The Golden Plates Account
An explanation of the foundational narrative behind the Book of Mormon, detailing the discovery, translation, and disappearance of the ancient record.
- The Golden Plates were an ancient record, said to be inscribed by prophets in the Americas.
- Joseph Smith claimed to unearth them in New York in 1827, guided by an angel.
- He translated their contents into the Book of Mormon, using divine assistance and instruments.
- After translation, the plates were reportedly returned to the angel, no longer visible to human eyes.
The Golden Plates refer to the ancient record Joseph Smith claimed to discover and translate, forming the source text for the Book of Mormon. Described as thin metallic sheets, bound together by rings, they were said to be inscribed with the religious history, prophecies, and teachings of ancient civilizations that lived in the Americas, written in a language Smith called "reformed Egyptian."
The Discovery of the Plates
According to Joseph Smith's account, an angel named Moroni first visited him in 1823, revealing the existence of an ancient record buried in a nearby hill. Moroni, who Smith identified as the last prophet to contribute to the plates, instructed him on where to find them—in a stone box on a prominent hill known as Cumorah, near Palmyra, New York. Smith stated that he was finally permitted to retrieve the plates four years later, on September 22, 1827.
The Translation Process
Smith reported that he translated the plates "by the gift and power of God." He did this primarily by using seer stones, sometimes referred to as the Urim and Thummim, or a single brown stone. He would place a stone in a hat, then put his face into the hat, dictating the words that appeared to scribes such as Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and his wife, Emma Smith. The plates themselves were often covered or not directly visible during much of this process.
Witnesses and Disappearance
While Joseph Smith was the primary translator, he was not the only person who claimed to have seen the Golden Plates. Eleven other men, known as the Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses, provided written testimonies affirming their experience. The Three Witnesses stated they saw the plates in a heavenly vision, shown to them by an angel, and heard the voice of God. The Eight Witnesses claimed they physically handled and examined the plates. After the translation was complete, Smith declared that the plates were returned to the angel Moroni for safekeeping, and they are no longer in human possession.
The Golden Plates account is central to the origin story of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It serves as the foundational narrative that validates Joseph Smith's prophetic calling and provides the scriptural basis for the Book of Mormon, which members consider another testament of Jesus Christ. For believers, the account confirms the divine intervention in restoring ancient truths and offers a unique perspective on religious history and the sacred record of ancient peoples.
Sources
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gospel Topics: Book of Mormon Translation
- History of the Church by Joseph Smith
- Statements of the Witnesses to the Book of Mormon
