 |
| David
Whitmer (1805–1888) |
|
| One of the Three Witnesses to the
Book of Mormon, baptized nearly a year before the organization of the church,
one of the first ordained to the office of elder and to the High Priesthood.
Ordained president of the church in Zion and Joseph's successor if the Prophet
should fall §. Becomes disaffected in 1836 over
the law of consecration and stewardship and Joseph's increasingly authoritarian
administration. Preferred by Kirtland dissidents to lead the church, bolstered
by reports of a revelation that Joseph would fall §.
Withdraws from involvement in the church 1837, excommunicated in 1838. Established
his own Church of Christ in 1847, then again in 1876 §. |
|
| Meets Joseph §, Book of Mormon Translation §, Three Witnesses §, Priesthood §, Twelve §, Kirtland Dissidents §, Danites §, Family § |
|
| Born |
|
January 7, 1805 near Harrisburg, Dauphin County,
Pennsylvania |
|
D. Whitmer, "Mormonism," Kansas
City Daily Journal, June 5, 1881. Source |
| Died |
|
January 25, 1888 in Richmond,
Ray County, Missouri |
|
|
| Father |
|
Peter Whitmer (1773–1854) |
|
|
| Mother |
|
Mary Musselman (1778–1856) |
|
|
| New York |
|
1809 family moves to New York "settling
at a point midway between the northern extremities of Lake Cayuga and
Seneca, two miles from Waterloo, seven miles from Geneva, and twenty-seven
miles from Palmyra, where I lived until the year 1831." |
|
D. Whitmer, "Mormonism." |
| Gold plates |
|
[1828] I [David Whitmer] made a business trip to Palmyra,
New York, and while there stopped with one Oliver Cowdery. A great many
people in the neighborhood were talking about the finding of certain
golden plates … Cowdery and I, as well as others, talked about
the matter, but at that time I paid but little attention to it, supposing
it to be only the idle gossip of the neighborhood. Cowdery
said he was acquainted with the Smith family, and … he intended
to investigate the matter. |
|
D. Whitmer, "Mormonism." |
| Joseph's partners |
|
I had conversation with several young
men who said that Joseph Smith had certainly golden plates, and that
before he had attained them he had promised to share with them, but had
not done so and they were very much incensed with them. Said I, 'how
do you know that Joe Smith has the plates?' They replied, 'we saw the
plates [place] in the hill that he took them out of just as he described
it to us before he obtained them.' … |
|
|
| |
|
[After Oliver writes] I
went down to Harmony and found everything just as they had written me.
The next day after I got there they packed up the plates and we proceeded
on our journey to my father's house … |
|
|
| Baptized |
|
June [1–14], 1829 baptized by Joseph Smith in Seneca
lake |
|
Joseph's 1839 history in
Papers
Papers of Joseph Smith, Volume 1: Autobiographical and Historical Writings, edited by Dean C. Jessee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1989).
