The author ethan smith was the pastor of the religious congregation in which. Ethan smiths view of the hebrews, published seven years before the book of mormon is thought to be source material for joseph smiths book. This book, written by a minister, ethan smith, demonstrates that the book of mormon was not unique in its assertion that the native americans were descended from the house of israel within a. No direct evidence exists that would prove or disprove joseph smith had read view of the hebrews. Ever since the great american prophet joseph smith, jr. Some have suggested that the source for much of the history and theology in the book of mormon was an early nineteenthcentury book entitled view of the hebrews, by ethan smith. The bulk of robertss manuscript considers the similarities between view of the hebrews and the book of mormon. Joseph smith quoted view of the hebrews as supporting the book of mormon there was, however, a reference to view of the hebrews within joseph smiths lifetime, but it came from the prophet himself. View of the hebrews was published in 1823 and a second edition was published in 1825. This was a relatively common view during the early nineteenth century, as most europeans and americans had a view of history as biblical. It is one of several books reflecting the popular fascination at the time of joseph smith with the question. Photo reprint of the 1825 edition that is believed to have influenced joseph smith during his creation of the book of mormon. Ethan smith s book proposes that the american indians were the lost tribes of israel and has several.
Joseph created a biblical setting for the americas by his selective use of the bible and the misconceptions embodied in ethans publication. To plagiarize means to pass off someone elses words as ones own. Another more recent theory, also open to criticism, suggests that joseph smith used ethan smiths no relation view of the hebrews, which was published during. Very informative on the background of 19th century new york and new england from which mormonisms founders emerged. Is the book of mormon plagiarized from 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 18. Lets face it, they say, joseph smith was an uneducated young man living in poverty with almost no access to books, and he dictated the entire text of the book of mormon in 63 days. View of the hebrewsethan smithoriginal book of mormon. He therefore asserts that joseph apparently had the first edition as well as the second edition of view of the hebrews, as those sentences appear to have provided the basis for a turning point in the book of mormon p. 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.
There was zero mention of quetzalcoatl or a white bearded god in the first edition, for example. He published the passage in the times and seasons, apparently to show that there were at least some authorities who believed ancient hebrews had come to america. Sidebyside columns comparing what is written in ethan smith s view of the hebrews with joseph smith s the book of mormon. Did view of the hebrews influence themes in joseph smith. Numerous commentators on mormon doctrine, from lds church general authority b. Some have questioned whether joseph smith even knew of pastor smith s book before the book of mormon was published and there are a number of facts that make it extremely likely he did. Oliver cowdery also a poultney, vermont resident was a member of ethans congregation during this time and before he went to new york to join his cousin third cousins joseph smith. Roberts concluded that view of the hebrews had been published first, that the possibility that joseph smith had access to it was a very close certainty, and that there were many similarities between the works. Ethan smith was a pastor in poultney, vermont when he wrote and published the book. Did joseph smith plagiarize from view of the hebrews when writing the book of mormon by jeff lindsay.
View of the hebrews1823 book of mormon1829 very very. Would you respond to the theories that the book of mormon. If joseph smith was to use view of the hebrews in total as the apologists seem to think the critics are saying i. To understand the origins of the mormon church, one must be knowledgeable of the contents of the bible and of view of the hebrews. Another book, the wonders of nature and providence displayed, was in the local manchester library five miles from joseph smiths home and extant records show that it was reportedly checked out during the years 1826 to 1828. Ethan smith even traveled promoting his book, stopping in palmyra, joseph. Could joseph smith have used ethan smiths view of the hebrews as a guideline for creating the book of mormon. View of the hebrews religious studies center specialized monograph series smith, ethan on. The quote above comes from the mormon periodical times and seasons which joseph smith used to post a quote from a book called view of the hebrews, authored by the minister ethan smith no relation. Very interesting comparisons involving portions of the book of isaiah.
Lds did joseph smith and the 1830 bom plagairize the. Is view of the hebrews a source for the book of mormon. His book contained reports from missionaries and traders who lived among the indians. View of the hebrews 1825 edition introduction mormons in. In an article published in the times and seasons on june 1, 1842, joseph quoted view of the hebrews in support of the book of mormon. 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. Referring to the borrowing of the ideas from view of the hebrews, persuitte writes, joseph did not plagiarizein the technical sense of that word view of the hebrews. Would you respond to the theories that the book of mormon is based. Similarities between the book of mormon and view of the hebrews book.
