Scribes recorded Prophet’s ‘crooked, broken language’
By Nick Newman
Mormon Times
Published: 2010-01-26 00:27:26
Joseph Smith was a terrible writer.
While that statement might sound foreign to members, considering his testimony and revelations have been spread around the world in more than 160 languages, it should come as no surprise when you realize the Prophet had no more than a third-grade education.
So how could an uneducated New England farm boy bring to pass a work that would require endless hours of writing and translating? As Joseph transitioned into his role as prophet of God, capable men served has his personal scribes, assistants and secretaries until, at the time of his death, he had amassed an entire office staff. In his collection of 10 journals alone, which consist of 1,500 pages, a mere 35 — or 2 percent — are in the prophet’s own handwriting.
Oliver Cowdery assisted as scribe on many different occasions, including the translation of the Book of Mormon. Credit: Church History Library
“We can’t underestimate the significance of all these scribes,” said Alex Baugh, professor of church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. “Their contributions are incalculable.”
Why did the Prophet call the men he did to transcribe his largely oral revelations? The answer to that question depends on whom you ask.
According to Baugh, it’s because the Prophet was too busy to do it on his own.
“In Joseph Smith’s day, for men of prominence — and in his capacity as president of the church — it was absolutely vital that he had the proper individuals under him who could take accurate notes, dictation and make transcriptions,” Baugh said. “It was almost impossible for Joseph to keep his own personal record. He needed help.”
Robin Jensen, co-editor of the Joseph Smith Papers Revelations series, says the need for record keeping and scripture drove the prophet to choose the scribes he did.
“Record keeping and publication of scripture was one of the priorities of early Mormonism. The first three or four years of records created were scripture. Some of the first things published in the church were scripture,” Jensen said. “Scripture really drove early Mormon thought, early Mormon record keeping, early Mormon efforts, and you see through the revelations, this attitude that drove the Saints to do what they felt (was) required of them by God.”
Mark Ashurst-McGee, coeditor of the JSP’s Journals series, added that the Prophet understood the need for record keeping, but fully understood the limitations of his meager childhood education.
Nothing illustrates that better than a letter written on Nov. 27, 1832, to William W. Phelps, the church printer in Missouri. In it, the Prophet writes, “Oh Lord God, deliver us from this prison, almost as it were, of paper, pen and ink, and of a crooked, broken, scattered and imperfect language.”
“That’s great writing,” Ashurst-McGee said. “But at the same time he’s writing well, he’s saying, ‘I hate this’.”
According to the Joseph Smith Papers: Journals, Vol. 1, Joseph wrote in a journal for nine days, then not again for 10 months.
“He understands the importance of record keeping, feels strongly about it, and understands its part of the mission of the church, but he doesn’t love it,” Ashurst-McGee said. “And that’s why he starts getting scribes to help him. He’s so busy. And (having scribes) builds up more and more in the history of the early church, so that by the time he dies, he has an office staff.”
According to the scholars, each had unique talents that fit their callings.
William W. Phelps scribed for Joseph Smith during the translation of the Book of Abraham. He was also church printer and a prolific writer of hymns. Credit: Church History Library
“Each scribe makes a contribution that’s pretty well-suited to that person’s abilities,” Baugh said. “The Lord got the right scribe at the right time.”
Ashurst-McGee agrees.
“Joseph Smith said these men were chosen by the Lord, but you can still ask the question, ‘Why were they chosen by the Lord?’ if you’re not a believer, or you are a believer who thinks Joseph Smith is more of a human than a marionette in God’s hands, we could also ask the question, ‘Why did Joseph Smith pick them?’ or ‘Why did Joseph feel drawn to pray for them as candidates?’”
Martin Harris, a wealthy farmer, helped the Prophet with the translation of the Book of Mormon for the first 116 pages. He used his education in scribing duties and his farm to subsidize the printing of the book.
When Harris lost the 116 manuscript pages of the Book of Mormon, the Lord told Joseph to wait a little season so the Lord could “provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I have commanded thee” (Doctrine and Covenants 5:34).
That “what” was actually a “who” — Oliver Cowdery, the educated schoolmaster with English composition skills who helped the Prophet finish the Book of Mormon translation in miraculous time. Then Cowdery’s work was done, and he was sent on a mission to the Lamanites.
John Whitmer, who was called as church recorder and historian, was the principal scribe for the Book of Commandments and Revelations, the earliest-known revelation book, which was taken by Whitmer and Cowdery to Missouri by Phelps, which was to become the Book of Commandments.
