Appendix: Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, Leaves Acquired from the University of Chicago [Alma 3:5–4:2; Alma 4:20–5:23]

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Appendix: Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, Leaves Acquired from the University of Chicago [Alma 3:5–4:2; Alma 4:20–5:23]
Alma, Chapter 1 [Alma 3:5–27] Page 1 Alma, Chapter 2 [Alma 4:1–2] Page 2 Alma, Chapter 2 [Alma 4:20] Page 3 Alma, Chapter 3 [Alma 5:1–23] Page 3
Source Note

Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, Leaves Acquired from the University of Chicago; handwriting of
Oliver Cowdery
3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...
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; four pages; CHL.

In the twentieth century, the University of Chicago special collections processed and held in its collection two leaves from the Book of Mormon. The leaves are nonsequential. The first bears text of what is now Alma 3:5–4:2, and the second of what is now Alma 4:20–5:23.
1
No leaf bearing the text of Alma 4:2–20 is known to be extant.
In summer 1984, the University of Chicago sold these two leaves to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Around the time of the sale, officials at both the University of Chicago and the church determined that the leaves were likely authentic pieces of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon. Anomalies in the text, however, have led some to believe these leaves (referred to here as the “Chicago leaves”) are forgeries. The Chicago leaves have sometimes been associated with Mark Hofmann, who in the 1980s forged a number of documents relating to Latter-day Saint and American history, though there is no evidence that the leaves ever passed through Hofmann’s hands, nor is there any other documented connection between the leaves and the infamous forger.
2
Sillitoe and Roberts, Salamander, 306–307; Sem C. Sutter to Robin Scott Jensen, Email message, 31 July 2020, Church History Department Information about Leaves from the Book of Mormon, CHL. In their 1988 history of Hofmann’s forgeries, Linda Sillitoe and Allen D. Roberts recounted that shortly after the church took possession of the Chicago leaves, Hofmann asked a cousin-in-law to supply him with money to purchase “two pages of the original Book of Mormon manuscript, housed at the University of Chicago Library.” Sillitoe and Roberts do not give a source for this information. It is unclear whether Hofmann knew the leaves had already been sold to the church. (See also Lindsey, A Gathering of Saints, 147–148.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Sillitoe, Linda, and Allen D. Roberts. Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988.
Church History Department Information about Leaves from the Book of Mormon, 1983–2020. CHL.
Lindsey, Robert. A Gathering of Saints: A True Story of Money, Murder and Deceit. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988.
Footnotes
[1]
No leaf bearing the text of Alma 4:2–20 is known to be extant.
[2]
Sillitoe and Roberts, Salamander, 306–307; Sem C. Sutter to Robin Scott Jensen, Email message, 31 July 2020, Church History Department Information about Leaves from the Book of Mormon, CHL. In their 1988 history of Hofmann’s forgeries, Linda Sillitoe and Allen D. Roberts recounted that shortly after the church took possession of the Chicago leaves, Hofmann asked a cousin-in-law to supply him with money to purchase “two pages of the original Book of Mormon manuscript, housed at the University of Chicago Library.” Sillitoe and Roberts do not give a source for this information. It is unclear whether Hofmann knew the leaves had already been sold to the church. (See also Lindsey, A Gathering of Saints, 147–148.)
Sillitoe, Linda, and Allen D. Roberts. Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988.
Church History Department Information about Leaves from the Book of Mormon, 1983–2020. CHL.
Lindsey, Robert. A Gathering of Saints: A True Story of Money, Murder and Deceit. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988.
Historical Introduction
Scholars disagree about the authenticity of the Chicago leaves. Because of their questioned status, the images and transcripts of the leaves are presented as an appendix. We present by way of introduction to the images and transcripts two examinations of the evidence, one written by each of the volume’s editors. With these two essays, readers and scholars may evaluate for themselves the complex history and characteristics of the Chicago leaves.
Page [2]
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[thee shall no more be called thy se]ed & I will <bless thee &C> & whomeso
2
TEXT: An archival marking “[1]” was written over “eso” in “whomeso”.
ever [shall be called thy seed hencefort]h & forever & these were the [promises of the Lord unto Nep]hi & to his seed now the Al Am[licites knew not that the]y were fulfilling the word of
3
TEXT: The unusual notch at the end of the line was likely made as part of a forensic test.
[God when they began to] mark themselves in their fore
4
TEXT: Possibly “fore”.
[heads nevertheless as they] had come out in open rebellion [against God therefore it] was expedient that the curse sh[ould fall upon them] now I would that ye should see [that they broug]ht upon themselves the curse & even so [doeth eve]ry man that is cursed bringeth upon himself his [own condemna]tion now it came to not <to pass> that not many days after the [battle] which was faught in the land of Zarahemla that <by> the [Lamu]nites & the anelicites that there was another army of the [Lam]unites came in upon the People of Nephi in the same wher[e] <[th]e> [fir]st army meet met the Amelicites & it came to pass tha[t] [there] was an army sent forth to drive them out of their land [now] Alma himself being afflicted with a wound did no[t] [go u]p to Battle at this time against the Lamunites but h<e> [sen]t up a numerous Army against them & they went up & [sl]ew many of <the> Lamunites & drove the remaind<er> of them [out] of the Borders of their land & then they returned aga[in] & began to establish peace in the land being trou[bled] nor more for a time with their enemies now all the[se] were done yea all thes wars & contentions was com[menc]ed & ended in the fifth Year of the Reign of the Judges [& in] one year was thousand<s> & tens of thousands of Sou[ls] sent to the Eternal world that they might reap [their] rewards according to their works whether they were [good o]r whether they were bad to reap Eternal happiness or [eterna]l miseary according to the spiret which he listed [to ob]ey whether it be a good spirit or a bad one for every [ma]n receiveth wages of him who he listeth to obey & [this] according to the words of [t]he spiret of Propecy there[fore] let it be according to the truth & thus ended the fifth yea[r] [of the] Reign of the Judges

Alma, Chapter 2 [Alma 4:1–2]

Now it came to pass Chapter

Now it came to pass in the six sixth year of the Reign of t[h]e Judges over the People of Nephi there was no contention[s] [no]r wars in the land of Zarahemla & the people being afflict[e]d yea greatly afflicted for the loss of their Brethren & also by [fo]r the loss of their flocks & herds & also for the loss of their [fie]lds of grain which was troden under foot & destroyd [p. [2]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Appendix: Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, Leaves Acquired from the University of Chicago [Alma 3:5–4:2; Alma 4:20–5:23]
ID #
7979
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
Oliver Cowdery
Footnotes
[2]
TEXT: An archival marking “[1]” was written over “eso” in “whomeso”.
[3]
TEXT: The unusual notch at the end of the line was likely made as part of a forensic test.
[4]
TEXT: Possibly “fore”.