Martin & Lucy Harris and the Lost 116 Pages of the Book of Mormon - Dr. John G. Turner Pt. 3 | Ep. 2028

Welcome to part three of the Joseph Smith Podcast! Today we are back with Dr. John Turner to cover his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” Today we are covering Chapter Four titled: Lost in Translation which takes place in 1827-1829 in Palmyra, New York.

In this episode, we explore one of the most pivotal and mysterious events in early Mormon history — the story of Martin and Lucy Harris and the infamous loss of the 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript. With historian and non-Latter-day Saint scholar John G. Turner, we dive into the complexities of translation, belief, and the relationships that shaped the early Restoration movement.

We also examine:

-The discovery of the plates

-Martin Harris’ background and motives

-Lucy Harris’ suspicions and possible involvement

-The cultural and religious context of the time

-Theories about the Book of Mormon translation process

-What the loss of the 116 pages reveals about Joseph Smith’s prophetic development

This episode also reflects on broader themes of faith, deception, historical interpretation, and the psychology behind religious movements. Whether you're a believer, skeptic, or historian, this deep-dive provides rich insight from a non-Mormon perspective.

Please purchase the book ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

To support this series please donate ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.

___________________

YouTube

Show Notes

Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:

• One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox
• Support us on Patreon
• PayPal
• Venmo

Our Platforms:

• YouTube
• Patreon
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Contact us:
[email protected]
PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Social Media:

• Insta: @mormstories
• TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast
• Join the Discord