The Mormon Church has four books of scripture referred to as "The Standard Works." The Bible is accepted as the Word of God "as far as it is translated correctly." (8th Article of Faith of the Mormon Church.) The Book of Mormon, The Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants are accepted as scripture without any qualifications whatsoever.

Few Mormons are aware of the thousands of WORD CHANGES and nature of the changes that have been made in the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price since the first editions.

Because of limited space only a brief examination of some of the more serious changes will be given.

The Book of Mormon is claimed to be a translation of "gold plates" from "Reformed Egyptian" writings into English. The "gold plates" were supposedly taken back by the angel "Moroni" and are not available for inspection.

According to "The Testimony of Three Witnesses" which is printed in the front of every Book of Mormon, the follow claim is made about the translation of the "gold plates:

"And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true"

Joseph Smith himself stated:

"I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth.... "(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 194)

According to the "History of the Church" Joseph Smith claimed that when he and the witnesses went to pray about the Book of Mormon, a voice spoke from heaven saying:

"These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear." (vol. 1, p. 55)

With such claims we would expect to see the Book of Mormon free of changes. However, a close examination reveals that over 4000 WORD CHANGES, including doctrinal changes, have been made since the first 1830 Edition. As recent as 1981 Mormon leaders have made approximately 200 more WORD CHANGES. Many of the changes change the meaning entirely as well as doctrine. The following are a few examples.

The title page to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon as well as "The Testimony of Eight Witnesses," claimed Joseph Smith as, "AUTHOR AND PROPRIETOR." Alt later editions claim, "TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, JUN." and Joseph Smith, Jun., "THE TRANSLATOR."

There is no truth in the argument that the copyright laws required Joseph Smith to be named as the author. Smith could have received the copyright simply as "Proprietor." Or, he could have printed the book without a copyright. Regardless of how he printed it, there was no need to falsify the testimony of "eight witnesses." Their testimony today would be considered "VOID" in a court of Law.

Four important doctrinal changes have been made in the Book of Mormon concerning the Godhead. The following compares the 1830 edition with all modern editions.

"Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God .... "(1830 Edition, p. 25)

"Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of THE SON OF God .... (1NEPHI 11:18)

"... the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world; "(1830 Edition, p. 32)

"...the Lamb of God is THE SON OF the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world;..." (I NEPHI 13:40)

"...behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Eternal Father!" (1830 Edition, p. 25)

"... Behold the Lamb of God, yea even THE SON OF the Eternal Father (I NEPHI 11:21)

".... the Everlasting God, was judged of the world... 1830 Edition, p. 26)

"... THE SON OF the everlasting God was judged of the world;... (I NEPHI 11:32)

The Church archives has a portion of the handwritten manuscript of the Book of Mormon which was dictated by Joseph Smith and contains 3 of the 4 places that have just been mentioned. The words "THE SON OF" does not appear in the handwritten manuscript in any of these places and proves the current editions have been falsified.

Another doctrinal change has been made concerning God's unalterable decrees:

"...I know that he allotteth unto men, YEA, DECREETH UNTO THEM DECREES WHICH ARE UNALTERABLE, according to their wills;..." (1830 Edition, p.303)

In later editions 8 words were deleted with no indication:

"... l know that he allotteth unto men according to their wills .... "(Alma 29:4, 1967 Edition)

The change seems to have been made to make it more in harmony with the Doctrine and Covenants, section 56, where Joseph Smith claimed the Lord told him:

"Wherefore I, the Lord, command and REVOKE, AS IT SEEMETH ME GOOD;... Wherefore, I REVOKE THE COMMANDMENT...and give a NEW COMMANDMENT .... "(verses 4-5)

After years of criticism the leadership has decided to reinsert the phrase. It now reads:

"...I know that he allotteth unto men, YEA, DECREETH UNTO THEM DECREES WHICH ARE UNALTERABLE, according to their wills .... (Alma 29:4, 1981 Edition)

The following is a reduced, photographic reproduction of the lower half of page 52 of the 1830 Edition of the Book of Mormon with the changes marked to bring it into conformity with modern editions. Notice the phrase "OR OUT OF THE WATERS OF BAPTISM" has been added. (Compare I Nephi 20:1) Not only does this phrase not appear in the 1830 Edition and in the handwritten manuscript dictated by Joseph Smith, but it doesn't appear in the, "Inspired Version" of the Bible by Joseph Smith. (see Isaiah 48:1)

Probably no Mormon scripture has been changed more times than the prophecy Concerning the Lamanites (Indians) in II Nephi 30:6. Mormonism has consistently taught a dark skin is a sign of God's displeasure. (see II Nephi 5:21, Alma 3:6, I Nephi 12:23)

However, with the change of the Negroes receiving the Priesthood in 1978, Mormon leaders are attempting to cover up this embarrassing teaching concerning skin color.

