Did Martin Harris lie about Dr. Charles Anthon verifying the authenticity of ancient characters from the plates of the Book of Mormon?
No, absolutely not. There are contradictions between Martin’s account the various accounts of Charles Anthon, but from the major internal inconsistency in Anthon’s accounts, it is clear that he has fabricated parts of his story. See B.F. Sperry’s account, Some Problems Arising from Martin Harris’ Visit to Professor Charles Anthon. Further, if Charles Anthon did not tell Martin Harris that the characters appeared authentic, then it is hard to believe that the already skeptical Martin Harris, a respected and cautious farmer with a reputation for integrity, would then be convinced enough of Joseph Smith’s claims that he would immediately mortgage his farm to support the publication of the Book of Mormon. The most logical explanation is that Charles Anthon did make the statement Martin Harris reported. While Anthon undoubtedly could not have translated the characters, he may have stated that the translation appeared correct to help get involved in the project and gain access to the preciou
