Show TESTIMONY OF OLIVER Judge C M Nielsen Relates a Re ReMarkable ReMarkable Experience in inThe inThe The Mission Field PROSPEROUS FARMERS STORY How I and hlll s n a Stranger ho Stock Hud C M 1 Nielsen delivered In an unusually Interesting address at the ward meetinghouse e Sunday evening relative to n a remark remarkable remarkable able speech made h by Oliver Oller Cowdery Cowder while attorney In Michl gann gan some years ears after aler Inc hc hail had left lert the Church Coder Cowdery wal prose proe prosecuting cutin a criminal case caRe against u a mur murderer murderer derer At the conclusion of oC his open openIng opening Ing the attorney for the do de Cen fondant ant arose and instead or of devoting his time to tho case In hand with Jar sar sarcasm and In bitter speech charged i Cowdery Cowder with having defrauded the tho I I American people by foisting a hateful religIon Mormonism upon them and defied Cowdery to deny It I colon calm dispassionate acknowledgement was seas the subject of Elder Rd ad address dress which inn In part was R as follows I Those who have received the gospel with the laying on of hands for the reception of the tho Holy Ghost have a testimony Independent of what an another any other person ma sa say of oC the tho truth of oC this I work and n the divinity I I of C the Book YI doS doSa of I But we havo In our midst a rising generation or of young men and young youn women who have had few Cow of oC the experiences or of life and have not had a testimony or of tine the power of oC God ns those of us who have been tried In the tho missionary field and at homo home It has been like a missing link In Inthe the tho life of Oliver Cowdery Codel as to what ho did for a 0 certain number of oC years ears front Crom tine tho tune he loft the Church un until until til he canine came back and appeared at Council Bluffs In 18 1849 There were 11 years vearll or of which wo we have little or no rec record rd of his doings It has been circulated among our enemies that thal Oliver Cowdery had de denied de denied nied his testimony of the tho divinity of cf the tho Book of oC Mormon Monson Affidavits havo haC been hoen made and published In east eastern eastern ern states that Oliver Cowdery asked to br b received Into some church a as a at member ember t that before that church would receive him he was required to tomake tomake make confession conCession of his hla connection with that ten religion called Mormon Ism rand and his own testimony regarding the tho Book of oC Mormon anti and his having said ald he saw tin an a angel el from heaven My fri friends 0 1118 I do not believe ho over evel made mado such denial of his testimony But our elders eldors have havo had this to and for that reason renson I ann am going to tell teIl you ou something hero tonight that will be or of to you OU But for arguments sake say Oli Olive ve ver Cowdery did recant his testimony which I do not then Is he greater reater than John the tho Baptisti who I doubted Jesus when trials and troubles came camo upon him and aid ho he wa was In danger of oC having his head cut cul off to satisfy n a woman Is Oliver Oller Cowdery Cowder greater than Peter who In the tho hour or of his trials denied ChrIst a and third time even cursing and swearing when accused See Matthew chapter Not one of his disciples acknowledged him Suppose as our enemies have tried to mako It appear appeal that Oliver Cowdery Cowden did deny these things before the tho Methodist church it Il was In a day when the life lite of oC a Mormon want thought of oC little more consequence than a rabbit running about In the sagebrush Both the Old and the New Testament show us that when the spirit of God was withdrawn from men they thoy shrank In fear of oC losing their lives nod and denied what the they knew to tobe tobe be facts MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE In the year ear 1884 1584 r I was traveling as 38 asa a missionary In Minnesota I had most of the eastern part of the state to myself I was wIthout purse or scrip and one night slept In a hay haystack haystack stack Next da day I came to a city and wandered up and down the tho streets I had no mone money no and kno know whore where to so go I 1 passed a 0 large store storo called the Emporium like our Z C lI 11 L 1 I 1 was attracted by It but kno know why There were about 25 teams hitched near the place owned b by tanners in town on business Something told me to Go over nand and see seea a certain man main The street was full Cull of people and I wondered which manThen man Then one man seemed to me a as big as three ordinary men The Tho spirit whis whispered Go over and speak to him I to approach this entire stranger but the same voice olce canto to tome tome me a a second and a third time lime Then I went He was a prosperous looking fann fanner er with a fine lne buggy bugg which ho he was read ready to enter and wasn wasa was n a prominent noon man I afterwards learned Not knowinG what else elRe I 1 Isaid 8 said ld How far are arc yOU going Home whore where are alO you going I 1 have hae no certain tain place I am from Utah You are aro not a Mormon me are you ou he asked anxiously Yes Then God bless you OU ho he replied reaching out his arms and dropping the lines Get unto Into UI this buggy bugno as fast ns as you OU can When we get home my wife will rejoice as aR I ro 10 jolce now I will ill then explain all allBut But you OU ane 1110 not a are you No Im Im a real live JIve front from Utah Reaching the he called Mother heres a real live Marmon old older older er Im afraid I look s cry ery One Oneas a as I had slept In n a haystack the provi out OUI night They took too 1110 b by the hand and led into tine the mu house I was very er hungry and begged for to cat After Arter m my hunger was satis fied the they called calle In their sons and daughters laughters and we sat around the ta ble 11 My now new found friend then said FARMER TELLS HIS HIR STORY Now young man you OU thought It strange how T 1 acted when you