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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.
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Keep in mind
that others testified on behalf of Joseph to something that wasn’t true. In
the October 1, 1842 “Times and Seasons” various leaders declared that they
knew of no other rule or system of marriage except that published in the 1835
version of the Doctrine and Covenants. It says, “Inasmuch as this Church of
Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we
declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but
one husband” (“Statement on Marriage”).
- Newel K. Whitney and Elizabeth Ann Whitney (as a counselor in the Relief Society) signed this. They had previously given their daughter to Joseph to be sealed to him in July 1842.
- Eliza R. Snow signed this as Relief Society Secretary. She had been polygamously sealed to Joseph in June 1842.
- Sarah M. Cleveland signed this as a counselor in the Relief Society. She was apparently “a polygamy insider” by June 1842 (Sarah Kingsley Cleveland).
- John Taylor signed this. He said he learned about polygamy shortly after returning from England in 1841 (Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture, Vol. 16, pp. 17-18).
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Christian Whitmer
Jacob Whitmer
Peter Whitmer, Jun.
John Whitmer
Hiram Page
Joseph Smith, Sen.
Hyrum Smith
Samuel H. Smith
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The eight
witnesses were close associates to Joseph (the Whitmers and Hyrum Page, who
was an in-law to the Whitmers), and Joseph’s immediate relatives (Father and
two brothers). They could hardly be considered impartial. Consider also that
false memories can be implanted by social influence (a process called social
contagion of memory). Any acquaintance can offer suggestions that might
change memory, but “the more one dominates a conversation the greater impact
they will have on shaping the group’s collective memory, a conversational
role referred to as the ‘dominant narrator’” (Memory’s malleability: its role in shaping collective memory and social identity),
and Joseph was certainly a dominant narrator among the Saints of his day.
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