Investigating the book of mormon witnesses kindle edition. 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. Joseph smith records the following in the history of the church. The world was not left with joseph smiths testimony alone. President smith was also privileged to handle a handwritten testimony of oliver cowdery, another of the three witnesses of the book of mormon. By june 1829 martin harris, oliver cowdery, and david whitmer had verbalized a desire to be the special three witnesses alluded to in the book of mormon. In my personal experience, and as a member of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints sometimes mistakenly called the mormon church, i have heard it described as everything from interesting, false, uplifting, or contrary to the bible. Published in every edition of the book of mormon are the testimonies of eight witnesses who saw the metal plates from which the prophet joseph smith translated the ancient scriptural account and of three witnesses who not only saw the plates but who were shown them by an angel. Much has been said about the book of mormon since its first publication in the 1800s. We talk at length about our assumptions that the three witnesses has a spiritual event, that the eight witnesses had a physical event, whether their experience was consistent, and how the institutional church may have. As a preface to this answer, please see our article on mormonism and what mormons believe.
Quote if one will take the time to humbly read and ponder the book of mormon, as did my friend, and give ear to the sweet fruits of the. Attacks against the book of mormon have experienced a kind of mission creep since its publication in 1830. Today chris and clay join me again for a roundtable discussion about the eleven witnesses to the book of mormon. The testimony of three witnesses be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon central. One of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon, was the second son of peter whitmer, sen. Jehovahs witnesses believe that the soul will not last forever after death. He gave joseph like first witness, but one according to the scriptures is not enough so god provided three new witnesses. The following is their testimony that can be found in the first pages of the book of mormon. I was transported back to the times of the early church history. Haight emma smith harrison burgess john henry smith joseph f. 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. The testimony of three witnesses, the book of mormon.
Bofm witnesses presentation provides a spiritual and temporal witness of the realities of the book of mormon. Lesson 41 the testimony of three witnesses book of mormon. Personal writings of the book of mormon witnesses book. The bible prescribe at least two or three witnesses for everything. Taken together with the additional witnesses, mentioned especially by paul and in the book of mormon, numerous people bear testimony of the reality of the resurrection of the lord jesus christ. The book of mormon is a sacred record that contains the everlasting gospel and bears witness of jesus christ. As christians, we always want to use the bible and its timeless truths as our primary tool in witnessing the love of god and salvation through christ.
Three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of god, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered. In the course of the work of translation of the book of mormon, we joseph smith and oliver cowdrey ascertained that three special witnesses were to be provided by the lord, to whom he would grant that they should see the plates from which this work the book of. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses kindle edition by anderson, richard lloyd. Book of mormon the testimony of three witnesses youtube. Book of mormon witnesses all later denied its truthfulness. The three witnesses see the golden plates and the angel moroni. Many people that wholeheartedly believe the book of mormon witnesses do so because they have a hard time thinking that these people would either lie or. A faith promoting presentation of many correlations between the book of mormon and mesoamerican history. 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.
He removed with his parents to new york state when a boy, and married elizabeth schott, september 29, 1825. Witness to the book of mormon 18 may 2018 lds daily. The three witnesses monument photo courtesy steve mortensen. Why is the book of mormon another testament of jesus.
Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 1 mormons. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading investigating the book of mormon witnesses. I will never read the testimony of the book of mormon witnesses while i read the book of mormon with the same eyes again. 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. The witnesses of the book of mormon by preston nibley. Why could seantum be convicted without any witnesses. This remarkable statement was in fulfillment of prophecy in the book of mormon itself, given by nephi, the son of lehi. Richard lloyd anderson, personal writings of the book of mormon witnesses, in book of mormon authorship revisited. Faithpromoting material about the book of mormon witnesses like cowdery claims they enjoyed.
The three witnesses of the book of mormon were oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris. 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. President nelson grandfathers visit from the other side of the veil and family history work duration. Here are some critics thoughts on that thanks to gary porter and craig criddle for these. One of the quorum of the twelve a young man full of faith and good works, prayed and the vision of his mind was opened, and the angel of god came and laid. Formal witneses the three witnesses the eleven witnesses informal witnesses david b. For reasons that are not completely clear, smith and cowderys relationship soured. 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. Joseph smith gave this account of of when he, whitmer, cowdery and. Bibliographic citation lesson 41 the testimony of three witnesses in deseret sunday school union leaflets.
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. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses deseret book. We talk at length about our assumptions that the three witnesses has a spiritual event, that the eight witnesses had a physical event, whether their experience was consistent, and how the. Apr 26, 2010 the bible prescribe at least two or three witnesses for everything. The three witnesses of the book of mormon, part 1 youtube. Some of the witnesses of the book of mormon, who handled the plates and conversed with the angels of god, were afterwards left to doubt and to disbelieve that they had ever seen an angel.
Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 1 mormons in. The witnesses of the book of mormon the millennial star. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. 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. Dec 05, 2009 president nelson grandfathers visit from the other side of the veil and family history work duration. 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. I felt that i got to know the witnesses myself, through the reports of others. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon accessible, comprehensible, and. The three witnesses, unlike the eight witnesses, were shown the plates by a heavenly messenger, not joseph smith.
