4 Times Angels Appeared to Other People Precisely When Joseph Smith Said They Would

How many prophets have there been in the world? The Bible gives a good account of loads of them, of course. As does the Book of Mormon. You can find mentions of lost prophets in both. What about real prophets whose writings were lost without a Biblical mention? The point is, there have been dozens if not hundreds (if not thousands) of real, bonafide God-fearing prophets in the history of our sweet, sweet planet. You can’t count them. They are, as they say in preschools for the heavily dyslexic, uncountable.

I know of a group which is more populous than they. False prophets. Oh yeah – there’s loads of the fakes – all claiming revelation if not divine visitation. Sometimes nobody is fooled. Sometimes scores fall for it. William Miller said Christ was coming again on October 22, 1844. This created quite a bit of excitement. Thousands awaited the day and nothing happened. People were absolutely despondent. It’s now known as the Great Disappointment. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Disappointment)

Harold Camping said the same event would happen on May 21, 2011. It didn’t happen, obviously, but if it had Camping would no doubt be considered a great prophet with high-fives and thumbs ups raining down on him everywhere he went. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/harold-camping-apologizes-rapture-predictions_n_1069520.html)

Now on to Joseph Smith. We’re not talking about second coming predictions here, but of successful predictions of angelic visitation at specific times. Just think about this for a second. Ol’ Joe Smith told people they would see angels, when they would see angels – and then those people saw heavenly, glory-riddled angels at the exact right place and time. In 3 of the four instances the people were with Smith when the heavens opened and they got paid a visit. In one of the times the person was alone (mostly).

Enough intro! Here’s the list!

1)This first one is a gimme. It’s printed on the front pages of the Book of Mormon. Here I’ll list lesser known accounts of this visit. This visitation has three witnesses – David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith.

Keep in mind that up until this time Joseph had been translating the Book of Mormon from ancient metal plates that had the appearance of gold. No one else (almost no one else) had been permitted to see these plates until this point. Smith said an angel would show up with the plates to verify their authenticity. A bold claim. Ironically – for this first angelic-visitee, if the angel didn’t show up it wouldn’t have mattered that much. Cowdery had already seen 4 angels (at least) with Joseph. I know. More bold claims. Here was Cowdery’s response to a skeptic who thought he may have been mistaken:

"It was a clear, open beautiful day, far from any inhabitants, in a remote field, at the time we saw the record, of which it has been spoken, brought and laid before us, by an angel, arrayed in glorious light, [who] ascend [descended I suppose] out of the midst of heaven.” (https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Source:_Oliver_Cowdery_literal_experience_quotes)

But Oliver wasn’t the only witness there that day! David Whitmer was there too. Whitmer may be the most interesting of the witnesses. He lived the longest, you see. Long enough to see various publications put in print that he or the other witnesses had eventually denied the angelic visitation took place. That didn’t sit well with him:

“It having been represented . . . that I, in a conversation with [John Murphy] last summer, denied my testimony as one of the three witnesses to the “Book of Mormon.””

“To the end, therefore, that he may understand me now, if he did not then; and that the world may know the truth, I wish now, standing as it were, in the very sunset of life, and in the fear of God, once for all to make this public statement:

“That I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof, which has so long since been published with that Book, as one of the three witnesses. Those who know me best, well know that I have always adhered to that testimony. And that no man may be misled or doubt my present views in regard to the same, I do again affirm the truth of all my statements, as then made and published.” (David Whitmer, in Edward Stevenson, letter to Salt Lake Herald (21 January 1878); cited in Dan Vogel (editor), Early Mormon Documents (Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 1996–2003), 5 vols, 5:34)

There we see Whitmer perturbed at someone saying he’d ever backed off his claim. Fighting mad, really. If he had laser eyes he may just have used them. Missile fingers, too.

