Reuben Miller — Documentation of Oliver Cowdery’s Reaffirmation of Testimony

“Friends and brethren, my name is Cowdery—Oliver Cowdery. In the early history of this Church I stood identified with her, and one in her councils. True it is that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. Not because I was better than the rest of mankind was I called; but, to fulfill the purposes of God, He called me to a high and holy calling. I wrote with my own pen the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages), as it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by the means of the Urim and Thummim, or, as it is called by that book, holy interpreters. I beheld with my eyes, and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was translated. I also beheld the interpreters. That book is true. Sidney Rigdon did not write it. Mr. Spaulding did not write it. I wrote it myself as it fell from the lips of the Prophet. It contains the everlasting gospel, and came forth to the children of men in these last days for their salvation. It is the only true Church, and ever will be, as I believe. But this is not all: my eyes saw, my ears heard, and my hands handled, and I know that the Aaronic Priesthood was restored to this earth, and that I was ordained under the hand of an angel of God, by the authority of the holy priesthood, to administer in the ordinances of the gospel. I was also called through me, by the prayer of faith, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. I laid my hands upon that man—yes, I laid my right hand upon his head (pointing to Brother Hyde), and I conferred upon him this Priesthood, and he holds that Priesthood now. This Holy Priesthood, or authority, we then conferred upon many, and is just as good and valid as though God had done it in person.”

— Reuben Miller, journal entry of October 21, 1848