The most significant witnesses are the three witnesses and the eight witnesses, all of whom allowed their names to be used on two separate statements included with the book of mormon. He is a member of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Primary documents concerning their testimonies appear in preston nibley, witnesses of the. Richard lloyd anderson is the author of investigating the book of mormon witnesses 4. Anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses, 116. Anderson the passage of the late preclassic into the early classic by kathryn reesetaylor and debra s. We are working on a featurelength documentary on the miracle of the book of mormon that will be available soon at deseret book and. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
In studying the history of joseph smith and the the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, referred to as the mormons, we emphasize joseph smiths own testimony of the book of mormon, that book of additional scripture that is another testament of jesus christ. Richard lloyd anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses by richard. Start studying book of mormon brad wilcox midterm 1byu. Listen book of mormon witnesses richard lloyd anderson the. Beginning with the first edition of 1830, the book of mormon has generally contained two sets of testimoniesthe testimony of three witnesses and the testimony of eight witnesses. Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 1 mormons in.
Answers to questions about the witnesses to the book of mormon. Richard lloyd anderson author of investigating the book. When joseph smith first obtained the gold plates, he was told to show them to no one. After years of working with their lives and their words.
Some of the witnesses of the book of mormon, who handled the plates and conversed with the angels of god, were afterwards left to doubt and to disbelieve that they had ever seen an angel. He removed with his parents to new york state when a boy, and married elizabeth schott, september 29, 1825. Some of the most important evidence for the reality and divine nature of the book of mormon comes from detailed scholarship about the witnesses to the book of mormon. The three are part of twelve book of mormon witnesses. Skeptics have misused some historical sources as they attempt to reverse the eight witnesses statements about their physical contact with the book of mormon. Richard lloyd anderson presents evidence from original sources on each of the eleven witnesses and concludes. The far west voice might fall into this category richard l. Comments on the book of mormon witnesses lightplanet. Many critics of the book of mormon witnesses say that the witnesses of the book of mormon denied their written testimonies in statements to different people over the years. Beginning with the first edition of 1830, the book of mormon has generally contained two sets of testimonies the testimony of three witnesses and the testimony of eight witnesses.
Richard lloyd andersons 2004 fair conference address. Joseph smiths new england heritage by richard lloyd. Shining the light of research into public and private sources of the colonial period, dr. Like the three witnesses, the book of mormon prophecies that there will be others which will testify of this work, and there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few according to the will of god, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men. His degrees consist of a ba, history, brigham young university. Some people seem to deal with them by simply waving them aside. For the witnesses testimonies, and their lives outside the church, see richard lloyd anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses corr. Dan challenges many of the assertions taken by lds apologist richard anderson. Anderson, testimonies of the book of mormon witnesses. When lyndon cook came out with his book on the david whitmer interviews i was sad because i didnt do itill have to admit that, you know it was in my files for twenty. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses kindle edition by richard lloyd anderson. As we have already shown, joseph smith claimed that on the night of september 21, 1823, when he was seventeen years old, an angel appeared to him and stated that gold plates were buried in the hill cumorah. We also talk about the testimony of the three witnesses.
Primary documents concerning their testimonies appear in preston nibley, witnesses of the book of mormon salt lake city, 1953. Anderson was born in 1926 in salt lake city, the first child to agnes ricks and lloyd anderson. Book of mormon witnesses recant testimonies life after. Anderson eleven men signed two formal statements, the first recording that a brilliant angel displayed the nephite plates to three men, followed by the verifying voice of god, and the second telling how eight men lifted and examined the ancient record leaf by leaf. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses deseret book. Book of mormon spiritual and temporal witnesses presentation.
The names of those persons are signed to the certificates in the book. Explaining away the book of mormon witnesses fairmormon. Review of jerry ainsworths lives and travels of mormon and moroni by joe d. As the cover states, the book of mormon is another testament of jesus christ. President smith was also privileged to handle a handwritten testimony of oliver cowdery, another of the three witnesses of the book of mormon. One of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon, was the second son of peter whitmer, sen. Anderson recovers vital new information to make the immediate ancestors of joseph smith come alive. Richard lloyd anderson was an emeritus professor of church history and doctrine at brigham young university. Richard lloyd anderson author of investigating the book of.
Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon. Questions about the witnesses to the reality of the. Martin harris shows signs of being an unstable person in terms of his religious convictions. The book of mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of joseph smith who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which smith translated the book of mormon. Additional book of mormon witnesses additional book of mormon witnesses posted by ben on sep, 2012 in book of mormon witnesses 0 comments. In this carefully researched, thoughtprovoking book, dr. Sep, 2012 i would like to tell you i know that what you will read in the book of mormon is true. The eight witnesses of the book of mormon lds blogs. Anderson brings to light answers from newly discovered mormon manuscripts, as well as from church and town records of new england.
