Editing Three Witnesses (section)

=== Oliver Cowdery ===
[[File:Olivercowdery-sm.jpg|125px|thumbnail|right|{{center|[[Oliver Cowdery]]}}]]
[[Oliver Cowdery]] was a school teacher and an early convert to [[Mormonism]] who served as scribe while Smith dictated what he said was a translation of the Book of Mormon. Like Smith, who was a distant relative,<ref>Though the two had never met, Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith’s mother, [[Lucky Mack Smith]], shared a set of great-great-grandparents: John and Mehitabel Fuller, who lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the late 1600s. See {{cite book|author=Matthew O. Richardson|title=''Prelude to the Restoration: From Apostasy to the Restored Church''|chapter=The Road through Palmyra|publisher=Brigham Young University and Deseret Book|year=2004|pages=198–211|url=https://bhroberts.org/records/jpNwrg-4RxrKg/matthew_o_richardson_describes_oliver_cowderys_relationship_to_the_smith_family_notes_he_his_third_cousins_once_removed_with_js}}</ref> Cowdery was also a treasure hunter who had used a [[divining rod]] in his youth {{Citation needed|reason=I have only found sources referencing Cowdery's use of the divining rod to locate water, and have failed to find any sources supporting this claim of using a divining rod in finding treasure. If the claim is that Cowdery hunted for treasure and separately used a divining rod, please clarify in the wording |date=April 2024}}. Cowdery asked questions of the rod: if it moved, the answer was yes; if not, no.<ref>Palmer, 179: "Oliver Cowdery came from a similar background. He was a treasure hunter and 'rodsman' before he met Joseph Smith in 1829. William Cowdery, his father, was associated with a treasure-seeking group in Vermont, and it is from them, one assumes that Oliver learned the art of working with a divining rod. Joseph told Oliver that he knew the 'rod of nature' Oliver used 'has told you many things.'" See Vogel ''EMD'', 1: 599-621.</ref> Cowdery also told Smith that he had seen the golden plates in a vision before the two ever met.<ref>Palmer, 179; Dean C. Jessee, ed., ''The Papers of Joseph Smith: Autobiographical and Historical Writings'' (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989), I: 10.</ref>

Before Cowdery served as one of the Three Witnesses, he stated that he had already experienced two other important visions. Cowdery said that he and Smith had received the [[Aaronic priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Aaronic priesthood]] from [[John the Baptist]] in May 1829, after which they had baptized each other in the [[Susquehanna River]].<ref>''[[Messenger and Advocate]]'' (October 1834) pp. 14–16; Bushman, 74–75.</ref> Cowdery said that he and Smith later that year had gone into the forest and prayed "until a glorious light encircled us, and as we arose on account of the light, three persons stood before us dressed in white, their faces beaming with glory." Smith and Cowdery reported that one of the three persons stated he was the [[Peter the Apostle|Apostle Peter]] and named the others [[James, son of Zebedee|James]] and [[John the Beloved|John]]. The three laid their hands upon the heads of Cowdery and Smith and ordained them to the [[Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Melchizedek priesthood]].<ref>Charles M. Nielsen to Heber Grant, February 10, 1898, in Dan Vogel, ed., ''Early Mormon Documents'' (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1998) 2: 476.</ref>

