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Why witnesses?
The law of, existence of or need for witnesses is apparent throughout scripture. Obviously, in courts of law, witnesses are imperative. In the case of the establishment of the Church in the latter days, re-pleat with angelic visitations as well as the supernal visit from the Father and the Son, the term/position "witness" can bring eternal importance into our lives.
Backgrounds of the three book of mormon witnesses
These three men, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer had different occupations, backgrounds, educations, and spiritual inclinations. We will put forth specific information on all three.
DISAFFECTION?
As one who has studied Church History, you, more than likely, will have seen that all three of these witnesses suffered some form of formal discipline or chastisement; even excommunication from the Church. This has been bothersome to some folks- but many of those that were bothered didn't do their extra homework. Two were re-baptized into the Church after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the lone hold out for re-baptism was David Whitmer. To me, his testimony of the Book of Mormon is as powerful as anyone living in the Church today.
The Testimony of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon
"Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen."
Oliver Cowdery
David Whitmer
Martin Harris
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The Witnesses
Oliver cowdery
It has been stated that Oliver Cowdery is perhaps the most important mortal figure in Church History, with the exception of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was present during some of the most important, miraculous and holy events of The Restoration. Critics often point to the fact that Oliver was excommunicated from the Church.
There are competing opinions as to why he was dismissed. One claim is that he wanted to practice plural marriage instantly upon his learning of it from Joseph. ("The Kingdom or Nothing" Biography of John Taylor). He was warned against it. Whatever the case, It is the administrator's position that Joseph had little tolerance of opposition (not counsel) from other Church leaders. This belief is fostered by the fact that "they knew". The Three Witnesses had seen an Angel present the gold plates before them, and had heard the voice of God declare to them that the record was true.
Cowdery was born October 3, 1806, in Wells, Vermont. His father, William, a farmer, moved the family to Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont, when Cowdery was three.
At age 20 (c. 1826), Cowdery left Vermont for upstate New York, where his older brothers had settled. He clerked at a store for just over two years and in 1829 became a school teacher in Manchester, New York. Cowdery lodged with different families in the area, including that of Joseph Smith, Sr., who was said to have provided Cowdery with additional information about the golden plates of which Cowdery said he had heard "from all quarters."
Cowdery met Joseph Smith on April 5, 1829—a year and a day before the official founding of the church—and heard from him how he had received golden plates, containing ancient Native American writings. Cowdery told Smith that he had seen the golden plates in a vision before the two ever met.
From April 7 to June 1829, Cowdery acted as Smith's primary scribe for the translation of the plates into what would later become the Book of Mormon. Cowdery also unsuccessfully attempted to translate part of the Book of Mormon by himself.
Oliver Cowdery described his experience with another angel, the ancient one who baptized the Savior Jesus Christ. Ponder the paragraphs below and think deeply about the language he used in this description of this holy event. Would a man, that would be accused of perpetrating a "hoax" write such a beautiful, heartfelt account?
As John the Baptist laid his hands upon the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon them...
"his voice, though mild, pierced to the center, and his words, ‘I am thy fellow-servant,’ dispelled every fear. We listened, we gazed, we admired! ’Twas the voice of an angel from glory, ’twas a message from the Most High! And as we heard we rejoiced, while His love enkindled upon our souls, and we were wrapped in the vision of the Almighty! Where was room for doubt? Nowhere; uncertainty had fled, doubt had sunk no more to rise, while fiction and deception had fled forever!
“But, dear brother, think, further think for a moment, what joy filled our hearts, and with what surprise we must have bowed, (for who would not have bowed the knee for such a blessing?) when we received under his hand the Holy Priesthood as he said, ‘Upon you my fellow-servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer this Priesthood and this authority, which shall remain upon earth, that the Sons of Levi may yet offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness!’
