NEW "3-IN-1" and INSPIRED VERSION OF THE BIBLE

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Includes presentation page and family history pages

Suggested readings shown for all three books

These are very helpful for quick reference

This is the familiar 1908 edition with limited corrections

Each book and each chapter have headings. Each page shows references at the top

The events and teachings are listed

RLDS and LDS numbering systems are shown

The Doctrine and Covenants includes Sections 1-144

Each section has two headings—historical and context

RLDS, LDS, 1835, and Book of Commandments numbers are shown

CUMORAH BOOKS, INC.

P.O. BOX 2257, Independence, Missouri 64055 • (816) 210-8450

The Holy Scriptures, Restoration Scriptures Edition, is now available. It has the Inspired Version of the Bible, 1908 Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants (sections 1-144). This new edition of the “Three-in-One” has a black bonded leather cover, 3 ribbons, and several great features:

• A large page size with clear type and wide margins.

• Presentation and family history pages.

• Pages with familiar verses and suggestions to find important doctrinal information.

• Prefaces with samples of corrections printed in this edition.

• Bold references at the tops of pages to aid in finding places.

• Headings for all chapters in the Inspired Version and Book of Mormon.

• Historical headings plus context headings for all sections in the Doctrine and Covenants.

• Charts and lists following the Scripture text in each book:

• Inspired Version—Historical Events, Life of Christ, New Testament Parables.

• Book of Mormon—Chronology and Teachings, Verse Number Comparison.

• Doctrine and Covenants—Events in Church History, Section Description.

• A new “selected concordance” for each of the Three Books.

The Holy Scriptures, Restoration Scriptures Edition, is $80.00 per copy.

To order, send your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address, along with your check for payment to Cumorah Books, Inc.

Phone (816) 210-8450 for additional information or to arrange for home delivery or pickup in the Independence area.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

The Restoration Scriptures Three-in-One!

Cumorah Books, Inc., and the Scripture Committee announce the forthcoming publication of a new Three-in-One containing the Inspired Version of the Bible, 1908 Book of Mormon, and Book of Doc-trine and Covenants (through Section 144). We plan to have books available by the fall of 2015. The RLDS Church and the Community of Christ have been the only publishers of the Scriptures as a Three-in-One, but publication stopped several years ago. Many Saints have expressed an interest in again being able to purchase the Three-in-One.

Representatives of the following groups were invited to a meeting on the Three-in-One on August 31, 2012:

Book of Mormon Foundation

Centerplace.org

Conference of Restoration Elders

Cumorah Books, Inc.

Joint Conference of Restoration Branches

Price Publishing Company

Quetzal Archaeology Center

Remnant Church of Jesus Christ

Restoration Hymn Society, Inc.

Zion Bound, Inc.

(plus a few individuals from Restoration branches and the Community of Christ).

Ten people participated at the initial meeting. Since then, a Scripture Committee has met nearly every other week, with eight or nine people taking part in most meetings. The committee includes Scott Bingman, Charlie Booth (for the Inspired Version and Doctrine and Covenants phases), Tara Broadway, Beryle Immer, Bob Immer, Dee Ludy, Paul Ludy, Aaron Rhoads (for the Book of Mormon phase), Jon Tandy, and Gary Whiting. Several others have met with the committee a few times and given valuable assistance. In addition, many Saints have been involved in reading the text which the committee approved.

Early in the process, the committee confirmed that the text of the Scriptures is in the public domain and available to reprint. The committee agreed on the following:

• The Three-in-One should include the Inspired Version, 1908 Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants through Section 144.

• The Scripture text should be as correct as possible.

• We will include descriptive headings for all sections and chapters.

• For widest acceptance, the Three-in-One should be published independently from any particular "church organization."

The editing process has been quite lengthy because of the various editions and printings of the Scriptures. The committee found that different printings of the Inspired Version have some variations in wording. The same is true of the 1908 Edition of the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. The committee prayerfully compared and evaluated those differences to produce this Three-in-One.

The Restoration Scriptures Three-in-One will contain the familiar

text of the Scriptures in a convenient and easy-to-read format.

We invite you to consider ordering books now for yourself, family members, and friends.

Cumorah Books, Inc., PO Box 2257, Independence, MO 64055 • 816 210-8450 • RestorationScriptures.blogspot.com

January, 2015

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

A Short History of the Development of the 1908 Book of Mormon

Adapted from Richard Howard, Restoration Scriptures: A Study of Their Textual Development, Second Edition, 1995.

