Mr. Hale, Smith's father-in-law, in whose house most of the translation was done, says that the curiosity and sometimes the wrath of the outside world was often such that the prophet would be obliged to take the plates into the woods several miles distant, and keep them hid for weeks at a time, but the translation would go on in the house all the same. Therefore Smith could translate just as well in the absence of the plates as in their presence!
David Whitmer, in Desert Evening News, Dec. 24, 1885, says that Smith offended the angel, and as a punishment the angel left him and took the plates and interpreters to heaven, and the work was stopped for awhile. He says:
"The angel being in possession of the plates and spectacles, finally when Smith had fully repented of his rash conduct, he was forgiven. The plates, however, were not returned; but instead Smith was given by the angel a Urim and Thummim of another pattern, it being shaped in oval or kidney form. This seer stone he was instructed to place in his hat, and on covering his face with the hat the character and translation would appear on the stone. This worked just as satisfactorily as the old method, but at no time thereafter was the backsliding Joseph intrusted with the precious plates. However, the entire portion of the golden volume which the angel said might be translated was reduced by the nimble amanuensis to readable manuscript."
It is now apparent to the reader, from the testimony of their own witnesses, that neither the plates or interpreters were of any use to Smith in making the Book of Mormon! That oval or kidney shaped stone did away with the necessity of plates and spectacles! Smith could, we are told, put that stone in his hat, place the hat over his face and translate just as well as when he had the plates and interpreters! Translate what? He had nothing to translate, for the plates were gone. As we are left to conjecture as to the workings of the Mormon prophet and his angel, we suppose that the Lord took those plates to
