Another look at book of mormon and view of the hebrews. The book of mormon also takes many of its concepts from a book called view of the hebrews, published in 1825 by ethan smith not related to joseph smith five years prior to the book of mormon s publication. If ethan smith suspected or even wished to charge that the book of mormon plagiarized or purloined from his work, it is strange that he proceeded as if there was no relationship between the two books. Studies of the book of mormon is a collection of essays written at the beginning of the 20th century though not published until 1985 by b. Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon central. What the critics say is that the source of the book of mormon or rather the. View of the hebrew written by administrator tuesday, 27 april 2010 08. If the view of the hebrews served as the basis for the book of mormon, one would think that the bible scriptures used by ethan smith would be mined by joseph smith for the book of mormon. The messiah did not visit the americas in view of the hebrews. Similarities with the view of the hebrews rmormonscholar book of mormon issue 8. After his death, his son delivered copies of these parallels. There are a significant number of differences between the two books. View of the hebrews 1825 edition introduction mormons in.
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. This book is significant for it contains parallels to the content of the book of mormon. Ethan smith pastored a church in poultney, vt which was adjacent to the county where joseph smith lived in ny. The book of mormon, of course, makes precisely this claim about baptism, along with several others that likewise cannot be reconciled with the nineteenthcentury model explaining indian origins. Roberts 18571933, a prominent lds apologist and historian, roberts was ranked the greatest intellectual in mormon history in surveys by lds scholars.
Having now done so i do not see it as a blue print for the book of mormon, but a lot of the themes. The book of mormon, as it was called, purported to tell the story of the first americans by giving them a hebrew ancestry. Joseph smith was born in vermont, but the book of mormon was first published in palmyra new york, a good distance away. His book contained reports from missionaries and traders who lived among the indians. Oliver cowdery, one of the bom witnesses, just so happened to be a member of ethan smiths church from18211825 or 1826 during which time ethan smith wrote and published his book. View of the hebrews proposes that the american indians are descended from the lost ten tribes of israel. Contains reprint of the parallels between the book of mormon and the view of the hebrews, by the mormon historian b. Another look at book of mormon and view of the hebrews parallels 04102019 by lifeafterministry if such may have been the fact, that a part of the ten tribes came over to america, in the way we have supposed, leaving the cold regions of assareth behind them in quest of a milder climate, it would be natural to look for tokens of the presence. Contrary to popular belief, the book of mormon was not the first to. In the book of mormon the claim is they spoke hebrew but wrote it in egyptian symbols, as time went on they created their own shorthand and their hebrew also. Also contains the parallels between view of the hebrews and the book of mormon by mormon historian b. View of the hebrews would be just another one of those early 19thcentury 10 lost tribes theories were it not for the fact that ethan smith and oliver cowdery shared the same time and place and that there are so many parallels between view and the book of mormon. The book and the man, joseph smith, kindled a religion that today numbers over nine million members. The first concerns a book called view of the hebrews, which was published in vermont in 1823, with a second edition coming out in 1825.
Oliver cowdery, one of the book of mormon witnesses, lived in poultney when view of the hebrews was published. Oliver cowdery, one of the bom witnesses, just so happened to be a member of ethan smiths church from1821 1825 or 1826 during which time ethan. Joseph smith had used view of the hebrews as a source in composing the book of mormon, or that. The intent in publishing it has been to make it available to all interested readerswhether critics, believers in the book of mormon. View of the hebrews is an 1823 book written by ethan smith, a united states congregationalist minister, who argued that native americans were descended from the ten lost tribes of israel. Ethan smith was a minister of a congregational church in poultney, vermont from 1821 to 1826 when he wrote view of the hebrews. If joseph smith composed this book, the act was a miracle. It was not long, however, before a number of people realised that the view of the hebrews and the book of mormon had some. The book of mormon, published in 1830, and ethan smiths 1823 book view of the hebrews parallel each other in some two dozen general themes. The author ethan smith was the pastor of the religious congregation in which the oliver cowdrey family attended. Pdf view of the hebrews ebooks includes pdf, epub and. Mark twain once said after reading the book of mormon, it is chloroform in print. Numerous commentators on mormon history, from lds church general authority b. Studies center republished the 1825 edition of view of the hebrews in 1996.
