David Whitmer Separates From Church
David Whitmer on Separating From the Church
CES Letter Core Question
Did the Spirit tell David Whitmer to leave the church?
Whitmer’s testimony also included the following:
If you believe my testimony to the Book of Mormon; if you believe that God spake to us three witnesses by his own voice, then I tell you that in June, 1838, (Note: after Whitmer had already separated from the church) God spake to me again by his own voice from the heavens and told me to ‘separate myself (Note: he means to move away) from among the Latter Day Saints, for as they sought to do unto me (Sidney Rigdon's threats and others had Whitmer fearing for his life), so it should be done unto them. (He's referencing to the October 1838 Missouri extermination of the saints) ’
If David Whitmer is a credible witness, why are we only using his testimony of the Book of Mormon while ignoring his other testimony claiming that God Himself spoke to Whitmer “by his own voice from the heavens” in June 1838, commanding Whitmer to apostatize from the Lord’s one and only true Church?
CES Letter, Page 91
Historical Context is everything here. The spirit of the Lord commanded him to “separate” (move away) from the Church in June 1838. He had already already withdrawn and been excommunicated from the church. He feared for his life, he felt like he needed to leave the area. Click here
History tells us that 1838 in Missouri was a challenging time for active church members and for those who were former members. Sidney Rigdon heightened the stress among former members when he gave his July 4, 1838 "Salt Sermon." Former members like Whitmer and others felt like it was high time to get out of there. Hence his statment in the above quote "for as they sought to do to me, so it should be done to them." The second half about what should be done to them is the extermination order in October 1838. Basically Whitmer is saying just like some of the church members treated me badly it's going to be done to them by Missouri.' For Whitmer in particular maybe he was inspired to get out of there. He turned out to be the most documented Book of Mormon witness the church had.
His Excommunication
On April 13, 1838, David Whitmer wrote to the Far West High Council:
The notes from the High Council meeting record: “The councellors then made a few remarks in which they spoke warmly of the contempt offered to the Council in the above letter, therefore, thought he was not worthy a membership in the Church. When Prest [David B.] Marsh made a few remarks and decided that David Whitmer be no longer considered a member of the Church of Christ of Latter day Saints.”
In 1887, David Whitmer wrote a book entitled: An Address to All Believers in Christ:
In it he wrote:
D&C 95:12 explains: “If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness.” In LDS theology, excommunication would result in spiritual darkness and an enhanced ability to be deceived, regardless of what spiritual blessings a person might have received in the past.
Whitmer's report of hearing the “voice of God” was described quite differently from his experiences as one of the Three Witnesses. There was no angel and no tangible manifestation.