Sep 01, 1985 this title is open to a misreading, and yet, is accurate. New evidence furnished of the divinity of the bible 169 appendix. This was written by a q70 member who found many glaring problems with the book of mormon, including how view of the hebrews may very likely be a foundational text for it. Roberts experience highlights the problem that the mormon church, which claims to posses modern revelation, is unable to provide answers to the many questions that plague it. Check out roberts book, studies of the book of mormon b. Joseph smith started dictating the book of mormon to his scribes in 1827.
There are a couple reasons why this might be the case. Roberts 18571933, an lds general authority widely considered mormonisms greatest apologist and historian, 1 expressed the grave doubt that the book of mormon is a translation of ancient. Roberts was one of the most respected and wellknown lds historians. Roberts indepth studies of book of mormon origins led him to doubt the authenticity of the book. The incident that really motivated roberts to become involved again in historical study and especially to reexamine the origins of the book of mormon was a letter from a young man in salina, utah, william e. Lyman with a laundry list of concerns he had with the book of mormon stating his conviction the prophet had borrowed from ethan smiths work, view of the hebrews. View of the hebrews is an 1823 book written by ethan smith, a congregationalist minister in vermont, who argued that native americans were descended from the ten lost tribes of israel, a relatively common view during the early nineteenth century. View of the hebrews 1825 by ethan smith this book, written by a minister named ethan smith, contained stories and information proposing that the first. Roberts studies of the book of mormon and mckays no man knows my history are the definitive works on early mormon church history.
Publications predating the book of mormon, such as view of the hebrews provided the structural material for the book of mormon. Robertss most popular book is studies of the book of mormon. Buy a cheap copy of studies of the book of mormon by b. Did ethan smiths view of the hebrews furnish structural material for joseph smiths book of mormon. Roberts parallel of the book of mormon to view of the hebrews. If the book of mormon is not historical, but rather a reflection of the misconceptions current in joseph smiths. The view of the hebrews theory was examined in detail by b. Roberts concluded that this book, originally published in poultney, vermont in 1823 7 years prior to the book of mormon was available to joseph smith and contained enough parallel material to the book of mormon so as to furnish a virtual groundplan for it. Roberts writes a defense of the book of mormon called new witness. View of the hebrews, or, the tribes of isreal in america 9781930679610. Photo reprint of the 1825 edition that is believed to have influenced joseph smith during his creation of the book of mormon. Aug 17, 2019 lets assume for a moment that joseph smith plagiarized view of the hebrews in the book of mormon. Lds revelations view of the hebrews book of mormon 1. Roberts, lds general authority and assistant church historian in his studies of the book of mormon posed a number of questions about the book of mormon and its origins some of which dealt with view of the hebrews.
In this work he compared the book of mormon to the view of the hebrews, written by ethan smith, and. Roberts considered the evident parallels between the book of mormon and ethan smiths a view to the hebrews, a book that predated the mormon scripture by seven years. Roberts was preparing, writing, presenting, and publishing materials on the book of mormon. He published a popular sixvolume history of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church and also wrote studies of the book of mormonpublished posthumouslywhich discussed the validity of the book of mormon as an ancient.
Roberts has 90 books on goodreads with 2442 ratings. Book of mormon and view of the hebrews parallels life after. Roberts, studies of the book of mormon, 2nd edition salt lake city. Brigham henry roberts march, 1857 september 27, 1933 was a historian, politician, and leader in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. First, in the earliest manuscript editions of the new testament books, hebrews is included.
To have done this, he would have needed a copy of view of the hebrews. Robertss studies of the book of mormon has been added to. But roberts discovered from priests book, published in 1824, six years before the first edition of the book of mormon 1830, that it was the almost universal opinion of the ministers of new england and the middle states, that the indians were the descendants of the hebrews studies, p. Roberts became convinced that view of the hebrews was the ground plan for the book of mormon. Roberts wrote three papers that listed parallels between the book of mormon and the second edition 1825 of ethan smiths view of the hebrews. Robertss book of mormon activities, public and private, from 1922 when his problems study was complete until his death on 27 september 1933, reveals that every week of every month of those eleven years b. Also contains the parallels between view of the hebrews and the book of mormon by mormon historian b. The book provides an honest comparison of the source material available to joseph smith, a book titled view of the hebrews, that preceded the book of mormon. Studies of the book of mormon brigham henry roberts. Book of mormonauthorship theoriesview of the hebrews. Roberts constructed the possible argument that the book of mormon relied upon ethan smiths book.
