huckelberry wrote: ↑Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:17 pmShulem, I am shocked. I have not read the book you are referring to but have heard the bit about Joseph entertaining his family with his story telling. That seems to realistically fit Joseph. I have never seen the implication you make that his family started seeing his storytelling as divinely inspired before the Book of Mormon. Are you conflating comments about different times? If not the idea that Joseph's family treated his early stories as inspired shines a real light on the motivation for Joseph to use his imagination to extend his family expectation and the role they provided for him to fallow.
Okay, for the record, I'll cut and paste exactly what's in the manuscript and provide the links so you can read the text and see the handwriting of the manuscript exactly as it's been transcribed.
Mother Lucy Smith wrote:
Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845, p.85
While Joseph remained here, the angel showed him by contrast, the difference between good and evil; and the consequenses which <would> follow both obedience and disobedience to the commandments of God, in such a striking and forcible manner, that the impression was always bright in his recolection, until the very end of his days. And, in giving a relation of this circumstance, not long prior to his death, he remarked: that ever afterwards he was willing to keep the commandments of God.
At the <above mentioned> interview, between Joseph and the angel, the angel furthermore told him that the time for the plates to be brought forth to the world, had not yet come; that he could not take them from the place wherein they were deposited, until he had learned to keep the commandments of God— not only willing, to do <it> but able to do it: He bade him come to this place every year, and at the same time of the year, where he would meet him and give him further instru[c]tions.
The following evening when the family were all together, he made known to them all which he had communicated to his father in the field, as also his finding the record, and what passed between him and the angel, while he was at the place where the plates were deposited.
Our sitting up late that evening to converse upon these things together with over exertion of mind, greatly fatigued Joseph; and when Alvin observed it he said: “now brother, let us go to bed, and rise early in the morning, in order to finish our days work at an hour before sunset; then, if mother will get our suppers early, we will have a fine long
Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845, p.86
evening, and we will all sit down, and listen to you, while you tell us the great things which God has revealed to you.” Accordingly, by sunset we were all seated, and Joseph commenced telling us the great and glorious things which God had manifested to him: But, before proceeding he charged us not to mention out of the family, what he was about to say to us; as the world was so wicked, that, when they came to a knowledge of these things, they would try to take our lives: and, that when we should obtain the plates, our names would be cast out as evil by all people: Hence the necessity of suppressing these things as much as possible, until the time should come for them to go forth to the world.
After giving us this charge, he proceeded to relate further particulars concerning the work which he was appointed to do: and we received them joyfully; and never mentioned them except among ourselves, agreeably to the instructions which he had given us.
From this time forth, Joseph continued to receive instructions from the Lord; and we, to get the children together every evening for the purpose of listening while he imparted the same to the family. I presume we presented an aspect as singular, as any family that ever lived upon the Earth face of the Earth: all seated in a circle, father, mother, sons, and daughters, and giving the most profound attention to a boy, nineteen <eighteen> years of age, who had never read the Bible through in his life; for he was much less inclined to the perusals of books then any of the rest of our children, but far more
Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845, p.87
given to meditation and deep study.
We were now confirmed in the opinion, that God was about to bring to light something upon which we could stay our minds; or, that would give us a more perfect knowledge of the plan of salvation. and redemption of the This caused us greatly to rejoice, the sweetest union and happiness pervaded our family, and peace and tranquillity reigned in our midst.
During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined: he would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent; their dress, mode of travelling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, and their buildings, with every particular; he would describe their <mode of> warfare, as also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life with them.
On the 22d of September 1824, Joseph again visited the place, where he found the plates the year before; and supposing, that the only thing required in order to possess them until the time for their translation, was, to be able to keep the commandments of God, <and> as he firmly believed that he could keep every commandment which had been given him, he fully expected to carry them home with him. Therefore, having arrived at the place and uncovered them, he put forth his hand and took them up; but, on starting off with them, the unhappy thought darted through his mind: that probably there were something else in the box besides the plates, which would be of some advantage in a precuniary point of view; So,
It is quite clear that Joseph Smith was working on his Book of Mormon novel long before he ever claimed to get the plates!
