Joseph Smith’s “Coherent and Well-Worded Letter”

The Gospel Topic Essay on the Book of Mormon translation quotes Emma Smith stating, “Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter,” let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon. This is a very common refrain from apologists. They want to use Joseph’s lack of education and ignorance as a disqualifying factor to him being involved in the miraculous appearance of the Book of Mormon in any way other than a translator called of God. They want us to believe he was incapable of creating such a work without the divine guidance and help from God. He had scribes to write his words, but they deflate his capabilities by saying retroactively that he was not even able to dictate a letter, much less a full book of holy scripture.

The young man, however, had very little formal education and was incapable of writing a book on his own, let alone translating an ancient book written from an unknown language, known in the Book of Mormon as “reformed Egyptian.” Joseph’s wife Emma insisted that, at the time of translation, Joseph “could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictat[e] a book like the Book of Mormon.” - LDS Church, Gospel Topics Essays: Book of Mormon Translation | wasmormon.org — The young man, however, had very little formal education and was incapable of writing a book on his own, let alone translating an ancient book written from an unknown language, known in the Book of Mormon as “reformed Egyptian.” Joseph’s wife Emma insisted that, at the time of translation, Joseph “could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictat[e] a book like the Book of Mormon.” – LDS Church, Gospel Topics Essays: Book of Mormon Translation

The young man, however, had very little formal education and was incapable of writing a book on his own, let alone translating an ancient book written from an unknown language, known in the Book of Mormon as “reformed Egyptian.” Joseph’s wife Emma insisted that, at the time of translation, Joseph “could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictat[e] a book like the Book of Mormon.”
Gospel Topics Essays: Book of Mormon Translation
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/book-of-mormon-translation

The Saints Herald Emma Smith Interview

The quote from Emma is from 1879, 35 years after Joseph’s death. The Brighamite faction of the church had long left for Utah and publicly established polygamy, which Mormons are still known for today. Emma was part of the Reorganized church, which stayed and was led by her and Joseph’s bloodline, their son, Joseph III. Emma was interviewed, still aiming to prop up the “miraculous” work of her husband and the church he founded, and in her eyes, the church her son was leading.

"Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well- worded letter; let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon." - Emma Smith, Joseph Smith's Wife and Scribe, 1879 | wasmormon.org — “Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well- worded letter; let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon.” – Emma Smith, Joseph Smith’s Wife and Scribe, 1879

Q. Could not father have dictated the Book of Mormon to you, Oliver Cowdery and the others who wrote for him, after having first written it, or having first read it out of some book?

A. Joseph Smith [and for the first time she used his name direct, having usually used the words, “your father,” or “my husband”] could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well- worded letter; let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, and was present during the translation of the plates, and had cognizance of things as they transpired, it is marvelous to me, “a marvel and a wonder,” as much so as to any one else.
Emma Smith, The Saints Herald, Official Publication of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Plano, Illinois, October 1, 1879. Vol 26. No 19.
https://archive.org/details/TheSaintsHerald_Volume_26_1879/page/n289/mode/2up

This statement, originally published in the Saints’ Herald in 1879. The Saints’ Herald in 1879 was the official publication of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church), with its 1879 issues comprising Volume 26 of the periodical. The 1879 Volume features content like Emma Smith’s testimony on the Book of Mormon and accounts of ongoing missionary work, reflecting the church’s activities and beliefs.

The quote is used in the essay and by apologists for over a hundred years to highlight the difficulty of the task of translating the Book of Mormon. They minimize Joseph Smith to emphasize their proposal that the only way he could have translated the Book of Mormon was through divine inspiration. So, in essence, its very existence is proof of its divinity and truthfulness.

Emma’s Dishonesty

In that same interview, Emma also claims to know nothing about Joseph’s other wives and states that he never practiced polygamy. She is actively curating the history she wants to be told about Joseph and the church.

