Noriginal witnesses to the book of mormon plates

All of these plates where brought together to make the gold plates or book of mormon. An earlier group of witnesses who said they had seen. A journal of mormon scripture, another account of mary whitmers viewing of the golden plates. They were reportedly returned to the angel moroni or to a secret cave hidden inside of hill cumorah. This remarkable statement was in fulfillment of prophecy in the book of mormon itself, given by nephi, the son of lehi. School teacher, lawyer baptized may 15, 1829 excommunicated apr. The eight witnesses were the second of two sets of special witnesses to the book of mormons golden plates. I felt that i got to know the witnesses myself, through the reports of others. The statement of the 3 witnesses for the book of mormon was a single statement signed by all three men. Includes the testimony of three witnesses and and also the testimony of eight witnesses, 2 unnumbered pages at end. Three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of god, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered. You can read the testimonies of the witnesses at the beginning of the book of mormon. 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.

Smith eventually obtained testimonies from 11 men who said that they had seen the plates, known as the book of mormon witnesses. The valueless testimony of the book of mormon witnesses. The witnesses of the book of mormon nibley, preston on. Because the plates were written in a language comparable to. She was 15yearsold when joseph received the golden plates. Brass plates mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. But what of the stone box that contained these sacred items. Apr 26, 2010 the bible prescribe at least two or three witnesses for everything. The original testimony of these eight men in the book of mormon reads somewhat ambiguously, not making clear whether they handled the plates or the leaves of the translated manuscript. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith. Occupation membership in the church death oliver cowdery.

Aug 08, 2017 i made a change in the book, whatever happened to the golden plates. 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. Whatever happened update plates moronis america the. These three witnesses oliver cowdery, david whitmer and martin harris wrote that they were shown the plates by an angel who also attested to them that joseph smith translated the book by the gift and power of god. Katharine smith witnesses of the golden plates and 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. Jul 08, 2011 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. Latter day saints believe the account of the golden plates as a matter of faith, and critics often assert that either smith manufactured them himself or that the book of mormon witnesses based their testimony on visions rather than physical experience. Book of mormonwitnessessignatures on their testimonies. The witnesses of the book of mormon the millennial star.

I believe the last people to see them where the eight witnesses. The first edition of the book of mormon was typeset from that printers manuscript. Katharine smith salisbury younger a witness of the book of mormon. However, after a fair and candid examination of the evidence, many thousands of. Part 1 of documented article that examines the life and testimony of the witnesses to the book of mormon. Richard lloyd anderson, personal writings of the book of mormon witnesses, in book of mormon authorship revisited. Among these remnants are teachings of four prophets not mentioned in the bible. Can i get a witness to the book of mormon translated. An angel showed the gold plates to oliver cowdery and david whitmer, two of the. Eight witnesses mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. 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. A book of mistakes, error, and fraud by jon gary williams introduction the mormon church promotes the book of mormon as an inspired writing. What happened to the original plates of the book of mormon.

According to mormon lore, smith claimed to receive the few plates from moroni in 1827 and from them translated the book of mormon. So when you say what happen to the original plates if your talking about just the gold plates they where given back to the angel moroni. 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. These illustrations show joseph, carefully examining the gold plates which are in front of him while seated at a table. Joseph smith claimed he translated the book of mormon from a set of golden plates that were given to him by an angel named moroni. Katharine smith sometimes spelled katherine was born july 28, 1812 in lebanon, new hampshire. Emma smith witnesses of the golden plates and book of mormon. The witnesses of the book of mormon by preston nibley. The book of mormon contains two sets of joint statements written by joseph smith for those who claimed to have seen the gold plates. We can compare the witnesses for the book of mormon to the witnesses of manuscript found. Since its publication in 1830, the book of mormon has been accompanied by the testimony of three witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the testimony of eight witnesses claiming that joseph smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. Book of mormonwitnessesother book of mormon witnesses. Manchester, ny a team of archaeologists excavating a drumlin known as mormon hill or the cumorah, in western new york, have discovered a set of gold plates which they believe could be linked to the founder of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, joseph smith jr. Here are some critics thoughts on that thanks to gary porter and craig criddle for these.

The witnesses of the book of mormon plates the three witnesses date of birth place of birth age when shown plates. Some people seem to deal with them by simply waving them aside. According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates also called the gold plates or in some 19thcentury literature, the golden bible are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon, a sacred text of the faith. Journal of discourses, vol 7, page 164, 1859, brigham young. He gave joseph like first witness, but one according to the scriptures is not enough so god provided three new witnesses. On 22 september 1823, after receiving repeated instruction from the angel moroni, joseph smith went to a large hill convenient to his fathers home. The eight witnesses of the book of mormon lds blogs. Can i get a witness to the book of mormon let us reason. Joseph smith claimed he translated the book of mormon from a set of. Thus there are some puzzling aspects to the testimonies of the witnesses. Emma smith bidamon a witness of the book of mormon.

How did joseph smith translate the plates from which the book. Joseph dictated the original manuscript of the book of mormon from the plates of mormon. These witnesses solemnly testify that they have seen the plates which contain this record and the engravings which are upon the plates. To learn more about the plates and the witnesses, read the knowhy articles here.

Additional information on the individual witnesses and their statements are available in the maxwell institutes digital collection. 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. Nov 03, 2017 joseph smith claimed he translated the book of mormon from a set of golden plates that were given to him by an angel named moroni. A discussion of the witnesses of the golden plates of the book of mormon and the implications of their testimony. Copying that original manuscript, parts of which survive today, oliver cowdery prepared a printers manuscript owned by the rlds church. Three other witnesses were also allowed to meet with moroni.

