Emma Smith
“Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and
well-worded letter; let alone dictat[e] a book like the Book of Mormon. …
“My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine
authenticity—I have not the slightest doubt of it. I am satisfied that no man
could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired; for,
when acting as his scribe, [he] would dictate to me hour after hour; and when
returning after meals, or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he
had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it
read to him. This was a usual thing for him to do. It would have been
improbable that a learned man could do this; and, for one so ignorant and
unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible” (“Last Testimony of Sister
Emma,” The Saints’ Herald, vol. 26, no. 19 [Oct. 1, 1879], 290).
