History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day...

2. Martin Harris, who subsequently became one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, was born in East-town, Saratoga county, New York, on the 18th of May, 1783. When in his ninth year his father moved with his family into Palmyra, Wayne county, so that man and boy Martin Harris had lived in Palmyra some thirty-six years. He had amassed a considerable property in lands, and had established a reputation for business reliability.

3. In a letter to E. D. Howe, of Painesville, Ohio, who published a book against the Church in 1834, Professor Anthon acknowledged the visit of Martin Harris to him and the presentation of the characters in question. He states, however, that Harris, whom he describes as "a plain, apparently simple-hearted farmer," presented him with a note from Dr. Samuel L. Mitchell, of New York, requesting him (Anthon) to decipher, if possible, a paper which the "farmer" would hand to him. The call on Dr. Mitchell, alluded to in Martin Harris' statement above, must, therefore, have referred to a second visit to Dr. Mitchell, after his adventure with Professor Anthon. The latter's communication to Howe bears the date of February 17th, 1834, and is published in extenso in Smucker's History of the Mormons, pp. 37-39.

5. 5. This revelation, which appears as section 10 in the Doctrine and Covenants is there dated May, 1829. This is clearly an error. The Prophet's words in the text above can lead to but one conclusion, namely, that this was the first revelation he received after the plates and the Urim and Thummim were finally restored to him and this, he says, was only "a few days" after he had received the previous revelation, which, indeed, refers to the same subject as this one. The latter was, therefore, in all probability, received in August or September, 1828.