First Born Translator
According to several witnesses, the first born child of Emma and Joseph Smth Jr. was going to have a significant role in translating the plates. Unfortunately the firstborn child (later named Alvin) was still-born and could not fulfill his role as a translator.
“In the Spring 1829, Harris went to Pennsylvania, and on his return to Palmyra, reported that the Prophet’s wife, in the month of June following would be delivered of a male child that would be able when two years old to translate the Gold Bible”. – Willard Chase, 11 Dec 1833
“Joseph Smith, Jr. told him that (Smith’s) first-born child was to translate the characters, and hieroglyphics, upon the Plates into our language at the age of three years; but this child was not permitted to live to verify the prediction.” – Joshua M’Kune, 1834
Sophia Lewis… states that she heard Smith say “the Book of Plates could not be opened under penalty of death by any other person but his (Smith’s) first-born, which was to be a male.” She says she “was present at the birth of this child, and that it was still-born and very much deformed.” – Sophia Lewis, 1834
Find A Grave
Learn More:
- Fuller Consideration – Better Information – Firstborn Child
- Mormonism Unvailed – E.B. Howe
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