View of the Hebrews
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 3:31 pm
This seems to be concrete proof Joseph Smith had read The View of the Hebrews. https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/c ... 46/id/9871
Excerpt from exmormon reddit user monotonousgangmember.
Excerpt from exmormon reddit user monotonousgangmember.
In Times and Seasons, Nauvoo, Illinois, Vol. 3 (June 1, 1842) on page 814 (link), Joseph Smith writes:
[...] In order to this, we shall here make an extract from an able work: written exclusively on the subject of the Ten Tribes having come from Asia by the way of Bherings Strait, by the Rev. Ethan Smith, Pultney, Vt., who relates as follows: [...long excerpt...] ----Smith's view of the Hebrews. p. 220
Seems pretty cut & dry to me. He definitely knew about View of the Hebrews and clearly has read it. Specifically, he included the excerpt because he was trying to use it as proof of the Book of Mormon!
On the 20truths.information page on plagiarism it's mentioned "No direct evidence exists that would prove or disprove Joseph Smith had read View of the Hebrews." But, they then go on to cite the passage above as proof of him being aware of the book and its stories.
This seems like a strong indication that Smith having plagiarized ideas from View of the Hebrews is likely.