Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Martin Harris on the witness stand in Lyons, New York

Martin Harris on the witness stand in Lyons, New York

Last updated on: January 27, 2020 at 4:58 pm by Dan Peterson

Martin Harris on the witness stand in Lyons, New York 2020-01-27T16:58:08-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Lucy Harris, the plaintiff, on the witness stand in her complaint against Joseph Smith, with the judge in the foreground. This still photo of one of the monitor screens on the set of the Interpreter Foundation’s Witnesses film project was taken by James Jordan.

A few more notes from Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter, Martin Harris: Uncompromising Witness of the Book of Mormon (Provo: BYU Studies, 2018). The passages below are actually cited from Lucy Mack Smith’s Biographical Sketch of Joseph Smith.

In March 1829, Lucy Harris brought charges of conspiracy to commit fraud against Joseph Smith. Those charges were heard before a magistrate in Lyons, New York. Lucy Mack Smith provided an account of witness testimony during the proceedings:

The first arose and testified, that Joseph Smith told him that the box which he had, contained nothing but sand; and he, Joseph Smith, said it was gold, to deceive the people.

Second witness swore, that Joseph Smith had told him that it was nothing but a box of lead, and he was determined to use it as he saw fit.

Third witness declared, that he once inquired of Joseph Smith what he had in that box, and Joseph Smith told him that there was nothing at all in the box, saying, that he had made fools of the whole of them, and all he wanted was, to get Martin Harris’s money away from him, and that he (witness) was knowing to the fact that Joseph Smith had, by his persuasion, already got two or three hundred dollars. (126)

Martin Harris was then called to the stand. According to Lucy Mack Smith’s account, this is (at least in part) what he said on that occasion:

I can swear, that Joseph Smith never has got one dollar from me by persuasion since God made me. I did once, of my own free will and accord, put fifty dollars into his hands, in the presence of many witnesses, for the purpose of doing the work of the Lord. This, I can pointedly prove; and I can tell you, furthermore, that I have never seen, in Joseph Smith, a disposition to take any man’s money, without giving him a reasonable compensation for the same in return. (127)

After Martin Harris’s testimony, Lucy Mack Smith recalled, the judge declared that no further witnesses were necessary. He took the trial transcript from the court clerk, ripped it up, and told the people in the courtroom to go home, to mind their own business, and to “trouble him no more with such ridiculous folly.”

Uncategorized

Book of Mormon

Book of Mormon Witnesses

Previous Post

January 27, 2020

"'Hard' Evidence of Ancient American Horses" (Part 6), Plus a Note on Evolution and Faith

Next Post

January 28, 2020 A "Witnesses" milestone

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What king sought Isaiah's prayers when facing Assyrian invasion?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Rehoboam Josiah Manasseh Hezekiah