Joseph Smith's ability to memorize lengthy sections of text

[_Uncle Dale]

nevo wrote:

"Except for the little problem of Rigdon not showing up as a scribe until chapter 7"


which is HUGE:

http://mi.BYU.edu/publications/jbms/?vo ... m=1&id=462

If we postulate that Rigdon was nothing other than a scribe for Joseph Smith, then
his showing up at Waterloo after a couple of dozen pages of Genesis had been already
been "translated," merely shows that he had nothing to do with that "translation."

If, on the other hand, we interpret that early history in a way that makes Rigdon
more than a mere scribe for the JST text, then we must look at the pages already
written out, to see if they show any signs of Rigdon authorship. If they do reveal
the presence of his "word-print" or theology, then we might want to investigate
to see how he might have transmitted those first pages to Smith, before he (Rigdon)
left Ohio for New York in Dec. of 1830.

Other than hand-carrying those pages, while on a clandestine visit to Seneca Co.,
how else might Rigdon have provided Smith with the initial pages of the JST?

And, besides attempting to answer the "how," we might also ask ourselves "why?"

If Rigdon was the primary author of the JST, why did he not simply hand-carry the
entire set of biblical changes/additions with him in Dec. of 1830, and sit down with
Smith, upon his arrival, and start "translating" from the very beginning then? Why
have the "translating" process begin before Rigdon makes his much noted arrival
among Smith's followers in NY? What purpose would that have served?

UD

[_why me]

nevo wrote:

"Except for the little problem of Rigdon not showing up as a scribe until chapter 7"


which is HUGE:

http://mi.BYU.edu/publications/jbms/?vo ... m=1&id=462

If we postulate

If, on the other hand, the presence of his "word-print" or theology, then we might want to investigate
to see how he might have transmitted those first pages to Smith, before he (Rigdon)
left Ohio for New York in Dec. of 1830.

Other than hand-carrying those pages,

And, besides attempting to answer the "how," we might also ask ourselves "why?"

If Rigdon was the primary author of the JST, UD

You have a lot of 'ifs' in your sentences.

For example, if the moon is made of green cheese, we may be able to open a cheese factory on the moon. On the other hand, if the moon is not made of green cheese, we may wish to go to Mars. And besides, attempting to go to Mars, could be very profitable. And if we went to Mars, we would need a great deal of fuel and that would be good for the oil industry.

You see, uncle dale, at the end of the day, nothing much is accomplished with ifs.

[_why me]

Reed C. Durham's 1965 "History of Joseph Smith's Revision of the Bible"
will probably do. Except for the first handful of manuscript pages, it appears
that the text was written by the joint efforts of Smith and Rigdon, probably
seated together at a table, with an open KJV Bible between them. The two
men would read a few printed verses, discuss the passage, and then Rigdon
would write out an edited version of the words, in longhand, on a piece of paper.

How the unique sections of the JST were created, I'm not sure. But my guess
is that Rigdon had them composed in advance and that Smith merely approved
of their insertion into the JST text.

UD

Nice guess work. Now if only your guesses were conclusive facts, we could all go home and be catholic.

[_Danna]

Whyme - why do you think there was such a discrepancy between the rate of translation when Martin Harris or Emma were translating - between less than 2 pages/day to 3 pages/week, and when Oliver was translating - 6 1/2 pages/day?

Then translation slowed a bit once 1Nephi to Omni were translated over the last month - allowing David Whitmer and others a few Chapters in 1 Nephi to translate. A breakdown is here, which is detailed enough to make allowances for other activities occurring at the same time.

[_Brackite]

I do not think and believe that Joseph Smith had a very great ability to memorize lengthy sections of text. I do think and believe that Joseph Smith had a bit of a greater memory than the average Person.