Chapter XV: Direct External Evidences

THE TESTIMONY OF THE THREE WITNESSES.

_In the mouth of two or three Witnesses shall every word be established.--Paul_.

Of the external evidences to the truth of the Book of Mormon, the testimony of the Three Witnesses is of first importance. Speaking in the way of prophecy the first Nephi says:

At that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom
I have spoken, [1] the book shall be hid from the eyes of the
world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that Three
Witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom
the book shall be delivered; [2] and they shall testify to the
truth of the book and the things therein. And there is none other
which shall view it, save it be a few according to the will of God,
to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men; for the
Lord God hath said, that the words of the faithful should speak
as if it were from the dead. Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed
to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many
witnesses as seemeth him good will he establish his word; and wo be
unto him that rejecteth the word of God! [3]

Moroni, who had in his care the Book of Mormon, who was God's messenger to Joseph Smith, and gave into his possession the gold plates from which the book was translated, says, in his abridgment of the book of Ether, addressing the one who should be commissioned to translate the Nephite Record:

And behold, ye may be privileged that ye may show the plates unto
those who shall assist to bring forth this work; and unto three
shall they be shown by the power of God; wherefore they shall know
of a surety that these things are true. And in the mouth of three
witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of
three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power
of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the
Holy Ghost bear record--and all this shall stand as a testimony
against the world at the last day. [4]

From these passages in the Book of Mormon itself, it appears that there are to be two classes of special Witnesses to its truth, besides the one who shall bring forth the book:

I. Three Witnesses who shall behold the plates of the record "by the power of God."

II. A "Few" others, according to the will of God, shall behold them, that they may bear testimony to the word of God unto the children of men.

There seems to be indicated this distinction between the first and second class of these Witnesses--between the "Three" and the other "Few:" the first are to see the plates under some circumstance attended by a demonstration of the power of God; while no promise of such a demonstration is given to the second class.

As these special Witnesses, according to the prophecy, were to be chosen from among those who would assist in bringing forth the work, meaning the Book of Mormon, it is not surprising that Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris desired to be the Three Special Witnesses, as they were most prominent in assisting to bring forth the work. They besought the Prophet Joseph Smith, therefore, to inquire of the Lord if they might attain unto this honor, and for an answer the following revelation was received for them:

Behold, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which
if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a view of
the plates, and also of the breast plate, the sword of Laban, the
Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared [5]
upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the
miraculous directors [6] which were given to Lehi while in the
wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea. And it is by your faith
that you shall obtain a view of them, even by that faith which was
had by the prophets of old.

And after that you have obtained faith, and have seen them with
your eyes, you shall testify of them, by the power of God; and
this you shall do that my servant Joseph Smith, Jr., may not be
destroyed, that I may bring about my righteous purposes unto the
children of men in this work. And ye shall testify that you have
seen them, even as my servant Joseph Smith, Jr., has seen them; for
it is by my power that he has seen them, and it is because he had
faith. And he has translated the book, even that part which I have
commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true.

Wherefore, you have received the same power, and the same faith,
and the same gift like unto him; and if you do these last
commandments of mine, which I have given you, the gates of hell
shall not prevail against you; for my grace is sufficient for you,
and you shall be lifted up at the last day. And I, Jesus Christ,
your Lord and your God, have spoken it unto you, that I might bring
about my righteous purposes unto the children of men. [7]

As soon as the translation of the book was completed the Prophet Joseph dispatched a messenger from the home of the Whitmers, at Fayette, near Waterloo, in Seneca country, to his parents, still living at Manchester, with the pleasing intelligence that the work of translation was completed, and asked them to come to him. This information they conveyed to Martin Harris, who determined to accompany the Prophet's parents to the home of the Whitmers. Accordingly the little party started the next morning, and before sunset met with the Prophet and Oliver at the residence of Peter Whitmer, the father of David. [8] According to the statement of Lucy Smith, mother of the Prophet, it was the day following the arrival of the above party from Manchester that the Three Witnesses obtained their view of the plates, but neither in her work nor in any of our annals is the date of the occurrence given. [9] Lucy Smith, however, relates the following circumstance connected with Martin Harris becoming one of the Three Witnesses:

The next morning (i. e. following the arrival of the party from
Manchester township), after attending to the usual services,
namely, reading, singing, and praying, Joseph arose from his knees,
and approaching Martin Harris with a solemnity that thrills through
my veins to this day, when it occurs to my recollection, said:
"Martin Harris, you have got to humble yourself before your God
this day, that you may obtain a forgiveness of your sins. If you
do, it is the will of God that you should look upon the plates, in
company with Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer." [10]

When the pride, egotism, and stubbornness of Martin Harris is taken into account, this preliminary admonition of the Prophet to him is eminently fitting and necessary and in harmony with all the circumstances of Martin's character and the subsequent facts to be related.

