Treasure-seeking in the Book of Mormon

[Joseph Antley]

A few weeks ago, I created this thread which describes the popular treasure-seeking rituals in early America. One of the treasure-seeking beliefs I described is that treasure is always guarded by a treasure-guardian -- often a demon -- who has the ability to pull the treasure deeper into the earth or move it to another location in order to keep the treasure-seeking from obtaining the cache. This belief was popular as early as the 1720s and pervaded in New England until the mid-1800s, seeing a boom during the Second Great Awakening from 1790-1830.

Perhaps this treasure-seeking culture was alluded to by Samuel in the Book of Mormon.

34 Behold, we lay a tool here and on the morrow it is gone; and behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought them for battle.

35 Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land.

36 O that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them.

37 Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? And this shall be your language in those days.

Helaman 13:34-37

Samuel tells the people that the Lord will curse them for not remembering Him and rejecting the prophets by allowing them to be surrounded by demons and making their treasure slippery so that they disappear, and they cannot obtain them. The passage is ambiguous about whether it is the demons themselves who move the treasures.

The same thing happens centuries later.

18 And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again.

Mormon 1:18

Did passages like these in the Book of Mormon help encourage early Mormons' beliefs in treasure-seeking? Since many early Mormons were treasure-seekers or at least believed in treasure-seeking superstitions (the Smiths, Martin Harris, Josiah Stowell, the Knights, and probably Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmers), could they have read these passages without having their beliefs confirmed?

The treasures buried up in the earth that they all desperately sought turned out to be Nephite and Lamanite treasures, cursed by God and guarded by the demons who inhabit the earth. And the Book of Mormon answered the question as to why they had never been able to obtain them -- "And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth...no man getteth it henceforth and forever." (Helaman 12:9)

[ERayR]

A few weeks ago, I created this thread which describes the popular treasure-seeking rituals in early America. One of the treasure-seeking beliefs I described is that treasure is always guarded by a treasure-guardian -- often a demon -- who has the ability to pull the treasure deeper into the earth or move it to another location in order to keep the treasure-seeking from obtaining the cache. This belief was popular as early as the 1720s and pervaded in New England until the mid-1800s, seeing a boom during the Second Great Awakening from 1790-1830.

Perhaps this treasure-seeking culture was alluded to by Samuel in the Book of Mormon.

Samuel tells the people that the Lord will curse them for not remembering Him and rejecting the prophets by allowing them to be surrounded by demons and making their treasure slippery so that they disappear, and they cannot obtain them. The passage is ambiguous about whether it is the demons themselves who move the treasures.

The same thing happens centuries later.

I think that you could classify our treasures as slippery today. Much of the stock market values just slipped away. Kind of like BoM terminology don't you think? At least for those who had half their retirement accounts disappear in a few weeks.

Did passages like these in the Book of Mormon help encourage early Mormons' beliefs in treasure-seeking? Since many early Mormons were treasure-seekers or at least believed in treasure-seeking superstitions (the Smiths, Martin Harris, Josiah Stowell, the Knights, and probably Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmers), could they have read these passages without having their beliefs confirmed?

The treasures buried up in the earth that they all desperately sought turned out to be Nephite and Lamanite treasures, cursed by God and guarded by the demons who inhabit the earth. And the Book of Mormon answered the question as to why they had never been able to obtain them -- "And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth...no man getteth it henceforth and forever." (Helaman 12:9)

I certainly consider the politicians who are causing this problem and are poised to tax the rest away from us as demons or at the very least Gaddianton robbers.

[Honestly]

Did passages like these in the Book of Mormon help encourage early Mormons' beliefs in treasure-seeking?

Careful, you are citing research against the non-Western, NY geography models out there.

I believe you're on the right track. The spirit of treasure stealing originated in BoM time and continues on ancient BoM lands. When Jospeph and others scryed for treasure, they saw it. But when they dug for it, it was swallowed up, because the cursing on the land remains. (They did this pre-BoM.)

Book of Mormon critics should be aware of this curse before placing too high a demand on proof by way of ancient Nephite treasure. That's not to say it won't come to the righteous.

[Joseph Antley]

Careful, you are citing research against the non-Western, NY geography models out there.

Am I? I don't think has much to do with a geographic model of the Book of Mormon.

I believe you're on the right track. The spirit of treasure stealing originated in BoM time and continues on ancient BoM lands. When Jospeph and others scryed for treasure, they saw it. But when they dug for it, it was swallowed up, because the cursing on the land remains. (They did this pre-BoM.)

