Msg#: 1802                                         Date: 02-19-95  18:42
  From: J.j. Hitt                                    Read: Yes    Replied: No
    To: Andrew Conner                                Mark:
  Subj: Re: P of G.P.

 AC> The Book of Abraham was contained on scrolls found by the inheritor
 AC> of a certain group of egyption mummies and artifacts.

 Correct so far. (Though the actual content of the scrolls is at best
 doubtful.)

 AC> The english scientist who unearthed the find died leaving those
 AC> treasures to a man in Boston.

 The finder was a Frenchman named Antonio Sebolo. He wasn't a scientist,
 but rather an "explorer". What passed for archeology amoung 18th and
 19th century Egytologists consisted of little more than grave robbing.

 His heir lived in Philadelphia, not Boston.

 AC> Upon recieving the artifacts
 AC> he opened up the mummies and he found the scrolls.

 The only record we have of these events comes from Joseph Smith
 himself. (Who wasn't present.)

 AC> He didn't know
 AC> what to do with the stuff and someone on the docks in Boston told
 AC> the inheritor that there was a man in Nauvoo, Ill. who could
 AC> translate the scrolls.

 This was 1835. Smith was in Kirtland, OH and Nauvoo was still called
 Commerce, IL.

 AC> The inheritor set off to find Joseph Smith.

 From: The Restoration of The Gospel, Osborn (Deseret Books)

 "A stranger standing near at the time of the discovery recommended to
 Mr. Chandler that he seek out the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith, as
 probably the only man who could render a correct translation. MISTER
 CHANDLER, HOWEVER, BEGAN TO EXHIBIT THE MUMMIES IN THE LARGER CITIES OF
 THE UNITED STATES."

 AC> Along the way the man may have accepted payment for people to see
 AC> the things that he inherited.  Does that constitute a freak show?

 Yes. It was a "traveling exhibition". An institution that later evolved
 into the American Circus.  Smith, Chandler and P.T. Barnum were all
 contemporaries.

 AC> Upon arrival in Nauvoo he found Joseph and showed him the finds.

 Kirtland.

 AC> Joseph recognized that what the scientist had found was the
 AC> writings of the prophet Abraham and the church bought the
 AC> scrolls from the man.

 He bought the show, mummies and all.

 AC> As far as translating the scrolls, they were not treated any different
 AC> than that of the plates he had found.

 [No comment necessary.]