Editing Eight Witnesses (section)

==Testimony==
{{wikisource|Book of Mormon (1830)/Eight Witnesses}}
The '''Testimony of Eight Witnesses''' was first published at the end of the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon and has been printed in nearly every edition since, although most subsequent editions moved the statement to the front of the book and included minor grammatical corrections.

<blockquote>Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jr., the translator<ref>In the first edition of the Book of Mormon, "Author and Proprietor" appeared in place of "translator".</ref> of this work, has shewn unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shewn unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.
[[File:The signatures of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon.jpg|thumb|Photograph of the names of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, as written by Oliver Cowdery]]

Christian Whitmer

Jacob Whitmer

Peter Whitmer, Jr.

John Whitmer

Hiram Page

Joseph Smith, Sen.

Hyrum Smith

Samuel H. Smith

</blockquote>

Unlike the Three Witnesses, the Eight testified that they both saw and handled the plates. Another difference is that the Eight testified that they were shown the plates by [[Joseph Smith]] rather than by an angel as had the Three Witnesses.<ref>According to Terryl Givens, Joseph invited the Eight "to a family prayer spot in the woods" and "matter-of-factly displayed to them the golden plates," whereas the Three were shown the plates "by an angel of God [who] came down from heaven." [[Terryl Givens]], ''By the Hand of Mormon'' (Oxford University Press, 2002), 40.</ref>