The Witnesses to the Prophet Joseph Smith

by Robert Rosskopf

Joseph Smith is perhaps the most controversial figure of all time. If he was alone in making his wild assertions, then he would have been dismissed universally as a fraud. He claimed he saw an angel, sent by God, which gave him an ancient book of scripture, and who gave him the means to translate it into English. During the translation, he showed the book to no one as instructed by the angel. Once the book was translated, Joseph was instructed to select three witnesses. These three witnesses were allowed to see the Book of Mormon, as it was held by the angel Moroni, and hear the voice of God declare the translation to be correct. Though meeting with ridicule and persecution, none of the witnesses ever denied their testimony of what they had seen and heard.

Joseph Smith claimed to have received the Aaronic priesthood from John the Baptist, and the Melchizedek priesthood from Peter, James, and John. Oliver Cowdery was with him on both occasions, and verified Joseph's claims. Later, Joseph Smith was commanded through revelation from God to build a temple. After the temple was completed, Joseph saw Elijah the prophet, Moses, and other prophets who gave him the keys to their dispensations. He was with Sidney Rigdon at time who saw all of these events with Joseph, and testified to the reality of the vision. Many people saw angels that day, and other displays of divine approval.

This unusual testimony, given by several different people, created a conundrum for those who would accuse Joseph Smith of being a charlatan. The problem would become more difficult with time, as many people would come to witness supernatural events in the presence of Joseph Smith, and the other leaders of the fledgling church. These events included miraculous healings and prophecies, and a knowledge of people's unspoken thoughts. It also included the divine testimony of a supernatural being - the Holy Ghost - who testified at virtually every meeting that the words of Joseph Smith and the newly called apostles of the church were true. Whole congregations converted to Mormonism. Policemen sent to arrest Joseph Smith, or one of the church apostles were sometimes converted and baptized into the new church. Ministers of religion sometimes gave up their jobs and joined the church, despite the Mormon church's lack of a professional ministry. Other ministers saw the threat to their congregations, and started spreading rumors of the most vicious sort against Joseph Smith and against the new church. Mobs of people were incited to create all manner of mischief, and Joseph was severely persecuted because of his testimony. Once he was tarred and feathered - a tooth chipped when the perpetrators tried to pour poison down his throat. He spent the night with his wife pulling tar off of his body. His newborn son, exposed that night to the elements, caught sick and died. He preached the next day in church, much to the consternation of his enemies, and baptized four more people. As persecution grew, Joseph and the other members of the church fled to Missouri, and then to Illinois. Financial difficulties and internal dissent also caused many problems. People once faithful to Joseph became his bitter enemies. He still had many friends - who stood by him - but it was a difficult time. Many lost their homes and their life savings when they were driven out of Missouri.

The saints, as they called themselves, were constantly being taken to court on trumpted up charges. Joseph Smith was sued more than 40 times during his short life. Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were arrested and taken to prison, without trial, where they stayed for many months. Missouri finally released them, when the outcry from other states grew loud, and their lack of due process was exposed. Later they would change their minds and seek to rearrest him. They put a bounty on his head, and many tried to claim that bounty. Joseph prophesied that he would never again see Missouri, and although he came close once, after being arrested by bounty hunters, no one was ever successful in bringing him in. In Nauvoo, Joseph turned a marshland into what may have been the largest city in Illinois at the time, with brick buildings and wide streets. Work started on a new temple, at the command of the Lord through revelation given to Joseph Smith. The saints sought and received political authority to make their own laws and govern their own people. A few weeks before his death, Joseph told the quorum of the twelve apostles that his work was over, and that he was handing over the keys to them. A local newspaper, publishing anti-Mormon sentiment, was declared a nuisance, and closed down. The church leaders said they were justified because of the slander aimed at the church. Others saw it as a threat against freedom of speech. Joseph Smith was cleared by a judge of any wrongdoing, but the state stepped in and charged him with treason. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Joseph and his brother Hyrum. Unwilling to once again be taken into custody (it had happened repeatedly throughout their lives), and because they feared for their lives, Joseph and Hyrum fled the city. Prominent church members sent an appeal to Joseph to return and allow himself to be arrested. He stated, "If my life has no value to my friends, then it has no value to me." Although he returned with Hyrum and they turned themselves in, Joseph prophesied their emminent death. A mob of over 100 men stormed the jail and killed both the prophet and his brother. The saints were forced to flee Illinois, so they went to Utah; a place so barren that few thought it habitable. There Brigham Young took over the reigns of the church, but that is a different story.