Personal testimony is the factor which turns people around in their living as they come into this church. A june 1829 revelation confirmed that oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and. John whitmer 18021878 was an early leader of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Christian, jacob, john, david, catherine, peter jr. This site was developed and is maintained by individuals who wish to help the world come to the conclusion that the book of mormon is the word of god.
Available in stores and online at deseret book, seagull book, and the byu store this new book is a compilation of reedited and updated knowhys written by john w. The book of mormon states it is the work of one man, 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 mormon. A common muslim testimony i bear you my testimony that i know the book of mormon is true, i know that joseph smith is a true prophet of god and i know that the church is the only true church i bear witness that there is no god but allah, and i bear witness that mohammed is the servant and messenger of allah. Whitmers testimony was recorded in newspapers, personal.
David whitmer was one of the three witnesses of the book of mormon. Though he never returned to the church in his lifetime, he never denied the authenticity of the book of mormon, and even publicly defended it near the end of his life in the richmond. Elder hollands 10 best talks of all time utahvalley360. Most latterday saints are aware of the testimonies of the three witnesses and the eight witnesses to the book of mormon. Holland by mormonblogger on tuesday, may 31st, 2016 no comments a modernday apostle describes the unwavering faith churchs founders showed, even in the face of death, to remain true to their testimonies of the book of mormon. My letter to elder holland re book of mormon heres your reply, assuming youre still a member. David was ordained as an elder on april 6, 1830, and was one of the original six members of the church. Mary musselman whitmer, the only woman who saw the plates of the book of mormon, was born aug.
Chatburn, 1882 david whitmer interview with james h. The church changed my life and inspired me to be baptized at the age of 26. Cowdery october 3, 1806 march 3, 1850 was, with joseph smith, an important participant in the formative period of the latter day saint movement between 1829 and 1836. The book of mormon is canonized mormon scripture that describes the migration of two jewish people groups from the ancient near east to the americas. Five of her sons would become witnesses for the gold plates, along with her sonsinlaw. David whitmerinterview with john murphy in june 1880.
Book of mormon central america is trying to control the present and yet david witmers testimony contradicts the entire premise of book of mormon centrals overriding corporate mandate to increase understanding of the book of mormon as an ancient mesoamerican codex. For a huge array of resources, talks, articles, videos, and so forth, go to or. I cant deny the spiritual and logical reasons that were presented to me as part of my testimony of that books truthfulness. A letter from david whitmer, one of the 3 witnesses who actually held the original plates of the book of mormon. Elizabeth, described his lasting testimony in a letter to her brother david whitmer. David whitmers rebuttal to john murphys june 1880 claims regarding his experience as a book of mormon witness summary. A modernday apostle describes the unwavering faith churchs founders showed, even in the face of death, to remain true to. Here is the eyeopening testimony from a former mormon elder, todd k. The book of mormon is the only explanation for this scripture. An unassailable witness of the book of mormon posted by admin on february 12, 2018 february, 2018 when i was a boy, back in the early to mid 1950s, my mothers father, john william dunn, told me about an experience he had regarding the book of mormon.
This thing which we call testimony is difficult to define, but its fruits are plainly evident. Geographical, and other evidences in support of the book of mormon landscape, as found in north america. David whitmer, a witness to the divine authenticity of the book of. I wrote a blog post at the mormon therapist articulating my official stance on masturbation. How could there be so many witnesses of the book of mormon and the plates and not one of them deny their testimony even when some of them became bitter toward joseph smith. After joseph smiths death he formed the church of christ. Together with her husband she was baptized by oliver cowdery in seneca lake, april 18, 1830. This is a critics response to fairs defense of whitmers statement if you believe my testimony to the book of mormon. But if i found out that the book of mormon is truethen everything was going to change.
In 1833 when missouri vigilantes were harassing the mormons, a mob of about five hundred men put davids testimony to the test. John whitmer mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. His final testimony was given under the following circumstances. David whitmer was excommunicated from the church of jesus christ of latterday saints in 1838 for turning against church members and joining in persecuting them. He was also the first official church historian and a member of the presidency of the church in missouri. I have concluded not to request the saints herald to publish my epistle, as i will not enter into a newspaper controversy. They were both included in the list of the eight witnesses in the book of mormon, and they proclaimed to their last moments, the certainty of their former testimony. What if you were one of the three witnesses to the book of mormon.