Ah, if only it were unique to American soil. But the same phenomenon occurred in England, Ireland, Germany, and other places throughout Europe. The treasure-seeking traditions appear to have originated there and were carried to America via European settlers.

[Honestly]

Ah, if only it were unique to American soil. But the same phenomenon occurred in England, Ireland, Germany, and other places throughout Europe. The treasure-seeking traditions appear to have originated there and were carried to America via European settlers.

Folklore no doubt, the difference is, the BoM says God cursed ancient BoM lands, and the only spirit to appease is God, and that by respecting the BoM.

[Joseph Antley]

Folklore no doubt, the difference is, the BoM says God cursed ancient BoM lands, and the only spirit to appease is God, and that by respecting the BoM.

I do not believe that there was any literal validity to early American treasure-quests -- I do not believe that there was treasure buried in the ground and that it "slipped" away before treasure-seekers could reach it, either through the efforts of God or treasure-guardian spirits.

But my interest is more in how early Mormons may have related the Book of Mormon to the treasure-quests they were participating in.

[Cold Steel]

This is a tradition that goes back as far as man. Treasure has always had to be protected, by either a curse or a creature powerful enough to protect it. In the Garden of Eden, once Adam and Eve had partaken of the fruit of death, an angel with a flaming sword was dispatched to protect the tree of life lest Adam and Eve partake of it. Part of the entire legacy behind dragons were to protect treasure. The idea of obtaining such treasure always has had a certain allure, and Joseph Smith, despite having seen an angel, still could not help himself but think of gain (no matter how fleetingly) when he saw the gold plates.

One of the most fascinating stories that were related about Joseph was that when he finally was permitted to handle the plates that he promised to never let them out of his sight. Yet as soon as he removed them, the thought came to him to cover the stone box. He put down the plates and placed the rock back in its place, but when he turned back to get the plates, they were gone and he was knocked senseless. When he recovered, he found they had been returned to the box and he was again forbidden to obtain them.

This sort of thing is very much like something one would read in Greek Mythology. Like Theseus, Joseph visited the sacred spot once a year and each time he was tried in both thought and action. It was only when Theseus was finally able to lift the stone that he received the sword and the sandals his father had left. In both cases, strength and integrity were required before the treasure was obtained. Charles Kingsly eloquently tells it:

Then Theseus pushed his way in through the thick bushes, and saw that they had not been moved for many a year. And searching among their roots he found a great flat stone, all overgrown with ivy, and acanthus, and moss. He tried to lift it, but he could not. And he tried till the sweat ran down his brow from heat, and the tears from his eyes for shame; but all was of no avail. And at last he came back to his mother, and said, 'I have found the stone, but I cannot lift it; nor do I think that any man could in all Troezene.'

Then she sighed, and said, 'The Gods wait long; but they are just at last. Let it be for another year. The day may come when you will be a stronger man than lives in all Troezene.'

Joseph Smith was a product of his age, just as we all are. But like Theseus, he became strong in both body and spirit, and the day came when he became a stronger man than lives in all of his world. Even after he had received the plates, he still was not perfect and yet had to learn that when the Lord counsels, one should follow that counsel.

In ancient days, there were no banks and often people had to be the keepers of their own treasures. But the Lord warned the people that if they failed to give proper thanks to Him and to give their sustenance to the poor, then "in the days of their poverty," their own treasures would become elusive. "And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure...." (Helaman 13:32) For the prophet warned them: "And behold, the time cometh that [the Lord] curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them." (v. 31)

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[Maya]

This is a tradition that goes back as far as man. Treasure has always had to be protected, by either a curse or a creature powerful enough to protect it. In the Garden of Eden, once Adam and Eve had partaken of the fruit of death, an angel with a flaming sword was dispatched to protect the tree of life lest Adam and Eve partake of it. Part of the entire legacy behind dragons were to protect treasure. The idea of obtaining such treasure always has had a certain allure, and Joseph Smith, despite having seen an angel, still could not help himself but think of gain (no matter how fleetingly) when he saw the gold plates.

One of the most fascinating stories that were related about Joseph was that when he finally was permitted to handle the plates that he promised to never let them out of his sight. Yet as soon as he removed them, the thought came to him to cover the stone box. He put down the plates and placed the rock back in its place, but when he turned back to get the plates, they were gone and he was knocked senseless. When he recovered, he found they had been returned to the box and he was again forbidden to obtain them.

