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175 years ago
The Prophet Joseph Smith commenced translation of Egyptian papyri that would later become The Book of Abraham, according to B.H. Roberts' History of the Church.
On July 3, 1835, Michael H. Chandler brought four Egyptian mummies, along with some papyrus scrolls, to Kirtland, Ohio, as part of a traveling exhibit. Soon after translating some characters brought to him by Mr. Chandler, the Prophet Joseph Smith urged the Saints in Kirtland to donate money to purchase the mummies and papyri.
"I commenced the translation of some of the characters or hieroglyphics," the Prophet wrote in a statement dated July 5, "and much to our joy found that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham ... Truly we can say, the Lord is beginning to reveal the abundance of peace and truth" (History of the Church, 2:236).
The Book of Abraham, along with the rest of the Pearl of Great Price, was canonized during general conference on Oct. 10, 1880.