"... many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a WHITE and a delightsome people." (1830 Edition, p. 117)

"... PURE and delightsome people." (1840 Edition)

"...WHITE and delightsome people." (All later editions until 1981)

"... PURE and delightsome people." (1981 Edition, II Nephi 30:6)

Although the Mormon Church does not have the dictated, handwritten manuscript of the Book of Mormon at this point, the R.L.D.S. Church has the handwritten printers copy, which was given to the printer to set the type for the first printing. It too agrees with the 1830 Edition and says, "WHITE."

The "Doctrine and Covenants" contains revelations which were supposedly given by God to Joseph Smith and a few others. The revelations were first printed in "The Book of Commandments" in 1833.

Many of the revelations that appear in modern editions of the Doctrine and Covenants have undergone drastic change since they were first printed in the Book of Commandments. Despite the following statement by Joseph Fielding Smith, over 2,800 WORD CHANGES have been made in the revelations.

"There was no need for ELIMINATING, CHANGING, OR ADJUSTING ANY PART TO MAKE IT FIT: but each new revelation on doctrine and priesthood fitted in its place PERFECTLY to complete the whole structure, as it had been prepared by the Master Builder." (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p. 170)

The "Preface" to the Book of Commandments as well as Section 1:37,38 of the Doctrine and Covenants, make this claim to the faithfulness of the revelations:

"Search these commandments, for they are TRUE AND FAITHFUL .... What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and l excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away .... "

The following examples give absolute proof that the revelations have been falsified. The photographic reproductions are how the revelations first appeared in "The Book of Commandments."

The words surrounding the revelations indicate the changes that would have to be made to bring them into conformity with modem editions of the "Doctrine and Covenants.'!

When the following revelation was first printed in The Book of Commandments, chapter 4 verse 2 made this statement concerning Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon:

"... and he has a gift to translate the book, and ! HAVE COMMANDED HIM THAT HE SHALL PRETEND TO NO OTHER GIFT, for I will grant him NO OTHER GIFT." (compare Doctrine and Covenants 5:4)

Later, Smith pretended to the gift of translating the Bible and then the Book of Abraham. Rather than receiving a new revelation concerning "other gifts," the old revelation was falsified. This would allow the Church to accept Smith's later writings as scripture.

The revelation now claims this would be the "FIRST GIFT" and Smith would not receive another gift "UNTIL MY PURPOSE IS FULFILLED IN THIS."

The next revelation was first printed in the Book of Commandments, Chapter 6. The heading in modem editions of the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 7, claims this revelation was translated from parchment by means of the "Urim and Thummim." (the Urim and Thummim was allegedly used in translating the Book of Mormon) Not only does this photocopy prove the revelation has been tampered with, but demonstrates the unreliability of the "Urim and Thummim" as well as Smith's ability as translator.

Since the first printing of the "Pearl of Great Price" in 1851, there have been over 1,600 WORD CHANGES. The following photocopy is of the 1851 edition of the Pearl of Great Price. (page 41, first paragraph) Here, the angel that told Joseph Smith about the "gold plates" is named, "NEPHI." Modem editions have been changed to read, "MORONI." (Compare P. of G. P, 1981 edition, Joseph Smith-History 1:33)

This could not have been a "clerical error." While Joseph Smith was editor of the Church newspaper the "Times and Seasons," he printed his history and claimed the angel's name was "NEPHI" (vol. 3, p.753). He never made a retraction. Even the handwritten manuscript for the "History of the Church" reads, "NEPHI."

"ADD THOU NOT UNTO HIS WORDS, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." (Proverbs 30:6)

Ye shall not ADD unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye DIMINISH aught from it,..." (Deuteronomy 4:2)

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners SPAKE IN TIME PAST unto the fathers by the prophets, HATH IN THESE LAST DAYS spoken unto us 'by his Son .... (Hebrews 1:1,2)

"THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS WERE UNTIL JOHN: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.' (Luke 16:16)

"Jesus saith unto him, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND, THE LIFE, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)