plates was spreading throughout the United States and in other areas of the world.
Missionaries took the Book of Mormon to many states, to England and other countries in Europe, and ultimately throughout the world to share the 1830 Book of Mormon. Why? Because it was another testament of Jesus Christ and with the Bible, gave additional insight into the divine mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Historians, both Mormon and non-Mormon, have questioned, “Is the Book of Mormon the most influential book printed in the 19th century?” Perhaps an even more intriguing question is “Will it become the most influential book ever printed aside from the Bible?” I don’t intend to discount the many classics that have been penned, or the many other religious books like the Koran that have touched the lives of hundreds of millions.
But if the Book of Mormon is what it claims to be–another testament of Jesus Christ written by ancient prophets in the Americas–there will in the future likely be no ambiguity about its importance in history.
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