The Book of Abraham:
B.H. Roberts, The Seventy's Course in Theology, First Year, p.154
In 1831 the celebrated French traveler, Antonio Sebolo, penetrated Egypt as far
as the ancient city of Thebes, under a license procured from Mohemet Ali—then
Viceroy of Egypt—through the influence of Chevalier Drovetti, the French
consul. Sebolo employed four hundred and thirty-three men for four months and
two days, either Turkish or Egyptian soldiers, paying them from four to six
cents a day per man. They entered the Catacombs near ancient Thebes on the
seventh of June, 1831, and procured eleven mummies. These were shipped to
Alexandria, and from there the great traveler started with his treasures for
Paris. But en route for the French capital, Sebolo put in at Trieste, where he
was taken sick, and after an illness of ten days, died. This was in 1832.
Previous to his death he willed his Egyptian treasures to his nephew,. Michael
H. Chandler, who was then living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but whom Sebolo
believed to be in Dublin, to which city he ordered the mummies shipped. Mr.
Chandler ordered the mummies forwarded to New York from Dublin, where he took
possession of them. Here the coffins for the first time were opened, and in them
were found two rolls of papyrus covered with engravings. While still in the
customs house, Mr. Chandler was informed by a gentleman, a stranger to him, that
no one in the city could translate the characters; but was referred to Joseph
Smith, who, the stranger informed him, possessed some kind of gift or power by
which he had previously translated similar characters. Joseph Smith was then
unknown to Mr. Chandler. The mummies were shipped to Philadelphia; and from
there Mr. Chandler traveled through the country, exhibited them and the rolls of
papyrus, reaching Kirtland in July, 1835, where some of the Saints purchased the
mummies and the two rolls of papyrus, one of which proved to be the writings of
Abraham, and the other of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt." The Book of
Abraham has been translated and published, at least in part. [See Pearl of Great
Price. Elder George Reynolds has published a work on this subject, "The
Divine Authenticity of the Book of Abraham," which should be carefully
studied by every Elder in Israel.]
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.3, PAPYRI, JOSEPH SMITH
In early July 1835, Chandler visited Kirtland, where he met Joseph Smith and
inquired "if he had a power by which he could translate the ancient
Egyptian. Mr. Smith replied that he had" (P. Pratt, Millennial Star, July
1842). Chandler presented some hieroglyphics, which others supposedly had
interpreted. Joseph Smith left and returned with a written English translation
corresponding to the interpretation Chandler had already received. The Prophet
displayed interest in the papyri, but Chandler would not break up his exhibit.
Shortly thereafter, Church members purchased for $2,400 "four human figures…with
two or more rolls of papyrus" (HC 2:235). Oliver Cowdery remembered that it
was "two rolls…[with] two or three other small pieces," the text
written "with black, and a small part, red ink or paint" (Messenger
and Advocate, Dec. 31, 1835). Within three days, Joseph Smith translated some
"hieroglyphics, and much to our joy found that one of the rolls contained
the writings of Abraham, another, writings of Joseph of Egypt." Joseph
Smith spent from July 17 to 31 "continually…translating an alphabet…and
arranging a grammar" of Egyptian (HC 2:236-38). On October 1, while he
worked on the alphabet, the "principles of astronomy as understood by
Father Abraham…unfolded" (HC 2:286). On November 17 he "exhibited
the alphabet" (HC 2:316). He recorded "translating the Egyptian
records" on October 7, November 19-20 (20th: "made rapid
progress"), and November 24-26 (HC 2:289, 318, 320). LDS Church Archives
contain Book of Abraham texts (Abr. 1:1-2:18) from this period.
B.H. Roberts, The Seventy's Course in Theology, First Year, p.154
With the assistance of Oliver Cowdery, and W. W. Phelps as scribes the Prophet
began the work of translating this record, which so singularly came into his
possession; but it was not finally published until March, 1842, at Nauvoo. It
will be found as we now have it in the Pearl of Great Price, given with the
facsimiles of certain pages of the papyrus in the Times and Seasons, Vol. III,
Nos. 9 and 10. It is a revelation of exceedingly great value, both on account of
the historical and doctrinal data which it contains, as appears in the analysis
for Lesson VI. For still further items of interest in relation to the Book of
Abraham, see History of the Church, Vol. II, pp. 348-350 and footnotes.
