Martin Harris Fulfills Isaiah's Prophecy — The Learned Man Cannot Read a Sealed Book

In early 1828, Martin Harris traveled to New York City carrying a transcription of characters from the gold plates. His visit to Professor Charles Anthon of Columbia University fulfilled, word for word, a prophecy recorded in Isaiah 29.

Martin's own account:

'I took a transcript of the characters of the plates to Dr. Anthon, of New York... Professor Anthon then gave me a certificate certifying that the characters were Arabic, Chaldaic, and Egyptian. I then left Dr. Anthon and was near the door, when he said, "How did the young man know the plates were there?" I said an angel had shown them to him. Professor Anthon then said, "Let me see the certificate!" — upon which I took it from my waistcoat pocket and unsuspectingly gave it to him. He then tore it up in anger, saying there was no such thing as angels now.'

Isaiah 29:11-12 reads: 'the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed; and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, read this, I pray thee, and he saith, I am not learned.'

Edward Stevenson noted: 'did He not verily do so? a marvelous work and a wonder.'

In his September 15, 1853 account recorded by David B. Dille, Martin Harris provided additional context regarding the logistics of his visit. He noted that upon arriving at Professor Anthon's house, he found the professor in his office alone. Harris also clarified the sequence of his interaction with Samuel Mitchill, stating, 'I then went to Dr. Mitchell with the transcript, and he confirmed what Professor Anthon had said.' Harris further described the physical handling of the plates themselves, noting that at one time he held them on his knee for an hour and a half while conversing with Joseph Smith in the woods to hide them, and provided specific estimates of their dimensions, describing them as approximately eight inches long and four inches thick, with each plate being 'thicker than the thickest tin.'

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

I took a transcript of the characters of the plates to Dr. Anthon, of New York. When I arrived at the house of Professor Anthon, I found him in his office and alone, and presented the transcript to him, and asked him to read it. He said, if I would bring the plates, he would assist in the translation. I told him I could not, for they were sealed. Professor Anthon then gave me a certificate certifying that the characters were Arabic, Chaldaic, and Egyptian. I then left Dr. Anthon, and was near the door, when he said, ‘How did the young man know the plates were there?’ I said an angel had shown them to him. Professor Anthon then said, ‘Let me see the certificate!’—upon which, I took it from my waistcoat pocket and unsuspectingly gave it to him. He then tore it up in anger, saying there was no such thing as angels now—it was all a hoax. I then went to Dr. Mitchell with the transcript, and he confirmed what Professor Anthon had said.