Oliver Cowdery

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Oliver Cowdery

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A FAIR Analysis of Wikipedia article: Oliver Cowdery

Summary: Wikipedia's article about Oliver Cowdery ignores his numerous affirmations of his witness to the Book of Mormon, and instead emphasizes a single oblique reference implying that he may have rejected that testimony. FAIR analyzes and responds to the content of the Wikipedia article "Oliver Cowdery."

What was the character of the witnesses?

Summary: Critics charge that the witnesses cannot be trusted, or are unreliable, because they were unstable personalities, prone to enthusiasm and exaggeration. Evidence amply demonstrates that the formal witnesses of the Book of Mormon were men of good character and reputation, and were recognized as such by contemporary non-Mormons.

Did the Book of Mormon witnesses ever recant?

Summary: Critics have tried to argue that some or all of the Witnesses recanted concerning their testimony. They were all faithful to their testimonies to the end of their lives, even though many of them had personal disagreements with Joseph Smith that caused them to leave the Church.

• • Oliver Cowdery's 1839 Defence in a Rehearsal of my Grounds for Separating Myself from the Latter Day Saints—
    Brief Summary: Although this document purports to have been published in 1839 by Oliver Cowdery, the earliest copies in existence are dated 1906. The document was "discovered" by the Reverend R. B. Neal, who was a leader in the American Anti-Mormon Association. No references to this document exists prior to 1906. This document was believed to be authentic for many years, until it was discovered that it consists primarily of a selection of Cowdery's phrases taken from various issues of the Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate that were removed from their original context and placed in a different context. A number of talking points appear to have been reworded from David Whitmer's 1887 An Address to All Believers in Christ. Historians now agree that this document is a forgery. (Click here for full article)
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  • Did Oliver Cowdery admit that the Book of Mormon was a hoax?—
    Brief Summary: Critics claim that Oliver Cowdery admitted to his law partner that the Book of Mormon was a hoax, and that it was derived from the Spalding manuscript. (Click here for full article)
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Did Joseph hypnotize the Book of Mormon witnesses?

Summary: Critics claim that the Book of Mormon witnesses may have been sincere in their testimony, but were actually the victims of 'hallucination' or 'hypnosis' induced in them by Joseph Smith. The accusation that Joseph Smith was somehow able to hypnotize the witnesses—not individually, but en mass—is simply too preposterous to be true. This accusation vastly overstates the nature of hypnotism and the abilities of those able to practice it.

Were the experiences of the witnesses spiritual or literal?

Summary: Some critics suggest that the witnesses’ encounter with the angel and the plates took place solely in their minds. They claim that witnesses saw the angel in a “vision” and equate “vision” with imagination.

Oliver Cowdery joined the Methodists after leaving the Church

Summary: Why did Oliver Cowdery join the Methodists if all other churches had been "condemned of God"?

Was Oliver Cowdery not aware of First Vision in 1834-35?

Summary: When Oliver Cowdery published his version of the history of the Church in December 1834 and February 1835 he did not include a recital of the First Vision story - thus implying that it was not known among the Saints by that point in time. Critics assert that Cowdery's history contradicts Joseph Smith's later official history by saying that the Prophet's first visionary experience was of the angel Moroni in 1823.

Oliver Cowdery and the "rod of nature"

Summary: Critics claim that a revelation received by Joseph praised Oliver Cowdery's gift of using divining talents. It is claimed that the revelation was published in the Book of Commandments in its original form, then subsequently modified in the Doctrine and Covenants in order to hide the reference to the "rod of nature." Therefore, it is claimed that Joseph attempted to "cover up" Oliver Cowdery's work with a divining rod by changing a revelation. Critics also claim that Oliver would ask questions of his divining rod in faith and it would move in response.

Blessings given by Oliver Cowdery

Summary: Oliver Cowdery gave a number of blessings that contained promises to specific individuals.

• • Oliver Cowdery's blessing and promise to Orson Hyde—
    Brief Summary: Critics claim that the ordination blessing given to Orson Hyde is an example of false prophecy. They also claim that Hyde's blessing was altered in the History of the Church for propaganda reasons. (Click here for full article)
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  • Blessing given by Oliver to Lyman Johnson that he would live until the gathering was accomplished—
    Brief Summary: Critics claim that the ordination blessing given to Lyman Johnson of the Twelve was a false prophecy. Given that Lyman Johnson apostatized and forsook his role in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, any promise made to him in a blessing would have been forfeited. (Click here for full article)
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  • Blessing given by Olive to William Smith that he would remain on the earth until Christ comes—
    Brief Summary: Critics claim that the ordination blessing given to William Smith, is an example of false prophecy. Since William Smith apostatized and was not true to his calling as an apostle, any promise made to him is arguably forfeit. (Click here for full article)
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Oliver Cowdery's version of the Articles of Faith in 1834

Summary: From Oliver Cowdery, "Address," Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate 1 no. 1 (October 1834), 2.