The Inspired Version.

In December, 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation in which was contained an important promise pertaining to the sacred records of the Church. The Church had been in existence little more than six months. During those months it had grown phenomenally in numbers. And during those months, too, many discussions had been inevitably provoked concerning the infallibility of the scriptures. The Prophet who lived and moved among them, the saints accepted as the living oracle of God; and when they thirsted for the Water of Life, he was abundantly able to give it them. But the sacred writings of the Jews—the Bible—had not the power so to satisfy them as had the quick word of the Prophet. Some of the words of the ancients were not clear. It seemed that there were mistranslations, omissions, and even interpolations in the Holy Book. Moreover, some valuable scriptures seemed to have been lost. They appeared in the Book in name only; their invaluable contents were unknown. In view of these conditions, it is not surprising that the young Church should desire to know how much of the Sacred Word of God, as it had been preserved to them, might be accepted with authority. And what they longed to know was divinely given to them. In a revelation received by the young Prophet in December, 1830, the Lord said to Sidney Rigdon, "A commandment I give unto thee, that thou shalt write for him [i. e., Joseph Smith]; and the Scriptures shall be given, even as they are in mine own bosom, to the salvation of mine own elect."^[A]

[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov. 35:20.]

This promise, with commandment, evidently signifies that the Lord purposed to make clear dark sayings of Scripture, which some of the saints were questioning. In support of this fact may be cited another revelation, given only two months later, in which the Lord renews the promise. "Thou shalt ask," He said to the Prophet Joseph, "and my scriptures shall be given as I have appointed, and they shall be preserved in safety."^[B]

[Footnote B: Doc. and Cov. 42:56.]

Already, however, six months or so before the promise was made in revelation, the Lord had prepared for its fulfillment. In June, 1830, only two months after the organization of the Church, the Prophet had received the revelation known as the "Words of Moses."^[C] It is a kind of introduction to the book of Genesis; it tells how Moses came to know the story of the creation, and the relation of man to God. No finer introductory chapter to the book of beginnings could possibly be conceived. Again, in the same month in which the revelation with promise was given, the Lord revealed certain "doings of olden times, from the prophecy of Enoch. "^[D] "Much conjecture and conversation frequently occurred among the Saints," writes the Prophet, "concerning the books mentioned, and referred to, in various places in the Old and New Testaments, which were now nowhere to be found. The common remark was, 'They are lost books;' but it seems the Apostolic Church had some of these writings, as Jude mentions or quotes the prophecy of Enoch, the seventh from Adam."^[E] To the joy of the congregation, extracts from this prophecy of Enoch were revealed to the Prophet Joseph, and added to the growing treasure-house of scripture. Already, too, the Prophet had begun to make a revision of the Bible. Before the close of the year 1830, this revision was well under way.

[Footnote C: Pearl of Great Price.]

[Footnote D: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 133.]

[Footnote E: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 132.]

Before the close of the year, however, the Prophet was commanded to desist from further translating until he should go to Ohio.^[F] Again, in December, 1831, the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon were commanded to go upon a mission preaching the gospel.^[G] Of necessity, the work of "revision" must rest while the Seer and the scribe were about these other duties. Except for such interruptions as these, however, the "revision" of the Bible made fair progress. And in addition to the textual "translation," there were received by the Prophet other revelations bearing upon the Holy Word. Thus, in January, 1832, there was received an explanation of I Cor. 7:14.^[H] In February, of the same year, there came to the translators, while they were engaged with the Gospel of St. John, a wonderful vision of the glories hereafter.^[I] The following March, the Prophet received explanations of some parts of the revelation to St. John.^[J] One year later, there came a revelation on the authenticity of the Apocrypha.^[K] Thus, by the spirit of inspiration and revelation, the sacred records of old were made plain. The mistakes of men were corrected; and important words that had been lost, were supplied. The first "revision" of the New Testament was finished February 2, 1833, and that of the Old Testament, July 2 of the same year.

[Footnote F: Doc. and Cov. 37:1.]

[Footnote G: Doc. and Cov. 71:1-11.]

[Footnote H: Doc. and Cov. sec. 74.]

[Footnote I: Doc. and Cov. sec. 76.]

[Footnote J: Doc. and Cov. sec. 77.]

[Footnote K: Doc. and Cov. sec. 91.]

The inspired revision of the Hebrew Scriptures was not published during the lifetime of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He intended to continue the work of revision, by going over the entire work again, before it should be given to the world. In the year 1840, he expressed a desire to shift much of the arduous responsibility resting upon him to the shoulders of the Twelve and other officers, that he might resume the work of translation and revision. In a memorial presented June 18, 1840, the Prophet wrote, "The Church have erected an office where he [Joseph Smith, the memorialist] can attend to the affairs of the Church without distraction, he thinks, and verily believes, that the time has now come, when he should devote himself exclusively to those things which relate to the spiritualities of the Church, and commence the work of translating the Egyptian records, the Bible, and wait upon the Lord for such revelations as may be suited to the conditions and circumstances of the Church."^[L] Up to the time of his martyrdom, however, the Prophet found no time in which fully to carry out his design. Therefore, the inspired version of the Holy Scriptures, a manuscript copy of which is preserved in the Historian's Office at Salt Lake City, has never been given to the world by proper authority. A volume purporting to be the inspired version has appeared on the public market; but it is not recognized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because it has never received the careful revision intended by the Prophet. The authorized version of King James remains the standard Bible of the Church.

