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One of the comments I have heard many times
over the years is: "The Mormons have their own Bible." It is
my testimony that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth
in its fullness. That means that God the Father has again spoken
to His children on Earth. If that is true, and I testify that it
is, then it seems reasonable to me that God would also reveal "additional"
scripture to accompany that which was given to those during "Bible times".
Here is what modern day apostles and prophets have to say about
the Book of Mormon:
Ricks, Eldin. The Case of The Book of Mormon
Witnesses. Deseret News Press, 1971.
Chapter 2: The Background of the Case
3
Here is the background of the case. On the
night of September 21, 1823, a seventeen year old boy, living with his
parents on a farm in up-state New York, had a remarkable experience. His
name was Joseph Smith. He later described the experience and certain subsequent
developments in the following words:
3
"On the evening on the 21st of September,
A.D. 1823, while I was praying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith
in the precious promises of Scripture, on a sudden a light like that of
day, only far purer and more glorious appearance and brightness, burst
into the room, indeed the first sight was as though the house was filled
with consuming fire; the appearance produced a shock that affected the
whole body; in a moment a personage stood before me surrounded with a glory
yet greater than that with which I was already surrounded. This messenger
proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful tidings
that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be
fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah
was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the Gospel in all
its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations that a people might
be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I was chosen
to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of His purposes
in this glorious dispensation.
3
"I was also informed concerning the aboriginal
inhabitants of this country and shown who they were, and from whence they
came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws, governments,
of their righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being finally
withdrawn from them as a people, was made known unto me; I was also told
where were deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgment of
the records of the ancient Prophets that had existed on this continent.
The angel appeared to me three times the same night and unfolded the same
things. After having received many visits from the angels of God unfolding
the majesty and glory of the events that should transpire in the last days,
on the morning of the 22nd of September, A.D. 1827, the angel of the Lord
delivered the records into my hands.
3
"These records were engraven on plates which
had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches
long, and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings,
in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of
a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was [p.4]
something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The
characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The
whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much
skill in the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument,
which the ancients called "Urim and Thummim," which consisted of two transparent
stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breast plate. Through the
medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift and
power of God.
4
"In this important and interesting book the
history of ancient America is unfolded, from its first settlement by a
colony that came from the Tower of Babel, at the confusion of languages
to the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian Era. We are informed
by these records that America in ancient times has been inhabited by two
distinct races of people. The first were called Jaredites, and came directly
from the Tower of Babel. The second race came directly from the city of
Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ. They were principally
Israelites, of the descendants of Joseph. The Jaredites were destroyed
about the time that the Israelites came from Jerusalem, who succeeded them
in the inheritance of the country. The principal nation of the second race
fell in battle towards the close of the fourth century. The remnant are
the Indians that now inhabit this country. This book also tells us that
our Savior made His appearance upon this continent after His resurrection;
that He planted the Gospel here in all its fulness, and richness, and power,
and blessing; that they had Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and
Evangelists; the same order, the same priesthood, the same ordinances,
gifts, powers, and blessings, as were enjoyed on the eastern continent,
that the people were cut off in consequence of their transgressions, that
the last of their prophets who existed among them was commanded to write
an abridgment of their prophecies, history, &c, and to hide it up in
the earth, and that it should come forth and be united with the Bible for
the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days.…
4
"As soon as the news of this discovery was
made known, false reports, misrepresentations and slander flew, as on the
wings of the wind, in every direction; the house was frequently beset by
mobs and evil designing persons. Several times I was shot at, and very
narrowly escaped, and every device was made use of to get the plates away
from me; but the power and blessing of God attended me, and several began
to believe my testimony."1
Chapter 3: The Claim of the Witnesses
4
Three of the "several" who began to believe
Joseph Smith's testimony were David Whitmer and Martin Harris, farmers,
and Oliver Cowdery, a young schoolteacher. There were others, but we shall
concern ourselves primarily with these three.
4
In the month of June, 1829, Joseph Smith
finished his translation of the Book of Mormon. He was then staying at
the home of David Whitmer's parents in the township of Fayette, a few miles
south of Waterloo, New York. Immediately after completing the task, he
sent the good news to his own parents in Manchester township near Palmyra,
New York, and asked them to join him. They promptly responded to his invitation;
and, accompanied by Martin Harris, who earlier had assisted Joseph in a
secretarial capacity, they journeyed to the Whitmer home. Here they met
their son Joseph and also David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery. These three
were young men in their twenties. Martin Harris was forty-six.
