Testimonies of Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris

TESTIMONIES OF OLIVER COWDERY AND MARTIN HARRIS.

The following testimonies in relation to “Mormonism” and the Book of Mormon, which are well worth preserving for future reference, will doubtless be perused with considerable interest by all our readers.

(From the Deseret News.)

“At a special Conference at Council Bluffs, Iowa, held on the 21st of October, in the year 1848, brother Oliver Cowdery, one of the three important witnesses to the truth of the Book of Mormon, and who had been absent from the Church, through disaffection, for a number of years, and had been engaged in the practice of law, was present and made the remarks here annexed, Brother Orson Hyde presided at the said Conference. Brother Reuben Miller, now Bishop of Mill Creek Ward, was also present at the time and noted what be said, and has furnished us what he believes to be a verbatim report of his remarks, which we take pleasure in laying before our readers:—

‘Friends and brethren,—My name is Cowdery—Oliver Cowdery. In the early history of this Church I stood identified with her, and one in her councils. True it is that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. Not because I was better than the rest of mankind was I called; but, to fulfil the purposes of God, he called me to a high and holy calling. I wrote, with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages,) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by the means of the Urim and Thummim, or, as it is called by that book, ‘holy interpreters.’ I beheld with my eyes and handled with my hands the gold plates from which it was transcribed. I also saw with my eyes and handled with my hands the ‘holy interpreters.’ That book is true. Sidney Rigdon did not write it. Mr. Spaulding did not write it. I wrote it myself as it fell from the lips of the Prophet. It contains the everlasting Gospel, and came forth to the children of men in fulfilment of the revelations of John, where he says he saw an angel come with the everlasting Gospel to preach to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. It contains principles of salvation; and if you, my hearers, will walk by its light and obey its precepts, you will be saved with an everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God on high. Brother Hyde has just said that it is very important that we keep and walk in the true channel, in order to avoid the sand-bars. This is true. The channel is here. The holy Priesthood is here. I was present with Joseph when an holy angel from God came down from heaven and conferred on us or restored the lesser or Aaronic Priesthood, and said to us, at the same time, that it should remain upon the earth while the earth stands. I was also present with Joseph when the higher or Melchisedek Priesthood was conferred by the holy angel from on high. This Priesthood was then conferred on each other, by the will and commandment of God. This Priesthood, as was then declared, is also to remain upon the earth until the last remnant of time. This holy Priesthood or authority we then conferred upon many, and is just as good and valid as though God had done it in person. I laid my hands upon that man—yes, I laid my right hand upon his head (pointing to brother Hyde), and I conferred upon him this Priesthood, and he holds that Priesthood now. He was also called through me, by the prayer of faith, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.’

In the early part of November following, as brother Miller relates, brother Hyde called a High Council in the Tabernacle to consider the case of brother Cowdery. Having been cut off by the voice of a High Council, it was thought that, if he was restored, he should be restored by the voice of a similar body. Before this body brother Cowdery said—

‘Brethren, for a number of years I have been separated from you. I now desire to come back. I wish to come humbly and to  be one in your midst. I seek no station; I only wish to be identified with you. I am out of the Church. I am not a member of the Church; but I wish to become a member of it. I wish to come in at the door. I know the door. I have not come here to seek precedence, I come humbly and throw myself upon the decisions of this body, knowing as I do that its decisions are right and should be obeyed.’

Brother George W. Harris, President of the Council, moved that brother Cowdery be received. Considerable discussion took place in relation to a certain letter which, it was alleged, brother Cowdery had written to David Whitmer. Brother Cowdery again rose and said—

‘If there be any person that has aught against me, let him declare it. My coming back and humbly asking to become a member, through the door, covers the whole ground. I acknowledge this authority.’

Brother Hyde moved that brother Oliver Cowdery be received into the Church by baptism and that all old things be dropped and forgotten, Seconded and carried unanimously. We are informed by Elder Phineas II. Young, who was present at his death, that Oliver Cowdery died in Richmond, Missouri, at four o'clock a.m., March 3,1849. Elder Young says, ‘His last moments were spent in bearing testimony of the truth of the Gospel, revealed through Joseph Smith, and the power of the holy Priesthood which he had received through his administration.”

(From a manuscript found in the Millennial Star Office, written by Elder D. B. Dille.)

“ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY OF MARTIN HARRIS (ONE OF THE THREE WITNESSES) TO THE COMING FORTH OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Sept. 15, 1853.

Be it known to all whom this may concern that I, David B. Dille, of Ogden city, Weber County, Salt Lake, en route to Great Britain, having business with one Martin Harris, formerly of the Church of Latter- day Saints, and residing at Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio, did personally wait upon him at his residence, and found him sick in bed ; and was informed by the said Martin Harris that he had not been able to take any nourishment for the space of three days. This, together with his advanced age, had completely prostrated him. After making my business known to Mr. Harris, and some little conversation with him, the said Martin Harris started up in bed, and, after particularly inquiring concerning the prosperity of the Church, made the following declaration: —‘I feel that a spirit has come across me— the old spirit of Mormonism; and I begin to feel as I used to feel; and I will not say I won't go to the Valley? Then addressing himself to his wife, he said—'I don’t know but that, if you will get me some breakfast, I will get up and eat it.’

I then addressed Mr. Harris relative to his once high and exalted station in the Church, and his then fallen and afflicted condition. I afterwards put the following questions to Mr. Harris, to which he severally replied with the greatest cheerfulness: —‘What do you think of the Book of Mormon? Is it a divine record?’

Mr. Harris replied and said—'I was the right-hand man of Joseph Smith, and I know that he was a Prophet of God. I know the Book of Mormon is true? Then smiting his fist on the table, he said—‘And you know that I know that it is true. I know that the plates have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice declared it unto us; therefore I know of a surety that the work is true. For,’ continued Mr. Harris, ‘did I not at one time hold the plates on my knee an hour-and-a-half, whilst in conversation with Joseph, when we went to bury them in the woods, that the enemy might not obtain them? Yes, I did. And as many of the plates as Joseph Smith translated I handled with my hands, plate after plate. Then describing their dimensions, he pointed with one of the fingers of his left hand to the back of his right hand and said, ‘I should think they were so long, or about eight inches, and about so thick, or about four inches; and each of the plates was thicker than the thickest tin.’

I then asked Mr. Harris if he ever lost 3,000 dollars by the publishing of the Book of Mormon? Mr. Harris said—‘I never lost one cent. Mr. Smith,’ he said, ‘paid me all that I advanced, and more too.’ As much as to say, he received a portion of the profits accruing from the sale of the book.

Mr. Harris further said—’I took a transcript of the characters of the plates to Dr. Anthon, of New York. When I arrived at the house of Professor Anthon, I found him in his office and alone, and presented the transcript to him, and asked him to read it. He said, if I would bring the plates, he would assist in the translation. I told him I could not, for they were sealed. Professor Anthon then gave me a certificate certifying that the characters were Arabic, Chaldaic, and Egyptian. I then left Dr. Anthon, and was near the door, when he said, ‘How did the young man know the plates were there?’ I said an angel had shown them to him. Professor Anthon then said, ‘Let me see the certificate!’—upon which, I took it from my waistcoat pocket and unsuspectingly gave it to him. He then tore it up in anger, saying there was no such thing as angels now—it was all a hoax. I then went to Dr. Mitchell with the transcript, and he confirmed what Professor Anthon had said.’

Mr. Harris is about 58 years’ old and is on a valuable farm of 90 acres, beautifully situated at Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio.”