Witnesses book of mormon

Three witnesses oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris declared an angel of god appeared to them and showed them the book of mormon plates and they heard the voice of the lord pronounce that joseph smiths translation had been accomplished by the gift and power of god. George mantle to marietta walker, 26 december 1888, saint catherine, missouri, cited in autumn leaves 2 1889. In this carefully researched, thoughtprovoking book, dr. David whitmer, one of the book of mormon s three witnesses, said if you believe my testimony to the book of mormon. In another thread the question was asked why someone such as myself feels the book of mormon witnesses are not particularly strong evidence for ancient authorship on the grounds they profited from the narrative. Three witnesses oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris declared an angel of god appeared to them and showed them the book of mormon plates. Do jehovahs witnesses have a book equivalent to the book of mormon. Statements clearly traced to the witnesses verify the testimonies printed in the book of mormon. The most significant witnesses are the three witnesses and the eight witnesses, all of whom allowed their names to be used on two separate statements included with the book of mormon. Three witnesses oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris declared an angel of god appeared to them and showed them the book of mormon plates and they heard the voice of the lord pronounce that. Do jehovahs witnesses have a book equivalent to the book of. An account written by the hand of mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. The case against the 3 witnesses of the book of mormon youtube.

The three witnesses, unlike the eight witnesses, were shown the plates by a heavenly messenger, not joseph smith. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses religious studies. Which is basically like using a spiderman comic book to prove that batman is. Get insight into the witnesses to the gold plates, the book of mormons translation and printing, and the opposition to and reception of early saints because of it. The testimony of the eight witnesses was first published at the end of the 1830 edition of the book of mormon and has been printed in nearly every edition since, although most subsequent editions moved the statement to the front of the book and included minor grammatical corrections. Jun 24, 2019 the names of oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris are familiar to most of us, notably because of their role as witnesses to the reality of the book of mormon. However, we would be misguided if we were to conclude that the witnesses testimonies establish nothing of pivotal importance. The book of mormon is the sacred text for the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. Thus, by marriage, hiram page was also a member of the whitmer family. The literal nature of the experiences of the book of mormon witnesses. The three witnessesoliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harrisall participated in the translation of the book of mormon. Beyond the testimony of the holy ghost, the witnesses represent the only evidence for the book of mormon provided by the lord himself.

From changing their stories to denying their faith to getting excommunicated. Like the three witnesses, the book of mormon prophecies that there will be others which will testify of this work, 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. I have a testimony of what those close to joseph reported. The names of oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris are familiar to most of us, notably because of their role as witnesses to the reality of the book of mormon.

Harmon, made in about 1885, cited in vogel, emd, 2. 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. From changing their stories to denying their faith to getting excommunicated and much more, join me in this video as we talk through. One of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon was the fifth son of peter whitmer, sen. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come. Oct 08, 2019 the witnesses to the book of mormon are blatantly not credible. Book of mormon spiritual and temporal witnesses presentation. Deseret news archives this monument honers the eight witnesses of the book of mormon and was erected in liberty, missouri, on the same day the 100th anniversary of the three witnesses monument in richmond, missouri. Thus, we find every living book of mormon witnesses, except oliver cowdery, accepting strang as their prophet, at least for a time. Their written testimony of three witnesses has been included in all of the almost 100 million copies of the book of mormon the church has published since 1830. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon. The witnesses of the book of mormon by preston nibley.

Book of mormon, 1830, page 590 the joseph smith papers. The testimony of the three and eight witnesses to the book of mormon is a key part to the testimonies of many members of the church. Beginning with the first edition of 1830, the book of mormon has generally contained two sets of testimoniesthe testimony of three witnesses and the testimony of eight witnesses. Three witnesses the three witnesses are david whitmer, oliver cowdery, and martin harris, who mortgaged his farm to finance the first printing of the book of mormon. Eight witnesses to gold plates and their testimony is included in the book of mormon. Witnesses of the book of mormon the church of jesus christ of. Harper, the eleven witnesses, in the coming forth of the book of mormon. The forgotten witness of the book of mormon who refused to.

Some mormons will agree that all three witnesses denied the book of mormon but came back to deny their denial. The earliest documented statement of the three witnessesoliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harrisis their statement in the handwriting of oliver cowdery subsequently published in the 1830 edition of the book of mormon. Anderson, in his faithpromoting book titled investigating the book of mormon witnesses, insists that readers must take the testimony of the eleven witnesses at face value. The book of mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of joseph smith who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which smith translated the. David whitmer, one of the book of mormons three witnesses, said if you believe my testimony to the book of mormon. Soon afterward, at the smith farm in new york, eight others were allowed to view and handle the plates. In addition to joseph smith, the lord provided for eleven others to see the gold plates for themselves and to be special witnesses of the truth and. Jan 27, 2017 the solemn testimony of the three witnesses has appeared in every edition of the book of mormon since 1830. Jan 26, 2017 eight witnesses to gold plates and their testimony is included in the book of mormon. Here are some critics thoughts on that thanks to gary porter and craig criddle for these. The solemn testimony of the three witnesses has appeared in every edition of the book of mormon since 1830.