The bible prescribe at least two or three witnesses for everything. How did joseph smith translate the plates from which the. What happened to the original book of mormon manuscript. Where did the 8 witnesses of the book of mormon see the. Joseph used a special rock called a seer stone to translate the plates. Book of mormon witnesses facts, controversies, and contradictions. 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. All three witnesses were eventually excommunicated from the mormon church. The testimonies of the witnesses printed in the book of mormon offer. Sjodahl journal of book of mormon studies 101 2001.

The eight witnesses were the second of two sets of special witnesses to the book of mormon s golden plates. Book of mormon witnesses the encyclopedia of mormonism. The three special witnesses saw the angel moroni and the plates. Some witnesses described the plates as weighing from 30 to 60 pounds 14 to 27 kg, golden in color, and composed of thin metallic pages engraved with. I will never read the testimony of the book of mormon witnesses while i read the book of mormon with the same eyes again. He removed with his parents to new york state when a boy, and married elizabeth schott, september 29, 1825.

Mauricio, the three witnesses and eight additional witnesses from the united states were all present when the seals were removed from the book of mormon. Book of mormon witnesses all later denied its truthfulness. The world was not left with joseph smiths testimony alone. 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. According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon, a sacred text of the faith. Jul 20, 2018 joseph smith received with the breastplate and the plates of the book of mormon, the urim and thummim, which were hid up by moroni to come forth in the last days as a means by which the ancient record might be translated, which urim and thummim were given to the brother of jared. Book of mormon spiritual and temporal witnesses presentation. The answer is problematic since so very little about the incident, other than the statement found in every bom, is known. It also said that three would be shown the plates by the power of god. Sep 10, 2010 the witnesses of the book of mormon nibley, preston on. How the plates of the book of mormon were translated part 2.

Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 1 mormons. In this position, he was instrumental in procuring original documents of historical significance to the church. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. Beginning with the first edition of 1830, the book of mormon has. Testimonies of the book of mormon witnesses deseret book. Do mormons know what happened to the urim and thummim which joseph smith used to translate the book of mormon.

Book of mormonwitnesses other book of mormon witnesses mormon. Emma smith on the physical characteristics of the book of. 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 smith s translation had been accomplished by the gift and power of god. When i was a2a this question, i had to go look for info. A longer version of this article was originally published by the neal a. 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. A lot of people have been asking me whether the three witnesses and the eight witnesses saw the same set of plates. The book of mormon provided multiple official and unofficial witnesses who corroborated aspects of josephs account. Eight men, called the eight witnesses, saw and touched the plates. It is very interesting how the lord decided to have those special witnesses of his work of the last days.

Answers to questions about the witnesses to the book of mormon. Are there any other witnesses to the book of mormon plates besides the three and eight witnesses. Attacks against the book of mormon have experienced a kind of. Brigham young said, 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. She grew up in harmony, pennsylvania, along the banks of the susquehanna river on a acre farm. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses religious studies center. An earlier group of witnesses who said they had seen the plates were called the three witnesses. When joseph smith first obtained the gold plates, he was told to show them. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked. One of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon, was the second son of peter whitmer, sen. Bofm witnesses presentation provides a spiritual and temporal witness of the realities of the book of mormon. Katharine smith witnesses of the golden plates and book.

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. 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. Maxwell institute for religious scholarship as how witnesses described the gold plates, journal of book of mormon studies, vol. Hinckley cited the words of book of mormon witness oliver cowdery, who said, i beheld with my eyes and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was translated. The three and eight witnesses to the book of mormon. The evidence shows that the lord fulfilled his purpose in the creation, preservation and use of the divine interpreters, called urim and thummim, for the translation of the book of mormon from the plates held in trust by joseph smith, jr. 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. Here we have depositions by eleven men of the gold plates existence and by. The video is the third in book of mormon centrals evidence video series, the two previous videos being one on the archaeological evidence for the place called nahom, mentioned by nephi 1 nephi 16. Smith said that he found the plates on september 22, 1823, on a hill near his home in manchester, new york, after the angel moroni direc. Book of mormon plates and records book of mormon central.

Finally, the plates contained a more extensive account of old testament peoples and events than the bible see 1 nephi 5. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. Emma hale smith bidamon was born on july 10, 1804, to isaac and elizabeth hale. The witnesses to the book of mormon the witnesses to the book of mormon have always been extremely impressive to me. 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. All three special witnesses became estranged and left the church. Joseph smith received with the breastplate and the plates of the book of mormon, the urim and thummim, which were hid up by moroni to come forth in the last days as a means by which the ancient record might be translated, which urim and thummim were given to the brother of jared. 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. Mauricio berger in brazil testifies that the an angel directed him to meet with moroni. When he was finished translating the plates he gave them back to the angel who he claimed has them in his charge joseph smith history 1. I made a change in the book, whatever happened to the golden plates. Since its publication in 1830, the book of mormon has been accompanied by the testimony of three witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the testimony of eight witnesses. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints has published many pictures of joseph smith dictating the 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. Did the mormon church once promise to show the golden plates to the world. I was transported back to the times of the early church history. After the translation was completed, however, joseph reported. Some witnesses described the plates as weighing from 30 to 60 pounds, golden in color, and composed of thin metallic pages engraved with hieroglyphics on both sides and bound with three dshaped rings. We also talk about the testimony of the three witnesses. That affidavit is remarkable in its paucity of detail, as you know.