List of references to seer stones in the Latter Day Saint movement history

Person Source Date Note Reference Cincinnati Advertiser and Ohio Phoenix 1830 June 2 “[Joseph Smith] pretended that he had been entrusted by God with a golden bible which had been always hidden from the world. Smith would put his face into a hat in which had a white stone, and pretend to read from it, while his coadjutor transcribed.”^[6] John Sheerer letter to Absalom Peters 1830 November 18 “[Joseph Smith] has been known, in these parts, for some time, as a kind of juggler, who has pretended, through a glass, to see money underground &c, &c.”^[7] W. W. Phelps From letter to E. D. Howe 1831 January 15 “Martin Harris “is honest, and sincerely declares upon his soul’s salvation that the book is true, and was interpreted by Joseph Smith, through a pair of silver spectacles, found with the plates.”^[8] Anonymous Presbyterian letter Worcester Independent Messenger 1831 May 27 “[Joseph Smith] has 10 years’ translating to do; he looks in a small stone he has, and there reads the will of the Lord and writes it for the good of his fellow-men; he can read a person’s heart by looking in his face.”^[9] Abram W. Benton, Oliver Cowdery Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate 1831 March Recollection of Smith’s June 1830 trial “For several years preceding the appearance of his book, he was about the country in the character of a glass-looker: pretending, by means of a certain stone, or glass, which he put in a hat, to be able to discover lost goods, hidden treasures, mines of gold and silver, x. Although he constantly failed in his pretensions, still he had his dupes who put implicit confidence in all his words. In this town, a wealthy farmer, named Josiah Stowell, together with others, spent large sums of money in digging for hidden money, which this Smith pretended he could see, and told them where to dig; but they never found their treasure. … During the trial it was shown that the Book of Mormon was brought to light by the same magic power by which he pretended to tell fortunes, discover hidden treasures, etc. Oliver Cowdery, one of the three witnesses to the book, testified under oath, that said Smith found with the plates, from which he translated his book, two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows. That by looking through these, he was able to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates. So much for the gift and power of God, by which Smith says he translated his book. Two transparent stones, undoubtedly of the same properties, and the gift of the same spirit as the one in which he looked to find his neighbor’s goods.”^[10] Ezra Booth Ravenna Ohio Star 1831 October 24 Booth had become antagonistic, and wrote a series of letters denouncing Smith. “These treasures were discovered several years since, by means of the dark glass, the same with which Smith says he translated most of the Book of Mormon.”^[11] Anonymous Preacher New Hampshire Gazette 1831 October 25 “At the place appointed he found in the earth a box which contained a set of thin plates resembling gold, with Arabic characters inscribed on them. The plates were minutely described as being connected with rings in the shape of the letter D, which facilitated the opening and shutting of the book. The preacher said he found in the same place two stones with which he was enabled by placing them over his eyes and putting his head in a dark corner to decipher the hieroglyphics on the plates!”^[12] Joseph Smith 1832 History 1832 Written in Smith’s own handwriting “I am not learned but the Lord had prepared spectacles for to read the Book therefore I commenced translating the characters and thus the Prop[h]icy of Isah was fulfilled.”^[13] Nancy Towle 1832 Book Vicissitudes 1832 She was a traveling preacher who passed through New York and visited the early church “He accordingly went; and was directed by the angel to a certain spot of ground, where was deposited a ‘Box’—and in that box contained ‘Plates;’ which resembled gold; also, a pair of ‘interpreters;’ (as he called them,) that resembled spectacles; by looking into which, he could read a writing engraven upon the plates, though to himself, in a tongue unknown.”^[14] Alexander Campbell Book Delusions: An Analysis of the Book of Mormon 1832 “It is a translation made through stone spectacles, in a dark room, and in the hat of the prophet Smith, from the reformed Egyptian!!”^[15] W. W. Phelps The Evening and Morning Star 1833 January “It was translated by the gift and power of God, by an unlearned man, through the aid of a pair of Interpreters, or spectacles—(known, perhaps in ancient days as Teraphim, or Urim and Thummim).”^[16] Joseph Knight Sr. Joseph Knight’s Recollection of Early Mormon History 1834 – 1847 (unknown exactly) Written by Knight at an unknown time before his death. “… [Joseph Smith] seamed to think more of the glasses or the urim and thummem [thummim] then [than] he did of the Plates for, says he, ‘I can see any thing; they are Marvelus.’ … now the way he translated was he put the urim and thummim into his hat and Darkned his eyes then he would take a sentance and it would apper [sic] in Brite Roman Letters. Then he would tell the writer and he would write it. Then that would go away the next sentance would Come and so on. But if it was not Spelt rite it would not go away till it was rite, so we see it was marvelous thus was the hol [whole] translated.”^[17] Peter Bauder Book The Kingdom and Gospel of Jesus Christ 1834 From October 1830 interview with Smith “He obtained a parcel of plate resembling gold, on which were engraved what he did not understand, only by the aid of a glass which he also obtained with the plate, by which means he was enabled to translate the characters on the plate into English.”