Martin Harris
A retouched and colorized photograph, prepared by Bryce M. Haymond for the Interpreter Foundation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here are some reminiscences from William Pilkington, as given in Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter,\u00a0Martin Harris: Uncompromising Witness of the Book of Mormon<\/em>\u00a0(Provo: BYU Studies, 2018).\u00a0 Young William boarded with and worked for Martin Harris Jr. for a year, near Logan, Utah, and, while there, met a very old man who was also living in the house.\u00a0 Here is a memory of their first serious conversation:<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Willie did you ever go to Sunday School?\u00a0 I promptly told him yes Sir!\u00a0 What class were you in?\u00a0 I was in the Book of Mormon class.\u00a0 his eyes sparkled and his whole body seemed to reviberate.\u00a0 he seemed like a changed being.\u00a0 he was very excited, trembling.\u00a0 as I gazed in his eyes, he said Did you ever read the Book of Mormon?\u00a0 Yes Sir!\u00a0 Well if you have read the Book of Mormon, What is the first reading in the Preface of the Book that you find?\u00a0 After a little thinking.\u00a0 I said, the first reading in the Book of Mormon is the Testimony of Three Men testifying to the whole World that they saw an Angel come down from Heaven.\u00a0 that they saw the Gold Plates. from which the Book of Mormon was translated. and the angel told them that the Translation was correct and we bare record that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet of God.\u00a0 and that there [sic<\/em>] names will forever go befor the World testifying that the Book of Mormon is True. he then said I know now Willie that you have read that glorious Book.\u00a0 Willie: I am going to ask you one more question?\u00a0 What was those three men\u2019s names?\u00a0 I told him they were Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
The elderly gentleman had not yet identified himself.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This little old man, then 92 years of age of whome In my mind I had likened to Rip Van Winckle, whose whole being at this time was wonderful to behold.\u00a0 all lit up with the Spirit of God whoes Eyes, now were sparkling who\u2019s whole being was transformed.\u00a0 stood up before me on that memorable occasion and putting his walking cane in his left hand straightened up and striking his Breast with his right hand.\u00a0 Exclaimed\u00a0\u201cI Am Martiin Harris.\u201d<\/u>\u00a0 Can anyone imagane my feelings standing there before one of the Three Witnesses to the Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, a man who had the privilidge of standing before\u00a0Angels.<\/u>\u00a0 a man who[se] Eyes beheld the Golden Plates a man who\u2019es Ears heard the voice of God from Heaven declare that the Book was Translated correct.\u00a0 and commanded him to Testifie to all the World. that it was correct I say again; can you imagan, me a mear Boy, not yet 14 years of age until the next month November [his birthday was November 13, 1860] as this was October of the year 1874.\u00a0 (479-481)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
I talked to him hundreds of times, and he would always tell me that he wanted me to tell the people what he had told me. . . .\u00a0 In his talks with me he would say: \u2018Now, Willie, I am not going to live very long and after I am dead I want you to tell the people what I have told you, for it is all true.\u2019\u00a0 (481)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 Here are some reminiscences from William Pilkington, as given in Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter,\u00a0Martin Harris: Uncompromising Witness of the Book of Mormon\u00a0(Provo: BYU Studies, 2018).\u00a0 Young William boarded with and worked for Martin Harris Jr. for a year, near Logan, Utah, and, while there, met a very old man who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[56,259,1809,16166,316,319,16164,2905,1815,7980,1570,1715,788,55,16170,16168,4357,1573,5688,782,4003,921],"class_list":["post-88008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-book-of-mormon","tag-book-of-mormon-witnesses","tag-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints","tag-des-moines","tag-gold-plates","tag-golden-plates","tag-iowa","tag-latter-day-saint","tag-lds","tag-lucy-harris","tag-martin-harris","tag-michigan","tag-mormon","tag-mormonism","tag-oakland","tag-pontiac","tag-tabernacle","tag-testimony","tag-three-witnesses","tag-utah","tag-witness","tag-witnesses"],"yoast_head":"\n
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