Blainer) I agree with you, Brother Glenn, that both sides of an issue should usually be studied. For instance, I read some of the writings of David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon (re: An Address to All Believers In Christ), and decided he was an enemy to the truth, and I even went so far as to say he was a betrayer and a traitor to Joseph Smith, just as Judas Iscariot was to Jesus.
But upon reading some of his other writings, I feel I need to modify my opinion of brother David Whitmer. I see that he was in reality a man of INTEGRITY and HONESTY. I recently read his deathbed witness that all he ever said regards this remarkable vision as written in the Book of Mormon was true. He, along with the other two witnesses, never renigged his testimony. He wrote and published the same testimony several times in his life. The following is one of the several testimonies he published: "I have been surrounded by hostile mobs, on one occasion numbering four or five hundred, demanding I should deny what is published over my name in the Book Of Mormon; but the testimony I gave to that mob made them fear and tremble, and I escaped from them." (An interview with David Whitmer, by James Hart, at Richmond, Missouri, on August 21, 1883.) In the same interview, he said, " I heard the voice of the angel, and saw the engravings on the plates, and the plates just as stated in the Book of Mormon. And we were commanded to bear record of these things and that the book was translated by the gift and power of God." "You see that table by the wall," he remarked. "Well, there was a table about that size, and the Heavenly Messenger brought the several plates and laid them on the table before our eyes, and we saw them and bore testimony of them, and our testimony is true. And if these things are not true then there is no truth, and if there is no truth, there is no God, and if there is no God, there is no existence. But I know there is a God, for I have heard His voice and witnessed the manifestations of His marvelous power." I count his testimony as the most valuable of the three because he was the only one who never rejoined the LDS Church after being excommunicated. In fact, I think it was the Lord's will that he remain outside the church in order to make his testimony all the more believable. He was apparently discouraged with Joseph Smith and Sydney Rigdon, and therefore had every reason to betray them if the whole thing had been a sham. But he along with Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris (both rejoined the LDS Church before they died) maintained throughout their lives, withouit deviation, that they had seen a vision and had heard the voice of God bearing witness that the plates were translated through the gift and power of God. These testimonies, along with those of the eight witnesses who saw and hefted the plates but did not see the angel, leave me without doubt the Book of Mormon is the true word of God. Their testimonies shall stand against all who resist the truth of God as contained in the Book of Mormon at the last day. On Wed, 23 Oct 2002 18:43:44 EDT [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > I understand what you are saying. However, some wisdom must be used > here. > It is impossible to find the truth if one is not willing to study > both sides > of an issue. I would never have seen the error of the Church of > Christ > without reading both pro and con. > > > Blainer) You have to see this through spiritual eyes. Try > thinking in > > terms of food. If you eat a lot of junk-food, loaded with lots of > empty > > calories, you will probably end up with poor health. On the other > hand, > > if you are more particular about what kind of food you eat,, you > will > > likely have good health. Likewise, if you read a lot of negative > > Junk-literature, loaded with lies and half-truths, you will suffer > > spiritually. But if you read positive literature and listen to > the > > spirit of the Holy Ghost, you will prosper spiritually. > > Mormonism teaches we can read anything we want. We have no > restrictions > > on what we read. It is purely a matter of individual choice. We > are > > counseled to use wisdom in our choices, however. > > We are not the ones who are brainwashed!!! That is a joke, > because that > > is exactly how we see you!! Why do you think I stay on TT? > Because I > > like being insulted? Nope, I do it hoping somehow to convince > you of > > the error of your thinking. > > > > > > On Sun, 20 Oct 2002 15:26:04 EDT [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > That's because Mormonism teaches it is a sin to study > anti-Mormon > > > material. > > > They've got you right where they want you; brainwashed. > > > > > > > I knew the place to be a den of Mormon-haters, so I just > > > > said to myself, "consider the source." That's what I do now > all > > > the > > > > time. (:>) > > > > > > > > > > ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
