Editing Three Witnesses (section)

=== David Whitmer ===
[[File:David Witmer.JPG|125px|thumbnail|right|{{center|[[David Whitmer]]}}]]
[[David Whitmer]] first became involved with Joseph Smith and the golden plates through his friend, Cowdery, and became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses because of his longevity. Whitmer gave various versions of his experience in viewing the golden plates. Although less credulous than Harris, Whitmer had his own visions and owned a [[seer stone (Latter Day Saints)|seer stone]].<ref>Palmer, 180–81, 193–94, 197–99.</ref> In 1829, before testifying to the truth of the golden plates, Whitmer reported that while traveling with Smith to his father's farm in Fayette, New York, they had seen a [[Nephite]] on the road who suddenly disappeared. Upon arrival at his father's house, they were "impressed" that the same Nephite was under the shed.<ref>''EMD'', 5: 10-11, Whitmer interview with Edward Stevenson, December 1877, ''EMD'' 5: 30-31.</ref>

Recounting the vision to [[Orson Pratt]] in 1878, Whitmer claimed to have seen not only the golden plates but the, [[Brass Plates]], "... the sword of Laban, the [[Liahona (Book of Mormon)|Directors]] and the [[Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)|Interpreters]]."<ref>David Whitmer interview with Orson Pratt, September 1878, in ''EMD'', 5: 43.</ref> On other occasions, Whitmer's vision of the plates seemed far less corporeal. When asked in 1880 for a description of the angel who showed him the plates, Whitmer said the angel "had no appearance or shape." Asked by the interviewer how he then could bear testimony that he had seen and heard an angel, Whitmer replied, "Have you never had impressions?" To which the interviewer responded, "Then you had impressions as the Quaker when the spirit moves, or as a good Methodist in giving a happy experience, a feeling?" "Just so," replied Whitmer.<ref>Whitmer interview with John Murphy, June 1880, in ''EMD'' 5: 63.</ref>

James Henry Moyle, a young Mormon lawyer, interviewed Whitmer in 1885 and asked if there was any possibility that Whitmer had been deceived. "His answer was unequivocal ... that he saw the plates and heard the angel with unmistakable clearness."  But Moyle went away "not fully satisfied .... It was more spiritual than I anticipated."<ref>Moyle diary, June 28, 1885 in ''EMD'' 5: 141.</ref>

In 1831, Whitmer moved with early Mormon believers to Kirtland, Ohio. In 1832, he followed the church to Jackson County, Missouri, and was named president of the church there though he had criticized Smith's more recent innovations. By December 1837, a movement led by Warren Parrish plotted to overthrow Smith and replace him with Whitmer. After the collapse of the Kirtland Bank, confrontation grew between the dissenters and those loyal to Smith. Whitmer, his brother [[John Whitmer|John]], Cowdery, and others were harassed by the [[Danites]], a secret group of Mormon vigilantes, and were warned to leave the county. Whitmer was formally excommunicated on April 13, 1838, and never rejoined the church.<ref name="anb.org">Michael J. Latzer, "Whitmer, David" [http://www.anb.org/articles/08/08-01645.html ''American National Biography Online'' Feb. 2000].</ref>

Whitmer moved to [[Richmond, Missouri]], where he ran a livery stable and became a civic leader. After Smith's assassination, Whitmer, like Martin Harris, briefly followed [[James Strang]], who had his own set of supernatural metal plates. Later, Whitmer organized his own splinter group based on his authority as one of the Three Witnesses and even later supported another group headed by his brother, John. In his pamphlet, "An Address to All Believers in Christ" (1887), Whitmer reaffirmed his witness to the golden plates,<ref>"I wish now, standing as it were, in the very sunset of life, and in the fear of God, once for all to make this public statement: 'That I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof, which has so long since been published with that Book, as one of the three witnesses. Those who know me best, will know that I have always adhered to that testimony. And that no man may be misled or doubt my present views in regard to the same, I do again affirm the truth of all of my statements, as then made and published." [http://www.thethreewitnesses.org/wst_page3.html ThreeWitness.org website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022195522/http://www.thethreewitnesses.org/wst_page3.html |date=2008-10-22 }}.</ref> but he also criticized Smith, including the introduction of [[plural marriage]]. "If you believe my testimony to the Book of Mormon, if you believe that God spake to us three witnesses by his own voice," wrote Whitmer, "then I tell you that in June, 1838, God spake to me again by his own voice from the heavens, and told me to 'separate myself from among the Latter Day Saints, for as they sought to do unto me, should it be done unto them.{{'"}}<ref>"An Address," 27, in ''EMD'', 5: 194.</ref> Nevertheless, Whitmer is regarded by Mormons as an "enduring witness to the genuineness of the prophet Joseph Smith and his message."<ref name="anb.org"/>