What moroni hid up in the hill cumorah and delivered to joseph smith was one volume of gold plates containing three separate records. The plates of brass yet to carry out a great mission meridian. Thus, if these are indeed the plates of mormon, as. Book of mormon the idea of an ancient record on gold plates was one of the most mocked claims of joseph smith. Nephi was instructed by the spirit to obtain the plates, and the spirit explained that, in so doing, nephi.
The book of mormon does tell how the prophet lehi came to possess the plates of brass. They offered laban gold, silver and all sorts of precious things in exchange for the plates. Ancient metal plates book of mormon archaeological forum. Two top plates are made of brass and imprinted with reformed egyptian characters. The various plates and records referred to in the book of mormon and used in making it are 1 the plates of brass. Did the mormon church once promise to show the golden plates to the world.
Josephs preface and a testimonial written by a group of eight witnesses described the plates as having an appearance of gold. Brass plates 2 mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. When he was finished translating the book of mormon, joseph gave the. To make sure the record would not deteriorate over time, the record keepers used gold or an alloy of gold to engrave their writings upon. The plates of brass are integral to the story and message of the book of mormon. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of. Mormon and moroni, the book says, had abridged earlier historical records from other sets of metal plates. One of the most distinctive aspects of the book of mormon is its physical form. Make your own brass or gold plates, or liahona, this. The brass plates were a set of plates retrieved by nephi at the direction of his father, lehi. By richard packham one of the first dramatic episodes in the book of mormon is the story of how lehis family was able, with gods help, to obtain the brass plates from their custodian laban 1. David whitmer, and martin harris see the testimony of three witnesses, book of mormon. The story of the gold plates cannot be underestimated, for without them there can be no book of mormon. Nephi and his brothers went to their old home in jerusalem and gathered their gold and silver to exchange for the plates.
The lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. The book of mormon is a translation of ancient gold plates, which is not easily understood by our young kids. The information on the plates of brass gave nephi the instructions for constructing many things, including a temple like solomons. Of what material were the book of mormon gold plates. The plates of mormon, which, except for the sealed portion, were subsequently translated by joseph smith, are known today as the gold plates. Did moroni take it with him with the gold plates or did he bury them with the rest of the plates mormon acquired. The following other plates are described in the book of mormon. But, what never seems to go away for book of mormon critics are those pesky witnesses. The gold plates that the prophet joseph smith received and translated were the plates of mormon on which mormon and his son moroni 2 made their abridgment. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. It was the upper plates of the plates of mormon which were translated both into the book of lehi 116 pages and also the book of mormon.
The caption went on to say, this tablet is about the size of the gold plates of the book of mormon. In his book titled an approach to the book of mormon, dr. Joseph smith claimed he translated the book of mormon from a set of golden plates that were given to him by an angel named moroni. The gold plates that the prophet joseph smith received and translated were the. What parts of the old testament were on the plates of brass. The story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a great apostasy. The latest lds, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and mormon church news from the online home of the lds music and books. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. Lehi sends his sons back to jerusalem to get the brass plates from king laban. The influence of the brass plates on the teachings of.
One of the first dramatic episodes in the book of mormon is the story of how lehis family was able, with gods help, to obtain the brass plates from their custodian laban 1 nephi 3 5. What we know about the sword of laban this book of mormon sacred relic still exists. The remaining plates are of a paper composite material colored gold but with no inscriptions. The book of mormon plates religious studies center. The plates of brass have not yet to play the powerful role that is. However, plates mentioned in the book of mormon, such as labans plates of brass, ethers 24 gold plates, and the record that moroni eventually buried were all made by cultures that lived in. When reading through the book of mormon, one finds references to many different parts of the old testament. The story of both sets of plates is told in the book of mormon, which is a translation of the golden plates, which is a collection of sacred. Nephi was instructed by the spirit to obtain the plates, and the spirit explained. The plates of brass contained a copy of the law five books of moses, a history of the jews, lehis genealogy, and the writings of many. He placed his value in the plates and his trust in the lord, not in gold and silver. The gold plates are records of gods dealing with ancient inhabitants of the americas and contain the fullness of the everlasting gospel of jesus christ.
The content of the gold plates of the book of mormon. When joseph smith uncovered the urim and thummim with the gold plates. We know, for example, that the brass plates were of an alloy quite surely bronze, a coppertin mixture. If this was so important, what happened to the brass plates.
What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith. You try spraying, scrubbing, and still were left with so many persons whose. The book is made of a set of twelve metal plates, each measuring six inches 15 cm in width, eight inches 20 cm in length approximately half an inch 1. The nephites were aware of purity distinctions and alloys.
Nephi explained that laban also was a descendant of joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept. Like the dead sea scrolls and the nag hammadi library, the book of mormon was stored away for over a millennia. As a result of a dream, lehi sends his sons back to jerusalem to obtain sacred records on plates of brass from a wicked. How to make the golden plates with kids eve out of the. The book of mormon testifies that record keeping is critical, particularly in the development and preservation of a civilization. Packer, in his article cumorahs cave, printed in the journal of book of mormon studies v.
When joseph smith uncovered the urim and thummim with the gold plates, he began using them and other interpreters to translate the ancient record. The golden plates were a set of plates that joseph smith, jr. Nephi said that the plates of brass contained the five books of. The book of mormon comes forth presents a sharpened picture of an important segment of lds history.
He told his brothers to have more faith in the lord and they would be able to get the brass plates. When reading through the book of mormon, one finds references to many. Do mormons know what happened to the urim and thummim. This record was found by joseph smith as directed by an angel on gold alloy plates. Manchester, ny a team of archaeologists excavating a drumlin known as mormon hill or the cumorah, in western new york, have discovered a set of gold plates which they believe could. In the book of mormon the plates of inspiration and. Book of mormon chapter the brass plates chocolate scriptures these are hershey mini bars turned into scriptures. Nephi was instructed by the spirit to obtain the plates, and the spirit explained that, in so doing, nephi would help to preserve a people. After fleeing jerusalem, lehi was commanded by god to send his sons back to the city to obtain the plates from laban. Nephi is led by the spirit to obtain the plates of brass. The book of mormon itself portrays the golden plates as a historical record, engraved by two precolumbian prophethistorians from around the year ad 400.
A true testimony of the book of mormon comes from reading it and, as counseled by moroni in a promise he left to us in moroni 10. Brass plates mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Described as a compass made of curious workmanship and brass, the instrument had. Nephi said they could not return without the brass plates.
Replica gold plates book of mormon book of mormon, book. The gold plates were a combination of records my intent in writing a blog is to introduce sincere investigators to the book of mormon. Those who saw the ancient nephite record described it as being engraved onto. There is no specific reference in the book of mormon to the origin of the brass plates. The plates he held referred to several other sets of plates and records, an understanding of which is necessary to understand the book of mormon. Most contemporary old testament scholars question whether moses wrote the pentateuch, but the book of mormon affirms moses authorship. The plates later played an important role in the religious life of lehis righteous descendants, the nephites. When discussing melchizedek in alma, for example, the book of mormon.
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