David Whitmer

David Whitmer ( January 7, 1805 * in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, † January 25, 1888 in Richmond, Missouri) was instrumental in the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as one of the three witnesses whose statement about the authenticity of the Book of Mormon in every copy is printed.

Life

David Whitmer was born on January 7, 1805 in the vicinity of Harrisburg, the son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Whitmer, born Musselmann. The family moved in 1809 to Fayette, New York, where she managed a large farm. The family learned by Oliver Cowdery Mormon from the work of Joseph Smith to translate the Book and believed in the divine order for this work. When the persecution in Harmony, Pennsylvania, too, was offered family Whitmer Joseph Smith and his scribe Oliver Cowdery for the final phase of this work on their farm as a place to live and additional support. Where the translation was completed in June 1829 and appointed in the same month David Whitmer, along with Martin Harris and Oliver Cowdery as the "three witnesses" whose testimony has since been found in every copy of the Book of Mormon.

In the same month, David Whitmer, Jr. received together with his brothers John and Peter. by Joseph Smith to spread the job, the new doctrine as missionaries.

When the church in 1831 from New York to Kirtland (Ohio ) moved and then to Jackson County ( Missouri), which was as Zion, as gathering place for the Saints, chosen, moved with family Whitmer. In July 1832 they were in the village of Kaw at the Big Blue River (now Kansas City ) settled. Differences with the other residents degenerated into violence, which led to the expulsion of the Saints from Jackson County in 1833. The Whitmer settled in the more northern Clay County ( Missouri) where, due to the increasing number of church members in 1834, a stake was organized, whose President David Whitmer.

1835 started off with David Whitmer, together with Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris on the basis of an earlier revelation of Joseph Smith (the three witnesses ) the first twelve apostles of the modern era from. After David Whitmer always had disagreements with Joseph Smith, he fell out with the Prophet finally in the wake of the turmoil around the Kirtland Safety Society of 1837. Already in February 1837 wanted him put on the top of the church defectors in place of Joseph Smith. He was born on April 13, 1838 excluded from the church on the grounds that he had the same spirit as the apostates.

As David Whitmer felt threatened his life by his former co-religionists, he left her and settled in Richmond, where he spent the rest of his life. Whitmer ran until his death in a Pferdemietstall and lived as a respected citizen, who has held numerous public offices. He worked in exhibition committees, was a town councilor and was elected mayor. David Whitmer died on January 25, 1888 in Richmond, and even testified on his deathbed that the Book of Mormon is a true scripture.

Witness of the Book of Mormon

Both the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as for their critic David Whitmer has above all an outstanding importance, since he was the only one of the three witnesses, who never returned to the church and the most to his experiences was questioned about the coming forth of the book of Mormon. There are numerous reports of such interviews is his most detailed brochure To all believers of 1887. Here he describes his rejection of many things that were done in the Church and the Joseph Smith decided, but maintains that he of the golden plates book of Mormon have seen real and that they are of divine origin.

President of the Church of Christ ( Whitmerite )

After the death of Joseph Smith in 1844 gathered some who did not agree with the leadership of Brigham Young, and founded in 1847 the Church of Christ ( Whitmerite ). As they remembered the former role of David Whitmer in the leadership of the church, they asked him to be their president. David Whitmer, but did not join the movement, and they broke up relatively quickly. Whitmer revived again in 1876 by ​​he summoned his nephew John C. Whitmer, an elder and earned him the title "first elder" lent. The last member of this community, died in 1961.