1:294 |
| One
of the three witnesses |
|
June [1–14], 1829 one of the three witnesses of Book of
Mormon. |
|
|
| Called
to search out the Twelve |
|
June [1–14], 1829
called with Oliver Cowdery to select the first Quorum of Twelve Apostles. |
|
¶ D&C
18:37 |
| Marries |
|
I was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
January 7, 1805, but when only four years of age my parents removed to
the state of New York, In the year 1830 I was married to Miss Julia
A. Jolly who is still living. The fruit of our union was a son, David
J. Whitmer. |
|
|
| Elder |
|
By June 9, 1830 ordained an elder. |
|
Minutes
of June 9, 1830 |
| Fund-raising mission |
|
October 11, 1831 called on a fund-raising mission
with Reynolds Cahoon to raise funds so Joseph and Sidney can finish revising
the Bible. |
|
|
| High
Priesthood |
|
October 25, 1831 ordained to the High Priesthood
by Oliver Cowdery. |
|
¶ Minutes
of October 25–26, 1831 |
| Leaves
on mission |
|
November 1831 leaves on fund-raising mission
with Reynolds Cahoon. |
|
|
| Jackson
County |
|
October 5, 1832 attends council of
high priests in Zion. |
|
Minutes of October 5, 1832 |
| President of the high
council? |
|
July 3, 1834 at the organization of "a general Council of High Priests" in Clay
County, David is named "first president" with his brother, John, and W. W. Phelps as "assistant" presidents. |
|
Minutes
of July 3, 1834 |
| President of the church
in Missouri? |
|
July 7, 1834 Joseph
ordains "the three Presidents, David Whitmer as President and William W. Phelps & John
Whitmer assistants and their twelve Counsillors." |
|
Minutes
of July 7, 1834
|
| |
|
[The] High Priests, Elders,
Priests, Teachers, Deacons and members present, then covenanted with uplifted
hands to heaven that they would uphold David Whitmer as President, head
and leader in Zion & John Whitmer & W. W. Phelps as assistant
Presidents and Counsillors also
covenanted to uphold him and one another at the throne of grace. |
|
|
| |
|
[In March 1838, Joseph:] gave a history of the ordination of David Whitmer,
which took place in July 1834, to be a leader, or a prophet to this Church,
which (ordination) was on the conditions that he J. Smith jr did not live
to God himself. |
|
¶
Minutes of March 15, 1838 |
| To Kirtland |
|
August 1834 after little more than two months
as president of the church in Missouri, David moves to Kirtland. As
far as is known, he does not return to Missouri for two years and three
months. |
|
Minutes
of August 7, 1834 |
| Select,
ordain the Twelve |
|
February 14 and 15, 1835 names and participates
in the ordination blessings of the Twelve with Oliver
Cowdery and Martin
Harris. |
|
Minutes
of February 14, 1835
Minutes of February 15, 1835 |
| General Assembly |
|
August 17, 1835 Uncle
John Smith substitutes
for David as president of the high council from Zion at the General Assembly
in Kirtland. |
|
Where is David? MIA, protesting?
Minutes of August 17, 1835 |
| Agent for Literary Firm |
|
September 16, 1835 agent for the Literary
Firm in Kirtland. The other agent called is Samuel
H. Smith. |
|
Minutes
of September 16, 1835 |
| Captain of the Lord's
Host |
|
September 24, 1835 designated "Capt
of the Lords host" that is planned to restore Mormons to Jackson
County in 1836. |
|
J. Whitmer
From Historian to Dissident: The Book of John Whitmer, edited by Bruce N. Westergren (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1995 ).
,
173;
Diary-2
Joseph Smith diary (Sept. 22, 1835-Apr. 3, 1836). Selected Collections, 1:20 // Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, rev. ed., 221-225. Original, Church Archives, MS 155.
in
Papers
Papers of Joseph Smith, Volume 2: Journal, 1832-1842, edited by Dean C. Jessee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1992).
2:4243. |
| Dedication of the
House of the Lord |
|
March 27, 1836 occupies the third
pulpit in the west end with John Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery for the dedication
of the Kirtland House of the Lord. |
|
American prophet
American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith, edited by Scott H. Faulring (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1987; 2d ed., 1989).
,
143. |
| Feet washing |
|
March 29, 1836 feet washed by Hyrum
Smith during the all-night temple session. David washes W. W. Phelps' feet.
Phelps washes John Whitmer's feet. |
|
American prophet
American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith, edited by Scott H. Faulring (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1987; 2d ed., 1989).
, 153. |
| Kirtland Safety Society |
|
January 6, 1837 present when Joseph
announces that he had heard the "audible voice" of the Lord that
all would be well with the Kirtland Safety Society "if we would give
heed to the Commandments." |
|
WWJ
Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 9 vols., compiled by Scott G. Kenney (Midvale: Signature Books, 1981-1984).