^[18] Charles Anthon Mormonism Unvailed 1834 see Anthon Transcript “A ‘gold book,’ consisting of a number of plates of gold, fastened together in the shape of a book by wires of the same metal, had been dug up in the northern part of the state of New York, and along with the book an enormous pair of ‘spectacles’! These spectacles were so large, that, if a person attempted to look through them, his two eyes would have to be turned towards one of the glasses merely, the spectacles in question being altogether too large for the breadth of the human face. Whoever examined the plates through the spectacles, was enabled not only to read them, but fully to understand their meaning. All this knowledge, however, was confined at that time to a young man, who had the trunk containing the book and spectacles in his sole possession. This young man was placed behind a curtain, in the garret of a farmhouse, and, being thus concealed from view, put on the spectacles occasionally, or rather, looked through one of the glasses, deciphered the characters in the book, and, having committed some of them to paper, handed copies from behind the curtain, to those who stood on the outside. Not a word, however, was said about the plates having been deciphered ‘by the gift of God.’ Everything, in this way, was effected by the large pair of spectacles.”^[19] Willard Chase Mormonism Unvailed 1834 “Joseph’s neighbor Samuel Lawrence ‘went with him to a singular looking hill, in Manchester, and shewed him where the treasure was. Lawrence asked him if he had ever discovered anything with the plates of gold; he said no: he then asked him to look in his stone, to see if there was anything with them. He looked, and said there was nothing; he told him to look again, and see if there was not a large pair of specks with the plates; he looked and soon saw a pair of spectacles, the same with which Joseph says he translated the Book of Mormon.’ “^[20] Alva Hale Mormonism Unvailed 1834 Brother in law of Joseph Smith “‘ALVA HALE, son of Isaac Hale, states, that Joseph Smith Jr. told him that his (Smith’s) gift in seeing with a stone and hat, was a gift from God; but also states ‘that Smith told him at another time that this ‘peeping’ was all d—d nonsense. He (Smith) was deceived himself but did not intend to deceive others;—that he intended to quit the business, (of peeping) and labor for his livelihood:’ That afterwards, Smith told him, he should see the Plates from which he translated the book of Mormon;’ and accordingly at the time specified by Smith, he (Hale) ‘called to see the plates, but Smith did not show them, but appeared angry:'”^[21] Isaac Hale Mormonism Unvailed 1834 Father-in-law of Joseph Smith “The manner in which he pretended to read and interpret, was the same as when he looked for the money-diggers, with the stone in his hat, and his hat over his face, while the Book of Plates were at the same time hid in the woods!”^[22] Henry Harris Mormonism Unvailed 1834 “[Joseph Smith] had a stone which he used to put in his hat, by means of which he professed to tell people’s fortunes. … said he had a revelation from God that told him they [the plates] were hid in a certain hill and he looked in his stone and saw them in the place of deposit. … By looking on the plates he said he could not understand the words, but it was made known to him that he was the person that must translate them, and on looking through the stone was enabled to translate.”^[23] Eber D. Howe Mormonism Unvailed 1834 “Instead of looking at the characters inscribed upon the plates, the prophet was obliged to resort to the old ‘peep stone,’ which he formerly used in money-digging. This he placed in a hat, or box, into which he also thrust his face. Through the stone he could then discover a single word at a time, which he repeated aloud to his amanuensis, who committed it to paper, when another word would immediately appear, and thus the performance continued to the end of the book. Another account they give of the translation, is, that it was performed with the big spectacles before mentioned, and which were in fact, the identical Urim and Thummim mentioned in Exodus 28–30, and were brought away from Jerusalem by the heroes of the book, handed down from one generation to another, and finally buried up in Ontario county, some fifteen centuries since, to enable Smith to translate the plates without looking at them! … Now, whether the two methods for translating, one by a pair of stone spectacles ‘set in the rims of a bow;’ and the other by one stone, were provided against accident, we cannot determine—perhaps they were limited in their appropriate uses—at all events the plan meets our approbation. We are informed that Smith used a stone in a hat, for the purpose of translating the plates. The spectacles and plates were found together, but were taken from him and hid up again before he had translated one word, and he has never seen them since …”^[24] Joshua McKune Mormonism Unvailed 1834 Resident of Harmony Pennsylvania “That they informed him that ‘Smith had found a sword, breast-plate, and a pair of spectacles, at the time he found the gold plates’—that these were to be shewn to all the world as evidence of the truth of what was contained in those plates;’ and that ‘he (M’Kune) and others should see them at a specified time:'” ^[25] Isaac Hale Susquehanna Register Interview 1834 May 1 Joseph translated the Book of Mormon “with a stone in his hat, and his hat over his face, while the Book of Plates were at the same time hid in the woods.”^[26] Oliver Cowdery Messenger and Advocate 1834 October “Near the time of the setting of the Sun, Sabbath evening, April 5th, 1829, my natural eyes, for the first time beheld this brother. He then resided in Harmony, Susquehanna county Penn. On Monday the 6th, I assisted him in arranging some business of a temporal nature, and on Tuesday the 7th, commenced to write the book of Mormon. These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated, with the Urim and Thummim, or, as the Nephites whould [would] have said, “Interpreters,” the history, or record, called ‘The book of Mormon.’ “^[27] Elijah Shaw Exeter Christian Journal 1835 May 28 “Smith pretended that he had found some golden or brass plates, like the leaves of a book, hid in a box in the earth, to which he was directed by an Angel, in 1827,—that the writing on them was in the ‘Reformed Egyptian language;’—that he was inspired to interpret the writing, or engraving, by putting a plate in his hat, putting two smooth flat stones, which he found in the box, in the hat, and putting his face therein—that he could not write, but as he translated, one Oliver Cowdery wrote it down.”^[28] Patriarchal Blessing Book 1835 October 7 “The Following blessing was given by president Joseph Smith, Jr. through the Urim and Thummim, according to the spirit of prophecy and revelation, on Wednesday, the 7th of October, 1835, and written by president Frederick G. Williams, who acted as Clerk.”^[29] Edward Partridge Journal 1835 December 27 “…In the evening between 8 and 9 o’clock I was told by a young girl that she saw my wife and five children, apparently well, the little boy lying on the floor or hearth, she also said that she saw a little dark haired girl at and with Peter Whitmer’s family. The description answered for my Eliza very well as to size, etc. This girl sees by the help of a stone. She told me she saw a seer’s stone for me. It was a small blue stone with a hole in one corner, that it was 6 or 8 feet in the ground, not far from the lake shore, a little west of Buffalo on a hill, a tree growing near the spot. I think she said it was near the point of a hill.”^[30] Cleveland Whig 1835 August 5 Oliver Cowdery wrote a rebuttal to this article in the Messenger and Advocate “We are credibly informed that the Mormons have purchased of Mr. Chandler, three of the mummies, which he recently exhibited in this village; and that the prophet Joe has ascertained, by examining the papyrus through his spectacles, that they are the bodies of Joseph (the son of Abraham,) and King Abimeleck, and his daughter.”^[31] Joseph Smith Journal 1835 November 9 “Also that the Urim and Thummim, was hid up with the record, and that God would give me power to translate it, with the assistance of this instrument he then gradually vanished out of my sight, or the vision closed.”^[32] Truman Coe Hudson Ohio Observer 1836 August 11 Letter to the Editor, from interview with Joseph Smith “An angel descended and warned him that God was about to make an astonishing revelation to the world, and then directed him to go to such a place, and after prying up a stone he should find a number of plates of the color of gold inscribed with hieroglyphics, and under them a breastplate, and under that a transparent stone or stones which was the Urim and Thummin mentioned by Moses. …The manner of translation was as wonderful as the discovery. By putting his finger on one of the characters and imploring divine aid, then looking through the Urim and Thummin, he would see the import written in plain English on a screen placed before him. After delivering this to his amanuensis, he would again proceed in the same manner and obtain the meaning of the next character, and so on till he came to a part of the plates which were sealed up, and there was commanded to desist: and he says he has a promise from God that in due time he will enable him to translate the remainder.”^[33] Joseph Smith History, Vol. A-1 1838 Version is canonized by the LDS Church in the Pearl of Great Price “Also that there were two stones in silver bows and these (put in to a breast plate) which constituted what is called the Urim & Thummin deposited with the plates, and that was what constituted seers in ancient or former times and that God prepared them for the purpose of translating the book. …Immediately after my arrival there I commenced copying the characters of all the plates. I copyed a considerable number of them and by means of the Urim and Thummin I translated some of them which I did between the time I arrived at the house of my wife’s father in the month of December, and the February following. …We mutually agreed to settle by the Urim and Thummin, and the following is the word which we received; …having desired with much earnestness that I should enquire of the Lord concerning them, I did so, through the means of the Urim and Thummin and obtained for them in succession the following Revelations.”^[34] Joseph Smith Elders’ Journal 1838 July “I obtained them, and the Urim and Thummim with them; by the means of which, I translated the plates; and thus came the book of Mormon.”^[35] John Corrill A Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints Commonly Called Mormons 1839 “Through much difficulty, on account of persecution and poverty, he translated it by degrees, with the assistance of Oliver Cowdery and others, who wrote as he dictated. If I remember right, the language in which it was written on the plates, was the reformed Egyptian. And Martin Harris, who contributed much towards the publication of the Book, drew off several of the characters on paper, took them to the learned in New York, to see if they could be translated, but was requested to bring them the plates, which Smith was forbidden to do of the Lord, but was commanded to translate them himself, which he did, by the help of what he calls the Urim and Thummim, two stones set in a bow, and furnished by an Angel for that purpose. ‘After finishing the translation, the plates and stones of Urim and Thummim were again taken and concealed by the Angel for a wise purpose, and the translation published to the world in the winter of A. D. 1829 and ’30.’ “^[36]