In His Own Language

2003-5-8 06:18:00

Larry Writes:
One of the criticisms made of The Book of Mormon is that the "old English" idiom is sometimes incorrect. The core of the criticism is that Joseph Smith didn't know "old English" well enough to be 100% accurate. They consider that to be evidence that the book wasn't simply "revealed" to him (word by word, I suppose), but that he wrote it using his less than perfect understanding of old English usage.

However if Joseph Smith obtained the information as you described above then that would explain this problem. If he received the information through the Oneness Principle but then wrote it in his own words - the old English idiom as he understood it - then that would explain why the old English is not 100% correct per the scholars.

Do you think that is how Joseph Smith wrote The Book of Mormon?

JJ:
Yes, I think all his revelations and the Book of Mormon was either consciously or filtered through his subconscious in his own words. His own revelations say he received according to his own language. (See D&C 1:24) The exception would be the entire chapters of Isaiah (and a few other scriptures) which are quoted. Instead of attempting to receive by revelation and putting them in his own words - which thing would have garnered much criticism - he merely copied them out of the King James Bible and included them in the text. He copied the passages word for word except for a handful of changes he made to harmonize with what he received.

His critics really lambaste him for using the King James translation for Isaiah, but in my opinion it would be a logical thing to do. It's silly to reinvent the wheel.