Published 1823, first edition 1825, second edition 1830, first edition location vermont poultney, rutland county note. The only reason why this book continues to be in print is because its been cited as a possible source of influence on the writers of the book of mormon. Mark twain once said after reading the book of mormon, it is chloroform in print. Brodie, biographer of joseph smith, have noted similarities in the content of view of the hebrews and the book of mormon, which was first published in 1830, seven years after ethan smiths book. Some have suggested that the source for much of the history and theology in the book of mormon was an early nineteenthcentury book entitled view of the hebrews, by ethan smith. This is where ethan smith enters the picture with his book view of the hebrews. Parallels between view of the hebrews and the book of mormon it has been argued that there are significant parallels between view of the hebrews and the book of mormon. First of 15 parts of online version of 1824 book view of the hebrews by.
Roberts 18571933, a general authority of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, which examine the validity of the book of mormon as a translation of an ancient american source. Ethan smith suggests that native americans are descendants of the ten lost tribes of israel. View of the hebrews would be just another one of those early 19thcentury 10 lost tribes theories were it not for the fact that ethan smith and oliver cowdery shared the same time and place and that there are so many parallels between view and the book of mormon. Book of mormonauthorship theoriesview of the hebrews. Ethan smiths book was published in the adjoining county west of windsor county, where joseph smith was born and lived from 1805 to 1811. The intent in publishing it has been to make it available to all interested readerswhether critics, believers in the book of mormon. We cannot guarantee that view of the hebrews book is in the library, but if you are still not sure with the service, you can choose free trial service. View of the hebrews was published in 1823 and a second edition was published in 1825. This was a relatively common view during the early nineteenth century, as most europeans and americans had a view of history as biblical. Featured lds did joseph smith and the 1830 bom plagairize the 1823 book view of the hebrews.
View of the hebrews1823 book of mormon1829 very very. The intent in publishing it has been to make it available to all interested readers whether critics, believers in the book of mormon, or scholars of early american. Roberts took the position of examining the book of mormon from a critical perspective in order to alert the general authorities to possible future avenues of attack by critics. Oliver cowdery, one of the bom witnesses, just so happened to be a member of ethan smiths church from1821 1825 or 1826 during which time ethan. This book is a faithful and accurate reproduction of the 1825 second edition of view of the hebrews. Jesus ben anunus did not have stones thrown at him. It is known that the book was sold in palmyra bookstores, and the author came through palmyra twice on tours promoting the book. Studies center republished the 1825 edition of view of the hebrews in 1996. Get the latest updates on book of mormon topics and research for free.
Contains reprint of the parallels between the book of mormon and the view of the hebrews, by the mormon historian b. Similarities with the view of the hebrews if you follow any of the above links, please respect the rules of reddit and dont vote in the other threads. The full title of the 1825 edition is view of the hebrews. The mormon historian, bh roberts one of the foremost scholars the mormon church ever had read the book a view of the hebrews, and was so impressed by the many coincidences between this book and the book of mormon, he prepared a manuscript in which he presented these parallels. It is often represented by mormon speakers and writers, that the book of mormon was the first to represent the american indians as the descendants of the hebrews. His book contained reports from missionaries and traders who lived among the indians. If joseph smith composed this book, the act was a miracle.
View of the hebrew written by administrator tuesday, 27 april 2010 08. It was first published in 1823 the book of mormon was published 6 years later in 1829. It was not long, however, before a number of people realised that the view of the hebrews and the book of mormon had some. The book of mormon, as it was called, purported to tell the story of the first americans by giving them a hebrew ancestry. Ethan smith pastored a church in poultney, vt which was adjacent to the county where joseph smith lived in ny. The book of mormon, of course, makes precisely this claim about baptism, along with several others that likewise cannot be reconciled with the nineteenthcentury model explaining indian origins.
The author ethan smith was the pastor of the religious congregation in which the oliver cowdrey family attended. As some critics who relate joseph smiths book of mormon to ethan smiths view of the hebrews have pointed out, oliver cowdery, josephs cousin and his scribe during the writing of the mormon scripture, had lived in poultney for twentytwo years until 1825. What the critics say is that the source of the book of mormon or rather the. There are a significant number of differences between the two books. If the view of the hebrews served as the basis for the book of mormon, one would think that the bible scriptures used by ethan smith would be mined by joseph smith for the book of mormon. Book of mormon and view of the hebrews parallels life. Numerous commentators on mormon history, from lds church general authority b. Lds did joseph smith and the 1830 bom plagairize the. Joseph smith quoted view of the hebrews as supporting the book of mormon. View of the hebrews 1825 edition introduction mormons in. Pdf view of the hebrews ebooks includes pdf, epub and. In order to read online or download view of the hebrews ebooks in pdf, epub, tuebl and mobi format, you need to create a free account.
