Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)

Martin Harris ( born May 18, 1783 in Eastown, New York, † July 10, 1875 in Clarkston, Utah) played an important role in the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a financier of the Book of Mormon, and as one of the " three witnesses. "

Early years

Martin Harris was born on May 18, 1783, the son of Nathan Harris and Rhoda Lapham in Eastown in the former Albany County. With his parents he moved to Swift 's Landing in Ontario County, which was later called Palmyra. He married in 1808 his cousin Lucy Harris and served in the War of 1812 in the militia of the State of New York. He became the owner of 320 acres ( 130 hectares) of land in Palmyra.

Connection with Mormonism

After he had asked for religious seeker with several religious communities, he met Joseph Smith know. He believed in the prophetic mission of the young man and supported him financially and Mormon as scribe in the translation of the book.

Harris led Joseph Smith to copy some characters from the gold plates, which he, Harris, then went to New York City to have them checked by an expert, the philologist Professor Charles Anthon, on ihe authenticity. Harris reported that Anthon had issued him an acknowledgment that the characters were genuine Egyptian and that the translation is correct. When he got to know that the source of the characters, the gold plates were miraculously come into the possession of Joseph Smith that he had torn the confirmation. Later Anthon claimed that he had immediately recognized that we are dealing with a fake, and never issued a confirmation.

Since Lucy Harris looked at the time and financial commitment of her husband for the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon with indignation, wished to satisfy them by he wanted to show her the previously translated 116 pages, including Joseph Smith, after much hesitation, gave his consent to her husband. After Harris had the pages shown to a few friends, they were gone. The reaction to the loss was reflected in a revelation given to Joseph Smith received shortly afterwards, and in a ban, initially continue to translate. Finally, the work was resumed, but Martin Harris was not the writer.

In June 1829 Martin Harris was appointed one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon to be, their statement is found in every copy of the book.

The publication of the Book of Mormon was only possible because Martin Harris took over the cost of $ 3000 for the rest of 5000 and for 151 acres sold by his country.

Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris baptized April 6, 1830, the anniversary of the founding of the Church, and on June 9, 1830 he was ordained to the priesthood; after which he served in various leadership positions. In 1835 he chose due to an earlier revelation of Joseph Smith along with the other two witnesses, Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer the first twelve apostles of the modern era from.

In December 1837, Martin Harris was ruled out in the light of the turmoil in the Kirtland Kirtland Safety Society of the church.

The late years

1842 Harris was baptized again and again so that a member of the church. In the years after the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, Harris joined temporarily to various factions. Missionaries from Utah visited him several times on their way to the east and Harris testified to the reality of the gold plates and reiterated his testimony as it is printed in the Book of Mormon. Martin Harris felt torn and said, at the urging of his second wife, Caroline, he wanted to go to Utah, did not do so. Finally, they persuaded him to move to Nebraska to be near her sister. Martin Harris himself separated from his wife in 1856 and returned to Kirtland. It was not until 1870 did he move to pull into the Utah Territory and to live in the house of his son and daughter in Clarkston in Cache County. In the same year he was received by baptism into the church again. He died after he had repeatedly confirmed that he had seen the golden plates and the angel had testified that the Book of Mormon was true, surrounded by his family on July 10, 1875.