Did James Strang’s witnesses never deny their testimonies? Ep. 150

As Latter-day Saints know, none of the 11 official Book of Mormon witnesses ever denied their published testimony, even after separating from the Church and falling out with Joseph Smith. However, Latter-day Saint critics are quick to point out that none of James Strang’s witnesses ever directly deny their testimonies either. This causes some people to wonder, why should we believe the Book of Mormon witnesses, when Strang’s witnesses made similar claims which they never denied? In this episode, Dave explores this issue and sheds some valuable light on the situation.

Video transcript and additional notes: https://bit.ly/3HtKSUn

Contact the Strangites: https://bit.ly/2ZEVwaP
See some of our other videos on the Book of Mormon witnesses here: https://bit.ly/3q0gcVN
“James Strang’s Witnesses” via The CES Letter, a Closer Look: https://bit.ly/3mCMtA0
Strang biographer William Shepard series: https://bit.ly/2ZSvUHD
Historian D. Michael Quinn on Strang: https://bit.ly/3BBpMQT
“LDS Followers of Strang”, via The CES Letter, a Closer Look: https://bit.ly/3pS2Lai
“The Diary of James J. Strang” deciphered and transcribed by his grandson, Mark Strang: https://bit.ly/3BT32wK
Scans of original diary of James Strang: https://bit.ly/2XxJI9m
Facsimile and “translation” of Voree plates: https://bit.ly/3b2rEHH
Fairmormon’s treatment of this issue: https://bit.ly/2ZqT5bp / https://bit.ly/3CjphfE
“Chauncy Loomis” article in the Saints Herald (pg. 718-719): https://bit.ly/313xI0S
“Isaac F. Scott” article in the Saints Herald (pg. 831-833): https://bit.ly/313xI0S
Some Strangite apologetics (“Prophetic Controversy #4): https://bit.ly/315zeQ3

Notes:

— The closest thing I can find to a reaffirmation of testimony from any of Strang’s witnesses after leaving Strang’s church is this one, which appeared in the March 18, 1847 edition of “Zion’s Reville” (note that the testimony is not even about the plates, but about Strang himself):

“[Aaron Smith] came to us, and on Tuesday evening the ninth instant, testified to the fact of his (Strang’s) legal appointment, when this mighty angel [William E. McLellin] came down upon him with a flat contradiction, and in two days so completely converted him from that knowledge that he did not retain it, but on Thursday evening he confessed his error!” Source: https://bit.ly/3nCp54U

— Strang’s 4 witnesses were: Aaron Smith, Jirah B. Wheelan, James M. Van Nostrand, and Edward Whitcomb.

— Strang’s 7 witnesses were: Samuel Graham, Samuel P. Bacon, Warren Post, Phineas Wright, Albert N. Hosmer, Ebenezer Page, and Jehiel Savage.

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