Herald of the Second Invitation, Vol 3, August 2019

1) Rafael’s picture

The picture of an angel that is circulating on the internet was not made available by this group. It was taken in 2007 by an old cell phone in the low resolution era. Since it was not made available by the group and because it is a Messenger, we will leave it to people to accept or reject the photo. It was never used as a factor to give credibility to the Work that began in Brazil. Just like the sacred objects, they were not taken to a laboratory, museum or university for testing and authentication. Not even Joseph did it. The tests were made by witnesses who came from the USA to Brazil to testify to the world the veracity of the objects. It is up to the world whether or not to believe their testimonials.

By checking the criticism of Rafael’s photo, we compared it to the original photo and can attest that it has been modified.

2) Physical analysis of the plates

1. a) Allegation of the original rings being D-format and the photos circulating on the internet are not D-shaped.

This claim does not thrive. First of all, it should be noted that there is only a single account of the plate rings being “D” shaped; it is made by Hyrum Smith saying it facilitated opening and reading. However, such a feature was never mentioned by Joseph Smith, and the D-format as shown in photos circulating the Internet would in no way facilitate the opening and handling of the plates.

Considering the accuracy of this description, the D-format does not suggest that the plates had an oversized D-ring, as they were described by David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses, who was quoted by an 1831 newspaper in Palmyra as saying that the plates were “the thickness of a tin plate; the back was secured with three small rings ... passing through each sheet in succession.” (Abner Cole, “Golden Bible, No. 6,” The [Palmyra] Reflector II (16) (March 19, 1831).

Another issue is that the photos show that the D-Format does not necessarily suggest a D-letter, but a ring shape that has four distinct sides, as we see here a “carabiner”:

Here we see the rings and plates:

As can be seen, the rings have a 4-sided D-shape and a base, similar to the D form.

D-shape would be the best way to describe the shape of the rings since they are not completely round in an O-shape.

1. b) The dimensions of the plates

In 1859 Martin Harris said the plates were 18 cm wide, 20 cm long and were like thick tin plates. When stacked on top of each other, they were 10 cm thick.

Joseph’s mother, who said she had handled the plates, is quoted as saying they were 20 cm long and 15 cm wide, all connected by a RING that passes at the end of each plate.

Joseph Smith himself  provided his own description of the plates in 1842, when he said in a letter that each plate was “15 cm wide, 20 cm long, and not as thick as an ordinary can”, all joined in a single volume, like the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was close to 15 cm thick.

The point is that critics use this supposed 1.5 cm discrepancy to criticize the Sealed Portion, because there is an 1827 2-inch (5 cm) difference reported between witnesses and one witness.

Thus we see that the given description was approximate since they are divergent from each other, probably being measured without a precision instrument.

Another point to be considered is that the 1.5 cm difference is due to the fact that the witnesses made the measurement after the removal of the bands (belts) that held the entire sealed portion as a single solid block.

When Mauricio removed the bands, it caused a kind of expansion or swelling in the plates, which caused them to increase in thickness and volume. It was precisely the bands that helped the seals keep the plates together and compact.

With the removal of the bands, there was this loosening of the plates which made the book gain volume.

1. c) Photos of the characters and the allegation that the characters were made by machine

As for the claim that the characters were made by machinery, this does not prosper. For this claim we used photos from the last part of the Book. It has a different recording from the rest of the plates, as you can see in the images below taken from my personal files. The first set (from which the Book of Mormon was taken) has different grooves than the second set (from which the first part of the Sealed Portion was translated). The rest of the Sealed Book remains sealed and another form of notch was used.

As you can see in the pictures, there are no markings of power tools.

This photo above belongs to the Book of Mormon; it can be verified that the characters are different from what was presented by the “observer” and copied by other web sites.

Already the Sealed Portion has a different writing, as you can see in the photo below:

On the left side you can see the holes where the seals pierced the plates. You can see that the Sealed Portion does not have the same black background as the characters in the Book of Mormon.

We see in this part of the plates, it has a notched design that is completely different from the others, this plate being a part of the cover of the next sealed set of plates.

Thus, it is evident that on the plates, more than one way of carving the characters was used. Something that would have no place to do with machines.

3) Angels using phones, tech gadgets

Some critics have used some phrases from people associated with the work or sparse information that one of the Three Nephites would have called Jader on a phone. Being absurd an angel using technology.

First, for anyone who believes in the Book of Mormon as God’s Word, the use of technology by heavenly beings is nothing new. The passages describing the Liahona undoubtedly describe a technological device and not magic:

RLDS 1 Nephi 5:11-12 / LDS 1 Nephi 16:10

And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment, he beheld upon the ground a round ball, of curious workmanship; and it was fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way wither we should go into the wilderness.

RLDS Alma 17:71-72 / LDS Alma 37:38-39

And now my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director; or our fathers called it liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.

