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(More customer reviews)Oliver H. P. Cowdery (1806-1850) was one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon and a key figure in the early LDS church history; he was excommunicated in 1838, but returned to the church in later years.
The editors wrote in the "Acknowledgements" section of this 2006 book, "Since Oliver Cowdrey played a crucial role in the publication of the Book of Mormon ... it is fitting that the articles published over the years by BYU Studies and FARMS about Oliver Cowdrey should be gathered and published in celebration of his 200th birthday."
Here are some quotations from the book:
"Oliver's charge of adultery against the Prophet was simplistic, for Oliver already knew about the principle of plural marriage. Rather than deny the charge, the Prophet testified that because Oliver had been his 'bosom friend, 'he had 'intrusted him with many things'..." (Pg. 7)
"The idea of a controlled text (of the BOM by Joseph Smith) originates with statements made by the witnesses of the translation... this control was tight, but not iron-clad. The text could be 'ungrammatical' from a prescriptive point of view, but the use of nonstandard English is not evidence that the text was not being tightly controlled, or that it did not come from the Lord, who apparently does not share our insistence on 'proper English' (see D&C 1:24)..." (Pg. 101)
"In their written accounts ... many early members compressed all the events of priesthood restoration into a general reference to a visitation by a holy messenger or angel... It is also likely that some writers focused on a single messenger's role in the restoration of the priesthood in order to simplify the restoration of the gospel for hymns or missionary work..." (Pg. 139-140)
"The Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ began to take shape shortly after Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery first met... Cowdery's Articles of the Church of Christ ... was a relatively short procedural statement that depended heavily on excerpts from the Book of Mormon and early revelations to the Prophet. Thus it can be concluded that even though Oliver's Articles were written in the first person of Christ's voice, it does not rise to the same stature of original and authoritative revelation." (Pg. 175)
"Many of (Alexander) Campbell's arguments continue to lead the recurring parade of Book of Mormon criticisms ... by anti-Mormons today, many of whom merely rehash the same points or questions Campbell raised ... For example, Campbell's criticism that the Nephites and Lamanites took upon themselves the name of Christ before the time of Christ is often brought up by critics." (Pg. 228)
"Similarly, Oliver's accusing Joseph of adultery can hardly be taken as evidence that he is not a valid witness of the Book of Mormon. To the contrary, his willingness to make such an accusation while still in the church ... reveal's Oliver's independent spirit... Speaking of Joseph Smith, Oliver wrote, 'A dirty, nasty, filthy affair of his and Fanny Alger's...' ... Oliver was apparently unaware that Fanny Alger had become the first plural wife of Joseph Smith." (Pg. 283)
Click Here to see more reviews about: Oliver Cowdery: Scribe, Elder, Witness: Essays from Byu Studies and Farms
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