Eight witnesses to the book of mormon

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 book of mormon relies not only on the record of an ancient people, but also on the separate testimonies of three and eight witnesses published in the back of the books original 1830 edition and in the front of its more recent editions. The item was signed by the eight witnesses who confirmed that they saw the golden plates from which the book of mormon was taken. All three witnesses eventually broke with smith and were excommunicated from the church. The eight witnesses were the second of two sets of special witnesses to the book of mormons golden plates. Its language distances the eight witnesses from js by referring to him as the said smith.

Every book of mormon makes these statements in the inside cover of title page. 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. Check out the viewpoint on mormonism podcast series 15 witnesses to the book of mormon part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 february 1518, 2016 joseph smith claimed that in 1823 he was visited by an angel named moroni and that this angel told him that there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the. The witness statements enhance the plausibility of joseph smith and the book he dictated. 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. Additional information on the individual witnesses and their statements are available in the maxwell institutes digital collection. But though their testimonies are still printed at the beginning of every copy of the book of mormon, all three of these men left. Some mormons will agree that all three witnesses denied the book of mormon but came back to deny their denial. Eight witnesses the book of mormon also includes a joint statement from eight men who claim to have seen the gold plates. This account may come across as a little too convenient and lead you to wonder is there any evidence that the plates existed at all introduced at the beginning of every copy of the book of mormon are the testimonies of the three and eight witnesses. Who are the few who were permitted to see the plates. 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. Oxford university press, 2003, 4142, emphasis added. Some even base their testimony of the truthfulness of the book of mormon on these 11 witnesses and their claims.

Monument to the eight witnesses of the book of mormon, liberty, missouri. Harmon, made in about 1885, cited in vogel, emd, 2. 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. 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.

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. Did the book of mormon witnesses really see what they. The testimonies of the three and eight witnesses were published in the first edition of the book of mormon and every edition since. In this video, i discuss how relying on the published testimony of eight witnesses has led many to incorrectly assume the experience of the eight men was completely natural and physical.

Eight witnesses to gold plates and their testimony is included in the book of mormon. Attacks against the book of mormon have experienced a kind of mission creep since its publication in 1830. Activity after losing the 116 pages and not being able to translate for a while the translation of the book of mormon started again on april 7, 1829. The combined testimonies of the three and eight witnesses of the book of mormon provide powerful evidence of the restoration. The eight witnesses of the book of mormon the book of. The objective of this restoration edition has been to recover the text of the book of mormon back to what joseph smith intended it to be before his death. There are only two of the witnesses to that book now living, to wit. Like the lives of the three witnesses, the lives of. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come. Today chris and clay join me again for a roundtable discussion about the eleven witnesses to the book of mormon. The question of the book of mormon witnesses is extremely significant. An angel showed the book of mormon plates to the three witnesses, who heard gods voice declare the translation correct. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come, that joseph smith, jr. 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. Eight witnesses monument mormon historic sites foundation. Three are related to joseph smith including his father and two brothers. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses religious studies center. Book of mormon witnesses the encyclopedia of mormonism.

Eight witnesses memorialized by new monument church news. The eight witnesses of the book of mormon lds blogs. Book of mormon central evidences of the book of mormon. 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.

Book of mormon, 1830, page 590 the joseph smith papers. This book was printed on thirtyseven sheets and folded into thirtyseven gatherings of eight leaves each, making a text block of 592 pages. It is unknown whether the eight witnesses signed the original statement, and it is likewise unknown who wrote the statement. Fallout the relationship with the witnesses were strained. However, even if all eleven witnesses affirmed that they really saw and even handled the book of mormon plates it does biblically validate. An additional eight witnesses members of the smith and whitmer families 1 declared that joseph smith himself showed them the plates and allowed each to heft the ancient artifact and examine its engravings. Eight witnesses view the book of mormon plates by dale kilbourn. Critics began by labeling the book bungling and stupid, joe smith a perfect ignoramus, and they claimed any blunderhead, with the bible at his side, might have written it. And not one of the witnesses ever retracted or denied their testimony, including the men who later left mormonism.

