No Witnesses

God provides testimony for His words. The Book of Mormon has the following supporting it:

1. Original Manuscript

Proves Joseph dictated, scribes recorded, no punctuation involved.

2. Three Witnesses

Three official witnesses that saw an angel, handled the plates, and attached their testimony to every printing of the Book of Mormon. They testified of it their whole life and never wavered from what they said.

3. Eight Witnesses

Eight additional formal witnesses who saw and handled the plates. They likewise testified of it their whole lives, never veering from what they said. Their testimony was likewise included in every edition.

4. Additional Witnesses

The following people wrote for Joseph or saw the process:

• Martin Harris (A previous employer of Joseph’s who paid his debts in Palmyra and provided safe transportation for he and his wife to Harmony. He acted as scribe and took copies of the characters to New York to show scholars. Lost 116 pages, saw the plates and angel. Never denied his testimony.)
• Emma (Joseph’s wife, acted as scribe and was there when the plates were retrieved from the hill where they were buried. She witnessed many attacks against her husband as people tried to steal them from him.)
• Reuben Hale (Emma’s brother acted as scribe.)
• Isaac Hale (Emma’s father allowed them to live on his property and gave them protection. He was aware of the process.)
• Samuel Smith (Joseph’s younger brother came and stayed for a while relieving Emma and Rueben and acted as scribe.)
• Joseph Knight Sr. (Bought paper and supplies for Joseph so he could work uninterrupted. He traveled 30 miles each way to do so. He was aware of the process and testified in court that Joseph was a seer.)
• Oliver Cowdery (A school teacher whom Jesus appeared to and instructed him to go and help Joseph – free of charge. He was scribe for most of the record. He saw the plates in vision beforehand, and later in person by the angel. Later he disaffected from Joseph but never denied his testimony of The Book.)
• Katharine Smith (Joseph’s sister who confirmed Joseph fasted and prayed several days after loosing 116 pages to Martin Harris.)
• Mary Whitmer (Housed and fed Joseph, Emma, and Oliver under the direction of an angel who showed her the plates. She too was aware of the process.)
• Christian Whitmer (Eldest son of Mary, was a scribe.)
• John Whitmer (A younger brother with an aptitude for writing, also a scribe, later to become church historian.)
• David Whitmer (A younger brother, saw the angel and gold plates. He disaffected from Joseph but never denied his testimony of The Book.)
• Elizabeth Ann Whitmer (Youngest sister, sat and watched the process, hour after hour.)
• Hyrum (Joseph’s older brother, helped transport him, bring supplies, and oversaw the printing process.)
• Lucy (Joseph’s mother was privy to the whole process as was his father Joseph Sr.)
• Michael Morse (Emma’s brother-in-law saw the process.)
• Sarah Heller Conrad (Hired servant in the Whitmer home at the time the process was going on. Witnessed heavenly glory upon them. Details below.)

5. The Process Transpired in Glory: Sarah Heller Conrad By Oliver B. Huntington

Sunday, June 13, 1897-I conversed with one old lady eighty-eight years old who lived with David Whitmer when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were translating the Book of Mormon in the upper room of the house, and she, only a girl, saw them come down from [the] translating room several times when they looked so exceedingly white and strange that she inquired of Mrs. Whitmer the cause of their unusual appearance, but Mrs. Whitmer was unwilling to tell the hired girl the true cause, as it was a sacred, holy event connected with a holy, sacred work which was opposed and persecuted by nearly everyone who heard of it.

The girl felt so strangely at seeing so strange and unusual appearance, she finally told Mrs. Whitmer that she would not stay with her until she knew the cause of the strange looks of these men.

Sister Whitmer then told her what the men were doing in the room above and that the power of God was so great in the room that they could hardly endure it; at times angels were in the room in their glory, which nearly consumed them. This satisfied the girl. (Oliver B. Huntington, History of the Life of Oliver B. Huntington, p. 49-50)

WITNESSES OF THE SEALED PORTION = NONE!

Advertisement