Question
Dear Gramps,
I would like to know who divided the Book of Mormon into chapters and verses and, if possible, when. Thank you very much.
Lennart
Answer
Dear Lennert,
The Book of Mormon was first divided into chapters and verses in 1879 by Orson Pratt, with the help of James E. Talmage, who was only 17 years old at the time.
Incidentally, I have a copy of the Third Liverpool Edition of the Book of Mormon, which was printed in 1883. It is divided into chapters and verses, but not into columns.
The Book of Mormon was divided into double-column pages in 1920, and to the book were added chapter headings, chronological data, revised footnote references, a pronouncing vocabulary, and an index. Elder Talmage, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was the chairman of the committee that affected these changes.
The Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price were changed to double-column pages in the following year.
Gramps