The following books and bound pamphlets are located in the safe. What specific books are believed to have inspired or. Bh roberts on book of mormon historicity the mormon memo. That book, view of the hebrews vh, argues that the american indians were descendants of the lost ten tribes of israel a theory which elder roberts rightly wrote in. He realized view of the hebrews written by ethan smith no relation to joseph could have been used as the ground plan for the book of mormon. Available for the first time fifty years after the authors death, studies of the book of mormon presents this respected church leaders investigation into. It has been pointed out in these pages that there are many things in the former book that might well have suggested many major things in the other. Reflecting his talent for combining history and theology, b.
He shows how it is very possible and most likely, that joseph smith plagiarized view of the hebrews. The excommunication of the hebrews deeply affecting 154 2. Roberts considered the evident parallels between the book of mormon and ethan smiths view of the hebrews, a book that predated the mormon scripture by seven years. Signature books, 1992, 377 pages, paperback, isbn 1560850272 incredible as it may seem to many latterday saints, brigham h. In 1927 the well respected lds historian bh roberts wrote a letter to lds apostle richard r. He later says ethan smiths view of the hebrews was not available to him at this time. A potent representation of how the book of mormon follows popular but ultimately falsified early 19th century beliefs about the native americans and a possible direct source of influence for some specific book of mormon content in 1922 lds leader bh roberts stated the following. Did joseph smith plagiarize the book view of the hebrews.
A parallel, the third manuscript that critics claim records roberts personal struggle with his waning confidence in the book of mormon, is an eighteenpage handwritten comparison of possible parallels between the book of mormon and ethan smiths view of the hebrews. That book, view of the hebrews vh, argues that the american indians were descendants of the lost ten tribes of israel a theory which elder roberts rightly wrote in 1932 is not the theory of the book of mormon. Lets assume for a moment that joseph smith plagiarized view of the hebrews in the book of mormon. Roberts took the position of examining the book of mormon from a critical perspective in order to alert the general authorities to possible future avenues of attack by critics.
Roberts, revered lds historian, general authority, president of the quorum of the seventy, and faithful to the church throughout his life, sets out to answer a series of tough questions about mormonisms key book of scripture he even comes up with questions of his own, demonstrating his dedication to a thorough examination. What specific books are believed to have inspired or influenced joseph smith in his authoring of the book of mormon. Studies of the book of mormon presents this respected church leaders investigation into mormonisms founding scripture. Hebrews uses old testament quotations interpreted in light of first century rabbinical judaism. This wellwritten book is relevant to every member of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. When roberts confessed that he had no answer for some of the difficulties, and the general authorities chose to ignore them, roberts produced a book of mormon study, a treatise of more than 400 pages.
Origin of new world peoples view of the hebrews and the book of mormon claim that the hebrews occupied the whole extent of the american continents and that this idea was very generally obtained throughout new england. Mormon dilemma 771 view of the hebrews and book of mormon. Not a few things merely, one or two, or half dozen, but many. In fact roberts dedicates approximately 150 pages or about half of the book to the parallels between view of the hebrews and the book of mormon. Did ethan smiths view of the hebrews furnish structural material. View of the hebrews 1825 by ethan smith this book, written by a minister named ethan smith, contained stories and information proposing that the first settlers of ancient america were the lost ten tribes of israel. He found numerous parallels between the book of mormon and view of the hebrews.
Numerous commentators on mormon history, from lds church general authority b. This title is open to a misreading, and yet, is accurate. View of the hebrews 1825 edition introduction mormons. Ethan smiths view of the hebrews, published seven years before the book of mormon is thought to be source material for joseph smiths book of mormon. Riter, who, on august 22, 1921, wrote to the geologist and theologian apostle james e. Roberts conducted an exhaustive comparison and analysis of these two books and concluded there is merit to this criticism. He also was a member of the first council of seventy 18881933. The first edition of view of the hebrews was published in 1823 and the second edition in 1825. Posted in mormon dilemmas, tagged bh roberts, bible, book of mormon, ethan smith, false gospel, false prophet, jesus, joseph smith, view of the hebrews on 1120 1 comment. Roberts, the man who had started his missionary career defending the book of mormon and became its staunchest apologist, had to admit the evidence proved joseph smith was a plagiarist.
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