The 17 October 1886 issue of The Omaha (Daily) Herald is not openly digitized. The full text below is taken from the syndicated parallel printing in The Sunday Inter-Ocean (Chicago), Vol. XV, No. 207, 17 Oct 1886, Part Third — same correspondent's dispatch out of Richmond, Missouri.
MORMON RELICS.
The Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon — The Early Records.
David Whitmer's Story of the Vision of the Golden Plates.
Fac-Simile of the Copy Made by Joseph Smith from the Plates of Gold.
RICHMOND, Mo., Oct. 9. — David Whitmer, the only living witness to "the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon," is nearly 82 years of age. One would scarcely infer from his erect carriage and wonderful nerve power any more than from the exceedingly fine control he exercises over a retentive and well-stored memory, which responds readily to his call with accurate details. Newspaper reporters are not admitted to his presence, and it is no wonder when one recalls the shameful misrepresentations which have been sent out as "interviews." Your correspondent has just finished the last of a series of interesting conversations with the old gentleman, in which, after considerable coaching, he expressed himself without reserve by reason of our personal friendship. David Whitmer is one of those three "special witnesses" who in 1829 sent out to the world
THE FOLLOWING QUAINT PROCLAMATION:
[Testimony of the "Three Witnesses" follows]
Oliver Cowdery never followed the church after the disaffection of the Whitmer party in 1838, but remained in Missouri, and in 1862 [sic] was laid under the quiet green sod at Richmond. Harris became estranged from the church about the same time and from the same causes also, but long after he had become feeble in both body and mind he was persuaded by persistent importuning to join his destinies with the Utah Mormons, and thither he went more than ten years ago, only to lay down his bones in the shadow of the great tabernacle.
Mr. Whitmer entertains no doubt whatever that this singular action upon the part of Harris was wholly chargeable to the enfeebled condition of his mind, which had begun to manifest certain positive symptoms of imbecility even before he entertained the overtures from the Rocky Mountain saints. His step in this direction was greatly deplored by his old-time associates, "the witnesses" (there were eight other witnesses who testified to having handled the plates,) who had come out solid from the church in 1838 and remained, with this one exception, in perfect accord. When this serious rupture in the organization occurred it took from the fold among others John Whitmer, the church historian, and with him the church records covering their early history up to that date.
These records are in this town [Richmond] in the possession of John Christian Whitmer, a son of one of the "eight witnesses," and with the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, which David Whitmer holds, are really the most notable relics of the church, and are much sought after by the Utah Mormons. In 1879 two of the Mormon "apostles," Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith (a son of Hyrum Smith who was killed with the prophet,) visited Richmond for the express purpose of obtaining these time-worn sheets, and they came admirably prepared to pay for them. Mr. Whitmer received them courteously, and Apostle Pratt said:
"Father Whitmer, we desire to purchase the manuscript, and we are authorized to say that you may name your price, and (with a patronizing air) be sure you put the price high enough, for the church has plenty of money in the treasury, you know."
IT WAS A BRILLIANT OVERTURE,
but how dismally it failed. Old Mr. Whitmer replied with quiet emphasis: "Elder Pratt, there isn't gold enough in the world to buy it."
They knew it too, and no further importuning was indulged in. The tavern-keeper makes the very trustworthy statement that before leaving Richmond Orson Pratt told him that they would have willingly paid $100,000 for the manuscript. Much speculation has been indulged in regarding the particular reason for this anxiety on the part of the church to possess this relic, some going so far as to assert that it is traceable to an important difference which is said to exist in the text touching on polygamy, as between the original manuscript and the present reading of the Book of Mormon.
In glancing through this original manuscript your correspondent discovered the notable text which so completely annihilates the morality which Mormons claim for polygamy. It is found in the second book of Jacob, sixth chapter, and the copy herewith furnished is a faithful and accurate tracing — a perfect fac-simile of the original translation in the handwriting of Oliver Cowdery. Mr. Whitmer's remarkable attachment for the manuscript may be easily accounted for. He is one of the very few who saw it written — that is, parts of it — and one may infer from the tenor of his testimony and the sincerity with which he still adheres to it, that he entertains no shadow of a doubt that the record came forth by divine inspiration. His recital of reminiscences which take him back to the days of his devotion to the Mormon prophet, are pathetic and interesting.
