Is it true that Joseph Smith's rewritten version of the Bible is a copyright which has always been in the possession of the RLDS group?
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ANSWERS: 4
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Joseph Smith Did not complete Correcting All the many Translation Errors in the Bible & so the answer is Yes, But it is Partial. -
No, the copyrights have long-since expired, but at one time the RLDS did hold the only copyright to the Inspired Version of the Bible. Copyright law in the mid-19th century gave the rights to the spouse, sons in order of birth, daughters in order of birth, then into the extended family, going down the list until finding a survivor. Emma, Joseph's widow, stayed in Illinois with Joseph III, who was the figurhead leader of the RLDS when it was formed a decade and a half after the Martyrdom. JSIII licensed the RLDS to publish an edition of the Inspired Version, thus renewing the copyright just before it would have expired, and they held the rights on that particular edition until all rights expired. The Inspired Version has been in the public domain since then, though periodically the RLDS/CofC run a new edition.
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A work can not be a copyright, a work can be copyrighted
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The RLDS church published the 'Inspired Version of the Holy Scriptures' or JST (Joseph Smith Translation) in 1867. Yes, the RLDS church has always been in possession of a copyright with publishing the 'Inspired Version' and has reprinted it through the years with different editions. In 1944, the RLDS church published a revised edition. Early editions of books with copyrights do expire over time and become public domain. Price Publishing Company in Independence, MO has reprinted the original 1867 edition in recent years. I have a deluxe edition myself. It is a photo-reprint of the original text with exception to the title page and the chapter numbers were originaly in Roman numerals and were changed to normal numbers. They also added colorful maps of the Bible lands in the back. The following is an article about the IV: http://www.centerplace.org/library/tracts/iv_IsraelASmith.htm To read the IV online: http://www.centerplace.org/hs/iv/ To buy a reprint of the 1867 IV: http://restorationbookstore.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=29d
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