Although in that quote above we see him reaffirming his past testimony – it doesn’t use the word angel anywhere. So here’s this, also from Whitmer:

“I was plowing in my field, when I heard a voice saying, 'Blessed is the name of the Lord and those that keep his commandments.' After I had plowed one more round, the prophet and Oliver Cowdery came along, and said, 'Come and be one of the witnesses.' We passed through a clearing and sat on a log. While there, a light appeared, which grew brighter, until an angel stood before them with the plates and other things. The angel turned the leaves so that we could see the engravings, etc. We then heard a voice, saying that those things were true and that the translation was correct. This was about 11 o'clock a.m." (David Whitmer, in Edward Stevenson, letter to Salt Lake Herald (21 January 1878); cited in Dan Vogel (editor), Early Mormon Documents (Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 1996–2003), 5 vols, 5:34.)

Martin Harris was almost a part of that visitation. The four men present initially prayed, waited, prayed, waited… you get it. Harris felt the lack of visitation was due to his own unworthiness so he excused himself. The others then almost immediately saw the angel.

That doesn’t mean Harris was out of luck. When Moroni left Smith, Cowdery and Whitmer, Smith went in search of Harris and found him deep in prayer. We start with the conclusion of the vision just discussed:

“Joseph Smith then concerned himself with Martin Harris, who had departed from them: “I now left David and Oliver, and went in pursuit of Martin Harris, whom 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 opened to me, and I once more beheld and heard the same things; whilst 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.” (History of the Church, 1:55.)

That actually paints quite a picture. Now to hear it in Martin Harris’ own words:

“Young man, do you see that sun shining through that window? Just so sure as that sun shines and gives us light by day, and the moon and stars give us light by night, just so sure I know the Book of Mormon is true. For I saw the angel, I heard the <his> voice, I saw and handled the plates upon which the Book of Mormon was written; and by the power and influence of the Holy Ghost, the translation was made by the Prophet Joseph Smith, whom I know by the power and gift of the Holy Ghost, was a true Prophet of God....” (Martin Harris to W.H. Homer in December 1869, in William Harrison Homer, "Testimony given by Brother W.H. Homer, January 3, 1922, 5:15 P.M., at 2522 No. Kodaio Blvd., Chicago, the 
home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr and Mrs. Merrill O. Maugh<an>," LDS Church Archives; in Dan Vogel (editor), Early Mormon Documents (Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 
1996–2003), 5 vols, 2:314.)

Those two examples were easy. They are mentioned often in Mormon circles. These next two are not. Oliver Cowdery makes a repeat appearance here. So does Joseph Smith. We do have a new comer though - Zebedee Coltrin.

In 1883 Zebedee Cotrin was still alive. The church leaders of the time invited him in to a meeting to put his stories in writing so they wouldn’t be lost and decay with his bones. Here’s Mr. Coltrin’s story:

Once after returning from a mission, he [Zebedee Coltrin] met Brother Joseph in Kirtland, who asked him if he did not wish to go with him to a conference at New Portage. The party consisted of Presidents Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery and myself [Zebedee Coltrin]. Next morning at New Portage, he noticed that Joseph seemed to have a far off look in his eyes, or was looking at a distance and presently he, Joseph, stepped between Brothers Cowdery and Coltrin and taking them by the arm, said, "Let's take a walk." They went to a place where there was some beautiful grass and grapevines and swampbeech interlaced. President Joseph Smith then said, "Let us pray." They all three prayed in turn--Joseph, Oliver, and Zebedee. Brother Joseph then said, "Now brethren, we will see some visions." Joseph lay down on the ground on his back and stretched out his arms and the two brethren lay on them. The heavens gradually opened, and they saw a golden throne, on a circular foundation, something like a light house, and on the throne were two aged personages, having white hair, and clothed in white garments. They were the two most beautiful and perfect specimens of mankind he ever saw. Joseph said, "They are our first parents, Adam and Eve." Adam was a large, broad-shouldered man, and Eve as a woman, was large in proportion. (http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/ZebC.html)

That’s three for three so far, right? Four for three, really. That last one had Adam and Eve. That’s a strong showing. For the three instances printed above, Joseph Smith was always in company. But one Mary Lightner had her experience all alone (mostly).