1:120. |
| Far West construction
committee |
|
April 7, 1837 high council of the stake in Zion
appoints David (absent), John Whitmer,
and W. W. Phelps committee to superintend
construction of temple in Far West "and receive Revelations Visons
&c. concerning said house." |
|
Minutes
of April 7, 1837 |
| Kirtland
dissent |
|
May 29, 1837 Kirtland high council
meets to try David, Frederick G. Williams,
Parley P. Pratt (h), Lyman
E. Johnson, and Warren Parrish for conduct "unworthy
of their high calling," but
ultimately decides it lacks authority. |
|
Minutes
of May 29, 1837
WWJ
Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 9 vols., compiled by Scott G. Kenney (Midvale: Signature Books, 1981-1984).
1:148;
Lucy
Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Smith's Family Memoir, edited by Lavina Fielding Anderson (Salt Lake City: Signature Books), 2001.
,190. |
| Missouri |
|
July 29, 1837 David attends a meeting in Far West. |
|
Minutes of July 29, 1837 |
| President
of the church in Missouri |
|
November 7, 1837 retained as president
of the church in Missouri after objections by Thomas B. Marsh (h), Caleb
Baldwin, Seymour Brunson. |
|
Minutes
of November 7, 1837 |
| Dissent
over temporal/spiritual |
|
January 30, 1838 meets with Frederick
G. Williams, John Whitmer, and Jacob Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, W. W. Phelps,
and Lyman E. Johnson in Far West to discuss the effort of church leaders "to
unite ecclesiastical and civil authority and force men to use their earthly
substance contrary to their own interest and privilege, and also how said
authorities are endeavoring to make it a rule of faith for said church
to uphold a certain or men right or wrong." |
|
Oliver to Lyman and
Warren Cowdery, Jan. 30, 1838 in
Oliver's letterbook
Oliver Cowdery letterbook. Holograph. Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
cited in
"Faithful Dissenter"
"David Whitmer: Faithful Dissenter, Witness Apart," Ronald E. Romig in Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History edited by Roger D. Launius and Linda Thatcher (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1994), 23-44.
,
35. |
| Rejected
as president in Missouri |
|
February 5, 1838 rejected as President of the
Church in Missouri by vote of the membership. |
|
Minutes
of February 5, 1838 |
| Excommunicated |
|
April 13, 1838 excommunicated. |
|
¶
Minutes of April 13, 1838 |
| Salt
Sermon |
|
June 17, 1838 Sidney
Rigdon delivers
"the salt sermon," declaring it is the duty of people "to
trample [dissenters] into the earth" or hang them. Joseph reportedly
says, "Though I don't want the brethren to act unlawfully; but I will
tell them one thing, Judas was a traitor, and instead of hanging himself
was hung by Peter." |
|
All
known salt sermon texts and an excellent analysis are in
Salt sermon
"Far West Dissenters and the Gamblers at Vicksburg: An Examination of the Documentary Evidence and Historical Context of Sidney Rigdon's Salt Sermon," John E. Thompson in Restoration (Jan. 1986): 21-27.
;
Reed Peck Manuscript 7;
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess, Richard S. Van Wagoner (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1994).
218–219. |
| Warned
out |
|
June 19, 1838 A document signed by
Hyrum and eighty-three others warns David, Oliver, W. W. Phelps, and Lyman
E. Johnson to leave Far West immediately "or a more fatal calamity
shall befall you." |
|
Document
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons and the Evidence Given Before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith Jr., and Others for High Treason and Other Crimes Against the State (Fayette, Missouri: by order of the General Assembly at the office of Boon's Lick Democrat, 1841).
, 103–106,
in
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess, Richard S. Van Wagoner (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1994).