This sort of thing is very much like something one would read in Greek Mythology. Like Theseus, Joseph visited the sacred spot once a year and each time he was tried in both thought and action. It was only when Theseus was finally able to lift the stone that he received the sword and the sandals his father had left. In both cases, strength and integrity were required before the treasure was obtained. Charles Kingsly eloquently tells it:

Joseph Smith was a product of his age, just as we all are. But like Theseus, he became strong in both body and spirit, and the day came when he became a stronger man than lives in all of his world. Even after he had received the plates, he still was not perfect and yet had to learn that when the Lord counsels, one should follow that counsel.

In ancient days, there were no banks and often people had to be the keepers of their own treasures. But the Lord warned the people that if they failed to give proper thanks to Him and to give their sustenance to the poor, then "in the days of their poverty," their own treasures would become elusive. "And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure...." (Helaman 13:32) For the prophet warned them: "And behold, the time cometh that [the Lord] curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them." (v. 31)

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Interesting thank you. I also see a certain allegory in this... strong... spiritually/fysically... treasure/word of God or faith. So many people today cry to God to find the true faith, but it just seems to get further away the colser they get to it, as they do not want to offer their suspicion and clear their mind from what they have been tought earlier and become like a child who can obtain pure knowledge without doubt.

[Joseph Antley]

Joseph Smith was a product of his age, just as we all are.

Sure he was -- but I like to think that the Book of Mormon was the product of a more distant age, which is why I find these treasure-passages and their relationship to early American treasure-seeking so interesting.

[Nevo]

For what it's worth, Terryl Givens frankly acknowledges the connection in his recent publication, The Book of Mormon: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2009): "t is undeniably the case that folk magic, slippery treasures, and emotionally extravagant reactions to conversion all make their appearance in the Book of Mormon and in the popular culture of Joseph Smith's day" (115). Givens doesn't really say how this might be reconciled with an ancient origin for the Book of Mormon except to note that early Mormons were unfazed by "the transparent relevance of the Book of Mormon to nineteenth-century cultural and religious preoccupations" (116).

His general position seems to be that the evidences for an ancient origin and those pointing to a modern origin are more or less evenly matched. After listing several evidences for an ancient origin, he writes: "None of these items, of course, taken singly, constitutes decisive proof that the Book of Mormon is an ancient text. Even their cumulative weight is counterbalanced by what appear to be striking intrusions into the Book of Mormon text of anachronisms, nineteenth-century parallels, and elements that appear to many scholars to be historically implausible and inconsistent with what is known about ancient American cultures" (122).

This position is consistent with Givens' conviction, stated elsewhere, that God sets up "conditions of equilibrium" in order to force a moral choice between belief and disbelief:

I am convinced that there must be grounds for doubt as well as belief in order to render the choice more truly a choice

[Cold Steel]

Sure he was -- but I like to think that the Book of Mormon was the product of a more distant age, which is why I find these treasure-passages and their relationship to early American treasure-seeking so interesting.

Certainly, but it's fascinating how similar these things are throughout history. There are times when I wished I had one of those metal detectors just so I could walk around and dig things out of the ground. The desire to find hidden treasure is as old as man. I recently saw a History Channel show on Jesse James. Seems he wasn't really shot like tradition says, and he may have lived to a ripe old age. Treasure seekers got suspicious when they found some of the outlaw's stash and the dates on the coins were older than James' alleged slaying. I have to admit my heart skipped a beat when they began finding gold pieces buried near sandstone inscriptions bearing James' initials.

[cjcampbell]

Certainly, but it's fascinating how similar these things are throughout history. There are times when I wished I had one of those metal detectors just so I could walk around and dig things out of the ground. The desire to find hidden treasure is as old as man. I recently saw a History Channel show on Jesse James. Seems he wasn't really shot like tradition says, and he may have lived to a ripe old age. Treasure seekers got suspicious when they found some of the outlaw's stash and the dates on the coins were older than James' alleged slaying. I have to admit my heart skipped a beat when they began finding gold pieces buried near sandstone inscriptions bearing James' initials.

What I would love to find is an old treasure cache left by the Hole in the Wall gang, perhaps containing a gold coin or two minted by the Church.

[bjw]

In the Old Testament, Numbers 16:32:

32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

It looks like this concept goes back even further.

[Joseph Antley]

In the Old Testament, Numbers 16:32:

32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

It looks like this concept goes back even further.

Sure it does. I'm not sure early Mormon treasure-seekers appreciated that, though.