Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Joseph Smith had "No Other Gift"?

Compare Book of Commandments 4:2 to D&C 5:4 (see Quinn's discussion in Origins of Power, pp. 9-11)
  • The original 1829 text says of Joseph Smith, "he has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift."
  • The 1835 version was edited to read, "And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you, and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished."
  • Quinn points out that the original revelation fit well in the early 1829 setting where no institutional church for Smith to lead was on the horizon, but as things changed, the above edit became necessary to not contradict the later development of Joseph's role as the prophet and leader of a formal church. See this post for corroborating evidence.

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