Two Testimonies of the Book of Mormon

The Testimonies of the Three Witnesses and Eight Witnesses, recorded at the beginning of the Book of Mormon, are quite different in their focus and I believe represent two different types of testimonies of the book.  The Testimony of the Eight Witnesses focuses on the reality of the plates themselves.  They declared that Joseph Smith “has shown 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 also we saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship.”  Their witness was that the plates were real, the writings upon them appeared genuine, and that Joseph Smith’s story of having an ancient record written upon plates was true.  This focus on the physical reality of the plates makes sense because that’s the experience that they had: “The eight men gathered at a spot where the Smith family often went to pray privately. With the Lord’s permission Joseph uncovered the plates and showed them to the group.  They did not see an angel as the Three Witnesses had, but Joseph let them hold the record in their hands, turn its pages, and inspect its ancient writing.”  It was not so much a spiritual experience as it was a physical confirmation that the plates were real and as far as they could tell were genuine.    

               The Testimony of the Three Witnesses, on the other hand, was a much more powerful spiritual witness of not just the reality of the plates but the truthfulness of the book.  Unlike the eight witnesses, their focus on the physical aspects of the plates was minimal.  They mentioned plates and engravings, but did not give physical details about them being gold or the writings being curious or having leaves they could handle.  More than just corroborating Joseph’s account about the existence of plates, their witness was far greater: they had heard the voice of God that the translation of the book was true.  They declared, “We also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true.”  They emphasized again, “We know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true…. We bear testimony of these things.”  The eight witnesses focused on Joseph for it was he who showed them the plates; the three witnesses, on the other hand, did not even mention Joseph and focused on where their witness came from: God.  The eight witnesses’ only reference to Deity was at the end, stating, “We lie not, God bearing witness of it.”  The three witnesses referred to “the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ” twice, the “power of God” twice, the fact that the “voice of the Lord” commanded them to bear record, and gave a testimony of the need to be “faithful in Christ” for one day they would stand “before the judgment-seat of Christ” and could “dwell with him eternally in the heavens.”  Theirs was a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the reality of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. 

               I believe these two testimonies represent two types of witnesses we can each seek for of the Book of Mormon.  That of the eight witnesses really is a confirmation of the plausibility of Joseph’s story: the plates were real, the engravings looked ancient, and everything in his story seemed to tie out.  We might gain similar witnesses by finding evidences of Hebraisms such as chiasmus in the Book of Mormon, or confirming that certain details are consistent with the archeology of Mesoamerica, or by appreciating the incredible complexity of the book far beyond the reach of anything a young boy steeped in 19^th century American culture could ever write.  Those are all evidences worthy of consideration and which help confirm that the book came from exactly where Joseph said it came from.  But a more powerful and important witness is the one that Moroni invited to obtain at the end of the book: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 10:4).  The three witnesses received that kind of testimony directly from God and that is the type of spiritual witness that we should similarly seek.  Our only sure witness, more than handling the plates themselves like the eight witnesses, is to hear the voice of God declaring to us the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The three witnesses did actually hear a physical voice from God; we may only hear the voice of the Holy Ghost speak to our souls, but its power is the same.  And with that divine witness it will lead us likewise to focus on our Savior and to strive to “be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ” to “dwell with him eternally in the heavens.”