He was but [24] years of age, and working on his father's farm near Palmyra, N.Y., when the village school teacher, Oliver Cowdery, at that time a stranger to him, mentioned in a somewhat serious way, the reputed finding of the gold plates by Joseph Smith — a topic on everybody's tongue for miles around. Cowdery was visibly impressed by the report, and announced his intention to visit Smith
AND INVESTIGATE THE MATTER
for himself, promising Whitmer, at the latter's request, to advise him of the results of his investigation upon his return. A letter from Cowdery, a few days later, urged his friend to come immediately to where Smith and the plates were, in order that he (Whitmer) might receive the personal assurance that Smith's claims were substantial. He went. It was a two day's journey. The prophet received him with open arms, and he remained long enough to become strongly and favorably impressed with the situation.
It was not long after this incident that Whitmer while plowing in the field one afternoon, was visited by Smith and Oliver Cowdery who requested him to accompany them into the woods for the purpose of witnessing a manifestation which should qualify him and Cowdery to testify as witnesses of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon; for Smith explained that this action was in pursuance of clearly defined instructions received from an angel of the Lord. The woods were not distant more than a stone's throw from the farm house and thither they repaired and engaged in "fervent prayer." All of a sudden, Mr. Whitmer says, he beheld a dazzlingly brilliant light that surpassed in brightness even the sun at noonday and which seemed to envelope the woods for a considerable distance around. Simultaneous with the light came a strange entrancing influence which permeated him so powerfully that he felt chained to the spot, while he also experienced a sensation of joy absolutely indescribable. While trying to realize what had come over him, there appeared immediately in front of the little party, a personage clothed in white, and near him a table containing a number of gold plates, some brass plates, the urim and thummim, the sword of Laban, and some other articles. Whitmer and Cowdery were requested by the personage to examine these things, and after the inspection they were told that the Lord would demand of them
THAT THEY BEAR WITNESS
to all the world. Mr. Whitmer describes every detail of the "vision" with great precision and much fervency, and insists that he handled and scrutinized the plates, and that the form and appearance of the strangely engraved characters were so impressed upon his memory that he would never forget them.
At this particular state of the recital, an inspection of a copy of the hieroglyphics made from the first of the gold plates by Joseph Smith and preserved with the same solicitude that is thrown around the original manuscript, becomes of curious interest. The accompanying cut is a perfect fac-simile of the little sheet which took Joseph Smith a whole week to copy, so particular was he that the characters should be perfectly reproduced and that the "reformed Egyptian" language should be shown up in all its native simplicity, for, it must not be forgotten, there was a singular significance in errand which this scrap of paper was destined to perform.
Martin Harris, who had received a similar "visitation" to that recounted of the other two witnesses, was despatched to New York with this copy of the gold plate, which he presented to Professor Anthon with a request for the learned linguist to read it, in fulfillment of a prophecy of Isaiah, which is here literally applied and which reads:
And the word of the Lord has become unto them as the leaves of a book which are sealed, and which is delivered unto him that is learned, saying Read this, I pray thee, and he saith, I cannot for it is sealed, etc.
Much of the translation of the plates was accomplished at the house of Peter Whitmer, the father of David, and the latter witnessed demonstrations, on more occasions than one of the prophet's manipulation of the stone spectacles. He states that the work of translation occupied fully eight months, and that at times this peculiar instrument would refuse to perform its functions. On such occasions
THE PROPHET WOULD RESORT TO PRAYER,
and after a short season he would return to his work to find that the urim and thummim reflected the words of the translation with its wonted power. He had to be humble and spotless in his deportment in order that the work might advance. On one occasion the prophet had indulged in a stormy quarrel with his wife. Without pacifying her or making any reparation for his brutal treatment, he returned to the room in the Whitmer residence to resume his work with the plates. The surface of the magic stone remained blank, and all his persistent efforts to bring out the coveted words proved abortive. He went into the woods again to pray, and this time was gone fully an hour. His friends became positively concerned, and were about to institute a search, when Joseph entered the room, pale and haggard, having suffered a vigorous chastisement at the hands of the Lord. He went straight in humiliation to his wife, entreated and received her forgiveness, returned to his work, and, much to the joy of himself and his anxious friends surrounding him, the stone again glared forth its letters of fire.
