Without Disclosing My True Identity
really are. Although they can “show themselves unto whatsoever man it seemeth them good,”^67
there are only three mortals (Joseph, this author and his legal representative) to whom they have
revealed their true identity since circa 600 C.E.
The eternal laws of equality require that all human beings, while going through their
mortal stage of development, must in every way be treated equally, unless an inequality must
exist for the benefit of the whole world. No human will ever be allowed to make a proper claim
to some special dispensation of knowledge on account of his favor with “the divine” or his so-
called intelligence: all such claims are from a wild and vain imagination.
If some special knowledge were to be given to one—other than a true messenger (who is
specially designated to give such knowledge to mankind)—equality would demand that what
happens to one mortal must invariably be available to all others, so that none might have an
excuse of unfairness. Because the Three Nephites and John have only one purpose in revealing
themselves—“to wrought the great and marvelous works before that judgment day”^68 —they
only do so to accomplish this work (the Marvelous Work and a Wonder®).
Proof Demanded by the Critics
Skeptics and critics are right to proclaim that it is convenient that only Joseph and the
reincarnated “Hyrum” have been able to meet these men. They are right to proclaim that it is
convenient that only these two men have been allowed to see the full plates they claim to have
translated (Joseph, the unsealed part; the reincarnated Hyrum, the sealed part). But these same
critics have a bit more difficulty reasoning away the presence of the Urim and Thummim and
the breastplate. Both men were allowed to show others the Urim and Thummim; and Joseph
was allowed to show his family and a few others the breastplate.
Joseph also fulfilled the requirements outlined by Moroni in the Book of Mormon to
provide “three witnesses”^69 to the actuality of the existence of the plates:
And now I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded me,
according to my memory; and I have told you the things which I have sealed up;
therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate; for that thing is
forbidden you, except by and by it shall be wisdom in God. And behold, ye may
be privileged that ye may show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring
forth this work; And unto three shall they be shown by the power of God;
wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true. And in the
mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of
three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and
also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear
record—and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day.^70When the reincarnated Hyrum received his commission to translate the sealed portion
of the plates, his critics proclaimed that he needed to provide his own three witnesses. They
must have supposed that Moroni made a mistake when he wrote, “And in the mouth of three
witnesses shall these things [both the unsealed and sealed portions of the plates] be
established,”^71 not “six,” but “three” only. These instructions pertained to the plates in their
entirety. The three witnesses obviously saw the entire body of the plates that were bound
together, which included both the unsealed and the sealed parts. Hence, there was no need for
further witnesses as to their existence, because that had already been “established.”