Joseph Smith: A diamond, perhaps, but very much “in the rough”

Some notes from one of my manuscripts:

One hostile Palmyra contemporary of the young Joseph Smith branded him “lounging, idle; (not to say vicious,) and possessed of less than ordinary intellect.”[1]  In light of Joseph’s subsequent history, this verdict is impossible to sustain.  Orson Hyde, closely associated with Joseph Smith from his conversion in 1831—he became a member of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1835—was certainly closer to the mark when he observed of Joseph Smith that “Nature had gifted him with a strong, discerning mind.”[2]  But there can be no possible dispute that Joseph was far, very far, from well educated.  John Taylor remembered Joseph Smith telling him that, as a boy, “he [Joseph] was very ignorant of the ways, designs and purposes of God, and knew nothing about them; he was a youth unacquainted with religious matters or the systems and theories of the day.”[3]  This is entirely consistent with the available evidence.  The statement of James 1:5 (“If any of you lack wisdom . . .”) must have seemed, to Joseph, to be addressed to someone precisely like himself.  It will be recalled that Lucy Mack Smith described her son, Joseph, as late as the age of eighteen, as a boy “who had never read the Bible through in his life: he seemed much less inclined to the perusal of books than any of the rest of our children, but far more given to meditation and deep study.”[4]  Yet the Book of Mormon could not have been written by anyone with less than a thorough mastery of the Bible.

[1] O. Turner, History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham’s Purchase, and Morris’ Reserve (Rochester, 1852), 213-214.  [See original.]

[2]  Orson Hyde, “Ein Ruf aus der Wüste” (Frankfurt, 1842).

[3] John Taylor, in Journal of Discourses 21:161.

[4] Lucy’s Book, 344.

***

It being the 274.5 weeks since the Interpreter Foundation was created, Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture has just published a new article for the 273rd Friday in a row:

“Gazelem the Jaredite”

We hope that you’ll enjoy it.

***

Please don’t forget that, at absolutely no additional cost to yourself, you can help to support Interpreter — or some other worthy cause that you’ve selected — by making purchases through AmazonSmile and directing that Amazon’s contribution go to the cause that you’ve selected.

Of course, while such income from AmazonSmile is helpful to us and costs you nothing, more direct and larger donations are essential.  Please consider helping out.  Although our leadership is voluntary and unpaid and our authors are uncompensated, our ordinary week-by-week production incurs unavoidable and relatively substantial expenses.  And we have some additional big projects in mind — provided that we can generate the resources to do them.  (If you have genuine, serious questions about the latter and are considering whether you would like to support them, feel free to contact me at daniel_peterson@byu.edu.)

***

The ever valuable Robert Boylan provides a few useful items here:

“More Statements from LDS Church Leaders Denying Being Infallible”

***

“Dr. John Gee publishes An Introduction to the Book of Abraham with RSC & Deseret Book”

***

An interesting story:

“The Miraculous Visit from a Deceased Friend That Led This Family to the Gospel”

***

I know at least one person in Canada — a place that is, I believe, located in the Arctic, somewhere to the north of Minnesota, Montana, or Alaska — because I engineered his exile there.  (On which very tragical mirth, see here and here.)  But there may be still more such unfortunates.  If so, they may find this of interest (and even a bit comforting), if books are actually permitted in the region:

“Canadian Mormons by Roy and Carma Prete: Interview with the Authors by Erin Gazdik”

Actually, I’m pretty sure that at least some books are smuggled into Canada by dogsled.  I’ve even heard of so-called “book mules” who memorize books and then cross the border without the Mounties even knowing about it.

***

Nice:

“LDS Artist Creates Angelic Painting After Las Vegas Shooting That Has Gone Viral”

***

Please don’t try to get tickets for this event.  My wife and I want to go, and only two of the three performances are even possible for us:

“Sutton Foster, Hugh Bonneville announced as Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert guests”

Posted from St. George, Utah