Comments on: Book of Mormon Epistles http://blognitivedissonance.com/2006/09/10/book-of-mormon-epistles/ "Mann trakht und Gott lakht" Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:47:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Daniel B. http://blognitivedissonance.com/2006/09/10/book-of-mormon-epistles/comment-page-1/#comment-3647 Daniel B. Wed, 13 Sep 2006 20:51:46 +0000 http://blognitivedissonance.com/2006/09/10/book-of-mormon-epistles/#comment-3647 As usual Justin, your comment brings a lot of welcome information and insight. Thanks! The idea of Ether 5 as a prophetic epistle really appeals to me. Or perhaps I should simply say, that view makes sense. As usual Justin, your comment brings a lot of welcome information and insight. Thanks! The idea of Ether 5 as a prophetic epistle really appeals to me. Or perhaps I should simply say, that view makes sense.

]]> By: Justin http://blognitivedissonance.com/2006/09/10/book-of-mormon-epistles/comment-page-1/#comment-3646 Justin Tue, 12 Sep 2006 22:57:55 +0000 http://blognitivedissonance.com/2006/09/10/book-of-mormon-epistles/#comment-3646 Sidney Sperry thought there were nine epistles in the Book of Mormon: the eight listed above plus Ether 5. He classified six as war epistles, Moroni 8 and 9 as pastoral epistles (comparing them to 1 Tim., 2 Tim., and Titus), and Ether 5 as a prophetic epistle. Of the last type, he wrote:<blockquote>There may be those who object to calling this chapter an epistle, but it truly is a letter, since it contains Moroni's instructions to the future translator of the Book of Mormon. We call it a prophetic epistle because it was penned about fourteen hundred years before the advent of Joseph Smith, the prophet for whom it was intended. The great period of time which elapsed between the penning and the reception of the letter makes it one of the most unusual epistles in existence. Imagine receiving a letter directed to oneself fourteen hundred years after it was written!</blockquote>("Types of Literature in the Book of Mormon: Epistles, Psalms, Lamentations," <i>JBMS</i> 4/1 (1995)). Sidney Sperry thought there were nine epistles in the Book of Mormon: the eight listed above plus Ether 5. He classified six as war epistles, Moroni 8 and 9 as pastoral epistles (comparing them to 1 Tim., 2 Tim., and Titus), and Ether 5 as a prophetic epistle. Of the last type, he wrote:
There may be those who object to calling this chapter an epistle, but it truly is a letter, since it contains Moroni’s instructions to the future translator of the Book of Mormon. We call it a prophetic epistle because it was penned about fourteen hundred years before the advent of Joseph Smith, the prophet for whom it was intended. The great period of time which elapsed between the penning and the reception of the letter makes it one of the most unusual epistles in existence. Imagine receiving a letter directed to oneself fourteen hundred years after it was written!

(”Types of Literature in the Book of Mormon: Epistles, Psalms, Lamentations,” JBMS 4/1 (1995)).

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