The Last Witness Dead!
David Whitmer, the aged Patriarch, Gone to His Rest.
His Parting Injunction to His Family and Friends.
He Departs in Peace.
For many days past our aged fellow citizen, David Whitmer, lingered the very brink of the grave waiting for the summons, but it did not come until yesterday evening, at 5 o'clock, when his spirit winged its way into the infinite.
David Whitmer was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, January 7th, 1805, consequently [was] in his 83rd year. He possessed a remarkably robust constitution which, added to his habit of activity and temperate living, prolonged his life beyond four score. He lived in Richmond about half a century, and we can say that no man ever lived here, who had among our people, more friends and fewer enemies. Honest, conscientious and upright in all his dealings, just in his estimate of men, and open, manly and frank in his treatment of all, he made lasting friends who loved him to the end.
When a youth he moved to Ontario county, New York. He was married to Julia Ann Jolly, on January 9th 1831, in Seneca county, New York. In 1832 he moved from that place, to Kirtland, Ohio. In 1834 he came to Jackson county, Missouri, and in 1837 moved to Far West, Caldwell county, Missouri, and from there to Richmond in 1838, where he resided to the day of his death. He leaves a wife and two children, two grand children, and several great grand children.
It is well known that he was a firm believer in the bible, in the divinity of Christ and in the authenticity and divine character of the record of the Nephites, better known as the Book of Mormon.
He was the last to go of the three witnesses to "the divine authenticity of the record of the Nephites," and as the history of this Book of Mormon is not much known, we think this a fitting occasion to repeat what Mr. Whitmer has often said on the subject, taken in part from an article written by Joe Johnson of the Plattsburg Democrat.
When he was 24 years of age and working on his father's farm near Palmyra, New York, all that section of the country was more or less excited over the reported discovery by Joseph Smith of the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. Oliver Cowdery, the village school teacher, mentioned the matter to him and announced his determination to visit Smith and investigate the matter for himself, promising Mr. Whitmer, at the latter's request, to advise him of the result. A few days later he received a letter from Cowdery, urging him to join him, which he did, being received by the "prophet" with open arms. After remaining long enough to satisfy himself of
THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF SMITH
The three returned to Whitmer's home, where it was agreed that the work of translation should be prosecuted. Shortly after his return, and while he was plowing in the field one afternoon, he was visited by Smith and Cowdery, who requested that he should accompany them into the woods on a hill across the road for the purpose of witnessing a manifestation that should qualify he and Cowdery to bear witness to the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon, Smith explaining that such procedure was in accordance with explicit instructions he had received from
AN ANGEL OF THE LORD.
Repairing to the woods they engaged in prayer for a short time, when suddenly a great light shone round about them far brighter and more dazzling than the brilliancy of the noon day sun, seemingly enveloping the wood for a considerable distance. A spirit of elevation seized him as of joy indescribable and a strange influence stole over him which so entra[n]ced him that he felt that he was chained to the spot. A moment later and a divine personage clothed in white raiment appeared unto them, and immediately in front of the personage stood a table on which lay a number of gold plates, some brass plates, the "urim and thummim" and the "sword of Laban." All of these they were directed to examine carefully and after their examination they were told that the Lord would demand that
THEY BEAR WITNESS THEREOF
To all the world. These plates were engraved with characters termed in the Book of Mormon "reformed Egyptian" characters unknown to the linguists of the present day, which is claimed as a fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah:
"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 sayeth, I cannot, for it is sealed," etc.
A slip of paper containing a fac simile of these characters, traced by Joseph Smith, was submitted to the celebrated Professor Anton and others and all confessed their inability to translate them, recognizing in them characteristics of several ancient alphabets. This slip is still in Mr. Whitmer's possession and is cherished with the same sacred care that he bestows on the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, which he also has.
