Comments on: Yale’s Seal and the Urim and Thummim http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm Thoughts and Asides by Peculiar People Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:54:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Tim http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm/comment-page-1#comment-114173 Tim Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:22:51 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm#comment-114173 Yes, "Urim and Thummim" translate more or less to "Light and truth." Overlooking for a moment that the Joseph Smith supposedly had these Biblical Urim and Thummim mounted into a pair of eyeglasses, people at the time of Yale's founding would have recognized these as coming from the Bible. It gets me how far things have come, when people on this site (1) don't recognize that, (2) are surprised, and (3) think this has anything to do with the Book of Mormon. Yes, “Urim and Thummim” translate more or less to “Light and truth.” Overlooking for a moment that the Joseph Smith supposedly had these Biblical Urim and Thummim mounted into a pair of eyeglasses, people at the time of Yale’s founding would have recognized these as coming from the Bible.

It gets me how far things have come, when people on this site (1) don’t recognize that, (2) are surprised, and (3) think this has anything to do with the Book of Mormon.

]]> By: danithew http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm/comment-page-1#comment-72940 danithew Sat, 29 Dec 2007 12:41:42 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm#comment-72940 Urim can be translated pretty directly to mean "lights" ... "tummim" is a little bit harder for me to be sure of ... I should look it up, I suppose. I've seen it translated as "perfections" and maybe a translation as "truth" isn't far off either. I'm a little bit lazy to look it up immediately ... but I'll get around to it and will try to follow up on the point here - if someone doesn't beat me to it. Urim can be translated pretty directly to mean “lights” … “tummim” is a little bit harder for me to be sure of … I should look it up, I suppose. I’ve seen it translated as “perfections” and maybe a translation as “truth” isn’t far off either. I’m a little bit lazy to look it up immediately … but I’ll get around to it and will try to follow up on the point here – if someone doesn’t beat me to it.

]]> By: annegb http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm/comment-page-1#comment-72903 annegb Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:57:50 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm#comment-72903 I think it's all about the secret combinations, the Gadianton Band, the Illuminadaie (or Council on Foreign Relations). I also think the Gadianton Robbers were right here next door to us in Eastern Nevada. And I know there are some survivalists or something out there in the west desert because some of our friends have come upon them and they are scary. I think these are all indications of Satan's hand in the lives of men and since he has no chance, I'm not too worried about it. I believe in the supernatural, quite a lot more than the average bear, I think, but I put less stock in it. If that makes sense. I think it’s all about the secret combinations, the Gadianton Band, the Illuminadaie (or Council on Foreign Relations). I also think the Gadianton Robbers were right here next door to us in Eastern Nevada.

And I know there are some survivalists or something out there in the west desert because some of our friends have come upon them and they are scary.

I think these are all indications of Satan’s hand in the lives of men and since he has no chance, I’m not too worried about it.

I believe in the supernatural, quite a lot more than the average bear, I think, but I put less stock in it. If that makes sense.

]]> By: Bookslinger http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm/comment-page-1#comment-72856 Bookslinger Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:20:07 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm#comment-72856 Does "Urim and Thummim" also mean "light and truth" ? Does “Urim and Thummim” also mean “light and truth” ?

]]> By: John Mansfield http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm/comment-page-1#comment-72786 John Mansfield Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:28:50 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm#comment-72786 Danithew, following your lead, I wrote a post on "<a href="http://millennialstar.org/index.php/2007/12/27/hopkins_seal" rel="nofollow">Johns Hopkins' Seal and Jesus' Words</a>." Who's next? Danithew, following your lead, I wrote a post on “Johns Hopkins’ Seal and Jesus’ Words.” Who’s next?

]]> By: A Soft Answer · Urim and Thummim discovered at Yale http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm/comment-page-1#comment-72779 A Soft Answer · Urim and Thummim discovered at Yale Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:59:21 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm#comment-72779 [...] Urim and Thummim discovered at Yale [...] [...] Urim and Thummim discovered at Yale [...]

]]> By: David H. Sundwall http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm/comment-page-1#comment-72778 David H. Sundwall Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:58:24 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm#comment-72778 I believe all of the Ivy League schools were started as religious schools or at least highly steeped in religion so it's not so surprising considering how Yale started out. Much has changed. I believe all of the Ivy League schools were started as religious schools or at least highly steeped in religion so it’s not so surprising considering how Yale started out.

Much has changed.

]]> By: danithew http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm/comment-page-1#comment-72710 danithew Wed, 26 Dec 2007 18:06:58 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/12/26/yales-seal-and-the-urim-and-thummim.htm#comment-72710 After googling around I learned the seal was designed(?) by Ezra Stiles, who was a graduate from Yale and became president of Yale from 1778 to 1795. The wikipedia entry for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Stiles" rel="nofollow">Ezra Stiles</a> has the following to say: <blockquote>Stiles' knowledge of Hebrew also enabled him to translate large portions of the Hebrew Old Testament into English. Stiles believed, as did many Christian scholars of the time, that facility with the text in its original language was advantageous for proper interpretation. As president of Yale, Stiles also became its first professor of Semitics, and required all students to study Hebrew (as was also the case at Harvard); his first commencement address in September, 1781 (no ceremonies having been held during the Revolutionary War) was delivered in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic. By 1790, however, he was forced to face failure in instilling an interest in the language in the student body, writing: "From my first accession to the Presidency ... I have obliged all the Freshmen to study Hebrew. This has proved very disagreeable to a Number of the Students. This year I have determined to instruct only those who offer themselves voluntarily." The valedictorians of 1785 and 1792, however, did deliver their speeches in Hebrew. Yale's legacy from this interest of Stiles' includes a portrait of Carigal by artist Samuel King, and the Hebrew words "Urim" and "Thummim" on the the Yale seal.</blockquote> After googling around I learned the seal was designed(?) by Ezra Stiles, who was a graduate from Yale and became president of Yale from 1778 to 1795. The wikipedia entry for Ezra Stiles has the following to say:

Stiles’ knowledge of Hebrew also enabled him to translate large portions of the Hebrew Old Testament into English. Stiles believed, as did many Christian scholars of the time, that facility with the text in its original language was advantageous for proper interpretation. As president of Yale, Stiles also became its first professor of Semitics, and required all students to study Hebrew (as was also the case at Harvard); his first commencement address in September, 1781 (no ceremonies having been held during the Revolutionary War) was delivered in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic. By 1790, however, he was forced to face failure in instilling an interest in the language in the student body, writing: “From my first accession to the Presidency … I have obliged all the Freshmen to study Hebrew. This has proved very disagreeable to a Number of the Students. This year I have determined to instruct only those who offer themselves voluntarily.” The valedictorians of 1785 and 1792, however, did deliver their speeches in Hebrew. Yale’s legacy from this interest of Stiles’ includes a portrait of Carigal by artist Samuel King, and the Hebrew words “Urim” and “Thummim” on the the Yale seal.

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