Lucy Smith, continuing her narrative, says:

In a few minutes after this, Joseph, Martin, Oliver, and David,
repaired to a grove, a short distance from the house, where
they commenced calling upon the Lord, and continued in earnest
supplication, until he permitted an angel to come down from his
presence, and declare to them, that all which Joseph had testified
of concerning the plates was true. When they returned to the house,
it was between three and four o'clock p. m. Mrs. Whitmer, Mr.
Smith and myself, were sitting in a bedroom at the time. On coming
in Joseph threw himself down beside me, and exclaimed: "Father,
mother, you do not know how happy I am; the Lord has now caused
the plates to be shown to three more besides myself. They have
seen an angel, who has testified to them, and they will have to
bear witness to the truth of what I have said, for now they know
for themselves that I do not go about to deceive the people, and I
feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy
for me to bear, and it rejoices my soul, that I am no longer to be
entirely alone in the work. Upon this, Martin Harris came in: he
seemed almost overcome with joy, and testified boldly to what he
had both seen and heard. And so did David and Oliver, adding, that
no tongue could express the joy of their hearts, and the greatness
of the things which they had both seen and heard. [11]

From this statement it will be seen that the Prophet and the Three Witnesses were from some time in the morning until three or four o'clock in the afternoon in obtaining the testimonies.

The Prophet's own account of the circumstances attendant upon the revelation to the Three Witnesses, is both interesting and important. After making reference to the revelation already quoted, which promised the three men named, Cowdery, Whitmer and Harris, that they should view the plates of the Book of Mormon, and the other sacred things named the Prophet in his history says:

Not many days after the above commandment was given, we four,
viz., Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and myself,
agreed to retire into the woods, and try to obtain by fervent
and humble prayer, the fulfilment of the promises given in the
revelation--that they should have a view of the plates. We
accordingly made choice of a piece of woods convenient to Mr.
Whitmer's house, to which we retired, and having knelt down we
began to pray in much faith to Almighty God to bestow upon us a
realization of these promises. According to previous arrangements,
I commenced by vocal prayer to our heavenly Father, and was
followed by each of the others in succession. We did not, at the
first trial, however, obtain any answer or manifestation of divine
favor in our behalf. We again observed the same order of prayer,
each calling on and praying fervently to God in rotation, but with
the same result as before. Upon this our second failure, Martin
Harris proposed that he should withdraw himself from us, believing,
as he expressed himself, that his presence was the cause of our
not obtaining what we wished for. He accordingly withdrew from us,
and we knelt down again, and had not been many minutes engaged in
prayer, when presently we beheld a light above us in the air, of
exceeding brightness; and behold, an angel stood before us. In his
hands he held the plates which we had been praying for these to
have a view of, he turned over the leaves one by one, so that we
could see them, and discover the engravings thereon distinctly. He
then addressed himself to David Whitmer, and said, "David, blessed
is the Lord, and he that keeps his commandments." When, immediately
afterwards, we heard a voice from out of the bright light above
us, saying: "These plates have been revealed by the power of God,
and they have been translated by the power of God. The translation
of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear
record of what you now see and hear."

I now left David and Oliver, and went in pursuit of Martin Harris,
whom I found at a considerable distance fervently engaged in
prayer. He soon told me, however, that he had not yet prevailed
with the Lord, and earnestly requested me to join him in prayer,
that he also might realize the same blessings which we had just
received. We accordingly joined in prayer, and ultimately obtained
our desires, for before we had yet finished, the same vision was
opened to our view, at least it was again opened to me, and I once
more beheld and heard the same things, whilst at the same moment
Martin Harris cried out, apparently in an ecstasy of joy, "'Tis
enough; 'tis enough; mine eyes have beheld; mine eyes have beheld;
and jumping up, he shouted, Hosannah, blessing God and otherwise
rejoiced exceedingly. [12]

Concerning the manner in which the plates and other sacred things were shown to him, beyond what is stated in the testimony of the Three Witnesses published in the first and every subsequent edition of the Book of Mormon, Oliver Cowdery, so far as I know, has left nothing on record further than to say:

I beheld with my eyes and handled with my hands the gold plates
from which it (the Book of Mormon) was transcribed. I also saw with
my eyes and handled with my hands the holy interpreters (the Urim
and Thummim). [13]

Martin Harris, so far as any direct personal statement is concerned, is silent as to the manner in which the plates were shown to him; but Elder Edward Stevenson, of the First Council of the Seventy of the Church, who was much interested in Mr. Harris during the closing years of that gentleman's life, states that at a gathering of friends at his (Stevenson's) house, in Salt Lake City, Harris was asked to explain the manner in which the plates containing the characters of the Book of Mormon were exhibited. The response he made is thus described:

