For Fun: What If Joseph Stole Luman Walter's Book?
Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 2:45 am
Let's imagine for a moment that Abner Cole's parody of the Book of Mormon, entitled, "The Book of Pukei," which opens with an account of the treasure diggers looking for Nephite treasure, is relatively accurate, albeit exaggerated.
If so, then:
1. Luman Walter was leading treasure diggers in a search for "Nephite" treasure.
2. He carried an "old book in an unknown tongue . . . from whence he read in the presence of the [treasure diggers] strange stories of hidden treasures and of the spirit who had custody thereof."
3. The treasure diggers acclaim Walter for his ability to "interpret the book that no man understandeth, and can discover hidden things by the power of thy enchantments." So, they beseech him to "lead us . . . to the place where the Nephites buried their treasure, and give us power over "the spirit."
4. Under Walter's leadership, the treasure diggers labored many nights in vain. The diggers became restless, some declaring Walter a fraud, and so Walter took his mysterious Nephite book in an unknown tongue and departed, avoiding the law.
5. Walter's mantle falls on Joseph Smith, and the latter obtains the "Gold Bible, spectacles and breast plate."
On the one hand, it is easy to say that this is just a parody of the Book of Mormon that fancifully depicts events leading up to the book's discovery and translation. But, what if there is a measure of truth in this? What if . . . .
Luman Walter claimed he either had an ancient Indian book that contained the location of buried treasures, or that he could locate such a book. As a con artist, he could use this hoax text to convince people he had accurate knowledge of ancient treasures buried all over the area. Of course, this would make his book highly desirable. Find the book and you have the key to finding vast treasures.
The anticipation inspires men connected to the digs to claim they have seen these vast treasures in hills in the surrounding countryside. Joseph Smith is one of those who claims to see great wealth buried in the area. If we assume that Walter did not have the actual book, but claimed he could find it, then other seers might have competed to find the book. Of course, like the Book of Mormon itself, the book may have existed as a translation and as a buried artifact.
Now imagine that Joseph Smith stole Walter's manuscript, and Walter came with the treasure diggers to retrieve that manuscript from Joseph. The accounts we have of Joseph obtaining the plates only to be chased and attacked by unknown assailants would make a great deal of sense if Joseph Smith had actually stolen something that the other treasure diggers had an interest in recovering, and even a sense of entitlement to.
Joseph starts translating the plates, but he is really dictating his own version of a story that had originally been written by Luman Walter. Samuel Lawrence, who was a friend of Martin Harris but also in league with Luman Walter, steals what will subsequently be known as the Lost 116 pages. Joseph Smith claims he is unable to retranslate it because wicked men will try to alter it in order to contradict his translation. It may be that Walter and Lawrence believed that they were simply taking back what had been stolen from them in the first place, but it ended up being an altered version.
So Joseph's accusation of alteration really springs from Joseph's own theft and alteration of the Walter manuscript in the first place. Whatever you have done, you accuse your enemy of having done first. He continues with the remaining portion of his altered version of Walter's story. Walter comes into possession of what turns out to be the altered text Joseph created, and he realizes he can't do anything with it. Joseph's accusation preempts any accusation Walter may have aimed at him.
The Book of Mormon is quite different from the story Walter had written. Walter's story had a lot more to do with buried treasure and the events that led to its burial. It was intended primarily to provide fodder for his treasure digging adventures. If you look carefully, however, you can find in the Book of Mormon enough references to treasures or stories providing reasons why one should expect to find treasures, to give this fun theory at least a little plausibility.
Consider these treasures:
The Brass Plates and their guardian spirit Laban
The Sword of Laban
The Liahona
The interpreters
The buried weapons of the Anti-Lehi-Nephites
The Twenty-Four Plates of Limhi
The glass "stones" of the Brother of Jared
The throne of Shule
The gold, silver, and precious things of Emer
The "exceedingly beautiful throne" of Riplakish
All of the "fine work, fine gold, and fine workmanship" Riplakish forced his imprisoned subjects to make for him
The gold, silver, iron, and brass, copper, silks, linen, tools, weapons, and "exceedingly curious workmanship" made by the people of the Great Hunter Lib
If you think about it, the Book of Ether's preoccupation with the riches of Jaredite kings might make it an excellent candidate for Walter's original text. Smith took this much smaller narrative and built out the Book of Mormon around it.
