Harris affirms his testimony that he handled the plates.

Date
Aug 20, 1859
Type
News (traditional)
Source
Martin Harris
Excommunicated
Hearsay
Scribed Verbatim
Reprint
Reference

David B. Dille, statement, 15 September 1853, in "Additional Testimony of Martin Harris (One of the Three Witnesses) to the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon," Millennial Star 21, no. 34 (August 20, 1859): 545

Scribe/Publisher
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star
People
Martin Harris, David B. Dille, Joseph Smith, Jr.
Audience
Reading Public
Transcription

I then addressed Mr. Harris relative to his once high and exalted station in the Church, and his then fallen and afflicted condition. I afterwards put the following question to Mr. Harris, to which he severally replied with the greatest cheerfulness: — 'What do you think of the Book of Mormon? Is it a divine record?'

Mr. Harris replied and said—'I was the right-hand man of Joseph Smith, and I know that he was a Prophet of God. I know the Book of Mormon is true.' Then smiting his fist on the table, he said—'And you know that I know that it is true. I know that the plates have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice declared it unto us; therefore I know of a surety that the work is true. For,' continued Mr. Harris, 'did I not at one time hold the plates on my knee an hour-and-a-half, whilst in conversation with Joseph, when we went to bury them in the woods, that the enemy might not obtain them? Yes, I did. And as many of the plates as Joseph Smith translated I handled with my hands, plate after plate.['] Then describing their dimensions, he pointed with one of the fingers of his left hand to the back of his right hand and said, 'I should think they were so long, or about eight inches, and about so thick, or about four inches; and each of the plates was thicker than the thickest tin.'

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