Brother Harris, said that the angel stood on the opposite side of
the table on which were the plates, the interpreters, etc., and
took the plates in his hand and turned them over. To more fully
illustrate this to them, Brother Martin took up a book and turned
the leaves over one by one. The angel declared that the Book of
Mormon, was correctly translated by the power of God, and not of
man, and that it contained the fullness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ to the Nephites, who were a branch of the House of Israel
and had come from the land of Jerusalem to America. The Witnesses
were required to bear their testimony of these things, and of this
open vision, to all people, and he [Harris] testified not only to
those present, but to all the world, that these things were true,
and before God, whom he expected to meet in the day of judgment, he
lied not. [14]

David Whitmer made a statement to Elders Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith in the course of an interview at Richmond, Missouri, on the 7th of September, 1878, in which he gives quite a minute description of the manner in which the plates and the other sacred things were shown to himself and Oliver Cowdery in the presence of Joseph Smith. Mr. Whitmer's account of the event as related by Elders Pratt and Smith is as follows:

Elder Orson Pratt: Do you remember what time you saw the plates?

David Whitmer: It was in June, 1829--the latter part of the month,
and the Eight Witnesses saw them, I think, the next day or the day
after (i. e. one or two days after). Joseph showed them the plates
himself, but the angel showed us (the Three Witnesses) the plates,
as I suppose to fulfill the words of the book itself. Martin Harris
was not with us at this time; he obtained a view of them afterwards
(the same day). Joseph, Oliver and myself were together when I
saw them. We not only saw the plates of the Book of Mormon, but
also the brass plates, the plates of the Book of Ether, the plates
containing the records of the wickedness and secret combinations of
the people of the world down to the time of their being engraved,
and many other plates. The fact is, it was just as though Joseph,
Oliver and I were sitting just 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 about as far off as he sits (pointing to John C. Whitmer,
sitting a few feet from him), there appeared, as it were, a table
with many records or plates upon it, besides the plates of the Book
of Mormon, also the sword of Laban, the directors--i. e., the ball
which Lehi had, and the interpreters. I saw them just as plain as
I see this bed (striking the bed beside him with his hand), and I
heard the voice of the Lord, as distinctly as I ever heard anything
in my life, declaring that the records of the plates of the Book of
Mormon were translated by the gift and power of God.

Elder Orson Pratt: Did you see the angel at this time?

David Whitmer: Yes, he stood before us. Our testimony as recorded
in the Book of Mormon is strictly and absolutely true just as it is
there written. [15]

As a result of this revelation, given under such remarkable circumstances and demonstrations of the power of God, the Three Witnesses who had viewed the plates and the engravings thereon, and who had heard the voice of God from the midst of the glorious light surrounding them at the time, declare that the plates had been translated by the gift and power of God--published the following statement to the world:

THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES

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.

This testimony was published in the first and in every subsequent edition of the Book of Mormon. It has never been refuted; and, of course, from the very nature of the testimony it cannot be refuted. No one can rise up and say these men did not receive this revelation; that they did not see an angel from heaven; that he did not show to them the plates; that they did not see the glorious light in which the angel stood; that they did not hear the voice of God saying that the translation of the record was true, and was accomplished through the gift and power of God. No one can say any one of these things. An argument may be formulated against the probability of such an occurrence. It may be alleged that they were ignorant, uncritical, incompetent and therefore unworthy of belief. All this may be done, nay, it has been done; but no one can stand up and say that he knows what they say is not true, that what they say they saw, they did not see.

Footnotes

1. Having reference to the man who should bring forth the Nephite Record to the world, that is, to Joseph Smith.

2. That is to Joseph Smith.

3. II Nephi 27:12-14.

4. Ether 5:2-4.

5. The great prophet who led a colony from the Tower of Babel to the western hemisphere.

6. This was a curious instrument called by the Nephites _Liahona_. It was found by the prophet Lehi at the door of his tent one morning, in the wilderness, not long after the departure of his colony from Jerusalem. It was a round ball of fine brass with two spindles in it, one of which indicated the course to be traveled by the colony. But the instrument worked according to the faith and diligence with which the colony gave heed to it. From time to time also there appeared upon it written instructions or reproofs according as the colony required the one or the other.

7. _History of the Church,_ vol. I, p. 53, and also Doc. and Cov. Sec. 17.

8. _Joseph Smith the Prophet_, by Lucy Smith, ch. 31.

9. Ibid.

10. _Joseph Smith the Prophet_, by Lucy Smith, ch. 31.

11. _Joseph Smith the Prophet_, by Lucy Smith, ch. 31.

12. _History of the Church,_ vol. I, pp. 54, 55.

13. Statement by Oliver Cowdery, _Deseret News_ of 13th April, 1859.

14. Letters of Edward Stevenson to _Millennial Star_, vol. 48, pp. 367-389.

15. _Millennial Star_, vol. 40, nos. 49, 50, report of Pratt and Smith, is signed by them and bears date of Sept. 17, 1878.