One of the most powerful testimonies of the book of mormon. Fanny alger is josephs first known plural wife, whom he came to know in kirtland during early 1833 when she, at the age of 16, stayed at his home as a. This is the element which motivates the membership to forsake all in the service of the lord. For some people, the fact that eleven men would sign their names to a written statement and never denounce the book of mormon is sufficient evidence for believing the book of mormon is of divine origin. David whitmer was interviewed by john murphy in june 1880. All the whitmers eventually gained testimonies of the work. According to the book of mormon, the first group called jaredites sailed to the new world shortly after god confused the language at the tower of babel at about 2,000 b. Mary musselman whitmer a witness of the book of mormon mary musselman whitmer was born august 27, 1778. Christian whitmer, the eldest son of peter whitmer sr. A proclamation published march 24, 1881, an address to believers in the book of mormon published. Whitmer called his family and a number of his friends to his bedside, and to them delivered his. This knowledge can only be gained through a witness of the holy ghost. David whitmers final testimony of the book of mormon.
In 1829, oliver cowdery baptized john whitmer, probably in senaca lake in senaca, new york. Also see the vast body of scholarship in past and current publications at the maxwell institute. They considered the churchs founder, joseph smith, a prophet, and his book of mormon a work as sacred as the bible. David whitmer mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. On the evening of sunday, january 22, at half past five oclock, mr. My letter to elder holland re book of mormon very long.
David whitmer died at his home in richmond, on the 25th of january, 1888, in the eightyfourth year of his life. My whole being is the desire to serve the lord jesus beyond my human abilitieseven from my childhood. John whitmer was born on august 27, 1802, in york, pennsylvania to peter whitmer, sr. Whitmer ordered that his testimony to the book of mormon be placed on his tombstone. But is the testimony of these eleven men a solid foundation for faith in the authenticity of the book of mormon. While still fairly young, he moved out of his parents house and settled in seneca county, new york. Smith recorded that he alone supposedly translated lost plates which give an account of the history of ancient north america and was the author of subsequent works doctrine and. In 1829, joseph baptized david whitmer as a member of the church, and just a short time later, david whitmer was a witness of the gold plates from which the book of mormon had been translated. David whitmer to the editor, kansas city daily journal, june 19, 1881. Whitmer was born in pennsylvania and married mary elsa musselman.
In 1809 the family moved to fayette, new york, where they worked a large farm. The testimonies of the witnesses affirm that these things occurred. Book of mormon central why is david whitmers witness of. Murphy reported that whitmer claimed that the angel that showed him the plates had no appearance or shape and that whitmer saw nothing, in the way you understand it. Mary whitmer, 12th witness to the book of mormon deseret news.
Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 1 mormons. Flooding the earth with the book of mormon said, we commend the members of the church who have participated in the familytofamily book of mormon program, placing their pictures and. He learned about the book of mormon from oliver cowdery, who was scribe for joseph smith during the translation. David whitmers statments regarding the translation of the. David whitmer witnesses of the golden plates and book of. John served for some time as a scribe for joseph smith, helping to move the work of translation along much more quickly. 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. Olson, now studying to be a christian minister as of 2011 i spent my church life as a mormon before i knew the lords grace. I love elder holland and his special witness of the savior and of the book of mormon. Book of mormon witnesses the encyclopedia of mormonism.
Oliver wrote to his friend, david whitmer, testifying of the work and enclosing samples of the translation of the book of mormon. Believing that all the brethren who are rid of prejudice, and desire the truth only as christ has given it to us in the two sacred books, will write for my pamphlet, which. Think joseph smith could have gotten that right by sheer chance. In the introductory pages of the book of mormon, there is a page that contains the. Adultery yes after it was discovered that joseph had an affair with his 16 year old housemaid, members of the church wanted to replace joseph smith with david whitmer as leader of the church chronology of affairs. April 14, 1773 august 12, 1854 was an early member of the latter day saint movement, and father of the movements second founding family. One of the best sources of current scholarship on the book of mormon and other lds topics is the new mormon interpreter, a site managed by daniel peterson. Testimony of the book of mormon eyewitnesses come reason. Rfm post by lds critic on fairs defense of whitmer. David whitmer david whitmer always maintained a strong testimony about the truthfulness of the book of mormon and the encounter he experienced with the angel who showed him the plates. Weve all read, or at least skimmed the testimony of the three witnesses.
Whitmer stated his religious views in three publications. While whitmer believed the book of mormon to be true, he did not believe that the true church was to be led by one man. We have nearly 90,000 missionaries worldwide and we too can contribute. Blakeslee, 15 december 1881 david whitmer interview with j. He was one of the eight witnesses of the book of mormon. He was the first baptized latter day saint, one of the three witnesses of the book of mormons golden plates, one of the first latter day saint apostles, and the second elder of the church. The plot of land on which the home was located included the area designated by the lord to be the temple site. Brother phillips, the stake presidency is considering formal disciplinary action in your behalf, including the possibility of disfellowship or excommunication, because you are reported to have participated in conduct unbecoming a members of the church and evil speaking of the. The book the trial of the book of mormon and this web site are not the work of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.