New Witnesses for God (Volume 2 of 3)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
New Witnesses for God (Volume 2 of 3)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Book of Mormon; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
As for the rest of the anti-"Mormon" critics on this point, they adopt
the pure fabrication theory, or admit that the Prophet Joseph had in
his possession some kind of plates which he either manufactured or
accidentally discovered in his alleged searching after hidden treasures
for some of his employers, and which he really exhibited to the Eight
Witnesses. But why have the "pure fabrication" theory to account for
the testimony of the Eight Witnesses, and the "mental hallucination"
theory to account for the testimony of the Three? If the testimony of
the Eight is pure fabrication is not the testimony of the Three pure
fabrication also? Or, at least, is it not most likely to be so? For if
conscious fraud, and pure fabrication lurks anywhere in Joseph Smith's
and the Eleven Witnesses' account of the coming forth of the Book of
Mormon, would it not exist throughout the whole proceeding? Professor
Turner, already twice quoted, in admitting that the Prophet had in his
possession some sort of plates, which he showed the Eight Witnesses,
says that he is anxious to make the admission "in order to keep up
the just and charitable equilibrium between the knaves and fools in
'Mormonism' and the world at large. Three to Eight is at once a happy
and reasonable proportion. We will not disturb it. It is gratifying
to human philanthropy to be able to account for all the facts in the
case by this charitable solution." This sarcasm, however, is not a
"solution;" nor is it refutation of the testimony of the Witnesses;
nor is it argument; nor anything but the fuming of a small mind; yet
it is the only "reason" I have ever heard advanced for adopting the
hallucination theory in the case of the Three Witnesses, and either the
pure fabrication or deception theory in the case of the Eight Witnesses.
The testimony of the Three and the Eight Witnesses, respectively,
stands or falls together. If the pure fabrication theory is adopted
to explain away the testimony of the Eight Witnesses, there is no
reason why it should not be adopted to explain away the testimony of
the Three. But every circumstance connected with the testimony of all
these Witnesses, as we have seen, cries out against the theory of
"pure fabrication." It is in recognition of the evident honesty of the
Three Witnesses that the theory of mental hallucination is invented
to account for their testimony; as it is also the evident honesty of
the Eight Witnesses that leads to the admission by many anti-"Mormon"
writers that Joseph Smith must have had some kind of plates which he
exhibited to the Eight Witnesses, though he may not have obtained them
through supernatural means.
The theory of pure fabrication of the testimony of the Witnesses is
absolutely overwhelmed by the evidence of their honesty.
The hallucination theory breaks down under the force of the
matter-of-fact testimony of the Eight Witnesses, from which all
possible elements of hallucination are absent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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