The urim and thummim, in this strange process of translation, would reflect number of words in pure English, which would remain on its face until the party acting as scribe had got it correctly written, and the occasional disposition of the characters to remain long after they had been so written was ways an infallible evidence that there was something wrong in the translation of the record, and a close comparison would invariably reveal this fact. When the necessary corrections has been made the words would instantly disappear from the urim and thummim and new ones take their place.
The first 116 pages when completed were by permission of the prophet intrusted to hands of Martin Harris, who carried them home to his incredulous relatives in triumph, hoping by the exhibition to
CONVERT HIS FAMILY AND KINFOLK
from their uncompromising hostility to the religious premises he had adopted. Upon retiring at night he locked up the precious pages in a bureau drawer, along with his money and other valuables. In the morning he was shocked find that they had been stolen, while his money had been left untouched. They were never found and were never replaced, so that the Book of Mormon is today minus just 116 pages of the original matter, which would increase the volume fully one-fourth its present size. This unpardonable carelessness evoked the stormiest kind of chastisement from the Lord, who took from the prophet the urim and thummum and otherwise expressed his condemnation. By fervent prayer and by otherwise humbling himself, the prophet, however, again found favor, and was presented with a strange oval-shaped, chocolate-colored stone, about the size of an egg, only more flat, which, it was promised, should serve the same purpose as the missing urim and thummim (the latter was a pair of transparent stones set in a bow-shaped frame and very much resembled a pair of spectacles). With this stone all of the present Book of Mormon was translated. It is the only one of these relics which is not in the possession of the Whitmers. For years Oliver Cowdery surrounded it with care and solicitude, but at his death, old Phineas Young, a brother of Brigham Young, and an old-time and once intimate friend of the Cowdery family, came out from Salt Lake City, and during his visit he contrived to get the stone from its hiding place, through a little deceptive sophistry, expended upon the grief-stricken widow. When he returned to Utah he carried it in triumph to the apostles of Brigham Young's "lion house."
In reciting this early experience of the church Mr. Whitmer rises to his feet and with an intense earnestness and a clear and forcible iteration he carries the listener along through every detail with wonderful precision. "Do I still believe that Joseph Smith was a divinely inspired prophet?" repeats the old man,
"I KNOW HE WAS;
it is not a matter of belief. But he fell; yes, he fell like David, like Solomon. They were great prophets and wise men, greatly favored of the Almighty; but God did not sustain them in their sins and corruptions, and He did not sustain Joseph, either."
In narrating the circumstances of the prophet's fall Mr. Whitmer becomes especially emphatic in his denunciation of the action that changed the name of the Church and altered many of the revelations and commandments so as to admit such abominable doctrines as the "high priesthood," baptism for the dead, polygamy, and others. Here the old man takes from a well-worn trunk several volumes of the first editions of the Book of Commandments, which he proceeds to contrast with the present "Book of Doctrine and Covenants" as published by the Utah Mormons. The comparison undoubtedly reveals some strange cuttings out and fillings in. The first of these early volumes has the following title page, "A book of commandments for the government of the Church of Christ, organized according to law on April 6, 1830, Zion. W. W. Phelps & Co., 1833." This volume was supplemented in 1835 by one published in Kirtland, Ohio, which bears the title: "Doctrine and Covenants, Church of the Latter Day Saints, carefully selected from the revelations of God, and compiled by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, Frederick G. Williams, presiding elders of said Church, proprietors, Kirtland, Ohio," &c. From several texts in the Book of Mormon as well as by the early revelations given to Joseph Smith, Mr. Whitmer contends that the name first bestowed upon the organization — "The Church of Christ" — is the only title approved by the Lord, and that the changes since made are unmistakable evidence of the apostacy of the Utah Mormons. But this is not all. There have been whole paragraphs injected into some of these early commandments, and matter, too, entirely foreign to the texts.
AN INSTANCE OF THIS APPEARS
in the clause referring to the Melchisidek priesthood, not a mention of which system is found in the revelations until after the "revision." A comprehensive statement of Mr. Whitmer's views on these improvised doctrines, made in refutation of a scandalous misrepresentation invented and sent out by some reporter, contains the following salient points.
