In D&C 24:1, we have a colloquial use of "to write" vis-a-vis Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Mormon:
Behold, thou wast called and chosen to
write the Book of Mormon, . . .
A
similar usage, albeit for “author,” and the Book of Abraham, can be found during the Reed Smoot
hearings:
Mr. TAYLER. Are they [the standard works] all considered of equal authority?
Mr. SMITH. I presume they are.
Mr. TAYLER. The Book of Mormon came into existence in the manner you have already described?
Mr. SMITH. Which you have already described.
Mr. TAYLER. Well, I did not mean to be unfair about it. I meant it came through Joseph Smith?
Mr. SMITH. I think you stated it very correctly, sir.
Mr. TAYLER. The Doctrine and Covenants—the book so entitled—is made up chiefly of revelations made through Joseph Smith, jr., or expositions, or declarations, or prophecies made by him, and perhaps one or two revelations there printed made through Brigham Young?
Mr. SMITH. One, I think.
Mr. TAYLER. SO much for the origin of those. What is the origin of the Pearl of Great Price?
Mr. SMITH. That also contains revelations through Joseph Smith.
Mr. TAYLER. And anybody else?
Mr. SMITH. No, sir; not that I know of, except that some of it is a translation of ancient manuscript by Joseph Smith.
Mr. TAYLER. I see.
Mr. Smith. Joseph Smith is really the author. (Proceedings Before the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the United States Senate in the Matter of the Protests Against the Right of Hon. Reed Smoot, a Senator from the State of Utah, to Hold His Seat, 4 vols. [Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1906), 1:85)