There were two Book of Mormon manuscripts, the Original Manuscript (O MS), which was dictated by Joseph Smith, Jr., and the Printer’s Manuscript (P MS), which was produced for the printer to use.

The O MS was considered a "first draft." It lacked capitalization and punctuation, and spelling was inconsistent. This MS was placed in the cornerstone of the Nauvoo House and deteriorated. Only a few pages and some fragments remain (they are in the custody of the LDS Church).

The P MS was partially refined prior to printing the 1830 Book of Mormon, but E. B. Grandin punctuated the text and divided it into paragraphs. After the 1830 printing, the P MS was marked with additional changes, which were used to produce the 1837 printing in Kirtland. Howard says 2,000 refinements show on the P MS (but another 1,000 revisions in the 1837 edition are not shown on the P MS).

Some changes which were made for the 1837 include "which" to "who" 707 times; "was" to "were," "were" to "was," "is" to "are," and "are" to "is" 137 times; "saith" or "sayeth" to "said" 229 times. Most changes were to grammar and style—however some were theological. The words "Son of" were inserted into the 1830 text in several places, such as "The Lamb of God is the Eternal Father" and "The Everlasting God was judged by the world."

Joseph Smith, Jr., personally supervised or was responsible for the textual revisions of the 1830, 1837, and 1840 editions of the Book of Mormon (plus the 1842 Nauvoo edition, which was printed with the 1840 plates). The title page of the 1840 edition says, "Carefully Revised by the Translator." His objective appears to have been to convey the Book of Mormon message and meaning as clearly as possible.

Although the 1840 (and 1842) editions were available in the U.S., the first European edition of the Book of Mormon was based on the 1837 edition. The LDS Church continued using that text and format until 1879. Then the text was divided into more chapters and shorter verses (the 1830 edition did not have separate verses; in later editions some verses were two or three pages in length).

In 1858 Zadoc Brook privately reprinted the 1840 Book of Mormon (through James O. Wright and Company in New York). Until the 1874 printing of the Book of Mormon by the RLDS Church, which also used the 1840 text, the Brook edition was generally all that RLDS members had available.

The RLDS Church purchased the P MS in 1903 (for $2450.00). That sparked interest in changes, and the 1906 General Conference approved a "Committee on Reversification" to compare the P MS and the 1837 Book of Mormon. The committee did much more than make shorter verses. Changes nearly always followed the P MS and disregarded the later revisions of Joseph Smith, Jr., including the 1840 edition and the 1000 changes in the 1837 edition which were not marked on the P MS.

The resulting text of the 1908 edition has closer ties to the 1830 Book of Mormon than to the 1837, 1840, and 1874 editions—even though the note on the title page says, "Compared with the original manuscript and the Kirtland Edition of 1837."

Samples of Corrections Needed

Samples of Corrections Needed to Produce Correct Book of Mormon Text

These are not the only items which need consideration and correction. But they should serve to help us understand that there is a need to make the text as correct as possible.

Do not let problems in the Scriptures tear down your faith in God. Remember the writing of Moroni: "If there are faults, they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God" (Preface or title page of the Book of Mormon) and "If there be faults, they be faults of a man" (Mormon 4:21).

Mosiah 5:13 And now, I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold as to come near the walls of the city, when I, myself, was with my guards, without the gate? [All editions show this as a question; but it is not a question.]

Mosiah 11:193 My soul was wrecked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more. [It shows this way in P manuscript and all printed editions; compare to racked in Alma 17:10, 14, 15.]

Alma 1:16 And it came to pass that he stood before Alma, and plead for himself with much boldness. [It is this way in all printed editions; but the P manuscript shows pled. Plead is not past tense.]

Alma 2:20 Now this was a great cause for lamantations among the people, while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy; [This is a typo in only the 1953 printing.]

Alma 3:106 And he commendeth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be destroyed. [This is a typo in only the 1953 printing.]

Alma 5:4 And behold, I have come, having great hopes and much desire that I should find that ye had humbled yourselves before God, and that ye had continued in the supplicating of his grace, that I should find that ye were blameness before him; [This is a typo in only the 1953 printing.]

Alma 12:33 And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people? [All editions show this as a question; but it is not a question.]

Alma 21:47 And he said, Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own trangressions. [This is a typo in the 1953 and 1992 printings.]

Alma 21:144 But as I have said in the latter end of the nineteenth; yea, notwithstanding their peace amongst themselves, they were compelled reluctantly to contend with their brethren, the Lamanites; [This mistake is in all printed editions; it should say nineteenth year.]