“I shall not attempt to paint to you the feelings of this heart, nor the majestic beauty and glory which surrounded us on this occasion; but you will believe me when I say, that earth, nor men, with the eloquence of time, cannot begin to clothe language in as interesting and sublime a manner as this holy personage. No; nor has this earth power to give the joy, to bestow the peace, or comprehend the wisdom which was contained in each sentence as they were delivered by the power of the Holy Spirit! Man may deceive his fellow-men, deception may follow deception, and the children of the wicked one may have power to seduce the foolish and untaught, till naught but fiction feeds the many, and the fruit of falsehood carries in its current the giddy to the grave; but one touch with the finger of his love, yes, one ray of glory from the upper world, or one word from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eternity, strikes it all into insignificance, and blots it forever from the mind. The assurance that we were in the presence of an angel, the certainty that we heard the voice of Jesus, and the truth unsullied as it flowed from a pure personage, dictated by the will of God, is to me past description, and I shall ever look upon this expression of the Savior’s goodness with wonder and thanksgiving while I am permitted to tarry; and in those mansions where perfection dwells and sin never comes, I hope to adore in that day which shall never cease.”—
Messenger and Advocate,vol. 1 (October 1834), pp. 14–16.
Another interesting statement from Oliver Cowdery, regarding the visit from John the Baptist:
A letter of Oliver Cowdery to Phineas Young, dated 23 March 1846, and sent from Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio, in which Oliver expresses his wish that, prior to returning to full fellowship in the Church, his name be cleared from false charges:
"That I may not be misunderstood, let me here say, that I have only sought, and only asked, that my character might be exonerated from those charges imputed to me the crimes of theft, forgery, etc. Those which all my former associates know to be false. I do not, I have never asked, to be excused, or exempted from an acknowledgement of any actual fault or wrong—for of these there are many, which it always was my pleasure to confess—I have cherished a hope, and that one of my fondest, that I might leave such a character as those who might believe in my testimony, after I should be called hence, might do so, not only for the sake of the truth, but might not blush for the private character of the man who bore that testimony. I have been sensitive on this subject, I admit, but I ought to so be, you would be under the circumstances, had you stood in the presence of John with our departed Brother Joseph, to receive the lesser priesthood, and in the presence of Peter, to receive the greater, and looked down through time, and witness the effects these two must produce—you would feel what you have never felt, were wicked men conspiring to lessen the effects of your testimony on man, after you should have gone to your long sought rest..."
(From a letter of Oliver Cowdery to Phineas Young, 23 March 1846, of which a photocopy exists in Church Archives)
Martin Harris
Martin Harris was an integral figure in the Restoration of the Church. His story is well known by many.
He was Born May 18, 1783, in Easton, New York,
Died July 10, 1875 (aged 92) Clarkston, Utah Territory.
Although he had and presented challenges*, he sacrificed much, including the mortgaging of his vast farm to provide the $3,000 needed to publish the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1376&context=jbms
Although highly criticized throughout his life, Martin continued to bear the same witness of his experience as a witness of the Book of Mormon.
The cemetery and gravesite of Martin Harris lays in Clarkston, Utah. It is in Northern Cache Valley. If one takes the time to make a trip to Cache Valley, visit the grave marker and sit on the granite bench there and ponders, you may experience some soul stirring emotions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Harris_Gravesite
Administrator's Note:
Many years ago, after a talk I had given on the Three Witnesses, I was contacted by a former neighbor who was in attendance. He was in his 80s and offered a short "testimony of a testimony". He mentioned that as a Deacon (12 years of age), his quorum was visited by a man from Clarkston, Utah. This was an elderly man who bore an eloquent testimony of his experience of hearing one of Martin Harris' final testimonies, in person, shortly before his death in 1875. My friend mentioned that he had carried the impact of that testimony throughout his life.
*(these challenges are numerous and detailed in many publications)
David Whitmer
David Whitmer (January 7, 1805 – January 25, 1888) was a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who eventually became the most interviewed of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon plates.
David Whitmer and his family were also instrumental in the housing of the Smith Family while translation of the Book of Mormon was being completed. David's final testimony is very compelling.
Although disaffected from Joseph Smith and the early Church, he maintained his witness and testimony of "the angel" and the "voice of God" instructing him to be faithful in his testimony of his view of the aforementioned, as well as the plates containing the record, The Book of Mormon.