"Joseph Smith dug into a hill reportedly for money. Through his peep stone he saw a tribal king trapped in the hill, sitting on a gold furniture." ~ Lorenzo Saunders
"At another time, [Joseph] told me that the ancient inhabitants of this country used camels instead of horses. For proof of this fact, he stated that in a certain hill on the farm of Mr. Cuyler, there was a cave containing an immense value of gold and silver, stands of arms, also, a saddle for a camel, hanging on a peg at one side of the cave." ~ Peter Ingersoll
If so, then:
1. Luman Walter was leading treasure diggers in a search for "Nephite" treasure.
2. He carried an "old book in an unknown tongue . . . from whence he read in the presence of the [treasure diggers] strange stories of hidden treasures and of the spirit who had custody thereof."
3. The treasure diggers acclaim Walter for his ability to "interpret the book that no man understandeth, and can discover hidden things by the power of thy enchantments." So, they beseech him to "lead us . . . to the place where the Nephites buried their treasure, and give us power over "the spirit."
4. Under Walter's leadership, the treasure diggers labored many nights in vain. The diggers became restless, some declaring Walter a fraud, and so Walter took his mysterious Nephite book in an unknown tongue and departed, avoiding the law.
5. Walter's mantle falls on Joseph Smith, and the latter obtains the "Gold Bible, spectacles and breast plate."
On the one hand, it is easy to say that this is just a parody of the Book of Mormon that fancifully depicts events leading up to the book's discovery and translation. But, what if there is a measure of truth in this? What if . . . .
Luman Walter claimed he either had an ancient Indian book that contained the location of buried treasures, or that he could locate such a book. As a con artist, he could use this hoax text to convince people he had accurate knowledge of ancient treasures buried all over the area. Of course, this would make his book highly desirable. Find the book and you have the key to finding vast treasures.
The anticipation inspires men connected to the digs to claim they have seen these vast treasures in hills in the surrounding countryside. Joseph Smith is one of those who claims to see great wealth buried in the area. If we assume that Walter did not have the actual book, but claimed he could find it, then other seers might have competed to find the book. Of course, like the Book of Mormon itself, the book may have existed as a translation and as a buried artifact.
Now imagine that Joseph Smith stole Walter's manuscript, and Walter came with the treasure diggers to retrieve that manuscript from Joseph. The accounts we have of Joseph obtaining the plates only to be chased and attacked by unknown assailants would make a great deal of sense if Joseph Smith had actually stolen something that the other treasure diggers had an interest in recovering, and even a sense of entitlement to.
Joseph starts translating the plates, but he is really dictating his own version of a story that had originally been written by Luman Walter. Samuel Lawrence, who was a friend of Martin Harris but also in league with Luman Walter, steals what will subsequently be known as the Lost 116 pages. Joseph Smith claims he is unable to retranslate it because wicked men will try to alter it in order to contradict his translation. It may be that Walter and Lawrence believed that they were simply taking back what had been stolen from them in the first place, but it ended up being an altered version.
So Joseph's accusation of alteration really springs from Joseph's own theft and alteration of the Walter manuscript in the first place. Whatever you have done, you accuse your enemy of having done first. He continues with the remaining portion of his altered version of Walter's story. Walter comes into possession of what turns out to be the altered text Joseph created, and he realizes he can't do anything with it. Joseph's accusation preempts any accusation Walter may have aimed at him.
The Book of Mormon is quite different from the story Walter had written. Walter's story had a lot more to do with buried treasure and the events that led to its burial. It was intended primarily to provide fodder for his treasure digging adventures. If you look carefully, however, you can find in the Book of Mormon enough references to treasures or stories providing reasons why one should expect to find treasures, to give this fun theory at least a little plausibility.
Consider these treasures:
The Brass Plates and their guardian spirit Laban
The Sword of Laban
The Liahona
The interpreters
The buried weapons of the Anti-Lehi-Nephites
The Twenty-Four Plates of Limhi
The glass "stones" of the Brother of Jared
The throne of Shule
The gold, silver, and precious things of Emer
The "exceedingly beautiful throne" of Riplakish
All of the "fine work, fine gold, and fine workmanship" Riplakish forced his imprisoned subjects to make for him
The gold, silver, iron, and brass, copper, silks, linen, tools, weapons, and "exceedingly curious workmanship" made by the people of the Great Hunter Lib
If you think about it, the Book of Ether's preoccupation with the riches of Jaredite kings might make it an excellent candidate for Walter's original text. Smith took this much smaller narrative and built out the Book of Mormon around it.
"Joseph Smith dug into a hill reportedly for money. Through his peep stone he saw a tribal king trapped in the hill, sitting on a gold furniture." ~ Lorenzo Saunders
"At another time, [Joseph] told me that the ancient inhabitants of this country used camels instead of horses. For proof of this fact, he stated that in a certain hill on the farm of Mr. Cuyler, there was a cave containing an immense value of gold and silver, stands of arms, also, a saddle for a camel, hanging on a peg at one side of the cave." ~ Peter Ingersoll