PROJECT NEWS

Over the past months, F.A.R.M.S. has made good progress on a number of projects. Here is an interim report.

F.A.R.M.S. continues to make Reprints and Preliminary Reports available on a non-profit basis to hundreds and hundreds of people. Our accounting as of December 31, 1984, shows that 463, 496 pages of material have been distributed and 194 titles are being offered.

Our study of the various editions of the Book of Mormon is making steady progress. The second volume of the "Critical Text: A Tool for Scholarly Reference" should be ready for delivery soon. Here are some of the kinds of things we learn by studying the first handwritten version and the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon: The earliest versions of 2 Ne. 6:8 and 33:4 speak of "things," while the later editions read "word." Actually, the Hebrew debarim can be translated either way. Similarly, the earlier editions of 1 Ne. 7:11 read "how," where the later ones have "what." The Hebrew relative particle asher can ideed go either way (see 1 Sam. 12:24). Jacob 3:5 originally read "father," not "fathers." This makes a big difference.

John Tvedtnes has submitted a long draft of his recent research on the etymologies of Book of Mormon names. His work has pulled together all of the ideas ever advanced on this topic.

Ben Urrutia is nearly finished with his transcription of the tapes of Rabbi Schultz's seminar on the Book of Mormon.