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Source: Church History Vol. 1 Chapter 4 Page: 49 (~1829)

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49 By some careless writers it has been stated that some of them denied or renounced their testimony in after years, but no authenticated denial or renouncement exists to our knowledge; at least none has been produced, though often publicly demanded. We suppose that this report has obtained through a misunderstanding of their attitude.

It is true that some of them became disaffected during the troublesome times in Missouri, and that differences arose between them and Joseph Smith; but these differences did not occur on account of the Book of Mormon or the testimonies before published. Their contentions arose from other causes, real or supposed, and did not in any sense affect their attitude towards the book.

It is not our province to discuss these differences, or to say which was right, if either. There may have been unwise actions and unwise sayings on both sides; but the fact of their estrangement only makes their former testimony stronger when we reflect that neither party during their differences and contention accused the other of fraud in these testimonies. There were no exposures, no confessions, but all went to their graves unwaveringly maintaining the truth of their testimony. Some strong and perhaps harsh statements were made during this controversy, but this only argues that they were not afraid of retaliation by way of exposure of previous frauds.

Some of these witnesses have left on record no further testimony than that found in the document to which they subscribed in 1829.

The three witnesses, whose testimony is most important, have reaffirmed it, however; so also has John Whitmer, the last surviving one of the eight.

To each of the writers of this history David Whitmer said, in the presence of witnesses and at his home in Richmond, Missouri, that he attended Oliver Cowdery, who died at Richmond, Missouri, Sunday, March 3, 1850, on his deathbed, and that during his last sickness Oliver admonished him to be faithful to his testimony for it was true. "It is recorded in the American Cyclopedia and

(page 49)

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