THIRTY-THOUSAND CHANGES IN A "PERFECT BOOK"!

The total of changes - and there have been some - varies from critic to critic, from 3,000 and 30,000. But, just for a moment let us imagine that critics of the Book of Mormon have identified 30,000 changes in the published text in editions since the original printing in 1829. What then?  Let us first hear from those critics and examine their claims, and the strength - or otherwise - of them.

The Tanners, under their working title of Utah Lighthouse Ministry aver that since the original Palmyra edition of 1830 there have been, "3,913 Changes in the Book of Mormon"   

For good and sufficient reasons it has been suggested that the punctuation of the manuscript largely penned by Oliver Cowdray from the dictation of Joseph Smith was the cause of errors in punctuation, yet the Tanners deny this.

" ... the printer could not be blamed for the many mistakes that are found in the Book of Mormon"

Brigham Henry Roberts, a learned member of the Quorum of Seventy wrote:

"That errors of grammar and faults in dictation do exist in the Book of Mormon (and more especially and abundantly in the first edition) must be conceded; and what is more, while some of the errors may be referred to inefficient proof-reading, such as is to be expected in a country printing establishment, yet such is the nature of the errors in question, and so interwoven are they throughout the diction of the Book, that they may not be disposed of by saying they result from inefficient proof-reading or referring them to the mischievous disposition of the 'typos' or the unfriendliness of the publishing" house."

('Defense of the Faith,' by B. H. Roberts, pp. 280-281)

Had Elder Roberts had access to the testimony gathered from Grandin's Printing House compositor that set the type for the Book of Mormon, he would not have so readily dismissed that explanation.

At a later date when better details of the conversion of the manuscripts into typesetting were made known, B. H. Roberts made this statement:

  "The fact that such errors in grammar and diction as occur in the translation are just such errors as might reasonably be looked for in the work of one unlearned in the English language."  

  That contrasts significantly with his earlier statement.  But the clincher is found in statements made by John H. Gilbert, the man who helped to print the Book of Mormon, who claimed that the 'Mormons' did not want him to correct the grammatical errors which were in the manuscript:

        "When the printer was ready to commence work, Harris was notified, and Hyrum Smith brought the first installment of manuscript ...

On the second day - Harris and Smith being in the office - I called their attention to a grammatical error, and asked whether I should correct it?

Harris consulted with Smith a short time, and turned to me and said: 'The Old Testament is ungrammatical, set it as it is written.' ... .

        "[Oliver] Cowdery held and looked over the manuscript when most of the proofs were read. Martin Harris once or twice, and Hyrum Smith once, Grandin supposing these men could read their own writing as well, if not better, than any one else; and if there are any discrepancies between the Palmyra edition and the manuscript these men should be held responsible."

(Memorandum, made by John H. Gilbert, Esq., September 8, 1892, Palmyra, N.Y., printed in 'Joseph Smith Begins His Work,' Vol. 1, Introduction)

This information was available to the Tanners but still they press on relentlessly with their assault:

"A photograph of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon which is published in the book, A New Witness For Christ In America, Vol. 1, page 216, proves that the printer was not responsible for the grammatical errors which appeared in the first edition"

However, George Reynolds quotes the following from an interview with John H. Gilbert, one of Grandin's senior compositors in which he reported:

       "'Hyrum Smith always brought the manuscript to the office; he would have it under his coat and all buttoned up as carefully as though it was so much gold. He said at the time that it was translated from plates by the power of God, and they were very particular about it.

We had a great deal of trouble with it. It was not punctuated at all.

They [ the Smiths, Cowdery, et al] did not know anything about punctuation, and we had to do that ourselves.'

Reynolds:       "'Well; did you change any part of it when you were setting the type?'

Gilbert:            "'No, Sir; we never changed it at all .'

Reynolds:      "'Why did you not change it and correct it?'

Gilbert:          "'Because they would not allow us to; they were very particular about that.

We never changed it in the least.

Oh, well; there might have been one or two words that I changed the spelling of; I believe I did change the spelling of one, and perhaps two, but no more.'

Reynolds:      "'Did you set all the type, or did some one help you?'

Gilbert:          "'I did the whole of it myself, and helped to read the proof, too; there was no one who worked at that but myself. Did you ever see one of the first copies? I have one here that was never bound. Mr.Grandin, the printer, gave it to me. If you ever saw a Book of Mormon you will see that they changed it afterwards.'

 It is true that changes have been made but they do not affect the doctrine in any way.  The majority of changes are concerned with punctuation.  The reason the manuscript was not punctuated was because Joseph dictated his translations without telling Oliver where and with what yo insert punctuation, and Oliver wrote it as it fell from the lips of Joseph.  Mr Gilbert confirmed the unpunctuated manuscript and says that he added the punctuation.

Not being familiar with the subject of the Book of Mormon, Gilbert did the best he could to construct proper sentences by using his judgement as to how the punctuation ought to be placed.  Sometimes it was right and sometimes it was not right.

Gilbert also says he made some orthographical changes, but could not remember exactly how many, though he believes it was few.  

It is readily evident that the majority of changes between the 1830 and subsequent versions of the Book of Mormon are spelling or grammar corrections.

Changes to correct textual errors:

The 1830 text of the Book of Mosiah 21:28 read:

And now Limhi was again filled with joy, on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Benjamin had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such engravings; yea, and Ammon also did rejoice.

King Benjamin was already dead by this time (Mosiah 6:5), so this was changed to read 'Mosiah' in the 1837 and subsequent editions.

The 1830 text of Ether 4:1 read:

...and for this cause did king Benjamin keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ shew himself unto his people.

This was changed to 'Mosiah' in subsequent editions.