Throughout his life, David never denied his testimony, as well as his knowledge of the testimonies of the other two witnesses, as printed in the front pages of the Book of Mormon. Read his moving testimony on page 8 of his work "An address to all believers in Christ"
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/An_Address_to_All_Believers_in_Christ/Part_First/Chapter_I
"It is recorded in the American Cyclopaedia and the Encyclopaedia Britannica, that I, David Whitmer, have denied my testimony as one of the three witnesses to the divinity of the Book of Mormon; and that the other two witnesses, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, denied their testimony to that Book. I will say once more to all mankind, that I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof. I also testify to the world, that neither Oliver Cowdery or Martin Harris ever at an time denied their testimony. They both died reaffirming the truth of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon. I was present at the death bed of Oliver Cowdery, and his last words were, “Brother David, be true to your testimony to the Book of Mormon." He died here in Richmond, Mo., on March 3d, 1850. Many witnesses yet live in Richmond, who will testify to the truth of these facts, as well as to the good character of Oliver Cowdery. The very powers of darkness have combined against the Book of Mormon, to prove that it is not the word of God, and this should go to prove to men of spiritual understanding, that the Book is true. To show the reader what I have had to contend with, I give you below a copy of a leaflet which I had printed and distributed in March, 1881"...
This leaflet (link above) was printed in 1887, when David Whitmer was 82 years of age. He had obtained an affidavit by city leaders (of where he was well known and had resided for many years) that he was of sound mind, before printing and distributing this piece.
Another interesting statement from David Whitmer came from his worry about the believability of The Book of Mormon, with regards to its reference to large cities and societies that were advanced- far more advanced than the thoughts of the time (1830s).
"When we were first told to publish our (Witness) statement, we felt sure the people would not believe it, for the Book (of Mormon) told of a people who were refined and dwelt in large cities; but the Lord told us that He would make it known to the people, and people should discover the ruins of the lost cities and abundant evidence of the truth of what is written in the Book"
(David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration witness; Lyndon W. Cook)
Mary Whitmer (an addtional witness)
Mary Whitmer (Mary Elsa Musselman Whitmer, August 27, 1778 – January 1856) was David Whitmer's mother. Her witness account is amazing. It appears to be a reward for the chaos and hardship that she witnessed with so many people in her modest home- namely the extra tenants, Joseph and Emma and others, along with her own large family.
Her story can be found here: https://www.deseret.com/2013/7/18/20522674/mary-whitmer-12th-witness-to-the-book-of-mormon
About the administrator
My name is Scott Nielsen. This site is my own work and is not a publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
It has been my personal experience that learning happens oft times in the classroom setting, but more often with desire, appropriate personal study and prayer.
We have also been counseled that the home should be
My name is Scott Nielsen. This site is my own work and is not a publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
It has been my personal experience that learning happens oft times in the classroom setting, but more often with desire, appropriate personal study and prayer.
We have also been counseled that the home should be our place of safety, peace and learning.
I suppose that it is the "law of witnesses" (see Witnesses, Loren C. Dunn; Ensign, Oct. 1995) that has always interested me. Specifically within Church History. I used to maintain this site some years ago and since that time I have learned more about the men, the subjects of this site, and their roles in the foundation of the Church. I wish to share this knowledge. I have also found that this topic,
The Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, is truly bedrock. The Book of Mormon was called the "Keystone of our religion" by the Prophet Joseph Smith. True as that is, not distant from that "keystone" is the testimony of these witnesses. Notwithstanding, there are varied attacks (that multiply daily) coming from the "fiery darts of the adversary".
I have had multiple conversations with critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints. These exchanges have, more than likely, not been productive for the most part, but one conversation I had with one of the foremost critics of the Latter-day-Saints was telling.(She and her late Husband are very well known) She presented me with many topics. I presenter her with one: The Three Witnesses. She couldn't answer with any reasonable explanation, the testimonies of their angelic experience(s). Her final comment about it was "even the Devil can appear as an angel of light"- To which I replied, "by their fruits ye shall know them".
I've been tutored in recent years by some of the best educators in the Church. My ultimate goal in even making this effort is to heal those with damaged testimonies, and strengthen the testimonies of the valiant. Also to inform those that may be interested in the doctrines of the Church so as to possibly join with us in gathering Israel