In the book of mormon the claim is they spoke hebrew but wrote it in egyptian symbols, as time went on they created their own shorthand and their hebrew also. Ethan smith was a minister of a congregational church in poultney, vermont from 1821 to 1826 when he wrote view of the hebrews. Thus it was that the further i read in view of the hebrews. Another look at book of mormon and view of the hebrews parallels 04102019 by lifeafterministry if such may have been the fact, that a part of the ten tribes came over to america, in the way we have supposed, leaving the cold regions of assareth behind them in quest of a milder climate, it would be natural to look for tokens of the presence. Similarities between the book of mormon and view of the hebrews book duration. While some have claimed it to be a source for the book of mormon.
Similarities with the view of the hebrews rmormonscholar book of mormon issue 8. Well, if joseph smith used ethan smiths view of the hebrews as the main source for the book of mormon, as many critics claim, it is a miracle for the same. Woodbridge riley argued joseph smith and oliver cowdery worked from ethan smiths view of the hebrews, a book tracing american indian descent to the lost tribes of israel. Oliver cowdery, one of the book of mormon witnesses, lived in poultney when view of the hebrews was published. Alleged relationships of view of the hebrews to the book of mormon have attracted interest periodically through the years. This book is significant for it contains parallels to the content of the book of mormon. The hebrew nation there was for many centuries the cradle of the true and only church of god on earth. Studies of the book of mormon is a collection of essays written at the beginning of the 20th century though not published until 1985 by b. The intent in publishing it has been to make it available to all interested readerswhether critics, believers in the book of mormon, or scholars of early american.
After his death, his son delivered copies of these parallels. View of the hebrews proposes that the american indians are descended from the lost ten tribes of israel. View of the hebrews, or, the tribes of isreal in america. Having now done so i do not see it as a blue print for the book of mormon, but a lot of the themes. Another look at book of mormon and view of the hebrews. The book of mormon also takes many of its concepts from a book called view of the hebrews, published in 1825 by ethan smith not related to joseph smith five years prior to the book of mormon s publication. These tribes were said to have disappeared after being taken captive by the assyrians in the 8th century bce. Oliver cowdery, one of the bom witnesses, just so happened to be a member of ethan smiths church from18211825 or 1826 during which time ethan smith wrote and published his book. Despite the churchs claims, the roots of mormonism, rather than being ancient and old world, are often instead nineteenth century and very american. Ethan smith republished view of the hebrews, revised and enlarged, in 1835. For almost a century critics of the authenticity of the book of mormon have claimed that view of the hebrews, first published by ethan smith in 1823 2d ed.
Also contains the parallels between view of the hebrews and the book of mormon by mormon historian b. Photo reprint of the 1825 edition that is believed to have influenced joseph smith during his creation of the book of mormon. View of the hebrews 1825 edition introduction mormons in transition. View of the hebrews 1825 edition chapter 1a mormons. View of the hebrews is an 1823 book written by ethan smith, a united states congregationalist minister, who argued that native americans were descended from the ten lost tribes of israel.
View of the hebrews 1823 book of mormon 1829 very very similar stories. Did ethan smiths view of the hebrews furnish structural material. The first concerns a book called view of the hebrews, which was published in vermont in 1823, with a second edition coming out in 1825. View of the hebrews 1825 by ethan smith this book, written by a minister named ethan smith, contained stories and information proposing that the first settlers of ancient america were the lost ten tribes of israel.
Joseph smith had used view of the hebrews as a source in composing the book of mormon, or that. The book and the man, joseph smith, kindled a religion that today numbers over nine million members. Scripture use in view of the hebrews and the book of mormon. The view of the hebrews theory was examined in detail by b. A potent representation of how the book of mormon follows popular but ultimately falsified early 19th century beliefs about the native americans and a possible direct source of influence for some specific book of mormon content in 1922 lds leader bh roberts stated the following. First of 15 parts of online version of 1824 book view of the hebrews by ethan smith. View of the hebrews flooded the area in which joseph smith lived. Interestingly, oliver cowdery, scribe, and later witness of the book of mormon, lived in poultney for 22 years until 1825.
View of the hebrews is an 1823 book written by ethan smith, a congregationalist minister in. View of the hebrews and the book of mormon book of. If ethan smith suspected or even wished to charge that the book of mormon plagiarized or purloined from his work, it is strange that he proceeded as if there was no relationship between the two books. Roberts 18571933, a prominent lds apologist and historian, roberts was ranked the greatest intellectual in mormon history in surveys by lds scholars. Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon central. The book of mormon, published in 1830, and ethan smiths 1823 book view of the hebrews parallel each other in some two dozen general themes. Is view of the hebrews a source for the book of mormon. Contrary to popular belief, the book of mormon was not the first to.
Was the view of the hebrews theory of book of mormon origin. Joseph smith was born in vermont, but the book of mormon was first published in palmyra new york, a good distance away. Ethan smith, pastor of the congregational church in poultney, vermont, argued that the native americans were scattered israelites who would soon be restored into the gospel fold. The intent in publishing it has been to make it available to all interested readerswhether critics, believers in the book of mormon, or scholars of early american religious history.
1023 573 211 911 949 16 1170 785 82 954 88 1577 1164 594 962 1325 1504 264 441 537 1468 181 1550 38 31 43 576 441 1239 365 1029 761 393 153 58 169 956 153 106 463 594 1157