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===1869=== | ===1869=== | ||
− | * Young man, do you see that sun shining through that window? Just so sure as that sun shines and gives us light by day, and the moon and stars give us light by night, just so sure I know the Book of Mormon is true. For I saw the angel, I heard <strike>the</strike> <his> voice, I saw and handled the plates upon which the Book of Mormon was written; and by the power and influence of the Holy Ghost, the translation was made by the Prophet Joseph Smith, whom I know by the power and gift of the Holy Ghost, was a true Prophet of God....<ref>Martin Harris to W.H. Homer in December 1869, in William Harrison Homer, "Testimony given by Brother W.H. Homer, January 3, 1922, 5:15 P.M., at 2522 No. Kodaio Blvd., Chicago, the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr and Mrs. Merrill O. Maugh<an>," | + | * Young man, do you see that sun shining through that window? Just so sure as that sun shines and gives us light by day, and the moon and stars give us light by night, just so sure I know the Book of Mormon is true. For I saw the angel, I heard <strike>the</strike> <his> voice, I saw and handled the plates upon which the Book of Mormon was written; and by the power and influence of the Holy Ghost, the translation was made by the Prophet Joseph Smith, whom I know by the power and gift of the Holy Ghost, was a true Prophet of God....<ref>Martin Harris to W.H. Homer in December 1869, in William Harrison Homer, "Testimony given by Brother W.H. Homer, January 3, 1922, 5:15 P.M., at 2522 No. Kodaio Blvd., Chicago, the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr and Mrs. Merrill O. Maugh<an>," Church Archives; in {{EMD|vol=2|pages=314}}</ref> |
===1870=== | ===1870=== | ||
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===1874=== | ===1874=== | ||
− | * My mother has prepared I don't know how many meals for him [Martin Harris], but always the conversation of the early rise of the Church would be the main subject discussed at the table....And he became miffed with the Prophet Joseph because he thought that he should have been one of the leading men in the Church. He had helped Brother Joseph Smith means to publish the Book of Mormon and to assist him in many other ways, and for that reason, I say, and what he had done for the Church, he became miffed; but it would nearly always wind up with the testimony that you find here recorded in the Book of Mormon. He stated that he stood in broad day light, when an angel from Heaven came down with the plates in his arms, and he stood side by side with the angel when the angel did turn over leaf after leaf of the book that had been translated into our language...until he became perfectly satisfied that he has seen enough, and further, that after the angel had shown him the plates and disappeared, he heard a voice from Heaven that thrilled every fiber of his body, stating the the book had been translated by the gift and power of God, and not of man, and he was commanded by the Lord to so make that statement to the world. And he did. Now it was my privilege to hear Martin Harris relate that, time and time again at our table....<ref>Martin Harris account of multiple statements to Thomas Farley, circa 1874-75; "Talk Given by Theodore Farley, Sr., at Priesthood Session of Sharon Stake Quarterly Conference, 23 March 1940," 1-2 typescript, | + | * My mother has prepared I don't know how many meals for him [Martin Harris], but always the conversation of the early rise of the Church would be the main subject discussed at the table....And he became miffed with the Prophet Joseph because he thought that he should have been one of the leading men in the Church. He had helped Brother Joseph Smith means to publish the Book of Mormon and to assist him in many other ways, and for that reason, I say, and what he had done for the Church, he became miffed; but it would nearly always wind up with the testimony that you find here recorded in the Book of Mormon. He stated that he stood in broad day light, when an angel from Heaven came down with the plates in his arms, and he stood side by side with the angel when the angel did turn over leaf after leaf of the book that had been translated into our language...until he became perfectly satisfied that he has seen enough, and further, that after the angel had shown him the plates and disappeared, he heard a voice from Heaven that thrilled every fiber of his body, stating the the book had been translated by the gift and power of God, and not of man, and he was commanded by the Lord to so make that statement to the world. And he did. Now it was my privilege to hear Martin Harris relate that, time and time again at our table....<ref>Martin Harris account of multiple statements to Thomas Farley, circa 1874-75; "Talk Given by Theodore Farley, Sr., at Priesthood Session of Sharon Stake Quarterly Conference, 23 March 1940," 1-2 typescript, Church Archives; in {{EMD|vol=2|pages=391}}</ref> |