Christian whitmer one of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon was the eldest son of peter whitmer, sen. 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 other prominent group of book of mormon witnesses who said they saw the plates are called the three witnesses. 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.

Why are there two sets of official book of mormon witnesses. View of what was once the michael arthur farm, liberty, missouri. As a missionary, i was instructed to teach investigators about the testimonies of the witnesses to. 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.

All i can suggest is that a person read the book on their own and pray about it. 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. There is much more that can be said about the unreliability of the three and the eight witnesses to the book of mormon plates. The first edition of the book of mormon featured two testimonials.

I have never heard that any one of the three or eight witnesses ever denied the testimony that they have borne to the book as published in the first edition of the book of mormon. 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. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. 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. Eight witnesses mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Soon afterward, at the smith farm in new york, eight others were allowed to view and handle the plates. The three witnesses were oliver cowdery, martin harris, and david whitmer, whose joint testimony, in conjunction with a separate statement by eight witnesses, has been printed with every edition of the book of mormon since its first publication in 1830. The book of mormon the testimony of three witnesses. Another testament of jesus christ, the testimony of three witnesses and the testimony of eight witnesses. The testimony of the eight witnesses gospel doctrine. Photograph of a handwritten statement which is published at the beginning of the book of mormon. But the eight witnesses report handling the plates under natural circumstances, describing color, substantial weight, individual leaves with engraved writings, and careful craftsmanship throughout. The american scripture that launched a new world religion new york. Among other things, it is the final resting place of two members of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon.

Several others had direct experiences with the plates or otherwise witnessed joseph smith s translation of the book of mormon. The three witnesses, unlike the eight witnesses, were shown the plates by a heavenly messenger, not joseph smith. 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. 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. The monument honors all of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon. The eight witnesses were the second of the two groups of special witnesses to the book of mormons golden plates. When joseph smith first obtained the gold plates, he was told to show them to no one. Situated on what was once the farm of missourian michael arthur, is an impressive granite monument. Testimony of eight witnesses manuscript collection. 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. 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.

The three witnessesoliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harrisall participated in the translation of the book of mormon. We can compare the witnesses for the book of mormon to the witnesses of manuscript found. Did the eleven witnesses actually see the gold plates. Three witnesses of the book of mormon department of. Several other of the eight witnesses are buried in the general vicinity at richmond and excelsior springs, missouri. 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. Book of mormon witnesses all later denied its truthfulness.

It also said that three would be shown the plates by the power of god. This eliminates any mortal and therefore fallible middleman. May 18, 2016 the eight witnesses of the book of mormon may 18, 2016 the eight witnesses of the book of mormon may 18, 2016 the eight witnesses of the book of mormon stay safe and healthy. Despite hardships and difficulties, the book of mormon witnesses remained true to their testimonies of this book throughout their lives. The three and eight witnesses to the book of mormon. As church membership mushroomed, and it became clear the book of mormon is pretty. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. As the director of the church history library, where we hold the churchs official archival. Christian whitmer, jacob whitmer, peter whitmer, jr. The manuscript states that joseph smith was the author of the book.

Richard lloyd anderson, book of mormon witnesses, in the encyclopedia of mormonism, 4 vols. The suggestion that the eight witnesses never actually saw or hefted the plates and that the three witnesses viewed them solely supernaturally leads some to wonder if the witnesses saw anything substantive at all, opening to question the plates existence and the book of mormons truthfulness. 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. Testimony of eight witnesses, late june 1829, page 590. The last printed leafbearing the signed statements of. The eight witnesses were all members of the whitmer or smith families. 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 of their. And eyewitness testimony to the existence of angels and of god himself is scarcely of trivial importance. He removed while quite young, with his parents, from pennsylvania to seneca county, western new york, where he married anne schott, february 22, 1825. Richard lloyd anderson, personal writings of the book of mormon witnesses, in book of mormon authorship revisited. The eight witnesses were shown the plates by joseph smith.