B. H. Roberts, Defense of the Faith and the Saints, Vol.1, p.265
In further proof that translation was not a merely mechanical process with the
Prophet Joseph, I call attention to the evident thought and study he bestowed
upon the work of translating the rolls of papyrus found with the Egyptian
mummies, purchased by the Saints in Kirtland, of Michael H. Chandler, about the
6th of July, 1835. "Soon after this," says the prophet, "with W.
W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery as scribes, I commenced the translation of some of
the characters or hieroglyphics, and much to our joy found that one of the rolls
contained the writings of Abraham, another the writings of Joseph of
Egypt,"e etc. Speaking in his history of the latter part of July, he says:
"The remainder of this month I was continually engaged in translating an
alphabet to the Book of Abraham and arranging a grammar of the Egyptian
language."f In his journal entry for November 26, 1835, is the following:
"Spent the day in translating the Egyptian characters from the papyrus,
though suffering with a severe cold."g Under date of December 16th, this:
"I exhibited and explained the Egyptian characters to them [Elders M'Lellin
and Young], and explained many things concerning the dealings of God with the
ancients, and the formation of the planetary system."h Thus he continued
from time to time to work upon this translation, which was not published until
1842, in the "Times and Seasons," beginning in number nine of volume
three. It should be remembered in connection with this "preparing an
alphabet" and "arranging a grammar of the Egyptian language" that
the prophet still had in his possession the "Seer Stone" (or at least
Oliver Cowdery had it, for on completing the translation of the Book of Mormon
the prophet gave the Seer Stone into Oliver Cowdery's keeping, (David Whitmer's
Address to All Believers, p. 32), which he had used sometimes in the translation
of the Book of Mormon, yet it seems from the circumstances named that he had to
bend all the energies of his intellectual powers to obtain a translation of the
Egyptian characters.
B. H. Roberts, The Mormon Doctrine of Deity, p.217
The book of Abraham came into the hands of the Prophet Joseph Smith in the form
of Egyptian papyrus, in the summer of 1835. The following winter in his history
the Prophet frequently speaks of working upon the translation of this ancient
record. The translation was not completed and published, however, until March,
1842, at Nauvoo, when it appeared in the Times and Seasons, numbers 9 and 10,
Vol. III. In his writings and [p.218] teachings the Prophet frequently refers to
this ancient record with every mark of approval. In the first publication of the
work the introductory heading declared it to be "the Book of Abraham,
written by his own hand upon papyrus." It will be understood, then, that
its doctrines are those of the great prophet-patriarch, Abraham. The book gives
an account of the call of Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees and his sojourn and
adventures in Egypt. The extracts from it here given deal with the revelations
of God to the patriarch concerning the planetary system, pre-existence and
nature of man, and the creation of the earth by the Gods—for Abraham
throughout his account of creation uses the plural, "the Gods said let
there be light;" "the Gods said let us make man in our image,"
etc., etc., hence it is clear that the doctrine of the plurality of Gods was
plainly taught through this sacred scripture in the days of Joseph Smith, for he
translated it, and it was published by him in the Times and Seasons while he was
the editor of that journal. And now a few extracts from the book itself:
Translation And Publication of the Book of Abraham
On October 10, 1880, in a general conference, members of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints voted to accept the book of Abraham as a scriptural
work. Several views have been advanced concerning the process whereby the
Prophet Joseph Smith produced the work. Although he and his associates began an
"Egyptian Alphabet and Grammar" while they studied the papyri, the
purpose of that work is obscure. It was not completed, explained, or published
by Joseph Smith or any of his successors. However, it is certain that he began
working in Kirtland, Ohio, on the relevant Egyptian papyri soon after purchasing
them from Michael H. Chandler in 1835.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, BOOK OF ABRAHAM
Probably no one in the United States in 1835 could interpret Egyptian
hieroglyphics through ordinary translation techniques. When he translated the
gold plates of the Book of Mormon from the "reformed Egyptian" text
(1827-1829), the Prophet stated that he did it "by the gift and power of
God." Likewise, it was principally divine inspiration rather than his
knowledge of languages that produced the English text of the book of Abraham.