And, behold, there can not any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship.

Use of technology by heavenly beings and the use of technology given by heavenly beings is present in the scriptures and the history of the Restoration. It shouldn’t be something that would surprise anyone who calls themselves Latter Day Saint.

We see that such equipment was a product designed and developed by an Intelligence and was something technological.

You can see the use of technology at various times in the scriptures: Ezekiel’s description of God’s chariots, the Liahona, the Seer Stones that made a kind of “scroll” appear to Joseph Smith. We thus realize that there is no limitation in heavenly beings using technology to do the work here on earth.

4) Peter and the Three Nephites

Some scattered claims and stories are causing confusion. Maybe it’s a problem communicating with different languages ​​or translating texts, we don’t know. Mauricio received instruction from different heavenly beings at different times.

Once on the top of Morro Agudo, accompanied by Jader, he was visited by Peter, James and John, the three apostles of Jesus Christ, who for a time passed guidance and training to him.

Another situation was at a certain moment when Mauricio was in his apartment and three men appeared at his door, having passed through the concierge and closed gates without being notified of his residence. Mauricio when opening the door and noticing the three, called in an inquiring tone “Pedro?”, believing it could be the same messengers who had been on Morro Agudo--to which the messenger said no, but they were under their direction at that time.

At this meeting there were more than 15 people in his household gathered for a sacrament meeting. They all understood that these were the Three Nephites, although their outfits and appearances were of modern men.

After presenting their message, the three left. But in a book that Mauricio received from them, one of them drew a symbol, which Mauricio came to understand later when translating the Sealed Book, that the symbol corresponded to the name “Jonah.”

Even the name of the Three Nephites is mentioned in The Sealed Book -- as Nephi, his brother Timothy, and Jonah, son of Nephi. Information not in the Book of Mormon.

5) Discrepancies about the Sword of Laban

Much speculation has arisen about Laban’s Sword and crude comparisons have surfaced on the Internet. In both the US and Brazil, some arguments have been used to try to refute Laban’s Sword, but as we will see, none of the arguments can thrive.

On Br. Anderson’s website, he explains this point with clarity:  www.salemthoughts.com/Topics/Plates.shtml

6) Acetone use and sword damage

One of the internet sites that is critical of the Sealed Book points to a video claiming that Br. Moore says that Mauricio (or someone) used acetone to clean the sword and in doing so made the sword deteriorate.

This is absurd. The Sword was really damaged due to its age when Mauricio tried to clean it with a polishing machine. It was the first item to be taken away by the heavenly messengers. But it sure wasn’t due to acetone.

7) Description of the Urim and Thummim being unlike Joseph’s story

Some critics have used as an argument their criticisms about the difference between the translation described by Joseph Smith and the one used by Mauricio Berger, since Joseph did not need the plates to translate.

First, it should be noted that in fact the methods were different. Joseph used more than one method for translation according to eyewitnesses. First he used the “Nephite Interpreters” that were also called “Seer Stones”. He wore them attached to a metal bow. When Martin Harris lost the 116 pages, the Lord removed the instruments from Joseph. David Whitmer said:

“He used a stone called ‘Seer Stone’ after the ‘Nephite Interpreters’ were removed from him for transgression. The ‘Nephite Interpreters’ were removed from him after he allowed Martin Harris to take the 116 pages of the manuscript, but he was allowed to proceed through the use of a ‘Seer Stone’ he possessed, which he placed inside a hat and after that put his face into the hat, which he stated that the original character appeared on a parchment and below the English translation.” (David Whitmer, quoted by Zenas H. Gurley, cited in Richard van Wagoner and Steven Walker, “Joseph Smith: The Gift of Seeing,” Dialogue 15/2 (Summer 1982), 54)

There is also mention that the Seer Stones (or Nephite Interpreters) were uncomfortable for Joseph and he preferred to use the “Seer Stone” to perform the translation, which he used inside a hat to block the light.

The Book of Mormon as a revelation of God has some advantage over ancient scripture: It was not tinged by the wisdom of man, here and there an italicized word to provide an understanding of the text, it was translated by the Gift and Power of God, by an uneducated man, through the help of a pair of interpreters, or Spectacles (perhaps known in ancient times as Teraphim, or Urim and Thummim) (...) (WW Phelps, The Book of Mormon, by Evening and the Morning Star 1:58)

“It also appears that Seer Stones were sometimes called Urim and Thummim, indicating that the name could be assigned to any instrument used for the purpose of translation” (Stephen D. Ricks, featured papers, Maxwell Institute, Provo UT)

“As a punishment for this oversight [the loss of 116 pages], the Urim and Thummim were removed from Smith. After humbling himself, he again found favor with the Lord and was presented with an oval-shaped, egg-sized, chocolate-colored stone that was promised to serve the same purpose. With this stone this whole book has been translated.” [Note that the chronology of Joseph’s acquisition of the stone is a bit confusing here. The use of the stone, however, is clearly indicated]. The Historical Record Devoted Exclusively to Historical, Biographical, Chronological and Statistical Matters (LDS Church Archives), 632.

