Question

Hi Gramps,

I seem to find myself in need of asking you another question. The thing is that I have been asked about the Book of Abraham. I felt as if I were a child for not knowing the answer. Would you happen to know the final disposition of the original papyrus that the Book of Abraham was translated from? I thank you ahead of time for I know if any one knows this it will be you.

Richard

Answer

Dear Richard,

The disposition of the papyri from which the Book of Abraham was translated in not known. There is some evidence and a general belief that the papyri and the mummies with which they were found were destroyed in the great fire in Chicago.

In 1967 some papyri fragments were found in the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts in New York City that were pasted onto a paper backing that contained Emma Smith’s handwriting. When this was verified by the museum the fragments were presented to President N. Eldon Tanner, of the First Presidency of the Mormon Church. Upon examination it was determined that these fragments were not those which were used in the translation of the Book of Abraham, although they were undoubtedly recovered from the same set of mummies as were the writings of Abraham and of Joseph. For some time after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith small pieces of papyri were sold by Emma Smith to different individuals. The fragments found in the Metropolitan Museum could well have been from among those that were acquired from Emma Smith.

Gramps