Article #17-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The Book of Mormon, by Jr. Joseph Smith

TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, JUN.
THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom
this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and
our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record,
which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites,
their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the
tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been
translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it
unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we
also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the
plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not
of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God
came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we
beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that
it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that
we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is
marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us
that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the
commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know
that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the
blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of
Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the
honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is
one God. Amen.

OLIVER COWDERY
DAVID WHITMER
MARTIN HARRIS

Explanation

Detailed Explanation of The Testimony of Three Witnesses from The Book of Mormon

This excerpt is the "Testimony of Three Witnesses"—a formal declaration appended to The Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the Latter-day Saint movement (including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Mormon denominations). The testimony was signed by Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, three early associates of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of Mormonism, who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which The Book of Mormon was translated.

The text serves as a legal and spiritual witness to the divine origin of The Book of Mormon, reinforcing its authority as scripture. Below is a breakdown of its content, themes, literary devices, and significance, with a focus on the text itself.

1. Context & Purpose

Historical Background:
- Joseph Smith claimed that in the 1820s, an angel named Moroni revealed the location of golden plates buried in a hill in upstate New York. These plates, inscribed in an ancient language ("Reformed Egyptian"), allegedly contained a record of ancient American civilizations (the Nephites, Lamanites, and Jaredites).
- Smith translated the plates into English through divine means (using the Urim and Thummim and later a seer stone), producing The Book of Mormon (first published in 1830).
- To validate his claims, Smith sought witnesses who could testify to having seen the plates. The Three Witnesses (Cowdery, Whitmer, Harris) and later the Eight Witnesses provided written testimonies, which were included in early editions of the book.
Purpose of the Testimony:
- To authenticate the divine origin of The Book of Mormon.
- To persuade readers of its truthfulness through eyewitness accounts.
- To fulfill a biblical pattern (e.g., Deuteronomy 19:15: "By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established").

2. Themes in the Text

The testimony emphasizes several key themes:

A. Divine Revelation & Supernatural Witness

The witnesses claim their knowledge comes not from human reasoning but from God:
- "through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ"
- "his voice hath declared it unto us"
- "they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man"
The angelic visitation is central:
- "an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates"
- This mirrors biblical accounts (e.g., angels revealing truth to prophets like Daniel or John in Revelation).

B. Certainty & Authority

The language is unequivocal, using absolute declarations:
- "we know of a surety that the work is true"
- "we know that it is by the grace of God... that we beheld and bear record"
The witnesses do not hedge; they present their experience as undeniable fact, reinforcing the book’s authority.

C. Obedience & Divine Command

The witnesses frame their testimony as an act of obedience:
- "the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it"
- "wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony"
This aligns with Mormon theology, which emphasizes prophetic calling and submission to God’s will.

D. Salvation & Eschatology (End Times)

The testimony connects belief in The Book of Mormon to eternal salvation:
- "if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men"
  - (A reference to Ezekiel 33:6, where watchmen are held accountable for warning others.)
- "be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ"
  - (Echoes Revelation 20:12 and 2 Corinthians 5:10, where all are judged by Christ.)
- "shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens"
  - (The ultimate Mormon goal: exaltation in God’s presence.)

E. Trinitarian Doctrine (with a Mormon Twist)

The closing doxology affirms the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as "one God", but Mormon theology interprets this differently than traditional Christianity:
- "the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen."
- While mainstream Christianity sees the Trinity as one essence in three persons, Mormonism teaches that they are three distinct beings united in purpose (a concept called "social trinitarianism").

3. Literary & Rhetorical Devices

The testimony employs several persuasive and sacred rhetorical techniques:

A. Formal, Legalistic Tone

The opening "Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people" mimics biblical and legal proclamations (e.g., Revelation 14:6, "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come").
The use of "we testify," "we declare," "we know" gives it the weight of a sworn affidavit.

B. Repetition for Emphasis

Anaphora (repetition at the beginning of clauses):
- "we have seen..."
- "we know..."
- "we declare..."
- "we bear record..."
- This creates a rhythmic, incantatory effect, reinforcing the message.
Parallelism (balancing phrases for emphasis):
- "by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ"
- "by the gift and power of God"

C. Supernatural Imagery

The angelic visitation is described in sensory terms:
- "he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates"
- This makes the experience tangible and vivid, countering skepticism.
The phrase "it is marvelous in our eyes" echoes Psalm 118:23 ("This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes"), linking the event to biblical miracles.

D. Apocalyptic & Eschatological Language

The witnesses invoke judgment and eternal consequences:
- "rid our garments of the blood of all men" (a blood guilt motif from Ezekiel).
- "judgment-seat of Christ" (a final reckoning).
This urges the reader to accept the book or face divine accountability.

E. Doxology (Praise Closing)

The ending "the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost" is a liturgical formula, common in Christian prayers and creeds, lending sacred authority.

4. Significance of the Text

A. Foundational to Mormon Faith

The Three Witnesses’ testimony is critical to the legitimacy of The Book of Mormon.
Without their claims, the book’s origin story (golden plates, angelic visitation) would rely solely on Joseph Smith’s word.
Their signed statement (originally published with the 1830 edition) acts as external validation.

B. Response to Skepticism

Early critics (and modern skeptics) questioned whether the plates ever existed, since no one else saw them except these witnesses.
The testimony counteracts this by providing multiple eyewitnesses, though later two of the three (Cowdery and Harris) left the church, and Whitmer remained but formed his own sect.
- Martin Harris later affirmed his testimony despite his estrangement from Smith.
- David Whitmer never recanted, though he rejected later Mormon developments.
- Oliver Cowdery was excommunicated but returned before his death, reaffirming his testimony.