I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof, which has so long since been published with that book (the Book of Mormon), as one of the three witnesses. Those who know me best well know that I have always adhered to that testimony. And that no man may be misled or doubt my present views in regard to the same, I do again affirm the truth of all my statements as then made and published. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear it was no delusion! What is written is written, and he that readeth, let him understand. And that no one may be misled or deceived by this statement, I wish here to state that I do not endorse polygamy or spiritual wifeism. It is a great evil, shocking to the moral sense, and the more so because practiced in the name of religion. It is of men and not of God, and is especially forbidden in the Book of Mormon itself. I do not endorse the change of the name of the Church, for, as the wife takes the name of the husband so should the Church of the Lamb of God take the name of its head, even Christ. It is the Church of Christ. As to the high priesthood, Jesus Christ himself was the last great high priest, this, too, after the order of Melchisedek, as I understand the Holy Scriptures. Finally, I do not endorse any of the teachings of the so-called Mormons or Latter-day Saints, which are in conflict with the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as taught in the Bible and Book of Mormon, for the same gospel is plainly taught in both of these books as I understand the word of God.
Mr. Whitmer denies that apostles, presidents and councillors and high priests are legitimate appurtenances of the church, and the assertion is substantially borne out by the records. The tendency of Smith to abandon the primitive faith and introduce these damnable doctrines, Mr. Whitmer assures me, began to develop quite early in the history of the church. He manifested an alarming disposition to get revelations to cover every exigency that would arise, and in this he was eagerly urged on by some of his associates, who would frequently come to him with the request that he "ask the Lord" about this thing or the other. The first striking instance of it, and one that gave rise to grave apprehensions in the minds of David Whitmer and others of his kind, occurred in connection with the publishing of the first edition of the Book of Mormon. Martin Harris was a well-to-do farmer, and he was expected to mortgage his property for the purpose of raising the necessary funds
FOR THE PRINTING OF THE BOOK.
His seeming reluctance to act in the matter, which Mr. Whitmer attributes to the cautious business-like manner in which he did everything, offended some of the brethren, and Hyrum Smith, the "Patriarch," proposed that some of them take the manuscript to Canada, and there sell the copyright for sufficient money to enable them to get out the publication. A revelation was procured "to order" and "warranted to fit," a thing which occurred with remarkable frequency afterwards and which caused it to be a matter of foregone conclusion that whatever the desires of the favored few expressed, or the pressing emergency of the hour demanded, it would be admirably embodied in the "message from heaven." Thus "the word of the Lord came," directing that two of the brethren go to Canada as suggested. They went. They also returned, but they brought no money with them, and no promise of any. Revelations came in the same manner respecting the establishment of the high priesthood system, which was the work of Sydney Rigdon, an ambitious Biblical scholar, who yearned for authority and notoriety. As well might they restore, says Mr. Whitmer, circumcision and the typical ordinances that were annihilated by Christ's coming as to ornament the church premises with Melchisidek priests.
There is no doubt, he continues, that the beginning of the mobbings and persecutions of the church dated from the bold and aggressive announcement of these many revelations, which in their nature were calculated to stir up a spirit of antagonism among a people who ordinarily were peaceable. There was no occasion for the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. He should have lived to witness the coming of Christ, as it was promised him he should if he remained faithful. His death was conclusive evidence of his having fallen from grace, as it was in direct conflict with what had been promised by the Lord on the condition of his remaining faithful. Many of the declarations of the prophet, after he lost the spirit of revelation, which were called prophecies, signally failed to come to pass. The great heavenly "visitation," which was alleged to have taken place in the temple at Nauvoo [sic — Kirtland?], was a grand fizzle. The elders were assembled on the appointed day, which it was promised would be a veritable day of Pentecost, but there was no visitation. No Peter, James and John, no Moses and Elias, put in an appearance. "I was in my seat on that occasion," says Mr. Whitmer, "and I know that the story sensationally calculated, and which is now on the records of the Utah Mormons as an actual happening, was nothing but a trumped-up yarn. I saw a great many of these things, which I know were not right, but I clung on, in patience, trusting everything
WOULD EVENTUALLY BE PUT RIGHT."
