Paul Osborne wrote:
The Papyrus Rolls
There is a lot of controversy about the method used by Joseph Smith in translating Egyptian hieroglyphs into the Book of Abraham. Some LDS (Latter-day Saint) apologists insist that the papyrus Joseph Smith translated was later lost and is therefore not available for examination today. However, existing evidence shows that the writing on fragments (pieces of a scroll), including the original Facsimile No. 1, were used by the prophet to translate the Book of Abraham. LDS Critics contend that those fragments must have been the source by which Joseph Smith fabricated his story − they point to the hieroglyphic writing on the fragments that flank the Lion Couch scene of Facsimile No. 1. It is no secret that Fragment No. 11, which was returned to the church in 1967 is the very fragment that was attached to the left side of Facsimile No. 1, and yet it is nothing more than pagan spells. In short, the critics insist that the writing that flanks the picture of Abraham on the altar must be the hieroglyphic text that Joseph Smith translated into the Book of Abraham.
Egyptologists confirm that the funerary nature of Facsimile No. 1 matches the content of the funerary writing that surrounds it. Further, all of Joseph Smith's papyrus fragments that were returned to the church in 1967 are religious spells, including the Egyptian Book of Breathings, an offshoot from the Book of the Dead. Clearly, the papyrus bears no relation to the story of Abraham! It must be understood that the written language of a funerary scroll bears a direct relationship with the pictures, thus, the text supports the vignette, and vice versa. Egyptology makes it clear that this is how Egyptian religion is portrayed:
“Iconography is of little value without the written text to give meaning, but the available textual material is sufficient to provide an extensive account of Egyptian myth” (Ancient Gods Speak, A Guide to Egyptian Religion; edited by Donald Redford, p.245)
Some LDS apologists maintain the theory that the papyrus used by Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Abraham was lost or, more likely destroyed. In spite of the idea of missing papyrus, it has been documented that there were in fact several rolls had by the prophet, one of which was the Book of Abraham and another was the Book of Joseph. Eyewitness accounts give distinct descriptions of the physical nature of the rolls including the use of rubrics (red writing as headers). This seems to compare with some of the more handsome fragments recovered from the New York Metropolitan Museum and are now kept in the church archives. The following references briefly describe the papyrus purchased by the church in 1835:
“On the 3rd of July, Michael H. Chandler came to Kirtland to exhibit some Egyptian mummies. There were four human figures, together with some two or more rolls of papyrus covered with hieroglyphic figures and devices.” History of the Church 2:235
“The last of June four Egyptian mummies were brought here; there were two papyrus rolls, besides some other ancient Egyptian writings with them. As no one could translate these writings, they were presented to President Smith. He soon knew what they were and said they, the ‘rolls of papyrus’, contained the sacred record kept by Joseph in Pharaoh’s Court in Egypt, and the teachings of Father Abraham.” W.W. Phelps; Improvement Era 45, August 1942
“Soon after this some of the Saints in Kirtland purchased the mummies and papyrus, a description of which will appear hereafter, and with W.W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery as scribes, I commenced the translation of some of the characters or hieroglyphs, and much to our joy found that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham, and another the writings of Joseph of Egypt” Joseph Smith; History of the Church 2:236
“The papyrus, covered with black or red ink, or paint, in excellent preservation” Times and Seasons 3; May 2nd, 1842; 774
The critics are not unreasonable to assume the writing which surrounds the original picture of Abraham upon the altar as shown in LDS scripture, to be the actual text Joseph Smith translated. Typically, LDS apologists have not been successful in answering the charges in which the critics could at least find some quarter for Joseph Smith’s work and consider alternative explanations that agree with the facts on hand. A popular theory maintained by some LDS apologists is that the roll Joseph Smith translated is currently missing and that the fragments returned to the church in 1967 are not part of the sacred record. This would suggest that the fragments now extant are little more than cast-offs from the papyrus collection put on display in the Egyptian exhibit at Kirtland Ohio in 1835. It appears that BYU professors and those who trust their arguments are the only people on the face of the earth that have reached this conclusion!
The fragments are proof that the story surrounding Facsimile No. 1 is nothing more than pagan funerary spells − this papyrus roll has nothing to do with Abraham in Egypt. Nobody can deny that the iconography and writing on this papyrus work together in perpetuating religious spells formulated by the ancient Egyptians.
Personally, I can’t in good conscience agree with fellow LDS apologists who continue to insist that the papyrus Joseph Smith used to translate the Book of Abraham is entirely lost. The way I see it, the overwhelming evidence shows that significant images described by elder Oliver Cowdery and others exists on the fragments owned by the church today. The Egyptian Alphabet & Grammar created by the prophet and his associates prove that specific sets of characters from the extant papyrus were used to generate the Book of Abraham. Some of these characters were borrowed to fill in the empty spaces of Facsimile No. 2, this of course under the direction of the prophet.
Facsimile No. 1 is the beginning of the record according to the narration of Abraham himself who said:
“And it came to pass that the priests laid violence upon me, that they might slay me also, as they did those virgins upon this altar; and that you may have a knowledge of this altar, I will refer you to the representation at the commencement of this record” (Abraham 1:12)
Some theorize that the missing rolls of Abraham & Joseph were a personal treasure kept in antiquity by priestly lines and later deposited into a tomb at Thebes during Roman times. Perhaps it’s not impossible that such a book could be preserved by a family of priests who kept the records in store as a testimony of the Hebrew God, but all of this is pure speculation. This would also create serious religious complications that conflict with Egyptian burial customs. The idea of the Book of Abraham being buried in an Egyptian tomb that has been devoted to Osiris is a colossal contradiction at best! An overwhelming rebuttal will easily demonstrate how this is something that would never be tolerated by the priesthood of pharaoh.
Some hypothesize that the so-called missing rolls shared the same fate as Facsimiles No. 2 & 3, assuming they were destroyed in the 1871 Chicago fire. Others may be more prone to think they are sealed up somewhere in a box which has long been forgotten. As a matter of great convenience, these LDS apologists maintain that until the missing rolls are found, the text used to translate the Book of Abraham is not available for examination. Sadly, these apologists deny the pool of combined evidence and deny that the papyri had by the prophet was identified as funerary papyrus by experts at the Chicago Museum.
I can’t come to terms with the missing roll theory because I see the facts for what they are and my conscience tells me that that the critics have a valid complaint! I feel that honesty is better than following the incorrect persuasion of college professors who refuse to come to terms with reality. Thankfully, for my own peace of mind, I have found valid answers and real solutions to help solve the controversy of the Joseph Smith papyrus. I’m interested in sharing these things with anyone who will listen. This
Website presents alternative views on how the Egyptian papyrus was translated into the Book of Abraham. Latter-day Saints no longer have to rely only on BYU professors to get positive information about this fascinating subject.
Sincerely,
Paul Osborne