Did God Remove Oliver Cowdary's Name From His Patriarchal Blessing?

[Investigating]

Sorry, that should be "Oliver Cowdery" (but I can't seem to edit the topic heading.)

 

Anyway, I was reading Oliver Cowdery's patriarchal blessing on the Joseph Smith Papers website, and I noticed something I still can't understand.

 

If you look at the photographs of the original document, his name is entirely missing, and there's a blank space everywhere his name should be (except for the signature at the bottom.)

 

If this was written in paper and ink, I'm not even sure how this could be done in the 19th century.

 

I don't think they had white out, or ink erasers back then.

 

So could this be a miracle?

 

Could God have removed Cowdery's name from this document because he turned against the prophet and broke his covenants?

 

And if God didn't do it, who did?

Edited February 2, 2015 by Investigating

[Calm]

There are ways to erase ink. Forgers do it all the time, even back then.

As to who did it, unless a statement is made somewhere, who knows. Possibly someone who was in possession of the book.

Edited February 2, 2015 by calmoriah

[ERayR]

There are ways to erase ink. Forgers do it all the time, even back then.

As to who did it, unless a statement is made somewhere, who knows. Possibly someone who was in possession of the book.

 

One of the great mysteries.

[Investigating]

One of the great mysteries.

 

Actually, it kinda is.

 

I've been informed by the LDS response team that the document is made out of paper, that the text is written in ink, and that the top layer of paper has been scratched off leaving blank spaces where Oliver's name originally appeared.

 

Now consider who would have a reason to do this?

 

If Oliver didn't want to be associated with the saints (because he wanted to avoid persecution) wouldn't he have destroyed the whole document (instead of carefully scratching his first name out of the text and leaving his full name at the bottom, where he's identified as the recording scribe)?

 

And if Joseph wasn't a prophet, and he simply got carried away when he gave some of these blessings to Oliver, and he was latter embarrassed by some of the things he said (even though any unfulfilled promises could easily be explained as conditional), why would he carefully scratch Oliver's name out of the text when he could just as easily have destroyed the whole document?

 

The book of Mormon says:

 

And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out. (Mosiah 26:36.)

 

And (particularly since I see no reason for anyone else to have done it) I'm quite serious when I ask "could God have removed Oliver Cowdery's name from this document"?

Edited February 3, 2015 by Investigating

[Storm Rider]

Although I believe miracles occur, I tend to think this is not one of them.  I look for the simple answer first and if you were already told the name was scratched out, then a human did it.  The reasons for such an action can be as diverse as there are people.  

 

It is unfortunate that his name was scratched off; unfortunate things happen every day.  It would be curious to track the possession of the document and see if its history leads to the potential candidates and when someone first recognized the name's absence.  

[Investigating]

 

and if you were already told the name was scratched out, then a human did it.

 

If by "human" you mean mortal, what makes you say that?

 

Couldn't God, an angel (i.e. a resurrected person like Moroni), or John the Revelator have scratched it out?

 

 

The reasons for such an action can be as diverse as there are people.

 

Can you think of even one reason Oliver, or Joseph, or any mortal Mormon, ex-Mormon, or anti-Mormon would want to preserve the document with Oliver's name scratched out of the text (but left in the scribal signature that identifies him as "clerk and recorder)?

 

And wouldn't it be kinda miraculous for a human hand to scratch this name off of a sheet of paper four times without ripping, tearing, or leaving a hole in the paper?

Edited February 3, 2015 by Investigating

[Tacenda]

Although I believe miracles occur, I tend to think this is not one of them. I look for the simple answer first and if you were already told the name was scratched out, then a human did it. The reasons for such an action can be as diverse as there are people.

It is unfortunate that his name was scratched off; unfortunate things happen every day. It would be curious to track the possession of the document and see if its history leads to the potential candidates and when someone first recognized the name's absence.

This needed detective work has his name written all over it!!

[ALarson]

Can you think of even one reason Oliver, or Joseph, or any mortal Mormon, ex-Mormon, or anti-Mormon would want to preserve the document with Oliver's name scratched out of the text (but left in the scribal signature that identifies him as "clerk and recorder)?

 

Are you sure it's even Oliver's blessing?  If he's only identified at the bottom as "clerk and recorder", it could be another person's blessing.  

[Calm]

How about someone who was ticked off at Oliver enough that they wanted to make a symbolic gesture...basically 'look at all the blessings you could have had, they aren't yours any more, Oliver!'

[Investigating]

Are you sure it's even Oliver's blessing?  If he's only identified at the bottom as "clerk and recorder", it could be another person's blessing.  

 

Except that the recipient is spoken of as "an instrument in the hands of his God, with his brother Joseph, of translating..."

 

And according to the LDS response team at Allegiance (the people who answer questions submitted to The Joseph Smith Papers project) "a close examination of the document shows that Oliver's name was originally there, but was erased."

 

And "erased" was latter clarified by someone at the response team at Allegiance to mean that "the top layer of paper was scratched off" (apparently by a knife, or something like a knife, if it was done by a human hand.)

[Avatar4321]

I think the answer is much simpler. The early revelations for the saints had their names changed or removed to protect their privacy. The D&C mentions this to a certain extent.

[Investigating]

I think the answer is much simpler. The early revelations for the saints had their names changed or removed to protect their privacy. The D&C mentions this to a certain extent.

