Martin Harris

Most Mormons are familiar with Martin Harris's involvement in the early days of the Restoration, but some aspects of the story should receive more attention. Here's my take. 

The plates were given to 21-year-old Joseph on September 22nd, 1827. He began translating them about two months later, in late December [1], with help from his pregnant wife, Emma, and close friend, Martin Harris, who were his scribes.

Emma was his first scribe from the beginning, and Martin stepped in for her on April 12th, 1828, a few months later. 

It's helpful to know the date Martin stepped in for Emma because, as it turns out, this was when she entered her third trimester. Evidently, help was needed, and Martin could be trusted to assist in the work and be close to the family during this time. 

On June 14th, after translating nearly every day and completing 116 pages, the work needed to stop. Emma is now about to give birth. 

As Martin prepares to leave, he asks Joseph to take the 116 pages to show his wife and family, promising to return them. At first, the Lord's answer to Martin was 'no.' But because Martin kept asking and Joseph kept accommodating, the Lord permitted their request. This would prove to be a hard lesson for Joseph because, as we know, he had the Urim, Thummim, and plates taken away for a time for not listening to the Lord's first answers. 

However, something much more tragic than yielding those ancient artifacts occurs that some people aren't aware of. On June 15th, 1828, the day after Martin leaves, Emma gives birth to their first child, a baby boy. Unfortunately, their son died that same day. For this, we turn to Lucy Smith's History: 

Shortly after Martin left, Emma became the mother of a son; but it remained with her but a short time for it was soon snatched from its mother's arms by the hand of death. And the mother for some time seemed more like sinking with her infant into the mansion of the dead, than remaining with her husband among the living: her situation was such, that for two weeks Joseph slept not an hour in undisturbed quiet: at the expiration of this time, she began to recover. and continued to amend until her health was restored. (Lucy Mack Smith, History, Ch. 25, p. 127).

You can imagine Joseph's state of mind. Within one to two days, he had the Urim, Thummim, and plates taken, as well as experiencing the death of his first child, and he almost lost his wife [2]. Now, it's about to get worse. Martin will confess the 116 pages were taken while in his custody.

We have no indication that Martin knew about the loss of the child when he made his confession, so when Martin did confess to what happened, little did he know the proper level of disappointment Joseph was feeling. Remember, Martin was a trusted friend and fellow laborer in the work. How hard it must have been for Joseph to hear of this from a friend who could have comforted him during this time. Lucy Smith again recounts:

Martin pressed his hands upon his temples and cried out in a tone of anguish Oh! I have lost my soul I have lost my soul. Joseph who had smothered his fears till now sprang from the table exclaiming Oh! Martin have you lost that manuscript! have you broken your oath and brought down condemnation upon my head as well as your own yes replied Martin it is gone and I know not where— Oh! My God My God said Joseph clenching his hands together all is lost is lost what shall I do I have sinned it is me that tempted the wrath God by asking him to that which I had no right to ask as I was differently instructed by the angel— and he wept and groaned walking the floor continualy at last he told martin to go back to his house and search again— No said Mr Harris it is all in vain for I have looked in every place in the house I have even ripped open beds and pillows and I know it is not there Then must I said Joseph return to my wife with such a tale as this I dare not do it least I should kill her at once and how shall I appear before the Lord of what rebuke am I not worthy from the the Angel of the most high. (Lucy Mack Smith, History, Book 7, p. 6).

Although Emma was not present for this, it's not unreasonable to suppose Martin felt he was letting her down as well. Remember, she shared in the work of scribing with him. In fact, between the two, Martin acknowledged that Emma scribed about two-thirds of the 116 pages, while he only did about one-third [3]. He didn't just lose his work; he lost hers. From this moment on, Martin would no longer scribe.

Three months later, on September 22nd, Joseph got all the artifacts back and resumed translating.

Six months after this, on April 7th, 1829, Joseph is introduced to Oliver Cowdrey, who becomes his new friend and scribe. One month after their introduction, Joseph and Oliver obtained the authority and power from heaven to baptize, among other promises. By the end of June, the translation of the Book of Mormon was complete. Things are looking good again. 

Lucy Smith and her husband informed Martin that the translation was complete, and he was eager to learn more. He felt that seeing the finished product would somehow ease the sting of the past year's guilt, so they left to visit Joseph and Oliver immediately. 

