By Jack H. West, 1954.
By now the prosecuting attorneys were virulent. “We refuse to accept the testimonies of angelic visitations. We refuse to accept the testimony of God’s voice out of heaven! We don’t even think those things exist!”
And I continued to say to them as sweetly as I could, with a smile on my face. “I am not asking you to accept anything supernatural, if you can’t accept. All I am asking you to do is to accept the testimony of competent human witnesses who were there when these things happened, who were honest men, who were not fraudulent in nature and who continued to maintain their testimonies to their deathbed that they did see and hear the things they said they saw and heard. And that testimony you cannot refuse to accept in any court of law in this land.”
The judge continued to rule in support of fact. The prosecutors had to accept it because it was the testimony of human witnesses, even though that testimony brought in supernatural occurrences. I said, “Would you feel better if I were to bring you the testimony of eight men of various ages, background, livelihoods, some who died in the Church, some who died out of the Church, some who apostatized, some who were excommunicated—eight men who disagreed on many things later in their lives, but who continued to maintain one thing in common to their deathbeds? Would you feel better if I could bring you the testimonies of eight such men, testifying that in broad daylight Joseph Smith showed them the golden records—that they handled and hefted them—no voices out of heaven—so supernatural occurrences? They didn’t think we could do it, but said it would help us a lot.
Then I called the “Eight Witnesses” to the stand, one by one. I introduced Christian Whitmer, then Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jr., and John Whitmer.
The prosecution began to protest and said, “Well, of course, if you are going to stay in one family, naturally they will stay together in their testimony.”
So we began to bring in a couple of test cases here. We found that it was anything but natural for any family, as a group, to see something and later on agree to what they had seen and heard.
“If it will make you happier, I will call another witness.” So we called Hiram Page, sort of a lone wolf, and then followed Joseph Smith, Sr., the father of the Prophet. Then Hyrum Smith, who was right alongside the Prophet as a martyr to the cause testified. Finally, last but not least, the first great missionary of the Church, Samuel H. Smith, a brother of the Prophet.
There are eight men and what did they testify to? It is in print for the world to read, and had been for over a hundred years, in the forepart of the Book of Mormon. Note the complete absence, if you please, of anything supernatural.
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world, that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.
In broad daylight as one man would hand something tangible to a group of men, Joseph Smith handed the records to these eight men. They handled them, turned the pages with their own fingers, and they knew positively that the golden plates existed.
As a climax to the testimonies, I called upon the Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses to stand in a body. Then I addressed the court. “Here, in addition to Joseph Smith, are eleven witnesses, all of whom have testified that they saw and handled the ancient golden records from which the Book of Mormon was translated.”
Did these witnesses have ulterior motives in giving their testimonies? One of four things could be true:
First, these men actually could be imposters deliberately deceiving the public, perpetrating a fraud with the intent to deceive. Now if this were the case, there must be a motive. Could it be fame? That is a ridiculous proposition. If any one of these men wanted to become world famous, all he had to do was turn state’s evidence, and his name would have been emblazoned over the greatest newspapers in the world. No, the motivation was not fame. Was it power? Now there is a strange thing. Even though some of these men sat on the council which selected the second ranking group in authority in the Church – the Council of the Twelve Apostles – not one of these men was a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, the body second in authority to the First Presidency. Not one of these men was a Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church when it was organized, the first body in authority. Now had these men been after power as a motive for fraud, surely they would have asked for and received the highest position in the Church in payment for their perfidy. Power was not a motive, then. Was it wealth? Positively not, when we get all the facts. Here was Martin Harris, giving, giving, giving, and not getting! Here was David Whitmer, giving all his fortune and not getting it back when he was excommunicated. No, if wealth were the motive, they did not fulfill their motive, and they certainly would have exposed the fraud.
Second. Were these men enthusiasts? Were they so built up with enthusiasm that they thought they saw and heard things they did not see and hear? Maybe, but the fact of the particular case won’t bear it out. How long will enthusiasm stay at the white-hot heat – through excommunication, through apostasy, through bitterness? No, no! Their enthusiasm would have cooled long, long before their deathbed, but they still continued to maintain these things to their deathbeds.
Third. Were they deluded? Remember the testimony of the only one the three special witnesses who died out of the Church? “It was no delusion.” Well, did Joseph Smith, indeed have a power over these men as the prosecution thought he did? If he did, then they must give him supernatural powers, which they were not willing to do, for he continued to maintain that power, if that were the point, long after he was dead and in the grave.
Fourth. Were they truthful men? Yes! The fourth element is the only one of the four possibilities which will stand up. What they testified to was true! The record is true. The way of its coming forth is true! It will stand throughout the ages as the only possible answer to the existence of the great “Stick of Joseph.”
Do not sell the Book of Mormon short, Brothers and Sisters! You have a testimony in your hearts; I am sure of it. I humbly pray that that testimony may grow and grow into a living fire, and if there are those with us who do not have a testimony, I humbly pray that you will get a testimony of the great work and be able to carry it on to others in the earth.
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