EXTERNAL, EVIDENCES--TESTIMONY OF THE THREE WITNESSES--SUBSEQUENT LIFE
AND TESTIMONIES.
MARTIN HARRIS.
The experience of Martin Harris, with reference to his relations
with the Church was somewhat different from that of Oliver Cowdery
and David Whitmer. He was never excommunicated from the Church as
they were, but when there was a general movement of the Church from
Kirtland to Missouri, early in the summer of 1838--at which time the
Saints may be said to have abandoned Kirtland--Martin Harris remained
behind to live in Ohio, separated from the Church. It is evident, too,
that his mind became somewhat darkened; for after the martyrdom of
the Prophet Joseph, in 1844, when various persons arose claiming the
right of leadership in the Church, Martin Harris for a time supported
the claims of James J. Strang, and under the auspices of the latter's
pseudo-church organization, went to England on a mission, in 1846;
but he did not become very active in his missionary efforts, and soon
returned to Kirtland, where he resided for many years, up to 1870, in
fact. During all these years that he was separated from the Church,
years of much spiritual darkness for him respecting many things
pertaining to the great work of God, he nevertheless steadfastly
held to the truth of his testimony to the Book of Mormon. However
vascillating in other matters, in this he was firm and immovable. He
did see the angel; he did see the plates, and the attendant sacred
things; he was overshadowed by a glorious light, from the midst of
which he heard the voice of God saying that the record had been
translated by the gift and power of God. This testimony he never
denied, but reaffirmed it over and over again. Finally, like Oliver
Cowdery, he joined the Church and died in the faith. The circumstances
surrounding this last event of his life, briefly told, are as follows:
Elder Edward Stevenson, for many years a prominent traveling Elder of
the Church, and who a few years before his death was made a member
of the First Council of the Seventy--the third general quorum of the
Church--became especially interested in Martin Harris. Elder Stevenson,
when a boy in Michigan, in 1833, heard Martin Harris, who was on a
mission at that time, testify to the appearance of the angel and
his having seen the plates of the Book of Mormon. The testimony had
great effect on young Stevenson's mind; and when, in 1869--thirty-six
years later--he found Martin Harris living at Kirtland, naturally
his interest in the Witness revived. After Elder Stevenson returned
to Utah, from his eastern mission, he kept up a correspondence with
Martin Harris, and the latter finally expressed a wish to visit Utah
and rejoin his former associates. Elder Stevenson raised the means by
subscription, went east and brought back with him Mr. Harris, arriving
in Salt Lake on the 30th of August, 1870. [1] Mr. Harris addressed a
large gathering of Saints in Salt Lake City on the Sunday following,
September the 4th, reaffirming his testimony to the truth of the Book
of Mormon, a thing he did repeatedly, both before public assemblies and
in private conversation. He was received into the Church on renewing
his covenants in baptism and reconfirmation. After spending some time
in Salt Lake City, Mr. Harris moved to Smithfield, in Cache county,
Utah; and subsequently he moved to Clarkston, where he continued to
live at the home of his son, Martin Harris, Jr., until his death,
which occurred on the 10th of July, 1875. In these later years of his
life he continued to reaffirm his testimony to the truth of the Book
of Mormon. It was the one theme above all others which occupied his
mind and of which he loved to speak. A few hours before his death the
bishop of Clarkston, Simon Smith, called upon him, and as the bishop
drew near his bed the now aged Witness (he was in his ninety-third
year), stretched out his hand with the remark: "Bishop, I am going."
The Bishop, in answer, said he had something of importance to tell
him about the Book of Mormon, viz., that at the request of Indians in
Central America the Book of Mormon was about to be published in the
Spanish language. "Upon hearing this," says his son, Martin Harris,
Jr., in his letter describing the incident to George A. Smith, the
Church historian--"Upon hearing this, father brightened up, his
pulsation improved, and, although very weak, he began to talk as he
formerly had done previous to his sickness. He conversed for about two
hours, and it seemed that the mere mention of the Book of Mormon put
new life into him."
Speaking of his condition a little later--the day before his death, in
fact--his son says:
He has continued to talk about and testify to the truth of the Book
of Mormon, and was in his happiest mood when he could get somebody
to listen to his testimony; if he felt dull and weary at times,
and some one would come in and open up a conversation and give him
an opportunity of talking, he would immediately revive and feel
like a young man, for a little while. We begin to think he has
borne his last testimony. The last audible words he has spoken were
something about the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, but we could
not understand what it was. [2]
The next day, July 10th, 1875, he died.
Footnotes
1. See Stevenson's account of Harris' return to the Church, _Millennial
Star_, vol. 44, pp. 78, 86, 87.
2. _Deseret News_ (weekly) for July 28, 1875.