“A piece of something resembling parchment would appear [on the seer stone], and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph [Smith, Jr.] would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principle scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.”

David Whitmer, An Address to all Believers in Christ (Richmond, Missouri: Self-Published, 1887), 12.