By 1838, Cowdery and Smith had a number of disagreements, including doctrinal differences about the role of faith and works,<ref>Cowdery and Smith publicly argued about the wording of what is now [[Doctrine and Covenants]] 20:37. The dispute arose partially in part because as [[Assistant President of the Church|Second Elder]] in the Church of Christ, Cowdery had received parts of the revelation and was part author of the D&C 20. (see [[Articles of the Church of Christ]]). Cowdery's version of the revelation was worded differently than the version that was prepared for publication in 1835. Smith's version reads: "All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church." Cowdery's version reads: "Now therefore whosoever repenteth & humbleth himself before me & desireth to be baptized in my name shall ye baptize them ... if it so be that he repenteth & is baptized in my name then shall ye receive him & shall minister unto him of my flesh & blood but if he repenteth not he shall not be numbered among my people that he may not destroy my people." The discussion of how works and faith are intertwined in the repentance process proved to be a dividing factor between Smith and Cowdery during the printing of the Book of Commandments and later the Doctrine and Covenants. Bushman, 323, 347–48.</ref> the [[Kirtland Safety Society]],<ref>See excommunication charges against Cowdery in ''History of the Church'', 3: 16.</ref> and what Cowdery called Smith's [[Origin of Latter Day Saint polygamy#Before Smith's death|"dirty, nasty, filthy affair"]] with [[Fanny Alger]].<ref>Brodie, 182. The Cowdery quotation is from a letter to his brother. B. H. Roberts, ''New Witnesses for God'', 2: 308–09; ''[[Encyclopedia of Mormonism]]'' "Book of Mormon Witnesses"; Oliver Cowdery and ''History of the Church'', 3: 14–17.</ref> Smith's growing reliance on [[Sidney Rigdon]] as his first counselor<ref>Although Rigdon was Smith's counselor in the First Presidency, Cowdery was still an "[[Assistant President of the Church|associate president]]" or "assistant president" of the church and had more authority than Rigdon. However, David Whitmer was President of the Church in Zion, and Smith led the [[First Presidency]] and was president of the church outside of Zion. It is apparent that Cowdery had a difficult time with the rising influence of Rigdon and the authority of Whitmer. ''Encyclopedia of Mormonism'', "Cowdery, Oliver"; D. Michael Quinn, ''[[BYU Studies]]'', 16: 193.</ref> and differences over the management of finances during the gathering of the Latter Day Saints in [[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]] and [[Kirtland, Ohio|Kirtland]]<ref>''Encyclopedia of Mormonism'', "Cowdery, Oliver"</ref> as well as nine documented grievances, ultimately led to Cowdery's excommunication in April.<ref>''History of the Church'' 3: 16: "Wednesday, April 11, [1838]—Elder Seymour Brunson preferred the following charges against Oliver Cowdery, to the High Council at Far West: To the Bishop and Council of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I prefer the following charges against President Oliver Cowdery. "First—For persecuting the brethren by urging on vexatious law suits against them, and thus distressing the innocent. Second—For seeking to destroy the character of President Joseph Smith, Jun., by falsely insinuating that he was guilty of adultery. Third—For treating the Church with contempt by not attending meetings. Fourth—For virtually denying the faith by declaring that he would not be governed by any ecclesiastical authority or revelations whatever, in his temporal affairs. Fifth—For selling his lands in Jackson county, contrary to the revelations. Sixth--For writing and sending an insulting letter to President Thomas B. Marsh, while the latter was on the High Council, attending to the duties of his office as President of the Council, and by insulting the High Council with the contents of said letter. Seventh—For leaving his calling to which God had appointed him by revelation, for the sake of filthy lucre, and turning to the practice of law. Eighth—For disgracing the Church by being connected in the bogus business, as common report says. Ninth—For dishonestly retaining notes after they had been paid; and finally, for leaving and forsaking the cause of God, and returning to the beggarly elements of the world, and neglecting his high and holy calling, according to his profession."</ref> Cowdery also refused a [[high council (Latter Day Saints)|high council]] decision that he not sell lands on which he hoped to make a profit.<ref>Bushman, 323, 347–48.</ref>

After Cowdery's excommunication on April 12, 1838, he taught school, practiced law, and became involved in Ohio political affairs. He joined the Methodist church in [[Tiffin, Ohio]], and, according to a lay leader of that church, publicly declared that he was "ashamed of his connection with Mormonism."<ref>The following verse was published in ''[[Times and Seasons]]'' (1841), [http://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v2n18.htm 2: 482]: "Or does it prove there is no time,/Because some watches will not go?/...Or prove that Christ was not the Lord/Because that Peter cursed and swore?/Or Book of Mormon not His word/Because denied, by Oliver?" In 1881, both Cowdery's law partner and his adopted daughter testified that Cowdery had joined the Methodist church in Tiffin, Ohio in 1841 or 1842. In 1844, Cowdery was chosen secretary of "a meeting of Male Members of the Methodist Protestant Church of Tiffin, Ohio." G. J. Keen, a lay leader in that church, said that when joining the Methodist Church, Cowdery "arose and addressed the audience present, admitted his error and implored forgiveness, and said he was sorry and ashamed of his connection with Mormonism. He continued his membership while he resided in Tiffin and became superintendent of the Sabbath-school, and led an exemplary life while he resided with us." Charles Augustus Shook, [https://archive.org/details/trueoriginbookm00shoogoog/page/n77 <!-- quote=Cowdery "denied by Oliver". --> ''The True Origin of the Book of Mormon''] (Cincinnati: Standard Publishing Co., 1914) pp. 54–61.</ref> Later, Cowdery reaffirmed his role in the establishment of Mormonism, though he lost editorship of a newspaper as a result. In 1848, after Smith's assassination, Cowdery reaffirmed his witness to the [[golden plates]] and asked to be readmitted to the church. He never held another high office in the church, in part because he died sixteen months after his re-baptism.<ref>Randall Cluff, "Cowdery, Oliver" [http://www.anb.org/articles/08/08-02307.html American National Biography Online Feb. 2000].</ref>