Evidence #27 | September 19, 2020

Book of Mormon Evidence: Martin Harris

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Scripture Central

Abstract

Throughout his life, Martin Harris consistently testified that an angel presented the golden plates of the Book of Mormon to his view and that a voice from heaven declared the truthfulness of its translation.

Martin Harris was the first person besides Joseph Smith to be promised a view of the plates which contained the Book of Mormon, on the condition that he “humble himself in mighty prayer and faith” (D&C 5:24).1 When the day came for the Three Witnesses to see the plates, Martin was again warned that he needed to humble himself before God if he wanted to “look upon the plates.”2

The Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon Compilation, retouching and colorization by Bryce M Haymond.

Martin struggled to exercise the requisite faith and humility, even as he went into the woods to seek for the promised vision with Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer. Martin withdrew from the group, and Joseph, Oliver, and David received the vision without him. Then Joseph sought out Martin, whom he found praying in the woods. The vision was then revealed to Joseph and Martin. Ecstatic at finally being granted a view of the plates, Martin cried out, “’tis enough, ’tis enough, mine eyes have beheld, mine eyes have beheld.”3

Throughout his life, Martin continued to bear testimony that he saw an angel and the golden plates, and that he heard a voice from heaven testify that the plates had been translated “by the gift and power of God.”4 His consistent testimony is documented by more than 100 sources.5 Most of these are the recollections of others about what Martin said, but a few are first-hand.

In an interview with Joel Tiffany, Martin affirmed that “by the power of God I have seen [the plates].”6 When Martin finally came west to join the Saints in Utah, he spoke at the Salt Lake Tabernacle, declaring, “Previous to my being baptised I became a Witness of the Plates of the Book of Mormon.”7 In a letter to Hanna Emerson, Martin wrote, “concerning the plates, I do say that the angel did show to me the plates containing the Book of Mormon.”8 Martin emphatically reaffirmed this in a second letter to Emerson a few months later.9

Beyond these brief first-hand statements, many who heard Martin testify left behind their recollections of his testimony. As second-hand documents, singular accounts should be treated with some caution,10 but collectively they testify to Martin’s lifetime commitment to bear witness of the Book of Mormon.

Not only did Martin Harris see the plates, but he witnessed and participated in the translation of the Book of Mormon. Translating with Martin, by Anthony Sweat.

Skeptics and dissidents who heard Martin testify remembered him talking about seeing the plates with “spiritual eyes,” or the “eye of faith,” which they interpreted as meaning he did not really see the plates at all, only in “vision” or “imagination.”11 Martin, however, was only striving to fulfill his commission to testify that the plates were shown to him “by the power of God and not of man” (D&C 5:25). Thus, for Martin, seeing with “spiritual eyes” was more—not less—than seeing with the “natural eye.”12

Martin also had undeniably physical encounters with the plates,13 and many remembered him testifying that he experienced his vision of the angel and the plates with his natural senses. Martin would sometimes physically gesture toward his eyes, ears, and hands, to stress that he had actually seen the angel and the plates, heard the voice from heaven, and handled the plates.14

Witnesses remember hearing Martin stress that his vision of the angel and the plates was as real and sure as the shining sun.15 On other occasions, Martin would point to an object within sight of his hearers—an apple tree, a chopping block, axe-head, or even his own hand—and insist that as sure as they saw that object, he saw the angel with the plates.16 Martin often stressed that based on his experience with the angel and the plates, he did not believe the Book of Mormon was true, but rather he knew it was true.17

Martin Harris and Joseph Smith behold the Angel Moroni, from the film "A Day for the Eternities."

Martin’s vision of the angel and plates turned him from a cautious and skeptical follower of Joseph Smith, to a man who knew the Book of Mormon was true, even as he faltered in his faith in some of Joseph’s later prophetic pronouncements.18 Martin’s enduring witness was borne not only in his words, but in a lifetime of faithful testimony, which came at high financial and social costs.19 He even traveled to England with supporters of James Strang, making him the only one of the three witnesses to bear testimony outside of North America.20

Toward the end of his life, Martin could honestly say “no man ever heard me in any way deny the truth of the Book of Mormon, [and] the administration of the angel that showed me the plates.”21 On his deathbed, several witnesses said that he bore his final testimony of the Book of Mormon, the angel, and the plates with his last audible words.22

Further Reading
Endnotes
Witnesses
Book of Mormon

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