spoke to nine mo Vlen I 1 get through you OU will wll realize the Importance of oC your our conning coming to us When hen I was sues 21 l years earR ot of age uge I Iwas was workinG m my fathers rathers farm In Michi Michigan gan I had worked on the farm that and IntI decided to take a day off so went to the city Near the courthouse I ta saw a great creat man many people a assembling and others walking that wa way ilO ao I went over to see soe what was up There Thero was a jam jann in the courtroom but being young oung and strong I pushed my close up to the tho center centor where 1 found the pro attorney addesa lag InS the court and jury in n a murder trial The Tho pro prosecuting attorney was Oliver and he was giving his opening address In behalf or of the state After CAfter he was cut ot oft from the Church Oliver Cowdery studied law practising In Ohio Wisconsin and then where loo was waR elected prosecuting at attorney attorney torney After ACter Cowdery sat Bat down the attorney representing nUng the tho prisoner arose and with said Ma MaIt May It please the tho court and gentlemen ot of oti i II the jury jUr I see ono Oliver Cowdery le 16 going to reply to my argument I wish ho he would tell us something about the Mormon Bible something about aboul that golden goldon n Bible ble that Joe Smith dug out of the hili something about the great cat fraud ho he perpetrated upon the tho Amen CM can people whereby he gained thou thousands thousands sands of dollars Now ho he scorns to know so much about this poor prisoner I Iwonder wonder If ho he has forgotten all 1111 about Joe Smith and his hint connection with him Tho speaker all the tho while sneer sneering In ing and pointing his finger inn In scorn at In the hope of milking making him ridiculous before beCore the tho court and jury JUr Everybody present began to wonder it If they hod been guilty of making such stich sucha I a mistake as choosing a Mormon for prosecuting attorney Even tho judge jude on tine the hench hog began n looking with sus and at the prosecuting attorney The prisoner and his attorney attorney ney became elated at the tho effect of oC the line speech ch People began asking Is III ho he 1 a Everybody wondered what Cowdery Cowder would say against such foul toul charges OLIVER REPLY I Finally Oliver Cowdery arose calm aH a summer morning I was within three feet of him There was no he heal l lation no f fear a no ang anger r In his voice as he hc suit said May It please the tho court and gentlemen or of the jury jur my broth brother er 41 attorn attorney C on the other othor side Inns charged d mo me with connection with Jo Joseph Joseph seph Smith and the golden olden Bible DIble The he responsibility has been placed upon nine me and I cannot escape reply Ir If JIO he had denied it before wh why not den deny It now Before God and man I dare daro not nol den deny what I have havo said and what my testimony man mony contains and as JI written and printed on the tho front page of tine tho Book of oC May It Il please your our honor and of the jur jury Ibis I say My I II I saw aw the un angel ol and heard his voice olec how main CIUI I den deny it It happened In the theda da day time when whon the sun was shining bright In the tho firmament not In the night when I was Il Il asleep That glorious messenger from Crom heaven dressed In white standing above the ground In a glory I have never seen any anything to compare with the sun Insignificant in comparIson and these personages told us UR it IC wo we denied that testimony there thore Is no forgiveness In this life lito nor norIn norin In tine the world to como come Now lion how can canI I den deny ItI dare not I will not The Tho man wino who related this to mo me was wasa us usa a prominent man In that state ho he was wasa wasa a rich man a man who tats has held offices of oC tr trust t from the man of oC re rc respect ono one when you OU look Into his face tace you will not doubt To strengthen his statement this man who knew nothing of Mormon history said Oliver Oller Cowdery mentioned something he wanted me to explain that the angel took back a 11 apart part that was wa not translated Wo We know this and that part of the golden plates plate then withheld will bo be revealed at sonic somo future time HAD NO PEACE Since I heard Oliver Cowdery speak continued m my host I have havo not Md had peace for these many years I 1 want to know more about your people I felt when I listened to Oliver Cowdery talking talk talkIng Ing in the tho courtroom he was more than an ordinary man If you can show u us that you have what Oliver Cowdery testified to we shall all be glad to re receive It He and hIs family emb d the gospel and came camo to Utah Our heavenly l Father ather never noer revealed an any keys or powers to administer to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he was alone He Ie always had witnesses When John the Baptist crane came there thero were Joseph and Oliver when Peter Poter James Jamea and John appeared there were these trine Morne two witnesses In and Corinthians we learn that testimony must he be out ot of the mouths of oC two taro or cr three witnesses When the Lord has anything of I tanco to reveal to the world there thore are living witnesses sufficient to bring condemnation should the word be re rejected je ted In Nov 1518 lS 8 Oliver Cowdery before a high council at Council Bluffs called for the tho purpose of oC considering his case said Brethren for tor n a num number number ber of years ears I have been separated from you I now desire to conic come back I wish to como comae humbly and to be one In your our mIdst I seek no station I only wish to oc ee Identified with you vou I ann out of the Church I am not a t member of oC the Church but I wIsh to become n a member ot of it Il I wish to come in nt at tho door I know the door I have not come here to seek precedence I come humbly and throw myself upon the tho decisions of oC this body knowing as I do that Its decisions are right and should bo be obeyed |