The brethren had received their "everlasting inheritances" in Jackson county, Mo., where it was declared that Zion and the great temple were to be built, and where Jesus would come in power in "this generation." Joseph Smith went so far as to mark out a particular tract of country near Far West, Mo., which he declared was the site of the Garden of Eden. From all of these places the church was driven, and their everlasting inheritances were wrested from them. The spot where Eve had plucked the fated apple fell into the hands of the unbelieving, and the "Center Stake of Zion," located by "divine injunction," was transplanted and moved around promiscuously from one locality to another, according to the disposition of the people to tolerate the presence of the saints.
At Far West, Mo., the most serious split in the church occurred. It was in 1838. The Whitmers, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, Hiram Page, and others of the original stock protested against preaching some of these strange revelations as doctrine, and this called forth the most violent attack from the autocratic priesthood. The Danites were organized and instructed to bring these belligerent brethren to terms or visit upon their heads the desperate consequences. There was no mistaking the alternative. David Whitmer was the first man to act, and he acted promptly. Without waiting to argue the question further, he proceeded to run the fearful gauntlet, and one shudders to hear the recital of the thrilling incidents that attended that memorable flight. If the whistling of bullets was to be taken as evidence of an intention to dispose forever of this uncompromising witness, than Mr. Whitmer was assuredly left in no doubt as to the desires of the church concerning him. He succeeded in passing the vigilant sentinels of that terrible night's watch, and reached Richmond in safety, where he has ever since resided.
A person residing not far from the picturesque town of Richmond declares that he met Porter Rockwell,
THE DANITE WHO SHOT GOVERNOR BOGGS,
immediately after the shooting had been executed, and that Rockwell asked him for $10 to enable him to leave the country. This party, who was himself a pretty rough character, gave the Danite the money asked for, after Rockwell had confessed to having shot the Governor as a retaliation for the memorable order which was sent out by Boggs to exterminate the Mormons. His story is well substantiated. None of these things is told by Mr. Whitmer in a spirit of hatred; in fact his consideration for all the "transgressors" is most commendable. He does not entertain a doubt that Joseph Smith was a practical polygamist, and has no sympathy whatever for the position of Joseph Smith, Jr., who is at the head of the Reorganized Church of the Latter-Day Saints, and who avers that his father (the prophet) never adopted or advocated polygamy. He is satisfied that this faction, like that which followed Brigham Young into the Rocky Mountains, is a withered branch, without the vitality of divine approval; and along with this he insists that there are lots of good, honest people among them all.
Another of these solicited revelations, which, by the way, came several years after Mr. Whitmer left the church, but for the facts in regard to which he is supplied with unimpeachable testimony, was that introducing the Word of Wisdom, which prohibits or rather advises against the use of tobacco, tea and coffee, and meat in hot weather. The premises for this were suggested on the occasion of quite a little party of the brethren and sisters being assembled in Smith's house. Some of the men were excessive chewers of the filthy weed, and their disgusting slobbering and spitting caused Mrs. Smith (who, Mr. Whitmer insists, was a lady of predisposed refinement) to make the ironical remark that "it would be a good thing if a revelation could be had declaring the use of tobacco a sin, and commanding its suppression." The matter was taken up and joked about, one of the brethren suggesting that the revelation should also provide for a total abstinence from tea and coffee drinking, intending this as a counter "dig" at the sisters. Sure enough the subject was afterward taken up in dead earnest, and the "Word of Wisdom" was the result.
David Whitmer, during his residence of nearly half a century in Richmond, has at different times filled the offices of mayor and councilman. He is surrounded with comfortable circumstances, and is very highly and very highly [generally] respected. Some time ago he baptized his nephew, John Christian Whitmer, whom he has since ordained an elder, and who is as valiant for the cause as his father, Jacob Whitmer, was before him. The old gentleman's son, David J. Whitmer, his grandson[s], George W. L. Schweich, and Philander Page, are also zealous members of the little Church of Christ, which at the present time comprises a fair-sized membership. They are working along quietly and are "looking forward to the time when the Lord shall send the Gospel to the remnant of the seed of Israel," the Lamanites or American Indians.