His precise methodology remains unknown.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, BOOK OF ABRAHAM
In the historical documents currently possessed by the Church, Joseph Smith
never described fully the actual process he used in translating ancient
documents. In reference to the Book of Mormon, he said that it was "not
expedient" for him to relate all the particulars of its coming forth (HC
1:220; see Book of Mormon: Translation by Joseph Smith). He did, in several
instances, refer to the book of Abraham as a translation (HC 4:543, 548); and
when the installments of the book of Abraham were published in the Millennial
Star, it was described as being "translated by Joseph Smith" (July
1842, p. 34). Both Wilford Woodruff (in his journal) and Parley P. Pratt (in the
July 1842 Millennial Star) maintained that the translation was done by means of
the Urim and Thummim, although Joseph Smith himself does not mention using this
instrument anywhere in the translation.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, BOOK OF ABRAHAM
One must consider, however, what Joseph Smith meant by translation. Section 7 of
the Doctrine and Covenants offers one standard measure. Here, the Prophet, using
the Urim and Thummim, translated a "record made on parchment by John the
Revelator." Although it is not known whether Joseph Smith actually had this
document, he provided a translation of it. Since it is not known just how Joseph
Smith translated, it is reasonable to postulate that, when studying the Egyptian
papyri purchased from Michael Chandler, Joseph Smith sought revelation from the
Lord concerning them and received in that process the book of Abraham. He might
then have searched through the papyri in his possession to find illustrations
similar to those he had learned by revelation. This forms one possible
explanation of how drawings done about the first century A.D. were used to
illustrate the book of Abraham.
Michael D. Rhodes, Review of Books on the Book of Mormon, p.121
The papyri that the Church now has in its possession are clearly not all that
Joseph Smith had. There is no reason to assume that any of those we now have is
the original of the book of Abraham. In fact, there is good reason to think that
we in fact do not have the original. In 1842, the fragments we now have were
described as being mounted in "a number of glazed slides, like picture
frames, containing sheets of papyrus, with Egyptian inscriptions and
hieroglyphics."3 The next year, in 1843, Charlotte Haven, a nonmember,
visited Joseph Smith's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, and wrote a letter to her own
mother about it, saying: "Then she [Mother Smith] turned to a long table,
set her candlestick down, and opened a long role of manuscript [italics added],
saying it was 'the writing of Abraham and Isaac written in Hebrew and Sanskrit,'
and she read several minutes from it as if it were English."4 Thus a
contemporary source indicates that the scroll of the book of Abraham was not
part of the papyri fragments now in the possession of the Church.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, BOOK OF ABRAHAM
On July 5, 1835, the Prophet recorded, "I commenced the translation of some
of the characters or hieroglyphics, and much to our joy found that one of the
rolls contained the writings of Abraham…. Truly we can say, the Lord is
beginning to reveal the abundance of peace and truth" (HC 2:236). After
delays, Joseph Smith appointed two men on November 2, 1837, to raise funds to
help translate and print the book of Abraham. But because of further
difficulties, he was unable to begin publishing for four more years. The book of
Abraham was first printed in three issues of the Times and Seasons on March 1,
March 15, and May 16, 1842. These installments contained the entire current book
of Abraham, including the three facsimiles. In February 1843, Joseph Smith
promised that more of the book of Abraham would be published. However, continued
harassment by enemies kept the Prophet from ever publishing more of the record.
