The Book of Mormon
In 1830, Joseph Smith published The Book of Mormon. The book professes to be written by the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, written by and for those people. The Book of Mormon has been called "the keystone" of the entire religion. It is taught that if the Book of Mormon is true then Joseph Smith was indeed a true prophet of God, Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is indeed the only true church on earth today. The only question then is: Is the Book of Mormon true?
Even before his first vision was ever written down, there were stories of Joseph Smith's "Gold Bible." From its earliest publication in the 1800s to today, the story of the golden plates has puzzled and intrigued millions of individuals. How did Joseph Smith get the plates? What did the newspapers say about it? And whatever happened to the golden plates anyway?
The Church boasts that Joseph Smith translated The Book of Mormon in sixty-five working days. Is that true? And how did he translate the book?
Joseph Smith called The Book of Mormon "the most correct of any book on earth." Can it still be "the most correct" if it's been changed over 5,000 times?
Before The Book of Mormon was published eleven men were called to be witnesses to the golden plates. What did they see? Are their testimonies credible? Did anyone else get to view the golden plates?
Ever since The Book of Mormon was published in 1830, theories have abounded that the book was plagiarized. Could it be so?
Critics to the Book of Mormon claim that it is filled with anachronisms, or things that not in their correct timeline historically. What are they and are they valid?
Does The Book of Mormon reflect racist points of view? Where did these ideas originate? How does it affect us today? What part have these teachings played in church teachings?
Many Book of Mormon scholars argue that because the book is filled with Hebraisms, it is evidence that the book is of ancient Hebrew origin. Is this true?
The cost for the first copies of
The Book of Mormon
Henry Harris
1834
“After the Book was published, I frequently bantered him [Martin Harris] for a copy. He asked fourteen shillings a piece for them; I told them I would not give so much; he told me [they] had had a revelation that they must be sold at that price. Sometime afterwards I talked with Martin Harris about buying one of the Books and he told me they had had a new revelation, that they might be sold at ten shillings a piece.”
The Life of David Marks
April 1846
“Five thousand copies were published – and they said the angel told Smith to sell the book at a price which was one dollar and eight cents per copy more than the cost, that they ‘might have the temporal profit, as well as the spiritual.'”
[David Marks, Baptist minister, The Life of David Marks, 1831, p. 237. Quote made after visiting with David Whitmer and the Whitmer family]
Naked Truths About Mormonism
April 1888
“The Mormons said the price of the ‘Book of Mormon' was established at $1.75 by revelation. It did not sell well and they claimed to receive another to sell it at $1.25.”
[Sylvia Walker, Naked Truths About Mormonism, v. 1, p. 1]
Inflation Calculator
2025
According to the inflation calulator's online, $1.75 back in 1830 is worth $61.15 today in 2025.
If Joseph Smith had 5,000 copies printed and intented to sell them at the price of $1.75 each and sucessfully sold them all, he would have made $8,750. Today, that is the equivelant of over $300,000.