, 218–219. |
| Flee |
|
Lyman and the other dissidents leave
Far West immediately, fueling fears among non-Mormon residents that Mormons
were ready to shed blood. David moves to Richmond. |
|
|
| Base
iniquities |
|
[Joseph:] I would mention or notice
something about O. Cowdery David
Whitmer Lyman E. Johnson and Johnson Whitmer who being guilty of bace iniquities and that to manifest in {all}
the ages of all men, and being often entreated would continue in their course
seeking the lives of the First Presidency and to overthrow the Kingdom of
God which they once testified off. |
|
JS
journal 1838 in
Papers
Papers of Joseph Smith, Volume 2: Journal, 1832-1842, edited by Dean C. Jessee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1992).
, 249, in the hand of George W. Robinson
after July 4. |
| Richmond |
|
Operates a livery stable in Richmond,
Missouri for many years. |
|
|
| Church
of Christ |
|
September 1847 William
E. McLellin baptizes David and John Whitmer, Hiram
Page, and Jacob Whitmer
into "the Church of Christ," then the others "reordained"
David with "all the gifts and callings to which he had been appointed
through Joseph Smith." David is not enthused about the new church and
nothing comes of it. |
|
"Faithful Dissenter"
"David Whitmer: Faithful Dissenter, Witness Apart," Ronald E. Romig in Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History edited by Roger D. Launius and Linda Thatcher (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1994), 23-44.
,
38. |
| Richmond
mayor briefly |
|
Elected to fill the unexpired term of Richmond's
mayor (1867–1868). |
|
|
| Church
of Christ |
|
1876 organized another Church
of Christ by virtue of his 1834 ordination. His 1887 pamphlet, An Address
to All Believers in Christ was written to promote the church. George
W. Robinson, the Prophet's former scribe, edited the organization's periodical,
The Return in the 1890s. |
|
"Faithful Dissenter"
"David Whitmer: Faithful Dissenter, Witness Apart," Ronald E. Romig in Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History edited by Roger D. Launius and Linda Thatcher (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1994), 23-44.
,
38–39. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
David Meets Joseph |
|
|
| Oliver
introduces David to Joseph |
|
David received letters
from his friend, Oliver Cowdery, who was serving as the Prophet's scribe
during the translation of the Book of Mormon. Oliver asked David to bring
a team and wagon to Harmony, Pennsylvania, and take them to Father Whitmer's
home in Fayette, New York, where they would finish the translation. |
|
|
| Field
plowed mysteriously. |
|
He decided to make the
trip after the spring planting. But one morning discovered that someone
had plowed five acres for him. "It was a testimony to me," he
recalled, "that I did not have any business to put off going after
Joseph." |
|
Orson
Pratt/Joseph F. Smith 1878 interview in
David Whitmer interviews
David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness, edited by Lyndon W. Cook (Orem, Utah: Grandin Book Company), 1991.
, 51; also 41. |
| Joseph
knew David's actions |
|
As he approached the
house where Joseph was staying, Oliver came out and told him "that
Joseph had informed him when I started from home, where I had stopped
the first night, how I read the sign at the tavern, where I stopped the
next night, etc., and that I would be there that day before dinner … all
of which was exactly as Joseph had told Oliver, at which I was greatly
astonished." |
|
Orson
Pratt/Joseph F. Smith 1878 interview in
David Whitmer interviews
David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness, edited by Lyndon W. Cook (Orem, Utah: Grandin Book Company), 1991.
, 41. |
| One
of the Nephites |
|
En route to Fayette,
about the first of June 1829, an elderly gentleman, heavy set with an army
knapsack strapped to his shoulders approached the wagon. David offered the
man a ride, but the stranger declined, saying, "I am going across to
the hill Comorah." They started off again but soon looked back to find
the man had disappeared. David asked Joseph to inquire of the Lord. The
Prophet did so and replied that the man was "one of the Nephites,"
was carrying "the plates" in the knapsack." |
|
Edward
Stevenson 1877 and 1886 interviews in
David Whitmer interviews
David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness, edited by Lyndon W. Cook (Orem, Utah: Grandin Book Company), 1991.