This shows that even for the eyewitnesses, leaders, and participants of the day, the terms “interpreters”, “Seer Stones,” “Seer Stone,” and “Urim and Thummim” were often confused with each other, eventually becoming a single term “Urim and Thummim”.

So the claim that Joseph did not need the plates to do the translation is partly true, but also partly false. The accounts of Joseph not needing to look on the plates are consistent with the method that Joseph used the Seer Stone inside his unblinded hat, which was accomplished after the loss of the Nephite Interpreters or Seer Stones. After Joseph humbled himself before the Lord, he was allowed to translate again, but this time using only the “Chocolate Stone” or “Seer Stone”, a procedure that lasted until the end of the translation process since the Seer Stones were not returned to him. Thus, we see that the translation process used by Joseph had several different instruments and procedures throughout the translation.

On the other hand, Mauricio used only one procedure, the use of the “Seer Stones” or “Nephite Interpreters”, and the use of the plates was necessary to visualize the characters so that the translation could be performed.

Thus, the claim that the apparently different procedure used by Mauricio compared to Joseph would be a reason of discredit to Mauricio is unfounded.

8) Prophecy of Ether

Some have questioned that the time for the arrival of the Sealed Portion would have to correspond to RLDS Ether 1:100-101 / LDS Ether 4: 6-7.

This question is answered immediately in the preface to Mauricio Berger’s own Sealed Book:

“In addition, early on when the plates were announced by Brother Joseph Fredrick Smith, many were surprised by the translator’s claim that the sealed portion would be divided in two parts. It seemed to contradict all that the Latter-day Saints had already understood on this issue, and many ridiculed their claims. The scriptures cite at least two passages that mention the sealed portion of the plates of the Book of Mormon, which together, claim that the sealed portion will be opened in two periods of time different from one another.

1 - The first refers to a rebellious and obstinate people who honor the Lord with their lips, but who have turned their hearts away from Him because of the precepts of men. [RLDS 2 Nephi 11:143-147 / LDS 2 Nephi 27: 21-26]

1a - And that these rebellious and obstinate people will be the people of Zion in the last days, for how much they boast that all is well in Zion and deny these new scriptures. [RLDS 2 Nephi 12:31-39 / LDS 2 Nephi 28:25-31]

1b - Also, it refers to the man who is to read the sealed part as the one who will deliver his words to a rebellious and obstinate people. [RLDS 2 Nephi 11:146 / LDS 2 Nephi 27:24-25]

1c - And, it is to this rebellious and obstinate people that God intends to remind you “for the second time” of the covenants He made with His people in opening the fullness of times in the early days of the restoration. [RLDS 2 Nephi 12:42 / LDS 2 Nephi 29:1]

1d - After translating the part that concerns you, the translator of the sealed portion “will seal the plates again to the Lord.” [RLDS 2 Nephi 12:79-80 / LDS 2 Nephi 30:3]

2 - The second part, on the other hand, refers to a future time when the people of the covenant are pure in heart and exercise the same faith as the brother of Jared. [RLDS Ether 1:98-100 / LDS Ether 4:5-6]

2b - The second part also refers to Jesus Christ Himself as the one who is to reveal the things that the brother of Jared saw, to a pure people in the final part of the fullness of times. [RLDS Ether 1:101 / LDS Ether 4:7]

The Sealed Book of Mormon, therefore, appears in these last days according to the revealed prophecies, both in the Bible and in the Book of Mormon.”

Mauricio Artur Berger

Thus, it is clear that there are different periods of time that the Sealed Portion would be given to the people. One for a people that needed to be purified and one for a people that would already be purified.

9) About containing elements of Mark Hoffman’s forgery

Mark Hoffman’s forgery used a part based on true characters and part of his own invention.

A detailed analysis was performed by Br. Cackler and made available on the Link below, demonstrating with photos and historical documents that parts of Hoffman’s counterfeiting were based on actual remnant documents, and not only that they should in fact be found on the original plates, as indeed they are. Following is the accurate and detailed study:

http://salemthoughts.com/Topics/Ian-PlatesAndCharacters.pdf

10) That the Movement supports or denies polygamy

Groups that do not believe in polygamy as divine order claim that Mauricio supports the idea of polygamy practiced in the early days of the Restoration. Groups that believe in polygamy practiced in the early days of restoration claim that Mauricio rejects polygamy, which would be a matter of not accepting the story.

Mauricio has never confirmed or denied to date the historical polygamy of the early years of the restoration. When or if he speaks on the subject, it will be posted here.

But the movement does not prevent people’s freedom to believe or disbelieve doctrinal views or divergent beliefs about historical facts.