1
Near the time of the setting of the sun, Sabbath evening, April 5, 1829, my natural eyes, for the first time, beheld this brother.
2
He then resided in Harmony, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania.
3
On Monday, the sixth, I assisted him in arranging some business of a temporal nature, and on Tuesday, the seventh, commenced to write the Book of Mormon.
4
These were days never to be forgotten: to sit under the sound of a voice, dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom!
5
Day after day I continued uninterrupted, to write from his mouth as he translated with the Urim and Thummin,
6
Or, as the Nephites would have said, “Interpreters,” the history or record called the Book of Mormon.
7
¶ During the progress of this translation, that is from the beginning of April until sometime in June, it was discovered, in the work itself, that there were to be three witnesses to whom the Gold Plates should be shown,
8
And who were to testify concerning their origin and translation by inspiration, or, as it was expressed: By the gift and power of God.
9
Joseph Smith Jr. stated that he had been forbidden to show the plates to anyone except as thus provided.
10
¶ I must admit to you that I am the very Oliver Cowdery whose name is attached to the testimony, with others, as to the appearance of the Angel Moroni;
11
And as I cannot now avoid the responsibility, let me tell you that it is not because of my good deeds that I am here, away from the body of the Mormon Church,
12
But because I have broken the covenants I once made, and I was cut off from the Church,
13
But I have never denied my testimony, which is attached to the Book of Mormon,
14
And I declare to you here that these eyes saw the angel, and these ears of mine heard the voice of the angel, and he told us his name was Moroni;
15
That the book was true, and contained the fullness of the Gospel,
16
And we were also told that if we ever denied what we had heard and seen that there would be no forgiveness for us, neither in this world nor in the world to come.
17
¶ I do not, I have never asked, to be excused, or exempted from an acknowledgment of any actual fault or wrong—for of these there are many, which it always was my pleasure to confess—
18
I have cherished a hope, and that one of my fondest, that I might leave such a character as those who might believe in my testimony, after I should be called hence, might do so,
19
Not only for the sake of the truth but might not blush for the private character of the man who bore that testimony.
20
I have been sensitive on this subject, I admit, but I ought to so be,
21
You would be under the circumstances, had you stood in the presence of John with our departed Brother Joseph, to receive the lesser priesthood,
22
And in the presence of Peter, to receive the greater, and looked down through time, and witness the effects these two must produce—
23
You would feel what you have never felt, were wicked men conspiring to lessen the effects of your testimony on man, after you should have gone to your long sought rest.
Note
Oliver never saw Joseph with the Urim and Thummim, as they were not returned by Moroni, thus what he called the Urim and Thummim was actually one of Joseph’s seer stones.