Engaging Trivia Concerning The First Edition Book Of Mormon

By Lela Perkins


The First Edition Book of Mormon, in its antique form, is an expensive collectible. But, a replica of this 1830 volume is available for sale for a modest investment. Some very interesting trivia is associated with this publication. History buffs and collectors alike are finding it to be very thought provoking.

There are a few authentic antique books available for sale on the Internet. These range in price from 69,000 to 98,000 in US currency. There are several very focused collectors who own the volumes and their importance to the Mormon faith is undeniable. Lesser valued ones are also offered for around 500 dollars.

The newest replica is called the 1830 Heritage Book of Mormon. This gives a nod to the long history and certainly family oriented religion. The purchase price is about thirty four dollars. Bound in an attractive brown leatherette cover, with gold imprinted letters, it is advertised as a way for today's Latter Day Saints to read as the earliest saints would have done.

For history buffs, some interesting questions have cropped up concerning the typeface and printing methods used in the actual original volume. The manuscript was first taken by its scribes to E. B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York for printing. But, there are two typefaces present in this volume, leaving historians, such as Royal Skousen, asking why this was so. The abstract written concerning this peculiarity states that one sixth of the book was set using the scribed manuscript.

The Latter Day Saints religion is a relatively modern one, with a very short history. Those practicing the faith can be very focused on the authenticity of church papers and books. John Hajicek, a respected collector, has acquired over 50,000 of these. His personal website describes his passion for this process, and his views that what he does is fiscally and socially responsible. He has developed a fascinating Internet site for people to view his first edition, making it accessible for anyone interested.

There is a website that displays historical volumes with more recent ones. The premise is that though the official Latter Day Saint Church states that nothing changes from first edition to newest ones, that in fact, probably 4,000 exist. In order to compare what has happened, the promoters of this site have created what is termed the comparison machine. Internet surfers can see side by side pages with the discrepancies clearly shown. Because the variations are ranging all the way from doctrine to spelling and editing, it is fascinating to view.

The merely curious wonder why a new replica was published. The faithful undoubtedly view this event as an opportunity to engage in historical studies, renewing confidence in the original writings. The publication is certainly priced to be accessible, and it will undoubtedly be included in many family libraries.

It could be that the replica First Edition Book of Mormon is destined to be collected by many new readers. The church has enjoyed a reputation for encouraging historical study and family genealogy. History teachers often include its westward movement as integral to settling portions of the American West. Controversy and curiosity are certain to continue when it concerns this fascinating religion.




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