Q. What about the revelation on Polygamy? Did Joseph Smith have anything like it ? What of spiritual wifery ?
A There was no revelation on either polygamy, or spiritual wives. There were some rumors of something of the sort, of which I asked my husband. He assured me that all there was of it was, that, in a chat about plural wives, he had said, “Well, such a system might possibly be, if everybody was agreed to it, and would behave as they should ; but they would not; and, besides, it was contrary to the will of heaven.”
No such thing as polygamy, or spiritual wifery, was taught, publicly or privately, before my husband’s death, that I have now, or ever had any knowledge of.
Q. Did he not have other wives than yourself?
A. He had no other wife but me; nor did he to my knowledge ever have.
Q. Did he not hold marital relation with women other than yourself?
A. He did not have improper relations with any woman that ever came to my knowledge.
Q. Was there nothing about spiritual wives that you recollect ?
A. At one time my husband came to me and asked me if I had heard certain rumors about spiritual marriages, or anything of the kind ; and assured me that if I had, that they were without foundation ; that there was no such doctrine, and never should he with his knowledge, or consent. I know that he had no other wife or wives than myself, in any sense, either spiritual or otherwise.
Emma Smith, The Saints Herald, Official Publication of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Plano, Illinois, October 1, 1879. Vol 26. No 19.
https://archive.org/details/TheSaintsHerald_Volume_26_1879/page/n289/mode/2up

According to records, she knew about polygamy, she knew about Joseph’s dirty nasty affair with Fanny Alger, yet here she states “he did not have improper relations with any woman that ever came to my knowledge.” Would finding your husband in the barn with the maid constitute an improper relation that came to her knowledge?

Joseph’s Well-Worded and Coherent Letter

These claims that Joseph couldn’t even dictate a letter are not true! The church has records of many letters that Joseph Smith wrote. There are letters that Joseph dictated, in 1829, even prior to publishing the Book of Mormon, that were both well-worded and coherent.

Emma was dishonest when she stated this, and the church is even more dishonest when it repeats the lie still today. Apologists using this tactic today are, at best, naive, but more likely they’re deliberately deceptive.

Joseph Smith wrote this [coherent and well-worded] letter from Harmony, Pennsylvania, to Oliver Cowdery, who was overseeing the printing of the Book of Mormon in Palmyra, New York. - Joseph Smith letter to Oliver Cowdery, 22 October 1829, Joseph Smith Papers | wasmormon.org — Joseph Smith wrote this [coherent and well-worded] letter from Harmony, Pennsylvania, to Oliver Cowdery, who was overseeing the printing of the Book of Mormon in Palmyra, New York. – Joseph Smith letter to Oliver Cowdery, 22 October 1829, Joseph Smith Papers

JS wrote this letter from Harmony, Pennsylvania, to Oliver Cowdery, who was overseeing the printing of the Book of Mormon in Palmyra, New York.
Joseph Smith Letter to Oliver Cowdery, 22 October 1829, Historical Info
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-oliver-cowdery-22-october-1829/1#historical-intro

This letter appears in a letterbook where Joseph’s scribes, this one Frederick G. Williams, copied letters he’d sent previously. It was compiled between 27 November 1832 and January 1833. The letter is not the original that was sent, but a copy. But, it is an example of a coherent and well-worded letter that Joseph Smith either wrote or dictated before the Book of Mormon was even published. This evidence alone discredits Emma’s statement and the narrative of Joseph as an illiterate, uneducated country bumpkin.

Joseph Smith Letter to Oliver Cowdery, 22 October 1829 | wasmormon.org — Joseph Smith Letter to Oliver Cowdery, 22 October 1829

