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FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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==Response== | ==Response== | ||
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+ | This criticism is in all likelihood the product of a false memory by David Whitmer. | ||
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+ | Joseph Smith had been told there were people in Canada willing to buy the copyrights to useful books. Due to the dire financial position of the Church, he decided this could be an opportunity to relieve some of the financial pressure associated with publishing the Book of Mormon. Four men went to Canada. Before leaving, Joseph Smith received a revelation directing them to go to Kingston, Canada, with other conditions for success. | ||
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+ | Hiram Page, who was one of the individuals sent to Canada, laid out the event in a letter in 1848.{{ref|page.1848}} Page wrote that the revelation Joseph Smith received conditioned success upon whether those individuals in Canada capable of buying the Book of Mormon copyright would have their hearts softened. When unable to sell the copyright, the four men returned to Palmyra. Hiram Page stated he for the first time understood how some revelations given to people were not necessarily for their direct benefit. Hiram Page believed the revelation was actually fulfilled. | ||
This criticism originated with David Whitmer in his 1887 pamphlet ''An Address to All Believers in Christ'', which was written very near the end of his life. Although Whitmer is strongly critical of the direction taken by the Church both during the Prophet’s life and after his death, he strongly affirms his testimony as one of the Three Witnesses and his belief in the Book of Mormon—a detail that the critics prefer to ignore when relying upon his writings. Whitmer relates the following story: | This criticism originated with David Whitmer in his 1887 pamphlet ''An Address to All Believers in Christ'', which was written very near the end of his life. Although Whitmer is strongly critical of the direction taken by the Church both during the Prophet’s life and after his death, he strongly affirms his testimony as one of the Three Witnesses and his belief in the Book of Mormon—a detail that the critics prefer to ignore when relying upon his writings. Whitmer relates the following story: |
David Whitmer claimed that Joseph Smith received a revelation and prophesied that Oliver Cowdery and Hiram Page should go to Canada where they would find a man willing to buy the copyright to the Book of Mormon. When they failed to sell the copyright, Whitmer states that Joseph admitted that the revelation had not come from God.
This criticism is in all likelihood the product of a false memory by David Whitmer.
Joseph Smith had been told there were people in Canada willing to buy the copyrights to useful books. Due to the dire financial position of the Church, he decided this could be an opportunity to relieve some of the financial pressure associated with publishing the Book of Mormon. Four men went to Canada. Before leaving, Joseph Smith received a revelation directing them to go to Kingston, Canada, with other conditions for success.
Hiram Page, who was one of the individuals sent to Canada, laid out the event in a letter in 1848.[1] Page wrote that the revelation Joseph Smith received conditioned success upon whether those individuals in Canada capable of buying the Book of Mormon copyright would have their hearts softened. When unable to sell the copyright, the four men returned to Palmyra. Hiram Page stated he for the first time understood how some revelations given to people were not necessarily for their direct benefit. Hiram Page believed the revelation was actually fulfilled.
This criticism originated with David Whitmer in his 1887 pamphlet An Address to All Believers in Christ, which was written very near the end of his life. Although Whitmer is strongly critical of the direction taken by the Church both during the Prophet’s life and after his death, he strongly affirms his testimony as one of the Three Witnesses and his belief in the Book of Mormon—a detail that the critics prefer to ignore when relying upon his writings. Whitmer relates the following story:
This passage from Whitmer’s writings has been interpreted to mean that Joseph was attempting to acquire funds for his family, and some even go so far as to suggest that Joseph deliberately attempted to keep Martin Harris from sharing in any of the expected income.
B.H. Roberts, in A Comprehensive History of the Church, responds this claim by David Whitmer.
Roberts expresses doubt as to the accuracy of the story, and suggests that David Whitmer may not have recalled all of the details correctly, yet he goes on to address the claim anyway.
Roberts even suggests that this may have been an object lesson for the Prophet.
The primary evidence supporting the story comes from David Whitmer, who had left the church many years before. The real question, assuming that the story is accurate, is whether or not it indicates that Joseph Smith was not a true prophet. The answer is best expressed in Elder Roberts’ own response, “Does that circumstance vitiate his claim as a prophet? No; the fact remains that despite this circumstance there exists a long list of events to be dealt with which will establish the fact of divine inspiration operating upon the mind of this man Joseph Smith. The wisdom frequently displayed, the knowledge revealed, the predicted events and the fulfilment thereof, are explicable upon no other theory than of divine inspiration giving guidance to him.” [6]
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