Believers in the book of mormon heard the witnesses declare that the plates were real and that the book of mormon was true. The three witnesses is the collective name for three men connected with the early latter day saint movement who stated that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which joseph smith, jr. Paul and joseph smith richard lloyd anderson duration. I might as well doubt my own existence as to doubt the divine authenticity of the book of mormon or the divine calling of joseph smith. Richard lloyd anderson, wherein he presents evidence from original sources on each of the eleven witnesses of the metal plates from which the prophet joseph. Facts on the book of mormon witnesses part 1 mormons. See also richard lloyd anderson, investigating the book of mormon witnesses salt lake city. The angel explained that the plates contained an account of the former inhabitants of this con. Here are some critics thoughts on that thanks to gary porter and craig criddle for these. Part 1 of documented article that examines the life and testimony of the witnesses to the book of mormon. Book of mormon brad wilcox midterm 1byu flashcards quizlet. The author, richard lloyd anderson, gives many historical details about the statements of such critics and the sources and background of their statements. Also, joseph later found that the book of mormon prophesies in two places of its modern witnesses.
Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon central. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses by richard lloyd. For a comprehensive treatment of the experiences of these eight witnesses, see richard lloyd anderson, attempts to redefine the experience of the eight witnesses, journal of book of mormon studies, 141 2005. It also contains biographical and historical information relating to the book of mormon. I understand emma, martin harris, oliver cowdery all say the prophet did not. Statements clearly traced to the witnesses verify the testimonies printed in the book of mormon. Richard lloyd anderson 9 may 1926 12 august 2018 was an american lawyer and theologist of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints who was a professor of church history and doctrine at brigham young university byu. Bofm witnesses presentation provides a spiritual and temporal witness of the realities of the book of mormon. My dear friend, the book of mormon is a gift from god to you. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or. Anderson, richard lloy d anderson, in conversations with mormon historians provo.
Richard lloyd anderson 2004 fair conference witnesses of bom. It is the word of god given through the prophet joseph smith to us today. Three witnesses the three witnesses are david whitmer, oliver cowdery, and martin harris, who mortgaged his farm to finance the first printing of the book of mormon. Richard lloyd anderson holds a ba in history with honors from brigham young university, a jd from harvard law school, an ma in greek from byu, and a phd in ancient history from university of california, berkeley. Aside from the lost 116 pages, was the book of mormon translated with the urim and thummim or strictly from peering into a hat and the words appearing from a seer stone. For instance, once in later life he was tempted to lead, thereby dictating several revelations that he later considered false. The testimony of the eight witnesses gospel doctrine. The book of mormon contains two sets of joint statements written by joseph smith for those who claimed to have seen the gold plates. The three and eight witnesses to the book of mormon. Listen book of mormon witnesses richard lloyd anderson. Richard lloyd anderson, wherein he presents evidence from original sources on each of the eleven witnesses of the metal plates from which the prophet joseph smith translated the ancient scriptural account known as the book of mormon. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading investigating the book of mormon witnesses. Jesus is our savior and he came to the people in the book to further show the world that he is the son of god, and he organized his church as he had done in jerusalem. Richard lloyd anderson, an lds scholar and author of the book investigating the book of mormon witnesses, discusses the reliability of the.
We may not know for sure, but it is interesting that when mormon apologist richard anderson quoted this testimony of harris from the millennial star he chose to omit with an elipsis, harris claim to have held the plates on his lap. Jul 08, 2011 this is a photomechanical reprint of the first edition 1830 of the book of mormon. The three witnesses monument photo courtesy steve mortensen. The book of mormon relies not only on the record of an ancient people, but also on the separate testimonies of three and eight witnesses published in the back. Oliver cowdery, martin harris, and david whitmer were appointed to be three special witnesses of the book of mormon in june 1829. Book of mormon witnesses recant testimonies life after ministry. The above videos from 2014 are a great resource that critically analyzes the bom witness statements and puts them in context. Shining the light of research into public and private sources. May 30, 2008 personal writings of the book of mormon witnesses richard l. These people were delivered, just as the lord had covenanted with them. Richard andersons work on the three witnesses and the eight witnesses demonstrates conclusively. The witnesses to the book of mormon the witnesses to the book of mormon have always been extremely impressive to me. Three witnesses of the book of mormon department of. I just want to say something about the witnesses of the book of mormon in terms of evidence.
We can compare the witnesses for the book of mormon to the witnesses of manuscript found. Joseph smiths new england heritage by richard lloyd anderson. A carefully researched, thoughtprovoking book, by dr. After copying these two documents by hand, president smith read them in at least two public discoursesonce in march 1939 and again in the october. The statement of the 3 witnesses for the book of mormon was a single statement signed by all three men. So right at the outset of the translation, the promise of book of mormon witnesses was given by revelation. There are various degrees of accuracy and detail in. Personal writings of the book of mormon witnesses richard l. Richard lloyd anderson, attempts to redefine the experience of the eight witnesses richard lloyd anderson, journal of book of mormon studies, 205an angel showed the book of mormon plates to the three witnesses, who heard gods voice declare the translation correct. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Though each of the three witnesses was eventually excommunicated from the church two returned, none ever denied or retracted his published testimony. Book of mormon witnesses encyclopedia of mormonism, pg. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses brigham young.
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