Anthon Transcript, Tironian Notes and LDS Odds for Salvation
Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 5:24 pm
What’s Up, My Honky Friends,
Here’s a bit of information about Tironian Notes, the earliest form of Latin shorthand. I’m not the first one to notice the similarities between the so-called Anthon Transcript and Tironian Notes. But since it’s new to me, I have been a little interested in it.
Here is an article from a church critic about the possible connection between the Anthon Transcript and Tironian Notes: http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/2000s/2001RBSt.htm
And, here is another one, slighly more objective and less critical, from a non-LDS code and cipher enthusiast named Nick Pelling: http://www.ciphermysteries.com/2009/06/ ... transcript (In a nutshell, Pelling disputes that the Anthon Transcript is a form of shorthand of any language. He likewise doesn’t see any connection to any known Egyptian writing systems, but isn’t ready to call the Anthon Transcript a fake, or that it consists of made-up letters or characters. He is open to the possibility that the transcript contains authentic writing, but frankly notes that there is no credible evidence of it yet.)
Above: The column on the left is made up of characters from the "Anthon Transcript”. The column on the right contains Tironian notes, the Latin shorthand upon which early modern shorthand was based.
Above: The Wikipedia image for Tironian Notes.
Above: The so-called “Anthon Transcript”, which most scholars accept as a holograph of Joseph Smith, even though it differs in appearance and arrangement from what Prof. Anthon indicated in his two accounts of the meeting with Martin Harris.
Above: Mark Hofman’s forgery the “Anthon Transcript”, which fooled everybody for several years as the authentic document shown to Prof. Anthon (it matches Anthon’s description of the document much more closely than the traditional transcript). The church bought this from Hofman for $20,000. I figure that since I came back into Church activity in late 2008, I’ve paid well over $20,000 in tithing, so I’m glad that my contribution has been able to put the church back in the black as far as Hofman’s Anthon Transcript is concerned.
In closing, here are some comforting and tender words of optimism and hope from Joseph Fielding Smith, from Vol. 2 (page 15) of his collected writings known as “Doctrines of Salvation”.
Amen. Not good odds if you're LDS.
Here’s a bit of information about Tironian Notes, the earliest form of Latin shorthand. I’m not the first one to notice the similarities between the so-called Anthon Transcript and Tironian Notes. But since it’s new to me, I have been a little interested in it.
Here is an article from a church critic about the possible connection between the Anthon Transcript and Tironian Notes: http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/2000s/2001RBSt.htm
And, here is another one, slighly more objective and less critical, from a non-LDS code and cipher enthusiast named Nick Pelling: http://www.ciphermysteries.com/2009/06/ ... transcript (In a nutshell, Pelling disputes that the Anthon Transcript is a form of shorthand of any language. He likewise doesn’t see any connection to any known Egyptian writing systems, but isn’t ready to call the Anthon Transcript a fake, or that it consists of made-up letters or characters. He is open to the possibility that the transcript contains authentic writing, but frankly notes that there is no credible evidence of it yet.)
Above: The column on the left is made up of characters from the "Anthon Transcript”. The column on the right contains Tironian notes, the Latin shorthand upon which early modern shorthand was based.
Above: The Wikipedia image for Tironian Notes.
Above: The so-called “Anthon Transcript”, which most scholars accept as a holograph of Joseph Smith, even though it differs in appearance and arrangement from what Prof. Anthon indicated in his two accounts of the meeting with Martin Harris.
Above: Mark Hofman’s forgery the “Anthon Transcript”, which fooled everybody for several years as the authentic document shown to Prof. Anthon (it matches Anthon’s description of the document much more closely than the traditional transcript). The church bought this from Hofman for $20,000. I figure that since I came back into Church activity in late 2008, I’ve paid well over $20,000 in tithing, so I’m glad that my contribution has been able to put the church back in the black as far as Hofman’s Anthon Transcript is concerned.
In closing, here are some comforting and tender words of optimism and hope from Joseph Fielding Smith, from Vol. 2 (page 15) of his collected writings known as “Doctrines of Salvation”.
NOT HALF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS TO BE SAVED. Those who receive the fulness
will be privileged to view the face of our Father. There will not be such an overwhelming
number of the Latter-day Saints who will get there. President Francis M. Lyman many times
has declared, and he had reason to declare, I believe, that if we save one-half of the
Latter-day Saints, that is, with an exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God, we will be
doing well. Not that the Lord is partial, not that he will draw the line as some will say, to
keep people out. He would have every one of us go in if we would; but there are laws and
ordinances that we must keep; if we do not observe the law we cannot enter.
Many come into the Church, like fish that are gathered into the net, that have to be sorted
and thrown out again or put into piles where they belong. And so it will be with us
Amen. Not good odds if you're LDS.