C. Theological Implications

The testimony ties The Book of Mormon to Christ’s divinity ("our Lord Jesus Christ").
It presents the book as a new scripture, on par with the Bible, by:
- Claiming divine translation ("by the gift and power of God").
- Invoking prophetic authority (the witnesses act like biblical prophets).
It reinforces Mormonism’s restorationist claim: that Smith restored lost truth, just as the witnesses restore lost records.

D. Literary & Cultural Influence

The witness motif is central to Mormon missionary work—members are encouraged to gain their own "testimony" through prayer.
The angelic revelation narrative became a model for later Mormon experiences (e.g., visions, temple rituals).
The legalistic, prophetic style influenced later Mormon texts (e.g., Doctrine and Covenants).

5. Potential Criticisms & Counterpoints

While the testimony is foundational for believers, critics raise questions:

Subjectivity of Vision: The witnesses describe a supernatural experience—could it have been hallucination, suggestion, or fraud?
Later Behavior of Witnesses:
- Martin Harris once claimed to have seen Christ as a deer, raising questions about his reliability.
- Oliver Cowdery was excommunicated for a time, though he later reaffirmed his testimony.
Lack of Physical Evidence: No archaeological or linguistic proof of the golden plates exists outside these testimonies.

Mormon Apologetic Responses:

The witnesses never denied their testimony, even when estranged from the church.
The spiritual nature of the experience means it cannot be physically verified—faith is required.
The consistency of their accounts (despite personal flaws) supports their sincerity.

6. Conclusion: The Power of the Text

The Testimony of the Three Witnesses is a masterful blend of legal, prophetic, and theological rhetoric, designed to:

Authenticate The Book of Mormon as divine scripture.
Persuade readers through eyewitness authority.
Connect the text to biblical patterns (angels, prophecy, judgment).
Elevate the stakes—accepting or rejecting the book has eternal consequences.

For believers, it is irrefutable proof of the book’s truth. For skeptics, it remains a fascinating historical document—one that shaped a major religious movement. Regardless of perspective, the testimony is a powerful example of religious testimony as literature, using rhetoric, repetition, and divine appeal to compel faith.

Would you like any specific aspect explored further (e.g., comparisons to biblical witnesses, the Eight Witnesses’ testimony, or historical debates)?

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s repeated use of the phrase "we know" (e.g., "we know of a surety," "we know that it is by the grace of God") serves primarily to:

A. establish a collective identity among the witnesses to counteract potential accusations of individual unreliability.
B. mimic the cadence of legal testimony, thereby lending the declaration a forensic authority akin to a courtroom oath.
C. create an epistemological framework where divine revelation is positioned as the sole valid basis for certainty, rendering empirical skepticism irrelevant.
D. invoke the biblical tradition of prophetic utterance, where "knowing" connotes both intellectual and experiential divine communion.
E. preemptively address the psychological phenomenon of cognitive dissonance by reinforcing the witnesses’ commitment to their claims.

Question 2

The assertion that the plates were shown "by the power of God, and not of man" functions rhetorically to:

A. dismiss the possibility of human agency in the translation process, thereby elevating Joseph Smith’s role to that of a passive vessel.
B. contrast the divine origin of the record with the fallibility of human historical accounts, implicitly critiquing secular historiography.
C. establish a binary opposition between sacred and profane knowledge, wherein the former is accessible only through supernatural intervention.
D. prefigure the later Mormon doctrine of continued revelation, where divine communication is not confined to biblical times.
E. neutralize potential objections rooted in materialism by framing the event as categorically beyond the purview of empirical verification.

Question 3

The phrase "rid our garments of the blood of all men" is most closely aligned with which of the following theological concepts?

A. The Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement, wherein salvation is restricted to the elect.
B. The Catholic sacrament of confession, where sins are absolved through priestly intercession.
C. The Ezekielian watchman principle, wherein spiritual leaders are held accountable for failing to warn others of divine judgment.
D. The Pauline justification by faith, where righteousness is imputed rather than earned through works.
E. The Anabaptist believer’s baptism, symbolizing the washing away of sins through voluntary commitment.

Question 4

The doxology ("the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God") is most tension-filled when read in light of:

A. the later Mormon doctrine of the Godhead as three distinct, embodied beings, which complicates traditional Trinitarian formulations.
B. the witnesses’ earlier claim of direct divine communication, which seems to privilege the Son over the Father and Spirit.
C. the absence of the phrase "in one essence"—a deliberate omission that aligns with modalist rather than social Trinitarianism.
D. the legalistic tone of the testimony, where a doxology feels incongruously liturgical rather than evidentiary.
E. the historical context of 19th-century American restorationism, where creedal statements were often rejected in favor of primal Christianity.

Question 5

The testimony’s structure—moving from eyewitness account to divine command to eschatological warning—most closely mirrors the rhetorical strategy of:

A. a Socratic dialogue, wherein premises are examined to arrive at an inescapable conclusion.
B. a Aristotelian enthymeme, where a probable argument is compressed for persuasive effect.
C. a Puritan jeremiad, lamenting societal decline while urging repentance to avert divine wrath.
D. a Thomistic quinque viae, presenting multiple proofs for a single metaphysical truth.
E. a Pauline epistle, where personal testimony segues into doctrinal exhortation and culminates in a vision of salvation.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The passage’s insistence on "we know" is not merely rhetorical flourish but a deliberate epistemological claim: certainty is derived solely from divine revelation, not empirical or rational inquiry. The witnesses do not appeal to logic, physical evidence, or consensus—they ground their knowledge in the voice of God and the power of God, rendering secular skepticism irrelevant by definition. This aligns with Mormonism’s anti-intellectualist streak in matters of faith, where spiritual confirmation (e.g., the "burning in the bosom") supersedes material proof.