View of the hebrewscritics claim that a 19th century work by ethan smith, view of the hebrews, provided source material for joseph smiths construction of the book of mormon. There are no records that joseph smith came into contact with the view of the hebrews during the period of time that he was translating the book of mormon. View of the hebrews is not a book with stories like the book of mormon. View of the hebrews is an 1823 book written by ethan smith which argues that native americans were descended from the hebrews. But joseph was not so careless as to quote ethan smith s book. Book of mormonauthorship theoriesview of the hebrews.
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. Numerous commentators on mormon history, from lds church general authority b. View of the hebrews religious studies center specialized. Relatively unknown to the general public, view of the hebrews is an 1823 book written by ethan smith december 19, 1762 august 29, 1849, no relation to joseph smith which argues that native americans were descended from the hebrews. So we must now believe that joseph smith studied both editions and perhaps even compared the text of the two versions. 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 mormons publication. Another look at book of mormon and view of the hebrews. The view of the hebrews theory was in fact first proposed by i.
View of the hebrews 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. Did ethan smith s view of the hebrews furnish structural material. It is one of several books reflecting the popular fascination at the time of joseph smith with the question of indian origins. It is unknown if joseph smith had access to view of the hebrews when he dictated the book of mormon. Many of the parallels are unique to the secondedition of view of the hebrews, which oliver cowdery did not have access toand joseph smith certainly didnt. View of the hebrews is not a book with stories like the book of mormon is.
Also contains the parallels between view of the hebrews and the book of mormon by mormon historian b. Reverend ethan smith was the author of view of the hebrews. View of the hebrews flooded the area in which joseph smith lived. Some critics claim that joseph smith copied much of the structure and content of the book of mormon from the 1823 book view of the hebrews by ethan smith no relation to joseph smith. The author ethan smith was the pastor of the religious congregation in which the oliver cowdrey family attended. Did joseph smith plagiarize from view of the hebrews when. Joseph smith and the origins of the book of mormon, 2d ed.
Roberts and fawn brodie, joseph smith s, biographer noted the considerable similarities in the content of view of the hebrews and the book of mormon, which was published seven years after ethan smith s book. Critics also postulate a link between ethan smith and oliver cowdery, since both men lived in poultney, vermont while smith served as the pastor of the church that oliver cowderys family attended at the time that view of the. View of the hebrews religious studies center specialized monograph series. Since the book of mormon was first published in 1830, its critics have endeavored to find explanations for it other than the one given by joseph smith. Several commentators on mormon history and the book of mormon, including lds church general authority b. To have done this, he would have needed a copy of view of the hebrews. Evidence shows that view of the hebrews was very successful, being first printed in 1823 and then a second edition in 1825 and was distributed all over the burned out district where joseph smith lived. View of the hebrews 1823 book of mormon1829 very very similar stories. This book includes a long selection from ethan smiths book and attempts to. I dozed off several times in my attempt to get through these 220 pages of rambling, 19th century, anecdotal evidence that native americans were the mark twain once said after reading the book of mormon, it is chloroform in print. Woodbridge riley argued joseph smith and oliver cowdery worked from ethan smith s view of the hebrews, a book tracing american indian descent to the lost tribes of israel. Book of mormon and view of the hebrews parallels life.
Woodbridge riley in 1902, 58 years after the death of the prophet. Furthermore, there is no evidence that joseph smith was familiar with the view of the hebrews before 1842, when he quoted from an 1833 book which quoted from the view of the hebrews. Roberts conducted an exhaustive comparison and analysis of these two books and concluded there is merit to this criticism. Woodworth 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. View of the hebrews proposes that the american indians are descended from the lost ten tribes of israel. Did joseph smith plagiarize the book view of the hebrews. More on joseph smiths plagiarism in the book of mormon. 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 reason. 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. 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. Evidence shows that view of the hebrews was very successful, being first printed in 1823 and then a second edition in 1825 and was distributed all over the. View of the hebrews, or, the tribes of isreal in america 9781930679610. So, the current argument being made is that joseph smith was a creative genius who read numerous books, such as view of the hebrews and the late war between the united states and great britain and then copied ideas and stories from them.
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