While describing this vision to us, all traces of a severe cold from which he was suffering disappeared for the time being, his form straightened, his countenance assumed almost a beautified expression and his tones became strangely eloquent. Although evidently no studied effort, the description was a
MAGNIFICENT PIECE OF WORD PAINTING
and he carried his hearers with him to that lonely hill by the old farm and they stood there with him awed in the divine presence. Skeptics may laugh and scoff if they will, but no man can listen to Mr. Whitmer as he talks of his interview with the Angel of the Lord, without being most forcibly convinced that he has heard an honest man tell what he honestly believes to be true. The result of this vision was a proclamation for the facts enumerated.
THE "URIM AND THUMMIM,"
Mentioned in the account of the vision were a pair of transparent stone spectacles. Smith would put on the spectacles, when a few words of the text of the Book of Mormon would appear on the lenses. When these were correctly transcribed by Cowdery, who acted as his amanuensis, these words would disappear and others take their place. When one hundred and sixteen pages were completed, Smith entrusted them to Martin Harris, to take to his home with a view to convert his family to the new faith. They were placed at night in a bureau drawer and next morning were missing, having been stolen. They were never found and never replaced, so that the Book of Mormon to-day is short that number of pages of the original matter. As a
CHASTISEMENT FOR THIS CARELESSNESS,
The urim and thummim was taken from Smith. But by humbling himself, he again found favor with the Lord and was presented with a strange oval-shaped, chocolate colored stone, about the size of an egg but more flat, which it was promised should answer the same purpose. With this stone all the present book was translated. The prophet would place the stone in a hat, then put his face in the hat and read the words that appeared thereon. This stone is the only relic of the prophet's work in existence which is not in possession of Mr. Whitmer. It was confided to Oliver Cowdery and preserved by him until his death in 1852 [sic]. After that event Phineas Young succeeded in getting it from Cowdery's widow and it is now among the sacred relics preserved at Salt Lake City.
He bore his long illness with great patience and fortitude, his faith never for a moment wavering, and when the summons came, he sank peacefully to rest, with a smile on his countenance, just as if he was being lulled to sleep by sweet music. Just before the breath left the body, he opened his eyes which glistened with the brightness of his early manhood. He then turned them toward heaven, and a wonderful light came over his countenance, which remained several moments, when the eyes gradually closed and David Whitmer was gone to his rest.
On Monday last at 10 o'clock A.M. after awakening from a short slumber, he said he had seen beyond the veil and saw Christ on the other side. His friends who were constantly at his bedside claim that he had many manifestations of the truth of the great beyond, and which confirms their faith beyond all shadow of doubt.
On Sunday evening at 5:30, January 22, 1888, Mr. Whitmer called his family and some friends to his bedside and addressing himself to the attending physician, said: "Dr. Buchanan I want you to say whether or not I am in my right mind, before I give my dying testimony."
The doctor answered: "Yes you are in your right mind for I have just had a conversation with you."
He then addressed himself to all around his bedside, in these words: "Now you must be faithful in Christ. I want to say to you all the Bible and the record of the Nephites, (Book of Mormon) is true, so you can say that you have heard me bear my testimony, on my death bed. All be faithful in Christ and your reward will be according to your works. God bless you all. My trust is in Christ forever, world without end. -- Amen."
It is proper to state the Book of Mormon, the manuscript of which Mr. Whitmer retained to the day of his death, strongly condemns polygamy and the practice of Utah Mormons. In 1879, Orson Pratt and other Mormon Elders came here and attempted to buy the manuscript, but Mr. Whitmer would part with it for no consideration, as he considered it his duty to retain it.
In the spring of 1887, he published a pamphlet, setting forth his religious views, in which he strongly condemns polygamy and forcibly argues by giving scripture quotations, in favor of the Church of Christ, which is the name taken by all true believers in the record of the Nephites.
His remains will be laid to rest to-morrow at the new city cemetery in Richmond. Mr. Whitmer was a very plain man and it was his desire that no display of any kind be made at his burial, hence the only ceremony will be a few appropriate remarks at his late residence.