Edward Stevenson

1887-01-02

Edward Stevenson

2d of Jan. 1887. ... Breakfast 6.30 A.M. very good & clean but to[o] much hurry as train starts at 7[.] Waiter takes our baggage to train and we leave Kansas[.] it is very cold 17 deg[rees] Below Zero [p. 123][.] we pass liberty landing, whare I spent some of my boyish days. 52 years ago. at 8.50 AM we stop of[f] at lexington Junction[,] cold[,] terrible cold morning[.] train 6.30 only[,] to day [being] Sunday, [and] it being so cold we concluded to walk out to Richmond[,] Ray Co. [,] Mo. whare my mother a widdow lived when I was in my teens[.] I well remember going on foot from Far West, to Richmond, for my gun that I with the rest of the Latter Day Saints surrendered [to the state militia] in the Hollow Square at Far West in 1837 or [183]8. So as I walk out on Sunday the 2d day of a new year to visit David Whitmer, who has Stood in the presance of an Angle, it is with no ordinary feelings I assure all who may read this narative and especialy as I am now an exile from [my childhood] home and [our former] Enimies who would [have] delight[ed] to imprison me for only obeying Gods Commands, for an expose [ex post] Facto law. But the time is short for [the prophesied] intrusion on our Noble and God[-]like Constitution & The Stars and Stripes, long may they Wave as a Becon of true Liberty. [p. 124]

E[mily] E St[evenson] nearly gave out twice as She is a poor walker[.] we stoped twice and one very kind Mo[issouri] Woman gave us some wine. 17 Below zero and the coldest day for years in this Sexion [section] of country. We arrived at David Whitmers and was welcombed. we spent 4 [h]ours and was well entertained. Mr [blank space] Page a son of hyrum Page was [.] I have visited him in 1878, and in 1886, & now in 1887. and each time see the manuscript[.] But Mrs S[tevenson] had not[.] hav[ing] [seen them,] I had them brought out and we again looked them over[.] portions [were] sewed together with yarn[—]White[,] dark[,] and grey color[e]d. we also looked over the coppy of Characters that Martin Harris took to Professor Anthon [of] NY [(]7 lines 7 or 8 inches long 3 or 4 in[ches] wide, of very curios workman ship as follows exact coppy) ... [p. 125] ... [The] Facsimile of reformed Egyptian, as in the posesion of David Whitmer [was] coppied by Joseph Smith from the Plates of the Book of Mormon and taken by Martin Harris to Professor Anthon [of] N.Y. the paper is 8 inches and 3/8th of an inch long and 3 in[ches] & 3/8th in[ches]. Width[,] and just 7 lines and on top above the 7 lines are [is the word] Charactors with the [letter] h out just as in my Coppy [.] [p. 126] at the end of each line will be found my insersion in Brackets the No [number] of each line hence after that is the beginning of each line 1 to 7[.] I felt as though it would be of Interest to Coppy [p. 126] them into my journal makeing this journal of interest throuough [throughout]. David Bore his testimony of standing in the presence of the angle relateing meny very interesting incidents which I have written to the M[i]lenial Star in liverpool[,] Logan Journal[,] Des[eret] News[,] and Juvenile Instructor and may be found [several lines blank]. David said to Mrs S[tevenson] my testimony as found in the Book of Mormon is verily true & I cannot deny it[.] I know[,] he said[,] that the Book of Mormon is as true as the Bible[.] he relates seeing a messenger while plowing who said Blessed is the name of the Lord and they who keep his Commandments[.] soon after Joseph Smith & O[liver] Cowdry came along[.] David tied his team to the fense[.] the 3 were about 40 [p. 127] rods from his Fathers[.] while sitting on a log an Angle apeared in the midst of a brightness that preceded him[.] on a table in front of him was the Ball or Compas, used by Lehi in the Wilderness[,] Sword of Laban[,] Urim & Thumim or Interpreters[,] also the Plates which was shown to them and they were commanded to bear testamony of these things & he said as he lived those things [w]ere true[.] he fired up with zeal[.] he is 82 years old the 7th day of this month[.] he said that 1st of June [1829] he received a letter from [Oliver Cowdery telling him to come to Harmony, Pennsylvania.] the Prophet looks into the seer stone [and is] told [the] names of each stopping place [Whitmer visited along the way.] forgetting [the] names [himself,] on [the] return [trip,] O[liver] Cowdry[,] who [had] mad[e] notes for every one[, showed them to be] just as the Prophet related[.] David said this strenthened his Faith in the Prophet & he was Baptized [in] the middle of June 1829 and [was] ordained an Elder [the] last of June the 3d Elder in the Church—on their way from Palmyra they saw a strange looking [p. 128] man, with a knapsac on his back the strap crossing his breast[.] he came up alongside of the wagon[.] David asked him to ride, no I am going over to Cumorah [he said] & suddenly disappeared[.] by request of the Brethren Joseph asked the Lord who this mysterious stranger was, who said it was one of the 3 Nephites. with the Plates. David said he had see[n] him after near his Father's house & that his mother also had see[n] him. & he had shown the plates to her. on the 6th of April 1830, 6 Elders were at Peter Whitmers[,] Davids Fathers [house, and] 2 Rooms were filled with members about 20 from Colesville, 15 from Manchester Church and about 20 from aro[u]nd about Father Whitmers[.] about 50 members & the 6 Elders were present[.] Elders names are Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdry[,] David Whitmer, John Whitmer[,] Peter Whitmer & Hyrum Smith, & he believes that Martin Harris was ordained at conference. [p. 129] We felt repaid for our walk and visit which will make a lasting impresion and he shook hands with God Bless you.

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