Smith says the plates were heavier than wood and stone.

Date
Jun 8, 1884
Type
Speech / Court Transcript
Source
William Smith
Disaffected
Hearsay
Scribed Verbatim
Late
Reference

William Smith, Sermon, 8 June 1884; “The Old Soldier’s Testimony," Saints’ Herald 31, no. 40 (October 4, 1884): 643–644

Scribe/Publisher
The Saints' Herald
People
Joseph Smith, Jr., William Smith
Audience
General Public
Transcription

The time to receive the plates came at last. When Joseph received them, he came in and said: "Father, I have got the plates." All believed it was true, father, mother, brothers and sisters. You can tell what a child is. Parents know whether their children are truthful or not. The proof of the pudding is not in chewing the string, but in eating the pudding. Father knew his child was telling the truth. When the plates were brought in they were wrapped up in a tow frock. My father then put them into a pillow case. Father said, "What, Joseph, can we not see them?" "No. I was disobedient the first time, but I intend to be faithful this time; for I was forbidden to show them until they are translated, but you can feel them." We handled them and could tell what they were. They were not quite as large as this Bible. Could tell whether they were round or square. Could raise the leaves this way (raising a few leaves of the Bible before him). One could easily tell that they were not a stone, hewn out to deceive, or even a block of wood. Being a mixture of gold and copper, they were much heavier than stone, and very much heavier than wood.

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