It did receive considerable notoriety when several prominent eastern newspapers
in the United States reprinted Facsimile 1 and part of the text from the Times
and Seasons publication.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, BOOK OF ABRAHAM
In summary, the numerous similarities that the book of Abraham and associated
Latter-day Saint doctrines share with both Egyptian religious texts and recently
discovered pseudepigraphical writings may confirm further the authenticity of
the Joseph Smith Translation known as the book of Abraham. A major question
about its authenticity continues to revolve around whether Joseph Smith
translated the work from the papyrus fragments the Church now has in its
possession or whether he used the Urim and Thummim to receive the text of the
book of Abraham by revelation, as is the case with the translation of the scroll
of John the Revelator, found in Doctrine and Covenants section 7, or the Book of
Moses, which is excerpted from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible and is
also found in the Pearl of Great Price. From these examples, it is evident that
for Joseph Smith it was not necessary to possess an original text in order to
have its translation revealed to him. In his function as prophet, seer, and
revelator, many channels were open to him to receive information by divine
inspiration.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.3, PAPYRI, JOSEPH SMITH
The term "Joseph Smith papyri" refers narrowly to twelve extant pieces
of the Egyptian papyrus that the Prophet Joseph Smith acquired from Michael H.
Chandler in July 1835. Located in the Church Archives, these fragments range in
size from 7.5 in. x 12.5 in. to 6.5 in. x 4.5 in. Facsimile No. 1 in the book of
Abraham came from one of these fragments. Broadly, the term also refers to
Facsimiles Nos. 2 and 3 in the same book and to papers and all the Egyptian
materials of the Kirtland period of Church history containing small sections of
copied papyrus text. The discovery and transmission of the mummies and papyri
are discussed in book of Abraham: origin.
James R. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, Vol.1, p.209
…. Much of what he sets forth in these two famous sermons he quite likely
learned from his personal contacts with Deity and His messengers. He also says
in the June 16, 1844, sermon that he learned some of the concepts of God found
in the sermon "by translating the papyrus which is now in my house."
The reference here is to the papyrus rolls of Abraham found in Egypt in 1821 and
which Joseph Smith obtained in 1835, a partial translation of which appears in
the Book of Abraham in The Pearl of Great Price.
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.96 BOOK OF JOSEPH
Two papyrus rolls were acquired by the Prophet in connection with the Egyptian
mummies purchased from Michael H. Chandler. One roll was translated and is now
published as the Book of Abraham. Translation of the other roll, which contained
the writings of Joseph who was sold into Egypt, apparently was never completed.
Enough was known of this Book of Joseph, however, for Oliver Cowdery to write
that it contained doctrine relative to the creation, the fall of man, the nature
of the Godhead, and the final judgment (Milton R. Hunter Pearl of Great Price
Commentary, pp. 1-40.)
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.97 BOOK OF JOSEPH
As to the papyrus rolls which the Prophet had, after his death they fell into
the hands of apostates and enemies of the Church. As far as is known they were
destroyed in the great Chicago fire in 1871. But the day shall come when the
Book of Joseph shall be restored and its contents shall be known again. This we
know because the Brass Plates themselves are yet to be translated and sent forth
"unto every nation, kindred tongue, and people." (Alma 37:3-5.)
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, BOOK OF ABRAHAM
A number of pseudepigraphic texts purporting to be accounts from the life of
Abraham have come to light since Joseph Smith's day, such as the Apocalypse of
Abraham and the Testament of Abraham, documents that exhibit notable
similarities with the book of Abraham. For example, in chapter 12 of the
Testament of Abraham there is a description of the judgment of the dead that
matches in minute detail the scene depicted in Facsimile 3 of the book of
Abraham and, incidentally, chapter 125 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. In
fact, parallels to almost every verse in the book of Abraham can be found in the
pseudepigraphical writings about Abraham.
Tom Nibley, Review of Books on the Book of Mormon, p.274
Since Joseph Smith actually possessed quite a number of perfectly preserved,
beautifully written Egyptian manuscripts adorned with rubrics [the red
characters], there is no reason to doubt that he was describing such a document
as the source of "the record of Abraham and Joseph." And there can be
no doubt whatever that the manuscript he was describing was and is an entirely
different one from that badly written, poorly preserved little text, entirely
devoid of rubrics, which is today identified as the Book of Breathings. One
cannot insist too strongly on this point, since it is precisely the endlessly
repeated claim that the Book of Breathings has been "identified as the very
source of the Book of Abraham" on which the critics of Joseph Smith have
rested their whole case, oblivious to the howling absurdity of insisting that
the book was produced in a manner in which, as they tirelessly demonstrate, no
book could possibly be produced, ever!3