Soon after their arrival, not only does Martin see the finished transcription, but the Lord informs him that he, Oliver, and another friend, David Whitmer, will be allowed to behold the plates and gain a witness of them. What a fantastic display of God's mercy and justice. Martin lost the 116 pages, which caused Joseph to lose his visionary relics. Now, God is going to allow him to behold both of those things. Here's what Joseph tells us about the whole experience:

Not many days after the above commandment was given, we four, namely Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and myself, agreed to retire into the woods and try to obtain by fervent and humble prayer the fulfillment of the promises given in this revelation: that they should have a view of the plates, etc. [...] According to the previous arrangement, I commenced by vocal prayer to our Heavenly Father and was followed by each of the rest in succession. We did not yet obtain any answer or manifestation of the divine favor on our behalf. We again observed the same order of prayer, each calling on and praying fervently to God in rotation, but with the same result as before. Upon this our second failure, Martin Harris proposed that he would withdraw himself from us, believing as he expressed himself that his presence was the cause of our not obtaining what we wished for. He accordingly withdrew from us and we knelt down again, and had not been many minutes engaged in prayer when presently we beheld a light above us in the air of exceeding brightness. And behold, an angel stood before us. In his hands he held the plates which we had been praying for these to have a view of. He turned over the leaves one by one, so that we could see them and discern the engravings thereon distinctly. He addressed himself to David Whitmer and said, David, blessed is the Lord, and he that keeps his commandments; when immediately afterward, we heard a voice from out of the bright light above us, saying, These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear. I now left David and Oliver and went in pursuit of Martin Harris, who I found at a considerable distance, fervently engaged in prayer. He soon told me, however, that he had not yet prevailed with the Lord, and earnestly requested me to join him in prayer, that he also might realize the same blessings which we had just received. We accordingly joined in prayer and ultimately obtained our desires. For before we had yet finished, the same vision was opened to our view — at least it was again to me, and I once more beheld, and seen, and heard the same things — while at the same moment Martin Harris cried out, apparently in an ecstasy of joy, 'Tis enough, 'tis enough! Mine eyes have beheld, mine eyes have beheld! And jumping up he shouted, Hosanna! — blessing God, and otherwise rejoiced exceedingly. (Joseph Smith History 15:16-18).

Although this was a fantastic experience, I want to focus this last part of my post on their group prayer. 

If you were Martin Harris, what would make you withdraw if God approved of you being there [4]? One obvious answer might be that he still felt the guilt from one year ago. Another answer might be that he was embarrassed to be around men who were reconciled to God and one another, while he was not, which is a shadow and type of hell (TPJS, p. 198). 

Whatever the reason, Joseph does something the other two men did not - he returns to Martin. As the account above informs us, because of Joseph, Martin was able to have the vision. That is very important. 

What about Joseph's presence made this possible? My two primary thoughts are (1) when someone is fully reconciled to God, they help others experience things they wouldn't on their own. Many claim they do not need others to connect to heaven but fail to understand why God sends servants in the first place. He didn't do it because it was an 'Old Testament' thing but because God knows normal people need help. This is why he will always send servants until his return. (2) although Martin stepped away from their type of prayer circle, Joseph was closing another circle of their own. I believe that at this moment, between Joseph and Martin, a fuller forgiveness and healing took place. 

Joseph was not inclined to hold grudges. He was a better, more intelligent, and charitable man than most, which could intimidate those in the dark. Instead of being overbearing, he approached Martin and brought him in. Joseph suffered greatly in the past year, but that did not stop him from modeling Christ to those around him, which is the very essence of being a disciple of Jesus (John 9:5). 

Most critics of Joseph lazily, or worse, deliberately, leave out the sufferings he endured as a part of his ministry. We know that, in addition to the losses discussed in this post, he was tarred and feathered, imprisoned, starved, beaten, driven from state to state, and ultimately murdered because of his claims. Yet, whom did he not forgive? Whom did he not love? No one. 

Even before the more brutal sufferings that he would later go through, we can see that just in the first year or two after having the plates, he endured more than most would have been willing to put up with had they received even a lesser task from the Lord. 

I publish this post on the anniversary of the death of Joseph's firstborn child. This is my way of saying thank you. Thank you for leaving us a History to read. Thank you for continuing with the translation despite the betrayal of friends and associates, the setback of losing the first 116 pages, losing a child, almost losing your Elect Lady, and feeling chastisement from God. Thank you for coming back to Martin, the first person you worked with outside of your family. Thank you for showing the world what a true friend looks like and for being a friend of God. We are the better for it. 

For those who don't know, Joseph and Emma named their first son Alvin, which means "Noble Friend."

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[1] - It would be interesting to know if he began translating on or around the Winter Solstice, a symbol of increased light returning to the world.

[2] - There needs to be some clarity about when Joseph had the Urim, Thummim, and gold plates taken. Some say it was when the Lord allowed Martin to have the 116 pages. Some say when they were lost. I won't make the case for why I think it's when Martin was given the 116 pages in this post, but that's my position, and I may make the case later. 

[3] - This information comes from Martin's interview later in his life (Saints Herald, May 24th, 1884, 324, quoted in MacKay and Dirkmaat, From Darkness unto Light, 91.)

[4] - Latter-day Saints will recognize the importance of leaving the group if they've been through the LDS Endowment.