THE SECRET OF THE GOLDEN PLATES

 

THE SECRET OF THE GOLDEN PLATES

 

Where are the golden plates now?

 

I’ll guess I am one of the few outsiders who have ever read The Book of Mormon; Another Testament of Jesus Christ from cover to cover.  Why did I read it?  I read it because I was looking for clues as to where Joseph Smith had hidden the golden plates. 

 

Joseph Smith “translated” The Book of Mormon early in the 19th century, from a set of ancient-looking, golden-colored plates with strange inscriptions he found buried in a hillside.  Or so he said.  Were there really golden-colored plates with inscriptions?  I think it is likely.  After all, there are the testimonies of 11 people saying they witnessed the golden plates in the introduction to the printed version of The Book of Mormon that I have. 

 

Eight of the witnesses say the plates “have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship.  And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken.”  That’s fairly convincing.  Three others say, “And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon.” (An angel???).

 

Could there have been ancient civilizations in the Americas that no one had ever heard of before, whose prophets testified about Jesus Christ, as Joseph Smith claimed?  Could he have translated the plates by using their accompanying “sacred stones” as he claimed?  Well, I’m trying to keep an open mind. 

 

From reading the book, I’d have to say that I see a man on a journey, a man who fell in love with the artifact he found, and yes, I’d have to say the plates were something he found.  One does not fall in love with a fraud one creates.  And I’d have to say he fell in love with the story that came to him, that came to his mind, a story about his beloved artifact.  And I’d have to say he fell in love with the journey, his journey of discovering the story.

 

The Book of Mormon is a masterpiece and monumental.  Why?  Because it is an account of a journey – one man’s spiritual journey, Joseph Smith’s very own journey.  A journey he was wedded to for more than 500 printed pages. 

 

Perhaps he questioned the story and the journey at some level:  “O then, is not this real?  I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible,  . . . .  ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.” (Words of a character in The Book of Mormon (Alma, chapter 32)). 

 

A concept of abiding beauty and goodness

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I think he saw some enormous benefit coming from his journey:  “This is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.” (Words of a character in The Book of Mormon (Alma, chapter 29). 

 

Whenever someone takes such a journey, whether as artist, poet, writer, singer, parent or caregiver, patient or victim, lover or hater, there are many paths but the journey is always the same process.  I do believe that the creative journey is available to each and every one of us, although the person who is abnormal in some way (not the norm) will be able to make a more unusual contribution.

 

To be a “seer,” one who sees, one who hears, one who envisions, like a Van Gogh, a Mary Magdalene, or a Mozart; to see or hear what others cannot and to make it visible or audible to them, to be caught up in mystery, in magic, in-spirited by inspiration, to hear the music of the spheres and bring it into the domain of the everyday – that is the creative process.

 

As a seer, Joseph Smith opened a new world to millions of believers who became his followers.  You can get a taste of his vision of beauty and drama at the annual Mormon pageant at Palmyra, New York, with a costumed cast of over 650 people.

 

Do I recommend you read The Book of Mormon?  No – not unless you are a history major, or thinking of joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormon Church that was founded by Joseph Smith.  I must say, I didn’t find much spiritually uplifting in the book.  I found it tedious.  Obviously, it’s not for everyone.  And of course, some of the views on race, women, etc. in the book are not commendable.

 

In my imagination, I see myself finding the golden plates in a newly opened sinkhole in my backyard .  I notice that there are many plates, thousands in fact, as fine as sheets of paper, still in mint condition despite their antiquity, covered with a delicate lettering.  Could it be something from another planet?   Could it be the cure for AIDS?  Could it be the cure for aging – the secret of eternal youth?  And here are the translator stones.  They are shiny, like cell phones.  As I touch one, I hear a voice saying in English, “What is your command?”  OK enough of that.

 

I wish that Joseph Smith or at least some of his closest associates had made greater efforts to document the inscriptions on the plates, make accurate drawings of them, and correspond with language experts in the universities or museums in America or Europe at that time who might have been interested in reviewing and commenting on the inscriptions.  Then maybe we would have a substantial record today.  Now it is all lost – except for a few lines of characters (the “Anthon transcript”) and Joseph Smith’s envisioning.

 

A passage in the book’s introduction makes it clear Joseph Smith feared that the plates would be stolen.  “No sooner was it known that I had them, than the most strenuous exertions were used to get them from me.   Every stratagem that could be invented was resorted to for that purpose.  The persecution became more bitter and severe than before, and multitudes were on the alert continually to get them from me if possible.”  History makes it clear that his “translation” was not well received (except by his followers); in fact, he was murdered by a mob because of his work, and because of the growing political strength of his movement.  So he was right to feel unsafe, to fear for the safety of the plates.

 

Did Joseph Smith destroy the golden plates?  I don’t think so.  I think he was too filled with awe.  I think he loved those plates. 

 

So where did he hide them (or “deliver them to the messenger”)?  I have to believe he hid them where he knew he could find them again, and where others could find them in the fullness of time.  “Then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read, until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom to reveal all things unto the children of men.”  (God speaks in The Book of Mormon (Nephi, chapter 27)). 

 

I’ll guess Joseph Smith left clues in his book as to where the plates are.  It’s interesting that he writes in a sort of rambling, stream-of-consciousness way.  He dictated his work, and apparently, there is little or no attempt to wordcraft.  Once he finds a word he likes, he uses it over and over, much to the annoyance of the reader I must say.  Thus his rambling lays out fairly clearly for the reader, the landscape of his mind.

 

What I looked for were passages that dealt with that landscape – especially the geographical and geological features of that landscape:  mountains, mounts, hills, cavities (caves), rocks, stones, rivers, waters, seas, islands, and place names, and words like hide, hid, hidden.  And the book overflows with such references.   And references to sealing up and burying records. 

 

Do I know where he hid the golden plates?  I’ll guess either in a cave, in a pouch under water, in a well, or deep in a mountainside.  No, I don’t know.  But I’m thinking now, perhaps there is some sort of code or anagram woven into the book that could reveal the location.  Somewhere in 500 plus pages.

 

I think I’ll take another look at it. 

 

Just forget what you know about the inner landscape of my mind.

 

Slide show and music on my main page.

 

-2008-

 

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