Alma 26:49 Now they durst now turn to the right nor to the left, lest they should be surrounded: neither would I turn to the right or to the left, lest they should overtake me, [This is a typo in only the 1953 printing.]

Alma 26:95 And as the reminder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted [This is a typo in only the 1953 printing.]

3 Nephi 4:44 Behold I am Jesus Christ, the son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. [Son is capitalized in 1951 but lower case in 1953 and 1992 printings.]

Ether 4:59 And his brother did raise up in rebellion against him, by which he did bring him into captivity; and he did remain in captivity all his days [This is shown in all editions; but correct grammar requires rise.]

Ether 6:35 And now there began to be a great curse upon the land, because of the iniquity of the people, in which, if a man should lay his tool or his sword upon the shelf, or upon the place whether he would keep it, and behold, upon the morrow, he could not find it, so great was the curse upon the land. [This is a typo in only the 1953 printing; all others show whither.]

Examples of Words Corrected in New 1908 Book of Mormon

any one > anyone
anymore > any more
burthens > burdens
can not > cannot
cherubims > cherubim
evil doer > evildoer
first born > firstborn
first fruits > firstfruits
for ever > forever
fraid > afraid
gave > given
harken > hearken
head-bands > headbands
king-men > kingmen
maid servant > maidservant
man servant > manservant
night time > nighttime
Oh > O
one fifth > one-fifth
one half > one-half
past > passed
plead > pled
plow shares > plowshares
prophesy > prophecy
raise > rise
sea-shore > seashore
self-same > selfsame
seraphims > seraphim
shew (in all forms) > show
smote > smitten
some one > someone
to-day > today
to-morrow > tomorrow
under foot > underfoot
vail > veil
whether > whither
worshipped > worshiped
wrecked > racked
Note: This is not a complete list, and not every occurrence of a word was changed ("gave" and "past" are good words in the right place).

INSPIRED VERSION

Examples of words that have been corrected in our text:

"a" (not "an") with words starting with "h sounds" (with the exception of "an hungered)
change the British spelling of words like Saviour, honour, favour, to American spelling

any more - use as 2 words

anyone – usually use as one word, but use as two words before "of"

anything – always use one word

bondman, bondmen (not bond-man, bond-men, bond man, bond men)

bondservant, bondmaid (not bond-servant, bond-maid)

byword (not by-word, used inconsistently)

cornerstone (not corner-stone)

counselor (not counsellor)

court gate (not courtgate, used inconsistently)

doorpost (not door post)

dwelling place (not dwelling-place)

earring (not ear-ring)

everyone – normally one word, but use as two words before "of"

everything – always use one word

evildoer (not evil-doer)

fellow servant

firepan (not fire-pan)

firstborn (not first-born)

forefront (not fore-front)

fulfill (not fulfil)

fullness (not fulness)

headband (one word)

inquire (not enquire)

lawgiver (not law-giver)

looking glass (not lookingglass or looking-glass, used inconsistently)

lentil (not lentile)

man-child

manservant, menservants, maidservant, and maidservants

marveled (not marvelled)

niter (not nitre)

nose jewel (2 words)

offense and offenses (not offence and offences)

offspring (not off-spring)

plumb line (not plumb-line)

practice (not practise)

pruning hook (not pruning-hook)

rearward (not rereward)

resting place (not resting-place)

ring-streaked (not ringstreaked)

scepter (not sceptre)

seashore, seaside, seacoast (not sea shore or sea-shore, or sea side, or sea coast)

selfsame (not self-same)

sepulcher (not sepulchre)

sheepshearer (not sheep-shearer)

shoulder piece (not shoulder-piece, used inconsistently)

show (not shew)

showbread (not shewbread)

skillful (not skilful, British spelling)

Son of Man when it refers to Christ

subtle, subtlety (not subtile, subtilty)

subtly (not subtilely)

thou hast, thou wast (not thou has, thou was, etc.)

today (not to-day, etc.)

twofold, threefold, etc. (not two-fold, three-fold, etc.)

underfoot (not under foot, used inconsistently)

use two words for other "fellow" words—fellow prisoners, etc.

use one word for words such as threescore, fourscore, etc.

veil (not vail)

vinedresser (not vine-dresser)

watchtower (not watch-tower)

water course (not water-course)

wellspring (not well-spring)

winepress (not wine-press)

woman servant and women servants

worshiping, worshiped, and worshiper (not worshipping, worshipped, and worshipper)