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. 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. Some mormons will agree that all three witnesses denied the book of mormon but came back to deny their denial. Mar, 2008 in studying the history of joseph smith and the the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, referred to as the mormons, we emphasize joseph smiths own testimony of the book of mormon, that book of additional scripture that is another testament of jesus christ. That we, through the grace of god the father, and our lord jesus christ, have seen the plates which contain this. Chart 1018 lists eighteen recorded appearances of the resurrected christ. In studying the history of joseph smith and the the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, referred to as the mormons, we emphasize joseph smiths own testimony of the book of mormon, that book of additional scripture that is another testament of jesus christ. Anderson is professor emeritus of religious education at brigham young university. It is very interesting how the lord decided to have those special witnesses of his work of the last days. Why dont they parade it around to the world as proof of mormonisms veracity. Did the book of mormon witnesses really see what they claimed.
The three are part of twelve book of mormon witnesses. Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 2 mormons in. We also talk about the testimony of the three witnesses. Answers to questions about the witnesses to the book of mormon. The testimony of the eight witnesses gospel doctrine. Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon central. 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 three witnesses are shown the golden plates by the angel, moroni. The book of mormon spiritual and temporal witnesses presentation lidar technology now lets us look underneath the canopy of the jungle. Faithpromoting material about the book of mormon witnesses like cowdery claims they. Three witnesses mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Critics have long tried to dismiss or destroy the witnesses witness. Mormon religious beliefs versus jehovah witness beliefs. The author, richard lloyd anderson, gives many historical details about the statements of such critics and the sources and background of their statements.
The eight witnesses of the book of mormon lds blogs. The first edition of the book of mormon featured two testimonials. This is the first half of an old byu film depicting the story of the three witnesses of the book of mormon. The testimonies of the three and eight witnesses were published in the first edition of the book of mormon and every edition since. Some people seem to deal with them by simply waving them aside. Some of the most important evidence for the reality and divine nature of the book of mormon comes from detailed scholarship about the witnesses to the book of mormon. As christians, we always want to use the bible and its timeless truths as our primary tool in.
Many critics of the book of mormon witnesses say that the witnesses of the book of mormon denied their written testimonies in statements to different people over the years. The history of when david whitmer, oliver cowdery and martin harris saw the golden plates of the book of mormon. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses richard l. Richard andersons work on the three witnesses and the eight witnesses demonstrates conclusively. The question of the book of mormon witnesses is extremely significant. 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. Smith lorenzo snow lucy mack smith mary whitmer oscar mcconkie william smith richard lloyd anderson analyzes the witnesses to. May 21, 2014 this is the first half of an old byu film depicting the story of the three witnesses of the book of mormon. All three men upheld their testimony of the book of mormon at their deaths. The witnesses of the book of mormon lds scripture teachings. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon.
Three witnesses of the book of mormon department of. These statements are most valuable as evidence of how a variety of people have chosen to interpret and respond to the book of mormon witnesses. Oliver cowdery, martin harris, and david whitmer were appointed to be three special witnesses of the book of mormon in june 1829. The statement of the 3 witnesses for the book of mormon was a single statement signed by all three men. The book tells the story of jesus life after the resurrection. These people were delivered, just as the lord had covenanted with them. Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 2 mormons. From a legal and historical perspective, they are less valuable as evidence of what the witnesses experienced. Each of the four gospels concludes with an account of jesus resurrection. The following summaries provide several different ways to understand the meaning and purpose of this added subtitle. Jul 11, 2011 for reasons that are not completely clear, smith and cowderys relationship soured. The three witnesses oliver cowdery david whitmer martin harris. Mormons believe the prophet mormon wrote the ancient texts on gold plates, and his son moroni buried them in what is now new york.
Additional information on the individual witnesses and their statements are available in the maxwell institutes digital collection. The three and eight witnesses to the book of mormon. The book of mormon provided multiple official and unofficial witnesses who corroborated aspects of josephs account. In 1982, the phrase another testament of jesus christ was added as a subtitle to the book of mormon. National geographic says it has turned everything we know on its head, there are over 60,000 new cement structures that they didnt know about before tons of defensive fortifications and roads everywhere. Book of mormon spiritual and temporal witnesses presentation. The testimony of three witnesses book of mormon central.
The three men chosen as witnesses of the book of mormon were oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris. Testimonies of the book of mormon witnesses deseret book. 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. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon.
Mar 22, 2017 by june 1829 martin harris, oliver cowdery, and david whitmer had verbalized a desire to be the special three witnesses alluded to in the book of mormon. Cowderys elevated status as second elder and witness to the book of mormon was eventually lost amid accusations of adultery and theft. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come. Why were three key witnesses chosen to testify of the book of mormon. As such, he has prepared a plan of salvation alma 24. 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. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon accessible, comprehensible. We can compare the witnesses for the book of mormon to the witnesses of manuscript found. 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 witnesses to the book of mormon the witnesses to the book of mormon have always been extremely impressive to me. As the director of the church history library, where we hold the churchs official archival. 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. Mormons follow the new king james version of the bible, and revere the book of mormon as much as the bible.