Her story has its roots in the beginnings of polygamy. Joseph Smith approached her to be sealed to him for eternity, but not for this life. It’s a little long but its worth it. This is from Mary Lightner’s autobiography:

“…I had been dreaming for a number of years I was [Joseph Smith’s] wife. I thought I was a great sinner. I prayed to God to take it from me for I felt it was a sin; but when Joseph sent for me he told me all of these things. "Well," said I, "don't you think it was an angel of the devil that told you these things?" Said he, "No, it was an angel of God. God Almighty showed me the difference between an angel of light and Satan's angels. The angel came to me three times between the years of 1834 and 1842 and said I was to obey that principle or he would slay me. "But," said he, "they called me a false and fallen prophet but I am more in favor with my God this day than I ever was in all my life before. I know that I shall be saved in the Kingdom of God. I have the oath of God upon it and God cannot lie; all that he gives me I shall take with me for I have that authority and that power conferred upon me."

Well, I talked with him for a long time and finally I told him I would never be sealed to him until I had a witness. Said he, "You shall have a witness." Said I, "If God told you that, why does he not tell me?" He asked me if I was going to be a traitor. "I have never told a mortal and shall never tell a mortal I had such a talk from a married man," said I. "Well," said he, "pray earnestly for the angel said to me you should have a witness." Well, Brigham Young was with me. He said if I had a witness he wanted to know it. "Why should I tell you?" said I. "Well," said he, "I want to know for myself." Said he, "Do you know what Joseph said? Since we left the office the angel appeared to him and told him he was well pleased with him and that you should have a witness."

To catch up here – Joseph told Mary Lightner that an angel appeared to him 3 times from 1834 – 1842 telling him, ultimately, if Smith didn’t institute polygamy he would be struck down. It sounds like a bad line, really. Lightner thought so too. That’s why she told him, in essence, if an angel tells you he can tell me too. Smith is unshaken, telling her to pray for her witness. After this conversation Joseph claimed the angel appeared to him yet again saying Lightner would get her witness.

In Lightner’s own words again:

I made it a subject of prayer and I worried about it because I did not dare to speak to a living being except Brigham Young. I went out and got between three haystacks where no one could see me. As I knelt down I thought, why not pray as Moses did? He prayed with his hands raised. When his hands were raised, Israel was victorious, but when they were not raised, the Philistines were victorious. I lifted my hands and I have heard Joseph say the angels covered their faces. I knelt down and if ever a poor mortal prayed, I did. A few nights after that an angel of the Lord came to me and if ever a thrill went through a mortal, it went through me. I gazed upon the clothes and figure but the eyes were like lightning. They pierced me from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. I was frightened almost to death for a moment. I tried to waken my aunt, but I could not. The angel leaned over me and the light was very great, although it was night. When my aunt woke up she said she had seen a figure in white robes pass from our bed to my mother's bed and pass out of the window.

Notice the aunt saw the angel too. Now, do you think Lightner was able to tell Joseph about the angelic visit before the angel did? You’d be wrong:

“Joseph came up the next Sabbath. He said, "Have you had a witness yet?" "No." "Well," said he, "the angel expressly told me you should have." Said I, "I have not had a witness, but I have seen something I have never seen before. I saw an angel and I was frightened almost to death. I did not speak." He studied a while and put his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. He looked up and said, "How could you have been such a coward?" Said I, "I was weak." "Did you think to say, `Father, help me?'" "No." "Well, if you had just said that, your mouth would have been opened for that was an angel of the living God. He came to you with more knowledge, intelligence, and light than I have ever dared to reveal." I said, "If that was an angel of light, why did he not speak to me?" "You covered your face and for this reason the angel was insulted." Said I, "Will it ever come again?" He thought a moment and then said, "No, not the same one, but if you are faithful you shall see greater things than that."” (http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/MLightner.html)

She did see greater things, by the way. Three more angels, really. Not dressed in white, as far as I can tell – but angels none the less. Follow that link for more.

That’s a total of 5 different people who saw angels precisely when Joseph Smith said they would. This certainly isn’t to say nobody else saw angels – others did. There’s an example in this post here. There were more than that too, but that’s for another day.

The point is if someone can practically point and an angel appears, perhaps his other experiences, as unlikely as they may sound, might just have something to them.

Doesn't hurt to think about it, right?