Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon central. 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. The first edition of the book of mormon featured two testimonials. Here are some critics thoughts on that thanks to gary porter and craig criddle for these. Here it was that those 8 witnesses recorded in the book of mormon looked upon the plates and handled them of which they bear witness in the title page of the. Eight witnesses monument mormon historic sites foundation.
Why are there two sets of official book of mormon witnesses. Book of mormon 1830eight witnesses wikisource, the free. The testimonies of the three and eight witnesses were published in the first edition of the book of mormon and every edition since. Soon afterward, at the smith farm in new york, eight others were allowed to view and handle the plates.
Likely given that three of the eight witnesses were either excommunicated or left the church and as with the three witnesses, they never recanted their testimony as published in the book of mormon to explain the testimony of the witnesses, something that joseph smith fabricated a set of 10 or led plates they used to trick them with. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses deseret book. The world was not left with joseph smiths testimony alone. Apr 16, 2020 even if the majority of the witnesses to the book of mormon did not deny their testimony of the book itself, this does little to support mormonism today. The book of mormon provided multiple official and unofficial witnesses who corroborated. Together with joseph smith they fulfill nephis prophecy. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses religious studies center. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses kindle edition by anderson, richard lloyd. An additional eight witnesses members of the smith and whitmer families declared that joseph smith himself showed them the plates and allowed each to heft. The eight witnesses were the second of the two groups of special witnesses to the book of mormons golden plates. Jan 26, 2017 eight witnesses to gold plates and their testimony is included in the book of mormon. Most of the eight and all of the three witnesses reiterated their book of mormon testimonies just before death. In this light, niggling criticisms that the testimonies of the book of mormon witnesses dont prove the plates ancient and dont rigorously demonstrate the existence of an ancient nephite. Oct 18, 2018 some dismiss the testimonies of the three and eight witnesses as of no real consequence, since they fail to prove the book of mormon ancient.
Dec 31, 2015 besides their formal testimonies printed in every edition of the book of mormon since 1830, two of the three witnesses and three of the eight witnesses are known to have left behind written accounts of their experience. 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 last printed leafbearing the signed statements of. They shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein 2 ne. 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. Did the book of mormon witnesses really see what they claimed. The eight witnesses were one of the two groups of witnesses who signed a statement reprinted in the book of mormon stating that they had seen the golden plates which joseph smith, jr. Current mormon doctrine on the nature of god, the priesthood, use of temples, baptism for the dead, and men becoming gods, is nowhere contained in the book of mormon. Dec 05, 2009 268 videos play all the book of mormon audio full michael dinkelman truth about joseph smiths beliefs on geography of the book of mormon duration. Three are related to joseph smith including his father and two brothers. The american scripture that launched a new world religion new york. Witnesses of the book of mormon church of jesus christ. The eight witnesses were the second of two sets of special witnesses to the book of mormons golden plates. Joseph smith, the three witnesses, and the eight witnesses are a twelveman jury in affirming the reality of the gold plates and the book of mormon.
Like the lives of the three witnesses, the lives 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. Biographies in preston nibley witnesses of the book of mormon deseret book co. The other prominent group of book of mormon witnesses who said they saw the plates are called the three witnesses.
Half of the witnesses are related to david whitmer. Skeptics have misused some historical sources as they attempt to reverse the eight witnesses statements about their physical contact with the book of mormon plates. The eight witnesses speak of viewing the plates themselves with unobstructed vision. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come, that joseph smith, jr. Its language distances the eight witnesses from js by referring to him as the said smith. Of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon who signed that they had lifted the plates, five were from the whitmer family and three were from the smith family, including a brotherinlaw, hyrum page.
Besides their formal testimonies printed in every edition of the book of mormon since 1830, two of the three witnesses and three of the eight witnesses are known to have left behind written accounts of their experience. The testimonies of the witnesses printed in the book of mormon offer compelling evidence in favor of its miraculous origin. Christian whitmer one of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon was the eldest son of peter whitmer, sen. There are only two of the witnesses to that book now living, to wit. 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. Book of mormon witnesses all later denied its truthfulness. Book of mormon, 1830, page 590 the joseph smith papers. The first set are the three witnesses the book of ether in the book of mormon states that the plates would be shown to certain individuals who shall assist to bring forth this work. For a comprehensive treatment of the experiences of these eight witnesses, see richard lloyd anderson, attempts to redefine the experience of the eight witnesses, journal of book of mormon studies, 141 2005. Book of mormon witnesses the three part 1, dan vogel. Book of mormon central evidences of the book of mormon. Photograph of the signatures of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon. 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.
Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon. Some mormons will agree that all three witnesses denied the book of mormon but came back to deny their denial. Did the eleven witnesses actually see the gold plates. The eight witnesses of the book of mormon lds blogs. Book of mormon the testimony of eight witnesses youtube. Eight witnesses to gold plates and their testimony is included in the book of mormon. 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. 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. David whitmer was one of six original members of the church of christ that joseph smith organized in 1830. 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 expressed certainty about the boundaries and constructs.
The eight witnesses were one of the two groups of witnesses who made statements stating that they had seen the golden plates which joseph smith jr. Oxford university press, 2003, 4142, emphasis added. Whatever one may think of the book of mormon origins, the three witnesses along with the other eight witnesses and the prophet joseph smith himself could accurately be described as being stumbling blocks to the skeptic, critic, and unbeliever. Today chris and clay join me again for a roundtable discussion about the eleven witnesses to the book of mormon. Additional information on the individual witnesses and their statements are available in the maxwell institutes digital collection. It also said that three would be shown the plates by the power of god. The eight witnesses were shown the plates by joseph smith. The book of mormon witnesses 1 papers of joseph smith, jesse, 296, also insiders view of mormon origins, 197. Fallout the relationship with the witnesses were strained. Richard lloyd anderson, book of mormon witnesses, in the encyclopedia of mormonism, 4 vols. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Anderson, attempts to redefine the experience of the eight witnesses, journal of book of mormon studies 141 2005. But this dismissal overlooks their enormous significance. The three and eight witnesses to the book of mormon.
The evidence left by the book of mormon witnesses is rich, varied, and uneven, including the following. Did the three and eight witnesses to the book of mormon place their. 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. The book of mormon provided multiple official and unofficial witnesses who corroborated aspects of josephs account. 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 eight witnesses were the second of two sets of special witnesses to the book of mormon s golden plates. The testimony of the eight witnesses gospel doctrine. Unlike the earlier testimony signed by the three witnesses, which borrowed most of its language from the book of mormon, this statement reads like a legal document. Despite hardships and difficulties, the book of mormon witnesses remained true to their testimonies of this book throughout their lives. The author, richard lloyd anderson, gives many historical details about the statements of such critics and the sources and background of their statements. This eliminates any mortal and therefore fallible middleman. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses religious studies. Like the lives of the three witnesses, the lives of the eight witnesses are rather tortuous.
He rose to positions of prominence, becoming president of the church in missouri. It is unknown whether the eight witnesses signed the original statement, and it is likewise unknown who wrote the statement. Even if the majority of the witnesses to the book of mormon did not deny their testimony of the book itself, this does little to support mormonism today. Monument to the eight witnesses of the book of mormon, liberty, missouri.
Book of mormon witnesses the encyclopedia of mormonism. Did the book of mormon witnesses really see what they. The three witnesses, unlike the eight witnesses, were shown the plates by a heavenly messenger, not joseph smith. The combined testimonies of the three and eight witnesses of the book of mormon provide powerful evidence of the restoration. In the lds church, much emphasis is placed on the witness of three men who said that they saw the gold plates which were translated by joseph smith into the book of mormon, as well as eight additional witnesses who testified of their belief in the book of mormon. When joseph smith first obtained the gold plates, he was told to show them to no one. 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. Book of mormon 1830eight witnesses wikisource, the. Three witnesses of the book of mormon department of.
Critics have long tried to dismiss or destroy the witnesses witness. Institute for religious research book of mormon witnesses, joel groat. 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. Much of the book of mormon was translated in the home of his father, peter whitmer, as he hosted the smiths.
Christian whitmer, jacob whitmer, peter whitmer, jr. 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading investigating the book of mormon witnesses. Eight witnesses the book of mormon also includes a joint statement from eight men who claim to have seen the gold plates. 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. David whitmer, one of the book of mormons three witnesses, said if you believe my testimony to the book of mormon. Some dismiss the testimonies of the three and eight witnesses as of no real consequence, since they fail to prove the book of mormon ancient. 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. Book of mormon witnesses the eight part 2, dan vogel. As the director of the church history library, where we hold the churchs official archival. The testimonies of the three and eight witnesses balance the supernatural and the natural, the one stressing the angel and heavenly voice, the other the. Mar 15, 2016 richard lloyd anderson, book of mormon witnesses, in the encyclopedia of mormonism, 4 vols.
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. Harmon, made in about 1885, cited in vogel, emd, 2. Eight witnesses mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come.
They were all members of the whitmer or smith families. An earlier group of witnesses who said they had seen the plates were called the three witnesses. Harper invites us to examine the evidence left by oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris top to bottom as well as the eight witnesses. The three men chosen as witnesses of the book of mormon were oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris. 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. This book was printed on thirtyseven sheets and folded into thirtyseven gatherings of eight leaves each, making a text block of 592 pages. The question of the book of mormon witnesses is extremely significant.
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