===1875=== | ===1875=== | ||
− | * "After they [David Whitmer, Joseph, and Oliver] had been visited by the angel the Prophet then came over to me where I was praying, and I asked the prophet to pray with me...after praying sometime the angel appeared with the golden plates and I saw with these two eyes the angel stand with the gold plates in his hands, and I saw him turn leaf by leaf the plates of gold, and I also heard the voice of the Lord saying that these words were true and translated correctly."<Ref>Martin Harris interview with John E. Godfrey, May 1875 in John E. Godfrey, Affidavit, 2 June [July] 1933, | + | * "After they [David Whitmer, Joseph, and Oliver] had been visited by the angel the Prophet then came over to me where I was praying, and I asked the prophet to pray with me...after praying sometime the angel appeared with the golden plates and I saw with these two eyes the angel stand with the gold plates in his hands, and I saw him turn leaf by leaf the plates of gold, and I also heard the voice of the Lord saying that these words were true and translated correctly."<Ref>Martin Harris interview with John E. Godfrey, May 1875 in John E. Godfrey, Affidavit, 2 June [July] 1933, Church Archives; Published in ''Deseret News'' (church section), 15 July 1933, 5; in {{EMD|vol=2|pages=372}}</ref> |
− | * "The Prophet Joseph Smith, and Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer and myself, went into a little grove to pray to obtain a promise that we should behold it with our <strike>eyes</strike> natural eyes, that we could testify of it to the world."<ref>Martin Harris Interview with Ole A. Jensen, July 1875 in Ole A. Jensen, "Testimony of Martin Harris (ONe of the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon)," undated (c. 1918), original in private possession, photocopies at Utah State Historical Society, | + | * "The Prophet Joseph Smith, and Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer and myself, went into a little grove to pray to obtain a promise that we should behold it with our <strike>eyes</strike> natural eyes, that we could testify of it to the world."<ref>Martin Harris Interview with Ole A. Jensen, July 1875 in Ole A. Jensen, "Testimony of Martin Harris (ONe of the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon)," undated (c. 1918), original in private possession, photocopies at Utah State Historical Society, Church Archives, and Special Collections of BYU's Harold B. Lee Library; cited in {{EMD|vol=2|pages=375}}</ref> |
* "Now I don't believe, but I know it [the Book of Mormon] to be true, for with these eyes I saw the angel and with these ears (pointing to them) I heard him say it was a true and correct record of an ancient people that dwelt upon this the American continent, and I hereby testify to you young men that it is true."<ref>Martin Harris, interview with Alma L. Jensen, 4 July 1875, statement 1 June 1936, Dayton, Idaho, typescript, in archives, Harold B. Library, BYU; cited in {{EMD|vol=2|pages=378}}</ref> | * "Now I don't believe, but I know it [the Book of Mormon] to be true, for with these eyes I saw the angel and with these ears (pointing to them) I heard him say it was a true and correct record of an ancient people that dwelt upon this the American continent, and I hereby testify to you young men that it is true."<ref>Martin Harris, interview with Alma L. Jensen, 4 July 1875, statement 1 June 1936, Dayton, Idaho, typescript, in archives, Harold B. Library, BYU; cited in {{EMD|vol=2|pages=378}}</ref> | ||
"Question 1, 'Did you go to England to lecture against "Mormonism"?' "Answer. I answer emphatically, No, I did not;—no man ever heard me in any way deny the truth of the Book of Mormon, the administration of the angel that showed me the plates; nor the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, under the administration of Joseph Smith Jun., the prophet the Lord raised up for that purpose, in these the latter days, that he may show forth his power and glory. The Lord has shown me these things by his Spirit--by the administration of holy angels--and confirmed the same with signs following...."[12]
Notes
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