Harmony — Oct. 22d— 1829——
Respected sir, I would inform you that I arrived at home on Sunday morning the 4^th. after having a prosperous journey, and found all well. The people are all friendly to us except a few who are in opposition to everything, unless it is something that is exactly like themselves. And two of our most formidable persecutors are now under censure and are cited to a trial in the church for crimes, which if true are worse than all the Gold Book business.
We do not rejoice in the affliction of our enemies but we shall be glad to have truth prevail. There begins to be a great call for our books in this country. The minds of the people are very much excited when they find that there is a copyright obtained and that there is really books about to be printed.
I have bought a horse of Mr. Josiah Stowell and want some one to come after it as soon as convenient. Mr. Stowell has a prospect of getting five or six hundred dollars. He does not know certain that he can get it, but he is a going to try and if he can get the money he wants to pay it in immediately for books.
We want to hear from you and know how you prosper in the good work; give our best respects to Father & Mother, and all our Brothers and Sisters. To Mr. Martin Harris and all the company concerned tell them that our prayers are put up daily for them that they may be prospered in every good word and work, and that they may be preserved from sin here and from the consequence of sin here after. And now dear brother be faithful in the discharge of every duty, looking for the reward of the righteous. And now may God of his infinite mercy keep and preserve us spotless until his coming, and receive us all to rest with him in eternal repose through the atonement of Christ our Lord, Amen.
Joseph Smith Jr
Letter to Oliver Cowdery, 22 October 1829, p. 9, The Joseph Smith Papers
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-oliver-cowdery-22-october-1829/1

Emma’s famous statement (“Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter…”) was less a neutral historical observation and more a rhetorical flourish meant to magnify the miraculous nature of the Book of Mormon. The church has since leaned heavily on this, often flattening Joseph into a caricature of illiteracy. The October 22, 1829, letter is an example that Joseph Smith could produce a coherent, well-worded communication—presumably through dictation—with clear vocabulary and structure. It challenges Emma’s later assertion and shows that Joseph had more than rudimentary literary ability.

The Letter to Oliver Cowdery, October 22, 1829 (showcased in the Joseph Smith Papers) is Joseph Smith’s earliest surviving letter. It is coherent, contextually meaningful, and well-articulated. It shows Joseph had, even at this early time, a complete grasp on sentence structure, a surprisingly deep depth of vocabulary, expertise in clearly communicating purpose, and a coherent tone. The letter uses complete, grammatically sound sentences. It’s not rambling or fragmented. Words like censure, discharge, prosperous, expectations, and interest demonstrate a working command of educated vocabulary. This is far from “barely literate.” The letter reports on his journey, conveys public excitement about the Book of Mormon, and outlines legal/financial concerns about copyright—all communicated coherently. While plain and functional (as letters of the time often were), it shows Joseph’s ability to organize thoughts and convey them clearly, without the confusion or incoherence Emma later implied.

This direct evidence from Joseph’s own hand/dictation undermines Emma’s claim. It proves that, at age 23, Joseph could communicate in writing in a way that was both coherent and purposeful. While it doesn’t prove that Joseph wrote the Book of Mormon, it does show that those close to the event were keen to shape the narrative to set it up as most plausibly a miracle, and discount his personal capabilities. She was trying to emphasize the miracle of the Book of Mormon, not provide a sober, historical evaluation of Joseph’s literacy.

Oversimplified Uneducated Narrative

Joseph’s Parents were both educated. His mother, Lucy Mack Smith, was literate and wrote her own memoir. She taught her children to read the bible, and the family had books in the home. Joseph’s father, Joseph Smith Senior, had been a schoolteacher at times. Joseph’s paternal grandmother was also well educated and taught school. Even without formal schooling, families in early 19th-century New England were immersed in reading, biblical study, and civic discourse. Farming families often relied on newspapers, sermons, and pamphlets, which were very much a part of Joseph’s world.

So while Joseph may have lacked consistent formal schooling, he was not raised in a vacuum of ignorance. He grew up in a literate household where books, Bible reading, and oral storytelling were commonplace. His mother also recounts that Joseph would entertain the family for hours by recounting stories of natives he would make up and collect from others.

"During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined: he would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent; their dress, mode of travelling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, and their buildings, with every particular; he would describe their warfare, as also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life with them." - Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith's Mother | wasmormon.org — “During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined: he would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent; their dress, mode of travelling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, and their buildings, with every particular; he would describe their <mode of> warfare, as also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life with them.” – Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith’s Mother

Reframing the “Uneducated” Narrative

In the early 1800s, limited formal education did not equal stupidity or illiteracy. Many Americans, especially in farming communities, had only seasonal schooling yet developed practical literacy and reasoning skills. Joseph’s abilities—shown in his letter, his ability to dictate revelations, and his participation in legal and financial dealings—suggest a competent, intelligent young man, not the helpless illiterate often portrayed. The church’s narrative that Joseph’s supposed ignorance “proves” the Book of Mormon’s divine origin is weakened by historical evidence of his real-world literacy and intelligence.