[Footnote L: "History of the Church," Vol. IV, p. 137.]

The Book of Abraham.

In July, 1835, there came into the hands of the Prophet, Joseph Smith, other invaluable records of the times of the patriarchs. It appears that in the year 1828, a French explorer named Antonio Sebolo, secured permission from Mehemet Ali, the viceroy of Egypt, to explore for antiquities. Three years later, in 1831, Sebolo entered some catacombs near the place where stood formerly the ancient city of Thebes. Eleven of the mummies, found in a perfect state of preservation, he carried away with him to Paris. On the way to the French capital, however, M. Sebolo put in at Trieste, where he died after an illness of several days. The mummies were then directed to a nephew named Chandler. Mr. Chandler lived in Philadelphia, Pa., though it was supposed that his home was in Ireland. After a devious course, the mummies came finally to New York, addressed to Michael H. Chandler. There the caskets were first opened, and the contents examined. "On opening the coffins," the Prophet tells us, "he (Mr. Chandler) discovered that in connection with two of the bodies, was something rolled up with the same kind of linen, saturated with the same bitumen, which when examined, proved to be two rolls of papyrus." These rolls of papyrus were beautifully written "with black, and a small part red, ink or paint, in perfect preservation."^[M]

[Footnote M: "History of the Church," Vol. II, pp. 348-350.]

A stranger standing near at the time of the discovery recommended to Mr. Chandler that he seek out the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith, as probably the only man who could render a correct translation of the ancient manuscripts. Mr. Chandler, however, began to exhibit the mummies in the larger cities of the United States. They very soon became objects of peculiar interest. Mr. Chandler was assured by the learned men of the land that both mummies and papyrus were genuine. Indeed, from some he received certificates testifying to the genuineness of his display and to the characters of the papyrus. It was not until July 3, 1835, that Mr. Chandler reached Kirtland with the Egyptian mummies. Immediately, it appears, he sought out the Prophet Joseph Smith. "There were four human figures," the latter writes in his history, "together with hieroglyphic figures and devices. As Mr. Chandler had been told I could translate them, he brought me some of the characters, and I gave him the interpretation, and like a gentleman, he gave me the following certificate:

"'Kirtland, July 6, 1835. "'This is to make known to all who may be desirous, concerning the knowledge of Mr. Joseph Smith, Jun., in deciphering the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic characters in my possession, which I have, in many eminent cities, showed to the most learned; and, from the information that I could ever learn, or meet with, I find that of Mr. Joseph Smith, Jun., to correspond in the most minute matters.

"'MICHAEL H. CHANDLER,

"'Traveling with, and proprietor of Egyptian mummies.'"^[N]

[Footnote N: "History of the Church," Vol. II, P. 235.]

Soon after receiving this certificate from Mr. Chandler some of the Saints in Kirtland purchased from him the mummies and the papyrus. Thereupon, the Prophet, with William W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery as scribes, began to translate the strange hieroglyphics. To their infinite joy, they found that one of the rolls contained writings of Abraham, whereas the other contained writings of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. The first of these the Prophet translated, in part. It recounts the trials of Abraham in the idolatrous home of his fathers, and his miraculous deliverance. It tells also of the creation of the world, and of the spirits before, and reveals the system of astronomy understood by the ancient patriarch. The Book of Abraham, an invaluable and truly authentic record translated by divine inspiration, forms now an important part of the Pearl of Great Price.

It appears that the papyrus-roll containing the writings of Joseph was never translated. The Saints retained possession of the mummies, and carried them along in their wanderings, until they became settled in their new home—Nauvoo, the Beautiful. There, the mummies were displayed in the Nauvoo Mansion, built by the Prophet. After the death of the Prophet, however, the mummies and the papyrus-rolls fell into the hands of the Prophet's family, and were sold. For some time they were exhibited by a syndicate in St. Louis. Thence, they were sold to a museum in Chicago. When the great fire swept Chicago in 1870, the museum was destroyed; and with it, presumably, the historic mummies and the sacred records of old. All that we have preserved to us, then, of these interesting papyrus records is contained in the Pearl of Great Price.

Thus the knowledge of the Saints was extended, the hand-dealings of God with His ancient people were made known, and many sacred writings were added to the scripture already possessed by the Church. The King James version of the Bible was already accepted "as far as it was translated correctly." The Book of Moses deals with the beginnings—with the fundamentals. It reveals how man came first to know of God, of His Son, Jesus Christ, and of the divine plan of salvation. It supplies the living truth of man's relationship to God, which the Authorized Version—through the interference of the opinions of men—states but obscurely. It looks hopefully forward to the future, when the King of glory shall come in. Without that portion of inspired scripture contained in the Book of Moses, we should lack much in our knowledge of the history of God and of man.

In like manner, the Book of Abraham supplies valuable information concerning the wonderful works of God. Independent of the Book of Moses, it corroborates all that is taught there. And it goes further. From it we learn important truths concerning a pre-existent state; and from it we learn more fully, too, of the worlds, and the creation of worlds. The science of creation is perhaps nowhere else so fully explained as in the Book of Abraham. There, too, are outlined some of the important principles of the New Astronomy, principles fast coming to be recognized as true by scientific men. Without this record we should lack much in our knowledge of the history of God and of man.

Another act, then, in the great drama of the Restoration has been accomplished. To knowledge has been added knowledge. To the sacred record contained in the Bible was added that of the Book of Mormon. And now, to both of these, are added two others, briefer than either of the first, but wanting nothing in significance to the people of God.