The full title of the 1825 edition is view of the hebrews. Brodie, biographer of joseph smith, have noted similarities in the content of view of the hebrews and the book of mormon, which was first published in 1830, seven years after ethan smiths book. View of the hebrews is an 1823 book written by ethan smith, a congregationalist minister in. Lds did joseph smith and the 1830 bom plagairize the. Jesus ben anunus did not have stones thrown at him.
Did view of the hebrews influence themes in joseph smith. While some have claimed it to be a source for the book of mormon. Get the latest updates on book of mormon topics and research for free. The mormon historian, bh roberts one of the foremost scholars the mormon church ever had read the book a view of the hebrews, and was so impressed by the many coincidences between this book and the book of mormon, he prepared a manuscript in which he presented these parallels. This is where ethan smith enters the picture with his book view of the hebrews. Well, if joseph smith used ethan smiths view of the hebrews as the main source for the book of mormon, as many critics claim, it is a miracle for the same. It is known that the book was sold in palmyra bookstores, and the author came through palmyra twice on tours promoting the book. Ethan smith, pastor of the congregational church in poultney, vermont, argued that the native americans were scattered israelites who would soon be restored into the gospel fold. Interestingly, oliver cowdery, scribe, and later witness of the book of mormon, lived in poultney for 22 years until 1825. Woodbridge riley argued joseph smith and oliver cowdery worked from ethan smiths view of the hebrews, a book tracing american indian descent to the lost tribes of israel. View of the hebrews 1825 edition introduction mormons in transition. Joseph smith quoted view of the hebrews as supporting the book of mormon.
Is view of the hebrews a source for the book of mormon. Book of mormon and view of the hebrews parallels life. This was a relatively common view during the early nineteenth century, as most europeans and americans had a view of history as biblical. The view of the hebrews theory was examined in detail by b. Book of mormonauthorship theoriesview of the hebrews. Photo reprint of the 1825 edition that is believed to have influenced joseph smith during his creation of the book of mormon. Roberts 18571933, a general authority of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, which examine the validity of the book of mormon as a translation of an ancient american source. The intent in publishing it has been to make it available to all interested readerswhether critics, believers in the book of mormon, or scholars of early american. First of 15 parts of online version of 1824 book view of the hebrews by ethan smith. View of the hebrews, or, the tribes of isreal in america. First of 15 parts of online version of 1824 book view of the hebrews by. It was first published in 1823 the book of mormon was published 6 years later in 1829.
Was the view of the hebrews theory of book of mormon origin. View of the hebrews 1825 edition chapter 1a mormons. These tribes were said to have disappeared after being taken captive by the assyrians in the 8th century bce. Featured lds did joseph smith and the 1830 bom plagairize the 1823 book view of the hebrews. Alleged relationships of view of the hebrews to the book of mormon have attracted interest periodically through the years. View of the hebrews and the book of mormon book of. Published 1823, first edition 1825, second edition 1830, first edition location vermont poultney, rutland county note. Similarities with the view of the hebrews if you follow any of the above links, please respect the rules of reddit and dont vote in the other threads. 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. Thus it was that the further i read in view of the hebrews. View of the hebrews was published in 1823 and a second edition was published in 1825. It is often represented by mormon speakers and writers, that the book of mormon was the first to represent the american indians as the descendants of the hebrews. Ethan smith republished view of the hebrews, revised and enlarged, in 1835.
View of the hebrews flooded the area in which joseph smith lived. In order to read online or download view of the hebrews ebooks in pdf, epub, tuebl and mobi format, you need to create a free account. For almost a century critics of the authenticity of the book of mormon have claimed that view of the hebrews, first published by ethan smith in 1823 2d ed. The intent in publishing it has been to make it available to all interested readerswhether critics, believers in the book of mormon, or scholars of early american religious history. 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. View of the hebrews1823 book of mormon1829 very very. We cannot guarantee that view of the hebrews book is in the library, but if you are still not sure with the service, you can choose free trial service. Ethan smith suggests that native americans are descendants of the ten lost tribes of israel. Similarities between the book of mormon and view of the hebrews book duration.
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