, 13, 182; also Orson
Pratt/Joseph F. Smith 1878 interview in the same volume, 50. |
| |
|
On arriving at the Whitmer
home, the travelers: |
|
|
| |
|
were impressed that the Same Person was under the bed & again they
were informed that it was So. |
|
|
| Book
of Mormon plates |
|
They Saw whare he had been & the next Morning Davids Mother Saw
the Person at the Shed and he took the Plates from A Box & Showed
them to her. She Said that they Were fastened with Rings thus D. He
turned the leaves over. This was a Sattisfaction to her. |
|
|
|
| |
|
Book of Mormon Translation (1881) |
|
|
| |
|
I, as well as
all of my father's family, Smith's wife, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris,
were present during the translation. The translation was by Smith and
the manner was as follows: |
|
D. Whitmer, "Mormonism," Kansas
City Daily Journal, June 5, 1881. Source |
Seer stone
Mechanical translation
June–July 1829 |
|
"He had two small
stones of a chocolate color, nearly egg-shape and perfectly smooth, but
not transparent, called interpreters, which were given him with the plates.
He did not use the plates in the translation, but would hold the interpreters
to his eyes and cover his face with a hat, excluding all light, and before
his eyes would appear what seemed to be parchment, on which would appear
the characters of the plates in a line at the top and immediately below
would appear the translation, in English, which Smith would read to his
scribe, who wrote it down exactly as it fell from his lips. The scribe
would then read the sentence written, and if any mistake had been made
the characters would remain visible to Smith until corrected, when they
faded from sight to be replaced by another line. The translation at my
father's occupied about one month, that is from June 1 to July 1, 1829." |
|
|
| |
|
Book
of Mormon Translation (1885) |
|
|
| Joseph's seer stone
translation |
|
Joseph initially
translated the Book of Mormon with the "Interpreters," but they
were taken from him "as a punishment" when Martin lost the 116
pages of manuscript. Then he translated:
|
|
Zenas H. Gurley interview, Jan. 14, 1885,
David Whitmer interviews
David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness, edited by Lyndon W. Cook (Orem, Utah: Grandin Book Company), 1991.
, 157–158. |
| |
|
by the use of a 'Seer stone' which
he had, and which he placed in a hat into which he buried his face, stating
to me and others that the original character [158] appeared upon parchment
and under it the translation in english, which enabled him to read it readily. |
|
|
| |
|
Three Witnesses (1831) |
|
|
March
19, 1831 account
Joseph and David find plates on ground |
|
The first published account
of David's description of the Book of Mormon plates appeared in the Palmyra
Reflector, March 19, 1831. According to this version, David and Joseph
found the plates lying on the ground. They were secured by three small rings
and had been cut in half, then half sealed, the other half opening like
a book. No mention of an angel, a vision, or Oliver Cowdery. |
|
Early documents
Early Mormon Documents, compiled and edited by Dan Vogel. 4 vols. (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002).
2:248–250. |
| |
|
Three
Witnesses (1878) |
|
|
| September
7, 1878 account |
|
Interview with Orson
Pratt and Joseph F. Smith on September 7, 1878. Lyndon Cook compared Joseph
F. Smith's journal with Joseph Fielding Smith's Life of Joseph F. Smith,
242–243, and found no discrepancies in this section other than minor spelling and
punctuation corrections. He therefore followed the son's rendition for the
David Whitmer Interviews. It appears that Joseph F.'s journal was
used to prepare the September 17, 1878 Millennial Star report (p. 50) published just ten days after
the interview.
