DiscussMormonism.com

Grant Palmer has talked a fair amount about the witnesses to the Book of Mormon/gold plates and whether or not they saw physical literal plates or if they only saw them in vision/by the eyes of their understanding. He seems agree with Martin Harris that none of the witnesses saw the plates with their natural eyes but instead with the 'eyes of faith.'

Related to that, Palmer claims that at least some of the witnesses were hesitant to sign the 'testimony' document prepared by Joseph Smith because it sounded more literal than the experience had been. I don't remember if it was in his Insider's View book but he mentions it during the Mormon Stories podcast he did.

My question:
Does anyone know where Palmer comes up with the claim that the witnesses were hesitant to sign? What is his source? Inquiring minds want to know.

I've always been curious about the process through which the statements were written and agreed to.

I doubt all 8 sat down and drafted the statement democratically. Did someone write it and present it to them? If so, who?

Was anything signed? I don't remember ever seeing signatures. Just a statement with a bunch of names listed. Was there a signed document? Maybe Joseph smith figured printed names would look better than a bunch of Xs.

Where do we find the original of the signed statement?

Joseph wrote:Where do we find the original of the signed statement?

Now that is an interesting question.

jon wrote:

Joseph wrote:Where do we find the original of the signed statement?

Now that is an interesting question.

It will be committed into our hands as keys of the next dispensation and by this we may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.

Yea, it will be committed into our hands by Elias or by any other translation error of the KJV.

For behold.
And it came to pass.

Hello,

What I find interesting is a Mopologist will throw William Clayton under the bus, but we're supposed to take the 8 Witnesses' testimonies at face value.

What a weird world they live in...

V/R
Dr. Cameron

In my work on the Golden Plates we can find these quotes:

“Some of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon, who handled the plates and conversed with the angels of God, were afterwards left to doubt and to disbelieve that they had ever seen an angel. One of the Quorum of the Twelve - a young man full of faith and good works, prayed, and the vision of his mind was opened, and the angel of God came and laid the plates before him, and he saw and handled them, and saw the angel, and conversed with him as he would with one of his friends; but after all this, he was left to doubt, and plunged into apostacy, and has continued to contend against this work. There are hundreds in a similar condition.” (Brigham Young, JoD: vol. 7 p. 164, June 5, 1859)

“The golden plates are history's most stunning 'find' in the field of religion.” (Neal A. Maxwell)

The golden plates have always fascinated me. They are so mysterious! I love the part of Smith’s story when God speaking through Smith said,

“Behold, I say unto you, that as my servant Martin Harris has desired a witness at my hand, that you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., have got the plates of which you have testified and borne record that you have received of me;” (D&C 5:1)

The obvious question: Who is really speaking here, God through Smith, or Smith pretending to be God?

Badseed.

As far as your question about whether some of the Book of Mormon witnesses were hesitant to sign the document?

Perhaps you will find the answer here: http://www.exmormon.org/file9.htm