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Difference between revisions of "Joseph Smith's education"
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| − | + | ==Was Joseph Smith illiterate?== | |
| − | + | The Church never taught that Joseph Smith was "illiterate." The official account of the First Vision refutes this, since it demonstrates that Joseph was fully capable of reading and understanding the Bible. The statement from the critics that Joseph's family "wasn't a family of illiterates" argues against a point that is never being made. | |
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| − | + | Here's what Joseph wrote in 1832 (original spelling retained): | |
| − | + | <blockquote> | |
| − | </ | + | I was born in the town of Charon [Sharon] in the <ins>State</ins> of vermont North America on the twenty third day of December AD 1805 of goodly Parents who spared no pains to instructing me in <ins>the</ins> christian religion at the age of about ten years my Father Joseph Smith Siegnior moved to Palmyra Ontario County in the State of New York and being in indigent circumstances were obliged to labour hard for the support of a large Family having nine chilldren and as it required the exertions of all that were able to render any assistance for the support of the Family therefore we were deprived of the bennifit of an education suffice it to say I was mearly instructid in reading <del>and</del> writing and the ground <ins>rules</ins> of Arithmatic which constuted my whole literary acquirements.<ref>Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, pp. 1-6. Published in: Dean Jessee, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith. This text was copied from Wikisource. The editor notes that insertions are indicated like this and deletions are indicated like this. Text in blue is in Smith's own handwriting, the remainder in the handwriting of Frederick G. Williams. {{link|url=http://en.fairmormon.org/Primary_sources/Joseph_Smith,_Jr./First_Vision_accounts/1832}}</ref> |
| − | + | </blockquote> | |
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| − | {{ | + | Emma Smith, Joseph's wife, later stated: |
| − | + | <blockquote> | |
| − | + | Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictate a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, and was present during the translation of the plates, and had cognizance of things as they transpired, it is marvelous to me, 'a marvel and a wonder,' as much so as to anyone else.<ref>Joseph Smith III, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," ''Saints' Herald'' 26 (October 1, 1879): 289–90; and Joseph Smith III, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," ''Saints' Advocate'' 2 (October 1879): 50–52.</ref> | |
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Latest revision as of 20:56, 12 April 2024
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Joseph Smith's education
Was Joseph Smith illiterate?
The Church never taught that Joseph Smith was "illiterate." The official account of the First Vision refutes this, since it demonstrates that Joseph was fully capable of reading and understanding the Bible. The statement from the critics that Joseph's family "wasn't a family of illiterates" argues against a point that is never being made.
Here's what Joseph wrote in 1832 (original spelling retained):
I was born in the town of Charon [Sharon] in the State of vermont North America on the twenty third day of December AD 1805 of goodly Parents who spared no pains to instructing me in the christian religion at the age of about ten years my Father Joseph Smith Siegnior moved to Palmyra Ontario County in the State of New York and being in indigent circumstances were obliged to labour hard for the support of a large Family having nine chilldren and as it required the exertions of all that were able to render any assistance for the support of the Family therefore we were deprived of the bennifit of an education suffice it to say I was mearly instructid in reading
andwriting and the ground rules of Arithmatic which constuted my whole literary acquirements.[1]
Emma Smith, Joseph's wife, later stated:
Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictate a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, and was present during the translation of the plates, and had cognizance of things as they transpired, it is marvelous to me, 'a marvel and a wonder,' as much so as to anyone else.[2]
Notes
- ↑ Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, pp. 1-6. Published in: Dean Jessee, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith. This text was copied from Wikisource. The editor notes that insertions are indicated like this and deletions are indicated like this. Text in blue is in Smith's own handwriting, the remainder in the handwriting of Frederick G. Williams. off-site
- ↑ Joseph Smith III, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," Saints' Herald 26 (October 1, 1879): 289–90; and Joseph Smith III, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," Saints' Advocate 2 (October 1879): 50–52.