|
|
|
| |
|
Life
of Joseph F. Smith |
Millennial
Star |
|
Also see D. Whitmer, "Mormonism." Source |
| Late
June 1829 |
¶ |
David Whitmer: "It
was in June 1829, the very last part of the month, and the eight witnesses,
I think, the next day. Joseph showed them the plates himself. |
|
|
| Three
Witnesses see Book of Mormon plates, brass plates, others |
|
We (the Three Witnesses)
not only saw the plates of the Book of Mormon, but the Brass Plates, the
plates containing the record of the wickedness of the people of the world,
and many other plates. |
|
|
|
An
angel shows plates to Joseph, Oliver, and David
Martin sees plates same day |
|
|
The angel showed us
(the Three Witnesses) the plates, as I suppose to fulfill the words of the
book itself. Martin Harris was not with us at this time; he obtained a view
of them afterwards (the same day). |
|
|
| Many
records |
|
|
Joseph, Oliver and myself
were together when I saw them. We not only saw the plates of the Book of
Mormon, but also the brass plates, the plates of the Book of Ether, the
plates containing the records of the wickedness and secret combinations
of the people of the world down to the time of their being engraved, and
many other plates. |
|
|
As
though sitting on log
Vision |
|
The fact is, it was
just as though Joseph, Oliver and I were sitting just here on a log, when
we were overshadowed by a light. It was not the light of the sun nor like
that of a fire, but more glorious and beautiful. It extended away round
us, I cannot tell, but in the midst of this light, |
The fact is, it was
just as though Joseph, Oliver and I were sitting just here on a log, when
we were overshadowed by a light. It was not the light of the sun nor like
that of a fire, but more glorious and beautiful. It extended away round
us, I cannot tell you how far, but in the midst of this light |
|
|
| 2–3
feet from angel |
|
about as far off as
he sits (pointing to John C. Whitmer who was sitting 2 or 3 feet from him) |
|
|
|
| Table:
many records, Laban's sword, Liahona, Urim and T. |
|
there appeared, as it
were, a table with many records or plates upon it, besides the plates of
the Book of Mormon, also the sword of Laban, the Directors (i.e. the ball
which Lehi had) and the Interpreters. |
there appeared, as
it were, a table with many records or plates upon it, besides the plates
of the Book of Mormon, also the sword of Laban, the directors—i.e.,
the ball which Lehi had, and the interpreters. |
|
|
| |
|
I saw them just as plain
as I see this bed (striking the bed beside him with his hand), |
I saw them just as plain
as I see this bed (striking the bed beside him with his hand), |
|
|
| Hears
voice of the Lord |
|
and I heard the voice
of the Lord, as distinctly as I ever heard anything in my life, declaring
that they (the plates) were translated by the gift and power of God. |
and I heard the voice
of the Lord, as distinctly as I ever heard anything in my life, declaring
that the records of the plates of the Book of Mormon were translated by
the gift and power of God. |
|
|
| |
¶ |
Orson Pratt: "Did
you see the Angel at this time?" |
[Questioned whether
he saw the angel at this time:] |
|
|
| |
¶ |
David Whitmer: "Yes,
he stood before us. |
Yes, he stood before
us. |
|
|
| |
|
I don't think he saw
all that we did, but our testimony as recorded in the Book of Mormon is
strictly and absolutely true just as it is there written. |
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Witnesses (1885) |
|
|
| Three
Witness event |
|
Asked about the nature
of the vision in which the Three Witnesses saw the Book of Mormon plates
lying on a table and an angel turning the leaves—for example, "Was
the table literal wood; or was the whole a vision such as often occurs in
dreams? —David replied, "The table had the appearance of literal
wood as shown in the vision, in the glory of God." |
|
Gurley interview, 152. |
|
| |
|
Priesthood (1885) |
|
Gurley interview, 154, 155. |
| |
|
13. Q. Were you present when Joseph Smith received the revelation commanding him and Oliver Cowdery to ordain eaxh other to the Melchisedek Priesthood, if so, where was it and how? |
|
|
| |
|
Ans—No I was not—neither did I ever hear of such a thing as an angel ordaining them until I got into Ohio about the year 1834—or later. … |
|
|
| |
|
I never heard that an Angel had ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic priesthood until the year 1834 5. or 6—in Ohio. |
|
|
|
| |
|
Twelve (1885) |
|
|
| |
|
23. Q. Do you know how the first Twelve was chosen? |
|
Gurley interview, 157. |
| |
|
Ans—Yes. Cowdery and myself were appointed a committee [to choose] the Twelve, but Joseph [-] insisted that his brother William Smith should be put in as it was the only way which he could be saved, otherwie we would not have chosen him. |
|
|
|
| |
|
Kirtland
Dissidents |
|
|
Lucy's
version
Seer stone
A third turn against Joseph |
|
According to Lucy Mack Smith, David
asked a young woman (Adaline M. Bernard, adopted daughter of Oliver and
Elizabeth Cowdery) who lived with David and Julia, to look into a seer stone
she had found, to learn what Joseph meant when he said that a third of the
church would turn against him. |
|
Lucy
Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Smith's Family Memoir, edited by Lavina Fielding Anderson (Salt Lake City: Signature Books), 2001.
