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
“Yes, as material as anything can be.”

“Yes, as material as anything can be.”

Last updated on: October 17, 2020 at 9:54 pm by Dan Peterson

“Yes, as material as anything can be.” 2020-10-17T21:54:04-06:00 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.

John Whitmer (1802-1878), late in his life
(Wikimedia Commons public domain photo)

New on the website of the Interpreter Foundation:

“Book of Moses Essays #25: Enoch’s Grand Vision: A Chorus of Weeping (Moses 7:18–49)”

***

Appendix E of Ronald E. Romig, Eighth Witness: The Biography of John Whitmer (Independence, MO: John Whitmer Books, 2014), 526-527, features the text of an interview conducted in April 1878 by P. Wilhelm Poulson with John Whitmer, one of the Eight Witnesses:

I — I am aware that your name is affixed to the testimony in the Book of Mormon that you saw the plates?

He — It is so, and that testimony is true.

I — Did you handle the plates with your hands?

He — I did so!

I — Then they were a material substance?

He — Yes, as material as anything can be.

I — Were they heavy to lift?

He — Yes, and as you know gold is a heavy metal; they were very heavy.

I — How big were the leaves?

He — So far as I recollect, 8 by 6 or seven inches.

I — Were the leaves thick?

He — Yes, just so thick, that characters could be en graven on both sides.

I — How were the leaves joined together?

He — In three rings, each one in the shape of a D with the straight line towards the center.

I — In what place did you see the plates?

He — In Joseph Smith’s house; he had them there.

I — Did you see them covered with a cloth?

He — No. He handed them uncovered into our hands, and we turned the leaves sufficient to satisfy us.

***

During the winter of 1830-1831, Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, Parley Pratt, and Ziba Peterson traveled from New York to Missouri and back on a mission to Lamanites on the western frontier. Of the four, two were among the Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Oliver Cowdery was one of the Three Witnesses, whereas Peter Whitmer was one of the Eight. Lyman Wight, who was a member of Sidney Rigdon’s Campbellite congregation in the area of Kirtland, Ohio, recalled attending a meeting in early November 1830 in which “one [presumably Oliver Cowdery] testified that he had seen angels, and another [presumably Peter Whitmer Jr.] that he had seen the plates.” (Romig, Eighth Witness, 87)

***

“Why ‘namaste’ has become the perfect pandemic greeting”

***

“Defend Religious Freedom in the US and Abroad”

“New Research Shows Religious Liberty Drives Human Flourishing – And Why This Matters Now More Than Ever”

“Biden’s Long History of Voting Against Catholic Values”

“Trump: ‘When There Was Only One Set Of Footprints, America, It Was Then That I Carried You'”

Uncategorized

Book of Mormon

Book of Mormon Witnesses

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Previous Post

October 17, 2020

"The Church supports the use of vaccinations"

Next Post

October 18, 2020 Revision 6.10a "The West achieves dominance” (addendum)

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 kind of bird did Noah send out second from the ark?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Owl Eagle Dove Pidgeon