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MORMONS / LDS

The Basis of the

Joseph Smith Translation

A MORMON/LDS ICON

Bible. English. 1828. Authorized (i.e., "King James Version"). H. & E. Phinney’s stereotype edition. The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments: Together with the Apocrypha.... Cooperstown, N.Y.: H. & E. Phinney, 1828. 4to (28 cm, 11"). Frontis.; 576, 99, [1 (blank)] pp.; pp. [577–78], 579–621, 618–19 (error in printing), 625–768 (lacking pp. 765–68); 20 plts. (incl. frontis.).
$5000.00

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• A copy of this Cooperstown, 1828 edition provided the basis for Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible: He claimed to have been especially inspired by God to restore the true original text of the Scriptures, which had been corrupted by copyists, editors, and revisors. Using a copy of this edition, including the Apocrypha, as his basis, he proceeded—without benefit of knowing ancient languages and entirely by revelation—to dictate additions, deletions, and changes to the text, which were written down by elders of the Mormon Church and incorporated into what became known as the Joseph Smith translation. This process of revision or “translation” was begun in 1830 and the bulk of it was completed by the end of 1833. The result is a unique text that differs from the Authorized Version in at least 3,410 verses, as well as substantially differing from all other versions of the Bible. Many of the changes made purport to correct verses that imply that God is the author of evil, while some others are on unique points of Mormon doctrine.

20 wood engravings

• Hills 618; O’Callaghan 189. Contemporary plain calf, spine with raised bands, gilt-ruled above and below and with gilt-lettered title in second compartment; gilt a little rubbed. Hinges (inside) repaired with paper. Shallow chipping and tattering, and many dog ears; tears mostly in the margins of pages and plates, but a few closed tears into text, on pp. 283–84 with loss of individual letters but not of sense; tattering on last leaf just touching text, leaf repaired with cellophane on verso; tissue repairs on pp. 273–74 and on the reverse of the frontispiece. Moderately foxed throughout; lacking pp. 765–68 of supplementary material (only). Pp. 618–19 are here misprinted in place of pp. 622–23—all text being present, if out of order! This significant Bible is here in a trim, neat contemporary binding.

McMurrin Copy — Mormon Provenance

Church of Latter-day Saints. The book of Mormon: An account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi ... fifth electrotype edition. Liverpool: George Teasdale, 1889. 12mo (17.2 cm, 6.75"). xii, 623 pp.
$950.00

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Provenance: Front free endpaper with inked gift inscription reading “Compliments of Jos. W. McMurrin / July 19th 1896.” Joseph William McMurrin (1858–1932), a Mormon missionary and general authority, served as one of the seven presidents of the First Quorum of Seventy.

• Crawley 688 (for 1852 stereotyped ed.); Flake & Draper 626; Sabin 83067. Publisher's textured blue cloth, framed in blind, spine with gilt-stamped title; binding unobtrusively rebacked, showing virtually no wear. Hinges (inside) reinforced. Front free endpaper with inscription as above. (20999)

Who Wrote the Book of Mormon?

Dickinson, Ellen E. New light on Mormonism. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1885. 8vo. [8], [11]–272, 16 pp.
$100.00

Beyond matters of authorship, there is quite a lot of general Mormon history here, including a good deal on polygamy; the perspective is not friendly.

Provenance: From the libraries of the Rev. C. C. Bitting and Crozer Theological Seminary.

• Flake & Draper 2832. Publisher's green cloth, spine chipped at head and foot. Title-page separated from binding, but present; shallow chipping along edges. Short closed tears to top edge of pp. 29–32 and 103–106 and outer edge of one page chipped; several page corners chipped/creased. Ex-library with bookplate, card and pocket, pressure-stamp on title-page, inked numeral, penciled notation, two rubber-stamps. A few penciled check-marks. (24434)

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