,
601–603. |
| Young
woman predicts Joseph's fall, David's succession |
|
… her answer was that he would fall
from his office because of transgression and either he (David Whitmore)
or
Martin Harris would be appointed in his
place and the one who did not seceed Joseph in his office would be a councillor
to him who did. Those persons who were disaffected towards Joseph commenced
collecting together around this girl as soon as this news came to their
ears untill Dr Williams who was also one of the dissenters <and> He wrote
the revelations that were given to the girl. |
|
Lucy
Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Smith's Family Memoir, edited by Lavina Fielding Anderson (Salt Lake City: Signature Books), 2001.
,
602. |
| "Pure
church" |
|
After a prayer meeting, in which
the dissenters did not participate, they announced they would hold meetings
of "the pure church" every Thursday and circulated a roster to
see how many would attend. |
|
Lucy
Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Smith's Family Memoir, edited by Lavina Fielding Anderson (Salt Lake City: Signature Books), 2001.
,
603. |
| Many
attend |
|
It was ascertained that a great proportion of those whom we considered
good members were decidedly in favor of the new party. |
|
|
| Went
to Missouri and contaminated others |
|
In this spirit they went to Missouri, and contaminated the minds of many
of the brethren against Joseph, in order to destroy his influence. |
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Danites (1881) |
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Danites organized to deal with Far West dissidents
Danite aggression |
|
Elders Jos. Smith
and Sidney Rigdon came out from Ohio and were dissatisfied with the church,
and gave new laws, revelations, etc. The leaders of the Far West church
refused to conform to the new laws of Smith and Rigdon, and they issued
a decree organizing what was termed the 'Danites, or Destroying Angels,'
who were bound by the most fearful oaths to obey the commandments of
the leaders of the church. The Danites consisted only of those selected
by Smith and Rigdon. They threatened myself, John Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and Lyman Johnson with the vengeance of the Danites unless we took the
same oath, but we refused, and fled for our lives to Clay County, and
since that time I have had nothing to do with the so-called 'Latter-Day
Saints' church, but I still hold to the truth of the original Church
of Christ, as organized in New York. During the fall of 1838 the church
of Far West became very violent towards the citizens of Caldwell County,
which terminated in an uprising similar to that in Jackson County, and
they were driven from the state. |
|
D. Whitmer, "Mormonism." Source
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Danites (1885) |
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| Danite oath and penalty |
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I was appointed in charge of church affairs in Zion Missouri, but from my teachings disaffection grew, and Joseph and Sydney came out and visited the various branches [153] of the church pledging them to themselves as against my teachings upon the word of wisdom and other matters, until for the establishment of their views they organized the Danites by which each member was sworn to sustain the Heads of the church, whether right or wrong—the penalty of refusing so to do being death, "the throat cut"—I left beause I could not accept it, … |
|
Gurley interview, 152–153.
On campaign to oust the Missouri presidents, see Minutes of February 5, 1838. |
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Family |
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| Wife |
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Julia Ann Jolley (1815–1885)
md. Jan. 9, 1831 in Seneca County, New York |
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| Chlidren |
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David J. (1833–1895)
Julia Ann (1835–1914)
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Biographies
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