And now, because I foresee the lying in weight to destroy thee, yea, I foresee that if my servant

Martin Harris humbleth not himself and receive a witness from my hand, that he will fall

into transgression.

Doctrine and Covenant Section 5, verse 32.

Hey listeners, this is Nick from Book of Mormon Central, and today's podcast addresses the question.

Why was Martin Harris cut off from the church?

Martin Harris was among the very earliest supporters of Joseph Smith.

He assisted early on with the translation of the Book of Mormon,

and, against the advice and social pressures of friends and neighbors, he provided financially

for the printing of the Book of Mormon. Martin was there on April 6, 1830, when the church was

organized and was baptized by fellow Book of Mormon witness Oliver Cowdrey shortly after the meeting.

Over the next several years, Martin moved to Kirtland and played an active part in the restoration.

He continued to contribute financially to the building up of Zion, marched to Missouri and back

in Zion's camp, and was called as a member of the Curtland High Council.

He participated in ordaining the initial quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1835, and in the divine endowments associated with the Kirtland Temple in March 1836.

Through all these various activities, Martin regularly bore testimony of the Book of Mormon as one of the three witnesses.

By the end of the tumultuous economic year of 1837, however, Martin stood apart from Joseph

Smith and the mainstream church. In a letter written by John Smith, at the time an assistant

counselor in the first presidency, Martin was listed alongside Joseph Coe,

Luke Johnson, John Boynton, and Warren Parrish as one of the leaders of a splinter group.

John Smith called a high council to consider the case of these and other men, and reported

that they had been cut off from the church. Based on this letter, it seems that Martin was either excommunicated or disfellowshipped in late December 1837,

...