Henry Moon

1872

Henry Moon

The "interview" with David Whitmer was recounted by Henry Moon in his discourse delivered at the LDS General Conference on the afternoon of Tuesday, 9 April 1872, and published as the conference report in the Deseret Evening News (Wednesday, 10 April 1872). Moon, an English-born missionary serving in Iowa and Missouri during the winter of 1871-72, narrated his January 1872 visit to David Whitmer at Richmond, Missouri.

Key passages, as transcribed from the Deseret Evening News conference report:

"I was one of the missionaries who were called to go to the United States last fall."
Moon describes reading the testimony of the witnesses to people on Shoal Creek in Caldwell County, Missouri. One listener, John Lefler, was anxious to meet a witness in person. Moon and Lefler traveled to Richmond together. "I went down to Richmond with him. We got to Mr. David Whitmer's a little after dark."
Moon told Whitmer he was from Utah. Lefler, of Caldwell County, asked Whitmer directly whether the testimony of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon was true.
Whitmer responded: "God Almighty requires at my hands to bear record of the truth of the Book of Mormon. That book is a true record; it is the pure gospel of Jesus Christ, translated by the gift and power of God through Joseph Smith."
Whitmer then continued in extended conversation with Lefler, answering further questions about the witnesses and the plates.
Moon concluded his discourse: "I am as satisfied of it, and I know it as well as I know that I am talking to this large congregation. Amen."

(Reproduction here is partial; the complete text of the discourse remains in the Deseret Evening News print issue of 10 April 1872 and in the Journal of Discourses / conference reports for April 1872. The full discourse should be consulted at BYU Harold B. Lee Library, Deseret News Digital Collection, or via Utah Digital Newspapers.)

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