How did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon? The Mormon church has published some articles called Gospel Topic Essay (https://www.lds.org/topics/book-of-mormon-translation). In their article called Book Of Mormon Translation under the subheading The Mechanics of Translation, they state, "Some accounts indicate that Joseph studied the characters on the plates. Most of the accounts speak of Joseph's use of the Urim and Thummim (Either the interpreters or the seer stone), and many accounts refer to his use of a single stone. According to these accounts, Joseph placed the interpreters or the seer stone in a hat, pressed his face into the hat to block out extraneous light, and read aloud the English words that appeared on the instrument."
Oliver Cowdery, a principal scribe, testified that Joseph Smith found "two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows." He said that Joseph Smith used these stones for translation work.
The article also includes Emma Smith's explanation. She said Joseph was, "sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us." She said the golden plates "often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen table cloth." When she was asked if Joseph dictated from the Bible or a manuscript "she flatly denied those possibilities:" She said, "He had neither manuscript nor book to read from." She told her son, "...your father would dictate to me for hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him."
Martin Harris was also a scribe for Joseph Smith according to this article. "Harris later related that as Joseph used the seer stone to translate, sentences appeared. Joseph read those sentences aloud, and after penning the words, Harris would say, 'Written.'" Harris said Joseph "possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he then used the seer stone."
It is a popular notion that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates. According to this church article, he translated mostly by looking at some stones in a hat.
Oliver Cowdery, a principal scribe, testified that Joseph Smith found "two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows." He said that Joseph Smith used these stones for translation work.
The article also includes Emma Smith's explanation. She said Joseph was, "sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us." She said the golden plates "often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen table cloth." When she was asked if Joseph dictated from the Bible or a manuscript "she flatly denied those possibilities:" She said, "He had neither manuscript nor book to read from." She told her son, "...your father would dictate to me for hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him."
Martin Harris was also a scribe for Joseph Smith according to this article. "Harris later related that as Joseph used the seer stone to translate, sentences appeared. Joseph read those sentences aloud, and after penning the words, Harris would say, 'Written.'" Harris said Joseph "possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he then used the seer stone."
It is a popular notion that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates. According to this church article, he translated mostly by looking at some stones in a hat.
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