Get to Know Joseph Smith Part 10: “I Cannot Read a Sealed Book”
Once Joseph and Emma Smith arrived in Pennsylvania the translation of the plates commenced. Joseph began by copying characters from the gold plates then he used the Urim and Thummim to translate the characters. The Urim and Thummim are made up of two parts. The first is what we could consider eyeglasses. The second was a breastplate to which the glasses were attached. The Urim and Thummim were deposited in the stone box with the plates.
Martin Harris soon visited Joseph and arranged to take a copy of the characters to New York City to get verification of the authenticity of ancient characters. Martin relates his experience:
I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he ahd before seen traslated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were net yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.
He then said to me, “Let me see that certificate.” I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as minstering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed himthat part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, “I cannot read a sealed book.” I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation. (Joseph Smith–History 1:64-65)
Prophecy Fulfilled!
What Martin Harris may not have realized at that time was that he had been a character in a revelation given by Isaiah:
11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. (Isaiah 29:11-12)
Martin Harris was convinced of the validity of the translation of the plates and began assisting Joseph Smith in the translation.
Continue reading in Get to Know Joseph Part 11: Pages Lost, Power to Translate Lost
