Book of Mormon/Anachronisms/Gold plates/CriticalSources

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Source(s) of the criticism

Claims about Joseph forging some fake plates

  • Oliver Cowdery, "Trouble in the West.”," Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate 1 no. 7 (April 1835), 104–107. off-site
    Oliver Cowdery discusses the novel claim that Joseph sold books and forged copper plates.

Claims about the weight of the plates

  • A Little Talk, Between John Robinson and his Master about Mormonism, Shewing its Origin, Absurdity, and Impiety (Bedford: W. White, 1840), 1–8. off-site
  • La Roy Sunderland, “Mormonism,” Zion’s Watchman (New York) 3, no. 9 (3 March 1838): n.p.. off-site
    Complains that Joseph's "brass plates" would be too heavy to carry!

General criticism against Book of Mormon witnesses

Criticisms of Book of Mormon witnesses
  • “Martin Harris, the Mormon,” Rochester Daily Democrat (New York) (23 June 1841). off-site
    Reports Martin Harris' murder, and implies this may be to silence him from renouncing his witness.
    • Painesville Telegraph (Ohio) (30 June 1841). off-site
      Rebuts the claims of Martin's death.
  • “Extraordinary Imposition of the ‘Latter Day Saints’—Mormonism—Matter for the Consideration of every good citizen—Important Facts—All should feel that they have a direct interest in them. From the Saturday Courier,” Western Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio) (21 July 1841). off-site
  • Richard Abanes, Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism (Harvest House Publishers: 2005). 62, 361 n. 69-72. ( Index of claims ) (Sources: Palmer)
  • Origen Bachelor, Mormonism Exposed Internally and Externally (New York: Privately Published, 1838), 5–7. off-site
  • “Mormonism—No. III,” Ezra Booth to Rev. I. Eddy, 24 October 1831 Ohio Star (Ravenna, Ohio) (27 October 1831). off-site
  • Origen Bachelor, Mormonism Exposed Internally and Externally (New York: Privately Published, 1838), 36–37. off-site
  • Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945), Chapter 5. ( Index of claims )
  • Henry Caswall, The Prophet of the Nineteenth Century, or, the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the Mormons, or Latter-Day Saints : To Which Is Appended an Analysis of the Book of Mormon (London: Printed for J. G. F. & J. Rivington, 1843), 46–47. off-site
  • John A. Clark, “Gleanings by the way. No. VI,” Episcopal Recorder (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) (5 September 1840): 94. off-site
  • John A. Clark, “Gleanings by the Way. No. VII,” Episcopal Recorder (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) 18, no. 25 (12 September 1840), n.p.. off-site
  • John A. Clark, “Gleanings by the Way No. X,” Episcopal Recorder (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) (10 October 1840): 114-115. off-site
  • Contender Ministries, Questions All Mormons Should Ask Themselves. Answers
  • Samuel Haining, Mormonism Weighed in the Balances of the Sanctuary, and Found Wanting: The Substance of Four Lectures (Douglas: Robert Fargher, 1840), 45. off-site
  • Eber D. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed (Painesville, OH, 1834), 13–. (Affidavits examined) off-site
  • James H. Hunt, Mormonism: Embracing the Origin, Rise and Progress of the Sect (St. Louis: Ustick and Davies, 1844), 7-11, 58-67. off-site
  • E. G. Lee, The Mormons, or Knavery Exposed (Frankford, Philadelphia: Webber & Fenimore, 1841), 1. off-site Full title
  • Richard Livesey, An Exposure of Mormonism, being a statement of facts relating to the self-styled “Latter day Saints,” and the Origin of the Book of Mormon (Preston: J. Livesey, 1838), 2. off-site
  • Walter Martin, The Kingdom of the Cults (Revised) (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1997), 204. ( Index of claims )
  • Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson, Mormonism 101. Examining the Religion of the Latter-day Saints (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2000), Chapter 8. ( Index of claims )
  • Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002) Chapter 6. ( Index of claims )
  • Parley P. Pratt to Oliver Cowdery, 26 May 1836, "[No title]," Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate 2 no. 8 (May 1836), 318–20. off-site
    Discusses Pratt's missionary encounter with this criticism.
  • La Roy Sunderland, “Mormonism,” Zion’s Watchman (New York) 3, no. 9 (3 March 1838): 34, citing Howe. off-site
  • Jerald and Sandra Tanner, The Changing World of Mormonism (Moody Press, 1979), 94–97, 108.( Index of claims )
  • Dan Vogel (editor), Early Mormon Documents (Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 1996–2003), 5 vols, 3:464–472.
  • Dan Vogel, Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2004), 466–469
  • Dan Vogel, "The Validity of the Witnesses' Testimonies," in American Apocrypha, ed. Dan Vogel and Brent Lee Metcalfe (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002), 79–121.
  • William S. West, A Few Interesting Facts, Respecting the Rise Progress and Pretensions of the Mormons (1837), 15-16. off-site
    Saw plates "only in their imagination."

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