Joseph
is commanded to write David Whitmer
and ask him to move them to Fayette,
New York. David Whitmer wants a
witness of the work. Three strangers
arrive and in an extraordinary fashion
finish all remaining farmwork. David
makes the trip to Harmony and gets
Joseph and Oliver. The translation
process continues in the home of
Peter Whitmer Sr.
End
of May to mid-June 1829
In
the meantime, Joseph was one hundred
and fifty miles distant in Pennsylvania
and knew not of the matter, except
through an intimation that was given
through the Urim and Thummim. One
morning as he applied it to his
eyes to look upon the record, instead
of the words of the book being given
to him, he was commanded to write
a letter to one David Whitmer, who
lived in Waterloo. [1] This
man Joseph had never seen, but he
was instructed to say to him that
he must come with his team immediately,
in order to convey Joseph and Oliver
back to his house, that they might
remain with him there until the
translation should be completed,
as an evil-designing people were
seeking to take away Joseph’s life
in order to prevent the work of
God from going forth among the world. [2] The letter was written and delivered,
and Mr. Whitmer showed it to his
father, mother, sisters, and brothers,
asking their advice as to what it
would be best for him to do.
His
father said, “Why, David, you know
you have sowed as much wheat as
you can harrow in tomorrow and the
next day, and then you have a quantity
of plaster of paris to spread that
is much needed on your land. You
cannot go unless you get an evidence
from God that it is very necessary.” [3]
This
suggestion pleased David, and he
asked the Lord for a testimony that
it was his will that he should go.
He was told by the voice of the
Spirit to harrow in his wheat, and
then go straightway to Pennsylvania.
The next morning David went to the
field and found that he had two
heavy days’ work before him. He
then asked the Lord to enable him
to do this work sooner than the
same work had ever been done on
the farm before — and he would receive
it as an evidence that it was God’s
will that he should do all in his
power to assist Joseph Smith in
the work in which he was engaged.
He then fastened his horses to the
harrow, and instead of dividing
the field into what is, by farmers,
usually termed bands, he drove round
the whole of it, continuing thus
till noon, when, on stopping for
dinner, he looked around, and discovered
to his surprise that he had harrowed
in full half the wheat. After dinner
he again went on as before, and
by evening he finished the whole
two days’ work.
When
he informed his father of the fact,
his father could not believe it
till he examined for himself and
ascertained that it was actually
true. “Well,” said his father, “there
must be some overruling power in
this thing, and I think you had
better go as soon as you get your
plaster of paris sown and bring
up the man with his scribe.”
To
this also David agreed. The next
morning, as soon as breakfast was
over, he took the half-bushel measure
under his arm and went out to the
place where he supposed the plaster
to be, as he knew exactly where
he had left it twenty-four hours
earlier. But when he came to look
for it, behold, it had entirely
disappeared! Every vestige of it
was gone from the spot where he
left it. He ran to his sister’s
house a few yards distant and inquired
if she knew what had become of it.
“Why?”
she said, in surprise. “Was it not
all spread yesterday?”
“Not
to my knowledge,” answered David.
“I
am astonished at that,” replied
his sister, “for the children came
to me in the forenoon and begged
of me to go out and see the men
sow plaster in the field, saying
that they never saw anybody sow
plaster so fast in their lives.
I accordingly went and saw three
men at work in the field, as the
children said, but, supposing that
you had hired some help on account
of your hurry, I went immediately
into the house and gave the subject
no further attention.”
David
made considerable inquiry in regard
to the matter, both among his relatives
and neighbors, but was not able
to learn who had done it. However,
the family were convinced that there
was an exertion of supernatural
power connected with this strange
occurrence.
David
immediately set out for Pennsylvania
and arrived there in two days, without
injuring his horses in the least,
though the distance was one hundred
and thirty-five miles. When he arrived,
he was under the necessity of introducing
himself to Joseph, as this was the
first time that they had ever met. [4]
I will
observe that the only acquaintance
that existed between the Smith and
Whitmer families was that formed
by Mr. Smith and myself, when, on
our way from Manchester to Pennsylvania
to visit Joseph, we stopped with
David overnight and gave him a brief
history of the record.
When
Joseph commenced making preparations
for his journey, he inquired of
the Lord to know how the plates
should be conveyed to their point
of destination. His answer was that
he should give himself no trouble
about that but commit them into
the hands of an angel for safety,
and after arriving at Mr. Whitmer’s
house, if he would repair immediately
to the garden, the angel would deliver
them up again into his hands.
Leaving
Emma behind to take charge of affairs,
Joseph, Oliver, and David Whitmer
started for Waterloo, where they
arrived after a short, pleasant
journey in health and fine spirits
for commencing anew on their labors.
On arriving at Waterloo, Joseph
received the record according to
promise. The next day, he and Oliver
resumed the work of translation,
which they continued without further
interruption until the whole work
was accomplished.
Notes
