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.
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Alma, Chapter 2 [Alma 4:20]

mony of the word according to the sp[irit of revelation & prophesy]

Alma, Chapter 3 [Alma 5:1–23]

C[hapter]

The wordrs which Alma the h[igh priest according to the holy] [or]der of God whi delivered to the pe[ople in their cities & vil]iges thruout the Land—— Now it [came to pass that Alma be][g]an to declair the word of God u[nto the people first in the la][n]d of Zarahemla & from thence [throughout all the land & these] are the words which he spake t[o the people in the church wh]ich was established in the City [o]f [Za]rahemla [according to his own] Reccord saying I Alma havein[g be]en consecrated [by my] Father Alma to be a high Priest over the Church o[f God he] having power & authority from God to do these th[ings behold] I say unto you that he began to establish a church [in the] land which was in the Borders of Nephi yea the la[nd was ca] lled the land of Morman yea & he did Baptise [his breth]ren in the waters of Morman & Behold I say unto [you they] were delivered out of the hands of the people of King N[oah]
5
TEXT: The unusual notch at the beginning of the line was likely made as part of a forensic test.
by the mercy & power of God & Behold after that they wer[e brou]ght into bondage by the hands of the Lamunites in the [wild]erness yea I say unto you they were in captivity & again [the] Lord did deliver them out of bondge by the power of his w[ord &] we were brought into this land & here we bagan to esta[blish] a <the> church of God throughout this land also & now beh[old I] say unto you my Brethren you that belong to this chur[ch have] ye <you> sufficiently retained in rememberance the captivity [of] your Fathers yea & have you sufficienly retained in rem[emb]eranc the <his> mercy & long suffering towards you them & m[oreover] heave ye sufficiently retained in rememberance that he h[ath] delivered their souls from Hell Behold he changed thei[r hearts] yea he awoke<d> them out of a deep sleep & they awoke unto [God] Behold they were in the mid[st o]f darkness nevertheles[s] their souls were illumi[nated by the] light of the everla[sting] word yea they were enserc[led about] by the Bands of De[ath] & the chains of Hell & an e[verlasti]ng destruction did [await] them & now I ask of you my Brethren were they dest[roid] Behold I say unto you nay they were not & again I a[sk was the] bands of Death broken & the chains of Hell which inser[cled them] about were they loosed I say untu you yea they we[re loosed] & their Souls did expand & they did sing redeeming love [& I say unto] you that they are saved & now I ask of you on what condi[tions are they] saved yea what grounds h[ad they to hope for s]alvation wh[at is the] cause of there being loosed [from the] bands of Death y[ea &] [p. [3]]
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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
[5]
TEXT: The unusual notch at the beginning of the line was likely made as part of a forensic test.

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]

Source Note

Historical Introduction

Document Information

Footnotes

Source Note

Document Transcript