Investigating The Book Of Mormon Witnesses – Richard Anderson

Human language could not describe heavenly things and that which we saw.” 7 Q: Did the vision take place under natural circumstances? A: “The fact is, it was just as though Joseph, Oliver and I were sitting right here on a log, when we were overshadowed by a light. it was not like the light of the sun, nor like that of a fire, but more glorious and beautiful.

It extended away round us, I cannot tell how far, but in the midst of this light, immediately before us, about as far off as he sits (pointing to John C. Whitmer, who was sitting 2 or 3 feet from him) there appeared, as it were, a table, with many records on it—besides the plates of the Book of Mormon, also the sword of Laban, the Directors, and the Interpreters.

I saw them as plain as I see this bed (striking his hand upon the bed beside him), and I heard the voice of the Lord as distinctly as I ever heard anything in my life declaring that they were translated by the gift and power of God.” 8 Q: Can you explain the supernatural power that surrounded you?

A: “All of a sudden I beheld a dazzlingly brilliant light that surpassed in brightness even the sun at noonday, and which seemed to envelop the woods for a considerable distance around. Simultaneous with the light came a strange entrancing influence which permeated me so powerfully that I felt chained to the spot, while I also experienced a sensation of joy absolutely indescribable.”

9 Q: “Did you see the Urim and Thummim?” A: “I saw the Interpreters in the holy vision; they looked like whitish stones put in the rim of a bow—looked like spectacles, only much larger.” Q: Did you see an actual table? A: “You see that small table by the wall?

. . . Well, there was a table about that size, and the heavenly messenger brought the several plates and laid them on the table before our eyes, and we saw them.” 11 Q: Did you handle the plates? A: “I did not handle the plates—only saw them.” 12 “Joseph, and I think Oliver and Emma told me about the plates, and described them to me, and I believed them, but did not see except at the time testified of.”

13 Q: How clearly could you see the plates? A: “[T]he angel stood before us, and he turned the leaves one by one.” 14 “[H]e held the plates and turned them over with his hands, so that they could be plainly visible.” 15 Q: “Did the angel turn all the leaves before you as you looked on it?” A: “No, not all, only that part of the book which was not sealed, and what there was sealed appeared as solid to my view as wood.”

© 1981 Deseret Book Company. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, Deseret Book Company, P.O. Box 30178, Salt Lake City Utah 30178. This work is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The views expressed herein are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church or of Deseret Book. Deseret Book is a registered trademark of Deseret Book Company. OceanofPDF.com Preface OceanofPDF.com Table of Contents Preface Acknowledgments Assistants and Eyewitnesses Informal Witnesses of the Plates Oliver Cowdery: Non-Mormon Lawyer Oliver Cowdery: The Scribe as a Witness David Whitmer: Independent Missouri Businessman David Whitmer: The Most Interviewed Witness Martin Harris: Honorable New York Farmer Martin Harris: Certainty from the Skeptical Witness The Whitmer Family Who Handled the Plates The Smiths Who Handled the Plates The Case against the Witnesses The Challenge of the Witnesses Source Note Appendix OceanofPDF.com Preface “Let him see anything he wants.”

This terse response of the LDS Church historian authorized serious research on the Book of Mormon witnesses. At that time I was aware that eleven men had given impressive testimonials in printed and unprinted sources. I was determined to examine original manuscripts and then follow their careers in civil records and newspapers of each county where they lived. Much later I published ten articles (in the Improvement Era during the year beginning August 1968) that were valued for their new data by the Mormon History Association, winning the annual award for best article.

These installments are updated and presented here with supplementary chapters. In the future I hope to add longer books on the subject, but not more significant ones. Surveys often lightly skim the surface, but a good summary has a far more serious goal. It resembles good art in the sense that it comes only after an author pays the price to know his subject.

Much has been learned about the major Book of Mormon witnesses. Above all is the drama of their solemn affirmations, in the quiet intimacy of friendship and in the hostility of ridicule and even persecution. Theirs is a compelling life story. Here are modern men who can be examined closely on their astounding claim—of being commissioned by an angel’s appearance and by God’s voice to testify of ancient scripture.

Here are others who describe a physical experience of seeing and handling the metal record. Discovery of early scrolls or plates will always fascinate people, and adding the miraculous should only heighten the significance of the claim. Can it be taken seriously? It must be taken seriously if the witnesses’ words are taken seriously.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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