Book of mormonwitnesseseye of faith and spiritual eye. Jan 05, 2020 the three witnessesoliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harrisall participated in the translation of the book of mormon. Some even base their testimony of the truthfulness of the book of mormon on these 11 witnesses and their claims. By 1847, not a single one of the surviving eleven witnesses were affiliated with the mormon church. The author, richard lloyd anderson, gives many historical details about the statements of such critics and the sources and background of their statements. The book of mormon contains two sets of joint statements written by joseph smith for those who claimed to have seen the gold plates. The three men chosen as witnesses of the book of mormon were oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris. Which is basically like using a spiderman comic book to prove that batman is wrong. They had full confidence that, as a prophet, joseph smith was in touch with god and powerfully brought those hearing him closer to christ. In the introductory pages of the book of mormon, there is a page that contains the testimony of three witnesses and the testimony of eight witnesses. When joseph smith first obtained the gold plates, he was told to show them to no one. Witnesses of the book of mormon church of jesus christ. Deseret book and religious studies center, brigham young university, 2015, 1172. Witnesses to the book of mormon david whitmer general.

He gave joseph like first witness, but one according to the scriptures is not enough so god provided three new witnesses. Book of mormon witnesses all later denied its truthfulness. Three witnesses the testimonies of the witnesses printed in the book of mormon offer compelling evidence in favor of its miraculous origin. Witnesses film an interpreter foundation production. At the beginning of the book of mormon, we have the testimony of joseph smith, the testimony of three witnesses, and the testimony of eight witnesses. It is very interesting how the lord decided to have those special witnesses of his work of the last days. This is a nice quickshot at some of the evidence for the authenticity of the book of mormon, as well as some brief apologetic history of the 3 witnesses of said book. The evidence left by the book of mormon witnesses is rich, varied, and uneven, including the following.

No single piece of evidence demonstrates everything, by itself, that believers in the book of mormon affirm. The first edition of the book of mormon featured two testimonials. The witnesses to the book of mormon are blatantly not credible. Oxford university press, 2003, 4142, emphasis added. The only thing this book continuously stressed is that jesus is god, the holy spirit is god, and the trinity is one being. Why were three key witnesses chosen to testify of the book of. The book of mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of joseph smith who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which smith translated the book of mormon. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses richard l. The testimony of the eight witnesses gospel doctrine.

The statement of the 3 witnesses for the book of mormon was a single statement signed by all three men. Dec 31, 2015 yet, harper observes, critics of the book of mormon to the extent that they engage the witnesses at all repeatedly choose to privilege selected hearsay more than the direct statements of the witnesses, interpreting it by means of speculations and conjectures. Each of these specific menoliver cowdery, martin harris, and david whitmersacrificed much to help with the translation and publication of the book of mormon, and its likely this is a significant part of why they were chosen as witnesses. Yet, harper observes, critics of the book of mormon to the extent that they engage the witnesses at all repeatedly choose to privilege selected hearsay more than the direct statements of the witnesses, interpreting it by means of speculations and conjectures. Mary whitmer herself eventually became an unofficial witness to the book of mormon. We can compare the witnesses for the book of mormon to the witnesses of manuscript found. They knew that three people would be allowed to see the plates and would testify to the world that the book of mormon is true ether 5. Did a book of mormon witnesses say that they only saw and handled the plates covered by a cloth or tow frock. It is short, and with the exception of some new things that the author has discovered, he spends a relatively short time on many of the evidences.

For over forty years, i have been a student of joseph smiths life and teachings. Also cited in richard lloyd anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses salt lake city. Soon after josephs arrival at fayette from pennsylvania the summer of 1829, peter became a zealous friend of the prophet and an able assistant in the translation of. Historical evidence has led many people to question the authenticity of the book of mormon and the credibility of joseph smiths story. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses religious studies center. Oct 18, 2018 however, we would be misguided if we were to conclude that the witnesses testimonies establish nothing of pivotal importance. The three witnesses is the collective name for three men connected with the early latter day saint movement who stated that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which joseph smith, jr. Russell, a member of the community of christ and professor of history of the lds movement at graceland university, strongly disagrees. Those who would defend traditional beliefs about mormon origins often turn to the testimonies of 11 men.

Richard lloyd anderson presents evidence from original sources on each of the eleven witnesses and concludes. The case against the 3 witnesses of the book of mormon. Evidences and witnesses of the book of mormon by daniel c. Testimony of the witnesses and general church history byutv. Modern mormon spin doctors write all kinds of articles claiming that the witnesses may have denied the mormon church but they never the book of mormon. Bofm witnesses presentation provides a spiritual and temporal witness of the realities of the book of mormon. Candidly examining all substantial arguments, pro and con, this project will argue powerfully for their credibility. Hedges, john hilton iii, and kerry hull salt lake city and provo, ut.

It uses biblical quotes to disprove the book of mormon and the nwt of the jws bible. Throughout their lives, none of the witnesses of the book of mormon ever denied their testimonies. Two recent articles examine the role of 11 men and four women who saw, felt, heard and knew. Palmyra, known as swifts landing and tolland before being renamed palmyra, 1796.

Three witnesses of the book of mormon department of. The three witnesses, unlike the eight witnesses, were shown the plates by. Did the book of mormon witnesses really see what they claimed. The american scripture that launched a new world religion new york. Photograph of the signatures of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon. Did the eleven witnesses actually see the gold plates. The overall secular case for the book of mormon is a cumulative one. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses deseret book. Some may not realize that, aside from viewing the plates, the three witnesses of the book of mormon beheld several other nephite artifacts, including the miraculous directors which were given to lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the red sea doctrine and covenants 17. Why are there two sets of official book of mormon witnesses. Book of mormon witnesses the encyclopedia of mormonism.