Elder Joshua Davis, of Provo, called at this office a few days since, having just returned from a mission in the east, upon which he left last December. He went to Missouri and visited and labored in Caldwell, Clay, Ray, Davis and several other counties which were wholly or partially settled by Latter-day Saints in the early history of the Church. . . .

On the 21st of last month, March, Elder Davis visited Mr. John Whitmer, at Far West, formerly a member of the Church and one of the eight witnesses whose names are attached to the Book of Mormon. Mr. Davis stayed with Mr. Whitmer one night and part of two days. During the visit the two gentlemen spent most of their time in conversation about Mormonism, in the course of which Mr. Whitmer, with uplifted hand, declared—“I, with my own eyes, saw the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, and I also saw an angel who witnessed to the truth of the Book of Mormon.["] . . .

The Messrs. David and John Whitmer left the church in 1838 in consequence of the terrible persecution of the Saints and their expulsion from the State of Missouri. . . . Since that time Mr. John Whitmer has become an extensive proprietor, and now resides upon his property in the City of Far West, and we understand that he has never failed to bear testimony of the validity of the Book of Mormon whenever opportunity has presented.