 

But how would removing Oliver's first name from the text have protected him when his full name appears at the bottom of the document (where he's identified as clerk and recorder)?

[Investigating]

How about someone who was ticked off at Oliver enough that they wanted to make a symbolic gesture...basically 'look at all the blessings you could have had, they aren't yours any more, Oliver!'

 

Could God have "wanted to make a symbolic gesture...basically 'look at all the blessings you could have had, they aren't yours any more, Oliver!'"

[ERayR]

Could God have "wanted to make a symbolic gesture...basically 'look at all the blessings you could have had, they aren't yours any more, Oliver!'"

 

God could/can do anything he wants but IMO this is not one of them.  If he wanted to retract those blessings he would have added another section to the D & C.

[ALarson]

How about someone who was ticked off at Oliver enough that they wanted to make a symbolic gesture...basically 'look at all the blessings you could have had, they aren't yours any more, Oliver!'

I think this is the most likely explanation.

[Kenngo1969]

I don't know the answer to your question, but if Oliver's name was removed as a result of some nefarious doing that, somehow, is supposed to reflect badly upon the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as you seem to be positing, why, as you yourself ask, was all but one instance of Oliver's name removed?  And why has the Church of Jesus Christ bothered to preserve (much less to publicize) the document if it reflects badly upon the Church, as you seem to be suggesting?

 

With due respect, if I'm misreading you, I certainly apologize.  You're welcome to clarify.

 

P.S.: You don't owe anybody else an explanation for why you're apparently so concerned about this, but I think it might be worth some individual reflection on your part.  Questions are inevitable, but doubt and faith are choices.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Kenngo1969

[KevinG]

Weren't some of the original blessings in the D&C published using pseudonyms to protect the privacy and security of the brethren named?

[Investigating]

I don't know the answer to your question, but if Oliver's name was removed as a result of some nefarious doing that, somehow, is supposed to reflect badly upon the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as you seem to be positing, why, as you yourself ask, was all but one instance of Oliver's name removed?  And why has the Church of Jesus Christ bothered to preserve (much less to publicize) the document if it reflects badly upon the Church, as you seem to be suggesting?

 

With due respect, if I'm misreading you, I certainly apologize.  You're welcome to clarif

P.S.: You don't owe anybody else an explanation for why you're apparently so concerned about this, but I think it might be worth some individual reflection on your part.  Questions are inevitable, but doubt and faith are choices.

 

Have you read any of my posts here?

 

Where do you get the idea of Oliver's name being removed "as a result of some nefarious doing" from anything I've asked or written here?

 

If it was removed by the hand of God, how could that be nefarious?

 

And how could that "reflect badly upon the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"?

 

And where do I seem to be positing any such thing?

Edited February 3, 2015 by Investigating

[Investigating]

Weren't some of the original blessings in the D&C published using pseudonyms to protect the privacy and security of the brethren named?

 

I think so, but how could any concern about Oliver's privacy or security have been the reason for removing his name from the body of text, when he's still identified (by name) as clerk and recorder at the end of the text?

[The Nehor]

I am going to guess it was Asmodeus, cambion son of King David and a succubus. Place a fish's heart and liver on hot coals to drive the demon to Egypt and then Raphael can bind it there.

Hope this helps.

[Kenngo1969]

Have you read any of my posts here?

 

Where do you get the idea of Oliver's name being removed "as a result of some nefarious doing" from anything I've asked or written here?

 

If it was removed by the hand of God, how could that be nefarious?

 

And how could that "reflect badly upon the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"?

 

And where do I seem to be positing any such thing?

OK.  As I say, you don't owe anybody else an explanation, but I'm still at a loss why you're so concerned.  It may well be that we simply don't know.

 

P.S.: God seems to be anxious that we give Him credit for the things He does, and He tends to get upset when other people or forces get credit for the things He does.  I have no problem with that.  I think He's a pretty cool guy.  Could God have removed Oliver's name from the blessing?  It's possible, I suppose, but I don't think He would do that without telling anyone.  

Edited February 3, 2015 by Kenngo1969

[Calm]

Traces indicated a knife or something like it was use to scrape off the name. Why would God need to use such a tool instead of just fading the name away by commanding the molecules of the ink to come out of the paper? If it looks like the hand of man acted, I think it likely was. One can chooses to believe or not whether the man was inspired by God or anger or dissapointment or something else.

I think though like others have said the best reason for assuming it was not God is because there is no apparent teaching being done by the action. It seems to serve little purpose.

[Calm]

My daughter you know it isnt God because he prefers lightening bolts to knives.

[Kaleb Webb]

I always thought his name was erased by an owner of the book after he was excommunicated in 1838

[Rain]

Traces indicated a knife or something like it was use to scrape off the name. Why would God need to use such a tool instead of just fading the name away by commanding the molecules of the ink to come out of the paper? If it looks like the hand of man acted, I think it likely was. One can chooses to believe or not whether the man was inspired by God or anger or dissapointment or something else.

I think though like others have said the best reason for assuming it was not God is because there is no apparent teaching being done by the action. It seems to serve little purpose.

That was my thought as well - that if it was God's doing he would be much more effective at it, completely erasing it rather just erasing the top layer.

It would, though, be the type of question I might also ask with curiosity (not assumption). I find possible little connections here and there all the time and wonder if they really do connect.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Rain