4
It was the day after the arrival of Joseph's
father and mother and Martin Harris that it happened. That was the day
that the "three witnesses" claim that they, in company with Joseph Smith,
viewed the sacred plates. Such an assertion might not be exciting if it
weren't for the additional fact that they say they were shown them by an
angel of God and heard the voice of God declare that they were correctly
translated.
4
At this point, of course, the superficial
investigator, who is trying his hand at the riddle of the Book of Mormon's
origin, turns away muttering something about some people's astonishing
gullibility. But the man whose curiosity is not so easily satisfied and
lingers after the crowd has gone home presently finds that the show has
just begun.
4
Now, inasmuch as we are going to interrogate
people whose recorded statements give evidence of some knowledge of the
circumstances connected with the viewing of the plates, it seems to me
that this is a good place to begin. Let's commence by calling upon Joseph
Smith's mother.
4
Lucy Mack Smith, will you kindly come to
the "witness stand."
4
Mrs. Smith, I note, in an account of your
son's life which you once wrote, that after your arrival in Fayette you
and your friends spent the evening reading the Book of Mormon manuscript
and that you greatly rejoiced. Will you please now tell us the details
of anything that afterwards happened at or near the Whitmer residence which
you consider pertinent to this inquiry?
4
"The next morning, after attending to the
usual services, namely, reading, singing and praying, Joseph arose from
his knees, and approaching Martin Harris with a solemnity that thrills
through my veins to this day, when it occurs to my recollection, said,
"Martin Harris, you have got to humble yourself before God this day, that
you [p.5] may obtain a forgiveness of your sins. If you do, it is the will
of God that you should look upon the plates, in company with Oliver Cowdery
and David Whitmer.'
5
"In a few minutes after this, Joseph, Martin,
Oliver and David, repaired to a grove, a short distance from the house,
where they commenced calling upon the Lord, and continued in earnest supplication,
until he permitted an angel to come down from his presence, and declare
to them, that all which Joseph had testified of concerning the plates was
true."2
Mrs. Smith, that is very interesting. Since
you do not claim to have been yourself an eyewitness to the angel's visit,
however, I trust you won't mind if we ask you to step aside while we call
upon someone else to tell us what took place there.
5
Joseph Smith, Jr., will you take the "witness
stand."
5
Mr. Smith, will you kindly explain to us
precisely what occurred in the woods that morning in 1829.
5
"According to previous arrangements, I commenced
by vocal prayer to our Heavenly Father, and was followed by each of the
others in succession. We did not at the first trial, however, obtain any
answer or manifestation of divine favor in our behalf. We again observed
the same order of prayer, each calling on and praying fervently to God
in rotation, but with the same result as before."3
5
In other words, you are saying, Mr. Smith,
that you prayed aloud, and after you had prayed each of the other three
prayed aloud in turn. Then all four of you prayed aloud once more. What
happened then?
5
"Upon this, our second failure, Martin Harris
proposed that he should withdraw himself from us, believing, as he expressed
himself, that his presence was the cause of our not obtaining what we wished
for. He accordingly withdrew himself from us, and we knelt down again,
and had not been many minutes engaged in prayer, when presently we beheld
a light above us in the air, of exceeding brightness; and behold, an angel
stood before us."4
5
What did he do? What did he say?
5
"In his hands he held the plates which we
had been praying for these to have a view of. He turned over the leaves
one by one, so that we could see them, and discern the engravings thereon
distinctly. He then addressed himself to David Whitmer, and said, 'David,
blessed is the Lord, and he that keeps His commandments,' when immediately
afterwards, we heard a voice from out of the bright light above us, saying,
'These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been
translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have
seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and
hear.'"5
5
I see. What did you do then?
5
"I now left David and Oliver, and went in
pursuit of Martin Harris, whom I found at a considerable distance, fervently
engaged in prayer. He soon told me, however, that he had not yet prevailed
with the Lord, and earnestly requested me to join him in prayer, that he
also might realize the same blessings which we had just received. We accordingly
joined in prayer, and ultimately obtained our desires, for before we had
yet finished, the same vision was opened to our view, at least it was again
opened to me,…"6
5
That's right, Mr. Smith, we want you to tell
us precisely what you saw and what you heard.
5
"…and I once more beheld and heard the same
things; whilst at the same moment, Martin Harris cried out, apparently
in an ecstasy of joy, 'Tis enough; tis enough; mine eyes have beheld; mine
eyes have beheld;' and jumping up, he shouted, 'Hosanna,' blessing God,
and otherwise rejoiced exceedingly."7
5
Thank you, Mr. Smith. You may step down.
The Book if Mormon is here upon the earth today and stands as a second
witness for Jesus Christ. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
Next question has to do with "why a "second"
Bible.