The October 22, 1829 letter alone refutes Emma’s sweeping claim. It shows Joseph was perfectly capable of dictating a coherent, well-worded letter even before the Book of Mormon was published. Combine that with his literate family background, and the argument that he was “too simple to compose anything of value” collapses. He may not have been formally educated, but he was far from simple-minded. The evidence suggests an intelligent, capable, and engaged young man—someone entirely able to produce coherent writing without it being miraculous.

Contemporary “Uneducated” People

Here are several prominent figures from Joseph’s era (late 1700s–mid 1800s) who had little to no formal education but became significant:

Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)

Had less than one year of formal schooling.
Famously self-taught by reading the Bible, Shakespeare, Blackstone’s Commentaries, and newspapers.
Became one of America’s most eloquent presidents, known for the Gettysburg Address and his leadership during the Civil War.

Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)

Seventh U.S. President.
Received only a basic frontier education and lost both parents in his teens.
Rose from poverty to military fame and political power, shaping the Democratic Party and American expansionism.

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)

Left school at age 10 to work in his father’s candle shop, then apprenticed as a printer.
Self-educated through voracious reading and writing.
Became a leading author, scientist, inventor, diplomat, and one of America’s Founding Fathers.

Andrew Johnson (1808–1875)

Seventeenth U.S. President.
Born poor; never attended school. His wife taught him to read and write in his teens.
Despite humble beginnings, he became a tailor, then a politician, and eventually President.

Walt Whitman (1819–1892)

America’s great poet, author of Leaves of Grass.
Had only a few years of schooling; left formal education at 11 to work.
Self-taught through reading, conversation, and immersion in life.

Sojourner Truth (1797–1883)

Born into slavery in New York, she never received formal schooling and remained illiterate all her life.
Became a powerful abolitionist and women’s rights advocate, known for her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech.

Frederick Douglass (1818–1895)

Born enslaved, had no access to formal education.
Secretly taught himself to read and write.
Became one of the greatest orators and writers of the 19th century, authoring Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens, 1835–1910)

Received only elementary schooling before becoming a printer’s apprentice.
His self-education through reading and writing fueled a career as one of America’s greatest authors.

Patrick Henry (1736–1799)

Limited formal schooling; largely self-taught.
Became a lawyer and one of the most persuasive voices of the American Revolution (“Give me liberty, or give me death!”).

A lack of formal schooling did not preclude intelligence, eloquence, or cultural impact in Joseph Smith’s era. Farming families often emphasized practical knowledge and self-directed learning. Joseph’s own family was literate and exposed him to storytelling, religion, and public discourse.

So when Emma and the LDS church highlight Joseph’s “uneducated” status, they ignore a broader truth: many of the most influential figures of the 18th and 19th centuries were minimally schooled, yet capable of profound contributions. Joseph fits squarely into that world, and the effort to suggest his incapability to write the Book of Mormon doesn’t prove that he didn’t.

As we reconsider Joseph Smith’s background, abilities, and the myths the church continues to repeat, it becomes clear that the dominant narrative minimizes his capabilities to inflate the miraculous. This same pattern extends to how the church portrays those who question or leave—labeling us as offended, lazy, or deceived, rather than acknowledging the thoughtful, painful, and often courageous process of reevaluating deeply held beliefs. But our lived experiences tell a different story, and we deserve to be heard.

That is why we invite those who have wrestled with the truth claims of the Mormon church to add their voice to the growing chorus at wasmormon.org. By sharing our journeys, we dismantle the caricatures and reshape the narrative of what it means to step away. Every story is a thread in a larger tapestry that reveals honesty, integrity, and resilience in the face of deception. Together, we not only validate one another but also hold the institution accountable for the lies it continues to perpetuate.

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