An Address to Believers in the Book of Mormon

An Address to Believers in the Book of Mormon is yet another pamphlet I own, this one written by David Whitmer (one of the three witnesses). I assumed this would be an official declaration of his testimony of the Book of Mormon (he died one year after this pamphlet was published in 1887). What I read was not quite what I expected.

While this pamphlet did affirm Whitmer's testimony of and belief in the Book of Mormon, it was actually mostly a defense of his decision to not unite with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nor the "Reorganized Church." The reasons he gives are often without foundation, and even contradictory. Here is just an example:

He says that the Church did not remain the way it was supposed to be. He deplored the calling of high priests, stating it was not part of the original church organization, nor part of the original revelations. He also says that Joseph Smith was only called to be a translator of the Book of Mormon, and he took the church leadership upon himself when he wasn't supposed to. However, in another place, Whitmer admits he believes the revelations contained in the Book of Commandments when these revelations talk about Joseph's calling to be the First Elder of the Church and for members of the Church to obey the words from his mouth as if from the Lord's own mouth.

Sadly, more than anything, this pamphlet just shows how blind one can become when they fall from light and truth.