In the work of God, witnesses bear witness of witnesses. We are a people and Church and gospel that bears witness of truth as it is, as it was, as it will be.
Nephi saw the day when Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris would see his work and all of his fellow prophets. Nephi saw the mission of the Three Witnesses in the writing of Isaiah, and he bore witness of what Isaiah saw. (See 2 Ne. 27:12-14.)Nephi saw . . . Martin Harris' conversation with Professor Charles Anton: " . . . And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book and I will read them. And now for the glory of the world and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of God." (2 Ne. 27:15-16.)
What does the recent controversy over translating the Dead Sea Scrolls tell us about the academic temperament when it comes to translating ancient, valuable documents? Does prophetic scripture and the report of Martin Harris about his conversation with Charles Anthon bear up under a comparison with a modern parallel event?
It is now 50 years since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the best scholars in the academic world have not delivered the text to the public for the benefit of humankind. How long would it have taken for scholars to translate and publish the Book of Mormon from the golden plates if God had given them the job? It may be that we still would not have had the Book of Mormon. The young Prophet Joseph Smith, the businessman Martin Harris, and associates got the job done in less than three years.
"For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith." (2 Ne. 27:23.)
Now, isn't that interesting. "Faith" means to be steady. In the Church we become "steady in Jesus Christ." Miracles come by faith. . . .
The designs of the fault-finders will fail. (2 Ne. 27:33-35.)
Mormon knew by the Spirit of the Lord that the adversary would try to frustrate the work of translation. . . .
In Words of Mormon 1:5-7T we have one of the finest examples of the foreknowledge of God and how that knowledge works with the agency of men. Martin Harris and Joseph Smith desired that Martin take the 116 manuscript pages to show his family to their conversion and support of Martin's efforts. The Lord warned them. They insisted. The pages were stolen . . . were altered. . . .
