... and he [Martin Harris] did truly testify to me that he saw the angle [angel] of god, and did hear his voice, and did see the plates that the Book of Mormon was translated from, and did hear the voice of God from heaven commanding him, and others as recorded in the Book of Mormon, to bear record of what they had seen and heard, he also said he could not deny these things lest the power of god should consume him, for he knew he was not deceived in the matter. he further said, he told of these things that it might be told to others, he also said that he wrote about one third of the Book of Mormon as it was translated from the plates by Joseph Smith Jun. by the means of the Urim and Thummim. And that he took some of the characters of the plates, with the translation thereof <<to>> Mr. Anthon. Prof[essor]. of languages, New York City. And he received from the Prof[essor]. a certificate to the effect that the translation of the said characters were correct, but as he was leaving,
the Prof[essor]. called him bact [back], and said he wanted to look at the note again and thinking he wanted to make some addition or correction to the certificate, he gave it back, and then the Prof[essor]. asked him more questions about the plates, and how they were obtained, and that he would like to see them, but he told the Prof[essor]. that they were forbidden to be shown to he world and that a part of them were sealed and the Prof[essor]. replyed he could not read a sealed Book, and refused to return him the certificate. He also said that Joseph Smith Jun's. means of support, and ed=ucation at the time of the translation of the plates was very limited. That he did not know how to draw up a note of hand properly, and knowing it was the will of got [God] to assist him he did so willingly. And for the first edition of the Book of Mormon that was published, he gave a Mortgage on his property to pay for the same. And that he did not know why the Lord had permitted him to live to
such great age unless it was to testify of the truth of the Book of Mormon, which was a record of a remnant of the house of Israel. (Clifton, Bristol, England, Feb. 11th 1881.) Simon Smith ----------------------------------------------------------------- [3. Interview, 1884] . . . We had the opportunity, this morning, to interview Elder Simon Smith, of Cameron, Mo., (the gentleman referred to yesterday who visited Martin Harris before his death,) and asked the following questions, which were answered without hesitancy:
Did you know Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon? Yes sir.
When did you first make his acquaintance? I am not certain, but I think in 1878 [1873].
Were you intimately acquainted with him? Yes.
How long were you acquainted with him? About two years.
What are your convictions of his character as regards veracity? He was a truthful and reliable man so far as my acquaintance with him is concerned.
What was his reputation in this regard? Good. He was considered reliable by all who was acquainted with him.
Did you ever hear him refer to his testimony in connection with the Book of Mormon? Yes, sir.
Did he deny it? No, sir.
Were you present when he died? I was not present at the last moment, but was with him while he was on his death bed, and his son told me that the last words he spoke which were understood by them was in testimony of the angel and the Book of Mormon.
How long before his death did you see him last? About four days.
At the time you saw him last did he say anything in regard to his testimony? Yes; he certified to me that his testimony in connection with the Book of Mormon was true, and added, "I tell you these things that you may tell others. I cannot and dare not deny it lest the power of God should consume me."
Did he seem to be sensible of his approaching death? Yes; as I entered the room he held out his hand to me and said[,] bishop I am going to leave you now.
Did he appear to be in proper possession of his faculties, or was his mind wandering? He had full control of his faculties.
It has been reported that a body of ministers visited his death-bed, and to them he denied his testimony. Do you know anything of this? I was the only minister who visited him. In fact, there were no ministers of other denominations in the town.
How far did you live from where he died? About two blocks.
Were you intimate with the family after his death? Yes, sir.
Did you ever hear them speak of such a visit? No, sir, not them or anyone else. The first I heard of it was here in Stewartsville yesterday.
Where did he die? At Clarkston, Cache county, Utah.
Did he endorse polygamy? No, sir, I asked him the question and he answered[,] no. I asked him if Joseph Smith taught it, and he answered[,] no, nor was it a doctrine of the church in his life. It is Brigham Young's doctrine. . . . ----------------------------------------------------------------- [4. Letter, 30 April 1884]
CAMERON, Missouri,
April 30th, 1884.
Dear Herald:--Whereas several of the brethren when at last conference, Stewartsville Mo., desired me to write again for your columns the last testimony of Martin Harris, Sen., respecting the divine origin and coming forth of the Book of Mormon; I now again state: That on the 5th day of July, 1875, I visited him at Clarkston, Cache county, Utah Territory, and as it was expected that he would not recover from his sickness, I asked him several questions concerning the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, &c. 1st. Can you still testify of seeing the angel of God and the plates the Book of Mormon was translated from. His answer was, "Yes, I can; for I saw the angel come down from heaven; and he laid the plates before me, and I saw them; and I also heard the voice of God from heaven, commanding me to bear record of the things that I saw, and what is written of the three witnesses in the fore part of the Book of Mormon is true, and I dare not deny it, lest the power of God should
consume me." He also said, "I know not why the Lord has permitted me to live so long, only to testify of the truth of the Book of Mormon; and I now tell you these things, that it might be told to others." He also said, "I was Joseph Smith's scribe, and wrote for him a great deal; for he was such a poor writer, and could not even draw up a note of hand as his education was so limited. I also wrote for him about one third of the first part of the translation of the plates as he interpreted them by the Urim and Thummim. And I paid the printer about three thousand dollars for the first edition of the Book of Mormon." ...
[1.
Simon Smith to Joseph Smith III, 29 December 1880, Miscellaneous Letters and Papers, RLDS Church Library-Archives, Independence, Missouri. Published in Saints' Herald 28 (1 February 1881): 43. 2.
Simon Smith to Mark H. Forscutt, 11 February 1881, Miscellaneous Letters and Papers, RLDS Church Library-Archives, Independence, Missouri. 3.
"Latter Day Saints. An Interview with Elder Simon Smith to the Authenticity of the Book of Mormons. What Martin Harriss [sic], one of the Witnesses to the Book, Said on His Death-bed," St. Joseph (Missouri) Herald (16 April 1884): 2. 4.
Simon Smith to Editor, 30 April 1884, Saints' Herald 31 (24 May 1884): 324., as cited in Dan Vogel, Early Mormon Documents: Martin Harris Interview With Simon Smith]
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